(a reflection on Mt 5:4)
When we think of sorrowing or hurting or feeling the weight of the cross...
do we buckle our knees and pray?
or do we buckle our knees in sheer panic, and flee?
The Cross of Christ is not only a grace; but a blessing.
It strips us of all things that refrain us from embracing our vocation to love
as Christ loves.
When we allow ourselves to be cleansed by the endurance of the Cross,
we are born again...
we mature in faith...
we are enriched with a new strength...
what greater consolation can we hope for
than to be completely united to the one we love?
Our 'secret' lover is the Crucified.
Our loving embrace is found on the Cross.
When we believe this...then we are truly free.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
(A reflection on Matthew 5 Verse 3)
Who are the poor, in spirit?Do we want to be poor?
Are the poor people of the world, also the poor in spirit?
When we have nothing
(we are all born into the world this way),
then we are poor.
When we depend upon someone else in order for us to live,
then we are poor.
When we are small in this world,
we are the poorest of the poor.
Why are we blessed when we are poor?
The secular world in which we live in tells us that we are "lucky" and "privileged" when we are rich in possessions and education and have many "things". Seldom do we hear the words "blessed" referring to persons with great wealth or intelligence. Though we know in our hearts that this is truly the case: Blessed are we, for all things come from the hand of the Father, who feeds and nourishes and sustains us on this earth.
In order to be poor in spirit...
we must be trusting (like a child).
When was the last time we put our trust in God: to carry out His divine plan in our lives?
(Without us trying to get in the way, and do things our way?)
As we grow older, do we also grow less dependent on the Father because we believe more in our own self-imposed capacity to carry out all things as we believe them to be true?
let us begin each day with prayer...
Pray, pray, pray to the Father,
with the Son
and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit...
that we grow more trusting in Him who created us
and knows what we need at every moment in our lives...
let us be the small in this world in order to be the poorest of the poor.Our poverty will enable us to embrace one thing and one thing only:
the foot of the Cross.
In our true poverty, when we have nothing to loose or worry about losing...
God will reign.
This then, will be the true kingdom of heaven in our hearts.
Who are the poor, in spirit?Do we want to be poor?
Are the poor people of the world, also the poor in spirit?
When we have nothing
(we are all born into the world this way),
then we are poor.
When we depend upon someone else in order for us to live,
then we are poor.
When we are small in this world,
we are the poorest of the poor.
Why are we blessed when we are poor?
The secular world in which we live in tells us that we are "lucky" and "privileged" when we are rich in possessions and education and have many "things". Seldom do we hear the words "blessed" referring to persons with great wealth or intelligence. Though we know in our hearts that this is truly the case: Blessed are we, for all things come from the hand of the Father, who feeds and nourishes and sustains us on this earth.
In order to be poor in spirit...
we must be trusting (like a child).
When was the last time we put our trust in God: to carry out His divine plan in our lives?
(Without us trying to get in the way, and do things our way?)
As we grow older, do we also grow less dependent on the Father because we believe more in our own self-imposed capacity to carry out all things as we believe them to be true?
let us begin each day with prayer...
Pray, pray, pray to the Father,
with the Son
and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit...
that we grow more trusting in Him who created us
and knows what we need at every moment in our lives...
let us be the small in this world in order to be the poorest of the poor.Our poverty will enable us to embrace one thing and one thing only:
the foot of the Cross.
In our true poverty, when we have nothing to loose or worry about losing...
God will reign.
This then, will be the true kingdom of heaven in our hearts.
Friday, October 15, 2010
what is the way to true happiness?
The vocation of all the faithful is described in the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. (Mt.5:1-12; Lk 6:20-23)
We know these teachings as the Beatitudes
(some even refer to them as the "Be-attitudes").
A way of life that portrays our Lord's charity in this life. By following this simple way (though not so easy to do at times) we can already taste the delicacy of God's heavenly scent. These are the blessings and rewards already secured through Christ (as the Virgin Mary and all the saints already experienced).
Join me in my walk through the meditating of the Beatitudes. I wish to follow Christ more closely. So, for the sake of our vocation to grow in holiness, I will ask the Lord to give us the heart to prayerfully, humbly and with a sincere heart, delve into these Beatitudes: one-by-one...in the next few weeks.
May we be given the graces and continued desire to be in constant communion with the One who alone can fulfill our divinely-inspired desire for happiness. Amen.
We know these teachings as the Beatitudes
(some even refer to them as the "Be-attitudes").
A way of life that portrays our Lord's charity in this life. By following this simple way (though not so easy to do at times) we can already taste the delicacy of God's heavenly scent. These are the blessings and rewards already secured through Christ (as the Virgin Mary and all the saints already experienced).
Join me in my walk through the meditating of the Beatitudes. I wish to follow Christ more closely. So, for the sake of our vocation to grow in holiness, I will ask the Lord to give us the heart to prayerfully, humbly and with a sincere heart, delve into these Beatitudes: one-by-one...in the next few weeks.
May we be given the graces and continued desire to be in constant communion with the One who alone can fulfill our divinely-inspired desire for happiness. Amen.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Are we showing mercy to others?
Blessed are the merciful, for mercy will be theirs... (Mt 5:7)
Have we forgiven our neighbor today?
Have we been patient with our spouse? our parent?
our child? our brother? our sister?
Showing mercy to others means to forgive those closest to us, our family.
Many times, it is easier to practice patience and show mercy to those outside the home.
Are we being true to the call to be merciful?
Only when we are true in showing mercy from the heart...
will the Father be merciful to us.
Have I asked the Father to give me the grace to be merciful today?
It is in the asking with a sincere and humble heart...
that we receive in overabundance.
For the Father, with the Son and through the Holy Spirit,
is infinitely generous and kind to those who seek Him
with a sincere and humbled heart (intention).
Prayer: God of goodness, enlarge my heart with Your merciful love. Let the miracle of Your mercy shine through me for Your honor and glory. Amen.
Have we forgiven our neighbor today?
Have we been patient with our spouse? our parent?
our child? our brother? our sister?
Showing mercy to others means to forgive those closest to us, our family.
Many times, it is easier to practice patience and show mercy to those outside the home.
Are we being true to the call to be merciful?
Only when we are true in showing mercy from the heart...
will the Father be merciful to us.
Have I asked the Father to give me the grace to be merciful today?
It is in the asking with a sincere and humble heart...
that we receive in overabundance.
For the Father, with the Son and through the Holy Spirit,
is infinitely generous and kind to those who seek Him
with a sincere and humbled heart (intention).
Prayer: God of goodness, enlarge my heart with Your merciful love. Let the miracle of Your mercy shine through me for Your honor and glory. Amen.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Like a child
St. Therese of Lisieux.
Like a child,
she lived a life of humble acceptance
of the will of God in her life.
She also found great wonders
in the little things of this world.
When we view each day
with the wonder of a child,
we are setting ourselves up for
an adventure of a ride.
After all,
life is an adventure to be lived and not a problem to be solved...
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