The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Two things are for sure in this world…taxes and death – I can’t avoid either one of them.  I not going to spend anytime talking about taxes here (although I do recommend you pay them), but I’m beginning to hear more and more from people that we are in the end times.  My thoughts about this is that I cannot avoid death, so I will always be in the end times.  With that in mind, it is of the utmost importance that I live my life accordingly and try to set an example of that to my family, friends and any who may know me.  This isn’t an easy task in our very casual world that we live in…Satan can be found in many venues these days and he is constantly lurking to lure me off that narrow path.  Yesterday’s readings and Today’s readings are a reminder of not only why I need to stay on that path, but how I can stay on that path.

Food nourishes and keeps us strong; spiritual food nourishes our spirit and keeps us strong in the faith.  Yesterday’s readings teach us the importance of eating that spiritual food and drinking that spiritual drink…

Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

…Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full…

Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy?  Only in God will my soul be at rest; only in God will I find the bread of eternal life; only in God can I drink from the cup of eternal salvation.  I need this food, this drink, to keep me moving forward on that narrow path to salvation.  Satan lies in wait and I must keep my being well nourished to deal with that reality.  St. Paul tells us yesterday how nourishing God’s bread and drink can be…

Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

NOTHING can separate of from the love of our triune God.  NOTHING.  But in order for us to clearly understand and stay focused on that we must be well nourished in the food that God provides…Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.  So how is it that we eat well?  How do we delight in rich fare?  Take a look at the Psalm for today as it offers a great start…

Follow the statues of our loving God.  If I’ve said this once, I’ve said this a hundred times…follow the commandments of our Lord and commit to them – make them part of your everyday life.  Once you start following these you’ll come to understand these are not restrictions on your life but they are a great guidance to how live your life in the Lord.  They will lead you to God’s table of plenty.  Dedicate your life to Christ and you too will walk on water…

Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

As long as our focus is on the Lord, we can do anything in His name.  It is only when we start to let the strong winds of life frighten us that we start to sink.  Again, fear not if you’re sinking but follow the example given by Peter and cry out “Lord, save me!”  You may be chastised…Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” but you will be saved and the winds will die down…After they got into the boat, the wind died down.

Do something great for our Lord today – go to the waters of everlasting life.  Start a strong prayer life today and commit to God’s commands.  Strengthen your faith and learn to love and trust God completely.  The path is narrow and full of distractions that leads to the Lord which is why He gives us food and drink to keep us strong and on the path to eternal life.  I know the hour of taxes (April 15th, Midnight); I do not know the hour of death but I am ready for it when it happens because I choose daily to follow God and do what He commands me to do.

God’s will, not mine, be done.

Be not afraid; just have faith.

Jesus, I trust in You.

He must increase; I must decrease.

Lord, if You wish, You can make me clean.

But you man of God chose righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience and gentleness.  Compete well for the faith.

Eternal God, in Whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion – inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us so that in difficult moments we may not despair nor become despondent but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will which is Love and Mercy itself.