Prepare for Action

"As for you, prepare yourself for action." (Jeremiah 1: 17)

Preparing for action:

That the man of God may be equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3: 17)

The equipping of saints for service (Ephesians 4: 12)

Be dressed in readiness with your lamps burning (Luke 12: 35)

Be ready in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2)

Be ready, for he is coming when you least expect (Matthew 24:44)

Be ready (Luke 12: 40)

I am ready to go to prison and death (Luke 22: 33)

I am ready to die for the Lord Jesus (Acts 21: 13)

 

Gird up your loins like a man (Job 38: 3; 40:7)

Gird up your loins (2 Kings 4: 29; 9:1)

Gird up your loins and speak to them (Jeremiah 1: 17)

Gird up your minds (1 Peter 1: 13)

Feet shod with preparation for the gospel (Ephesians 6: 15)

(Roget's Thesaurus of the Bible)

The Open Door

"On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles." (Acts 14: 27)

Apostolic work is God's work. God opens the door.

"I have opened a door before you which no man will be able to close." (Revelation 3:8)

God opened the door for Paul and Barnabas to evangelize the gentiles. The door opened by God will remain open come what may.

Sure Hope

"Father, you restored your people to eternal life by raising Christ your Son from death. Make our faith strong and our hope sure. May we never doubt that you will fulfill the promises you have made…" (Prayer at Mass)

When man fell from grace and lost eternal life, God restored it to us through Jesus Christ.

We ask the Father to strengthen our faith in His word. Father, give us also sure hope.

When the Father asked me to wait on 122108, I have sure hope that I am waiting for something. May I never doubt that God will fulfill the promises made to me.

What are the causes of doubt?

• Experience of past hopes that were deferred
  
• Negative testimonies of others about unfilled hopes
  
• Listening to man instead of to God
  

What is the remedy to the problems of doubt?

• Realizing that everyman is unique and irrepeatable.
  
• Every experience is unique and irrepeatable.
  
• Which merits more credence? Word of God or word of man?

St. Philip and St. James

"Father, by the holy gifts we have received, free our minds and hearts from sin. With the apostles Philip and James, may we see you in your Son and be found worthy to have eternal life…." (Mass on the feast of Apostles Saints Philip and James)

Although we strive for holiness, we still struggle against sins. Hence the prayer to the Father to free our minds and hearts from sin.

The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sins.

"May we see you in your Son…." May we see your goodness, mercy, compassion, long-suffering, gentleness and all your attributes in your Son, Jesus.

Let us see the Father

"Lord, let us see the Father, and we shall be content. And Jesus said: Philip, he who sees me, sees the Father." (John 14: 8,9)

Jesus is the image of the invisible Father. He shares all the attributes of the Father:

• Omnipotence
  
• Omniscience
  
• Omnipresence
  
• Faithfulness
  
• Mercifulness
  
• Compassion
  
• Love
  
• Purity
  
• Long-suffering, etc
  

God is spirit. When you see the attributes of Jesus at work, you see those of the Father. When you hear the words of Jesus, you hear those of the Father.

Asking in the Name of Jesus

"Whatever you ask in my name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." (John 14: 13-14)

Reading my journal entry on the above scripture of ten years ago, I am amazed to see a dramatic change in the things I ask for today. In 1999, I asked for a place, financial security, a job and protection from evil. Today, I still have all these needs. But what I ask for is different. It is also short-term. At the beginning of everyday, I ask for inspiration and power that I need to meet the blessings and challenges of the day. I can date this shift from preoccupation from daily bread to spiritual bread to the third quarter of 2004 after the Men's ACTS Retreat in Dickinson. I learned from that retreat to live one day at a time. I hope that lesson is irreversible. That lesson has brought much happiness and stability to my life.

Jesus Christ answers our prayers in His name. He answers them in the fullness of His wisdom and love.

 

Times and Seasons 2

"All times and seasons obey your laws." (Eucharistic Prayer)

All Times:

• Beginning and end
  
• Alpha and omega
  
• East and West
  
• North and South
  

All Seasons:

• Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn
  
• Day and Night
  
• Health and Sickness
  
• Riches and Poverty
  
• Light and Darkness
  

God governs the world through laws: natural laws as well as supernatural laws.

Because all times and seasons obey God, we see how "all things work together for good to those who love God." (Romans 8: 28). Because "all things serve you" (Psalm 119:91), we see how ordinary and extraordinary providence work together for good for God's children.