You only have I known

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12 Psalm 5:4-8 Matthew 8:23-27

Amos 3:2  "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

When you are at some event with your kids and there are other kids there as well, and something goes wrong because the lids have misbehaved, you  may be most likely to punish your own kids.  They may or may not be mostly to blame, but you don't scold the other kids, you scold your own.  Why?  Because you love them.  You have no real relationship with the other kids.  Your kids are your own and they reflect on you and you are concerned for their behavior.  So you take it out on them.

We often are most harsh with the people who are closest to us.  There is a familiarity that allows us to do that , but we also have to live with them, and we need to work towards a more cooperative relationship with them as opposed to those we don't really know.

Thank God for his discipline and his love.  You don't really want to be one of the ones he doesn't care about.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to seek to obey and bring honor to your name.  Forgive me for my offenses and be patient with me. Help me to understand that it is you alone that really loves me.

Amen