Sow an act and you reap a habit.  Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.” -  Charles Read

Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Jeremiah 14:17-22

Psalm 79:8, 9, 11+13

M atthew 13:36-43 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." (37) He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; (38) the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, (39) and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. (40) Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. (41) The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, (42) and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. (43) Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Meditation by Don Schwager

A re you quick to judge the faults of others? Jesus’ parable teaches us patience lest we judge before the time is right. Jesus also warns that there is an enemy who seeks to destroy the good seed of his word before it can bear fruit. Both good and evil can be sown in our hearts like tiny seeds which germinate, and in due time yield a harvest of good or bad fruit. We must stand guard lest evil take root in our hearts and corrupt us.

Charles Read said: “Sow an act and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.” In the Day of Judgment each will reap what he or she has sown in this life. Those who sow good will shine in the kingdom of their Father. They will radiate with the beauty, joy, and fullness of God’s love. Do you allow the love of Christ to rule in your heart and in your actions?

"Lord Jesus, may your all-consuming love rule in my heart and transform my life that I may sow what is good, worthy, and pleasing to you.”

Supplementary Reading

Give God Your Burdens

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. – Matthew 11:30 (NKJV)

F aith is trusting that God will settle the accounts with those who have been unjust and unfair with you. The psalmist David wrote: "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall" (Psalm 55:22). No one travels the road of life without being affected by injustice at one time or another.

But the worst thing that can happen to you is to develop victimitis (sic).

Victimitis (sic) is carrying your grudge and nursing the hurts. This produces a whole new batch of emotional demons to torment your soul. Resentment, anger and self-pity become a mixed-up recipe for messed-up feelings.

If you walk the walk of faith, there will be times when you'll be treated unfairly. At such times, you can be assured that God can handle the injustice a lot better than you can.

You have the faith that He'll settle the score in a way that will be helpful and not hurtful to everyone concerned. So don't carry the grudge; bury it.

You can be sure about one thing. God knows the ins and outs of the entire upsetting situation a lot better than you do. God knows how to pull weeds without killing the flowers!

He understands your opponents, adversaries, and enemies a lot better than you do. God knows how to turn an enemy into a friend, too!

Let God take over whatever problem you face before it does untold damage to your spirit.

Dear God, with Your help, I promise to drop all resentments, all injustices, into the deepest sea of Your power and mercy and love. I trust You to settle the matter in the best way! – Joel & Victoria Osteen

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.

For past gospel meditations, you may visit the following:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes

http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com