Carl Bloch (1834-1890)
Healing of the Blind Man, 1871
If the Lord asked me what I wanted him to do for me, I’d want to see, too. See with my heart. See with love. See with compassion. See how I could use my gifts and talents to be of help and service to others.
And then… be love, be compassion, be of service.
Jesus said to [Bartimaeus] in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Mark 10:51
Jesus welcomes the children – Mark 10:13-16
JESUS MAFA.
Children are not small adults. They experience life with their hearts. They have a mystical connection with the unseen, and hear God in the voices of those whose love is true.
Today I will let a child be my teacher in the way of innocence, vulnerability, and trust in God’s presence.
[Jesus said,] “Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Mark 10:15
_MET_DT9025.jpg)
Harry Fenn (1845-1911)
Caesarea Philippi (Banias)
Watercolor, gouache, brown ink, and graphite on light brown wove paper
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Even the low times contain a stillpoint of joy. The Lord is right there in the moment. I do not walk alone.
Gracious is the Lord and just;
yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord keeps the little ones;
I was brought low, and he saved me.
Psalm 116:5-6
Jesus and apostles. Fresco in Cappadocia
ca.XII c.
God loved us into being. God’s love pours into us and through us and out of us to touch others with tangible, visible, generous love.
Love of God, neighbor, and self: the words of eternal life.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:67-68
Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov (1806-1858)
People Gather Manna
via Wikimedia Commons
A job may earn me money, but my real work is learning to love—at home, in the workplace, in the community, those I know, those I have never met.
Today my work is to practice compassion, patience, forgiveness, generosity, gratitude, nonviolence, and reverence for all of God’s creation. My never-failing mentor is the Lord.
[Jesus said,] “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” ” John 6:27
Loaves and Fishes Mosaic
Church of the Multiplication, Tabgha
Today I choose to avoid divisiveness. I will use my energy to practice patience, treat all people with gentleness, and become more humble by refusing to compare myself with others.
…live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace… Ephesians 4:1b-3
By Phillip Medhurst [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), from Wikimedia Commons
Let us remember God’s power gives us the authority to eliminate divisiveness, war, and fear.
Let us live in humble awareness of God’s will that we love one another as God loves each of us.
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. Mark 6:7
