Ordinary Time: Monday, July 16, 2007

Old Testament Lesson

1 Sam 18:5-16, 27b-30

Jealousy is a very dangerous thing. We see it here begin to eat away at Saul. There is nothing wrong with respect or admiration. There are all folks we think, I'd like to be like them. But, what Saul had towards David wasn't that. He envied David, and envied David's walk with the Lord. He was jealous of all that David was, and that envy turned to a murderous rage. And, it eventually helped to destroy Saul.

Let us be careful that we do not envy others, or what they they have. It will consume us, it will destroy us. The Lord knew that and placed it in the Ten Commandments, for envy will eat at us and eventually destroy us.

Gospel Lesson

Acts 11:19-30

One of the things that we see in Acts is that as Christians face persecution, they leave Jerusalem and go to other places. In doing that, the Gospel is spread to these other places. Is persecution a good thing? No, but God can use that. There is nothing that God cannot use for some good purpose or good thing. Here He used the persecution the church faced for that.

No matter what you are going through in your life now, God can use it for good. You may not see or understand now, but one day, through His grace, you will see the good He is trying to work right now.

New Testament Lesson

Mark 1:29-45

In the beginning of this passage we see Jesus perform miracles. In the end of this passage we see Jesus perform miracles. What happens in the middle? What happens at the center of the story? Jesus arises early to pray. He knew who He was and what He was called to do. He knew the only way that He could be and do what He should was through always, always being in communion and relationship with His Father through prayer.

We know what we are do, we know who we are to be. How can we hope to do it without prayer? May we be a praying people.