Gospel: ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ (Luke 13:35c)
Observation: During the liturgy of the Eucharist at Mass, we say these words as part of the Holy, Holy, Holy.
Application: Even though I did not search out the exact meaning of the word “comes” in the verse that I chose from the gospel today. I believe it means that you are blessed if you carry “Jesus” with you at all times and in all situations. Regardless of how the world would have me look at a situation, I will try to look at it the way that Jesus would look at it.
Gift: Fortitude (Courage) – With the gift of courage, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risk as a follower of Jesus. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or even physical harm and death.
Scripture: 4 And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” (Mark 3:11)
Observation: How amazing would it be to see the unclean spirit actually recognize the power of God in the incarnation of himself in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is not to say that God’s voice would not be even more awesome to see in the Baptism of the Lord, but still the ability to see the unclean spirits recognizing that there days were numbered would be a powerful image to solidify the knowledge in our head that God is all-powerful and able to conquer all evil.
Personification: Generosity It is my hope that I can act with the fruit of generosity in my life today. It is only by the grace of God that I could have the ability to show this fruit, especially because it is in my nature to be protective of the things that I have been given. I hope that the gifts of spirit would be easier to display, since they came from God in the first place and my human nature would not take over when it comes to acting with the intention of giving freely to others of these gifts.
Gift: Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe) – With the gift of wonder and awe (fear of the lord), we are aware of the glory and majesty of God. A person with wonder and awe knows that God is the perfection of all we desire: perfect knowledge, perfect goodness, perfect power, and perfect love.
Reading: Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. (Mark 3:4)
Observation: My question is that even if I have accepted that Jesus is the lord of the Sabbath, and as it was said in yesterday’s gospel, the sabbath was created for man and not man for the sabbath, have I truly accepted the fact that Jesus has the power to perform miracles in the lives of those who seek him? I don’t assume that I am like the Pharisees, but at times I feel like I share some of the same doubts about how and when we should be prepared for God to work miracles in our lives.
Personification: Faithfulness It is only by displaying the fruit of faithfulness in my life that I can be sure that the will of God is being done in my life. This faithfulness should manifest itself in different ways in my life, especially in my ability to make it to Mass or communion service daily. Also, in the ability to take the time to pray in different forms throughout the day.
Prayer: Lord, please allow me to display the fruit of faithfulness in my life today and with every new day that I am blessed to enjoy on this earth. I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit. Amen.
Gift: Wisdom- With the gift of wisdom, we see God at work in our lives and in the world. For the wise person, the wonders of nature, historical events, and the ups and downs of our lives take on deeper meaning. The matters of judgment about the truth, and being able to see the image of God.
Reading: So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath, so that by two immutable things, 8 in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil, 9 where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:17-20)
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Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, 16 not man for the sabbath. 17 That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
Observation: As I was reading the first reading for the first time during our Mass at our small chapel this morning, I was confused by the use of the word immutable in the letter to the Hebrews. I basically missed the rest of the reading, because of the fact that I could not get the word out of my head. As I read the responsorial psalm, I was still stuck on the use of the word, so I wasn’t reading very well. Anyway, after the Mass I came back to my office to look up the reading and figure out if I was right to be moved by the word immutable in the way that I was. It turns out that I was right to be moved by it, as the title of my post for today says, the fact that God’s promise never changes is quite significant. As for the verse from the Gospel, it continues the theme that the first reading ended with, which is the fact that Jesus is the lord of the sabbath and the one who completes the promise in his life, death and resurrection.
Personification: Kindness It is only when I recognize that there is a power greater than me, that I see that it is a worthwhile thing for me to act with the fruit of kindness toward everyone I meet. The God that I give all glory to, is so faithful to his promise that I can look to him to see the love and kindness that I could be capable of, if only I would accept that his promise is addressed to me, as well as the rest of the world.
Reading: They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. ( Isaiah 40:31)
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Who pardons all your sins, heals all your ills,
Delivers your life from the pit, surrounds you with love and compassion,
Fills your days with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:3-5)
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“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.“ (Matthew 11:28-30)
Observation: It has been a while since I have seen three readings that so perfectly weave together a perfect message like today’s first reading, the responsorial psalm and the Gospel. Isaiah, the prophet, does such an amazing job painting a picture of what renewal comes to those that hope in the Lord. In the responsorial Psalm, I heard a continuation of the message about how the Lord is going to deliver us from our sins and surround us with love and compassion. I took a little poetic license and added the fifth verse from the 103rd Psalm, which wasn’t actually a part of the reading for today, because the imagery of the renewal like the eagle, I thought, continue the message from the first reading. Of course, the words of Jesus that were chosen from the author of Matthew’s Gospel, whether they were taken from the book of Sirach or were the actual words of Jesus at this moment is not important, rather when seen together with the first reading and the responsorial for today, it creates such a beautiful message of hope.
Personification: Joy I will try and focus on displaying the fruit of joy to everyone that I meet today. Joy in the hope that we have in the Lord’s renewal of all that we see around us, and joy that Jesus loved me enough to give himself to be punished and humiliated for my sins. I know that doesn’t sound like a cause for joy, but since Jesus’ suffering happened in the past, I believe it should be cause for joy that we do not have to suffer for eternity for our sins and that the Lord wants to renew us daily in the gift of the Eucharist.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be joyful today in the face of the realities that comes at me in this world. Please supply me with the grace necessary to continue to give the good news to everyone that I meet today and for the rest of my life. I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
An example of the work still being done in the name of the Immaculate Conception…
Monastery Immaculate Conception – Indiana, USA
Reading: Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38)
Observation: Today, I am hearing in the Gospel reading the perfect example of obedience from our holy Mother. Even when confronted with every obstacle imaginable to a young Jewish woman, she accepts the will of the Father completely. I think it is important to note that she doesn’t say that I guess I will try to make the best of this bad situation, but rather accepts the will of the Father and states her position according to the Lord who is calling her to this great duty of acceptance of bearing a son who will be the Redeemer of the whole world.
Personification: Modesty I am hearing the call to display the fruit of modesty from the example that was set by the Virgin Mary. In order to be modest, I am thankful that the grace of God to help focus my will on his rather than my own. In order to keep me humble in doing his work and understanding, it is by no means my works that determine my direction in life, rather the will of the Father that determines the path that I take. It is my job to be submissive, like the Virgin Mary, to his will.
Prayer: Lord, help me to stay focused on your will today and for the rest of my life. Please direct my attention to the example of the Our Mother today on the occasion of the celebration of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I didn’t see Vol. I & II, but if this picture is any indication, I would love to see them…You can order the book by clicking the link that is attached to the image…No, I am not trying to profit from it, I just love this picture…
(I think this picture perfectly shows the face of the Redeemer that I vision in my mind.)
Reading: But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.“(Luke 5:24)
Observation: This morning, I am reassured that the idea that I relayed to the youth that are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation last night is the truth. It is a very powerful thing to say to someone or a group of people that the Son of God revealed the true nature of who he was while he was walking on the earth. I guess it is not so much the fact that he did it, but rather the vision that I have of our Redeemer is that he was very humble, so it is hard to envision someone with so much humility revealing the truth of who he was in such a bold way. The reality is that in the Gospel reading today, as it is with most of the scripture text, although it is the divinely inspired Word of God, it is also written by men who had an evangelistic goal to accomplish in their own time. So, the boldness that I perceive may just be a message to those people that the authors of the different Gospels were trying to get across to the human authority of their time.
Personification: Humility (Gentleness) It is my intention to model my own behavior on Jesus. In order to display the fruit of humility and gentleness, I will need the grace of God today and for the rest of my life. I guess I have written that so much, it would be easy to think that I am just writing it as an exercise in futility. However, the amazing thing is that the more I write it, the clearer the path becomes to receiving his grace. I know that by participating in the Sacrament of the Eucharist daily that I do receive his grace. Also, by staying true to the Word of God becomes easier with the grace that I am given as a free gift by just showing up and participating in the Mass, Communion Service or just in my daily prayers.
Prayer: Lord, help me to stay not only in your Word but to make every one of your Words come alive in my life and in the lives of those around me. Please supply me with the grace necessary to show true humility and gentleness to my family first and then to our parish community and anyone that I come in contact with today. I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Reading: Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children Gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God. (Baruch 5:5)
Observation: Reading this verse from the first reading this morning, I couldn’t help but think about the new Jerusalem. My first thought was a fleshly thought. I wonder if all humanity that is called to share in the new Jerusalem will want to live in Jerusalem. In my feeble attempt to contemplate the vision of our Father, I realize that the new Jerusalem will be such a perfect temple in which to adore God, how could a believer not feel comfortable there. I see it like a constant vacation, where God is at the center of everything that we do. I see the new Jerusalum as a place where everyone sings in glorious fashion to adore God, and no one has reason to feel embarrassed for their adoration of our loving God.
Personification:Long-suffering (Positive Attitude) This may be a continuation from yesterday, but I feel like I am being called in a real way today and for the rest of my life to display the fruit of long-suffering. As the parenthetical words say above, this long-suffering does not mean that I plan on walking around with a forlorn look on my face. Rather, it means that I should, with the help of the many graces that God has given me and hopefully will continue to provide, keep a positive attitude about the things that happen in this world because I know that no matter how long it takes to bring about the new Jerusalem that it will happen in God’s time, and it will be perfect, just as He is perfect.
Prayer: Lord, please supply me with the grace necessary to sustain a positive attitude with whatever comes my way today and for the rest of my life, so that I may start to live out the eternal life that you have planned for me from this moment forward. I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Reading: O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, no more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as he hears he will answer you. The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or to the left. (Isaiah 30:19-21)
Observation: Today, I am getting an overwhelming sense of relief from both the first reading and the Gospel. Jesus cames to not only bring salvation to the world, but also healing. I should not be focusing on the temporary problems of this world, but rather the eternal plan of God.
Personification: Patience I will try and focus my attention on the will of the Father in all that I do today. I will see the fact that other people, including my brother in law, are in disagreement with the vision that I have recieved as a gift from my Father as further reinforcement of the fact that I am on the right path. It will definitely take plenty of grace from God to patiently wait for his will to be done in this world, while I guess my calling is to bring his Word to as many people that are willing to listen.
Prayer: Lord, help me to stay strong in your faith and allow your will to be done in your time. Please give me the grace necessary to patiently wait on your will to be done. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Reading: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” (Matthew 7:24-27)
Observation: I am hearing this morning a call to be even more connected to the Word of God. In this Gospel reading from the book of Matthew this morning, Jesus is saying that listening to the words is not enough. Rather, I must be willing to act on every Word that I hear. In a way, it is like listening to someone telling you a moving story about a person in need and then saying, “Isn’t that nice?” and not doing anything about it.
Personification: Faith/Fidelity It will be my focus today and for the rest of my life to display the fruit of faith and fidelity to the Word of God. Every word that I hear speaking to me from the Word of God I will work tirelessly to try and apply it to my life. If I want to be like the house built on rock, this is what I must do.
Prayer: Lord, help me to stay faithful to your Word every day of my life and show you fidelity to the call that you gave me. Please continue to grant me the grace necessary to follow through with my commitment to be faithful to your Word. I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Waiting on some people that want to buy cookie dough or at least some people that are willing to store some for us...We have over 100 boxes! Who's coming with me? 2 days ago
