I will answer their cry

"I am the Savior of all people, says the Lord. Whatever their troubles, I will answer their cry, and I will always be their Lord." (Entrance Antiphon, 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

God Himself is our Savior. Every man's Savior. Whatever our trouble, He will answer our cry. Most troubles in life fall into one of these categories:

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

I have been in many troubles all my life but God has been always good to me. But what about the troubles I had cried to God and had not received the answer I expected? I can think of when I prayed for promotion and was fired. I think of another occasion when I asked for help from another organization and was asked to leave. Did God hear my prayer? Yes, of course He did. I know because of the peace I felt at the material time. I believe that God heard my prayer and provided the best answer. I saw this clearly some years after the event.

God provides the growth

"A sower went out to sow his seed." (Luke 8: 5)

The sower is Christ and the seed is the word of God. Today I am the sower and the seed is still the word of God. In this parable, Jesus presents a model for apostolic activity. The sower sows the good seed. The seed now needs to interact with the soil in order to yield harvest. Paul sows, Apollo waters and God provides the growth.

Lesson: do your best; do what is right and have peace. Have no anxiety at all.

Persevere in this

"I charge you to do all that you have been told, with no faults or failures until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Timothy 6: 14)

What have I been told?

The 7-Way Plan

Persevere in this!

Believe, expect and accept

"Women provided for them out of their own resources." (Luke 8: 3)

Women provided for Jesus and His disciples out of their own resources. This is divine appointment. What lesson does this teach us? God's providential plan for providing for our every need is often mysterious. Sources that may appear obvious may not be used. God's faithfulness in meeting our every need is echoed in Psalm 23 and reflected in many passages in the Scripture and Church teaching. But we must believe and expect and accept.

The word on money

"Religion of course, does bring large profits but only to those who are content with what they have." ( 1 Timothy 6: 6)

Three scriptures on Christian attitude on money and material things:

• "Be content with your pay." (Luke 3: 14)
  
• "Be content with the money you have." (Hebrews 13: 5)
  
• "Be content with what you have." ( 1 Timothy 6: 6)
  

This is God's word on money. How amazingly different it is with the word of man on money. The word of man tells us:

• Do not be satisfied with what you have.
  
• Seek for more. Ask for more. Fight for more. Work for more.
  

Lord, help us to be content with what you have given us.

Saved by faith

"You faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7: 50)

Jesus said these words to the woman described as a "sinful woman" in Luke 7: 36 – 50. This woman's faith in Jesus brought her not only forgiveness of her many sins but spiritual healing as well. Faith is to accept God's word as true. Which word of God do I need to accept as true here and now?

• My sins are forgiven.
  
• God is my Father.
  
• God's providence is guiding, protecting and providing for me every moment of my life.
  

Lord Jesus, I believe. Help my unbelief.