The children

Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.
ez 37:21

In today's first reading the prophet Ezekiel foretells of a wonderful time when the children of Israel will return home to a place of peace and blessing.

My fourteen year old daughter is on a weekend Catholic youth camp this weekend. As I read Ezekiel's prophesy I can't help but think of her and her friends and claim that prophesy for them.

Lord Jesus, You know the battle there is for the minds and hearts of our young people. Touch them I pray so they come to know and love You.
Little Flower, please pray for us.

Love Triumphs over Judgement

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel...
So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people. 

Ex.22:13,14

In the absence of Moses, the Hebrews have lost faith in God and made themselves a golden calf to worship.  God's anger blazes up, threatening to exterminate the rebellious people. However, Moses interceeds for his people, God listens and relents.

If ever there was an example of the power of intercession in the Bible, this is it. With God there is love and there is judgement.  They are sides of the same coin.  The judgement of God was about to fall on the rebellious Hebrew people.  But Moses appealed to the other side of God's nature, to His love, and love won out.

I belong to a weekly men's prayer group that meets each Monday morning before work.  If there is one thing that we do it is to intercede in prayer for our brothers in faith, our families and for the Church.  We ask that Gods mercy will triumph over judgement.  This scripture for Exodus is a great encouragement for intercession.  It can move God's hand.

Father in Heaven, thank you for your love as shown in your Son Jesus Christ.  Lord, in His precious name I rely, that your love for me and my household may always triumph over judgement. 

Little Flower, please pray for us.

A Great Friend

 ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘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.5:30-32

Matthew has just responded to Jesus' call to follow Him.  To honour Jesus Matthew holds a banquet, inviting all his friends who happen to be at the bottom end of the scale of piety.  Jesus defends Matthew's choice of guests, even adding that they are the very ones He wants to eat with.

When I imagine this scene I see myself as one of Matthew's friends.  A friend yes, but a friend with a limp, a friend in need of a doctor. I think I would like Matthew and be intrigued by his new-found joy.  Matthew doesn't care that his friends aren't perfect.  Having witnessed the holy virtue of Jesus, Matthew would be very aware of his friends imperfections, but he doesn't care.  He invites them anyway.  Why?  Because he recognises in Jesus the antidote to imperfection, to sin, and he wants his friends to have that antidote.  What a great friend!

Do I have that joyful zeal to share what I have found in Jesus with my friends?

Lord Jesus, thank you that You came for the sick, that You came for me.  Help me invite others how are also limping through life to come and meet You.  Even better, to come and eat with You.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

The Power of Your Love

As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country 
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.

Mk.6:54,55

Jesus is at the height of His public ministry.  He has just fed the five thousand and walked on water.  People are seeing Him as the miracle man of God and flock to Him for healing.

I often wonder why there isn't the "scurrying about" to bring the sick into the Church today.  Perhaps there is not the same level of faith and expectation that there was in Palestine two thousand years ago. There is certainly still the same need. Our hospitals are full of sick and dieing. Maybe the point of Jesus' healing ministry is being missed. He healed out of love and compassion but that was not his ultimate point. Or maybe it was.  To show the love and compassion of God.

In my own way I can bring healing.  Maybe not physical, but would still pray for that.  Maybe I can bring the healing of spirit that can come with love and compassion. 

Lord Jesus, help me give love and compassion to those I meet today, that You may be glorified.

Little Flower, please pray for me.

More Faith, Less Fear

And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’
Mk.4:39,40

Jesus and His disciples have taken to a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee when a storm rises up.  While the storm threatens to overwhelm them, the disciples in fear awake Jesus who is sleeping in the stern of the boat. Jesus rebukes the storm, which immediately subsides to the awe of the disciples.  Jesus then reproaches the disciples for their lack of faith.

There is an inference from Jesus here that the disciples could have rebuked and calmed the storm themselves, if they had enough faith in Him, the creator of the wind and waves.  I need to remember, whenever fear starts to choke me, that there is nothing that Jesus does not have supreme power over. I can trust in Him, no matter what the circumstance may be.  Jesus is the antidote to fear.

Lord Jesus, You are co-creator of all.  Help me to always place my trust in You.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Courage! It Is I

They had all seen him and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them, and said, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped.
Mk.6:50,51

Jesus has walked out onto the lake where the disciples are struggling with a head wind.  Their terror at seeing  Him walking on water is replaced with awe and wonder as He gets into their boat and the storm drops away.

In today's first reading John states, "fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment," 1Jn.4:18.  This incident of Jesus walking on water and calming the storm shows perfect love driving out the fear of the disciples.  There are storms in my life that cause me to fear, fear of what others may think, fear of failure, fear of not measuring up.  The antidote?  To invite Perfect Love, that is Jesus, into my life to drive the fear out.

Thank you Jesus that You know me inside out and still love me.  I claim Your perfect love today and say goodbye to fear.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Keep on Looking at Jesus

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
Mt.4:17

Jesus has just left the desert where He wrestled with Satan and is now starting His public ministry.  Even before He has called His twelve disciples His ministry is drawing huge crowds.  His message is very simple, turn from sin and welcome God's Kingdom.

I recently watched with my daughter the movie version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.  It struck me again how C S Lewis brilliantly wove the story of Christ into the Narnian Chronicles.  There is a moving scene where Edmund faces Aslan for the first time and confesses his betrayal of his brother and sisters to the White Witch.  Edmund becomes a changed boy.  Aslan says to the others they are not mention Edmund's past, that it has been dealt with.

Oh the power of repentance!   Even the accusations of the Witch have no further effect on Edmund:

“You have a traitor there, Aslan," said the Witch. Of course everyone present knew that she meant Edmund. But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he'd been through and after the talk he'd had that morning. He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn't seem to matter what the Witch said.” 

After Confession, whenever Satan tries to re-accuse me, like Edmund I just need to keep my eyes fixed on the one who has taken my guilt away and reinstated my son-ship.

Jesus, thank you that You have taken the stain of my sins on yourself, that You have set me free.  I place my trust in You.
Little Flower, please pray for me.