Lord, teach me to listen. The times are noisy and
my ears are weary with the thousand raucous sounds which continuously assault them. Give me the spirit of the boy Samuel when he said to You, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Let me hear You speaking in my heart. Let me get used to the sound of your voice, that its tones may be familiar when the sounds of earth die away and the only sound will be the music of your speaking. Amen.
- A. W. Tozer Listen . . .
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Romans 8:31b-39
Psalm 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31 Luke 13:31-35 Some Pharisees came up to Jesus. ‘Go away’ they said. ‘Leave this place,
because Herod means to kill you.’ He replied, ‘You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.
‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers
her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say:
‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Reflection on the Scriptures
In Luke’s Gospel, we are told of the joy in heaven over one heart that turns back to God. That joy is not reserved only for those who repent but also for those who recognize their need for mercy and reach out for
it. The Gospel challenges us as Christ’s followers to be vessels of that same love. To let go of the instinct to critique and instead embrace the discipline of self-reflection. When we are tempted to focus on the flaws of others , whether a family member who frustrates us, a co-worker whose actions we question, or even public figures whose choices
trouble us, instead, we can turn to God in that moment. We can ask for His grace to see others as He sees them: beloved, redeemable, and worthy of love. So today, may our hearts reflect the mercy of God. The same mercy that has been so freely offered to us, and in doing so, let us live more fully for the Lord. -by Rev. Elvin Cardoso, S.J.
The Imitation of Christ, Thomas A. Kempis https://amzn.to/40FrikB Paperback and Kindle versions available BOOK
ONE: Thoughts Helpful in the Life of a Soul
The Seventh Chapter: Avoiding False Hope and Pride
VAIN is the one who puts his trust in others, in created things. Do not be ashamed to serve others for the love of Jesus Christ and to seem poor in this world. Do not be self-sufficient but place your trust in God. Do what lies in your power and God will aid your good will. Put no trust in your own learning nor in the cunning of any person, but rather in the grace of God Who helps the humble and humbles the proud. If you have wealth, do not glory in it, nor in friends because they are powerful, but in God Who gives all things and Who desires above all to give Himself. Do not boast of personal stature or of physical beauty, qualities which are marred and destroyed by a little sickness. Do not take pride in your talent or ability, lest you displease God to Whom belongs all the natural gifts
that you have.
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