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Week 19 Daily Dose of Love #127 (5/7) A Tree is
Known by its Fruit Matthew 12:33-37 “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit
bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person brings good things out of a good treasure,
and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. I tell you, on the day of judgment you
will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words
you will be condemned.” Love always leads to a positive outcome. We may need to endure short-term pain or
struggle, but the fruits of love bring us closer to our creator and each other. Worldly love that focuses
on appearances fills and serves the false self. This produces fruit that is never fully satisfying and
can become bitter and acidic. Love that serves God brings peace, harmony and fellowship. Creating the
appearance of following Jesus can make us feel good about ourselves for a little while. But Jesus reminds
us that a beautiful tree can produce bad fruit. We can be sure we are on the right path by taking regular
time to reflect on the effects of how we think and speak about our faith. Our
thoughts and words reflect what is in our hearts. If our hearts are opening, our words can lead to deeper
understanding and connection. If our hearts are closing through defensiveness or self-promotion, our capacity
for truly connecting with others becomes narrow and restricted. What we think and say both reflects and
affects what is in our heart. Reflection/Discussion: How can we become aware of the fruits
of our thoughts and words. Principles of Love: Decision; Vision Pray Through the Day: Help us always To choose love #128 (5/8) The Sign of Jonah
Matthew 12:38-42 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher,
we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks
for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was
three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in
the heart of the earth. The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn
it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here! The
queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the
earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here!” Luke 11:29-32 When
the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign
will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh,
so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the
people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon,
and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with
this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah
is here!” Everyone likes a good show, but Jesus makes it clear he didn’t come to entertain us. The
people of Nineveh realized their separation from God and changed their ways. But those who asked for a
sign from Jesus didn’t realize that their hearts had been glazed over by superficial expectations that emphasize appearance
over true love. Artificial love is a bright flame that lights up the night but turns to ash the next day.
True, lasting love is like the sun, which warms the earth all day, every day. Our very existence
depends on the light and warmth of the sun, but we have become so used to it and it is so far away that it’s easy to
lose appreciation of its power and influence. The sun is like God in the sense that we can’t get very close physically, but
its dancing flames are spectacular beyond comprehension. The most awesome fireworks display possible on
earth is like the spark from a plastic lighter compared to the dynamic blaze of light that bursts from our sun every moment
of every day. God’s love puts a piece of the sun in the heart of every human being on earth. But
worldly emphasis on excitement and stimulation can entice us to try to create a show that overshadows the love that connects
us with all of creation. Trying to build a light more spectacular than the sun ultimately creates a shadow
that blocks natural warmth and light. We wind up creating a world of artificial light and air-conditioning
that demands a sign that God loves us.
There is something greater than
the greatest show on earth. His name is Jesus and he resides in our hearts. Reflection/Discussion: How can we get past attraction to excitement
and stimulation and allow God’s love to form our attitudes and perceptions? Principles of Love: Vision Pray Through the Day: Open our eyes To deepen our love #129 (5/9) Unclean Spirits Matthew 12:43-45 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting
place, but it finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When
it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits
more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it
be also with this evil generation.” Luke 11:24-26 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders
through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from
which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes
and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is
worse than the first.” Love is not empty, swept, and kept in order. It constantly challenges us to accept
situations that we don’t like and to move toward people whom we would rather shut out. Love requires
that we confront fears and transcend suffering as our heart painfully stretches and deepens. Focusing on the appearance
of being loving helps us avoid discomfort but turns our hearts away from God and each other. Spiritual
pride and hubris are particularly dangerous because we are believe we are moving closer to God when we are actually moving
away from his love for everyone he has created.. It is tempting to take pride and comfort in the order and precision of religious rituals,
especially when they are beautiful and moving. But we increase our risk of making decisions that move us
away from love when maintaining the order of our spiritual practice distracts us from the need for love in this messy, unpredictable
world. Love stays ahead of evil by moving, growing, and deepening.
It constantly challenges our preference to keep everything neat, clean, and organized. Reflection/Discussion: How can we guard against spiritual pride
and hubris? Principles of Love: Humility; Learning
Pray Through the Day: Help us be humble So we may love #130 (5/10) Jesus’ True
Family Matthew 12:46-50 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting
to speak to him. Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting
to speak to you.” But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and
who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:31-35 Then
his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting
around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.”
And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around
him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and
sister and mother.” Luke 8:19-21 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the
crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” There are no ties
closer than family ties. Jesus invites us to become part of his family by doing the will
of his father. He doesn’t say we become his mother, brothers, and sisters by simply believing in
his father, he says we need to “do” “the word of God.” Love is much more than a mental concept or emotional attachment. It requires action.
It’s something we do. And when we do it, we become part of the most wonderful
family in the universe. Reflection/Discussion: What are some specific ways we can act
on the word of God in our daily lives? Principles of Love: Unity; Decision; Opening Pray Through the Day: Bring us together In your love
#131 (5/11) The Parable of the Sower Matthew
13:1-9 That
same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that
he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things
in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path,
and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil,
and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched;
and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and
choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some
thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
Mark 4:1-9 Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large
crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the
land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:
“Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds
came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up
quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root,
it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no
grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty
and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” Luke 8:4-8 When
a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: “A sower
went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.
Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among
thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced
a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” We create the soil where love can
grow and deepen. Love that only makes us feel good does not take root in our hearts and is crushed or consumed
by the drive for sensation and self-interest. Love requires attention, nurturing, and commitment.
It cannot penetrate deep enough to gain sustenance in a heart that is hardened by selfishness, fear, or defensiveness.
Love requires room to grow and spread. Lives choked by distress and distraction
strangle love before it has a chance to take root and blossom. But when love has fertile soil - soil that
is regularly tilled and nurtured by prayer and compassion - it grows and reproduces “a hundredfold.”
Reflection/Discussion: How can we “improve the soil”
where the seeds of God’s love are planted?
Principles of Love: Nature; Opening; Decision
Pray Through the Day: We were created From God’s love #132 (5/12) Reason for Speaking
in Parables Matthew 13:10-17 Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been
given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have
nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing
they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ With them indeed is
fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‘You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you
will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are
hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and
understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, for
they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to
see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.” Mark 4:10-12 When
he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said
to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables;
in order that ‘they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’ ” Luke 8:9-10 Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “To you it has been
given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that ‘looking they may not perceive,
and listening they may not understand.’” Those who have blocked God’s love in their heart see no love in Jesus’ parables
or in scripture. Scripture is the living word of God. The words are alive with depth and meaning.
We can hear a parable and think it is a nice story but as we reflect on it, a deeper meaning rises from our heart.
The purpose of the gospels is not so much to teach us mental concepts but to touch our hearts. We
may know the meanings of the words but we also need to discern their implication for us at this moment in our lives Jesus didn’t
give us recipes or rulebooks. He gave us his heart and his life. But it is possible
to look at what he did and not perceive the depth of love he has for us. It’s possible to hear what
he says and not understand how we need to respond. Those who are open to love receive more love. But those whose hearts
are empty because their minds are closed will lose everything. Love requires openness, receptivity, and
the possibility of discovery and surprise. It is always growing, adapting, and deepening.
Reflection/Discussion: In what situations are we most likely
to “look but not perceive” or “listen but not understand”? Principles of Love: Opening; Learning Pray Through the Day: Open our hearts To your love #133
(5/13) Meaning of the Parable of the Sower Matthew 13:18-23 “Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does
not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet
such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that
person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but
the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was
sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a
hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Mark 4:13-20 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this
parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These
are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown
in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive
it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises
on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are
the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and
choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word
and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
Luke 8:11-15 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word
of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from
their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they
hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away.
As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the
cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil,
these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.” Spiritual soil needs
to be “worked” in this world. It becomes hard and impenetrable when it is trampled on by the
false self’s drive for security, esteem, and short-term pleasure. But we can break up clods of selfishness
by making clear and consistent decisions to be humble, accepting, and receptive to God’s love. Obstacles arise
as love deepens just like rocks work their way up from the depths into tilled soil. But we can dig out
rocks that keep love shallow and weak by affirming our commitment, even though our hands may become calloused and muscles
sore. The world continually clogs up our days and consciousness with stimulation, distraction
and busy-ness much as thorny vines gradually creep into a garden. But with persistent effort, we can clear
worldly thorns and brambles that distract and divert us so there is room for love to grow and spread. All this work pays off by creating “an honest and good heart” where God’s
love can grow and flourish. Reflection/Discussion: How do we maintain “good soil” in our hearts? Principles of Love: Opening Pray Through the Day: Open our hearts To your love
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