Sunday's Gospel: Blesses us with gracious presence

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."

41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; 42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."


ReflectionsDoes the peace of Christ reign in your home and in your personal life? Jesus loved to visit the home of Martha and Mary and enjoyed their warm hospitality. In this brief encounter we see two very different temperaments in Martha and Mary. Martha loved to serve, but in her anxious manner of waiting on Jesus, she caused unrest. Mary, in her simple and trusting manner, waited on Jesus by sitting attentively at his feet.

She instinctively knew that what the Master most wanted at that moment was her attentive presence. Anxiety and preoccupation keep us from listening and from giving the Lord our undivided attention. The Lord bids us to give him our concerns and anxieties because he is trustworthy and able to meet any need we have. His grace frees us from needless concerns and preoccupation. Do you seek the Lord attentively? And does the Lord find a welcomed and honored place in your home?

The Lord Jesus desires that we make a place for him, not only in our hearts, but in our homes and in the daily circumstances of our lives as well. We honor the Lord when we offer to him everything we have and everything we do. Afterall, everything we have is an outright gift from God (1 Chronicles 29:14). Paul the Apostle urges us to give God glory in everything: "Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col. 3:17).

When you sit, eat, sleep and when you entertain your friends and guests, remember that the Lord Jesus is also the guest of your home. Scripture tells us that when Abraham opened his home and welcomed three unknown travelers, he welcomed the Lord who blessed him favorably for his gracious hospitality (Genesis 18:1-10; Heb. 13:2). The Lord wants us to bring him glory in the way we treat others and use the gifts he has graciously given to us. God, in turn, blesses us with his gracious presence and fills us with joy.

Friday's Gospel: Doing your Will

Scripture: Matthew 10:16-23

16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

17 Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues,

18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles.

19 When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour;

20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;

22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.


Reflection What does Jesus mean when he says his disciples must be sheep in the midst of wolves? The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when wolves and lambs will dwell in peace (Isaiah 11:6 and 65:25). This certainly refers to the second coming of Christ when all will be united under the Lordship of Jesus after he has put down his enemies and established the reign of God over the heavens and the earth. In the meantime, the disciples must expect opposition and persecution from those who oppose the gospel.

Jesus never hesitated to tell his disciples what they might expect if they followed him. Here Jesus says to his disciples: This is my task for you at its grimmest and worst; do you accept it? This is not the world's way of offering a job. After the defeat at Dunkirk, Churchill offered his country blood, toil, sweat, and tears.

This is not the message we prefer to hear when the Lord Jesus commissions us in his service. Nonetheless, our privilege is to follow in the footsteps of the Master who laid down his life for us. Are you willing to accept hardship and suffering in following after the Lord?

"Lord Jesus, help me to patiently and joyfully accept the hardships, adversities, and persecution which come my way in serving you. Strengthen my faith and give me courage that I may not shrink back from doing your will”.

Thursday's Gospel: Joy of Gospel

Scripture: Matthew 10:7-15

7 And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay.

9 Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts,

10 no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food.

11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart.

12 As you enter the house, salute it.

13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.

15 Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor'rah than for that town.


Reflection Do you believe that the gospel has power to change your life and the lives of others? Jesus gave his disciples a two-fold commission to speak in his name and to act with his power. The core of the gospel message is quite simple: the kingdom (or reign) of God is imminent! What is the kingdom of God? It is that society of men and women who freely submit to God and who honor him as their Lord and King.

In the Lord’s prayer we pray for God to reign in our lives and in our world: May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus also commissioned his disciples to carry on the works which he did – bringing the healing power of God to the weary and oppressed. The gospel has power to set people free from sin, sickness, fear, and oppression. The Lord will free us from anything that keeps us from loving him and our neighbor with joy and confidence.

Jesus said to his disciples: Freely you have received, freely give. What they have received from Jesus they must now pass on to others without expecting a favor in return, whether it be in form of a gift or payment. They must show by their attitude that their first interest is in serving God, not receiving material gain. They must serve without guile, full of charity and peace, and simplicity.

They must give their full attention to the proclamation of God’s kingdom and not be diverted by other lesser things. They must travel light – only take what was essential and leave behind whatever would distract them – in order to concentrate on the task of speaking the word of the God.

They must do their work, not for what they can get out of it, but for what they can give freely to others, without expecting special privileges or reward. “Poverty of spirit” frees us from greed and preoccupation with possessions and makes ample room for God’s provision. The Lord wants his disciples to be dependent on him and not on themselves.

Secondly, Jesus said: the worker deserves his sustenance. Here we see a double-truth: the worker of God must not be overly-concerned with material things, but the people of God must never fail in their duty to give the worker of God what he or she needs to sustain themselves in the Lord's service. Do you pray for the work of the gospel and do you support it with your material and financial resources? Jesus ends his instructions with a warning: If people reject God’s invitation and refuse his word, then they bring judgment and condemnation on themselves.

When God gives us his word there comes with it the great responsibility to respond. Indifference will not do. We are either for or against God in how we respond to his word. God gives us his word that we may have life – abundant life – in him. He wills to work in and through each of us for his glory. God shares his word with us and he commissions us to speak it boldly and simply to others. Do you witness the truth and joy of the gospel by word and example to those around you?

Thursday's Gospel: evil in your hearts

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-8

1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."

3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5 For which is easier, to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise and walk'? 6 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he then said to the paralytic -- "Rise, take up your bed and go home." 7 And he rose and went home.

8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Reflection

What cripples the mind and heart and stiffles the healing power of love? Sin and unforgiveness for certain! Sin cripples us more than any physical ailment can.
Sin is the work of the kingdom of darkness and it holds us in eternal bondage. There is only one solution and that is the healing, cleansing power of Jesus' forgiveness. Jesus’ treatment of sinners upset the religious teachers of the day.

When a cripple was brought to Jesus because of the faith of his friends, Jesus did the unthinkable. He first forgave the man his sins.

The scribes regarded this as blasphemy because they understood that only God had authority to forgive sins and to unbind a man or woman from their burden of guilt.

Jesus claimed an authority which only God could rightfully give. Jesus not only proved that his authority came from God, he showed the great power of God's redeeming love and mercy by healing the cripple of his physical ailment.

This man had been crippled not only physically, but spiritually as well. Jesus freed him from his burden of guilt and restored his body as well.

The Lord is every ready to bring us healing of mind, body, and soul.

His grace brings us freedom from the power of sin and from bondage to harmful desires and addictions.

Do you allow anything to keep you from Jesus' healing power?

Wednesday's Gospel: meeting Jesus

Scripture: Matthew 8:28-34

28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.

29 And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" 30 Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them.

31 And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine." 32 And he said to them, "Go."

So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters.

33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs.

34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.



Meditation

Do you ever feel driven by forces beyond your strength? Two men driven mad by the force of many evil spirits found refuge in the one person who could set them free.
Mark’s and Luke’s gospel accounts describe this force as a legion (Mark 5:9 and Luke 8:30). A legion is no small force – but an army 6,000 strong! For the people of Palestine, hemmed in by occupied forces, a legion, whether spiritual or human, struck terror!

Legions at their wildest committed unmentionable atrocities. Our age has also witnessed untold crimes and mass destruction at the hands of possessed rulers and their armies.

What is more remarkable – the destructive force of these driven and possessed men, or the bended knee at Jesus' feet imploring mercy and release? God's word reminds us that no destructive force can keep anyone from the peace and safety which God offers to those who seek his help.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. ..Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation (Psalm 91:7,9).

Jesus took pity on these men who were overtaken by a legion of evil spirits. The destructive force of these demons is evident for all who can see as they flee and destroy a herd of swine.

After Jesus freed the demoniacs the whole city came out to meet him. No one had demonstrated such power and authority against the forces of Satan as Jesus did. They feared Jesus as a result and begged him to leave them.

Why would they not want Jesus to stay? Perhaps the price for such liberation from the power of evil and sin was more than they wanted to pay.

Jesus is ready and willing to free us from anything that binds us and that keeps us from the love of God.

Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from his love and saving grace?

Tuesday's Gospel: my Father reveals

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."


15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Epistle: 2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18

6 For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the message fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it.

So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom.

To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.



Meditation

Today in many churches of the East and West the Apostles Peter and Paul are commemorated. Both were martyred in Rome in the first century.
They tirelessly worked for the spread of the gospel, not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations as well.

They risked their lives in the process and gladly poured out their blood in loyalty to their Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As Paul so eloquently stated in his second epistle to Timothy, they courageously fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7).

How firm is your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? At an opportune time Jesus tested his disciples with a crucial question: Who do men say that I am and who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:13).

Jesus was widely recognized in Israel as a mighty man of God, even being compared with the greatest of the prophets, John the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah.

Peter, always quick to respond, exclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.

No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter; but only God. Jesus then confered on Peter authority to govern the church that Jesus would build, a church that no powers could overcome.

Jesus played on Peter's name which is the same word for "rock" in both Aramaic and Greek. To call someone a "rock" is one of the greatest of compliments.

The ancient rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock to found the world upon."

Through Abraham God established a nation for himself. Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly was.

He was the first apostle to recognize Jesus as the Anointed One (Messiah and Christ) and the only begotten Son of God.

The New Testament describes the church, the people of God, as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5).

Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones.

The Lord Jesus tests each of us personally with the same question: Who do you say that I am?

Monday's Gospel: following God

Scripture: Matthew 8:18-22

18 Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."

21 Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."




Meditation

Have you ever been invited or drafted to do something special for an important cause that would cost you a great deal, such as leaving your home, occupation or studies in order to serve your country, church, or family?
When the Lord Jesus began his mission he announced that God's kingdom was imminent - God was on the move to overthrow the kingdom of darkness and establish his kingdom of peace and justice.

Jesus invited his hearers to join him as disciples on mission. Missionaries serve wherever they are sent. Most of Jesus' disciples served in their own homes, towns, and synagogues - until persecution scattered them to other places.

When the Lord Jesus calls us to follow him, he invites us into a personal relationship of love and friendship.

That relationship also involves the commitment of our entire lives to Jesus as Lord and Master, Teacher and Healer, Messiah and Savior.

To follow Jesus is the greatest of all calls. What an awesome privilege and an awesome responsibility to be a disciple of Jesus Christ! What does it cost to be a disciple? Our whole lives, for sure!

Christ in turn gives us all that we need and more besides! Before we “sign-on” for something, is quite natural to ask what it will cost us.

Jesus made sure that any “would-be” followers knew what they were getting themselves into.


One prospective follower, a scribe, paid Jesus the highest compliment he knew. He called Jesus “teacher”. Scribes considered themselves the “teachers” and “experts” in the law of God.

Jesus advised this would-be follower: Before you follow me, think what you are doing and count the cost.

A disciple must be willing to make sacrifices, even the sacrifice of his own life to follow Jesus as his Master and Lord.

Another would-be disciple responded by saying that he must first bury his father, that is go back home and take care of his father until he died. Jesus appealed to the man’s heart and told him to detach himself from whatever might keep him from following as his disciple.

Love sacrifices all for the beloved. It was love that compeled the Lord Jesus to lay down his life for us.

Does the love of Christ compel you to give your all for the Lord? Let the Holy Spirit flood your heart with the love of God.

What can keep us from giving our all to God? Fear, self-concern, pre-occupation and attachment to other things.

Even spiritual things can get in the way of having God alone as our Treasure if we put them first.

Detachment is a necessary step is we want to make the Lord our Treasure and Joy. It frees us to give ourselves without reserve to the Lord and to his service.

There is nothing greater we can do with our lives than to place them at the service of the Lord and Master of the universe.

We cannot outgive God in generosity.

Jesus promises that those who are willing to part with what is most dear to them for his sake “will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29).

Is there anything holding you back from giving your all to the Lord?

Sunday's Gospel: no one who looks back is fit

Scripture: Luke 9:51-62

51 When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; 53 but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.

54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?" 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.

57 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."

59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

61 Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Meditation

Are you surprised to see two of Jesus' disciples praying for the destruction of a Samaritan village? The Jews and Samaritans had been divided for centuries.
Jewish pilgrims who passed through Samaritan territory were often assaulted. Jesus did the unthinkable for a Jew. He not only decided to travel through Samaritan territory at personal risk, but he also asked for hospitality in one of their villages! Jesus' offer of friendship was rebuffed.

Is there any wonder that the disciples were indignant and felt justified in wanting to see retribution done to this village?

Wouldn't you respond the same way? Jesus, however, rebukes his disciples for their lack of toleration. Jesus had "set his face toward Jerusalem" to die on a cross that Jew, Samaritan and Gentile might be reconciled with God and be united as one people in Christ.

Tolerance is a much needed virtue today. But aren't we often tolerant for the wrong thing or for the wrong motive?

Christian love seeks the highest good of both one's neighbor and one's enemy. When Abraham Lincoln was criticized for his courtesy and tolerance towards his enemies during the American Civil War, he responded: "Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?"

How do you treat those who cross you and cause you trouble? Do you seek their good rather than their harm?

When the Lord calls us to follow him he gives us the grace to put aside everything that might keep us from doing his will.

Loyalty to Jesus requires sacrifice, letting go of my will for God's will.

A would-be disciple responded by saying, I must first go and bury my father, that is, go back home and take care of him until he died.

Jesus certainly did not mean that we should refuse to care for others, especially our parents in their old age.

His startling statement, however, made clear that God must always be first in our lives. If we love him above all, then everything else will fall into its proper place and time.

Jesus surprised his disciples by telling that they must not look back but keep their focus on the goal set for their lives – full happiness and union with God. A plowman who looked back caused his furrow to be crooked.

Likewise, if we keep looking back to what we left behind, our path in following God will likely go off course and we'll miss what God has for us.

When the going is rough or the way ahead looks uncertain, we are tempted to look back to the "good old days" or to look for "greener turf".

Are you resolved to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and to "stay the course" in following him to the end?

Saturday's Gospel: I am not worthy, but only say the word

Scripture: Matthew 8:5-17

5 As he entered Caper'naum, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him 6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." 7 And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."

8 But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.

11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth."

13 And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment. 14 And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever; 15 he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served him.

16 That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.

17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases."

Meditation

What kind of faith and trust does the Lord Jesus want you to place in him?
In Jesus’ time the Jews hated the Romans because they represented everything the Jews stood against – including pagan beliefs and idol worship, immoral practices such as abortion and infanticide, and the suppression of the Israelites' claim to be a holy nation governed solely by God's law.

It must have been a remarkable sight for the Jewish residents of Capernaum to see Jesus conversing with an officer of the Roman army.

Why did Jesus not only warmly receive a Roman centurion but praise him as a model of faith and confidence in God? In the Roman world the position of centurion was very important. He was an officer in charge of a hundred soldiers.

In a certain sense, he was the backbone of the Roman army, the cement which held the army together. Polybius, an ancient write, describes what a centurion should be: "They must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command, steady in action, and reliable; they ought not to be over-anxious to rush into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be ready to hold their ground, and die at their posts."

The centurion who approached Jesus was not only courageous, but faith-filled as well. He risked the ridicule of his cronies by seeking help from an itinerant preacher from Galilee, and well as mockery from the Jews.

Nonetheless, he approached Jesus with confidence and humility. He was an extraordinary man because he loved his slave. In the Roman world slaves were treated like animals rather than people.

The centurion was also an extraordinary man of faith. He wanted Jesus to heal his beloved slave. Jesus commends him for his faith and immediately grants him his request.

Are you willing to suffer ridicule in the practice of your faith?

And when you need help, do you approach the Lord Jesus with expectant faith?

Friday's Gospel: Jesus did something

Scripture: Matthew 8:1-4

1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; 2 and behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."

3 And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to the people."



Meditation

What can hold us back from approaching the Lord with faith and confidence that he can change and transform us – perhaps fear, pride, and the risk of losing one's reputation and friends?
Jesus did something which was both remarkable and unthinkable at the same time. He approached the unapproachables – he touched the untouchables.

Lepers were outcasts of society. Their physical condition was terrible as they slowly lost the use of their limbs and withered away with open sores over their entire bodies.

They were not only shunned but regarded as “already dead” even by their relatives. The Jewish law forbade anyone from touching or approaching a leper, lest ritual defilement occur. The leper did something quite remarkable.

He approached Jesus confidently and humbly, expecting that Jesus could and would heal him. Normally a leper would be stoned or at least warded off if he tried to come near a rabbi.

Jesus not only grants the man his request, but he demonstrates the personal love, compassion, and tenderness of God in his physical touch.

The medical knowledge of his day would have regarded such contact as grave risk for incurring infection.

Jesus met the man’s misery with compassion and tender kindness. He communicated the love and mercy of God in a sign that spoke more eloquently than words. He touched the man and made him clean – not only physically but spiritually as well.

Some eleven centuries later, a man named Francis met a leper on the road as he journeyed towards Assisi.

“Though the leper caused him no small disgust and horror, he nonetheless, got off the horse and prepared to kiss the leper.

But when the leper put out his hand as though to receive something, he received money along with a kiss” (from the Life of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano). Francis did what seemed humanly impossible because he was filled with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit inflames our hearts with the fire of Christ's love that we may reach out to others with compassionate care, especially to those who have been rejected, mistreated, and left utterly alone.

Do you allow the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with the love and compassion of Christ for others?

Thursday's Gospel: the birth

Scripture: Luke 1:57-66,80
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechari'ah after his father, 60 but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John."

61 And they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this name." 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John."

And they all marveled. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors.

And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea; 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.



Meditation

Birthdays are a special time to remember and give thanks for the blessings that have come our way.
Are you grateful for the ways that God has worked in your life, even from your birth? In many churches of the East and West the birth of John the Baptist is remembered on this day.

The friends of Zechariah and Elizabeth marveled at the wonderful way in which God blessed them with a child.

This child was destined by God for an important mission. The last verses in the last book of the Old Testament, taken from the prophet Malachi, speak of the Lord’s messenger, the prophet Elijah who will return to “turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6).

We see the beginning of the fulfillment of this word when the Angel Gabriel announced to Zechariah the marvelous birth and mission of John the Baptist (Luke 1:17).

When this newly born child was about to be named, as customary on the eighth day, his relatives quibbled over what name to give him. (Don’t relatives today often do the same when the time comes for naming a newborn?) This child, however has been named from above!

And Elizabeth is firm in her faith and determined to see that God be glorified through this child. The name John means "the Lord is gracious".

In the birth of John and in the birth of Jesus the Messiah we see the grace of God breaking forth into a world broken by sin and without hope.

John’s miraculous birth shows the mercy and favor of God in preparing his people for the coming of its Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist's life was fueled by one burning passion – to point others to Jesus Christ and to the coming of God's kingdom. Scripture tells us that John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb (Luke 1:15, 41) by Christ himself, whom Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit.

When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, John lept in the womb of Elizabeth as they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41). The fire of the Spirit dwelt in John and made him the forerunner of the coming Messiah.

John was led by the Spirit into the wilderness prior to his ministry where he was tested and grew in the word of God.

John's clothing was reminiscent of the prophet Elijah (see Kings 1:8). John broke the prophetic silence of the previous centuries when he began to speak the word of God to the people of Israel.

His message was similar to the message of the Old Testament prophets who chided the people of God for their unfaithfulness and who tried to awaken true repentance in them.

Among a people unconcerned with the things of God, it was his work to awaken their interest, unsettle them from their complacency, and arouse in them enough good will to recognize and receive Christ when he came.

What is the significance of John the Baptist and his message for our lives? When God acts to save us he graciously fills us with his Holy Spirit and makes our faith come "alive" to his promises.

Each and every day the Lord is ready to renew us in faith, hope, and love.

Like John the Baptist, the Lord invites each of us to make our life a free-will offering to God.

God wants to fill us with his glory all the days of our lives, from birth through death. Renew the offering of your life to God and give him thanks for his mercy and favor towards you.

Wednesday's: the test of a true teacher

Scripture: Matthew 7:15-20

15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?

17 So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. 18 A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.



Meditation

What do grapes, thorns, figs, and thistles have to teach us about the kingdom of God? The imagery used by Jesus would have been very familiar to his audience.
A certain thornbush had berries which resembled grapes. And a certain thistle had a flower, which at least from a distance, resembled the fig.

Isn't it the same today? What we "hear" might have a resemblance of the truth, but, in fact, when you inspect it closely, it's actually false. False prophets or teachers abound today as much as they did in biblical times.

What's the test of a true or false teacher? Jesus connects soundness with good fruit. Something is sound when it is free from defect, decay, or disease and is healthy.

Good fruit is the result of sound living – living according to moral truth and upright character. The prophet Isaiah warned against the dangers of falsehood: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20).

The fruits of falsehood produce an easy religion which takes the iron out of religion, the cross out of Christianity, and any teaching which eliminates the hard sayings of Jesus, and which push the judgments of God into the background and makes us think lightly of sin.

How do we avoid falsehood in our personal lives? By being true – true to God, his word, and his grace. And that takes character!

Those who are true to God know that their strength lies not in themselves but in God who supplies what we need. The fruit of a disciple is marked by faith, hope and love, justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance.

Do you seek to cultivate good fruit in your life and reject whatever produces bad fruit?

Tuesday's Gospel: law of love

Scripture: Matthew 7:6,12-14

6 "Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.

12 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Meditation

Why does Jesus contrast pearls and holiness with dogs and swine? Pearls were of very great value and even considered priceless.
The same with holiness because God is all-holy and he invites us to share in his holiness which is very precious and priceless as well.

The Talmud, a rabbinic commentary on the Jewish Scriptures, has a proverbial saying for something which is inconguous or out of place: an ear-ring in a swine’s snout. Jesus' expression about "pearls before swine" and "not giving dogs what is holy" is very similar in thought (Matthew 7:6).

Jesus’ concern here is not with exclusivity (excluding other people from our love, care, and concern), but with purity – the purity of the faith which has been entrusted to us by an all-holy and all-wise God.

The early church referenced this expression with the Eucharist or the Lord’s Table. In the liturgy of the early church, a proclamation was given shortly before communion: Holy things to the holy.

The Didache, a first century church manual stated: Let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist except those baptised into the name of the Lord; for, as regards this, the Lord has said, 'Do not give what is holy to dogs.'

The Lord Jesus invites us to his table, but we must approach worthily.

Jesus summed up the teaching of the Old Testament law and prophets – So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them (Matthew 7:12) – and in the same breath he raised it to a new level of perfection and fulfillment.

The law of love requires more than simply avoiding injury or harm to one's neighbor. Perfect love – a love which is unconditional and which reaches out to all – always seeks the good of others for their sake and gives the best we can offer for their welfare.

When we love our neighbors and treat them in the same way we wish to be treated by God and by others, then we fulfill the law and the prophets, namely what God requires of us – loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. How can we love our neighbor selflessly and and show them kindness and concern for their welfare?

If we empty our hearts of all unkind and unloving thoughts and sentiments, then there will only be room for kindness, goodness, charity, and mercy. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). It is the love of God that fuels our unconditional love for others.

Are you ready to let the Holy Spirit transform your life with the purifying fire of God's love?

Jesus uses an image (Matthew 7:13-14) which is common in the Old Testament: choosing between two divergent ways or paths – the way that leads to fulfillment and life versus the way that leads to destruction and death.

The Book of Psalms begins with an image of a person who has chosen to follow the way of those who are wise and obedient to God's word and who refuse to follow the way of those who think and act contrary to God's law : Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1-2).

When a path diverges, such as a fork in the road, each way leads to a different destination. This is especially true when we encounter life’s crossroads where we must make a choice that will affect how we will live our lives.

Do the choices you make help you move towards the goal of loving God and obeying his will? The Lord gives us freedom to choose which way we will go.

Ask him for the wisdom to know which way will lead to life rather than to death and destruction. See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. ...Therefore choose life that you and your descendants may live (Deuteronmy 3:15-20). Choose this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15).

Behold I set before you the way of life and the way of death (Jeremiah 21:8).

If we allow God's love and wisdom to rule our hearts, then we can trust in his guidance and grace to follow the path of love and holiness.

Monday's Gospel: He who judges

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.

3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

4 Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Meditation
How do you wish to be judged by others? Everybody is a critic, but who wants to be judged negatively? Judgmentalism is rampant, even among Christians.

So how can we avoid this poisonous sin and not be contaminated by the world's view of who is good and who is bad? "Thinking the best of other people" is necessary if we wish to grow in love.

And kindliness in judgment is nothing less that a sacred duty. The Rabbis warned people: "He who judges his neighbor favorably will be judged favorably by God."

How easy it is to misjudge and how difficult it is to be impartial in judgment. Our judgment of others is usually “off the mark” because we can’t see inside the person to their inner motives and intentions, or we don’t have access to all the facts, or we are swayed by instinct and unreasoning reactions to people.

It is easier to find fault in others than in oneself.

Jesus states a heavenly principle we can stake our lives on: what you give to others (and how you treat others) will return to you in like manner.

The Lord knows our faults, weaknesses, and sins and he sees everything, even the imperfections and hidden sins of the heart which we cannot recognize in ourselves.

Like a gentle father and a skillful doctor he patiently draws us to his seat of mercy and removes the cancer of sin which inhabits our hearts.

Do you trust in God’s mercy and grace?

And do you submit to his truth about what is right and wrong, good and evil, helpful and harmful for your welfare and the welfare of your neighbor as well?

Ask the Lord to purify your heart with his loving-kindness and mercy that you may have ample room for charity and forbearance towards your neighbor.

Sunday's Gospel: Who is Jesus for you?

Scripture: Luke 9:18-24

18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?" 19 And they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say, Eli'jah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen."

20 And he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God." 21 But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

23 And he said to all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

24 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.

Meditation

Who is Jesus for you? Many in Israel recognized Jesus as a mighty man of God, even comparing him with the greatest of the prophets.

Peter, always quick to respond whenever Jesus spoke, professed that Jesus was truly the Christ of God.

No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter, but only God. Through the eyes of faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly was.

He was the first apostle to publicly recognize Jesus as the Anointed One whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world as Lord and Savior (Luke 2:11, Acts 2:36).

Christ is the Greek word for Messiah, the Hebrew word which is also translated as the Anointed One.

Why did Jesus command his disciples to be silent about his identity as the anointed Son of God?

They were, afterall, appointed to proclaim the good news to everyone. Jesus knew that they did not yet fully understand his mission and how he would accomplish it.

Cyril of Alexandria, a 5th century chuch father, explains the reason for this silence: There were things yet unfulfilled which must also be included in their preaching about him. They must also proclaim the cross, the passion, and the death in the flesh.

They must preach the resurrection of the dead, that great and truly glorious sign by which testimony is borne him that the Emmanuel is truly God and by nature the Son of God the Father.

He utterly abolished death and wiped out destruction. He robbed hell, and overthrew the tyranny of the enemy.

He took away the sin of the world, opened the gates above to the dwellers upon earth, and united earth to heaven.

These things proved him to be, as I said, in truth God. He commanded them, therefore, to guard the mystery by a seasonable silence until the whole plan of the dispensation should arrive at a suitable conclusion.

As in Luke's gospel, it should be noted thatJesus told his disciples that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and die in order that God's work of redemption might be accomplished.

How startled the disciples were when they heard this word. How different are God's thoughts and ways from our thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8).

Through humiliation, suffering, and death on the cross Jesus broke the powers of sin and death and won for us eternal life and freedom from the slavery of sin and from the oppression of our enemy, Satan, the father of lies and the deceiver of humankind.

If we want to share in Christ's victory, then we must also take up our cross and follow him where he leads us. What is the "cross" that you and I must take up each day? When my will crosses with God's will, then his will must be done.

To know Jesus Christ is to know the power of his victory on the cross where he defeated sin and conquered death through his resurrection.

The Holy Spirit gives each of us the gifts and strenth we need to live as sons and daughters of God.

The Holy Spirit gives us faith to know the Lord Jesus personally as our Redeemer, and the power to live the gospel faithfully, and the courage to witness to others the joy, truth, and freedom of the gospel.

Who do you say that Jesus is?

anointing of the sick

Lawrence says: Anointing of the Sick is one of the seven Sacraments. Only a priest or bishop can administer it because of its relationship to the forgiveness of sins.

However, in the case of Last Rites, a designated lay person or ordained minister can also offer the Viaticum (Eucharist or communion rather than sacramental anointing).

In the Roman Catholic Church, Canon 1004 of the Code of Canon Law indicates succinctly who may receive the sacrament: "The anointing of the sick can be administered to any member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger by reason of illness or old age." A new illness called a renewal or worsening of the first illness enables a person to receive the sacrament a further time.

And "in the case of a person who is chronically ill, or elderly and in a weakened condition, the sacrament of anointing may be repeated when in the pastoral judgment of the priest the condition of the sick person warrants the repetition of the sacrament".

The text of the Rite also states that the sacrament of anointing can be administered to an individual whether at home, in a hospital or institution, or in church; and several sick persons may be anointed within the rite, especially if the celebration takes place in a church or hospital; the celebration may also take place within Mass.

In the Greek Church anointing of the sick is performed annually in church for the benefit of the entire congregation on the evening of Holy Wednesday. In other sacramental churches it may be offered to anyone seeking physical, mental, or spiritual healing.

The Catholic Church views that, as the sacrament of Marriage gives grace for the married state, the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick gives grace for the state into which people enter through sickness. Through the sacrament is given a gift of the Holy Spirit that renews confidence and faith in God and strengthens against temptations to lapse into discouragement and anguish at the thought of death and the struggle of death. It thus leads to spiritual healing with forgiveness of sins.

Saturday 's Gospel: serving two masters

Scripture: Matthew 6:24-34

24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27

And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing?

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'

32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

Meditation
What does the expression “serving two masters” and “being anxious” have in common? They both have the same root problem – being divided within oneself.

The root word for “anxiety” literally means “being of two minds.” An anxious person is often “tossed to and fro” and paralyzed by fear, indecision, and insecurity.

Fear of some bad outcome cripples those afflicted with anxiety. It’s also the case with someone who wants to live in two opposing kingdoms – God's kingdom of light, truth, and goodness or Satan's kingdom of darkness, sin, and deception – following God's standards and way of happiness or following the world’s standards of success and happiness.

Who is the master in charge of your life? Our “master” is whatever governs our thought-life, shapes our ideals, and controls the desires of our heart and the values we choose to live by.

We can be ruled by many different things – the love of money and possessions, the power of position and prestige, the glamor of wealth and fame, and the driving force of unruly passions, harmful desires, and addictive cravings.

Ultimately the choice of who is our master boils down to two: God or “mammon”. What is mammon? “Mammon” stands for “material wealth or possessions” or whatever tends to “control our appetites and desires.”

There is one master alone who has the power to set us free from slavery to sin, fear, pride, and greed, and a host of other hurtful desires.

That master is the Lord Jesus Christ who alone can save us from all that would keep us bound up in fear and anxiety. Jesus used an illustration from nature – the birds and the flowers – to show how God provides for his creatures in the natural order of his creation.

God provides ample food, water, light, and heat to sustain all that lives and breathes. How much more can we, who are created in the very image and likeness of God, expect our heavenly Father and creator to sustain not only our physical bodies, but our mind, heart, and soul as well?

God our Father is utterly reliable because it is his nature to love, heal, forgive, and make whole again. Jesus taught his disciples to pray with confidence to their heavenly Father: Give us this day our daily bread. What is bread, but the very staple of life and symbol of all that we need to live and grow.

Anxiety is neither helpful nor necessary. It robs us of faith and confidence in God’s help and it saps our energy for doing good.

Jesus admonishes his followers to put away anxiety and preoccupation with material things and instead to seek first the things of God – his kingdom and righteousness. Anxiety robs the heart of trust in the mercy and goodness of God and in his loving care for us.

God knows our needs even before we ask and he gives generously to those who trust in him.

Who is your master – God or mammon?

Friday 's Gospel: treasure in heaven

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-23

19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body.

So, if your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness.

If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

Meditation
What kind of treasure are you seeking? Jesus offers a treasure of imcomparable value and worth, but we need healthy eyes – good spiritual vision – to recognize it.

What Jesus said about seeking treasure made perfect sense to his audience: keep what lasts!

Aren’t we all trying to find something we treasure in this life in the hope that it will bring us happiness, peace, and security? Jesus contrasts two very different kinds of wealth – material wealth and spiritual wealth.

Jesus urges his disciples to get rich by investing in wealth and treasure which truly lasts, not just for a life-time, but for all eternity as well.

Jesus offers heavenly treasures which cannot lose their value by changing circumstances, such as diminishing currency, material degradation, lose, or physical destruction.

The treasure which Jesus offers is kept safe and uncorrupted by God himself.

What is this treasure which Jesus offers so freely and graciously?

It is the treasure of God himself – the source and giver of every good gift and blessing in this life – and a kingdom that will endure forever.

The treasure of God's kingdom produces unspeakable joy because it unites us with the source of all joy and blessings which is God himself.

God offers us the treasure of unending joy and friendship with himself and with all who are united with him in his heavenly kingdom.

In Jesus Christ we receive an inheritance which the Apostle Peter describes as imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4 ).

Paul the Apostle describes it as a kingdom of everlasting peace, joy, and righteousness in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

How realistic and attainable is this heavenly treasure?

Can we enjoy it now, or must we wait for it in the after-life?

The treasure of God’s kingdom is both a present and a future reality – like an investment which grows and matures, ever increasing, and multiplying in value.

Seekers of great treasure will go to any length to receive their reward.

They direct all their energies and resources to obtain the treasure. We instinctively direct our energies and resources – an even our whole lives – towards that which we most value.

To set one’s heart on heavenly treasure is to enter into a deeper and richer life with God himself.

It is only by letting go of false treasure that one can eter into the joy of a heavenly treasure that is immeasurable and worth more than we can give in exchange. Do you seek the treasure which lasts for eternity?

Jesus also used the image of eyesight or human vision to convey an important principle of God's kingdom.

Blurred vision and bad eyesight serve as a metaphor for moral stupidity and spiritual blindness. (For examples, see Matthew 15:14, 23:16 ff.; John 9:39-41; Romans 2:19; 2 Peter 1:9; and Revelations 3:17.)

Jesus describes the human eye as the window of the “inner being” – the heart, mind, and soul of an individual person.

How one views their life and reality reflects not only their personal vision – how they see themselves and the world around them, it also reflects their inner being and soul – the kind of moral person and character they choose for themselves.

If the window through which we view life, truth, and reality is clouded, soiled, or marred in any way, then the light of God's truth will be deflected, diminished, and distorted.

Only Jesus Christ can free us from the spiritual darkness of sin, unbelief, and ignorance. That is why Jesus called himself the light of the world – the one true source of light that can overcome the darkness of sin and the lies and deception of Satan.

What can blind or distort our “vision” of what is true, good, lovely, pure, and eternal (Philippians 4:8)? Certainly prejudice, jealousy, and self-conceit can distort our judgment of ourselves and others and lead to moral blindness.

Prejudice and self-conceit also destroys good judgment and blinds us to the facts and to their significance for us.

Jealousy and envy make us despise others and mistrust them as enemies rather than friends. We need to fearlessly examine ourselves to see if we are living according to right judgment and sound principles or if we might be misguided by blind prejudice or some other conceit.

Love is not jealous ...but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:4-6).

Do you live your life in the light of God’s truth?

Thursday's Gospel: Your Father knows

Scripture: Matthew 6:7-15

7 "And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread;

12 And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; 13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Meditation
Do you pray with joy and confidence? The Jews were noted for their devotion to prayer. Formal prayer was prescribed for three set times a day.

And the rabbis had a prayer for every occasion. Jesus warns his disciples against formalism, making prayer something mechanical and devoid of meaning, with little thought for God.

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray he gave them the disciple’s prayer, what we call the Our Father or Lord’s Prayer.

This prayer dares to call God “our Father” and boldly asks for the things we need to live as his sons and daughters.

It is through the gift of the Holy Spirit that we can know God personally and call him “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).

We can approach God our Father with confidence and boldness because Jesus Christ has opened the way to heaven for us through his death and resurrection.

When we ask God for help, he fortunately does not give us what we deserve. Instead, he responds with grace and favor and mercy.

It is his nature to love generously and to forgive mercifully. When he gives he gives more than we need so we will have something to share with others in their need as well.

God is kind and forgiving towards us and he expects us to treat our neighbor the same. Do you treat others as they deserve, or do you treat them as the Lord would treat you with his grace and favor and mercy? Jesus’ prayer includes an injunction that we must ask God to forgive us in proportion as we forgive those who have wronged us.

Ask the Lord to free your heart of any anger, bitterness, resentment, selfishness, indifference, or coldness towards others.

Let the Holy Spirit fill you with the fire of his burning love and compassion and with the river of his overflowing mercy and kindness.

Wednesday's Gospel: when you pray, go into your room and shut the door

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

1 "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 "Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men.

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men.

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

16 "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men.

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Meditation

Why did Jesus single out prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for his disciples? The Jews considered these three as the cardinal works of the religious life.

These were seen as the key signs of a pious person, the three great pillars on which the good life was based. Jesus pointed to the heart of the matter.

Why do you pray, fast, and give alms? To draw attention to yourself so that others may notice and think highly of you? Or to give glory to God?

The Lord warns his disciples of self-seeking glory – the preoccupation with looking good and seeking praise from others. True piety is something more than feeling good or looking holy. True piety is loving devotion to God.

It is an attitude of awe, reverence, worship and obedience. It is a gift and working of the Holy Spirit that enables us to devote our lives to God with a holy desire to please him in all things (Isaiah 11:1-2).

What is the sure reward which Jesus points out to his disciples? It is communion with God our Father. In him alone we find the fulness of life and happiness, truth and beauty, love and joy.

Saint Augustine, the great fourth century bishop of Hippo, wrote the following prayer in his Confessions: When I am completely united to you, there will be no more sorrows or trials; entirely full of you, my life will be complete.

The Lord rewards those who seek him with humble and repentant hearts. He renews us each day and he gives us new hearts of love and compassion that we may serve him and our neighbor with glad and generous hearts.

Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor?

Seek him expectantly in prayer, with fasting, and in generous giving to those in need.