Week 24 Daily Dose of Love
#162 (6/11)
Seeking
a Sign
Matthew 16:1-4
The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they
asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It
will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for
the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs
of the times. An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except
the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
Mark 8:11-13
The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking
him for a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this
generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left
them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.
Luke 12:54-56
He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud
rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. And when
you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. You
hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present
time?”
There are no signs that can prove love. We cannot provide hard, and factual evidence to support
the certainty that we are loved. Love is a gift from God and the very act of trying to measure or verify
it diminishes our ability to receive it. Experiencing God’s love requires openness, trust and, at times, risk.
Hesitation and skepticism build walls that keep love at a distance. We think we are being “sure”
and keeping ourselves safe, but we are actually cutting ourselves off from the source of life. The people to whom Jesus was speaking allowed their minds to override their hearts.
If their hearts had been open, they would have recognized that the most loving person ever born was in their midst.
He is with us now but we need to be open and trust him in order to experience his love.
Reflection/Discussion:
How can we maintain openness to God’s
love during times of doubt and uncertainty?
Principles of Love:
Acceptance; Opening; Vision
Pray Through the Day:
Not my will
But thine be done
#163 (6/12)
Leaven of the Pharisees
Matthew
16:5-12
When the disciples
reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch out, and
beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They said to one another, “It is because
we have brought no bread.” And becoming aware of it, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why
are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for
the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how
many baskets you gathered? How could you fail to perceive that I was not speaking about bread? Beware of
the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” Then they understood that he had not told them to beware
of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Mark 8:14-21
Now the disciples had forgotten to bring
any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch
out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” They said to one another,
“It is because we have no bread.” And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why
are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do
you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke
the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.”
“And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they
said to him, “Seven.” Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
Luke 12:1
Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered by the thousands,
so that they trampled on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees,
that is, their hypocrisy.
When yeast is added ground wheat, it transforms it into something very different. The
yeast spreads through the entire mixture changing its very substance. Like yeast, our attitude affects every
part of our being. They form who we are and form what we become. The self-centered,
rigid, and judgmental attitude of the Pharisees transformed them from children of God into harsh critics caught up in appearances. Our attitude
filters how we view the world. Love cannot penetrate hardened attitudes created by judgment and skepticism.
It can’t get through the slick surface created by making appearance a priority. Rigid, judgemental
attitudes reinforce the misguided perception that humans are basically selfish and appearance is all that really matters.
They lead to further hardening and a slicker surface, which entices others to adopt the same illusion.
Jesus tells us to beware! Reflection/Discussion:
How is God’s yeast different than the yeast of the Pharisees?
Principles of Love:
Vision; Learning
Pray Through the Day:
Open our eyes
So we may love
#164 (6/13)
Blind Man Healed
at Bethsaida
Mark 8:22-26
They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his
hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I
can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again;
and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away
to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”
The blind man from Bethsaida initially regained only partial sight but realizes that
he does not see clearly. We are incapable of clearly seeing God in this lifetime. We will
never have more than partial sight; nor will we ever fully realize the extent his love for us while we are here on earth.
The danger is in believing we have the whole picture when our image of God is like seeing people who “look like
trees walking.” We need to regularly and humbly recognize our blindness
and bring it to Jesus. He will gradually improve our vision so we can more clearly see how much he loves
us.
Reflection/Discussion:
How can we maintain awareness of our limited
vision?
Principles of Love:
Vision; Humility
Pray Through the Day:
Open our eyes
To deepen our love
#165
(6/14)
Peter Identifies Jesus
Matthew 16:13-20
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who
do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others
Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you
say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,
but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the
gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever
you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then
he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Mark 8:27-30
Jesus went on with his disciples to the
villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”
And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Luke 9:18-20
Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples
near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They answered, “John the
Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” He said
to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.”
Peter didn’t “figure
out” that Jesus was the Messiah. He opened his heart and realized the truth of who Jesus is.
Peter recognized Jesus by opening to and trusting God. Other’s speculated on who Jesus might be using logic, deduction, and extrapolation.
These things cannot bring us to a full appreciation of Jesus. Logic brings order to our thinking,
deduction aids in understanding, and extrapolation helps us to make connections and project into the future. They
help to clear and organize our thinking but are not sufficient to open our hearts. Love surpasses reason
and transcends calculation. Love requires openness and trust, which means we must acknowledge what we don’t
know. Reflection/Discussion:
How can we get to know Jesus in our hearts?
Principles
of Love:
Opening
Pray Through the Day:
Open our hearts
To your love
#166 (6/15)
Jesus Foretells his Passion
Matthew 16:21-23
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo
great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.”
But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting
your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
Mark 8:31-33
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must
undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three
days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting
your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
Peter demonstrates how easy it is to slip from openness and trust in God to a self-centered
attachment that things go our way. Jesus had just told Peter that he was the “rock” on which
he would build his church and then moments later calls him “Satan.” No doubt Peter thought he
was demonstrating compassion and concern for Jesus and wasn’t aware that he had made a giant leap in the other direction.
It is not only possible, but quite easy to turn away from God when we think we are doing exactly the right thing. Love cannot
co-exist with selfishness and there is a constant temptation to give into the pull of self-centered security, esteem, pleasure,
and comfort. Peter struggles with this again and again and again. So will we.
Reflection/Discussion:
How can we recognize when we are becoming self-centered or attached?
Principles of Love:
Suffering; Acceptance; Vision
Pray Through the Day:
Use our pain
To open our hearts
#167
(6/16)
Self-Denial and the Cross
Matthew 16:24-28
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to
become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want
to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will
it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay
everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death
before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Mark 8:34-9:1
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and
those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit
them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also
be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he said to them, “Truly
I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
Luke 9:21-27
He
sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be
rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Then
he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and
follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake
will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?
Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and
the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who
will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
The meaning of the Greek words translated as “deny oneself” is “to act in
a selfless way and to give up one’s place at the center of things.” Denying
the self is a process of bringing mind and heart into harmony. Our heart seeks to open to the love of God,
our father and creator. But in this world, our mind is lured and enticed toward gratifying self-centered
needs. When we deny selfish impulses turn away from obstacles that block our ability to fully experience
the love of our father. When we set aside self-centered needs and desires, we become open to our true nature,
which brings real satisfaction and lasting fulfillment.
Denying one’s “self”
requires that we accept suffering and use it as a vehicle to open our hearts to God’s love. Our self-centered
impulses tell us to avoid suffering at all costs and to fight against pain even when it seems inevitable. Resisting
suffering increases tension, which intensifies pain. Accepting suffering allows us to rest in the arms
of our loving father who has created everything in the world except our misguided selfishness.
Reflection/Discussion:
What makes it so hard to accept suffering?
Principles of Love:
Acceptance; Suffering; Nature
Pray Through the Day:
Not my will
But yours be done
#168
(6/17)
The Transfiguration
Matthew 17:1-13
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high
mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his
clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud
overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen
to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they
looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son
of Man has been raised from the dead.” And the disciples asked him, “Why, then, do the scribes
say that Elijah must come first?” He replied, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all
things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased.
So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he
was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
Mark 9:2-13
Six
days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was
transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And
there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,
it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the
cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they
looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain,
he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So
they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. Then they asked
him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said to them, “Elijah is
indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings
and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased,
as it is written about him.”
Luke 9:28-36
Now
about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.
And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly
they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure,
which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep;
but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter
said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one
for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed
them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This
is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they
kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
Watching Peter gives us hope. In
earlier passages, he was told he was the “rock” on which Jesus would build his church but then quickly slipped
into self-centered thinking and was corrected by Jesus. Now he has an experience of Jesus in his
full glory and a catches a glimpse of the kingdom that Jesus talked about. Once again, “not knowing
what he said,” he blurts out another self-centered idea. This time God himself makes the correction:
“This is my beloved son, listen to him.”
“Be still and listen”
is good spiritual advise for Peter and for us. Our self-centered impulses can come up with all kinds of
schemes that make us feel temporarily important, gratified, safe, or fulfilled. But Jesus has something
to say to us. He is in our hearts now, at this very moment. Listen...
Reflection/Discussion:
How can we keep our “self”
from interfering with listening to Jesus?
Principles of Love:
Nature; Vision
Pray Through the Day:
We were created
From God’s love
