My allotted portion and my cup

"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)

Thank you Lord.  I accept my destiny.

Anoint me fully for the Cause.

Who is this bride, the wife of the Lamb?

"One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." (Revelation 21: 9)

Who is this bride, the wife of the Lamb?

It is the Church in its exquisite splendor at the end of time.  This idea makes my heart leap for joy.  Come Lord Jesus!

A second time he sent out servants pleading to them to come to his feast

"A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them." (Matthew 22: 4 - 6)

What a sad story!  The king prepared a great feast and those invited refused to come.  Some of the invited added insult to injury by killing the son who was sent to persuade them.  Some of the teachings and parables of Jesus have been called hyperbole or exaggerations to make a point.  Nobody would call the Parable of the Wedding Feast a hyperbole.

Jesus Christ suffered, died and rose from the dead.  He sent the Holy Spirit to the Church as He promised.  Jesus Christ bequeathed the Church the august Eucharist as He promised at the Last Supper.  The Eucharist is the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

Jesus Christ is the Good News.  The Eucharist celebrates the life of Jesus, the Lamb of God.  He is the Bridegroom and the Church is His Bride.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.
It is the true spiritual food and drink.  The risen Jesus is adored in the Eucharist because He is truly present in the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is a profound mystery.
It is the medicine of immortality.
It is the antidote for death.
It is the pledge and sign of the great hope of our resurrection.

All are invited to come to this Feast that is abundant and free.  Very few accept the invitation.

My Good Shepherd makes me lie down in green pastures

"The LORD is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths
for the sake of his name."  (Psalm 23: 1 - 3)

My Good Shepherd makes me lie down in green pastures.  This is my destiny.

"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)

If God is with you, it is accomplished

"For they are a nation devoid of reason,
having no understanding.
If they had insight they would realize this,
they would understand their end:
“How could one rout a thousand,
or two put ten thousand to flight,
Unless it was because their Rock sold them,
the LORD delivered them up?" (Deuteronomy 32: 28 - 30)

When you see a miracle, do you know it for what it is?  When one man is able to overcome a thousand men is this an ordinary or an extraordinary feat?  From time to time, God allows the miraculous to happen in our life so that our faith in Him will be stronger.

Miracles come in various forms and sizes.  Not every miracle is necessarily an extraordinary happening.  One of the best advice I was given many years ago is "Expect a miracle everyday."  I do enjoy small, medium and large miracles frequently in my life.

If God is with you, it is accomplished.  One with God is a majority

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19: 21)

"Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."  (Matthew 19: 21)

The rich young man considered Christ's offer and turned away.  Why did he reject this historic offer of Jesus?  Probably he did not believe that the promised treasures in heaven would be better than what he enjoys here and now through his wealth.  If we truly believe in the promised treasures of heaven, our values and life would be markedly different.

Jesus continues....

"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 rich young man should have responded with this scripture:

"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)

Lord, without you, we are nothing.  Give us the gift to embrace your call and the grace to see the hope that your call holds for us.  Amen!

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." (John 6: 56)

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him."  (John 6: 56)

Lord Jesus, what an incredible saying.  Yet, it is true that in the Eucharist, you provide us your flesh and blood to be our food and drink.  I believe it because you say so.  I believe it also because the Church has believed and taught this from the very beginning.

Thank you Jesus for this awesome gift.  My you strengthen our faith never to doubt your words.  You promise that by feeding on you, we remain in you and you in us.  Lord, may this be always so.  Remind us always of this state of affairs between us.  Let us never waiver about the truth of you continual presence in us and with us.  Amen!