Author: admin

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Isaiah 26: 7-19

The way of the just is smooth;
the path of the just you make level.
Yes, for your way and your judgments, O LORD,
we look to you;
Your name and your title
are the desire of our souls.
My soul yearns for you in the night,
yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you;
When your judgment dawns upon the earth,
the world’s inhabitants learn justice.
O LORD, you mete out peace to us,
for it is you who have accomplished all we have done.

O LORD, oppressed by your punishment,
we cried out in anguish under your chastising.
As a woman about to give birth
writhes and cries out in her pains,
so were we in your presence, O LORD.
We conceived and writhed in pain,
giving birth to wind;
Salvation we have not achieved for the earth,
the inhabitants of the world cannot bring it forth.
But your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise;
awake and sing, you who lie in the dust.
For your dew is a dew of light,
and the land of shades gives birth.

The Word of the Lord.

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“My soul years for you in the night.”

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These are some of the most beautiful words written in the Bible on the spiritual life.

In this single sentence, the prophet Isaiah expresses a deep awareness of himself and his faith in God.

“My soul,” he says. Isaiah believes that he’s more than flesh and bones; he’s more than a mortal being; he’s more than the dust of the earth. 

Isaiah has a soul – an identity – that was created by God and will be redeemed by God. His soul is his innermost room; his connection to the Divine.

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And not only this. But his soul years for God “in the night.”

The “night” is directionless. It implies absence; darkness; a soul’s separation from God. Other Saints like John of the Cross and Mother Teresa have written extensively about it.

Isaiah feels this separation. But he doesn’t give up; in spite of the dryness, he “keeps vigil,” waiting for the Lord’s return.

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So, what might Isaiah say to us today?

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There are times when God seems absent to us. Whether our soul is dimmed by grief, doubt, or temptation, we can feel distant from the Lord.

But these are the moments when we really have to hang on. Desiring the Lord – especially when it feels like he’s disappeared from us – only strengthens our faith.

As Saint Paul tells us, “suffering produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:3-5).

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Image credits: (1) Katolikong Pinoy (2) Quora (3) Becky Crenshaw

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Gospel: Matthew 11: 25-27

At that time Jesus exclaimed: 
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Why does Jesus insist upon “childlike” faith? What is it about children that is so important?

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Children have an implicit sense of trust. Whatever their parents tell them, they believe. A sense of skepticism only starts creeping into a child’s mind and heart once they begin interacting with the broader world. 

These days, children hear all kinds of voices – not only from their parents – but also their peers, the television, the news, and social media. 

Often these voices clash with the values and belief system instilled by a child’s parents, leading to a certain loss of innocence, and, in some cases, mistrust.

Slowly, children start wondering, “Who do I trust? How do I know what’s true?”

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What Jesus wants from us is that type of childlike faith that trusts implicitly. You might say, a type of faith that drowns out the negative and false voices of the world. As the Psalmist says, “Your Word is a lamp for our feet, and a light for our path.” 

Do I have that type of “childlike” faith in the Lord, which is capable of drowning out doubt? How strongly does the Word of God influence my thoughts and actions?

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“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,” Jesus says, “for although you have hidden these things (the mysteries of God) from the wise and learned you have revealed them to the childlike.”

Regardless of our age and experience, may we never lose that ability to trust. The Lord will never lead us astray.

Haven’t you also found that to be true?

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Image credits: (1) Outreach Magazine (2) Wallpaper Cave (3) World Vision

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Isaiah: 1:10-17

Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
What care I for the number of your sacrifices?
says the LORD.
I have had enough of whole-burnt rams
and fat of fatlings;
In the blood of calves, lambs and goats
I find no pleasure.

When you come in to visit me,
who asks these things of you?
Trample my courts no more!
Bring no more worthless offerings;
your incense is loathsome to me.
New moon and sabbath, calling of assemblies,
octaves with wickedness: these I cannot bear.
Your new moons and festivals I detest;
they weigh me down, I tire of the load.
When you spread out your hands,
I close my eyes to you;
Though you pray the more,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.

The Word of the Lord.

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Some of you know I’ve developed a love for golf. Learning how to hit that little white ball seems so simple. But ask any golfer and they will tell you, “It’s much harder than it looks.”

First, you have to learn how to hold the club. Then, you need the right alignment. Pick your target line. Draw your club back. Rotate your core. Bend your wrists. Begin the downswing. Strike the ball dead center, keep your head straight…and…Hope for the best.

What’s the point? A correct golf swing is a mind-body movement that demands all of your attention… and a good amount of free time.

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Think about the spiritual life in similar terms.

God wants our mind, body, and heart to be in sync, much like a good golf swing.

But, at times, we go through the motions. We say our rosary while our mind drifts; we perform an act of charity out of obligation; we avoid sinning out of fear of retribution. Our mind, body, and heart aren’t always in sync.

Israel was sometimes guilty of this. A faithful Jew was a “law-abiding” believer; they could wash their hands before meals, keep the Sabbath, and recite scripture mindlessly while their hearts drifted from the Lord.

As the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah, “Bring no more worthless offerings.” What the Lord wants is their – and our – total focus in mind, body, and heart.

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So, how might I break that habit of going through the motions? In what ways can I become more mindful about my spiritual life?

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Image credits: (1)VOCA Editorial (2) Golf Magazine (3) Religious Naturalist Association, WordPress