Luke enjoying a nice day in the garden while mom plants. Mom takes time to take a wonderful keepsake picture. Now with her great camera Ruth looks at the world with an eye for the beauty to cherish in a wonderful picture... I think the bug has bitten her called surrounded by cute kids and baby animals and a hunky husband doing all kinds of interesting things. Now surrounded by grandkids it continues... now Ruth and I are both shooting away taking way to many pictures. I say that to people and they assure me that you can never have too many...
So true!
Today in the first reading from Acts - St Paul is preaching to all who have ears to hear about Jesus' death and resurrection... the "Good News" of our salvation! St Paul certainly was called to sacrificing every day for his newfound Truth - Jesus is truly The Son of God! Imagine the complete turning around St Paul did from Saul to Paul and from hating and hunting down Christians to being one of the most outspoken evangelizers in the world then and now! How we are touched each day by the words of St Paul! He is amazing and on fire!!! Think of the words of I Cor 13... the love chapter!
"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."
It seems that St Paul and Pope Francis are saying the same thing here - holiness and love are one in the same!
How does this Dorothy Day quote grab you? This is truly thought provoking - notice the victorious Lamb of God! This makes you want to come to terms with the all those that we love the least, and try to love them more completely and to forgive them and to ask for their forgiveness. It seems that those we are the closest to are the ones that we love most imperfectly... they bring the worst out of us! How do we improve? By dying more and more to self so that Jesus may show us the Way, the Truth and bring us into LIFE eternal - we can find a small slice of heaven here on earth if we share our faith in our domestic Church/family!
Jesus, thank you for all the little things that give us a taste of true happiness. Yes, it is a daily sacrifice to be open to life and to have the little ones that need our constant care, and love, and feeding, and protecting, and times doing arts and crafts - Nancy just had her almost 3 year old and 18 month old painting here at the table - and reading to and sharing your faith with prayers before meals and at bedtime and taking to the park and taking to the swimming pool more reading books and making sure that naps are taken and baths are given and on and on... It is constant and a lot, but it is the path called the Way to leave all behind and find Jesus in our LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! Jesus, you tell us this day..."Do not let your hearts by troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places." John 14:1-6 The Gospel for today... Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"O Father, who created Adam from dust, O Son who by your Cross delivered Adam's race from ruin, resurrect me at your right hand, that I might glorify your name!
You do I worship, O Christ our Savior. You are the Resurrector and Savior of all the departed who were baptized in your name and confessed your cross and death." St Ephrem the Syrian (373)
Bernadette greets Herbie the cat with great Love and joy first thing this morning!
A borrowed picture from Ruth!
If we are the Body - Casting Crowns
No comments:
Post a Comment