Hello my friends! Today's blessings started while I was sending things off to my list from my phone on gmail, when here Lori pops up on Messenger there, and we got to chat a little. She's been walking a lot. The house she's staying in has running water, but there are a lot that don't there. I don't know what she's eating, she hasn't told me that yet, maybe I'll have another blessing tonight being able to communicate with her. It's just like texting. She said she had to go - she'll be busy, and haven't heard since - so either on the computer on Facebook or on the phone it works! My right eye has been bothering me for over a year and I'm finally going to the eye doctor in the morning - have it checked out, and get my exam for new glasses which are over due, but I can still see good out of them. My right eye waters a lot. I'll know tomorrow what's going on there. Say a prayer? Praying for all of your intentions to be answered all according to the Will of God!!! His way is the best way.
The Maronites and Ash Monday
As Maronite Catholics, the Season of Lent starts today being Ash Monday (in the Roman/Latin Rite it is Ash Wednesday). Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church to help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice. "Remember, Man is dust, and unto dust you shall return". The custom is from an old ceremony. Christians who had committed grave faults were obliged to do public penance. On Ash Wednesday the Bishop blessed the hair shirts, which they were to wear during the forty days, and sprinkled over them ashes, made from the palms from the previous year. Then, while the faithful recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned out of the holy place because of their sins, as Adam, the first man was turned out of paradise on account of his disobedience. They did not enter the Church again until Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) after having won reconciliation by the toil of forty days' penance and sacramental absolution. Later on, all Christians, either public or secret penitents, came out of devotion to receive ashes.
The prayers of this time of year stress penance (being death to self with Christ) and joy (resurrection to a new person with Christ). They enable us to take a greater part in the Mystery of God's redeeming plan for the whole universe. Penance is the inner aversion to the evil existing in and around us, and a generous conversion in love to God. Traditionally, the Lenten practices of prayer and fasting were the means for achieving this aversion-conversion. They are still valid but there are many other forms of penance that we may use - for e.g., working for social or individual justice; performing works of mercy.
"Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil...spending forty days and forty nights [there]." - Mt 4:1-2
"The Season of Lent keeps inviting us, in a pressing way, to meditate on this great truth: love is of God. This is a living, present reality that we should never forget." - Pope John Paul II
Dear Lord Jesus,
As you spent forty days in the desert to prepare for Your mission, grant that my Lenten journey may prepare me to celebrate the Holy Mysteries of Your Death and Resurrection. Help me Lord that all my thoughts, words and actions may be according to Your will for You are gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy to those who call on You with repentant hearts and lives. Amen
POINT OF VIEW
It all depends on the way you look at things.
One day a father of a rich family took his son to a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"Very good Dad!"
"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yeah!"
"And what did you learn?"
The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon." When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless. His son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!"
Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude towards life - you've got everything!
Dear Lord,
Help us to appreciate the beauty of a simple life. Like the young boy, may we realise the bigger picture in life and not get caught up with material things of the world. Let us desire nothing else; Let nothing else please us and cause us delight except our Creator and Redeemer, the One True God. Jesus, we exalt your Holy Name.
Amen.
If You Have
Eyes to See
by Blessed Mother Teresa
"Stay where you are.
Find your own Calcutta.
Find the sick,
the suffering
and the lonely
right there where you are in your
own homes and in your own families,
in your workplaces and in your schools.
You can find Calcutta all
over the world, if you have the eyes to see
Everywhere,
wherever you go, you find people who are unwanted,
unloved, uncared for, just rejected
by society,
completely forgotten,
completely left alone."
Whisper Jesus
Today I got a burden,
And I felt that I should pray
For God's spirit seemed to tell me,
That you were having a bad day.
I don't know what the problem is,
But I sure do know the cure
And if you'll only let Him
God will keep you safe and secure.
In life there's always problems
Cropping up to spoil our day
But my friend you know the answer
All you have to do is pray.
If you still feel you're defeated
And you want to run and hide
Just reach out and I'll be there
Standing right there by your side.
So remember, Whisper Jesus,
For He's just a prayer away,
He's so close that you can touch Him
All you have to do is pray.
(author unknown)
The 10 Commandments of E-mail
Thou shalt include a clear and specific subject line.
Thou shalt edit any quoted text down to the minimum thou needest.
Thou shalt read thine own message thrice before thou sendest it.
Thou shalt ponder how thy recipient might react to thy message.
Thou shalt check thy spelling and thy grammar.
Thou shalt not curse, flame, spam or USE ALL CAPS.
Thou shalt not forward any chain letter.
Thou shalt not use e-mail for any illegal or unethical purpose.
Thou shalt not rely on the privacy of e-mail, especially from work.
When in doubt, save thy message overnight and reread it in the light of
the dawn.
Lord,
Some days as I wake up I remember You
and praise and surrender my day to You.
Then, whatever may happen,
my whole day flows in serenity and inner peace and joy.
Some other days I forget You all day long.
Then, by the end of that day I feel so lonely,
miserable and angry with the world and myself.
Lord, if I remember or forget You, I know that You never forget me.
I live for Your mercy and Your love and hope that I will be as close to You,
as I know Your love wants me to be.
Amen
- - -
Isaiah 49:15 - "Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you."
February 16
Thank Me for the conditions that are requiring you to be still. Do not spoil these quiet hours by wishing them away, waiting impatiently to be active again. Some of the greatest works in My kingdom have been done from sick beds and prison cells. Instead of resenting the limitations of a weakened body, search for My way in the midst of these very circumstances. Limitations can be liberating when your strongest desire is living close to Me.
Quietness and trust enhance your awareness of My Presence with you. Do not despise these simple ways of serving Me. Although you feel cut off from the activity of the world, your quiet trust makes a powerful statement in spiritual realms. My Strength and Power show themselves most effective in weakness.
“Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”
—Zechariah 2:13
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”
—Isaiah 30:15
But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
—2 Corinthians 12:9 – From Jesus Calling
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