Daily Meditation - Tuesday 17June 2008 - THE LORD HAS HIS OWN TIMETABLE

[BarbaraTherese]

Mass Readings and Meditation

Readings

Meditation

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Matthew 5:43-48

It’s no secret that we are all sinners. Neither should it surprise us that we have all cried out in some way or other: O Lord, forgive my sins! Blot out my guilt!

These are cries God loves to answer,
showering down forgiveness, healing, deliverance,
and oceans of mercy.

• What’s more, this mercy has great power to change us.
• Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this change occurred instantly?
• But the truth is, mercy often takes time to penetrate our toughened exteriors before it can reach our hearts.
• In other words, it takes time to become perfect as our heavenly Father is (Matthew 5:48).
  This transformation happens as we spend time in God’s presence, allowing him to reshape our hearts. So take the time!
• Listen to him tell you who he is and how much he loves you.
• Admit the things inside you that are far from perfect.
• Give him the time and space he needs to do it.
• As you grow confident in his love, your heart will expand to begin to love others the way he does.
• You will be different.
  One remarkable difference might be in how you think about, and react to, the people around you.
• We can be so convinced in our judgments
• —and use them to utterly slay others.
• But as you sit with him,
• God will begin to mold your heart into the likeness of his Son’s heart—
• the one who died for us while we were still his enemies (Romans 5:8).
  Remember: Jesus died for the very ones we judge, avoid, or ignore.
• He has mercy on them, just as he has mercy on us.
• And he wants us to be his ambassadors, showing them his kindness and love.
• Now, that doesn’t mean we all have to run out to find a pagan or murderer or the like to practice our “perfection” on.
  Every day, we meet someone whom we have trouble loving: the perpetually angry customer,
• the neighbor who loves to gossip,
• the dishonest co-worker.
• In each of these instances, God wants to teach us how to love them without condoning their offense.
• We won’t always know how immediately,
• but thanks be to God, we have the Holy Spirit living inside us.
• He will give us the wisdom we need!
  “Father, I want to be perfect, as you are. Show me today where to start. Teach me to think and love like you do.”

 

[Trishie]

“Listen to me, devout children, and blossom
like the rose that grows on the bank of a watercourse.
Give off a sweet smell like incense,
flower like the lily; spread your fragrance abroad,
sing a song of praise
blessing the Lord for all His works.

Declare the greatness of His name,
proclaim His praise
with song and lyre,
and this is how you must sing God’s wonderful praises:
how wonderful they are, all the works of the Lord!
All that He orders is promptly carried out.
You must not say, “What is this? “Why is that?”
All will be studied in due time…
At His bidding, all His pleasure is accomplished,
no one can diminish His power to save.

The actions of every creature are before Him,
there is no hiding from His eyes;
His gaze stretches from eternity to eternity,
and nothing can astonish Him.
You must not say, ‘What is this? Why is that?’
All things have been created for their proper purpose.” [Ecclesiasticus 39:13-26]

“Everything will soon come to an end, so, to pray better, keep a calm and sober mind.” [1Peter 4:7]

“To You, a thousand years are a single day,
a yesterday now over, an hour of the night.” [Psalm 90:4]