BREAD FOR YOUTH

  20th week Time Monday in Ordinary Year One Judge 2:11-19 Meditation The passage outlines a tragic and repeated cycle in Israel's history during the time of the Judges. After the death of Joshua and his generation, the Israelites begin to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, worshiping the Baals and turning away from the God who brought them out of Egypt. In response, God allows them to be oppressed by surrounding nations. Yet, in His mercy, He raises up judges to deliver them. But even then, the people do not fully listen, quickly returning to corruption after each judge dies. It becomes a cycle of sin, oppression, deliverance, and relapse. What practices help us remember and remain grounded in God’s truth? Two Ezek 24:15-24 Know that the Lord is Sovereign! The Lord tells Ezekial that he will take away the delight from his sight. He would give times of trouble and hardships for the people of Israel. His own wife would die, and many others would be put to death. We d...

  19th Week Ordinary Time, Saturday Year One Josh 24:14-29   “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.   Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Josh 24:14-15 In the Old Testament, the concern of Moses, Aran and Joshua was to protect Israel from worshipping other gods. God made us. we belong to him. He is our beginning and end. We exist because of God and have our being. The God who created us has given us freedom to create our own false gods and find shelter under the false gods. In the history of Israel, they created their own gods to satisfy their need for projection and ego. Thus, they went away from God an...

  19th week Friday in Ordinary Time Rev 11:19-12:6,10 Meditation Mary Assumed into Heaven! A virgin birth is something impossible and only Divinely possible. Today the people of the AI generation do believe in the virgin birth. It is right and proper that God be born of a virgin. The woman is chosen and protected from original sin. The child to be born of her will rule the world. God becomes human through the mediation of women. God will protect the woman who gives birth to the Divine child. The mother who gives birth will be a privileged woman. She becomes the mother of the Divine child and the mother of God. The mother of God shares in the life of the Saviour and Redeemer. Her involvement is not over with the giving birth. She continues her mission, but her son wants her aid in his saving action. Jesus loved his mother and did not allow her body to be corrupted. He assumes her into heaven body and soul. Do we believe that we will be with God, Mother Mary in heaven? ...

  19 Week Ordinary Time Thursday Year One Josh 3:7-10a, 11,13-17 Have a Grateful Memory! When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan. (Josh 3:14-17). The ark of the covenant was carried by priests to the river Jorda...

  19th Week Ordinary Time, Wednesday Year One Duet 34:1-12 Meditation Correcting a Brother!   Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses. (Duet 34:9). Moses dies, and he was buried as told. Joshua takes up the lead as the leader of Israel. Moses prepared him to be a leader. He was with him always in leading and guiding the people of Israel. He was prepared to take over the care of Israel. A nation, institute, mission is better led by its leaders who prepare the future leaders to take up the responsibility of leading the mission of God. If the leaders are not prepared, the mission is a failure. Most effective leaders prepare the leaders to carry on the mission. Those who love the mission they do not care of their satisfaction of power but the fulfilment of the mission to see it is carried on by the effective leaders who are prepared. Moses does prep...

  19th Week Ordinary Time Tuesday Year One Deu 31:1-8 At the age of 120, Moses is not able to move much.   The Lord tells him that he need not go to fight.   He tells him to send Joshua.   He will lead the armies, and they will win over the enemies.    The Lord promises through Moses to be strong and courageous.   For the Lord is going before you to fight for you. The one who goes in the name of God need not fear, for the Lord is going to be with us and guide us. Yet, when it happens, the Lord prepares for many places we visit.   The Lord places people before us to take care of us.   Every war we wage in life for good is not ours; it is the Lord's work, and so He takes care and He fights every battle.   We are to be his emissaries. Do you know God sends the right people to fight for you? Year Two Ezek 2:8-34 Meditation A Rebellious Heart! Ezekiel was asked to eat the scroll of lamentation, mourning, and woe. He was ...