Writing

Writing

“Write down the vision

Clearly upon the tablets,

so that one can read it readily.

For the vision still has its time,

presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;

If it delays, wait for it,

it will surely come, it will not be late.”

(Habakkuk 2: 2 – 3)

Moses wrote down the law (Exodus 24: 4; Deuteronomy 31: 9, 24)

Samuel wrote down the ordinances of the kingdom (1 Samuel 10: 25)

Jeremiah had to write his prophecy on a scroll (Jeremiah 36: 2)

Baruch wrote at Jeremiah’s dictation (Jeremiah 36: 4; 45: 1)

What is written in the law of Moses (1 Kings 2:3)

Thus it is written by the prophet (Matthew 2: 5)

Thus it is written (Luke 24: 46)

It is written (Matthew 4:4, 6, 7, 10; 21:13; Luke 2:23; 15: 15; Romans 2:4)

As it is written in the book of the prophets (Acts 7: 42)

It is written not just for his sake but for ours (Romans 4: 23 -4)

Everything written in the past is written for our sake (Romans 15:4)

(Roget’s Thesaurus of the Bible)

It appears from the above references that writing is an important medium in God’s communication with us. I find that when I write down a prayer request, I remember it for a longtime after its fulfillment. As I remember an answered prayer, my faith in God grows. Journaling has become an important part of my spiritual journey.

Food

Food

“Then he took the five loaves and two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and began handing them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared the two fish among them all.” (Mark 6: 41)

This event prefigured the Eucharist, the sacrament of love. Christ gave us his body to eat and his blood to drink.

“This is the revelation of God’s love for us, that God sent his only Son into the world that we might have life through him. Love consists in this: it is not we who loved God, but God loved us and sent his Son to expiate our sins.” (1 John 4: 9 – 10)

Today I reflect on Christ’s love for me in the Eucharist. He took pity on me as he did of the hungry crowd in Mark 6: 41. He drew me near to him and fed me with his body and blood. Lord Jesus, how am I to respond to this love? What does the scripture say about my response?

Jesus loves me and shows it through the Eucharist. He says to me today that I must respond to this love by loving my brother. Lord Jesus, I am ready. Teach me.

Christ gave me his body and blood in the Eucharist. I cannot share this. Just as everybody has to eat food to gain the nourishment, so must each person eat and drink of the body and blood of Jesus Christ to gain the spiritual nourishment. But I can share the word of Jesus with others. I can pray for others. I can look out for opportunity for little service to others today.

Emmanuel

Emmanuel

“Yahweh Sabaoth is with us, our citadel, the God of Jacob.” (Psalm 46: 7)

Emmanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14, 8:10; Matthew 1: 23)

The Lord is with you (Luke 1: 28)

If God is with me, it is accomplished. (Romans 8: 31)

God is with us (2 Chronicles 13: 12)

God is with you (Isaiah 45: 14)

The Lord is with us (Numbers 14: 9, 2 Chronicles 32: 8; Psalm 46: 7, 11)

God will be with you (Exodus 3: 12)

I am with you (Haggai 1:13, 2:4)

They will know that I am with them (Ezekiel 34: 30)

When we pass through the waters he will be with us (Isaiah 43: 2)

Do not be afraid, for I am with you (Isaiah 41: 10, 43: 5, Jeremiah 42:11, 46:28)

May the Lord be with you (Ruth 2: 4, 2 Samuel 14: 17, 1 Chronicle 22: 11, 16; Amos 5: 14)

May the Lord be with us (1 Kings 8: 57)

Perhaps the Lord will be with me (Joshua 14: 12)

I am always with God (Psalm 73: 23)

Son, you are always with me (Luke 15: 31)

Is not the Lord with you? (1 Chronicles 22: 18)

Is the Lord in our midst or not? (Exodus 17: 7)

(Roget’s Thesaurus of the Bible)

The Great Light

The Great Light

“The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow dark as death a light has dawned.” (Matthew 4: 16)

Jesus Christ is the great light, a light that dispels darkness in our lives. He is the light that shows us the truth about:

• · Family
• · Health
• · Job
• · Money
• · Tools
• · Food

When we are beset by anxiety about any of the above, we can ask: “Jesus Christ, Light of the world, show me the light about my current situation.”

Asking and Receiving

Asking and Receiving

“And whatever we ask we shall receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what is acceptable to him ………Whoever keeps his commandments remains in God, and God in him. And this is the proof that he remains in us.” (1 John 3: 22 -24)

I meet again the wonderful promise of asking and receiving. This great promise is repeated several times in the New Testament in order to encourage us to ask the One who possesses all things and is generous in his gifts.

What am I asking for today?

• · To know Christ intimately.
• · To love him with great passion.
• · To serve him faithfully everywhere.
• · To be fully supported by Christ.
• · To depend on Christ for my security.

The Holy Spirit promises through 1 John 3: 22-24 that I shall receive these gifts. I believe this and I hold to it. I am also aware that I receive these gifts as a son who does what is pleasing to his father. This attitude and behavior cause me to remain in God and God to remain in me. The presence and activities of the Holy Spirit within me is the proof of this indwelling. The Holy Spirit manifests his presence through his fruits which are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self- control.” (Galatians 5: 22)

Light of Faith

Light of Faith

“They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house, found the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their coffers and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2: 10 – 12)

The wise men presented gifts to the infant Jesus through Mary. This calls to mind a variant of the prayer that many of us learned as children and many still repeat everyday: “O my Jesus, I offer you through the Immaculate Heart of Mary all my prayers, desires and hopes, all my actions, temptations and sufferings, my delays, disappointments and obstacles. I offer you all my time, talent and treasure. I offer all these on every altar of the world where the Eucharist is celebrated today. I offer them for the remission of my sins and for the salvation of souls.”

The Father revealed Jesus to the nations by the guidance of a star. Faith is our guiding star in life. The light of faith is strong. We see by it. The world is constantly seeking to impose limits to our life of faith.

“Father of light, unchanging God, today you reveal to men of faith the resplendent fact of the Word made flesh. Your light is strong, your love is near; draw us beyond the limits which this world imposes, to the life where your Spirit makes all life complete. We ask this through Christ our Lord.” (Opening Prayer, Mass of the Epiphany.)