Yesterday, my daughter sent me a text message with a picture of my grandson. Next to her side of the bed hangs a calendar with the Blessed Mother as the main picture. Before my grandson began smiling at his parents, he was smiling at the picture of Our Lady. Every time. Whitney would tell me about this but I never had the privilege of seeing it. Until now:
Wow, right? This picture made me contemplate my relationship with God our Father. Just as a new mother nurtures and loves her infant, God nurtures and loves us. An infant needs constant attention and relies on his mother for his very being. She knows every sound uttered, every cry and every coo. We, as God's children, have a Father who hears every word, sees every action, knows every thought. Why do so many try to run and hide from Him? Is it because they don't want to be held accountable for their actions? Is saying you don't believe in God an excuse for bad behavior? Even if you don't believe in Him, He does believe in you.
Todays Psalm (139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab) manifests the Lord's love for His children:
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, the answer is simple. Ask God for guidance and He will give it:
"His daily smile at Mother Mary" (what my daughter text me!)
Wow, right? This picture made me contemplate my relationship with God our Father. Just as a new mother nurtures and loves her infant, God nurtures and loves us. An infant needs constant attention and relies on his mother for his very being. She knows every sound uttered, every cry and every coo. We, as God's children, have a Father who hears every word, sees every action, knows every thought. Why do so many try to run and hide from Him? Is it because they don't want to be held accountable for their actions? Is saying you don't believe in God an excuse for bad behavior? Even if you don't believe in Him, He does believe in you.
Todays Psalm (139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab) manifests the Lord's love for His children:
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, the answer is simple. Ask God for guidance and He will give it:
"Consider a mountain. On that mountain is a path that has been marked out carefully for each of us by Jesus. Jesus is at the top. The world is at the bottom. If we get on that path and begin to climb, we will reach Jesus. We climb the mountain through our daily “yes” to Jesus. People say that they do not know the will of God, but God will not hide His will. We must spend time in silence and ask Jesus and He will tell us where our path lies on this mountain of holiness. Most of us need look no further than to our vocations. Our path is usually marked out with the daily duties of these vocations and it is always best to begin at that point. In this time of transition, Jesus needs souls to find their path and start climbing. The higher we climb, the more grace and light Jesus flows through us into this world and the greater the number of souls saved. We praise God for the way He allows us to participate in this renewal. Some speak of darkness and sin and the disobedience of many of our brothers and sisters. This darkness exists and we cannot ignore it. To do so would be to rest in denial. However, when souls talk more about these things than about the glory of Jesus Christ, it is clear that they are facing the wrong way on the mountain. Face up, dear friends! Face Christ! Face heaven! If you do, you will be filled with heaven’s joy and confidence. If you face down toward the world you will become afraid."
Lay apostles, begin today by accepting God's Will for you. Maybe you have a problem with explicit language. Eliminate it the best you can every day knowing God hears all. Maybe you have a problem with spreading rumors and lies. Stop doing so as God sees all. Today, slow down and come out of hiding.
Thank you, Lord, for slowing me down to be accountable for my actions and words. I know you know what I think, say and do. Forgive me when I speed up once in a while!
God bless,
Bonnie
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