The Inner Room- Emotions in the Bible

The serpent cunningly deceived Eve in the garden, telling her God is a liar in “did he really say that to you Eve?,” a further implication is ignorance in Eve and an invitation to misguided wisdom, the basis of temptation. Blessed is the person whose sins are forgiven, says Psalm 32. Jesus opens the ears of a deaf man saying: “Ephphatha”

Kat Gafner died unexpectedly last night. Why do we forget so easily that we are passing through? We are all in shock. She was a reporter in Ny and a dear friend of my sister Maria. Her last Instagram story was to my sister for her birthday yesterday. They spoke last night. Like the Greek woman in today’s gospel of Mark, who fiercely fought on behalf of her daughter before Jesus and received healin...

Today we read the second story of creation where God as the Great farmer formed the world first and mankind then out of clay. He breathed his breath into us. And we sing with Psalm 104, bless the Lord my soul. Jesus in the Gospel of Mark summons the crowd and tells them that everything that defiles comes from within. Just as God invites us to co- creation in the garden of Eden, he invites us to co...

We continue today with the story of creation in the book of Genesis. “Be fertile and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it,” says the Lord. God makes everything and finds it to be very good, and entrusts it to us. God, the maker of heaven and earth. whose name is wonderful has made us little less than angels and given us rule over the work of His hands. In the Gospel of Mark chapter 7, Jesus face...

Jesus passes by and touches us with the tassel of His cloak. He touches our life if we invite Him. He delights in His works, says Psalm 104 and we are His works. He renews us with the light of His presence and of His Word.

The readings today are about restoration. Job feels distraught. He has lost everything. God restores him. Paul is a slave for the Word of God, making it clear to those around him, becoming weak ot strong depending on the audience. And Jesus lifts up Simon’s mother in law and restores her. Restoration is Jesus’ purpose. Open your heart to him.

The Lord invites us to rest in him. He is our shepherd. He takes us to green pastures. In the letter to the Hebrews we are invited to confess Jesus‘s name as the fruit of our lips, to carry out what is pleasing to God through Jesus. In Psalm 23 we read the Lord is our shepherd and we shall not want. Even though we walk in the dark valley, we fear no evil for he is at our side.

Jesus sent the Apostles 2 by 2 and gave them power over evil spirits.

Today’s the solemnity of Candlemass. 40 days after Christmas we celebrate the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. We celebrate that the light of the world was brought back into the temple. Because of that we process into the church with candles, to remind ourselves that Jesus the light of the world still dwells amongst us.

In the letter to the Hebrews chapter 11 we see a list of old testament figures who by faith conquered kingdoms,did what was righteous and obtained promises. Let us be just be like them. Jesus comes to conquer everything that is unclean and dead. In Matthew chapter 5 today He encounters a man possessed by Legion, cut from society, dwelling in tombs. Our own thoughts can be like this, tormenting us...

Jesus commands clean spirits to come out of a man at the synagogue in Capernaum; He speaks with authority. That authority gives us the strength to stand firm against any darkness in the world, because He has already defeated all evil through His cross and resurrection. He sets us free. Moses is asked by the people for a prophet and God grant them the prophet. We receive that same mission of baptis...

Jesus is our high priest as we learn in the letter to the Hebrews. Salvation comes from the Lord. Jesus speaks to us in parables so that we can understand the kingdom of heaven

In the readings from today, Jesus says a lamp is placed high to light the way. Thomas Aquinas is such a light. He uses reason to explain the existence of God in very humbling and beautiful ways. He invites us to be people who longs to see His face with Psalm 24, he invites us to praise our High Priest Jesus just as Paul does in the letter to the Hebrews.

In today’s reading, Paul speaks to Timothy and reminds us that we have both earthly and spiritual families. Timothy received his faith from his grandmother and mother. In the Gospel reading from Mark chapter 3 Jesus’ family comes to visit the house where He is staying and He reminds us of the same fact: those that follow the law of God are His family, You and I are part of a Kingly court. Because...

Paul was a faithful Jew who was intent on killing Christians. Blinded by the light he turns his life around and spreads the gospel of Jesus around the Mediterranean. Jesus calls the 11 while he walked the earth, and he calls Paul when he’s already resurrected. When did Jesus call you?

Today’s first reading is about Jonah who travels in the opposite direction of where God sends him. The story stands in contrast with another call to mission: that of the four fisherman Jesus calls who follow him immediately. God is not asking for us to be perfect or knowledgeable or even ready according to our standards. If he wants us to do something he will equip us. If he wants us to give somet...

In today’s readings Jesus is called crazy by his family for serving the people that follow him. When he enters a house with his disciples to eat so many gather to hear him and to be touched by him that they can’t even eat. In the ninth chapter of Hebrews Paul reminds that Jesus our high priest built a spiritual temple in which he himself has been the sacrifice offered for our salvation. Because of...

Jesus goes up the mountain and summons the twelve Apostles. May we open our hearts and make ourselves available so when the Lord calls we can come as the apostles did. Jesus is our high priest interceding for us in heaven and today we pray for all the unborn children that have died in their mothers that they may have mercy and feel the mercy of the world to turn their hearts to God. Kindness and t...

We have a high priest in Jesus who intercedes for us at the right hand of the father. Aligning our will to the will of the father brings us before the throne day in and day out asking Jesus for his grace and intercession. Today we find Jesus in the sea of Galilee getting into a boat as a crowd presses against him threatening to crush him because he has cured so many that they are seeking him.

Saint Paul in the seventh chapter of Hebrews reminds us of the covenant God made with Abraham, and on the priesthood of Melkizedech who appears to bring bread and wine to Abraham after defeating kings. Jesus cures a man with the withered hand on the Sabbath at the synagogue, and this act of kindness causes the Pharisees and Hetodians to plot to kill him. Jesus shows us the priesthood of mercy and...

In today’s readings Paul in Hebrews 6 reminds us that our priesthood calls for us to do good works to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth to those that are around us so that they may see God in and through us. This reminds us that God has made a covenant with us that doesn’t change. And Jesus in Mark chapter 2 is shown walking through a field and eating the grain on the Sabbath and reminds us not...

We learn in the readings for today that the priesthood of Melchizedek foreshadows the Eucharist of Christ and is a reminder of the promise given to us on our baptism. With the waters of salvation we receive the mission of being kings. prophets and priests. Paul in Hebrews 5 tells us that every high priest is taken from among men to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. We must deal with each other...

In the reading for today we find Samuel learning to listen to God calling him and responding to him. In some 40 we hear the proper response to the car “here I am Lord I come to do your will.” Bolton says in the letter to the Corinthians that we are one body in Christ in the in our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. In the gospel today from Saint John, Jesus passes by his cousin John who ott...

Mary and Matthew follow God’s inspirations for the purpose of our lives quickly. May we attend to God’s insights for us with prompt obedience, with joyfulness, and with an open heart. The word of God is living and effective sharper than any two edge sword, says Paul in Hebrews. Let us use the word of God to remain in the presence of our Lord to guide the words of our mouth and the thoughts of our...

Jesus teaches with authority. Then clean spirits know him my name in fear him. Jesus rebuked unclean spirits that come out of a man in a loud cry in the Capernaum synagogue. Jesus has granted us His authority. “Quiet, come out! “ We ask that in his authority we may be made clean.