Malachi 3:20, 2 Timothy 4:2, Mark 12:41-44

Malachi 3:20

..."The Sun of Justice will shine upon you who respect My Name and bring health in its rays."

What a wonderful promise my Lord.  Let the light of Your love shine on me always and bring me health in mind, body, soul and spirit.

2 Timothy 4:2

I urge you to preach the Word, in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking or advising, always with patience and providing instruction.

Here I am reminded that I must be a witness - my life must so shine with Your light my God that all who look at me see You.  When I fail, help me not to be discouraged but ask for pardon and having received it, help me to labor on.

Mark 12:41-44

 41 Jesus sat down opposite the Tem­ple treasury and watched the peo­ple dropping money into the treasury box; and many rich people put in large offerings. 42 But a poor widow also came and dropped in two small coins. 43 Then Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all those who gave offerings. 44 For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave from her poverty and put in everything she had, her very living.”

Beloved, how often we give from our surplus and feel very smug and generous and we look down on others.  Here You show us an example of true giving.  In the eyes of the world, the amount that the widow gave was a paltry sum but in Your eyes, it was much more than all the others had given because she gave her all.  It was a total gift without thought of self.  She trusted You to provide for her .  Love prompted her action.  May it be so for me too.  Let love be the arbiter of all my actions.

Exodus 33:2-5, 10-23, Exodus 34:2, Psalm 119:165, Mark 12:37

Exodus 33:2-5, 10-23, 34:1-9

 2 I will send an Angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. 3 But I will not go with you to this land flowing with milk and honey, for you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” 4 When the people heard these distressing words they were very sad and none of them put on any ornaments. 5 Yahweh then said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you, even for a moment, I would destroy you! Now, take off your ornaments that I may know what I shall do to you.”   10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud at the entrance to the tent, they would arise and worship, each one at the entrance to his own tent. 11Then Yahweh would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his neighbor, and then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua, son of Nun, would not leave the tent.  12 Then Moses said to Yahweh, “You say to me: ‘Lead this people up,’ but you haven’t told me who you will send with me and yet you have said that you know me by name and that I have found favor in your sight. 13 And now if I have found favor in your sight, let me know your ways, that I may know you and so find favor in your sight. Look, this people is your own people.” 14 Yahweh said, “My Face will go with you and I will give you rest.” 15 And Moses said, “If your Face does not come with us, do not take us from here. 16 And how will anyone here know that you look kindly on me and my people? Will it not be because you go with us? In that way, I myself and your people will be distinguished from every other nation on the face of the earth.” 17 Yahweh then said to Moses, “What you have said I will do, for I look kindly on you and I have known you by name.”   18 Moses said, “Then let me see your Glory.” 19 And He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and proclaim the name of Yahweh before you. For I am gracious to whom I want to be gracious and I am merciful to whom I want to be merciful.”  20 Then Yahweh said, “You cannot see my face because man cannot see me and live.” 21 And he added, “See this place near me; you shall stand on the rock 22 and when my Glory passes I will put you in a hollow of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

Exodus 34:2

165 Lovers of your Law have found great peace; nothing can make them stumble, not even distress.

My God,  in all these verses, we see the relationship that Moses enjoyed with You.  It was an intimate friendship.  You spoke to Him face to face as to a friend.  Moses knew how to move Your heart and You in turn allowed Moses to persuade You to turn away from the decision you had made not to accompany the people of Israel but to send an angel to accompany them instead.  Moses stood his ground until You relented.  Moses also asked if he could see You, God almighty and You tenderly did so permitting Your glory to pass over Him in such a way that the ecstasy would not kill him.  Moses spent time with You on Mount Sinai as You desired to bless him.

Blessed as Moses was, I am more blessed because I enjoy a union with You in the Eucharist that Moses never experienced on earth.  You and I become one - God in me and I in God.

Psalm 119:165

165 Lovers of your Law have found great peace; nothing can make them stumble, not even distress.

My this be rightly said of me Beloved.

Mark 12:37

Many people came to Jesus and listened to Him gladly.

May I always be counted among those who come to You, listen to You and obey You gladly my Lord.

Numbers 6:24-26, Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10 & 14, 2 Timothy 9, 11-13, 15 Mark 12:34

Numbers 6:24-26

"I will bless you and keep you..

I will let my Face shine on you,

and be gracious to you!

I will look kindly on you,

and give you My peace!"

Beloved, thank You for Your triple blessing on me today. Once again I commit my life to You. All I am and have is Yours gracious Lord, do with me as You will.

2 Timothy 2:9, 11-13 & 15

9 The word of God is not chained. 11 This statement is true:

If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; 12 If we endure with him, we shall reign with him; If we deny him, he will also deny us;13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.15 Be for God an active and proved minister, a blameless worker correctly handling the word of truth.

Beloved, we will be rewarded according to our faithfulness in being true witnesses.  The most important thing is not to fudge the truth.  Not to blur the lines and meaning of Your Word, for Truth must stand and Truth must be preached and Truth must be lived.

Psalm 25:2-5, 8-10 & 14

4 Teach me your ways, O Lord; make known to me your paths.5 Guide me in your truth and instruct me, for you are my God, my savior; I hope in you all day long.8 Good and upright, the Lord teaches sinners his way.9 He teaches the humble of heart and guides them in what is right.10 The ways of the Lord are love and faithfulness for those who keep his covenant and precepts.14 The Lord gives advice to those who revere him and makes his covenant known to them.

The words of the Psalmist are an affirmation of what St. Paul has said.

Mark 12:34

34 Jesus approved this answer and said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

 

How wonderful my Lord, if You could say to me as well that I am not far from the Kingdom of God.  I want to belong to You so completely that there is never a doubt in anyone's mind that I am Yours and Yours alone - fully with absolutely no reservations.  Yours and all Yours now and forever.

1 Chronicles 16:11-12, 2 Timothy 1:6-7

1 Chronicles 16:11-12

Seek Yahweh and His strength, seek His Face untiringly.  Recall the wondrous deeds he has done, His miracles, the judgement from His mouth.

Beloved, if I lean on You always as a child against her Father, Your strength and love will support me.  Help me to always recall and recount Your goodness to me, in this way my faith, hope, trust and love will keep growing stronger.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

6 For this reason I invite you to fan into a flame the gift of God you re­ceived through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not confer on us a spirit of bashfulness, but of strength, love and good judgment. 

You give the gift but it is our responsibility to use it and nurture it, to fan it into a flame.  

When You call You also empower.


I believe, I hope and I trust in You who are God.

Isaiah 45:1-5, 2 Peter 3:12, 14, 18, Psalm 90: 2-4, 10, 14 & 17, Mark 12:13-17

Isaiah 45:1-5

“I have taken you by the right hand

to subdue nations before you

and strip kings of their armor,

to open the gateways before you

so that they will be closed no more.

2 I will go before you to level the slopes,

I will break the gates of brass

and destroy the iron bars;

3 I will give you treasures hidden in darkness

and riches stored in secret places,

so that you may know that I am Yahweh,

the God of Israel who calls you by your name.

4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,

of Israel my chosen one,

I have called you by your name

and given you your mission

although you do not know me.

5 I am Yahweh, and there is no other;

there is no God besides me.

My Beloved God, what wonderful and awesome assurances You give me in these verses. What is there to say my Lord and my God except to bow my head and say thank You.  Pour out Your Holy Spirit over me and never, ever may I offend You by grevious sin.

2 Peter 3:12, 14, 15, 18

12 as you wait for the Day of God and long for its coming, when the heavens will dissolve in fire and the elements melt away in the heat. 14 Therefore, beloved, as you wait in expectation of this, strive that God may find you rooted in peace, without blemish or fault.15 and consider that God’s patience is for our salvation. 18 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: to him be glory, now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

St. Peter urges us to live good, holy, upright lives as we wait for Your coming and a new dawn.  He reminds us that if You have not destroyed us yet, it is because You want us to be saved and finally Beloved, all lovers can love more fully if they strive to know the one they have vowed to love.  Help me to grow  in grace and knowledge of You in order that I may love You daily more and more.

Psalm 90:2-4, 10, 14 & 17

Lord, you have been our refuge through all generations.

2 Before the mountains were formed, before you made the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity – you are God.

3 You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, O mortals!”

4 A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

10 Seventy years to our life or eighty if we are strong, yet most of them are sorrow and trouble; speed­ing by, they sweep us along.

14 Fill us at daybreak with your goodness, that we may be glad all our days.

17 May the sweetness of the Lord be upon us; may he prosper the work of our hands.

The Psalmist is so right, our lives no matter how long they may seem to us are just a flash in Your sight and so You show us mercy.  You pity us and are compassionate.  It is You alone who give meaning and purpose to our life.  The sweetness of Your Presence and our knowledge of You makes life a glorious adventure with You.

Mark 12:13-17

13 They sent to Jesus some Pharisees with members of Herod’s party, with the purpose of trapping him in his own words. 14 They came and said to Jesus, “Master, we know that you are true; you are not influenced by any­one, and your answers do not vary according to who is listening to you but you truly teach God’s way. Tell us, is it against the Law to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them or not?”

15 But Jesus saw through their trick and answered, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a silver coin and let me see it.” 16 They brought him one and Jesus asked, “Whose head is this, and whose name?” They answered, “Cae­sar’s.” .” 17 Then Jesus said, “Return to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Foolish Pharisees, they wanted to trap You the Eternal Word in Your own words.  Beloved, often we use flattery but our intent is far from pure.  You see through all these phony guises.  The message is clear.  What belongs to the world is paltry what belongs to You is everything that ever is, was or shall  be in heaven  and on earth.