taken october 10 2006

 

taken october 10 2006

 

taken october 10 2006

 

october 11 2006

Gal 2:1-2, 7-14
Brothers and sisters:
After fourteen years I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
I went up in accord with a revelation, and I presented to them the Gospel that I preach to the Gentiles–
but privately to those of repute– so that I might not be running, or have run, in vain.
On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Gospel to the uncircumcised,
just as Peter to the circumcised, for the one who worked in Peter for an apostolate to the circumcised
worked also in me for the Gentiles, and when they recognized the grace bestowed upon me,
James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas their right hands in partnership,
that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, we were to be mindful of the poor,
which is the very thing I was eager to do.

And when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself,
because he was afraid of the circumcised. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him,
with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not on the right road
in line with the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in front of all, “If you, though a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Ps 117:1bc, 2
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations, glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.

Lk 11:1-4
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”

The Lord's prayer is of forgiveness and reverence and thankfulness. I feel a call for divine protection within it also. It is a one day at a time pray give us this day our daily bread. It is a calling of the divine into the present moment. There are so many ways that this prayer has touched my heart. It is my earliest memory in my life as the first prayer I learned along with a blessing before meals and a night prayer as a child. I used to end every night prayer when I was little and kneeling beside my bed with intercessions for those I knew were in need. There is a strength in the Lord's prayer that it is interwoven in many of our lives from early childhood to old age. It is the one prayer that many people can recall who are Christians. I think it is only fair that I should forgive others what I ask God to forgive me. It is a minimum of what I should do for others.

There are many days that I see the abundance of food in my life and pray for those who do not have enought to eat. From a young age, I remember my mother and father teaching that it was a sin to waste food when people are starving. I remember both telling about sharing food with people who did not have enough. The table where food is shared is also a place and time for fellowship. I pray that this day I can be a light of life and love to others.

october 10 2006

Gal 1:13-24 Brothers and sisters: You heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace,was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the Apostles, only James the brother of the Lord. (As to what I am writing to you, behold, before God, I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” So they glorified God because of me.

Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
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.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
My soul also you knew full well; nor was my frame unknown to you When I was made in secret,when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Lk 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply,“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

The story of Mary and Martha is one of two good friends of Jesus. When Martha complains to Jesus about Mary sitting at his feet as a student rathet than working doing chores, Jesus says the Mary has chosen the better part. Jesus in this story is in the role of Rabboni, teacher. It was not common at the time in the culture for a woman to be taught, but Jesus is counter cultural and is stating it is more important for a woman to be a student than to do housework. It is a message after my own heart. I am a perpetual student in life always finding interest in reward in studies.

In life studies and learning never end and this is true in learning about the faith and the Church also. Scriptural studies and reflections, the Word of God always reveals a new layer of meaning and significance each day. Each day is a day of conversion, formation and growth in the Lord.

A focus on tasks only as Martha was doing in the story, leads to being immersed in the details and the business and often missing the big picture of the meaning of what its happening. The Holy Spirit gives wisdom and knowledge but I need to open my heart and have time to receieve.

october 10 2006

Gal 1:13-24 Brothers and sisters: You heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace,was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the Apostles, only James the brother of the Lord. (As to what I am writing to you, behold, before God, I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” So they glorified God because of me.

Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
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.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
My soul also you knew full well; nor was my frame unknown to you When I was made in secret,when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Lk 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply,“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

The story of Mary and Martha is one of two good friends of Jesus. When Martha complains to Jesus about Mary sitting at his feet as a student rathet than working doing chores, Jesus says the Mary has chosen the better part. Jesus in this story is in the role of Rabboni, teacher. It was not common at the time in the culture for a woman to be taught, but Jesus is counter cultural and is stating it is more important for a woman to be a student than to do housework. It is a message after my own heart. I am a perpetual student in life always finding interest in reward in studies.

In life studies and learning never end and this is true in learning about the faith and the Church also. Scriptural studies and reflections, the Word of God always reveals a new layer of meaning and significance each day. Each day is a day of conversion, formation and growth in the Lord.

A focus on tasks only as Martha was doing in the story, leads to being immersed in the details and the business and often missing the big picture of the meaning of what its happening. The Holy Spirit gives wisdom and knowledge but I need to open my heart and have time to receieve.