Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119)
2 Timothy 3:10 – 4:8 In grade 8 my grandson seemed to be an invincible track and field athlete. He had just placed first or second in several field events at a meet when he lined up for 200m sprint. At the signal he bolted from the starting blocks – and collapsed at 50m crying out with the pain of a torn ligament. He had not stretched adequately before racing. Neither all the practice he had had, nor all the accolades of previous events could help him get up and finish the course before him. Each of us has a course of life laid out for us, according to the gifting of our beings and the grace of God. How many of us, though, collapse part way through the course of our lives, or even through the course of any given day, because we have not first stretched our hearts, minds, soul and strength in by faith in God.. We are designed ‘in God’s image’ so that all choices we make are to be tempered first and foremost by the love and mercy of God. That is how our hearts are stretched to align with the Mercy of God; how our minds are stretched by the Truth of God through reading and praying with the Word of God; how our souls are stretched to produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit; and how our strength, and all the gifts we are designed to bring into the world, are empowered under the authority of God our Father. Will I align myself enough with the Holy Spirit of Jesus to be able to run the full course of my life? Holy Spirit of Jesus, help me run the full distance of the course of my life, with faith. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Land Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3: 17) Make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection and mutual affection with love. Second letter of St. Peter to the young churches, chapter 1, v.5-7 Soli ad gloriam Dei Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook & www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca
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2 Corinthians 4:13 – 5:11 & Mark 3:20-35 How often am I weary of soul and either close down in despondency or depression of some kind, or frantically reach out to passions of this world, the appetites of the flesh, or the deceits (instant or ‘magic’ fixes) of the devil to find peace in my soul? Our Lord, Jesus Christ offers us a different way, a way of renewal of mind and soul. Rather than the passions of the world, He offers us the passion of patience, a cross to bear and holy mercy to journey through life with Grace; rather than the appetites of the world, He offers us the way of self-giving love and an attitude of ordered, prayer-full walking through life; and rather than the mis-aligned power and magic fixes (and deceits) of Satan, He gives us his immutable Word of truth, and peace in His presence, peace that passes all understanding. When I ground myself in Jesus’ offerings, then I can rise up and do the will of God – and live into my full heritage as a daughter or son of God, walking with Jesus through the waves of life that come along, bringing to life the will of His Father and mine. Will I allow the Holy Spirit to transform me from within, with the Love and the Word of Christ Jesus, by prayer and thanksgiving? Christ Jesus, renew my inner self with your Holy Spirit to do the will of God… But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Land Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3: 17) Make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection and mutual affection with love. Second letter of St. Peter to the young churches, chapter 1, v.5-7 Soli ad gloriam Dei Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook & www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca Christ Jesus, help me rekindle the power, love and self-discipline of the Holy Spirit within me…6/7/2024 2 Timothy 1:1-12 Tending a campfire recently, it struck me how key it is to have kindling at hand - small, dry, branches or pieces of wood that will ignite easily. Kindling is used both to grow the flames of a newly started fire, and to revive a fire that is dying. Like all of the Apostles, Paul and Timothy recognized the fire of the Holy Spirit that had fallen upon them when they were baptized by the Holy Spirit. All baptized Christians have obviously been touched by the flame of the Spirit, but without the tinder of teaching, and the breath of prayer and scripture, the Holy flame may never take hold in a person’s being. And even if a person continues to throw the tiny twigs of occasional ‘emergency prayers’ or sporadic attendance the flame of the Holy Spirit of God at work in heart, mind, and soul will never strengthen. Only when (I) throw on the kindling of persistent, and self-disciplined power and love, gained through committed prayer, prayerful reading of scriptures, and the spiritual exercise of worshiping God in community and receiving Christ Jesus in Holy Communion, can the Holy power and Love of God leap to life in my life. This is an active, not merely a passive, pursuit, this enkindling of the Spirit that is within. Will I try to merely survive life using my own power and love, or will I enkindle the Spirit within me by disciplining myself to soak in the power and the love of God and become his instrument of creation and healing in the world? But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Land Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3: 17) Make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection and mutual affection with love. Second letter of St. Peter to the young churches, chapter 1, v.5-7 Soli ad gloriam Dei Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook & www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca Jude 17 - 25 It has become an annual routine – rebuilding the walls of our house. Originally built without house wrap, it turns out that the frame of our house has become a favorite nesting place of carpenter ants who choose to eat through the joints and joists as they ‘build’ their ideal colony. Creature or humans – we are all about building up our lives individually and as family, community and nation. The pursuit of food, exercise and shelter go into the building up our physical being, while conversations (either oral or by print or images), education and the pursuit of the arts up sense in our minds and souls. We are forever making choices about what to take in to ourselves to build ourselves up, and at times what to take down, clean out and rebuild. Indeed, building up our lives becomes the sum of which connections we pursue and what choices we make. Left to my own devices, we –I –can so easily become distracted with the vanities of this world, and settle for building ‘without house wrap’, that is, without the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, to keep out the mold and pests of maliciousness, bitterness, debilitating anxieties and griefs and regrets that so easily and insidiously eat away at the very framework of every being and who we are as a beloved sons and daughters of Father God. Will I check the walls of my ‘house’ to ensure that it is free from rot and mold, and as needed rebuild, taking care to wrap my heart, mind, soul and strength (body) with the wisdom, comfort and protection of the Holy Spirit of God? But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Land Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3: 17) Make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection and mutual affection with love. Second letter of St. Peter to the young churches, chapter 1, v.5-7 Soli ad gloriam Dei Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook & www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca James 3:13-18 I have recently accomplished seven decades of this journey called life. And I feel as though I am only now experienced and humble enough –and wise enough –to begin to truly live into the ‘order’ the ‘good of every kind’ that James speaks of in his famous counsel regarding wisdom. Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle and friendly, full of compassion, and full of good deeds free from prejudice and hypocrisy, and produced from the seeds that peacemakers plant in peace…” Looking back on my life’s journey, I realize that all the newsy conversations, either aural or in print; all expressions of anger or the flagrant exercise of ‘loose lips’; all my criticisms and judgments of others either casually expressed or spoken with great consternation; all the possessions I have so carefully accrued , at best have been somewhat helpful, and at worst are only embarrassing heaps of foolishness that bred little good, and have perhaps even blocked the view of the many good and fruitful things that I have been able to with the time, talents and treasures I have been given. Indeed, as James points out, my subscription to the wisdom of this world – with its prominence, possessions, and alleged powers - has led me away from God’s great goods! As I contemplate my time here on earth going forward, I am committed not to wisdom as defined by this world, but to have and to keep, ‘the wisdom from above’ that was the mark of James, and the truly wise elders of ages past. Will I deliberately receive from the Holy Spirit of God, the wisdom from above? When you send forth your spirit your creatures are created; and you renew the face of the earth. (Psalm 104) Light most blessed, shine with grace, In our heart’s most secret place, Fill your faithful through and through. Gospel Sequence for Pentecost, v. 5 Soli ad gloriam Dei Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook & www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca |
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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