CatholicJules.net

God is faithful to those who are faithful and obedient unto Him. He provides for and in abundance according to the choices we make to follow His will for us. But the greatest reward of all, is simply to have a deep and meaningful relationship with Him. For in that deep and loving relationship our life is complete and lived to the full. We shall not need neither shall we want.

To enter into that relationship however takes sacrifice, discipline and committment. It requires that we sometimes have to make difficult choices not to follow the status quo in order to follow Him and His way. For instance it may seem like a good idea to have a couple of drinks to loosen inhibitions so as to have a more open discussion at our church meetings, really? Can the Holy Spirit not illumine minds to have such open discussions if you call upon Him? (Eph 5:8) All we need is the Lord our God! There are many other paths we might choose, to cut corners, to shorten prayer time, shorten or even take away time for reflection, Adoration and so on. All in the ‘spirit’ of efficiency and moving things along. Is the Lord in charge then of our lives or have we decided that we know better? The road to perdition is indeed wide and many take it! Let us instead choose the narrow the gate in which the Holy Spirit directs us to take, even if it is hard rocky road ahead. For the end destination is what matters. How wonderful that we will find the Lord at the very end of it.

Lord Jesus guide my steps always. Amen

First reading

Genesis 13:2,5-18 ·
Abram settles in the land of Canaan and builds an altar to the Lord

Abram was a very rich man, with livestock, silver and gold. Lot, who was travelling with Abram, had flocks and cattle of his own, and tents too. The land was not sufficient to accommodate them both at once, for they had too many possessions to be able to live together. Dispute broke out between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and those of Lot’s. (The Canaanites and the Perizzites were then living in the land.) Accordingly Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no dispute between me and you, nor between my herdsmen and yours, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land open before you? Part company with me: if you take the left, I will go right; if you take the right, I will go left.’
Looking round, Lot saw all the Jordan plain, irrigated everywhere – this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah – like the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt, as far as Zoar. So Lot chose all the Jordan plain for himself and moved off eastwards. Thus they parted company: Abram settled in the land of Canaan; Lot settled among the towns of the plain, pitching his tents on the outskirts of Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were vicious men, great sinners against the Lord.
The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted company with him, ‘Look all round from where you are towards the north and the south, towards the east and the west. All the land within sight I will give to you and your descendants for ever. I will make your descendants like the dust on the ground: when men succeed in counting the specks of dust on the ground, then they will be able to count your descendants! Come, travel through the length and breadth of the land, for I mean to give it to you.’
So Abram went with his tents to settle at the Oak of Mamre, at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Gospel

Matthew 7:6,12-14
Treat others as you would like them to treat you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.
‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.
‘Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’