Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

Jesus

Second Sunday of Lent

by Leave a Comment

“Jesus took Peter, James and his brother John off by themselves and led them up a high mountain.”

The Transfiguration story in Mark’s gospel appears just after Jesus has reminded the disciples: you who desire to save your life, must lose it.  Whoever loses your life for My sake, and the gospel – you will save your life.  And, says Jesus, I will not be ashamed of you when I come into the glory of my Father.   Then Jesus lets these remarks take root for six days before he sets off up the mountain with Peter, James and John.

Here Jesus is transfigured, glorified by God.  Is He telling Peter, James and John that He is not ashamed of them: Peter who will later deny even knowing Him, James and John, the Sons of Thunder, whose mama requested preferential seating for them in heaven?  They climbed the mountain with Jesus and witnessed His glory.

The story (I believe) calls each one of us to examine what mountain we must climb to see God’s glory.  We can apply the story to death or a near-death experience.  But, if we do that we miss the everyday mountains we must climb.  Call those mountains what you will, we must climb them to witness God’s glory: hurdles, challenges, enticing temptations, near occasions of sin, quirks of personality, Lenten resolutions, pet peeves…. Some days they are like a little pebble on our path, which we glibly kick aside. Or, they can be like a grain of sand inside your shoe – no bother when you are sitting still but the instant you start to move it quickly makes itself felt.   Other days, they are like boulders we can’t move with a backhoe.  Everyone’s mountain is different. But, to witness God’s glory, we must climb our “mountains”.

Once on the mountaintop, we must have eyes to see God’s glory.  We must stay alert, have the insight to know that we are at the top.  Our cooperation with God’s grace has brought us to a mountaintop.  The disciples could have missed Jesus’ transfiguration if they:

  • had been too busy taking in the view
  • were gloating over their status or talking about those left behind
  • were wondering about what was on the agenda for tomorrow
  • were wondering how long were they going to be up on this mountain anyway
  • were wondering if there would be time to finish what they had started when Jesus summoned them
  • were bickering over who was going to get use the walking stick going down the mountain
  • were asking themselves who provided the fish for supper last night and whose turn is it now?

You fill in the blanks…you know what it is that keeps you from seeing God’s glory.   Theses are the things that cause you to miss the “small miracles”, the “everyday transfigurations” in yourself, in one another, in nature.  And, gently remind yourself, that Jesus and the disciples also went back down the mountain.  We need to thank God when we get to the top.  But we can hardly stay there.  There are more mountains to climb.  While you are at the top, if only for an instant, witness the transfiguration.

Jesus did not become “more God” that day on the mountain.  I don’t think the change was so much in Jesus, as it was in the disciples.  They were ready.  They had climbed the mountain.   And their eyes were open to witness the miracle of the moment.  Miracles (transfigurations) are all around us IF we but have the eyes to see

  • the miracle of God’s graciousness when a person holds a door open for another
  • the miracle of God’s mercy when a mistake is not challenged
  • the miracle of God’s steadfastness when day after day we gather for communal exercises
  • the miracle of God’s humility when reconciliation occurs
  • the miracle of God’s humor when it rains on our picnics
  • the miracle of God’s artistry in the beauty of nature that surrounds us.

You can make your own litany of miracles.  God is already there, is here.   Jesus invites us up the mountain and leads the way.  We must open our eyes to witness the transfiguration.

 

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

Gospel:   Matthew 17:1-9

Continue Reading

First Sunday of Lent

by Leave a Comment

This weekend’s Gospel tells us that Jesus fasted 40 days and then the intense temptations began.  The first temptations were about food – then self; then, stones, the temple, Jesus’ immediate surrounding, and His community.  The final temptation was related to political power, the kingdom, and the whole world.

In the first temptation, the devil is trying to entice Jesus away from his mission so he can avoid suffering and death.  Aren’t we, too, sometimes tempted to turn aside from our Lenten mission?  When we are tired, hungry, and feeling drained of energy on many levels, it is then that the devil is grinning with glee at the prospect of getting us to throw in the towel on all our good resolutions. Beware the wiles of the devil – they are cunning. Jesus enjoyed good food, a good meal with friends.  Walking through fields of grain, he savored the wheat kernels. In Cana He supplied first rate wine. And He sent his disciples ahead to arrange for supper the night before He died.

In the second temptation, the devil insists that Jesus is entitled to divine safety and protection.  Whenever you are tempted to amaze people with grand ideas, remember Jesus’ reply: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

In the third temptation, the devil wants Jesus to compromise good by using the wrong means.  We, too, can be tempted to meet legitimate human needs using the wrong means.

In this Gospel story Jesus’ temptations occur at the outset of his ministry.  Some may say it was his first day on the job. He is confronted with three major enticements, but he outfoxed the devil and went on to win His crown.  You know the saying “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”  Did you see the story about the deputy who landed his first job?  A local sheriff was looking for a deputy, and one of the applicants, who was not known to be the brightest academically, was called in for an interview. “Okay,” began the sheriff, “What is 1 and 1?” “Eleven,” came the reply. The sheriff thought to himself, “That’s not what I meant, but he’s right.” Then the sheriff asked, “What two days of the week start with the letter ‘T’?” “Today & tomorrow,” replied the applicant. The sheriff was again surprised by the answer, one that he had never thought of himself. “Now, listen carefully. Who killed Abraham Lincoln?” asked the sheriff. The jobseeker seemed a little surprised, then thought really hard for a minute and finally admitted, “I don’t know, Sir.” The sheriff replied, “Well, why don’t you go home and work on that one for a while?” The applicant left and wandered over to his pals who were waiting to hear the results of the interview. He greeted them with a cheery smile, “The job is mine! The interview went great!  First day on the job and I’m already working on a murder case!”

On Saturday, February 28, 2026 the Benedictine Sisters of Florida will celebrate the 137th anniversary of the day in 1889 that the “interview went great!”    The five founding Sisters from Pittsburgh, PA hit the floor running for their “first day on the job.”  And we’ve been running ever since.  The heritage of our Founders has been our inspiration for prayer, good works and life in community.  God bless them and all who have gone before us on their faith journeys: those as academy and prep school students; those who came and stayed awhile; those who discovered their life path elsewhere.  Blessed are those who spent their lives and went to their eternal reward as lifelong members in our community.

From the 2011 archives of Sister Roberta Bailey (revised 2026)

Attached Founders Day Prayer 2026

 

Prayer for Founders’ Day

137th Anniversary

February 28, 2026

Bavaria

To Elk County PA 1852

To Pittsburgh, PA 1870

To San Antonio, FL 1889

 

“Your work is written on the wings of time, it will be wafted to Heaven, where it is read with heavenly delight, and it will be transcribed on the chronicles of eternity.  May you be loved for your goodness; may you be assisted for your purpose, and may you be cheered on in your blessed mission.

With fond love, M. Alegunda

Saint Mary, Elk County, PA  @1870

 

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

110th Anniversary Morning Praise and Eucharist

Homily March 1, 1999…by Sister Roberta Bailey, O.S.B.

Revised for 137th Anniversary 2026

 

If we are selective, we can choose strands in today’s readings which fit our occasion of anniversary. In the first reading and the psalm we heard: “Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you…Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name…we, your people and the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever…” In the Gospel reading Jesus gives us an admonition that will never go out of style, and one we profess to enflesh our mission: “Be compassionate, as God is compassionate.” In the Prayer Over the Gifts you will hear Father say: “May the grace of this mystery prevent us from becoming absorbed in material things,”

Thus, the “great work” continues…the work begun by our founding sisters 110 years ago today. At the outset of Lent we prayed that we may “begin with God’s inspiration, continue with the help of divine grace, and reach perfection under God’s guidance…” This seems to have been the attitude and prayers of our founding sisters. A powerful mindset! What is begun in God’s name with God’s blessing will be nurtured and cultivated by God and finally reach perfection under the benevolence of divine providence.

In 1989 we took as our Centennial slogan “Recall the Past; Embrace the Future.” We can continue that theme in the celebration of our 110th anniversary. In recalling the past, we honor the memory of all the people who lived it those who endured the hardships and lived through the challenges brought about by the poverty of many sharing little, fewness of members to do much work, homesickness and distance from loved ones, longing for things as they used to be, world wars, the Great Depression, deaths at a young age, changes in society, changes in the church and changes in the interpretation of Benedictinism.

To honor “mothers” we strive to learn and relearn, tell and retell their stories we are uplifted by the inspiration (and hilarity) of everyday pleasures, of the ways people learned to survive the nonsense of the “letter of the law,” the simple things that occasioned a celebration.

We preserve the stories because we want never to forget that the opportunities we have today were not simply lavished upon us. They were purchased at the great price of travel from home; cold, cracked work-worn knuckles; study by the light of midnight oil; stomachs that ached with hunger; raking, hoeing and manuring groves and gardens – saving, scrimping and salvaging.

What firm faith and incredible courage our founding sisters must have had! The records in the Pittsburgh archives remind us that these young sisters were clearly told if the venture did not work they were not to return to Pennsylvania. An examination of the papers shows us that of the five women who signed their severance papers on the evening of February 22, one never made it to Florida. However, one of the sisters who served as a witness, must have decided overnight to join the mission band – she is named in the group of five founders.

Imagine what daring it took to venture south into Indian territory! These were ordinary women just like us. They were Benedictine women with a dream and a mission. Above all they were motivated by the love of God and a strong desire to spread the Good News. In 1889 Rome considered the church in America “missionary territory.” In relative terms, the slaves had only recently been freed. Had our sisters ever seen a black person in their northern neighborhood? Surely not an Indian. And most assuredly not an alligator!

There is some evidence that the pioneer band traveled from Allegheny Country to the Benedictine house in Covington, Kentucky – then southward by train which would have deposited them in south Georgia or north Florida. It seems safe to me to guess that someone from San Antonio would have met the sisters at the train to bring them in wagons or on horseback down along what is now Hwy 19 and 41 – parts of the Seminole trail. Perhaps they met cattle droves bringing their herds to Tampa or Punta Gorda. By the time they reached San Antonio, traveling through the Florida wilderness – in February probably not too many mosquitoes but surely they’d have heard or seen black bears and panthers, “strange birds, and had run across a snake or two. On Thursday, February 28, I bet they breathed a sigh of relief to at last be among people they may not have personally known but whose northern cultural practices and manners, whose speech patterns were similar to their own.

The next day, March 1, being Friday and most probably a Lenten Friday, would have been a black fast day. They would have partaken of very little, if any, breakfast. They’d have prayed the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. And as we known from the annals: “the great work was begun.” Perhaps they had a main meal of fish, fresh caught from Lake Jovita. Evening came, and morning came, the second day.

Now here we are at day 40,178 in the 110th year of our history! And the GREAT WORK goes on. As long as there are gaps between our ideals and our reality, there will always be great work to be done. Our founding sisters, and the women who followed them into community, knew that they probably would not live to see all the changes they promoted. We face challenges our foremothers could not have imagined. Our “daughters” will face challenges unimaginable to us. This is part of Florida Benedictine women’s experience – we strive to be better, to be compassionate and caring; to keep faith with our founding ideals and to enflesh them into a reality worthy of those who will inherit what we build today.

And, since this new day is already upon us…and we must be about the great work that awaits us…

Let us simply pray these words from the psalms: “Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you…we, your people will give thanks to you forever.”

 

 

 

First Reading:   Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7        Second Reading:  Romans 5:12-19
Gospel:  Matthew 4:1-11
Continue Reading

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

by Leave a Comment

Are you a person of integrity? Can people take you at your word? If you can answer, I am, then folks know that your ‘Yes’ means ‘Yes,’ and our ‘No,’ means ‘No.’

Jesus makes it clear that our yes is enough to satisfy a binding requirement. It’s the same with a vow – a vow doesn’t need an oath. If we do not mean it, if we hold on to “except when” or “unless” or “until it’s not working or it doesn’t fulfill me – then I’m out of here’ – that’s perjury, a false oath.  We vow with “no strings attached.”

As vowed Benedictines what do we do to insure we are truly life-long learners – committed to a perpetual pursuit of growth in the monastic way of life?  What do we do to increase our familiarity with the Rule of Benedict?  How deeply do we delve into Scripture to realize new, fuller meaning of God’s Word?  What do I hear today that somehow I never heard before?

Do we strive to enlarge the understanding of our vows?  If instance, the application of our vow of obedience?  Has our observance of obedience matured beyond a childish fear of a parent finding out we took an extra cookie? Or a beginner’s strict adherence to every regulation to please the novice director?  Do I worry that the whole community is watching me that day and night?  What does obedience mean to us?  What is legitimate authority?  In a spirit of mutual obedience do we conscientiously seek input from each other?  Do I give a request serious consideration or was my “Yes, Sister” simply pro forma?  Do I give a half-hearted acquiescence to a request as merely a suggestion?  Or was that a call of the Spirit in my life to follow or not as I choose? How distressing it can be to have someone say “yes” –  pretend she’s going to obey – but then never perform the deed or show by her every comment to others and her body language that she detests the suggestion or group decision?

What if the group makes a decision I don’t like – do I have any obligation to follow it if I voted against it?    Here’s the authentic test question: how closely does our behavior mirror Benedict’s “deference to one another?”  To keep our “yes” a “yes” takes much prayer, honest introspection, willingness to open our hearts to new meanings and a spirit of grounded integrity.  Otherwise, our vows, a couple’s marriage bonds, are not worth the piece of paper they are written on.

This is where our vow of stability comes into play.  With our vow we are publicly professing responsibility to work on fidelity to our covenant with God and our commitment to one another.  That takes an awareness of what is going on inside of ourselves, and a responsibility for how we might be contributing to the building up or destruction of a bond into which we’ve entered.  Remember: if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

In this Gospel reading Jesus is talking about a lifetime pursuit of a way of living, in which our integrity isn’t just a matter of external conformity, but an internal way of life.  There’s that sticky vow of conversion of life.  This calls for strength and integrity, an inner discipline, an awareness of and acknowledgement of what makes us tick.  Our words should simply be our bond, and mean what we say.

When we say yes, you should speak it with enough conviction that there’s no doubt. When you say no, mean it.  If you sometimes say yes with your lips when your heart is thinking NO WAY!  People will pick up on that.  When in my heart I say NO, but my lips say yes…that’s deceit, it’s a lie.   My tongue speaks what my heart isn’t feeling. I’m lying to myself and to another person.  If I solemnly say “I promise I’m telling you the truth,” does that mean that sometimes I’m not telling the truth?

One of the angels in the Book of Revelation tells us: I know what you have done; I know that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!  But because you are neither, I am going to spit you out of my mouth! “

Ultimately our relationships with other people are inseparable from our relationship to God; and it is the love of God that binds all in all.  It is God’s love that teaches us about relatedness, about truth, about personal integrity.  Heed Jesus’ words: Let your YES be YES and your NO be NO!

 

From the archives of S Roberta Bailey, O.S.B.

Ideas gleaned from a variety of sources

 

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

First Reading:   Sirach 15:15-20         Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Gospel:   Matthew 5:17-37
Continue Reading

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

by Leave a Comment

Today Jesus tells us two things that we are and are to be to each other, to our community / family and to the world. You are the salt of the earth and light of the world.

Let’s start with salt.  Now, we know that salt does two things – it preserves and it gives flavor; it can marinate or ruin.  We are well-aware when salt has lost its flavor.  As one translation says the “salt becomes insipid” – is no longer capable of adding flavor or preserving.

In ancient times salt was seen as a necessity of life. In many societies salt was so highly valued that it was used for money.  In Jesus’ day, however, table salt as we know it did not exist. Salt that was mined from a quarry was never completely pure. Sometimes the mined salt was so impure that it was not very salty at all.  When that happened, they would cast it outside the door to harden the pathway.

Salt by itself is tiny particles and considered worthless.  When added to food it becomes INVISIBLE.  When that happens only THEN does it become what it was intended for: enhancing flavor.  Remember, Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth.”   We can “marinate” positive or negative impressions and energy.   Jesus is emphatic! He didn’t say you might be salt or you ought to be salt.  He said: you ARE salt!

If salt is only a mate for the pepper shaker on the dining room table, it is denied its primary function.  We, the salt of the earth, are useless until we “rub shoulders” with other grains of salt, God’s people alive.  We deny the “charism” of the salt when we fail to be kind, merciful, peacemakers. If we as salt don’t rub against those who have no flavor, we never realize our potential as individuals or as community.

Now let’s turn to the image of LIGHT.  In this Gospel passage Jesus describes us as light.  “I am, you are the light of the world.” Light is a form of energy.  It is always moving.   We know Jesus is the true light and that we are only reflections or reflectors of the light.  So what does that mean?   Darkness is banished as soon as you hit the light.  A room is flooded with light as soon as someone – or a timer – hits the switch.  People are not aware of the darkness they live in if they don’t see the light.   Light serves as a guide.   There is a saying: “It is darkest just before the dawn.”  But is it?  Or does it just seem that way in contrast to the light of the rising sun?

In Jesus’ day most homes had only one small window and were commonly dark. Indoor lighting was an oil lamp that had a wick. When a light was needed the lamp was placed on a lamp stand. No one wanted to let their light go out because it took too much effort to get the wick lit again. But people dared not leave their lamp burning in the house unattended for safety reasons.  When they left their homes the lamp would be taken from its lamp stand and placed under an earthen vessel where it could burn risk-free. As soon as anyone returned to the house, they would put the lamp on the stand.  Thus, we have the saying: no one lights a light only to put it under a basket or a bushel.

There is story told about a man whose job was to be on the railroad tracks and warn with his light the oncoming train that the bridge was damaged. That night as the train came the man showed his lamp but the train went right into the ditch. The man was taken to court because they wanted to know why the train did not pay attention to the man’s warning of the danger ahead. “Were you on duty on the night that the train had the accident?”  The man replied, “Yes sir.” “Did you have your lamp with you? “Yes, sir,” Then, the last question, “Did you wave your lamp to the train? “Yes sir!”  Thus, the man was not held responsible. Later the man told his friend, “I sure am glad that the judge did not ask me if my lamp was lit.”

One last point.  It is essential in the understanding of this Gospel to keep in mind the differences between salt and light. Salt works and expands itself quietly but you taste it working. Usually we don’t see the salt, unless we spill it or with a heavy hand add what we think the cook forgot.  Food is made delicious by its unseen presence.  On the other hand, light has a different type of effect. Light is visible – it works in the open.

People need to taste the salt and see the light.  They need to see how associating with us, and with our Benedictine values, is a seasoning to their lives and a light that reveals God’s presence.  We are like mirrors – we reflect the light. But in order to reflect the light we need to position our mirrors to the light and ourselves in relation to the mirror.  We have to take care not to cause a glare that blinds others.  We do this by studying God’s word, by praying and by Lectio with the Word and pacing our approach to others so that the truth is not a rude awakening but a gradual exposure to the lens of truth.  We have to position ourselves in right relationship with God and each other so we can catch and reflect the true Light.

Unlike real salt and real light which are dead material things, we are living salt and living light.  What good is salt if it has no flavor, or a light which cannot challenge the darkness?  We can change.  We can regain our flavor and we can rekindle our vitamin-packed and three-way wattage light with God’s WORD, our marinade.

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

This week we celebrate the feast of St. Scholastica – it’s a good time to ask ourselves: are we giving out light?  Is our presence here in hilly Pasco County, not far from a university and a lake, a beacon to those who dwell in darkness?  When we move to a different section of our monastery what light do we want to take with us – a pencil flashlight, a hurricane lantern, an LCD that slowly brightens our lives and gives light of those who come into our “realm of influence?”  What light, what salt shall be bring to our new space here in our home?

 

 

 

First Reading:   Isaiah 58:7-10         Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Gospel:   Matthew 5:13-16
Continue Reading

Jesus invited: Come after me.

by Leave a Comment

Jesus invited: Come after me. 

At once they left their nets and followed him.

Our call to holiness is not a one-time beckoning.  Everything was not hunky-dory when Peter, Andrew, James and John rolled up their nets and walked away with Jesus.  The call back to the simple, predictable life of a fisherman may at times have been strong enough to give them second thoughts about this little-known upstart from Nazareth.  The barbs of criticism aimed at them and their hero and their suffering as the butt of jeers must have stung deeply.  But they were, for the most part, steadfast in their loyalty to the Master.  They could have spent time wringing their hands bemoaning the awful conditions of their known world.  Instead, they looked to Jesus for direction and followed his unwavering example of feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, comforting the sorrowful.

Even in the darkest hours they clung to hope.  Hope is a spark that can become a flame.  The same puff of breath that can snuff out the spark, more gently exhaled can coax the spark to burst into a lively flame.  The same vocabulary we use to engender hope, spoken in a derisive tone, may dash all hope to the ground.

In these days of our Sisters’ strategic planning I invite you to figuratively hold hands in fervent prayer that we will be courageous, hope-filled, sensitive, patient, considerate – truly “sisters” to one another as we grapple with the tough issues that lie in our laps.

We are made for this time.  Benedictines are committed to being life-long learners.  For all our preceding years we have been training, practicing, getting ready for this exact moment in our history. As Hel Basse writes in Give Us This Day for January 23, 2026: “If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, travel together.”

A few years ago, Pope Francis said in one of this Sunday addresses: ”Go forth and don’t be discouraged.  Don’t be fools, remember, a Christian doesn’t have the luxury of being foolish.  An idiot, a fool – you can’t give yourself that luxury.  You have to be clever, be astute!”

Let us reach out.   Let us catch the light from each other’s flickering flames, coax them brighter and bring them closer together to shed a united light on possibilities that will lead us into the future God already has in mind for us.

Pray this week that you may discern what nets are holding  you back from following Jesus’ daily quiet calls.

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

This is also Oblate Sunday at the Monastery – they will gather at the monastery or via ZOOM for Mass and dinner with the Sisters.  This Sunday they will spend time with S. Tonette for a presentation on the obligations of Oblates.  As time permits, S. Mary David will lead a teaching session including discussion of the “homework” assignments.

Basically, a Benedictine oblate is a layperson or secular priest who associates themselves with a specific Benedictine monastery, committing to live according to the

Rule of Saint Benedict in their daily life. While not taking formal vows or living in the monastery, they become part of an extended monastic family, integrating prayer, work, and spiritual values into their personal lives in the world.

 Key Aspects of a Benedictine Oblate:

  • Spiritual Affiliation: Oblates affiliate with a particular monastery, participating in its spiritual life while maintaining their own vocations, whether single, married, or working.
  • The Rule of Saint Benedict: They adapt the principles of the Rule—such as moderation, community, and prayer—to their secular life.
  • Oblation as Self-Offering: The term means a “gift of themselves” to God in union with the monastery.
  • Promises: Oblates make promises that often include stability (a commitment to their monastery), fidelity to the spirit of the Rule, and obedience to God’s will.
  • Prayer Life: They often engage in the Liturgy of the Hours and Lectio Divina (sacred reading)

 

 

 

 

First Reading:   Isaiah 8: 23- 9: 3-6         Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 1: 10-13, 17
Gospel:   Matthew 4: 12-23
Continue Reading

Baptism of Jesus

by Leave a Comment

“Yes, Now’s the Time!”

Maybe you’ve heard the story about the fellow wandering soul, lost in thought, who stumbled upon a baptismal service one Sunday afternoon.  This was one of those “down by the river” sort of baptisms in the warm waters of the South.   Curious about what was going on, this fellow walked right down into the water and stood next to the Preacher.  When the minister finally noticed him, he asked the young man, “Are you ready to find Jesus?”  With a quizzical look and some hesitancy in his voice, he answered: “Yes, Preacher, I think I am.” The minister then dunked the fellow under the water and pulled him right back up.

“Did you find Jesus?” “No… should I have?!” The preacher then dunked him under for a bit longer, brought him up and said, “Now, brother, have you found Jesus?” “No … I haven’t, Preacher.” The preacher in disgust held the man under for at least 30 seconds this time; brought him to the surface of the water and repeated the question, “Friend, are you sure you haven’t found Jesus yet?” The confused fellow wiped his eyes, gasping for breath said, “Naw, Sir, are you sure this is where he fell in?”

Sound familiar?  Isn’t that sometimes how we are?  Our heads under the waters washing over us?  Cares, distractions, prayer for others’ intentions, confused by the circumstances of our life?  Looking for Jesus in muddy waters of our own making?  Sometimes we aren’t quite sure if “now” is the right time for things. At the Jordan River, about 30 years after Jesus was born, NOW was the time. If you could go back and stand on the shoreline of that river in the wilderness, you’d probably be nodding your head in agreement, “Yes, now is the time!”

John recognized Jesus as one who didn’t need a baptism of repentance or forgiveness. He knew that Jesus was much greater than he was, and that he wasn’t even fit to tie Jesus sandals. John must be thinking, “This is backwards! This shouldn’t be happening this way!”  But listen to Jesus’ response, “‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” And John consented.  Jesus was saying, “At another time, John, you would be right in what you’re thinking. But NOW is the time for this baptism. This is what my Father in heaven is asking of us NOW!   NOW is the time for Jesus to begin his public mission, the course that would take him to the cross. NOW we hear the Father’s affirming commendation: “Outstanding, Son!”

In our lives, too, there have been times, (haven’t there?) when we had no idea how close the kingdom of heaven had come to us.  A time when you just didn’t see it or recognize it for what it was. You had no idea that God would show up in that way, that place, that time, that situation.  You can look back and realize what you missed.

How many times, I wonder, do we ignore God simply because we have no idea or we doubt the possibility?  Or we’re just plain were oblivious to the truth that divine providence is working in the mix.  “And do you come to me?” That’s not just John’s question; it’s also ours. Sometimes it just seems too incredible to believe that God would come to us. Maybe it’s because we see God as distant … sitting on a throne, up there in heaven … observing but not really involved.  Maybe it’s because we see ourselves as unworthy and undeserving. Maybe it’s because we were raised with the idea that God is more concerned about our behavior than our life. Maybe the pain, difficulty, and losses in one’s life have caused them to wonder whether God even cares. Maybe God’s ways don’t fit within our expectations. God won’t fit within our box and we can’t seem to get out of it.

Whenever or however that question comes up for you – reach down deep – you DO know the answer.  The answer is found in the baptism of Jesus. His baptism answers once and for all the question, “And do you come to me?”  He answers: “Allow it for now… thus it is fitting.” That’s Jesus’ answer to John … and, to you, to me, to everyone.  “Allow it for now.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

 

 

 

First Reading:   Isaiah 47:1-4, 6-7         Second Reading:  Acts 10:34-38
Gospel:   Mark 1:7-11

 

 

Continue Reading