Echoes

~~~ Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Isiah 45:1, 4-6 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5B ~~~

~~~ Matthew 22:15-21 ~~~

Today the we have so many wonderful texts to draw from so here goes...

I have called you by your name... I am the LORD, there is no other.

We hear this verse so often, but do you really believe
 that you were actually called by name by God himself?
Some people have a conversion experience maybe they feel
that they have actually been called by name.
What about those who are called but choose to ignore the call,
what happens to them?
What about those who know they have been called
but choose to toss his invitation aside...
believing they have better things to do with their life.
And then we have those for whatever reason who are embarrassed
for being called lest they be ridiculed or made fun of by their friends.

Jesus understands all of our excuses...he's heard it all.
He still keeps calling us by name.

 ...you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,
for you do not regard a person's status.

God sees us in our stripped down bare bones existence.
This is who he is calling...he is not concerned with the facade
we have created for ourselves.
You know the person we present to others...
the one who others want to know.
It happens even if we do not realize it at the time.

Because we have been called by name...because we know this to be true;
we are in a position to believe that those around us
have also been called by name.
If I can look at you and know in my heart that you
 have been called by name,
why would I not want to pray for you?

We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,

I have written here before just about this beautiful verse by Paul.
There is always a reason to give thanks...
remember giving thanks is good for everyone.
We all benefit from feeling appreciated.
No one likes to be taken for granted.

For our gospel did not come to you in word alone,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.

The call of your name by God continues like the echo in a canyon.
It gets softer as time goes on but if you listen it can still be heard.

The inspired word contained in the Bible
 are constantly reverberating out to each of us.

As the echo becomes faint it is repeated again and again.
Echo...the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener.
The call comes again, he knows your name...

You are Blessed...the call of your name never ceases.

With thanks for each of my readers.
You are in my prayers.
~~~ Peace~~~

The Shepherd Calls Each by Name

~~~ Acts 11: 1-18 ~~~ Psalm 42; 43 ~~~ John 10: 1-10 ~~~

The Gentiles are welcomed through Peter’s dream. Up until this dream legal barriers existed between the Jews and the Gentiles. But now God was enlarging his welcoming mat to include those considered outside the salvation circle. God often speaks in our dreams, would you believe even today.

The Holy Spirit blows where it wills. It knows no boundaries.

Nothing can contain it.

The Holy Spirit inspires, that is what the spirit does. God sent the Holy Spirit to be with us. The Holy Spirit is God’s way of being present with us today in much the same way as it was in the time after the Resurrection.

The Spirit is living in our midst...the spirit makes itself known through various means. I have personally experienced the influence of the spirit on several occasions when preparing days of prayer for different groups. Sometimes something I may say or do touches a person in a profound way allowing the spirit to enter their heart.

Prayers answered can also be a sign of the presence of the spirit. During intense prayer times a person may be slain in the spirit, this is another sign.

Do you ever pray to the Holy Spirit?

A Good Shepherd opens the gate for the sheep to enter. He enters through the gate ahead of the sheep. He calls each one by name and leads them out of the gate. Jesus is our Shepherd. He called the disciples by name and many times he even changed their name to something more fitting to their calling. Jesus calls each of us by name too. He knows your name. Knowing someone’s name is very personal. I used to try and know my student’s names before the first day of school.

If you listen for the voice of the Shepherd you will not go astray. Others may claim to be the shepherd but you will recognize the voice of the true shepherd.