December 14, 2018 Friday of the 2nd week of Advent-C ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
Isaiah 48:17-19
Psalm 1
Matthew 11:16-19
If you hearken to my commandments, your prosperity would be like a river… Is. 48:18
Whatever he does prospers. Ps. 1:3
Lord, who doesn’t want to be prosperous? We spend an enormous amount of time and energy working and planning for our financial prosperity. We can focus on our material prosperity and ignore our spiritual prosperity. Halfway through this Advent season is a good time to take inventory of how you have so thoroughly blessed us. Your grace and peace is indeed like a river. The banks of my river are covered with fruitful trees and green grass. You provide all I need at every point in my life. When I am attentive to following your commandments and living in your truth my spirit is rich in all I truly need. I can have financial setbacks and lose material goods. I can even suffer sickness and broken relationships. But in the midst of it all you watch over me and will never let me perish. In the remaining days of this season make my heart more grateful for your greatest gift, your birth among us. You couldn’t have given us any more than you have: yourself for all time. May I delight in the prosperity of the faith you have planted along the river of my heart. Amen.