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II Corinthians 4:7-15 Job 3:1-23
Blinded by the busyness of the world today, I easily cry out in the presence of friends and foes, or even more ideally, the media. News interviews, reality shows and social media are all about crying out to humanity. Unfortunately, like Job and the rest of us, I will never find answers from those who do not know that they do not know about the steadfast love and faithfulness of God. It is God alone who is wise and powerful enough to hear and understand my cries of distress and heartbreak. God alone knows human beings well enough to receive and deal with our prayers, broken and unspoken as they often are. Lord God, let me cry out in your presence. Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8) Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then your heart will never be made captive by earthly things. St. John of the Cross www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca Soli gloriam dei.
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Ecclesiates 11:9- 12:8
Truly there is a mind-body connection, as the writer of Ecclesiastes was well aware. When I allow my mind to be filled with anxiety or stress of any kind, I run the risk of having every cell in my body respond with tension and hyper-continence, leading to the ‘messy build-up’ of all kinds of toxins that cause cellular breakdown and physical pain. But when I allow the grace of God to ebb and flow through my life, trusting in the Lord’s faithfulness and steadfast love, the peace that Jesus spoke of permeates every thought, every action, and every cell of my being. Then there is no need for bodily pain to signal that something is amiss. Lord God, help me banish anxiety from my mind and so put away pain from my body. Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love, so that I may rejoice and be glad all my days. (Psalm 90:14 ) Great love can change small things into great things. St. Faustina www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca Soli gloriam dei. II Corinthians 4: 7-15
Made in the image of God as human beings are, we have ‘this treasure’ as St. Paul calls it, that is the essence of God, within us. How best to reveal this ‘light of Christ’ in the world around us? Is it by capturing this light and displaying it through ornate packaging such as personal piety and perfection? No, Paul tells us: “We have this treasure in clay vessels” - that are prone to cracking. Indeed, it is the cracks in our character, the things that make us crack pots such as sufferings and difficulties, that allow the ‘extraordinary power of God’ to shine through our beings, and the ‘life of Jesus…[to be] made visible in our bodies.’ Holy Spirit of God, shine through the cracks in my being. Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8) Great love can change small things (like cracks) into great things (like rivers of compassion). St. Faustina www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca Soli gloriam dei. Psalm 90
Human beings, are eternal by our Creator’s design. Unfortunately the things of this temporal world, though, seem to cloud eternity. Meeting deadlines, wrangling over plans, or worrying about a leaky roof seem to take precedence, and over-shadow the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 6:32-33). But when I consider how long my life is expected to be (83 years in 2017) I realize that my human experience on earth is only a small part of the tapestry of creation, and even of human history. This realization teaches my heart to value faith-fullness and the steadfast love and mercy of our Creator God even more. In this way I can become wise. Am I ready to consider the span of my days in order to gain a wise heart? Lord God, help me consider my days to gain a wise heart. Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love, so that I may rejoice and be glad all my days. (Psalm 90:14 ) We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his son Jesus. St. John Paul II Note that the life expectancy for a Canadian Inuit woman in 2017 is 73 yrs; for an Inuit woman it is 64yrs.See http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-645-x/2010001/c-g/c-g013-eng.htm Soli gloriam dei. Ephesians 4:1-13
A life worthy of Jesus is a life that bears the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This requires neither a spirit of independence nor of co-dependence. There is no place for pride or self-referenced goodness. Rather, Jesus bids me follow his example of humility, and gentleness, and patience as I respond to others with servant-love. How will I lead my life today? Christ Jesus, help me lead a life worthy of your calling. I did not come to call the just but sinners, says the Lord. (Matthew 9:13) In the end, the most important thing is not to do things for people who are poor and in distress, but to enter into relationship with them, to be with them and help them find confidence in themselves and discover their own gifts. Jean Vanier Soli 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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