I had a very late (or very early --- depends on how you look at it) conversation with my sister last night (or this morning) and she said something that is central to today's readings: "I had a good relationship with Him. That's why it was easy to hear His voice" (or something to that effect).
Everything begins with building and maintaining a relationship with Him. There's a perfect logic to it, which I had shared previously and will reinforce today:
Finally, all of these bring peace and happiness.
From 1st Reading - Acts 9:26-31
"The church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers."
From Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
"And to Him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve Him. Let the coming generation be told of the Lord that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice He has shown." (A bit out of topic, but: Tell the children how wonderfully awesome our God is! None of these childhood myths that only serve to distract them from the true "Guardian" of the children)
From 2nd Reading - 1 John 3:18-24
"Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before Him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and know everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him." (Not because God will not give us what's best for us if we're naughty, but because it is only when we are attuned to Him that we are open to Him and the blessings He is only too eager to pour on us.)
From the Gospel - John 15:1-8
"You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in Me, as I remain in you ...
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing ...
If you remain in Me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you ..."
Everything begins with building and maintaining a relationship with Him. There's a perfect logic to it, which I had shared previously and will reinforce today:
- Knowing Him is to fall inlove with Him
- Falling inlove with Him means emanating Him
- Emanating Him is doing His will
- Doing His will is trusting and believing that He will give us our heart's desires
- Trusting in Him means living the story He wrote for us
- Living the story He wrote for us means: (1) becoming the best version of ourselves; and (2) having and getting the best out of this life.
Finally, all of these bring peace and happiness.
From 1st Reading - Acts 9:26-31
"The church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers."
From Psalm 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
"And to Him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve Him. Let the coming generation be told of the Lord that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice He has shown." (A bit out of topic, but: Tell the children how wonderfully awesome our God is! None of these childhood myths that only serve to distract them from the true "Guardian" of the children)
From 2nd Reading - 1 John 3:18-24
"Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before Him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and know everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him." (Not because God will not give us what's best for us if we're naughty, but because it is only when we are attuned to Him that we are open to Him and the blessings He is only too eager to pour on us.)
From the Gospel - John 15:1-8
"You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in Me, as I remain in you ...
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without Me you can do nothing ...
If you remain in Me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you ..."
No comments:
Post a Comment