6.30.14

  
 Lectio:  Mt 8.23-27                                                                                                                                                        
Meditatio: “The men were amazed and said, what sort of man is this,whom even the winds and the sea obey’?” Mt 8. 27           

Oratio: O God, You sent Your Son as one of us yet with great power so that we would easily believe in Him.

I remember Jesus when crossing the sea of Galilee with His disciples and a great storm arose and they were in danger of sinking, He simply rebuked the wind and the sea and a great calm immediately ensued - No mere man has such power but only one endowed with Your power and we would come to know that Jesus, the Son of Man, is Your Son. In prayer thank God for sending His Son to us so that we might reform and be gifted with eternal life.

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

Operatio: reflect: "amazed...winds...sea obey”; imagine being there! Your boat is about to be swamped and sink and a violent storm is raging - the only prospect is drowning; and then Your Master simply rebukes the storm and all is calm. In prayer thank God for loving us so and for the spirit of gratitude for the many gifts He bestows on us and especially the gift of life.

Tomorrow's reading: Mt 8.28-34

P.S. I am leaving St. Elizabeth Ann Seton today and taking up residence at St. Matthew Parish, 3000 Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia.  With the moving I am not sure when I will be able to resume my daily Lectio. But when I am situated and have the computer and internet running, I will resume. Meanwhile my prayers are with you and yours. Father Mike

6.29.14

  
 Lectio:

 Mt                         8.18-22                                                                                                                                             

Meditatio: “Another of his disciples said to him,’Lord, let me go first and bury my father.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead’.” Mt 8. 21-22

Oratio: O God, at times what we read in the Bible sounds so harsh!

I remember Jesus told a would be disciple who wanted to bury his father before following Jesus, that let the dead bury the dead. It sounds so insensitive! But when we reflect, we realize Jesus is using hyperbole to make a point; namely, discipleship requires a total commitment. In prayer seek the grace to commit totally to Jesus for anything less will not do.

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

Operatio: reflect: "Follow me....dead bury..dead”; an impossibility for the dead to bury the dead; but that is not Jesus’ point; His point is that discipleship requires total commitment. In prayer seek the grace to follow Jesus in the way He wants and not on the terms that I want.

Tomorrow's reading: Mt 8.23-27   

6.28.14

  
 Lectio:  Mt 16.13-19                                                                                                                                 
Meditatio: “Simon Peter said in reply, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’.”
 Mt 16.16

Oratio: O God, Peter was the first to reply when Jesus asked His disciples, ‘But who do you say that I am.’                 

I remember Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah and Your Son. What an insight! What a grace You bestowed on us in not only sending One in the mode of a great prophet, but sending Your Son. In prayer seek the grace to always listen and put into practice the words of Your Son for therein lies our destiny.

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

Operatio: reflect: "You... Messiah...Son of....God”; What a revelation! Peter made it first and all would come to know Jesus as such and through them and their successors we have come to know this wonderful truth. In prayer may we continually give thanks to Jesus for loving us so by becoming one of us so that we could become His brothers and sisters.

Tomorrow's reading: Mt 8.18-22   

6.27.14

  
 Lectio:  Lk 2.41-51                                                                                                                       
               
Meditatio: “After three days they found him [Jesus] in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him, were astounded at his understanding and his answers.” Lk 2.46-47

Oratio: O God, You so graciously revealed before Jesus time that He was the One whom the religious leaders should be looking.

I remember Jesus at the age of 12 sat in their midst and asked and answered questions and all we astonished at His understanding and answers. Surely, it was a sign that they should be aware of the growth of Him and be open to what He became - an itinerant preacher with a message that the Kingdom was at hand and speaking with authority and working miracles. But sadly, they did not. In prayer seek the grace to be open to what the Church teaches through its Pope and through the bishops in union with him for they are Jesus’ instruments now for His Good News.

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

Operatio: reflect: "midst...listening....asking...astounded”; at the age of 12, the age when manhood begins for the Jews,  Jesus not only went to the Temple but He listened, asked, answered and astounded the designated teachers of the Jewish faith but they failed to follow through and continued on their set ways. In prayer seek the grace to be opened to the Good News no matter who proclaims it for the Good News is for my true good.

Tomorrow's reading: Mt 16.13-19  

6.26.14

  
 Lectio: Mt 11.25-30                                                                                   

Meditatio: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I [Jesus] will give you rest.” Mt 11.28

Oratio: O God, You are so kind and merciful!

I remember Jesus invited all who are burden to come to Him and He will give them rest. How kind! How gracious! How concerned He is for our welfare! How gentle is His rule over us! In prayer seek the grace to have recourse to Jesus in all situations for He has assured us that He will be there for us and with His being there for us, He will see us through it

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

Operatio: reflect: "come...burdened...give...rest”; these four words say it all; when we struggle and labor and feel all is going awry, turn to Jesus and you will find Him there for you and He will give you rest; in prayer thank Jesus for being so kind and merciful and solicitous for our well being; and in gratitude extend a similar concern to those who lives you touch.

Tomorrow's reading: Lk 2.41-51

6.25.14

  
 Lectio: Mt 7.21-29                                                                                    

Meditatio: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Mt 7.21

Oratio: O God, You alone satisfy our deepest longings and Your Son has revealed how we can be satisfied.

I remember Jesus declared that those who do Your will enter the kingdom. But how will we know Your will?  Jesus told us that all that the laws and the prophets require is summed up in the Great Law of Love. In prayer seek the grace to love as Jesus told us and our hearts’ deepest longing - heaven, will be granted to us as His gift to us.

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

Operatio: reflect: "enter the kingdom...will of my Father”; the keys to the kingdom are ours for loving God with our all heart, our whole mind and our whole strength and our neighbor as our self. In prayer seek to always let love be out guide for it is the sure way to heaven and it is the best way to help others to be gifted with heaven, too.

Tomorrow's reading: Mt 5.25-30

6.24.14

  
 Lectio:  Mt 7.15-20                                                                        

Meditatio: “Beware of false prophets, who come in sheep’s clothing....by their fruits you will know them.” Mt 7.15a, 20a

Oratio: O God, You do not want us to be misled.          

I remember Jesus warned us against false prophets and He told us how we could recognize them. The false prophets He was warning us against were riches, power, prestige - the allure of this world that leads us away from You and our devotion to You.  In prayer seek the grace to keep our focus on You and to realize those things of this life that appear to satisfy can never satisfy our deepest longing; and therefore be mindful of this and seek not material things to satisfy our deepest desires but You alone for You alone can satisfy us.

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

Operatio: reflect: "false prophets...fruits....know”; a prophet is one who speaks of God about the things of God so as to lead to God - the source of all good- the source of our deepest longing; but often things of this world seem to speak to our hearts and we mistake what they offer as an end rather than a means to God; in prayer seek the grace of discernment so that our hearts will not be led astray by material things from the One who alone can satisfy our deepest longings.

Tomorrow's reading: Mt 7.21-29