It was the year 2000 when I heard Matthew 19:16–17 read at church. In summary, a rich man asks Jesus what he must do to enter heaven and Jesus tells him he must follow the commandments. Shortly after, I heard John 14:15 where Jesus says that if we love him, we will follow his commandments.

I knew we were supposed to love others as Jesus loved us, but I didn’t know his other commandments. So, I decided to read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to learn as much as I could directly from Jesus. Then I would move on to other books of the Bible.

The Bible has bold headings that introduce a group of verses. I read one group of verses a day, reflect on them, and journal my thoughts. I read the footnotes for additional information and context. I also search the internet and read commentaries from scholars, pastors, and priests.

Over the years, my reflections evolved into the following format:

• I pray to the Holy Spirit to ‘help me understand how I can apply the Word of God to my life today.’
• I read and reread the verses and additional information including footnotes, different Bible translations, and commentaries.
• I reflect on everything I’ve read until I feel the Holy Spirit is leading me to a specific aspect of the reading.
• I journal my thoughts, generally in a three-part structure:
  • Summary of the specific aspect of the reading.
  • How that focus area connects with our world today.
  • A prayer for help with the focus area.
• I generally reread what I wrote the next morning and sometimes tweak it.
• Occasionally if I’m stuck, I will come back to it at a later date.
• When I get to the same event by a different Gospel writer, the Holy Spirit sometimes leads me to a different aspect for reflection.

These are my personal reflections. They are what I felt God was telling me at the specific moment in my life. While I don’t believe these reflections are contrary to the teachings of the church, you should consult official church teachings for any specific questions.

My paper journals were getting old so I decided to transfer them to this website and I’m in the process of doing that now. I’m also updating older reflections to the three-part structure outlined above so the transfer process is taking time.

By posting my reflections on this website, I will have them with me everywhere I go. And if anyone else finds them useful in their spiritual journey, then praise be to God!

Questions or comments? Please send me a message.