Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119)
Philippians 3:3-8 Knowing Jesus, as the Prince of Peace, the Redeemer of the world, “God with us”, takes a lifetime of patiently witnessing and loving the breath of the Holy Spirit of God moving through our beings. To truly ‘know’ Christ Jesus, to the point that He becomes our go to guide and healer in any situation, takes practice. Every challenge, every struggle, every fear or grief faced with the ears of faith, the eyes of hope, and a heart open to love, helps us to know more clearly the mercy of God and the sacrifice of God’s only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and to value more deeply the deep mysteries of life and love. All the struggles through the decades of my life bear witness to the fact that Jesus’ promises recorded in Scripture are true, restricted only by how much and how often I turn to him with a humble and an open heart. At the age of 66, I can honestly say that my relationship with Christ Jesus, is the most valuable treasure of my life. Will you, too come to treasure beyond measure the person of Jesus, no matter where, through whom, when, or how you are called to enter into a deeper relationship with him, the Son of God who was the Son of Man? Holy Spirit, teach me the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:13,14) The life of Jesus tells us that not being in control is part of the human condition. His vocation and ours are fulfilled, not just in action but also in passion, in waiting. Henri Nouwen www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei
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Psalm 27 Opportunities to wait litter our lives each and every day. The faster the pace of my life, the more times it seems I am required to wait. The simple act of waiting can become an act of emotional violence when, in impatience, I rev my engine waiting at a stoplight, or speak roughly to a phone attendant or to someone slowing down a line up. But any event that slows me down or gives me pause in the day can also become an opportunity to pray, to have time to turn to God, a time for ‘holy waiting’. Will I lean into the opportunities to wait today and so find time to commune with my beloved Father? Holy Spirit of Jesus, teach me holy waiting. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:13,14) The life of Jesus tells us that not being in control is part of the human condition. His vocation and ours are fulfilled not just in action but also in passion, in waiting. Henri Nouwen See a complete meditation on waiting by Henri Nouwen at https://henrinouwen.org/meditation/a-spirituality-of-waiting/ www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei Luke 6:12-19 Just as I sometimes talk deep into the night with family members, Jesus talked through the night with his Father as he worked on a pivotal decision. He knew he need to select a group of faithful disciples to understudy his ministry in order to be able to carry out his work on earth. But which of the hundreds of his followers were the ‘ones’ who would have the commitment and the wisdom to proclaim the Gospel, heal the sick, release the prisoners and raise the dead when he had returned to his Father in Heaven. Which (men) had the courage, the strength, the faith, and deep love for Father God? Jesus did not turn to a human confidant to talk over such an important decision. Instead he spent the whole night with is Father through prayer. Only his Father knew who would be faithful to God’s plan of love and truth to the point of betrayal for one, twenty years of exile on Patmos Island for another, and martyrdom for the other ten. In this way God’s will was done on earth as it is in heaven for the Son of Man who was the Son of God. Will I, like Jesus, seek to rely on Father God’s input into my decisions and discernments, that God’s will will be done through my life on earth? Christ Jesus, help me pray at all times. The Lord is steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge. (Psalm 144:2) Act as if everything depended on you; trust as if everything depended on God. St. Ignatius of Loyola 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
March 2024
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