For a more enriching experience,
go down on your knees to pray or take it one step further
and prostrate yourself (lay face down) on the floor while praying.
Father, today's reading below is a hefty reminder of 'appearances' and how they fool no one including myself. I know exactly when I'm doing something simply for appearances and when I fall out of alignment with You. The scripture below reminds me of how radical Jesus lived His Life because He was not at all impressed or fooled by appearances. He knew when someone was fasting for appearances. He knew! It reminds me of the time when Jesus overheard the Pharisees asking someone, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other bad people?" He did not let this question slide, instead He gently confronted their question and said, "Healthy people do not need a doctor. It is the sick people that need a doctor." Jesus was not concerned about appearances or whether He met the approval of others. He was not at all concerned about giving them the right answer that would suit their needed appearance. Instead, He gave them THE ANSWER and was gentle and non-confrontational about it.
Jesus was bold, radical and revolutionary. He was on a mission from You. Jesus hung out with the bad people and was not concerned in the least bit that the bad people would rub off on Him. In fact, His mission was to rub off on them. Jesus knew EXACTLY what He was doing. And so it goes in our lives, we have been taught not to hang out with the bad people because they might influence us to be bad. We have been taught to do certain things for 'appearances' sake. But what if we broke through the 'appearances' game and maintained our 'Jesus stance.' This begs the question in me Father, what if I didn't care what others think and I only cared what You think? How would I act and react then?
Jesus once said, "I will tell you something. Go and learn what it means: 'I don't want animal sacrifices; I want you to show kindness to people.'" He was all about right action, not right appearances. In the Scripture below Jesus was telling them that fasting is a sign of mourning and would be inappropriate while He was still with them proclaiming the Kingdom of God. It would be just as inappropriate to fast at a marriage feast, which is a celebration. He was also giving them a glimpse of when He would no longer be with them. He was basically saying, 'Forget appearances people, the appropriate time will come to fast.' Thank You Father for this awareness today and that the Only One I should be concerned about pleasing is You. If I am in Your mindset, then I will already be making the 'right choices' for the 'right reasons' and not for the right appearance.
Through Jesus Christ's Most Precious Blood, Most Sacred Name and Most Holy Face, I thank You for this awareness. Amen~
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matthew 9:14-15
14 Then the disciples of John approached Him and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast (much), but your disciples do not fast?"
15 Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."
The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ
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