NEW BEGINNINGS (5)

NEW BEGINNINGS (5)

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……

Our last meditation was on beginning new in God’s Grace. We reflected on many thoughts and inspirations from the prophet Isaiah and St. Paul.

This meditation is on awakening to and abiding in………dwelling in the moment of Grace.

Time waits for no one!

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when you can share it
with someone special.

NOW IS THE MOMENT OF GRACE

Treasure every moment you have.

Lord, Thank you for the new day………

Thank you for stillness……………………..

Thank you for blessing and grace………

Thank you for peacefulness………………

Thank you for just being, for me, God…

Thank you for this moment..the moment of Grace!

Now is the moment of Grace…….Treasure every moment you have.

Be strong…….

    Be a man/woman……

        Stand your ground…….

            Stay focused on the Lord and His way……..

And be faithful on your journey…………

One day, Jesus came into Jericho, a wealthy and important town, considered to be “the fattest in Palestine” (Luke 19:1-10). Jericho was one of the greatest taxation centers. Zacchaeus was a wealthy man in Jericho, a tax collector on top in his profession. He was curious about Jesus and was determined to take a look at him. So he climbed a tree, being small of stature, to take a look at Jesus.

Take a moment….reflect on what you do take a look at Jesus in the midst of your daily chores. Remember, now is the moment of Grace!

Jesus saw him before Zacchaeus did and invited him to come down the tree and take him home as a guest.

Reflect on what it means to take Jesus home, in terms of your own life! Remember, now is the moment of Grace!

Zacchaeus was a changed man when he came down from the tree. He went home with Jesus and gave a wonderful testimony of the radical change that came into his life: “I give half my belongings to the poor and if I have defrauded anyone in the least, I will pay him back fourfold”.

Let changed and renewed life be the testimony of your encounter with Christ!

Jesus came to Jericho and everything changed for Zacchaeus. He experienced the tender mercies and loving forgiveness of God in Jesus. Zacchaeus accepted God’s gift of – the Grace that calls, challenges, confronts, the Grace that calls for surrender, the Grace that challenges us to leave the past behind and overcome the obstacles that stand between us and the one who calls.

Welcome God’s Grace into your heart and let it transform you inside and out.

Zacchaeus did not plan to get involved with Christ. He was just curious. Even a curious look found blessing and grace. Every movement of the heart and mind in God’s direction, in the direction of goodness, love and truth find blessing and grace. Learn to respond to the movements of your heart, the moment of Grace. Remember, now is the moment of Grace!

Zacchaeus had an encounter with Jesus and he had a radical transformation of his life. How about you?

The Gospel says, “Zacchaeus stood his ground” and gave a witness to the change that had happened to him. The man who was sitting on a tree found a ground to stand on. He had found Christ. How about you? Have you discovered a solid ground to stand on? Have you been witnessing to the change that has been happening in your life as you encounter Christ.

Zacchaeus stood his ground

And said to the Lord: I will restructure my life (Lk.19:1-10).

• face what need to be faced, honestly and directly
• deal with what need to be dealt with
• accept what must be accepted
• change what need to be changed
• build what needs building
• strengthen what needs to be strengthened
• drop what must be dropped
• pick up what needs to be picked up
• eliminate what needs to be eliminated
• give what needs to be given
• take what needs to be taken
• share what must be shared, generously
• let go of what must be released
• hold on to what must be held, tightly
• incorporate what must be incorporated
• stop what must be stopped, promptly and permanently

Add your own:

Take a moment…Be still…..Prayerfully choose one or two that you want to do to restructure your life, to let it become more fully alive and keep you faithful on your journey of life.

Take another moment….Remember the spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, giving you strength for all things that you have to face in life……..

Be Still for a few moments

Loving God,

Give me faith and trust, courage and patience,

strength and insight, discerning and trusting heart

and the wisdom to remain open to the transforming power of your Grace. Amen

Fr. Gus Tharappel, msfs