In God’s Divine Mercy we live each day as a people who are loved… Peace be with you!
Happy Easter Day #9: Breath & Body!
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20: 21-22)
Just like the beginning of time when that mighty wind, the “Ruah,” breathed life into our existence, you are now alive with the very same breath of God and we are now one body in Christ! Our resurrected Lord came so that we might receive true peace from this breath and body, and by the power of the Spirit, know what love is, and therefore share it!
Sound silly or cliche? Today some will see the Sun eclipsed by the Moon, but because of cloud cover or the reality of proximity, many more will not. This phenomenon will surely be witnessed, recorded and shared so that all might know, and therefore see the amazing reality that is a Solar Eclipse.
May we witness and share the Good News of true peace and love incarnate in the same way!
Happy Easter Day #10: Brio!
Brio? Yes, brio! Easter calls us to live our faith out loud with a sense of gusto and eye-catching brio; that is, as brio’s definition states, “with verve and vivacity!”
The Scriptures recount how it all began for the Apostles, as they were “filled with the holy Spirit, and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim,” causing the onlookers to say, “They have had too much new wine.” (Acts 2: 4, 13)
That’s what I’m taking about… Get their attention, then share the Gospel, the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ! If you’re not sure what to say, read what the Apostle Peter had to say to the crowd (who thought they were drunk.) When he had finished, “three thousand were added that day!”
(Read Acts 2: 14-41) https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/2?14
Happy Easter Day #11: Carpe Diem!
There’s a certain urgency to the Easter Season, but it’s not necessarily an emergency. That is, our fate is not on the clock, but there is a sense of excitement to hurry up and get things started. One of my favorite movie lines is from the closing scene of “Harry Met Sally,” when Harry says to Sally, "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."
The waking of our souls is a process that takes time, but what better day than today is there to get things started? Seize this day my friends, because “now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Happy Easter Day #12: Church!
So it all started with the witness and testimony of “The Twelve;” twelve individuals who loved their friend Jesus, the Son of God. We all stand on the rock of their faith and their persistence to withstand adversity. Like “The Twelve,” we too must strive to know the Lord, grow to serve others, and remain patient and courageous in the face of the adversity that sometimes comes our way.
You see, we are on a mission to love others as we are loved, and as we’ve discovered, this is not easy. This is Church…
(Read The Acts of the Apostles) https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/0
Happy Easter Day #13: Coming!
Ok, indulge me… In case you’re wondering “Could it be?” My answer is: “Yes it could… Something’s coming, something good, if I can wait.” (from West Side Story)
_____
The Prayer…
“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your kind spirit guide me on ground that is level.” (Psalm 143:10)
The Answer…
“When he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.” (John 16:13) “[And] you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you.” (Acts 1:8)
The Promise…
“For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17)
_____
“The air is hummin’, and something great is coming!” (West Side Story)
Happy Easter Day #14:
Conscious vs. Conscience!
To be CONSCIOUS pertains to the function of the human mind that receives and processes information, crystallizes it and then stores it or rejects it with the help of the five senses, the reasoning ability of the mind, the imagination, emotion, and memory. (Journal of Medicine and Life - National Library of Medicine - National Institute of Health)
When it comes to our faith, we can be very CONSCIOUS of the actions and experiences going on around us. We can be moved by nice reflections and pieces of artwork. We can participate in the work of the community and enjoy its outcomes and rewards. The Church can wake us up to the need for change and improvement in our lives, and even move us to join in its movement and efforts to do God’s will and work in the world… And this good, but left to itself, consciousness is just an experience.
To use one’s CONSCIENCE is the inherent ability of every human being to perceive what is right and what is wrong and, on the strength of this perception, to control, monitor, evaluate and execute their actions. (Journal of Medicine and Life - National Library of Medicine - National Institute of Health)
When it comes to our faith, our CONSCIENCE internalizes the Truth and guides our actions from within so as to more fully participate in and with God’s will and work in the world. The Church, then, and its true foundation in God’s love becomes strengthened by this participation.
If you’re still reading… It is key to the Body of Christ that one move from a conscious participation, in the movements of Church, to a participation that is grounded in a well formed conscience, acting with others to truly serve.
Don’t just belong to Church; read, watch and learn along The Way. Study, ask questions, and engage in meaningful discussions that help guide your actions to not only move your heart with emotion, but change it at its core!
Wow… That was deep! 🤣
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956087/#R25
No comments:
Post a Comment