Children often show us the way of listening. They are so curious and so appreciative of each new sound. They absorb everything and seem to realize in their own innocent way, that "All is Gift."
Jesus encourages me to be a person of truth. Truth is the criteria for being a listener. What does it mean to be a person of truth?
I think it means to anticipate the goodness and blessings that await me with each new day. To know the truth, to me, means to know that God loves me. There is nothing that can happen in my day that changes that truth. We see examples of people who live in the truth of God's love throughout history. We call them Saints. They may have suffered greatly and may have seemed deprived of God's consoling presence, yet they held fast to the truth of God's great love within them, despite the lack of consolation which would have made their suffering more bearable. I think of Mary under His Cross. I think of Jesus and Peter and all of the apostles who were martyred. I think of the Little Flower, St. Therese, Damian of Molokai and Maximillian Kolbe. In our own day, I think of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Dorothy Day. The list goes on and on . . .
Why would people strive to bear such suffering joyfully and with faith in God's unseen and sometimes unfelt love for them? Because HE IS RISEN! Nothing can separate us from the love of God, poured forth in Christ Jesus and the power flowing from His Resurrection!
Please help me Lord, to remember this!
(Blogs will be continued after Nov. 23rd, for this week a special Youth Conference will take up all of our blogging time! We look forward to sharing with you after Nov.223rd!)
Jesus encourages me to be a person of truth. Truth is the criteria for being a listener. What does it mean to be a person of truth?
I think it means to anticipate the goodness and blessings that await me with each new day. To know the truth, to me, means to know that God loves me. There is nothing that can happen in my day that changes that truth. We see examples of people who live in the truth of God's love throughout history. We call them Saints. They may have suffered greatly and may have seemed deprived of God's consoling presence, yet they held fast to the truth of God's great love within them, despite the lack of consolation which would have made their suffering more bearable. I think of Mary under His Cross. I think of Jesus and Peter and all of the apostles who were martyred. I think of the Little Flower, St. Therese, Damian of Molokai and Maximillian Kolbe. In our own day, I think of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Dorothy Day. The list goes on and on . . .
Why would people strive to bear such suffering joyfully and with faith in God's unseen and sometimes unfelt love for them? Because HE IS RISEN! Nothing can separate us from the love of God, poured forth in Christ Jesus and the power flowing from His Resurrection!
Please help me Lord, to remember this!
(Blogs will be continued after Nov. 23rd, for this week a special Youth Conference will take up all of our blogging time! We look forward to sharing with you after Nov.223rd!)