Matthew 8:25-26, Nehemiah 9:15

Matthew 8:25-26

25 They woke him and cried, “Lord save us! We are lost!” 26 But Jesus answered, “Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?” Then he stood up and ordered the wind and sea; and it became completely calm.

Beloved, often in these last weeks, sorrow and fear have overwhelmed us and we cling to You  recognising that only You have the power to save.  You who ordered the wind and the sea to be still, can also restore to order and health the disease that has stealthily entered Sandy's body like a thief in the night and it is working its evil.  But You are Lord, the Son of the Living God - all authority in heaven, on earth and in the under world has been given to You.  We believe and we shall be saved.

Nehemiah 9:15

15 You gave them bread from heaven and told them to satisfy their hunger; you made water gush forth from the rock to quench their thirst, and commanded them to go and take possession of the land which you had sworn to give them.

I thrill at the words of the prophet O Lord, for they are words addressed to You Eternal Word in whom we can confidently place all our trust.  Rock of all Ages just as water gushed forth to quench the thirst of Your people when Moses struck to rock, so water gushed from You when death was permitted to smite You and Your side was pierced and water gushed forth which brings life, new life to Your people.

Bread of Life sustain and strengthen Sandy.

Esther 14:1, 4-5, 12-14, Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8, Matthew 7:7-11

Esther 14:1, 4-5, 12-14

My Lord, you who stand alone, come to my help; I am alone and have no help but you.  Remember us, Lord; reveal yourself in the time of our calamity.  Give me courage.  Save us by your hand; help me who am alone and have none but you O Lord.

Beloved, when I call and You answer, Your answer may be something totally different from what I expect.  Help me not to assume that Your will is aligned to what I want, it may be radically different from what I expect or even desire but inspite of it may I know that You will and Your anwer is better than anything that I could conceive.

Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8

1 I thank you, O Lord, with all my heart,for you have heard the word of my lips.I sing your praise in the presence of the gods.2 I bow down towards your holy temple and give thanks to your name,for your love and faithfulness, for your word which exceeds everything. 3 You  answered me when I called; you restored my soul and made me strong.

7 If I walk in the midst of trouble, you give me life.  With outstretched arm, you save me from the wrath of my foes,  with your right hand you deliver me. 8 How the Lord cares for me! Your kindness, O Lord, endures forever. Forsake not the work of your hands.

Matthew 7:7-11

• 7 Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened. 8 For everyone who asks, receives; whoever seeks, finds; and the door will be opened to him who knocks. 9 Would any of you give a stone to your son when he asks for bread? 10 Or give him a snake, when he asks for a fish? 11 As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

My Beloved, all the Scripture passages today about asking You for what we need and in the Gospel You speak so beautifully about a father's response to a child.  Once again You remind me that God is infinitely good and all He desires for His children is that they too seek and ask for the true, the good and the beautiful.

Isaiah 55:10-11, Psalm 34:4-7, 16, 18-19, Matthew 6:7-15

Isaiah 55:10-11

10 As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return till they have watered the earth, making it yield seed for the sower and food for others to eat, 11 so is my word that goes forth out of my mouth: it will not return to me idle, but it shall accomplish my will, the purpose for which it has been sent.

My Beloved, Eternal Word, Word made flesh.  All the scripture verses that have comforted me and given me hope have issued forth from the mouth of God.  Thank You for the verses today that assure me that unlike man You do not speak idle words - Your Word is filled with power and glory.

Psalm 34:4-7, 16, 18-19

4 Oh, let us magnify the Lord, together let us glorify his name! 5 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; from all my fears he delivered me.  6 They who look to him are radiant with joy, their faces never clouded with shame.  7 When the poor cry out, the Lord hears and saves them from distress. 16 The eyes of the Lord are fixed on the righteous; his ears are inclined to their cries.   18 The Lord hears the cry of the righteous and rescues them from all their troubles. 19 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves the distraught.

Yes Lord, my heart exults and gives thanks together with the psalmist.  Each time I cried out to You, You  heard and comforted me.  You melted away my fears.  You strengthened me and gave me hope.  What would I do without You Lord?

Matthew 6:7-15

7 When you pray, do not use a lot of words, as the pagans do, for they hold that the more they say, the more chance they have of being heard. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him.  9 This, then, is how you should pray:  Our Father in heaven, holy be your name, 10 your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts  just as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us. 13 Do not bring us to the test but deliver us from the evil one.  14 If you forgive others their wrongs, your Father in heaven will also forgive yours. 15 If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive you either.

Beloved when we pray heart speaks to heart. 

This prayer is the most beautiful of all prayers because You taught it to us.  How beautifully it sums up every human need.  Our need of a Father who is wise, strong, compassionate, powerful, trust worthy and above all loving.  A Father who is ready and able to give us all that we need to help us on our journey through life and into eternity.  'YOUR WILL BE DONE,' is so often the hardest prayer to make, yet my Beloved, You know how important it is for us to surrender yet how difficult and almost impossible it often is.  We are afraid of the consequences of giving complete control to God.  What a lack of trust we have and this must distress our Father immensely.

You also teach us to pray for our daily needs - bread for today not for tomorrow.  Often we wish and pray for lots and lots of bread to last us a lifetime but our Father knows how quickly His fickle children would forget Him and begin to rely on His gifts rather than on Him, the Giver of all gifts.  All we need is bread for today and a loving trust that our Daddy God will feed us tomorrow.  How pleasing we would be to God if we put this prayer into practice every day.

Isaiah 54:3,5,8,9-10,13,17, Psalm 91:1-2,10-15, Romans 10:8, 11-13, Luke 4:1-13

Isaiah 54:3,5,8-10,13-17

3 for you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will take possession of the nations and inhabit cities that have been abandoned. 5 For your Maker is to marry you: Yahweh Sabaoth is his name. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel: He is called God of all the earth.  8with everlasting love I have had mercy on you, says Yahweh, your Redeemer.  9  I swear not to be angry with you and never again to rebuke you. 10 The mountains may depart and the hills be moved, but never will my love depart from you nor my covenant of peace be removed, says Yahweh whose compassion is for you. 13 All your children will be taught by Yahweh, and they will prosper greatly. 17 No weapon forged against you will succeed, and all who speak against you will be silenced. Such is the lot of the servants of Yahweh, and such is the right I grant them – says Yahweh.

My Beloved, what wonderful promises You make, You are God not man   so I can trust You  to keep every one of them.  Thank You Beloved.

Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15

1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who rest in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 say to the Lord, “My stronghold, my refuge, my God in whom I trust!” 10 no harm will come upon you, no disaster will draw near your home.  11 For he will command his angels  to guard you in all your ways. 12 They will lift you up with their hands so that your foot will not hit a stone.  13 You will tread on wildcats and snakes  and trample the lion and the dragon.  14 “Because they cling to me, I will rescue them,”  says the Lord.  “I will protect those who know my name. 15 When they call to me, I will answer;  in time of trouble I will be with them; I will deliver and honor them. 

Thank You for all the assurances in this Psalm.  I claim each one of Your promises for my sister Sandy, for my family and for myself.  I belong to You, I love You, I cling to You and I know You will not forsake Your own.

Romans 10:8, 11-13

 8 True righteousness coming from faith also says: The word of God is near you, on your lips and in your hearts.11 For Scripture says: No one who believes in him will be ashamed. 12 Here there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; all have the same Lord, who is very generous with whoever calls on him.13 Truly, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

Once again You confirm that You are near on our lips and in our hearts.  All who believe in You will have no cause to be ashamed.  You are generous and all who call on You with faith, hope and trust will be heard and saved.

Luke 4:1-13 

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone.’ Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, ‘I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says: You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.’ Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said to him ‘throw yourself down from here, for scripture says: He will put his angels in charge of you  to guard you, and again: They will hold you up on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said:  You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.

My Beloved, no love is as great as Yours You not only became one like us but You wanted to experience all the weaknesses of our poor human flesh in order that You could understand perfectly with great mercy and compassion and help  us overcome our own weaknesses.  Forty days and forty nights You not only fasted but You were tempted in every way that we are but remained sinless.  You spent that time in solitude, in prayer - filled with the Holy Spirit and One with Your Father who strengthened You and helped You to prepare for Your great mission of redemption for which He sent You and which You accepted in perfect obedience. Thank You my Beloved.

Zechariah 2:9, Psalm 23:1, Matthew 16:15

Zechariah 2:9

I will be around her like a wall of fire, and also within her in Glory.

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my Shepherd there is nothing I shall want.

 

I belong to You Beloved, I am Yours completely I shall not want because You provide for me.  You give me all I need to live a life pleasing to You.  You give me the gift of the present moment over which I have complete control and with the grace that You pour freely into my heart, and the infinite merit You have won for me, I can make the present moment a sacrament holy and pleasing to You. In this moment of now with my hand held firmly in Mama Mary's, I can do all that You tell me to do a moment at a time trusting You with my gaze fixed on Mary who directs me to do all that You ask of me.

Matthew16:15

"But you, who do you say I am?"

 

You are my beloved Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, the one, holy and mighty God.  You are my deliverer, the Rock of all Ages, the Alpha and the Omega, the First, the Last and You are Forever.  Eternal God, You are my God. 

Psalm 86:1-6, Luke 5:27-28, 30-32

Jeremiah 9:22-23

22 It is Yahweh who speaks: “Let not the wise boast of his wisdom, nor the valiant of his valor nor the wealthy of his wealth!  23 But if someone wants to boast,  let him boast of this:  of understanding and knowing me.  I am Yahweh, the merciful;  I implement justice  and rule the world with righteousness.  For in these things I delight,”  this is Yahweh’s word.

Beloved, reading these verses, I know beyond any doubt that the Scripture verses I read each day are not random but that You have a message to give me.  You know that I have been fighting vain, prideful boastful thoughts about something that has happened recently.  You remind me that I ought not to boast and if I must, then to boast about understanding and knowing You.

Isaiah 58:9-15

9 Then you will call and Yahweh will answer, you will cry and he will say, I am here.  If you remove from your midst the yoke,  the clenched fist and the wicked word, 10 if you share your food with the hungry  and give relief to the oppressed, then your light will rise in the dark,  your night will be like noon.  11 Yahweh will guide you always and give you relief in desert places. He will strengthen your bones; he will make you as a watered garden,  like a spring of water  whose waters never fail.  12 Your ancient ruins will be rebuilt,  the age-old foundations will be raised.  You will be called the Breach-mender, and the Restorer of ruined houses.  13 If you stop profaning the sabbath  and doing as you please on the holy day, if you call the sabbath a day of delight  and keep sacred Yahweh’s holy day,  if you honor it by not going your own way, not doing as you please  and not speaking with malice, 14 then you will find happiness in Yahweh,  over the heights you will ride triumphantly, and feast joyfully on the inheritance of your father Jacob you. The mouth of Yahweh has spoken. 

 Psalm 86:1-6

Listen, O Lord, and answer me, for I am afflicted and needy. 2 Preserve my life for I am God-fearing; save your servant who trusts in you.  3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I cry to you all day.  4 Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 5 You are good and forgiving, O Lord, caring for those who call on you.  6 Listen, O Lord, to my prayer, hear the voice of my pleading.

Thank You my Lord for all the wonderful promises You make in the above verses if I on my part do what pleases You in loving my neighbor. 

Luke 5:27-

27 Jesus noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax-office, he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 So Levi, leaving everything, got up and followed Jesus.  30 Then the Pharisees and their fellow teachers complained to Jesus’ disciples, “How is it that you eat and drink with tax collectors and other sinners?” 31 But Jesus spoke up, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. 32 I have come to call to repentance; I call sinners, not the righteous.”

When You call grant that I may leave everything and follow You. May I obey promptly and  joyfully.  Thank You for assuring me that You came for one like me. You know how much I need You.

Job 37:5, Matthew 9:14-15

Job 37:5

God thunders and His voice works marvels; He does great things we cannot perceive.

Matthew 9:14-15

14 Then the disciples of John came to him with the question, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast on many occasions, but not your disciples?”  15 Jesus answered them, “How can you expect wedding guests to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? Time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, then they will fast.

Beloved, as usual there were some, in this instance the disciples of John, who were comparing Your disciples unfavorably with themselves.  Often, I too am guilty of not understanding why people do certain things that I may think are not proper and yet they may have a perfectly valid and good reason that I know nothing about. 

In this case, You set John's disciples right in their thinking by informing them that the time to fast would come.  This was the time to rejoice because You their Bridegroom, was with them. 

When You depart from us because we have sinned and turned away from You then O Lord, help us to repent and confess so we may once again experience the joy of Your Presence.

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8, Luke 9:23-25

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8

6 Be valiant and strong, do not fear or tremble before them for Yahweh, your God, is with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.”  8 Yahweh shall go before you. He shall be with you; he shall not leave you or abandon you. Do not fear, then, or be discouraged.”

Thank You my Beloved for Your wonderful words of comfort and assurance.  Knowing how weak I am, You speak to me and encourage me.  Thank You for understanding and ministering to me.

Luke 9:23-25

23 And he said to all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.  25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

Self denial can be a hard thing at first my Lord but what may seem to be difficult at first becomes easier once one is determined.  Then at the end, with grace, what looked impossible at first looks easy in the end.  You are so abundandantly generous that You pour blessing upon blessing and joy.  Thank You my Beloved.

M--- mine You belong to Me.  Let my word be

 the rule of your life.  In consecrating yourself

to My Mother, you have consecrated yourself

to Me.  Be mine to command.  Live in Me,

move in Me, have Your being rooted in Me. 

M--- mine love Me, belong utterly to Me.  Rest

in My love, trust me, run to Me, cling to Me,

rest your head on Me.  Believe, hope and

trust always.  Your Beloved Jesus

James 1:12, 17-18, Psalm 94:18-19, Mark 8:14, 16-21

James 1:12, 16-18

12 Happy are those who patiently endure trials, because afterwards they will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him. 17 Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of Light, in whom there is no change or shadow of a change. 18 By his own will he gave us life through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of offering to him among his creatures.

Suffering borne in the right spirit has immense power to tranform, to strengthen, to purify and to make whole.  Every experience of suffering received helps the spirit to emerge victorious.  It is a powerful witness to faith and love and it has the power to bring souls to Christ.  If we accept our sufferings as a good and perfect gift given to us by God Himself then we become a love offering to Christ in the world.

Psalm 94:18-19

18 No sooner did I say, “My foot is slipping,” your kindness, O Lord, held me up.19 The more worries and trouble assailed me, the more you consoled me.

How beautiful and how true these verses are my Beloved.  Thank You for the consolation of Your holy Word.

James 8:14-21

14 The disciples had forgotten to bring more bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. 16 And they said to one another, “He saw that we have no bread.” 17 Aware of this, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about the loaves you are short of? Do you not see or understand? Are your minds closed? 18 Have you eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear? And do you not remem¬ber 19 when I broke the five loaves among five thousand? How many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Twelve.” 20 “And having seven loaves for the four thousand, how many wicker baskets of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Seven.” 21 Then Jesus said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

When we think in the flesh, we who ought to know better, are a big disappointment to You.  We are like the psalmist says in Psalm 72:9  'enemies who lick the dust,' because our minds are trapped on earthly things.

My Beloved, in every situation You have the power to work mightily and it pleases You immensely to work wonders if we look up to You with expectant faith.  Praise You Lord for all the wonders You have done and continue to do.  Alleluia!!!!! 

James 1:2-3

James 1:2-3

2 Consider yourselves fortunate, my brothers and sisters, when you meet with every kind of trial, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith makes you steadfast.

My Beloved, thank You for reminding me that even in the midst of trials I can praise You.  You go so far as to tell me I am fortunate when I meet with difficulties and suffering.  Help me to see all things through the eyes of faith.    Life on earth is transient, eventually all of us must go back to You Beloved.  Thank You for reminding me that there are two realities - our life on earth and our life in eternity.  Those who love God whole heartedly and believe do not need Him to prove who He is.  They just believe.

Give me humility Lord and give me a heart that is willing to accept only that which You desire to give.  Trusting You in all things and accepting all that You give me with the sure belief that it is good. Amen.

Jeremiah 17-5-8

Jeremiah 17:5-8

5 This is what Yahweh says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings and depends on a mortal for his life, while his heart is drawn away from Yahweh!  6 He is like a bunch of thistles in dry land, in parched desert places, in a salt land where no one lives and who never finds happiness.  7 Blessed is the man who puts his trust in Yahweh and whose confidence is in him! 8 He is like a tree planted by the water, sending out its roots towards the stream.  He has no fear when the heat comes, his leaves are always green; the year of drought is no problem and he can always bear fruit.

My Beloved, once more on my journey to eternal life You are allowing me to experience calvary.  You remind me not to put my trust in humans but in You alone.  Trusting You I will find hope in a situation that seems hopeless.  You are teaching me to say, "Thy will be done", once again and mean it.  I stand before You helpless and powerless I can only lean on You, call on You, cry to You - I am weak and tired and I confess that I need You and Your strength.  Once again I cry out to You  in my distress and I say with the prophet Jeremiah 17:14, "Heal Sandy and she shall be whole, save her and she shall be safe O You my hope!"

 

My Beloved there are many who are called to walk the way of the Cross in imitation of You and You wish me to enter into the passion and suffering of those who suffer.  Right now it is our Sandy who is suffering.  In sharing spiritually in this sorrow, imprint You image on our heart and make it possible for us, through our prayers, to ease her burden in some way.  Give her strength and heal her my Beloved is the cry of my soul if it is Your will - Amen.

Psalm 106:20-22, Mark 8:2-9

Psalm 106:20-22
 20 They exchanged the glory of God for the image of a bull that eats grass.  21 They forgot their Savior God, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 wonderful works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Sea of Reeds.

My Beloved, may I never forget all the marvels You  have done for me, beginning with my conception and all through my life.  May I love, honor, obey and praise You all the days of my life as my only God.

Mark 8:2-9

2 “I feel sorry for these people because they have been with me for three days and now have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them to their homes hungry, they will faint on the way; some of them have come a long way.”  4 His disciples replied, “Where in a deserted place like this could we get enough bread to feed these people?” 5 He asked them, “How many loaves have you?” And they answered, “Seven.”  6 Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves and giving thanks, he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute. And they distributed them among the people. 7 They also had some small fish, so Jesus said a blessing and asked that these be shared as well.  8 The people ate and were satisfied. The broken pieces were collected, seven wicker baskets full of leftovers. 9 Now there had been about four thousand people.

My Beloved, You were with Your disciples and they still did not know that You would provide.  That no one would go hungry.  If they were with you, depended on You and trusted You.  You give us to the point of satiation and there is still plenty left over.  With You there is always an abuandance of every good and perfect gift.

1 Kings 11:29-32; 12-19, Mark 7:31-37

My Beloved, even though You knew that eventually Jeroboam would also prove to be unfaithful, You entrusted him with the kingdom.  You have placed Your trust in me as well even through I am unfaithful often.

Mark 7:31-37

31 Again Jesus set out; from the country of Tyre he passed through Sidon and skirting the sea of Galilee he came to the territory of Decapolis. 32 There a deaf man who also had difficulty in speaking was brought to him. They asked Jesus to lay his hand upon him.  33 Jesus took him apart from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle. 34 Then, looking up to heav¬en, he groaned and said to him, “Ephphetha,” that is, “Be opened.”  35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly. 36 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone, but the more he insisted on this, the more they proclaimed it. 37 The people were completely astonished and said, “He has done all things well; he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”

Like the deaf mute I too was deaf and ignorant of Your word and thus was not able to articulate it.  Thank You my Beloved for ministering to me personally, for taking me away with You and touching and healing me.  For opening my ears to hear You and loosening my tongue so I could sign aloud and praise You for all the wonderful things You have done for me.  Thank You for helping me see through You words, Your actions, and Your life how much You love me.  Thank You for the desire to sing from the rooftops and tell of all the marvelous things You have done for me and continue to do so.  I love You. Thank You for loving me even though I am a sinner.

Psalm 107:20, Psalm 37:7, Mark 7:30, Psalm 36:6, 8-10

Psalm 107:20

20 He sent forth his word and healed them, and rescued them from destruction.

Psalm 37:7

Keep calm before the Lord wait for Him in patience.

Mark 7:30

When the woman went home, she found her child lying in bed and the demon had gone.

My Beloved Jesus, our hope is in You not in man.  You are our God and we trust You.  Your word brings comfort and strength.  We trust You to be faithful to Your word.

Psalm 36:6, 8-10

6 Your love, O God, reaches the heavens; your faithfulness, to the clouds.  8 How precious, O God, is your constant love! Mortals take refuge in the shadow of your wings.  9 In your house they find rich food and they drink from your spring of delight.  10 For with you is the fountain of life, in your light we see light. 

Thank You my Beloved for all the words of comfort You have spoken to me this morning.  Thank You for Your loving and kind assurances that You are a faithful and loving God in whom we can place all our trust.

1 Kings 1:1-5, 10, Mark 7:14-16, 20-23

1 Kings 1:10

3 and Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing that the king could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the residence of his officials, the attendance of his servants and their clothing, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings which he offered at Yahweh’s House, it left her breathless.  10 Then she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in abundance, and precious stones. Such an abundance of spices as those which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon was never again seen.

The Queen of Sheba saw that King Solomon had an abundance of everything including great wisdom.  She was so impressed that before she left, she gave him even more.

You said Lord, to those who have, even more will be given and those who have little, even what they have will be taken away.  Help me to be faithful and grateful.  Help me to use all that You have given me for Your greater glory.

 

Mark 7:14-15, 20-23

• 14 Jesus then called the people to him again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand. 15 Nothing that enters one from outside can make that person unclean. It is what comes out from within that makes unclean. 16 Let everyone who has ears listen.”  20 And he went on, “What comes out of a person is what defiles, 21 for evil designs come out of the heart: theft, murder, 22 adultery, jealousy, greed, maliciousness, deceit, indecency, slander, pride and folly. 23 All these evil things come from within and make a person unclean.”

My Beloved, You always hold up the truth.  You speak it, You affirm it and You do not tolerate those who pretend to be what they are not, nor do You give credence to practices that have no power to convert or make holy.  It in in our hearts that sin and evil festers, takes root and grows.  It is there in the silence of our being where God sees and with His help, we can begin to root out our evil tendencies and inclinations.

1 Kings 8:23, 28-30, Psalm 84:3-5, 10-11

1 Kings 8:23, 28-30

O Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no God like you either in heaven or on earth! You keep your covenant and show loving- kindness to your servants who walk before you wholeheartedly.! 28 Yet, listen to the prayer and supplication of your servant, O Yahweh my God; hearken to the cries and pleas which your servant directs to you this day. 29 Watch over this House of which you have said, ‘My name shall rest there.’ Hear the prayer of your servant in this place.  30 Listen to the supplication of your servant and your people Israel when they pray in this direction; listen from your dwelling place in heaven and, on listening, forgive.

My Beloved, thank You for Your Bride, the Holy Catholic Church in which You have graciously ordained that I may be a member.  I thank You for the fullness of Yourself that exists in Your Church. Thank You for the great love that You have for each one of its members.  Thank You that You always listen to our cries and You give us all that we need on our journey from earth to heaven.  Thank You Beloved, for staying with us in the Eucharist and giving Yourself to us as our food.  How truly blessed we are, for in receiving You into our bodies, we become what we consume.

Psalm 84:3-5, 10-11

3 My soul yearns, pines, for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.  4 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest  where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God! 5 Happy are those who live in your house, continually singing your praise!  10 Look upon our shield, O God; look upon the face of your anointed! 11 One day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be left at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked. 

My gracious, most beloved Lord, all day long and even at night as I lie on my bed, I raise my voice and my heart to You.  Hear and answer me O my God and my Lord.  Hear and anwer my cry O Lord.

1 kings 8: 2, 6, 9-11,13 - Mark 6:53-56

1 Kings 8:2, 6, 9-11, 13 

The priests carried the ark of Yahweh 4 and brought it up together with the Tent of Meeting and all the holy vessels that were in the tent.. 6 Then the priests laid the ark of the covenant of Yahweh in its place in the inner sanctuary of the House – the Most Holy Place – underneath the wings of the cherubim.  9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone 10 when the priests came out of the Holy Place, such a cloud filled Yahweh’s House 11 that the priests could not continue to minister. Indeed, the glory of Yahweh filled his House.13 So the House I have built you will be your House, a place for you to dwell in forever.”

My Beloved, there is so much You reveal in today's Scripture passages.  The Church points to Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant.  The holy vessels are the multitude of witnesses in the saints and martyrs - Holy men and women who show us that it is possible to live good and holy lives.

The Word of God is found nestled in Mary and the glory of God the Father and the Holy Spirit fills her, covers her and enfolds both Mary and the Eternal Word in His awesome Presence just as He does Holy Mother Church the place where God dwells until the end of time.

Mark 6:53-56

53 Having crossed the lake, they came ashore at Gennesaret where they tied up the boat. 54 As soon as they landed, people recognized Jesus 55 and ran to spread the news throughout the countryside. Wherever he was they brought to him the sick lying on their mats. 56 And wherever he went, to villages, towns or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplace and begged him to let them touch just the fringe of his cloak. And all who touched him were cured.

My Beloved, whatever I do I must do it united with You. Every breath, every word, every act, every thought, every impulse - the ebb and flow of my life must all be in union with You my God.  Grant me this grace. Amen

1 Kings 3:5

1 Kings 3:5

Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, "Ask what you want me to give you."

My Beloved, I ask that You take my will and give me Your will in order that I may model my life on that of my Mama Mary.  I want Your will in order to act on my desire to respond in all the circumstances of my life like she did.  I want to be available, obedient, submissive, humble, loving, gentle, kind, patient, giving, open, pliant, wise with the wisdom of God.  I want to live my life as she did - in Your Presence.  She bore You in her soul long before You were conceived in her womb and You continue to remain in her soul.  All she did, she did for love of You.  When You call me home, I will see for myself how imperfectly I tried, the times I fell and failed - but Your joy and mine will be in the fact that I tried with every  ounce of my being in cooperation with Your grace. Amen.

Sirach 47:8-10, Mark 6:19-20

Sirach 47:8-10

8 In all that David did he gave thanks to the Most High, and showed his love for his Maker by singing with all his heart. 9 He placed singers accompanied by harps before the altar to make beautiful music; 10 he gave splendor to feasts and even greater magnificence to the more solemn occasions, exalting the holy Name of the Lord and having the sanctuary ring with his praises from early morning.

My Beloved, give me a true love and appreciation for our Church.  Her feasts and celebrations, her life and her liturgies bring heaven to earth. David showed his love for You and His awareness of all that You did and his heart sang his thanksgiving to You.  Grant O Lord to Your people the grace to truly enter into the very life and heart of the Church in all her seasons and celebrations and allow ourselves to have the same heart as hers that beats with love, praise, thanksgiving and gratitude for our awesome God who delights in men and makes His home with us.

Mark 6:19-20

19 So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but she could not 20 because Herod respected John. He knew John to be an upright and holy man and kept him safe. And he liked listening to him, although he became very disturbed whenever he heard him.

There are many like Herod.  They hear about You, their hearts are stirred, there is a longing, a desire  - but it is stifled in order to give in to momentary pleasure.  They are not prepared to give up the present pleasure of self-indulgence and selfish greed.  They flirt with the truth but are not prepared to accept it and when they have to make a choice they are too  weak willed to make the choice they know to be right.  They would rather satisfy men than please You my God.

Mark 6:17, 2 Samuel 24:14, Psalm 32:6-11

Mark 6:17
Jesus Himself was astounded at their unbelief.

2 Samuel 24:14
“I am greatly troubled. Let me fall into the hands of Yahweh whose mercy is abundant; but let me not fall into human hands.”

Psalm 32:1-11
6 So let the faithful ones pray
to you in time of distress;
the overflowing waters will not reach them.
7 You are my refuge;
you protect me from distress
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will teach you,
I will show you the way to follow.
I will watch over you and give you counsel.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule –
senseless and led by bit and bridle.
10 Many woes befall the wicked,
but the Lord’s mercy enfolds those who trust in him.
11 Rejoice in the Lord, and be glad,
you who are upright;
sing and shout for joy,
you who are clean of heart.

My Beloved are You astounded at my unbelief. I have known You all my life. I am aware of all that You have done for me. I have experienced Your power and I know that You are a God of love, mercy and compassion and that I can trust You completely. Yet, in the last few days I am lamenting as one who has no hope, like one who does not know You. Forgive me my Lord, I am a weak and sinful creature and in my shame I would say, 'Lord, depart from me for I am a sinner". But if You did depart from me what would become of me? I need You as I need air to breathe. Stay with me my Lord for without You I may as well be dead. Stay with me my God. Thank You.

Malachi 3:1-4

Malachi 3:1-4

1 Now I am sending my messenger ahead of me to clear the way; then suddenly the Lord for whom you long will enter the sanctuary. The envoy of the covenant which you so greatly desire already comes, says Yahweh of hosts. 2 Who can bear the day of his coming and remain standing when he appears? For he will be like fire in the foundry and like the lye used for bleaching.  3 He will be as a refiner or a fuller. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. So Yahweh will have priests who will present the offering as it should be. 4 Then Yahweh will accept with pleasure the offering of Judah and Jerusalem, as in former days.

My Beloved, the suffering we experience is Your messenger, Your herald that prepares the way for You to enter Your sanctuary. You are the One we long for, we pine for You.  In the crucible of suffering You plunge us into the heart of the fire of Your love and there You burn away all resistance to You.  There we become fluid and pure and You can shape an dmould us in any way that pleases You. 

Open the gateways of my being most Holy Spirit that the King of Glory may enter and take up residence in me.  Amen

Psalm 3:2-7

My Beloved, how simple it is to lie down, to give in and let anguish and grief crush me.  I would like to get into my bed, draw the covers over me and sleep the sleep of sorrow and exhaustion.  It takes courage that only You can give to lift my head high, to know that I can do nothing in this battle but lay myself at Your feet and allow You to fight on my behalf. 

Psalm 3:2-7
The Psalmist says it well,

2 O Lord, how great in number are my foes!
How numerous are they who rise against me!
3 How many are they who say of my soul:
“There is no help for him in God!”
4 But you are my shield, O Lord,
my glory, you lift up my head.
5 Aloud I cry to the Lord,
and from his holy hill he answers me.
6 If I lie down to sleep,
again I awake, for the Lord supports me;
7 no fear of the thousands standing against me.

You are always ministering to us.  You are always working on our behalf, setting us free, wiping away our tears, strengthening us, healing us and feeding us with food for the body and for the soul.  Thank You.