My Daily Bread Verse

Matthew 5:13

"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot."

Daily Scripture Reflection

Saturday, Aug. 30

1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 25:14-13

What gifts have I been given and do I share them?  How do I share them?

Lord, I am blessed with so many gifts. Help me to recognize the most important of these gifts and to share that gift with all those around me in my life. Never let me refuse to use my gifts for your greater glory.

Reading for the Day's Mass

Saturday of Week 21; St. Fiacre


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FIRST READING
1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.


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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21

R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down; he sees all mankind.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield, For in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust.

R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.


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ALLELUIA
John 13:34

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


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GOSPEL
Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one - to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.' Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.' Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.' His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

iMissal: My Daily Bread Verse

Colossians 3:5

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Thursday, Aug. 28
St. Augustine

1 Corinthians 1:1-9; Matthew 24:42-51

Jesus encourages us to stay alert for the Lord to break into our lives. What can I do to be more alert for the presence of God in my life?

Lord, help me to see your presence in my life. Grant me the grace to understand what you are doing in my life and the courage to cooperate with you in what you wish to do. Never let me ignore your presence in my life.

Readings of The Day's Mass

Thursday of Week 21; St. Augustine


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FIRST READING
1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Paul, called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the Church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.


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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (1) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Generation after generation praises your works and proclaims your might. They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty and tell of your wondrous works.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds and declare your greatness. They publish the fame of your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your justice.

R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.


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ALLELUIA
Matthew 24:42a, 44

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Stay awake! For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


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GOSPEL
Matthew 24:42-51

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

"Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is long delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

My Daily Bread Verse

2 Corinthians 4:3-4

And even though our gospel is veiled, it is veiled for those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Wednesday, Aug. 27
St. Monica

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18; Matthew 23:27-32

Jesus condemns hypocrisy. Where do I see hypocrisy in my life?

Lord, I am human and as such there are times that I am guilty of hypocrisy. Help me to remove all hypocrisy from my life. Grant me the wisdom to recognize it and the strength to remove it. Never allow me to be guilty any longer of not living as I preach to others.

Readings of The Daily Mass

Wednesday of Week 21; St. Monica


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FIRST READING
2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18

We instruct you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who walks in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

This greeting is in my own hand, Paul's. This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.


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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 128:1-2, 4-5

R. (1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.


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ALLELUIA
1 John 2:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


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GOSPEL
Matthew 23:27-32

Jesus said,
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous, and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets' blood.' Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; now fill up what your ancestors measured out!"

Readings of The Day's Mass

Tuesday of Week 21; St. Elizabeth Bichier

FIRST READING
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a, 14-17

We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a "spirit," or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no one deceive you in any way.

To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.


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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13

R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity.

R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.

R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Before the LORD, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy.

R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.


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ALLELUIA
Hebrews 4:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


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GOSPEL
Matthew 23:23-26

Jesus said:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean."

Daily Scripture Reflection

Tuesday, Aug. 26    

2 Thessalonians 2: 1-3a, 14-17; Matthew 23:23-26

Jesus challenges us to be guided by mercy. Am I guided by mercy in my everyday life?

Lord, there is so much going on in my life that I sometimes have trouble keeping my priorities straight. Help me to get them straight and to see the world around me through the eyes of mercy. Help me to live my life the way you wish it to be.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Monday, Aug. 25
St. Louis and St. Joseph Calasanz

2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12; Matthew 23:13-22

Jesus challenges the "blind guides. What blind spots do I have? Do they keep me from understanding Jesus' teaching?

Lord, there is so much I do not fully understand. With your help I, hopefully, will have a better understanding. Grant me the wisdom and the courage to share and live my faith.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Saturday, Aug. 23
St. Rose of Lima

Ezekiel 43:1-7ab; Matthew 23:1-12

Jesus condemns those who do not practice what they preach. Do I always practice what I preach?

Lord, I try hard to do this but it is not always easy. Help me to identify those areas of my life that I do not practice what I preach. Grant me the strength to change my ways. Never allow my words to be betrayed by my behavior.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Friday, Aug. 22
The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Ezekiel 37:1-14; Matthew 22:34-40

Jesus reminds us that we are to love God and to love one another. Do I love God and my neighbor at all times?

Lord, loving you is no problem. It is the "love your neighbor" part that I find hard. Help me to understand that regardless of what has happened I must still love my neighbor. In loving others I reflect your love of all. Grant me the strength to never forget this commandment.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Thursday, Aug. 21
St. Pius X

Ezekiel 36:23-28; Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus invites us to dine with him at the Eucharist. Do I prepare properly? Do I remain faithful?

Lord, the greatest gift you have left with us is the Eucharist. There are times I participate in the Eucharist but am not properly prepared. Help me to always attend the Eucharist properly prepared and in a grateful and loving manner. Help me to never take the Eucharist for granted.

Sacred Heart Parish, Aka-Offot, Uyo, Beefs-Up Security

Daily Scripture Reflection

Wednesday, Aug. 20
St. Bernard

Ezekiel 34:1-11; Matthew 20:1-16

The landowner is both just and generous. Am I grateful for the gifts I have been given or do I tend to compare myself with others?

Lord, I know you are both just and generous. Take away from me all trace of human jealousy. Help me to be grateful for whatever you see fit to send to me.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Monday, Aug. 18

Ezekiel 24:15-23; Matthew 19:16-22

What obstacles prevent me from following Jesus? What do I need to let go of?

Lord, there are so many things in my life that sometimes get in the way of following you. Help me to have the strength to surrender all that comes between us. Grant me the wisdom to see what is really important in my life and the strength to surrender the rest.

PASTORAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF NIGERIA IN THE LIGHT OF THE OUTBREAK OF THE EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE

Your Eminences, Your Graces, Your Lordships,
We are faced with an extraordinary situation, the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease which medical experts tell us is highly infectious and has a very high fatality rate. As of now, there is no available cure or vaccine for it.
There is need for education in the prevention of this disease by following the advice of health experts and cooperating with the commendable proactive measures taken by the Nigerian government to control its spread.
In view of the seriousness of this disease, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) after some consultations with health experts and most members of the Administrative Board recommends the following:
1. Awareness and Sensitization: Priests should enlist the services of medical doctors and other health workers in sensitizing the people on Ebola virus disease: its symptoms, effects, preventive measures, management of self and how to handle an infected person, etc.
2. Personal Hygiene: Priests should encourage the people to practise frequent washing of hands and take proper precaution by adhering to best hygienic practices such as using suitable hand-washing liquids and hand sanitizers.
3. Sick Call: Priests should exercise precaution and discretion when they go for sick calls particularly when they have to administer the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. They should ensure regular hand washing after visiting patients in the hospital or homes.
4. Counting Offerings/Collection: Priests should encourage the use of hand gloves in the counting of money and proper washing of hands afterwards.
5. The Sign of Peace: We strongly recommend that instead of the physical hand shake and bodily hug during the "kiss of peace" at Mass, a respectful bow to one another may be given as sign of sincere wish for peace until this emergency is over.
6. Holy Water Bowls: The use of Holy Water Fonts at the entrance of the Church should be discontinued forthwith until the virus alert is lifted. This does not preclude private use of Holy Water in homes and offices.
7. Washing of hands: Wash hand bowls and soap should be provided in the sacristy for regular use by altar servers and priests while hand sanitizers are to be provided where necessary.
8. Caution at funerals: There must be a very careful handling of corpses before and during funerals because even corpses carry significant risk of transmitting certain communicable diseases including the Ebola virus.
9. Communion in the Hand: In line with our previous CBCN policy adopted some years ago that Holy Communion could be given in the hand, as well as on the tongue, we now highly suggest that the ordinary, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and all those who receive Holy Communion should be more careful. We therefore recommend that communion be given in the hand during this period of the Ebola virus epidemic.
For those who, however, feel very strongly about the reception of Holy Communion on the tongue, their priests will need to make some acceptable arrangements; but we strongly suggest that for the health of all, we adopt in the interim, communion in the hand.
10. Avoid Panic: We call on all Nigerians to avoid panic, fear, anxiety and exaggeration in the face of this epidemic and to take the proper medical advice to tame the disease by avoiding contracting the virus and infecting others.
11. An Appeal to Nigeria Medical Association: Even though not undermining the circumstances surrounding the industrial action by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), we appeal to medical doctors to kindly suspend the strike in the light of this national emergency for the sake of the common good
12. Call for Prayer: We request all to pray for the eradication of the Ebola virus disease. Pray earnestly for victims, health workers and those who have died since the outbreak. Pray too, for healthcare givers, who by their profession and vocation, cannot abandon the sick and are running away ...
(*some text missing*)

Daily Scripture Reflection

August 17, 2014
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

But he did not say a word in answer to her. – Matthew 15:23

Silence.
I sometimes get the same answer from Jesus when I pray.
No answer. No response. Nothing.
Just silence.
I have always heard that God answers prayers in one of three ways - Yes, No and Maybe.
Maybe? Is that what silence means?
Or is God just trying to get my attention?
The longer God is silent, the more choices I seem to consider in how I can respond. I can surrender. I can persist. I can fall to my knees and beg.
I can fall to my knees with my face in the dirt and I can beg for crumbs.
Or I can be open to the possibility that God is calling me to a deeper level of faith.
I do not believe that God ever ignores us or our prayers. God may be silent. He may give us an answer we do not like. But He loves us and He knows our hearts. And He knows what we need … even when we don't know.
So sometimes we will persist and question and beg for crumbs if we feel we must. But may we always believe and know in our hearts - God hears our every word and feels our every heart beat.

Dear Lord, help me to grow in faith. Help me to believe in your everlasting love and mercy and compassion. Help me to trust your silence. Amen.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Saturday, Aug. 9
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)

Habakkuh 1:12 – 2:4; Matthew 17:14-20

Jesus knows that even a little faith can move mountains. Is my faith always there or does it sometimes weaken?

Lord, I know I have great faith in you, but sometimes my faith weakens in certain situations. Help me to strengthen my faith. Grant me the strength to always hold my faith forward in all situations. Never allow me to hide my faith for fear of others opinions.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Friday, Aug. 8
St. Dominic

Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7; Matthew 16:24-28

Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow him. Which cross is the heaviest for me in my life today?

Lord, I find it hard to carry my cross to follow you. Help me to understand which cross is most important for me to bear. Grant me the strength to bear that cross no matter have heavy. Help me in my journey as I work as hard as I can to follow you. Never let me weaken.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Thursday, Aug. 7
St. Sixtus II and St. Cajetan

Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 16:13-23

Jesus asked his disciples to tell him who they think he is. How would I answer the same question in my life?

Lord, I know all the catechism answers to your question, but I also know that you are looking for a more personal answer. Help me to better understand who you are in my life. Grant me the wisdom to know exactly who you are and the insight to see your actions within my life.

Redefine Yourself

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind;
To talk health, happiness and prosperity  to everyone that you meet;
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them;
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true;
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best;
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own;
To forget the mistakes of the past and pass on to the greater achievements of the future;
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and to give a smile to every living creature you meet;
To give so much to improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticise others;
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and to happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Tuesday, Aug. 5
The Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major

Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Matthew 14:22-36 or Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

What fears interfere with my relationship with Jesus?

Lord, human nature leads me to fear so many things. Help me to not be so fearful. Grant me the courage to have total trust in you and to believe that through you I have nothing to fear.

Sign of peace at Mass: Vatican says it stays put, but urges education

Congregants exchange the sign of peace at a Mass in February before a charity motorcycle ride led by Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski to benefit a Catholic Charities' center for alcohol and drug rehabilitation. (CNS/Tom Tracy)



VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The sign of peace at Mass has not always led to serenity among liturgists or within the congregations gathered each Sunday in Catholic churches around the world.

After nine years of study and consultation, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments has told Latin-rite bishops around the world that the sign of peace will stay where it is in the Mass.

However, the congregation said, "if it is foreseen that it will not take place properly," it can be omitted. But when it is used, it must be done with dignity and awareness that it is not a liturgical form of "good morning," but a witness to the Christian belief that true peace is a gift of Christ's death and resurrection.

The text of the congregation's "circular letter" on "the ritual expression of the gift of peace at Mass," was approved by Pope Francis and posted in Spanish on the website of the Spanish bishops' conference. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, confirmed its authenticity Aug. 1.

Catholic News Service obtained a copy of the letter in English.

In 2005, members of the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist adopted a formal proposition questioning whether the sign of peace might be better placed elsewhere in the Mass, for example at the end of the prayer of the faithful and before the offering of the gifts.

Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, current prefect of the congregation, and Archbishop Arthur Roche, the congregation's current secretary, said Pope Benedict XVI had asked the congregation to study the matter and, after doing so, in 2008 it asked bishops' conferences around the world whether to keep the sign of peace where it is or move it to another moment "with a view to improving the understanding and carrying out of this gesture."

"After further reflection," the letter said, "it was considered appropriate to retain the rite of peace in its traditional place in the Roman liturgy and not to introduce structural changes in the Roman Missal."

But that does not exclude the need for new or renewed efforts to explain the importance of the sign of peace so that the faithful understand it and participate in it correctly, the congregation's letter said.

It asked bishops to study whether it might be time to find "more appropriate gestures" to replace a sign of peace using "familiar and profane gestures of greeting."

And, it said, they should do everything possible to end "abuses" such as:

-- "The introduction of a 'song for peace,' which is nonexistent in the Roman rite."

-- "The movement of the faithful from their places to exchange the sign of peace amongst themselves."

-- "The departure of the priest from the altar in order to give the sign of peace to some of the faithful."

-- People using the sign of peace at Christmas, Easter, baptisms, weddings, ordinations and funerals to offer holiday greetings, congratulations or condolences.

"Christ is our peace, the divine peace, announced by the prophets and by the angels, and which he brought to the world by means of his paschal mystery," the letter said. "This peace of the risen Lord is invoked, preached and spread in the celebration (of Mass), even by means of a human gesture lifted up to the realm of the sacred."

In some Catholic liturgical traditions, it said, the exchange of peace occurs before the offering in response to Jesus' exhortation in Matthew 5:23-24: "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

But in the Latin rite, the letter said, the exchange of peace comes after the consecration because it refers to "the 'paschal kiss' of the risen Christ present on the altar." It comes just before the breaking of the bread during which "the Lamb of God is implored to gives us his peace."

END

Source: Catholic News Service

Daily Scripture Reflection

August 3, 2014
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." - Matthew 14:16

We always think we have to do it all. That it is all on our shoulders to feed the hungry, heal the sick, rid the world of child abuse.
But it is not all up to us and it never was. We cannot humanly solve the world's problems. We cannot humanly solve all of our own family's problems.
But we can give what we have, and then maybe a little more, and then we can trust that Jesus will be there to multiply our giving.
I do not think I give enough. I see what others give and I feel like I fall short. But there are so many people out there who want or need spiritual direction. So I do what I can. I give my little. I give my time and my writing and my listening ear.
And then I trust that Jesus takes that and makes it into something. Something to satisfy. Something to feed my directees. I trust and I pray.

Dear Lord, I do not feel like I always give my all. Sometimes I am afraid. Or I think I am not worthy. But I trust that you will take what I have to give and multiply it. I trust that you will feed your lambs with what little I have to give. And I know you will help me to let go and give more. For Lord, I am hungry. I am poor in spirit. Feed me, Lord and help me to feed others. Amen.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Saturday, Aug. 2
St. Eusebius of Vercelli and St. Peter Julian Eymard

Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24; Matthew 14:1-12

Am I, at times, like Herod - more concerned about what others might think of me instead of doing the right thing?

Lord, there are many times I don't do as I should because I fear what others might say. Grant me the courage to act on my own convictions instead of my fear of the opinion of others.

Daily Scripture Reflection

Friday, Aug 1
St. Alphonsus Liguori

Jeremiah 26:1-9; Matthew 13:54-58

Jesus' message was rejected by some of the people in his hometown. Do I sometimes find it hard to accept what Jesus' teachings?

Lord, I know your words are life for me. Sometimes it is hard for me to hear what you are saying because of my hard heart. Help me to soften my heart and be more open to your word.