Open our heart, O Lord,
to accept the words of your Son. ACTS 16:14
2 SAMUEL 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
After our battle in this life is done with the help and grace that is granted to us by the Holy Spirit we pray, we hope, and we long for the life that You have won for us on the Cross.
Lord God, in this life we journey in a valley of tears, and some times the darkness, the pain, the suffering seem more than we can bear yet, Lord, You are with us every step of the way. You carry our burdens with us for You O Lord, yoke yourself to us and with You all things are possible. Continue, my Beloved, to keep me close to You. Nestled in Your Sacred Heart I can bear all things. Stay with Me Lord until I draw my last break in this life and I draw my first in the life that awaits me in Your Kingdom.
Grant me the grace and courage I need as those I love leave me to return to You and help me wait with joyful hope for the day when You will take me home to Yourself as well. What a day of rejoicing that will be.
PSALM 79(80):2-3,5-7 ©
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
you who lead Joseph’s flock,
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
Lord God of hosts, how long
will you frown on your people’s plea?
You have fed them with tears for their bread,
an abundance of tears for their drink.
You have made us the taunt of our neighbours,
our enemies laugh us to scorn.
You have fed them with tears for their bread,
an abundance of tears for their drink.
You have made us the taunt of our neighbours,
our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
MARK 3:20-21 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
More often than not I am overly concerned about appearances. I prefer to be unnoticed, to take the back seat, to opt out of taking the lead, and hoping that I will not be asked. I wait to be asked and to be assigned to a task rather than to offer before being asked or assigned.
But there are those, Beloved, who make themselves readily available. Unlike me, they are eager to offer their services wherever required and where they know there is a lack. They are truly to be admired. Modeling their lives on You, they pour themselves out for others.
Such people follow Your example. You are their model. Wherever You went large crowds followed You. They brought their sick in droves depriving You of taking any time for food, sleep, and rest. Today's Gospel tells us that Your relatives came to rescue You from the clutches of the great crowds that refused to give You respite. Your heart was moved with pity for them and You poured Yourself out forgetting about Your own needs.
Grant me this grace O Lord to be less concerned about what I feel and to step up and step out to do what I must without being prompted or asked first. Help me to step up when needed instead of receding quietly into the background hoping others will be chosen instead. I cannot be Your disciple if my self-consciousness or perhaps even selfishness prevents me from making myself available when needed.
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