There is a Christmas song from Polar Express called "Believe" sung by a young girl named Jackie Evancho (https://youtu.be/r0zWdwa0bzA). Her voice is angelic. I love the following words from this song:
We all do grow up eventually. But that doesn't mean we stop believing. We have been given so much to celebrate, why do we waste so much time being angry, depressed or anxious? Life continues on, day after day until we are summoned to our heavenly home. Every day you wake up is one more day to build the Kingdom. How can you build it today? God has provided everything we need. Do you believe?
Today's Gospel (Luke 5:17-26) shows true faith and belief in Christ can move mountains:
One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "As for you, your sins are forgiven."
Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, "What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins?" he said to the one who was paralyzed, "I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, "We have seen incredible things today."
In Volume Four, Jesus assures us if we have any doubts, all we have to do is pray:
"On this day I want you to tell Me all day long that you believe in Me. You may not feel this. You may have a difficult time even forming the words. But in your heart, all of this day, tell Me this. I can then give you graces that will help your disbelief. We will begin to shift the stubborn doubts sowed by the father of lies. You have nothing to lose. You have tried many other remedies for your discontent. Some of you have abused your bodies in an attempt to quiet the cries of your soul. I want you to think of Me as another remedy for any difficult symptoms you are experiencing. If I do not keep My promise, to grant you peace and joy, then you may continue your search. But you must give Me a chance and to do that you must spend time in silence with Me. Come to a church that houses a tabernacle. Sit before Me in silence. Allow Me to speak to you and I will speak to you. Be brave, little soul."
Lay apostles, if you struggle with doubt, try believing for a day. Do as Jesus asks in the quote from Volume Four above. Nothing else seems to work, why not try believing? Christmas is the perfect time of year to begin.
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of believing. Every day, through Your Graces, I am strengthened and more in love with You.
God bless,
Bonnie
We were dreamers not so long ago.
But one by one we all had to grow up.
When it seems the magic slipped away,
We find it all again on Christmas day...
Believe in what your heart is saying,
Hear the melody that's playing.
There's no time to waste,
There's so much to celebrate.
Believe in what you feel inside,
And give your dreams the wings to fly.
You have everything you need,
If you just believe.
We all do grow up eventually. But that doesn't mean we stop believing. We have been given so much to celebrate, why do we waste so much time being angry, depressed or anxious? Life continues on, day after day until we are summoned to our heavenly home. Every day you wake up is one more day to build the Kingdom. How can you build it today? God has provided everything we need. Do you believe?
Today's Gospel (Luke 5:17-26) shows true faith and belief in Christ can move mountains:
One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "As for you, your sins are forgiven."
Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, "What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins?" he said to the one who was paralyzed, "I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, "We have seen incredible things today."
In Volume Four, Jesus assures us if we have any doubts, all we have to do is pray:
"On this day I want you to tell Me all day long that you believe in Me. You may not feel this. You may have a difficult time even forming the words. But in your heart, all of this day, tell Me this. I can then give you graces that will help your disbelief. We will begin to shift the stubborn doubts sowed by the father of lies. You have nothing to lose. You have tried many other remedies for your discontent. Some of you have abused your bodies in an attempt to quiet the cries of your soul. I want you to think of Me as another remedy for any difficult symptoms you are experiencing. If I do not keep My promise, to grant you peace and joy, then you may continue your search. But you must give Me a chance and to do that you must spend time in silence with Me. Come to a church that houses a tabernacle. Sit before Me in silence. Allow Me to speak to you and I will speak to you. Be brave, little soul."
Lay apostles, if you struggle with doubt, try believing for a day. Do as Jesus asks in the quote from Volume Four above. Nothing else seems to work, why not try believing? Christmas is the perfect time of year to begin.
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of believing. Every day, through Your Graces, I am strengthened and more in love with You.
God bless,
Bonnie
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