The Mystery of Christ
The Liturgy as Spiritual Experience

by Father Thomas Keating

Chapter 4 Part VII

Ordinary Time

Incidents from Jesus' Ministry

     In the afterglow of Pentecost, we celebrate the historical life of Jesus in the light of our experience of the Spirit, who introduces us to the trans-historical life of Jesus. In this perspective, grace is the presence and action of Christ in our lives right now, and the Gospel texts are mirrors reflecting back to us the same presence and action of Christ in the lives of his disciples.

Peter at Capernaum

    The disciples and Jesus now entered Capernaum whereon, the very next Sabbath, he went to the synagogue to teach. Immediately after that they went to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay in bed with a fever and they at once appealed to him on her behalf. He approached and taking her by the hand, raised her up and set her on her feet. The fever left her and she waited on them. Late in the evening after the sun had set, all the sick as well as possessed persons were brought to him. Presently the whole town was assembled at the door. He cured many that were suffering from various diseases.

    Very early the next morning, while it was still dark, he rose, left the house and went to an out-of the-way place, and there he prayed. Simon and his companions went in pursuit of him and when they found him said to him, "Everyone is looking for you."

    He replied, "Let us go elsewhere and visit the neighboring hamlets. I want to preach there too. That is the purpose of my mission." 
[Mark 1:21, 29- 3 9] 
Gospel of Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    The spiritual journey is God's idea. We did not invent it. Nor did we choose ourselves as candidates for it. God chose us. Of course, He doesn't call us on the phone and say, "I have made a reservation for you." Through the various circumstances in our lives, doors open and close. It is not we who are pursuing God, but God who is pursuing us. Every effort we make to go to God is a lowering of our defenses against the divine approach. God surrounds us with infinite mercy like sunshine. But we tend to keep the curtains at our windows closed, occasionally opening them ajar to let in just a tiny ray of light. If we chose to, we could yank open the heavy drapes, and find ourselves bathed in light!

    Peter is presented in the Gospel as one of the more unreliable and unstable of Jesus' followers. Nobody but Jesus would have thought of making him an apostle. Peter wanted all the things that worldly people want, only transposed into a religious context.

    One day Jesus entered Peter's hometown and walked down the main street. A man like Peter was impressed when Jesus stopped at his house and said, "We'll stay here." But then Peter discovered that his mother-in-law was sick with a fever. "My God," he thought, "of all the days for that woman to get sick, why does she have to choose this one?" 

    Jesus noticed Peter's discomfort, went upstairs, took the woman by the hand and set her on her feet. Whereupon she came down and prepared a meal that was a smashing success. Everyone was aglow with the festivities when the whole town started coming to Peter's doorstep, bringing the sick to be healed. Jesus went out and healed them all.

    Everybody went to bed in high spirits. Jesus got up early in the morning and slipped away to pray in solitude. It did not take Peter long to realize that he had disappeared. The local equivalent of the rotary club noticed his disappearance too. They hastened to Peter and said, "What are we going to do? We can't lose this important man! Think what it would mean for our town if he makes this his headquarters. He worked miracles at your doorstep; he healed your mother-in-law. You're the man to go and bring him back!"

    Accordingly, a delegation with Peter at its head was sent in pursuit of Jesus. When they found him, Peter blurted out, "Everybody is looking for you!" He might have added, "If you come back, we'll build you a synagogue and a house! We'll set up concessions and you'll get a share of the revenues."

    Jesus replied, "Let us go someplace else." Notice the word "us," that is, "you and me." It is as if Jesus was saying, "I don't care what other people think of me. What I am interested in is, what do you think of me? Are you willing to go where I want to go rather than where you want me to go?"

More information can be obtained by reading the book The Mystery of Christ by Fr. Thomas Keating.  It is offered in our Book Store.