Sunday Reflection (October 9, 2022)

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God does not require you to do tasks beyond your capabilities, and we may think we are doing our best when we are not. Nevertheless, God requires that we do our best, and if we stumble, get up again and continue. If you are doing well, God does not give up on you. If you try, God does not give up on you. If you fail, God does not give up on you (2 Timothy 2:11-13)!
Jesus, the one who showed us what it is like to be faithful to God and others, offers us forgiveness when we do not meet that standard. God cannot but be faithful to humankind. This is indeed great hope for us, but this is not an excuse for failure; rather, it is an encouragement to continue in the faith even when we fail.

Devotion October 5, 2022

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Devotion October 4, 2022

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Sunday Reflection (October 2, 2022)

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Think of the Holy Spirit as the transmission that transfers energy from the engine to the wheels. The engine is the story of God’s love and compassion revealed in Jesus Christ, and the wheels are Christ’s Church empowered by the Holy Spirit to embody and share God’s love and compassion with the world. For almost 2,000 years, this one, apostolic, catholic, Church has transmitted and continues to transmit the story of God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ. Christ’s Church will continue to do so until Christ comes again.
 
Christ’s Church is Apostolic in that the Apostles and all the generations of Christians before us passed this message to us. Christ’s Church is catholic in that it is universal throughout the world of which we and the Roman Catholic Church are a part as well as Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and so forth. All Churches have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them and among them to transmit the story of God’s love in word and deed. May we embody this message (2 Timothy 1:11-14).

Prayer for the Week (October 2, 2022-October 8, 2022)

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Let us pray that our faith be strong and bold: Lord our God, you desire that our lives be full of truth and love. You have entrusted it to us as a task to be brought to a good end in partnership with you. Give us, your servants, a trusting faith, firm, loyal, enduring, and bold. May we grow in the conviction that you can overcome might and evil with what is weak and little and that your kingdom will come by the power and love of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

   (Claretian Publications)

                         

Devotion September 28, 2022

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Devotion September 27, 2022

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Sunday Reflection (September 25, 2022)

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First Timothy points out that the craving for riches distorts our perspective on life and damages our relationship with God and other in that the love of money, or power, or fame alienates us from God and neighbor (1 Timothy 6:9-10). Yet, what shall we do if we have abundance? Paul has an answer and I paraphrase: Those with abundance give thanks and share (6:17-19)!
Doing good, being generous, and being ready to share brings contentment with godliness (6:6-8). How often do we miss the small things in life that are truly valuable and priceless because we chase after the wrong things? Contentment combined with godliness is great gain! May what we do from everyday activities to politics be rooted and grounded in love and compassion.

Prayer for the Week (September 25, 2022-October 1, 2022)

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Let us pray to God for compassionate and generous hearts: Our generous and loving God,
your Son Jesus is risen from the dead and tells us to see the needs of the poor and to give them food and drink.
May we recognize your Son in them.  We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

   (Claretian Publications)

                         

Devotion September 21, 2022

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