Nov 14 2006

Ti 2:1-8, 11-14 Beloved: You must say what is consistent with sound doctrine, namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance. Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so that they may train younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers, under the control of their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves, showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be criticized, so that the opponent will be put to shame without anything bad to say about us. For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.

Ps 37:3-4, 18 and 23, 27 and 29
R. (39a) The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good, that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security. Take delight in the LORD, and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted; their inheritance lasts forever. By the LORD are the steps of a man made firm, and he approves his way.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Turn from evil and do good that you may abide forever; The just shall possess the land and dwell in it forever.
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

Heb 9:24-28
Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Lk 17:7-10 Jesus said to the Apostles: “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him,‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say,‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

The gospel teaching is asking me to serve the Lord first then to have my food or needs attended to after having served. I need to attend to what the Lord is calling to before my own needs then I will know that I have fulfilled God's will in my life. There is great joy in walking in the paths of God rather than my own. I willingly devote myself and give myself to God and everything is provided for me and flows out of that.

Each day in each moment I pray that I continue to turn from evil and do good in my every act and thought and feeling. I take delight in the life that is close to God in all that I do. I am grateful for the gift of faith and continue to treasure and encourage the growth of my faith daily. I pray to not be conformed to the ways of the time and the worldly but to the Lord's ways in all that I do this day. I pray that I am a loving light in the world in all that I do this day.

I am grateful for the blessings of yesterday and pray for the vision and strength and open heart to be a blessing to others this day in all that I do at home in the monastery and at the university today.