A fortified city

"For look, today I have made you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze to stand against the whole country: the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests and the people of the country." (Jeremiah 1: 18)

How does God make us a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze? What resources does He provide us here and now to make these promises true?

• Holy Spirit
  
• Eucharist
  
• Blessed Virgin Mary
  
• Word of God
  
• Communion of the Saints
  
• Sacrament of Reconciliation
  

Constant use of the above resources would constitute anybody into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze.

Cheerfulness

"Lord, help us who offer this sacrifice of praise to follow the example of St. Philip. Keep us always cheerful in our work for the glory of your name and the good of our neighbor…." (Prayer in the Mass of St. Philip Neri)

The Eucharist is a sacrifice of praise.

Cheerfulness is an important gift in ministry. I will be cheerful today. I resolve to be always cheerful.

The Servant

"For the Son of Man himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45)

Lord, I am humbled by your servant spirit. Give me the same spirit. Teach me how to serve.

Be Prepared

"Once more taking the twelve aside he began to tell them what was going to happen to him." (Mark 10: 32)

Jesus prepares His disciples for the future by telling them what was going to happen to Him. In another passage, He tells them what was going to happen to them when He was gone from their presence. I attended a retreat once where the retreat director prepared us for life after the mountain-top experience of the retreat. The warning helped me.

Every genuine Christian experiences the truth of mountain-top and down-the-valley experience in our walk with Christ. The crucial message is that one must always be prepared.

Patience and Reward

"Reward those who hoped in you and let your prophets be proved true. Hear the prayer of your servants, for you are ever gracious to your people. Thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth that you are the eternal God." (Sirach 36: 15-17)

Lex orandi, lex credendi. The rule of prayer is the rule of faith. Surely, God will reward those who wait for Him.

"The Lord is my inheritance and my cup; he alone will give me my reward." (Psalm 16: 5)

Father, grant me the patience and perseverance to wait for your reward. Amen.

How do I wait for God's kairos? Prayer / 7-Way Plan.

The apostles and Mary waited for the Holy Spirit in prayer.

St. Philip Neri

"Father, you continually raises up your faithful to the glory of holiness. In your love kindle in us the fire of the Holy Spirit who so filled the heart of St. Philip Neri…." (Prayer on the feast of St. Philip Neri)

It is God who raises up saints. Our task is to cooperate with His grace. The path to sanctity runs across every single occupation and is completely accessible to every person. It is God's desire that everybody aspire to holiness. The Church provides the means of sanctification primarily through the Sacraments. The Holy Spirit is the sanctifier. He prompts us, He nudges us and inspires us to accept the means of holiness.

Measuring line

"The Lord is my inheritance and my cup; he alone will give me my reward. The measuring line has marked a lovely place for me; my inheritance is my great delight." (Psalm 16: 5-6)

I seek my reward only from God. I seek my salvation only from my God. I seek peace only from God. God says to me: "I am your inheritance and your cup. I alone will give you your reward." Why should I doubt God? Is He a man to lie? Is anything too difficult for Him to accomplish?

God further promises me: "The measuring line has marked a lovely place for you." What place has God marked for me here and now?

• 7-Way Plan
  
• Casa
  
• SFJ
  

Thank you Father.

A formidable resource

"Lord, by this celebration, may your Spirit fill us with the same light of faith that shines in the teaching of St. Bede." (Communion Prayer on the feast of St. Bede)

The Eucharist provides a point of contact with the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist is a formidable resource in spiritual, physical and mental renewal.

Mysteries of the kingdom

"Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom." (Matthew 11: 25)

What are the mysteries of the kingdom?

The mysteries of the kingdom are the deposit of faith enshrined in the Creed we repeat on Sundays and feast days. The mysteries of the kingdom are also the seven Sacraments. The mysteries of the kingdom are the body of truth revealed by Jesus to His Church. God chooses to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to the humble.

How do we come by the knowledge of salvation? How do we learn the mysteries of the kingdom?

"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) Jesus gave to the apostles and their successors authority to teach the mysteries of the kingdom.

The Call and the Promise

"In truth, I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – and persecutions too – now in the present time and , in the world to come, eternal life." (Mark 10: 10: 29-30)

Whenever I read the above scripture, I think of the many priests, religious, missionaries and all those that live the consecrated life. Is the above promise true in their regard, I wonder? From what I can tell from those of them that I know, the promise is absolutely true. God is faithful. He is not a man to lie. But a few that are called, seem to overlook the fulfillment of this promise and present a sometimes sorry image to the world. Do they listen to word of man more than they listen to the word of God? Just as your heart follows your treasure, so does your mind follow the preponderance of the words it receives.

Praise is the key

"Offer praise as your sacrifice to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High. Then call on me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall honor me….

Those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me; to the obedient I will show the salvation of God." (Psalm 50: 14-15, 23)

Praise and thank God at all times. Fulfill your vows to the Most High.

Praise is the key to God's heart.

A Generous God

"Give to the Most High as he has given to you, as generously as your means can afford; for the Lord is a good rewarder, he will reward you seven times over." (Sirach 35: 9-10)

Who can rival the Lord in generosity? Nobody. Always remember that nobody can out do God in generosity.

Be generous to God with your time, talent and treasure. God is a generous rewarder

 

A cheerful giver

"Add a smiling face to all your gifts, and be cheerful as you dedicate your tithes." (Sirach 35: 8)

Be joyful in giving. God loves a cheerful giver.

St. Bede the Venerable

"The learned will shine like the brilliance of the firmament, and those who train many in the ways of justice will sparkle like stars for all eternity." (Daniel 12: 3)

The above scripture was read on the feast of St. Bede the Venerable, doctor of the Church.

Purpose in life: to learn and to teach.

You become learned like the Venerable Bede by learning. You become a teacher by teaching.

I am with you always

"I the Lord, am with you always, until the end of the world." (Matthew 28: 20)

These are the very last words of Jesus Christ to His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. They are also the very last sentence in the entire Gospel. What a powerful promise these parting words are. How much the disciples would need these words in their subsequent struggles to build the kingdom of God. 2000 years after, we the current disciples of Jesus need these words no less than the original disciples. This promise of Jesus Christ brings to full circle the promise of God that His Son would be Emmanuel, "God with us."

What difference does this promise make to me here and now? It can only make a difference to me if I understand the spiritual meaning and appropriate the promise by an act faith. If Jesus is with me always, why do I forget this fact most of the time? How can I remember this truth most of the time? Having a credit card in your pocket does you no good unless you are aware that it is there. It is critical in life's emergencies to remember the promise of Jesus: "I the Lord, am with you always, until the end of the world." (Matthew 28: 20)

The way I try to help my memory is to type out the critical scriptures I need in emergencies and spread them out on the walls all over my apartment. In emergencies, I walk round the apartment reading the promises of God. I have found that this practice calms my anxiety and restores perspective to whatever is troubling me.

The All-powerful God

"By human resources it is impossible but not for God: because for God everything is possible." (Mark 10: 27)

I know and believe that everything is possible for God. Thank you Father for giving me such a big picture of yourself.

The God I worship is a very powerful God. He accomplishes whatever He wills, come what may. This is the faith that powers me. I confess that sometimes I am not sure what God's will is for my life. But I do not doubt that His will or plan is good because His word says so unequivocally – "I know for sure the plan I have for you. Plan for your good and not for disaster. Plan to give you a future full of hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Faithful God

"Thus should all your faithful pray in time of distress. Though flood waters threaten, they will never reach them. You are my shelter; from distress you keep me; with safety you ring me round." (Psalm 32: 6-7)

Whenever I am in distress, I cry to God and He hears my prayer. Though deep waters overflow, they will never reach me. God Himself is my shelter. From all distress, He will preserve me.

Gospel of Hope

"But to those who repent he permits return, and he encourages those who have lost hope." (Sirach 17: 24)

God encourages all who have lost hope. Be a witness of the Gospel of joy and hope.

Gospel Joy

"Father in heaven, form in us the likeness of your Son and deepen his life within us. Send us as witnesses of gospel joy into a world of fragile peace and broken promises. Touch the hearts of all men with your love that they in turn may love one another ….." (Mass Prayer)

What a profound prayer. First of all, we ask our Father in heaven to produce in us the likeness of Jesus. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. His most cherished task is to form the likeness of Jesus in us and deepen the life of Jesus with us. How does He accomplish this? Primarily through the Eucharist. Also through the Sacraments and His word.

It is only when we have remained with Jesus for a long time and begin to reflect His character can we be sent as witnesses of the gospel joy into the world marked by fragile peace and broken promises. Any person who places his trust in what the world offers and promises places his life on a moving sand.

The only reliable promise is God's Word, Jesus Christ our Lord

God guides the course of history

"Lord, guide the course of world events and give your Church the joy and peace of serving you in freedom ……" (Prayer at Mass)

God guides world history by his wisdom and power.

Father, guide too the course of my life this day. I put my life and future into your hands.