(Note: one day behind! Scripture reading is from yesterday 01Oct2012)
Living life as a lay apostle is hard work some days, a piece of cake others. But I know I have come A LONG WAY over the last 6 years. Before becoming involved in this apostolate, I was a mediocre Catholic. By that I mean I really didn't have the desire to learn above and beyond what I heard in Mass on Sundays or learned in parochial school. Daily Mass was something I knew about, but never attended. Saw Rosaries around my house growing up but never knew its significance. So many missed opportunities. After consuming all the messages from heaven and thought-provoking words from Anne throughout her books, a metamorphosis occurred. I wanted to live my life in full obedience to the Catholic Church. It meant living my life by guidelines set up by Christ Himself. Not an easy task for this sinner. The point is, I wanted to clean up my messy past, live for Him and in unity with Him. It took me a while to trust He was in control. Once I did, I knew I never wanted to disappoint Him again. Temptation to take the easy way out is always dangled in front of our faces. Evil knows our weaknesses . . . what we love and cherish . . . and takes every opportunity to distort our reality to the point we begin to question why God would allow such hardships or disasters to occur. Truly, it is not God who creates misery. It's our own human weaknesses.
The first reading (Job 1:6-22) makes it clear where calamities originate and the only remedy is complete service to God:
One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD, Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, "Whence do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming the earth and patrolling it." And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job, and that there is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?" But Satan answered the LORD and said, "Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing? Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock are spread over the land. But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has, and surely he will blaspheme you to your face." And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand upon his person." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them, and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid. They put the herdsmen to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, another came and said, "Lightning has fallen from heaven and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three columns, seized the camels, carried them off, and put those tending them to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, another came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, when suddenly a great wind came across the desert and smote the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you." Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair. He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said, "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!" In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
In the October 1, 2005 Monthly Message, Jesus refocuses our attention on strength gained when serving Him:
Living life as a lay apostle is hard work some days, a piece of cake others. But I know I have come A LONG WAY over the last 6 years. Before becoming involved in this apostolate, I was a mediocre Catholic. By that I mean I really didn't have the desire to learn above and beyond what I heard in Mass on Sundays or learned in parochial school. Daily Mass was something I knew about, but never attended. Saw Rosaries around my house growing up but never knew its significance. So many missed opportunities. After consuming all the messages from heaven and thought-provoking words from Anne throughout her books, a metamorphosis occurred. I wanted to live my life in full obedience to the Catholic Church. It meant living my life by guidelines set up by Christ Himself. Not an easy task for this sinner. The point is, I wanted to clean up my messy past, live for Him and in unity with Him. It took me a while to trust He was in control. Once I did, I knew I never wanted to disappoint Him again. Temptation to take the easy way out is always dangled in front of our faces. Evil knows our weaknesses . . . what we love and cherish . . . and takes every opportunity to distort our reality to the point we begin to question why God would allow such hardships or disasters to occur. Truly, it is not God who creates misery. It's our own human weaknesses.
The first reading (Job 1:6-22) makes it clear where calamities originate and the only remedy is complete service to God:
One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD, Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, "Whence do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming the earth and patrolling it." And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job, and that there is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?" But Satan answered the LORD and said, "Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing? Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock are spread over the land. But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has, and surely he will blaspheme you to your face." And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand upon his person." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them, and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid. They put the herdsmen to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, another came and said, "Lightning has fallen from heaven and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three columns, seized the camels, carried them off, and put those tending them to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." While he was yet speaking, another came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother, when suddenly a great wind came across the desert and smote the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you." Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair. He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said, "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!" In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
In the October 1, 2005 Monthly Message, Jesus refocuses our attention on strength gained when serving Him:
"I have willed a time of great joy for My beloved apostles. Joy is something that the world wishes to take from God’s children, but joy is available nonetheless. The world encourages souls to concentrate on comfort and earthly possessions. I ask you to concentrate on service. This is a marked contrast, is it not? Let me explain why concentrating on service brings you joy. If you rise each day and pledge allegiance to God, you will begin that day with more thought of serving than being served. In this way, you look at your day as an opportunity to work for heaven and to work for heaven’s children, your brothers and sisters. This perspective sends you into the day as a servant. When the day presents you with the inevitable opportunities to assist or console, or simply to be tolerant of your brothers or sisters, you do not view this as a burden, or an interruption in your entertainment and comfort, but as a request made to you directly from the Throne of your God. And fulfilling a request made to you by your God brings you joy. You serve heaven and we fulfill our part of the agreement by sending you joy. If all of God’s children were living this way, there would be great joy on earth and through this joy would come peace. But if even one of God’s children makes the commitment to serve as a beloved apostle, there is an increase of joy and an increase in peace. This is because an apostle does not become angry when he or she is inconvenienced. That apostle responds in calm trust when the world presents them with difficulty or even pain. There is no striking out at others. There is no rebelliousness. There is peace. The world is changing and it is changing one soul at a time. Join Me now and make a commitment to peace in your world. I will send it through you, My beloved apostles."
Lay apostles, remember . . . evil is prowling around the earth in full force waiting for a small opportunity to pounce on our weaknesses. Every one of us is subject to its misery and deception. What can you do today to turn your weaknesses into strengths? Are you a compassionate person? Try giving yourself a little compassion for once. Are you an emotional overeater? Pray through one craving today. Are you judgmental of those less fortunate standing by the highways with signs asking for money? Give a little today. Love and serve each other this day, today. Maybe tomorrow, what you thought were weaknesses, are really strengths waiting to break free.
Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful example in Your servant Job. Continue to show me how to turn my weaknesses into strength . . . I know I have a lot of work to do!
God bless,
Bonnie
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