You've been where you are long enough. God is saying, "This is a new day. Get your fire back. Where you are is not where you're supposed to stay." If you'll be determined to move past your mountain, He will lead you and empower you to live in favor and blessing in every area of your life!

Friday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

1 Peter 4:7-13

Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13

M ark 11:11-25 And he entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple; and when he had looked round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. (12) On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. (13) And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. (14) And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it. (15) And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons; (16) and he would not allow any one to carry anything through the temple. (17) And he taught, and said to them, "Is it not written, `My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers." (18) And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and sought a way to destroy him; for they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching. (19) And when evening came they went out of the city. (20) As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. (21) And Peter remembered and said to him, "Master, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered." (22) And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. (23) Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. (24) Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (25) And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Meditation by Deb Fortina

1 Peter 4:7-13 “…Beloved, do not be surprised that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as if something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ…”

Psalm 96: 10, 11-12, 13 “…The LORD is king.  He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity…”

Mark 11: 11-26 “… Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”  Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.  Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him’ …”

St. Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes,  (1614-1645) Born in Quito,  Ecuador, the youngest of eight, both her parents were aristocrats, but they died when she was young and so she grew up under the care of her oldest sister and her husband, where she later lived as a hermit.  Many websites speak of a phenomenon displayed in the sky at her birth which signaled the type of Faith life she would lead.  She became a Third Order Franciscan after being refused entrance into a religious order.  She was able to work many miracles, with the sign of the cross or by sprinkling holy water.  She was tremendously at the service of our Lord, in constant prayer and living on the daily Eucharist she received.  She publicly offered her life to spare Quito from a large plague that had hit the city, and died shortly after.  She is the patron saint of Ecuador, the Americas, people who aren’t accepted into religious orders, or who have lost their parents, as well as sick people.

It’s not that I don’t believe God’s Word, but lately the readings have pointed out to me how much I take my Faith for granted. From today’s reading in 1st Peter, I was surprised to see the parallel to today. He was talking to the people and telling them not to be surprised at the trial by fire they were experiencing. Earlier in the day, I had heard a guy on the radio saying that through suffering comes purification. And I thought about the sex abuse scandals, and how there is much suffering on both sides of that issue. And then Peter says we should rejoice when we suffer, because we can join with Christ in His sufferings.  And the saying I’ve heard all my life began to make so much sense to me, the one about offering our suffering up. I’ve always thought, no I just want the suffering to end. But, really we suffer a little everyday, and sometimes we suffer a lot. It’s happening everyday. When we hear of someone who is ill, or is about to die, we suffer. Through the advancements in communication, we know what is happening to everyone of us anywhere in the world, and we’re all connected to each other.  We can’t really escape suffering, and so the reading today really helped me understand the words said over and over throughout my life to unite our suffering with Christ, and if finally made sense. If you’re going to suffer, how much more powerful than to concede the feeling or pain and offer it up to the Lord to be used to bring about some good.  It’s almost like it s not wasted, but can be converted for some good. 

And, Mark’s Gospel had Jesus overturning the money changer’s tables and reminding them of an earlier prophecy, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?  But you have made it a den of thieves.”  And then he gives us some incite into the strength of our Faith when he tells the Apostles they can move a mountain into the sea, if when they pray, they believe it will happen.  This really made me stop and think about how firmly I believe when I ask for something.  When I really want something, I always say Thy will be done.  But, Jesus said, first “forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions”.  I’m pretty sure I haven’t considered that step in my prayer requests.

Lord I’m thankful for learning about the life of Mary Ann of Paredes; and for your wonderful teaching on Faith during these Ordinary Times….Amen

Supplementary Reading

Move Past Your Mountain

…you have stayed long enough at this mountain – (Duet 1:6, NIV)

L et me ask you, do you go out each day knowing that favor is already in your future? Or have you gotten stuck in a rut staring at a mountain of disappointment, setbacks or difficulty?

That's what happened to the people of Israel . They were headed toward their promised land. They had big goals and big dreams, but along the way they hit some setbacks and had some disappointments. They got so discouraged that they gave up on their dreams and just settled where they were. One day God said to them, "You have dwelt long enough on this mountain." He was saying, "It's time to move past this and embrace the blessing in your future."

I believe God is saying that to each one of us today. You've been where you are long enough. God is saying, "This is a new day. Get your fire back. Where you are is not where you're supposed to stay." If you'll be determined to move past your mountain, He will lead you and empower you to live in favor and blessing in every area of your life!

Heavenly Father, I give to You every area of my heart. I give You my questions, my disappointments, my doubts and fears. I choose to trade my sorrow for Your joy. I choose to press past my mountains so I can embrace the promises You have in store for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.—Joel & Victoria Osteen

For archive of previous Daily Meditation postings, please visit http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com/

EL SHADDAI Radio Program:  http://www.eradioportal.com/index.php?p=2&aid=1&sid=50&tid=1

GOD BLESS US ALL!

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