No Favourites

So if all that we have in common means anything to you, welcome him as you would me.
Phil.17

Paul, a prisoner in chains, writes to a wealthy convert, Philemon, a letter to accompany the return of a slave, Onesimus. What do a prisoner, a rich man and a slave have in common? Jesus Christ.

Jesus levels the playing field. A pauper and a king are each the same before Jesus. All mankind is greatly loved. This is as revolutionary today as it was two thousand years ago. 

This truth is both a blessing and a responsibility. I am blessed knowing God has no favourites, that power and position hold no sway with him. I bear a responsibility to enact this truth in my relationships with every human being I meet, be he a prisoner, a rich man or a slave.

Jesus, help me treat all I meet today as you would treat them, with dignity, respect and love.
Saint Paul, please pray for me.

Grateful

It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’
Lk.17:17-19

Jesus has healed ten lepers. Only one gives thanks. What is it that has truly saved the life of this leper? Not his healing, which will have only a temporary effect. It is his faith as shown by his gratitude.

An attitude of gratitude. What  a great way to enter my day. Somehow gratitude makes the glass always appear half full. It's time to start counting my blessings.

"One, two, three up to infinity
I'd run out of numbers
Before I could thank You for everything
God, I'm still counting my blessings
For all that You've done in my life
The more that I look in the details
The more of Your goodness I find"

by Seph Schlueter

Christ is Risen Alleluia!

But he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed...
Jn.2:22

Jesus has cleared the temple of people using it as a marketplace, reconcercrating it for worship. Then he reveals God is not found just in a physical building but within him, and that he is risen and alive.

That Jesus rose from the dead is central to my Christian Faith. As Saint Paul says, if this is not true then we of all people are to be most pitied. 

But in fact Christ is risen. We are a resurrection people of joy and hope. Every day is Easter. Christ  is risen, Alleluia!

Jesus, you are alive. Today I live in the joy of your resurrection. 

Look for Others Advantage

‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’
Lk:.6:8

Jesus tells a parable that at first appears to be encouraging me to be selfish. The key to my understanding of the parable lies in a word from Jesus in the last verse. Astute.

Astute: Having an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage. 

Jesus sees astuteness as something to desire when dealing with other believers. This makes sense when remembering that the world Jesus calls me to, the world of "light", is the opposite of this present world. Instead of always looking for my own advantage, Jesus calls me to think of others first, to look for their advantage. I'm to be astute in calling forth good in others. 

Jesus, this is hard. Help me intentionally step into the world of light and love others as I love myself. 

Integrity

So stand your ground, with truth buckled round your waist, and integrity for a breastplate...
Eph.6:14

Satan ultimately wants my heart. So does Jesus. Paul gives the perfect armour for guarding my heart. Integrity.

Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. This reminds me of Jesus' description of people represented by the good soil in his parable of the sower of seeds. The good soil is people of noble and generous heart. You could say, people of integrity.

Jesus, let a noble and generous heart be my breastplate today.

Be Real

He said to them, ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.
Lk.17:24

I'm reminded of Mrs Turpin's end-times vision in Flannery O'Connor's short story, Revelation.

"She saw the streak as a vast swinging bridge extending upward from the earth through a field of living fire. Upon it a vast horde of souls were tumbling toward heaven. There were whole companies of white trash, clean for the first time in their lives, and bands of black niggers in white robes, and battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs. 

And bringing up the end of the procession was a tribe of people whom she recognized at once as those who, like herself and Claud, had always had a little of everything and the given wit to use it right…. Yet she could see by their shocked and altered faces even their virtues were being burned away."

I know I'm going to be shocked at who is ahead of me on the narrow road, the freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs. Their naked need is more honest and welcome in heaven than my forced piety.

Jesus, help me be real in my brokenness, at least with you.

The Perfect Man

so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.
Eph.4:12,13

Paul describes the path to perfection.... make a unity, that is Church, in the work of service.

Our own small parish is an example of this in practice. Many people volunteer their service to make the parish function. From church cleaning, flower arranging, reading, music... the list goes on. 

Where is my cog in this beautiful machine? Children's Liturgy, prayer ministry, hospitality, Alpha. These all have changed over the years and continue to change. What is important is that I remain engaged in the machine, that my cog still turns, adding its own energy to the greater work of service.

Holy Spirit, you are the source of creativity and energy. Fill me today so I may build up the body of Christ and become the perfect Man.

 

White Hot

Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 
Lk.12:51

Jesus warns that he will cause division. We all belong to one of two camps. Those for Jesus and those against him. He's either God, or not. He gives us no other option.

There's no middle ground with Jesus. He says he spits out the lukewarm. That leaves only hot or cold. I choose hot, white hot. Will that cause division in my life? Yes, it has. It has also created wonderful unity. For example, when my hot joins my wife's hot the temperature is radiated on those around us, our little church, our family.

Jesus, I fan into flame my gift of faith in you. Enkindle in me the fire of your love and I shall be created. Through me you can renew the face of the earth.

Keep a Short Account

You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Lk.12:40

Jesus clearly warns that the Day of Judgement will come but in a day and hour that no one knows. 

What's a sensible response to this warning? Keep a short account with God. Thank God for the sacrament of confession.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus.

Love Being Ready

It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready.
Lk.12:38

Jesus promises two things. The master will return. Only the ready will be received by him. 

So, how can I be ready for the master's return? Lots of pious calisthenics come to mind. I've distilled them down to one thing that will have me prepared for Jesus' return. Allowing myself to be loved. 

I don't have to do good. I don't even have to be good. I just have to allow myself to be loved. When I know in my heart that I am loved, warts and all, then goodness, or preparedness in the context of today's Gospel, simply flows from me.

Jesus loves me, this I know,
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong;
they are weak, but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

I Want I Want I Want Me Me Me Mine Mine Mine

Then he told them a parable: ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns...

Lk.12:16-18

Jesus warns against avarice. Riches before God are eternal. Riches before man are reconstituted dust.

The rich man's monologue reminds me of the lesson Hook gives in the movie of the same name, explaining why parents hate children. 

"Your mindless, inexhaustible, unstoppable, repetitive, and nagging demands: He took my toy! She hit my bear! I want a party! I want a cookie! I want to stay up! I want, I want, I want, me, me, me, me, mine, mine, mine, mine, now, now, now, now!"

Feeding the self centered me is exhausting. I'm never fully satisfied. Feeding the God centered me is far more fulfilling. 

Jesus, protect me from me. Give me more of you.

Peace to This House

Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. 
Lk.10:5,6

Jesus is instructing the seventy-two for their impending mission trip. While going as lambs among wolves, Jesus gives them a defensive strategy. Be lavish granters of peace.

Peace is disarming. It allays suspicion and hostility, softens hearts, and opens up a pathway to speak the Good News. 

Jesus, help me be a man of peace today.
Saint Luke, please pray for me.

Less of Me

Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! 
Lk.11:43

Jesus warns against seeking approval of man over approval from God. 

Yep, that's me. I often cloak this desire for man's approval, when it's given, with a false modesty that sounds something like, "Oh no, it wasn't me. It was Jesus". I tried this with my wife, who came back with, "Really? Actually, I think Jesus would have done much better." She saw right through me.

Perhaps a more honest response to praise would be, "Thank you. Isn't it amazing what God can do through us". Credit where credit is due.

Jesus, let there be less of me and more of you.

Happier Still

But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’
Lk.11:28

Jesus announces the flabbergasting truth that I can be happier than Mama Mary. How? By hearing God's Word and keeping it.

Sounds easy until I start hearing God's Word. Be humble. Judge not. Turn the other cheek. Walk the extra mile. Then the toughies... love myself and then love my neighbour as myself. 

Can I do this? No, but the Holy Spirit can through me.

Mama Mary, please pray for me.

Unity

Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses.
Lk.11:17

Jesus highlights the fatal path of disunity. A kingdom, a household, a relationship, anything that relies on unity to exist will collapse when divided. This universal law applies even to the spiritual world. 

It is no wonder that Jesus spent so much time praying for unity, especially among believers. Disunity enters my relationships when I place "me" ahead of "us". Paul writes in Philippians, "Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves." 

This reminds me of the fearful reaction I've observed in Catholic friends on their learning of a pentecostal church opening up directly adjacent to our local cathedral. Perhaps a better response would be to place our arms around the shoulders of these new Christian neighbours and say, "Brother, teach me everything you know."

Jesus, help me to humbly consider others as more important than myself.

Just Ask.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’
Lk.11:13

Here we have it, direct from Jesus. Ask God the Father for what? The Holy Spirit. And what will happen? The Holy Spirit will come. At least that has been my experience.

Come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful. Kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Forgive Us

and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us.
Lk.11:4

Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. He focuses in on humanity's core need, be forgiven, and core failing, reluctance to forgive. 

I would have expected Jesus to pray, teach us how to love. Instead he prays, teach us how to forgive. In Mt.6:14,15 Jesus doubles down on forgiveness saying I can only be forgiven as much as I forgive others. 

Forgiveness is an outworking of love. Love with forgiveness withheld is not love at all. Forgiveness needs to become spontaneous within me. Can I do this? No. But the Holy Spirit can, through me. 

Come Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful. Kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Timing

But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one.
Lk.10:41,42

Martha has welcomed Jesus into her house. She offers hospitality by serving him, a right thing, but while he is teaching, the wrong time.

Timing is everything. As we read in Ecclesiastes 3:1, there is a time for every purpose. The trick is to recognise the time before embracing the purpose, to know the season.

Also, maybe Martha's problem was doing the right thing but with the wrong attitude, worry and fret. Here is another lesson for me, as I tend to "worry and fret about so many things".

Saint Martha, please pray for me.

Joy

It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said:
Lk.10:21

The seventy-two return to Jesus with joyous reports of great victories over the forces of darkness. Their joy is contagious as it elevates Jesus into joyfill prayer to the Father.

I'm a joy-o-holic. When scripture includes the word joy I'm drawn to it like iron to a magnet. Today's reading presents a joyfest. Jubilant returning warriors reporting to their captain who receives them with great happiness. It's a scene in which I love to see myself as a joy-filled participant.

And I am in that joyous scene. I am in the winning army. The Church Militant will become the Church Triumphant. The same Holy Spirit who gave Jesus his joy is waiting to bestow it on me. My world today needs that contagious joy.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Enjoy the Feather

Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Mt.11:29

Feeling overburdened? Come to me says Jesus, I will exchange that pile of bricks you carry on your back for a feather.

Rest for my soul. Don't we all yearn for this deep, peaceful rest? I'm sitting in my lounge looking out on the unfolding of a beautiful spring morning. Yet, if I let my mind wander I soon feel the faint nag of anxieties... for my wife who is ill at the moment, for my children who all carry crosses of sorts, for myself over time pressures... and so it goes on. 

Give it all to me, says Jesus. Go on, all of it, hold nothing back. In exchange I give you a feather from the wing of that bird you hear singing outside at the moment. Take that feather into your day. It will remind you that I am walking beside you. Yes, those burdens exist, but I am carrying them.

Enjoy the feather...

Saint Francis, please pray for me.

The Power of Two

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. 
Lk.10:1

Jesus commissions the seventy-two for their mission trip, arranging them in pairs. A pair working together is more effective than two individuals working alone.  Forget the power of one. It's the power of two. 

I've experienced this truth in my marriage. My wife and I call it "Couple Power". It's something to do with the power of the marriage sacrament. One (husband) plus one (wife) plus one (Holy Spirit) equals a thousand. We still experience this phenomena when we minister together in prayer ministry and children's liturgy. 

There's also a practical side to this. One of us is the pointman while the other gives prayer cover. In youth ministry I've learnt, the hard way, that I can't be both preacher and policeman. 

Jesus was on to something. Ministry in pairs gets amazing results. 

Thank you Lord that through the power of our marriage we can proclaim the Kingdom of God is near at hand. 

My Angel

See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.
Mt.18:10

Feast of the Guardian Angels

Jesus holds up children as ones with a special status. While being the least in the world they are held highest in heaven, so high that angels continually guard them.

My logic tells me that the guardian angel watching over the child-me is still here, still guarding. As today's psalm reminds me, if I call the Lord "My Refuge" he will command angels to guard me. This is a great comfort and source of peace. 

 Lord, you are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.
Amen, Amen.

Love Brings Joy

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Ps.89:14

Moses cries out mankind's greatest desire. To be loved.

Christian faith is not about doing good, it is not even about being good; it is all about being loved! Once I realise that I am loved "no matter what", my self turns noble and right actions simply flow from me.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

The Heart of the Matter

 A man’s conduct may strike him as upright, the Lord, however, weighs the heart.

Pr.21:2

What a man thinks is based on appearance. What the Lord thinks is based on the heart.

This is so true for me. I tend to judge on appearances, both in others and myself. So how can I discern a man's heart? "By their fruit you shall know them", says Jesus. By my fruit I shall know myself.

What fruit am I currently producing? 

Holy Spirit, fill my heart with the fire of your love so I produce good fruit.

I'm Sick

And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.
Mt.9:13

Jesus calls Matthew the tax collector, who radically responds with a yes. He knows what he is. Sick and in need of a doctor.

There is the obstacle that prevented me for years from following Jesus. I wouldn't acknowledge I was sick and in need of a doctor. I thought myself a "good person". You could say I was a self-proclaimed virtuous. Virtuous people do exist but the authentic ones are not self-proclaimed. It's an epithet given by others who observe their character. 

My "all good people go to heaven and I'm leading the bunch" attitude was a fatal blindness. Once I saw I was sick in heart I started seriously seeking the physician, just like when I have a toothache I think of nothing but the dentist. 

This self proclaimed virtuousness is a creeping disease that too easily sneaks back into my heart. I am convicted by the Holy Spirit, often, and sent back to the hospital in the field of battle, the confessional in our parish of Saint Matthew's.

Saint Matthew, please pray for me.

But Wait There's More!

For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, you are still in your sins. 
1Cor.15:16,17

Paul teaches on what all our hope, as believers, hinges. Nothing less than Jesus rising from the dead.

As a non-believer I was like an ancient Greek. The resurrection of Jesus was laughable. When I finally acknowledged that Jesus is alive, everything changed and the biggest change was that I now had hope. I am no longer dead in my sins.

My time on earth is just the title page of the book of my life. Oh what glories await! What an exciting way to live. But wait, there's more!

Jesus, you are the resurrection and the life. I place my trust in you.

Forgive and be Forgiven

I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love.
Lk.7:47

Jesus confronts the judgement of Simon the Pharisee with Simon's own unrepentant and cold heart. The extravagant love demonstrated by the woman shows she has been forgiven extravagantly. The miserly love shown by Simon shows little forgiveness has been asked for or received. 

Ask and you shall receive. Divine forgiveness is waiting for me, in spades. I simply need to ask for it. 

However, there is a caveat. I will only be forgiven as much, or as little, as I forgive others. As C. S. Lewis wrote: 

"It is in the Lord's Prayer, it was emphatically stated by our Lord. If you don't forgive you will not be forgiven. No exceptions to it."

This is where it gets hard. This is where I need divine grace to forgive, say, an unrepentant murderer of one of my children. Then, and only then, can I be forgiven.

Could I do that? No. But the power of the Holy Spirit could, through me.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.

First Love then Speak

If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. 
1Cor.13:1

Paul entreats that love be the motivation behind any and all actions.

Tonight I am to speak at a gathering, giving my testimony. I need to love my listeners before I open my mouth to speak.

Lord, may the words from my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing unto you.
Amen.

Love Comes More Naturally

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too;
Lk.6:27-29

What is the great point of difference that sets Christianity apart from all other religions? Love your enemies.

Before I was a Christian, if you'd asked me what is Christianity about, I'd have said, "Some utopian dream about loving your enemies". Even as a non-believer I knew that love was at the core of Christianity. Perhaps this was why I could never completely dismiss it. In my heart I wanted it to be true, I wanted love to reign. 

Nelson Mandela said it most concisely: "No one is born hating another person ... People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."

Love comes more naturally. That's my take home for today.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. Enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Pray Where You Are

Jesus went out into the hills to pray; 
Lk.6:12

Jesus is about to choose the twelve apostles, his A team, from his followers. He starts with a night of prayer.

Jesus didn't toss out quick prayers on the run, or maybe he did but they are not recorded. What are recorded are his epic nights of prayer.

I remember my first ever prayer. It was on the beach at Stranraer, Scotland. It was 1981, prior to travelling to Europe with my wife and then one child. I was trying to decide between two vehicles to buy, the vehicle would be our home for the next few months. The purchase would use money reserved for our return flights home to New Zealand. The undertaking was risky and I felt the weight of responsibility. 

My wife was Catholic while I was a non-believer but recall walking on the beach and saying, "God of Kate, if you're up there, which vehicle should I buy?" I then walked up from the beach and bought the CF Bedford van. This was the larger vehicle and worked well as a camper around Europe. Six months later we sold it in London and made 50 pounds on the sale. 

It wasn't until years later that I recalled that answered prayer, and gave thanks for it.

Somehow, prayer moves God's hand. There's a mystery to it. It's now the glue that sticks my family together. If there is one thing we do, we pray.

Jesus, you model a prayerful life. May I always stay connected to you through prayer.

Don't Judge

There must be no passing of premature judgement. Leave that until the Lord comes; he will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of men’s hearts. Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from God.
1Cor.4:5

Paul instructs the Church to refrain from judging others. God alone knows what is in people's hearts and what is done in secret. I don't.

There is a propensity in me to judge. Time and again my assessment of others has proved incorrect. A recent example is a man whom I judged to be a liberal, armchair Catholic. I was surprised, and convicted, to learn that he has been quietly helping a family nurse a dying family member, even staying overnight to provide respite care. Then I learnt that his wife, whom I had tarred with a similar brush, is a regular helper at a food for the hungry program. 

God alone knows, I don't and so have no grounds on which to lay judgement. 

Jesus, forgive me for the judgments I have been quick to lay on others. I leave all judgement to you and fall on your mercy.

A Fool for God

Make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.
1Cor.3:18,19

The world looks at Christian faith as so much foolishness. Christians say yes, we are fools for God. Come and join us.

Worldly wisdom is empirical, it demands measured results. Faith sees past the scales and so has the bigger view. The longest view that faith gives is the view beyond the grave. On this the world is silent. 

Yet, faith still gives measured results. There are fruits from faith. Hope, peace, joy, love. These are all recognised and desired by the world and make faith intriguing. Today, I can be a fool for God and display the fruits of faith. I can be intriguing to the world and say, "Come, join us and be a fool for God".

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Amen.

A time for Milk A time for Meat

I treated you as sensual men, still infants in Christ. What I fed you with was milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it;
1Cor.3:2

Paul writes to the Church in Corinth to entreat them to stop behaving like children, forming little sects. He wants them to grow up and be unified so they are no longer fed on milk but on meat.

I am for Paul, I am for Apollos, I am for Charismatics, I am for Marian devotion. We form little cliques at our peril. The Church is big enough for all expressions of faith, but not at  the exclusion of others. Our differences become our strength once we accept and embrace them all. 

However, there is still a time for milk. During my conversion, my milk was children's Christian music. The simplicity of their message helped me step over my over-thinking adult mind. I need to return to that milk occasionally. 

Jesus, your simple message of love is milk for my soul. 

Jesus loves me this I know,
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong,
they are weak but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me,
the Bible tells me so.

Habits

Jesus came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. 
Lk.4:16

Jesus had routines, life habits. One was communal worship on the Sabbath.

I've just returned from a week's holiday in Rarotonga. If you're looking for a tropical island experience, I highly recommend Rarotonga. As beautiful as the time was, maybe because it was so beautiful, it broke my daily habits, one being morning prayer. It's good to be reestablishing this habit. 

When our children were little, my wife and I decided to be intentional about creating a Catholic culture in our home. We started with daily family prayer time. At first it was hard. Then slowly it became easier as everyone accepted that's something our family does. We pray. A habit had been established, a culture created.

It's wonderful to now see our children establishing a culture of prayer in their own homes with our grandchildren. And of course the grandchildren know when they stay with grandad and grandma, we pray after dinner, as we usually do. 

Jesus, help me maintain a culture of faith in you. 

Fill the Hearts of Your Faithful

I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; I shall remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh instead. 
Ez.36:26

God is promising to transform and restore the nation of Israel. How? From the inside out.

That's how God transforms not only nations but people. From the inside out. We have just completed running an Alpha Course. People are naturally curious and ask, "How did it go?" There's an easy answer and another that is harder to give. The easy answer is, people turned up, the venue was good, technology worked, and the food was great. The harder answer involves what happened on the inside, in people's hearts. This is sometimes clear but many times not. The seed of faith can take years to germinate and someone else does the harvesting.

The inside work is the work of the Holy Spirit. I can just help create an environment where the Holy Spirit can be invited in.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, who have taught the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise
and ever rejoice in his consolation.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Green Pastures Still Waters

The Lord is my shepherd;
  there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
   where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
  to revive my drooping spirit.
Ps.22:1-3

The Lord God himself shepherds me. And where does he lead? To green pastures and still waters.

I recall tramping in rugged bush near Lake Tarawera and coming across an unexpected small lawn of verdant grass next to the Tarawera River. At that point the river was smooth as glass, while up and down stream boulders made the river froth and churn. This image of green pastures and still waters has stayed with me as an idyllic place of rest and repose.

 Why, of all places, does the Lord lead me there? Why not to a mountain top or a sunny beach. Just like my mini shangri-la in the Tarawera bush, green pastures and still waters are remote and quiet. My drooping spirit is revived. I want for nothing.

While a physical location can help, spiritual stillness and refreshment can happen anywhere. Today I choose to listen more and say less, to be consciously calm within the rushing stream of life.

Thank you Jesus, my Good Shepherd, for leading me to green pastures and still waters. I place my trust in you.

A Contrite Heart

A pure heart create for me, O God,
   put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
   nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Ps.51:10,11

What draws in the Holy Spirit? A pure heart and a steadfast spirit.

The heart we're talking about here is not the muscle in my chest. It's the core of my soul that God is more interested in. A mixed, adulterated heart is impure. A wavering spirit is tossed about and irresolute. 

Psalm 51 goes on to say a contrite heart and spirit is not spurned. What draws God in is not just stopping doing wrong. It's knowing I've done wrong and seeking forgiveness. 

Lord, my sins you know them. Have mercy Lord on me, I am a sinner. 

All will be Well

The creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.
Mt.19:4-6

Jesus clearly defines the makeup of marriage. One man and one woman, becoming one body.

A prime minister here in New Zealand proclaimed, "If it's good for the family, it's good for the nation. If it's bad for the family it's bad for the nation." This was in the 1970s when there was no confusion about what constitutes a family. 

While there is much bad happening for families today, there is also much good. I have four married children. They all have their particular crosses to bear but they are all working on their marriages and I would say are happy at their work. 

I look at my children's marriages and think, "There is the silver bullet for the troubles of modern society." If all fathers would demonstratively love the mothers of their children, any statistic on social breakdown would be halved... at least. Children may go to school in bare feet with no breakfast, but if they know that dad loves mum, all is well in their world. It's not  rocket science.

Jesus, I ask you to bless my marriage and the marriages of my children, so that all will be well.

They are not meant to be Lost

"Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost."
 Mt.18:14

Children are very close to the Father's heart. Do I want to be in the center of God's will? Seek out and bring back his children.

A good friend has the heartache of having to help raise grandchildren because of son's marriage breakup. His son and three grandchildren live with him. Sadly, the son has turned his back on his Catholic upbringing and is refusing to let the children be baptised or given any sacraments of initiation.

I'm advising my friend, "Your castle, your rules bro." He has a wonderful window of opportunity to influence their little souls before they leave from under his roof. He can start simple but consistent faith routines in his home. Grace before every meal, in his home or in McDonalds. Prayer time after dinner every night. Christian music playing when they get up in the morning. A short prayer of blessing over them before they go off to school.

He can fight for them. They are not meant to be lost.

Jesus, help me be an agent that finds lost sheep and brings them home.

Cheerful Giving

For God loves a cheerful giver. 
2Cor.9,7

A sign of a believer is that he not only gives, but gives cheerfully.

Cheerfulness is the sign of a healthy and whole soul. Cheerful people are great to hang around, just as gloomy people are avoided. To be cheerful while giving says something even more. It indicates an authentic desire to elevate the other, a sign of genuine love.

Lord, I tend to be tight fisted. Help love be the motivation of my giving and open my grasp to give cheerfully.
Saint Laurence, who cheerfully gave even your very life, please pray for me.

The Deal about Death and Life

See now that I, I am He,
and beside me there is no other god.

It is I who deal death and life;
when I have struck it is I who heal.

It is I who deal death and give life.
Dt.32:39

Where does life come from, where does it go? I am He says the Lord.

A dear friend is facing death following a heart attack. The family has gathered with varying degrees of faith. For those with faith there is hope, for those without it is hopeless. 

How does the saying go? There are two certainties in life. Death and taxes. We make sure there is money in the bank to face the taxman. Let's make sure there is a reservoir of faith in my life to face God, for face him I will when the allotted time comes.

Jesus, I place my trust in you.

Saint Mary of the Cross

Feast - Saint Mary of the Cross (MacKillop)

 “To me the will of God is a clear book which I am never tired of reading, which has always some new charm for me”.

Saint Mary of the Cross, please pray for me.

Great Faith

‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.
Mt.15:28

Starting with ignoring her, then apparently insulting her, Jesus makes it hard for the Canaanite woman. What finally moves Jesus' hand and brings forth a miracle is what always moves him. Great faith.

Books have been written about what happened in this story. Was Jesus' mind changed by the woman's persistence? The gospel according to Mike says no. 

Jesus knew great faith was within the woman. He wanted to draw that beautiful faith out of her. Why? To demonstrate once again what constitutes the rich soil from which miracles spring. Great faith.

Yes Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief.

Tell Jesus

John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus.
Mt.14:12

This gruesome, despairing, dark tale of the beheading of John the Baptist finishes with a brilliant, piercing flash of hope. They went off to tell Jesus.

 I recall the shock of hearing of the suicide of a son of friends in our parish. I had been his confirmation sponsor. We immediately went to their home and wept with them. After a while, someone said, "Let's pray". We went and told Jesus.

Nothing changed but everything changed. It felt as though a corner had been turned. The parents of the boy still walk with a limp, but they have faith and hope and are still walking.

Jesus, in those times when we are so overwhelmed with grief, thank you for being there. We place our trust in you.

Faith

And he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Mt.13:58

The home town of Jesus, instead of being blessed, was cursed with a lack of miracles. Why? Because of their lack of faith.

It took me years to understand what Catholics meant by "the Faith". At first I took it to signify a blind acceptance of tradition replacing a personal relationship with Jesus. I've grown to understand that it is a gift that opens the door for Jesus to step through. It is the key to miracles happening.

Thank you Jesus for my gift of faith. I place my trust in you.

Let Loose the Hounds

there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. 
Mt.13:43

Jesus gives only two harvest time options... weeping or shining. He is very clear about heaven and very clear about hell. I hear lots of preaching about the former but not too much about the latter. 

Although the pull of love is what we preach, sometimes the hounds of heaven are just as effective in getting people into the kingdom. Jesus wasn't shy in using them.

Jesus, in the areas of my life where I toy with sin and am complacent, let loose the hounds. 

Wheat among the Weeds

“Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this.” he answered. 
Mt.13:27,28

The intended harvest is pure wheat. Weeds from the enemy invariably get in. They are both allowed to grow together, awaiting sorting at the harvest.

As long as I am living in this mortal coil, weeds are part of who I am. I don't invite them, I don't want them, but there they are. I see them. I know them.

The beautiful thing is, Jesus sees only my wheat. He looks past the weeds and calls forth the wheat. My wheat rises to the light of the Son.

My mother in law had the wonderful habit of always finding the good in people. Time and again I watched as people rose to her view of their goodness, usually people who I would step over to the other side of the road to avoid. 

Jesus sees my goodness, my wheat. He steps back over the road to be with me, to help me rise to the goodness he sees in me.

Thank you Jesus for finding gold in my myrie clay, wheat among my weeds. Help me see myself rightly, as you see me, and rise to that best version of myself.

Generous and Good

Here is a list of generous men whose good works have not been forgotten. In their descendants there remains a rich inheritance born of them.
Eccl.44:10,11

Generosity and good works leave an indelible mark. Where? On future generations.

Today is the feast of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary of whom tradition says were people of generosity and goodness. We may not know much of them directly as the Bible is silent about them but we can draw much of their character by what we know of their daughter. 

What can people draw of my character from my children and grandchildren? My responsibility is to witness generosity and goodness before my children. These are virtues that are absorbed not forced. 

Holy Spirit, inspire in me generosity and goodness today. Saints Joachim and Anne, please pray for me.

 

Soften the Heart

He said, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow.

Mt.13:3

Jesus tells his well known parable of the sower. The Word of God, the seeds, is sown into the hearts of the people, the ground. The seed is constantly good. The ground varies. 

My heart had to be made soft before I could receive God's Word. God used a Marriage Encounter Weekend to change my heart of stone to soft, rich soil. As I fell in love with my wife all over again, my love affair with Jesus also started. 

Here lies a masterful lesson on evangelistion. Soften the heart before throwing the seed. This invariably involves investing in relationships, which takes time. However, it's time well spent.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Timing

The Pharisees went out and began to plot against Jesus, discussing how to destroy him. Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district.
Mt.12:14,15

Jesus knows he has a death warrant against him. He hides, not to avoid death but to ensure the right timing of it.

Jesus hides from the plotting Pharisees. The time has not yet arrived when he will march resolutely up and submit to them. Like everything he does, Jesus' timing is perfect. 

I'm reminded of Ecclesiastes 3:1-11,"There is a time for every purpose under heaven." The skill is determining the season correctly. I'm in a different space than I was a year ago, a month, a day. I'm faced with choices today. When to push forward, when to hold back. When to stand and when to withdraw. When to fight, when to let it pass. 

The only common denominator is love. In each season the imperative is to do the loving thing, even when it can look unloving at the time. 

This is where the Holy Spirit steps in. It takes the gifts of knowledge, wisdom and prophecy to correctly determine the season, to get the timing right.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Rest for My Soul

I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 
Mt.11:29

Jesus spreads his arms to the crowds inviting them to come. Come to what? Come to what is our deepest longing, rest for our souls. 

When I rest my body I feel great. But, when I rest my soul I feel sublime. I feel Jesus' embracing arms cradling me. This deepest rest is found in gentleness and humility. No pressure, no expectations. Just sweet, deep rest. 

Jesus, I take up your offer. Here are my heavy burdens. They are now yours. In their place I receive your rest for my soul. 

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

A Mere Child

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children.'
Mt.11:25

Jesus highlights that cleverness is not essential for understanding. Comprehension comes from a childlike faith. 

My conversion ground to a halt when I tried to understand everything. Thank God my puny brain eventually gave up and I simply said, "I believe." Then I understood.

Does this mean I am to stop reading, studying, and learning? Of course not. They all expand my understanding, but my understanding always comes from my childlike faith. 

God chose the foolish to shame the wise so that no one can boast.

Lord Jesus, in your kingdom less always means more. Keep me humble, keep me small, keep me a mere child that I may never boast.
Saint Therese of Lisieux, please pray for me.

 

Come Holy Spirit

It is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.
Mt.10:20

Jesus commissions the twelve for their first  mission trip, warning they will face opposition, both from without and from within. But even though he will not be with them, they will not be alone. The Holy Spirit will be within them.

Nothing has changed. Opposition to the Good News is still evident. However, the promise is the same also. We are not alone. The Holy Spirit is within us. 

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, who have taught the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise
and ever rejoice in his consolation.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Mercy Triumph

I tell you solemnly, on the day of Judgement it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom and Gomorrah as with that town.
Mt.10:15

Jesus commissions the twelve to go and proclaim the Good News while relying totally on the people to whom they are ministering for their physical needs. Those who accept them and welcome their message will be blessed. Those who reject them fall under a curse.

Judgement day will come. It's not dwelt on too much these days, but Jesus said it so we'd better take heed. In a way it's a relief. I don't have to make judgement, in fact I'm commanded not to. I can leave judgement up to God, the only one who can. My role is to beg for God's mercy to triumph over judgement, mercy not only for perpetrators of evil but also for myself who stands among their number.

Jesus, may your mercy triumph over judgement. I place my trust in you.
Saint Benedict, please pray for us.

 

Go Proclaim

And as you go, proclaim...
Mt.10:7

Jesus is commissioning the twelve for their first mission trip. The mission's brief was brief. Go, proclaim.

Jesus initially instructed that the God News be proclaimed just to "the lost sheep of the House of Israel." However, later the Church was compelled by the Holy Spirit to tell the Good News to the pagans as well. The missionary field changed but the basic instruction didn't. Go, proclaim was and has always been the mission of the Church. 

So, how's my going and proclaiming? The final night of the Alpha Course sponsored by our parish is happening this week. What a great vehicle to "Go, proclaim!"  Time to pray in another one...

Jesus, thank you for the great privilege to go and proclaim. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Stretcher Bearer

A number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. 
Mt.9:10

Jesus attracted the very ones that repelled the pious Pharisees. The only difference between the sinners and the Pharisees appears to be that the sinners acknowledged their sin and their need for Jesus. The Pharisees. didn't.

Jesus drew sinners to himself. Today's Church has lost that charism. The very ones that Jesus came for are repelled, rightly or wrongly, from our pews. They smell the odor of judgement oozing out from our doors. 

We need to regain the virtue of loving acceptance and become the hospital in the field of battle that Pope Francis is calling us to be. 

To that end, I need to become a stretcher bearer in the field of battle.

Saint Matthew, please pray for us.

Authority

But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralytic – ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home. 
Mt.9:6,7

Jesus demonstrates his authority to forgive sins by doing the apparently more difficult thing, healing a cripple. What this more clearly shows is that Jesus wants to give complete healing, in body, soul and spirit.

Thank you Jesus for the healing you have done and are doing in my life. You are the source of my freedom and joy.
Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.

Save Us Lord!

Save us, Lord, we are going down!
Mt.8:25

The disciples, experienced fishermen, succumbed to fear of the storm sinking their boat. Their prayer is simple and direct... "Save us Lord, we are going down!"

Short prayers are the best. There is honesty in a short prayer that can get lost in a long one. And, a short prayer is enough for Jesus. He rebukes the wind and waves, the storm disappears. 

Jesus is either Lord of all, or not at all. Nothing I face today will be a surprise to Jesus. I simply keep my eyes on him, in faith, and all will be well.

Jesus, even the winds and waves obey you. I place my trust in you.
Saint Peter who walked on the water, pray for me.

Be Wise and Act

Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. 
Mt.7:24

Jesus finishes his great Sermon on the Mount by saying in effect, you have heard, now be wise and act.

It's easy to cry out "Lord, Lord!" but not so easy to act. To act requires commitment, putting skin into the game. There are things I need to "do" today, things I need to act out. 

Lord, may my actions speak louder than words today.
Saint Philip Neri, please pray for me.

Where is My heart?

But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Mt.6:20,21

Jesus continues his great Sermon on the Mount. He warns us to be careful about what we desire with our heart. Earthly treasure perishes. Heavenly treasure lasts. So goes our heart.

My heart is what the devil wants. He will tempt it with all sorts of treasures, all of them earthly. I want my heart to belong to Jesus. He is my pearl of great price. I internationally give him my heart each day. I give him my heart today.

Saint John the Apostle, lover of Jesus, please pray for me.

Expect the Unexpected

And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him...
1Kings.19:12,13

Elijah is hiding in fear of his life. God calls him to a final bold mission, to go anoint kings and prophets. God's voice is heard not in the mighty tempests but in a gentle breeze.

God can speak in any form he wishes... fire, storm or earthquake. It's good to know his vocabulary includes the gentle breeze. 

Our Alpha Away Day is on tomorrow. This is a good reminder to expect the unexpected when it comes to hearing God. 

Speak Lord, your servant is listening.

Love

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. 
Mk.12:30,31

Jesus answers the scribe's question on which is the first commandment. His answer is twofold, love God and love others. Or put more simply, love. Loving my neighbour is loving God.

This is an advance on the Golden Rule that says treat others the way you wish to be treated. How do I wish to be treated? With love. Nothing would be higher treatment. 

The scribe's clear understanding of what is the greatest commandment places him very close to the kingdom of God. I would do well to follow.

Come Holy Spirit. Fill me so I can better love God by loving others today.

The Day of God

You should be living holy and saintly lives while you wait and long for the Day of God to come, when the sky will dissolve in flames and the elements melt in the heat. 
2Pt.3:11-12

Peter outlines what the life of a believer looks like. We are saints longing for the day of destruction. Why? For the glory that is surely to follow.

The sky in flames and the earth a molten puddle will not be able to be ignored. All will apprehend it, some with cries of horror and others with cries of joy.  To be one of the latter, I am to live a holy and saintly life. 

Come Holy Spirit. Help me be a saint today as I long for the Day of God.
Saint Peter, please pray for me.

Eye on the Prize

Glory be to him who can keep you from falling and bring you safe to his glorious presence, innocent and happy.
Jd.17:24

Jude has just warned about people to whom we must be kind but with great caution, lest they contaminate us.  What are we at risk of losing? Being brought into God's glorious presence, innocent and happy.

That's the end goal, innocence and happiness before God. It pays to keep one eye firmly fixed on this while living out my day. This is called an eschatological worldview. Measure everything against what is to happen at the end of time, the prize of infinite value. Keep my eye on the prize.

Jesus help me be cautiously kind, lest I lose innocence and happiness before you.
Saint Jude, please pray for me.

Spontaneous Joy

Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry...
Lk.1:41,42

Mary's visit to Elizabeth becomes the first earthly acknowledgement, apart from Mary's, of God's incarnation. It involves leaping with joy and loud acclamation.

Elizabeth's and her unborn baby's reactions are spontaneous and joyful. I recall my first discovery of Jesus was also joyfully spontaneous. He has that sort of effect. Sombre restraint is the opposite and I find myself in that mood when I'm feeling distant from him. 

Guess who has moved? Not Jesus.

Lord Jesus, I turn back to you today. Give me spontaneous joy to acclaim you.
Saint Elizabeth, please pray for me.

Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.

Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ 
Mk.10:51

Why does Jesus ask Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, what doesn't require asking? To draw faith out of him. Faith not only gives Bartimaeus his sight, it saves him.

Jesus uses every situation to draw out faith from people. Where there is faith, miracles happen. Simply by reading today's gospel story of Bartimaeus' miracle healing, my faith is built up. As the crowd said to Bartimaeus, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”

Come Lord Jesus. work miracles in my life and the lives of those I love.

Listen

They said to him, ‘Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus said to them. 
Mk.10:37-38

Jesus has just explicitly outlined what is about to happen to him. It's the third time he's predicted his death. But, what is it the apostles want to talk about? Who gets the glory.

Selective listeners are described as people who are really good at listening... to what they want to hear. James and John's question to Jesus shows just how much they hadn't heard him. 

I'm guilty of selective listening, of listening only to what I want to hear. I could be missing out on what is really important. The antidote is to be present to the speaker, to actively listen regardless of what I think about their topic. Children are great ones on which to practice this.

Jesus, you are totally present to each individual. Give me that gift so I can fully engage with those you send my way today.
Saints James and John, please pray for me.

Open Hand

‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’
Mk.10:26-27

Jesus has just insisted on the difficulty for rich people to enter the kingdom of heaven. The disciples see this as an obstacle to salvation. Jesus says no, with God all is possible.

There is always someone poorer than me. Put another way, I'm always a rich man when compared to some others. There is always the poor to whom I can give. Jesus is concerned about my tendency to grasp. My hand is more naturally closed than it is open. This reflects the state of my heart.

Am I a lost cause? On my own strength, yes. With God's help, no. 

Jesus, help my hand be open to the poor I meet today.

Forgiven and Loved

For as the heavens are high
above the earth
so strong is his love for those
who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west
so far does he remove our sins.
Ps.102:11,12 

Psalm 102(103) paints a picture of God the Father head over heels in love. With whom? With me.

The writing of this psalm is attributed to David. It certainly has his fingerprints all over it. As Jesus said, he who has been forgiven much shows much love. This psalm was written by someone who had been forgiven much and knew he was loved.

What a marvelous word to take into my day. Yes, I'm a dirtbag. Yes, I'm forgiven. Yes, I'm loved.

Loving Father, you have crowned me with love and compassion. I press myself into your loving embrace.

Focus on Following

Peter said to Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’ 
Jn.21:22

Peter asks Jesus what is to happen to John the Apostle. Jesus' answer is a mild rebuke to Peter to be concerned about his own business only. What is that? To follow Jesus.

Peter's question came from curiosity, not concern. These days we are encouraged to be curious by the world. Worldly curiosity is insatiable and a distraction. Jesus says no, be curious only about how to best follow him. Being a stumbling follower is not such a bad occupation after all.

Jesus, I do become curious about things that are not my concern. Help me stay focused on following you.
Saint Peter, please pray for me.

Fuel in the Tank

'Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.
Jn.21:17

The risen Jesus reinstates Peter as leader of the early Church with his three-fold question, "Do you love me?" Peter's love for Jesus is to be expressed by his love for the Church.

As Saint Paul wrote, no matter what works of piety or service I do, if I do not have love as my motive I have nothing. 

Holy Spirit, help love be the fuel in my tank as I serve my local Church. Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me.
Saint Peter, please pray for me.

Take Courage Dear Heart

Next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.’
Acts.22:11

Paul has just witnessed as a prisoner before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. Jesus now calls him to witness in the center of the then known world, Rome.

Paul must have known Rome would herald the end of his life. He was about to step into the lion's mouth. Jesus gave him the virtue necessary... courage. 

Proclaiming, witnessing, the Good News about Jesus takes courage. There is a boldness in the Gospel that either attracts or repels. Paul's powerful witness came from his courage and confidence in not being afraid to say what he knew to be true.

Jesus gives courage when it's needed.

Jesus, give me a boldness in witnessing for you in the Alpha Course tonight.
Saint Paul, please pray for me.

Not Alone

I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one.
Jn.17:15

Jesus is in the upper room, knowing what is about to take place on Cavalry. His final prayer is for his disciples who are left behind in the world. They are to stay behind, for the moment, under the protective hand of God. 

It's good to remember that while in the world I am in a spiritual battle. There is an adversary, the evil one, who wants my heart, my soul. But look who's protecting me. God himself! All the more reason to press into him each morning in my prayer time, to seek God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in the sacraments. 

Thank you Jesus that you have not left me alone, that you walk with me into this day. Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me.

Holy Spirit Fall Afresh

But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth.
Jn.16:13

Jesus continues to elevate the Holy Spirit before the apostles. He is about to leave them but they will not be left alone.

Jesus is introducing the Holy Spirit to the early Church. The third person of the Trinity is the essential leader of the Church once Jesus has ascended, of the Church of today. "Complete truth" encompasses everything that the Church needs to know, that I need to know. 

Come Holy Spirit, Fall afresh on me
Fill me with your power, satisfy my need

Only you can make me whole
Give me strength to make me grow
Come Holy Spirit, Fall afresh on me

Come Holy Spirit

It is for your own good that I am going because unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I do go, I will send him to you.
Jn.16:7

Jesus is preparing his disciples for his approaching death. His departure is for their good. How? Because the Holy Spirit will then come.

Jesus elevates the importance of the Holy Spirit by doing a John the Baptist. "I must become less so that he can become more." This means the Holy Spirit is a key figure in my Christian walk. He is my advocate, my comforter, my guide and source of divine power. 

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Way Truth Life

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jn.14:6

Jesus is answering Thomas' question, "How can we know the way?" Jesus' answer is unambiguous. I am the only way.

The way to God the Father is only via Jesus. Other religions are not just different paths to the same destination, as much as we wish it were so. This clarifies how I should be living, by following him and him alone. Not only that, but pointing to Jesus as the only way should be my major preoccupation. Others need to know.

Jesus, you are my way, my truth and my life. I place my trust in you.
Saints Philip and James, please pray for me.

Complete Joy

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete
Jn.15:11

Jesus has just told his disciples, and me, that we have been loved and are being loved by him. The result? A complete joy.

Yesterday, I was listening to a song by Mat Mayher taken from The Song of Songs. There is one line, "You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes" that penetrated my soul. I realised I am the one who has stolen God's heart, that he is head over heels in love with me! 

My joy is complete...

 

Flatmates

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you.
Jn.15:4

Jesus is emphasizing the importance of being connected with him, the vine. He then raises the bar, saying not only are we connected but we are at home, living with each other.

I remember back in my single days living in a flat shared with others. When I first moved in, some of the flatmates I didn't know very well. That soon changed as we lived together. There is an intimacy that comes with sharing the same toilet and bathroom. In some cases this resulted in lifelong friendships. 

Jesus invites me to make my home with him. He wants to be my flatmate, to share my daily living with him. He is no distant, cold God. He's the closest and best of friends. 

Jesus, make your home in me as I make my home in you.

A Good Man

They sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith.
Acts.11:22-24

Barnabas was nicknamed Son of Encouragement for good reason. The source of his good will and optimism? The Holy Spirit and faith.

The Bible is full of manly role models. Barnabas is up there among them. His generosity in giving the proceeds of a land sale to the apostles first gains the attention of the early Church. He becomes a trusted member who is sent out on missions, initially by himself and then with Paul. 

Barnabas is remembered not only for his generosity and encouragement but also for his goodness, faithfulness and for being Spirit-filled. I would be happy to be remembered with any one of these characteristics, to be remembered as a good man.

Saint Barnabas, please pray that I may be filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.

Hear and Obey

Then Ananias went. He entered the house, and at once laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way here so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’
Acts.9:17

Ananias wanted to run away from Saul. Jesus told him to run to him. In his obedience he gave Saul a gift. New sight and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus called Ananias and Ananias heard him, remonstrated but finally obeyed. There have been times I have not wanted to do something yet have felt compelled, convicted even, to do it. Each time I have been obedient, the Holy Spirit has been involved. 

I need to hear and obey if I want the Holy spirit to work in my life. What an exciting way to live.

Jesus, you know my fears. Help me overcome them and obey. Come Holy Spirit.
Saint Ananias, please pray for me.

Guide

When Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ ‘How can I’ he replied ‘unless I have someone to guide me?’ 

Philip is directed by the Holy Spirit to a divine appointment where he helps a man ultimately receive new life in Jesus. How did he do this? By guiding him.

I was guided by various people in my conversation and early days as a Christian. I am forever grateful to these good souls who not only talked but walked the talk. 

One of the names of the Holy Spirit is Paraclete, or guide. Each time I guide someone in their faith walk it is the Holy spirit working through me, just as he did through Philip. What an honor. What a joy.

Holy Spirit, guide me to guide others as you did with Philip, that all may be drawn to Jesus.
Saint Philip, please pray for me.

Sates and Slakes

I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst. 
Jn.6:35

Hunger and thirst. Two fundamental human emotions that demand being met in order to stay alive. Jesus meets the demands of both and gives eternal life.

I remember, before my conversion, the gnawing hunger of my soul. I tried the world's remedies. They didn't work. 

Jesus sates my hunger and slakes my thirst. He satisfies me. Jesus, you are the bread of my life. 

Peace Be With You

Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ 
Lk.24:36

Jesus appears to the disciples who are still trying to understand what has happened because of the empty tomb. His first words to the early Church still need to be heard in the Church today. "Peace be with you."

No matter our station in life, we all long for peace. It's a universal human longing. The disciples had all abandoned Jesus at his crucifixion. They needed to receive Jesus' peace because it also meant they had received his forgiveness. 

I need to receive Jesus' peace because I also am in need of his forgiveness.

Thank you Jesus for your peace beyond understanding. Thank you Jesus for your forgiveness.

Job Description

You, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them.
Acts.6:3

The Apostles instruct the early Church on what characteristics men must have before delegating them; good reputation, wisdom and be filled with the Holy Spirit.  What was the duty of these worthy and pious men? Simply to hand out food.

It appears that to do anything in the name of Jesus, be it menial or elevated, the Holy Spirit is required, not just required but essential. The servant duty of handing out food required good, wise men filled with the Holy Spirit. These are the essential qualities needed in any job description within the Church.

How do I measure up? 

Come Holy Spirit. Make up what I lack within me.
Saint Stephen, please pray for me.

Hand it Over

Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?
Jn.6:9

Jesus sees the need and the solution to the five thousand's hunger. The apostles only see the problem. The little boy simply sees Jesus.

I'm often like the apostles. Problems loom large, sapping energy and faith. The little boy wouldn't have known how Jesus would use his humble offering, he just gave it anyway. His open mouthed, simple gaze showed all the faith needed for Jesus to perform one of his greatest miracles. 

The lesson here. Yes, acknowledge the problem then turn to Jesus and offer whatever meager resource I have towards solving it. Then, and this is the key, leave it with Jesus to take care of. When I do this, problems become opportunities for miracles to happen.

Jesus, I place my trust in you.

Heavy Lifting

The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
Jn.3:14,15

Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus where he came from, heaven, and what must be done with him, be lifted up.

I just can't ignore Jesus. He's either dead in the tomb or alive and lifted up. I have to make a choice. Moses' bronze serpent miraculously gave life when lifted up. Jesus says he can do the same if we lift him up, and we're talking about eternal life here. 

Previous verses hint at who will do the heavy lifting in us, the Holy Spirit. I can't lift Jesus up alone. I need the power of the Holy Spirit blowing and flowing within me.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Come and Eat

Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ 
Jn.21:12

After a night of not catching any fish, the disciples are met on the beach by the resurrected Jesus. He draws them to him by the best of invitations. "Come and eat..."

Is there anything better sizzling in a pan than fish that thirty minutes earlier had been swimming in the sea? Jesus knows how to catch the attention of disappointed, lousy fishermen. The only times the apostles are recorded as catching fish is when Jesus directs them where to throw their nets. 

Jesus is about to give Peter his great commission to feed and take care of the lambs and sheep of the Church. He strengthens Peter physically then spiritually. Sharing a meal with others gives a powerful sense of belonging. In a world full of isolated and lonely people, this is still the best way to reach out.

Jesus, show me the people who need to hear the invitation, "Come and eat."

What Things?

Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’ ‘What things?’ he asked. 

Jesus meets the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It only takes two words from Jesus to draw out all their grief. "What things?"

People long to be heard. We get enough of being talked to, but to be really heard is rare. Jesus puts their dark story into perspective, placing it under the light of scripture, into the light of his story. The tragedy of his crucifixion is not the end of the story. In fact, it is only the title page of the real story, the story not of death and darkness but of light and life. This is the story in which I am a character with a role to play.

Jesus, you are the consummate listener. Help me be present and listen to those I meet today.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Power of One

It is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.
Jn.11:50

The Sanhedrin are meeting to plan what to do about the problem of Jesus. Caiaphas the high priest gives the final solution. Kill him. The stage is set for Holy Week. 

Caiaphas' pragmatic solution, kill one for the betterment of many, is the exact opposite of Jesus' solution, save one for the betterment of all. For Jesus, the individual is of paramount importance. I matter supremely to Jesus. I have the power of one.

If the individual matters to Jesus, the individual must matter to me as his follower. 

Jesus, help me see and serve the individual you place before me today. 

Be One

Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. 
Lk.11:17

Jesus is answering the accusation that he casts out devils by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of devils. Even logic refutes this as an impossibility. Being a consummate teacher, Jesus uses the occasion to teach a truth... united we stand, divided we fall. 

Much of Jesus' prayer recorded in the Gospels is for unity among believers. For good reason. He knows our propensity to disunity and the power of its destruction. 

Striving for unity, sooner or later, involves me giving up my rights... and that is hard. Even so, what is the alternative? A collapsed house, a ruined kingdom.

Jesus, help me give up my rights as you gave up yours. 
Saints Felicity and Perpetua, please pray for me.

The Spirit of the Law

Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.
Mt.5:17

Jesus has just started his great Sermon on the Mount, establishing the ground rules for what he is about to teach. The letter of the law is about to be given spirit. "You have heard it said... but I tell you..."

The letter of the law is death. The spirit of the law gives life and life in its fullness. The Pharisee within me loves the letter of the law. It is crisp, black and white, easy to administer. The trouble with the letter of the law is that it not only condemns those to whom I apply it, it condemns me! 

The spirit of the law applies the letter of the law through the lens of mercy. Mercy is messy. When mercy is applied I get the nagging feeling that people are "getting away with it". And indeed they are. Praise God!

As a man who would be hung, drawn and quartered by the letter of the law, I thank God for the spirit of the law. His mercy is my only hope.

Thank you Jesus for your wonderful mercy. I place my trust in you.

Love

But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven.
Mt5:44,45

Jesus raises the bar on what it means to be a follower of him. Pray for my persecutors, love my enemies. This is the test of an authentic Christian.

My human nature wants to curse my persecutors and hate my enemies. The world would welcome and applaud me as one of its own. I am called to something greater, something divine. 

Easy to achieve? Jesus never says that. He just does it and then turns, beckons me and says, "Come, follow me". 

Lord, with you all things are possible. I place my trust in you.

Stretcher Bearer

It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.
Lk.5:31,32

In calling Matthew the tax collector and then attending a party of tax collectors and sinners, given in his honour, Jesus unequivocally announces who he came for. The sick, the sinner, the bottom of the heap. 

Jesus clearly attracted broken people, the social outcasts. In the last two thousand years the Church has lost that charismatic appeal. I know in my pre-christian days, the Church was the last place I felt drawn to in my brokenness. "They'd just make me feel worse!" 

People are aching for the healing that only Jesus can give. I love Pope Francis' vision of the Church as a hospital in the field of battle. I want to be a stretcher bearer in that sort of Church. 

Jesus, help me be an agent not of judgement but of compassion that people may be drawn to you, the great physician. 

Die to Live

If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.
Lk.9:23

Jesus reveals what it takes to live as a disciple... death.

Death as Jesus talks about it isn't the final end of the story. It is a door to new life. That has certainly been my experience. The death of my old man gave birth to a new man, a baby full of new life. 

In A Christmas Carol, I love how Scrooge declared on waking from his terror with the Spirits of Christmas, "I don’t know anything. I’m quite a baby. Never mind. I don’t care. I’d rather be a baby.” That Christmas Day was the first day of his new life.

Jesus says this death needs to happen daily. Today, again, can be the first day of my life!

Jesus, today I die so I may live. Oh what joy!

Good Yeast

Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.
Mk.8:15

Jesus warns of the negative influences that can have a bad effect on how we live. Bad yeast... bad loaf.

When I think of "bad yeast" in my life I remember the 60s and 70s era in which I was raised. The "do what you like" culture of sex, drugs and rock n roll took its toll on me and others with whom I lived.  

However, there was good yeast among the bad. I remember a wonderful Catholic lady who sat on the back step and patiently listened to the unbelievable babblings of an unbelievable teenager. She later became my mother-in-law. Her witness continues to influence me.

Jesus, help me be good yeast to those I meet today, especially the young. 

Compassion

Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, "I feel sorry for all these people".
Mk.8:1,2

After teaching a great crowd for three days, Jesus is moved by compassion for them to perform a miracle. He feeds them all from seven loaves and a few fish.

Compassion: The sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. It's a great motivator for acts of love and acts of love can result in miracles. 

Lord, stir within me compassion for those I meet today.
Saint Scholastica, please pray for me.

Create in Me a Pure Heart

For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge.
Mk.7:21

Jesus makes the point that religious observance without purity of heart is deceitful hypocrisy. Jesus is more concerned with my inner health than my outer observances.

Jesus consistently refers to the state of the heart. Is it clean or unclean, pure or impure? He zeros in on the truth that good or evil actions start from good or evil thoughts and thoughts are generated from the state of my heart. 

Healthy heart, healthy thoughts, healthy actions. 

Lord, create in me a pure heart. Put a steadfast spirit within me.

His Healing Touch

They laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.
Mk.6:56

Jesus' fame had gone before him and now crowds of sick are being healed, simply by a touch.

In this Gospel account, the invitation to touch comes from Jesus while the initiative to touch comes from the toucher. In my own experience of a wonderful healing, I had to invite Jesus in, touch him, to receive the healing. 

Jesus heals through relationships, either directly with the person in need of healing or through "friends of friends". Our God is a personal God who wants to touch our lives.

Jesus, I touch you anew this morning. Heal me so I may bring others to your healing touch.
Saint Agatha, please pray for me.

Guilt-free Rest

Then he said to them, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’.
Mk.6:31

The apostles have returned from their mission trip full of news on what they had done. Jesus senses what they really need... rest.

Jesus endorses rest. Hardly a surprise as so did his Father on the seventh day of creation, but still, what a relief. 

I've just returned from a six day retreat. On day one the Spirit led me to the 23rd Psalm. My initial reaction was, "Why? I've heard and read this so many times". Then, I was led to the second verse, "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters." 

It struck me that the Lord doesn't invite me to lie down, he makes me. Subsequently, I spent many hours lying down on a verdant lawn adjacent to a pond with a gentle fountain. I hadn't realised how much I needed that.

Guilt-free rest. We all need it.

Thank you Lord for green pastures and still waters. 

Presented

The parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
Lk.2:22

Jesus is presented to God. God says, "Great, now this is what he will do... be a light to the nations and a deliverer of my people." 

Although today is the Feast of the Presentation I can't help being drawn to my own presentation, my baptism. I was one year old when baptised in a Presbyterian church. Even though I drifted away to atheism, that indelible mark was upon me.  I believe my baptism saved me from mortal sin even during my unbelieving years. 

I love to picture my mother and father carrying me, presenting me, to God saying, "This is our beloved son in whom we are well pleased". God then says, "Me too!"

Thank you Lord for receiving me even while you knew I would deny you. 

Saints Simeon and Anna, please pray for me.

Marching Orders

So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.
Mk.6:13

Jesus commissions the apostles for their first mission trip. They are to do what he did. Preach. Cast out. Heal.

This remains the marching orders for the Church today. To call myself a member of the Church, I need to be preaching, casting out and healing. The world is still aching to hear the Good News, be freed from demons and be healed of its diseases. 

Grab your staff and let's go!

Jesus, I have received without cost. Help me now give.

Small is Great

I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mt.18:3,4

Jesus is asked who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. His answer is unexpected... a little child.

Here is the blueprint for Christian life, in a nutshell. To be great I must be small, humble and weak. This is counter cultural in a world that esteems the powerful, rich, good looking and intelligent. 

Jesus, help me be small today.
Saint John Bosco, please pray for me.

Expectant Faith

But they laughed at him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. 
Mk.5:40

Jesus casts out unbelief and brings in faith before raising Jairus' daughter from the dead. It's a constant theme of the Gospels. Faith always precedes signs and wonders. 

Yesterday my son asked me why everyone for whom we pray for healing doesn't always receive it. The only answer I can give is that of C.S. Lewis. When I meet God I'm going to have some damn good questions... and I'm expecting some damn good answers. 

However, I have to say that part of the reason is the lack of expectant faith. There are more laughing scoffers in the world than faith-filled believers. Jesus' game plan is still good today. Push out the scoffers. Call in the believers. Then, go for it. 

Jesus, give me more expectant faith for miracles, that you may be glorified. 

Restoration

The unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.’ So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs.
Mk.3:13,13

Jesus is restoring a demon possessed man. He uses whatever is at hand to achieve this, in this case a massive herd of two thousand pigs.

Restoration is what Jesus is still about. I am a testimony to that. How he achieves this is as many and varied as there are people in need of restoration. It may be via pigs or, as in my case, through children. I'm learning not to second guess, or question, God's methods. What is important is that I recognise and cooperate with them. 

Jesus, help me see and cooperate with your work of restoration today.

Less is More

It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds 
Mk.4:31

Jesus is describing the kingdom of God. It starts small, insignificant and then grows into something mighty giving shelter, protection and nurture.

Christian life is like living in back-to-front land. Small is powerful. Less is more. The weak get preference. I become lesser in order to become greater. Leaders are servants. Children enter the kingdom ahead of adults. No wonder our conversions are Copernican and no wonder they are so liberating.

Saints Timothy and Titus, please pray for us.

The Story

I was on that journey and nearly at Damascus when about midday a bright light from heaven suddenly shone round me. I fell to the ground...
Acts.22:6,7

Paul is telling the story of his conversion to authenticate his message. 

Testimonies are powerful. Why? Because they are a story and we all love a good story. They aren't right or wrong, they just happened and so can't be argued over. 

Testimonies are simply... me before I met Jesus... me meeting Jesus... me after meeting Jesus. It's good for me to remember mine, a) So I can remember where I have come from and be thankful and b) So I am ready to share it to authenticate what Jesus can do in anyone's life when they accept him. 

Saint Paul the Apostle, pray for us.

Rich Soil

And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.
Mk.4:20

Jesus explains his Parable of the Sower culminating in the people of rich soil, those who hear his word and accept it.

Luke's Gospel expands on the people of rich soil, describing them as people with "noble and generous hearts" (Lk.8:15). I find that a great benchmark to measure my thoughts and actions. Am I being noble (high moral principles) and/or generous (giving more than expected).

This litmus test has driven me to the confessional many times.

Jesus, help me be a rich soil person to those I meet today.

Saint Francis of Sales, please pray for us.

Family

And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.
Mk.3:35

WIth his family outside calling for him, Jesus expands on what it means to be in his family. Anyone who does the will of God.

It's tempting to think that to do the will of God and qualify as God's family one has to be perfect. However, here we have a circle of people simply listening to Jesus and he called them family. Now that I can do and in fact are doing right now. 

What a relief...

Thank you Jesus that, by including me in that gaze around the circle, you make me family.

Bless not Blaspheme

Let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an eternal sin.
Mk.3:29

Scribes have accused Jesus of doing the work of the devil by casting out demons. Jesus warns them that to ascribe the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan is an unforgivable sin.

It is surprising and sobering to learn there is an unforgivable sin. Yet, here we have it directly from Jesus. I need to be very careful before calling someone evil. Their actions may be different, unsettling, annoying, even hurtful yet still be the work of the Holy Spirit. 

That grit in my teeth, that pebble in my shoe, that rock on which I stubbed my toe could be Jesus at work. Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

Holy Spirit, help me recognise you at work so I may bless and not blaspheme.