Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 27: 30-28:7; Psalm 103: 1-12; Romans 14: 7-9; Mt. 18: 21=35

remembering
death and decay
and know
who you are
in spirit
one in Christ
one body
of all
immersed
in a kind
and merciful God
filled with
boundless
compassion
a God
who suffers
with us
forgives
our sins
as we are to forgive
holding no debt
we are free
to love
as we are loved
not nourishing
anger
or hateful things
but nourished
and fed
with kindness

How tightly do you hold and nourish anger?
Do you release into God’s kindness, compassion and mercy?

Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

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?

Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ezekiel 33: 7-9; Psalm 95: 1-9; Romans 13: 8-10; Mt 18: 15-20

one law
we can know
we love
with open hearts
not hardened
and closed
to God’s voice
but singing
joyfully
with thanksgiving
that God
is in our midst
giving us
the strength
to do
to be
what we think
we cannot
softened
and formed
in God’ love
we feel gratitude
to know
who we are

Do you know the one thing you must do?
Can you do it?
Who is your neighbor?