LAZARUS, UN-WRAPPED !

UN-WRAPPED

This meditation came to me so swiftly. It seemed to be a personal part of the healing that I was experiencing at the time. Today's reading from Colossians 2: 12-14, brought it to mind with more clarity.
 How many times I listened to this reading, persevering in Faith, believing what I was able, and piece by piece the Holy Spirit was slowly bringing it all together as a mystery is seen, or a puzzle is formed!

UNWRAPPED

"Where  are You,  JESUS!?"...Mary and Martha called.

"Come! Save our brother! Where are You?"

Lazarus now lay dead four days,

His self decayed within the stone covered cave.

"Where are You Jesus?"

"All this time, all this decay, all this stench!

Where are You?"

What is this Lazarus laying in my tomb?

What has decayed and rotted?

Am I seeking the One Who can raise me from this death within?

"Jesus, where are You?

Come, soften this hardened  heart of indifference.

Help my unbelief!   Open this tomb...let Your Light enter in...

Set me free! Untie my hands, my feet! Unwrap and release me!
Make me clean, once again.

Let the Transformation begin!"

Today's reading enlightened my understanding of the scripture

and the meditation.

It reads...

"When you were Baptized, you were buried with Christ,

and in Baptism you were also raised with Christ

 through your faith in the active power of God,

Who raised Him from death.

You were at one time spiritually dead because of your sins...

But God has now brought you into Life with Christ!
This is the process of living out your Faith in the Truth of the Gospels!

JESUS canceled the unfavorable record of our sins...
completely...by nailing it to the Cross!"

"Have I not told you that if you believe

you will see the Glory of God!...

"Lazarus, come out!"

                                            John 11:38-44

BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND

BE TRANSFORMED

BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND!

ETERNITY is..."living in the now moment!" God is the Creator of the "now moment."

He is with us in the now!... Creating a peaceable Kingdom, now!...right where we are.

"O God! Come to our aid! Slow us down to listen,

 that we may hear your Voice and follow You! 

Train our minds toward Your Voice within,

and give us the courage to dismantle the" other voices" seeking to rule!"

In the Beginning... in the Garden...there was One Voice heard...

and It was Good!

The Father loved Adam and Eve into existence. He gave them dominion over all creation.

The Angel of Light, Lucifer, was loved by God the Father, also. He was called to light, guide,

instruct and lead Adam and Eve in their way. For Lucifer, this was not enough!
Was he jealous ,wanting to become a god to rule and have dominion, even over his Creator?

Was his "the other voice" heard?  Did envy, pride, power and  position prompt him ?

Where did the "other voice" come from? Did that other voice slither out and hiss the words,

whispering, suggesting of what they could have..."to be like gods!" a hint that they were missing something? 

Were those "other words" picked up by Adam and Eve? 

 Did they think of measuring them with what they had lovingly learned and experienced from their Father Creator?

Do we know God's Voice in the Word made flesh?  What voice are we truly listening to?

 Do we take time to discern the voices and suggestions that are heard from within our minds?

Jesus, as He was tempted in the desert, used God's Word as a weapon against the evil suggestions of Lucifer!

Today, evil is being pursued in the name of God! The "other voice" is rampant !

The ego voice whips us about our past, relentlessly! Goads us into a fantasy future of more. Power, position, goods are extolled as our gods. Such may be the cause of our incessant anxieties and fears.

We are not little human gods able to be in charge of our future, or able to resolve our past!

For in all truth, we have only this "Now Moment" where God abides with us!

 He did say, " I will never leave you or deceive you!"

May we trust the Presence of God to transform us

 by the renewal of our minds, seeking God in His Word made flesh...

Jesus Christ.

Maybe we are being invited to taste

a little bit of Eternity... to walk with Him here!

THE JOY OF LOVE!

THE JOY OF LOVE!

Indifference...is cold!

Indifference is empty of Joy...

Indifference may hold anger.

Indifference "squelches the Holy Spirit!"

Indifference deadens the soul!

THE JOY OF LOVE

The Joy of Love is compassionate!...enters into relationship with the other...

Laughs with the happy,

Cries with the sad,

Feels for the other, as they are One in the Spirit!

Ask!...for the Love with which to love the other;

Ask!...for the desire to reach out,

Ask!... to receive all GOD has planned for you to receive!

It will be poured out,   full measure,  overflowing into your heart!

THEN,  the other will have their fill also,  and 

Give Glory to God!

Rejoice, always!

Pray constantly!

Give thanks in all circumstances!

For that is the Will of God in Christ Jesus for YOU! 

             1 Thessalonians 5 : 16-18

MY COTNIUED STORY : THE JOURNEY... A glimpse...

   "THE JOURNEY"

For those of you who do not know me or my journey,in and with the Lord of my life, Jesus, I offer you a glimpse.

  The idea came to me, (thank You Mother Mary for the guidance)  to preface the original writing with a bit of  spiritual  and background history.

 In the mid 1970's, for a reason that may be known later, I was facing a very stressful situation related to my childhood. There was an unbearable situation discovered. Not knowing which way to go,  my reaction, surprisingly,was to cry out loud "God!   Help me!"

More surprisingly!... The help was an "Immediate lifting" of all the stressful pressure and turmoil swirling within my body and mind! A sensation came upon me as if several heavy cement blocks had been lifted off of my body! 

For that Moment,  time and space seemed to disappear.
There was I with this loving God, who heard and answered!!!

Needless to say,I began  immediately to seek and to find  out... "Who are YOU!?" 

Opening a bible was the first step forward to a lifetime journey of discovery!

 My faith as a Roman Catholic was based upon the Sunday Mass: holy Communion and the Gospel readings for that day.

As we were Sunday-going- cradle-Catholics, that was all I knew at the time!

When accompanying my mother to her first  Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, I was escorted to another group  called Al-Anon, which is a support for family members of the alcoholic. Little did I know just how much I needed their help! Truly, they were a Godsend! I learned so much about changing my thoughts and being transformed in my behavior patterns. There  I experienced God living within His people!  They were describing "my hidden feelings,"  "my shame "my story!" There was no judging the other, only love and acceptance, encouragement, and the help that I needed to hear.
As we stood for the closing prayer,we made a circle and began to pray to "Our Father Who art in heaven".... when we came to the words in the prayer..." FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES"...something supernatural happened...  the voices and those words..."AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US"
sounded as if they were coming  from a loud bullhorn speaker and were directed only to me!
I then knew the Majesty of God's Voice telling me that I needed to seek forgiveness of the harm received from my earthly mother and father and their addiction to alcohol along with the abuse suffered.
So many emotions were rising to the surface all at once!!!
 So many questions swirling inside, like a  cyclone with nowhere to go!
I was invited to return ... I did.
It was a matter between life and/or death!

 After attending and learning the 12 step program for 18 months, and while on my first Al-Anon spiritual retreat, Father Jude, a Passionist priest, suggested I seek out a prayer group to attend.

I was invited to the "Light of Christ" Charismatic group meeting at the then, Notre'- Dame parish, now named St. John Paul II parish. 

Upon entering and being welcomed, my first reaction was,
"Who are these people ? Why are they so joyful?",..   and...
 " I want some of  this Joy!"

More to come!
Accept The Invitation !

THE INVITATION; Come...I will give you rest...

THE INVITATION
Is your life wearisome?

"Come! I will give you rest!"...says Jesus

"Everyone who believes will not perish, they will have Eternal life!"

"COME!  Come, My people!

I have opened up the Gate for you!!!

Look upon ME, Who has suffered all your sins; 

I Who have forgiven all inequities,

Look upon ME and be saved from guilt and shame.

All the debt of your lives has been paid- in- full

to our Father."
Jesus said,"I do not come to condemn the world,
I come that the world may be saved by Me."
"I come to give you Life in abundance!"

"The good thief asked to be remembered as he acknowledged ME.

His soul came with ME that very day into the Father's kingdom!

Would I do any less for you today?"

"Come! Look upon ME...Your Savior.  Come..."

"Come!  Be not afraid!  you will find rest and peace."

"Be still in my Presence...

Let Me love you and give you rest

as a little child... in my Presence...Come..."

In freedom, let us decide to follow Jesus.
The choices are between  misery, fear, numbness to life,
or an acceptance of peace of heart and mind
 that transforms our lives into joyous moments.

"When I am lifted up from the earth ," said Jesus,
"I will draw all to Myself!"
Are you hearing the call? Do you feel a pull on your heart?
Bring yourself into His Presence!
Your life will move forward...
You will never be the same again, for He will answer!
  Have Courage!

JESUS is calling! 

All He needs is your willingness, your  "yes" for Him to enter into your heart.

He asks for the "free will of your acceptance"...

He asks for your permission to give Him a chance to show you how much

He loves you; how much He yearns for you to  experience a newness of life...

 freedom from fear and anxieties.
This is a "supernatural journey".


NEW LIFE
HE bid me to approach Him;
He called to draw near,
My heart heard the message,
the song,  so clear.
His friendship...He offered
and graciously so;
"Come live in freedom
and drop all the fear."
To risk...for my freedom
such a small price to pay.
To draw close to God
is my heaven today.

                                  Anonymous

 Let us Pray:
Jesus, I give You my "YES" to come into my life; come into my heart; come now Lord as I am in  need of your loving kindness. I do believe, yet , help me to believe more deeply and to trust in your merciful love. Show yourself to me, that I may know you and trust you. Amen

IN THE BEGINNIING...you were there

IN THE BEGINNING...

"I Was There..."

In the Beginning, Father God, when You gave birth to the Universe,

when You commanded, "Let there be light!"...

I was there in Your memory... 

Within Your Great Plan for the entire Universe...

"I was there!"

"Yes, I was there!"...

Running toward freedom, away from slavery and intense suffering...

crossing the Red Sea toward a a new land, 

a new beginning!

 "I was there!" 

Crossing the desert, complaining,   grumbling,

trying to fight those great giants coming at me.

"Yes, I was there. Did You hear me?"

Yes! You did answer!

Goliath was being slain!

I was there, Father, and  

It seemed like forever.

"Yes!"...and I heard Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Daniel.

I listened and believed, Father God.

"I was there!"

I knew You saved me too, by rebuilding me in Your Love.

Esther, also, was a role model of trust in You; 

 persevering with her Queenly attributes.

Yes, she taught me much more!

I was there watching... praying...

 weeping  for Your chosen people's freedom. 

"I  was there, Father!"

Jesus...You were born in a cold, dark, animal lair of a cave

amid a frightful, depraved human era.

Your Presence brought Light, Joy and Salvation to all humanity...

Your Light reached me, Father!

Yes! I was there when You came into my broken world

with Your Light, Your Way and Your Truth!

"I was there!"....

Hungry for Your Word;

Thirsty for the Living Waters...

Seeking healing...for past wounds, unknown.

"I was there...

and
 I knew
You were there, too!"

MOMENTS OF GRACE: THE WORD OF GOD ALIVE!

Gods' Word is Alive!

  Recently one morning ,in reading the daily scriptures prepared for mass, Psalm 5 spoke to me once again, deeply and surprisingly so! 

 Many years ago, the Holy Spirit etched upon my heart these words of consoling tenderness, when it was so needed!
 Then,wrapped in the Grace of the moment, hurrying  I went into St. Josephs' church (located on rt. 20,) to kneel at the Tabernacle!
Such a moment of Grace, that Gods' Word propelled me there!

 Here they were again today... bringing the same touch of the Saviors' Presence embedded within.

 " And I...so great is Your merciful love...

                   May enter Your House,                                                  

                                                                                 bow down before Your Holy Temple                                                                                     and worship YOU in awe!"
                    Psalm 5: verses 8+9
                                               

                                                                                                                                                              

"Beloved of My Soul,
"Do not look upon My enemy as your enemy. He is your brother who has gone astray and who does not know what he is doing. Pity him, pray for him as you would pray for a lost son, a prodigal son. He too, is made in the image and likeness of God; he too, will come to his Fathers' house, he too, will beg for his Fathers forgiveness and Mercy; and he too will be welcomed back into the family with great celebration!"

                                                          "Yes, wolves have dens and snakes have lairs, but there is so much more good coming against evil. I will have My Way!"

"Because you do not know My Word, you listen to every voice stirring dissension and believe all is lost.

My Son Jesus is sent to open the floodgates of forgiveness and Merciful Love,
 to save all who will accept,believe and live the Truth of His Sacrifice for each one.
He will do it! 

It will be a Transformation of hearts! It will happen quickly.

The Mother will hear your prayers..   Pray,  pray,  pray!

She brings it all to Her Son Jesus, Who goes to the Father and the Holy Spirit is dispatched."