11.12.13

Lectio: 17.11-19                                                  

Meditatio :  "And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a love voice.” Lk 17. 14

Oratio: O God, You ask so little of us but You do appreciate a thank you!

I remember Jesus healed 10 lepers but only one returned to say, Thanks! And Jesus showed how much He appreciated the man’s gratitude saying, ‘You faith has saved you.”

Grant that I may always have a grateful heart and never take good fortune for granted nor the many gifts I have been given such as my health and my family. May ‘Thank you!’ always be on my lips and in my heart and especially to the God who is the ultimate source of all that is good.

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: " healed, returned”: 10 healed but only the Samaritan returned and thanked Jesus; and then Jesus gifted him with a most wonderful gift - the man’s salvation!  In prayer seek the grace to be ever grateful for all the good things in my life and especially for the gift of faith for without it, life is meaningless and death even more so.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 17.20–25

11.11.13

Lectio: Lk 17.7-10                                       

Meditatio :  "Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?” Lk 17.9

Oratio: O God, without You we can do nothing, with You we can do everything and You rightly expect us to do what we ought as disciples of Your Son. 

I remember Jesus made it very clear to His disciples as to the attitude they should have - that all that they do that is commanded them to do, they should not expect any gratitude for doing it rather Jesus implies they should be grateful that they are His disciples.                

Grant that I may seek to do the will of Jesus without any expectation of rewards for all that I do, all that I  have and all that I will be is because of His graces.                            

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: "grateful...servant...commanded”: God is our Master; and we are His servants; all that we to do is what He rightly expects of us and He gives us the ability to do it; that is why we cannot expect Him to be grateful but then beyond any claim on our part He does everything that is for our ultimate good for which we should always be grateful.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 17.11-19

1.10.13

Lectio: Lk 17.1-6                             

Meditatio :  "He [Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur’.” Lk 17.1            

Oratio: O God, You know we are weak but You also know that we are often the cause of others to fail - to sin.

I remember Jesus told His disciples quite bluntly about avoiding being the source of scandal - the source of sin for others - that it would be better if we had a millstone placed on our neck and hurled into the sea - a vivid and woeful image of the fate of those who cause scandal.

Grant that I may have the grace to be a positive influence on others so that the other may prosper in this life and the next and I may be gifted with eternal life as well.

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: "sin...woe through whom”; all will from time to time fail to live in accord with the Great Law of Love but the Lord is kind and merciful and He will forgive us.  But He so much wants us to avoid scandal and our being a source of temptation for others. Rather He  wants us to be a source of good for others in their journey to the Kingdom and that is the least we should do for all He does for us.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 17.7-10

1.09.13

Lectio: Lk 20.27-38                

Meditatio :  "Jesus said to them,'The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy of the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage’.” Lk 20.34,35

Oratio: O God, the one great gift that was not forfeited in the Great Flood was marriage; but its purpose is served when this earthly life is over.

I remember Jesus told this quite plainly when He said that in the resurrection no one is marries or is given in marriage and the reason is obvious - the resurrected life is for all eternity and there is no need for marriage.

Grant that I may always remember that love endures but the institution of nuptial love is an earthly gift for the purpose of the propagation of the human race and the building up of the church here on earth and that love endures forever but the institution does not.

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: "this age marry,...resurrection...neither marry’; marriage is for the earthly living but not for those who are risen from the dead; in prayer ask for the grace to love rightly here on earth so that I may live in Love for all eternity.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 17.1-6

11.05.13-11.08.13

11.05.13

Lectio: Lk 14.25-33

Meditatio :  "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Lk 14.27

Oratio: O God, You want committed believers.

I remember Jesus made this clear when He told the crowd that you must carry your own cross if you want to be His disciple.

Grant that I may always strive to do God's will for that is the cross I must carry.
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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: "cross...disciple"; cross is an instrument of execution but it symbolizes doing the Father's will. In prayer seek the grace to do what the Father wants of me and I will be the kind of disciple Jesus wants.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 15.1-10


11.06.13

Lectio: Lk 15.1-10

Meditatio :  "but the Pharisees and Scribes began to complain, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them'." Lk 15.2

Oratio: O God, how compassionate and merciful You are!

I remember Jesus showed this by not only welcoming sinners but eating with them - to the chagrin of the righteous but to to the joy if all!

Grant that I may imitate my gracious Lord and welcome all who come to me and rejoice when God uses me as an instrument to save what might be lost forever.

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: "complain .... Welcomes"; the former is the attitude of those who think they are righteous and look down on others, while the latter is Jesus' way and the way He calls us to be.cross...disciple". In prayer seek the grace to be kind and merciful towards all for that is Jesus' way and it must be our way, too!

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 16.1-8

11.07.13

Lectio: Lk 16.1-8

Meditatio :  "And the master commended the dishonest steward for acting prudently." Lk 16.8

Oratio: O God, You want us to use our smarts in seeking You and doing Your will as we do for ourselves.

I remember Jesus made this point when He yoked the parable of the dishonest steward.

Grant that I may be prudent in all my ways but especially in the ways You call me.

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: "commended...dishonest"; praised him not because he was dishonest, but because he acted prudently, meaning he looked at his situation and developed a plan that would secure his objective; in prayer seek the virtue of prudence as it is cardinal and it is important that we are prudent in Your ways and in what we do .

Tomorrow's reading: Jn 2.13-22

1.08.13

Lectio: Jn 2.13-22

Meditatio :  "Jesus said to them,'Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up'."  Jn 2.19

Oratio: O God, You want us to think in Your terms but we often fail to our regret.

I remember Jesus gave His authority for clearing out the temple of merchants but the religious leaders scoffed at it.

Grant that I may always remember that a temple is not simply a stone edifice but that all are called to be Temples of The Lord by virtue of our Baptism.

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: "destroy...temple"; destroy means to do away with-to annihilate; temple is the body of Christ; and they did destroy it through the crucifixion but Jesus restored it through Hus resurrection. In prayer give thanks and praise that Jesus has constituted us as living temples of the Holy Spirit at our Baptism and seek the grace to live as worthy temples.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 20.27-38

11.04.13

Lectio:  Lk 14.15-24                                                      

Meditatio:”But one by one they began to excuse themselves. Lk 14.18a

Oratio: O God, You sent Your Son to Your chosen People but sadly they rejected Him!

I remember Jesus made this point when He told a parable about the Great Feast and how all those invited made excuses and He then invited the Anawin and the Gentiles - how sad for the Chosen People! How fortunate for us!         

Grant that I may accept Jesus’ invite to His Heavenly banquet and show my acceptance by living a life in accord with His will.                    

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: "one by one....excuse”: the Chosen People rejected Jesus’invite to dine at the Heavenly Banquet by rejecting Him; but Jesus did not give up on filling the banquet as He extended the invitation to others who did accept; in prayer seek the grace to live a life that shows my acceptance of His invitation - a blessing beyond anything I can imagine..

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 14.25-33

11.03.13

Lectio:  Lk 14.12-14                                          

Meditatio:”blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteousness.” Lk 14.14

Oratio: O God, You want us to be charitable and You will repay us more than we have a right to expect.

I remember Jesus told His dinner host to invite guests who could not return the invite such as the poor; and the host will get a repayment in the resurrected life - what a reward for simply being generous towards the needy.

Grant that I may respond to Jesus’ call to be charitable and allow Him to repay your generosity in the way He deems best - either now or hereafter/

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: "inability..,repay...repaid...resurrection”: Jesus urges us to be charitable to those who cannot repay and if we do, He will see that we receive repayment in the next life; the only repayment that is everlasting and worthwhile - how generous of our God for so little on our part.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 14.15-24