Mark 2:1-12 - Getting more than you ask for!

At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum and it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak thus? It is a blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the paralytic-"I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!

And even though one piece of candy is enough....: )
photo by  flickr user, mia3mom, used under the creative commons license.
check out more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mia3mom/

 Jesus was bringing the Word of His Father to the people and the people, enthralled by His words, gathered around- so many came that the small house was crowded with people and there was no way that someone in the back of the room could get to the front because of the press of the people.  How were these friends to help their crippled friend? In desperation, they cut a whole in the roof and lowered him down so that He Who could heal, would heal him.  But Jesus, seeing the faith of his friends, said to the paralyzed man, "Your sins are forgiven" and then commanded him to walk. He did and the people were amazed!

And so am I! Look at the compassion of Jesus.  He is so willing to be gracious that He doesn't even require faith from the paralyzed man. The faith of his friends are enough! And see how Jesus did more than they asked. Surely, the friends' intent was for their friend to walk again. And he did! But, see how Jesus declares his sins to be forgiven as well! Jesus is like the Father in the parable of the prodigal son- He races to receive his returning son who is walking down the road and leaves a party of rejoicing to win back the heart of His older son.  At the slightest movement of faith from anyone, will be enough to prompt Christ to lavish His Grace on us!

O Lord, this day let me live in Your abundant Grace! You,who are so quick to bless and so ready to forgive, dwell in my heart and let me mirror Your Grace to those I come into contact today.  Amen.

Mark 1:35-44 - Take time to pray ~ Jesus did!

At that time, Jesus rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him pursued him, and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to a priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.

Jesus took time to pray; shouldn't we?

Hold On to Jesus by *ArcZero on deviantART

Jesus was a Man who knew that He had to spend time with His Father.  Although there were many demands upon Him - and these demands were to do good works - He knew that He must find a lonely place and pray.  If He did not, of what good would He be to those around Him. Yes, He was God; but He was also a Man, subject to fatigues, discomfort and everything else that afflicts a Man. So, Jesus made sure that He kept in communion with His Father.  If Jesus needed that, surely, don't I?

How important it is, especially during this lenten season, to seek God in prayer. How important it is to attend the Divine Services and join with the Faithful as they worship the Holy Trinity.  For if I want to be of any use to my fellow sojourners, then I must be in communion with the Father, just as Jesus was.

O Lord, Grant that I may take the time to seek You in prayer. Help me to use the prayers of the Church to teach my heart how I should commune with You. In Jesus Name, who always pleased the Father, Amen.

Isaiah 7:1-14 - With Faith there is nothing to Fear.

In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but they could not conquer it. When the house of David was told, "Syria is in league with Ephraim," his heart and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.
And the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go forth to meet Ahaz, you and Shearjashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller's Field, and say to him, 'Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, "Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it," thus says the Lord GOD: It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. (Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken to pieces so that it will no longer be a people.) And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.'"

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test." And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Smile! There's nothing to Fear
photo by Jesse Barker, used under the creative commons license.
check out more photos at:http://www.flickr.com/photos/incendy/

Ahaz, a King of Judah and descendant  of David, had great reason to fear.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel had joined forces with Syria and planned to ransack Jerusalem, end the Davidic Royal line and set up their own King.  Yet, what is the wrath of man if the Lord will intercede? Surely, God can be relied upon when all seems to be lost.  Isaiah, came at the direction of the Lord and told Ahaz that what he feared would not happen and makes the statement, 'If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established."

Our faith is what establishes us.  By faith, Peter walked on water to meet his Lord. By faith, Abraham left his homeland to travel to Canaan.  All who have faith in the Lord, though they falter, shall be established. Peter sank when he doubted yet the Lord lifted him up. Abraham, in a moment of weak faith, sired a child through his wife's maid, yet it was his wife who eventually produced an heir.  Faith in the Lord is never a foolish thing for the Lord has proved Himself faithful, time and time again.

O Lord, when my faith falters, as it sometimes does, provide for me a sign as you did for Ahaz.  He thought it testing You to ask for a sign but it was at Your command.  Look with mercy upon me  this day and may I always be on the look out for signs You provide of your faithfulness. For surely You are! Amen.

Isaiah 6:1-12 - Not even the Angels dare to look!

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.” Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate,The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land,

It's like trying to look at the Sun

photo by Daniel Wehner, used under the creative commons license. check out more photos at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daniel-wehner/ 

Truly, the Lord is Holy.  Frightening, six-winged creatures, whose very sight would terrify me, dared not even look to the Holy Lord but covered their faces.  These same creatures, recognized the Lord's Holiness and dared not even speak to Him but, instead, called out to each other, "Holy, Holy, Holy!" These creatures, who surely excel in Holiness, especially when compared to me, knew that the Lord was unapproachable in His Holiness.  If majestic  Holy creatures can not look upon the Face of God, what chance have I? Woe to me, I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of people with unclean lips!

O, but look! An angel approaches me and brings me a hot coal from the Altar of God. This is my cleansing. This is my salvation.  If my Salvation does not come from the Lord Himself, than how can I ever be saved?  And is not the Hot Coal, the very Body and Blood of Christ Himself, in His Holy Eucharist?

Lord, You are Holy indeed! Let me never forget that when ever I speak with You.  In my prayers to You, let me not treat You like "my buddy," but rather as my Sovereign. How grateful I am that You are a King Who loves me and, in Your humility, You condescend to help me.  Feed me, I pray with the Hot Coals from your altar and remove my sin. Amen.

.

Yikes....I FORGOT!

photo by Flickr user, smartblue,
used under the creative commons licence
check out more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smartblue/

I can't believe I let the day get behind me and I FORGOT to do a meditation for the day...

Well, tomorrow is another day!

Proverbs 5:1-15 - Stay away from Temptation!

My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding,

 

That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge.

 

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil;

 

But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.

 

Her feet go down to death,

 

Lest you ponder her path of life – Her ways are unstable; You do not know them.

 

Therefore hear me now, my children, And do not depart from the words of my mouth.

 

Remove your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house,

 

Lest you give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one;

 

Lest aliens be filled with your wealth, And your labors go to the house of a foreigner; And you mourn at last, When your flesh and your body are consumed,

 

And say: “How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised correction!

 

I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!

 

I was on the verge of total ruin, In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

  

Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well.

Life is full of many temptations!
photo by flickr  user, Aleasy, used under the creative commons license
check out more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aleasybbreezy/

 Such wisdom from Solomon!  He knows all too well that sin and the temptation to sin is actually pleasing to us. He knows that when we say "yes" to sin, it's immediate effect is not destruction but pleasure. And how easy it would be to lie to ourselves that we would be the exception- that, even though a certain sin has led others away from God, it will not lead us away! And yet, if we persist in this, than one day we shall see we have been gradually taken away from the Lord, and this by our own doing!

Oh, that we would have eyes that would see our true end! Those things seem okay for us and yet, in our hearts we know they are wrong- those things should be avoided by us as we would avoid any clear danger. We hold on tightly if we are by a tall ledge without a fence.  We  stay away from packs of stray, wild animals and cross the street to avoid their bites yet why would we willingly wander into the pathway of sin, knowing that it will lead us away from our True life?

O Lord, help me to love You and despise sin. Let me not be like the fool who thinks only of the moment and realizes not that a moment's pleasure is not worth decades of regret.  It would be better, O my soul, to avoid that which leads me away from the Lord than to risk hardening my heart against Him for the pleasures of sin. For how do I know, O soul, if at the end of things I would want to repent?  Keep me this day, O Lord, from sin. Amen.

Luke 1:39-49, 56 - A Reason to rejoice!

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.

And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

JUMP FOR JOY,  O MY SOUL!!!!
photo by flickr user, Community Spaces Fund, used under the creative commons license.
check out more photos at;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/communityspaces/

So Many reasons to rejoice here! John the Baptist, in the womb of Elizabeth, as soon as he heard the voice of Mary greeting Elizabeth, leaped for joy!  Elizabeth herself broke out into song. She sang for the privilege of having the God-bearer visit her. She sang for the joy that the Fruit of Mary's womb was blessed! She rejoiced that she, who most blessed of all women (for she was to give birth to God in the Flesh) had arrived to witness Elizabeth's own miracle of giving birth in old age! And Mary herself broke out into song.

How I must always be looking for reasons to rejoice in my own life.  Both Mary and Elizabeth had good reason to be upset- One for being childless though old and the other for being with child yet not married- Yet both saw the promises of God fulfilled in their life. Will I not also see the promises of God fulfilled in my life? Have I not seen it in the past?

O Lord, Elizabeth said, "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord." Help me this day to have the same faith, knowing that Your promises are to be trusted and Your presence will always be there for those who are humble of heart. Amen.

john 1: 43-51 - just 2 sentences

43 qThe next day Jesus decided rto go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now sPhilip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found tNathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom uMoses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus vof Nazareth, wthe son of Joseph.”46 Nathanael said to him, x“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, yan Israelite indeed, zin whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How ado you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”49 Nathanael answered him, b“Rabbi, cyou are the Son of God! You are the dKing of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,1 you will see eheaven opened, and fthe angels of God ascending and descending on gthe Son of Man.” 

o Lord, help me to have the faith of Nathaniel, who spoke his mind and yet humbly accepted You as Messiah when You revealed Your Glory! May I see "greater things than these·" amen

Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-5 - Missing the Point

At that time, Jesus was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" And he said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath."

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. And they watched him, to see whether he would heal him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come here." And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch it out," and his hand was restored.

Sometimes Missing the Point can be Dangerous! 

An Apple A Day... by ~KoorimeYume on deviantART  

 The Pharisees really knew the Law.  The were experts on what God did and did not allow.  They were also first in line to accuse someone of breaking God's Law and, in thinking they were being Faithful to God's command, they were missing what God wanted altogether.  Jesus, of course, knew the Law, too and He was faithful to adhere to it. But He also knew the purpose of the Law and knew that Man, made in the Image of God, is what is most important in the Heart of God, not His ceremonial Laws.

The Ceremonial Laws were made to help the people of Israel remember that they were to be a separate and holy people.  But God is all about Love.  So if His disciples are very hungry on the Sabbath day, He lets them "work" by plucking grain to eat.  If a man has a withered hand which he cannot straighten out, Jesus doesn't wait till the Sabbath is over to show His Love through healing.  The Pharisees missed the work of God in their midst and instead of marveling at the healing,they were scandalized by it.  How foolish and hard their hearts were.

O Lord, I do not wish to grieve the heart of Jesus by my hardness of heart.  Help me to understand in all my dealings with my neighbor that I am to show Love first. If they are breaking God's Laws or even my own personal laws, help me to display the Love of God to them and not become judgmental   For surely judgment is Your job and not mine. Help me not to miss the point...and that point is Love. Amen

Isaiah 3:1-14 - Enjoy the fruit of your deeds

For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah stay and staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water; the mighty man and the soldier, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder, the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and the skillful magician and the expert in charms. And I will make boys their princes, and babes shall rule over them. And the people will oppress one another, every man his fellow and every man his neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the base fellow to the honorable.
When a man takes hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying: "You have a mantle; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule"; in that day he will speak out, saying: "I will not be a healer; in my house there is neither bread nor mantle; you shall not make me leader of the people." For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen; because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.
Their partiality witnesses against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom, they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil upon themselves. Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have done shall be done to him. My people -- children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you, and confuse the course of your paths.
The Lord has taken his place to contend, he stands to judge his people. The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: "It is you who have devoured the vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses."

Enjoy fruit!
photo by Evan Long, used under the creative commons license.
check out more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clover_1/

The Lord predicts horrible things for His people, that is, His people who have turned away from Him. Yet in the midst of this description of bad tidings for those who will not follow Him, the Lord offers a word of  hope to those who remain faithful.  "Tell the righteous  that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds." This promise gives me great hope in troubled times. It also reminds me to be faithful and my faithfulness will result in good deeds.

I do not want to be like the arrogant who parade their sin around like was done in Sodom.  Is that not what is happening today? Instead of hiding their deeds in shame, they celebrate their sin and call it good.

Lord, as I witness the deterioration around me, help me to remain faithful to Your Word. Amen.

Isaiah 2:11-21- Pride as tall as the Trees

 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed 

             down, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

For the day of the Lord of hosts Shall come upon everything proud and lofty, Upon everything lifted up – And it shall be brought low –

Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, And upon all the oaks of Bashan;

Upon all the high mountains, And upon all the hills that are lifted up;

Upon every high tower, And upon every fortified wall;

Upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops.

The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; The Lord alone will be exalted in that day,

But the idols He shall utterly abolish.

They shall go into the holes of the rocks, And into the caves of the earth, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver And his idols of gold, Which they made, each for himself to worship, To the moles and bats,

To go into the clefts of the rocks, And into the crags of the rugged rocks, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty, When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

A Tall Tree!
photo by Monty Vanderbilt, used under the creative commons license.
check out more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mvanderbilt/

A day is coming when the Lord alone will be exalted.  Now, man's arrogance is as tall the trees, as high as the mountains and as sturdy as well built ship but the day is coming when all will realize the Supremacy of the Lord.  In that day, those idols that man has made for himself will be a cause of great shame him.  He will cast them away and try to find a hiding place from the Lord.  But such Scampering will be useless for we all must face Him with Whom we have to do. 

I profess Christ but I wonder, is my pride as tall as the trees, as high as the mountains or as sturdy as a well built ship?  Do I only pretend dependency upon God and then, in my pride, go around as if I were my own lord?  Everyday, I must renew my commitment to the Lord, remembering my station.  He is Lord and I am servant.  He is high and exalted and, I, though in His Image, am lowly. He will raise me up with Him but I must be made low.  

Be happy, o my soul, for your Lord is exalted in the Heavens! He alone High and lifted up. The arrogance of the proud will be brought low and the lowly servants of God will be exalted in Christ. The Lord has done this and this is marvelous in our eyes! Amen.

Isaiah 2:3-11 - Don't be the World's Doppelganger

Thus say the people: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
For thou hast rejected thy people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of diviners from the east and of soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with foreigners. Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. So man is humbled, and men are brought low -- forgive them not! Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust from before the terror of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty. The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the pride of men shall be humbled; and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.

doppelganger by ~sethlamden on deviantART 

The house of Jacob, Israel - God's own people - have struck a deal with foreigners  that is, those whom reject the Lord. There is no difference between Israel and Philistia.  Both have soothsayers, both are prosperous and feel they have no need of God, both always make ready for war and both are full of arrogance, as they fall before idols.  Yet, the Lord along, in that day, will be exalted.

God calls His people to humility. He beckons His own not to be like those around Him.  Rather, as the law goes forth out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem, we should walk in the light of the Lord.  It is in returning to Christ, each and every day, that I will not be found with those who hide their face from the Lord when He comes in the glory of His majesty.

O my soul, forsake the Philistines! For they know nothing of the Lord and yet, and their haughtiness will be brought low. Rather, this day, let me humbly walk in the light of the Lord. Amen.

Isaiah 1:19-2:3 - Take the Right Path

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
How the faithful city has become a harlot, she that was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Every one loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not defend the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them.
Therefore the Lord says, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: "Ah, I will vent my wrath on my enemies, and avenge myself on my foes. I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city."
Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness. But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. For you shall be ashamed of the oaks in which you delighted; and you shall blush for the gardens which you have chosen. For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. And the strong shall become tow, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them.
The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Follow the path by ~Apolic on deviantART 

God lays two paths before me.  One of obedience and one of self-will. Obedience to Him will yield blessing but choosing the rebel path will be my soul's destruction.  The Lord laments when His once faithful people turn into a spiritual harlot. And how He calls us all to repentance. The Lord promises to restore us to our once Faithful status. And when that happens, we will be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.

O Lord, lead me to Your mountain, to your House will You can teach me Your ways.  If I humbly ask, The Lord will instruct me in His precepts and I can walk in His paths.  This prayer must be said, moment by moment for at ever turn, we are tempted to take the wrong path- to gossip about our neighbor, to think ill of those who mistreat us, to walk in the ways of sin.  Happy is the man who takes the right path.

Lead me there, I pray, O Lord and teach me Your ways. Amen.

Proverbs 1:1-20 - Don't be a Fool!

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 

That men may know wisdom and instruction, understand words of insight, receive instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity; that prudence may be given to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth -- the wise man also may hear and increase in learning, and the man of understanding acquire skill, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and reject not your mother's teaching; for they are a fair garland for your head, and pendants for your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us wantonly ambush the innocent; like Sheol let us swallow them alive and whole, like those who go down to the Pit; we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with spoil; throw in your lot among us, we will all have one purse" -- my son, do not walk in the way with them, hold back your foot from their paths; for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird; but these men lie in wait for their own blood, they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of all who get gain by violence; it takes away the life of its possessors. Wisdom cries aloud in the street; in the markets she raises her voice.

A Medieval Fool; not a job I'd like!
photo by Hans Splinter, used under the creative commons license.
check out more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/archeon/

Solomon, a man who prayed for Wisdom from God, begins his writings by telling us that The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  Those who want to know true wisdom, to have understanding in matters that are really important, know that the place to start is in Awe and Reverence for the Lord. In contrast to that, there is the fool, who despises wisdom and instruction.  The fool, who rejects God and only sees the immediate gain, does not know he is responsible for his own destruction.  While the fool makes plans on how to defraud his neighbor- looking only to his own interests,- the one who would live in the Kingdom stands in awe of God.

Are fools trying to entice me to shed innocent blood? No, not really.  But I must be on guard not to follow the fool who would lead me from the Fear of the Lord. A blatant temptation to leave Christ is something I surely would recognize but are there not more subtle temptations I must be on guard against? I would quickly eschew any notion of denying Christ before men but do I deny him in other ways? By being silent when I should speak or speaking when I should be silent?   Do I not do violence to my own soul when I follow the fool as he ignores God?

O Lord, help me to be diligent in the Fear of the Lord. For by standing in awe of You, I gain understanding and wisdom.  And the wisdom I want is knowledge of the Lord. Amen.

Matthew 6:14-21 - Better than Money!

The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

MONEY! MONEY MONEY!
photo by flickr user,  401(k)2013, used under the creative commons license
check out more info at:
http://www.401kcalculator.org/

Where is my treasure? Am I someone who works only for acquiring money so that I can have a "nest egg" in the bank, with some extra cash for buying "things?" Do I spend my time and energy worrying about my house, my job and all my bills? What is it that I value most? How do I spend my time? For surely, it is how I spend my time that reveals what it is that I treasure.

If I say I value the Kingdom of God above all else than my life better show it.   That would mean I place a premium on attending Church, reading the Sacred Scriptures and praying.  That means, my time on the computer should not be spent in frivolous (or worse) sinful, pursuits. My thoughts and imaginations should be turned to Christ, who is my True Treasure!

O Lord, help me to remember what it is that I truly value.  This world will pass away but You and Your Word, stands forever. May I work for that which is eternal and put to death that which corrupts.  Thieves may break in and steal all I have but they cannot take You from my heart. May you reign there always. Amen.

Matthew 6:1-13 - Do the Right Thing, Rightly!

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Not exactly praying in secret
photo by  flickr user, Xiaozhuli,
 used under the created commons license.
check out more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xiaozhuli/

Jesus wants us to do the right thing for the right reason.  The hypocrites He talks about are doing the right thing. It is a good thing to give to the poor or give to the Church. It is a good thing to be in prayer to our Father in Heaven.  But if our motivation in doing these things is so others will think we are really great people then we will receive no reward from God.  Our reward would be to have the praise of men and since that is what we would be striving for then, when we receive it, that's all we get.

How much better to give alms in secret- telling no one as you mail a check to a relief organization or quietly hand some money to a homeless person on the street.  Far superior is it to pray when no one else is around, in a room with the door closed than to stand on street corners (which I have seen).  Happy is the one who offers humble prayers during a "prayer breakfast" at church than the one who carefully crafts his words to sound spiritual to his friends.

O Lord, keep me humble for I do not want to be like the hypocrites who do all manner of good things for the wrong reasons.  Help me to seek my reward from You.  Like the publican who stood in the back of the synagogue and dared not even look up to heaven, may my prayers and acts of giving be done with a modest spirit. Amen.

Just a note about the "Vain Repetition" mentioned by Jesus. It has been quoted for years as a reason not to prayer printed prayers but Jesus isn't saying that all our prayers must be spontaneous and in our own words. Indeed, Jesus in instructing us to pray, tells us to "pray like this" and then He gives us the words to actually say.  And should be not pray the Psalms? Yes, God listens to us when we talk to Him in our own words but sometimes our own words just aren't as good as others.

Zechariah 8:19-23 - A Cause of Joy!

"Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.

"Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities; the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I am going.' Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

Nothing says Joy like a smile!
photo by flickr user, burstingwithcolors,
used under the creative commons license.
check out more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/serendipity_photography/

In this passage, the prophet says our fasts, that is, our ascetical struggles, will be for us a time of joy and gladness.  Fasting, a time of limiting our food and increasing our prayer, will be as a feast for us. Why? Because in these struggles, we grow closer to Christ.  In our self-denial, we tend to our souls. And being in proximity to Christ will bring nothing but gladness. Surely, as lent approaches (that is, for those in the Eastern Church), this is a great thing to remember! Any self-denial, for the sake of the soul, brings joy.

St Athanasius commented on this verse and saidthe Lord is the Feast spoken of and, unlike the heathen feasts which  portray the despicable acts of death and hell, those who feast in the Lord participate in a  display of Virtue. So by our Fasts we display the Lord.  And this is seen by others, who, seeing our joy take the hold of the robe...saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heart that God is with you.

Be of good cheer, O my soul, and embrace the fast.  For those who struggle to know Christ, will.
Amen.

Luke 23:1-31, 33, 44-56 - Two Men who failed

At that time, the chief priests, the scribes, and elders of the people brought Jesus before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king." And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." And Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, "I find no crime in this man." But they were urgent, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place."When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length; but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, arraying him in gorgeous apparel, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him; neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him; I will therefore chastise him and release him."But they all cried out together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas" -- a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus; but they shouted out, "Crucify, crucify him!" A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him." But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, "Certainly this man was innocent!" And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid; then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

One of two men who failed that day. 

Pontius Pilate by ~Psee on deviantART

Jesus was hated by the chief priests which is why they brought Him to Pilate, in the hopes of having Him crucified. Pilate, who possessed Roman sensibilities, especially when it came to Roman law, could find nothing deserving in Jesus that would merit death.  But instead of releasing Jesus, he pushed Him off to Herod. Pilate wanted to do the easiest, most convenient thing. Herod was excited to see Jesus. Perhaps, he thought, Jesus would perform some great miracle (and, thus be a source of entertainment for his court). Jesus of course, would not perform a miracle as entertainment. And, Herod, after mocking Jesus' Kingship by placing fine robes on Him, did not release Him since He clearly was guilty of no crimes but instead pushed Him back to Pilate.

Both men did not want to deal with Jesus.  Both men, seeing an innocent Man before them  failed in doing the right thing. They wanted to put off and ignore this Jesus that stood before them.  Yet, Jesus leaves us no option for that.  Jesus cannot be ignored. In our lives, we may try to delay dealing with Him but, sooner or later, it will come to a head and, we will deal with Him, either as a compassionate Savior from whom we plead for Mercy which He longs to give or as a Judge Who will confirm in us our choice of rejecting Him.
The choice is ours and His will for us in that choice is for us to plead mercy.

Do I reject Christ by my actions? Am I like Pilate, pushing Jesus off for today and living my own life? Am I like Herod, thinking Jesus is just some plaything who can entertain me instead of the Lord of Glory? How do I live my life? At the end of the above narrative  Joseph of Arimathea, stood before Pilate, risking his life and reputation, and asked for the body of Jesus.  Joseph had dealt correctly with Jesus. Joseph knew Him to be the Lord. May I make Jesus Lord of my life this very day. Amen.