BEG GOD FOR WHAT HE PLANS TO GIVE YOU AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE IT.

"When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.........
Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly. Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.” (Mark 8: 22.... 26).

Wednesday February 16th 2022, in the 6th Week in Ordinary Time.

What caught my attention in the Gospel of today is this sentence: "When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him."

In many instances of healing in the Gospels, it is reported that people begged Jesus. Jesus responds to ALL beggings for miracle by healing. Not a single instance did people approach Jesus and begged Him for healing did He not cure.

"Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to." (Matthew 18: 32).

Why is it so important to pay attention to all the instances of "Begging" in all the Healing narratives of the Gospel. It may be because Begging is a stronger word for Asking Praying.

Prayer is the Activator of Power. Prayer causes the release of the Divine Providence towards you. St Augustine teaches that for those gifts God has planned to give you which are outside the general provisions of God for mankind, you must obtain them by begging God in other words by praying intensely with faith and persistence for them.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7: 7).

"If you could have heard the urgency and sorrow of My plea to Peter, James, and John! I did not merely ask them to watch and pray, I begged them to do so. I needed their prayer at that hour, just as I need the prayer of all My priests in this final hour that is coming and that is already upon My Church." (IN SINU JESU, March 28, 2013 Maundy Thursday).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com

RELEASE ME FROM THE SNARE THEY HAVE HIDDEN FOR ME.

"Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one. Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire. Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death." (James 1 : 12.... 18).

Tuesday February 15, 2022 in the 6th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Claude de la Columbiere of the Society of Jesus.  (1641 - 1682). French Jesuit priest. Father Claude was a great preacher and writer. He is famous in history because he was the confessor of St Margaret Mary Alacoque, the visionary and mystic whom Jesus communicated the message of His Sacred Heart. St Margaret Mary had great challenges in making these messages accepted either in her convent or outside. St Claude de la Columbiere, her confessor discerned the genuineness of the revelations and lent his support in spreading the word. St Claude de la Columbiere died in 1682 at the age of 41 and was beatified in 1929 and canonized in 1992.

From our key Scripture for today deals with the mystery of Sin and Temptation.
"Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death."  (James 1: 14 - 15).

What are these sins?
"For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world." (1 John 2: 16).

When you are tempted, you are in a Desert place in your spiritual journey. The Desert is a place of spiritual combat in the Scriptures
"Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation,  for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him."  (James 1: 12).

Before you get to the Desert, you must be vigilant.
"Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap." (Luke 21: 34.... 36).

"Release me from the snares they have hidden for me, for You are my refuge Lord." (Cf Psalm 31: 5

"Allow Me to speak words of peace to your soul. Trust Me in all things. Trust that I will not abandon you, nor will I deprive you of My friendship. My desire is to hold conversation with you, to speak to you, as I have often said, heart to heart, as a man converses with his best friend. Why do you doubt? Believe in My friendship for you. It is My gift to you, and I will not withdraw what I have given you out of the love of My Heart." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday, October 17, 2008 Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque).

Daily Bible Verse @ Seekfirstcommunity.com