Readings for Friday April 29, 2011
First Reading: Acts 4:1-12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118
Gospel: John 21:1-14
If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:9-12)
I remember as a kid, I used to play with legos a lot. I built lots of stuff, cars, houses, tanks, robots ... with a child's imagination the sky was the limit! I do remember that when I was building, any piece that do not fit where I wanted or matched the color scheme that I had wanted was quickly tossed to the side. I only chose the pieces that worked with what I wanted, and anything that challenged that I cast aside.
My mentality as a kid with legos was not far off from the Jewish leaders mindset when Jesus came about. Jesus was not what they expected as the messiah, He did fit in where they wanted, He didn't match up with them or meet their standards, and He challenged what they did and said. The Jews were probably thinking of how could they build with this stone that didn't fit what they wanted to create? And that is exactly the problem right there, they were thinking of what they wanted, not what God wanted. They were set in their own ideas of what they wanted to build, they did not think of what God wanted them to build and how God sent them the foundation of which to build off.
Jesus is the cornerstone, and the foundation of which we should be building our lives. We should not be trying to make Jesus fit into our plans, but instead we should be trying to fit into His and asking God how we can be a part of His kingdom. Saint Peter warns us here that there is salvation through only one name, and that is Jesus Christ. Let us not spend our lives trying to attain salvation on our own, but rather on building our lives on and around Christ, the cornerstone.
Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, we thank you and give you praise for all that you bless us with. Lord, you are our rock and our salvation, may we only build upon you and never reject you. Lord, we pray for all those with hard hearts that are in need of conversion, may they come to you and humble themselves before you our Lord. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4.29.2011
4.28.2011
His Name
Readings for Thursday April 28, 2011
First Reading: Acts 3:11-26
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8
Gospel: Luke 24:35-48
When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, "You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate's presence, when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. (Acts 3:12-16)
Son of Man, Bread of life, Son of David, Emmanuel, Holy one of God, Son of the most High, the new Moses ... He has had many names throughout history. No matter what He is called, there is great power in the name of Jesus Christ. In today's reading from the book of Acts, Peter speaks rightly in not taking credit for the miracle healing of the man outside the temple. Peter tells us that it is by the power of God that this man was healed and by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Peter is doing what we should all be doing, helping others understand the power that comes through faith and by doing things in the name of Jesus. Many times we are very blind to the miracles that are worked by God in our lives, and we are willing to attribute them to our own greatness of to just simple "good luck." But we must start having a change of heart and a change in our thinking. We must realize that all that we have and all that we are really comes from God, not by us or by luck. We must realize that the power and the miracles come from Christ, and not from anything that we have done. Peter recognized that the people were looking at him after the miracle healing, he wanted nothing to do with the credit however, he wanted to redirect them towards God, and he wanted to give glory where is was due.
There is a great song called "Your Name" by Paul Baloche, and in this song it really speaks to the power of our Lord. Read the chorus, and just think about the how just His name alone has power to work in our lives and in this world.
Everything that we do, everything that we say, should be in the name of Jesus Christ. I pray that all that we do out in this world may honor and give glory to our Lord and Savior.
Father above, we thank you and give you praise for this day. Lord, we are nothing without you, help us to always recognize and be in awe of your mighty works in our lives. Lord, everything that we have and everything that we are belongs to you, help us to be good stewards of all that you have given us. Lord, it is through your name that we live, may we be granted the courage and strength to share this message. Lord, we pray for all those seeking meaning in their lives, we pray that they may come to you soon. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Acts 3:11-26
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8
Gospel: Luke 24:35-48
When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, "You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate's presence, when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. (Acts 3:12-16)
Son of Man, Bread of life, Son of David, Emmanuel, Holy one of God, Son of the most High, the new Moses ... He has had many names throughout history. No matter what He is called, there is great power in the name of Jesus Christ. In today's reading from the book of Acts, Peter speaks rightly in not taking credit for the miracle healing of the man outside the temple. Peter tells us that it is by the power of God that this man was healed and by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Peter is doing what we should all be doing, helping others understand the power that comes through faith and by doing things in the name of Jesus. Many times we are very blind to the miracles that are worked by God in our lives, and we are willing to attribute them to our own greatness of to just simple "good luck." But we must start having a change of heart and a change in our thinking. We must realize that all that we have and all that we are really comes from God, not by us or by luck. We must realize that the power and the miracles come from Christ, and not from anything that we have done. Peter recognized that the people were looking at him after the miracle healing, he wanted nothing to do with the credit however, he wanted to redirect them towards God, and he wanted to give glory where is was due.
There is a great song called "Your Name" by Paul Baloche, and in this song it really speaks to the power of our Lord. Read the chorus, and just think about the how just His name alone has power to work in our lives and in this world.
Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
'Cause nothing has the power to save
But Your Name
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
'Cause nothing has the power to save
But Your Name
Everything that we do, everything that we say, should be in the name of Jesus Christ. I pray that all that we do out in this world may honor and give glory to our Lord and Savior.
Father above, we thank you and give you praise for this day. Lord, we are nothing without you, help us to always recognize and be in awe of your mighty works in our lives. Lord, everything that we have and everything that we are belongs to you, help us to be good stewards of all that you have given us. Lord, it is through your name that we live, may we be granted the courage and strength to share this message. Lord, we pray for all those seeking meaning in their lives, we pray that they may come to you soon. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4.27.2011
Breaking of the Bread
Readings for Wednesday April 9, 2011
First Reading: Acts 3:1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35
Today, read and reflect on the gospel. Does anything stand out to you? Does anything seem familiar? Anything remind you of the mass or of the Eucharist?
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus' disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
"What are you discussing as you walk along?"
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?"
And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"
They said to him,
"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his Body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see."
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?"
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the Eleven and those with them who were saying,
"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:13-35)
Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, we praise you for giving us the sacraments, especially the Eucharist where we partake in this holy meal. Lord, you are our God, we are your people, help us to serve you with all that we do and with all that we are. Lord, we pray for the change of hearts that we all need to grow and to love you as your are worthy. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Acts 3:1-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35
Today, read and reflect on the gospel. Does anything stand out to you? Does anything seem familiar? Anything remind you of the mass or of the Eucharist?
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus' disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
"What are you discussing as you walk along?"
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?"
And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"
They said to him,
"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his Body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see."
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?"
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the Eleven and those with them who were saying,
"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:13-35)
Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, we praise you for giving us the sacraments, especially the Eucharist where we partake in this holy meal. Lord, you are our God, we are your people, help us to serve you with all that we do and with all that we are. Lord, we pray for the change of hearts that we all need to grow and to love you as your are worthy. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4.26.2011
Let Go
Readings for Tuesday April 26, 2011
First Reading: Acts 2:36-41
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33
Gospel: John 20:11-18
Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:16-17)
In today's gospel reading, Mary Magdalene is guilty of something that we all do too often ... living in the past. Many times we live in the past when something ends or is taken away from us. In this instance, Mary was morning the loss of Jesus (and rightly so), but like all others, she did not understand that His suffering and death were necessary and all a part of God's plan. She did not understand that by His dying and rising from the dead, He would then ascend into heaven and be glorified, and once this happens He is then able to give to all those who follow Him the gift of the Holy Spirit. Not having this knowledge, however, Mary was simply holding on to Jesus as she knew Him, and did not think about the present or future.
Many times when we hold on to the past, we are unable to become the new creations that God intends us to be. The past has a way of anchoring us down and not letting us move forward, and many times we are anchored down because we are the ones holding on! Jesus calls us all to let go and to move forward with Him. One of the gifts that He gave us through the church is the sacrament of reconciliation. This sacrament helps us to confess our sins, be forgiven and to move on. I believe that this sacrament is one of the most underestimated and underutilized in the church, and if you have not been in a while, I strongly suggest that you try and make it. It is just amazing how you feel afterwards, it is like a massive weight has been lifted off of you shoulder.
Today, ask yourselves, what is it that I am still holding on to? What is keeping me from moving forward with Jesus? Remember, just let go, and let God.
Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, we thank you and give you praise for all that we have and all that we are. Lord, help your servants this day be faithful and full of strength and courage to go out and do your will. Lord, we praise you for all that you are and all that you give. We thank you for the promise of new life, and may we always follow you on earth until we can be with you in heaven. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Acts 2:36-41
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33
Gospel: John 20:11-18
Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:16-17)
In today's gospel reading, Mary Magdalene is guilty of something that we all do too often ... living in the past. Many times we live in the past when something ends or is taken away from us. In this instance, Mary was morning the loss of Jesus (and rightly so), but like all others, she did not understand that His suffering and death were necessary and all a part of God's plan. She did not understand that by His dying and rising from the dead, He would then ascend into heaven and be glorified, and once this happens He is then able to give to all those who follow Him the gift of the Holy Spirit. Not having this knowledge, however, Mary was simply holding on to Jesus as she knew Him, and did not think about the present or future.
Many times when we hold on to the past, we are unable to become the new creations that God intends us to be. The past has a way of anchoring us down and not letting us move forward, and many times we are anchored down because we are the ones holding on! Jesus calls us all to let go and to move forward with Him. One of the gifts that He gave us through the church is the sacrament of reconciliation. This sacrament helps us to confess our sins, be forgiven and to move on. I believe that this sacrament is one of the most underestimated and underutilized in the church, and if you have not been in a while, I strongly suggest that you try and make it. It is just amazing how you feel afterwards, it is like a massive weight has been lifted off of you shoulder.
Today, ask yourselves, what is it that I am still holding on to? What is keeping me from moving forward with Jesus? Remember, just let go, and let God.
Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day. Lord, we thank you and give you praise for all that we have and all that we are. Lord, help your servants this day be faithful and full of strength and courage to go out and do your will. Lord, we praise you for all that you are and all that you give. We thank you for the promise of new life, and may we always follow you on earth until we can be with you in heaven. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4.25.2011
What Now?
Readings for Monday April 25, 2011
First Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16
Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” (Mt. 28:8-10)
Here we are. Lent is over, our time spent in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving has hopefully brought about real spiritual growth. During the Triduum, we entered more fully into Christ's passion, death on the cross, and His resurrection. Finally, on Easter Sunday we proclaimed the risen Lord! Once again, we have entered into the heart of our faith, the thing that it all rests on: Christ's death and resurrection. So the question that I ask is now what? What will we do this this? Will we simply slip into our everyday lives until we come to the next Lent? Or will we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us, and help us bring this hope that we have to others. Will our resolved to be good, faithful disciples of the one true God?
We each have a choice; allow Christ to live more fully in us, or allow ourselves to become lukewarm and be caught up in the anxieties of the world. One leads to Heaven, the other does not.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, help increase our faith so that we may never stop serving you, but only offer all of ourselves to you. Lord, you are our hope in this world, let our fire burn brightly for all to see. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Reading: Acts 2:14, 22-33
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16
Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” (Mt. 28:8-10)
Here we are. Lent is over, our time spent in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving has hopefully brought about real spiritual growth. During the Triduum, we entered more fully into Christ's passion, death on the cross, and His resurrection. Finally, on Easter Sunday we proclaimed the risen Lord! Once again, we have entered into the heart of our faith, the thing that it all rests on: Christ's death and resurrection. So the question that I ask is now what? What will we do this this? Will we simply slip into our everyday lives until we come to the next Lent? Or will we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us, and help us bring this hope that we have to others. Will our resolved to be good, faithful disciples of the one true God?
We each have a choice; allow Christ to live more fully in us, or allow ourselves to become lukewarm and be caught up in the anxieties of the world. One leads to Heaven, the other does not.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, help increase our faith so that we may never stop serving you, but only offer all of ourselves to you. Lord, you are our hope in this world, let our fire burn brightly for all to see. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4.20.2011
Judas
Readings for Wednesday April 20, 2011
Wednesday of Holy Week
First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69
Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.” (Matt. 26:14-16, 20-25)
When someone asks the question, which of the disciples betrayed Jesus, the majority of people know that it was Judas Iscariot. And we have lots of facts, such as how much silver he accepted, dipping his hands in the dish with Jesus, even betraying Jesus with a kiss. But despite all of these facts, there is one thing that we do not know ... why did he do it? Why did he betray Jesus, why did he turn him over to the chief priests? Why did he turn away from God, when he was so close? Was it pride or envy? Did he become greedy? While we do not know the exact reason why, we do know for sure that something caused his heart to become hardened, and from there he turned away from Jesus; and in doing so, he turned away from his life.
While we certainly should not strive to model our lives after Judas, there is something important that we can learn from him. We are either with Jesus or we are against Him; and at any time we can find ourselves on either side. I am sure that when Judas started out with Jesus he did not intend to betray him, and in fact he probably was on fire for a little while. But then something seized him and caused him to turn away. We must always be careful with sin and becoming too worldly, because it is these things that cause us to turn away from God. We must always be fighting and striving to serve the Lord with all of our heart. It is only by losing our self in Him that we will find our life.
Saint Peter gives us great advice in his first letter: "Be Sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings." (1 Pt. 5:8-9) Judas did not heed this warning, but we should.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, thank you for all that you have blessed us with. Thank you for all of your gifts, help us to always be good stewards of all the things that you give us. Lord, even though you do not need us, you want us to share in your great love. Help us to always be faithful and loyal to you until our time on earth is through. Lord, we pray for all those who have turned away from you, may they come back to your love and mercy. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday of Holy Week
First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69
Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.” (Matt. 26:14-16, 20-25)
When someone asks the question, which of the disciples betrayed Jesus, the majority of people know that it was Judas Iscariot. And we have lots of facts, such as how much silver he accepted, dipping his hands in the dish with Jesus, even betraying Jesus with a kiss. But despite all of these facts, there is one thing that we do not know ... why did he do it? Why did he betray Jesus, why did he turn him over to the chief priests? Why did he turn away from God, when he was so close? Was it pride or envy? Did he become greedy? While we do not know the exact reason why, we do know for sure that something caused his heart to become hardened, and from there he turned away from Jesus; and in doing so, he turned away from his life.
While we certainly should not strive to model our lives after Judas, there is something important that we can learn from him. We are either with Jesus or we are against Him; and at any time we can find ourselves on either side. I am sure that when Judas started out with Jesus he did not intend to betray him, and in fact he probably was on fire for a little while. But then something seized him and caused him to turn away. We must always be careful with sin and becoming too worldly, because it is these things that cause us to turn away from God. We must always be fighting and striving to serve the Lord with all of our heart. It is only by losing our self in Him that we will find our life.
Saint Peter gives us great advice in his first letter: "Be Sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings." (1 Pt. 5:8-9) Judas did not heed this warning, but we should.
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, thank you for all that you have blessed us with. Thank you for all of your gifts, help us to always be good stewards of all the things that you give us. Lord, even though you do not need us, you want us to share in your great love. Help us to always be faithful and loyal to you until our time on earth is through. Lord, we pray for all those who have turned away from you, may they come back to your love and mercy. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
4.19.2011
Toiling
Readings for Tuesday April 19, 2011
Tuesday of Holy Week
First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71
Gospel: John 13:21-33, 36-38
Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God. For now the Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. (Is 49:4-6)
The prophet Isaiah today talks about some of the themes of work, reward, and purpose. He says, "though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing." Don't we all feel like this at times, especially in our faith lives? Why do I go to mass on Sundays? Why am I spending time in prayer? Why serve others, or try to help the poor? I think that we all hit lows at times where we for whatever reason we are just not on fire. But what we must remember, is that not matter how we may "feel", the reason why we do all of these things for the Lord is because of love and the great reward awaiting us. We live a life of faith because there is no better way of living. A life surrendered to Him, is a life that is found. And what is our reward for "toiling", an eternal life in heaven with our Father. No more pain, no more suffering, no more crying, no more sin; only joy and happiness. Now isn't that worth the "toiling."
Serving the Lord is not toiling, it is our purpose. What may seem burdensome does not have to be, instead it can be looked at as a time of growth. The Lord has formed each of as a "servant in the womb." We were each meant for a specific purpose in this life, and it should be our goal to find out what this purpose is. We find this out by asking God, by asking the Creator of the heavens and the earth who formed us, and knows exactly what we are meant to do. It is only by finding our purpose that we can be happy, and to be the "light to the nations" that we are called to be.
God wants to use each and every one of us, for our sake and for His glory. Are you willing to say yes?
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, we thank you and praise you for the great gifts that you bring into our life. Lord, help us to discover our purpose and to do your will in this life. Lord, help us to love others as you call us to, and to persevere to the end so that one day we might receive the reward of eternal life. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tuesday of Holy Week
First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71
Gospel: John 13:21-33, 36-38
Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God. For now the Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. (Is 49:4-6)
The prophet Isaiah today talks about some of the themes of work, reward, and purpose. He says, "though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing." Don't we all feel like this at times, especially in our faith lives? Why do I go to mass on Sundays? Why am I spending time in prayer? Why serve others, or try to help the poor? I think that we all hit lows at times where we for whatever reason we are just not on fire. But what we must remember, is that not matter how we may "feel", the reason why we do all of these things for the Lord is because of love and the great reward awaiting us. We live a life of faith because there is no better way of living. A life surrendered to Him, is a life that is found. And what is our reward for "toiling", an eternal life in heaven with our Father. No more pain, no more suffering, no more crying, no more sin; only joy and happiness. Now isn't that worth the "toiling."
Serving the Lord is not toiling, it is our purpose. What may seem burdensome does not have to be, instead it can be looked at as a time of growth. The Lord has formed each of as a "servant in the womb." We were each meant for a specific purpose in this life, and it should be our goal to find out what this purpose is. We find this out by asking God, by asking the Creator of the heavens and the earth who formed us, and knows exactly what we are meant to do. It is only by finding our purpose that we can be happy, and to be the "light to the nations" that we are called to be.
God wants to use each and every one of us, for our sake and for His glory. Are you willing to say yes?
Father above, we thank you and praise you for the gift of this day. Lord, we thank you and praise you for the great gifts that you bring into our life. Lord, help us to discover our purpose and to do your will in this life. Lord, help us to love others as you call us to, and to persevere to the end so that one day we might receive the reward of eternal life. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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