I refuse to give up, however. I refuse to be too hard on myself. I know that God understands this tendency in myself and loves me regardless. I know that the Risen Christ promised to be with me until the end of time, despite my failures and sins. In fact, this weakness and sinfulness are actually a gift because time and time again they bring me to my knees to once more realize that there is only ONE God for me. There really is no salvation through anyone or anything else for me." Costly grace, being brought back to the true God after drifting away, is difficult. It is also a treasure.
How many gods do you worship? How many other people, possessions or plans do you look to for salvation? It seems to me that I forget this fundamental truth, clearly given to us in the first of the Ten Commandments. I sometimes cater to many gods in my life: to power, to pride, to my opinion, to an idea, to plans I have made . . . the list goes on. These invitations to pseudo-salvation come and go throughout the various stages of my life and I am still unable at times, to catch myself from making them my center. Are you like me in this regard?
I refuse to give up, however. I refuse to be too hard on myself. I know that God understands this tendency in myself and loves me regardless. I know that the Risen Christ promised to be with me until the end of time, despite my failures and sins. In fact, this weakness and sinfulness are actually a gift because time and time again they bring me to my knees to once more realize that there is only ONE God for me. There really is no salvation through anyone or anything else for me." Costly grace, being brought back to the true God after drifting away, is difficult. It is also a treasure.
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A crippled man is cured and Peter asks those who "hurried in amazement toward them" "You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?"
May this Season of HOPE and JOY fill your heart with the PEACE only Christ can give!
I know, I know. It has been a while and it may have appeared that this blog had ended. Let's just say that we took a little sabbatical and that one thing led to another, etc. You know how that can happen. My apologies for taking a breather from writing. It really is a joy to share spiritually, so hopefully, we can be more faithful during this new year. I met with our parish Women's Bible Group last everning and we had a wonderful sharing together. We talked about the peace that comes from taking the time to really be with God in quiet and stillness. One woman described herself as needing to "carve out for herself" the time and space to be able to do this. Afterall, we live in a fast-paced world, with many demands and responsibilities vieing for our attention. It is true, that if I do not make a definite effort to be with the Lord, it will not happen. It is so automatic for me to keep other doctor, dentist or work-related appointments, but somehow it is very easy to drop the ball when it comes to being faithful in my times for being with the Lord. The key is LOVE. If my relationship with God can be summarized as a reciprocal love between God-who-loves-first and Me-who-loves-sometimes, than I think I can grow in my fidelity to the times I choose to be with God in prayer. I choose quiet and suspend all the activities that may distract me from this time together. I choose to wait for the Lord. May today be a day when we renew our efforts to "carve out some time" to be with God in quiet which always leads to peace. This is my prayer for you. St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans, chapter 8, that "We know that all things word for good for those who love God . . ." (vs. 28) I couldn't help but think how so many times, when the pieces of my life don't seem to fit together, I doubt the truth of his statement. All things? I mean, the sad things, the unjust things, the horrible things, the shouldn't-have-happened things? How do they work together for good?
As simplistic as it may seem, perhaps the remainder of his sentence provides the answer for me. . . . "for those who love God." Perhaps if my life were, like St. Teresa of Calcutta, love would be my clear motive for thinking, acting, desiring, accepting all that fills my life. If love fills me, then negativity, rudeness, despair, unacceptance, --------and more of the human reactions I excuse myself of when things and people are difficult ---- all these ways of coping with or surviving difficulties would have no room to live and grow in me. There would only be room for LOVE. St. Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me. It seems as if the upcoming holiday of Labor Day is a good time to resume our blog.
We think of Labor Day as the end of summer in the United States and a day for picnics and family gatherings. It is all that and more. It is also a celebration of the values we treasure as a nation, first and foremost, the value of having the opportunity of working to earn a living so that we can provide for our families and for ourselves. As we celebrated Labor Day 2016, let us be grateful for our employment and let us pray for the many who right now are unemployed in our country. If we are an employer, perhaps we can think of those who work for us and show gratitude. If we are fortunately employed, perhaps we can give our best to the work we are contracted to do. There is no easy solution to the fact that so many are jobless as I write this. There is no easy fix. Let us not take Labor Day for granted. I couldn't help but think of the images above when reading Jesus' words in today's Gospel about seeing and not really seeing and hearing and not really hearing. How true! I know I do this lots of times. Even with God in prayer, there are times I know God is telling me or asking me something and I "somehow" don't hear it. Do I wonder why?
It isn't always easy to hear or listen to God, especially when God is calling me to some kind of personal conversion needed in my life. Do you sometimes know what God is asking of you, yet play the game of not really focusing on it? I've done that for years and I am still wrestling with some areas of my life that need improvement. Seeing can be a real problem for me too. I can get frustrated with others who fail to see the big picture of things while sticking to insignificant problems that may come up. I sometimes see only through my perspective of things and this can cause problems too. Seeing and listening are gifts from God. Should they be so difficult to open and use? I ask today, for the grace to truly try to hear and see God's Will for me in my life. I may not always catch myself, but it is worth the try. The one thing I need to see and hear more clearly is the consistent truth that God loves me, even when I fail to see or listen. God understands. God does not blow me off or get angry. God waits patiently, even over a lifetime, for me to come around. In you, LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame. 2n your justice rescue and deliver me; listen to me and save me! 3e my rock of refuge, my stronghold to give me safety; for you are my rock and fortress. my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked, from the clutches of the evil and violent. You are my hope, Lord; my trust, GOD, from my youth. On you I have depended since birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength; my hope in you never wavers. *I have become a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge! My mouth shall be filled with your praise, shall sing your glory every day. Do not cast me aside in my old age; as my strength fails, do not forsake me. For my enemies speak against me; they watch and plot against me. They say, “God has abandoned him. Pursue, and seize him! No one will come to the rescue!” I will always hope in youand add to all your praise. Psalm 71: 1-11,14 |
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