My Monday Daily Blessings
Be still, quiet your heart and mind, the Lord is here loving you,
talking to you.................
Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Catholic Observance)
Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Roman Rite Calendar)
*First Reading: Is 1:10-17
Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah!
What care I for the number of your sacrifices?
says the LORD.
I have had enough of whole-burnt rams and fat of fatlings;
In the blood of calves, lambs and goats
I find no pleasure.
When you come in to visit me, who asks these things of you?
Trample my courts no more!
Bring no more worthless offerings; your incense is loathsome to me.
New moon and sabbath, calling of assemblies, octaves with wickedness: these I cannot bear.
Your new moons and festivals I detest; they weigh me down, I tire of the load.
When you spread out your hands,
I close my eyes to you;
Though you pray the more,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow.
*Responsorial Psalm: Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21-23
"To the upright, I will show the saving power of God."
*Gospel Reading: Mt 10:34-11:1
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household.
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man's reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple? amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."
When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,
he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
**Reflection:
Why does Jesus describe his mission and the coming of God's kingdom in terms of conflict, division, and war? Jesus came in peace to reconcile a broken and sinful humanity with an all-merciful and loving God. Jesus also came to wage war, to overthrow the powers and principalities arrayed against God and his kingdom. What are these powers? Jesus describes Satan as the ruler of this world whom he will cast out (John 12:31). The battle Jesus had in mind was not an earthly conflict between nations, but a spiritual warfare between the forces of Satan and the armies of heaven. The scriptures make clear that there are ultimately only two powers or kingdoms – God's kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. John contrast these two kingdoms in the starkest of terms: We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19).
What does Satan seek? To be the ruler of his destiny and master of his universe. Satan’s goal is to bring as many people as possible into his kingdom, and to neutralize or remove anyone who tries to stand in his way. Satan is fiercely determined to not rest until he has won over the hearts, minds, and souls of every person living on the face of the earth today. Satan is opposed to God and to everyone who swears allegiance to God's authority and rule in their lives. The evil one has but one aim – the complete domination of our heart, mind, and will to his kingdom. And he will use any means possible to draw us from good to evil, from truth to deception, from light to darkness, and from life to death. There are no neutral parties in this spiritual battle. We are either for or against the kingdom of God. The choices we make and the actions we take reveal whose kingdom we choose to follow. Jesus came to overthrow Satan's power and to set us free from everything that would keep us from the love of God and his wise rule in our lives – freedom from slavery to sin and our unruly desires, freedom from fear, greed, and selfishness.
When Jesus spoke about division he likely had in mind the prophecy of Micah: a man's enemies are the men of his own household (Micah 7:6). The love of God compels us to choose who will be first in our lives. To place any relationship or anything else above God is a form of idolatry. Jesus challenges his disciples to examine who they love first and foremost. A true disciple loves God above all else and is willing to forsake all for Jesus Christ. Jesus insists that his disciples give him the loyalty which is only due to God, a loyalty which is higher than spouse or kin. It is possible that family and friends can become our enemies, if the thought of them keeps us from doing what we know God wants us to do.
True love for God compels us to express charity towards our neighbor who is created in the image and likeness of God. Jesus declared that any kindness shown and any help given to the people of Christ will not lose its reward. Jesus never refused to give to anyone in need who asked for his help. As his disciples we are called to be kind and generous as he is. Jesus sets before his disciples the one goal in life that is worth any sacrifice and that goal is the will of God which leads to everlasting life, peace, and joy with God. Does the love of Jesus Christ compel you to put God first in all you do (2 Corinthians 5:14)?
**Prayer:
Amen.
Sources:
*Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
**Don Schwager
Author and Writer
Sword of the Spirit and
The Word Among Us
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