The kingdom of God is close at hand:
repent and believe the Good News. MK 1:15
HOSEA 11:1-4,8-9
My Soul's Beloved,
Over and over again through the years of my life, You have wooed me, followed me, never given up on me even when I hid from you in the dark places of Egypt choosing night instead of the glorious light that comes from walking with you and abiding in you. Yet You never gave up on me. All the tender words spoken by You through the lips of the prophet Hosea, You have repeatedly and tirelessly spoken to me.
You O Lord are faithful, tender, compassionate, unfailingly loving, and merciful. You woo me gently, You extend Your hands to me and the further I hide from You the more faithfully You come after me calling me by my name. How good You have always been to me my Beloved, even when I hid from You and pretended that I did not hear Your sweet and gently voice pleading with me to reject the wiles of the Enemy that leads to certain and eternal death and to choose eternal life and joy with You.
Fool that I am, O Lord, all these years I have lived only to indulge in the fleeting joys of the world. I have frittered away time in the most useless of pastimes that did not satisfy but left me craving more and more for that elusive joy that evaded me for as long as I evaded You.
Thank You for loving me, my Lord, undeserving though I am. I could have died anytime when I was deepest in sin O Lord, but You have been merciful. You never ceased calling me from darkness into Your own marvelous light. Grant O Lord that I remain nestled in Your Heart from this day forth until You call me home to Yourself to live with You forever.
Thus says the Lord:
I myself taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them in my arms;
yet they have not understood that I was the one looking after them.
I led them with reins of kindness,
with leading-strings of love.
I was like someone who lifts an infant close against his cheek;
stooping down to him I gave him his food.
Ephraim, how could I part with you?
Israel, how could I give you up?
I myself taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them in my arms;
yet they have not understood that I was the one looking after them.
I led them with reins of kindness,
with leading-strings of love.
I was like someone who lifts an infant close against his cheek;
stooping down to him I gave him his food.
Ephraim, how could I part with you?
Israel, how could I give you up?
I am the Holy One in your midst
and have no wish to destroy.
PSALM 79(80):2-3,15-16
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
shine forth from your cherubim throne.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
God of hosts, turn again, we implore,
look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the vine your right hand has planted.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the vine your right hand has planted.
Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
MATTHEW 10:7-15
My Soul's Beloved,
My Soul's Beloved,
As a Catholic, one born in the bosom of Holy Mother Church through God's own marvelous grace and goodness instead of outside of her and left to muddle through all the various errors and distortions of the Truth that are peddled by those who lack humility and because of this lack are puffed up with pride and ego. Pride and division are conduits to the powers of evil and Satan is constantly looking for the weakness inherent in humans which is a result of original sin.
The instructions I gave the Twelve and their successors are given to all God's children according to their God-given vocations. In the measure that you have received, you must give as a spouse, a sibling, a neighbor, a member of the community as a worker in the Lord's vineyard. Do all that your particular vocation demands of you and do it joyfully, humbly, obediently, and promptly as a servant always attentive to the command of the Master.
Do not lean on your understanding, or wisdom, and do not put confidence in what you have or may not have to help or hinder your calling. Rather put all that you have at My disposal and I will make up all that is lacking. Do not waste time agonizing about not being able to do as I ask - I will provide, I will equip, and I will ensure that all that is needful is given to you. All you need to do is show up, lean on My Holy Spirit, and be available to be used just as God desires - nothing more and nothing less.
You are not called to be successful only to be faithful. Cheerfully do all that God asks of you and do it generously. Leave the outcome to Me.
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘As you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge. Provide yourselves with no gold or silver, not even with a few coppers for your purses, with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the workman deserves his keep.
‘Whatever town or village you go into, ask for someone trustworthy and stay with him until you leave. As you enter his house, salute it, and if the house deserves it, let your peace descend upon it; if it does not, let your peace come back to you. And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet. I tell you solemnly, on the day of Judgement it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom and Gomorrah as with that town.’
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