The Final Choice 

   Imagine that it is now 2043 in the United States of America.  Separation of Church and state has developed to the point that Christianity is no longer allowed to be expressed in public.  In words, signs, or actions all religious expression must be exercised only in private under penalty of law.

   Now imagine that the church police knock down your door with guns drawn and accuse you of being a public Christian in violation of federal law.  You are read your rights, which are now severely restricted, hand-cuffed and taken away to a re-education camp for therapy designed to remove any desire to express a belief in God.

   Does all this sound far-fetched?  Consider that quite recently the federal government of today proposed declaring anyone who attends the traditional Latin Mass of the Catholic Church as a domestic terrorist.  Also consider the many attacks against churches in the United States over the last few years that have resulted in very few arrests and fewer convictions.  Yet those who wish to pray for the souls of unborn children on public property near abortion clinics are often arrested and subjected to harassment.

   This brings up a question many Christians may be called upon to answer in the next few years.  If the persecution of Christians becomes increasingly prevalent, will you accept the persecution or deny Christ?  If faced with imprisonment or even death for your faith, will your faith be strong enough to stand for Christ regardless of the consequences?

   My prayer is that the tide will turn and those who wish to destroy belief in God or, at a minimum, remove it entirely from the public forum, will come to realize that God is not the enemy, that Satan is the driving force behind such actions.  Yet, during many periods of history Christianity has been under persecutions and many martyrs have willingly died for their faith.  Can it happen again?  It already is in some parts of the world.

   So the question remains, when facing such persecution, will you suffer for Him or deny even knowing Him?

 

 Choosing Eternity 

   “What we get afterward we choose here; and what we reap there we sow here.” (St. Augustine) 

   I often write about our free choice and what it entails.  It always amazes me that God gave His creation the ability and the right to say “NO!” to His plan.  And yet, without free will and the right to choose, our life would be that of a slave.  God does not want slaves, He wants us to make the conscious choice to love Him and follow His will.

   Every day of our life we make choices that will impact our eternal soul.  We choose to avoid sin or to submit to it.  Most days we do some of both for we are a sinful people.  Though we may try as hard as we can, we will never completely avoid sin.

   God recognizes our efforts to avoid sin and will strengthen us in those efforts.  But we must cooperate with Him; we must consent to His will and strive to live our life accordingly, though we know we will fail at times.  Only then can we expect the help promised.

   Eternity will come to each of us when this life is over.  What that eternity will consist of, joy and happiness, or pain and sorrow, is entirely up to us.  Those who rely on themselves, and earthly joys and pleasures will never know the kingdom of God.  Those who recognize Christ in everyone they meet, who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, caring for others as they would care for Christ Himself, will be welcomed into the kingdom the Father has prepared for those who love Him.

 

 The Trinity 

   Father, Son, and Holy Spirit … the Trinity.  The concept of the Holy Trinity is a mystery.  One God, but three distinct persons.  Not three Gods, not three separate persons, but only one God with three separate identities within the one.

  There are many analogies that purport to help understand the Holy Trinity.  These can be dangerous and heretical so great caution must be used.  Even the best can do little to enlighten us to the true mystery that is the Trinity.

   I sometimes see each human being as a trinity.  We have a physical presence that is quite different from our mental presence, our intelligence and thought processes.  In addition, we have a soul, a third presence distinct from the physical and mental presence.  I do not propose this as fact or theology, simply something that helps me to understand.

   I don’t think we should concern ourselves with understanding the trinity in such detail; we must accept it as Truth and Mystery.  When we start trying to explain the mysteries of God in human terms we will most often fail and create confusion and frustration rather than better understanding.

   The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.  One God, three persons.  That is the Trinity.  Accept it or reject, we will never fully understand it in this lifetime.

 With Authority 

   “They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes." (Mark 1: 21 – 28) 

   What does it mean that Jesus taught with authority?  In my mind it says that He is the authority and therefore, His teaching is fresh and brand new.

   The scribes taught with the words and thoughts of others.  They would not have dared venture into new views and opinions concerning religion and faith.  Had they done so they would have likely been condemned as blasphemers, subject to stoning.

   But Jesus was not a scribe or Pharisee or Sadducee, He was the Son of God, the Word made flesh.  He was not preaching new thoughts or ideas but clarifying the meaning and intent of the teachings that had been with the Israelites since Moses was given the commandments.

   Jesus often used phrases such as “you have heard it said, but I say to you.”  He did not change the words, but enhanced and clarified the meaning.  He took the teaching of love for one’s neighbor to new levels that would have been foreign and unwelcome in Roman occupied Israel, “But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute  you.” (Matt 55: 44).

   When your whole life has been dominated by the teaching of those who did not think for themselves but merely passed along the thoughts of others, someone who shakes up the tree with new and unfamiliar ways of looking at life and faith confuses and alienates some.

   Yes, Jesus taught with authority because He is the authority.  It is from Him that those teachings originated, and it was His mission to open the eyes of the spiritually blind as well as the physically blind.  Read His words and listen with your heart, not your head, and you will bring meaning and clarity to your life.

 

 A Wicked Society 

   “The cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is too great and their sin is very grave.  I am going to descend to see if they have really done all the evil that has cried out to me.” (Gen 18: 20 – 21)

   I read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and the destruction that was brought upon them because of their sinfulness and their wicked way of life.  I can’t help but see far too many similarities in our society today.  I must ask: how long will God permit such evil to persist?

   There is no fear of God in most of our citizens.  Many of them refuse to even acknowledge the existence of God and rebuke, demean, and persecute those whose faith in God guides their lives.  It is as if they consider it an insult to them.

   To recognize God requires that we also recognize our sinfulness and the evil we do.  It insists that we repent of our wicked deeds and strive to live according to God’s will.  This is anathema to those whose entire life is directed to their own wants and desires.  They are belligerent children who rebel for rebellion’s sake and never consider the eternal consequences.

   Of course, this attitude is nothing new, rejection and even hatred of God and those who believe in Him has existed since the beginning.  Jesus warned us, “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.” (John 15: 18).  The world at large has always and will always hate God and those who follow Him.

   What is our recourse in this wicked society that wishes to remove all traces of God?  It is to, “Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matt: 5: 44)  Hatred only breeds more hatred; we cannot allow hatred to rule our hearts.  Only God’s love and mercy can change a heart and take away the hatred within.

 

 The Missing Piece 

   Have you ever put together a jigsaw puzzle only to find that there are a couple of pieces missing?  All that hard work comes to nothing but frustration; the job can't be completed, and the puzzle is not what it is meant to be.

   Life is very much the same.  There are millions of pieces to a lifetime and they all must fit in the space they were designed for.  If there are pieces missing the puzzle of life cannot be as it was intended to be.

   Far too often the piece of the puzzle that is missing in life is God.  No life will ever be complete without Him.  As St. Augustine wrote, “You made us for yourself, and our hearts are not at rest until they rest in you.”  There is no true rest and comfort, no fullness of joy and happiness if God is missing from the puzzle of your life.

   It sometimes also happens that in some way I can’t explain God expands the puzzle of your life, adding additional pieces and meaning to a life you felt was complete and as it should be.

   Sometimes He even gives us a whole new puzzle to begin work on; a new life, if you will.  Once again we must complete the puzzle with God in mind.  If fact, we must complete it carefully following the guidance He provides, giving Him all praise and glory.

   If you feel the puzzle of your life is missing some pieces turn to God, He will provide the final piece that will put your life in order as it is intended to be.

 The Final Hour 

   “Never will we understand the value of time better than when our last hour is at hand.” (Saint Arnold Janssen) 

   Imagine lying in a hospital bed knowing full well that you will never leave that bed.  Life is at an end and the final hours, minutes, and seconds are ticking away.  Are you ready to walk through that door to eternal life?  If not, what choices are left to you?

   In his rule for monks St. Benedict encourages them to consider their mortality every day.  This life is temporary, it is a waystation of sorts on the journey to eternal life.  What awaits us in the next life is entirely up to us.  We will choose where we spend forever by the way we have spent this mortal life that will soon come to an end.

   It doesn’t matter if we are young or old, death knows no age, only circumstance.  An accident, an aneurism, or many other things can take this life in an instant.  Perhaps there might be a second to turn to God in repentance and perhaps not.  Can we afford to take that chance?  Many live their life never considering what comes next.

   The thief on the cross said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” (Luke 23: 42 – 43).  Will we have time to turn to Christ in our last minutes in the same way?  Some will, many may not.

   In my mind refusing to acknowledge my mortality and doing all I can to properly prepare my soul for that certainty would be an act of pure madness.  Not only would I be risking my eternal soul, but I would be refusing all the many blessings God wishes to give me throughout this life.  Insanity indeed!

 Eternal Love 

   “Thus there are three things that endure: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13: 13) 

   The greatest of these is love.  Did you ever wonder why?  Faith and hope are both necessary and enduring but, according to St. Paul, love is greater.

   Faith is the assurance of what we hope for.  Once this life is over and we are taken to God’s kingdom there will be no further need for such faith.  What we have hoped for will be reality.  Similarly, our hopes will be realized.  So all that will be left is love, which endures forever.

   People continue to search for peace, comfort and love in life but they can never find these things unless they have the love of God, because God is love.  So many seek love from the material things of this world, never turning to God and asking for His love.  Very simply, there can be no true love unless it originates with God.

   God created all He created out of love.  Nothing came to be except by His love, and nothing continues to exist except by His love.  If we do not have God, we can never know the fullness of love as it is intended to be.

 Filled With God

 

Lord, let my whole being be filled with You.

 

Let my ears hear You in the songs of the birds, the laughter of children.  Let me hear You in the small whisper and quiet urgings heard only in my soul.

 

Let my eyes see You in all things.  Let me see You in the glory of Your creations; the stars, the moon and the sun.  Let me see You in the faces of everyone I meet.

 

Let my feet walk the path You put before me.  Strengthen me in whatever trials I may face.  Let me lovingly embrace the crosses in my life.

 

Let my voice always speak of You; to share Your word, Your mercy and Your love.  Let it speak of Your forgiveness and salvation.  Let it be firm yet humble; strong yet loving.

 

Let my heart be filled with love for You.  Let it be a love for all Your children; a love that forgives and welcomes; a sacrificial love.

 

Let my soul be filled with Your Holy Spirit that I may better serve You.  Let my mind be filled with Your wisdom that I may better know You. 

 

Let all that I am give glory, praise and honor to You in all that I do.

 

Amen

 

 The Body and Blood 

   “I am the living bread that 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) 

   I love my Catholic faith; it feeds my soul and leads me on the path to God.  But what I love most is receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of my Lord in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist.

   When I kneel to receive Communion at Mass I enter a place that I don’t understand.  It’s a place of waiting in great anticipation to receive my Lord physically in my body.  I am always conscious of the adage “you are what you eat.”  I want to reach that place where “The life I live now in the flesh I live by faith in the Son who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal 2: 20).

   If the world wants a renewal, if the Catholic Church wants renewal, that renewal must, in my opinion, come through the confidence and faith that the small wafer of unleavened bread received at Communion is, without question, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

   I don’t understand the mystery of the Eucharist.  From a world view it seems to be impossible that such a thing as transubstantiation could be real.  But many things of God and of faith seem impossible when seen from the sinfulness of this world.  Only in faith and trust in the word of God can miracles such as the Eucharist be accepted.

   As St. Ignatius of Loyola said, “For those who believe, no proof is necessary.  For those who disbelieve, no amount of proof is sufficient.”  Faith conquers all unbelief.

 

 The River of God’s Will 

   “Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide.” (The River – lyrics by Garth Brooks/Victoria Shaw) 

   God’s will is the river of our life.  We can choose to follow that river, or we can sit on the shore as it passes us by.  Perhaps sitting on the shore is easier, but sailing the river is where we will find the love of God and the happiness it brings.

   Nobody ever promised that the Christian life would be easy.  There will be rapids to challenge and tides to overcome when we choose to follow God.  But no matter how white the waters or how high the tide our Lord will be with us to guide us safely through.

   It’s a tragedy that so many refuse to put their boat in the water and ride the will of God.  They miss so much in life.  No doubt they will find some happiness and joy in their life, but not the lasting joy and happiness of knowing God and His presence within.

   In my own life I sometimes sat on the shore.  I knew God but wasn’t brave enough to put my life totally in His hands; to offer all to Him regardless of what it may bring to my life.  There has been pain and sorrow in my life, but in placing myself in God’s loving hands there has also been peace and comfort through those times.

   Above all else is the incredible love that comes from giving ourselves to God, to strive to die to self and let Christ live within us.  God is an endless source of love, joy, and happiness; when we place ourselves in His will, offering our love and our faith to Him, the rewards are incredible.

   People seem to think that all miracles are life-shattering events, but the sweetest miracle is the quiet love and peace that God gives to those who love Him and place their trust in Him, those who choose to ride the river of His will.

 

Be Ready

 

   “Pray to be ever ready for God’s will even when it takes you by surprise.” (Saint Mary Mackillop) 

   God’s time is not our time.  We look to the clock and the calendar for when things should occur or when we expect or want them to occur.  God knew from before the earth was formed exactly what time each event in our life will happen.

   This means that there will always be times when the will of God will come at a time least expected.  We may think all is settled in our life and then something occurs that totally revises everything we thought was settled.  I sometimes think God enjoys surprising us with His will.

   How we react to these surprises goes a long way to define the depth of our faith and trust in God.  When we say, “OK Father, your will be done,” we show how much we trust.  When our response is less accepting we indicate how little we trust.

   If we are faithful, if we genuinely love and trust God, we will accept His will in all things.  Sometimes that will be relatively easy to do and at other times it can challenge our faith and trust.  It is then that we must always remember that whatever God chooses for us is always going to be what is best.  Our wishes and desires are so corrupted by the evil in the world that we often think of something as good when, in fact, it is a stepping stone to serious sin.

   Another thing I have discovered recently is that these surprise blessings of God are not confined to any particular stage in our life.  They may come in youth, middle age, and even when we are older and think nothing more can change.  And sometimes those late in life surprises are the best of all.

   So never think that God is through with you as long as you live.  He will continue to surprise you with His will and with His blessings no matter what your age or station in life.

 

  

 Live Your Faith 

   “If you don’t live what you believe, you will end up believing what you live.” (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen) 

   How many people outside of Church know of  your faith?  Do your co-workers or non-practicing friends?  If you aren’t living your faith in all you do in life, how can they see it in you?

   There are far too many “Sunday” Christians, not to mention those who only see the inside of a Church on Easter and Christmas.  The lukewarm, those who are complacent in their faith are those who Christ said will be “vomited out of my mouth” (Rev 3: 16).

   Faith is not a part time thing; it is to be the guide for all we do in life.  If our faith is restricted to the few hours we spend at Mass each week it cannot flourish, it cannot give us the direction we so desperately need in this sinful world in which we live.

   Our faith, and the way we practice it in the world, is also the primary means by which each of us can be a witness for God, an evangelist to those who do not have Him in their life.  We may very well be the only example of a faith-filled life they will ever see.  We have a very real obligation to share the faith of the Lord wherever we can and the way we do that is by living that faith in the world.

   As Christians we are called to be prophets, those who speak the word of God.  Though  we are not priests and pastors we are still to spread the good news of the gospel.  The way we can do that is the way St. Francis of Assisi advised his brother Franciscans, “preach the gospel at all times, when necessary, use words.”

 The Joys of Life 

   “There are only two kinds of people: those who say to God ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way.’”  (C. S. Lewis) 

   Life can be miserable, or it can be happy.  The difference is whether we have the joy of God within us.  With Him joy is always within us even in times of trial.  Without Him, there is never true joy within us no matter how well we think things are going.

   God wants us to know peace and joy in our lives and He will give us those blessings if we are willing to follow Him and trust in Him.  Too many people want to follow their own plan rather than Gods.

   I have known difficult times in my life as most everyone has, but I refuse to allow them to create panic or despair in my life.  I strive to accept whatever God sends me with the confidence that He does only what is good for my eternal life.  I may not always understand it, and I experience the pain, but the pain is easier to bear through trusting in God.

   There are really no words to explain what I know to be true; that God loves me even though I am undeserving of His love.  I know this to be true because He has proven it to me again and again.  During the most difficult of times I felt His presence within, strengthening me and helping me to carry my cross.

   And now He has again shown it to me in a way that I could never have imagined.  He has brought me joy that I thought was an impossibility, happiness beyond all expectations.  He has yet again proven to me that in His will, there is joy and when I submit myself to His will that joy can be mine.

Living In God’s Will 

   Some people struggle through life.  They search and search but never find satisfaction, happiness, and peace.  Life becomes a drudgery that provides little enjoyment.

   Others, however, seem to always have a smile on their face regardless of the circumstances.  They seem to never become unsettled or unhappy.  Life comes and goes, and nothing detracts from the inner peace they know.

   What is the difference between these two groups?  I am convinced that the difference is that one is living for self and earthly joys and the other is striving to live in the will of God.  In His will there will always be inner peace and calm, even in the worst of times.

   Living in the will of God doesn’t mean that we will never know strife or heartache, it means that we can turn to God for His strength to help us through those times rather than fighting the battle alone.

   As Archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote, “Our Lord did not ask us to give up the things of earth, but to exchange them for better things."  When our focus is on our eternal soul rather than our mortal bodies, the things of this world lose their luster and they also lose their ability to cause angst within us.

   Our goal cannot be the things of this world, it must be the glory of the next.  We can and should enjoy the beauty and blessings that God gives us in this world, but we must always remember that this world is not our final home.  At any moment this world may cease to exist, but eternity is forever.  When we plan for the ever-lasting, the temporary fades into insignificance.

  

Why Did God Make Me? 

   “Why did God make you?  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.” (Baltimore Catechism) 

   I love the simplicity of the Baltimore Catechism.  It teaches our faith succinctly and in words anyone can understand.  I also love delving into the depths of my faith, but the Baltimore Catechism sets the stage for further, deeper exploration of my belief in God.

   God made me to know Him.  I’ve come to realize that I can never fully know God in this lifetime but the search and desire to know Him better is what drives my faith.  I want to know as much as He is willing to reveal to me.

   He wants me to love Him.  Loving God is what man was created to do. Sadly, we have often failed miserably in these efforts.  But I’ve also learned that when we love God, even a little, His love in return is so fulfilling; it satisfies my soul.  The more I love Him, the more love I receive.  But there is a caveat involved.  The love I receive from God can never be held selfishly; it must be shared with others.

   He made me to serve Him in this world.  I love serving my Lord, it is an opportunity to give back to Him for all He has given me.  Though I can never serve Him perfectly as a sinful man, the desire to serve Him as fully as possible is a joy and a blessing.

   He made me to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.  Very simply, I can spend eternity with God in heaven or with Satan in hell.  There are no other options.  Those who believe this life is all there is will come to know, and to regret, how wrong they were.  I pray for the conversion of those who do not know God.

   These are the things God created me for.  But there is another benefit to doing all I can to comply with His wishes.  Those who love God and serve Him will not only be happy with Him in heaven, but He will share a foretaste of that happiness in this life.  The blessings He shares with me in this life are little in comparison to the joys of heaven and yet the joy and happiness they provide far exceed anything this world has to offer.  Knowing the presence and the love of God is the key to a happy life regardless of what circumstances may arise.

 

 Love As God Loves 

   The word “love” is terribly misunderstood and misused in our society today.  The word has lost the meaning it is intended to have and has become just a way of saying how much we like "things".  But love doesn’t apply to inanimate objects, only our brothers and sisters in this life and to God.

   Love is the conscious desire for the good of the beloved even when it is painful or difficult.  To love as God loves means the willingness to give up even your life for the beloved as Christ did on the cross for each of us, both the sinners and the righteous.

   Marriage is to be an example of love as is intended.  Love for God and love for the beloved.  Love is not demanding, nor is it ever to be used as a bargaining chip to get something we want.  When pride and selfishness enter the marital relationship, they destroy what makes it beautiful.

   Love of a spouse should come as close as possible to the love of God.  It should be concerned only with the increase of love between spouses and between them and God.  A marriage that does not honor God as its center is a marriage that is at risk of failing.

   When we look to God with love and offer ourselves to Him and His will, we will be greatly blessed in this life and know perfect joy in the next.

 

 A Wonderful World 

   “I see trees of green, red roses too.  I see them bloom for me and you.  And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.” (“What a Wonderful World”, lyrics by George David Weiss and Robert Thiele) 

   As a younger man I saw the world differently than today.  The beauty and majesty of creation was often lost among the needs of the day in a busy life.  Today I am much more conscious of the beauty that surrounds me and recognize that such beauty can only have come from a loving God.

   While science looks for the reasons why the universe is as it is, I see it as an expression of God’s love for you and me.  I don’t understand how anyone can look at the incredible photos of the universe and not see the hand of the Creator.  Science tries but I suspect they will never fully understand our universe, and I wonder if that inability is part of the miracle, a means to teach us humility.

   Humanity seems to love a mystery, especially one that appears to be unsolvable.  Once we fully understand things we tend to dismiss them.   To me this demonstrates our search for something greater than ourselves.   As St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” (“Confessions”)

   When we place our faith, hopes, and trust in God we more clearly see the majesty of His creation.  Not only the universe at large but even the perfection of the simplest of things.  Most of all, we will begin to see and understand that all these miracles are the result of one thing and one thing only: the incredible love of God.

 

 Be Holy 

   “He who called you is holy.  Therefore, be holy yourselves in all your conduct.  For Scripture says, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1: 15 – 16) 

   We are called to be holy, but how are we to become holy?  No matter how we try, no matter how often we go to Mass, we can never make ourselves holy.  There is only one way to obtain holiness, and that is by the grace of God.

   If our desire is to be holy we must, like our Blessed Mother, say to God, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord.  Let it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38).  There is no other path to holiness.

   God wants us to be holy and He will make us holy if we agree to let Him.  But even then free will remains.  We must make a conscious decision to treasure the holiness, to live always seeking to find increase, trusting in God in all we do.  Otherwise we can thwart the holiness God has blessed us with.

   In the world today submission is often considered a weakness, but submission to God’s will is a blessing and the path to eternal happiness.  We must approach holiness as Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “….your will, not mine be done.” (Matt 26: 39).  Even when we don’t understand, even when what He asks is difficult, we must always accept that His will is best, no matter the consequences.

   Whenever we submit our will to His, the rewards will be great.  Seeking holiness through His grace is no different.  Our desire to be holy as He is holy pleases God and His graces will be abundant.

Why Me Lord? 

   “Why me Lord, what have I ever done to deserve even one of the pleasures I’ve known?  Tell me Lord, what did I ever do that was worth loving you or the kindness you’ve shown?” (Why Me Lord – lyrics by Kris Kristofferson) 

   I look back over my life and I see many things that would seem to eliminate me from God’s caring love.  Over and over again I turned from Him, seeking my own desires in life rather than His will for me.  I’m amazed that He didn’t just give up on me.

   Instead, He kept loving me and showing me His love in so many ways even though I didn’t recognize it and give Him the thanks He so richly deserves.  He was patient, leading me by the hand even when I wasn’t aware of it.  As bull-headed as I was, it took far too long for me to acknowledge all that He has done for me, and I will regret my delay for the rest of my life.

   Now that I know better, now that I’ve given my life to Him and want to serve Him in all that I do, the blessings of the past are more evident to me.  And even though I was remiss in not seeing them before, He still overwhelms me with His great love and blessings.

   I have no idea how much longer He will allow me to remain in this world, but I want to spend all of it giving all glory, praise, and thanks to Him.  And I promise, dear Lord, that I will cherish with all my heart, the blessings  you continue to give me.  There are no words to express such gratitude, so I give Him my heart, my soul, and my love.

 

   “Now that I know that I’ve needed you so, help me Jesus, my soul’s in your hand.” (Why Me Lord)  

 All In God’s Time 

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

   Time is a human construct; it is not of God.  God is eternal and time has no meaning in eternity.  In God’s eyes all is now regardless of our calendars and day planners.

   Sometimes the things we dread and wish we could put off happen far too quickly in our estimation.  At other times things we greatly desire seem to take forever.  While we may never know what it is in this lifetime, there is a purpose to God’s plan,  All we can do by questioning it is to create anxiety and frustration within us.

   And yet we are sometimes blessed to experience the plan of God for us in such a way that there can be no doubt about the timing or the truth that God’s will is at work within us.  In my mind, those times fall into the category of miracles.

   St. Paul reminds that, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has the human heart imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Cor 2: 9).  That phrase often seems to speak to all that awaits us not in this life, but in the life to come.  But I am convinced that it can also apply to the joys and blessings that God has in store for us in this life as well.

 The Feast of the Epiphany 

   Today we celebrate the manifestation of our Lord to the nations.  Three foreigners from the east, the Magi, had followed the star of Christ from their homelands to give praise and gifts to the newborn King of Israel.

   Jesus came to God’s chosen people, to reach out to them and offer them the salvation and eternal glory God desires for them.  Most of His earthly mission was rightly directed to the Israelites, His chosen people.

   Yet Christ came not just for the Israelites but for every man, woman, and child in the world for all time.  We, the gentiles, have been grafted onto the vine God planted in the promised land; we have become God's chosen by adoption and brothers and sisters of our Lord.  What incredible love God has for all His children.

   Today, let us offer Him the gifts we have for Him; our hearts, our souls, and our love.  Let’s say a prayer for peace and love in the world and always remember the words of our Lord, “I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33)

 

 Love Eternal 

   “We have come to know and to believe that God has love for us.  God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4: 16) 

   Many are unaware of or choose to ignore God’s love for them.  They wander through life, often unhappy, seeking the love they know they need but are unable to obtain.

   When I read scripture it’s so apparent that the whole bible is the story of the love that God has for us.  Over the centuries we have denied it, rejected it, and thrown it away.  And yet His love is there, offered for any who are willing to accept it and become His child.

   The Song of Songs is considered by many to be lewd, and some translations of  scripture have refused to include it.  But read with faith and with the desire to understand God’s love we find that it is one of the best love poems ever written.  It tells of the undying love of God for His people in the words that anyone can understand if they can drag their minds out of the gutter long enough to accept it.

   One of the greatest tragedies of this world is the failure to recognize God’s love in all that exists.  There is nothing that has been and nothing that will ever be that isn’t a reflection of God’s love for us.

   When we accept His love and give all our love in return there is a wondrous exchange.  The more we love Him the greater our reward in this life.  God wants to give us all the happiness there is in this world and total happiness in the world to come.  The price of this treasure is our love, given freely to the One who loves us with a far greater love than we can ever know in this lifetime.

Two Families 

   I like to keep things simple.  When we complicate the issues we often lose sight of where we are to go and become confused in how we are to follow our Lord.

   I’ve come to see all people on earth as members of one of two families.  We are either children of God or we are children of Satan.  There are no other options and the sooner we realize that the sooner we can begin to live as the children of God.

   Another way of saying this is that we have either love or hate in our heart.  In the heart of a child of God there can be no hate and true love does not exist in the heart of the children of Satan.  We must be one or the other, our heart can’t be divided between the two.

   I am saddened by the many evils in the world today.  It breaks my heart to see the confusion and division in the Church, I pray for the souls of the millions of innocent babies sacrificed on the altar of “free love” through abortion.  It would be quite easy to say that I hate those who foster such things, but I would then no longer be a child of God but a child or Satan.

   I can, and should, despise the evils of the world, but I can never allow myself to come to hate those who practice those evils.  I must instead love them, pray for them, and place them in God’s hands.  He is the only one who can touch their heart and create a renewal within them.

   We must choose, will we be children of God or children of Satan?  There really are no other choices.  One leads to eternal joy, the other to eternal damnation.

  

 Walk In The Light 

   “I am the light of the world.  The one who follows me will never walk in darkness.  Rather, he will have the light of his life.” (John 8: 12) 

   Imagine a candle.  Once it is lit, the light from that candle can be shared over and over again without ever diminishing.  Each new candle can be lit from that wick without ever taking any of the light from the candle.

   That is our Lord, Jesus Christ.  He is the light of the world, and His light can be shared all over the world with every person in the world.  His light is the light that lives are meant to know; a pure light, a light that knows no prejudices or hatreds, but only love.

   The light of Christ can never be overcome by Satan and his evil desires.  As long as we continue to walk in His light the evil one can’t draw us away though he will never give up trying.

    The only one who can extinguish the light of Christ within us is us.  We can refuse to walk in His light and turn to the darkness.  Sadly, many do exactly that.  St John said it quite clearly, "And the judgment is this: the light has come into the world, but people prefer darkness to light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3: 19).

   Receive the light, keep it burning bright and share it with others.  Those who do these things will know blessings beyond compare in this life and eternal joy in the next.

 Into the Cloud 

   Between me and God is a cloud, a cloud of unknowing.  Though I love and know my Lord there is so much about Him that is and will remain a mystery for as long as I am in this world.

   However, within the mystery is extraordinary bliss.  Simply to sit silently, contemplating God is a tremendous joy and helps me come to know and love Him more and more.  This is why I am so at peace and ease when I am in the adoration chapel before the Blessed Sacrament. 

   Of all the wonderful mysteries of God I find His incredible love for me, a sinner who has so many times disappointed Him, to be the greatest of all.  In the ways of the world He would have rejected me long ago, but His ways are not of the world, so He continues to reach out to me with the purest of love.  His love is proven over and over, even to this day.

   Not only does He give me His love, but allows me to love Him in return.  And when I give it, wholly and completely He refills me with an even greater love.  His love is like an eternal well, the more I pull from the holy waters of that well, the more it fills up and offers more.  In this way I can give Him all my love, knowing that He will give me so much more of His love to share with others, loving them with the same holy love He gives to me.

   I wait with great anticipation to pass through the cloud of unknowing and coming face-to-face with my Lord.  But until then I will explore the mysteries, love my God, and seek to do His will in all I do.

God’s Love 

   “What is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8: 5) 

   I am constantly in awe of the love God has for me and all His children.  Higher than the stars, deeper than the ocean, His love has no limits and is never-ending.

   This fact has become even more evident to me in recent weeks.  New joy, new love has entered my life and there is no doubt from where it came; it is a gift of God.

   Sometimes life can be difficult, and joy and happiness hard to find.  Many of the saints speak of times of darkness or coldness in their lives, times when it seemed as if God had abandoned them.  And yet, they never lessened their devotion, their prayer life remained strong and even grew stronger.  They had confidence that God was still with them through it all.  Their strength gave me strength.

   I’ve read of the joy they knew when the dryness departed, and they again knew the full force and indwelling of God’s love for them.  I feel that joy in my life now as well.  Though I know He was with me all the time, this fullness of heart and soul that He has given me lights up my life.

   I felt alone and He comforted me, I felt lost, and He showed me the way.  I felt that I would never again know such joy and happiness, but He has renewed those wonders within me.  I will cherish and protect this blessed gift, constantly giving Him all glory and praise.

  

 

 

 

 

“The Lord let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.  The Lord look upon you with kindness and grant you peace.

 

 

 

Happy New Year!