Sunday

John 8:1-11
At that time, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. And at daybreak He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and sitting down He began to teach them. Now the Scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and setting her in the midst, said to Him, Master, this woman has just now been caught in adultery. And in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such persons. What, therefore, do You say? Now they were saying this to test Him, in order that they might be able to accuse Him. But Jesus, stooping down, began to write with His finger on the ground. But when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself and said to them, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her. And again stooping down, He began to write on the ground. But hearing this, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest. And Jesus remained alone, with the woman standing in the midst. And Jesus, raising Himself, said to her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? She said, No one, Lord. Then Jesus said, Neither will I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on sin no more.

Observation:  Jesus doesn’t excuse the woman’s sin but points out the arrogance of her accusers.

 

Prayer:  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (Matthew 7:21)

 

Monday

Gal 4:22-31
Brethren: It is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a slave-girl and the other by a free woman. And the son of the slave-girl was born according to the flesh, but the son of the free woman in virtue of the promise. This is said by way of allegory. For these are the two covenants: one indeed from Mount Sinai bringing forth children unto bondage, which is Agar. For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which corresponds to the present Jerusalem, and is in slavery with her children. But that Jerusalem which is above is free, which is our mother. For it is written, Rejoice, O barren one, that do not bear; break forth and cry, you that do not travail; for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that has a husband. Now we, brethren, are the children of the promise, as Isaac was. But as then he who was born according to the flesh, persecuted him who was born according to the spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? Cast out the slave-girl and her son, for the son of the slave-girl shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.Therefore, brethren, we are not children of a slave-girl, but of the free woman – in virtue of the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.

Observation:  members of the Church, the ‘new’ Israel, are children of the free woman.

 

Prayer:  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  (Phil 4:13)

 

Tuesday

John 6:1-15
At that time, Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias. And there followed Him a great crowd, because they witnessed the signs He worked on those who were sick. Jesus therefore went up the mountain, and sat there with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. When, therefore, Jesus had lifted up His eyes and seen that a very great crowd had come to Him, He said to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat? But He said this to try him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough for them, that each one may receive a little. One of His disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to Him, There is a young boy here who has five barley loaves and two fishes; but what are these among so many?

Observation:  Jesus can make use of very little to accomplish much if we bring it to Him in faith.

 

Prayer:  Glory to Jesus Christ…glory forever!

 

Wednesday

John 6 cont… Jesus then said, Make the people recline. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore reclined, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, distributed them to those reclining; and likewise the fishes, as much as they wished. But when they were filled, He said to His disciples, Gather the fragments that are left over, lest they be wasted. They therefore gathered them up; and they filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. When the people, therefore, had seen the sign which Jesus had worked, they said, This is indeed the Prophet Who is to come into the world. So when Jesus perceived that they would come to take Him by force and make Him king He fled again to the mountain, Himself alone.

 

Observation:  Jesus had to continually struggle with the hostile and friendly Jews (including the disciples) who would only see the earthly, material role of the Messiah which was secondary to His spiritual role as Savior.

 

Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God;  and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence;  and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit.  (Psalm 51:10-)

 

Thursday

3 Kings 3:16-28
In those days, there came two women who were harlots, to king Solomon, and stood before him, and one of them said, I beseech you, my lord; I and this woman dwelt in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the chamber. And the third day after that I was delivered, she also was delivered; and we were together, and no other person with us in the house, only we two. And this woman’s child died in the night; for in her sleep she overlaid him. And rising in the dead time of the night, she took my child from my side, while I, your handmaid, was asleep, and laid it in her bosom; and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold it was dead; but considering him more diligently when it was clear day, I found it was not mine which I bore. And the other woman answered, It is not so as you say, but your child is dead and mine is alive. On the contrary she said, You lie; for my child lives and your child is dead. And in this manner they strove before the king.

Observation:  judging correctly is very difficult when the truth isn’t apparent.  That’s why we should pray for wisdom and God’s help for spiritual leaders of the Church as well as the leaders of government throughout the world.

Prayer:    Christ is in our midst – He is and always shall be.

 

Friday

3 Kings cont… Then said the king, The one says: ‘My child is alive, and your child is dead.’ And the other answers: ‘No, but your child is dead, and mine lives.’ The king therefore said, Bring me a sword. And when they had brought a sword before the king, Divide, said he, the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. But the woman whose child was alive said to the king – for her heart was moved for her child, – I beseech you, my lord, give her the child alive, and do not kill it. But the other said, Let it neither be mine nor yours, but divide it. The king answered and said, Give the living child to this woman, and let it not be killed; for she is the mother thereof. And all Israel heard the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king, seeing that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment.

Observation:  this is an example of the wisdom given to Solomon by the Lord.  We should ask for wisdom in out day to day affairs as well.

 

Prayer:  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  *Romans 8:28

 

Saturday

Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John
John 2:13-25
At that time, the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple men selling oxen, sheep and doves, and money-changers at their tables. And making a kind of whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, also the sheep and oxen, and He poured out the money of the changers and overturned the tables. And to them who were selling the doves He said, Take these things away, and do not make the house of My Father a house of business. And His disciples remembered that it is written, The zeal of Your house has eaten Me up. The Jews therefore answered and said to Him, What sign do You show us, seeing that You do these things? In answer Jesus said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews therefore said, Forty-six years has this temple been in building, and will You raise it up in three days? But He was speaking of the temple of His body. When, accordingly, He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. Now when He was at Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, many believed in His name, seeing the signs that He was working. But Jesus did not trust Himself to them, in that He knew all men, and because He had no need that anyone should bear witness concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Observation:  by doing this Christ showed us the need for dignified, reverent worship in actions and in ‘environment’ keeping the ‘world’ outside.

 

Prayer:   We adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee for by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.