Isaiah 41:10, 13, 14b & 16b

My Beloved Jesus You love me passionately as You love all mankind. You love me as a person and You want me to respond to Your love just as passionately. This means that my whole life must be devoted to pleasing You. To do nothing to hurt or offend You. To understand the cost of Your sacrifice and the merit You gained for me. To love You without self-interest. You who are love, teach me to love You as You ought to be loved.

Isaiah 41:10, 13, 14b, 16b

10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will give you strength, I will bring you help, I will uphold you with the right hand of my justice.13 For I, Yahweh, your God, take hold of your right hand and say to you: “Fear not, I am your assistance.”  14 Fear not, Jacob, poor worm, and you, people of Israel, so frail. I am your redeemer, says Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, your helper. 16 You will rejoice in Yahweh and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Thank You my Lord for all Your wonderful assurances that You will be my help and my strength always.

Matthew 11:20-24

• 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which he had performed most of his miracles, because the people there did not change their ways, 21 “Alas for you Chorazin and Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, the peo ple there would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I assure you, for Tyre and Sidon it will be more bearable on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Caper naum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be thrown down to the place of the dead! For if the miracles which were performed in you had taken place in So dom, it would still be there today! 24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

My Beloved, we take You for granted.  We take the life You have given us for granted.  You have blessed us from the moment we were conceived.  Your ordained that we were born into the fullness of the faith and You have revealed to us who You are.  You have taken us by the hand, taught us, fed us with Your own Body and Blood and redeemed us. You continue to empower us with Your Holy Spirit so that it will be easier for us to obey the greatest commandment of love - the love of God made visible in our love of neighbor. Therefore how great will our fall be Lord if we remain unchanged and unmoved by all You have done solely out of Your great love?