Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119)
Luke 22:14-23:56 -The Passion Narrative According to St. Luke With all the evil trends at work in the first century –in the oppressive Roman world, through the leaning of the flesh to fatigue, boredom, despair and self-centredness, (acedia), and by the evil deceits and onslaughts of the devil –Peter and all of Jesus’ disciples were being ‘sifted by Satan’ and were at risk of being sucked into the vortex of hell. At the time of His Passion, they needed the prayers of Christ to be able to believe and live their faith beyond the world, the flesh and the devil. So it is with us today. With all the trends at work – through the screens and screams of our dying world today, through the fatigue, boredom, despair and self-centredness of acedia, the flesh, and by the deceits and onslaughts of the devil, -as followers of Christ we are being ‘sifted by Satan’ and are also at risk being sucked into the hell of unbelief. Who better than Christ Jesus to pray for us, for ‘me’? Will I value and live into the prayers of Jesus so that I might stay awake spiritually and stand with him? Christ Jesus, pray for me, that my own faith may not fail. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he uttered. (Psalm 105:4,5 ) Live in holy joy and fly from anything that would dissipate your spirit.St. Paul of the Cross www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei
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John 8:51-59 Jeremiah speaks of being ‘enticed’ by the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus spoke of being loved as the Son of God. St. Paul counselled the early Christians at Ephesus not to ‘grieve the Holy Spirit’. When God loves us so much that he woos us like a lover, or loves us like a doting father, is there anything that grieves the Holy Spirit of God more than acting as if we are not interested in his advances, or acting in a shameful manner that flies in face of the family’s decorum of mercy and humility? I grieve the Holy Spirit of God anytime I turn my back on his love and forgiveness and choose instead to treat my own life and the lives of others with indifference or engage in disgusting thoughts, words or actions. Paul lists some of these, and then goes on to encourage his brothers and sisters in Christ to be kind, compassionate and forgiving; Jeremiah exhorts us to sing to the Lord and praise the Lord because he has delivered our lives from evil; and Jesus showed us how to remain rooted in our identity as the children of God in the face of all powers and persons who deny it. Am I being enticed by the naysayers, or by the Holy Spirit of God? Will I grieve or delight the Holy Spirit of God? Christ Jesus, help me not grieve the Holy Spirit. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he uttered. (Psalm 105:4,5 ) Live in holy joy and fly from anything that would dissipate your spirit.St. Paul of the Cross www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei John 11:45-57 Caiaphas the high priest the year that the Son of God was crucified, intending to wipe out Jesus and his following declared: “You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” Caiaphas seemingly spoke this counsel of his own volition, but indeed spoke God’s Truth that was at work beyond anything the High Priest knew and would echo through the centuries to come. Indeed, Jesus, the Son of God who was the Son of Man, whom the High Priest thought he would shut down by a death sentence, was also the Lamb of God who by his holy cross would redeem the world, in the past, present and future. What evil is expressing itself in my life that is in reality Truth being proclaimed by God, once and for all? Holy Spirit, help me see your work beyond the intentions of evil. I will turn their mourning into joy, i will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. (Jeremiah 31:13) The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man. G.K.Chesterton www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei John 8:51-59
The fear of death can diminish or even extinguish life in the living as much as the act of dying removes the heartbeat from a body. The Good News of Jesus is that he offers us an alternative to death, this side of the grave and the next. He not only gave us words to live by – teachings about faith, hope and mercy, but he also gave us the Word of his life as he suffered, and died an excruciating death and in doing so forgave his persecutors (and us) because “they do not know what they do”. Then rose from death to confirm for us the path to eternal life. As much as I keep his words, that is make them my ‘default operating system’ and keep Jesus, the Word as the focus of all my relationships with humanity and with creation, then I am empowered to live and not to die in heart, mind and soul. Holy Spirit, teach me the word, the living Word, of your truth in every relationship, every circumstance, and every event of my life’s journey. Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus, then help me keep your word and live beyond death. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he uttered. (Psalm 105:4,5 ) Live in holy joy and fly from anything that would dissipate your spirit.St. Paul of the Cross www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei John 8:31-42 Knowing the truth of any situation is different than dwelling on a the self-talk our minds generate from any and all experiences of life. When I ‘know’ my perception of the facts in life, and speak about what I am afraid of, what I want, or what I am angry about, I am not dealing with the truth but rather my perception of so-called reality. The truth that Jesus speaks of is the mercy of God at work in all experiences of humanity. The Beatitudes of Jesus are statements of the truth. The recurrent themes of all of scripture – of God’s care for creation, of the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, the sanctity of suffering or the holiness of humility and etcetera –are all facets of the truth that Jesus referred to. The truth from a divine perspective is the most life-giving subject to understand and to speak of. In any given circumstances, I have the opportunity to explore ‘my truth’ or to know ‘the truth’ that is based on God’s immutable mercy rather than on my subjective will. Whenever I have occasion to open my mouth, I have the opportunity to speak ‘my truth’ and put into motion the complexities of pride, recognition and self-will, or to speak ‘the truth’ and to contribute to the glory of God in the healing and holiness of all individuals, all families and all communities. Christ Jesus, help me know the truth and to speak it. If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. (John 8:31-32 ) Live in holy joy and fly from anything that would dissipate your spirit.St. Paul of the Cross www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei |
AuthorBeverly Illauq lives in Kemptville, Ontario, where she greets each morning by seeking the Gospel Mystery of the Day - the Word of the Lord for direct and practical application to the specific challenges & joys of the day. Archives
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