It's Simple

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. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do.
Mt.11:25,26

Jesus has just denounced the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. He then praises God for revealing great mysteries to the simple.

The message of God is always simple. It's just that I can complicate it unnecessarily. I'm scheduled to lead children's liturgy this Sunday and I'm looking forward to it. In preparing the gospel message for children I simplify it and in so doing, I come to understand it. This process works every time.

Thank you Father for your simple but powerful message of love and life. Help me be like a child in my understanding, so that it may be truly revealed to me and through me.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

The Sparrow

Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.
Mt.10:29-31

Jesus is instructing the Twelve prior to their first missions trip. After outlining the perils of their mission, he addresses a very human condition. Fear. The antidote to fear is knowing that our Father in Heaven knows us intimately.

There're times when I feel very small and insignificant, like a sparrow. Jesus refers to the commonness of the sparrow by inferring that is a false world-view. The sparrow is so precious to God that not one, from all the multitude, falls without him knowing. Today,, when I see a sparrow, and I will see many, I will be reminded that I am under God's loving gaze and are so very precious to him.

Thank you Father for your great love for me, despite my smallness. Help me be a channel of your love today.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Know God Know Peace

And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’
Mt.9;36,37

Jesus is travelling through the towns and cities teaching and healing. He attracts huge crowds and is moved by pity for them. His strategy is to engage his disciples to pray for workers who will minister to the harassed and dejected people.

Harassed and dejected. That describes so many people I meet today.  Our modern times have meant to release people to more leisure time but has done just the opposite. Why? Because more of the world means less of God. As the bumper sticker says, "Know God know peace. No God, no peace".

I can be just as susceptible to this seduction of the world. The antidote? Prayer.

Lord Jesus, you are the source of my peace. Help me build the discipline of daily prayer, that I may know your peace and your joy.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

A Bearer of Life

When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him.
Mt.9:23,24

A father pleads for Jesus to give life to his dead daughter. Jesus immediately responds. At the man's house are a crowd making a noise over the child's death. Jesus rebukes them and drives them out as they scoff at him. Once the harbingers of death are removed, Jesus brings life back to the little girl by his touch.

The commotion of the crowd over the girl's death seems like a celebration cacophony. They turn vicious and mock Jesus when he speaks against the victory of death. They are agents of the devil that have to be expelled by Jesus before he brings life back to the little girl.

There can be a lot of noise celebrating the works of the devil. My job, as a follower of he who brings life and life in its fullness, is to tell the noise-makers to shut up in Jesus' name. Then I ask Jesus to bring in his fullness of life.

Lord Jesus, you are the source of abundant life. Make me a bearer of that life into my day today.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Fresh Skins

Nor do people put new wine into old wine skins; if they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are lost. No; they put new wine into fresh skins and both are preserved.’
Mt. 9:17

John the Baptist's disciples question Jesus on his new way of doing things. Jesus uses the analogy of new cloth and fresh wine skins. The new has to be treated differently or what they contain is lost.

There is talk again of our parish being relocated to co-site with a local Catholic boy's high school. This has come up time and again over the years but has been scuttled by a reluctance in the parish to move. The new cloth would mean a new cloak, the new wine skin a fresh wine. All very scary.

Jesus is always new, always fresh, never old or worn out. I think a change is coming for our parish and we are not to be an impediment. Wise and discerning yes, ensuring that we are hearing God rightly, but not clinging onto the old as a child clings to a comfort rug.

Lord Jesus, you are always fresh and new. Help me to be fresh and new in my walk with you, always following you in the new paths you forge.
Saint Matthew, pray for us.

Say the Word

The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured.
Mt.8:8

A Roman Centurion pleads with Jesus to heal his servant back at his home. Jesus offers to come but the Centurion, being a man of and under authority himself, asks that Jesus just speak his healing word. The Centurion's act of humility Jesus exalts as a great act of faith.

I repeat the Centurion's words at every Mass, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you under my roof, but just say the word and my soul shall be healed". I emulate the great act of faith that Jesus set as an example. The sickness I am begging Jesus to heal is the inherent sickness of my soul.

This reminds me of the great truth that good people won't get to heaven. Only forgiven people will. I need that constant reminder during Mass that my soul is in need of healing and that Jesus is the only one who can heal and forgive.

Thank you Jesus that your constant offer of forgiveness is forever before me to accept. I am not worthy to have you under my roof, but say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

No Secrets

But I have told you all this, so that when the time for it comes you may remember that I told you.’
Jn.16,4

Jesus is about to enter his passion and death. He is giving his final instruction to his disciples. He promises the Holy Spirit to strengthen them in the times of persecution that are to come. He is revealing everything to them so there will be no surprises.

In his final hours Jesus speaks very plainly to the disciples. There are no parables here. Jesus wanted everything to be known. This revelation is available to me today. No secrets. No surprises. The same promise of the Holy Spirit is also mine today. Like the disciples, I am informed and equipped, today.

Thank-you Jesus for informing and equipping me today. Come Holy Spirit, be my advocate today I pray. 
Little Flower please pray for me.