One does not live on bread alone

“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4: 4)

When I struggle over God’s ability to provide my needs, the Lord says to me:  “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4: 4)  When I allow insecurity to disturb my peace of mind, the Lord reminds me: “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4: 4)  When I ask, ‘Is the Lord still with me, Yes or No?’, the Lord simply says: “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4: 4)

“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4: 4) is all that I need to live on when I experience any doubts about God’s presence, protection or provision.  The promise says and contains everything:  “I am with you; I am for you:  so do not be afraid.  My thoughts are not your thoughts; my ways are not your ways.  I own all the gold and all the silver.  I own all the animals and all the fish.   I am your Good Shepherd.  I provide all you need.  Just trust me.”

Thank you Lord!

God's time of favor2

"Thus says the LORD: In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you; I form you and set you as a covenant for the people, To restore the land and allot the devastated heritages " (Isaiah 49:8)

Wait for God’s time of favor.  Waiting is critical to possessing the promise.

Waiting for the Lord

 “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits and I hope for his word. My soul looks for the Lord more than sentinels for daybreak. More than sentinels for daybreak," (Psalm 130: 5 - 6)

How long must we wait for the Lord to answer our prayer?  The scriptures below are very revealing.  In summary, they say that we wait until the Lord answers.

a.   Wait for the Lord (Psalm 27: 14; 37:34)

b.   Wait patiently for him (Psalm 37: 7)

c.    I wait for you (Psalm 25: 21)

d.   For you I wait all day (Psalm 25: 5);

e.   I wait for the Lord more than a watchman wait for the morning (Psalm 130: 5-6);

f.     I wait for God my savior (Micah 7:7)

g.    I wait patiently for the Lord (Psalm 40: 1)

h.   I wait in silence for God (Psalm 62: 1, 5)

i.     We wait for you (Isaiah 26: 8, 33: 2)

j.    Those who wait for the Lord renew their strength (Isaiah 40: 31)

k.    Those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land (Psalm 37: 9)

l.     Blessed are those who wait for him (Isaiah 30: 18)

m.  May those who wait for you not be ashamed through me (Psalm 69:6)

n.   This is our God for whom we have waited (Isaiah 25:9)

o.   The Lord is good to those who wait for him (Lamentation 3: 25)

p.   Be like men waiting for their Master (Luke 12: 36)

q.   Saul was told to wait 7 days for Samuel (1 Samuel 10: 8; 13:8)

r.    David will wait until word came (2 Samuel 15; 28)

Come to the waters

“Come to the waters, all who thirst; though you have no money, come and drink with joy.” (Isaiah 55:1)

In the above scripture, we see a generous invitation of God to His children to come without money and have their fill of His blessings.  What blessings are being referred to here?  The temple of God from where flow the waters of life is filled with the blessings of His word, the Eucharist, His Presence and other sacraments of the Church.  The Church here is analogous to a huge supermarket where you can purchase everything you need.  But in a supermarket, you need cash or your credit card.  In the house of God, come without money and you can still get everything you need.  It is amazing and true.  What does one need to take up God on this incredible offer?  One needs faith that comes through hearing and understanding the word of God. 

"Wherever it flows, the river teems with every kind of living creature; fish will abound. Where these waters flow they refresh; everything lives where the river goes........Along each bank of the river every kind of fruit tree will grow; their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fresh fruit because the waters of the river flow out from the sanctuary. Their fruit is used for food, and their leaves for healing.” (Ezekiel 47: 9, 12)

In the above scripture from Ezekiel, we see the promise of the waters of God flowing from the temple.  The Church is the sacrament of the presence of Jesus Christ in the world.  From the Church flow the blessings of the word of God and the sacraments to the world.  Wherever they flow, they refresh. 

Remember all His kindnesses 2

“Bless the Lord, my soul, and remember all his kindnesses, for he pardons all my faults and heals all my ills.”  (Psalm 103: 2-3)

My birthday was this past Saturday, same day as  the feast of St. Patrick.  Three times a year, I try especially to remember God’s kindnesses to me.

·         My birthday

·         Thanksgiving

·         New Year

On each occasion, I am overwhelmed by God’s kindness to me.   I thank the Holy Spirit for this gift of dynamic remembrance.  Following the cue of the psalmist, on top of my list for the kindnesses of God is always the pardon for my sins.  This is followed by the gift of good health.  To be able to function 95% of the year is a cause for much gratitude as far as health is concerned. 

For this year’s birthday, I did not just remember past favors, but I asked for a birthday gift from Jesus.  I asked for deeper faith in His provisions.  I know that He has never failed to provide everything I need.  But I sometimes worry.  I prayed for faith strong enough to deliver me from worries, fears and doubts.  In the evening of my birthday, I was inside the Church listening to a message from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola when I heard this message:  “Ask God for what you need.”  I have asked for deeper faith for a birthday gift.  Now it is for me to believe and the gift is mine.  I believed.  And the belief brought joy.  

Beyond compare

“Lord, there is no god to compare with you; you are great and do wonderful things, you are the only God.”  (Psalm 86: 8, 10)

God is greater than the sum of all that the human heart hankers after:  fame, power, money, health, science, technology, etc, etc, etc.

“Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; We shall say no more, ‘Our god,” to the work of our hands; for in you’re the orphan finds compassion.”  (Hosea 14: 3)

Even when we abandon our God and Father who made us, He never abandons us:

“I relieved his shoulder of the burdens; his hands were freed from the basket.  In distress you called, and I answered you.”  (Psalm 81: 6-7)

Love is patient

"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 7)

Here is the question we had to grapple with in our Bible Study on the above scripture:  “Think of past examples in your own life for each of these characteristics of love, either when you have practiced them or when you have been the recipient of another practicing them.  Now think of a specific, concrete way to employ each of the attributes of love in the future.”

Looking back at my experience, I found it difficult to categorize love in its different characteristics.  I see love as a single act which encompasses all the elements listed by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7).  God is the source of every gift.  Every act of love that I receive from people is God loving me through the person.  Every act of love that I give is God loving someone through me.  I do not always recognize all the loving acts of God during the day.  “Man does not live on bread alone.” (Matthew 4:4)  There is multiplicity of ways in which God extends His love to us during the day.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55: 8)   Expect God’s pleasant surprises every day.  Remember too that no matter whatever happens, “All things work together for good to those who love God.”  (Romans 8:28) God’s loving and powerful providence provides all that we need always and everywhere.

God promised it

“Lord, direct my steps as you have promised, and let no evil hold me in its power.”  (Psalm 119: 133)

Direct my steps in the Church, at work, at home and everywhere.

God promised it.  Therefore He is able and willing to do it.

When I pray according to God’s promise, I know I am praying according to His will.  I claim continual guidance and power today.

Naaman the Leper 2

"Elisha sent him the message: “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.” But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand there to call on the name of the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the place, and thus cure the leprous spot." (2 Kings 5: 10 - 11)

“Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal and you will be clean.”  It is not surprising that Naaman found this instruction simplistic and ridiculous.  Who has ever heard of someone healed of leprosy through such simplistic command?  To make matters worse, Elisha did not even honor the general by delivering this message himself.  He sent his servant to give it.  Our deacon called the story one of the most beautiful in the bible.  I agree.  The story reminds me of God’s self revelation in these words: 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55: 8-9)

As I reflect on the story of Naaman and the scripture from Isaiah 55: 10-11, my mind is taken the seven sacraments of the Church:  Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Matrimony, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick.  They are described as outward signs that convey inward grace.  The more realistic description might be: “simplistic and ridiculous signs that claim to accomplish mighty miracles.”  Indeed, the sacraments accomplish mighty miracles. If they do not, then the Church could be accused of falsehood.  This has been the claim on the Church for 2000 years.  Generation after generation bears witness that the sacraments accomplish what they signify.    Faith is needed to accept the teaching.   If obedience is added to faith, then Naaman the leper would become Naaman with the skin of a baby.

The stone rejected by the builders

“Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?” (Matthew 21:42)

In the first reading of the Mass of Second Friday in Lent, we heard the story of how the brothers of Joseph in an act of demonic jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery.  The Gospel reading is the parable of Jesus on how the people said, “This is the heir; let us kill him.”  Rejection is the unifying theme between the first and second reading today.  What is the final fate of the rejected?  Joseph, a type of Jesus Christ became a prince in Egypt and redeemed his brothers who sold him into slavery.  Jesus, the princely heir that was rejected and killed, rose from the dead and redeemed His brothers. 

In God’s all powerful and loving providence, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes”  It is a done deal.  Nobody can do otherwise.

Your Security Your Destiny

“Thus says the Lord:  ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.”  (Jeremiah 17:5)

Where is your security?

If your security is in money, investments, insurance policies, property, savings account, etc, then Jeremiah has some bad news for you today.  He declares you “cursed”.  Why this very strong language?  It is not a mere hyperbole.  It is to jolt you into the conversion mood.  The original word for conversion in Greek is metanoia.  Metanoia implies a complete change of direction.  You are traveling north at 70 miles an hour.  You suddenly see a Road Closed sign in front of you.  You stop and head south. 

Personal conversion is the business of Lent.  Lent is declared by God a time of favor and grace.   O that we may listen to His voice today and not harden our hearts.  Jeremiah leaves us with some big consolation in the same 17^th Chapter:

"Blessed are those who trust in the LORD; the LORD will be their trust. They are like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It does not fear heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still produces fruit." (Jeremiah 17: 7 - 8)

Destiny 2

“But my trust is in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”  In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.”  (Psalm 31: 15-16)

My destiny is in your hands O Lord.  Thank you Lord for this.  This truth tells me that the clutches of my enemies and persecutors cannot touch me unless God permits it.  If God is for me, who can be against me?  Nobody!  The Lord is my light and my salvation.  Whom can I fear?  Nobody!

The word of God is filled with healing truths about God and His powerful and loving providence over us.  I read of these scriptures everyday for many years now.  I believe what I read.  I teach what I believe.  But I do not always practice what I teach.  When my faith is tested, I fail many times.  I say to myself:  “If only I remember these scriptures at the crucial moment, I could do better in the inevitable trials of life.”  Sometimes things happen so fast that before you know that a trial is a test, you have failed.  This may be why the Psalmist cried out: “Hide your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.”  If the word is on your heart and on your lips, you will remember it at the moment of need.

No matter whether you pass or fail the test, it is still true that “All things work together for good to those who love God.”  (Romans 8: 28)

Man does not live on bread alone...

“Man does not live on bread alone…..” (Matthew 4:4)

Man does not live on Money alone….

Man does not live on Salary alone….

Man does not live on Job alone….

Man does not live on Cars alone….

Man does not live on Health alone….

“Man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4: 4)

Faith gives us God’s promise of provision.

“Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have.  For God has said,

“I will never fail you | I will never forsake you.”

That is why we can say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?”  (Hebrews 13: 5 – 6)

Absorbed in material things

“Father of mercy, hear our prayer.  May the grace of this mystery prevent us from becoming absorbed in material things.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.”  (Prayer Over the Gifts – 2^nd Monday in Lent)

Two things strike me in the above prayer. 

First, it is a reminder that the Eucharist is the great mystery of our faith.   Second, the Eucharist effectively helps us from becoming absorbed in material things.  It is the great Meal that puts in perspective every other material good and  helps us realize finally that “man does not live on bread alone.”  Only God’s loving and powerful providence could have made the Eucharist possible.

How Satan triumphs over us

“Remember your mercies, Lord, your tenderness from ages past.  Do not let our enemies triumph over us; O God, deliver Israel from all her distress.”  (Psalm24: 6, 3, 22)

Our enemy Satan triumph over us through the 4 D’s of Distraction, Discouragement, Disrespect for God and holy things and Disbeliefs.

No trial has come to you but what is human

“No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.^”  (1 Corinthians 10: 13)

The authority of the word of God teaches that any trial, disappointment, obstacles, delays, frustrations that we experience in life is what is common to humanity.  This is a sobering truth.  Without this divine authority, we are inclined to consider the severity of our personal crisis as very unique.  To know that the word of God is true and authoritative helps us to develop perspective in our trials.  The other lesson from 1 Corinthians 10:13 is also striking.  God is faithful and He will not allow us to be tried beyond our strength.  Based on this authority, we can say:  “This crisis!  I can handle it because God Himself says that I can and I believe Him.”  Do not forget what the verse says about God’s faithfulness.  The scripture that I like very much about God’s faithfulness is the one that says:  “Faithfulness is the essence of his name.”  In other words, you can call God, the Faithful One.

Have you ever thought of the truth that for every temptation or crisis, God Himself provides a way of escape?  Without the divine authority in 1 Corinthians 10: 13, I would not believe this.  But it is true.  Remember that God taught in Deuteronomy 8: 3 that “Man does not live on bread alone.”  God is able and willing to provide livelihood through any means.  His all powerful and divine providence is a mystery.  After all, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.  His ways are not our ways.  All that He asks of us is to trust Him.

Ask and Receive Thursday

“Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the Lord.   She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids, from morning until evening, and said: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.  Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand.  As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers that you, O Lord, always free those who are pleasing to you.  Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord, my God.

“And now, come to help me, an orphan.  Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy, so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.  Save us from the hand of our enemies, turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.”   (Esther C: 12, 14-16, 23-25)

The above scripture  is the first reading today, Thursday – First Week in Lent.  I made this note in my Missal about today’s scripture readings for the Mass:  “Ask and Receive Thursday.”  The first reading, the responsorial psalms, the gospel and the antiphons all have one unifying theme:  PRAYER.  For me, this is a rare occurrence.  Before looking at other scriptures in today’s liturgy, I want to point out a couple of things from the powerful passage from Esther.

First, note what Esther did when seized by the mortal anguish.  She knew where to seek help.  She had recourse to God in prayer.  Next note her posture.  She lay prostrate on the ground.  Was she alone?  She understood the concept of prayer partnership.  Her handmaids were prostrate in prayer with her.  This is a big crisis.   How long did they pray?  From morning to evening.  How did Esther pray?  After invoking the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (similar today to invoking the name of Jesus), she blessed God.  In Philippians 4: 6-7, we are advised to bring our request to God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving.   Esther tells God twice that she is alone and has nobody to help her except God.  She recalls from Scripture that God always helps those who are pleasing to Him.   She pleads to God to help her and reminds God that she is an orphan.  God after all is the Father of the fatherless and orphans.    Then finally, she was specific about what she wants:  “persuasive words” when she meets the king;  “turn his heart to hatred for our enemy, so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.”

I find this a great prayer and a model of prayer in crisis.

The Response verse is very appropriate:  “Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.”  God answered the prayer of Esther and delivered her people in a powerful way.    The rest of the Responsorial Psalm 138 continues with the theme of gratitude for answered prayer.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the infallibility of prayer.

“Jesus said to his disciples:
"Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”  (Matthew 7: 7-12)

The Gospel of today is a master-piece in its teaching on prayer.  Prayer as noted above is declared an infallible resource by the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  The Church confirms from experience what the Lord teaches here.  

The Wedding Supper of the Lamb

“Father, you never fail to give us the food of life.  May this Eucharist renew our strength and bring us to salvation.  Grant this through Christ our Lord.”  (Prayer after Communion, Wednesday First Week in Lent)

The Eucharist is a sign of God’s faithful provision.  “Man does not live on bread alone.”  (Matthew 4:4)  It is also a mark of His abundance.  It is the Bread that never gets exhausted.  “"All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; Come, buy grain without money, wine and milk without cost!" (Isaiah 55:1)

"Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)       

                                                                                                                                                              

Jesus Christ who is our security and our stability uses the Eucharist to strengthen us. 

The Eucharist is the sign of the New Covenant.  He fulfils His age old promise by giving us the Eucharist.  " Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.k " (Luke 22: 19-20)

God declares blessed everyone who is invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.

The Lord delivered me from all my fears

“I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”  (Psalm 34: 5)

Fears that keep us awake at night are some of these:  health, family, money, job, tools (cars, homes, computers, etc), food and future.  From personal experience, David bore witness to the fact that confronted by these fears, he sought the Lord.  He did not hide his fears as he did not cover his sins.  Some weeks ago, I was attacked by fears over money and job.  Providentially, I read Psalm 34 early that morning and I knew what to do.  I listed my fears on a piece of paper and took it to the Lord in the Chapel.  Standing very close to the Monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament, I placed the piece of paper at the base of the Monstrance and surrendered my fears to the Lord.  The Lord delivered me from my fears.

“I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”  (Psalm 34: 5)

Exactly three weeks after this deliverance, the fears returned.  I remembered the Chinese proverb:  “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.  Teach him how to fish and you feed him for life.”  Because I had learned the lesson of what to do with my fears, I returned with the list to the good place.  I stood again very close to the Presence of the Lord and surrendered the fears once more.  Once more, the Lord relieved me of my fears. 

Then I wondered:  Why doesn’t the Lord deliver me once and for all from all my fears?  I understood that there just as some illnesses are cured by surgery, others like are managed by medications.  God Himself taught us in Matthew 4:4:  “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  This means that God in His all loving and powerful providence is both able and willing to use the necessary means to satisfy all living things.  His ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are not our thoughts.

The acceptable time of 2012

"For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2)

This is Lent 2012.  For many years now, Lent has become my favorite season of the year.  Most of the richest blessings in my life occurred during Lent.  For example, God healed me of addiction to tobacco during Lent.  My prayer habit and life were sown during Lent.  The fast from food and soda is good for my body.  The increased prayer time is good for my soul.  The almsgiving is good for my pocket.  It helps to convince me that God is a faithful provider and delivers me from the fear of want. 

For many years, I have fasted from television and this fast is wonderful and helps me focus on Lent and protects me from unnecessary distractions.  While I fasted in the past from television for the 40 day period of Lent, I had not necessarily fasted from news.  I could not resist the curiosity to know what is happening in the world, especially in an election year.   Both the radio and the Internet are rich sources of news today.

 Although my domain is in religion, I have known for a longtime that I am a political animal.  As I help to build the City of God, I am aware that I still live in the City of Man and must contribute my quota in making it good.  So it has been very difficult to fast from news.  Some years ago, I started the fasting on news and it was great for my soul.  At the end of Lent, joyful and light in mind and body, I wish I could continue the fast from news.  I know that like the other types of fast, it must now be controlled rather than totally eliminated so that I can do the greatest good with all the resources provided to me.

Be my Alpha and Omega

“Lord, may everything we do begin with your inspiration, continue with your help, and reach perfection under your guidance.  We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.”

This is the Opening Prayer for today, Thursday After Ash Wednesday.  This prayer delights my heart.  I make it mine because it exactly what I need.

I have very firm conviction today that God is the source of all inspiration and power.  I believe also very strongly that God is the first cause of everything.  The Bible repeats this lesson in many places and in various forms.  If God is the source of all inspiration and power and if I cannot cause anything good on my own, it makes sense to look up to God for His inspiration and power for all my needs.

“Without me, you can do nothing.”  Yes, Jesus.  I believe you.  Grant me the grace to seek your inspiration in everything.  Be always my Alpha and Omega in all things.