Light

I was watching "Shoes of the Fisherman" again yesterday. It dawned on me that, although the world is flooded with light, few can see it, mostly because so few do anything with God's grace, which changes us so we can see.

There is no point in decrying the darkness, or mourning the sting of pain, if we do nothing with the grace of God that will open our eyes to see the real light. The light of the world is disappointing, and garish, making us see all the ugliness there is around us. 

The light of God is strong so as to penetrate everything, everywhere. Neither will we be allowed the joy of a good night's sleep or rest, until our hearts have at last responded to what it found so hard to see.

Time which has so often dragged for us, leaps up refreshed and renewed for us if we respond to God. Just as the moon causes  immense tides of water in the sea, in its orbit around the earth, just so God is moving, a living being, around us, so that if we pay attention, we are aware of God and His light, once we have passed the tide of emotion so we may have a grasp on it. Look beyond the tide of light and the emotion, and what remains is God.

He is everywhere, always until the end of the universe passes away, like the moon setting at night. Who has not felt his heart stir to realize it will be there tomorrow, if you know where to look. The moon sets two hours later every night until it is new, and does not show its light. And if our minds and hearts can be so easily moved by a ball of stone reflecting sunlight, how much more should not our hearts leap up when we recognize the Lord?

On a dark night, in the quiet of the garden, awaken to the light of the Lord. Yet it is not like a child opening a package at a birthday party, well anticipated. The object of our desire does fill us with emotion when we realize the love behind it all. There comes a day when our loved ones pass beyond our gaze and are somewhere we cannot go to listen to them anymore. Yet, just as we anticipate the glory of a full moon rising in a dark sky, we know we will see them again, and that all we have lost to time will be restored to us, in eternity.

So it is worth our while to change a little, to shift the eyes of anticipation to greater things, to do those penitential acts that mean salvation and peace to sinners who repent because we bound the wounds of their sufferings with the bandages of our penances.

We are the focus of His Heart. Open your eyes when He prompts you, and do not refuse to waken from your slumber, for something greater waits to rise in the garden of your life. He permits our self centeredness only long enough to be a child and grow into the splendor of our adulthood; our love, mature in being adult, still has selfish roots, but they have become wonderful possibilities if we desire it. Guard your desires, and guard your heart so they may be for Him entirely.

Light

I was watching "Shoes of the Fisherman" again yesterday. It dawned on me that, although the world is flooded with light, few can see it, mostly because so few do anything with God's grace, which changes us so we can see.

There is no point in decrying the darkness, or mourning the sting of pain, if we do nothing with the grace of God that will open our eyes to see the real light. The light of the world is disappointing, and garish, making us see all the ugliness there is around us. 

The light of God is strong so as to penetrate everything, everywhere. Neither will we be allowed the joy of a good night's sleep or rest, until our hearts have at last responded to what it found so hard to see.

Time which has so often dragged for us, leaps up refreshed and renewed for us if we respond to God. Just as the moon causes  immense tides of water in the sea, in its orbit around the earth, just so God is moving, a living being, around us, so that if we pay attention, we are aware of God and His light, once we have passed the tide of emotion so we may have a grasp on it. Look beyond the tide of light and the emotion, and what remains is God.

He is everywhere, always until the end of the universe passes away, like the moon setting at night. Who has not felt his heart stir to realize it will be there tomorrow, if you know where to look. The moon sets two hours later every night until it is new, and does not show its light. And if our minds and hearts can be so easily moved by a ball of stone reflecting sunlight, how much more should not our hearts leap up when we recognize the Lord?

On a dark night, in the quiet of the garden, awaken to the light of the Lord. Yet it is not like a child opening a package at a birthday party, well anticipated. The object of our desire does fill us with emotion when we realize the love behind it all. There comes a day when our loved ones pass beyond our gaze and are somewhere we cannot go to listen to them anymore. Yet, just as we anticipate the glory of a full moon rising in a dark sky, we know we will see them again, and that all we have lost to time will be restored to us, in eternity.

So it is worth our while to change a little, to shift the eyes of anticipation to greater things, to do those penitential acts that mean salvation and peace to sinners who repent because we bound the wounds of their sufferings with the bandages of our penances.

We are the focus of His Heart. Open your eyes when He prompts you, and do not refuse to waken from your slumber, for something greater waits to rise in the garden of your life. He permits our self centeredness only long enough to be a child and grow into the splendor of our adulthood; our love, mature in being adult, still has selfish roots, but they have become wonderful possibilities if we desire it. Guard your desires, and guard your heart so they may be for Him entirely.

Moment

 Blessed the moment that the Lord, standing waiting for condemnation to be pronounced, embraces you from within, and takes you to where He was scourged, and to where He was nailed to the cross, to invite you to participate in Him.

He makes known that it is Him, and how you are to participate, and the pain begins when you say "amen", and you are laid out, immobilized with pain.

Each blood-drenched moment tears you open, significantly intense and penetrating, pain from all sides.

Physical pain is difficult, and spiritual pain is worse. You have no energy to writhe or cry out, but your mind seeks to quiet the emotions and still your thoughts to reach out to the Savior nearby, for the moment of the revelation of His love. No matter how keen the mind, the cross is more intense lest its burden should diminish. Only love is stronger, and there is safety in clinging to it until you can give it away too, and the souls staggering under the weight of the cross can fall and rest, while you take up pain enough for both. 

We do not see Him more clearly because of the withering of the world in the distance of the Lord. Only He has succeeded in reigning in triumph in a corrupted world, and He shines brightly enough to console all men. In the shining is the peace and the rest, and the Lord.

Moment

 Blessed the moment that the Lord, standing waiting for condemnation to be pronounced, embraces you from within, and takes you to where He was scourged, and to where He was nailed to the cross, to invite you to participate in Him.

He makes known that it is Him, and how you are to participate, and the pain begins when you say "amen", and you are laid out, immobilized with pain.

Each blood-drenched moment tears you open, significantly intense and penetrating, pain from all sides.

Physical pain is difficult, and spiritual pain is worse. You have no energy to writhe or cry out, but your mind seeks to quiet the emotions and still your thoughts to reach out to the Savior nearby, for the moment of the revelation of His love. No matter how keen the mind, the cross is more intense lest its burden should diminish. Only love is stronger, and there is safety in clinging to it until you can give it away too, and the souls staggering under the weight of the cross can fall and rest, while you take up pain enough for both. 

We do not see Him more clearly because of the withering of the world in the distance of the Lord. Only He has succeeded in reigning in triumph in a corrupted world, and He shines brightly enough to console all men. In the shining is the peace and the rest, and the Lord.

Plan

 Jesus came to the synagogue to teach His people, to tell them about the Father, and to lead them to love God. Hannah prayed in the temple for a boy child, and the Lord heard her prayer, giving her a son.

There is always more to what He does, for Hannah gave birth to Samuel who would be a prophet. Jesus spoke in the Synagogue to awaken their spirits and to enliven the love of their hearts for God. The leaders rejected Him, but the evil spirit that had inhabited the man were oblidged to leave the man in peace, for it was in the temple of one of God's children, and He would not allow it to persist in what it was doing; Jesus cleansed the temple.

We need to be aware of these things because they are important. Jesus did not come to the synagogue to waste His time, but to carry out a plan to reveal Himself to His children.

To each man comes a revelation, and those who profit from it are blessed, and have a lifelong friendship they will cherish. Do not think that your life was wasted if you suffered privation and pain, for you have not been denied anything, but have joined the Lord in His plan for all men, and have joined with Him in cleaning the temple and you will dwell  in heaven with Him in His own joy, for it gives Him joy to be with you.

Mary visits a monk

Plan

 Jesus came to the synagogue to teach His people, to tell them about the Father, and to lead them to love God. Hannah prayed in the temple for a boy child, and the Lord heard her prayer, giving her a son.

There is always more to what He does, for Hannah gave birth to Samuel who would be a prophet. Jesus spoke in the Synagogue to awaken their spirits and to enliven the love of their hearts for God. The leaders rejected Him, but the evil spirit that had inhabited the man were oblidged to leave the man in peace, for it was in the temple of one of God's children, and He would not allow it to persist in what it was doing; Jesus cleansed the temple.

We need to be aware of these things because they are important. Jesus did not come to the synagogue to waste His time, but to carry out a plan to reveal Himself to His children.

To each man comes a revelation, and those who profit from it are blessed, and have a lifelong friendship they will cherish. Do not think that your life was wasted if you suffered privation and pain, for you have not been denied anything, but have joined the Lord in His plan for all men, and have joined with Him in cleaning the temple and you will dwell  in heaven with Him in His own joy, for it gives Him joy to be with you.

Mary visits a monk

Deception

Day's Saints
Raymond of Penyafort, Dominican
Blessed Leandro, Mercedarian

Is 60:1-6
Gospel
Mt 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod, 
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled, 
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, 
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, 
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly 
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word, 
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, 
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures 
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, 
they departed for their country by another way.

Temptations of all kinds raise their ugly heads to lead unsuspecting people away from God. If you are not vigilant, you will be led astray into sin. Thus, the reminder of penance and atonement and sacrifice is necessary, to keep yourself focused on God.

He is our creator, and created the universe as well. He cannot be fooled or tricked and will not be subject to ridicule. Disrespect generally leads to death, and respect to long life.

Beware of those who come in His Name but will not even speak it for fear of disparagements. Neither will they be just towards the people, or beneficial to the welfare of nations whom they are intent upon plundering. Their lack of consideration of human necessities leads to the discarding of lives, and the Lord has a punishment for them.

Pray for one another and be ready to help in trials and sufferings with your compassion. You are worth a great price, which He gladly paid for you.