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The first service one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love of God begins in listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God's love for us that He not only gives us His
Word but lends us His ear. So it is His work that we do for others when we learn to listen to them.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
(What makes it difficult for you to really listen to others? How can you be a better
listener this day?)
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RV 3:1-6, 14-22; PS 15:2-5; LK 19:1-10
R. I will seat the victor beside me on my
throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue. Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
USCCB Lectionary
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Reflection on the Scriptures
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"Here I stand, knocking at the door." –Revelation 3:20
Jesus is knocking on the door of your lives. Why not open the door? He wants to have supper with us (Rv 3:20). That doesn't sound so bad. However, supper with Jesus isn't all there is to Jesus entering our lives. Jesus comes to stay (see Lk 19:5), and He comes to be the Lord of every
detail of our lives. When we open the door to Jesus, we are in effect saying: "It is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me" (Gal 2:20, our transl.). If we open the door to Jesus, we must:
- deny our very selves, take up the cross each day, and follow Him (Lk 9:23),
- repent of being lukewarm in our love
for Jesus (Rv 3:16),
- be hot for Jesus (Rv 3:15),
- give some, half (see Lk 19:8), or all of our belongings to the poor (Mt 19:21),
- make restitution to those we have defrauded (Lk 19:8),
- be a witness for Jesus (see Acts 1:8),
- suffer for and with Jesus (see Phil 1:29), and
- live and die for Jesus (see 2 Tm 2:11).
Why would we open the door to Jesus? We
open ourselves to Him because He loves us so much that He died for us and because we love Him with all our hearts.
PRAYER: Jesus, compelled by love, I will no longer live for myself but for You (2 Cor 5:14-15). PROMISE: "Today salvation has come to this house, for this is what it means to be a son of Abraham. The Son of
Man has come to search out and save what was lost." –Lk 19:9-10
- from mycatholic.com web site
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Selected Quotes from the Writings of St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)
• Good People,
most royal greening verdancy,
rooted in the
sun,
you shine with radiant light.
• I welcome all the creatures of the world with grace.
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