What we endure in this life is nothing compared to the glory that God
has in store for us in heaven. Lord, take every moment of my life as
a prayer to praise and glorify Your holy name.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"Be still and know that I am God." ~Psalm 46:10
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
I can be calm, true and quiet. I need not get emotionally upset by anything
that happens around me. I can feel a deep, inner security in the goodness
and purpose in the universe. I can be true to my highest ideals. I need
not let myself slip back into old ways of reacting. I can stick to my
spiritual guns. I can be calm always. I need not talk back or defend
myself too much against accusation, whether false or true. I can accept
abuse as well as I accept praise. Only God can judge the real me.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may not be upset by the judgment of others. I pray that I may
let God be the judge of the real me.
A Stone Among the Offertory Gifts
In southern Bolivia, Sunday Mass is normally
outdoors. The congregation sits on rough-hewn
plank benches. At the offertory procession four
teenage boys march up to the altar carrying bread
and wine, candles and water. One holds a rather
large stone in his hands.
When they reach the foot of the altar, they turn
around and lift up the offertory gifts for all to
see. Only one of them speaks, the youth holding
the stone. He prays:
"Father in heaven, this stone is also a gift from
us. It represents us and our hearts. Enkindle in
us a warmth for one another and never allow us to
become or remain hard like this stone. On the
contrary, may we continue to spread light and
life. We ask you to make us open to our neighbor.
Help us to improve ourselves so that we may
become good building stones in your Church."
After this prayer, the teenager puts the stone on
the altar alongside the bread and wine and asks
the Lord that this stone which represents us
humans and our heart may be transformed just as
the bread and wine will be.
The Flood Story
A flood threatens a town, forcing everyone to evacuate, But Joe thinks,
"I'm a devout man, God will save me," and stays
put. As the waters rise, Joe's neighbor comes by and says, "Joe come with me, we've got to go." Joe declines,
"I'm a devout man, God will save me."
The waters keep rising, Joe scrambles to his second floor. A firefighter in a rowboat comes by. "Get in the boat or you'll drown," he says. Joe again declines, saying,
"God will save me. So this flood story goes."
Finally, the flood waters force Joe to his roof. A police helicopter comes by and throws down a rope. "Climb up or you'll drown," the policeman yells. "No, I'm a devout man,
God will save me," Joe replies.
Soon, Joe drowns.
He arrives in heaven and challenges God.
"Why didn't you help me?"
"What do you mean?" God says.
"I did help. I sent a neighbor, a firefighter and a helicopter."
Like Joe, many of us wait for something to rescue us while we miss opportunities to help ourselves. Whether in our business lives or personal lives, we hope for a transforming event.
A terrific new customer, a great relationship, a better family life.
But life isn't like that. Like Joe, if we want things to be different, we have to do something ourselves.
But where to start?
How do we learn to recognize an opportunity when it comes our way?
Make a plan - Form a vision of what you want to achieve, then develop a plan of how to make that vision a reality, To judge whether an opportunity
is one to seize or let pass you need to Understand whether it fits your goals.
Make a commitment - Get used to saying no, Get used to saying yes.
But whatever you do, do it with commitment and conviction. Like Joe, we have to learn to recognize opportunities and then grab them.
April 1
I am calling you to a life of constant communion with Me. Basic training includes learning to live above your circumstances, even while interacting on that cluttered plane of life. You yearn for a simplified lifestyle, so that your communication with Me can be uninterrupted. But I challenge you to relinquish the fantasy of an uncluttered world. Accept each day just as it comes, and find Me in the midst of it all.
Talk with Me about every aspect of your day, including your feelings. Remember that your ultimate goal is not to control or fix everything around you; it is to keep communing with Me. A successful day is one in which you have stayed in touch with Me, even if many things remain undone at the end of the day. Do not let your to-do list (written or mental) become an idol directing your life. Instead, ask My Spirit to guide you moment by moment. He will keep you close to Me.
Pray continually.
—1 Thessalonians 5:17
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
—Proverbs 3:6 – From Jesus Calling
Mother Teresa Said... A day alone with Jesus is apt to spur us on in the vigorous pursuit of holiness through personal love for Jesus.
Jesus desires our perfection with unspeakable ardor. “ For this is the will of God, your sanctification. “ We are but instruments that God deigns to use; these instruments bring forth fruit in the measure that they are united to God......
Scripture Reflection by Patrick Carnevale
Today's readings 4/1/15
Is.50:4-9; Ps.69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34; Mt.26:14-25
The closer Jesus' "appointed time" came the more betrayal and abandonment became His closest companions, and like King David in today's psalm He "set His Face like flint...and refused to rebel or turn back" from the fate that awaited Him. Many of us are going to find ourselves in similar situations, it's the fate of everyone who is committed to following in Christ's Footsteps, all because we don't belong to this world any more than He did and are sure to be insulted and falsely accused by those who do. Every one of our lives has a purpose and it's own unique "appointed time", and although we may be treated like "outcasts by my kin" we are anything but that in the Eyes of God. There is no doubt that the world has a way of wearing us down and leaving us "brokenhearted and weak" the way David describes himself, we see that in Jesus' closest friends only a few short hours after sharing The Last Supper with Him as one would sell Him out for "thirty pieces of silver" and the rest would turn their backs on Him and abandon Him to His Fate. The sad reality is we do the same thing sometimes, and just as Jesus didn't turn His Back on His friends in spite of their failures He isn't going to turn His Back on us either. And so as we prepare to celebrate the holiest days of the church year let us reaffirm our commitment to follow in the Footsteps of Christ, knowing that in spite of our weaknesses and failures when our "appointed time" comes to give witness to our faith we, like David, "shall not be put to shame" by those who insult and ridicule us for "speaking a word that will rouse them."
God bless you,
In Jesus - Pat
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