Compiled by: Georgeanne Falstrom, Intern
PARISH LAY MINISTRY ACADEMY
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Thursday, March 23, 2006
(Daily readings: Ps 42,43,85.86; Gen 46:1-7, 28-34: 1Cor 9:1-15; Mark 6:30-46)


POSSIBILITIES
By: Georgeanne Falstrom

Scripture: He said to them “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest awhile.”...Mark 6:31
And all ate and were filled....Mark 6:42
After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray....Mark 6:46


The feeding of the 5,000. It is much more than the multiplication of bread and fish. Jesus is showing his disciples important Spiritual Disciplines: communion with him, solitude and meditation, prayer and trusting service.

Before he faced the crowd that was gathering to hear him, Jesus took his disciples to a deserted place where they could rest and meditate on his word. Solitude is where God can find us. Being freed from interaction with the needs of others and worldly cares, we can focus our mind and heart on God. We create an open, empty space within ourselves where we can listen only to the voice of God, soaking in his wisdom and guidance. We come away with possibilities.

Where is your place of solitude where you can be alone with God? Is it in your closet, a special chair in a room, a prayer garden, a cabin in the mountains or on a lake, a walk in the woods or corner booth in an empty restaurant? When have you set aside a time to be totally in the presence of our Lord where he can find you? Where do you go to be shown the possibilities?

Jesus instructed the disciples to feed the growing crowd from only a few loaves and fish. Impossible! They were fisherman, not magicians. Had he lost his mind? Why couldn’t these people go home to eat? They were stunned by his request. But were there possibilities?

Our Lord demonstrated to them (and to us) more than the miracle of feeding his people. He showed us that when we take what we have, no matter how small, and ask for God’s blessing on our resources and efforts, with his help, we can accomplish far more than we can imagine. Just goes to show that when we are faced with impossibilities on our own, we are assured that with him all things are possible. Whatever we conceive and believe, with his help, we can achieve.

Have your creative juices been working during our Lenten season? Is there a ministry or service you are being nudged to perform? Does it seem impossible? Have you put it before the Lord? Are you willing to wait on him to provide the necessary resources? Then you’ve just begun a possibility!

Finally, our Lord sought solitude again and prayed. So we are expected to have interactive conversation with our Heavenly Father about what we and God are thinking about. He wants to communicate with us. He wants to know us inside and out. Yes, he knows our inner thoughts, but he wants to hear them from us. Are you turning your dreams, thoughts, wants, needs and desires over to him in prayer? If you aren’t, how can he answer you? He wants our possibilities.

Prayer: Loving Father, Creator, Counselor: Help us to find that meeting place where we can be alone with you and listen to you. Show us our possibilities for service to you. Let us depend on you in all of our efforts, regardless how small or insignificant they seem, recognizing that through you all things are possible. In you Son’s name. Amen.