Our Prayers to God

“But I pray to you, O Lord, for the time of your favor, O God!  In your great kindness answer me with your constant help” (Psalm 69:14). Everything we have comes from God.  He never stops helping us even when we do not feel His Presence.

Proclaimation of Faith

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.”  Lord, help me to proclaim my faith in you as St. Martha does, “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God….”

Gathered Up

“Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save you souls” (James 1:21).  Lord let the seed of your word be planted in me that my life may bear the fruit of your Holy Spirit.

Rich Soil

“But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold” (Matthew 13:23).   Lord, open our hearts to receive the seed of your Word that our lives bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit through our actions of charity and prayer.

We long for God

“O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts” (Psalm 63:2).  Lord may our desire to be with you help us to persevere in prayer and charity. 

God knows us.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” (Jeremiah 1:4).  Lord you tell us through the prophet Jeremiah that you know us better than we know ourselves.  Thank you for forming us in the womb of our mothers born to enjoy and care for your creation and in the womb of the Mother Church to be born into everlasting life.

Our Hunger

“I say to you something greater than the temple is here” (Matthew 12:6).  Jesus you are greater than the temple.  Continue to feed our spiritual hunger through your Church.

The Yoke

“My yoke is easy and my burden light” (Matthew 11:30).  Lord let the yoke of your love come upon us that we may find eternal rest in your light.

God's Revelation

“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom” (Matthew 11:25).  Thank you Father for making us who believe your little ones.

The Good Samaritan

”Who is my neighbor?  The one who treated him with mercy” (Luke 10:25-37).  We are taught to love God and our neighbor.  Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus shows us that our neighbor is both the victim and the one who treated the victim with mercy.   God gives us the tools to treat others with mercy through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  When we use these gifts we let the fruits of the Spirit grow in our lives.  You have the tools.  Help a neighbor today with an act of kindness that the fruit of God’s mercy grow more abundant in our lives.

 

Fruit of Forgivness

 “They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon” (Hosea 14:9).  The Lord is speaking about forgiving Israel.  Once they receive the Spirit of Forgiveness they will grow into something new and experience the fruit of joy.

 

Our Father's Love

“When Israel was a Child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son” (Hosea 11:1).  God shows us that he loves us like a father who picks up his child to hold the child close to his face.  God does this with us.  Lord let us feel your loving embrace.

 

Justice and Piety

“Sow for yourselves justice, reap the fruit of piety…” (Hosea 10:12).  The Spirit calls us to act with the Spirit of Justice: feed to poor, visit the sick, and more.  Piety is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that gives us the desire to be closer to God.  What God says through the prophet today means that doing acts of justice makes us want to be closer to Him.  Be just today and draw closer to God.

 

The Thomas Creed

Thomas proclaims his faith in Jesus, “My Lord and my God.”  May we be able to proclaim the truth that Jesus is Lord and God with our words and actions that more people who have never seen Him will come to believe in Him.

 

Jesus' Medicine

Today’s Quote: “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.”  Sin is the disease that is common to all of us.  Jesus the physician gives us himself as our medicine with scripture, the sacraments, and acts of charity.

 

God's Love

Happy July!  Today begins my second year as pastor of St. Anthony’s in Forest Grove.  This year I would like to build off of the “Year of the Priest” in having a minute Lectio Divina with the daily scripture readings.  (We’ll see if I can follow through).  In the Catholic Church our daily readings have a two year cycle.  This year we walk with the second cycle of readings.  The words of Christ, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven” stand out to me.  When we fall to temptation and sin we begin to fear God.  Our sins/fear can keep us from walking the Christian life.  Jesus makes His love clear by inviting us to have courage when we are afraid to walk in his love.  He frees us to walk by telling us we are forgiven.  I thank you Father for your Spirit of love revealed by your Son.