NEW BEGINNINGS (9)
NEW BEGINNINGS (9)
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.
Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.
Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……
Breathe in all that is of God and from God…all that is true, honest, pure, admirable, noble, decent, virtuous, worthy of praise, good, loving, kind – all that deserves respect….
Breathe out all that is not of God and from God……..
Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in quietness, stillness and serenity. Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence – Solitude…to just being here and now, without having to accomplish something.
Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……
Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with this day….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..
I pray for you and I pray for all, who, at this moment, are receiving the gift of this fascinating, marvelous, wonderful light! May you be filled with light, God’s light!
Take a moment. Bless your morning. Let your morning Bless you……
Take another moment…. Bless your world…… Let your world bless you……
O God, I have come into the quietness and stillness of your presence, so that out of this moment, I may take with me a quiet serenity, which will last me through the rough and smooth of this day’s life. Many hours of the day are waiting to be filled a hundred ways with a hundred prayers. But, right now, at this very moment, I am at peace. I walk with you, God. I sit with you, God. I run with you, God. Thank you.
Every day that we wake up is a good day. Every breath that we take is filled with hope for a better day. Every word that we speak is a chance to change what is bad into something good.
May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)
Be still…..Relax…….Do not rush.
Day by day……Day by day……
Oh, dear Lord, three things I pray….
To see thee more clearly…..
To love thee more dearly…..
To follow thee more nearly…….day by day…..
To follow thee more nearly……. day by day…..
Loving God, Give me a pure heart that I may follow thee more nearly, day by day…..
Our last meditation was on being pure of heart as having a heart of love…a heart that dwells in love and reaches out in love for all. A heart of love is a gift of Grace!
This meditation is on being pure of heart as being single-minded, having only one desire: to follow the Lord more closely, more intimately and having no other agenda than to do his will.
We Pray: Lord give me a pure heart that I may follow thee more closely, nearly, intimately and seek to do your will, day by day…..
Jesus called his disciples to be with him and to go forth from him to fulfill his mission. He gave
them his message, his power, his lifestyle, his presence and a community to live in and to serve.
Today, you are called to carry on and complete his mission….and it is His Mission, not yours. Being pure of heart, single-minded is about having no hidden agenda, giving undivided attention to His mission, total dedication to doing His Will, surrender to his plan and purpose!
Jesus says: As the Father has send me, so I send you (John. 20:21).
Mathew 5:12-14 You are the salt of the earth….you are the light of the world.
Mathew 28:19 Go and make disciples of all nations.
Mathew 20:20-28 Whoever wants to rank first must serve the needs of all.
Luke 17:5-10 When you done all you have been commanded, say we are useless servants. We have done no more than our duty.
John 13:1-17 As I have done, so you must do…No slave is greater than his master and no messenger outranks the one who sent him.
John 21:15-17 Carry on my mission, if you love me.
John 21:22 Why worry about what another may do…You have your mission.
You are sent as Christ to the world……as the Father sent Jesus!!!
This is not a call to change water into wine…..
This is not a call to multiply bread and feed five thousand…….
This is not a call to raise the dead……
This is not a call to save the world….
This is not a call to walk on the water…………..
It is a call to stand your ground…..and be faithful!
It is a call to stand your ground…..and make a difference!
It is a call to stand your ground…..and live out your commitments!
It is a call to stand your ground…..and make your journey of faith!
It is a call to stand your ground…..and be what God wants you to be!
It is a call to stand your ground…..and do what God wants you to do!
Your call is to be counted among thousands who send their roots deep into the very person of Jesus – into his life, death and resurrection….. to be transformed by his love…to let that love be visible, be present, be the ground of all that you are and all you do.
The Jesus who will be recognized in you is not the all powerful, all loving, all good, all compassionate – perfect Jesus – you could never be that. It is Jesus who consoles you, comforts you, encourages you, supports you in your weakness, loves you, forgives you, calls you, challenges you, heals you – it this Jesus who shines through you – not in all perfection, but in an ever transforming experience of Grace. It is Jesus, who said to St. Paul “My grace is enough…” It is His Grace working through your weakness….you are being carried in Grace with all your limitations, weaknesses as well as goodness and strength.
All of us carry the treasure of this loving Jesus, dwelling within us and working through us, fragile human beings – earthen vessels. We cannot expect to witness perfection. But, we must be willing to stand up and be counted among the saints who loved, struggled, suffered, sacrificed, prayed and served generously and unselfishly as they tried to follow their master………..
Paul invited the Philippians to be fellow-imitators of Christ (Philippians 3:17 – 4:1). He also encouraged them to be aware of those whose lives were scandalous and not follow them because “our citizenship is in heaven”. Paul was saying to them that they must never forget that they are citizens of heaven and that their conduct must match their citizenship. He instructed them to “stand fast in the Lord”, like the soldier “standing fast” in battle with the enemy surging down upon him.
Remember who you are! You are fellow citizens with the saints! Be faithful to your calling! Be strong! Stand fast in the Lord! And reach out in service to one another!
Take a moment……Pray the following song or sing it in your heart…..
Make me a servant, humble and meek,
Lord, let me lift up those who are weak,
And may the prayer of my heart always be,
Make me a servant (2), make me a servant today.
Even though you were in the form of God,
You took the form of a slave,
You accepted death even on a cross,
So God exalted your name.
Ere you formed me in my mother’s womb,
You called me by my name.
And you touched my mouth and appointed me,
A prophet to the world.
May I heal the sick and the cripple, blind
Bring back the sheep that stray,
May I seek the lost and the weak make strong,
With justice to the poor.
Reflect on being called: to be a servant, humble and meek; anointed prophet to the world; sent to heal the sick, bring back the stray, seek the lost, make the weak strong, proclaim justice to the poor and so on.
May your heart be filled with Grace that there is no room for anything else!
And may His Grace empower you to serve generously
and fulfill your priestly and prophetic mission.
You are Blessed…your are Loved….you are Graced!
Live in God’s Grace!
Abide in His Grace for a few moments!
Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs
Posted in Weekend Reflections
by declaring “O Lord, Our Lord”, which is the title of the God of the covenant – how glorious this “name” is! God’s glory is that part of God’s being that is visible to the eyes of faith, even though his glory is “above the heavens”.
