Ordinary Time: Tuesday, September, 12, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Job 29:1-20

Job today longs for the days of old. That is one the things we can do the most in times of trial; remember the blessings of the past. Sometimes in the present moment of trail, we are tempted to think that there has never been grace in our lives before. That is not true. God has been with us in times past and will be with us again in days to come. We must remember that.

We must never forget what God has done for us. We must always remember that He has given us salvation, given us grace, given us hope. No matter the trials you are going through today, God is still with you and will be with you. Do not forget what He has done for you in the past, and know that He will be with you in the days to come.

New Testament Lesson

Acts 14:1-18

Now, any one that has every been used by God for something knows what it can be like to get the "big head." In fact, all of us know what it is like at some point to get the big head, to think more of ourselves than we really are. Today, Paul and Barnabas get a chance to really get the big head. The people of the town call them gods; they say that they are the human forms of the Greek gods. Paul says, no, we merely proclaim His message, that is all that we are.

That is true for us as well. No matter how great your talents, remember, fall in love with the giver of the gift, not the gift itself. We are nothing without God. Whatever good that comes out of us come from God working through us. He deserves praise for the good. He deserves credit for our gifts. It is His glory we should seek; not our own. Today, remember that you should be an arrow, pointing not at yourself, but pointing to God.

Gospel Lesson

John 10:31-42

We see all throughout John the people want signs, and Jesus is actually performing them. They just don't see. They don't see because they are not looking. We don't see what God is doing because we don't look. We don't hear what God is doing because we don't listen. He is at work. We just don't pay attention. And, the reason why we don't see and hear is because we don't do it right.

First we must have faith. When you have faith, you see signs every where. When you have faith, you hear His voice everywhere. We don't see and hear because we don't have faith. Today, stop looking with your eyes. Look with your heart; look with faith. If you look with faith, you will see signs. Today, will you see? Or will you remain blind?