My mornings don't get jumpstarted without a cup (or two or three!) of coffee. I love the smell as it is brewing. It all began when Delta Airlines stopped serving hot chocolate. The Medical Liaison position I held for over 5 years required a lot of traveling, which meant a lot of early morning flights. As I boarded those early mornings, I looked forward to my cup of hot chocolate and then falling asleep until the jolt of landing woke me up. Alas, when they did away with the hot chocolate, the only choices were tea or coffee. I knew tea was not going to win. Black coffee by itself was not going to cut it, either. Something was missing. Adding creamer made it more palatable, but still not something I could drink to warm me up on a cold plane. Next came the Splenda. Now, it was something I could enjoy. My coffee preferences have changed over the years (since doing Whole30, I make my own creamer with coconut milk, dates, and pure vanilla bean powder . . . amazing!). It's kind of like faith. Take the base which is faith in God (the coffee). Then add (the coconut milk) Scripture, the Volumes and other spiritual readings. To top it off, add (the dates and vanilla) in good works, love, kindness, forgiveness and everything else Jesus has taught us. Just like the perfect cup of coffee radiates contentment in a sometimes chilled early morning plane, choosing to live and participate in our Catholic faith fully radiates the Light of our Savior through us in a world where others may feel drowned in darkness. Opportunities abound, lay apostles, to provide calm when there is fear; love where there is hate.
The Gospel today (John 3:16-21) reminds us to never stop seeking the Light:
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
In Volume Five, Jesus tells us even in the worst of times we are still able to shine His Light:
"These dark times, such as the one you are living in, create the most beautiful opportunities for holiness and sainthood. You look around and all seems hopeless. How challenging it is then to continue to hope and to allow My joy an avenue through which to flow into the darkness of your world. That, all by itself, is an opportunity for the holiest of acts, the most heroic deed of selflessness."
Lay apostles, are you choosing to live in the Light of His Love or the darkness of the enemy? The darkness provides empty promises. You will always feel something missing after the excitement or thrill is gone. It's the "God hole." Can't fill it with anything else but Him!
Thank you, Lord, for showing me choosing Your Light means graces galore, in good times and in bad.
God bless,
Bonnie
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