“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your generous Spirit lead me on an even ground.” (Psalm 143: 10)
The above scripture expresses a prayer which should always be on the heart of everybody.
• Teach me to do your will
• May your generous Spirit lead me on an even ground
Our peace and prosperity lie in the will of God. When we know this will and obey it, we have nothing to fear or worry about in life. We cannot know the will of God unless the Holy Spirit abides in us and reveals this will to us. The Holy Spirit is addressed in this scripture as God’s generous Spirit. He is lavish in His gifts. He reveals God’s will to us. He enables us to do this will.
What is the proof that God’s generous Spirit is in control of your life? Do you experience the following in your day-t0-day life?
• Light and guidance
• Peace and tranquility
• Joy and consolation
• Love for Jesus in the Eucharist
• Yearning to read, hear, study the word of God?
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Friday, February 04, 2011
Be content with what you have
“Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you. Thus we may say with confidence: The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” (Hebrews 13: 5-6)
“Let your life be free from the love of money...” What constitutes my life? They are: my desires, my thoughts, my words and my actions. If we have inordinate desire for money, it will tend to dominate our thoughts, words and deeds.
Apart from being free from love of money, God commands us to “be content with we have.” You may ask “What if I have little?” It does not matter. Be content with the little. The rationale for such a radical prescription is that God has promised: “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” Does God have the power and the will to back such a great promise? I know that God is all powerful, all-loving and generous. God is able and God is willing. Knowing all the above, we can say with certainty and confidence: “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid.” The best reasons for not being afraid in the ups and downs of my finances are:
• God Himself is my helper.
• God is able and willing to help me.
St. Augustine tells us to examine our beliefs every morning as a person looks at her face in the mirror and ask ourselves:
Do we truly believe what we profess? If the answer is YES, we can rejoice and claim our promises. God is always faithful and true.
“Let your life be free from the love of money...” What constitutes my life? They are: my desires, my thoughts, my words and my actions. If we have inordinate desire for money, it will tend to dominate our thoughts, words and deeds.
Apart from being free from love of money, God commands us to “be content with we have.” You may ask “What if I have little?” It does not matter. Be content with the little. The rationale for such a radical prescription is that God has promised: “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” Does God have the power and the will to back such a great promise? I know that God is all powerful, all-loving and generous. God is able and God is willing. Knowing all the above, we can say with certainty and confidence: “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid.” The best reasons for not being afraid in the ups and downs of my finances are:
• God Himself is my helper.
• God is able and willing to help me.
St. Augustine tells us to examine our beliefs every morning as a person looks at her face in the mirror and ask ourselves:
Do we truly believe what we profess? If the answer is YES, we can rejoice and claim our promises. God is always faithful and true.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Fleeing God
“Where shall I go to escape your Spirit? Where shall I flee from your presence? If I scale the heavens you are there, if I lie flat in sheol, there you are.” (Psalm 139:7-8)
Why would anybody want to flee from God’s presence? The psalmist knows of course that God is everywhere. So it is pointless trying to flee from Him. The above scripture points to the futility of such an effort.
St. Theresa Avila wrote the following while reflecting on the omnipresence of God:
“You know already that God is everywhere. He is where the king is, in what they call the royal court. Heaven is wherever God is. You can believe without any doubt that wherever his majesty is, there is all his glory. Look and see what St. Augustine says, who looked for him in many places and found him within himself. It is no small thing that one who is given to know this truth would see that he has no need to go to heaven to talk to his Father God, to speak with him; that he has no need to raise his voice to converse with him. Wherever you speak, he will be close enough to hear. You do not need wings to go in search of him, you only need to be on your own and to find him within yourself; try not to make a stranger of so good a guest; with great humility, speak to him as you would to your father, petition him as you would your father, tell him of all your doings, ask him for his help to do good, knowing that you are not worthy to be his child” (Way of Perfection)
Why would anybody want to flee from God’s presence? The psalmist knows of course that God is everywhere. So it is pointless trying to flee from Him. The above scripture points to the futility of such an effort.
St. Theresa Avila wrote the following while reflecting on the omnipresence of God:
“You know already that God is everywhere. He is where the king is, in what they call the royal court. Heaven is wherever God is. You can believe without any doubt that wherever his majesty is, there is all his glory. Look and see what St. Augustine says, who looked for him in many places and found him within himself. It is no small thing that one who is given to know this truth would see that he has no need to go to heaven to talk to his Father God, to speak with him; that he has no need to raise his voice to converse with him. Wherever you speak, he will be close enough to hear. You do not need wings to go in search of him, you only need to be on your own and to find him within yourself; try not to make a stranger of so good a guest; with great humility, speak to him as you would to your father, petition him as you would your father, tell him of all your doings, ask him for his help to do good, knowing that you are not worthy to be his child” (Way of Perfection)
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
A clean heart
“God create in me a clean heart, renew within me a resolute spirit. Do not thrust me away from your presence, do not take away from me your spirit of holiness.” (Psalm 51: 11)
The Holy Spirit is the principle of holiness. David had a very special relationship with the Holy Spirit. He understood clearly that the Spirit is the source of the inspiration and power that enabled him to accomplish so much. The first thing that threatens this cordial relationship with the Holy Spirit is sin. Sinfulness is the opposite of holiness. The Holy Spirit of God cannot stay in a soul soiled with sin. David knew that for him to lose the Holy Spirit because of sin would be to lose his resourcefulness in everything.
The Holy Spirit is the principle of holiness. David had a very special relationship with the Holy Spirit. He understood clearly that the Spirit is the source of the inspiration and power that enabled him to accomplish so much. The first thing that threatens this cordial relationship with the Holy Spirit is sin. Sinfulness is the opposite of holiness. The Holy Spirit of God cannot stay in a soul soiled with sin. David knew that for him to lose the Holy Spirit because of sin would be to lose his resourcefulness in everything.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
God is long-suffering
“You were patient with them for many years and warned them by your spirit through the prophets, but they would not listen; so you put them at the mercy of the people of the country.” (Nehemiah 9: 30)
God is long-suffering. I see many instances of this throughout the Bible. But long-suffering is not weakness. God is compassionate and loving. He gives maximum opportunity for one to come to his senses and turn to Him. When the fullness of time comes and the person is still obdurate, God strikes.
God is long-suffering. I see many instances of this throughout the Bible. But long-suffering is not weakness. God is compassionate and loving. He gives maximum opportunity for one to come to his senses and turn to Him. When the fullness of time comes and the person is still obdurate, God strikes.
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