1 John 2:15-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11, Luke 4:31-37, Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

Daily Meditation: 1 John 2:15-17

1 John 2:15-17

15 Do not love the world or what is in it. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For everything in the world—

the craving of the flesh,

the greed of eyes

and people boasting of their superiority—

all this belongs to the world, not to the Father.

17 The world passes away with all its craving but those who do the will of God remain for ever.

All things in this world are passing.  What is celebrated as current today will be yesterday's news in every tomorrow, only eternal truth prevails.  If I am caught up in the fashionable trends of today no matter what sphere it may be in,I will have to change it with the changing current of tomorrow.

God alone is unconditional Love and unchanging Beauty and Truth.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  I can root myself safely in Him for He alone remains sure, strong and steady in an ever changing world.

Every craving if allowed to remain unchecked will become an addiction.  Greedy eyes desiring to devour everything  will remain unsatiated.  

To boast that I am better or superior than anyone else is pride beyond belief for God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift and He can just as easily take it away. 

Everything in this world will be consumed and will end, God alone remains forever.  If I am to live in Him eternally, I must choose His will over my own every single time.  Jesus whom the Father has appointed as the only just Judge will decide my eternal destiny and this will depend on the choices I make each day over a lifetime.

The true measure of my love for God is evident by what self indulgent choice or self will I am prepared to give up for love of Him. 

Daily Mass Readings: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11, Luke 4:31-37

                                      Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11

My Beloved, St. Paul knew his identity in You who had called him out of darkness into Your own marvellous light.  This must be true of me as well.  I must know who I am. I must recognize that I am a child of God, called by Him in You from all eternity.  I am on a journey which will take me to my eternal destination and with the help of Your Holy Spirit I shall reach Heaven which is in accordance with God's will and plan for me. I am called to be a disciple, a follower, a witness to Christ and His Gospel of salvation by the way I live my life from moment to moment.

Luke 4:31-37 

Beloved, You healed Simon's mother in law as soon as You were asked to do something for her.  You took her by the hand and Scripture tells us that the fever left her immediately.

You could do the same with me if I let You.   The effectiveness and immediacy of the healing that You are always ready to give, is dependent on the level of my surrender and the extent to which I am prepared to yield to You, and whether that surrender is permanent or conditional.  I alone am responsible for how much good I will permit You to do for and in me. 

We are told that the people of that place begged You to stay with them but You were always clearly focused on the mission that Your Father had entrusted to You.  We too ought not to cling to people and places if we are doing God's work.  Taking time to prayer alone with God in order to discern His will should always precede the work we are called to do.  All our energy and inspiration comes from God alone.

Wisdom 7:22-30, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11, Luke 4:31-37, Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

Daily Meditation:  Wisdom 7:22-30

Wisdom 7:22-30

22..In her is a spirit that is intelligent, saintly, unique, manifold, sub­tle, active, concise, pure and lu­cid. It cannot corrupt, loves what is good and nothing can restrain it; 23 it is beneficent, loving humankind, stead­fast, dependable, calm though almighty. It sees everything and pe­netrates all spirits, however intel­ligent, subtle and pure they may be.

24 Wisdom, in fact, surpasses in mo­bility all that moves, and being so pure pervades and permeates all things.

25 She is a breath of the power of God, a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; nothing impure can enter her. 26 She is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of God’s action and an image of his goodness.

27 She is but one, yet Wisdom can do all things and, herself unchanging, she renews all things. She enters holy souls, making them prophets and friends of God, 28 for God loves only those who live with Wisdom.

29 She is indeed more beautiful than the sun and surpasses all the constellations; she outrivals light, 30 for light gives way to night, but evil cannot prevail against Wisdom.

God's nature is love and wisdom is one of His manifold attributes.  Yet wisdom is so much more than that, it is able to encompass and enter all that is pleasing to God.  Wisdom is one of the many gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Wisdom has neither limits nor boundaries and yet God has all wisdom within Himself as each Divine Person and as One in the Trinity.  God's breath is wisdom, the Holy Spirit is the aspiration of the Father and Son and wisdom penetrates and permeates the Holy Spirit who is the breath and power of God.  Wisdom is a gift given to God's friends, they are the saints, who yielding and surrendering to God's love, receive all His gifts, for God is a generous lover and He lavishes His beloved with all His gifts including this precious gift of wisdom for it is necessary to possess her in order to love God as He ought to be loved.

Is the spirit of wisdom in me?

I am called to be a saint, how well have I responded to this call?

Has my influence caused another to sin?

Am I kind, steadfast, loving dependable, calm?

I must reflect God's light so that nothing displeasing to Him might enter me.

Daily Mass Readings:  1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11, Luke 4:31-37,

                                       Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11

Beloved, help me to remain alert and sober.  To stay wide awake so that death might not take me by surprise but will find me awake and ready.  I belong to You my God and to the Day, grant that I may yield to all Your plans for me and assist me to lead others to do the same.  You died in order that I may live now and eternally.   

Luke 4:31-37

Help me to remember that I must obey and follow Your Word for You speak with the authority that You have received from Your Father.  Your voice is the voice of truth.  Evil knows You and knows that its day is limited for You have destroyed it and nailed it to the Cross. 

Do not let evil torment me or those I love.  Set us free to love You and to love those around us.  Fill me with Your joy in order that I may sing Your praise always.

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation

– whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the rampart of my life;

I will not be afraid.

4 One thing I ask of the Lord, one thing I seek –

that I may dwell in his house all the days of my life,

to gaze at his jewel and to visit his sanctuary.

13 I hope, I am sure,

 that I will see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living.

14 Trust in the Lord, be strong and courageous

–        yes, put your hope in the Lord!

John 10:14-15, Jeremiah 1:17-19, Mark 6:17-29, Psalm 71:1-6, 15 & 17

Daily Meditation: John 10:14-15

John 10:14-15

14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father. Because of this I give my life for my sheep.

How thrilling and beautiful this whole chapter is where You speak quite plainly and tell us who You truly are.  You are the Good Shepherd sent to protect and save Your sheep.  The Father who loves You, sent You to redeem us whom He created in love for an eternal destiny in His Kingdom.  Yes Lord, You know me and I know You.  I recognize Your voice because I belong to You.  It is the same voice I hear speaking in and through Your Church.  Thank You for laying down Your life for me.  Teach me to do the same.

Daily Mass Readings:  Jeremiah 1:17-19, Mark 6:17-29, 

                                       Psalm 71:1-6, 15 & 17

Jeremiah 1:17-19

My Lord, Your people are a remnant among most nations.  Even among the so called Christian nations with a Christian heritage, Your remnant are abused, scorned, mocked, ridiculed and persecuted yet, we are not alone, You are with us.  You strengthen the bars of the Gate, You fortify the walls with the help of grace.  You give us courage and we know that no matter how hard they try to destroy us, they will not prevail, for You are with us, You will rescue us and we shall never be overcome.

Mark 6:17-29

Here we have a narrative of events that led to St. John the Baptist's imprisonment and subsequent death.  The truth can sometimes be unpalatable and disturbing, especially in the area of grave sin.  Rather than confront our wrong doing, we wish to pretend it does not exist.  How different Salome's mother is from all the good mother figures we have in Scripture.  The mother of the 7 seven sons in Maccabees would rather her sons died before her before than see them sin and break God's law. We have Samuel's mother Hannah, St. John the Baptist's mother Elizabeth and so many others and then we have the Mother par excellence Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, Mama Mary.

Herodias not only incites her daughter to sin but she causes those around her to sin as well first by permitting her to dance before men and then leading her to encourage Herod to commit murder in order to quiet her guilty conscience.  John the Baptist, like many upright and holy people, is an irritant to sin filled souls who seek to silence and destroy the person causing the disquiet rather than amend their lives and make reparation.

Psalm 71:17

17 You have taught me from my youth and until now I proclaim your marvels.