regan.ocd – Page 2 – SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER

July 16, 2024July 15, 2024

17th JULY 2024

Matthew 11:25–27 (NRSV) - Matthew 11:25–27 NRSV - At that time Jesus said,… | Biblia

WEDNESDAY, FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Is 10: 5-7, 13-16 Ps 94: 5-10, 14-15 Mt 11: 25-27

GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE HUMBLE

Jesus blesses the Father, for hiding the secrets of the Kingdom from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. The poor, the humble, and the lowly are the first to accept and welcome his word of liberation. Why is this so? Because they are those who need His love most. The wise, the rich, and those who have knowledge and possessions do not feel the need of God.

In the next part of the gospel passage, Jesus tells us: “No one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal it”. What does Jesus really mean? The verb “to know” in the Bible does not mean a knowledge of something or some person, but rather “a deep experience of that person”. This type of knowledge of the Father can only be possible for the Son. But the Son can share this knowledge with anybody he likes. And who are the lucky ones who receive this knowledge from him? The “little ones” of course. The learned of Jerusalem, the scribes, the rabbis, all those who know even the smallest details of the law are convinced that they possess an intimate knowledge of God and think that it is their task to teach this wisdom of theirs to the simple and the ignorant.

But Jesus says that the true knowledge of God can only come from him. The image of God that the learned ones create is often but an idol, it does not resemble in any way the Father revealed by Jesus. It is a terrible God, living far from mankind, all the time spying down on people and controlling their most intimate thoughts and deeds, one who punishes sinners very severely… Well, let the “learned” enjoy this God of theirs! This is not the God of Jesus Christ. The Father of Jesus loves and prefers the little and the lowly ones. If we can’t understand this, then we are also to be numbered among the “learned”, the “wise”, unable to know the true face of God.

Response: The Lord will not abandon his people.

July 15, 2024July 15, 2024

16th JULY 2024

July 16: Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Catholic Telegraph

TUESDAY, FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Is 7: 1-9 Ps 48: 2-8 Mt 11: 20-24/Mt 12: 46-50

CARMEL: A SOURCE OF FAITH AND STRENGTH

Today we reflect upon the significance of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the profound devotion associated with the scapular. The readings today remind us of the importance of faith and the consequences of rejecting God’s message. In the reading from Isaiah, we see King Ahaz faced with a daunting challenge. Despite his fear and uncertainty, God assures him of His presence and protection. This passage reminds us that even in our darkest moments, we are not alone. Our Lady of Mount Carmel stands as a beacon of hope, interceding for us and guiding us with her maternal care.

The responsorial psalm speaks of the beauty and majesty of Mount Zion, the city of our God. Just as Mount Carmel holds a special place in the hearts of believers, it serves as a symbol of our spiritual journey towards God. Through devotion to our Lady of Mount Carmel, we are invited to draw closer to the Lord and experience the peace that surpasses all understanding.

In the Gospel passage, Jesus laments at the lack of faith in the cities where He performed mighty deeds. The people failed to repent and believe in Him. This is a sober reminder of the importance of cultivating a deep and abiding faith. Our Lady of Mount Carmel invites us to renew our commitment to Christ and His teachings, trusting in His mercy and love.

The scapular devotion is a tangible expression of our faith and trust in our Lady’s intercession. As we wear the scapular, we are reminded of her maternal protection and the promise of eternal salvation. Let us embrace this sacred tradition with reverence and devotion, allowing it to deepen our relationship with Mary and her Son, Jesus Christ. May our Lady inspire and guide us on our journey of faith. May we always turn to her with confidence, knowing that she leads us closer to her Son. Let us entrust ourselves to her and strive to live lives worthy of the Gospel.

Response: God establishes his city forever.

July 14, 2024July 14, 2024

15th JULY 2024

Bible Gems for Friendship: Avoiding “The Appearance Of Evil”

MONDAY, FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop & Doctor

Is 1:10-17 Ps 50:8-9,16-17,21,23 Mt 10:34 — 11:1

AVOID EVIL, DO GOOD

The first reading makes a distinction between acts of religion (its precepts and obligations, rites and rituals) and acts of faith (that flow from the heart). Ideally, these two exist in a harmonious relationship in the practice of religion. God rejects the acts of religion of the Israelites because of their “wrong-doing,” their hypocrisy. He desires rather that they “cease to do evil” and “learn to do good.”

A reflection on these two acts will help us understand what true Christian living implies. To cease to do evil, we need to know what is evil, what is sinful. We get this knowledge through ‘catechesis’, which makes Scripture relevant to our time and situation. Catechesis comes to us primarily through the homilies of the priest at mass, but also through other means, like the Pope’s teachings, the documents of the Church, and reflections on God’s Word. The question before us therefore is this: How diligent am I in catechizing myself? How much of a priority is it that my children are catechized? Do I dialogue with them about faith, about sin?

Doing good needs to be learnt. We are often satisfied with the ‘good’ persons that we are because our fidelity to the acts of religion, and the ‘good’ that we do with our occasional acts of charity. Let us not forget though, the words of the Gospel: “No one is good, except God alone.” (Mk 10:18). Thus, doing good is imitating God; i.e., imitating the life of Jesus, or as St Paul says, ‘having the mind of Christ’ in all things. Hence, the good that we think we are doing must be discerned before the mirror of the life of Christ. Unfortunately, the more pertinent question before us is something much more basic and foundational: Am I convinced that ‘doing good’ is an essential part of my Christian calling, or do I think that as long as I ‘avoid evil’ I’m a good-enough Christian?

Response: To one whose way is blameless, I will show the salvation of God.

July 13, 2024July 13, 2024

14th JULY 2024

Mark 7:1-13, Hearts Far From God – West Palm Beach church of Christ

SUNDAY, FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Am 7: 12-15 Ps 85: 9-14 Eph 1: 3-14 Mk 6: 7-13

THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE

God works through his chosen messengers to build his kingdom on earth through their lives of holiness. “For the Lord has chosen each one of us to be holy and blameless before him in love” (Eph 1:4). Very often we get caught up in our daily life and forget that the Lord is good and that he will provide for us. And there are many times that the Lord reminds us about his love and providence for us, that He is near to us and actually goes before us on the way He sends us.

The prophets in Israel were persons who interpreted the action of God in the events of history. The Book of Amos is the first one to be written among the Prophetic books. Amos is well known as the prophet of social justice and a defender of the poor and needy. Amos’ prophecy to the people of God was: “to seek the Lord in sincerity and do good to the poor.” The distinctive feature of Judaism was that their relationship with God was to be expressed in their relationship with one another. This twofold relationship was so interdependent that one could not exist without the other. This type of relationship with God and with his fellow beings was the result of the covenant itself. Hence if one is not on good terms with his neighbour he cannot also be on good terms with God. During the time of Amos, the rich and the powerful tried to take advantage of the poor and the weak, but, at the same time, were very faithful to the cultic services in the Temple. Hence it was the duty of the prophet to point out their hypocrisy and urge them towards sincere worship. That is what Amos did. Jesus also invites his disciples, like the prophet, to do good to all.

In the Gospel, Jesus trains his followers to be missionaries and trains them to rely on God. This is the first time they are sent out on a mission without Jesus. They have seen Jesus preach, perform miracles, heal the sick and cast out evil spirits. Now Jesus sends them out in pairs to do the same. The first thing to reflect on is that Jesus models us to a new way of thinking, living and acting and He calls us as his followers to do the same. But how can we do what Jesus did? He is God and we are not. Isn’t that an unrealistic expectation? Well, it is possible because Jesus gives them authority (Mk 6:7). God did not just make us in His image, He then sent his Son to be an example to us and He gives us authority by sending us the Holy Spirit, He gives us the power to do great things. The disciples went out and proclaimed the good news. We can do what Jesus did because of the authority that Jesus gives us and because of the power of the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

Another aspect of reflection, is that Jesus sends them out with nothing (Mk 6:8). This is so significant because Jesus wants them to trust in the providence of the Father as he trusts in the Father. Jesus is teaching them to rely completely on God. If we have our hands full, we do not have space to receive anything more from the Lord. This means that those who are sent out on mission, trust in the Lord to provide for them the means and the resources. Spiritually, this means we do not rely upon our own strength and resources for security, but come to the feet of Jesus with open hands every day, with clear and deep knowledge that our strength and our resources are not what will protect and be security for us, but the God of all the earth will do that for us. He is our provider, our protector and our security.

Our last reflection is to have a disposition that our Christian life is not meant to be kept hidden. Our Christian life is to be proclaimed. Jesus is to be proclaimed and shared with the people we encounter in words, love and deeds. The call of Christianity is to follow Christ, who walks ahead of us and calls us to follow him. He who humbled himself and set forth the plan of uniting all things and people to himself (Eph 1:9,10) sends us out. Let us boldly accept this mission given to us by Christ, given not only to priests and nuns and missionaries but to each one of us. We are all being sent out as Christians so that many may know we are Christians by our love and by this that many may come to know Jesus Christ our Lord.

Response: Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation.

July 12, 2024July 12, 2024

13th JULY 2024

SATURDAY, FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Is 6: 1-8 Ps 93: 1-2, 5 Mt 10: 24-33

CHRIST EMPOWERS US

The central theme of God’s reassuring love for us, throughout scripture, challenges us to cast out all fear, doubt, guilt and second-guessing ourselves. Right from Noah to Moses, to the prophets, God has qualified everyone who He called unto His mission. He wanted to give power to them through His deep instruction and intimate relationship with them, as He wants to do for us today. The meaning of empower is “to authorize, or to enable or permit.” When you are empowered, you are enabled or permitted to do that which your ministry or role requires of you.

Why did the disciples choose to follow Jesus, despite the risk of persecution? It is because they believed in the price of salvation. It is the experience of God’s love and the promise of an eternity with Him that is worth every human suffering. Will this cause us to do the same today? Does salvation matter to us as much? It is a question we need to ask ourselves, because unless the cause matters to us, we will not be willing to do anything, much less lay down our lives.

Often, Satan will mock us by throwing our inabilities, sinfulness, untruths and infidelity in our face. Paying heed to his threats can set us back by days, months and even years in the work that God has commissioned for us. Today Jesus says, God watches even over the sparrow, whose worth was lesser than a Roman penny. How much more does God hold you and me – precious and worthy, close to his heart?

Jesus reminds us of His position in the kingdom of His Father. He asks us to acknowledge our position as His followers. He wishes to empower us with the wisdom and understanding that we will never be above Him, but we surely can be like Him. Let us assimilate his promise that when we testify to His glory on earth, He too will affirm us before God.

Response: The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

July 11, 2024July 11, 2024

12th JULY 2024

Matthew 10:16 Inspirational Image, 56% OFF | insightbio.in

FRIDAY, FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Hos 14: 2-10 Ps 51: 3-4, 8-9, 12-14, 17 Mt 10: 16-23

GOD’S LOVE AND GRACE IS STILL AT WORK

Hosea faithfully carried out his prophetic mission entrusted to him by God. The people did not pay attention to his warnings. Hosea’s focus was on the unfailing love of God. In the reading, Hosea speaks of the possibility of returning to God. The fall of Ephraim, is thus a result of their iniquity and not because their Assyrian gods. Hosea tells us that their praise/sorrow must be to God. It must not be to the false gods that have been unable to save them. They must not look to Assyria nor rely on their own military power.

God assures them of his unfailing love (v. 4). He uses the beautiful images of dew, lily, Cedar of Lebanon, Olive trees, grain and wine in sharp contrast to earlier images of the devouring lion, leopard and a bear bereaved of her cubs (Hos 5:14; 13:7-8). Hosea uses symbols from nature and from their culture to help them understand God’s promise of renewal, blessing, and flourishing for Israel. In short, transformation and abundant life under God’s loving care is promised to Israel. There will be no room for idols (Hos 4:17; 8:4; 13:2). The images show us how God’s love and grace are at work in the world.

Hos 14:9 is probably written at a later date, for the future generations to see that God continues to offer his grace to each of us. Hosea’s words invite us to accept God’s call and to return to Him (Hosea and Psalm 51). He offers us fullness of life and invites us to share it with all humanity, instead of choosing a path that paves the way to death and destruction.

The gospel pericope shows us the necessity to rely on God’s wisdom in being astute to the challenges we may face as Christ’s disciples. In a Synodal Church, Pope Francis says that “Instead of focusing only on what is not going well, let us appreciate where the Holy Spirit is generating life and see how we can let God work more fully.” Syn. of bp, Vade., 2.4 no. 3

Response: My mouth shall proclaim your praise.

July 10, 2024July 11, 2024

11th JULY 2024

THURSDAY, FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Hos 11: 1-4, 8-9 Ps 80: 2-3, 15-16 Mt 10: 7-15

THERE IS MORE JOY IN GIVING THAN RECEIVING

In the book of Hosea, God is portrayed as a generous and loving father of the people of Israel. God wants to shower his abundant love, compassion, warmth and tenderness on his people irrespective of their disloyalty and ungratefulness. A loving father who wants to give everything without any conditions. In the gospel reading, Jesus also gives freely the kingdom of God to mankind. Jesus gave his very life to demonstrate the art of giving. The art of living is the art of giving. ‘You received without paying; give without pay’ (Mt 10:8). What is the force that drives us to give? It is love. ‘God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him’ (1Jn 4:16).

Hosea tells us how the people of Israel moved away from the love of God and were trapped by their passions. Their hearts had no room for true love. On the other hand, Jesus fortifies his disciples with his love and power and commissions them to heal others. Are we people who live in love? As parents we love our children. We love our family and friends. It is easy to be generous with our own people. But that’s not the art of living and giving. There is more to the kingdom of God. If we want to fill our hearts with love we have to drop the excessive baggage that stifles us (Mt 10:9). The heart of God is generous because God is love. Generosity flows from a loving heart, that brings about healing and restoration irrespective of family or stranger/ friend or enemy. Can we dwell within ourselves and find this secret of true love.

The art of giving is to give from the heart without any expectation of return. You have always something to give everyone. Often, it is not money or any other item that people need, it may be something intangible, as consolation, reassurance, appreciation, encouragement and even a smile.

Response: Let your face shine on us, Lord, and we shall be saved.

July 9, 2024July 9, 2024

10th JULY 2024

What does Matthew 16:24 mean? | Bible Art

WEDNESDAY, FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Hos 10: 1-3, 7-8, 12 Ps 105: 2-7 Mt 10: 1-7

CHOSEN TO BECOME WITNESSES

In the reading from Hosea, we have the story of the Israelites who failed in their vocation to be a sign of God’s presence in the world. In the Gospel, we have the call and mission of the twelve apostles who with time proved worthy of their vocation. Both were specially chosen with the specific purpose of giving testimony to the presence of God on earth, to the presence of the Kingdom of God. Prophet Hosea narrates how the Israelites were unfaithful in their commitment to Yahweh. They were not selected due to their merit (Dt 7:7). But as they grew in prosperity, they forgot the statutes of God and went after the attractions of idol worship. Over time they faced terrible consequences for their unfaithfulness.

In the Gospel, we have the list of the Apostles. Like the vocation of the Israelites, their vocation was purely an initiative of Jesus himself. Jesus told them: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last…” (Jn 15:16). The disciples were given charge to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. They were faithful to their mission before and after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the fullness of time, they received the glory Jesus had promised them.

Now it is our turn. As Christians, we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Pet 2:9). Are we like the Israelites who forgot their commitment to Yahweh or like the apostles who were faithful to their vocation till the last drop of their blood? Each member of the Church has to seriously make a self-examination of one’s commitment to bringing Jesus to the people and bringing people to Jesus. What is the quality of my life as a believer and the quality of my testimony as a disciple?

Response: Constantly seek the Lord’s face.

July 8, 2024July 8, 2024

9th JULY 2024

MATTHEW 9:37-38 (Today's Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:32-38) | A CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGE

TUESDAY, FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Hos 8: 4-7, 11-13 Ps 115: 3-10 Mt 9: 32-38

JESUS MAKES NO DISTINCTION

How unwearied Christ is in doing good, one good work follows another. Treasures of wondrous mercy are hidden in him, continually communicated, and never exhausted. Christ cures at the roots, but the Pharisees and scribes ridiculed him, yet He went on with his work. He went to great and wealthy cities, and also to poor and obscure villages as well. For Jesus everyone was equal and precious – be the meanest and hardest sinner or the greatest figure. Rich and poor alike, he makes no distinction! Jesus is concerned for our souls, seeing us ignorant and careless, and ready to perish for lack of vision. Jesus is a compassionate friend to precious souls though they be sinful, he yearns to bring them back to himself. As the custodian of souls, Jesus wants us back through repentance. He prays for us and teaches his disciples to do the same.

Repentance is of utmost importance, and this is what prophet Hosea tells in the first reading, repentance of what is bad in itself and in us. He wants us to sense the mischievous red flags of our sinfulness and its consequences, the little altars that we tend to build. Our habitual sins make it difficult for us to part with them. It is hard to cleanse ourselves from their filthiness. But Jesus makes this possible through his compassion that we witness in the gospel. All our idols cannot save us from our sins. They push us more and more to our destruction and the only way out from this is repentance through prayer. Prayer is our biggest weapon to destroy what could destroy us.

Let us not bring ruin upon ourselves by clinging onto our sinful idols and their altars but instead cling to Jesus who has plans for our prosperity and not our destruction. So, let our hearts be like the psalmist who teaches us to give glory to God and not to our idols. Let us give glory to Jesus by trusting in him and his promises and his blessings – he’s for everyone and doesn’t make any distinctions!

Response: House of Israel, trust in the Lord.

July 7, 2024July 8, 2024

8th JULY 2024

My Reflections...: Reflection for July 8, Monday: Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time; Matthew 9:18-26

MONDAY, FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Hos 2: 16-18, 21-22 Ps 145: 2-9 Mt 9: 18-26

CALLED TO THE WILDERNESS

In keeping with Biblical motifs, Christian Spirituality has always used spousal imagery to describe union with God. In today’s passage from Hosea, God, the Divine bridegroom, definitively declares His plan to espouse us. The initiative is always His. He does the luring, the speaking, the purifying and the betrothing, till we can finally call Him ‘My Husband.’ ‘The wilderness’ is the place where this encounter and union takes place. This wilderness is not some spatial location but a spiritual experience and can happen anywhere. But throughout the history of Christianity, there have been some who have been called to a more intense experience of this wilderness in the form of separation from the world; an attempt to go beyond the regular Christian life; a desire to do more for Christ, to live for Him alone, to dedicate one’s whole being to Him by living in direct imitation of His withdrawal into the desert and fasting, praying and overcoming the temptations of the devil.

Along with the desert, the solitude, beauty and loftiness of the mountain has had its own attraction, invoking the loftiness of God and the baseness of man. To one such mountain of Biblical significance were allured the early Carmelites. Mount Carmel was the sacred space where the hermits faced their own inner demons, struggled and fought with them and, purified their souls. It was the place where the gospel incidents became their very own experience. Faith was tested until they could say: that even the fringe of His cloak can heal me. It was also the place of dying to one’s innate self-centredness to be brought to new life by the love of Christ. The Carmelite Order continues to bear witness to the call of the Divine bridegroom and the potential of the human person to respond to this call and be transformed by His love. God lures people even today to enter the wilderness. Can we be generous with ourselves and enter into a divine relationship with Him?

Response: The Lord is kind and full of compassion.