Nurture Your Soul

~~Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time~~

~~~Genesis 18:1-10A ~~~ Psalm 15 ~~~

~~~ Colossians 1:24-28 ~~~ Luke 10:38-42 ~~~

Hospitality, Generosity, Stillness, Anxiety...

Martha and Mary, two sisters who showed their love

 for Jesus in very different ways.

Mary who sat beside the Lord at his 

feet listening to him speak. 

Martha, burdened with much serving, 

came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care

that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving...

Martha thought it important to prepare

 a good meal; to serve Jesus.

She wanted to nourish his physical body.

She was busy in the kitchen. 

She could not hear what Jesus was saying.

The two sisters did not get to see Jesus very often.

They were excited that he came to visit them in their home.

Jesus came to get away from the crowds.

Jesus came to relax with his friends.

He could just be his natural self...he was 

comfortable in their company.

Mary sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. 

Mary did not want to waste any time being near to Jesus.

She sat at his feet soaking up every word he spoke.

She relished to hear the stories of his travels.

She was eager to hear how people received him.

She was mesmerized with the healings of how 

he had helped so many people.

The beauty of this story is that Jesus accepted 

both of these women for who they were.

Both are beautiful examples for us.

We need to have spiritual balance in our life.

Jesus does not expect us to pray exclusively.

Jesus does not expect us to go

 out each day and just do good works.

We need to have both prayer and good 

works in order to have a rich fertile spiritual life.

...it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.

Find ways to bring prayer and good works into your life;

this is how you nurture your soul.

Be the goodness in our world

 that you want to see. 

Be the peace in our world

 that you want to experience.

Be the love in the world

that you want to feel.

Be still for the presence of the Lord.

He has not abandoned us...

near to all who call on him.

Blessings

Let there be Peace in our world.

Gratitude and Grace

~~~ 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 ~~~ Psalm 112 ~~~ Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 ~~~

God is able to make every grace abundant for you,

so that in all things, always having all you need,

you may have an abundance for every good work.

The grace God gives us if to be used for every good work.

We are promised nor just sufficient grace,

but an abundance of grace.

If we are to receive the most grace it is imperative

that we perform good works.

This grace we give out to others is returned to us in abundance.

When we give to others we put our own needs in second place.

By putting the needs of others ahead of our own

we can clearly see how we are blessed

with God's grace.

What you do for others,

even if you cannot see it, comes back to you as grace.

You are being enriched in every way for all generosity,

which through us produces thanksgiving to God.

When we give to others we also must give 

thanks for being in a position to be able to give.

Gratitude and grace go hand and hand.

Allow God to lead you to who and where you are needed most.

Blessings...

You can make a difference.

You have been given an abundant grace.

~~~Peace~~~

Rejected for Doing Good Works

~~~ Jeremiah 20:10-13 ~~~ Psalm 18 ~~~ John 10:31-42 ~~~

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, 
“I have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you trying to stone me?”

The crowd picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
They are accusing Jesus of speaking irreverently against God.
They accuse him of the serious crime of blasphemy.
They are taking issue with Jesus claiming to be the son of God.

Jesus tries to explain to them that he is doing what the Father
 has sent them to do.
Jesus did appoint himself...
God consecrated him...
God sent Jesus as his representative.
Jesus gives these non believers an option.
He says to them.
Look if you don't believe me what about my works?

"...even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."

Jesus had been healing the lame, casting out demons,
making the sick well, even raising the dead,
but still they reused to accept.

Jesus must have been frustrated that his own people rejected him.
It gives me great comfort to know that Jesus
went around only doing good works and was labeled as a blasphemer.

It is important that we find our selves in Scripture.
We have all been rejected at some point in our lives by someone.
Perhaps we have we have been rejected by our own family members.

If Jesus, who went about doing good works is rejected;
we should not be surprised or hurt when
 we find ourselves in a similar painful position.

We are on the cusp of Holy Week.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus will be triumphantly welcomed
only to suffer the greatest rejection through his passion and crucifixion. 

Lord, please bless us with hope in you even
 in spite of rejection.

Let not the fear of rejection halt
our continuing endeavors to perform good works.

Peace.