Mt 5:1-16

"'No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub;
they put it on the lamp-stand to shine for everyone in the house.'"

I am charged with sharing my light, my gifts, my talents with all I meet. I know they aren't really uniquely mine, but God's and that they were given to me to do God's will, that is, to love other people and spread God's love. My gifts should serve as an inspiration to others. As I celebrate and share my gifts, I give others permission to share theirs. We then live to our highest and best potential by glorifying God through the demonstration and implementation of who we are most deeply and completely.

Dear God, may I love you profoundly by loving myself and others through the practice of my gifts. May I do so with a joyful heart and a smile, knowing that I am alive. May I look to others like my sister Andrea, who, despite great physical pain, still managed to celebrate life and cultivate love in all she met.

Lk 5: 1-11

"'Master we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so I will pay out the nets.'"

Faith and trust. Peter shows both these things when he decides to expend th etiem and energy to do what seems to him to be a complete wate of time. Instead, he is rewarded with that which he had been seeking.

Jesus reminds us to trust and sometimes to trust what seems to be silly or ridiculous. If I have faith, If I believe in what is possible, and am not bridled by fear or anxiety, I can achieve anything if it is the will of God.

Lk 5: 1-11

"'Do not be afraid; from now on it is people you will be catching.' Then, bringing their boats back to land they left everything and followed him."

I have nothing to be afraid of if I trust in and follow the Lord Jesus. He sees the true me and loves me . he sees the goodness, the potential and urges me to do the same. He reminds me to leave my fear at the water's edge and begin each day, each moment with words and actions of faith. I will catch people as Peter did with words and deeds of kindness, faith, hope and love. There are no greater forces in the universe, and if I remember this always, not only will I be happy but I will spread love, joy and happiness to all those I meet. Jesus calls em to this ministry. I am commanded to do this - it is the only way to truly live.

Jn 1: 1-18

"Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received -
one gift replacing another,
for the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.

I am the beneficiary of much grace. My life is full of examples of grace. They are too numerous to count. I am loaded with the blessings of God. Jesus's life serves as a model for me to spread this grace and let it abound around me.

I have many gifts that are the same person or relationship which continue to give to me each day. The unfolding of relationships are some of the greatest gifts I could ask for because if I really pay attention, I see God manifest, or the power of God at work. I have to stop to look and pay attention, without judgement or reservation. The gifts of God are there, waiting for me.

Jn 1: 1-18

"..and the Word was God."

When I remember that the word of the gospel (whole bible?) is the word of God, I understand the power of the words and am better able to believe in the power of their presence in my life. When I live by these words, I am happy, or at least questioning, which is a form of happiness. Questioning is a kind of prayer, a dialogue with God. I ask things like, "Is this really true?" and "Does this really work for me?"

Luke 2: 41-52

"...and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies."

This passage reminds m e of the power of listening and truly hearing. Oftentimes I'm only listening for what I want to hear and just waiting foir the answe rto arise that validates my preexisting understanding of how things are or how things ought to be. When I am truly open, without preconception or judgement I can hear new things and be astounded.

This, of course relates to the children in my life - my own and my students - but it also relates to anyone with whom I interact. I should prepare to be astounded by the smallest of interactions.

Luke 2: 41-52

"'My child, why have you done this to us?
See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.'"

Mary's exclamation of fear and concern is very reminiscent of my own. I can empathize as a parent with the concern of knowing where my child is and what he's doing. I also understand the child Jesus' response which is all too common. Essentially, he's telling his mother to relax, and can't understand what the big deal is. He is supposed to be there. This is a beautiful example of the challenge of finding the balance in a relationship, of love and concern, and a foreshadowing of the letting go that many parents face in paternal relationships.