Seventy Times

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of God may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and all of his property, in payment for the debt. At this the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion, the master of that servant let him go and forgave the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he had him put into prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in his anger he handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart." 

Lord Jesus, bless us with a forgiving heart. From your Most Sacred Heart upon the cross, you forgave the thief that asked for mercy, saying, "This day you shall be with me in Paradise." So too we must forgive our brother. not seven times, but seventy-times. Amen.

Perfectly

With your hands, you created the earth and the sky, and the heavens above vast and wide, the moon and the sun shining bright, with your hands…perfectly!

With your hands, you molded the land and the sea, and the mountains, rivers, and streams, the trees, the valleys, rain and snow, with your hands…perfectly!

You are the Creator of all that has ever came to be; there is no other than your majesty, everything there is, and will ever be, created with your hands…perfectly!

Father, in heaven, great is your name, I Am 
Father, majestic Deity, of all eternity, and truth
Father, power and dominion over all things 
Creation came to be, with your hands…perfectly!

Father, transform all things anew, with your hands…perfectly! Amen.

Angered by Truth

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: Amen I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

​Consideration: Words of truth, spoken by Jesus, pierce the hearts of those in the synagogue at Nazareth. They were so angry and filled with fury that they sought to do him harm. 

This is also true today. Just speaking the name of Jesus causes irritation to those who oppose him and his teachings. We must remain faithful to the truth and to the Gospel, even if we are ridiculed or confronted by those who are angered by the truth. Amen.

Death Upon a Cross

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So He spoke this parable to them, saying: "What man, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? "And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost! "I say to you likewise, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

Lord Jesus, this parable is so beautiful, and full of hope. It is the foundation of the Church, the Body of Christ. We have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. We have hope knowing that you will go to any means, to find us when we are lost; and you rejoice when we are found and repent of our sinfulness. Yes, Lord Jesus, you will go to any means, even to death upon a cross. Amen.

Souls on Fire

We will meet again one day 

Every tear passed away

When time will be no more 

To share love evermore 

Sunshine gives way to night

The softness of moonlight 

Countless stars in full array 

With open arms heaven waits

God's glory is our light

Souls on fire burning bright 

End to hatred and war

This the promise of the Lord

Until the day we journey on

Faith is melody and song

Forward in joyful jubilation

To the final destination

Truth waits on the other side

Rejoice into eternal life

It is everything we desire

Uniting forever souls on fire

The Corner Stone

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.' They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times. "Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the corner stone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce fruit." When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Heed the Need

Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill off the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, and he was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus was at his side. And he cried out, "Father Abraham, have pity on me."

Consideration: Jesus sends a clear message to the Pharisees who were known to be treated with honor and dine in the finest places. Many of the poorest among us will inherit the Kingdom of God; and many who are wealthy and eat the finest foods, drink the finest wines, and dress in the most extravagant garments may not be found there. "I was hungry and you gave me no food; and I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink." 

We have all heard these amazing words; it may serve us well to heed them. Peace!