Friday, September 25, 2015

The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Wednesday, 9 September 2015

The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Wednesday, 9 September 2015
 

Meditation: Colossians 3:1 So if you were raised along with the Messiah, then seek the things above, where the Messiah is sitting at the right hand of God.[Colossians 3:1 Psalm 110:1] 2 Focus your minds on the things above, not on things here on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. 4 When the Messiah, who is our life, appears, then you too will appear with him in glory!
5 Therefore, put to death the earthly parts of your nature — sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed (which is a form of idolatry); 6 for it is because of these things that God’s anger is coming on those who disobey him. 7 True enough, you used to practice these things in the life you once lived; 8 but now, put them all away — anger, exasperation, meanness, slander and obscene talk. 9 Never lie to one another; because you have stripped away the old self, with its ways, 10 and have put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in fuller and fuller knowledge, closer and closer to the image of its Creator. 11 The new self allows no room for discriminating between Gentile and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, foreigner, savage, slave, free man; on the contrary, in all, the Messiah is everything.

Saint Peter Claver, Priest (Memorial)
If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above… . Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. (Colossians 3:1, 2)
The chief executive officer of a company is the top executive responsible for a company’s overall operations and performance. His or her job is to keep the organization focused on the goal of that company. A good CEO understands how risky it is for the company to get sidetracked from its core mission.
Did you know that we can be CEOs as well? We can follow our own strategy of staying focused on our core mission—to love the Lord and serve his people. By capturing, examining, and making obedient our thoughts, we can keep ourselves from getting derailed by distractions and lesser concerns that lead us away from the Lord and the life he has given us.
The first step is to capture our thoughts. Try thinking of nothing for just a few minutes, and you’ll see that you are always thinking! Thoughts constantly roll in and out of our minds—good, bad, and indifferent. But you can get in the habit of noticing the errant thoughts that steer you off course: doubts about God, habits of fearful thinking, appetites, selfish ambition, accusations against other people, and condemnation against ourselves.
When you catch one of these stray thoughts, your next job is to examine it. Is it true? Does it mesh with what you know about God or his calling for you? Does it make you anxious or bring you peace?
Finally, you can bring this thought into obedience to Christ. If it doesn’t belong in your mind, send it away. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you get free of its influence. Try to focus your mind on what you know to be true, and watch this unhelpful thought wither away and die.
According to the Scriptures, the kingdom of God is a place where there will be no sorrow or suffering. This is your goal. This is the “above” that St. Paul urges us to focus our attention on. If you practice being the CEO of your thoughts today, you’ll get one step closer to your goal!
“Lord, my eyes are on you. Help me not to get steered off course today. Lift me up to where you are!” Amen!
Psalm 145:
2 Every day I will bless you;
I will praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is Adonai and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is beyond all searching out.
10 All your creatures will thank you, Adonai,
and your faithful servants will bless you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingship,
and they will tell about your might;
12 to let everyone know of your mighty acts
and the glorious majesty of your kingship.
13 Your kingship is an everlasting kingship,
your reign continues through all generations.

Luke 6:20 He looked at his talmidim and said:
“How blessed are you poor!
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
21 “How blessed are you who are hungry!
for you will be filled.
“How blessed are you who are crying now!
for you will laugh.
22 “How blessed you are whenever people hate you and ostracize you and insult you and denounce you as a criminal on account of the Son of Man. 23 Be glad when that happens; yes, dance for joy! because in heaven your reward is great. For that is just how their fathers treated the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already had all the comfort you will get!
25 “Woe to you who are full now,
for you will go hungry!
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and cry!
26 “Woe to you when people speak well of you, for that is just how their fathers treated the false prophets!

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