Friday, 16th Week in Ordinary Time

July 28, 2023

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072823.cfm

Listen and Understand.

How much the Lord wants us to understand him! Why? So, He can heal us. He speaks our language that requires the full attention of our hearts. We know how it feels when something heavy is wearing on our hearts, and we long to share it with a person we trust who cares deeply about our well-being.

What would happen if we found that they were playing with their phone while we were pouring out our souls? Think of the Lord trying every day to share His heart with us.

The fact is that what He shares with us, we need to hear and understand for our good and well-being. Listening and not listening is the difference between barely surviving and living in His abundance. It’s the difference between His seed falling on infertile ground and ground that will bear much fruit.

Quiet time with the Lord in prayer, even for five minutes, means more to him than 24 hours of mouthing prayers without heart. Intention is everything. We intend to be with Jesus. That’s it! Nothing else matters. Distractions come and go.

Gospel Challenge:

Have no concern about what they are about or the number of times they come around. As long as we intend to be with Jesus, our souls will hear His Word for that day, and our hearts will understand without fail. The fruit and effects in our lives will be enormous, thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.

God will take our simple heart-felt prayers and works of charity and multiply them like He did the loaves and fishes. Pray with Mother Mary, “Let it be done to me as you say!”

Peace, my friends.

IGNITE THE FIRE!

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC