Tuesday - 6^th Week in Ordinary Time   

Gospel – Mark 8:14-21

Forget Me Not!

Boat Chapel, Magdala

“I decided to water my garden. As I turn on the hose, I look over at my car and decide my car needs washing.  As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mailbox earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.  I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I take my checkbook off the table and see that there is only one check left.  My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the study to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye; they need to be watered. I set the Coke down on the counter and I discover my reading glasses I've been searching for all morning.  I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.  I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs. But first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

the car isn't washed

the bills aren't paid

there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter

the flowers don't have enough water

there is still only one check in my checkbook

I can't find the remote

I can't find my glasses

and I still don't remember what I did with the car keys!!!!!”

Life is full of distractions!  We all know that feeling!  We have a simple job in mind and too often we get sidetracked, waylaid, from the task at hand!  What to do?   What to do?

We are such forgetful people.   Even the disciples in today’s Gospel have forgotten!  They are upset with each other for only bringing one loaf of bread to feed the whole group.  You can imagine Jesus’ reaction.  Seriously?  Didn’t I just feed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish and even had leftovers!  Am I not sitting here right in front of you?  Why are you worried?  What are you complaining about?  Open your eyes and your ears!  Remember all I have done for you in the past.

Yes, we are all forgetful!  We all need to open our eyes and remember!  Remember all that God has done for us in the past!  Remember all the times Jesus has been there right beside us!  Remember all the days we thought we had reached the end of our rope, when hope was lost, when we thought there was no getting out of this mess!  And yet here we are, welcoming in a new day! 

Great Spirit, heal my mind today.  Help me to see Your presence and feel Your love!