A Shower of blessings

"God, you rained down a shower of blessings, when your heritage was weary you gave it strength. Your family found a home, which you in your generosity provided the humble." (Psalm 68: 9-10)

PROVISIONS:

• God richly supplies us with everything to enjoy (1 Timothy 6: 17)
  
• God will equip you with everything good to do his will (Hebrews 13: 21)
  
• The provisions of his Spirit (Philippians 1: 19)
  
• His divine power has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1: 3)
  
• The Lord will provide a lamb (Genesis 22:8, 14)
  

 

• God provided for his people in the wilderness (Psalm 105: 40-41)
  
• You provided for them in the wilderness (Nehemiah 9: 21)
  
• You provided for the poor (Psalm 68: 10)
  

Divine Help

God helps you (Genesis 49:25; 1 Chronicles 12: 18)

Eliezer, God was my help (Exodus 18:4)

God is my helper (Psalm 54: 4)

The Lord is my helper (Hebrews 13:6)

The Lord is your shield of help (Deuteronomy 33: 29)

A very present help in trouble (Psalm 46: 1)

Our help is in the name of the Lord (Psalm 124: 8)

Ebenezer, this far has the Lord helped us (1 Samuel 7:12)

The Lord helped David wherever he went (2 Samuel 8:6; 1 Chronicles 18:6, 13)

He has helped his servant Israel (Luke 1: 54)

You are the helper of the orphan (Psalm 10: 14)

My help is from the Lord (Psalm 121: 2)

Your help made me great (2 Samuel 22: 36; Psalm 18:35)

The Lord helped me (Psalm 118: 13)

With us is the Lord to help us (2 Chronicles 32: 8)

Christ is able to help those who are tempted (Hebrews 2: 18)

The Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8: 26)

We have an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1)

If the Lord had not been my help (Psalm 94: 17)

 

God helped the Levites to carry the ark (1 Chronicles 15: 26)

The wall had been built with the help of God (Nehemiah 6: 16)

God helped Uzziah against his enemies (2 Chronicles 26: 7)

Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him (2 Chronicles 18: 31)

 

The hand of the Lord on them to help (Ezra 7: 6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31; Nehemiah 2:8, 18)

 

The Father will give you another helper (John 14: 16)

The helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send (John 14: 26)

The helper whom I will send from the Father (John 15: 26)

I will send the helper to you (John 16: 7)

 

We have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1)

(ROGET'S THESAURUS OF THE BIBLE)

Rejoice O highly favored One

"Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favor! The Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:28)

The Angel Gabriel also said to Mary:

• Mary, do not be afraid, you have won God's favor.
  
• The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow.
  
• For God's promises can never fail.
  

Mary answered:

• You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said.
  

I like very much the reminder that God's promises never fail. Here are a few other instances of this word:

• With man this is impossible but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19: 26, Mark 10: 27)
  
• What is impossible for man is possible for God (Luke 18: 27)
  
• With God nothing is impossible (Luke 1: 37)
  
• Nothing will be impossible for them (Genesis 11: 6)
  
• Nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17: 20)
  
• I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4: 13)
  

The battle of prayer

"Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings." (1 Peter 5: 8 – 9)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to say on prayer:

"Prayer is a gift of grace but it always presupposes a determined response on your part because those who pray "battle" against themselves, their surroundings, and especially the Tempter who does all he can to turn them away from prayer. The battle of prayer is inseparable from progress in the spiritual life. We pray as we live because we live as we pray."

"Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen."

Blow at the head of Satan

"Then Uzziah said to her (Judith): 'Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth, who guided your blow at the head of the chief of our enemies. Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by those who tell of the might of God." (Judith 13: 18 – 19)

The above scripture was read on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11, 1997. On that day, I saw clearly the semblance of Judith to Mary, the Mother of Christ very clearly. Judith was the prototype of Mary. I scribbled the following in my journal:

"Mary is blessed by the Most High God above all other women on earth.

It is God, the Blessed One who has guided her to cut off the head of the leader of our enemies, Satan.

Your praises O Mary will never depart from the hearts of those who remember the power of God.

O Mother, your praises will endure forever."

 

Mary – Our Mother

"Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her;

Exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her!

Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort,

That you may nurse with delight at her abundant breasts!

For thus says the Lord:

Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.

As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap;

As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort." (Isaiah 66: 10-14)

 

The above scripture was read at Mass on February 11, 1997 on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. It is clear that the Church intends us to turn our reflection to Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ as we read and meditate on Isaiah 66: 10-14 on this day. I confided the reflection below to my journal on this occasion.

"I rejoice with Mary and I am glad for her. I love Mary. I share her joy with all my heart because I recognize her as the Mother of Sorrows.

I will suck fully of the milk of her comfort. I will drink deep with delight from her generous breasts.

God blesses her with prosperity which flows over her like a river.

O House of gold!

O Ivory Tower!

I will be suckled, carried on her lap.

As a mother comforts her son, so Mary, my mom will comfort me.

When this happens, my heart shall rejoice and my body flourish like the grass.

And everybody will know that the hand of the Lord is upon me. Amen!"

EXAMPLE

"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps." (1 Peter 2: 21)

• Christ washed their feet as an example (John 13: 15)
  
• Christ suffered, leaving us an example (1 Peter 2: 21)
  
• In me Christ demonstrated his patience as an example (1 Timothy 1: 16)
  
• Observe those who live according to Paul's example (Philippians 3: 17)
  
• We offer ourselves as a model for you (2 Thessalonians 3: 9)
  
• The Thessalonians were an example to all believers (1 Thessalonians 1 : 7)
  
• The prophets were an example of suffering and patience (James 5: 10)
  
• Be an example to believers (1 Timothy 4: 12)
  
• Show yourselves to be an example of good deeds (Titus 2:7)
  
• Elders should be examples to the flock (1 Peter 5: 3)
  

(ROGETS THESAURUS OF THE BIBLE)