Paul G-Blog

Be a witness to the Love of God

Paul Gravelle — Sat, 28 May 2011 17:02:18 +0000

свети минаикониJohn 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples, “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world–therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

Jesus recognised that not all of his words were kept; he did not try to indoctrinate, coerce or to force his word. I ask God to strengthen my faith, that I may do what I can and accept that it may be the choice of others whether to heed or not.

There is a way of being – ‘the world’ – that is not the way of God. I consider where I need to resist being attracted by this other way.

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God can’t be held by humanity!

Paul Gravelle — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 17:35:07 +0000

Matthew 27:57-66

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, “After three days I will rise again.” Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, “He has been raised from the dead”, and the last deception would be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.’ So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

This quiet day of waiting at the tomb draws me into a compassion for all who are waiting, uncertain or who hold on to fragile hope. I think of those who await medical results, of people in prison, of those whose dreams have been crushed.

I wait for the Lord, drawing strength from the company of others and from the memory of the God’s goodness and in hope of God’s goodness in the future.

Joseph of Arimathea displayed a discreet generosity, respecting Jesus’ dignity even in his death. I think of how I might show compassion and care for the poor, noticing their needs in life and in death.

Do I sometimes come to hasty conclusions – rolling the stone and walking away? I think of how I may need patience and faith.

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Jesus the Great Healer

Paul Gravelle — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 02:40:24 +0000

Mark 9:14-29

When the crowd saw Jesus, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. He asked them, ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ Someone from the crowd answered him, ‘Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.’ He answered them, ‘You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.’ And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you are able!-All things can be done for the one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’ When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You spirit that keep this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!’ After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them, ‘This kind can come out only through prayer.’

There seems to be something in the spirits that recognised Jesus, realising that a new way of living was in prospect. I may resist Jesus in small ways, preferring to allow comforts and habits to keep my world arranged as I like it. With the father in the gospel I say, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’

Jesus listens to the deep desires of those who come to him in their need. He recognises faith and encourages it. I take time to express myself to Jesus and ask him to strengthen my faith.

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We are Salt & Light

Paul Gravelle — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 19:52:44 +0000

Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus said to the crowds, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

“You are the light of the world…” Jesus said of himself, “I am the light of the world.” We are then called to be and to do what Jesus did for the world. The Gospel message is to shine out through our words and actions. Some people will not like that light, preferring darkness, and may try to put it out. Jesus has already dealt with that in the last Beatitude where he speaks of persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

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And so we are called the Family of God!

Paul Gravelle — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:31:48 +0000

Mark 3:31-35

Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus does not put limits on belonging, instead his embrace is prepared to take in all who do God’s will. I ask God to help me to broaden my horizons, not to let me be limited by a narrow scope of what is comfortable.

Jesus invites me to call God my Father and he recognises me as one of his family. What more assurance do I need that Jesus walks with me?

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Our Place with Jesus …

Paul Gravelle — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 04:20:32 +0000

Mark 5:18-20

As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

There are different ways of serving Jesus. As he listened, the man realised that what appealed to him was not what Jesus wanted. I bring my desires before Jesus to hear what he has to say. I pray that I may be ready to change my plans.

I picture Jesus speaking with compassion to the man who had been healed. He sent him among his friends with a mission to speak of God’s goodness. I ask that I may do this too in the way that serves Jesus best.

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To be with Jesus is to Celebrate!

Paul Gravelle — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:17:03 +0000

Mark 2:18-22

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

The life of religious people is always open to scrutiny and examination from outside. I pray that my way of living communicates gospel values. I take care not to come to uncharitable judgments about the way others live.

God calls me to growth and new life. I pray that I may receive all the goodness God has to offer me, being made anew in the image of God.

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“The whole town was gathered at the door.”

Paul Gravelle — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:27:46 +0000

Mark 1:29-39

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

I do what Jesus did: I take time to be with God. Jesus did not spend time in prayer despite the busyness of life but because of it. The more people wanted from him, the more he was drawn to confirm what it was that his father asked.

Jesus did not stay where he was popular, where there was work to be done. His vision had a wider breadth than was evident to the disciples. In prayer, I can discern where my mission might lie.

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Jesus makes the Father ‘known’!

Paul Gravelle — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 17:37:14 +0000

John 1:14-18

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

This time of prayer is one way in which I receive the truth and grace that God wants to offer me. I prepare myself to receive blessings from the very heart of God.

‘Grace upon grace’; I picture an abundance of blessing, a cascade of goodness. This is what God desires for me. I ask that I not be content with less.

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More celebration over the birth of Jesus

Paul Gravelle — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 23:16:44 +0000

Luke 2:36-40

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

The Christmas season celebrates the birth of a child but the Gospels include many venerable figures like Simeon, Elizabeth, Zechariah and, today, Anna. These people remind me of the fullness of life and wisdom that enrich human experience. I pray that young and old people may benefit from each other’s company.

How do I react as I think of Anna’s life of prayer, fasting and commitment? I talk to God about what arises in me.

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