"Come after me": Reflection on the foot steps of Jesus
Many are on travel for summer. Among them, some are on pilgrimage tour including two of my friends and fellow secular Franciscans are currently traveling through Holy Land. I wish to do that trip with my family one day, which is my life time dream. For now, let me just reflect upon Jesus path and foot steps through virtual tours and scripture, where disciples and Apostles received their first hand formation from Jesus Himself. It is amazing to read the Gospel and reflect with the demographic details. This summer, I would like to reflect upon Apostles and disciples and to see Jesus from their views. This topic always fascinates me.
As usual, I begin my reflection from the presence of Blessed Sacrament at St. Louis Catholic Church. The Perpetual adoration Chapel has been my renewal place or my go to place when I need inspiration, motivation, encouragement, etc.... I would call this little chapel as my hangout place. I usually start any project or any writing or any family events or begin any discernment after visiting Blessed Sacrament here. That has been my little routine or ritual for many years now. There are few special places spiritual destinations I am attached to at Memphis. They are Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Altar, St. Louis Catholic Church Perpetual adoration chapel, Our Lady of Rosary Grotto at Holy Rosary Church, Cathedral Church, and St. Micheal Church. The above is common for any Catholic, that everyone has a destination, where they find themselves home or spiritually attached.
I begin this journey from the prayer garden at St. Louis Catholic Church after a brief visit to the blessed Sacrament. This topic has been simmering in my thoughts for last two weeks, but it got to the intensity yesterday that I sat to write. Every Church has a prayer garden here in USA. St. Louis Catholic Church prayer garden welcomes with the songs of little birds on the myrtle trees, gentle summer breeze carrying scented lilies aroma, and benches under the shades of small trees. There is a serine welcoming water font, which is simple and active all the time, with a circle concrete slab crown containing inscription, “ Come , all who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest.” The prayer garden of St. Louis Catholic Church has a beautiful Holy Family statue. This statue is unique because it an active statue, which means the statues of Jesus Mary and Joseph are sculpted to depicting an action of nurturing and teaching Jesus as family. I visit this garden to visit this holy family statue whenever I attend Eucharistic adoration. In the Holy family statue, St. Joseph is actively instructing child Jesus in his half sitting position, where he has his right knee to the ground and rests his left hand on his left sided upright knee. He holds a small pointer stick as if he is using it as a pointer for his instruction. Wow St. Joseph is truly in action of instructing Jesus. Mary on the other side looks seated on a low seat and she is very close to Jesus physically, leaning her head towards child Jesus, keeping her ears close to Jesus, while her eyes are attentive on St. Joseph’s instructions. She holds a scroll which may indicate the scripture. The scene implies the setting for scriptural instruction within the family. In between Joseph and Mary, Jesus stands with his right arm over Mary’s shoulder, leaning on to Mary tenderly. While he stands so casually, he pays close attention to the instructions come from His foster father and His Mother. This Holy family statue is an instruction statue, where it depicts the family in the action of scripture instructions. This statue captivates my attention whenever I see it.
The reflection from Mathew 4 took me to the sea of Galilee yesterday. Sea Galilee intrigued my interest in another direction. Today, I would like to retrace the steps of Jesus from His home town. I see that Jesus has selected the area near Sea of Galilee to call His first disciples, who became the Apostles later, the action which is very deliberate as Jesus has moved away from His home town. Sea of Galilee also is situated at proximity of river Jordan, which is more logic to think that Jesus has moved to those region after His baptism at Jordan river. I would like to reflect upon Jesus journey from His home town to river Jordan and Galilee.
As usual, I begin my reflection from the presence of Blessed Sacrament at St. Louis Catholic Church. The Perpetual adoration Chapel has been my renewal place or my go to place when I need inspiration, motivation, encouragement, etc.... I would call this little chapel as my hangout place. I usually start any project or any writing or any family events or begin any discernment after visiting Blessed Sacrament here. That has been my little routine or ritual for many years now. There are few special places spiritual destinations I am attached to at Memphis. They are Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Altar, St. Louis Catholic Church Perpetual adoration chapel, Our Lady of Rosary Grotto at Holy Rosary Church, Cathedral Church, and St. Micheal Church. The above is common for any Catholic, that everyone has a destination, where they find themselves home or spiritually attached.
I begin this journey from the prayer garden at St. Louis Catholic Church after a brief visit to the blessed Sacrament. This topic has been simmering in my thoughts for last two weeks, but it got to the intensity yesterday that I sat to write. Every Church has a prayer garden here in USA. St. Louis Catholic Church prayer garden welcomes with the songs of little birds on the myrtle trees, gentle summer breeze carrying scented lilies aroma, and benches under the shades of small trees. There is a serine welcoming water font, which is simple and active all the time, with a circle concrete slab crown containing inscription, “ Come , all who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest.” The prayer garden of St. Louis Catholic Church has a beautiful Holy Family statue. This statue is unique because it an active statue, which means the statues of Jesus Mary and Joseph are sculpted to depicting an action of nurturing and teaching Jesus as family. I visit this garden to visit this holy family statue whenever I attend Eucharistic adoration. In the Holy family statue, St. Joseph is actively instructing child Jesus in his half sitting position, where he has his right knee to the ground and rests his left hand on his left sided upright knee. He holds a small pointer stick as if he is using it as a pointer for his instruction. Wow St. Joseph is truly in action of instructing Jesus. Mary on the other side looks seated on a low seat and she is very close to Jesus physically, leaning her head towards child Jesus, keeping her ears close to Jesus, while her eyes are attentive on St. Joseph’s instructions. She holds a scroll which may indicate the scripture. The scene implies the setting for scriptural instruction within the family. In between Joseph and Mary, Jesus stands with his right arm over Mary’s shoulder, leaning on to Mary tenderly. While he stands so casually, he pays close attention to the instructions come from His foster father and His Mother. This Holy family statue is an instruction statue, where it depicts the family in the action of scripture instructions. This statue captivates my attention whenever I see it.
Praying near this
statue brings comfort to the heart. While the Holy family statue is the center piece
of this garden, there is also an outdoor stations of the cross.
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men” Mathew
4/19
·
Jesus was walking by Sea of Galilee
·
He saw two brothers: Peter and Andrew
·
They were Fishermen
·
They were casting their net into the sea
·
Jesus called them
·
At once they left their nets and followed him
He walked along further
He saw two brothers: James and John
They were in a boat mending their nets with their father
He called them
They left their boat and their father and followed Him.
The reflection from Mathew 4 took me to the sea of Galilee yesterday. Sea Galilee intrigued my interest in another direction. Today, I would like to retrace the steps of Jesus from His home town. I see that Jesus has selected the area near Sea of Galilee to call His first disciples, who became the Apostles later, the action which is very deliberate as Jesus has moved away from His home town. Sea of Galilee also is situated at proximity of river Jordan, which is more logic to think that Jesus has moved to those region after His baptism at Jordan river. I would like to reflect upon Jesus journey from His home town to river Jordan and Galilee.
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