How Many Times is Enough?

~~~ Daniel 3:25, 34-43 ~~~ Psalm 25 ~~~  Matthew 18:21-35 ~~~

“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?”

Peter is seeking guidance
for an issue we experience throughout our life.
When have we forgiven enough times.

The problem is that God does not count...he is ready
 to forgive as many times as it takes.

God has the capacity to unconditional love;
we pick and chose who is to receive our love.

The Lord knows that is is much more difficult for us
 to forgive those we do love.
Why do you suppose that is the case?

In my own experience I have found it harder
 to forgive someone I love because they do not seem
 to reciprocate the same intensity of love.

Forgiving a family member for instance is very difficult.
You do not expect them to say or do hurtful things against you.

When this does happen it hurts even more deeply.
You hold them to a different standard of love...
we are family...best friends.

I have found it much easier to forgive those who are not close to me.
It is easier to make allowances for their words and actions.

Imagine how God must feel when we do not
 return love to him with equal intensity.

For God it is his love for us that makes it possible
 to forgive us over and over again.

Forgiveness for God is equivalent to our taking the next breath.
Some people struggle with forgiveness an entire lifetime.
Some even carry it with them to their grave.

Who do you still need to forgive in your life?
Place the intention to at least make the first step in your
 heart towards forgiving them today.

Consider that what we may need to forgive another for
 is simply our own perception of the situation.

Could it be that we see harm where none was intended?

Be patient with me...

Lord as I learn forgive as you have forgiven me.
Bless me with your mercy.

~~~Peace~~~

Much Ado About Nothing

~~~ Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 ~~~ Psalm 50 ~~~ Matthew 23:1-12 ~~~

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;

but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

It is not possible to have a new heart and a new spirit

unless you admit your need and desire.

If we do not admit to our own sinfulness 

we will not see the need for anything to change.

The scribes and Pharisees were quite proud 

of their position in the community and their accomplishments.

They wanted to be given proper recognition.

They expected special seating in places of honor.

They expected to be greeted as Rabbi.

They paraded in their fine robes and long tassels to be seen by all. 

Jesus came on the scene and said all of this is just
much ado about nothing.

How you look is not what matters.

What people call you is insignificant.

Where you sit is inconsequential.

Is it your actions that speak volumes of who you really are?

How you treat others, not what you say about them?
Rather you must search your heart for the
real intention for your actions.

All their works are performed to be seen.

Jesus poked holes in everything about them...

in how they presented themselves...
how they dressed...their position of authority.

Do you hide behind external actions under
the guise of being more pious?
Is God going to love me more if I do...?

The truth is there is nothing
we can 'do' to make God love us more.
Honestly, how much more love
do you think God could give you?

He sacrificed all out of love for you.
Every Lent we are reminded in a very clear way
just how deep his love for us runs.

Jesus accepted his mission to love us unconditionally.
Are there people in your life that you love unconditionally?

If you have children it may very well be in that love
 that you can find meaning as just how much God's love is for you.

Perhaps it is the love you have for your pet.
We love our pets with unconditional love.
Truly what can a pet give back to you?

Consider today how God's love for you
is represented in how you love.

Blessings from God
 must emerge from within your heart.

The heart that loves in any capacity
cannot be a stony heart.

~~~Peace~~~

No Ordinary Day at the Well

~~~ Third Sunday of Lent ~~~

~~~ Exodus 17: 3-7 ~~~Psalm 95~~~Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8~~~John 4:5-42~~~

Moses cries out to the Lord for help in fear of his life.

The people are filled with discontent over the lack of water.

Water sustains life...without water we die in just a few days.

Recently a woman caused the death of her son.

As a punishment, she withheld water from him for too long.

Needless to say she was not very bright.

God heard the plea of Moses with a miracle.

Water was brought forth form a rock.

All things are possible for God he has shown this to us many times.

Oh, that we should hear the Lord as well as he hears us.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Lent is a time to really focus on listening for the voice of the Lord.

What do you hear him saying to your heart.

We should pay more attention to what comes from our heart.

'...the love of God has been poured out into our hearts

'...hope does not disappoint, 
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts 
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us...'

The woman at the well, that solemn afternoon,
 was given the gift of love pouring into her heart.

She was not really loved by either her many husbands
 or any other women in the town.

She was an outcast evidenced by the timing
of her drawing water from the well so late in the day.

The women normally came early in the day to draw the water.
They came before the heat of the day.
They used this time to socialize together...
to catch up with each others from the day before.

She had no one with which to share her joys and sorrows.

Having someone speak to her at the well,
even a Jewish man, was a big deal.
Why was he there at the well that day?
He was not expecting to draw water up for himself;
he had no bucket.
To her surprise Jesus began a conversation with her.
Why would he care to talk to her?
She was definitely one of those sinners
Jesus so often found himself keeping company with.

But as they talked she began to sense something
very different about this man, Jesus.

She began to sense in her heart a rare kind of pure love.
A love she had not experienced before,
surely not with any of her five husbands.
She came to accept in her heart that Jesus
cared about her in spite of knowing
everything about her wretched life.

He offered her something utterly life changing...
unconditional love and forgiveness.
The woman knew of the coming of the Messiah,
but until Jesus said the confirming words to her she was unaware.
"I am he, the one speaking with you."

She not only heard the voice of God that day
she also experienced a total eclipse of the heart.
Her heart was eclipsed by the holiness of the Messiah.
She was a changed woman.
She was filled with the joy of hope
 maybe for the first time in her life.

I can hardly imagine the joy she felt
the day she came to the well alone.

Jesus wants to give you that same unconditional love.
Let him touch your heart.

The Grace Connection

~~~ 2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18 ~~~ Psalm 90 ~~~ Mark 12: 13-17 ~~~

"...grow in grace and knowledge

of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ."

How do we grow in grace?

First you would want to have a relationship with one

who bestows grace upon us; God.

How could you grow in grace if you do not know God?

Furthermore if you are not communicating with God,

 how would you know if you were growing in grace?

Growing in grace directly connects with practicing the virtues

we discussed yesterday.

Growing in grace is staying connected to God

through the teachings of Jesus and the gifts and fruit of the Spirit.

Growing in grace is about following the Good Shepherd,

taking up your cross, and living like you believe.

The more you spend time with scripture

the more you will come to appreciate all that has been done for you.

And the more you understand the gifts you have been given

you will naturally come to grow in grace.

When you answer God's call to follow him you will grow in grace.

When you walk with God or the Blessed Mother at your side

you will grow in grace.

When you love others as you love yourself,

you are growing in grace.

St. Paul, St. Peter, and David are examples of what growing in grace

can do for your spiritual life. Paul was converted and became one of the greatest disciples of Jesus. Even though Peter greatly loved Jesus he denied him three times

yet was able to return to support Jesus.

King David allowed power to cloud his better judgement and yet through grace

he seeks a new heart...a clean heart...he seeks the mercy of God.

Grace leads us into greater communion with God..

the father, son, and holy spirit.

Without grace we would be like a fish out of water...

flailing around on the dock

gasping for air...choked by dryness...

at the total mercy of others for life.

As we grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

we cannot help but to also grow in love and in grace.

But for the Grace of God where would any of us be today?

Grace keeps us desiring to love God more.

If we love God more then we will be a better man or woman...

we will be a true child of God.

Grace is about God's unconditional love for you.