The Glory of God 

   I’m always amazed when people say they can’t find God.  He is everywhere, in nature, in the universe, within each of us.  His majesty and glory are present in all things.

   I’m sitting in the cool of the morning looking out over small lake.  It’s quite early and, in this little corner of the world, all is peaceful and quiet.  Birds are singing as they awake, I see the ripples in the lake caused by the turtles coming up for a breath and the fish snatching the insects which are their morning meal.  There is an alligator slowly swimming across the water.  This world that God created is so magnificent to behold!

   There’s no one else around, it’s just me and God in crispness of a new day.  So beautiful, so magnificent, so full of His glory.  I know His presence, as if He is perhaps sitting beside me, filling me with love and mercy.  The world and all within it are His and I thank Him for sharing them with me.

   This is a good morning, I’m at peace with the world and with my God.  His creation speaks loudly of His majesty, and I am blessed to experience it.  As the day continues the joy of this moment may fade but they joy of knowing I am His will never fade. 

I thank You for this day.

For the beauty of Your creation.

I thank You for all Your many blessings.

I thank You that I am yours. 

Amen 

In the Presence of the Lord 

   I spend quite a bit of time in the adoration chapel, sitting before the Blessed Sacrament.  These times bring me great peace and comfort.  Spending time quietly praying, contemplating Jesus and all He has done for me is an especially important part of my spiritual life.  I go to thank Him for the many blessings He has given me and to express my sorrow for the pain and agony He suffered because of my sins and the sins of the world. 

   I look upon the crucifix and see Him there, the nails in His hands and feet, the crown of thorns upon His head.  I remember His betrayal, the abandonment of His apostles.  I recall Peter denied even knowing Him three times.  I see Him scourged nearly to death and forced to carry His cross through the streets of Jerusalem to His crucifixion.  All this He suffered to pay the price for my sins.

   I thank Him for all the blessings He has given me.  The love of a wonderful woman, my children, and grandchildren.  I thank Him for my friends and the support and love they give.  True friends can be hard to find but the friends we find in Christ are a tremendous blessing.

   There are times of incredible peace and joy as I sit and commune with Him in the quietness of the chapel.  In the garden of Gethsemane He asked His apostles to stay and watch with Him.  He asks the same of me, to come and be with Him.  I am honored that He desires my company.

   I gaze upon Him in the Blessed Sacrament, His body, blood, soul, and divinity present in the host.  When I leave the chapel, His presence is always with me, to guide me, forgive me, and to bring me to Himself when this life I over.

   I am convinced that spending time in adoration with our Lord will change a person’s life.  I know it has changed mine. 

Lord, I come to give you glory and praise.

Thanksgiving for Your many blessings.

Sorrow for my many sins.

Let me sit with You and be close to Your heart. 

Amen 

 God is My Refuge 

   “Keep me safe O God; in you I take refuge.” (Psalm 16: 1) 

   The world in which we live is not always a friendly place.  Sometimes it’s not even a very safe place.  As St. Peter advised, “Your opponent the devil is prowling about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5: 8).

   In God there is safety.  When we turn to Him and offer our life to Him, we take the wind out of Satan’s sails.  If we rest in the love and mercy of God, the evil one cannot overcome us.  We have the armor of God to protect us, and He will never abandon us.

   In God there is refuge from the trials and tribulations, the strength needed to resist evil and seek God’s will.  When we call upon Him in our need, He will answer.  He will give us comfort and peace even in the worst of times.

   This doesn’t mean there won’t be difficult times, times when temptation is great, when our will is weak.  There will be times of failure when we succumb to Satan’s temptations, sinning against our Lord.  Yet even then God remains with us, waiting to forgive our failures and our sins.

   When I am tempted, when I am sorely pressed to resist, I am reminded of Jesus’ words to the apostles at the last supper, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world do I give it to you.  Do not let your hearts be troubled.” (John 14: 27).  In His peace is the refuge of God, in His love our safety, in His forgiveness and mercy our salvation. 

Father this world is sinful.

Evilness abounds.

I turn to You for help.

Be my refuge Lord. 

Amen

 Wheels Within Wheels 

   “Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel.  Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel.”  (Theme from the Thomas Crown Affair) 

   Sometimes I feel that searching for God and His purpose for me is very much like a wheel within a wheel, a circle in a spiral.  His ways and His purposes are so far above my understanding that I could spend the rest of my life contemplating God and still never truly know.

   I can’t explain much of what happens in this life.  There sometimes seems to be no rhyme or reason, but in my heart, I know there is a purpose to all things.  Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?  Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.  Even the hairs of your head are counted” (Matt 10: 30).

   I believe that “getting there is half the fun”.  My joy comes from knowing He is with me, from seeking His will and enjoying this marvelous journey called life.  God is God and I am not; He doesn’t choose to share all with me but only asks that I trust.  My peace comes from living as best I can on the path I believe He has set me on, confident that He will guide me rightly.

   I occasionally get frustrated with the fact that I can’t fully understand, but then I realize that if I had full understanding and knowledge there would be no need for faith.  It’s not necessary for me to know.  Rather I am to trust: I am to have faith; I am to place all my hopes in our Lord. 

Your ways are unknown to me.

But I trust in You.

Perhaps in the next life I will know.

For now, faith is enough. 

Amen

What Do You Want Him to Do for You? 

   “Jesus said to him in reply, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’  The blind man replied to him, ‘Master, I want to see.’” (Mark 10: 51) 

   Blindness can be understood to be physical or spiritual.  While Bartimaeus asked for and was given his sight, it is also apparent that he then saw Jesus as the Messiah for scripture says, “Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”  In Jesus’ time His teachings were often known as “the way”.

   When we come to Jesus, we must ask ourselves the question, what do we want Him to do for us?  Do we want to heal divisions within our own family?  Is a better understanding of God’s will for us what we most desire?  We each have many things that we may ask God to do for us and if we ask in sincerity and faith they may be given to us.

   Still, I believe there are two things that must always be kept in mind when we pray.  First, we must ask for God’s will, not ours.  We are sinful and do not always know what is best for us.  For this reason we often pray for something that is not in God’s will.  He will always answer our prayer, but the answer may be “no”, or “not yet”.  God will not give us something that may be harmful to us.  “Which of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish?” (Matt 7: 9 – 10).  Neither will God give us what is not good.

   The second thing we must have when we ask is faith that He will answer.  If we don’t sincerely believe that God will answer our prayers then our prayers are not worthy of Him.

   When we seek His will in our prayers and have faith that He will answer we can be assured that, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matt 7: 7). 

We need Your help Lord.

We ask that Your will be done.

In faith we know that You will answer.

We place all our trust and hope in You 

Amen

 Darkness 

   “And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3: 19) 

   There is a darkness in this world, the darkness of sin.  Jesus is the light of the world, but the world prefers the darkness.  They prefer their evil deeds to living in the light of God. 

   For many years now, the darkness has been growing in this country and throughout the world.  There is a new paganism called “freedom”.  Not freedom as it was intended, a freedom from sin, but the freedom to commit any sin, any abomination.  There is a world-wide move to normalize and even approve of some of the most evil of acts in the name of this personal freedom.  Personal desires have become the god of many.

   Child sacrifice is now the norm is most countries in the world.  Babies in their mother’s wombs are sacrificed on the altar of sexual freedom.  The elderly are more and more considered a bother, a problem to be eliminated.  They are no longer considered worthy of love and caring.  They are sacrificed on the altar of convenience.  By exterminating them, they are no longer a “burden” to society or their family.

   Jesus is the light of the world, a light to overcome the darkness.  As Christians we are to live in His light.  But we are also to share His light with others.  We are to be a candle in the darkness, reaching out to light the candles of others that they too might share in the light. 

In Your light is salvation.

In the darkness is sin and the evil one.

Help us raise the candle of Your light.

To share Your light with the world. 

Amen

 A New Heart Within Us 

   “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put my spirit within you so that you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them. (Ezekiel 36: 26 – 27) 

   When our heart is failing doctors use every means possible to heal it, even to replacing it with a healthy donor heart.  When our spiritual heart is failing, there is only one who can cure it.  Jesus is the healer of our heart and soul.  He will remove the heart of stone, the one that harbors bitterness and evil, and replace it with one full of health and love, healing even the coldest of hearts.

   As Christians we are to have a heart full of the love and mercy of Christ, there is to be no room for bitterness in our heart.  Those with a generous heart help those who need help, they care for God’s children.  Those with a bitter heart live a life of hatred and distrust seeking but never finding true happiness and peace. 

   We must decide what kind of heart we are to have.  God desires all to come to Him, Jesus came to offer that opportunity.  But an opportunity is what is offered, not a command.  A surgeon cannot treat one who refuses to accept treatment, nor will Jesus heal our bitterness if we refuse to accept Him.  Many will live their lives in bitterness and hardness of heart when the cure is right before their eyes.

   He is there, waiting to heal us, let Him. 

Replace my heart Lord.

Make it full of love.

Put Your spirit within me.

That I might spend eternity with You. 

Amen

 Images 

   “Show me a denarius; whose image does it bear?’  They said to him, ‘Caesar’s’.  So he said to them, ‘Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’” (Luke 20: 24 – 25) 

   Who do we pay tribute to?  Whose image is on our coin?  When we stand before Christ, what image will He see in us?

   Will He see our own ego?  Is our own self-importance the ruler to whom we give tribute?  Many spend their time trying to improve their image in the world rather than taking on the image of our Lord, sharing His love and mercy.

   Will He see our trophies, our awards?  Most of us will never receive an Oscar, an Emmy, or any other high-profile award in our lives.  But how many of us have an “I love me” wall replete with photos of our worldly success.  Are there shelves with trophies and awards we have won?  Do we think Jesus will be concerned with our earthly fame or success?

   The image He will see in many is the dollar sign.  We are urged from our youngest days to strive for worldly success, especially financial success.  It doesn’t matter if family, friends or even God take a back seat to the bank account.  Working extra hours is fine, Sundays included, God will understand, After all, we donate to the church.  Our name is on many plaques for donating money for paintings, stained glass windows, and such.  Do we really think Jesus cares about our bank account?  Are not the plaques with our name on them our reward?

   Our Lord isn’t concerned with our earthly success, the house we lived in, the car we drove, or the size of our bank account.  He cares about how we lived our life.  Did we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick?  Did we see Him in all of these and care for them as His children?

   What image will He see when He looks into your soul at judgement? 

We are so enamored by worldly things.

Things that don’t last, of little importance.

Help us to concern ourselves only with You. 

Amen

 The Love of Christ 

   “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8: 38 – 39) 

   There is nothing that can make Jesus stop loving us.  In our greatest sins and our worst failings His love remains with us.  Yet even a love as strong as His can’t force us to love Him in return.

   Though we can never be separated from the love of Jesus, we can separate ourselves from His grace.  His love offers redemption and salvation if we choose but does not guarantee our acceptance of that offer.  If we wish to be in a state of grace, we must turn to Him in sorrow for our sins, repent of our evil ways, and try our best to live our life in accordance with His will.

   The world offers many opportunities and enticements designed by Satan to draw us away for our Lord.  In society today money and sex seem to be the most useful for the evil one’s purposes. Money, fame, and fortune reign in the hearts of many, replacing Jesus with the gods of our own desires.  Sex has been degraded to a recreational activity rather than the beautiful gift it is intended to be for those in a sacramental marriage. 

   Still, even in our pride and sinfulness Jesus’ love remains.  “In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  (Luke 15: 10).  He awaits us with open arms, longing to welcome us home.  His love is eternal. 

Your love is eternal.

I was created to be in love with You.

In my sinfulness I can lose You.

Keep me on the path that leads to You. 

Amen

 Freedom 

   “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit to the yoke of slavery.” (Gal 5: 1) 

   In our mixed up world freedom has come to mean the ability to do anything we want at anytime we want regardless the consequences to our spiritual life.

   The freedom Christ gave us was not the freedom to sin, but freedom from sin.  Before He came the doors to heaven were closed by sin, we had no way to find the eternal life with God that we were created to enjoy.  When God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden, stationing the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword east of the garden, all mankind suffered the loss (Genesis 3: 24).  We no longer had the freedom to choose God but were slaves to sin.

   Jesus came as a new Adam, to offer redemption and free us of our slavery to sin.  Where Adam rejected the will of God, Jesus lived His life entirely according to God’s will.  When Christ suffered His passion and death, he paid the price for Adam’s sin as well as for all sin for evermore.  The gates to heaven were reopened for those who would repent of their sins and choose God over slavery to sin.

   This is the freedom that we are to choose, not a freedom directed toward worldly desires and pleasures, but freedom to choose the joy of heaven. 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 6: 23) 

Lord, You gave us freedom from sin.

The freedom to seek eternal life with You.

Do not let me return to the slavery of sin.

Let me always seek Your will. 

Amen

 Faith, Hope, and Love 

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

   In this world I need faith, faith in God’s word.  I need hope, hope in the promises of Christ.  And I need love, love of God and love of neighbor.

   Faith is what sees me through each day.  Faith in God and His teachings; trust in His love and mercy, even for a sinner like me.  Without faith and trust in God this world would be virtually unbearable.

   Hope enables me to navigate the trials and difficulties that come with life in a fallen world.  Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for me and would come back and take me to Himself (John 14: 2 – 3).  In that hope lies the strength needed to survive in a sinful world.

   However, the greatest need is love, love of God and love of my neighbor.  Unless I have love, faith and hope are of little use.  I can’t reach my heavenly home without it.  If I don't have love all else is futile.

   When this life is over I will see the fulfillment of God’s promises; there will no longer be a need for faith and hope.  But love will remain through all eternity.  So these three remain in the world, but love reigns eternal. 

Faith in God gets me through the day.

Hope in Christ give me a reason to go on.

Love of God and neighbor are the path home.

Come Lord and take me to Yourself.

 Amen

 A Place in His Will 

   “I have been all things unholy; if God can work through me, He can work through anyone.” (St. Francis of Assisi)

 

   If I wait until I think I’m worthy to follow God’s will I most likely will never do so.  If, in my sinfulness, I don’t believe that He can work His will through me, it’s doubtful that I will ever serve His will.  However, if I can recognize that God can use me just as I am, if I open myself to that possibility, I believe He can work a change in me though I am a sinful man.

   God wants to work through me, but I must make that choice.  He will not demand; He will not force Himself upon me.  I can choose to remain in my sins, ignoring His call, or I can accept His will for me.  I must decide which path I will take, condemnation or eternal life with Him.

   I read about the lives of the saints quite a bit and I’ve noticed that they are rarely saintly throughout their life.  Most have led a less than holy life prior to their call to sainthood.  Some have been guilty of many sins, heresy, apostasy, adultery, and many others.  Yet, at some point they accepted God’s will and their life was changed.

   There is a saying, “God does not call the qualified, He qualifies those He calls.”  Regardless my past, God wants me for His own.  If I answer “yes” to His call, then perhaps I too can become a saint. 

Only You can make me Holy.

Only You can make me a saint.

I offer myself to Your will.

Make me Yours. 

Amen

 He Will Forgive 

   “Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done.  He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.’” (Matt 27: 3 – 4) 

   I’ve often wondered why, if he deeply regretted his sin, Judas did not seek forgiveness for that sin.  He apparently never truly understood Jesus, or he would have known that forgiveness could have been his even for such a heinous crime.  Sadly, he not only failed to seek forgiveness for his sin of betrayal but then sinned again by killing himself.

   Though it may be difficult to believe, Jesus does not refuse forgiveness to any who come to Him in sincere sorrow for their sins, repenting, and desiring to change their lives.  “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied to him, ‘Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23: 42 – 44).  Just as He forgave the thief on the cross, He would have forgiven Judas, and He will forgive us.

   Judas regretted his actions but didn’t have faith and trust in the mercy of Christ.  I think people sometimes stay away from church and reject faith because they think their sins are so many and so bad that they can never be forgiven.  They, like Judas, do not understand the mercy that Christ wishes to bestow on all who come to Him.

   “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 

Sometimes we think we can’t be forgiven.

Our sins weigh us down in guilt.

You came full of mercy and love.

Help us reach out to You for forgiveness. 

Amen

 Getting to Heaven 

   “Heaven is a city on a hill, hence we cannot coast into it; we have to climb.  Those who are too lazy to mount can miss its capture as well as the evil who refuse to seek it.” (Bishop Fulton Sheen, “The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen”) 

   As a Catholic I have an obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days; it is a part of my faith that I owe at least that minimum to our Lord.  In some ways I dislike the “obligation” to attend Mass; going to Mass is a joy and a privilege, not an obligation.  Sadly, I’ve known Catholics whose only reason for attending is to satisfy that obligation.  They are missing out on so much.

   Jesus never did the minimum required, He gave everything for us.  The Son of God loves us so much that He gave up His glory for a time and became man.  He came and lived the life we live, even to facing the temptations of Satan.  He was like us in all ways but sin.  Finally, He gave His very life in a most painful, horrible manner to pay the price for our sins.  All this He did because He loves us.

   A friend once told me that while on a mission trip to Haiti he had noticed an elderly woman who could barely walk struggling to make her way to Mass.  He went to help her and told her that Jesus would understand if she couldn’t get to Mass given it was such a hardship.  She responded, “After all He did for me should I not do this for Him?”  What a beautiful attitude, what a wonderfully spirit-filled woman.

   Anything of worth deserves more than the least required.  Our spiritual life depends on our response to our Lord.  After all He’s done for us, how can we repay with the bare minimum? 

You gave Your all for me.

I want to give my all for You.

Take my life, take all I am.

Use me as You will. 

Amen

 He Has Conquered the World 

   “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16: 33) 

   I take comfort in the above scripture.  It reminds me that no matter the hardships I may have to face, Jesus has already won the war. 

   I will admit, however, that it is sometimes hard to maintain such trust.  When tragedy strikes questions and even doubts may arise.  Whether it is because of my weakness, the temptations of Satan, or a little of both, I don’t know, but it happens.

   It is in times like these that I turn to the Lord, begging for His help.  In prayer, and sometimes in tears, I seek His comfort and peace.  Wherever I may be, He is there waiting, offering me His peace, but most especially at Mass and in the adoration chapel before the Blessed Sacrament He is there, giving comfort and solace.

   When I look upon the crucifix I see Him there, the nails through His hands and feet, the crown of thorns on His head.  I am reminded that one of His apostles betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver.  The rest abandoned Him at His arrest.  The only one who came back and remained with Him throughout His ordeal was John.

   As difficult as things may become I have never and will never suffer as Christ did.  My suffers are insignificant alongside His.  All this He did for me, so that I might have redemption and the chance of eternal life with Him.

   In His love He eases my pain, He consoles me and gives me the strength to carry on.  I will offer any suffering I may have to endure to Him, that He may accept it as thanksgiving for all He has done for me.  I place all my trust in Him, taking solace in the fact that He has, indeed, overcome the world. 

There is much suffering in this world.

But You have overcome the world.

One day the sufferings of this life will be over.

One day I will be with You in paradise. 

Amen

 

 The Ascension

 

   “So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16: 19) 

   Today we commemorate Jesus’ ascension into heaven.  But the question in my mind is, “Where is heaven?”

   When we read the scripture above, we naturally think of an actual place.  We are physical beings, so we envision God and heaven as the same.  We imagine Jesus ascending to a specific place known as heaven.  But God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not physical beings, they are spirit.

   Jesus became a man, a physical person, that He might redeem mankind for their sins.  But when His mission was complete, He returned to the Father as He was in the beginning.  He is no longer bound by space or time as He allowed himself to be when He walked with His disciples.

   After His resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples many times in physical form.  He ate with them, spoke with them, and Thomas placed his hands in the wounds of His hands and side.  Yet the laws and restrictions of physical barriers no longer applied; He was not confined by space or time.  He came and went of His own will, even into locked rooms.  He appeared as if from nowhere and left in the same manner.

   Jesus said, “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.” (John 14: 23).  If heaven is being in the presence of God, then heaven is already within us, because He is within us if we keep His word.  At some point I will know for certain what and where heaven is, but for now faith is what is needed.  Faith and trust in God and the promises of Christ. 

You ascended into heaven.

But You are within me.

Where heaven is I don’t know.

I look to You to lead me there. 

Amen

 Throwing Stones 

   “Why do you chisel the shortcomings of others into rock while recording your own sins on the sands?” (Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, “The Road of Hope:  A Gospel from Prison”) 

   How easy it is to point out the sins of others while over-looking our own.  We go to confession, repent, and accept forgiveness for our sins.  Yet we hold others to account for their sins, unwilling to accept that they too may have received forgiveness.

   I’ve heard people say they can’t trust someone because of their past actions, even when they have apologized and sincerely regret the evils done in their past.  If we are to apply that logic universally none of us are to be trusted.  We have all sinned and continue sinning so how can we accept our forgiveness if we are unwilling to forgive others?  In the Lord’s Prayer we say, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Matt 6: 12).  If we refuse to forgive others, we cannot expect forgiveness for ourselves.

   “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8: 7).  No one dared throw a stone at the prostitute after Jesus’ statement.  We too, have no right to cast stones at others when we are also sinners.  The Lord will judge, and He will judge rightly.  It is our duty to love as He loved, in forgiveness and mercy.

   There are none among us who are without sin, so we are in no position to judge or condemn others for theirs.  That doesn’t mean we should accept sinfulness in ourselves or others, but it is the sin, not the sinner that we are to reject. 

We are all sinners.

Yet we too readily condemn others.

Teach us to forgive.

To love as You love. 

Amen

 For Me 

   I sit before the crucifix, contemplating the suffering and death of my Lord.  One thing always come to mind; it should have been me.  Jesus was guilty of nothing; He is innocence personified.  It wasn’t for any wrong He committed but for my sins that He died.

   It was my debt that needed atonement.  I should have been the one stripped, tied to the pillar and scourged.  It should have been my head pierced by the crown of thorns.  It should have been upon my back that the cross was laid to carry through the streets of Jerusalem and on to Calvary.  My hands and feet are the ones that should have been nailed to the cross, my side opened by the soldier’s lance.  It was my debt that had to atoned.

   But it wasn’t me, it was my Lord, Jesus Christ.  A spotless lamb was required to atone for my sins, and I am far from spotless.  In His love, Jesus offered Himself as the unblemished lamb, the perfect sacrifice.  As a sinful man, stained and imperfect, I could not pay the price for my sins, so He paid it for me.

   He chose to suffer humiliation, abandonment, brutality, and finally a horrible death on a cross for me.  He loved me so much that He took it upon Himself to wipe my slate clean, to give me the opportunity of salvation.

   There is nothing I can do to repay Him, I can only live my life in thanksgiving and sorrow for the pain I caused Him and still cause Him by my sins.  I will offer Him my life that He may live in me. 

It was for me You died.

My sins nailed You to that cross.

I can’t repay.

I can only love and give myself to You. 

Amen

 Stumbling Blocks 

   “Woe to the world because of stumbling-blocks!  Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!”  (Matt 18: 7) 

   Bishops in Germany are on the verge of schism from the Church; some in this country are as well.  These so-called leaders of the Church are causing great confusion and loss of faith among their flocks by their rejection of God’s truths.  They need to keep in mind Jesus’ warning, “…but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!” (Matt 18: 7).  They will have to answer for the angst they cause the faithful.

   Politicians no longer aspire to do what is best for the country, only what is best for their re-election.  They espouse their faith but live a life with little evidence of the faith they claim.  They rule based on division and hatred causing great divides in the country.  They too will have to answer for the discord they create.

   The news media no longer report the news but shade it by their own biased opinions.  Some denounce conservatives, others attack liberals.  There is no concern for honesty or fairness in reporting, only for higher ratings.  Most of us are somewhere in the middle but the middle doesn’t make headlines, the outrageous does.

   Many of those in the entertainment and sports industry tout every kind of deviate behavior as worthy of praise.  Wanton sexuality is glorified; violence is the accepted norm.  They support any abomination so long as it leads to greater personal recognition and worldly success.

   In the end, it is our responsibility to reject those who would cause impediments to our faith; we cannot allow it to be harmed by the obstacles placed before us.  We must seek the will of God in our life and ignore the worldly concerns that threaten our trust and faith in Him. 

Satan places many obstacles before us.

He wants to draw us away from You.

Give us the strength to reject him.

To overcome his evil ways. 

Amen

 What Love Is 

   “Love does not mean to have and to own and to possess.  It means to be had and to be owned and to be possessed.” (Bishop Fulton Sheen, “The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen: 365 Days of Inspiration.”) 

   We misuse the word “love” so often that it has lost its true meaning.  We love our ice cream, our car, our job, our pets, etc.  We also claim to love others, but it is often perverted as a means of gaining something from another; we love the other only as long as we are pleased with them.

    Even in the marriage vows we inappropriately define love.  We “take” our spouse to have and to hold.  Rather, we should "give" ourselves to our spouse for them to have and to hold.  Even in the sacrament of marriage love is many times conditioned on the performance of the spouse.  Some even consider that if the “feeling” of being in love is lost, the marriage should be ended.  But love is not a feeling, it is an action.  It is a conscious decision to put the good of the other above our own good.

   Jesus offers us this kind of love.  For us He became a man, born of a woman.  An infant dependent on the love and care of the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph.  In today’s society a young virgin becoming pregnant might well end in abortion.  Consider that for a moment; today it would acceptable, and even approved, to murder the Messiah in the womb.

   He not only entrusted His very life to Mary and Joseph, He willingly and lovingly surrendered that life to pay the price for our sins, opening the way to heaven.  He cared only for the good of the other; those who would come to Him seeking His endless mercy and love.

   As we consider what we love and how we love we must look to the One who was pure love.  We must willingly place the good of the other above our own desires and needs.  We must love as He loved. 

Love is solution.

The cure for all hatred and bias.

In love we can heal the divisions.

Give us that love we pray. 

Amen

 Returning to Life 

   I went outside this morning intending to uproot and dispose of two of my plants.  The winter here in Ocala was quite a bit colder for longer than usual and these plants, which normally would have survived were dead; or so I thought.

   When I went to dig them up, I found new growth coming up from the bottom of both plants.  Bright green, healthy sprouts reaching skyward where only a few days ago there was no sign of life.  My plants had been reborn.  So instead of uprooting them, I pruned all the dead branches off and left them to grow.  I’m sure they will flourish now that spring is here.

   This reminded me of the many people in the world who appear to be dead spiritually.  There seems to be no growth in their lives, no blossoms or fruit are being produced.  Yet, hopefully, like my plants, there is still a spark of life within them, a spirit that can be reborn, producing the fruit of God’s blessings.

   Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my father is the vine-grower.  He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.  Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.” (John 15: 1 – 2).  Many branches that appear to be dead may have within them the ability to bear fruit if properly pruned and nourished by the love of God.  I think of the sinners who have turned from sin and now follow Christ; I am one of them.  We were lost, but in Jesus we have found new life and will live eternally.

   Jesus never gave up on anyone, but instead loved them.  We must do the same.  Though some we know, and even some we love may appear to be spiritually dead, we can never give up searching for that spark within them.  If we lovingly and gently prune the dead branches perhaps they too will bear fruit worthy of eternal life. 

Lord You love everyone.

You forgive rather than condemn.

Help me to imitate Your way.

May I love others and never give up on them. 

Amen

 The Father of Lies 

   “Be sober and vigilant.  Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5: 8) 

   The devil as a roaring lion isn’t the image that scares me the most.  A bold attack such as a lion should be pretty easy to see coming and, with the help of God, avoid.  Rather, I worry more about Satan as described in Genesis, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal God had made.” (Genesis 3: 1).

   It seems to me that the subtle attacks such as the serpent used against Eve are the most dangerous.  By his twisted logic he gently persuaded her and Adam to believe they could and should be like God, costing them their relationship with the Father and the paradise He had provided.

   The temptation to murder, abortion, adultery, or any other mortal sin would seem to be obviously wrong to most.  But slyly suggesting that watching an extra episode or two of one’s favorite television show or maybe playing an extra game of two on the computer might be easily accepted.  There doesn’t seem to be any harm in these actions, so why not?

   It’s a very slippery slope when we don’t stay on guard against the seemingly harmless temptations the Devil brings to us.  Before we even realize it, Satan may have gained a foothold in our life.  Once inside he may be able to slowly, skillfully convince us that more serious acts are acceptable as well.

   Whether the temptations be bold or subtle, our God is there to help us resist.  If we turn to Him, He will give us the strength we need to banish Satan from our lives. 

Satan is a liar, but He is sly.

His temptations sometimes appear harmless.

Strengthen me to resist.

To always look to You for strength. 

Amen

 

 The Omnificent God 

   “My bones are not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, fashioned in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw me unformed; in your book all are written down, my days were shaped before one came to be.” (Psalm 139: 15 -16) 

   As I look back on my life, I can clearly see the hand of God.  He has known me from the beginning of time, watching over me even before I came into being.  He will continue to watch over me until this life is over.

   When I was born, my parents were told that I would probably not live for more than a month.  I don’t know the reasons why, but since I am nearly 71 years old, they obviously got it wrong.  Looking back at the foolishness I sometimes practiced in my youth I can see at least two other occasions when there was a very real possibility of my death.  When the USS Stark was attacked by missiles from an Iraqi aircraft three of the six men asleep in my berthing compartment were killed; I was spared without a scratch.  Some would call it luck; I call it the hand of God.

   God knows me, He created me.  He has a purpose for me though I may not know what it is this lifetime.  Many refuse to accept this fact, but that doesn’t change it.   My life was known to Him before time began.  The date of my birth, the life I lead, and the death which will take me from this world are known.  Jesus said, “Even the hairs of your head are counted.” (Matt 10: 30); nothing is unknown to our heavenly Father.

   This world is full of unexplained occurrences that many just write of as luck or coincidence; I do not believe in either.  There are miracles that occur every day but most look anywhere but to God for the explanation.  All that is, all that ever was, and all that will ever be has been known by God for all eternity.  He wrote the book; He knows how it will end. 

All is known to You Lord.

It has been forever.

You know me better than I know myself.

Help me to fulfill Your will for me. 

Amen

 The Holy Spirit 

   St. Augustine wrote, “If you understood him, it would not be God."  While I don’t claim to understand God, I strive to better know Him.  For some reason I have more difficulty in trying to know the Holy Spirit than the Father and the Son.  Because of that, I’ve spent quite a bit of time in prayer and contemplation in my efforts to better know the Spirit.  The following, as poor as they may be, are my thoughts and reflections.

   God the Father beholds the Son and has perfect and eternal love for Him.  Jesus, the Son beholds the Father and has perfect and eternal love for Him.  This perfect and eternal love of the Father for the Son and of the Son for the Father is the Holy Spirit.  God is love and is also a Trinity of Persons, while remaining One.  Therefore, the Son is love and the Holy Spirit is love.

   The Holy Spirit comes upon us and guides us in love to better know the will of the Father in our lives.  He places within us a love that is unknown to us, a love that, like God, can’t be fully understood.  As humans we far too often associate love with performance.  If someone pleases us, we may love them, if not our love is withheld.  This is not the love of God but the love of a fallen human race.

   When the Holy Spirit comes upon us it is a coming of love.  A love to be cherished but not to be held on to.  It is a love that is to be shared with others.  It is the love of God, a love that is all-encompassing, given freely to all.  Family, friend, neighbor, or even enemy, if He is within us, we must love them as well. 

You are Love.

Fill me with Your love

Help me to love as You love.

Sharing it with everyone I meet. 

Amen

 God’s Love, Mercy and Providence 

   “Trust the past to the mercy of God, the presence to His love, and the future to His providence.” (St. Augustine) 

   The past is gone, there is nothing I can do to change it.  Whether I’ve done right or wrong, it is over and there's no going back.  If I hang on to the past, especially the difficulties and trials, I am not trusting in the mercy of God.  If I cannot forgive myself for the sins for which He has forgiven me I am refusing His mercy.

   The present is a never-ending battle.  Each day I am tempted by Satan.  The closer I come to God the more it seems I am attacked by the evil one.  I suppose that makes sense; there is no need for Satan to tempt those he already controls.  It’s only the ones who reject Him and turn to God that he must continue to entice with worldly goods and pleasures. 

   Though I try to reject sin, I know there will be times when I weaken and fail.  Even in those failures, God’s love remains, He calls me to return to Him in sorrow and penitence for my sin.  Nothing I do is beyond His love and mercy.

   The future is a total unknown, it may be many years, or it may be just a few seconds.  My future is the hands of God and my desire is to leave it to Him, trusting in His providence, His love, and His mercy.  He will lead me where I need to go if I am willing to follow.

   The past is done, the present is one second at a time, and the future is yet to come.  When I trust in God’s mercy, love, and providence, there is no need to worry.  All will be as it should be when I place all my trust in Him. 

I am Yours Lord.

This day, tomorrow, and forever.

Lead me where You will.

I trust in You. 

Amen

 God Is Found in Love 

   “You see it is not man who is on the quest of God; it is God that’s on the quest of man.” (Bishop Fulton Sheen, “Your Life is Worth Living.”)

   From the beginning God has desired to have a relationship with us.  He created us not because He needed to or had to, but out of His love.  He desired to love us and so created us.

   I think many spend all their time trying to find God in all the wrong places.  They look for signs and miracles when they are all about us in nature and our everyday life.  They want to hear the voice of God when He speaks to us in so many ways, in the majesty of His creation, in the silence of our hearts and mind when in prayer.  They look to religious leaders and want a step by step process when the process is quite simple.  Open your heart and allow Him to enter.

   Jesus told us, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come and make our dwelling with him.” (John 14: 23).  I believe the word we are to keep is “love”.  Jesus’ life was one of love and mercy toward all.  He told us that the greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt 22: 36 – 40).  All other commandments depend on these.

   Without love we can never find God, but that doesn’t stop His quest for us.  He will continue to love us, to reach out to us and urge us to come to Him for His mercy and forgiveness.  We needn't go on a long, arduous search, we need to open ourselves to Him and offer Him our love.  He will enter and dwell with us. 

I am unworthy of You.

Still, You love me and want me.

In my heart I can find You.

You are there, waiting for me. 

Amen

Nourishing the Spirit 

   I do the best I can to nourish my body.  I exercise to keep myself moving and try to eat a reasonable diet.  I go to the doctor for checkups to help ensure my physical health.  All these things I do because I want to remain healthy.  They will hopefully make life more comfortable and enjoyable and, if God wills, may add a short time to my lifespan.  It is common sense to do these things.  Yet in the end, none of these things will eliminate my death.

   If I am willing to do all this to help my physical well-being, should I not be even more eager to do the same for my soul, for the spirit that lives within me.  My earthly life is certain to end at some point, but my soul is eternal.  It would be senseless to ignore the needs of the spirit.

   My spirit is nourished in many ways.  First and foremost by faithful attendance at Mass.  Without proper worship of the Lord the spirit cannot grow and flower.  Receiving the word and the sacraments are the nutritional supplements given to me by Christ to refresh and renew my spirit; without them it weakens; without them it will wither and die.

   No one would choose to quit eating, yet many stay away from Mass and the Eucharist, the bread of life.  Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” (John 6: 51).  This is the bread that will nourish my soul, the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist.

   If I don’t properly feed my body it will die; if I don’t properly feed my spirit, my soul will never reach heaven. 

My spirit must be fed.

You are the bread of life.

Give me this bread always.

That I may live with You in eternity. 

Amen