The Gospel today is from Luke 5... Jesus gets into Simon Peter's boat to preach from the water as the crowd is too large and pressing on HIM. He then tells Simon to "Put out into deep waters and lower your nets for a catch." I feel the excitement and expectation start to rise within me when Jesus speaks! There was a lectio divina look at this Gospel - Word of God - in the Magnificat... Blessed John Paul II reflects so beautifully - "The first condition for 'putting out into the deep' is to cultivate a deep spirit of prayer (the Greek word for deep is used in Luke 6:48 of the man who 'dug deep' to lay the foundation for his house) nourished by daily listening to the Word of God. The authenticity of the Christian life is measured by the depth of one's prayer... Whoever opens his heart to Christ will... understand the mystery of his own existance,...he will bear abundant fruit of grace." Then Jesus commands us to let down our nets - to share the teachings and graces that Christ has brought to us through our prayer life, and time walking with his Saints, and the Sacraments that bless us daily and weekly and monthly, and the devotionals that bless us minute by minute! How glorious it is to put out into that deep waters... how I yearn for the deep drowning place within where I am floating on a ocean of HIS LOVE! The rosary in my hand and the Mary prayer repeating in my head and heart... as I place myself in the mystery and lift up the intentions associated with each one... the lull of the waves of FAITH washing over me, knowing that I am listened to as our Mother Queen of Heaven and earth intercedes to her Son for all of us here below!
His 3rd command to us today from the Gospel is - "Do not be afraid" It is said that this is repeated 365 times in the Bible for us to remember that every day of our lives we need to TRUST! The deep waters could take our lives from us if we are unable to swim, or have no life jacket, or are caught in a huge storm - and there is not one of us, who has not had horrible storms that would take our lives! But is this not what we need to be unafraid of? That is that we need to die to self - allow the storms to take our selfish desires away and then to place all our hope, and faith, and Trust in HIM! "You, O Peter, shall be a fisher of men, not to destroy them, but to give them life by raising them from death of sin unto LIFE of grace so that, like fish that you caught, they might die to sin, and their former way of life, and might live unto LIFE, a divine LIFE of grace, and be incorporated into God by grace and LOVE." Fr Cornelius a Lapide SJ Through the Cross - we find LOVE, LIFE and LIGHT!
Jesus, with your Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven and earth at your side, we know that the storms of LIFE come to bring us to YOU! When life is going along just fine - we forget that we need to have you in our lives. We think that power, possessions and the distractions of this world give us what we need and what we want. We are deeply possessed by the demons, and Satan's lies deceive us, and fill us with darkness! We see your LIGHT,O Lord, through the waves that are crashing over us. We see YOU stand, and rebuke the sin and darkness, and the raging storm of LIFE... we are dead to sin, and rejoice as the calm takes over the sea and the Son/Sun comes out to fill us with YOUR LIGHT of Truth! We are pulled from the sea of the deep waters where we come to know YOU and Trust in YOU no matter what! We realize that in our weakness and deep place of shameful sinfulness - we turn to YOU! Lord, I yearn to be humbled and small, so that there is room for YOU to grow and grow ever larger and more consuming in my heart, mind and soul! I will not be afraid of those hard times - the crosses - that take away my selfishness and sin, so that I may LOVE and serve YOU with all that I have - most especially within my domestic Church/family! Jesus, we will follow your commands to us - "Put out into the deep waters" - where we come to know, love and follow after YOU in your Word and Prayer! "Lower your nets for a catch" - we will share in word and deed the great change of heart we have experienced in YOU! "Do not be afraid" - we know and LOVE you with all that we have gained from YOU, Jesus, and YOUR BRIDE, The Church! We have nothing to fear because YOU are there with all that we could ever need now and forever. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Halleluia
Bless-bless, Barb
"I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord."
Psalm 138 The psalm from mass today!
Praying for John and Pat, who are on an Emmaus retreat this weekend, and all those that are there to come to know HIM better! Jesus, we LOVE you and ask you to bring us to newness of LIFE eternal through YOUR MOST CHERISHED CROSS!
This is a picture of Heaven for Pat!
I Can only Imagine by Mercyme. Lord, we love that little slice of Heaven we can find as we leave self behind and become yours!
Mary's Immaculate Heart!!!
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