[Jesus] took him off by himself. —Mark 7:33 In a movie about King George VI, who had a speech impediment, viewers graphically see the embarrassment and humiliation associated with not being able to speak a well-formed sentence. As a royal he suffered under expectations imposed upon him. Take a moment to consider a time when […]
Words of wisdom
Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God. — 1 John 4:1 Whose influence do we follow? Friends, relatives, and strangers can nudge our actions. So can invisible forces. When discouragement arrives, the negative takes the wheel and can steer us off the highway of love. […]
Thus says the LORD: This is what I commanded my people: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Jeremiah 7:23 How, exactly, are we to listen to the voice of God? One way is through contemplation. In the fourteenth-century classic The Cloud of Unknowing, written by […]
I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:5 Psalm 34 does not say that the Lord delivers us from all dangers, temptations, or evildoers. The Lord delivers us from our own fears. We are afraid of danger, temptation, and evil people—that is our flaw. We don’t […]
“When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your […]
Making room this Advent
Lord, help me to make room for you this Advent. Help me to clear out every nook and cranny of my heart and soul and to let go of all things that are not of you. Come into my heart. Give me the grace to respond to you freely and trust you completely. Fill me […]
Poema
Lord, I open my heart to you in gratitude. Thank you for this new day. I have a fresh start to fix where I have fallen short, to give and forgive. Give me clear eyes to see my life, all the abundance and all the love. Please continue to bless me so that I might […]
How important is the Resurrection?
Jesus was dead and then returned to life. He rose from the dead and promised that we too will rise. The resurrection is the core of our faith (I Cor. 15:14). Even back in the Old Testament, God already promised his people eternal life (Ez. 37:5). After our death we live on, hopefully with God. At the end of time we […]