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Thought for the day

 

Take this thought with you today to remind you that God is with you in all you do. His love can shine through your actions this day.  

Thought for the day

Forgive your brother

Forgive or get tortured? Jesus certainly puts a high price on forgiveness. But his concern here is not really about my brother or sister, or about forgiveness. His concern here is about my heart and soul. I was born with a gift, a gift for...
Text: ‘In anger his master handed him over to the torturers til he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’ Matthew 18:34‑35 Image: a pile of sacks
Thought for the day

Busy with my father's affairs

Today is the feast of St Joseph. St Joseph is another model for the journey through Lent. We know that Joseph was a spiritual man, sensitive to the movements of angels, like Jesus in his temptations in the desert. When the angel came to Joseph in a...
Image of old stone temple in the Holy Land. Text: ‘Why were you looking for me?... Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’ Luke 2:49
Thought for the day

Living water

At this time in Lent the readings start to shift from the Gospel of Matthew, with its emphasis on the cruelly treated Messiah, to the Gospel of John. Here the emphasis moves to another level. The focus is on Jesus as a bearer of divine love. The...
Text: ‘If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you: Give me a drink, you would have been the one to ask, and he would have given you living water.’ John 4:10 Image: drop of water falling, ripples
Thought for the day

This man welcomes sinners

Here is another confronting revolution. I naively expect Jesus to be wearing white robes, sporting a halo and generally being nice. But no, Jesus eats with sinners. If this Lenten journey is about turning my life and my values around, then here is a...
Text: "This man... welcomes sinners and eats with them.' Luke 15:12. Image: glass of wine, grapes.
Thought for the day

Like lambs among wolves

Today is the feast of St Patrick. St Patrick travelled like a lamb among wolves. As a teenager he was captured by pirates and sold into slavery. Being a slave, he learned about Jesus. He felt guilty about a terrible crime he committed when he was...
Text: ‘Remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.’ Luke 10:3 Image: lamb.
Thought for the day

Carried away by angels

How I wish right now that I were Lazarus, so loved by God. But I do not wish for his destitution and disease. I fear I am like the rich man, living a rich life on a planet where so many millions have nothing. Lord, soften my heart. Help me to fall...
Text: ‘The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham.’ Luke 16:22 Image: beautiful fluffy white clouds
Thought for the day

Going up to Jerusalem

I feel terrible today. I have had more bad news about the health of my beloved, who doesn’t seem to feel so terrible at all, saying ‘At least I have an end in sight.’ I have had a bad day at work. All I try to do seems like a failure. I can’t let go...
‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death … and on the third day he will rise again.’ Matthew 20:18 Image: Sea of Galilee
Thought for the day

The greatest among you

The Gospel is full of Copernican revolutions. Copernicus was the one who suggested that the sun doesn’t revolve around the earth, despite appearances, but that the earth revolves around the sun. Jesus says that the greatest must become servant and...
Image: a lion Text: The greatest among you must be your servant (Matthew 23:11)
Thought for the day

Be compassionate

Today I saw my beloved after two weeks of chemotherapy: gaunt, hair nearly gone, warm eyes, a warm embrace. I felt terrible, unable to find a word of hope. Perhaps my feelings showed. ‘Don’t worry about me. I’m fine,’ came the reply, ‘I know this is...
A young boy helping another boy to climb up a hill - silouhette. Text: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate…. ’ Luke 6:36
Thought for the day

Jesus was transfigured

I have had four memorable mystical moments in my life. These profoundly timeless encounters with the indescribable wonder we call God are the foundations of my faith. And yet, for all the other thousands of days of my life, trying to remain in the...
Text: ‘There in their presence Jesus was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light.’ Matthew 17:2 Image: mountain with white light.
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