Experience the love of the Lord

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

God like a loving parent needs to correct us so often. His corrections are painful at the time, but if we welcome them in the spirit that he gives them, then we will grow. Our lives will flourish like the cedars of Lebanon.

5 December 2020

Experience the love of the Lord

 

First reading

Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26 ·

The Lord God will be gracious to you and hear your cry

Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:

People of Zion, you will live in Jerusalem and weep no more. He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry; when he hears he will answer. When the Lord has given you the bread of suffering and the water of distress, he who is your teacher will hide no longer, and you will see your teacher with your own eyes. Whether you turn to right or left, your ears will hear these words behind you, ‘This is the way, follow it.’ He will send rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the bread that the ground provides will be rich and nourishing. Your cattle will graze, that day, in wide pastures. Oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat a salted fodder, winnowed with shovel and fork. On every lofty mountain, on every high hill there will be streams and watercourses, on the day of the great slaughter when the strongholds fall. Then moonlight will be bright as sunlight and sunlight itself be seven times brighter – like the light of seven days in one – on the day the Lord dresses the wound of his people and heals the bruises his blows have left.

 

Prayerful reflection

The Jews had a hard and difficult history. Everything destroyed by the Babylonians they were taken into captivity. This the prophets saw as the loving punishment of God. He wanted to open their eyes so that he could eventually send his Son as one of them. They needed to come back to true worship and praise. Once repentant, then God could bless them in every way.

Likewise, for us. If we just do our own thing regardless of the God who loves us to the point of becoming one of us and dying in anguish on a cross, then left to ourselves we will have a similar history to that of the Jews. But if we repent, his overflowing love will embrace us.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Sin is foolishness and self-destruction. Out of love he punishes us but then we have learnt wisdom, he binds up our wounds.

Psalm 146(147):1-6

Happy are all who hope in the Lord.

or

Alleluia!

Praise the Lord for he is good;

sing to our God for he is loving:

to him our praise is due.

The Lord builds up Jerusalem

and brings back Israel’s exiles.

Happy are all who hope in the Lord.

or

Alleluia!

He heals the broken-hearted,

he binds up all their wounds.

He fixes the number of the stars;

he calls each one by its name.

Happy are all who hope in the Lord.

or

Alleluia!

Our Lord is great and almighty;

his wisdom can never be measured.

The Lord raises the lowly;

he humbles the wicked to the dust.

Happy are all who hope in the Lord.

or

Alleluia!

 

Gospel

Matthew 9:35-10:1,5,6-8

The harvest is rich but the labourers are few

Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.

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.’

He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: ‘Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’

 

Prayerful reflection

Jesus hasn’t changed. If you sit before him before the Blessed Sacrament or before him in the quiet of your room, he looks on you with love. Wherever you are he looks on you and feels the pain of your suffering. He also knows what is best for you and is able to do it. Open yourself to his love. Let his love do what it sees you really need. The love of Jesus gives meaning to our lives. We are precious to him. He cares deeply about each of us. He gave his life on the Cross and would do it again for you alone, if it were necessary. He is our God. We can relax and rejoice.

We too can be a source of love and healing for others. Our loving words and actions can bring peace and joy to otherwise suffering people. If we have a close relationship with Jesus he will bring great healing to others through us. Not only for our own selves but for the good of others, we should be close to Jesus in love. He is the source of life and we become the channel of life.

May our eyes be opened

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

Advent turns our eyes towards the plan God has for the human race. He has a plan and since he is God and before him the universe is no more that a drop of water in a bucket, he is working out his plan in ways we do not grasp. None the less since he is the great and holy God, eventually his universe will be an image of his greatness and his holiness. There will be a great reversal. This is the message of Isaiah today. Jesus in the Gospel inaugurates it.

Friday 4 December 2020

Lord open our eyes to your divine plan

 

Isaiah 29:13-24

The Lord’s judgement announced

And the Lord said:

“Because this people draw near with their mouth

and honor me with their lips,

while their hearts are far from me,

and their fear of me is a commandment of men learned by rote;

therefore, behold, I will again

do marvelous things with this people,

wonderful and marvelous;

and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,

and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hid.”

Woe to those who hide deep from the Lord their counsel,

whose deeds are in the dark,

and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?”

You turn things upside down!

Shall the potter be regarded as the clay;

that the thing made should say of its maker,

“He did not make me”;

or the thing formed say of him who formed it,

“He has no understanding”?

Is it not yet a very little while

until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?

In that day the deaf shall hear

the words of a book,

and out of their gloom and darkness

the eyes of the blind shall see.

The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,

and the poor among men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

For the ruthless shall come to nought and the scoffer cease,

and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,

who by a word make a man out to be an offender,

and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate,

and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.

Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

“Jacob shall no more be ashamed,

no more shall his face grow pale.

For when he sees his children,

the work of my hands, in his midst,

they will sanctify my name;

they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob,

and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

And those who err in spirit will come to understanding,

and those who murmur will accept instruction.”

 

Prayerful reflection

Advent is a time of expectation, of looking forward. In the early days so Advent the Church through the readings turns our attention to the plan for the human race that God is working out.

The readings remind us that God has a plan and that he will work it out through his Son Jesus.

We do not know how he is doing it. But through Jesus will come the great reversal. The world as it is now full of evil because of the presence of evil people will be purified of all defilement and then God’s creation will be as he intended it to be and as we are long for it to be. This is the message of the first reading written in a metaphorical style about the fulfilment of God’s plan.

 

The responsorial psalm is one by which we can express our confidence in God’s loving care of us. If we can believe in his ever-presence, then we can also experience his peace and tranquillity.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 26(27):1,4,13-14

The Lord is my light and my help.

The Lord is my light and my help;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

before whom shall I shrink?

The Lord is my light and my help.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,

for this I long,

to live in the house of the Lord,

all the days of my life,

to savour the sweetness of the Lord,

to behold his temple.

The Lord is my light and my help.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.

Hope in the Lord!

The Lord is my light and my help.

 

Gospel

Matthew 9:27-31

'Take care that no-one learns about this'

As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.’ Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this.’ But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside.

 

Prayerful reflection

When the Son of God came among us in the form of a simple human being, he planted the seed of the final Kingdom of God. His miracles are signs that one day God will wipe away all blindness of every kind. Through his Spirit may our eyes be opened so that we can see the end towards which we are walking. May we in every way cooperate with the Spirit in bringing about the Kingdom. As Jesus revealed the Kingdom through his actions may we, today and always, be agents to reveal the hidden kingdom through our words and deeds.  

 

 

Getting closer to God in Jesus

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

As we prepare for Christmas during Advent, may we prepare for a new coming of the Lord Jesus into our lives this Christmas. Maybe we have come to know him. May we come to know him more intimately this year through his Word and our prayer.

Thursday 3 December 2020

Get closer to God in Christ Jesus

 

First reading

Isaiah 26:1-6 ·

Open the gates; let the upright nation come in

That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;

to guard us he has set

wall and rampart about us.

Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in,

she, the faithful one

whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace,

because she trusts in you.

Trust in the Lord for ever,

for the Lord is the everlasting Rock;

he has brought low those who lived high up

in the steep citadel;

he brings it down, brings it down to the ground,

flings it down in the dust:

the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor

trample on it.

 

Prayerful reflection

What is the strong city the faithful people will sing about? It is none other than God himself. He gathers his children to himself as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing. Only those who have put their trust in the love and goodness of God can experience the loving care of God. They are the ones who live an upright life. They humbly trust in God and listen to his Word.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 117(118):1,8-9,19-21,25-27

This responsorial psalm is a beautiful prayer of one who ‘has tasted and seen that the Lord is good.’ Through faith, they have experienced the closeness f Gd in their life. it is also an Advent prayer as we look forward to a new coming of Jesus, Son of God, into our lives at Christmas.

Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.

or

Alleluia.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

for his love has no end.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in men;

it is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in princes.

Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.

or

Alleluia.

Open to me the gates of holiness:

I will enter and give thanks.

This is the Lord’s own gate

where the just may enter.

I will thank you for you have answered

and you are my saviour.

Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.

or

Alleluia.

O Lord, grant us salvation;

O Lord, grant success.

Blessed in the name of the Lord

is he who comes.

We bless you from the house of the Lord;

the Lord God is our light.

Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.

or

Alleluia.

 

Gospel

Matthew 7:21,24-27

The wise man built his house on a rock

Jesus said to his disciples:

1.     ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven,

2.     but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.

3.     Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them

4.     will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and

5.     it did not fall: it was founded on rock.

6.     But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them

7.     will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house,

8.     and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

Prayerful reflection

Like loving parents God is ever ready to help his children. There is no reason for failure in living. God is with us at every point. We only need to turn to him and he will be there for us in whatever circumstance.

We listen to his Word. We are unable to obey. It is too demanding. Let us humbly and earnestly turn to him for his Spirit. The virtuous life is the fruit of the Spirit, not of our efforts. It is given to those who really want it. This desire for virtue is shown by constant and earnest prayer for it.

 

 

 

Jesus holds the key to the universe

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

Friday 27 November 2020

Jesus holds the key to the universe

 

First reading

Apocalypse 20:1-4,11-21:2

The book of life was opened, and the dead were judged

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the Abyss in his hand and an enormous chain. He overpowered the dragon, that primeval serpent which is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and shut the entrance and sealed it over him, to make sure he would not deceive the nations again until the thousand years had passed. At the end of that time he must be released, but only for a short while.

Then I saw some thrones, and I saw those who are given the power to be judges take their seats on them. I saw the souls of all who had been beheaded for having witnessed for Jesus and for having preached God’s word, and those who refused to worship the beast or his statue and would not have the brand-mark on their foreheads or hands; they came to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. In his presence, earth and sky vanished, leaving no trace. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of his throne, while the book of life was opened, and other books opened which were the record of what they had done in their lives, by which the dead were judged.

The sea gave up all the dead who were in it; Death and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and every one was judged according to the way in which he had lived. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning lake.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband.

 

Prayerful reflection

The Church is suffering persecution at the hands of the Romans. This book is to encourage and strengthen Christians in their sufferings. The author writes using language that the Romans would not understand. He writes with the imagery of the Old Testament. We cannot take it literally but must look for the truth he is proclaiming.

Nowadays we do not talk much of hell but stress the goodness and love of God and his desire for all to be saved. Yet when we reflect on the Scriptures taken as a whole, we cannot avoid the truth that there is a judgement on everyone and that those who have sided with Satan in this life will receive the judgement that Satan has received. They adamantly refused the call of God in this life and so will live separately from God for all eternity. Their adamant refusal is eternal. Satan whom they listened to in this life becomes their eternal master.

On the other hand, those who gave their lives for Jesus in this life, first the martyrs who shed their blood for him, will be held in highest honour, then those who gave their life for him day by day in humble loving obedience will reign with him too.

Those who thus belong to the Lord Jesus will the members of the new Jerusalem, the new and perfect creation in which God as Father will live with them. How that will be no one in this life has any idea. It is beyond imagination.

Gospel

Luke 21:29-33

My words will never pass away

Jesus told his disciples a parable: ‘Think of the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you know that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’

 

Prayerful reflection

The new creation began with the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. His Death and Resurrection, his Paschal Mystery – his passing over from the state of sin and corruption to the glory of God in his mortal body - is the beginning. The old creation of sin, rebellion, and war is doomed. Before his Death Jesus proclaimed ‘the Kingdom of God is close at hand.’ With his Resurrection it finally came. Those who accept him and become members of his Mystical Body through faith and Baptism become members of his Kingdom, here on earth.

We are able to live with God in intimate love and union even now – ‘in God we live and move and have our being.’ This life with God is real and true, but now in the hiddenness of faith. If we allow God to increase our faith and purify us from the stain of the old creation, we will live in communion with God now. Then when death, the last enemy to be overthrown, comes, the light of vision will shed upon us and we will be visibly what we have been in this life in the darkness of faith.

We are already either in or out of the Kingdom of God. Let us welcome the Lord Jesus who stands at the door knocking and appealing to us to let him in. In him, with him and through him we live in the Kingdom.

What is the fig tree and what are the buds? When we see the tree bud, we know summer is near. What is Jesus saying. When we see the Passion and Death of Jesus, we see the destruction of the old creation in bud. When we see his Resurrection, we see the new creation in bud. We now know that summer is near.  The new creation will flower for all those who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus is the fig tree and his Resurrection is the tree in bud. We now know that it will flower in the Resurrection of all believers. May we be one of them.