taken today

 

taken today

 

taken last week

 

Nov 11 2006

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours

Phil 4:10-19 Brothers and sisters: I rejoice greatly in the Lord that now at last you revived your concern for me. You were, of course, concerned about me but lacked an opportunity. Not that I say this because of need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself, to be self-sufficient. I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me. Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress. You Philippians indeed know that at the beginning of the Gospel, when I left Macedonia, not a single church shared with mein an account of giving and receiving, except you alone. For even when I was at Thessalonica you sent me something for my needs, not only once but more than once. It is not that I am eager for the gift; rather, I am eager for the profit that accrues to your account. I have received full payment and I abound. I am very well supplied because of what I received from youth rough Epaphroditus,“a fragrant aroma,” an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Ps 112:1b-2, 5-6, 8a and 9R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commands. His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,who conducts his affairs with justice;He shall never be moved;the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear.Lavishly he gives to the poor;his generosity shall endure forever;his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Lk 16:9-15 Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones;and the person who is dishonest in very small mattersis also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them,“You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”
To be Christian means to be willing to be without food or supplies and be rich in the Lord. If the material needs become my ruler instead of the Lord, I have lost touch with my faith. God provides and there are times that I am well supplied but my priority is to serve the Lord and all else follows after that. I need to daily turn my heart and soul to what God is asking of me and not the world. If I do what is pleasing to others but not to God, I have lost my way on the journey. Being trustworthy in small things is something that creeps into every day. It is a matter of not keeping something that is an office supply and belongs to the organization that I work for unless I am using it for work. It can be as simple and inexpensive as a pencil but the principle is the same and it is a level of honesty. If I can not be trusted with a pencil, then I can not be trusted with far greater things. The honesty and truth in living is also part of being Christian in the living out of all the days choices and ways.

I honestly strive to be upright in all my daily ways of living and choices. I do this not to impress myself or others but to be on the path that God has given me and to be loving and please God in my heart and acts daily. I like the saying that it is easy to talk the talk but we have to walk the walk. I rejoice in morning prayer returning my heart and soul and mind to God and the path on the journey.

Some of my friends say the kingdom can be here and now. I just know that the way is to do what is pleasing to the Lord and follow the Lord's way. I have been blessed many times with gifts from God perhaps that is what my friends who say the kingdom is now mean. It is a joy to have faith and a loving sense of the divine presence. I pray this day that my faith journey continues to deepen and that I stay on the path of doing the will of the Lord in all that I do today.