"My son, God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering." (Genesis 22: 8)
God provides all the resources we need to please Him.
"Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, let it become for us the bread of life."
"It happened sometime later that God put Abraham to the test." (Genesis 22: 1)
"God said, 'Take your son, your only son, your beloved Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, where you are to offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I shall point out to you." (Genesis 22: 2)
What would you do if you know for certainty that your present financial, health, job problem is a test from God? If I know with absolute certainty that my critical problem is a test from God, I will predict victory. I will ask God again and again to give me the patience, courage and perseverance to overcome. When we commit ourselves to do God's will come what may and suffer the events in our lives which we cannot change, we can then be certain that God has a finger in whatever unpleasant event we may encounter.
"Then God opened Haga's eye and she saw a well, so she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink." (Genesis 21 : 19)
Haga was in distress over her son's terrible thirst. She cried. Her son cried. The cry was a prayer. And God heard the cry. Then the miracle happened. Suddenly Haga was aware of a source of cold water nearby. She gave the boy some drink.
Lord, are there diamonds in my back yard that I am failing to see? Open my eyes to see your precious provisions close to me.
"But you,' he said, 'who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16: 15)
Lord Jesus, you are my Lord and my God.
You are the Son of God.
You are my Good Shepherd.
You are my King and my Boss.
You are the Prince of Peace.
You are my High Priest.
You are my best Friend.
You are the Bread of life.
You are the Light of the world.
You are the Truth, the Way and the Life.
You are the King of the Universe.
"But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed for all the gentiles to hear; and so I was saved from the lion's mouth." (2Timothy 4: 17)
I love the above scripture very much. It confirms the fact that Jesus never abandons His servants. He is faithful forever. This is a great truth to remember during trials and persecutions.
The Lord will save me from all travails.
"The Lord really did send his angel to save me from Herod and from all the Jewish people were expecting." (Acts 12: 11)
The Lord will save me from all distress. When in deep crisis, I will call on my Guardian Angel for rescue.
"Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20)
The cost of discipleship is not uniform for everybody. Some people are called to follow Jesus more closely. No matter the degree of the calling, following Jesus is not a picnic. The Father wants us to imitate His Son, Jesus and model our lives after Jesus'.
Father, give us a heart and mind to know your Son Jesus well, to love Him intimately so that we can follow Him everywhere.
"For the sake of those ten," he replied, 'I will not destroy it." (Genesis 18: 32)
God is full of compassion. The above text encourages us to intercede for people. No cause is lost. Prayer is an ever present help in time of need.
"Lord God, through your sacraments you give us the power of your grace. May this Eucharist help us to serve you faithfully….."(Mass Prayer)
The fruits of redemption are mediated through the sacraments.
Lord give us the power of your grace through the sacraments.
"And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple – amen I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward." (Matthew 10: 42)
The day this scripture became alive for me was the day I was given a cup of cold water when I needed it most. It was a blistering hot day in Houston. I had brought a guest to a hot lobby and was sweating. Without asking, the concierge handed me a cup of cold water. I have never forgotten the gesture. When I call on clients or prospects in the course of my worik, I have enjoyed similar gesture from a person in some offices. Whenever it happens, I remember Matthew 10: 42.
The little one is any disciple of Jesus in need of refreshment. O faithful God, bless all those who have given me a cup of cold water. Help me to be aware of your little ones who need a cup of cold water.
"Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" (Romans 6: 3)
Consequence of our Baptism: "You too must think of yourselves as dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus."
Am I dead to sin? I believe so even though I do not feel so. Have I rejected Satan with all his promises and gifts? Absolutely!
"The promises of the Lord I will sing forever, through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness." (Psalm 89: 2)
I want to be an apostle of God's faithfulness. I will proclaim God's faithfulness at every opportunity I have.
"Father in heaven, the light of Jesus has scattered the darkness of hatred and sin. Called to the light we ask for your guidance. Form our lives in your truth, our hearts in your love….." (Mass Prayer)
The light of Jesus has scattered the darkness of hatred and sin in our hearts. We are now people of the light. We ask the Father to form our lives in the truth of the Gospel and our hearts in His love.
"Father, you call your children to walk in the light of Christ. Free us from darkness and keep us in the radiance of your truth…." (Mass Prayer on 13th Sunday or Ordinary Time)
God our Father wants us to walk in the light of Christ, that is, in the light of the Gospel. God wants us to imitate Christ and obey His teaching.
We ask the Father to free us from darkness, that is, darkness with regard to God's will and plan. Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. He who believes in me shall never walk in darkness." Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ, says St. Jerome.
"Go back, then; let this be done for you, as your faith demands.' And the servant was cured at that moment." (Matthew 8: 13)
The centurion's faith demanded certain precise action. He believed in Jesus and that Jesus could make the object of his faith a reality. His faith produced a miracle.
What does my faith demand here and now? What should my faith demand?
My faith should demand the one thing that is necessary for me. That one thing is the filling of the Holy Spirit. This is the only thing that I need. If I have this, everything else will fall into place.
Lord strengthen my faith so that it becomes strong enough to demand the filling of the Holy Spirit here and now.
"My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior." (Luke 1: 46 – 47)
When the Lord visited Abraham and Sarah, their spirit was filled with joy and they proclaimed the greatness of the Lord. Mary's spirit was also filled with joy in God her savior. She expressed her gratitude with the magnificent Magnificat.
The Lord remembered His mercy to Hannah and to David. David after singing his Magnificat, backslided and the Lord lifted him up. The Lord has also remembered His mercy to me. Like David, I backslided. The Lord will lift me up.
"I shall come back to you next year, and then your wife Sarah will have a son." (Genesis 10)
Abraham and the wife prayed for a son for many years. And when it appears that they had given up on this hope, God visited them and promised: "I shall come back to you next year, and then your wife Sarah will have a son." (Genesis 10)
What have I stopped praying for and why? God remembers His covenant forever. Even if I forget the prayer and the promise, God remembers.
"Nothing is impossible for Yahweh." (Genesis 18: 14)
Thank you Father for being so faithful. Behold I am your child. Let your plan for my life be fully accomplished.
"Lord if you are willing, you can cleanse me.' Jesus said to him, 'I am willing. Be cleansed." (Matthew 8: 1-4)
Jesus is always willing to cleanse us from our sins. Thank you Jesus. Oh that we will always remember this. Help us Lord to share this good news with people in most need of your mercy.
"This is your covenant which you must keep between myself and you and your descendants after you: everyone of your males must be circumcised." (Genesis 17: 10)
Circumcision is the sign of the old covenant. This is a visible indelible mark. The Eucharist is the sign of the new covenant. It is also a visible concrete sign. Genesis 17:10 reminds me that I am covenanted to God.
"Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit grew strong. And he lived in the desert until the day he appeared openly to Israel." (Luke 1: 80)
The desert is a place of formation, temptations and trials. This is the abode of John the Baptist during his hidden life. He was prepared for his ministry in the desert. Great saints are also formed in the desert. I loved my desert experience.
