10.31.13

Lectio:  Mt 5.1-12a                                                                                                                           

Meditatio:”Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Mt 5.10       

Oratio: O God, You know that we will be treated badly by the world for doing Your will.

I remember Jesus in listing special blessings acknowledged this and assured those who suffer for doing what is right, will one day be part of Your kingdom forever. What a great reward for doing so little or putting up with others who do not see or live the way You wish.

Grant that I may be ever mindful of Jesus assurance when I experience the suffering from the world for doing Your will knowing that their judgment has no lasting effect but to the contrary their very mistreatment opens for me the gate to Your kingdom..
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I ask this and all things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: spend some time in silence and meditate on the selected passage and hear what
God is saying to you.

Operatio: reflect: "persecuted  ... righteousness”; physical or mental suffering imposed by those in this world who do not ascribe to the principles and priorities of the Lord. In prayer seek to live in accord with the Beatitudes and seek the right attitude about things and people that God desires we have.

Tomorrow's reading: Jn 6.37-40

10.30.13

Lectio:  Lk 13.31-35                                                                                                       

Meditatio:”He [Jesus] said to them in reply, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered tn this way they were greater sinners than all the Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did’!” Lk 13.2-3

Oratio: O God, You sent Your only Son to call us to repent and He was very clear that is what we must do.

I remember Jesus compared those who do not repent will suffer in a fatal way just as the Galileans did whose very blood was mingled with blood of sacrifices made to gods; what a terrible fate for a Jew! What a terrible fate for us for it means whatever we thought of our worth, is good for nothing and we will suffer  eternal damnation. .

Grant that I may be ever mindful of Jesus’s call to repent and seek the grace to turn my life to the direction of the Lord’s Way and then live in accord with His truths; and then I will find a glorious way at the end of my days -eternal life with the Lord..
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I ask this and all things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: spend some time in silence and meditate on the selected passage and hear what
God is saying to you.

Operatio: reflect: "Galileans suffered ... greater sinners”; physical suffering is not an indication of immorality. Sin is what I chose to do that is contrary to God’s way - the Way of the Golden Rule. In prayer respond to the grace of respond to  Jesus’s call to repent; and do so, while there is yet time for He so much wants all of us to be with Him for all eternity.

Tomorrow's reading: Mt 5.1-12a  

10.29.13

Lectio:  Lk 13.22-30                                                                                                        

Meditatio:”Someone asked him [Jesus], ‘Lord will only a few be saved’?” Lk 13.22

Oratio: O God, it Your will that all be saved and You sent Your Son to make that possible, but it does require a response by us.

I remember Jesus was asked whether only a few would be saved and His response was to try to enter by the narrow gate; meaning don’t think you can just do nothing; but rather as He told us elsewhere, He is the way, the truth and the life.

Grant that I may be ever mindful that Jesus’s Way is the Way of Selfless Love and seek the grace to live with this as my guiding principle and I will live by His truth and I will come to  eternal life.
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I ask this and all things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: spend some time in silence and meditate on the selected passage and hear what
God is saying to you.

Operatio: reflect: "few...saved”; salvation is not a number game but living by the Way Jesus asks of us; in doing so one will reach heaven. In prayer respond to the grace of living as Jesus asks, so that one day one will be with the Prince of Peace forever.
   
Tomorrow's reading: Lk 13.31-35 

10.28.13

Lectio:  Lk 13.18-21                                                                                                  

Meditatio:”Then he [Jesus[ said, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? To what shall I compare it’?” Lk 13.18

Oratio: O God, You have granted great growth to Your kingdom here ib earth as a result of the preaching and miracles of Your Son when He came among us as one of us.
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I remember Jesus, himself compared the kingdom to a tiny mustard seed that became a large bush and to a yeast that leavened all - making it clear that by His coming and His efforts great growth has and will continue to take place.

Grant that I may be ever mindful that Jesus continues to build up the kingdom of God here on earth and He uses us as His hands, His feet, His touch, His smile to continues its growth; and then allow Him to use us as His instruments.
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I ask this and all things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: spend some time in silence and meditate on the selected passage and hear what
God is saying to you.

Operatio: reflect: "kingdom...compare”; God’s kingdom is His reign in our hearts in this life and our resurrected presence with Him as our King in Heaven in the next; growth of the kingdom is the initial coming of Jesus and His public ministry; the fruit of His public ministry brought  about magnificent and lasting results for His ministry lives on all who accept Him as their Lord and Savior; in prayer seek the grace to allow Jesus to use me as His instrument to continue the spectacular growth of the Kingdom here on earth so that His “kingdom will come  on earth as it is in heaven.”

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 13.22-30                                                                                 

10.27.13

Lectio:  Lk 6.12-16                                                                                       

Meditatio:”In those days he [Jesus] departed the to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.” Lk 6.12

Oratio: O God, You have are so accessible to us but we have to turn to You in prayer.
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I remember Jesus, Your Son, showed us the importance of prayer for He often spent the night in prayer and especially before important undertakings such as selecting the 12 Apostles.

Grant that I may be ever mindful of the importance that Jesus placed on prayer and pray always for all those who are near and dear to me and for all those whom I am called to serve.
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I ask this and all things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: spend some time in silence and meditate on the selected passage and hear what
God is saying to you.

Operatio: reflect: "pray...spent night”; lifting up your heart and mind to God is the essence of prayer; Jesus spent the whole night in prayer showing us its importance. Grant that I may have the grace to always pray the Morning Offering so that my whole life that day becomes a prayer and God will be pleased with His child.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 13.18-21

10.26.13

Lectio:   Lk 18.9-14                                                                           

Meditatio:”I [Jesus ] tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”Lk  8.14

Oratio: O God, You have one requirement if we wish to approach You - humility!
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I remember Jesus told a parable about two men who went up to the Temple to pray and concluded by saying, ‘the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” In doing so He made it clear that it is not our status but our disposition which is important when we come to God in prayer.

Grant that I may be ever mindful and imitate the attitude of the tax collector and pray as a humble sinner that I am.                          
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I ask this and all things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: spend some time in silence and meditate on the selected passage and hear what
God is saying to you.

Operatio: reflect: "exalts himself...humbles himself”; exalt means to puff oneself up,  while humble means to recognize who one is; in prayer remember how the tax collector prayed and seek the grace to pray like him always for then our God will be greatly pleased and we will be blest.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 6.12-16  

10.25.13

Lectio:   Lk 13.1-9                                                                 

Meditatio:”He said to them in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not, you can cut it down’.” Lk 13. 8-9

Oratio: O God, You are so patient with us; yet we often procrastinate to Your call that we reform our lives.
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I remember Jesus told a parable about a barren fig tree that was given ample time to produce but did not; yes  the gardener persuaded the owner to give it one more chance to bear fruit and he would do his best to see that it did - so much like You who call and continues to call and continues to give us more time so that we will not perish - BUT we can’t procrastinate forever or we will be the big losers.

Grant that I may use Your gift of grace to me and do what You want of me so that my life bears the fruit of selfless love that You so much desire.            
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I ask this and all things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Contemplatio: spend some time in silence and meditate on the selected passage and hear what
God is saying to you.

Operatio: reflect: "bear fruit...cut..down”; the point of the parable is that we are given ample time to reform and often a final opportunity; but if we don’t respond, we will perish like the 18  in Siloam who perished when a tower fell upon them. In prayer seek the grace to reform my life so that not matter what physical disaster may fall upon me, it will not be fatal to my immortal soul.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 18.9-14