The Prophet and the Word

“It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.” (Mark 6: 18)
This is the prophetic utterance that cost St. John the Baptist his life. Today, more than ever, there is a great need to bear witness to God’s word through fearless proclamation. The Herods of today would react like the old fox. Their intention will be the same: silence permanently the prophet and the critic.
Am I prepared to be the John the Baptist of today?
Lord, lead me, guide me and use.

Harvest through Perseverance

“Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield harvest through perseverance.” (Luke 8: 15)

What does it need to keep the word with a generous heart? The Parable of the Sower answers, “But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” (Matthew 13: 23)

Jesus teaches in many places in the Gospel that we need perseverance in order to reach the harvest. There is a season for sowing and a sure time for reaping.

The Lord is my light and my salvation

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge: of whom should I be afraid?” (Psalm 27: 1)

Jesus Christ is for me the same: yesterday, today and forever.
Whom should I fear? Nobody.
What shall I fear? Nothing.

Jesus Christ is faithful Witness

“Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and he will be forever.” (Hebrews 13: 8)
Jesus is still the great Lover in the Songs of Songs.
He is the faithful Witness in Revelation.
Jesus is the great Missionary in Jonas.
He is still the Lamb of God in St. John.
Jesus is still the great Healer in St. Luke.
He is still my light and salvation in Psalm 27.
“Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and he will be forever.” (Hebrews 13: 8)

Out with avarice

“Put avarice out of your lives and be content with whatever you have; God himself has said: ‘I shall not fail you or desert you,’ and so we can say with confidence: ‘With the Lord on my side, I fear nothing: what can human beings do to me?” (Hebrews 13: 5 – 6)
In 1999 when I reflected again on this key scripture, I confided the following to my journal:
“Put avarice out of your life. What avarice exists in my life today? What are the areas of insecurity in my life today? Is there a correlation between insecurity and avarice?

“Be content with whatever you have:

• Be content with the money you have.
• Be content with the food you have.
• Be content with the clothes you have.
• Be content with the tools you have.

Advertising could create dissonance and discord in us and we become discontent about what we have. It makes us to continually seek more and better things:

• More money
• More and better food
• More and better clothes
• More and better tools

Marketing and advertising could create avarice in us. So be on the alert.

God is renewing the promise he made to me over three years ago:

“I shall not fail you or desert you:

• I shall not fail you with the money you need.
• I shall not fail you with the food you need.
• I shall not fail you with the clothes and the food you need.

What is my response to this promise? Scripture has given me a prompt: Total confidence. “The Lord is on my side. Therefore I fear nothing. Human beings can do nothing to me.” Thank you Jesus.

St. Agatha 2

“Lord, let your forgiveness be won for us by the pleading of St. Agatha, who found favor with you by her chastity and by her courage in suffering death for the gospel …” (Mass of St. Agatha, February 5)
St. Agatha distinguished herself through her courage and chastity.
In the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we praise Mary’s chastity with the following words:

• Virgin of virgins
• Virgin most pure
• Virgin most chaste
• Mother inviolate

God love purity and chastity.

St. Agatha

“Here is a true martyr who shed her blood for Christ; her judges could not shake her by their menaces, and so she won through to the kingdom of heaven.” - Mass for Martyrs
St. Agatha is one of “the clouds of witnesses” who cheer us in our struggle against evil. She resisted temptation to the point of shedding blood. Can we resist temptation to the point of losing:

• Family
• Job
• Money
• Health
• Tools
• Food

O Holy Spirit, help us. Give us courage.
Temptations are trials of faith. They say to us: demonstrate your faith. How much can you give up for your faith, for Jesus?