Thoughts Along the Journey

Today's reading is from Isaiah 43:1-7 .  Again, it is a lengthy passage, so I won't copy/paste the whole thing here. I have a lot of thoughts on this segment, but would encourage you to read it for yourself.  Read it through once, and become familiar with it.  Read through again, slowly.  Read it again very slowly.  Now spend some time praying with it, and allow God to speak to you from His Word.  You have just experienced Lectio Divina ! The theme of this entire passage is FEAR NOT!  Why? He has redeemed you. He will be with you. He is the Lord your God. He is the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. You are precious in His eyes. He loves you. Rest in these promises this evening, as you prepare to worship Him tomorrow.  May His grace and peace be with you.

Today's passage is the entire chapter of Isaiah 55 .  It's a lengthy passage, even though it's only 13 verses.  Click the link above, and you will be able to read the entire chapter. Just a few thoughts from this amazing portion of Scripture: If we come to Him, listen to Him, call upon Him, forsake our sins, and return to Him... Our souls will live (v. 3). We will be partakers of His everlasting covenant (v. 3). We will experience His mercy (v. 7). His word will accomplish its work in us (v. 11). He will give us His everlasting sign (v. 13)--the unending Kingdom of God. We will know His abundant pardon (v. 7). There is a theme in the readings from yesterday and today:  Come to Him, and rest.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.   Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.    For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 Key words we see: - Come ..to Jesus    - Who?  "All who labor and are heavy laden."  We all feel that way at times,       don't we?  Yet Jesus calls every one of us to Himself. - Take ...His yoke upon you    -  A yoke?  Sounds like a burden.  But a yoke helps a team of horses or oxen       pull together.  Picture Jesus coming alongside and helping bear the burden. - Learn ...from Him    - We all want to learn from the best in our particular field of interest.  This       is our invitation to learn from the VERY best! - Find ...rest for your soul    - A place of refuge from the clamor of t...

Today's Psalm response is from Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19.  The psalm is beautiful, and full of great depth of meaning: I sought the  Lord , and he answered me, a nd delivered me from all my fears. 5  Look to him, and be radiant;  so your faces shall never be ashamed. 6  This poor man cried, and the  Lord  heard him,  and saved him out of all his troubles. 7  The angel of the  Lord  encamps  around those who fear him, and delivers them. The face of the  Lord   is against evildoers,    to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the  Lord  hears,   and delivers them out of all their troubles. The  Lord  is near to the brokenhearted,    and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous,  b ut the  Lord  delivers him out of them all. I have to say, though, the little preface at ...

‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did  for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25:40 This is only a short portion from yesterday's Gospel reading.  But it says so much to us.   Last night, I had the privilege of working with our parish St. Vincent de Paul Society .  Twice a week, our food pantry is open.  There are individuals available to help those who may have need with their rent or utility bills, and also helping with other resources (job search, community outreaches, etc.). The temperatures in our area were subzero last night.  We still have several inches of snow on the ground, with many sidewalks not very clear.  One sweet lady had walked about two and a half blocks, and was going to carry four or five heavy bags of food, plus a sack of potatoes, all that way back--on foot, through the snow, in the cold.  I offered to transport her.  She was very reluctant, as we had "already done so much for her....

"The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,  and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. After John had been arrested,  Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 'This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.' ”  Mark 1:12-15 Today's Gospel reading is the same theme as every first Sunday in Lent:  Jesus in the desert, being tempted by Satan.  For most Christians, this is familiar territory.  For those who observe the Lenten fast, it is our example.  Christ spent those 40 days in preparation for ministry.  As we know from the other Gospel accounts (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13), Jesus spent that time fasting.  Mark's account says the Spirit "drove" Jesus into the desert.  He compelled Jesus to go.  Matthew and Luke use the word "led."  The concept is of One who is surrounded by the ...

This is my short take on today's Gospel acclamation. Our joy should come when someone comes to knowledge of Christ and enters into a relationship with Him.  We should not be overjoyed when a wicked person dies. Because God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.