Tuesday - the New Year

Prayer:  Creator God,  we stand at the beginning of a new year ready to take the first step into 2013.  Bless us in all that we do and say this day.  May our actions reflect Your actions.  May our words reflect the love of Your words.   Remind us to spend time in prayer so that we can glorify You this day and always.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Read  St. Luke  6:  17 – 19

After Jesus had spent time in prayer and selected the twelve,  Jesus and the disciples then came down off  the mountain.       Soon,  they were joined by a huge crowd who came from all over Judea and Jerusalem. Luke tells us that the crowd came to Jesus for two reasons.   The first reason was the crowd had come to hear Jesus’  teachings.  The crowd came to learn.   When we go to Church each Sunday,  what do we learn about the Scriptures as they are read and then illumined in the Sermon.     The second reason was the crowd came to be cured of their ailments.    

All too often,  we only read of people coming to Jesus with requests to be healed.   Today too,  when we read Prayer Requests,  most of the requests are “give me, give me”  and we forget to add the important words of “may God’s will be done”.    

Luke also writes that the crowd came from all over Judea and Jerusalem,  from Tyre and Sidon.  The crowd went out of their way to find Jesus.    Ask yourself… do you go out of your way to find Jesus?   

And those in the crowd who needed healing where healed that day.  Jesus didn’t stop with healing only a few and then waved good bye to the rest of the crowd… no,  Jesus stayed and healed many people.  

As we near Epiphany,  we think of the gifts the Wise Men brought to the Infant Christ.   What gift or treasure do you think the crowd was hoping to find in Jesus’ teachings that day?   With the crowd listening to Jesus’ teachings,  they were healed inwardly as their knowledge and love of God was grown.     What gift or treasure will you find today in this  Gospel lesson about Jesus?       

Ask God today for the wisdom and ability to have eyes to see and ears to hear what God has set out before you this day.

Prayer:  Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Immortal One,  we ask this day for wisdom and the ability to have eyes to see and ears to hear what You have set out for us this day and always.   May the love of the Christ Child  flow through our bodies with healing and grant us wisdom, strength,  and Your love.     This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.