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)