Category Archives: Deuteronomy

Blessed are the merciful

School of Rembrandt van Rijn
The Good Samaritan, 1645-1655
Pen and brown ink, with brush and brown wash, on cream laid paper
Art Institute of Chicago

[Jesus replied,] “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”

Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:36-37

When we heed the voice of the Lord, we set our minds and hearts to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. We make a commitment to forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We intentionally follow the way of nonviolence and seek peace and reconciliation at every level of our beings.

Today I will listen only to the voice of the Lord. I will treat all people with the same mercy I ask God to show me.

One with God in love

God Is Love
SashaLee19 [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

“The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Deuteronomy 6:4

Our love manifests in many ways. Respect for the environment and all of God’s creation. Gratitude for our many blessings. Listening attentively to the opinions of others. Encouraging those who are downhearted. Bringing food to the food pantry. Treating all people with courtesy. Saying “Please” and “Thank you” to the people who help us. Donating our unused clothing and household items to an organization that will distribute them to people in need. Speaking words that express peace, hope, and kindness. Praying for an end to war and violence.

Lord, may I be one with you in love. Please show me how to love you and my neighbor today.

Listen

Alexandre Bida (1813-1895)
Jesus Teaches in the Synagogue, 1875

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Psalm 95:7-8

Jesus speaks with authority about taking care of the hungry, homeless, and imprisoned. He speaks with authority about welcoming strangers. He speaks with authority about loving my enemies and forgiving those who hurt me.

Today I will soften my heart, listen to the Lord’s call to love and care for each and every member of our human family, and respond in a concrete way.

Remember the Lord

© José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro / CC BY-SA 3.0

Moses said, “Do not forget the LORD, your God.” Deuteronomy 8:14b

We are always in the presence of God. We commit ourselves to remember the Lord no matter what is happening in our life, our family, or our world, to thank him for his gifts, and to call on him for all our needs.

Today I will start and end my day with an Our Father for peace and unity in our world. I will say grace before each meal and remember I am one part of the Body of Christ.

One with the Lord

Friedrich Böhringer
Chrome steel letters on a rusty steel plate 3 May 2009

“The Lord is one.” Mark 12:29

Each precious human person is the Lord’s, one with the Lord, one with the Lord’s goodness, compassion, and love.

Today I will be one with the Lord by treating myself and each of my neighbors with respect and kindness.

God-reminders

JESUS MAFA. Jesus multiplies the loaves and fish, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. [retrieved June 14, 2020]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr

“Do not forget the LORD, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery; who guided you through the vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground; who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock and fed you in the desert with manna, a food unknown to your fathers.” Deuteronomy 8:14b-16a

It is God who leads me through and out of the dark, arid, despairing times. The kindness of people who listen to me, encourage me, and feed me with their love and compassion are God-reminders of Who is in charge.