Presence

Dear Lord, as I come to You today,
fill my heart and my whole being
with the wonder of Your presence.

Freedom

“In these days, God taught me
as a schoolteacher teaches a pupil.” (Saint Ignatius).
I remind myself that there are things God has yet to teach me,
and I ask for the grace to hear them and let them change me.

Consciousness

Dear Lord, open me to hear and receive Your Word today. May it bear much fruit in my life, and in the lives of others.

The Word of God

³⁷“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, ³⁸and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

⁴⁰“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ⁴¹Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous, ⁴²and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple – truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

Inspiration

At first glance, today’s reading seems to have Jesus in a rather callous frame of mind. One suspects you were indicating, Lord, that loving you will put all other relationships in their proper place. ‘Get your priorities right’ would be a shorthand version of your message today.

Conversation

What graces does God want to bestow on me in this time of prayer? If I listen deep inside, in the quiet of my heart, what is the Lord saying to me there?

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