JANUARY 2       John 1:19-28

John said: 1 am 'the voice of one crying out in the desert, Make straight the way
of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said."

When John the Baptizer comes proclaiming the Messiah, his role is some thing like a parent's when he or she introduces the child to a Christian way of life. Like John who prepares the way for the reception of Jesus and points him out when he arrives, parents are the ones who will introduce the child to Jesus. John describes his own identity as "the voice crying out in the desert." This is his response to the question, "Who are you?" His answer tells us that John's identity cannot be fully known without Jesus. Christian parents also find the fullness of their personalities in the living witness they give to their children about the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus Christ reveals to us the truth about ourselves. 

The truth about the parental role and the meaning of one's personal identity in Jesus is once again portrayed when Our Lady comes to La Salette to herald the Good News. It is clearly Mary's desire to open up the hearts of the children to receive her Son. As always in authentic Catholic practice, we rightly think of Mary and her role in salvation as being inseparable from Jesus himself. And so it is with Christian parents. The truth about the role of parents in relationship to their children, even their own identity, is discovered and fully understood in relationship to Jesus as one who wants their children to know him. 

Who am I? Is my relationship with Jesus the most important aspect of my personality? What does it mean to be a father or mother according to the Gospel?

JANUARY 3  John 1:29-34

"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of _the world."

This proclamation is full of meaning, especially because it is the source of the words spoken as the priest shows the Blessed Sacrament to the assembly during Mass. In saying this John is pointing to one whom he "did not recognize.' Thus, he knows that he must point Jesus out to others because his divine Sonship is not evident from his appearance alone. After the Resurrection, when Jesus continues to teach the disciples about the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the} must learn to recognize him "in the breaking of the bread." In this new age, the Blessed Sacrament which is offered as the perfect Lamb of Sacrifice on our altars is the definitive sign of his glorified presence in the world. It is a living sacrifice because the Spirit of immortality has "remained on him." The Lamb gives us life by taking away our sins and giving us the same life of his Spirit. 

When Our Lady speaks at La Salette, the, close association of the themes of the Mass, spoilt wheat, and the shortage of bread is something to ponder. Was she speaking only literally of the actual famine that was to come, or was she pointing to another meaning, one which was not immediately "recognized"? "f you have wheat it is not good to sow it." This can remind one of the parable of the seed and sower. Perhaps the deeper, spiritual meaning of Our Lady's words is that the "seed" of new and eternal life must be cultivated in properly prepared ground in order for it to reach fruition. 

How do I prepare to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament? Has my response to grace made the "harvest" a fruitful one?

JANUARY 4         John 1:35-42

“What are you looking for?"

Jesus poses this question to two of John's disciples when they decide to follow Jesus. In their encounter with Jesus these disciples are immediately challenged to examine themselves and their motives for seeking out the Lord. Following Jesus requires more than an outward conformity to a certain discipline. "It in­volves holding fast to the very person of Jesus, partaking of his life and his des-tiny, sharing in his free and loving obedience to the will of the Father" (Pope John Paul II, The Splenndor of Truth, no. 19). As the question would indicate, in the encounter with Jesus a person is encouraged to search more deeply into his or her own heart to learn to appreciate more profoundly what we were made for. The author of life, the one who made our hearts, knows what we long for. He wants us to become aware of it for ourselves. 

Submitting to the truth about life is not a surrender of human freedom. On the contrary, it is a growth in awareness of what human freedom is. Our Lady knows that sin is contrary to freedom and leads to a form of slavery that the Lord freed us from by his strong arm. As Mary emphasizes through her prophetic message, bondage to sin leads to death. But we are encouraged by the Beautiful Lady not to be afraid, to trust her Son, to follow him, to partake of his life and destiny. 

What am I looking for? What is most important in my life? What do my actions, day to day, reveal about what is most important to me?

JANUARY 5  John 1:43-51

"How do you know me?"

Nathanael's question to Jesus could well he our own. How surprised any of us would be to encounter a person who "told me everything I have done" (John 4:39). Yet, we know that the Lord does know us and everything about us. On the Day of Judgment all our deeds will be recounted, all of our motives brought to light. The Lord does not want any of us to perish for all eternity. So he seeks us out with a severe mercy. As Paul puts it, "We are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world" (1 Cor. 11:32). The Lord in his mercy does not abandon us by letting us go our own way, but assists us now by giving us every opportunity to turn to him and be saved. Sometimes we experience the consequences of sin now, so that we will not be condemned later. 

This message of mercy comes through so clearly at La Salette. "f I would not have my Son abandon you, I am compelled to pray to him without ceasing." Abandonment by the Lord does not mean punishment while we are still in the world. On the contrary, abandonment means that God allows us to go our own way, seemingly without consequence. Romans 1:24-32 is a description of abandonment by God. God hands people over to their own wishes. Our Lady gives Maximin a clear example of how well God knows him when she describes the episode with his father at Coin. The knowledge of everything we have done, coupled with the great mercy of God is the formula for saving interventions like the apparition at La Salette. 

JANUARY 6    Mark 1:7-11

"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit

John the Baptizer clearly distinguishes his baptism of repentance from the sacrament of baptism initiated by Jesus in the New Covenant. This new baptism comes from one "more powerful" than John. In John's Gospel, Jesus himself teaches Nicodemus that we must be reborn from above through water and the Holy Spirit if we are to inherit the Kingdom. In speaking of baptism, Peter speaks of the flood at the time of Noah, in which eight persons were saved through water. He adds, "this prefigured baptism, which saves you now" (I Pet. 3.21). Up to this day, the church established by Jesus (Matt. 16:18; I Tim. 3:15) continues to bring the sacrament of baptism to anyone who would be saved by its power. As Scripture testifies, at this baptism God proclaims "You are my son. You are my daughter." Through this Baptism we are made capable of doing the works of the Father.

The Mass in honor of Our Lady of La Salette includes a reference to the great flood which prefigures baptism. And this helps us to see the development from the covenant God made with Noah to the New Covenant established by Jesus. In Noah's time, God put a rainbow in the skies once the earth had been cleansed by the flood. But with us, through the waters of baptism the Lord comes to each of us personally to make us like him, so much so that each of us is called his son or daughter, and that is what we are" (I John 3:2). The promise made to Noah was that God would never destroy the earth again by water. "The promise made to us is eternal life" if we remain in him (1 John 2:25). The same Lord speaks tenderly to us at La Salette through the Blessed Mother reminding us of the limitless power of grace won by "the pains I have taken for you" 

How well do I understand what the church teaches about my baptism? Have I sought to develop fully the spiritual capacities that are mine because I have re­ceived all the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

JANUARY 7  John 2:1-12

"Do whatever he tells you."

The mother of Jesus" is never named in John's Gospel. She appears though, very early on, and is addressed by Jesus as "Woman." This continues the pattern established in this Gospel which recalls the book of Genesis and the story of creation. In Genesis live is the woman tied to the first sin. Here, the New Eve becomes a model of fidelity. Whereas the first woman was tricked by the serpent into disobedience, the "Woman" of the New Covenant is presented as one who orchestrates a revelation of the Lord's glory so that others may believe. The New Eve is seen as the true mother of all the living. Thus, just before the completion of the Passover sacrifice on Calvary, the Lord presents the "Woman" as mother to the beloved disciple. This disciple represents all who are living in the church. Through him, the Lord makes each one of us a son or daughter of the "Woman," the mother of all the living.

One of the amazing characteristics of the apparition at La Salette is the fact that the Beautiful Lady is never named by the children. She was nevertheless imme­diately thought to be a mother. And in an intriguing statement, Maximin said, "She was tike a mama whom her own children had beaten and who had escaped to the mountain to weep." Of course, Our Lady does make it clear that she is speaking to her children. It is also remarkable that the Woman's instruction at La Salette is the means the Lord uses to declare "rocks and stones will be changed into mounds of wheat," a proposed miracle reminiscent of the miracle at Cana.

Was Maximin's interpretation of Our Lady's reason for weeping true in a sense? What is the promise of the gospel accompanying the woman's instruction, "Do whatever he tells you"?

MONDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 1:14-20

The gospel reading tells us about Christ calling some fishermen to share with him the responsibility of gathering God's family and proclaiming the Good News of salvation. Soon after he had begun his public life Jesus wanted to lay a solid foundation for the continuation of his mission. Although he was not as popular at this early stage of his ministry as his miracles and acts of mercy would later make him, Jesus succeeded with his plan to build up his staff. His presence and words must have been tremendously powerful and marvelously inviting. As both God's message and messenger, he is the cornerstone of the Kingdom. He must gather to himself a small band of kindred spirits to whom he can unburden his own heart and upon whose hearts he may write his message. Christ approaches these men in their own life situation, as they were carrying out their daily chores. In response to the call, the fishermen left behind their precious nets and began to walk the dusty roads of Palestine with Jesus. 

At La Salette Mary spoke the words of her Son, "Come near, my children...." God's invitation is continuously extended through Mary. She comes to us with a plea that we abandon our sinful ways and turn back to Christ. She calls us near him, because as a person she knew the pain of being in this world of alienation and suffering. She is truly our mother whose heart yearns to help us find lasting refuge in Jesus, the Savior. Her entire conversation focused on him. He comes to us, as he did to his first recruits, in our daily struggles and tasks. 

TUESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 1:21-28

Jesus began his preaching in the synagogue, primarily an institution of learning. In tone and method, his teaching struck his listeners as a new revelation. He did not teach like the scribes, the experts in the Law. He was a man with a message. He spoke that message with authority and power. He himself was the new Torah, the supreme rule of faith and life. Such authority astonished his audi­ence and the evil powers. "What have you to do with us? Mind your business. Go away. Go anywhere so long as you don't interfere with our ways." The powers wished to go on exploiting men, women, youth, and children, wanted to keep them addicted, bound by hatred and jealousy, burdened by inhuman abuse and cruelty. To this cry of the evil spirit, Jesus answered, "Be silent and come out of him." He makes the same answer today. He is concerned with every burden that weighs heavily on human shoulders. 

At La Salette Our Lady brought a message of freedom to her people. A freedom that requires complete trust in God and obedience to his will. "If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let fall the arm of my Son." Mary's words were spoken from her heart. They were not meant to alarm us with the fear of punish­ment but to sharpen our concern about our personal relationship with Jesus. She urges us to cultivate that relationship so that he might become more transparent in our lives as we grow more confident in his power. His power can and must own and possess us. 

We all need to be owned and possessed. By whom shall I be possessed? Have I allowed Jesus to manifest his authority over my whole life?

WEDNESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR       Mark 1:29-39

 Peter's mother-in-law was ill; the simple household was upset. And for the disciples the most natural thing in the world was to tell Jesus about it. After the exhausting experience of the synagogue service, Jesus could have claimed the right to rest. But once again nothing could keep him from doing good. The need of others took precedence over his desire for rest. He could feel the anxiety and concern of his disciples. He did not wait for an audience in order to exercise his healing power. He was there to heal Peter's mother-in-law. That world is our world, a world full of men and women haunted by fear, burdened with worry. This world seeks a healer. Personal fatigue could not keep Jesus from performing an act of kindness and healing. We must learn to look at people with compassion, to feel their anguish of heart. We are never blessed for ourselves alone, but for others . 

The apparition at La Salette is rooted in the vision our Mother has of us, her needy, poor, sinful and wretched children. Her never-tiring and endless love finds expression in the tears she shed at La Salette. There she opened her heart and spoke to Maximin and Melanie in a soft and tender voice. Through them, she was speaking to us as well. Like that of Jesus, Mary's compassion overflowed in tears. We are eternally grateful to God for giving us such a mother. She appears to us in our daily lives with a helping hand. Since we long for healing, she will certainly lead us to Christ, her Son. 

Isn't it true that tiredness is often used as an excuse for not doing good? "Let us not grow weary in doing what is right" (Galatians 6:9) How can I put this sound advice of the apostle Paul into practice?

THURSDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 1:40-45

"Moved with pity he stretched out his hand, touched him ...

The psychologist Erich Fromm wrote: "Alienation as we find it in modern society is almost total; it pervades the relationship of man to his work, to the things he consumes, to the State, to his fellowmen and to himself." Today's gos­pel speaks about this sort of alienation. In the New Testament no disease terrified people nor moved them to pity more than leprosy. The leper's fate was indeed hard. Ritually unclean, the leper was to remain segregated from the community, avoid all contact with others. Though he had no right to approach or to speak to him, the leper sensed that Jesus' compassion was his only recourse. Upon receiv­ing his healing the man could not contain his inner joy. His heart overflowed with boundless gratitude. The Lord could have cured him from a distance, but chose to do so by touching him. We, too, must help others; but we must be ready to touch one another's lives. We must make sure that our care, our concern and our love touch those who need our help. 

"She wept all the while she spoke to us," the children of La Salette reported. Mary's tears spoke more loudly of her inner beauty, one of her most attractive characteristics as a woman. Mary was present, as always, to bring life, to give care, to show love. It is a wonderfully feminine virtue to be there with passion for those one loves, especially in moments of affliction and distress. She was there in tears on the mountain with Maximin and Melanie, representatives both of our broken world. 

Can we see Our Lady's tears as a reflection of the sorrow and pity of the Son as he looks upon an ailing and wounded world? What attitude of mine might repel those in my life circle?

FRIDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR         Mark 2:1-12

The crowd had jammed the pavement around the door to listen to Jesus. Into this crowd came four men bearing on a stretcher a friend who was paralyzed. We are not told his name nor the names of those who brought him to Jesus. They are referred to simply as "four men." Where would this world be without such people? They were the first of an endless company of those who have made it possible for others to reach the healing hands of Christ, anonymous apostles do­ing good quietly, unselfishly and without fanfare. People whose names never make the headlines. When he saw the faith of these four men Jesus must have smiled an understanding and affirming smile. In his sight, this was a loud procla­mation of living faith. In what was perhaps one of the most joyous moments in his ministry, he looked at the man, and said, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Healer of soul and body, Jesus is truly Lord of life. 

Mary's words at La Salette reiterate the baptismal call of every believer. She appeared not to add fame or glory to her credit but to bring us her Son's healing touch. Her persistent and enduring love compels her to intercede for us and to carry us to Jesus. Probably that is why her appearance and intercession are known in every corner of the world. Her message is a worldwide call to rediscover Jesus as Savior; it breaks down our self-erected barriers that we might immerse our paralyzed selves in Christ's healing love. 

What hinders me from going out of my way to help others? Where should I look for the motivation to deal with pockets of inertia in my own Christian life?

SATURDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 2:13-17

Jesus was walking by the lakeside, teaching like any rabbi of his day. He must have stopped when he saw Matthew, a tax collector in his booth. Tax collec­tors extracted from people as much as they possibly could and filled their own pockets with the surplus once the law's requirements had been met. Matthew was, therefore, thoroughly hated. He was sitting in his office, sitting in his sins, in his own world of alienation and public scorn. But he had the will to respond to the entirely unexpected call of Jesus, "Follow me." He had probably heard about Jesus; he might have listened on the fringes of crowds to his message, and some-thing must have stirred in his heart at Jesus' words. He sprang to his feet, fol­lowed Jesus and spent his life in the service of the one who lifted him out of his emptiness and sin. Matthew manifested his gratitude by hosting a banquet, a tan­gible expression of reconciliation with God. A meal shared is, in fact, a life shared. 

We learn about personal involvement from the children of La Salette. They were called to proclaim their Beautiful Lady's good news. Her apparition blessed and marked their lives. Every blessing comes with a corresponding duty, a responsi­bility they did not shirk. Before and after the apparition, we see in them an amaz­ing willingness to move freely with the Spirit. Leaving their beloved mountains and their untroubled way of life behind, they lent their words, their hearts and their sufferings to this stirring message.

Discipleship involves extra sacrifice and a life-long commitment. 

How does the Eucharist, the meal I share with my Lord, affect my personal con-version? When counting my blessings, do I give a thought to the responsibility each of them entails?

In the Jewish faith fasting was mandatory only one day in the entire year, and that was the Day of Atonement. Stricter Jews fasted two days each week. Jesus did not oppose fasting as such. It could help people learn to appreciate and value God's gifts, gain spiritual strength against evil and focus entirely on God. He faulted the Pharisees for making their fasting a way of drawing attention to their own righteousness, rather than a genuine expression of devotion to God. Fasting accompanied the rites of mourning in Israel. Jesus was with his disciples still; so there was no need to fast. It was time to celebrate and feast with him at table. We touch here the interplay between Advent and Christmas, between Good Friday and Easter. Our entire life in Christ is interplay between fasting and feasting. The Lord is truly present to us, yet we await his coming in glory. We receive the Lord in our hearts in the Eucharist, but that presence will not be complete until he comes again. 

When she helped him recall the day he saw the fragile wheat at Coin with his father, Mary at La Salette reminded Maximin that God's care is constant. Eucha^­rist is an everlasting reminder of God's love for us. Our attitude, experience, understanding, and our voice are all-important to our appreciation of God's com­ing to us in the Eucharist. Each moment of our lives must be a crystal clear reflec­tion of the Lord who comes to us through bread, broken and shared. Our absti­nence and our sacrifice will enable us to savor the Eucharistic mystery and center our lives on the Lord's table. 

"How can the wedding guests fast?" Have we lost this joy? Have we lost the sense of the Lord's presence in our midst?

TUESDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 2:23-28

"The Son of Man is master even of the Sabbath."

In their deep reverence for God's command that the Lord's Day be kept holy, the Pharisees elaborated some thirty-nine rules governing its proper obser­vance; they ranged from a prohibition against harvesting grain to a ban on carry­ing heavy loads. What made their attitude devious was their use of God's com­mand to impose burdens on people, thereby complicating their lives. "What is the purpose of the law?" is a question we should often ask ourselves. Blind obedi­ence to law, whether civil, moral or spiritual, is never enough. This can make narrow-minded or scrupulous Christians of us. We need to educate ourselves to each law's intent, the reason behind God's inspiration of that particular precept. Does our fondness for gossip reveal a hidden desire to appear wiser and holier than others? The Pharisee in us often talks louder than Jesus in us. 

When the Lady appeared at La Salette she said to the children, "The seventh day I have kept for myself." In doing so she revealed the deep-seated reason for the Sabbath. The Lord loves us so much, she reminded us, that he wants us to spend this special day in his company. Sunday worship cannot be a mere matter of fulfilling an obligation. It should be the joyful act of a grateful heart. Mary wishes us to grow in gratitude, to journey in faith, not alone but in the big family of believers. She wants us to don the garment of integrity and sincerity as we take our place at table with Jesus. 

Is the Pharisee or Jesus my standard of behavior? Am I overly narrow-minded in my Sunday observance?

WEDNESDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR           Mark 3:1-6

Jesus takes time off from his lakeside preaching and healing. Once again he enters the synagogue on the Sabbath. The leading Jews and members of the Sanhedrin were there to scrutinize hi every  move. They wanted no unlawful act from him that might mislead the people and entice them from the right way. It was the Sabbath; all work was forbidden. Had he been a fearful prophet, Jesus would have managed not to see the sick man. He well knew that to see him was to heal him, and to heal him could only mean trouble. "Is it lawful on the Sabbath," Jesus asks, "to do good or to do evil?" He thus discloses the priority God assigns to compassion in all his dealings with humanity. The law was meant to enhance the community^'s sense of human dignity. How can healing the paralytic jeopar­dize this intent? It can't. Jesus was frustrated with the Pharisees, not because they observed the Law, but because they were narrow-minded and burdened others in its application. 

Mary's appearance and intervention at La Salette was rather necessary and most timely in a world become licentious and self-centered. More than an appeal, her message carried transforming power and served as a salutary reminder that evil is to be rejected energetically, that God is to be embraced enthusiastically. Mary stands at La Salette as our spiritual mother and a woman, committed and faithful, dedicated with all her feminine heart to what is good and right. The voice she raised at La Salette needs to be heard even today. 

How do I utilize God-given opportunities to do acts of mercy? What might I learn if I draw up a in list of God's commands and their underlying intent?

THURSDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR   Mark 3:7-12

"They heard of all that he was doing."

The synagogue authorities and the community elders were set for a conflict with Jesus over the good works he did on the Sabbath. Jesus discreetly avoids the situation, however, and keeps the focus on his mission. Leaving the syna­gogue, he went out to the lakeside and the open sky. It was not that he withdrew through fear, but that his hour had not yet come and that he had much more to do. Undaunted by the controversy, the crowd fearlessly followed Jesus. "They heard of all that he was doing." Reports of his deeds, his assistance to all in need, served as a magnet that drew them. Most were drawn to Christ by an inner desire to taste and see divine acts. The region was electrified. Everyone wants to see a miracle at least once in a lifetime! Miracles in themselves do not sustain faith. For the believer, no miracle is necessary; for the unbeliever, no miracle is possible. What we need most is- the courage and strength to decide resolutely for Jesus in the difficult moments of our lives. 

The La Salette message focuses on people's refusal to give God the time he re-quests, their disrespect for his name, and the hardness of their hearts. It was ad-dressed to people who refused to welcome the word of God into their lives. Maxi-min and Melanie were so very blessed to hear Mary's comforting and energizing words. They were set free from fear and anxiety. The miracle of the apparition did not come in answer to any desire of theirs, it simply dawned in their lives. They afterwards gave their whole lives to make the Lady's message known to all. Having freely received, they freely gave. 

How fearless a follower of Christ can I truthfully say I am? What is it about Jesus and his teaching that excites me?

FRIDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 3:13-19

Jesus takes one more step forward in carrying out his mission. He had articu­lated his message; he had selected his method; he had shown his divine au­thority over evil spirits and illness. He had seen large crowds following him, eager to taste divine love. He had felt this flock's inner thirst. Now he had to find an effective way to make his message a lasting one, one that would extend be­yond Galilee. To further his mission he chose ordinary men who were willing to give their lives for the sake of God's Kingdom. He called them "that they might be with him, that they might serve as his heralds and have the power to cast out demons." These three charges are essential components of the disciple's calling: to be with Jesus, to understand him, to capture his spirit, to share his trust in God, to go out and preach the Word of life, the Word made flesh, to heal the world of all evil spirits. Each of these blessings carries with it a responsibility. To love God is to love his works and his children beyond measure. 

At La Salette Mary is indeed sent by God and speaks the words of God. She unabashedly refers to her two most precious possessions: her Son and her people. Her pleading in behalf of her children was ongoing, and sinners were drawn to her Son that they might find in him forgiveness, healing and reconciliation. In a world broken and divided, the La Salette message remains relevant. To take the Word of God, called to our attention by Mary, to the ends of the world is our primary baptismal responsibility. Jesus' death and resurrection have earned us heavenly citizenship. Mary's apparition reminds us that sacred duties and re­sponsibilities accompany blessings such as this.

As a disciple of Christ do I recognize the responsibilities my discipleship entails? Do I act accordingly?

SATURDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF THE YEAR     Mark 3:20-21

The crowd follows Jesus with great affection and excitement. They have seen him performing miracles and have heard his powerful words. Still we see them thirsting for more of his wisdom and miracles. Certainly a good number of them believed in him and their hearts were yearning to be formed in the ways of God. All these things sounded so bizarre and strange to his own family, who then decided that the time had come to take him home. They perhaps feared the conse­quences of such acts and preferred not to be condemned by the Jewish leaders. The language of Mark's Gospel here offers a dramatic picture of Jesus' human­ness: his reaction and the wide range of emotions he displays are so much like our own. He was pained when people disappointed him. For the good things he was doing, he was anything but appreciated by those closest to him. His own relatives said, "He is out of his mind." We sometimes do good and are suspected of having ulterior motives. 

The La Salette event invites us to look at the events of our lives and our world with the eyes of faith. Whatever causes pain in our relationships must be viewed from a faith perspective. It was the absence of a faith perspective that made Mary's presence at La Salette so necessary. Her single-minded focus on her Son should be ours as well. Our modern world and self-congratulatory attitude have created blind spots and denials that challenge us to stand up for Jesus with integrity and proclaim his word with unflagging enthusiasm. 

How do you react when your loved ones do not appreciate you? Why does affir­mation by those closest to us mean so much to us?

MONDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 3:22-30

There is something in us that wants to believe that all can be forgiven. After all, Jesus does battle with the powers of darkness and he just doesn't win, he actually crushes the powers of death and raises all life to share victori­ously in his glory. The entire ministry of Jesus is a series of conflicts between the powers of God at work in him and the power of evil at work in the world. In every instance the power of good prevails. Resisting that power, denying its strength, dismissing its presence is the great sin. The world we live in is filled to overflow­ing with examples of the powers of hell seemingly winning the day. But it may all be summed up in the spirit of the young Columbine student who died for believ­ing that goodness prevails while she stared evil in the face. Not only can a house divided against itself not stand, neither can a faith, nor a heart, nor a marriage, nor a family, nor a community. Indeed, "united we stand and divided we fall." The great sign of the Kingdom actually being built happens when we work together confronting the evils of the day. 

Mary weeps at La Salette because her children try to live without the communion of God's love. She comes to call us to communion, to reconciliation. Her appari­tion at La Salette is a reminder of the will of the Father so intimately known in the life and teachings of her Son. We too are her children for whom she prays for unity and oneness. We are neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, nei­ther slave nor free. We are her children loved with the same heart that loved Jesus, brothers and sisters all. 

What divides our hearts? What unites our hearts?

TUESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 3:31-35

"These are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is brother and sister and mother to me."

Someone once observed that Catholics have a penchant for putting the cart before the horse when they think that their goodness produces heaven when, in truth, it is heaven that is the source of all goodness. When Jesus speaks of family, all manner of questions arise about his relatives, about the meaning of brothers and sisters. Or are they cousins? But Jesus is on another page. More than his closeness to us, to his followers, then and now, to his mother, to all his broth­ers and sisters, Jesus is one with his heavenly Father. His primary relationship is with his Father. He invites us into that relationship by asking us to do the will of the Father. The reign of God, for Jesus, rests in the personal communion of men and women who do the will of God. Loving the unlovable, the outcast, the enemy requires a love thicker than blood. The question we ought to be asking ourselves is "who isn't my brother or sister or mother?^" 

Not only does Mother Mary come to us speaking words of wisdom, "Let it be," she knows the full meaning of that response to God. To say "yes^" to God is to give life to love, to hope, to peace, to the presence of God among us. Mother Mary says "Let it be done to you according to God's will." Is it any wonder that Jesus prays in a like manner and teaches us to pray "thy will be done." Mother Mary comes to us at La Salette speaking words of wisdom, saying "let me do again for you what I was always meant to do. Let me bring Brother Jesus to all of you who have forgotten that he is your brother."

What is the will of God asking of me today?

WEDNESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR   Mark 4:1-20

The people to whom Jesus speaks are being encouraged to be good soil, to be good listeners. Jesus isn't simply asking that his words be given a hearing, but that they be cultivated and allowed to produce an abundance of meaning. The measure that they produced, whether thirty, fifty or a hundred percent according to their abilities, wasn't what concerned Jesus. What he demanded of his hearers was that his words receive a response, that they make a difference. At his word, people are healed, forgiven, saved. He speaks not merely to enlighten our minds but to touch our hearts. To hear with our hearts is to put faith in him, to believe. Without faith the words can be confusing: "Love your enemies," "The last shall be first." "Happy are those who mourn." In The Little Prince, we are told that what is essential is invisible to the eye and that it is only with the heart that one sees rightly. And so it is that only with the heart can one hear rightly. The heart is the core of hearing and seeing. We can see and hear in those who are in good soil the power of an abundant response to the word of God. We can hear and see gentleness and generosity and undying hope. An abundant harvest is unmistak­able. 

"Come near, my children, do not be afraid. I am here to tell you great news." Like the words of the Gospel, the words of La Salette are meant to be heard again and again. They weren't addressed only to those who heard them the first time. They were meant for a wider audience, for repeated proclamation. "Make this known to all my people." They have a claim upon us because they speak to our deepest yearnings for meaning and healing, for an abundance of life and love. 

Who, in my life, speaks gentleness, generosity and undying hope?

THURSDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR    Mark 4:21-25

Listen carefully! To whom do we listen? Do we listen only to the loudest,  the most articulate, the most pleasant? Do we listen with the Lord to the cries of the poor, the inarticulate, the lonely? Do we listen to people or just to words? Do we listen for new ideas, for gossip, for the sensational? Do we listen to the Good News? Henri Nouwen spoke of "learning about God as the very opposite of piling up ideas." To truly listen is to embrace the silence that allows us to hear others speak to us about God. If we listen carefully, "God can be lis­tened out of people." Whose love, whose welcome, whose compassion reflects the love, the welcome and the compassion of our God? From whose life do we receive the Word of God? There is a full measure of revelation awaiting those who have ears to hear. The power of God's word is not confined to our limited hierarchical and holy expectations. The alien, the outcast, the sinner spoke to Jesus of God and so he listened. "Real learning" said Nouwen, "in a spiritual sense, is a growing willingness to listen." 

When Mother Mary says to Melanie and Maximin, "I am here to tell you great news," she asks for a hearing from her children. She asks for a hearing of her suffering and pain on our behalf. She asks us to listen to the meanings of the signs of the times. She asks to hear our prayers. She asks for our voices to tell the world the Good News of God's reconciling love. 

Where and when and by whom does God surprise you with his revelation?

FRIDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 4:26-34

"The reign of God ... is like a mustard seed ...
the smallest of all earth's seeds ... springs up to become the largest of shrubs."

Expect the kingdom to happen in small ways. The kingdom is like the innocent heart of a small child eager to love and to learn. It is like the small­est gift of the widow who gives all that she had. It is like the tiniest of seeds that produces the largest of plants. The smallest of beginnings can have great results. God works his wonders among us in very subtle almost unnoticeable ways ac-cording to his own timetable and manner. The kingdom grows unnoticed while we go about our lives as usual. It happens constantly, mysteriously. The message of the mustard seed encouraged us to face the world with our small resources and trust that God will accomplish great things through them. If God can take the smallest of seeds to produce the largest of shrubs, how much more can he do with our lives. The images of the reign of God are hidden in the obvious, waiting for the recognition of those who have faith to believe, eyes to see and ears to hear. If the kingdom can be seen in the gospel images of a child's innocence, in the gen­erosity of a widow and in the beauty of creation then it can also be seen in the love of someone who quietly enlarges our life and time and world. There are always some people in whom the seed takes root and flourishes. God is never without kingdom people. They touch our lives with little acts of kindness and love which by the world's standards seem insignificant. But the unfolding mys­tery is in plain sight for those who have faith to see. 

The kingdom of God is like a mother who gave her all when she gave the world her son. He grew in grace and love, offering himself for the salvation of the world. But it is a story that is all too often ignored, denied, rejected and opposed. So the story needs to be told again and again. La Salette is an invitation to faith, the planting anew of the seeds of hope and the cultivating of the kingdom of reconciling love. 

Where do you see the kingdom taking root and flourishing?
 

SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR      Mark 4:35-41

Jesus reassures the apostles that when he is with them they have nothing to fear. He also reassures them his own serenity comes from trusting in the Father who is always with him. That false sense of isolation that exists in our imagination, that sense of separateness is usually at the bottom of all our fears. St. Augustine once said: "The tragedy of human life is that so many of us walk through life side by side thinking no one else has a problem like ours and all the way to the grave the people at our side were experiencing the same things." The popularity of support groups and Twelve Step programs today, however, suggests that drowning people are calling out for help. When we cry out in our panic, like Peter, we have to believe that it does matter to God and that he does send help to quiet the storms. There is no disgrace in calling out for help as Peter does. Jesus may not solve the problem or change the situation but he will change us and give us peace, which in reality does calm the storm. Being in the boat with Jesus doesn't mean that there won't be any storms. It does mean that we won't have to face them alone. It just takes a little faith and some capacity for surprise.

Mother Mary's first words at La Salette to Melanie and Maximin were, "Come near, my children, do not be afraid." She does this while sharing a worried mother's concern for her children. She came to encourage her children to put aside their fears, to be reconciled to God's loving, merciful presence in their lives. Mary's words at La Salette echo across the years and miles to all her children, "Come near, do not be afraid." 

Where in your life do you hear the Lord saying to you, "Why are you so terrified? Why are you lacking faith? Be still!"

MONDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 5:1-20

We, like the man in the Gospel, sometimes find ourselves in the grip of things and habits that are non-life giving and keep us restrained or prevent us from growing as persons. Jesus found it important to ask the name of the spirit in this man. Once he was able to name the demon, he had power over it and could cast it out. The same is true for me. I can grow only if I call my demons and my fears by their names, and, "they are many," both personal and communal. Only in acknowledging or naming these weaknesses can I begin to allow God to help me change my destructive habits. Only when I have done so, when I've allowed God to help me see rightly, can I progressively change and be renewed. Then, like the man in the Gospel who is healed, I am better able to proclaim the news that God has been powerful in my life, and that God can give me a new heart, if I allow him to do so. 

At La Salette Mary urges me to do the same. She calls me to a change of heart. She names some of the demons of the time, which still apply today: indifference to prayer, to the Eucharist, to respect of the Lord's Day and the Lord's Name. Mary tells us that God cares, as she does. God desires to be the true God in my life. She reminds me to what extent God has gone to reveal the mystery of divine love in Jesus. Mary urges me, in tears, to return to her Son, with my whole heart. 

Am I able and willing to name my "demons?" Which of these is the greatest obstacle to my spiritual growth and my relationship with Jesus?

TUESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR                             Mark 5: 21-43

We have all had the experience of being in a crowded place where people jostle one another, bumping and pushing, oftentimes for no other reason than that there are too many people present. The jostling, though obtrusive and aggravating, truly means nothing except that the place is overcrowded. The push­ing and touching mean nothing. On the other hand, if in the same crowd, some-one reaches out and touches us gently on the shoulder, to get our attention, we respond immediately. We can tell the difference between a push or a shove and a call for our attention. 

The woman with a hemorrhage is desperate. Her need and desire are deep. She timidly, yet confidently and trustingly, reaches out and touches Jesus' garment in the hope of being healed. His sensitivity to her hand and touch as well as to her profound need and prayer causes him to react, to respond and to heal her. 

At La Salette, in no way does Mary push or shove or even demand. She invites, she urges, she "touches" our hearts with her tears and her motherly concern. She gently places before us the glowing and resplendent image and reminder of her crucified Son. She reminds us that he desires to heal and renew. He aches to see us suffer as a result of our human blindness, so he "glows" and "shines" to attract our attention, to touch our hearts, to lead us to repentance and conversion. His hope and Mary's hope for us is that once we have truly seen him as the light of our life, we will cling to him, "touch" him, seeking a change of heart. He desires to grant that gift. Do we choose to receive it?

Do I fear getting too close to Jesus? Do I fear what conversion and healing will demand of me? Can I trust in his love for me?

WEDNESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR                        Mark 6:1-6

The Gospel tells us that as a faithful Jew, Jesus observed Sabbath. He understood not only the law of the Sabbath but also the deeper meaning of the law. Jesus observed many weekly Sabbath moments when he retired to pray in the silence of the night, by the sea, on the mountains, in moments of contem­plation of God's wondrous and beautiful creation. The birds of the air and the flowers of the field were contemplated as signs of God's love. These Sabbath experiences allowed him to see God present to him and to hear God speak of the harmony of life. As a consequence of his listening and hearing, Jesus grew in his knowledge of God and God's will. He could then speak and teach about God to any and all who desired to hear. Those who were caught in webs of legalism, conservatism and tradition did not understand or refused to understand. Atten­tiveness could have helped them answer their own question. "Where did he get all this?" In his prayer and communication with God. 

At La Salette, Mary urges us to remember the sacredness of the Sabbath or the Lord's Day. Mary, like Jesus, knows that the Sabbath rest is not only a way of taking time to worship our loving God, but it is also a gift to us, a way and a day to allow ourselves to be re-created, to be renewed in body and spirit. It is a time to pause and reflect on the true meaning of our lives, our work, our priorities and especially on the truth that only God is God. All else in life is secondary. When we observe Sabbath, the Lord's Day or mini-Sabbath experiences, we become aware of who we are and who God is. Then our preaching and teaching, both in word and deed, will tend to be filled with gratitude, joy and a faithful reflection of God. 

How do I observe the Sabbath? Do the Sabbath experiences of my life help make me more aware of God's love, or are they days of more busyness and distractions which draw me away from my true self?

THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR          Mark 6:7-13

It has been said that in Palestine in the time of Jesus, the natives had five articles of clothing: a long inner tunic, an outer cloak, a belt, sandals and the oriental headdress. Travelers carried a bag for food. In sending the disciples forth to preach and teach, Jesus recommends that they take only the bare essentials: clothing and a traveling stick for support and protection. No food, no extras. But they were to take the Word – the good news, the message of freedom and libera­tion. How challenging for the disciples and for us. No extras! No cumbersome distractions and burdens! An invitation to trust in the power given them by Jesus, the power of the Word. Their mission is accomplished. Their joy and amazement are profound! 

On' the Holy Mountain of La Salette, Mary sends the visionaries forth with noth­ing but their innocence and simplicity and their experience of the Mountain Vi­sion. It is the Beautiful Lady herself and what she said, and the dazzling crucifix on her breast that would sustain them. She sends them forth as they are, innocent and undeserving visionaries who have been blessed with a transforming experi­ence. "Go, my children, make this known to all my people." The tenderness, the warmth and intimacy of this experience are enough to convince her people and lead them to a change of heart. The people will know that the message and mean­ing here are more than these ignorant and innocent children could fabricate. Her people were converted, then and ever since. 

As a disciple of Jesus and a son/daughter of Our Lady of La Salette, have I been "touched" by my experience of Jesus and Mary at La Salette?

FRIDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR Mark 6:14-29

This gospel scene is a flashback interjected in the middle of the story of the mission of the disciples and their return to Jesus. The flashback serves to give us an insight into what Herod thought of Jesus. The scriptures say, "Herod heard of it (the mission of the disciples who spoke in the name of Jesus), for Jesus' name had become well known." Mark takes the occasion to remind his readers that it was this Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded. The flashback also tells us of Herod's weakness, Herodias' grudge against John and Salome's famous dance and her being manipulated into requesting the head of the Baptist as a reward for pleasing Herod. In addition to telling us about these people, the flashback serves to not only dredge up painful and sorrowful events of the past but to bring forth, as well, happy memories of blessings received. 

At La Salette, Mary reminds people of things they have done and are doing. Her message includes flashbacks which most people find to be disturbing reminders of our human weakness and sinfulness. But the apparition also includes two very positive flashbacks. The first is the reminder of Jesus' crucifixion and death which is the sign that "God loved the world so much," as John the Evangelist tells us. The crucifix on Mary's breast is the blinding reminder. The second is the famous reminder of the episode of Coin where Mary reminds Maximin and us that, in her motherly love and concern, she is present to us in the details of our life. How wonderful to be reminded! 

What recent flashbacks in my own life and prayer have helped to make me more grateful for God's love and presence in my life?

SATURDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF THE YEAR  Mark 6:30-34

In this Gospel scene Jesus is revealed as the "Divine Psychologist" and the "Man with a Heart." The disciples return from their mission excited and happy with the success of their work but exhausted by its demands. Jesus encourages them to get some rest, to balance their work with leisure and prayer. He invites them to enjoy a mini-Sabbath experience. He knows that one cannot be whole nor even survive long without the necessary physical rest and relaxation. He has seen to this balance in his own life. Here he reveals his loving concern for the disciples, for their wholeness and well being. Later he is touched with pity for the crowds who were "like sheep without a shepherd." He teaches them and leads them to "green pastures," to "still waters" where he refreshes their souls. 

Our Lady of La Salette appears in the desert highlands of the Alps. Her very presence there is an invitation for us and for all pilgrims to "come away and rest a while." She invites all her children to enter into that mountain retreat in order to be quiet, to rest, to reflect and to be refreshed by the good news of God's love that she brings. "Come," she says, "be not afraid. I have come to tell you great news."