Good morning beloved child of God.
“Let us praise the Lord all our days: that is, in all our conduct” (Arnobius).
I will praise my God all my days.
Psalm 146
My soul, give praise to the Lord;
I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live.
Put no trust in princes,
In mortal men in whom there is no help.
Take their breath, they return to clay
and their plans that day come to nothing.
He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who alone made heaven and earth,
the seas and all they contain.
It is he who keeps faith for ever,
who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets prisoners free,
the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
and upholds the widow and orphan.
It is the Lord who loves the just
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Sion’s God, from age to age.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
TODAY’S WORD: But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places. Woe to you! for you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk over them without knowing it.” One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying this you reproach us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! for you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers (Lk 11:42ff)
REFLECTION: If Jesus were to address you today, would he call out a woe or a blessing? It is easy to criticize the biblical characters we read about without knowing that we may actually be judging ourselves… Do we neglect justice and the love of God, and choose to be woke, political about the truth, or become racist or tribalistic? Do we feel too much about ourselves and choose the best seats at occasions, or become offended when we are not acknowledged? Do we expect others to carry out activities that we are likely not to partake in…? Is Jesus going to greet you with blessing or wrath? This is a moment of reflection… how do you want to be addressed by Jesus?
Shalom
DAILY PRAYER: Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with your love that I may always pursue what matters most – love of you, my Lord and my God, and love of my fellow neighbor whom you have made in your own image and likeness. Free my heart from selfish desires that I may only have room for kindness, mercy, and goodness toward every person I know and meet.” Amen.
The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Think positive. It is well with you. God is in control. Have a blessed and fulfilling day.
ONE PERCENT BIBLE CHALLENGE: GENESIS 19