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The sturdy shelter of faith (A morning meditation)

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A reading from the prophet Jeremiah (20: 10-13):

I hear the whisperings of many:
    “Terror on every side!
    Denounce! let us denounce him!”
All those who were my friends
    are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
“Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,
    and take our vengeance on him.”
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
    my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be put to utter shame,
    to lasting, unforgettable confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,
    who probe mind and heart,
Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
    for to you I have entrusted my cause.
Sing to the LORD,
    praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life of the poor
    from the power of the wicked!

The Word of the Lord.

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REMBRANDT - Prophet Jeremiah by oazen2008 on deviantART | Rembrandt, Jeremiah, Prophet

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We can all relate to Jeremiah, one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. He didn’t have it easy; his faith was tested.

For example, when the LORD first called him into ministry, Jeremiah was young and idealistic. 

Later reflecting upon the joy of his youth, he said, “When I read your words, I devoured them, O Lord! They became my joy and the happiness of my heart!” 

Jeremiah was ready to save the world.

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But some years into his ministry, he complains, “You duped me, O LORD!” 

You’ve made me a fool. 

Enter our first reading.

The Jews, even close friends of Jeremiah, are plotting to kill him, because they don’t like the message he is offering: Repent. Return to the Lord. 

Rather than mend their ways, they want to kill him.

And yet Jeremiah cannot hold back. The Word of God is like a fire in his bones; he must preach it! His strength comes from his faith; he believes the same Lord who called him from his youth is with him now. 

As he says today, “The LORD is with me, like a mighty champion; my persecutors will stumble; they will not triumph.”

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Anyone who journeys with God will feel the highs and lows of faith like Jeremiah. 

You may feel close to God on your wedding day, after giving birth to a child, or even after having a simple prayer answered.

We may feel far from the LORD after losing a loved one, enduring a lukewarm marriage, or a stressful day at work.

Wherever we are in our journeys, let’s pray for one another, that we may have faith like Jeremiah, a faith that makes us bold; that comforts us; and that remains strong, even when it’s tested.

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Racers For Christ on Twitter: "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalms 54:4 NIV #Faith #God #Jesus #Help… "
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“No man is an island.” (A morning meditation)

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Gospel: Luke 1: 26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Annunciation | Description, Meaning, & Feast Day | Britannica

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In his book, No Man is an Island, Thomas Merton insists upon the importance of community. We need the strength that comes from sharing our lives with others.

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In today’s Gospel, for example, the Angel Gabriel announces God’s plan for Mary. She’s to become the Mother of God, a tremendous responsibility; one she cannot bear alone.

To ensure that Mary never becomes an island – that she’s never isolated – the Lord blesses her with friends along the way.

Today we find the Angel Gabriel. Tomorrow she’ll visit Elizabeth.

After giving birth to Jesus, Joseph and the shepherds will surround her.

Even as Jesus dies upon the Cross, the Apostle John is there to comfort her, and bring her into his home.

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Mary never journeyed alone.

Neither should we.

Who are the friends the Lord has given me along my journey? And equally, how am I that friend for others?

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As Merton reminds us, “No man – no person – is an island.”

Friends are given to enrich us and strengthen us along the way.

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Inspirational Thought Of The Week : “A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles.” | Vivacious Anushri
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Who is Jesus to me?

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Gospel: John 8: 21-30

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come.”
So the Jews said,
“He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins.”
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
So Jesus said to them,
“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.
The one who sent me is with me. 
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.”
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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File:Christ among the Pharisees.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

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“You will die in your sins.”

That’s a grim promise. 

But Jesus is reading the hearts of the men standing before him. They do not see Jesus as the way to God; as the way to happiness; or as the way to anything good.

Rather, he’s in the way.

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Jesus is in the way of their religion.

He’s in the way of their egos.

He’s upsetting their plans, flipping tables, and turning their belief system upside down. He dines with tax collectors, forgives sinners, and breaks the Sabbath.

He’s in the way.

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Like the scribes and Pharisees, do I ever feel challenged by Jesus? Does he stretch me beyond my comfort zone or get in the way of my future and my choices? 

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Everyone must decide for themselves who Jesus is.

He’s either the way to a fuller life…or he’s in the way.

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Who is Jesus for me?

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Who is Jesus in your life? | My Journey, My Life