Focus on Good

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071118.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to focus on the good and not the bad. 

They say that it is a better use of your time and energy to just improve on things you are already good at, rather than spending it learning or improving something you're not good at. It will be more efficient and more productive to strengthen what you’re already good at, because spending the same amount of time and effort in learning something new will not guarantee that you will indeed learn something and improve on something.

It is always better to focus on the positive.

In the gospel, we see Jesus telling the disciples this principle. When he sent them out, he told them not to go to pagan territory or a Samaritan town. These are outsiders. Instead, Jesus told them to go to the lost sheep of Israel. He wanted them to focus on the lost and bring them back, instead of explaining the faith to outsiders and making them convert. Its not choosing what's easier, but choosing what would have greater effect. 

We too are faced with similar situations in life. There are setbacks and challenging things that happen to us. There are negative people in our lives. Maybe we can learn from Jesus, to focus on the good. Focus on God’s word and promises to us. Focus on God’s great plans. And focus on doing what we are supposed to do – become disciples and witness for God. We should not spend our time and energy getting mad at others, being irritated, or feeling depressed on tough times. We should instead use this energy to focus on God, to pray more, to develop a deeper relationship with him that will enable us to just brush away the negativity of life.

Are there negative people in my life? Are there negative situations in my life? What do I do about them? How do I react? Do I choose to see the positive and focus on God, or do I dwell on the negativity? How can I improve my reaction to these things in my life? 

May we learn to focus on the positive, to focus on God, and not on others. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another morning. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, I am sorry for the times I focus on the bad. Sorry for letting my fears, my concerns, my anger and the negativity around me get to me. sorry for the times I focus on these things instead of focusing on you. Help me put my priorities straight. Help me focus on the positive and to focus on you. Help me use my time and energy to know you more, to develop an intimate relationship with you, to love you more. because I know that these will enable me to face whatever happens in life. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 11, 2018

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot
Lectionary: 385

Reading 1 HOS 10:1-3, 7-8, 12

Israel is a luxuriant vine
whose fruit matches its growth.
The more abundant his fruit,
the more altars he built;
The more productive his land,
the more sacred pillars he set up.
Their heart is false,
now they pay for their guilt;
God shall break down their altars
and destroy their sacred pillars.
If they would say,
“We have no king”—
Since they do not fear the LORD,
what can the king do for them?

The king of Samaria shall disappear,
like foam upon the waters.
The high places of Aven shall be destroyed,
the sin of Israel;
thorns and thistles shall overgrow their altars.
Then they shall cry out to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall upon us!”

“Sow for yourselves justice,
reap the fruit of piety;
break up for yourselves a new field,
for it is time to seek the LORD,
till he come and rain down justice upon you.”

Responsorial Psalm PS105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (4b) Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Seek always the face of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia MK 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 10:1-7

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”