Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 5th Week of Lent: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 31; Evening, Psalm 35;
Exodus 4:10 to31; 1st Corinthians 14:1 to 19; Mark 9:30 to 41:
“John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” (Mark 9: 38)
Earlier, in this same chapter, Jesus has told them that he was going to be handed over to those who will have him killed and this is what he came into the world to do. This was Jesus’ lot in his life. But sadly they were arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest in their own lives, forgetting that our Lord Jesus was sacrificing himself, not promotng himself. They were so off track. Now they are confused about someone outside of themselves, doing good works in Jesus’ Name, but because they did not know the person they tried to stop him. I wonder if they even listened to themselves. Our Lord Jesus sure has a lot of patience. I’m glad he does. Lord knows, I am always in need of the Patience of Jesus. How about you?
If we don’t learn anything else from the original followers of our Lord Jesus, let us at least learn that we are always learning. We don’t know it all, and the beautiful part is, nobody else knows it all either. We are free to go about life in the comfort of knowing that all humanity is trying to figure out life together. We can’t do it apart from one another, not successfully anyway. The more of us that use our Lord Jesus’ Name the better. Perhaps the best we can do is to learn from others who have also followed Jesus in their own way. This is why I am always reading from the writings of the saints. I call them my heroes. They were still learning right up to the day they departed this life.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, while we believe that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life, we also know that there are many Christian paths learning from your teachings. Give us tolerance Lord Christ as we witness your mighty works made manifest in believers we have not met. Let us be compassionate rather than competitive when we witness your hand at work in others, you O Christ, who works through the faith of all believers for the sake of all people. Amen.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 