Creation to Resurrection...Alleluia!

~~~ Holy Saturday~~~Easter Vigil~~~

 ~~~Genesis 1: 1, 26-31a ~~~ Exodus 14: 15-15: 1~~~

 ~~~Isaiah 55: 1-11~~~ Romans 6: 3-11~~~

~~~Luke 24:1-12~~~

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

The scriptures for the Easter vigil take us 

...from the Creation to Resurrection....

...from destruction to deliverance...

...from sinfulness to salvation...

...from repentance to rejoicing.

Truly this is a day for joy...a day for celebration...

a day when we are brought from darkness into light;

not just any light but the Light of Christ.

Today we are in flash back mode and fast forward...

Today we long for our own resurrection in the Lord.

If, then, we have died with Christ,

we believe that we shall also live with him.

We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;

death no longer has power over him.

This is what we profess to believe...

that we shall also live with Jesus for all of eternity in heaven.

The Resurrection of Jesus by God

broke the chains of death not only for Jesus

but for all of us too.

The death of Jesus was not in vain.

His death was for one purpose in obedience

to the Father to secure our eternal salvation.

Today remove the stone from your heart...

let the glorious light of Christ fill you with Joy.

We see the light...

we no longer walk in darkness.

Now we too must live for God in Christ Jesus.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

How can we keep from singing?

Salvation showers us with Blessings of Joy.

~~~Peace~~~

We Build Walls

~~~ Isaiah 26:1-6 ~~~ Psalm 118 ~~~  Matthew 7:21, 24-27 ~~~

The LORD is God, and he has given us light.

We have been given the light of Christ,
but not even that prevents us from building walls.

We build walls around our hearts.
We all build walls.
Is a wall truly what keeps us safe?
What if the walls we build keeps the danger closer?
What if a wall is exactly the opposite
 of what we need to be safe?
We all build walls.

Walls may indeed keep out
 those who would try to harm us.
But the greater threat may be what we
harbor behind the walls.
We all build walls they hold our secrets.
We hide behind our walls.
We trust in the false sense
 of security our walls provide.
We all build walls.

May the light of Christ shine brightly in our hearts.
Through this light of Christ may we find what
must be taken outside the walls.
For our fears may no longer be fears once
we let them out
from within our wall.

May we come to a deeper trust in the Lord...
a trust that will allow us to tear down
 the walls around our heart.

Before the Lord there is longer the need for walls.
No wall can keep out the light of Christ.
You may on occasion need to grab your sunglasses.
Blessed with his light of protection...
his light of security.
~~~Peace~~~

The Cloud of Dust

(2012)

Set Apart...Sent Forth...to Shine

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 12:24—13:5a ~~~ Psalm 67 ~~~ John 12:44-50 ~~~

 

'...Set apart for...

...the work to which I have called them...

...sent forth by the Holy Spirit...'

 

Through our Baptism we have each been set apart.

Through our Confirmation we have been sent forth by the Holy Spirit.

Now how we live our life speaks louder than the words we might speak.

 

How do you respond knowing that you have been set apart?

How does this make you different?

 

Some may erroneously believe they have been set apart for the wrong reasons.

God will never set you apart to cause harm or destruction

to another person.

We are set apart by God to do good...to pray for others...

to treat others justly with compassion.

We are set apart to be a conduit of God's love.

 

It is true that because we are frail humans

we sometimes fail to live up to the mission for which God has called us.

But he is a patient God who is there to light the path of return.

 

May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth

 

The psalmist draws from the blessing in the Book of Numbers.

Part of the blessing is requesting God to let his face shine upon us.

The God of light shines his benevolent face of grace

upon all who call upon his name.

 

 

Without this light of truth and goodness;

we would be forever lost within the darkness that obscures the world.

 

I came into the world as light,

I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.

 

In spite of this darkness Jesus brings forth the light

which is from God

which is of God.

God is the source of all light.

He is the Creator of the Light.

Jesus is the manifestation of this light for us to witness.

We come to learn and love God best through

knowledge and love for his Son, Jesus.

 

The presence of the Son makes the love of the Father more real.

Our God is truly an awesome God...

a God who saves in as many ways as possible.

If we ask for forgiveness we will be granted it.

 

May the light of Christ shine out to all of the world through each of us.

 

The Easter Blessing

of being set apart and sent forth.

Bring the Light of Christ with wherever you go.

May God let his face shine upon you!

Innocent Little Ones

~~~ Feast of the Holy Innocents ~~~

 

~~~ 1John 1:5-2:2 ~~~ Psalm 124 ~~~ Matthew 2:13-18 ~~~

 

In Herod's twisted possessed mind he orders

the slaughter of young males under two years of age.

He was so focused on ridding the world of light

that he was driven to kill innocent children.

He was willing to deprive them of life

in an attempt to save his place of power.

 

These little children died in place of Jesus.

 

This month we have seen innocent little children

die at the hands of a single evil person.

This person was not trying to protect his place of power

for the only power he had was to choose good over evil...

and he failed the test.

 

Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

 

How could little children pose a threat to anyone then or now?

 

The wise men listened to what they had heard in a dream.

They were participants in protecting the Christ child while

unknowingly participating in the death of the innocent boys.

 

Today is a gloomy wintry day where I am.

Thick clouds obscure what should be the bright sunlight.

The cloudy skies could drop down rain at any moment,

but the tree outside my window is adorned with tiny little buds.

New growth is waiting to burst forth.

So it is so often in life.

 

Amidst the terrible deaths of so many baby boys one

life was spared. This one young life would go on to save

the lives of humanity.

 

 

 

Today we remember the many whose blood was shed for one;

the one whose blood would be shed for many. 

 

Jesus says unless we become like little children

we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Little children carry with them the light of God.

They are free from living in darkness.

They are free from the darkness of sin.

They quickly feel at home in the presence of God.

Their little souls rejoice in the Lord.

Heaven is where their hearts belong.

 

There are some things that we cannot escape; today we are faced with

one...sometimes innocent children are killed.

The children are joyful in heaven as the parents

are left to mourn burdened with the weight of unanswered questions.

 

I am reminded of Psalm 30:6

All night there are tears,

but joy comes with the dawn.

 

I pray especially today for those parents who have lost

a child. I pray that their joy will someday be restored.

Amazing Grace through Amazing Love

~~~ Chron. 36:14-16,19-23 ~~~ Psalm 137 ~~~ Eph. 2: 4-10 ~~~ John 3:14-21 ~~~

"...by grace you have been saved through faith...it is the gift from God..."

"For God so loved the world..."

"...light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light..."

"...whoever lives the truth comes to the light..."

There is a saying I've heard,
'The will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.'

If God has gifted us with faith and grace we should be capable of reaching the light. Why does that logic not consistently work? Or is it that too many people have not accepted the gifts of God?

I think it just might be possible to refuse the gift of faith. If you willingly close your mind refusing to acknowledge God's presence in your life; isn't that equivalent to refusing God?

If you are preoccupied with things of the darkness...hanging out in the shadows; will you even know when God is there? Have you ever been inside a darkened room and then walked outside into the bright sunlight? The first thing that happens is you want to close your eyes. The brightness of the sunlight is too much to take at once.
You need to allow your eyes some adjustment time.

If someone has been living in the darkness of sin it may take some extra time to comfortably approach the light. It may begin with curiosity. It may take the loving compassion of a friend. The amazing thing is that through the Grace of God it is possible to turn away from darkness and walk toward the light.  Encountering the grace of God may cause some moments of anxiety...some soul searching questions, but it is real.

This is where we, you and I, can become facilitators of God's light. We can represent this light to others because of the grace of God. We can support those searching for the way out of the darkness by embracing the gift of our faith.

God could not have given us any more than he did...he gave us his only Son. There is no way we should question God's love for us. It is with this knowledge of God's love that we have the courage to live in truth. It is with this knowledge that we turn to him for all of our needs.

Today I am reminded of the time tested lyrics from 
Amazing Grace

John Newton (1725-1807)

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Through the gift of grace we can live in the light of Christ.
Through the gift of grace we can be the light of Christ to others.

The Glory Within

1 Cor. 10: 31- 11:1

"Brothers and sisters:

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do everything for the glory of God."

Today's reflection is taken from a prayer service I wrote a few weeks ago for this scripture verse from 1 Corinthians. St. Paul's writings are rich with meaning for us years after they were written. This is proof to me that scripture is the 'Living Word' of God. Living because it is ever changing in it's ability to speak to whom ever is reading...in whatever language...in whatever era.

(Written January 2012)

Paul asks, in his letter to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s spirit dwells in you?” 1Cor. 3:16

The Glory of God lives inside of you. At the time of your conception God looked upon you and gave you the precious gift of life. From that day forward the world would be changed. There could be no other life like yours. You would be the one God would use to touch another’s life. If it were not for you then things would not be the same.

At your baptism you were given the light of Christ. You were called then to live in that light. You were brought into the company of Jesus. You were given the light of Christ in preparation for the day when you would be the bearer of this light for all to see.

Along with this gift of light came glory, the Glory of God himself. Even as a baby we reflect God’s glory. I am sure you would agree that a baby gives glory to God, whether he or she is laughing, crying, eating or sleeping. A baby’s smile is truly a reflection of God’s glory. The bright sparkle in their eyes reminds us of God’s glory.

The glory of God was never meant to stay contained within your heart. It was always his plan for you to make visible his glory in all that you do. It was always his plan for you to show this glory to others. He may not call us to be a great leader of the nation. He may not ask us to become the next Mother Teresa. He does ask us to reflect his Glory.

As we grow older this internal glory gets shrouded and covered by life until eventually it is just a tiny glimmer. A glimmer that we cannot believe has ever been brighter. Look deep inside for this glory and start to let it shine forth. Allow it to warm you and fill you...extend it out to others.

God asks us to find his glory within and reflect it back to him. Reflect his glory back in all ways great and small. In fact he invites us in 'whatever we do to do it all for his glory even eating and drinking'. Thus, reflecting back to him; in all the ways that he too reflected the glory of the Father while he walked this earth.

We are so fortunate because Jesus came to show us the way. We do not have to wonder how to give God glory.  If we but pick up the Bible; look closely at any of the stories through the eyes of glory, we will see what it means to do all for the glory of God. Every time Jesus reached out to another person he was reflecting the glory of God the Father. Often just his presence or the sound of his voice was sufficient to glorify God.

I invite you to take a moment and recall your favorite story about Jesus...

Now think about how in this situation Jesus reflected the Father’s glory.

He is always there beside us...literally inside of us. His light given to us at Baptism is all the confirmation we need to believe that we can do all for the glory of God.

Consider how all of creation gives glory to God through sheer existence, they cannot make the choice. But we are blessed because we have the power to make the conscious decision to give God glory throughout our life.

So I invite you to spend some time identifying how you reflect God’s Glory to those around you. This is not a boastful exercise instead it is an exercise in honesty, for only you know when you are truly reflecting the Glory of God.

It is already inside of you, this Glory of God, let it out...let it stream forth like a beacon from your being. You will not only be a better person you will be a more joyful person if you strive to live your life for the glory of God.

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some; it is in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Nelson Mandela

"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." 1 Cor 11:1

The original picture is of a woman's hands splashing water. No matter what you are doing allow the glory of God to permeate your world.

This captured kaleidoscope image to me shows the glory of God pouring forth

from the center reaching to the edge.

Your smile alone can reflect God's glory to another person you meet today.