The Ways of the World

 

   “And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.”  (1 John 2: 17) 

   I’ve read quite a bit about the early monks, those who went into the desert to live a solitary life with God.  In some cases they were motivated to such extremes by the turmoil they saw in everyday life.  Sinfulness, violence, and hatred permeating their society and, in some cases, the church.  In the desert, alone with God, they devoted their life to Him recognizing that the ways of the world are not the ways of God.

   The same circumstances that prompted many of the desert fathers to leave society for a solitary life are very much in evidence today.  There seems to be no room for moderation, cooperation, or understanding in our society.  If I don’t agree with someone on any number of issues I am vilified, condemned, and possibly a target for arrest and persecution.

   All I want is to serve my God in peace and love.  I don’t hate anyone, I don’t persecute anyone, and I have no desire to do such things.  I may disagree with many aspects of our over-sexed, selfish society, but society is not my responsibility.  My responsibility is to walk the path God places before me.  It is to love my neighbor even when I abhor their sinful practices.  It is to pray for those who would kill babies in the womb, those who would murder the elderly for convenience sake, and those who would execute criminals when the system has been shown to have so many flaws.

   I can’t effectively change the wrongs I see so I’m left with two choices.  I can let society steal my peace and cause despair or I can place it in the hands of God and pray.  I choose prayer. 

There is much evil in the world.

Many seem to glorify it.

I want to live in peace and love.

Fill me with Your loving spirit. 

Amen

 

 The Light of the World

 

   “And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but the people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.” (John 3: 19) 

   “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”  (Gen 1: 3).  The darkness was overcome by the light of God.  Yet, the story doesn’t end there.  Darkness reared its’ ugly head throughout scripture in the evil men did.  Wickedness became so prevalent that God sent the flood to wash away the evil, leaving only Noah and his family to repopulate the earth.

   The process has repeated itself again and again throughout history.  Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their evil ways.  The Israelites, God’s chosen people, rebelled against Him over and over.  Even though they suffered for their evil and prospered when they returned to God’s ways, they continued repeating their mistake.

   Today is no different.  Evil abounds in all walks of life, the Light of Christ is avoided and ignored because the evil doers are convicted of their sins in His brilliance.  The evil will continue until Jesus comes again in glory to vanquish the darkness once and for all.

   Walking in the light isn’t always easy.  It sometimes requires pain and suffering.  Jesus made it very clear that I must deny myself and take up my cross if I am to follow Him (Matt 16: 24).  Yet he will not abandon me in my suffering but will help me carry my burdens.

   When I consider the reward that awaits, the weight of my cross doesn’t seem so heavy.  When I consider the pain and suffering endured by my Lord, my pain is nothing. 

   In Jesus is the Light and the Light overcomes the darkness. 

You are the Light of the world.

Shine on the darkness within me.

Let no evil overcome me.

Take me to Yourself when this life is over. 

Amen

 Thirsting for God

 

   “As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, the living God.  When can I enter and see the face of God?”  (Psalm 42: 2 – 3) 

   When the psalmist wrote the psalm quoted above he was a long way from Jerusalem and longed to return to God in His temple.  While I feel a closeness to God in my life, I am still separated from Him in this world.  My desire is to enter His presence in the eternal temple of heaven.

   The Baltimore Catechism tells me that God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven.  I too often fail in my efforts to know, love, and serve God in this life but I pray that, in His mercy, He recognizes my desire to do so.  I seek to be happy with Him forever in heaven and pray that my attempts at holiness please Him.

   In chapter four of the Rule of St. Benedict, monks are encouraged to consider their mortality each day.  In this way it encourages approaching every moment as a way of serving the Lord, knowing that each moment may be the last.

   “Let us make up for lost time.  Let us give to God the time that remains to us.”  (St. Alphonsus Liguori).  I’m not sure that I can truly make up for lost time but giving to God whatever time I have left is surely the best way to try.

Lord You are with me always.

In good times and in bad.

Help me to serve You in this life.

That I may join You in the glory of heaven. 

Amen

 Time, Blessing or Curse

 

   Time; 24 hours a day, 60 minutes an hour, 60 seconds a minute.  Time is the circumstance of humanity; our lives are often ruled by time and we seem to have difficulty ruling our time.  Using time wisely is not something at which most of us excel.

   Jesus told His disciples that, “Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.” (Luke 12: 7).  There are a certain number of days we are to be on this earth; a number known only to God.  Though we don’t know the time we are allotted we have a responsibility to use it wisely.  With 86,400 seconds in each day, how am I to use each one properly?

   Satan has provided so many distractions in this world to steal our time away.  Television is commonly cited as being one of those things, but wasting time wasn’t invented with television.  People have been wasting their time throughout history.

   Reading can be a good use of time, but what to read?  There are so many books worth reading but there are just as many, if not more, that are simply a distraction and may even rob us not only of time but of our peace in God.

   There is no better use of time than prayer.  To be in communion with the Lord, seeking His will and guidance is the best use of time that I know, but how am I do pray every second of every day?

   Time does not exist in heaven; all is now.  I so look forward to never again knowing time; to be always in the present with my Lord and my God.  If I am to achieve that goal, however, I must make the effort to use my time on earth well.  For me that means accepting what comes with the knowledge that God has all in hand.  

    Regardless the ways of the world, I am to live in the world, not of it.  Saint Paul tells us that we are to, “Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.” (Roman 12: 12).  If I can do these things, I believe I will be using my time on earth wisely. 

Time can be a blessing.

Time can be a curse.

Help me use time rightly.

To always seek Your ways. 

Amen

The Friendship of the Lord

 

   “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.  And what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.” (“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”, written by Charles Converse and Joseph Scriven) 

   Imagine for a moment that you are in serious financial straits.  Bankruptcy looms, you can’t make the payments on your house and the stress may even cost you your family.  Now imagine that a friend comes to you saying that they will pay the cost of your debts, leaving not even a penny unpaid.  Further, they expect no repayment, all they ask is your love.

   This is precisely what the Lord Jesus did for me and for you.  The debt was not one of money but of sin.  The cost to atone for those sins was more than I could pay.  As a sinful man I do not have the ability to perfectly atone for my wrongdoings.  The doors to heaven were closed and I did not have the key to open them.

   Jesus, in His great love, paid that debt for me.  He took my sins upon Himself and paid the price to redeem them.  In my imperfection I could not make amends, in His perfection He atoned for my sins.  The suffering He endured, the pain and agony of the cross were His loving sacrifice to me and to all who will accept it.

   I am stained by sin and though I try, I cannot always avoid it.  Jesus understands my weakness and continues to forgive.  His mercy was not limited to the cross but continues throughout eternity.  Today, tomorrow, and as I take my dying breath He is there to hear my confession and forgive my sins.  He died that I might share eternity with Him. 

Lord I am a sinful man.

I can’t open the gates of heaven.

You came to open them for me.

My soul rejoices in Your mercy. 

Amen

 

In Darkness and In Light

 

   Yesterday evening my neighborhood lost power for about an hour and a half.  At first I kept hoping it would come back on, after all this is Florida and air conditioning is a bit more than a convenience.  However, after about 30 minutes I found that the dark and silence was a wonderful thing.

   This time of year it’s beginning to get dark by about eight in the evening and without appliances, AC’s and such running the house was much quieter than normal.  In the dark and quiet I began my evening prayers, finding in them the peace and comfort that is always there.  But it seemed to be amplified in some way by the deeper silence of the house and the darkness caused by the outage.  It was a wonderful experience.  In the silence and dark there was just me and my God.

   This morning God was in the light.  As I was finishing up my morning walk the sun was coming up.  The sky was somewhat cloudy, and the rising sun was turning them the most beautiful shades of pink, purple and red.  I couldn’t help but think that this is what Jesus does for us.  He takes the clouds of our life and gives them color and beauty.  Though I may not always recognize that He is there, He changes my life.  When I forget myself and turn to Jesus, He brings beauty and joy to all things.

   My experience of last night and this morning reminded me of the love and the majesty of God.  He lights the darkness with His love and mercy, giving direction and purpose.  He brings beauty to all things. 

You are there Lord.

In darkness and in light You are with me.

I see You in all that is.

May I always walk in Your ways. 

Amen

 In Happiness and In Sorrow

 

   “Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart’s desires.”  (Psalm 37: 4) 

   “Sustain me by your promise that I may live; do not disappoint me in my hope.”  (Psalm 119: 116) 

   How easy it is to ignore the Lord and His many blessings when things are going well.  We talk of how lucky we are when in reality it is God’s will.  We brag of our accomplishments, never stopping to recognize that God is the source of all we achieve.

   How quickly we turn to God when things are not going well.  In our pain and suffering we soon seek Him in prayer, asking for comfort.  We even blame Him for our suffering rather than accepting that trials and suffering are a part of life. 

   When my wife passed away someone told me that it was OK to be angry with God.  I couldn’t understand why I should have anger with my Lord when it is Satan who brought death into the world.  Instead of anger I asked for strength to endure and to grow in my faith and trust in God.  He has answered my prayers a hundred-fold.

   It is necessary that I turn to the Lord in all things.  To give Him praise and thanksgiving in times of happiness and joy.  To seek His comfort and peace in times of trial and suffering.  God is not a God of one or the other, but of all things.  It’s difficult but necessary to always remember that everything works for the good when we live in His will.

   Whether happy or sad God is with me.  In joy or pain He is here.  Whatever the circumstances I turn to Him and He will lead me home. 

Help me Lord to always turn to You.

In thanksgiving for Your many blessings.

For Your comfort and peace when I am suffering.

In You is the promise of eternal life. 

Amen

 A New Beginning

 

   “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.”  (Psalm 103: 12) 

   I struggle with past sins.  I am certain of God’s forgiveness but still have difficulty forgetting those sins that have been forgiven.  In some ways perhaps it’s good that I remember them from time to time.  They remind me of two very important realities; I am sinful and will never be perfect in this life, and God forgives my sins when I seek His mercy with sincerity, sorrowing for my failures.

   Satan would have me believe that some of my sins were so heinous that God could not forgive.  He tells me that I’m not sorrowful enough or sincere enough, so God refuses the forgiveness I seek.  He is a liar and the truth is not in him.

   I revisit the gospel accounts of the times Jesus forgave sinners and I take heart that He never once refused forgiveness to those who sought it.  Never did He say that their sin was so great that He couldn’t forgive.  Jesus became man to offer redemption and salvation.  He willingly suffered and died so that my sins could be forgiven.

   No matter the sin, if I trust in God’s love and mercy, it can be forgiven.  Each time I confess my sins I am granted a new beginning; a chance to try harder to do a better job of following the will of God. 

My sins are many.

In Your love and mercy You forgive.

You offer me a new beginning.

Strengthen me to follow Your will. 

Amen

 The Eternal Now

 

   “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day.” (2 Peter 3: 8) 

   I think of heaven a lot.  Since spending eternity in heaven is my ultimate goal, I suppose it should be expected that I contemplate what it will be like. 

   But what is heaven?  There are so many analogies of what heaven will be like, in the bible, in theological thought and teachings, in books, poems, and even in song.  The fact is no one knows except those who are there, and they aren’t telling anyone.  So until this life is over I am left to consider what heaven means even though it’s impossible to know.

   I sometimes think of heaven as the eternal now.  There is no time in heaven, no yesterday, today, or tomorrow, only now.  That complicates my thoughts even more.  Being a creature of time my mind can’t comprehend a condition where time does not exist.

   Heaven is to be perfect love, joy, and happiness.  What that means remains to be seen.  I sometimes consider that it may be the eternal presence of God in ways unknown in this life.  A presence that is not imaged, felt, or sought, but truly is.  I can’t imagine perfect joy and happiness unless a reunion with my wife is included so that we can continue to share the eternal love God gave us in this world.  But again, it's not possible for me to know in this life.

   My dreams and thoughts of heaven may be foolish and unlikely but still it is a comfort to consider them, always recognizing that they will never define the reality.  God alone knows what truly awaits in the next life. 

My dreams of heaven are mortal.

They are only of human thought.

I want to fully understand.

I yearn to experience the reality. 

Amen

Resisting Our Passions

 

   “We find our peace only by resisting our passions, not by giving in to them.” (Thomas á Kempis, “The Imitation of Christ”) 

   We are a passionate people.  We know what we want, and we want it now, not later.  Whatever we desire, we feel it is our right to have it.  The road to ruin is paved with these passions.

   I am a new car guy.  When a car gets a year or two old I start yearning for a new one.  I don’t need it; I simply want it.  The car I have is perfectly fine, has low mileage and does exactly what I need a car to do.  Yet I find myself looking at and contemplating buying a new one.  It’s senseless and unnecessary, but still I am tempted.  It is an earthly passion and temptation.

   Our passions are easy targets for Satan.  Some are harmless and of no real danger to my spiritual life, but routinely giving in to my wants and desires can become a way of worshiping false gods.  If I allow my passions to rule I lose sight of the fact that whatever I have is through the grace of God.  I begin to focus more on the gift than on the Giver.

    In this country we have developed a sense of entitlement that is unmatched in most of the world.   We too often fail to recognize and give thanks to God for the many blessings we have.  Just having enough food to eat and a safe place to sleep can be hard to find in many areas and here I am thinking about new cars. 

    I am very blessed with all God has given me.  I pray that I can be more concerned with thanking Him for those gifts than in replacing them or seeking more.  In His love is the peace I desire, and His gifts are to be cherished. 

There are so many earthly enticements.

Satan tells me I need them all.

All I truly need is Your love and mercy.

Give me the strength to turn from earthly desires. 

Amen

 In Love We Find God

 

“So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13: 13). 

   In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he provides what is, in my opinion, the definition of love that should inspire us all (1 Cor 13: 1 – 13).  This passage is often read at weddings and rightly so.  If those joined in marriage would frequently return to these words and take them to heart I am convinced that the divorce rate would plummet.

   Love, according to Paul, is greater even than faith and hope.  Without love I’m not sure we can even have true faith and hope.  Faith and hope are gifts of the Father.  They are given out of His love for us.  Without that love on what would our faith would be founded; for what would we hope?  All is based in love.

   I can go to Mass everyday of my life but if I don’t have love in my heart I am a hypocrite.  Without love Christianity cannot exist.  If was out of love that God created; because of love the Word took flesh and became man; in His unbounded love Jesus died on the cross to offer me redemption and the hope of salvation.  If I do not seek to have that kind of love in my heart I am a failure as a Christian.

   Love as God intended, love as He loves, is not possible in this world.  I am stained by sin and imperfect in many ways.  I can’t approach the level of love that God has for me and for all His children.  But I must love as best I can and seek the grace of God to enable me to have a stronger, purer love.

   I am on a journey in life.  A journey that is intended to lead me to eternal happiness in the presence of the Lord.  But that journey can’t be successful, I can never achieve my goal if I don’t have love.  Truly, love is the greatest of all God’s blessings. 

You have blessed me with so many gifts.

But the gift of Your love exceeds them all.

Grant me the grace to love as You love. 

Amen

Faith During Covid

 

   As many know I am working toward becoming a Third Order Benedictine, an Oblate.  I am not becoming a monk and won’t be living in a monastery.  I am simply one who desires to live the Benedictine way of life.  Ordinarily we meet each month at St. Leo’s Abbey.  The Abbot and brothers help us better understand Benedictine spirituality and guide us in our spiritual journey.

   Those meetings were suspended due to Covid.  Last evening we resumed our meetings via Zoom.  It was a blessing to again be in the company of the Abbot, the brothers, and other oblates, even though it wasn't in person.

   Abbot Isaac offered the opportunity for us to share some of our experiences during this time of isolation.  Many shared some of their experiences, talking of missing friends and relatives and the pain of losing loved ones at a time when they weren’t allowed be with them to offer them comfort.

   There were also several who spoke of a deepening of their faith during this time.  They talked about grower closer to God through the solitude.  Prayer had become a greater source of comfort and solace in their life.  This has been my experience during this period.

   My house is silent unless I turn on the television or music of some kind.  In the silence is solitude and a quiet communing with the Lord.  My prayer life has deepened, my faith has grown stronger, and I am more in love with God than ever before.  I have been greatly blessed.

   I think it’s important to speak of the good that can come from difficult times.  God is with us always, but we sometimes forget that when everything is going well.  In hard times we are more likely to turn to God seeking His solace and love.  In the best of times and in the worst of times He is there, offering His peace and comfort. 

In the quiet You are there.

In the solitude You are with me.

In difficulty You comfort me.

I thank You for Your love and mercy. 

Amen

 

A Lack of Wisdom 

   Wisdom seems to be in short supply.  Many appear to equate intelligence with wisdom but the two are vastly different.  Having knowledge, even great knowledge, does not give wisdom.  Wisdom is of God, not man.

   Man has learned how to manipulate many of the gifts of God, but seldom is true wisdom practiced in their use.  Nuclear energy presents an incredible potential for good but has been misused for bombs and destruction.  Medical knowledge has grown at a fantastic rate, but many misuse that knowledge to practice abortion or euthanasia.  There have been great strides in knowledge and learning but man still lacks wisdom.

   Science and learning is to help us better understand God’s creation, not to manipulate it for our selfish purposes.  Animal husbandry means the proper care and use of animals, not their abuse.  Plants need our care and tending but their very existence is of God, not man.  We can support and provide for the needs of nature, but we do not now, nor will we ever control or cause it.  In wisdom we can come to realize that we are not the source of God’s creation, but tenants who are to properly oversee it.

   God’s wisdom is evident in His creation.  He will grant us that wisdom if we ask, but we must recognize that it does not come from education and intelligence, but only from God. 

Wisdom is from You.

I can’t learn it through my studies.

I must ask for it from You.

Lord give me wisdom. 

Amen

 Personal Holiness

 

   “Everybody without exception is called to holiness.  But start with yourself.” (Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, “The Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison) 

   It seems to me that it is human nature to judge the holiness of others but to simply assume our own holiness.  Jesus warned us of such an attitude, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but not perceive the wooden beam in your own?” (Luke 6: 14).  It’s so easy to see the faults of others and ignore my own.

   To help my neighbor attain holiness I must first seek holiness in myself.  But that requires acknowledging that I am not now holy.  It also insists that I recognize that there is nothing I can do to make myself holy.  Only God can make me holy; it is my responsibility to allow Him to do so.

   If it were possible for me to attain holiness on my own merits it would not have been necessary for Jesus to die for me on the cross.  In that loving sacrifice He opened to me the choice of holiness.  But I must make that choice and accept the path of holiness God has chosen for me.  That path will most likely include some pain and struggle; nothing of value is gained without sacrifice.  But in the end holiness is all that matters.

   I can’t help others become holy by judging them and any faults they may have.  I can only strive for my own holiness and pray for others that they will choose holiness for themselves. 

I can’t make myself holy.

Holiness comes from You.

May I always seek holiness.

Regardless the cost. 

Amen

 The Cross of Christ

 

   “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15: 13) 

   The cross was not only an instrument of capital punishment it was a horrible means of torture.  As the body weakened the crucified would begin to sag on the cross, cutting off the ability to breath.  To breath it was necessary to push up against the nails in the feet, causing excruciating pain.  Eventually, weakened to the point that it was no longer possible to push up to breath, death by suffocation occurred.  This process could take several hours, each moment of which was sheer torture.

   My Lord chose to undergo such a death to offer me the opportunity for redemption and salvation.  I look upon the crucifix and mourn for the pain and death Jesus endured to pay the debt for my sins.  I look to the wounds in His hands, His feet, and His side and know of the great love He has for me.

   Too many people today readily speak of redemption and salvation, but they don’t want to consider the cross.  Without it there is no redemption or salvation.  I too must bear my cross.  Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt 16: 24).  The cross is a part of life and I can not deny my cross if I wish to follow Him.

   It is right to look upon my Lord hanging on the cross.  It is right to feel sorrow for my sins that required such a sacrifice.  It is right to gaze upon Christ on the cross and offer myself to Him in thanksgiving for the gift of His sacrifice for me. 

Lord, I look upon You on the cross.

I see You hanging there in pain and agony.

I recognize that my sins were responsible.

I’m sorry Lord, help me to sin no more. 

Amen

 In the Hands of God

 

   “Prayer is not about asking for things.  Prayer is about putting yourself in the hands of God.”  (Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta) 

   Fifty years ago today I married the woman I intended to spend the rest of my life with.  Our journey in life was one of ever deepening love and devotion; the two truly did become one.  A year and a half ago, she went home to the Lord and I’m left to finish my journey without her.

   “Til death do us part”.  These words from the marriage vows don’t mean very much in the early years, we tend to forget them.  As we grow older we realize that at some point death will part us, but we still push it from our thoughts.  When it happens the reality hits like a sledgehammer.  The pain is beyond incredible.  My heart still aches for her and there is an emptiness inside that can’t be filled.

   What I have come to understand is that I am not strong enough to go on without help.  The love and help of my family and friends are a tremendous blessing but I need more.  I need the help of my Lord.  I need to put myself in His hands, trusting in His love and mercy.

   God blessed us with over forty-eight years of marriage.  Years of love and devotion to each other and our children.  On this, our fiftieth anniversary, we had planned to be touring the Holy Lands.  Without her the only trip I truly want to plan for is the trip to my eternal home.

   But God is good and I’m confident that she is in His company waiting for me to join her.  I will finish the years God has chosen to give me in preparation for that final journey home, following His will as best I can.  I happily anticipate spending eternity with Him and Karen.  Our marriage may have ended with her passing, but our love is eternal. 

Father I miss her so much.

I know she is with You.

She knows all the joys of heaven.

When it is time, bring me to You and to her. 

Amen

 Anger Solves Nothing

 

   When I was younger I had a pretty short fuse.  It didn’t take very much to get me started and it sometimes took a while to calm me down.  I was never violent but could, at times, be quiet abrasive in my words.  My anger was most usually directed at what I considered the stupid things people did and said.

   Over the years I’ve learned that anger is not a good course to take.  It usually makes the situation worse rather than better and is harmful to me both physically and spiritually.  I’ve learned that anger, among so many other things, is a tool of Satan to disrupt the peace in my life.  Like all things of the evil one, it is best left alone.

   There are those who get so angry about things they can do nothing about that it disrupts their peace and causes even greater frustration.  There is perhaps much to be angry about both in society and in the Church, but anger does little to resolve those issues.  Better to recognize the futility of our anger and pray for those who are practicing the evil.  I don't mean that the evil should be ignored or not confronted, only that anger is not the answer.  I believe our prayers are far more powerful than our anger.

   There is, however, an anger known as righteous anger.  In certain rare circumstances this anger, directed at evil, can be justified.  Jesus expressed righteous anger when He threw the money changers and vendors out of the temple (John 2: 14 – 15).  This is the anger one can rightly have for those who disrespect and blaspheme the Lord.  But even righteous anger must be tempered with prayer for the offenders and their eternal souls.

   Anger is a violent emotion; it steals our peace.  It may even urge us to violence in action.  In prayer we seek the healing of all and desire the peace of God for all.  I believe prayer is by far the better choice. 

There is so much to be angry about.

But my anger solves nothing.

My prayers are powerful and right.

Help me reject anger and turn to prayer. 

Amen

 A Day With the Lord

 

“Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust.  Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”  (Psalm 143: 8) 

   Each day is a new beginning, a new blessing from the Lord.  I go to sleep at night without knowing if I will awaken in the morning.  It is not for me to decide, it is for me to accept the will of God.

   That is why I find it very important to offer each day to the Lord.  It is, after all, His.  I am only allowed to participate because He wills it.  The day is a precious gift, an opportunity to enjoy the miracle of God’s creation.  A chance to see the beauty of a sunrise, the majesty of a star-lite night.  An opportunity to cherish my family and friends and the love and fellowship we share.  None of these things are possible without the will of God.

   Even the less than enjoyable days are a blessing from the Lord.  They help me realize how truly blessed I am in this life.  He has given me so many wonderful gifts and continues to bless me each day.  The difficult times remind me of how important it is to offer each day to Him.  They remind me of His great love and mercy, the love and mercy that helps me through those hard times.

   A morning offering to God is appropriate and pleasing to Him.  A time to simply thank Him for all He has done and to offer myself and this day to Him.  A time to ask Him for the strength to reject Satan and his temptations; to make an offering of my love and the promise that I will do my best to live according to His will.

   When the day ends, and night comes I again thank Him for the blessings of the day He has given me.  Sleep comes and, if it is His will, I will awaken again to thank Him for the new day. 

The day belongs to You.

Thank You for letting me share in it.

For all Your blessings I give You thanks. 

Amen

 Hope in God

 

   There are days when I’m not sure where I’m going or how to get there.  It’s as if the road has been closed and no detour identified.  I am at a standstill, searching for the way forward.  It is on those days when I most need to have hope in God.

   The road of life is complicated.  There are times of great happiness and joy but also terrible pain and sorrow.  I wonder about the balance sometimes, is there more pain than happiness, more joy than sorrow?  Maybe the painful times seem more frequent because they are difficult to deal with.  Happiness seems fleeting, pain seems interminable.

   But God tells me that all things work for the good.  He sets His path before me, the path leading to Him.  He never promised that the road to heaven will be easy.  Jesus warns us that we must, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.”  (Matt 7: 13).

   The hard times, those when I feel that I can’t go on, are when God lifts me in His arms and carries me in my weakness.  I trust that He will never forsake or abandon me.  Even when life is at it’s most difficult He is there with me.  His love and His mercy will carry me through even the worst of times.

   I give thanks to the Lord for the times of joy and happiness.  They speak to me of His love for me.  I also give thanks to Him for even the hardest of times for they speak to me of His mercy, a mercy that knows no bounds.  In the end, the good times will far outweigh the bad for eternal joy and happiness await in heaven. 

Father, I trust in Your love.

I turn to You in times of trouble.

You comfort and restore me.

Increase my trust and faith in You. 

Amen

 Love Defines Us

 

   “Love is our true destiny.  We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another.” (Thomas Merton) 

   Those who follow my blog know that love has been a frequent subject of my writings.  The more I contemplate the love of the Lord the more it becomes evident that love, God’s love, is vital to both physical and spiritual health.  It is as necessary as the air I breath.

   I’ve experienced the depth of love one can have for another.  My wife has now gone home to the Lord, but we shared and still share a love that can only come from God.  Yet, the love He gave us in this life is a mere shadow of the love He has for us.  As strong and blessed as our love was and is it was just a taste of His everlasting love.

   The human concept of love is frequently very different from the love of God.  Love in this world often dies when trials and difficulties arise.  Love is even sometimes used as a bargaining chip to coerce the other in some way.  God’s love doesn’t have expectations, only caring for the other.  His love is given totally for the other, not for any return or payment.

   Christ died on the cross because of His love for us.  He didn’t place any conditions upon His sacrifice, He offered it for the good of those He loved.  That is the love we need to have for each other; a love that desires nothing but the well-being and happiness of the other. 

Teach us of Your love.

Fill our hearts with it.

Let us love others as You love us.

A love with no conditions. 

Amen

 

 Christianity is Love

 

“The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13: 8 – 10) 

   The gospels and writings of the apostles teach that we are to love.  Jesus tells us that the whole law and the prophets depend upon the love of God and of neighbor (Matt 22 36 – 40).  Paul tells us that without love we are a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal (1 Cor 13: 1).  If I don’t have love in my heart I don’t believe I can be a Christian.

   But love can be hard.  How am I to love those who kill babies in the womb?  How am I to love the adulterer, the thief, or the murderer?  Yet, my Lord tells me I must have love for them; I must pray for them.

   I must strive to love not as the world loves but as God loves.  Christian love is a love of each of God’s children simply because they are His children.  I may abhor their sinful acts, but I must love them and pray for their redemption.

    Humanity is stained by sin and selfishness.  Still, I must love and pray that they will find reconciliation with the Lord.  God desires that no soul be lost and my love for them is a part of His plan to help each of His children to become holy.  It is my responsibility to help in God’s plan.

   People may be hard to love, but I must try my best to love them anyway.  As God loves them and desires the salvation of their soul, I must do the same. 

Without love we are nothing.

You are the source of all love.

You love all Your children.

Help me to love as You love. 

Amen

 What God Desires 

   “If God desires it to rain, desire the same.  If God desires the sun to shine, desire the same.  If God desires to make things pleasant, desire the same.  If God desires to visit you with hardship and travail, desire the same.  And rejoice, for to have but one will with God is the secret of happiness.” (Frances Xavier Hguyen Van Thuan, “The Road of Hope.) 

   Cardinal Van Thuan was imprisoned for his faith for thirteen years after South Vietnam fell to the North.  Nine of those years he was in solitary confinement.  While in prison he began writing messages of hope for his fellow believers on scraps of paper which were then smuggled out.  “The Road of Hope” is a compilation of those notes.

   The faith of men such as Cardinal Van Thuan always amazes me.  In the most difficult times his concern was for his fellow believers rather than self.  He desired the desires of God even when it meant his own imprisonment.

   Many today are all in for God as long as things are going well for them, but as soon as adversities arise they become more concerned with self.  We need the example of the Cardinal and others like him in times of trial and difficulty.  We need those who will always desire the desires of God and encourage us to do likewise regardless the cost.

   Edmund Burke is quoted as saying, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  We have two choices; we can do nothing and let evil prevail or we can stand for our faith and confront evil.  God help us make the right choice. 

We desire what You desire.

We desire to overcome evil.

Strengthen us to always stand for the good.

Help us confront evil on every front. 

Amen

 What Does the Lord Require of Me? 

   “And so now, O Israel, what does the Lord, your God, require of you but to fear the Lord, your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul, and to observe the commandments and the statutes that I am giving you today for your own good.” (Deuteronomy 10: 12 – 13) 

   Moses gave these instructions to the Israelites over a thousand years before the birth of Christ.  In one form or another Jesus taught them throughout His life on earth.

   Two thousand years after the life and death of Christ these guidelines are still the path to God.  With new technology, new scientific discovery, and new thought about most everything, these remain constant.  If I want to save my eternal soul the path has not changed.  Moses taught them, the prophets reinforced them, and our Lord Jesus taught them over and over while He lived on earth.  His priests and pastors continue to teach them today.

   Over the many generations between Moses and Jesus the Israelites went back and forth from observing these commands and ignoring them.  When they followed them they flourished; when they rejected them they suffered.

   In the years since Jesus walked the earth, people have done the same thing.  At times they have been very faithful and at times they have ignored the truths of God and followed the many false gods of this world.

   Today, I have the same choice; to follow or to ignore.  In following I am confident of the love and mercy of my God.  I trust that, at my death, Jesus will come and take me to Himself as He promised.  If I reject them, this world is all I have.  Eternity will be one of misery and the absence of God.

   I choose life; I choose God; I choose to follow His ways until my arrival at my heavenly home.  May God help me in my journey! 

Your ways are not hard.

You give us strength to follow them.

May I always turn to You for guidance.

Help me walk the path that leads to You. 

Amen