Frederick, Maryland, United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Thursday, 20 March 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Frederick, Maryland, United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Thursday, 20 March 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Meditations: Jeremiah 17: 5 Yahweh says: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from Yahweh. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, and whose trust Yahweh is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat comes, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it? 10 I, Yahweh, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

2nd Week of Lent

He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream. (Jeremiah 17:8)

Can you imagine if Jeremiah had written that the just man “is like a dandelion plant”? Who would want to be compared to a weed? But have you ever seen a dandelion root? It’s substantial—at least as deep as the plant is tall—and it goes straight down. If you’ve struggled to pull up a dandelion in your yard, you can attest to the strength of that root!

Not only does the dandelion’s root help the plant anchor itself in the soil; it’s also a very effective nutrient-delivery system. As the root goes deep into the soil, it absorbs the food and moisture the plant needs to stay healthy.

Well, Jeremiah didn’t call us dandelions, but he did say that we are like trees that God has planted. No doubt, drought will come. Heat will threaten us. That’s part of life in this world. But God has planted us near life-giving waters, and he wants us to sink our roots deeply into the soil so that we can tap into them.

Deep roots of faith save you in times of distress. Even when your heart feels like those gnarled and knotted roots that skim the surface of the forest, you can take comfort in the fact that there are great riches of nourishment and strength available to you. You don’t have to stay on the surface! The Holy Spirit is powerful enough to help you tap into richer soil and find all the grace you need.

What better way to deepen your faith than hearing his word and receiving his Body at Mass? It’s the perfect place to leave your anxieties behind and immerse yourself in all that he has to offer you. Seated there in the presence of the Lord, surrounded by your brothers and sisters, you can’t help but absorb his grace and strength.

There is so much the Lord wants to give you—wisdom, guidance, comfort, forgiveness, freedom from guilt, release from fear, courage for your challenges. It’s all waiting for you there at the altar. So come to him, root yourself in his word, and absorb his grace.

“Father, thank you for planting me in the soil of your grace and presence! Lord, may I find all the nourishment I need at the table of your word and the table of the Eucharist.” Amen.

Psalm 1: 1 Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked,

    nor stand on the path of sinners,

    nor sit in the seat of scoffers;

2 but his delight is in Yahweh’s[a] law.

    On his law he meditates day and night.

3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water,

    that produces its fruit in its season,

    whose leaf also does not wither.

    Whatever he does shall prosper.

4 The wicked are not so,

    but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 1:2 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.

6 For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,

    but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Luke 16: 19 “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. 23 In Hades,[a] he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 24 He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’

25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’

27 “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house; 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’

29 “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’

30 “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”

Footnotes:

a Luke 16:23 or, Hell

-------