One Walk

Dear Lord God, today is for me a day of reflection and thanksgiving. For in the midst of tribulation and rising flood waters You placed me on dry land in Tampa with my baby girls Kelly and Haley to help Shaun and to be able to rest with them in love surrounded with the reality of all the blessings You have given me. O Lord thank you for this time, the opportunity to help them, to be with them and love them. For continuing Your work in me; for it is as St. Augustine states, ‘Conquer yourself and the world lies at your feet’, O Lord that You would continue to help me learn how to conquer myself with discipline of the body and control of the spirit. And may you bless my Kelly, Haley and Shaun, their home and their marriage always drawing them closer to You. This I ask in the name of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, Amen.

Conquer yourself and the world lies at your feet.

— St. Augustine

Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1, 9-17; 8:4-9

10 the angel said to the young man, "Brother, today we shall stay with Raguel. He is your relative, and he has an only daughter named Sarah. I will suggest that she be given to you in marriage, 11 because you are entitled to her and to her inheritance, for you are her only eligible kinsman.

1 When they reached Ecbatana and arrived at the house of Raguel, Sarah met them and greeted them. They returned her greeting, and she brought them into the house. 9 So he communicated the proposal to Raguel. And Raguel said to Tobias, "Eat, drink, and be merry; 10 for it is your right to take my child. But let me explain the true situation to you. 11 I have given my daughter to seven husbands, and when each came to her he died in the night. But for the present be merry." And Tobias said, "I will eat nothing here until you make a binding agreement with me." 12 So Raguel said, "Take her right now, in accordance with the law. You are her relative, and she is yours. The merciful God will guide you both for the best." 13 Then he called his daughter Sarah, and taking her by the hand he gave her to Tobias to be his wife, saying, "Here she is; take her according to the law of Moses, and take her with you to your father." And he blessed them. 14 Next he called his wife Edna, and took a scroll and wrote out the contract; and they set their seals to it. 15 Then they began to eat. 16 And Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, "Sister, make up the other room, and take her into it." 17 so she did as he said, and took her there; and the girl began to weep. But the mother comforted her daughter in her tears, and said to her,

4 When the door was shut and the two were alone, Tobias got up from the bed and said, "Sister, get up, and let us pray that the Lord may have mercy upon us." 5 And Tobias began to pray, "Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers, and blessed be thy holy and glorious name for ever. Let the heavens and all thy creatures bless thee. 6 Thou madest Adam and gavest him Eve his wife as a helper and support. From them the race of mankind has sprung. Thou didst say, `It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper for him like himself.’ 7 And now, O Lord, I am not taking this sister of mine because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that I may find mercy and may grow old together with her." 8 And she said with him, "Amen." 9 Then they both went to sleep for the night. But Raguel arose and went and dug a grave,

Psalm 128:1-5

1 Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! 2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. 4 Lo, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD. 5 The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!

Bible Study: [Psalm 128] A statement that the ever-reliable God will bless the reverent (Psalm 128:1). God’s blessing is concrete: satisfaction and prosperity, a fertile spouse and abundant children (Psalm 128:2-4). The perspective is that of the adult male, ordinarily the ruler and representative of the household to the community. The last verses extend the blessing to all the people for generations to come (Psalm 128:5-6).

Mark 12:28-34

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" 29 Jesus answered, "The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." 32 And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any question.

Bible Study: [28-34] See the note on Matthew 22:34-40. [[34-40] The Marcan parallel (Mark 12:28-34) is an exchange between Jesus and a scribe who is impressed by the way in which Jesus has conducted himself in the previous controversy (Mark 12:28), who compliments him for the answer he gives him (Mark 12:32), and who is said by Jesus to be "not far from the kingdom of God" (Mark 12:34).

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Dear Lord God, O Lord as St. Augustine remind us  today, ‘There is something in humility that strangely exalts the heart’. It is with this humility that I seek to walk each day, free of myself and those who by their own nature bring out the old ways I seek to leave behind. For I seek the truths of my Lord God, who through Jesus Christ is Son, My Lord, I am able to now approach to confess, repent and ask for the past, the now and the future; all them time going in the now, aware that it is in the now that I can find You my Lord God. For You are the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. You are not bound by times past or future for You are in the now; the eternal now of God where all time is embraced by You and all my love one’s who have passed on to be with You in eternity. O Lord God in Jesus name I ask Your guidance, grace, mercy and blessing; not so much for me but for those who may look to see You in me. For I , I am content just to be with You! In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

There is something in humility that strangely exalts the heart.

— St. Augustine

Video Reflection Link: http://www.atlanticvideo.com/clients/ccom/playreal_b2.php?file=clay0606.rpm&cat=1&desc=Msgr.%20Michael%20Clay%20(1:21)

Tobit 3:1-11, 16-17

1 Then in my grief I wept, and I prayed in anguish, saying, 2 "Righteous art thou, O Lord; all thy deeds and all they ways are mercy and truth, and thou dost render true and righteous judgment for ever. 3 Remember me and look favorably upon me; do not punish me for my sins and for my unwitting offences and those which my fathers committed before thee. 4 For they disobeyed thy commandments, and thou gavest us over to plunder, captivity, and death; thou madest us a byword of reproach in all the nations among which we have been dispersed. 5 And now thy many judgments are true in exacting penalty from me for my sins and those of my fathers, because we did not keep thy commandments. For we did not walk in truth before thee. 6 And now deal with me according to thy pleasure; command my spirit to be taken up, that I may depart and become dust. For it is better for me to die than to live, because I have heard false reproaches, and great is the sorrow within me. Command that I now be released from my distress to go to the eternal abode; do not turn thy face away from me." 7 On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it also happened that Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, was reproached by her father’s maids, 8 because she had been given to seven husbands, and the evil demon Asmodeus had slain each of them before he had been with her as his wife. So the maids said to her, "Do you not know that you strangle your husbands? You already have had seven and have had no benefit from any of them. 9 Why do you beat us? If they are dead, go with them! May we never see a son or daughter of yours!" 10 When she heard these things she was deeply grieved, even to the thought of hanging herself. But she said, "I am the only child of my father; if I do this, it will be a disgrace to him, and I shall bring his old age down in sorrow to the grave. 11 So she prayed by her window and said, "Blessed art thou, O Lord my God, and blessed is thy holy and honored name for ever. May all thy works praise thee for ever. 16 The prayer of both was heard in the presence of the glory of the great God. 17 And Raphael was sent to heal the two of them: to scale away the white films of Tobit’s eyes; to give Sarah the daughter of Raguel in marriage to Tobias the son of Tobit, and to bind Asmodeus the evil demon, because Tobias was entitled to possess her. At that very moment Tobit returned and entered his house and Sarah the daughter of Raguel came down from her upper room.

Bible Study:  [6] It is better for me to die than to live: in his distress Tobit uses the words of the petulant Jonah (Jonah 4:3, 8), who wished to die because God did not destroy the hated Ninevites. In similar circumstances, Moses (Numbers 11:15), Elijah (1 Kings 19:4), and Job (Job 7:15) also prayed for death. Everlasting abode: a reference to Sheol, the dismal abode of the dead from which no one returns (Job 7:9-10; 14:12; Isaiah 26:14). The revelation of a blessed immortality had not yet been made. See note on Tobit 4:6. [7] From here on, the story is told in the third person. Tobit 3:7 relates one of the several marvelous coincidences which the story teller uses to heighten interest; see also Tobit 3:16, 17; 4:1; 5:4. Ecbatana: Hamadan in modern Iran; this was the capital of ancient Media. Raguel: "friend of God." [8] Asmodeus: in Persian aeshma daeva, "demon of wrath," adopted into Aramaic with the sense of "the Destroyer." He will be subdued (Tobit 8:3) by Raphael (Tobit 3:17) "God heals." [11] Facing the window: that is, looking toward Jerusalem; cf Daniel 6:11: Blessed are you and "Blessed be God" are traditional openings of Jewish prayers (Tobit 8:5, 15; 11:14; 13:1). [17] Tobiah had the right: according to the patriarchal custom of marriage within the family group. Tobiah was Sarah’s closest eligible relative (Tobit 6:12). Cf Tobit 4:12-13; Genesis 24.

Psalm 25:2-9

2 O my God, in thee I trust, let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. 3 Yea, let none that wait for thee be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. 4 Make me to know thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation; for thee I wait all the day long. 6 Be mindful of thy mercy, O LORD, and of thy steadfast love, for they have been from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions; according to thy steadfast love remember me, for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD! 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

Bible Study:  [Psalm 25] A lament. Each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Such acrostic psalms are often a series of statements only loosely connected. The psalmist mixes ardent pleas (Psalm 25:1-2, 16-22) with expressions of confidence in God who forgives and guides.

See CS Lewis’s Reflection of the Psalms

Mark 12:18-27

18 And Sad’ducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, 19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the wife, and raise up children for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no children; 21 and the second took her, and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; 22 and the seven left no children. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife." 24 Jesus said to them, "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, `I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong."

Bible Study: [18-27] See the note on Matthew 22:23-33. [[23-33] Here Jesus’ opponents are the Sadducees, members of the powerful priestly party of his time; see the note on Matthew 3:7. Denying the resurrection of the dead, a teaching of relatively late origin in Judaism (cf Daniel 12:2), they appeal to a law of the Pentateuch (First five Books of the Old Testament) (Deut 25:5-10) and present a case based on it that would make resurrection from the dead ridiculous (Matthew 22:24-28). Jesus chides them for knowing neither the scriptures nor the power of God (Matthew 22:29). His argument in respect to God’s power contradicts the notion, held even by many proponents as well as by opponents of the teaching, that the life of those raised from the dead would be essentially a continuation of the type of life they had had before death (Matthew 22:30). His argument based on the scriptures (Matthew 22:31-32) is of a sort that was accepted as valid among Jews of the time. [23] Saying that there is no resurrection: in the Marcan parallel (Matthew 22:12, 18) the Sadducees are correctly defined as those "who say there is no resurrection"; see also Luke 20:27. Matthew’s rewording of Mark can mean that these particular Sadducees deny the resurrection, which would imply that he was not aware that the denial was characteristic of the party. For some scholars this is an indication of his being a Gentile Christian; see the note on Matthew 21:4-5.]

Dear Lord God, today I sit in quite, my thoughts few, my anxiety reserve but present in what is to be. My mind tries to focus on who and what I am and how; as I write I recall last night and think what do I have, what am I doing and how am I being. Well my past confessions lay out my full awareness of all my transgressions as Your child, a person, a son, a brother, a husband, a father and more; not always pleased but often confused, is this confusion just the prideful selfish being that lies inside because at the same time I repent; but I must rise for I cannot let pity and sorrow consume me, I must shake off the dust, the doubts and move on with eyes of faith. So as with almost every day I start with You, but today I am slow to get up and going weighted down by the words and actions of others whether against me of not. O Lord then You recall through my Bible study the life of Job and in Job 2:9-10 their exchange when she rebukes him and he says "Are even you going to speak as senseless women do? We accept good things from God; and should we not accept evil?" ‘Through all this, Job said nothing sinful.’  O Lord I (we) are such selfish soul not even allowing one day of darkness to quite and give me rest. Forgive me, remove from me this selfish subconscious wining and replace it with conscious feelings of acceptance for we walk together, and what more can I, can anyone ask or seek than to know they walk with You. Change that worry over what will be next to a anxious excitement over knowing that what comes next is Thy will for me! Let my prayers source be a humble heart, let my mind fervently feel that source, let my spiritual being e resigned to that source, let my body persevere because of that source and let this be done with all reverence for You my Lord God, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Prayer ought to be humble, fervent, resigned, persevering, and accompanied with great reverence. One should consider that he stands in the presence of a God, and speaks with a Lord before whom the angels tremble from awe and fear.

— St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi

St. Boniface, Bishop, Martyr (Memorial)

c. 672 – June 5, 754), the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid or Wynfrith at Crediton in the kingdom of Wessex (now in Devon, England), was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the Netherlands.He was killed in Frisia in 754. First Mission to Frisia was in 716. In 723, Boniface felled the holy oak tree dedicated to Thor near the present-day town of Fritzlar in northern Hesse. He did this with Elijah in mind. Boniface called upon Thor to strike him down if he cut the "holy" tree. According to St. Boniface’s first biographer, his contemporary Saint Willibald, Boniface started to chop the oak down, when suddenly a great wind, as if by miracle, blew the ancient oak over. When Thor did not strike him down, the people converted to Christianity. He built a chapel from its wood at the site where today stands the cathedral of Fritzlar. Later he established the first bishopric in Germany north of the old Roman Limes at the Frankish fortified settlement of Büraburg, on a prominent hill facing the town across the Eder River. The felling of Thor’s Oak is commonly regarded as the beginning of German Christianization north and east of the old borders of the Roman Empire.

Triva: A little-known fact is that he started the Christmas tree tradition that we know today. It is true other cultures had similar objects, but they were entirely different in meaning and purpose. The Christmas tree was created as a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. The trees that Boniface cut down to demonstrate this were trees that were holy to the pagans. By cutting down the trees (after a startling scene), he was showing that their gods would not be able to rebuke him because they were not real. It also signified that there was only one holy tree, the cross upon which Jesus Christ had died.

Tobit 2:9-14

9 On the same night I returned from burying him, and because I was defiled I slept by the wall of the courtyard, and my face was uncovered. 10 I did not know that there were sparrows on the wall and their fresh droppings fell into my open eyes and white films formed on my eyes. I went to physicians, but they did not help me. Ahikar, however, took care of me until he went to Elymais. 11 Then my wife Anna earned money at women’s work. 12 She used to send the product to the owners. Once when they paid her wages, they also gave her a kid; 13 and when she returned to me it began to bleat. So I said to her, "Where did you get the kid? It is not stolen, is it? Return it to the owners; for it is not right to eat what is stolen." 14 And she said, "It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages." But I did not believe her, and told her to return it to the owners; and I blushed for her. Then she replied to me, "Where are your charities and your righteous deeds? You seem to know everything!"

Bible Study: [12] Late in winter: literally, "seventh of Dystros," the Macedonian month which corresponds to the Jewish month of Shebat (January-February). For the table: literally, "for the hearth"; the gift had probably been made in view of some springtime festival like the Jewish Purim. [14] Anna’s sharp rebuke calls to mind the words of Job’s wife (Job 2:9).

Psalm 112:1-2, 7-9

1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 7 He is not afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is steady, he will not be afraid, until he sees his desire on his adversaries. 9 He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever; his horn is exalted in honor.

Bible Study: [Psalm 112] An acrostic poem detailing the blessings received by those who remain close to God by obedience to the commandments. Among their blessings are children (Psalm 112:2), wealth that enables them to be magnanimous (Psalm 112:3, 5, 9), and virtue by which they encourage others (Psalm 112:4). The just person is an affront to the wicked, whose hopes remain unfulfilled (Psalm 112:10). The logic resembles Psalms 1; 111.

Mark 12:13-17

13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Hero’di-ans, to entrap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it." 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar’s." 17 Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." And they were amazed at him.

Bible Study: [13-34] In the ensuing conflicts (cf also Mark 2:1-3:6) Jesus vanquishes his adversaries by his responses to their questions and reduces them to silence (Mark 12:34). [13-17] See the note on Matthew 22:15-22.

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Dear Lord God, I wake as I went to sleep, thankful, committed and anticipating; for You, to You and of You. It is like I know I must do my part, but I also know I must wait on You to do Your part, even of that is just to point and show me the way. I mean after all we did not get to this point without reason or purpose. Even if I made mistakes a long the way I believe we are at the fork in the road that You had planned. So I look up to You, and I look within to You; thinking it is like the roller coaster 360 loop; starting forward, looking upward, rolling over and inward, back to the starting point but slightly off to the right or left to go forward again. But on path is narrow than the other, guide me Lord onto the path You will for me. O Lord I know You are with me and hear my thoughts, feel my prayers; protect, comfort, hold those I hold dear in You. These things I say and ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

If He who was without sin prayed, how much more ought sinners to pray?

— St. Cyprian

Tobit 1:3; 2:1-8  3 I, Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I performed many acts of charity to my brethren and countrymen who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh.

                        1 When I arrived home and my wife Anna and my son Tobias were restored to me, at the feast of Pentecost, which is the sacred festival of the seven weeks, a good dinner was prepared for me and I sat down to eat. 2 Upon seeing the abundance of food I said to my son, "Go and bring whatever poor man of our brethren you may find who is mindful of the Lord, and I will wait for you." 3 But he came back and said, "Father, one of our people has been strangled and thrown into the market place." 4 So before I tasted anything I sprang up and removed the body to a place of shelter until sunset. 5 And when I returned I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow. 6 Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, how he said, "Your feasts shall be turned into mourning, and all your festivities into lamentation." And I wept. 7 When the sun had set I went and dug a grave and buried the body. 8 And my neighbors laughed at me and said, "He is no longer afraid that he will be put to death for doing this; he once ran away, and here he is burying the dead again!"

Bible Study: [1] Tobit: in the fragments of the book found at Qumran, is given as Tobi, an abbreviated form of Tobiyah (Tobit 1:9; Ezra 2:60) or of Tobiyabu (2 Chron 17:8), a name which means "Yahweh is good." Tobiel, "God is good"; Hananiel, "God is merciful." The book abounds in theophoric names.

                  [1] The feast of Weeks: also called by its Greek name Pentecost, was celebrated fifty days after the Passover. Cf Lev 23:15-21; Deut 16:9-12. [2] Almsgiving and charity to the poor are important virtues taught by the book (4:7-11, 16, 17; 12:8, 9; 14:10, 11).

Psalm 112:1-6

1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house; and his righteousness endures for ever. 4 Light rises in the darkness for the upright; the LORD is gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered for ever.

Bible Study: [Psalm 112] An acrostic poem detailing the blessings received by those who remain close to God by obedience to the commandments. Among their blessings are children (Psalm 112:2), wealth that enables them to be magnanimous (Psalm 112:3, 5, 9), and virtue by which they encourage others (Psalm 112:4). The just person is an affront to the wicked, whose hopes remain unfulfilled (Psalm 112:10). The logic resembles Psalms 1; 111.

Mark 12:1-12

1 And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. 2 When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they took him and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. 5 And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed. 6 He had still one other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, `They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this scripture: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; 11 this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?" 12 And they tried to arrest him, but feared the multitude, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them; so they left him and went away.

Bible Study: [1-12] The vineyard denotes Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7). The tenant farmers are the religious leaders of Israel. God is the owner of the vineyard. His servants are his messengers, the prophets. The beloved son is Jesus (Mark 1:11; 9:7; Matthew 3:17; 17:5; Luke 3:22; 9:35). The punishment of the tenants refers to the religious leaders, and the transfer of the vineyard to others refers to the people of the new Israel.      

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