Prayer is continual abandonment to God. Prayer does not mean asking God for all kinds of things we want; it is
rather the desire for God Himself, the only Giver of Life. Prayer is not asking, but union with God. Prayer is not a painful effort to gain from God help in the varying needs of our lives. Prayer is the desire to possess God Himself, the Source of all life. The true spirit of prayer does not consist in asking for blessings, but in receiving Him who is the giver of all blessings, and in living a life of fellowship with Him.
... Sundar Singh (1889-1929)
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2 KGS 24:8-17; PS
79:1B-2, 3-5, 8, 9
MT 7:21-29
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive
out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods
came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
When Jesus finished these words,
the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes.
Reflection on the Scriptures |
As I read the
today’s Gospel, I could not help but think about parrhesía (boldness). Pope Francis spent a great deal of time reaffirming that God is always with us and that we should not be afraid to spread the good news. Considering today’s reading, he so aptly uses the analogy, “How often we are tempted to stay close to shore! Yet the Lord calls us to put out into the deep and let down our nets.” This must have been how the apostles felt as they were out at sea in the violent storm. I imagine
myself with a few friends in a small boat with no shore in sight. Suddenly the wind begins to blow and the waves crash over the side of the boat. I’m sure I would have been very afraid as well. Yet, as the story continues, Jesus is there. Even though he is not awake, he is present. Just as he is always present for us today. Pope Francis reminds us that we do not need to be afraid to go out into uncharted waters because God will always be there with us. Even when the seas get rough, he is there
to calm the water.
- by Tom Lenz
Revelations of Divine
Love - by Julian of Norwich
Fourteenth Revelation, Chapter 51
“He is the Head, and we be His
members.” “Therefore our Father nor may nor will more blame assign to us than to His own Son, precious and worthy Christ” But man is blinded in this life and therefore we may not see our Father, God, as He is. And what time that He of His goodness willeth to shew Himself to man, He sheweth Himself
homely, as man. Notwithstanding, I reason, in verity we ought to know and believe that the Father is not man.
But his sitting on the earth barren and desert, is to signify this:—He made man’s soul to be His own City and His dwelling-place: which is most pleasing to Him of all His works. And what time that man was
fallen into sorrow and pain, he was not all seemly to serve in that noble office; and therefore our Lord Father would prepare Himself no other place, but would sit upon the earth abiding mankind, which is mingled with earth, till what time by His grace His dearworthy Son had brought again His City into the noble fairness with His hard travail. The blueness of the clothing betokeneth His steadfastness; the brownness of his fair face, with the seemly blackness of the eyes, was most accordant to
shew His holy soberness. The length and breadth of his garments, which were fair, flaming about, betokeneth that He hath, beclosed in Him, all Heavens, and all Joy and Bliss: and this was shewed in a touch [of time], where I have said: Mine understanding was led into the Lord; in which [inward shewing] I saw Him highly rejoice for the worshipful restoring that He will and shall bring His servant to by His plenteous grace.
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