The Fourth Sunday of Advent
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a blessed Christmas. While it has been the shortest Advent that the calendar allows it has been a beautiful journey this year. God gave me the opportunity to enter into the fruit of my labor and spend time with Him as each of you has done, with Lectio Divina. Today I was able to do something that has always been on my ‘best intentions’ list but never on my checked list. Today I started my day with prayer, then Mass, I spent time in front of the nativity where the manger yet lies empty; upon returning home I took six hours to spend quiet time with the Lord enjoying the light of the fire and the glow of the Christmas lights. No phone, no computer, just Him and me. The next three days will be filled with a certain frenzy, guests will be coming and going, meals need to be made, and gifts opened. Today was a day I could give to Him, my own visit to the nativity. I offered the present of my presence. I encourage each of you to carve out at least a space of time where you can spend time with Him in the uninterrupted quiet. I have found a peace and excitement that has been missing, both come from Him, Emmanuel, God with us.
Sunday, December 24th
In the eleventh-hour Holy Spirit had me swap today’s daily reading with tonight’s vigil reading and I must say,
“It is well with my soul!”
Reading: Isaiah 9:1-6
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
will be burned as fuel for flames.
For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast
and forever peaceful,
from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
which he confirms and sustains
by judgment and justice,
both now and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!
Spend time with our Lord rejoicing in the truth of Isaiah. God has delivered each of us from a before to an after, from an Advent to a Christmas.
Responsorial Psalm 96: Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord
Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name. R.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. R.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult. R.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy. R.
Today is born our savior.
When peace enters the chaos of your life…
Today is born our savior.
When God’s Word speaks truth and brings hope…
Today is born our savior.
When you recognize God’s provision in a time of need…
Today is born a savior.
When you lift a need in prayer…
Today is born a savior.
Reading II Titus 2:11-14
Beloved: The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good. Alleluia
What is your Christmas prayer? What new hope, new dream, new inspiration stirs your soul as you are awakened to the birth of a savior within our hearts? Ask big, dream big, hope big!
Gospel Luke 2:1-14
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So, all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
The gift of an ordinary day; look at what God can do with an ordinary day. Mary and Joseph were simply doing what they were told to do. God breaks through the ordinary and offers us extraordinary. This Christmas consider bringing the gift of an ordinary day to another. Every day holds opportunities to share Jesus with the world. Often, we talk ourselves out of opportunity with excuses, “Not the right place” or “Not the right time.” The gift of an ordinary day is bringing Jesus to the world independent of circumstance. It is trusting that God will work extraordinary into our very ordinary. Today a savior is born! Glory to God in the highest! Amen? Amen!
The Third Sunday of Advent
Reading 1 Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11
The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God. I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations.
“Today, this scripture passage has been fulfilled in your midst.”
(Lk 4:21)
Responsorial Psalm Lk 1:46-50, 53-54 My soul rejoices in my God (Is 61:10)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed R.
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation. R.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy, R.
Mary’s journey with our Lord is just beginning. She does not have all the answers, she in fact has very few. Mary models for us the response of one who trusts God. Mary rejoices. She sings forth praise to God amid all of her uncertainty because she trusts in the God who delivers. I don’t know about you, but my greatest moments of rejoicing were on the delivery side of things and not at the promise. The bible teaches us, “God’s ways are not man’s ways, nor are God’s thoughts man’s thoughts.” I would like to extrapolate one more truth, God’s promises are not man’s promises. We must not lean upon our human experience with other humans to live in our relationship with God. The next time that you are at the beginning of one of life’s journeys and you are feeling expectant hope for what God can do, proclaim, and rejoice the greatness of God at the outset as Mary did.
Reading 2 1 Thes 5:16-24
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good.
Refrain from every kind of evil. May the God of peace make you perfectly holy
and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.
What is prayer? Prayer is rejoicing. It is giving thanks. Prayer is connecting with the power of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is listening to God’s words spoken through another. Prayer is discerning what is and is not of God. What is the fruit of prayer? The God of peace will make you perfectly holy.
Gospel John 1:6-8, 19-28
A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’ “as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them,
“I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
A man/woman named (insert your name here) was sent from God. He/ She came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him/her. Ever wonder why God made you? Why you are here? What your purpose in life really is? John the Baptist defines every baptized Christian’s life mission: To reflect the light of Christ onto the world.
Still don’t know where to start? Re-read St. Paul’s letter above.
The Second Sunday of Advent
The Second Sunday of Advent
Reading 1 Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.
“Prepare a place for the Lord.” We each have a desert place. A place that is longing for a fulfillment only God can provide. We must carry the lesson of the waiting room into our daily lives in some way. We must create a spiritual waiting room where we can spend time preparing. Prayer is preparation. What are one or two things that you can commit to doing for the rest of Advent that will mark your preparation?
Psalm 85: Lord Let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land. R.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven. R.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps. R.
Each of the highlighted words above is a promise: peace, salvation, glory, kindness, truth, and justice. Which do you long for? Spend time with these promises and ask the Lord to show you what these mean to Him compared to what they might mean to you.
Reading 2 2 Peter 3:8-14
Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out. Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
My mom calls this process of waiting and accepting God’s time as patient endurance. We can only be patient from a heart of trust. While we wait St. Paul encourages us to use our time well, to grow in holiness.
“Blessed are those who wait for the Lord.” Jesus set the tone with the very first reading of this Advent: “Be Alert! Be Watchful!” In other words, wait. Wait is another four-letter word in today’s world. Take a look around a waiting room and what do you see? A lot of people trying to do anything but wait. We are on our phones playing games, checking emails, scrolling through Instagram. We think we have turned waiting into a productive art with the advent of technology when in fact we have lost the art of waiting. The next time you are waiting I invite you to enter the watchful waiting of the Lord: prayer. Waiting isn’t supposed to be empty; it isn’t biding time; it is in fact preparation. Fill yourself with spiritual food during your waiting. There are even phone apps that you can use to help nourish your spirit in this time of expectant hope. (From my Advent book entry for Saturday)
Gospel Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” John the Baptist appeared in the desert
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The words, [back to the future] pop into my mind. This reading takes us back to remind us that we are indeed living the promised future. We baptized in Christ have received the Holy Spirit. Spend time this week with Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit.
*Mt 10:20* *Lk 11:13* *Lk 24:49* *Jn 6:63*
*Jn 3:6-8* Jn 14:16* *Jn 14:26* *Acts 1:8*
First Sunday of Advent
The First Sunday of Advent
You, LORD, are our father, our redeemer you are named forever.
Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage. Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, with the mountains quaking before you, while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for, such as they had not heard of from of old.
No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him. Would that you might meet us doing right,
that we were mindful of you in our ways! Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful; all of us have become like unclean people,
all our good deeds are like polluted rags; we have all withered like leaves,
and our guilt carries us away like the wind. There is none who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to cling to you; for you have hidden your face from us and have delivered us up to our guilt. Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.
You, Lord, are our father. This is the heart of the matter. Jesus became human, He allowed Himself to be gazed upon by human parents helpless in a manger so that we can allow ourselves to be gazed upon by our Heavenly Father. This Advent let us go within ourselves, let go of our humanity enough that we can encounter His divinity lying in wait.
Psalm 80 Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power,
and come to save us. R.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong. R.
May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name. R.
Then we will no more withdraw from you.
+ Lord to withdraw from you is to live outside of Your presence within. It is to lean heavily on the earthly and suppress the heavenly. Draw us to the cradle our Savior that lies within, that we may become mindful of the sacred. Amen.
Reading II 1 COR 1:3-9
Brothers and sisters:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
You are not lacking in any spiritual gift. We already have received Christmas, Easter, Pentecost. The Holy Spirit waits for you to open what is already there. What gift do you long to open?
Gospel MK 13:33-37
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
Be watchful! Be alert! This is the spirit of expectancy! The movement of divinity within can be so subtle, so often mistaken for our own insight, intelligence, and creative genius. To encounter the divine is to first tune in and begin to discover the unique movement of the Holy Spirit.
The Advent of Advent
First and Foremost, today is my mom’s 80th birthday and I ask you all to send a prayer up to heaven that our Heavenly Father may send down His birthday blessings in abundance on her as she enters a new decade! Thank you Mom for all the love, for all the support, and for all the ways that you have influenced who I am with the Lord and with the world.
We Christians are getting ready to celebrate another birthday! This upcoming Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent! I love Advent, maybe a little too much when I look at all the things that I try to pack into a relatively short span of time. This year is no different. A friend asked me to join an Advent reflection study and at looking at my calendar, I realized I have 2 nights available, two! The most wonderful time of the year can be eclipsed by the most busy time of the year. This Advent join me in slowing down for Christ, slowing down and truly preparing the way of our hearts. I am doing this by making room at the inn. What I mean by this is that I am looking at each day of Advent and setting aside at least a small block of time where I can sit in sacred silence and allow God to speak. This is above and beyond my regular prayer time. I am preparing for the Lord with the gift of an extra space of time just for HIm.
Another appropriate title for this blog could have been, “Oops, I did it again.” In late October I sat down with the Holy Spirit and put together an Advent book, “In the Spirit of Expectant Hope.” Below you will find the introduction and tomorrow I will post the Sunday Lectio Divina that is in the book. I will intermittently share daily Lectio Divina from the book as I feel prompted. May this Advent open your heart anew to the gift of our Savior. Amen.
[Expectant Hope]
These are the words whispered by the spirit for this book.
Expectant: A confidence in what is to come
Hope: The belief in things not yet seen (Heb 11:1-3)
We don’t hope for what we have. We hope for a reality not yet realized. This is the Spirit of Christmas, the spirit of God’s chosen ones, the hope of deliverance:
~ From wanting ~ From hurting ~ From lies ~ From betrayal ~ From insults ~ From brokenness ~ From loneliness ~ From pride ~ From greed ~ From addiction ~ From hatred ~ From fear ~ From rejection ~
From not seeing, not knowing, and not hearing God in the details of our lives.
This side of heaven, each of us carry hope for deliverance from our current reality into something more, something better, more fulfilling, more meaningful. Without hope we fall into despair and in the world today, we are in a crisis of despair. This Advent, may each of us take the ember of hope that we received at baptism and realize anew how good, loving, providential, merciful, comforting, and powerful our Heavenly Father is. Let us open daily scripture and walk from the promises of the Old Testament into the fulfillment of the delivered promise in Jesus Christ, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:2). As the dawn of God’s “yes meaning yes” breaks in our hearts and minds our flame of hope grows and draws others out of desolation and into the hope of the Son.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
(1 Peter 3:15)
We are going to step out of the trappings of Christmas. The story of Christ’s birth is a story of before and after. Before there was a promise. After the promise was and is fulfilled. We are supposed to be living the ‘joyfully ever after’ of this great love story. Each of us baptized in Christ carry this love story. It is a story of a thousand or more before and afters as we come to live the promise of Christ. Wherever you are in your story right now, God can come and overshadow you with His love and deliver you from expectant hope into realized joy.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
Let us open the doors of our heart to God more fully this Advent, let His word become truth for us. The spiritual life is one area of our lives where it is okay to want more, to not be satisfied, to ask big. Spend this Advent not waiting for the decorations, or the treats, or the gifts. Spend this Advent waiting expectantly on the Lord.
I trust in the Lord, my soul trusts in His Word. My soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn. (Ps 130)
The Domestic is not Docile
Lord Jesus, help me to see opportunities to grow my house into Your home. Open my eyes and heart to bringing Your love more present within these walls. Help me to recognize the talents You have entrusted me with that I may use them, grow in them, that when trials come sweeping into my life they do not sweep me away. Amen.
Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls…she brings him good not evil
The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
The Church is known as the bride of Christ -and- according to Vatican II, the family is the ‘domestic church’. Our homes/families are called to be little churches in this world of chaos.
Looking at your domestic church of home, whether it be a church of 1 or 12, how are you creating a pearl of great value? How does your church best reflect the kingdom?
Think of how pearls develop: a grain of sand rough that is built up around layer by layer over great time smoothing out the roughness. So too our domestic church of home, it is a process built upon relationship with each other, with our posessions, and most of all with our Lord. Where in your home can you work to smooth out some areas that might be rough?
Psalm 128 Blessed are you who walk in His ways for you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; Blessed shall you be
Where in your life has following God’s ways been fruitful (whether it be the basics of the commandments or following the example of our Lord in His teaching and actions)?
1 Thes 1:5-6 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night
Often I read this letter of St. Paul’s and look way forward either to my own death or to the second coming of Christ. This week as I read this letter I reflected on the day to day life of Christianity that is in itself a series of highs and lows, of building up and tearing down. Adversity rarely comes into our life with warning. It too resembles a thief in the night. When the thief of adversity arrives, do we have our Lord ready, present, and on guard?
What does your life and your domestic church look like in times of adversity? Are you well armed with Him or are you caught off guard without a Savior? How has this changed over the course of your life and the course of your spiritual life? Would someone who gets a peek inside see a pearl of great value?
St. Paul gives us the template for adversity in his letter to the Ephesians
The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Matthew 25:14-30 Well done my good and faithful servant
Where in your life are you seeing a return on the gifts that God has entrusted to you?
Where perhaps are you leaving some gifts in the closet or basement unused?
Coming back again to our domestic church of home, we are heading into the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas. What gifts has God given you that you can put to use to have Thanksgiving and Christmas better reflect the sacred and to better reflect love, hope, joy, and peace?
Wisdom wins in the end
Lord Jesus, You alone are our hope, not just for eternity, but for right now, each and every moment. Jesus I give you permission to nudge me and remind me to seek Your Wisdom when I am feeling doubtful, anxious, or unsure what to do. Your Wisdom keeps my lamp burning brightly. Holy Spirit fill me with fortitude to stay filled with what is holy and piety to love what is holy. Amen.
Wisdom 6:12-16 Resplendant and unfading is Wisdom… found by those who seek her…whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed
A quick Google search brought a definition of wisdom that inspired. Wisdom is skill in the art of Godly living.
Where do you seek Wisdom? When you are trying to make a decision, where do you get your input? Taking in the definition above, can you change or add to your sources of wisdom that ensure you are seeking Wisdom and not just wisdom?
Weekly challenge: If you don’t already do so, seek Wisdom in prayer as this reading advises (and our Lord often did), spend the very first part of your day in prayer (after the bathroom of course).
Psalm 63 And through the night watches I will meditate on you
How often do the worries of the day, the next day, or next year weigh upon you as you lie in bed at night? Perhaps God recommends Wisdom first thing in the morning when we are meant to be tackling life. Night-time is to rest in the assurance of God’s help and to leave it to Him. The next time your mind begins racing, seek not to solve but to rejoice in a God who will be seeking your greatest good while you rest.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 We do not want you to be unaware brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
Last week we celebrated All Saints Day and All Souls Day. These days give us the opportunity to celebrate the reality that this earthly life is not the end all be all. We have eternity, and for those who hope in Christ, we have eternity with Christ.
Does your view of death (whether your own or a loved ones) reflect this truth of eternity?
Matthew 25:1-13 the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
As we await our Bridegroom, our eternity, we are called to keep our lamps lit. Consider that the oil in this parable is that which keeps our faith burning brightly. What is your oil? What animates your faith and keeps you sustained?
Are there circumstances that you repeatedly find yourself in where you become the foolish virgin? Do you find yourself in doubt, do you find yourself in great anxiety, or do you find yourself spiritually lazy? If you find your “oil” running on empty often, what steps do you need to commit to in order to avoid this?
Our first two readings and the psalm give us some sources of oil: morning prayer seeking Wisdom in how to live and the decisions we make, meditating on the Lord’s provision and entrusting Him with our night, and holding onto the hope of eternity.
Yield
Heavenly Father, help me to still and quiet my soul that I may accept the authority of your Fathership. Help me to recognize the oneness and the unity that Your Fathership holds me to. May I walk with grace as I walk alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ. May my words and actions point to the truth of Your Word. Open Your Word for me today Lord, I long to hear Your voice. Amen.
I have been working on an Advent book of Lectio Divina. In the past week I have been reworking 20 days of scriptural reflections with my eye on sending my work off to the printer by the end of this week. As I took a shower (a place where God often speaks to me) I realized that it was Wednesday and I was reminded that I had one more Lectio to “produce.” I sat down after dinner willing myself to ‘pound one out’ before we had to leave to go to Mass for All Saints Day which also happened to be Confirmation at our Parish. I had the Lectio all set to publish when Holy Spirit pressed my ‘pause’ button. Coming home from Mass I knew that what I had written was my ‘instruction’ and not so much that of my Father’s instruction and I did not want, “many to falter because of your instruction (Mal 2:8).” I went to bed and lifted this to the Lord. In prayer this morning the Lord gave me a word, [Yield]. As I reflected on this word, [yield], different definitions came to mind.
Yield: To slow down and make way for others; to give the right of way to another; to allow others to go ahead of ourselves.
This Sundays readings call on us to reflect on where God is asking us to yield in our lives. As Christians we are called to yield to God and to each other. The definition of love repeated again and again in Catholic circles is that to love another is to will the good of another. When we love God, we must yield to Him. We must will His will. His will after all is for the greatest good. When we love another, that will mean that we have to yield something of our own will for their greater good. Put another way…
And I will show you a still more excellent way…Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 12:31-13:7)
As you read the Sunday readings, ask yourself these three questions. Each question though very similar may have a very different answer.
Where is God asking me to yield?
With whom is God asking me to yield?
What is God asking me to yield?
I have included the scripture verses that spoke to my heart this week along with one last reflection question from the Gospel?
Malachi 1:14-2:10 Have we not all the one father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do we break faith with one another, violating the covenant of our fathers?
Psalm 131 I busy not myself with great things, nor with things too sublime for me. Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child
1 Thes 2:7-9,13 We were gentle among you…with such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well.
Matthew 23:1-12 For they preach but they do not practice.
To practice what we preach is to yield to our own high standards. Lord, where am I Pharisitical in a place of my life where I need more ‘practice?’ Lord, where am I called to yield my high standards for a still more excellent way?
Please pray for me this coming week that I may yield my writing, especially this Advent book, to the will of the one who inspired it. May the anxieties of this world yield to the peace of Christ in each of your hearts this week. Amen.
True North
+ Dear Lord, open my heart to love you in the spaces that I reserve for myself. Open my heart to my neighbor to love them in the space that we share. “My soul is restless until it finds its rest in you” (St. Augustine). Lord help my soul to recognize that the things that cause me restlessness are areas of invitation to you. Lord open my mind that Your Word may be living and effective giving way to my surrender of heart and soul. Amen.
Exodus 22:20-26 If he cries out to me I will hear him; for I am compassionate
Compassion: to suffer together; the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering
When you hear the word suffering, what comes to mind? Where this week have you witnessed the suffering of another?
How has your week been? Have you suffered in some way? We must not discount our suffering in light of the suffering that surrounds us. The world is a mess of suffering but we have a Heavenly Father who has the ability, the mercy, and the loving desire to meet each of us in our suffering big or small. God hears our cry, He desires us to direct that cry toward Him.
Psalm 18 I love you, O Lord, my strength, O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
This becomes our prayer in times of suffering. Lord I am struggling with ____________. I love you Lord, my strength, my rock, my deliverer. I hand this suffering to you. Be my strength where I am weak, my rock where I am unsteady, my fortress where I need protection, my deliverer where I need saving. Amen.
1 Thes 5:1-10 For from you the word of the lord is sounding forth.
As I prayed with these scriptures I received a word from the Holy Spirit [Compass]. My heart quickened as it often does when I experience His inspiration. I went to my trusty search engine of Google. Compass is derived from two roots: Com: together (same root as compassion) and Passus: a step or pace.
We are called to be compasses of Christ to others. We are called to live the Word in such a way that we point others to Christ and walk a ways with them on their journey.
Who has recently been a compass for you? What qualities of Christ did they bring to your life? Spend some time praying with the people that the Lord has been repeatedly placing in your life lately. How are you perhaps being called to be a compass to them? We are called to walk this Christian life together one step at a time.
Matthew 22:34-40 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, with all your mind
What does this look like? Break this down into the individual calls, because they are in fact individual calls. How do we love with our heart? Our strength? Our mind?
Think on people that you have known, or have studied, who exhibit the living reality of this commandment. How do they embody this? What can you learn from them?
Gary Chapman has famously written a number of books on the Five Love Languages. They are: quality time, service, gift giving, words of affirmation, and physical touch. We each have one or two that we gravitate to as our individual love languages. Where do we demonstrate our love to the Lord the greatest from that list? Where are we week? Consider this: Could striving to love the Lord our God in each and every love language help us to better meet this commandment? What does that look like for me?
Matthew 22:34-40 Love your neighbor as yourself
Where in your upcoming week is God calling upon you to fufill this commandment?
Where in your upcoming week will you encounter the suffering of another that with the grace of God you can enter in with compassion?
One last thought, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus reaffirms for each of us where our compasses must point. We are not our own true north. God is. And so Holy Spirit ties it all together, [compass].
Recognizing God at work
+ Dear Lord, increase my spiritual sight and spiritual hearing that I may better recognize the moments in my life that you are in fact working in and through my life to provide and to prosper me. Thank you Lord for those moments. Help me to recognize Your work in the lives of those I love and provide me with courage to help others to see Your movement in their lives. Amen.
Isaiah 45:1,4-6 I have called you by your name, giving you a title… it is I who arm you, though you know me not
I have called you by name… Sit with the Lord’s truth. You are called by Him, known by Him, you are not faceless or nameless to God. What stirs in your heart?
God seeks to be on a ‘first name basis’ with each of us. Has His desire become a lived reality for you?
If so, tell Him what difference that has made for you, tell Him what He means to you.
If not, ask Him to help you to know Him, ask Him to ‘arm’ you with the spiritual gifts to know Him.
Psalm 96 Give to the Lord the glory due to His name
God used a good friend to spiritually open my eyes and heart years ago with one piercing question, “I want you to think of one accomplishment or provision in your life that deep down you know you didn’t ‘earn’, something that was beyond your day to day ‘ability’. I immediately had my acceptance to PT school come to mind. He then looked at me and said, ‘That was God helping you to become who you were meant to become.’ I encourage you to spend time this week reliving the highlights of your life with God. He was there helping, recognizing that is one way of giving Him thanks.
Here is a witness moment of God breaking through for me. I began writing this Monday, then went to Mass. Our opening and closing song was, Praise to the Lord. I am including a link here to pray with the music and lyrics.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but in power and the Holy Spirit
God’s word is meant to pierce our heart, it is meant to be seed scattered on fertile soil that opens our hearts and minds and brings us into a relationship with Him, a ‘first name basis’ relationship. This is not something we can ‘do’, we cannot make it happen with our ‘will’. Moments when God’s word pierces our armor of humanity are moments where we released ourselves to Him, ‘thy will be done.’
We have been walking together with God’s word for 12 weeks now! Take some time this week to go back and relive the different moments that God’s word did indeed pierce your heart: where have you been moved, empowered, enlightened, consoled, healed, or convicted? These are moments of encounter with Jesus, the word made flesh! These are your moments, unique to you! Give the Lord the glory due His name!
Matthew 22:15-21 Give to Caeser what belongs to Caeser and to God what belongs to God
The Pharisees thought themselves rather clever, always looking for opportunities to trip Jesus up, to find a loophole in His teaching, to discredit Him. Throughout my own life, at different phases and stages, I too have thought myself rather clever and convinced myself of a loophole. In other words, I have justified moments where I refused to give God some aspect of my life.
Is there an argument that you are waging against God at this time in your life? Is it one of those internal dialogues with yourself or is it one where you actually bring it to God and ask Him to share His point of view? I encourage you to share these struggles with God, you will not offend Him if you are genuinely open to His perspective. Pray for the gift of patience though because this often takes time (trust me!). God’s answers come to us in His word, in the wisdom of another (think of that great question asked by my friend), in a sermon, or a book you are reading. If you ask in faith, He will deliver.
The Pivot
Jeff and I are heading to Florida this afternoon. We received a gracious invitation from friends through church to join them on their week in Cape Coral. This invitation came less than 3 months ago and was a moment of pivot. We were not planning to take another vacation this year, we have only vacationed with friends once before, and I was booked for a retreat in Ohio through yesterday and would be returning home late on Sunday night. We pivoted our view of leaving for vacation from Saturday to Monday and from morning to late afternoon. Last week Wednesday the weight of my commitments began to cripple me quite literally. I was chiding myself for booking WAY too much travel (19 hours by car just between Friday and Sunday) in such a short time span. Add to this my introverted tendencies and the social obligations I was facing were glaring right at me. I was longing for an out while committed to what I had committed to, “Let your yes mean yes.” Add to this that I had roped a dear friend into this retreat with me and she had used valuable vacation time and monetary resources. Enter panic. Hello panic, I know you so well from our history together. I reached out to two trusted friends and allowed myself to be vulnerable with them, admitting my state of panic. They independently gave me their love, their acceptance of me, and their wisdom that gave me the strength to reach out to my beloved Sister in Christ, Pam. I needed to own and share my feelings about our retreat together. Pam FaceTime called me within 30 minutes and I just broke down. She listened, she asked questions, she contributed some of her own concerns about our plans, and then she left it up to me assuring me that she was okay with whatever I decided. I admit now that what I wanted was to clear my plate and cancel, but I allowed guilt to make the commitment to move forward. That night my husband spontaneously prayed over me for peace and tears filled my eyes with the beauty of his prayer for me. My dog, Zeke, picking up on my tension spent the night curled under my arm, a rare position for him. Thursday morning found me folding laundry and packing with resolution. I trusted the Lord, He would walk with me through this and I would hopefully respect my limitations in the future. My phone alerted me to a FaceTime call from Pam. Pam was calling me to excitedly and lovingly tell me that Jesus had told her in prayer to reach out and take this opportunity to receive me in my hour of great turmoil and just remove the turmoil. Pam insisted that we were meant to pivot and to shift to a weekend closer to home that could be a different type of retreat. I shared that if all else failed, my house was available as Jeff was spending the weekend at the cottage. I cannot tell you peace that Pam’s call brought, but I hope that you can imagine, and I pray that each of you reading this has been or will be similarly blessed. First and foremost just the knowledge that Jesus would break through into Pam’s prayer to meet me in my need is overwhelming, such is His love. Second, for Pam to recognize, hear, and act upon Jesus’ call filled me with such gladness because it marks such a beautiful growth in her own relationship with the Lord. Wow. Our big “P” Pivot led to many smaller “p” pivots over the weekend and the Lord was sowing a whole new field within our friendship with each other and with Him. I have received so many blessings in the past three days that my heart is full of love, gratitude, and peace. Several weeks ago we had the Gospel of the Landowner who goes out throughout the day to gather workers and at the end of the day the workers all get paid the same no matter when they started working. Fr. Adam talked of the early bird workers missing the added and true reward of getting to spend more time with the Landowner during the day, I agree and add my own inspiration. While working the harvest of the Lord, not only am I blessed with each moment spent with the Lord, I am doubly blessed by the individuals that I get to work alongside, those who are my friends in Christ. This past week really highlights that reality: from the phone-a-friends Meg and Molly, to my husband Jeff, even my dog, but most especially my Sister in Christ Pam. This upcoming Sunday we shift to the Gospel of the King who sends out invitations to the wedding of His Son. Again I am inspired by this past week and Pam’s prophetic words of [pivot]. The King sends His messengers to invite His friends and workers to the feast and receives rejection after rejection, much of the time because the individuals were so wrapped up in their own agenda’s they didn’t fully understand the grace of the invitation. Pam saw the grace of the invitation and pivoted our agenda and I am grateful. This past weekend at times did indeed feel like receiving a glimpse of the glory of heaven that awaits each of us when we accept the invitations of God. As I read through the next Sunday’s readings, several verses reach out and speak truth to my story.
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the Lord for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” Is 25:6-10
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. Psalm 23
“I can do all things in Him who strengthens me” Phil 4:12-14, 19-20
"The kingdom of heaven may be likeed to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come.” Mt 22:1-14
I include the link to the full Sunday readings below and encourage you to sit with them and perhaps this week, do your own pivot: come up with the questions or invitations that God is sending your way, write down what He places on your heart.
The Vineyard of the Lord
+ Dear Lord, thank you for tending to the vineyard of my life. Thank you for your care, compassion, patience, and wisdom. There are times in my life when I feel that my offering is but that of wild grapes and that I have been run over. Open my heart to your tender loving care even in these moments Lord, do not let me become discouraged or despondent. You are still tending to me, you have not abandoned me to the wild. Amen.
Isaiah 5:1-7 The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished plant;
Where do I tend the garden of this life? What aspects of my life do I devote care, time, and resources? What is the harvest of this investment?
Where has God been tending to me lately? Where do I feel His hand guiding me? Where am I being cut back? Do I welcome His work or do I resist?
Psalm 80 Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name. O LORD, God of hosts, restore us; if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
Where are you withdrawing from the Lord?
The psalmist tells us a beautiful truth. God is seeking to bring new life into that area of your life, we just have to invite the Lord in. Lift up the psalmists cry as your prayer of release… + O Lord, God of hosts, restore me; if your face shine upon me, then I shall be saved.
Philippians 4:6-9 Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.
St. Paul leads with what seems to be an impossible command. To be human is to have anxiety, at least this seems to be the reality of the humans I know. When I hear this what is my response? Do I think of it as sour grapes (pun intended, couldn’t resist)? Do I discount it as foolishness? Do I cry out to the Lord to take my anxiety away? Do I tune out what St. Paul says next because I got stuck on the first line?
How do we seek first the kingdom of God? By prayer and petition, make your requests known to God.
How do we seek first the kingdom of God? With thanksgiving for the many ways that God has already provided Himself in our lives. Reflect on the evidence of God in your life. Using St. Pauls list ask yourself these questions: What is true in my life? What is honorable? What is just? What is pure? What is lovely? What is gracious? Praise be to God!
Evil is thus a kind of parasite on goodness. If there were no good by which to measure things, evil could not exist. Men sometimes forget this, and say, theere is so much evil in the world that there cannot be a God. They are forgetting that, if there were no God, they would have no way of distinguishing evil from goodness. ~ Fulton Sheen
Matthew 21:33-43 Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?
What is the cornerstone of my life?
Gospel challenge: Take time this week to ask several people close to you what they would say is your cornerstone. How does their view and your view line up? Are there any adjustments to your life that need to be made?
As a Christian we are called to have Jesus as the cornerstone. When we are riddled by anxiety (I have been there) it is time to inspect the foundation. Ask yourself, “What is the foundation of my anxiety?” This is what you take to the Lord in prayer.
I did it my way
+ Dear Lord, I know that I am spiritually stubborn in some way. As I reflect on Your Word today, help me to hear any gentle invitation You have to Your way. May the truth from last week’s, “For my ways are not your ways” carry me into this week’s “Is it my ways that are unfair or rather are not your ways unfair?” Amen.
Ezekiel 25:23-28 Hear how house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather are not your ways unfair?
Where have you shared the cry of Israel that God’s way was unfair? What truth, grace, or greater good have you received from God when you have chosen His Way over your way?
Replace the word unfair with the word “hard.” Where have you resisted the “hard” that God calls you to? Where perhaps are you resisting His Way right now? Tell Him why it’s hard, give Him a chance to respond.
What is one area of grace that God has blessed your life with in the form of perseverance or fortitude? In other words, where has God’s Way been easier for you than others in your life? Where have you and God already forged the path of holiness in your life?
Psalm 25 I am including an extended version of Psalm 25 here and inviting you to reflect slowly on each line. Where is God drawing your heart today?
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust, let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
For you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Good and upright is the lord;
Therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Turn to me, and be gracious to me; for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distresses.
Philippians 2:1-11 Humbly regard others as more important than yourself
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-39)
Jesus reminds us of the basic framework of His Way. St. Paul rephrases it here in his letter. Where in your life are you putting you first? Where are you placing your needs or wants as more important than God’s or another persons? This is a hard ask, to reflect on this in our lives.
Fear is often a tool of the enemy that holds us back. Who will take care of me? What about my dreams/hopes/desires? What do you fear you will lose if you “humbly regard others as more important than yourself”? Take this fear to the Lord and ask Him to deal with it. What truth does the Lord want you to replace that fear with? Ask Him.
When you struggle with this truth, and I believe we all do (at least I do regularly) reflect on this: When did Jesus place Himself first?
Matthew 21:28-32 Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your mind
Jesus brings us consolation here in the Gospel with His word, “later”. Jesus does not expect us to be instantaneously Holy, He calls us to a journey of discovering Him and gradually being formed into who God uniquely made you to be.
Where has God already molded your heart to His Way where you were previously resistant? Praise Him for the good work He has done in you and turn that praise to trust that what He has accomplished before, He can do again with our cooperation.
Call to mind again last weeks Gospel of the landowner calling the idle to His vineyard. It is never too late. Our priest, Fr. Adam, often reassures us that where we struggle, where we experience frustration or anxiety, is where Jesus is calling us to a conversation with Him. Whatever Jesus stirred up this week, it is an invitation to bring it to Him. Together the two of you can begin the journey deeper into God’s call of holiness.
Seize the Day
+ Open our hearts Lord to listen to the words of Your Son. help us to seek You first, last, and always. Give us the humility to accept that our thoughts are not Your thoughts and to ask You what Your thoughts indeed are. Help us to be gracious in the abundant blessing that you give to us independent of what blessings any other has. Amen.
Isaiah 55:6-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord
Is there an area of life where you are wrestling with the Lord right now? An area where you know that God is calling you one way but you are digging in your heals wanting ‘your way’?
God does not call us to live by blind faith and He desires that we desire His will with an open heart. Spend time this week sharing this area with the Lord and waiting for Him to share His wisdom.
Psalm 145
The psalmist describes God as: gracious, merciful, slow to anger, kind, good to all, compassionate, just, and holy.
Spend time with each word and allow Holy Spirit to recall moments when God has demonstrated each attribute with you.
Another way to pray with these words is to reflect on them in light of our own nature. Which of these words is God calling us to live more fully in our present circumstances?
Phillippians 1:20-24, 27 Christ will be magnified in my body
What attributes of Christ does your life magnify (hint: the above list from the psalm is a good start)?
I long to depart this life and be with Christ
Does death cause you fear and anxiety or do you share St. Paul’s perspective of death being the achievement of all he has worked towards, life fully lived with Christ?
I believe that at one point or another in each of our lives we fear dying for any number of reasons. If this is a reality for you right now, spend time with Jesus and tell Him why fear has a hold of you right now. Give Him time to bring His peace into your heart. He has already drawn near just as Isaiah tells us.
Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit
If you are reading this, you are alive, and you share this reality with St. Paul. Your life has purpose. God has a plan for you no matter where you are on the continuum of life.
Who can your life benefit? Where is God calling you to labor?
Matthew 21:1-16 The landowner saw others standing idle
In the Kingdom of God, are you laboring or are you idle right now?
The landowner (aka God) tirelessly returns to bring others into His plan. He comes back 4 times after the initial call. There is a beautiful message here, it is never too late!
Where in your life have you experienced generosity beyond your due? Consider this, your loving Father delights in EVERY blessing He bestows and He does it not because you served Him well, He does it because He loves you.
Have you ever considered that God does not call us to be a part of His kingdom plan because He needs workers? He calls us to His kingdom plan because He has work for you that will give you great purpose and fulfillment.
Forgiveness
Dear Reader, As I prayed with this weeks readings my heart was filled with much hope, inspiration, and anticipation for what the Lord is seeking to work in your heart. Holy Spirit kept illuminating each day what I could bring forth and offer to you so that you in turn could offer it back to the Lord. I encourage you to take your time this week with the following. Perhaps piece by piece giving our Savior and exemplifier of forgiveness time to work the soil. I am including several outside ‘resources’ that Holy Spirit brought to mind that I myself have found profoundly helpful and beautiful. Forgiveness is hard, but when embraced and given to our Lord it is a beautiful gift that we receive in the grace it releases. Trust in our Lord, He seeks only your greatest good.
Dear Lord Jesus,
I ask that your presence, love, and encouragement are felt by each person who enters into Your Word and these reflections. Prepare their hearts oh Lord for the grace and mercy that you seek to bring into their lives through surrendering to your call to forgiveness. Amen.
Before we begin by reflecting on each reading, I would like to include an excerpt from Sr. Miriam James Heidland’s book, Restore…
None of us ultimately wants to live with a hard heart. We might do so, even unknowingly, because we have become used to living that way as an avenue to protect ourselves, but I do not believe this is what we truly want or deeply desire. Forgiveness is not letting someone off the hook. It is not saying that what happened to us did not matter. It is not words alone. It is not pretending things are fine. It is not condoning bad behavior. It is not skipping justice. All of these things keep our hearts hard, in denial, and in the cycle of pain and resentment. Forgiveness is asking Jesus Christ for the grace to forgive. It is relinquishing our grasp upon the person who hurst us, surrendering the person to Jesus and asking Jesus to restore jsutice. It is an acknowledgement of the pain inflicted, how it affected us, an ongoing emotional release of it, and a decision to offer that person and ourselves a gift of love and freedom.
Sirach 27:30-28:7 Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord?
Where have you nourished anger in your life? What effect has that had on your day/week/year?
Have you felt trapped in the cycle of anger, unable to ‘let it go’?
Have you recognized/realized that unforgiveness closes the door on the healing the Lord seeks to bring into your pain?
Psalm 103 Bless the Lord, O my soul
Can you in the midst of the hurt turn to the Lord and praise Him in advance of the healing He is seeking for you? Reflect with the following song.
Romans 14:7-9 None of us lives for oneself…if we die, we die for the Lord
Have you ever thought of forgiveness as a death to self?
Spend some time on the image of the cross. Spend some time with our Lord and allow Him to show you each moment on the cross that was His death for you, for you from a place of profound love, not condemnation, not shame, but love.
Matthew 18:21-35 I say to you not seven times, but seventy-seven times
After spending time with Jesus, experiencing the depth of His love and the vast number of times He has forgiven you, does seventy-seven still seem daunting? Forgive yourself if this is still a struggle. Take it to Jesus, He is the only one who can grace us this gift.
We forgive because we are forgiven. (Eph 4:32) Sometimes the ease with which we forgive, or the difficulty stems from the human relationships that form our identity. Who in your life has been a “model of forgiveness”. Keep in mind that not all models are good models. We may also have been taught to hold anger.
If the Lord is bringing to mind a beautiful soul who has inspired you with their ability to forgive, praise the Lord for the gift of them in your life, maybe even take the extra step and thank that person for their witness of Jesus!
If your eyes have just been opened to a source of why forgiveness is so difficult, can you ask Jesus to break the effect their example has had on your life? Can you then ask Jesus for the grace to forgive them that example?
The Deep Dive
The following is a forgiveness meditation. Jeff and I have used similar formats in our work with Inner Healing and I have used this time and again in my own life. It is a beautiful way to be guided by our Lord. Find a quiet time where you can give our Lord at least fifteen minutes. The following is taken again from the Restore book by Sr. Miriam (pg 167).
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you whom you need to forgive
Picture the person in front of you and pay attention to what you feel in your heart and body.
Make an account of the debt they owe you. (What did they take fro you? How did they hurt you? It is okay to feel angry, sad, or nothing at all)
Imagine telling them what they did to hurt you and how it has affected you.
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any identity lies you believe about yourself based on this incident.
Renounce any lies the Holy Spirit shows you: “In the name of Jesus Christ, I renounce the lie that I am not loved or cared for, that I have to perform well to be loved”, and so forth.
Announce the truth of your identity in Christ: “In the name of Jesus Christ, I announce the truth that I am seen, that I am valuable, that I am loved” and so forth.
Bring the person wit you to meet Jesus on the Cross at Calvary; look at his face of care and mercy.
Ask Jesus to forgive the person.
Ask Jesus to give you the grace to forgive the person.
Pray a prayer of blessing for that person. Ask God to bless them and heal them on their journey.
Ask Jesus to seal this forgiveness and heal the wounds in your life.
Thank God for his healing mercy and grace.
Finally to close this Lectio Divina out, a closing song that was in fact the first inspiration Holy Spirit brought to me.
Saturday Evening Post
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath (Lk 6:1-5)
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
We have a chapter of Blessed is She at our parish. Blessed is She is a woman’s catholic fellowship group that works through “studies” of different aspects of our faith. For this summer we engaged in a weekly study on the Ten Commandments, one commandment each week. As I read today’s Gospel our Tuesday night meeting comes to mind as we sat in our circle sharing with each other what, “You shall keep holy the Sabbath”, has meant over the years in our individual lives. Our responses were as varied as we are. When I was growing up there was still a sanctity to Sunday. Most stores were closed, we went to Mass, and breakfast included some sort of sweet roll. For many Christians, if the Pharisees were to spend time with us on Sunday they would probably have a stroke. Thankfully we don’t answer to the Pharisees. Jesus also caused the Pharisees blood pressure spikes. He healed the man with the withered hand, He cast out demons, and He allowed His hungry disciples a snack. I have found myself in many different camps when it comes to the Sabbath: It’s a day like any other day, It’s a commandment that we must strive to follow to the letter, It’s almost impossible to follow so don’t try. If you ask a priest or pastor what this means, you will probably get as many answers as people you ask and that only adds to the fuel of the devil’s ploy to distract us away from simple sacred beauty of the Sabbath. Jesus tells us the answer, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus seeks to unburden us from “rules” and to lighten our lives with Himself. Should I shop? Can I garden, because that’s therapeutic for me? Can I go to a restaurant if I hate cooking but that means someone else has to “work”? Jesus tells us the answer to each of these questions, “I am the Lord of the Sabbath.” Jesus. What does that mean? I believe it might be as simple as this, what if each Saturday evening Jesus is inviting us to a front porch rocking chair conversation with Him. Jesus is inviting us to share our week with Him. When we share the circumstances of the week with the Lord of the Sabbath, He can help to define our Sabbath one Sunday at a time. Those conversations with our Lord will spark an inspiration for what will really bring us rest and refuel us for the week ahead. The ‘rule’ of the Sabbath is that we give this day to God our creator. Take some time this evening to share your week with Jesus, then be bold enough to ask, “Jesus, what should tomorrow look like for me?” May your Sabbath be blessed, may it refresh you, and may it awaken you to the presence of our Lord. Amen.
Am I my brother’s keeper?
Lord Jesus, you became human, died for me, and rose so that I may have a personal relationship with You and the Father through the Holy Spirit. Help me to understand that having the best relationship with you means being in right relationship with others. Remind me Lord that I do not live in a bubble with you, but as part of Your kingdom family. Amen.
Ezekiel 33:7-9 You son of man I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me…if you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.
Have you considered that God has entrusted certain people to you to hold firm in the faith?
Spend time in prayer asking the Lord, “Who are you calling me to right now Lord, and what are you asking of me?”
Psalm 95 If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts
There tend to be areas of our lives that we hold back from God, areas that we maybe don’t feel that He belongs or that we do not trust Him with. Today, in your life, what are you holding back? Where is your heart hardened?
Why are you hardened to “your way” in this area? What are you afraid of? Consider whatever that fear is to be a lie whispered by the enemy.
Can you open the door to our Lord even a little bit? In prayer be honest and talk to Jesus about this. It might look like this, “Lord Jesus, I know that I still need to control _____________. Show me why I hold onto this so tightly. Help me to release this to You. Holy Spirit build faith and trust in my heart that I may have the strength to release this too. Amen.
Romans 13:8-10 Love does no evil to neighbor; hence love is the fulfillment of the law.
Evil seems extreme doesn’t it? It can be easy to read this and convince ourselves that we’re “okay.” Think of it this way, evil is the absence of love and love is to will the good of the other. Consider your neighbor anyone who draws into your proximity either directly or indirectly.
Where have you fallen short in willing the good of your neighbor, not just in your actions and words, but also in your thoughts. Perhaps take some time to write those moments down and then ask Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the the effects this has created.
If this makes you feel guilty, uncomfortable, or remorseful, that is okay. Holy Spirit is doing the work of Ezekiel on your heart.
Matthew 18:15-20 If your brother sins against you…
Have you ever considered that Jesus was the OG for conflict resolution? Have you ever used this Gospel as a blueprint for conflict resolution?
We see the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel being tasked as the “watchman” for all of Israel. Jesus now appoints each of us to this same task for those whom God entrusts to us; our circle of influence.
Where in your life has unresolved conflict resulted in broken relationship? God desires to enter into that brokenness and restore the relationship. In prayer, ask Jesus to show you one way that you can reach out in that relationship and begin building a bridge.
Deep Dive: As a way to assist you as you reflect, I am sharing a link below to a very brief but insightful ‘examination of conscience’ based on the 10 commandments that I feel ties in really well with St. Paul’s epistle.
Pray, Discern, Decide
+ Lord God, please send your Holy Spirit to me as I read Your Word. May it be transformed into Your Word for me, my life, my situations. May I thirst for You in Your Word, may it become “like fire burning in my heart; imprisoned in my bones.” Help me to know Your will and to trust that it is “good and pleasing and perfect.”
Jeremiah 20:7-9 You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped
Have you ever felt duped by God? Perhaps confident that you were following a Holy Spirit inspiration or fulfilling His Will only to seemingly have it all go “wrong”?
How did that impact your relationship with God at the time? What perspective do you have now?
What was your immediate response?
“I say to myself, I will not mention Him…but then it becomes like a fire burning in my heart”
Jeremiah tried to ignore God, deny God, protect himself from the consequences of doing God’s will. Have you walked this road? If so, how has God called you back to Him?
Romans 12:1-2 Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that you may discern the will of God.
We exist in this moment in two realities: earthly and spiritual. One is easily defined, perceived, and discerned while the other is built upon the intangible reality of faith, hope, and love. Which world are you more conformed to? Another way of looking at conformity is consumption (not just in the material sense here, remember, two realities). What consumes you and what do you spend your resources consuming?
As you read this and pray and reflect where do you feel that Holy Spirit is pulling you towards? Where is Holy Spirit pricking your conscience and asking you to let go of (even a little is okay)?
Psalm 63 Spend time reading Psalm 63 as a commitment prayer to better conform ourselves to God’s will.
A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.a
O God, you are my God—
it is you I seek!
For you my body yearns;
for you my soul thirsts,
In a land parched, lifeless,
and without water.b
I look to you in the sanctuary
to see your power and glory.
For your love is better than life;*
my lips shall ever praise you!
I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands, calling on your name.
My soul shall be sated as with choice food,
with joyous lips my mouth shall praise you!
I think of you upon my bed,
I remember you through the watches of the night
You indeed are my savior,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.c
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
But those who seek my life will come to ruin;
they shall go down to the depths of the netherworld!
Those who would hand over my life to the sword shall
become the prey of jackals!
But the king shall rejoice in God;
all who swear by the Lord* shall exult,
but the mouths of liars will be shut!
Matthew 16:21-27 God forbid Lord!…Get behind me Satan you are an obstacle to me
Where in our lives have we rushed in trying to exert what we thought was “the best” for another and perhaps in fact been an obstacle to God’s will?
Sometimes our “good” intentions do not equal God’s will. We must have the humility to accept the truth of Jesus’ words, “You are thinking not as God does but as humans do.”
Is there a relationship where you have influence,where you are trying to interject “wisdom”? Can you spend some time with God the Father and ask Him to send the Holy Spirit to help answer these questions
God, what is your will for me in this situation? We cannot ask God His will for another, that is His relationship and His conversation that needs to take place with that person. We can encourage that person to pray, seek, ask, and knock themselves though!
God, how can I best be a friend, daughter, father, brother, co-worker to ___________?
+ Jesus, I trust in you, Father, I trust in Your will. I trust you with _________. I give you this situation.
The Sunday Evening Post
That they may know that I am with you…This is how you will know there is a living God in your midst. (Joshua 3:7,10)
How often must i forgive my brother, as many as seven times? I say to you not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Mt 18)
Remember I am with you always until the end of the age. (Mt 28:20)
The Gospel from Matthew was our daily Gospel last week Thursday. It was one of the days that I attended Mass. As I sat listening to the Gospel I experienced peace. This was a moment of encounter with Jesus in recognizing the good work He has been doing in the field of my heart. Forgiveness is difficult. Amen? Amen! It just is. I believe that ultimately it is difficult because it is impossible for us to truly forgive within our own capacity. Forgiveness requires cooperation with Divine. I have shared that I have been weathering a difficult season of late and forgiveness is one of the virtues that the Lord has invited me to more deeply embody. Virtues are like forgiveness because by nature we grow in them by having to be challenged. We learn humility sometimes by being humiliated. We learn mercy by experiencing brokenness. We learn patience by having our patience tested. We learn to forgive by being hurt. Jesus’ call to 77 felt like a very real road to me earlier this summer. There were several weeks that it felt I could not go 48 hours without insult being added to injury and the Lord asking me to forgive. When I struggle to forgive I have found myself in confession and so this past July I was again in confession admitting holding onto anger and resentment and hurt. I told Father that forgiveness was so frustrating because I felt like I had to relearn it with each injury, it was never getting any easier. Father told me that that frustration was the enemy trying to convince me that I wasn’t ‘good’ at forgiveness and wasn’t making progress. He shared that while it felt as though I was relearning forgiveness, Jesus was taking me to new depths of forgiveness and I was having to adapt to the depth. Jesus has been taking me deeper into the grace. Fast forward a few weeks and I found myself on the receiving end of a great hurt and insult. In the midst of my tears and anger I was able in the moment to separate the person, whom I truly respected, admired, and liked, from what they said. I was able to forgive her almost immediately and be honest with her about how her comments had impacted me. New depths indeed! Praise to you Jesus! Back to daily Mass and this Gospel of forgiveness. Listening to the Gospel for the first time I did not feel the slight sting of failure but the assurance of the grace of growth. During his sermon Father gave me a whole new and beautiful perspective: we are each called to the grace of forgiveness so that we can be Christ’s very real presence to another. Our ability to forgive another brings Jesus present and demonstrates, ‘This is how you know a living God is in your midst.’ Forgiveness is a gift to both the giver and the receiver and the more that we practice it, the deeper we can dive and bring God’s kingdom fully present. Think of the difficult situations you face in your life and from a world view. Imagine what change can come about if each of us strive to cooperate with God’s grace and mercy.
Build my life
Lord God, Heavenly Father, open Your Word to me in new and exciting ways. May I have the passion of Paul and the inspiration of Peter! May I mirror the “yes” of Eliakim and seek your strength and mercy as the Psalmist. Amen.
Isaiah 22:19-23 I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station. On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son on Hilkiah… and give over to him your authority
With baptism, God has given each of us authority and He seeks to work with us to bring His kingdom to others. Each “yes” that we give to the Lord blesses us and others by bringing the Kingdom of Heaven present. Each “no” that we give, sends the Lord to another (and perhaps another and another and another).
Have you ever thought of the nudges and inspirations towards good that you receive as invitations from God as part of His unique mission for you? (it could be as simple as having a friend come to mind and desiring to reach out) What nudges or inspirations did you experience this past week? What was your response? Was it an immediate yes, a reluctant yes, or did you put it on the back burner?
Psalm 138 when I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me
Oftentimes God answers prayer not by changing our circumstance, but by changing us, strengthening us. This is the path to holiness.
Where has God strengthened you? It may be patience, generosity, gracefully enduring pain, resisting temptation/addiction. It may be all of these and more! God is Good, Amen! Spend time with the Holy Spirit allowing Him to show you how much you have grown with His grace.
+ Dear Lord, Thank you for the work of your Holy Spirit. Strengthen within me what remains weak and reinforce where I have grown in strength. May these strengths allow me to say “yes” to your inspirtation with boldness. Amen.
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
Paul is trying to put into words a moment where he fully experiences the awe of God, a moment where his heart and mind are awakened to who God truly is.
What about God awes you? Can you spend some time in prayer and with the Holy Spirit pen your own prayer of praise for who God is to you?
Matthew 16:13-20 Who do you say that I am?
For some, Jesus is wise, and they seek to model their lives on the examples in His parables. For others, Jesus is a healer, and they seek to encounter Him in the midst of physical or emotional adversity. For still others, Jesus is mercy, and they encounter Him in forgiveness, of themselves and others. Jesus is each of these, and so so much more!
Where have you encountered the Lord time and again in your life?
Where in your life are you desiring to encounter Him differently? He seeks you there. In prayer, invite Jesus in to that place in your life and tell Him all about it.
Personal Inspiration: This week as I read through the readings I felt my excitement mount much like Paul. Upon reading the first reading, the words, when he opens, no one shall shut, immediately brought me to the Gospel moment of Peter being proclaimed “The Rock” and Jesus echo to the first reading with, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.” This is what I love, seeing the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the person of Jesus! It brings me such hope and awe in the perfect plan of God.