I chose you from the world
to go out and bear fruit,
fruit that will last,
says the Lord. JN 15:16
2 CORINTHIANS 4:7-15
My Soul's Beloved,
Who am I, Lord? What am I, Lord? I am but the least of the handmaids of the handmaid of the Lord. Yet, O Lord, You called me by name. You have grafted me to Your Body. I belong to Your Church. Unworthy though I be, You fill me with Your Holy Spirit. You remain in me, and Your love for me is unwavering and steadfast.
Thank You, Lord, that Your gaze is always on me. There is never a moment when You do not stoop low over me and all who are Yours. I need fear no evil for You walk with me, You protect me, You shield me, You cover me with Your precious Blood. What have I to fear, O Lord, when You have declared before heaven that I am Yours and that nothing can ever separate us from Your love and the love of Your Father and the Holy Spirit.
I am weak, frail, sinful. I stumble and fall constantly, but You are always present to take my hand, lift me up, and if necessary to carry me. Thank You, Jesus, for using me even in the little ways that You do to speak of Your love and Your faithfulness to anyone who is prepared to listen. Grant O Lord that I may never sin so grievously that I am separated from You, and if I do sin, Lord, grant me the grace to repent immediately, go to Confession and be reconciled to You and to the Church again.
Thank You for Your life in me.
We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down, but never killed; always, wherever we may be, we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may always be seen in our body. Indeed, while we are still alive, we are consigned to our death every day, for the sake of Jesus, so that in our mortal flesh the life of Jesus, too, may be openly shown. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture – I believed, and therefore I spoke – we too believe, and therefore we too speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God.
PSALM 125(126):1-6
Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.
When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.
The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels
the Lord worked for them!’
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.
Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.
They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves.
MATTHEW 20:20-28
My Soul's Beloved,
We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down, but never killed; always, wherever we may be, we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may always be seen in our body. Indeed, while we are still alive, we are consigned to our death every day, for the sake of Jesus, so that in our mortal flesh the life of Jesus, too, may be openly shown. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture – I believed, and therefore I spoke – we too believe, and therefore we too speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God.
PSALM 125(126):1-6
Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.
When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.
The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels
the Lord worked for them!’
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.
Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.
They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves.
Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.
MATTHEW 20:20-28
My Soul's Beloved,
Mothers and parents in general often lobby for the best places for their children. They are prepared to go to great lengths to ensure that their children have the advantage so they can succeed. Often, being human, they are prepared to elbow others out of the way to make space for their own, as was the case with the Mother of James and John. Her sons had not quite understood what the Kingdom of God was that You came to establish, and they perhaps conveyed to their mother that it was an earthly one. Naturally, she wanted to smooth the way for her sons so they could receive elevated positions over the rest of the disciples.
Salome, the mother of James and John, approaches You, bows low, and You graciously inquire of her, ‘What is it you want?’ She responds with confidence, quite certain You would give her what she desired: ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ Looking away from her, You addressed the two young disciples, who had not understood at all what the Kingdom was that You came to establish. You said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘You said, Very well, you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.’
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, it is good for us to know and understand what it means to be children of God, the meaning and purpose of our lives here on earth, how we should fulfill the particular mission that is entrusted to us, and to leave the reward for God to decide. We work as servants in the Father's vineyard and at the end of our labor we say humbly, 'We have only done our duty.'
The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, ‘What is it you want?’ She said to him, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus answered. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.’
When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
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