If you find it difficult to pray for those who are enemies or whom you find it hard to forgive, pray for them for the sake of pleasing God. This shift of focus makes your job easier, while following God's will.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Love Needed for Happiness
It is common knowledge that even any infant knows whether he or she is being loved by the parents or other adults. A child so loved becomes a happy grownup. This works for adults too. If we acknowledge that God is our Father and let him love us, we'll invariably be happy. This morning as I received Holy Communion, love came to dwell with me in solid form.
God Most Tender
The Gospel Acclamation today is based upon John 14.23: "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him." I hear these words of Jesus said with such tenderness and love ~ how anyone with a heart can possibly shut him out?
God Is Our Friend
Today is the Memorial of St. Cyril and St. Methodius. The Entrance Song reads: "These are holymen who became friends of God, glorious heralds of divine truth." What strikes me is that we worship our God, but we are also his friends. This means that we can approach and talk to him as if he is our equal, for he is humble. There is no doubt that he is the best friend we can possibly have and basically the only friend we'll ever need. I do not know other religions in the world well, but I venture to say that this is a unique aspect of our God as revealed through Christ our Savior.
Monday, February 13, 2012
One More Mark of Truth
In John 3, Jesus said that "everyone who believes in him may have eternal life". Later in John 14, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." These and others are familiar sayings of the Lord, but pay attention to the boldness of these claims! Either he spoke the truth or falsehood. We see that everything he said or did challenges us to deal with it. A big sign could be placed next to him that literally says "Ignore me at your own peril!" There isn't another human being like that. To me, this is another one of the marks of a true God.
Freedom Under God
By my own free will, I have chosen to surrender to Christ. Never at any time have I felt that the Lord has shackled me in any way. On the contrary, I've never felt so free in my whole life. Should I decide to break off my relationship with Jesus, I am entirely free to do so. In other words, the Lord only loves and teaches me, never trying to control me (the free will is mine to keep) ~ another reason why I love Jesus. (Psst, I am not going to break off with him.)
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Unseen Miracle
In the Gospel reading from Mark 1, a leper came to Jesus and asked Jesus to make him clean. The Lord, moved with pity, touched him and said, "I'll do it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately. To us that was obviously a miracle. Then I saw that every time we repent and Jesus forgives us and removes our sins, that's a miracle too! In a way, it's even more wonderful than physical healing and we should take full advantage of this power of God at our beck and call.
We Are of Christ
In Reading 2 at Mass from 1 Corinthians 11 was Paul's plea: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." It struck me that if we are faithful Christians like Paul, each one of us should be able to declare "I am of Christ" openly with great joy, pride, and satisfaction.
We Cannot Beat God
Today's Response to Psalm reads: "I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation." The Lord is always ready for us, so the question is whether we are ready to turn to him to receive his joy. Suppose we view this as a contest to see who can maintain his stance longer ~ you or God. Of course, God will always be looking at you. If you don't turn to him, you ultimately lose. But if you give up and turn to him, then both you and he win. In other words, in this game you must lose to win. The truth is that we can never beat God in any game we play ~ submission is our only sensible choice.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Christian Life a Crescendo
At this morning's mini-retreat, I heard the word "crescendo" and I thought of the Christian life as being a crescendo. As you discover Jesus and move closer to him toward union, you experience more and more love, freedom, joy, and peace and see that the Lord will be all yours at the end.
Becoming Fearless
A Christian lives for God alone and not for himself. Because he has no more concern for himself and there is no need to fear for God, he becomes fearless.
"Porta fidei"
At a mini-retreat, I heard part of this letter by Pope Benedict XVI on the "Year of Faith" read. It is very beautiful and well worth reading if you have some time. The letter was made public on Oct. 17, 2011 and the "Year of Faith" is to begin on Oct. 11, 2012, so you will probably hear more about it as we approach October. On the following site, you can read extracts of this long letter in PDF form: http://www.smcim.org/files/portal/news/attach1_307.pdf
Are You Harvesting?
Almost two thousand years ago, Jesus said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." Today, the laborers are still few, so where are you?
Should You Be a Saint?
Look at St. Peter and St. Francis ~ they both gave up everything to follow Jesus. Can we do it too?
- Did God make them humanly superior to us?
- Is God limited in his power to transform us into saints?
- Should we love God less than Peter and Francis?
God Is Personal
In today's Gospel read from Mark 8, Jesus multiplied seven loaves of bread and a few fish to feed a hungry crowd of about 4,000 because his heart was moved with great pity for them. This was a great miracle, but his mercy was even greater. I love Jesus because he became one of us and identified himself with us! He is not untouchable or high and mighty. On the contrary, he is both personal and humble, ready to become one with us! Through Jesus, we're able to see clearly what God is truly like. For this, I am eternally grateful.
From Submission to Peace
Total submission to God leads to perfect harmony with God's will which leads to complete peace of the heart. Pure, simple logic.
The Apostle Advantage
When you feel the Lord's presence at all times, you feel as if you are one of the Apostles, seeing and following Jesus at all times.
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