What is it about a face? When we meet someone, we study that person’s face. The face gives away the soul. We can read so much in a person’s facial expression. So much of the texture of what she’s thinking, feeling, and experiencing can be sensed in the face. When we want to be honest and direct, we look someone in the face. When we resolve to meet a difficult situation, we face up to it.
On other hand, standing before the face of another can be threatening and shaming, but also sometimes enlivening.
In the book of Numbers, the Lord instructs Moses how he wants the priests to bless the people: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: this is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace” (Numbers 6:23-26).
This is all about the face of Yahweh. We often speak about man's search for God. But the thrust here is in a different direction. It is much more interested in God’s quest for us. God looks upon us with love and searches us out when we run from him.
Think of Psalm 139 in this context: “Lord, you search me and you know me; you know my resting and my rising; you discern my purpose from afar. Before ever a word is on my lips, you know it, O Lord, through and through…”
Many of us are, despite ourselves, deists. That is, we think of God—if we think of him at all—as a distant force, a creative power indifferent to the world.
But that just isn’t biblical religion. God knows us, loves us, searches us out, and makes his face to shine upon us, looking upon us kindly.
Think of the experience of being gazed upon by someone who loves you and whom you love. In that gaze—penetrating, knowing, benign—you find, not oppression, but joy and peace. That's how God looks upon you.
Reforming Our Lives BL. MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA Holiness is not the luxury of the few but a simple duty for you and me, so let us be holy as our Father in heaven is holy. Saint Thomas says: "Sanctity consists in nothing else but a firm resolve" - the heroic act of a soul abandoning itself to God. Our progress in holiness depends on God and on ourselves - on God's grace and on our will to be holy. We must have a real living determination to reach holiness. "I will be a saint" means I will despoil myself of all that is not God, I will strip my heart of all created things, I will live in poverty and detachment, I will renounce my will, my inclinations, my whims and fancies, and make myself a willing slave to the will of God. Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in his love than in your weakness. Saint Augustine says: "Fill yourselves first and then only will you be able to give to others." If we really want God to fill us, we must empty ourselves through humility of all that is selfishness in us. We must not attempt to control God's actions. We must not count the stages in the journey he would have us make. We must not desire a clear perception of our advance along the road, nor know precisely where we are on the way of holiness. Verse of the Day "For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s[d] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:9-10 THE CRUCIBLE OF SUFFERING
Author Unknown
I will not leave you comfortless. . John 14:18
Nowhere has God promised anyone, even His children, immunity
from sorrow, suffering and pain. This world is a "vale of
tears," and disappointment and heartache are as inevitable as clouds
and shadows. Suffering is often the crucible in which our faith is
tested. Those who successfully come through the "furnace of
affliction" are the ones who emerge "like gold tried in the
fire."
The Bible teaches unmistakably that we can triumph over
bereavement. The psalmist said: "Weeping may endure for the night,
but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).
Self Pity can bring no enduring comfort. The fact is, it
will only add to our misery. And unremitting grief will give us
little consolation in itself, for grief begets grief. Ceaseless grieving
will only magnify our sorrow. We should not peddle our sorrows and bewail
our bad fortune - that will only depress others. Sorrow, or
mourning, when it is borne in a Christian way, contains a built in
comfort. "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be
comforted" (Matthew 5:4).
There is comfort in mourning because we know that Christ is
with us. He has said: "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end
of the world" (Matthew 28:20). Suffering is endurable if we do not
have to bear it alone; and the more compassionate the Presence, the
less acute the pain.
The Greatest...
The highest aim in life - To know God and do His will!
The most enriching good habit - Complimenting others
The most destructive bad habit - Worry
The greatest joy - Giving
The greatest loss - Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work - Helping others
The ugliest personality trait - Selfishness
The most endangered species - Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource - Our youth
The ugliest look - A frown
The greatest "shot in the arm" - Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome - Fear
The most effective sleeping pill - Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease - Excuses
The surest way to limit God - Unbelief
The most powerful forces in life - Love
The most dangerous piranha - A gossiper
The Greatest Life-Giver - The Creator
The worlds most incredible computer - The brain
The worst thing to be without - Hope
The deadliest weapon - The tongue
The two most power-filled words - "I Can"
The greatest asset - Faith
The most worthless emotion - Self-pity
The most beautiful attire - A Smile!
The most prized possession - Self esteem
The most powerful channel of communication - Prayer
The most contagious spirit - Enthusiasm
The most urgent need - Salvation
The greatest attribute of Jesus - Obedience
The GREATEST - GOD
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
What is it about?
It is about change...
A change from an old life to a new life that is in Christ
A change from death to life
A change from darkness to light
A change from selfishness to selflessness
A change from being self-reliant to Christ-reliant
A change from being served to serving
A change from hopelessness to hope filled
A change from wanting to giving
A change from faithless to faithful
A change from emptiness to wholeness
A change from unfulfilled to fulfilled
A change from looking inward to looking outward
A change from a worldly perspective to a heavenly perspective
A change from arrogance to humility
A change from the familiar to the unfamiliar
A change from hardness to grace and mercy
A change from bitterness to joy
A change from hatred to love
But we don't like change! We like our routines, our comfort zones...
we may attempt to fight the changes that come with the gospel of Jesus
Christ, but if you have been born again from above He will take you from
where you are to where He desires for you to be - and that means change!
Paul R. Barriball
Sawing off One's Cross
They tell the story of a group of devout people
who were on a cross-carrying pilgrimage. The
going was rough and there was much moaning and
groaning. One of the pilgrims found his cross
just too heavy to carry, so he cut off a part and
shortened it.
After days of walking, the pilgrims approached
the promised land of everlasting joy and peace in
God's presence. But they still had one obstacle
to overcome. Between them and heaven was a
yawning abyss. How could they get to the other
side?
Someone thought of the idea of each one using his
cross as a bridge. And would you know it? The
crosses were just the right length to span the
gap.
So, all the cross-bearers walked across except
the one who had sawed off his cross to make it
lighter.
A Prayer for Lent
"Lord we ask You to send Your Holy Spirit throughout the world in abundance today. We beg Your Mercy and forgiveness for all that is wrong in this world. Convert the hearts of those whose decisions affect the most vulnerable in society from the tiny babe in the womb to the frail, the sick, the handicapped and the elderly; the poor, the disenfranchised and the persecuted. Let their decisions be made with the love and integrity of God so that no decision will harm or degrade any of your beautiful 'sons and daughters'." Bending Our Will
Lent is a time when we can shatter the deceptions of Satan by holding fast to the righteousness of Christ. Lent is a time for seeing that all of creation is good for guiding us to a greater knowledge of God.
— from The Little Way of Lent
HOLY FACE PRAYER FOR SINNERS
by St. Therese of Lisieux ETERNAL FATHER, since Thou hast given me for my inheritance the Adorable Face of Thy Divine Son, I offer that face to Thee and I beg Thee, in exchange for this coin of infinite value, to forget the ingratitude of souls dedicated to Thee and to pardon all poor sinners. |
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