What God did in Jesus (namely to raise up what humanity crucified), God is going to do in all of history and all of creation. It’s a universal message! (Richard Rohr)
Month: April 2015
The Suitcase
A man died, when he realized it, he saw God coming closer with a suitcase in his hand.God said: ‘Alright son it’s time to go’.
Surprised the man responded: ‘Now? So soon? I had a lot of plans…’
‘I’m sorry but it’s time to go’.
‘What do you have in that suitcase?’ the man asked.
God answered: ‘Your belongings’.
‘My belongings?…You mean my things, my clothes, my money?’
God answered: ‘Those things were not yours, they belonged to the earth.’
‘Is it my memories?’ the man asked.
God answered: ‘Those never belonged to you, they belonged to time.’
‘Is it my talents?’
God answered: ‘Those were never yours, they belonged to the circumstances.’
‘Is it my friends and family?’
God answered: ‘I’m sorry, they were never yours, they belonged to the path.’
‘Is it my wife and children?’
God answered: ‘They were never yours, they belonged to your heart.’
‘Is it my body?’
God answered: ‘That was never yours, it belonged to the dust.’
‘Is it my soul?’
God answered: ‘No, that is mine.’
Full of fear, the man took the suitcase from God and opened it just to find the suitcase was empty.
With a tear coming down his cheek the man said: ‘I never had anything?’
God answered: ‘That is correct, only every moment you lived, was yours, nothing else.’
Life is just a moment, a moment that belongs to you.
For this reason, enjoy this time while you have it.
Don’t let anything that you think you own stop you from doing so.
Live life well!
I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief!
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
This last beatitude of Jesus reminds me that faith is about things that cannot be proved. Faith may not be easy. However, faith gives direction and brings happiness and blessedness to my faith-life, to my life of following and discipleship with the Lord.
Faith is best expressed when everything else fades off.
When my mother died, faith assured and continues to assure me that she, all our deceased loved ones are alive with God.
In every Eucharist, at daily Mass and the adoration-visit before the Blessed Sacrament, faith assures me that Jesus is present in the mystery of the bread and wine; Jesus is present in the Holy Eucharist we adore.
Faith also assures me that Jesus, the Triune God is with us at these prayer moments, for as Scripture says, whenever two or three gather in His name, He is present there.
A most consoling Faith-truth and good news that the 2nd Sunday of Easter liturgy reminds and assures me is that I, all of us, come from God and that we will all go back to God.
In moments of doubts and unbelief, like Thomas, Jesus gently invites me to touch the holes in His hands and feet. But, Jesus also tells me that an even greater happiness was to believe without touch or sight. This is faith… the gift of faith the risen Lord invites and challenges me to grow even more deeper by truly taking time to be faithful and constant
in prayer, in faith-conversations or sharing; and, in sitting quietly and simply-be in the presence of God.
In the face of responsibilities and tasks to do and accomplish, in our own specific ministries and roles, to sit quietly and simply-be in the presence of God may be difficult, but, conscience, God-within-me tells and reminds me that no day is diminished by time spent in silence and in quiet. I am aware and I know that I will be richly blessed in my desire and constant little efforts to grow deeper in my faith and trust in God.
And so, I pray:
Lord, I believe in your presence with me, within me, in all around and about me. Strengthen my belief.
Help my unbelief.
Amen.
***2nd Sunday of Easter (Year A)
An Easter Prayer…
O Mary, silent witness of Easter!
You, O Mother of the Crucified One now risen,
who at the hour of pain and death kept the flame of hope burning,
teach us also to be,
among the incongruities of passing time,
convinced and joyful witnesses
of the eternal message of life and love brought to the world
by the Risen Redeemer.
Amen.
Faith-Lights ... 