God is sovereign Ruler of the world

"He the LORD, is our God
whose judgments reach through all the earth."  (Psalm 105 : 7)

"Father in heaven, the hand of your loving kindness powerfully yet gently guides all the moments of our day.  Go before us in our pilgrimage of life, anticipate our needs and prevent our falling.  (Opening Prayer, 28 Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Divine Providence gives us step by step direction and moment by moment protection.
God is sovereign Ruler of the world He created.  He gives everything its place.  Nobody can make it otherwise.

And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself

"And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."  (John 12: 32)

When Christ was lifted up on the cross, He drew back first the disciples who had fled at the moment of His trial.  His passion and death were only the prelude to His Resurrection.  By the time of the Last Supper, His disciples had known that with more or less degree of certainty that He is the Messiah.  That conviction was shattered by the gruesome event of the crucifixion and death.

When Christ rose on the third day as He predicted, the faith of the disciples were born again.
"While meeting with them, he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak."  (Acts 1: 4).
The coming of the Holy Spirit launched the mustard seed to become the giant tree that draw everyone to Christ.  Today, the Church is over 2 billion people strong.  The Church has not completed its mission until everyone is drawn to Christ.

Asking and keep asking and you shall receive

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."  (Luke 11: 9 - 10)

What a great promise from the mouth of God. Man does not live on bread alone.  There is life for man in every promise from the word of God.

Lord Jesus, I believe you.  I am a beggar.  Help me to persevere and to learn how to wait for your time.  I know you keep your promise come what may.

"I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him and be radiant,
and your faces may not blush for shame."  (Psalm 34: 5 - 6)

Give us each day our daily bread

"Give us each day our daily bread."  (Luke 11: 3)

"Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 6 - 7)

"Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon you.”
Thus we may say with confidence:
“The Lord is my helper,
[and] I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?"  (Hebrews 13: 5 - 6)

Lord, help me to trust  you completely to provide for all my needs everyday as you promised.

"But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil."  

There is need of only one thing

"The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Like Martha, we are anxious and worried about many things:  health, family, money, job, tools/property, food and future.
But Jesus says:  Only one thing is necessary.
What is the one thing that is necessary?
"But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides."  (Matthew 6: 33)

The kingdom of God is the reign and authority of Jesus Christ.  Mary, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit understood that where Jesus is, there is the kingdom.

"LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you have made my destiny secure.
Pleasant places were measured out for me;
fair to me indeed is my inheritance."  (Psalm 16: 5 - 6)

Mary chose Jesus and His kingdom as her allotted portion and cup.

The Gospel came to me through a revelation of Jesus Christ

" Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ."  (Galatians 1: 11 - 12)

The entire Gospel was revealed to Paul by Jesus Christ.  We learn the faith by catechesis starting from home, in school and especially in the Liturgy all our life long.  Not Paul.  Paul did not make any effort to learn the Gospel.  Christ delivered the message to him as a gift.

Christ promises the revelation of the mysteries of the Kingdom to the childlike.  Although we learn the faith, there are many mysteries we cannot understand.  But if we become childlike, Jesus Christ will reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom to us.  St. Therese, the Little Flower is an example of this truth.  She died at the age of 24.  She never attended high school but she is one of the 35 doctors of the Church.  She was taught by Christ Himself.

He is not ashamed to call them "brothers"

"He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers,” (Hebrews 2: 11)

Thank you Jesus for not being ashamed to call me your brother.  Help me always to remember this.
"I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord.  I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers."  (Psalm 17: 50;22: 23)

No purpose of yours can be hindered

"I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be hindered."  (Job 42: 2)

Our God is almighty.  Whatever He wills, He does, come what may.  Nothing can resist Him.
Father, I delight in the truth that all things serve you.  (Psalm 119: 91)

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."  (Romans 8: 28)
All things serve your plans O Great God and Father!

Whoever rejects you rejects me

"Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”  (Luke 10: 16)

Whoever rejects my ambassador rejects me.  The bishops and priests act in persona Christi.
Whoever rejects my cross rejects me.  I come to you in my words and my sacraments.  I come to you too in the crosses I send you.

St. Francis of Assisi - Gave away his wealth

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  (Matthew 5: 3)

Today is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. His feast day is today.  He lived the above scripture.  The Entrance Antiphon of the Mass of his feast reads:

"Francis, a man of God, left his home and gave away his wealth to become poor and in need.  But the Lord cared for him."
And Jesus fulfilled for him this promise:
"And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."  (Matthew 19: 29)

The poor in spirit are promised the kingdom of God.  Christ also promises to those who seek first His kingdom and righteousness the fulfillment of all their needs.  (Matthew 6:33)  St. Francis of Assisi got the best of both worlds.

The Opening Prayer of the Mass of St. Francis reads:

"Father, you helped St. Francis to reflect the image of Christ through a life of poverty and humility.  May we follow your Son by walking in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi, and by imitating his joyful love..."

Francis left everything to follow Christ.  Therefore, he can say:

"LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you have made my destiny secure.
*Pleasant places were measured out for me;
fair to me indeed is my inheritance."  (Psalm 16: 5 - 6)

I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus

"More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ"  (Philippians 3: 8)

Jesus Christ is the Good News.  The Good News is Jesus Christ.  He is the top price, the pearly of extraordinary value.  The idols that compete with Christ Jesus - health, family, money, job, property/tools, food are all considered as dung compared with the genuine and priceless Pearl which is Christ Jesus.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."  (Matthew 13: 44 - 46)

To know the heart of Jesus intimately, to love Him passionately and to follow Him everywhere is to have found and enjoy the pearl of greatest value.

"O Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.  For me, the measuring lines have fallen on pleasant sites, fair to me indeed is my inheritance."  (Psalm 16: 5 - 6)

Unless you become like children, you cannot experience life to the full

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."  (Matthew 18: 3)

What do you admire about little children?  They live the here and the now.  Most of the problem in life is not in the here and the now.  Many people would say that the here and the now is alright and adequate.  The problem for most people is living in the future.  Shall I have enough money for retirement?  Shall I be healthy enough when I retire?  Will my home and cars still be there when I retire?  Little children live one day at a time.  They play and have fun as if there is no tomorrow.

Little children experience the joy of surprises.  Ability to experience the joy of surprises opens one to the mysterious in life.  We are immersed in the the mysterious.  We live and move in God and He is touching our lives all the time.  Openness to surprises and the mysterious disposes us to seek and accept the miraculous in life.  The miraculous is simply the awareness of the touch of God.

"I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."  (John 10: 10)  To live life to the full, you must become like children.  O Jesus, grant me the grace to become like a little child.  St. Therese the Little Flower, pray for me to receive this remarkable gift that you have in abundance.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away

“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I go back there.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD!”  (Job 1: 21)

Job was tested by fire.  On the mountain top, surrounded by family, luxury and comfort , he praised God.  In the valley of the shadow of death, after he had lost everything,  he still praised God.  O Lord, that I may not be found wanting in praise in my time of trials.

"Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  (James 1: 2 - 4)

Your word, O Lord is truth, consecrate me in the truth

"Do not let this book of the law depart from your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may carefully observe all that is written in it; then you will attain your goal; then you will succeed."  (Joshua 1: 8)

My God, I will do as you command.  Help me with your grace.

"When I found your words, I devoured them;
your words were my joy, the happiness of my heart,
Because I bear your name,
LORD, God of hosts."  (Jeremiah 15: 16)

"Your word, O Lord is truth, consecrate me in the truth."  (John 17: 17)

They overcome him by the blood of the Lamb

"They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death."  (Revelation 12: 11)

The Lamb of God has been slain.  I overcome Satan by confessing myself a worshiper of the slain Lamb.  Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me.  Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, grant me victory over the attacks of Satan.

What does it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his soul?  My life is nothing without the Lamb.  If I perish, I perish, if I live, I live.

There is an appointed time for everything

"There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every affair under the heavens.  ....
 God has made everything appropriate to its time"  (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 11)

Times and seasons are God's appointment.  Nobody can make it otherwise.

"O Lord God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  Amen!"

Prosper the work of my hands

"May the favor of the Lord our God be ours.
Prosper the work of our hands!
Prosper the work of our hands!"  (Psalm 90: 17)

Lord God, you are the source of all inspiration and power.  My destiny is in your hands. You have a good plan for my life.  Prosper the work of my hands.  Prosper the work of my hands.

St. Joseph Patron saint of workers, pray for me.

God is a shield to those who take refuge in Him

"Every word of God is tested;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him." (Proverbs 30 : 5)

My God, I take refuge in you.  Be my shield today against all distress.  Protect me from all fears, worries and doubts.  As I wait for the fulfillment of your promise, deepen my faith and my peace.

"Lead me from the way of deceit;
favor me with your law.

The law of your mouth is more precious to me
than heaps of silver and gold."  (Psalm 119: 29, 72)

Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.

"He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”  (Luke 11: 28)

Your kingdom is here and now, O Lord.  Your kingdom comes in your word.  Help me to welcome your word today.  Help me to believe it.  Help me to practice and share it.

Let your light shine before others

"Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."  (Matthew 5:16)

Let your light shine before others.  What is this light?
Patience, love, generosity, cheerfulness, constancy, courage, wisdom, peacefulness.  When people see us day after day, always and everywhere, with these fruits of the Holy Spirit  they will know that the source is supernatural.

People who see our light shining always and everywhere will seek what we have.  This will glorify the Father of lights.  The glory of God is a man fully developed and living life to the full says St. Irenaeus.

Lord God and Father, help us to do everything for the greater glory of your name.