"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price he agreed and sells all that he has and buys it." (Matthew 13: 45 – 46)
I am the merchant searching for the pearl of great value. Jesus is the pearl. Am I prepared to sell everything to follow Jesus?
Lord Jesus, may you equip me with a generous spirit and a courageous heart to respond to you fully.
"For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the first born among many brothers and sisters." (Romans 8: 29 – 30)
God knew me before I was born. He predestined me to be conformed to the image of Jesus. The initiative is God's. It is none of my cleverness.
Daddy, your plan for me is too lofty. I am frightened. But your word encourages me. You called me to serve your Son, Jesus. Now justify me Father according to your promise.
"Ask something of me and I will give it to you." (1 Kings 3: 5)
Father, today I will ask for this: Fill me with your Holy Spirit and through your Holy Spirit fill me with the spirit of love, holiness, wisdom and power.
"God our Father, open our eyes to see your hand at work in the splendor of creation, in the beauty of human life. Touched by your hand our world is holy. Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us, to share our blessings with our brothers and sisters and to experience the joy of life in your presence…." (Prayer on the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Where do I enjoy the splendor of creation? A couple of times in a year, I go to the Hermann Park in Houston near the Texas Medical Center and enjoy some hours relishing the splendor of creation. I thank God for the gift and the opportunity. My bedroom from where I work faces the east and right across is the Early Childhood Center. I do not how many times I had gasped at watching the sun rise. I have enjoyed walks round the Early Childhood Center in the early hours of the morning and have seen early birds like myself chirping happily. From the above prayer, it is obvious that God wants us to enjoy the beauty of creation and to see His hands in it.
Where can we experience and enjoy life in the presence of God if not in the Eucharist and before the Blessed Sacrament? We thank God for the faith He has given us in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and the Blessed Sacrament.
"God our Father and protector, without you nothing is holy, nothing has value. Guide us to everlasting life by helping us to use wisely the blessings you have given to the world…" (Mass Prayer on the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
God our Father is our reliable protector. His loving and powerful providence arranges everything for us with an eye to maximum protection of all our interests. We pray confidently to our Father to teach us the wise use of all that He has blessed the world with. Not everything in the world is good for us.
Jesus Christ is the model of how to use the goods of this world. He is our model of simplicity.
"Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?" (Matthew 13: 27)
The word of God sown in our hearts is good seed. Where does the weed come from?
They come from:
Who will help us weed the garden? Jesus Christ, the farmer who sows the good seed will help us weed our garden if we ask Him. The practical tools He gives us for this job is daily examination of conscience and regular Confession.
"We shall do everything that Yahweh has said; we shall obey." (Exodus 24: 7)
Faith and obedience are keys that obey the heart of God every time.
Today, I shall hear His voice and not harden my heart. I shall do everything that Yahweh has commanded. So help me God.
"I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you lived as slaves! You shall have no other gods to rival me." (Exodus 20: 1-3)
Yahweh brought me out of Egypt. Before He gave me His commandments, He presented His credentials. I owe Him love and loyalty because He first loved and called me. I am resolved that there will be no rivals to Yahweh in my life.
"But go to the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." (John 20: 17)
Mary Magdalene saw Jesus after His resurrection. Jesus sent her as a messenger to His disciples. One other point to note: Jesus calls His disciples His brothers. Every day, we have the opportunity to meet Jesus in His word and the Eucharist.
Lord Jesus, may we recognize you in your word and in the Eucharist. Empower us to be your messenger.
"Mount Sinai was entirely wrapped in smoke, because Yahweh had descended on it in the form of fire." (Exodus 19: 18)
In the Eucharist, Christ descends on us in the form of bread and wine. In the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus Christ is present in the form of the consecrated Host.
Lord Jesus, grant me deep faith and reverence for the Eucharist and the Blessed Sacrament.
"Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matthew 13: 8)
Some seed fell on rich soil. What is a rich soil? A rich soil is a soil prepared by faith and obedience.
Lord Jesus, prepare my soil. Sow your word in me. I want to produce rich harvest.
Manure for rich soil: The 7-Way Plan.
"And the whole community of Israelites began complaining about Moses and Aaron in the desert…." (Exodus 16: 2)
The Enterprise is a journey through the desert. Things may get rough and tough on the way. My principle is never to complain, criticize or condemn. Instead, I take whatever problem to Jesus in prayer. Have I always lived up to this declaration? I wish I could answer in the affirmative. But alas, my record here is abysmal. I am not discouraged. I keep working to eliminate complaining, criticizing and condemning from my character.
"Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12: 49 – 50)
Jesus Christ defines here the principle of the new fraternity. In His Church it is spiritual and not biological. The first Christians understood this principle and called each other brother or sister. Anybody who does God's will is a brother or sister to each other.
"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh drove the sea back with a strong easterly wind all night and made the sea into dry land." (Exodus 14: 21)
Moses obeyed God and did what he was told to do and a great miracle took place. After some hesitation, Naaman obeyed God and did what the Prophet Elisha asked him to do and he was healed. The servants obeyed Jesus and filled the empty jars with water and Jesus turned the water into wine in the wedding feast.
Faith and obedience produces miracle. Lord, help me always to trust and obey you.
"It is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign! The only sign it will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah." (Matthew 12: 39)
What is Christ's sign for me today?
Lord, this is enough. I ask for no more sign than pray you bless me with deep trust in you every moment, every step of this day.
"Do not be afraid! Stand firm, and you will see what Yahweh will do to rescue you today: the Egyptians you see today you will never see again. Yahweh will do the fighting for you; all you need to do is to keep calm." (Exodus 14: 13-14)
Father, you have consoled me in the past with this scripture. Console me again today with it. I recall EUF86. Thank you Father. Father you have placed me in casa with SFJ as my means of daily bread. You know that it is for me like an Exodus experience. At times, I am very frightened. Father, fight for me. I surrender.
In life, we experience multiple Exoduses. The journey of faith is made up of many Exoduses. Exodus 14: 13-14 is the answer to all Exoduses.
"The Lord keeps in our minds the wonderful things he has done. He is compassion and love; he always provides for his faithful." (Psalm 110: 4-5)
God Himself reminds us of the wonderful things He accomplishes in our life. I try through journaling to keep a list of these wonderful interventions of God in my life. I have found that this is the greatest insurance against discouragement. Whenever I am under attack, I walk round my apartment where I have pinned to walls some of these uplifting remembrances.
"Lord, bring us closer to salvation through these gifts which we bring in your honor. Accept the perfect sacrifice you have given us, bless it as you blessed the gifts of Abel…." (Offering Prayer on the 16th Sunday)
The Eucharist is the perfect sacrifice. It is a wonderful privilege to participate. "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" (Revelation 19: 9)
"He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil." (Matthew 13: 37 – 39)
Christ is the farmer who sows the good seed. Heresy is the instrument of the devil in sowing weeds among wheat. The mass media also sow weeds by offering alternative message to the knowledge of salvation.
How do we know the good seeds from the weeds? "By their fruits you shall know them." The word of God is the template for the discernment of spirits. I pray continuously for the gift of discernment of spirits. I now understand that the more I am into sacred scripture, the more capable I will be in discerning spirits. Discernment of spirits in this context means applied Scripture.
For, although we are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh, 5
for the weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. We destroy arguments
and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ,
and we are ready to punish every disobedience, once your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10: 3-6)
"The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings." (Romans 8: 26)
How comforting it is to know that we have such a giant helper in our prayer. Not only does the Holy Spirit bless us with the gift of prayer, but He helps us to use this gift appropriately. Since I learned this truth, I never start any prayer without the invocation of the Holy Spirit. The good news is that we can get the light, guidance and courage to pray well if we ask the Holy Spirit.
