16A23.       Wisdom 12:13, 16-19.  Our God has limitless power to do whatever he wishes but uses that power to be just, kind and caring without limits.  Since we are his children, we must be like him: just, kind and caring.  We can be confident that our God permits repentance for our sins so that we can be reinstated into his good graces.

Matthew 13:24-43.  When we choose to be people of the kingdom of heaven, even though we live on earth, we belong to the king of heaven, God.  While we are on earth, we live in the midst of people who choose to be citizens of the kingdom of this world or earth.  They reject God as their king and choose to follow the rule of other rulers.  Every day the forces of this world who oppose God challenge us with their powerful allurements to change or lessen our loyalty to God.  Belonging to the kingdom of God requires of us to grow more and more in God’s loving goodness.  Belonging to God is not a single stance in one’s life but a on- going drawing closer and closer to the God who is the center of our lives.

Romans 8:26-27.  “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.”  We rejoice that we are weak so that, all the more deeply, we can live in the strength of our almighty and all-loving God.

Ps.86: Oh Lord, “abounding in kindness to all who call upon you,” “turn toward me, and have pity on me; give your strength to your servant.”