Roman Catholic The Word Among Us Daily Mass Reading & Daily Meditation for Monday, 1 December 2014

Roman Catholic The Word Among Us Daily Mass Reading & Daily Meditation for Monday, 1 December 2014
Meditation - Matthew 8:5-6 As Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a Roman captain came up in a panic and said, “Master, my servant is sick. He can’t walk. He’s in terrible pain.”
7 Jesus said, “I’ll come and heal him.”
8-9 “Oh, no,” said the captain. “I don’t want to put you to all that trouble. Just give the order and my servant will be fine. I’m a man who takes orders and gives orders. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes; to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10-12 Taken aback, Jesus said, “I’ve yet to come across this kind of simple trust in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know all about God and how he works. This man is the vanguard of many outsiders who will soon be coming from all directions—streaming in from the east, pouring in from the west, sitting down at God’s kingdom banquet alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then those who grew up ‘in the faith’ but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened.”
1st Week of Advent
Only say the word. (Matthew 8:8)
If you were a Jewish man living in Jesus’ time, how would you have reacted to this centurion’s request? Because you lived under Roman occupation, you might have hesitated. After all, it’s possible that this soldier had arrested or even killed some of your neighbors or family members. Not only that, but he was a pagan who worshipped false gods. Wouldn’t you want to tell him to go to his own “gods” for help instead?
But Jesus didn’t take this attitude. He treated the soldier with compassion and listened closely as he poured out his heart. And what he heard amazed him: here was a pagan who showed greater faith than many of his fellow Jews! This prompted Jesus to prophesy that many more Gentiles would follow this man’s example and enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 8:11).
This story is one of the most dramatic illustrations of the fact that God sent his Son so that everyone could have eternal life and the healing and wholeness that come with it!
If Jesus was so gracious toward this Gentile, clearly he won’t scorn or ignore your requests. No, his compassion and mercy are for everyone, even you. No matter how unworthy you may think you are. No matter how sinful you think you are. No matter how—anything—you think you are!
As many times as we hear this, we may still find it hard to accept. Feelings of shame, guilt, and unworthiness tell us that we don’t measure up. And if we’ve experienced rejection from people we once trusted, we can start to believe that Jesus will treat us the same way. But the truth is just the opposite. He stretches his arms out to embrace everyone—the lost and confused just as much as the strong and self-confident. No matter what we’ve been through, we can bring him all of our needs. Nothing is too hard for Jesus to handle.
Don’t ever believe that you are beyond hope. Jesus is ready to “only say the word.”
“Father, I hand my challenges and trials over to you. I believe that you have a perfect plan, and I trust in your providence. Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen!
Isaiah 2: Climb God’s Mountain
1-5 The Message Isaiah got regarding Judah and Jerusalem:
There’s a day coming
    when the mountain of God’s House
Will be The Mountain—
    solid, towering over all mountains.
All nations will river toward it,
    people from all over set out for it.
They’ll say, “Come,
    let’s climb God’s Mountain,
    go to the House of the God of Jacob.
He’ll show us the way he works
    so we can live the way we’re made.”
Zion’s the source of the revelation.
    God’s Message comes from Jerusalem.
He’ll settle things fairly between nations.
    He’ll make things right between many peoples.
They’ll turn their swords into shovels,
    their spears into hoes.
No more will nation fight nation;
    they won’t play war anymore.
Come, family of Jacob,
    let’s live in the light of God.
Psalm 122: A Pilgrim Song of David
1-2 When they said, “Let’s go to the house of God,”
    my heart leaped for joy.
And now we’re here, O Jerusalem,
    inside Jerusalem’s walls!
3-5 Jerusalem, well-built city,
    built as a place for worship!
The city to which the tribes ascend,
    all God’s tribes go up to worship,
To give thanks to the name of God—
    this is what it means to be Israel.
Thrones for righteous judgment
    are set there, famous David-thrones.
6-9 Pray for Jerusalem’s peace!
    Prosperity to all you Jerusalem-lovers!
Friendly insiders, get along!
    Hostile outsiders, keep your distance!
For the sake of my family and friends,
    I say it again: live in peace!
For the sake of the house of our God, God,
    I’ll do my very best for you.
_____________________