Presence

Let my heart rejoice and be glad
in this time of prayer.
Remind me often of the great
blessings You have bestowed on me, oh my God.

Freedom

Lord God, I thank you for the gift of freedom.
Help me to use this gift with integrity.
I am free to make choices.
Help me to choose to follow You,
to live in a Christian way by caring for others.
Remind me to consider always those less fortunate than myself:
the oppressed, the prisoner, those who are not free to worship in public.
Guide me always to seek Your holy will in all the events of my life.

Consciousness

Where do I sense hope, encouragement, and growth areas in my life? By looking back over the last few months, I may be able to see which activities and occasions have produced rich fruit. If I do notice such areas, I will determine to give those areas both time and space in the future.

The Word of God

¹⁶“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

¹⁷‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’

¹⁸“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; ¹⁹the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”^,

Inspiration

Today’s gospel reading takes a bit of working out. Jesus gives us a little insight into how he sometimes must have felt about his own ministry and how it was received. He suggests that those who followed him and those who followed John the Baptist had wildly different experiences, but many of them managed to remain stony-faced, whatever was put before them.

Conversation

“There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus”. (Romans 8:1). I turn to the One who loves me and knows me better than I can love or know myself. I ask Him for whatever it is I need right now.

Conclusion

Filled with the loving presence of God,
I ask Him to bless me and guide my steps
as I go to do His work in my daily life.

Amen