Thought for Wednesday April 1

Lord, in your great love, answer me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving:
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
Lord, in your great love, answer me.

 

Matthew 26: 14 – 25  On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

What am I preparing for Jesus?  Do I have anything I want to do during Easter that I am still preparing for?

Action:  Plan something to celebrate Holy Week or Easter.

Thought for Tuesday March 31

I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
I will sing of your salvation.

John 13: 21 – 38  Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, "Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

Have I ever been betrayed (by a friend, family member, government, Church or other respected institution)?  Does a betrayal negate forever all of the good someone does?

Action:  If you have ever been betrayed and are still upset about it, make a list of all the good your betrayer has done and try to show them as much compassion as Jesus showed Judas.

Thought for Monday March 30

The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.

John 12: 1 – 11  He [Judas Iscariot] said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions.

Why would Jesus have such a low-life among his Apostles?  Doesn’t Jesus only call people who are good and holy to do his work?

Action:  Examine your conscience.  Is there anything you do that would make other people wonder why Jesus would want you around?  Work to change that and know that Jesus loves you anyway.

Thought for Friday March 27

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

John 10: 31 – 42  The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.”

Do I place more value on works or words?  Is it easier to misunderstand works or words?

Action:  Try doing something good without talking about it and see if your work speaks for itself.

Thought for Thursday March 26

The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

John 8: 51 – 59  Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'

Is “child of God” a central part of my identity?  Do I use that phrase to describe other people?

Action:  Think of the 5 people that annoy you the most and for each one say, “____________ is a child of God.”  Repeat to yourself as often as necessary.  

 

Thought for Wednesday March 25

Glory and praise forever!
"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages."
Glory and praise forever!

John 8: 31 – 42  Jesus said, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

How does the truth set me free?  Have I ever been trapped in a lie?

Action:  Look at a bad situation and see if any Gospel truths are being ignored.  Try to bring truth into the situation.

Thought for Tuesday March 24

 

O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
O LORD, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
in the day when I call, answer me speedily.
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

John 8: 21 – 30  So they said to him, "Who are you?"

Where have I learned something about who Jesus is?  Do I continue to look for new sources to know him?

Action:  Read the Bible to get to know Jesus.

Thought for Monday March 23

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.

 

John 8: 1 – 11  “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.  And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders.

Do I have to be sinless to see the sins of others?  What can I do when I do recognize another’s sin?

Action:  The next time you notice someone else sinning, do something positive to counteract the effect of that sin.  

Thought for Friday March 20

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

 

John 7: 1 – 2, 10, 25-30   You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.

Do I know Jesus?  Do I know the one who sent him?

 
Action:  List 3 things in your life that would be less fulfilling to you if the Father had not sent Jesus.

Thought for Thursday March 19

The son of David will live forever.
The promises of the Lord I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness,
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
The son of David will live forever.

 

Matthew 1: 16 – 24  Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.

 

Have I ever been inclined to just quietly slip out of a bad situation?  What does it take for me to get past my fears and do the most loving thing I can?

 

Action:  Fix something around your home today in honor of St. Joseph.

Thought for Wednesday March 18

The Lord is gracious and merciful.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
The Lord is gracious and merciful.

John 5: 17 – 30  “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”

What can I do on my own?  Whose will do I seek?

Action:  Try to do something good that you have not done before because you thought you just weren’t up to it. 

Thought for Tuesday March 17

The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

John 5: 1 – 16  Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

Am I ever quick to judge someone based on what I seem them do at Sunday Mass (the Sabbath)?  Do I let minor things distract me at church?

Action:  Wear something green today!   When you walk into church this week, promise yourself you won’t let anyone’s behavior distract you from worshipping God.

Thought for Monday March 16

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

 

John 4: 43 – 54  The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.

Do I believe Jesus will do what he promised without first seeing proof?  Do I ever ask Jesus for things I know I won’t be able to see done?

Action:  Think back on some things you have asked Jesus to do and try to decide if he has done them yet.

Thought for Friday March 13

I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.
"Unseen, I answered you in thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Hear, my people, and I will admonish you;
O Israel, will you not hear me?"
 I am the Lord your God: hear my voice.

Mark 12: 28 – 34  And no one dared to ask him [Jesus] any more questions.

Have I ever been afraid to ask Jesus a question?  Are there answers I don’t want to hear?

Action:  Take 5 minutes and ask Jesus a question about a passage you find difficult and quietly listen for an answer.

Thought for Thursday March 12

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Luke 11: 14 – 23  Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

What does it mean to be with Jesus?  Am I with Jesus all of the time? 

Action:  Pick reminders to help you remember to be with Jesus.  For example, every time your cell phone rings, or anytime you smell bread baking, or whenever you put on socks, remind yourself to be with Jesus in whatever you are doing or are about to do.

Thought for Wednesday March 11

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Matthew 5: 17 – 19  I have come not to abolish [the law] but to fulfill.

Have I ever thought of the law as something to be fulfilled?  What is/ should be the purpose of law?

Action:  Pick a law, any law (biblical, criminal, institutional) and ask what its real purpose is and what values it upholds and think about how you uphold those same values in everything you do.

Thought for Tuesday March 10

Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Matthew 18: 21 - 35  Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.

What do I owe God?  What am I doing to pay him back?

Action:  Make a payment on your debt.

Thought for Monday March 9

Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
Athirst is my soul for the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Luke 4: 24 – 30  Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.

Do I ever feel overwhelmed seeing how many people need help?  Who do I feel I have been sent to help and can help?

Action:  Focus some effort on one person you know you can help, even if it is with something small.

Thought for Friday March 6

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
When the LORD called down a famine on the land
and ruined the crop that sustained them,
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, sold as a slave.
Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

 

Matthew 21: 33 – 46  Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.

What gifts has God given me?  What am I producing with them?

Action: Use one of your God given talents today to help somebody.

Thought for Thursday March 5

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Luke 16: 19 – 31  If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.

Do I read the Bible with the intent of making changes in my life?  What does it take to get me to change?

Action:  Make a list of the last 3 changes in your life that were inspired by reflection on scripture.

Thought for Wednesday March 4

Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

Matthew 20: 17 – 28  Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.

Would I continue on the road to Jerusalem after hearing Jesus’ description of what will happen?  Am I using Lent to prepare myself for the reality of Jesus death and resurrection?

Action:  Add something new to your Lenten program to help you focus on Jesus’ death – give up something you really like, fast an extra day or two, abstain on Wednesdays, go to something at a church that you were planning to skip, etc.

Thought for Tuesday March 3

To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?"
To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Matthew 23: 1 – 12  For they preach but they do not practice.

Do I always practice what I preach?  Are there things I believe I should do, but just can’t?

Action:  Think of one thing you think everyone should do and make a point of doing it today.

Thought for Monday February 2

Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name's sake.
Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

 

Luke 6: 36 – 38  Stop judging and you will not be judged.  Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Is this a message that really needs to be heard in my society?  Is this a message I really need to take to heart?

Action:  The next time you encounter someone being unjustly judged or condemned, speak up.