Tagged: Prayer Intention

PASSING THE BUCK-THORN

“Once the trees went to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree answered them, ‘Must I give up my rich oil?’ ” –Judges 9:8-9 When those called to lead refuse God’s call, people get stuck with bad leaders. For every bad leader, three people may have refused God’s call to lead (see Jgs 9:9-13). For every buckthorn, an olive tree, fig tree, and vine may have refused to make the sacrifices necessary to answer God’s call. When our leaders come from the “bottom of the barrel,” it means...

PASSING THE BUCK-THORN

“Once the trees went to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree answered them, ‘Must I give up my rich oil?’ ” –Judges 9:8-9 When those called to lead refuse God’s call, people get stuck with bad leaders. For every bad leader, three people may have refused God’s call to lead (see Jgs 9:9-13). For every buckthorn, an olive tree, fig tree, and vine may have refused to make the sacrifices necessary to answer God’s call. When our leaders come from the “bottom of the barrel,” it means...

GIDEON AND MIDIAN

“The last shall come first.” –Matthew 19:30 The Israelites were oppressed externally by the nation of Midian, and internally by their own idolatry. Joash the Abiezrite, father of Gideon, had built an altar to an idol (Jgs 6:25), as well as a sacred pole used in idol worship. God called the fearful Gideon to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression (Jgs 6:14). When Gideon assembled a large army, God told him, “You have too many soldiers with you for Me to deliver Midian into [your] power” (Jgs 7:2). So, God told Gideon to send the fearful men home, which reduced the...

SAD

“The young man went away sad, for his possessions were many.” –Matthew 19:22 American foreign missionaries customarily remark that Americans are much sadder than their Third World neighbors. Our elderly observe that people aren’t as happy as they used to be. Many American cities face an unprecedented epidemic of teen suicides. Almost half our children grow up in broken homes. In many ways, we are a sad society. Like the young rich man, our possessions are many. We refuse to help the physically poor, and thus we have become spiritually poor. We have no joy, happiness, or fulfillment. We choose...

MARY, CAUSE OF OUR JOY

“My spirit finds joy in God my Savior.” –Luke 1:47 The well-known prayer, “Litany of the Blessed Virgin,” addresses Mary as the “cause of our joy.” This title of Mary is most appropriate for today’s feast of her Assumption into heaven. Mary’s entire being found joy in the Lord (Lk 1:46). She spread that joy to others, even Elizabeth’s unborn baby, John, who leapt “for joy” at the sound of Mary’s voice as she carried Jesus in her womb, into their home (Lk 1:44). Mary was also present in the upper room at Pentecost (see Acts 1:14ff) and surely exulted...