Thought for Tuesday September 1

I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

Luke 4: 31 – 37  Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.

Does it help me appreciate Jesus to have a picture of him doing particular things in particular places?   Would the Gospel be the same if it left out these little details?

Action:  Do something in the place you are in today to make it better.

Thought for Monday August 31

The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Luke 4: 16 – 30  He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Am I a captive of anything [society, bad habits, addictions, insecurities, sins]?  Do I believe Jesus can liberate me?

Action: Try to free yourself from something that is interfering with your spiritual life.

Thought for Friday August 28

Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

Matthew 25: 1 – 13  Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.  Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Do I have the energy to stay spiritually awake?  What wakes me up?

Action:  Constant Vigilance!  Set up some alarms in your life so that if you do doze off, something will wake up before too long.

Thought for Thursday August 27

Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

 

Matthew 24: 42 – 51  Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay awake!”

 

Have I ever dozed off spiritually or morally?  Do I ever get tired of trying to live in perfect accord with the message of Jesus?

 

Action:  Constant Vigilance!  Make a plan to support yourself in the exhausting work of being perfect.

Thought for Wednesday August 26

You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
You have searched me and you know me, Lord.

Matthew 23: 27 – 32  … and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’

What sins of the past am I sure I would not have committed?   Do I think future generations will look at some of what my generation is doing with the same assurance?

Action:  Look around you for the scars of past sins and see what you can do to heal them.

Thought for Tuesday August 25

You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
 You have searched me and you know me, Lord.

Matthew 23: 23 – 26  You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity.

How much does my society value mercy?  What is the difference between having good judgment and being judgmental?

Action:  Pay close attention to the emails you forward and social media posts to  insure they demonstrate fidelity to the mind and heart of Jesus, are merciful to others, and that you judge that sending them along will have positive uplifting effects on those who read them.

Thought for Monday August 24

Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.

Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

John 1: 45 – 51  Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

If someone shares good news with me, am I inclined to be skeptical?   What good news would I receive most joyfully?

Action:  Search a newspaper or news broadcast for good news and celebrate the good things that are happening.

Thought for Friday August 21

Praise the Lord, my soul!
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
Praise the Lord, my soul!

Matthew 22: 34  - 40  “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.”

Well, do I?  What else occupies my heart, soul and mind?

Action:  Do something that you think might alleviate a burden on someone else’s heart, soul or mind.

Thought for Thursday August 20

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me.
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Matthew 22: 1 – 14   “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come.”

How often do I refuse invitations?  Have I refused an invitation from Jesus?

Action:  Accept the next invitation you get and attend the event with a mission of sharing God’s love.

Thought for Wednesday August 19

Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
You made him a blessing forever,
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.
Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

Matthew 20: 1 – 16  And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’

How do I decide what is fair?   Who do I see that is not being treated fairly?

Action:  Work to alleviate an injustice in your community.

Thought for Tuesday August 18

The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

 

Matthew 19: 23 – 30  Then Peter said to him in reply, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?”

 

What have I given up?  What do I expect in return?

 

Action:  Give up something, at least temporarily, so that you can follow Jesus.

Thought for Monday August 17

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Many times did he rescue them,
but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction
when he heard their cry.
Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

 

Matthew 19: 16 – 22  “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”  He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

How am I doing?  Is this simple list really that simple?

 

Action:  Don’t kill, cheat, steal, lie or dishonor your family and, if you have time, do something loving for your neighbor.

Thought for Friday August 14

His mercy endures forever.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his mercy endures forever;
Give thanks to the LORD of lords,
for his mercy endures forever.
His mercy endures forever.

Matthew 19: 3 – 12  Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.

If some people are incapable of marriage for these reasons, does it follow that some are capable for the same reasons?  What makes me capable/incapable of marriage?  Am I joyful in my vocation ?

Action:  If you are married, take your spouse on a date.  If you are single, enjoy a special night out alone or with friends.

 

Thought for Thursday August 13

Alleluia!
When Israel came forth from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of alien tongue,
Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his domain
Alleluia!

Matthew 18: 21 – 19: 1  Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?”

Would I even consider a limit on forgiving someone I cared about?  Wouldn’t my brother [sister, friend, neighbor] have to be a real jerk for me to even ask this question?

Action:  Give thanks to all of the “brothers” in your life who don’t have to be forgiven 7 times 70 times.

Thought for Wednesday August 12

Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God: “How tremendous are your deeds!”
Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

Matthew 18: 15 – 20  Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”

How often do I try to resolve things privately?  Would I rather heal a relationship or be affirmed in righteous anger?

Action:  Resolve not to gripe about what someone else has done to you for one week.  Instead, put your energy into working out your differences or learning to live with it.

Thought for Tuesday August 11

The portion of the Lord is his people.
For I will sing the LORD’s renown.
Oh, proclaim the greatness of our God!
The Rock–how faultless are his deeds,
how right all his ways!
The portion of the Lord is his people.

Matthew 18: 1 – 14  The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”

Isn’t God the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?  Is this a question I would be tempted to ask?

Action:  Today is the Feast of Clare of Assisi.  Her constant proclamation was, “Blessed be you, God, who created me.”  Try repeating that throughout your day.

Thought for Friday August 7

I remember the deeds of the Lord.
I remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I remember your wonders of old. 
And I meditate on your works;
your exploits I ponder.
I remember the deeds of the Lord.

Matthew 16: 24 – 28  Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

What cross am I carrying?  What helps me get up when I stumble?

Action:  If you know someone carrying a heavy cross do something to lighten his load at least for a little while.

Thought for Thursday August 6

The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.

Mark 9: 2 – 10  Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;  from the cloud came a voice,  “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

This is a cool story, but does it make any difference in the way I practice my faith?  What would I like a voice from the cloud to say to my friends about me?

Action:  Give someone “high praise” for something this week.

Thought for Wednesday August 5

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
But soon they forgot his works;
they waited not for his counsel.
They gave way to craving in the desert
and tempted God in the wilderness.
Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Matthew 15: 21 – 28  She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”

Do I have enough dignity to ask for more than scraps?  Do I have enough humility to accept scraps?

Action:  Adopt a dog today.  – Just kidding.   Give the best you have to offer today even if it is only scraps.

Thought for Tuesday August 4

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not off from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Matthew 14: 22 – 36  Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Have I ever started something with great enthusiasm and then lost confidence (or nerve, or energy) and given up?  If so, did I call out to Jesus for help or just sink?

Action:  If there is something you have given up on doing, pick it up again and ask Jesus to help you carry on.

Thought for Monday August 3

Sing with joy to God our help.
“My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;
they walked according to their own counsels.”
Sing with joy to God our help.

 

Matthew 14: 13 – 21  When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

Do I think Jesus is a so fascinating, engaging and thought-provoking that I would miss a meal to listen to him?  What would I give up for Jesus?

Action:  Skip or delay a meal long enough to feel hungry.  Spend a little time trying to develop the same hunger for the presence of Jesus, then eat.