Sparks of Understanding

~~~ Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13 ~~~ Psalm 36 ~~~ Matthew 13:10-17 ~~~

...knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you...

Knowledge and understanding are not synonymous.
Many people make the assumption that if you know something
 then it follows that you understand it as well.
The reality is there are probably many things
 that you know but do not understand.

Being an educator I value knowledge, but at the same time
I accept my limits when it comes to understanding.

We have been given the 'knowledge' of the Kingdom of heaven,
but this knowledge does not imply the understanding.
The more knowledge we can gain about God's ways
the better chance of us also gaining some understanding.

Our knowledge of the Kingdom of heaven is largely grounded in our faith.
Without faith we would not be granted this knowledge.
Jesus spoke in many parables concerning the Kingdom of heaven.

The deeper our faith the greater our knowledge
the greater our knowledge the more we come to understand.

It is certainly true that we will never
be given enough knowledge to fully understand the Kingdom of heaven.
That is why we can never assume that we have learned
all there is to learn about God.

Our ears, eyes, and our heart must always be in a state of readiness.
Readiness to hear and see and feel God's presence
in our life. It is through his presence that he grants us
 tiny sparks of understanding.

But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.

We have been granted the assurance of God's love for us.
This assurance draws us to desiring more knowledge.
To understand the Kingdom of heaven
is part of our journey to holiness...
it is about 'taking in' and embracing
as much as we can about God.

You are Blessed, because he has given you
 knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven.

See and hear; there is so much more he wants to share with you.
~~~Peace~~~

Heavenly Fireflies

~~~ All Souls Day ~~~

~~Wisdom 3:1-9 ~~Psalm 23~~Romans 5:5-11 or Romans 6:3-9~~John 6:37-40~~

 

At the risk of sounding a bit morbid, today is a good day

to contemplate your own death and funeral.

The reading from the Book of Wisdom is one of the readings
 I want to have at my funeral.

The souls of the just are in the hand of God...

Being a visual person, I love this image of all of the souls of the faithful
 departed cradled in the hand of God.
Why would you want to be anywhere else?
In the hand of God is the perfect peace all souls long to experience.
It is safe here in the hand of God...he finds us worthy of himself.

In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
 

 This too is such a vivid picture...not just a still picture but one filled with action.
These words are filled with so much energy....
visitation...shine...dart...sparks...stubble.

Visitation...I think of Mary's visitation with Elizabeth first.
We have funeral visitation, prison visitation or even parental visitation.
Shine...at the time of our death we will reflect the pure light of Christ
no longer burdened with our physical bodies.
Dart...I am reminded of dusk in the summer
as a child watching the fireflies dart about flashing their tiny light signals.
...Moving so quickly that you cannot follow their path.
Sparks...tiny explosions of energetic light...brief...brilliant...passion.
Your whole reason for living packed into this one moment.
Stubble...what is left after the harvest in a field of grain.
The grain has been cut, the harvest is completed.
In death we have completed our earthly life.

Maybe the best verse is here...

I will not reject anyone who comes to me...

This may come as a surprise to some people.
Jesus tells us anyone who comes to him will be accepted.
We may truly be surprised when we see who has been accepted by God.
 

 

Today we remember and pray for the souls of all the faithful departed...
faithful, those who came to believe the promises of eternal life
during their days on earth. 

 

...For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.

 

 We are blessed with the promise of eternal life directly from God himself.
No pastor, preacher, relative, or friend made this up;
it is stated right here in the Gospel of John.
There is no greater love than the love God has for us.
Eye has not seen what God has prepared for those who love him.

Looking forward to the day my soul
can dart about as sparks in the stubble.

 

 In remembrance of those I love who have gone before me.