Jeremiah 1:4-5, John 1:16-17,

Jeremiah 1:4-5

4 A word of Yahweh came to me, 5 “Even before I formed you in the womb I have known you; even before you were born I had set you apart, and appointed you a prophet to the nations!” 

My Beloved, You have spoken through the prophets, through the apostles, through Your Holy Word in Scripture both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. You spoke through the many signs and miracles You performed and You spoke most eloquently in Your passion, death resurrection. You continue to speak to us today through the Holy Catholic Church, Your servant and Vicar on earth our Popes through the ages and the lives of a multitude of saints and martyrs. To those believe You give the gift of eternal life. Thank You.

John 1:16-17

16 From his fullness we have all received, favor upon favor.  17 For God had given us the Law through Moses, but Truth and Loving-kindness came through Jesus Christ.

My Beloved, my hope and my trust is in You.  Not because I believe that You will act as I would like You to, but because I know that You are God almighty who so loved the world that You gave us Your only Son so that we who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1 Cor 13-13

Now we have faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.

Beloved, You remind us to set our hearts on the most precious of all your gifts and that is love - love which is another name for God for You are Love and so we are called to love You with our whole heart, our whole soul, our whole mind and our whole self and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:35-41

35 On that same day when evening had come, Jesus said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him away in the boat he had been sitting in, and other boats set out with him. 37 Then a storm gathered and it began to blow a gale. The waves spilled over into the boat so that it was soon filled with water. 38 And Jesus was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.  They woke him up and said, “Master, don’t you care if we sink?” 39 As Jesus awoke, he rebuked the wind and ordered the sea, “Quiet now! Be still!” The wind dropped and there was a great calm. 40 Then Jesus said to them, “Why are you so frightened? Do you still have no faith?”  41 But they were terrified and they said to one another, “Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”

My Beloved, right now there is a situation in our lives as a family when it seems that a storm is battering the fragile boat that we are in.  The waters of distress and anxiety seem to fill our little boat and we are afraid we will sink.  This however is not true.  You are in the boat and though it may seem that You are asleep, You are in total control.  As long as we keep our gaze on You, as long as we know that You are there, we know that nothing can sink or overwhelm us and when our faith, after being tested is strengthened, You will command the wind and the waves to be still and You will bring us safely home in the end.

Praise You my Lord.

2 Samuel 7:28-29, Mark 4:21-25

2 Samuel 7:28-29

28 So now, O Yahweh God, since you are the faithful God, and have promised me this good thing, 29 please bless my descendants, that they may continue forever before you. For you, O Yahweh God, have spoken and, with your blessing, my family shall be blessed forever.”

My Beloved, to those who have promised to serve You faithfully, You pledge to bless them and their descendants forever.  I claim this blessing my God for myself and for each member of my family.

Mark4:21-25

• 21 Jesus also said to them, “When the light comes, is it to be put under a tub or a bed? Surely it is put on a lampstand. 22 Whatever is hidden will be disclosed, and whatever is kept secret will be brought to light. 23 Listen then, if you have ears!”  24 And he also said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. In the measure you give, so shall you receive and still more will be given to you. 25 For to the one who produces something, more will be given, and from him who does not produce anything, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

My Beloved, You are the Light of the world and in receiving You, our life is kindled with Your light.  You do not want us to shy away and stay hidden, rather this light must blaze so that not only our own sins, faults and weaknessess may be revealed but that we may repent and confess, and  see all things clearly in Your light. 

Once again You remind me that there will be an accounting of the way I have used the gifts You have given me.  Help me Lord to be fruitful and so always pleasing to You my holy God.

Mark 4:10-12

Mark 4:10-12

10 When the crowd went away, some who were around him with the Twelve asked about the parables. 11 He answered them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But for those outside, everything comes in parables, 12 so that the more they see, they don’t perceive; the more they hear, they don’t understand; otherwise they would be converted and pardoned.”

My Beloved, Your word says that when the crowd went away those who remained with the Twelve asked You what this parable meant and You interpreted what the parable meant to them.

Those who stay with the Twelve are the members of Your One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.  To its members You have given the grace and gift to understand, appreciate and accept, through faith, the teaching of Holy Mother Church.  To plumb the depths, breadth, height and length of the wonderful mysteries of our faith.  We accept the teaching authority of the Church, we submit to her guidance in matters of faith and morals. She guides us through the turbulent waters of the world safely to our eternal home. This is Your Church that has given the world so many holy men and women who shine with Your light, as Your witnesses to the world, all that is possible with You.

2 Timothy 1:7,Luke 10:1-4

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not confer on us a spirit of bashfulness, but of strength, love and good judgement.

My Beloved, there are times when I wish I could see You like many who have had visions, then I remember Your words to Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."  I want to be one of these blessed little ones.

Luke 10:1-4

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place, where he himself was to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is rich, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest. 3 Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 4 Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know.

My Beloved, I too am called to be Your disciple.  I am called to be Your sign in the world - Your sign of peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, compassion.  I want to be everything that You wish me to be and I know You will provide the grace to help me.

Thank You for reminding me that You have not given me a spirit of bashfulness but of strength, love and good judgement.