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.