Seek the Shepherd

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020919.cfm) reminds me that God rewards those who genuinely seek Him, our one true shepherd. 

Wen we are looking for something really important, we give a lot of effort to it. We do whatever we can to find it. We let go of other things so we can focus on finding what we are looking for. Sometimes we even ask the help of others. This is also how we should act when we look for God. 

God rewards those who seek him. 

We see this in the gospel. Jesus and his disciples have been working hard. They need rest. They are tired. And they were resting.  But when Jesus saw that people genuinely want to find him, that they made the effort and went out of their way to hear him speak and get to know him, Jesus obliged. He rewarded those people even if he was tired. 

If we seek God with all our hearts, we will find him. The bible tells us so. And as we seek him, as we show him our hearts and what is important to us, he will reward us with not just what we ask, but with more. Because he knows we can take it, and we will use these rewards and share them with others. 

God is our shepherd. Both the first reading and the psalm reminds us. This should be an additional motivator to seek him with all of our hearts. 

Do I have time for God? Do I look for him? How do I get quality time with him?

May we work on our relationship with God, and seek him with all of our hearts. As we do so, let us have faith that we will find him, and will be rewarded with more than our heart desires. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another day to love and serve you. Thank you for another weekend. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for looking for worldly things. Sorry for being busy with work, with life, with worldly things, that I forget you. Sorry for not having the desire and for not making the effort to find you. May I never get lost and twisted in the world. May I always know and recognize you. May I always give you importance. And may I always seek you in my life, in my little and big decisions in life. Amen.

Blessed Weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

February 9 2019

Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 328

Reading 1 HEB 13:15-17, 20-21

Brothers and sisters:
Through Jesus, let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise,
that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have;
God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.

Obey your leaders and defer to them,
for they keep watch over you and will have to give an account,
that they may fulfill their task with joy and not with sorrow,
for that would be of no advantage to you.

May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead
the great shepherd of the sheep
by the Blood of the eternal covenant,
furnish you with all that is good, that you may do his will.
May he carry out in you what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Responsorial Psalm PS 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6

R. (1)  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Alleluia JN 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 6:30-34

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.