Faith

Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
Gen.15:6

Abram has laid his heartache before God; "I remain childless" Gen.15:2.  In response God shows Abram the stars in the sky to indicate the number of descendants he shall have.  In the face of this outrageous and improbable promise, Abram puts his faith in God.  This enormous act of faith God counts as good enough to make Abram worthy of every promise, not only in this life but every promise for eternity.

My little girl is still sick after months of medical investigation and prayer.  We have a promise from Jesus that He brings Rebekah fullness of life; "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Jn.10:10.  In the face of her illness I hold on to this promise, believing it will be fulfilled.  Faith is the key to healing.

Lord Jesus.  Thank you for the work You are doing in Rebekah and the work You are doing in me.  
Little flower, please pray for us.

The Higher Way

'But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.’
Mt.5:38-42 

Jesus is giving His great Sermon on the Mount, laying out the blue print for the authentic christian life.  He sets a very high standard, a standard that flies in the face of the ways of the world.  The world says focus on me and happiness will be mine.  Jesus says the world can never satisfy, focus on others and not only will I find Joy but I will also have peace.

This is a constant struggle within me.  I like "things".  The world seduces me quite easily with its tinsel. Power, prestige and possessions all make seductive promises to me.  This is the great battle for me, but it's one worth fighting, today...

Lord Jesus, you know the weakness of my flesh.  Help me win this battle which is a battle for my very soul.
Little Flower, please pray for me.

Bring Back Home

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus 

I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong. 

Ezek.34:16

Ezekiel ministered to the Jews in exile in Babylon.  His teaching is centered on inner conversion, a new heart and a new spirit that will be given by God.  Today's first reading from Ezekiel portrays God as Shepherd, looking after and protecting His sheep.  The 23rd Psalm today echos this; The Lord is my shepherd...  The Gospel amplifies this further with Jesus' parable of the shepherd rejoicing in finding his one lost sheep.

This is Good News for those of us who have been, or are still, lost.  It is Good News for those of us worried about loved ones who have strayed  We have a God who comes searching for us, brings us home and bandages us, turns our weaknesses into strengths.  This is Good News for me...

Lord Jesus, Your heart burns with a passion for love of me.  Thank you for saving me, bringing me back home and bandaging my wounds.  Please bring back home my loved ones who are lost.

Little Flower, please pray for us.

Unity of Faith

And together they said, ‘Amen, Amen’, and lay down for the night.
Tob.8:9

Tobias and his bride Sarah have just finished praying for protection and blessing on their wedding night.  Their very first act as a couple was to turn to God and worship Him.

This is a very popular scripture for Catholic weddings and it is easy to see why.  For a young couple to have unity in faith from the very beginning of their marriage is a huge blessing.

This has been brought into focus for me recently with the engagement of a daughter to a non Catholic Christian young man.  My daughter has held out for a Nuptial Mass as her standard for marriage.  God has honored this by placing a desire in her fiancee's heart to become Catholic.  Their very first act as a married couple will be to go to God's table and receive His Body and Blood.  What a foundation for their marriage!

I am reminded of the preciousness of my shared faith with my wife.

Jesus, thank you for the unity of faith that Kate and I have.  I pray your blessing over us and over our children and their spouses.  
Saint Thomas Moore, please pray for us.

Keep On Praying

This time the prayer of each of them found favour before the glory of God, and Raphael was sent to bring remedy to them both.
Tob.3:17

The wonderful story of Tobit is continued as today's first reading.  Two of the main characters, Tobit and Sarah, have reached the depths of their despair.  Tobit is crushed by the poverty his blindness has brought him and Sarah is similarly despairing through the curse over her that has killed her fiancées. Both have not given up on God but have given up hope.  Their final prayer is that God releases them of their distress by taking their lives. But this time, this time... the prayer of each of them found favour before the glory of God.

This is a wonderful story of the power in persistent, authentic prayer.  Both Tobit and Sarah, though crushed and defeated by their circumstance, never walked away from God.  They travailed and wept out raw emotion in their prayer.  Like Job, they were honest in their communication with God.  This raw, emotional, some would say unpious prayer found favour with God.

I have been travailing before God for the healing of a daughter for four months.  My daughter continues to be in pain.  My options?  Walk away from God?  Not an option.  Continue to trust in God by persistent, authentic prayer?  Tobit and Sarah would say yes.  I say yes...

Father in heaven, in Jesus' name I beg for healing for my daughter.  Lift the pain from her and give her back the fullness of life that Your Son has won for her.   
Little Flower, please pray for us.

Jesus Loves the Little Children

 'I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.
Mark 10:15,16

Jesus has noticed His disciples turning away people who were bringing little children to be touched by Him.  He rebukes His disciples for this and proclaims that these very little ones who are being turned away are actually closer to the Kingdom of God than all.  He then gathers the children, touches them in the warmest of ways by putting His arms around them, and blesses them.

This image of Jesus hugging little children happily gathered around Him speaks deeply to me.  It's the Jesus I want to approach in naked simplicity, uncomplicated like a little child. There is a scene in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where Susan and Lucy rush up to Aslan and get lost in his glorious mane as they frolic and cling to him. I want to feel Jesus' arms around me and experience the pure joy of simply knowing that He loves me.

Today's reading hints that Jesus wants to do this with me just as passionately.

Lord Jesus, I know the only thing that ever keeps us apart is me.  Help me overcome my fear so I can approach You and allow you to hug me. 
Little Flower, please pray for me.

On the Third Day

I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day.
1Cor.15:3,4

Corinth was great and populous port that attracted every kind of philosophy and was also a notorious centre of immorality. The Church in Corinth was in great need of instruction and guidance.  Paul writes about the Good News and the Christian life that flows from it.

Like the people of Corinth, I live in a time and place where philosophies and immoralities of every kind abound.  I am constantly in need of reminding about the basics of my faith, of realigning myself with the Corner Stone of truth.  The Paschal Mystery sums up the Good News well for me, that is;

Jesus truly lived, He truly died, was truly buried and truly rose again on the third day.

Thank you Jesus for being the Good News of my life.  In this Easter season I realign myself with Your resurrected  truth today.

Saints Philip and James please pray for me.