Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Psalm 54:3-8; James 3: 16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37

hearts exposed
revealing
murderous quests
jealousy
and strife
so far from wisdom
climbing over
one another
to test
with revilement
and torture
quarreling
and fighting
so far
from the hearts desire
to love–
if only
one were to ask rightly
wisdom would come
and uphold our lives
with peace
and mercy
and sympathy
leniency
and kindly deeds
leaving war behind–
a child raised up
we welcome the innocence
see this new life
and seek to serve
the love
that has been
freely given

Do you dare ask rightly and enter wisdom?
Do you see the love you are to serve?

Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13; Psalm 19:2-5; Matthew 9:9-13

be worthy
of the call
you have received
and the grace given
with humility
gentleness
patience
and peace
follow
as the day
pours out the word to day
and night to night
imparts knowledge
hear the voice that resounds
throughout the earth
“love one another
as I have loved you”

Are you worthy of the call you have received?
How do you live out your calling?

1Cor15:12-20; Psalm 17:1-8,15; Luke 8:1-3

resurrected
we see
the light
of Christ
healing touch
of love
and mercy
in a world
of desperate need
content
we share his Good News
and work
for peace
within
His peace
always mindful
of God’s presence
and love

Are you always mindful of God’s presence and love?
How do you share the Good News of Christ?

Luke 7: 36-50

at his feet
we see a path
a way
and put
our faith there
forgiven much
we love much
ever grateful
of the gift
given
and do not
neglect it
absorbed
in God’s word
we act on it
saving ourselves
and those
who will listen

What is the gift you have been given?
How do you use your gift?

The Greatest Gift
1 COR 12:31-13:13

Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, love is not pompous,
it is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

What is love?
How do you experience this greatest gift?

1Cor 12:12-14,27-31; Psalm 100:1-5; Luke 7:11-17

from sorrow
and death
we arise
at His command
one body
in Christ
each a gift
received
to give
again
healing
assisting
teaching
interpreting
feeding a world
in desperate need
with kindness
compassion
and love
we sing
God’s praises
everyday
with a joyful song

What is your gift?
How do you share your gift?

1Cor 11:17-26,33; Psalm 40:7-17; Luke 7: 1-19

one bread
one cup
given to all
not as sacrifice
but as love
beyond
our worthiness
authority
or ability
resting
in God’s generosity
a life
given
as gift
received
as love
we give
as love
from God’s
overflowing cup

What is Christ’s gift to you?
How do you share this gift?

Isaiah 50:4-9; Ps 116: 1-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35

taking up
our cross
we follow
we leave
a certain life
behind us
as we are
saved into
a gospel life
of faith
where each work
of life
is renewed
with Truth
and Love
we walk
in the land of
the living
freed
from death
freed
from tears
freed
from stumbling
we face
hardship
and suffering
knowing
that God is our help
we reach towards
each other
as God’s mercy
reaches
to us

Do you take up your cross and follow?
Do you experience God with you?

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 78:1-38; Phil 2:6-11;John 3:13-17

this God
of love
coming down
with words
of life
for us
pouring himself
into our humanity
that our hearts
and minds
might be opened
his cross
a door
to a risen life
that we follow
though a mystery
we understand
through the language
of suffering
through the language
of compassion
through the language
of love

What do you find in the cross?
Do you find love there?

Luke 6:39-42

leaving
ignorance
and blind guides
we follow
the one
who sees
and knows
the love
of God
not seeing
our faults
in another
but in ourselves
we seek
counsel
in the place
of mercy
and are shown
the path
to life
and joy

Have you been shown the path of life?
Who is your teacher?