Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119)
Matthew 7:7-11 Giving thanks is not a mindless or even a passive activity. Scripture speaks of the giving the ‘sacrifice of thanksgiving’, and the Prayer of Consecration during Eucharist (Thanksgiving) says that it is not only our duty but our salvation to give thanks to God. Having a ‘Gratitude Attitude’ is becoming a well-known antidote to depression and despair. But when we are faced with Climate Change, a Covid Pandemic and world-wide political and cultural upheaval all at once, how are we to go about truly giving thanks to God? Jesus taught his disciples that in all things, even the calamities of our times, God is giving his children good gifts. How do we find those gifts? Jesus teaches us to ask our Father for good, and it will given to us – as much as we await the answer to our question(s); to search so that we can find the good that God has for us in all that we receive; and to knock so that God can open the door (of unknowing) that separates us from him. Given the present circumstances, what is there to be thankful for? Will I ask, seek and knock at the door to be able to receive all the good gifts God is giving me? Holy Spirit of Jesus, help me to give thanks for all your good gifts. Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17) Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 St. Paul Listen to this 6 minute music video of Irish Blessing, to receive a portion of the light and love of God! The Irish Blessing for our Country and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TascsWZPj8U www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei
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Luke 11:27-28 Like the woman who wanted to enshrine the womb that bore Jesus and the breasts that fed him as a baby, I sometimes want to hold to my self various religious sacramentals – rosaries, prayer forms, books, images, iconic video clips or audio recordings and etcetera, because of the warm fuzzy feelings I get from them. But Jesus calls us a Christians not to litter our lives with sacramental remembrances, but to listen to his message in the moment, given to us through scripture, through prayer, through the singing of hymns and spiritual songs meditation and participation in public worship. And he calls us to live out the Word of God in our lives in real time, in real relationships, wherever we happen to be. Will I allow myself to be side-tracked with sentimentalities or will I rigorously seek out and live into the living Word of God? Holy Spirit of Jesus, guide me beyond sentimentalism into a rigorous faith. Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek the Lord continually. (Psalm 105:4) From humility of heart proceed serenity of mind, gentleness of conduct, interior peace and every good work. St. Paul of the Cross Listen to this 6 minute music video of Irish Blessing, to receive a portion of the light and love of God! The Irish Blessing for our Country and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TascsWZPj8U www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei Gospel Mystery of the Day Friday, October 9, 2020
Good Morning! Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119) Luke 11:15-26 It is all too easy to decry the evils of our day, and be pulled into the abyss of desperation and despair. Talking to others about the latest atrocities, filling my mind with newscasts, and generally giving off vibes of helpless horror seems to the general default for dealing with the the demons of a world gone rotten with unmitigated sin. And the more I dwell on these things and cast them out of me, the more ‘demons’ come home to roost in the ever clearing recesses of my mind. Jesus warned us that this is what happens: kick out one demon and it returns with a whole pack of associates – unless the space is filled with the light, the love and the life of God. When I shine the light of God’s love and mercy for his beloved children into the far corners of my heart, mind, and soul, then there is no room for despair and hopelessness. Instead, the blessing of God soaks into my whole being, and I become a locus of God’s peace and joy in my family, my community and our world. Will I insist on turning away from God to associate with the demons of acedia, bravado, chaos, and despair - or will I turn to God and allow his Holy Spirit to fill me up with his immortal and invisible light, and merciful love? Holy Spirit of God fill me with your light and your love. Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.. (Psalm 111:2) If you find that you have wandered away from the shelter of God, lead your heart back to him quietly and simply . St, Francis de Sales Listen to this 7 minute music video of Irish Blessing, to receive a portion of the light and love of God! The Irish Blessing for our Country and Beyond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TascsWZPj8U www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei Luke 11:1-3 In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus gave his disciples nine main ideas that take a lifetime to prayerfully ponder. Each phrase of the prayer that he taught his disciples is the basis for hundreds of chapters and thousands of verses of scripture, not to mention a myriad of books and sermons that have been given over the past 10 thousand years. I can casually pray any phrase a thousand times over, but it will be of no value to me, until I take ownership of the phrase, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” to mean “May your will be accomplished in an through my being here on earth” and actively seek God’s will for each minute in each day of my life. This requires that I allow my heart, my intellect, my memories and feelings, and my actions to be so aligned with the heart, the wisdom, the history and the divine mercy of God. Then I can become God’s eyes, ears, hands, feet, voice and embrace in this world, to restore humanity to its rightful, and intimate, relationship with our Creator. Will I will to have God’s being pulse through my whole being? Father God, may your will be done in and through me... Great is the steadfast love of the Lord toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. (Psalm 117;2) If you find that you have wandered away from the shelter of God, lead your heart back to him quietly and simply . St, Francis de Sales Check out “Hindsight 2020” , a secular view of God’s will, his “reset” provided through the Pandemic at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw5KQMXDiM4 www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei Holy Spirit of Jesus, help me to think about whatever is true, pure, and excellent in your eyes...10/7/2020 Philippians 4:4-9 & Luke 10:38-42 Just as on my computer, the ‘browser bar’ of my mind is always open to receive any key words I choose to submit to it. When I focus on bitter or regret-full thoughts, it is as though I enter ‘sin’ or ‘disruption’ into the search engine of my soul and pull up all kinds of sites and sights, sounds and thoughts that pop up the instant I click them into action and play into my mind and soul. Such input does not give me peace. Instead resentments, self-pity, and despair are triggered and can produce overwhelming anxiety, grief, or rage. But when I enter things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and praiseworthy into the ‘browser bar’ of my being and hit ‘search’, I give the Holy Spirit of God opportunity to feed my mind and my spirit with clusters of ideas and images of God’s love and mercy that create expanses of peace and truth within me, bringing healing and peace into my being. What will I search out today? Will I, like Martha of Bethany become frustrated by entering into many distractions, either real or virtual? Or will I, like her sister, Mary of Bethany, sit at the Lord’s feet and listen in real time to what he is saying to me through any, and all, platforms? Holy Spirit of Jesus, help me to think about whatever is true, pure and excellent in your eyes. Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. (Romans 12:2, Good News translation) While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart. St. Francis of Assisi 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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