The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. Mark 4:18-19 (NLT)
"Now, listen carefully, when something crowds God out of my heart, you know what it's called? It's called an idol."
God wants more than just a little piece of your heart. He wants your whole heart.
Jesus talked about how easy it is to let your heart become so overcrowded that you have no room for God. He says there are those who hear God's word, but they become overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get, and eventually the stress strangles what they heard - so nothing comes of it.
This is why some people can go to church week-after-week and year-after-year and yet there is little change in their lives. The seed that is planted through the Word on the weekend isn't able to grow because there is no room in the heart.
Now, listen carefully, when something crowds God out of my heart, you know what it's called? It's called an idol. An idol is anything that takes the place of God in my heart. And the Bible says there should be no idols in our hearts.
Idolatry doesn't mean you have a little statue that you kneel before and pray. An idol can be your career. An idol can be your boyfriend. An idol can be making money. An idol can be a dream. An idol with can be your marriage. Anything that is more important to you than God is an idol.
The Bible says, "Be still, and know that I am God!" (Psalms 46:10 NLT) Here's a rough translation: sit down and calm down. You can resign as the general manager of the universe and it's not going to fall apart. You may be so busy putting irons in the fire, that you're about to put the fire out.
Jesus is telling us to get rid of the clutter in our hearts and make room for his pervasive presence in our lives.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Our Gospel for January 23. Jesus Started Preaching.
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”At once they left their nets and followed him.He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Our Gospel for January 22. Blasphemy of the Scribes
Jesus came with his disciples into the house.
Again the crowd gathered,
making it impossible for them even to eat.
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him,
for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
Marcos 3:20-21
20Muling nagkatipon ang napakaraming tao na anupa't si Jesus at ang kaniyang mga alagad ay hindi man lamang makakain ng tinapay. 21Nang marinig ito ng kaniyang mga kamag-anak, sila ay pumaroon upang hulihin siya sapagkat sinasabi ng mga tao: Nasisiraan siya ng bait.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Our Gospel for January 21. The Mission of the Twelve.
Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Tinawag ni Jesus ang Labindalawang Alagad
Marco 3:13-19
13Umahon siya sa bundok, tinawag niya ang kaniyang mga maibigan at sila ay lumapit sa kaniya. 14Humirang siya ng labindalawang lalaki upang makasama niya at suguing mangaral. 15Ito ay upang magkaroon sila ng kapamahalaang magpagaling ng mga sakit at magpalayas ng mga demonyo. 16Si Simon ay tinagurian niyang Pedro. 17Si Santiago, na anak ni Zebedeo at ang kapatid niyang si Juan na tinagurian ni Jesus na mga Boanerges, na ang ibig sabihin ay mga taong tulad ng kulog. 18Sina Andres, Felipe, Bartolome, Mateo, Tomas, at Santiago, na anak ni Alfeo, at si Tadeo at si Simon na kabilang sa mga Makabayan. 19At si Judas na taga-Keriot na siyang nagkanulo sa kaniya.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Our Gospel for January 20. Large Crowds of People Followed Jesus.
Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
Hearing what he was doing,a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem,from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan,and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.”
He warned them sternly not to make him known.
Sinundan si Jesus ng Maraming Tao
Marcos 3:7-12
7Umalis si Jesus kasama ang kaniyang mga alagad patungo sa lawa. Napakaraming taong mula sa Galilea at Judea ang sumunod sa kaniya. 8Maraming dumating mula sa Jerusalem, sa Idumea at sa kabilang ibayo ng Jordan at sa palibot ng Tiro at Sidon. Napakaraming tao ang pumaroon sa kaniya pagkarinig nila sa mga ginawa ni Jesus. 9Sinabi niya sa kaniyang mga alagad na maghanda para sa kaniya ng isang maliit na bangka upang hindi magsiksikan sa kaniya ang napakaraming tao. 10Ito ay sapagkat marami siyang pinagaling, kaya nagsiksikan sa kaniya ang mga naghihirap sa kanilang sakit upang mahipo siya. 11Nang makita siya ng mga karumal-dumal na espiritu, nagpatirapa ang mga ito sa harapan niya at sumigaw: Ikaw ang Anak ng Diyos! 12Ngunit mahigpit silang pinagbilinan ni Jesus na huwag nilang ihayag kung sino siya.