So much of our lives revolves around what we do. We work. We play. We sleep. We pray. There is a difference between hoping for something and praying for something, but prayer is a vital part of our lives.
In prayer we are asking God to do something for us. Our first reading from 1 John 5: 14-15 says:
“We have this confidence in God, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked Him for us is ours.”
This leads me to a work mate named Vickie and I who both have grandson’s who are addicted to drugs. Let us face it these are not the best choices any of us would make, but God has given us up close and personal these lost souls to pray in their behalf. Family members who should know better but who as of now have succumbed to the world. I have a list of other family member who are addicted to other things and they also are on my prayer list. Honestly, I can not explain why the scripture talks about sin not being deadly. However, both Vickie and I pray for these lost souls. It is sad to see the direction of their lives are taking them. We know that “the whole world is under the power of the evil one.” and we also know that “ no one begotten by God sins; but the one begotten by God he protects and the evil one cannot touch him.”
I think in terms of a mathematical equations. How do we get the non-begotten to the begotten? The answer in 1 John is three-fold. We ask and we pray and we know. Always be careful of what you ask. Maybe God’s plan for your live ( Jer 29:11 ) is to be a light in your work place and not part of the idle rich and this is probably why I did now win the lottery last week. (I also have to remember to play) Secondly the lost souls that we petition need to be choosing other than deadly sin and God has put them in our hemisphere to be the person who prays for them. There is no one else who will fill the gap in their lives. Lastly we know that God has our best interests at heart. He created us and according to Romans 8:16, “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”. We are his children and His Spirit is in us.
Now one of my axioms of life is how scripture is a pattern or guide-book for us to live today. The more I read it the more I discover that another truth was right under my nose and I never noticed it. One of the things evident in today’s Gospel , is the influence of the Blessed Virgin. We as Catholics are accused by my Protestant brothers and sisters that we worship our Holy Mother Mary. NO, we do not! However, this person, Mary, who said let it be done to me according to thy word has more influence than anyone on earth before or after has. She is the Mother of God in the person of Jesus Christ. The perfect example is the wedding feast at Cana .
Today’s news is full of who will have influence in the next presidential administration. However, in heavenly terms Mary is special because she is the Immaculate Conception. She is human and had friends and family members and in the story must have cared for the couple who were being married and for their families. In the tradition of her time, the embarrassment of running out of wine at a wedding feast was huge. Up until this time Jesus had no public miracles and it is no mere accident that His first public miracle was centered around the family. Mary knew she was powerless to solve the problem. She also knew that her son could solve it if He choose to solve it. Mary was someone who had raised Jesus and like any good son He would do what His mother asked. Jesus asked what do you want me to do. Mary having confidence as a mom and just said to the attendants, do what He tells you. Jesus very easily could have said no, but He did not. This is something that is not said in scripture. This was His Mom talking and He is her son. Wow! That is influence. This is how I explain our devotion to the Mother of God in the Catholic Church today. She has influence and a lot of it.
In conclusion it is unimportant if I win the lottery or not. What is important is we pray for those who are headed in the wrong direction in their lives. We do not have to go through Mary to ask God to answer our prayers, but the axiom of the Wedding feast at Cana is a perfect example of how it could not hurt. What all our readings today stress is that we pray to Jesus and petition His mother for help for our family, our friends and ourselves and everything in our lives. God hears our prayers and is influenced by His mom. One thing I am sure of is that He has my back and I am confident that He has my best interests at heart. He has your back also and so does His mom, Mary. She is our mother too.
God Bless and Happy New Year !
Readings: 1 John 5:14-21, Psalm 149: 1-2,3-4,5 & 6 A, and 9 B, John 2:1-11
