THE ONLY LIFE WORTH LIVING

Romans 15:14-21, Psalm 98:1-4, Luke 16:1-8

Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110813.cfm

"I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has done through me." -Romans 15:18

After a long lifetime of struggling, working, enjoying, learning, praying, suffering, etc., only what Jesus has done through us will mean anything. If we have just taken out the garbage in obedience to Christ, we will have done something that will last "unto life eternal" (Jn 6:27). In contrast, if we have become world-famous, phenomenally rich, and historically acclaimed by doing something other than God's will, our lives will have been far less than God intended them to be. Only what is done in Christ has lasting value; everything else is wasted. Therefore, "you are not to spend what remains of your earthly life on human desires but on the will of God. Already you have devoted enough time to what the pagans enjoy" (1 Pt 4:2-3).
"To me, 'life' means Christ" (Phil 1:21). "The life I live now is not my own; Christ is living in me. I still live my human life, but it is a life of faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal 2:20). "One day" in God's courts is better "than a thousand elsewhere; I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked" (Ps 84:11). "I have come to rate all as loss in the light of the surpassing knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ. For His sake I have forfeited everything; I have accounted all else rubbish so that Christ may be my Wealth and I may be in Him" (Phil 3:8-9). Live for Jesus alone!


Prayer: Father, may my life make sense only in the light of Your Son's death and resurrection.

Promise: "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God." -Ps 98:3

Praise: Mary invited her friend Melinda to come to a Bible study, and Melinda came to Christ.

JUST MERCY TO ALL

Romans 14:7-12, Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14, Luke 15:1-10

Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110713.cfm

"Every one of us will have to give an account of himself before God." -Romans 14:12

My son is a teacher. Recently, a thief stole his computer bag, which contained his laptop computer, numerous student homework papers which he had already graded, his social security card, passport, and checkbook. This will cost him much money, time, and re-work. It's difficult to comprehend that this thief can so readily be saved by the mercy of God at some future time without making restitution to my son for the damages inflicted.

That, however, is the essence of what we believe as Christians. In some mysterious way, Jesus provides both mercy to sinners and justice to victims. Jesus Himself sits on His judgment seat to give perfect justice to all (Rm 14:10). He restores all damages to all victims of all time. In Jesus, victims "have no further misfortune to fear" (Zep 3:15). The Lord promises: "I will repay you for the years which the locust has eaten," the thief has stolen, and the sinner has ruined (see Jl 2:25). When the Lord repays, He doesn't do it halfway. He restores far greater than we could ever ask or imagine (see Eph 3:20). "We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love" Him (Rm 8:28).

"God is rich in mercy" (Eph 2:4) and justice (Rm 14:10, 12). If you are a victim, choose to let God do the restoring instead of acting in vengeance. "Leave it to the Lord...trust in Him, and He will act" (Ps 37:7, 5).


Prayer: Jesus, my Justice (1 Cor 1:30) and my Mercy, help me to be stouthearted and wait with courage for You to reign over all (Ps 27:14).

Promise: "This Man welcomes sinners and eats with them." -Lk 15:2

Praise: Out of mercy, Dr. Jake forgave the debt of a poor client who owed him hundreds of dollars.

JESUS AND MONEY

Romans 13:8-10, Psalm 112:1-2, 4-5, 9, Luke 14:25-33

Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110613.cfm

"Owe no debt." -Romans 13:8

Jesus, the Lord of our lives and therefore of our money and possessions, commands us:
   * "Owe no debt to anyone except the debt that binds us to love one another" (Rm 13:8).
   * "None of you can be My disciple if he does not renounce all his possessions" (Lk 14:33).
   * "Lend without expecting repayment" (Lk 6:35).
   * "Do not lay up for yourselves an earthly treasure" (Mt 6:19).
   * "I warn you, then: do not worry about your livelihood, what you are to eat or drink or use for clothing" (Mt 6:25).

Jesus' ways, including His financial ways, are very different from our ways (Is 55:8-9). His financial wisdom seems absurd. It is the absurdity of the cross (1 Cor 1:18ff). The whole world may say that Jesus is wrong about living a simple life, not saving for the future, renouncing our possessions, not owing debts, and lending without charging interest or even expecting repayment. Nevertheless, Jesus is right; He is the Truth (Jn 14:6); He is Lord and God. Therefore, we must radically change our ways, refuse to conform ourselves to this world (Rm 12:2), and be obedient to the Lord. For Jesus to be our Lord, we must accept Him as the Lord of our finances. Repent and trust Him.


Prayer: Father, may I walk by faith and not by the financial policies to which I have been accustomed (see 2 Cor 5:7).

Promise: "Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple." -Lk 14:27

Praise: By Jesus' power, Keith gave up smoking a second time. This time it was permanent.

EXERCISE IN THE SPIRIT

Romans 12:5-16, Psalm 131:1-3, Luke 14:15-24

Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110513.cfm

"We have gifts that differ according to the favor bestowed on each of us." -Romans 12:6

Doctors recommend regular physical exercise to keep our bodies in shape. Physical therapists recommend specific exercises to enable an injured body part to work normally. Musicians practice exercises on their instruments to develop "muscle-memory." Thereby musicians hone their physical talents to the point of being automatic, making them free to enter into the spirit of the composition.
In an even greater way, Doctor Jesus commands us to exercise the gifts of the Spirit He has given us (see Rm 12:6, RNAB). By exercising our spiritual gifts, the body of Christ becomes more vigorous. Many spiritual gifts help to heal the wounded parts of Christ's body when exercised properly. By exercising our spiritual gifts regularly, we become so "in tune" with the Spirit that we develop "Spirit-memory." We are more quickly able to recognize the movements of the Holy Spirit, even to the point that we become "co-workers" with the Spirit (1 Cor 3:9).
The risen Jesus has given us the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:8, 10). Now we have a choice. Will we exercise these gifts or make excuses for not using them? (Lk 14:18ff)


Prayer: Holy Spirit, "I will not treat God's gracious gift as pointless" (Gal 2:21). Fill me up and use me up.

Promise: "I want My house to be full." -Lk 14:23

Praise: In the past two decades, Sandra has led hundreds of youth and adults to the Holy Spirit through her involvement in numerous Life in the Spirit seminars.

Fwd: TERMS OF REPAYMENT - One Bread, One Body, 11/4/2013

Romans 11:29-36, Psalm 69:30-31, 33-34, 36-37, Luke 14:12-14
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110413.cfm

"You should be pleased that they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid in the resurrection of the just." -Luke 14:14

Jesus is not against our being repaid for the good we do. His concern is when we will be repaid and by whom. God the Father plans to personally repay us at our resurrection (Lk 14:14). Upon reading this, we might feel like God has paid for our service by using a layaway plan! Will our payment ever come? In His love, God does repay us to a certain extent during our time on earth. He begins His eternal repayment plan a bit early by "depositing the First Payment, the [Holy] Spirit, in our hearts" (2 Cor 1:22).
Once we receive the Holy Spirit, we serve Him with such devotion and power that the world opposes us. Next comes our second payment on earth. St. Teresa of Avila once remarked to God: "How true it is that whoever works for You is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love You if we understand its value." To read the fine print on the terms of this second payment, read Sirach 2:1, 2 Timothy 3:12, and James 1:2-4.
As always, the Lord wants to purify our motives for serving Him. If we serve Him to be repaid in the currency of this world, we should "expect no recompense from" the Father (Mt 6:1).
"Who has given a gift to Him that he might be repaid?" (Rm 11:35, RSV-CE) God does not owe us anything. Yet no one can outgive God. True, He might repay us with a lifetime of troubles. "Do not, then, surrender your confidence [in God]; it will have great reward" (Heb 10:35). "Look out that you yourselves do not lose what you have worked for; you must receive your reward in full" (2 Jn 8).


Prayer: Father, may I serve You not for hopes of repayment, but simply because I love You with all my heart.

Promise: "The Lord hears the poor." -Ps 69:34

Praise: St. Charles advised others to meditate in order to "find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in others."

CROWD CONTROL - One Bread, One Body

Wisdom 11:22-12:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2, Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14, Luke 19:1-10

Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110313.cfm

"He was trying to see what Jesus was like, but being small of stature, was unable to do so because of the crowd." -Luke 19:3

So many people are trying to see what Jesus is like. Yet they're small and the crowd is large. Sometimes the crowd isn't people around us but things inside us. How many have a crowd of fears, doubts, and selfish desires inside? To see Jesus, we must fight our way through the crowd (see Lk 8:45) or climb above it.

If I told you to go to Confession right now, a crowd would form for some of you. You may feel afraid, and before long you'd have a hundred reasons why you're not going. You have to fight through the crowd to touch Jesus and be washed in His blood.

What if I told you to go to Mass daily, lead someone to Christ, or tithe? For many of us, another crowd of sin, selfishness, doubt, fear, and anxiety would form. We must climb the tree of faith above the crowd and fight by faith through the crowd. Don't be crowded out of eternal life; enter in by faith.

Prayer: "We pray for you always that our God may make you worthy of His call, and fulfill by His power every honest intention and work of faith. In this way the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in Him" (2 Thes 1:11-12).

Promise: "You have mercy on all, because You can do all things; and You overlook the sins of men that they may repent." -Wis 11:23

Praise: All praise be to You, glorious, risen Lord Jesus Christ! You reign supreme over the crowd of creation. I worship You, magnificent in glory.