Presence

Jesus waits, silent and unseen, to come into my heart.
I will respond to His call.
He comes with His infinite power and love.
May I be filled with joy in His presence.

Freedom

Thank You God for my freedom.
May I use this gift to do what I can
for those who are oppressed or burdened.

Consciousness

Lord, I bring to mind everyone who has asked for my prayers, and lay them at your feet, along with all my own needs and burdens.

The Word of God

¹⁴But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

¹⁵When Jesus became aware of this, he departed. Many followed him, and he cured all of them, ¹⁶and he ordered them not to make him known. ¹⁷This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁸“Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the gentiles. ¹⁹He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. ²⁰He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. ²¹And in his name the gentiles will hope.”

Inspiration

The Jews became the chosen people of God. He made the covenants with them, and his Son was to take his human body from their flesh and blood. It is their tragedy that they rejected the Messiah God sent to them and sought to destroy him. But God works through all things, including our mistakes, and their rejection opened up the message of the Good News about the kingdom of God to the Gentile world. No doubt it would have come anyhow since God loves all, but perhaps it might not have come as quickly. We give thanks for the gift of faith and the gift of the good news.

Conversation

How has God’s Word moved me?
Has it left me cold?
Has it consoled me or moved me to act in a new way?
I imagine Jesus standing or sitting beside me and
I turn and share my feelings with Him.

Conclusion

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

Amen