Daily Meditation - Saturday 26April 2008 - 5th Week Easter -

[BarbaraTherese]

Readings
usccb.org/nab/readings/042608.shtml

Meditation
wau.org/meditations/meditations.asp?month=4&day=26&year=2008&x=12&y=7

Acts 16:1-10

f you’ve read this far in Acts, you’ve probably noticed how busy the Holy Spirit is.

Here, he not only tells Paul to go to Macedonia but prevents him from going into Asia as well. A few chapters earlier, he tells Ananias to pray for Saul, who becomes Paul the apostle (Acts 9:11). Then he gives visions to Cornelius and Peter, resulting in the outpouring of the Spirit on the Gentiles (10). Nothing seems to happen without his prompting. But we must give some credit to the apostles—they were the ones who obeyed him!

If you think about how the church began, you will admit it is nothing short of a miracle.

Those who received the Spirit at Pentecost*** were weak and imperfect men*** who were nevertheless charged with the task of spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth.

By the Spirit’s power, they ended up giving their whole lives for the sake of the kingdom of God. Sometimes they made mistakes, but they learned to cooperate with God by becoming followers first, and leaders second.

To do that, they had to open their ears to what he was saying.

• We can thank God that they listened so well—but we need to listen, too.
• With all the noise around us, we can forget that the Spirit still calls us.
• Sometimes he speaks in extraordinary ways, such as in dreams and visions.
• More often, however, he will speak in a still, small voice. But whether loud or soft, he does speak,
• and we are transformed whenever we stop to listen.
• As you reflect on the Spirit’s work, ask yourself how he may be speaking to you.
• Is he telling you to do something quite ordinary,
• like take a little more time for prayer?
• Or, just as he called Paul to Macedonia, is he asking you to do something completely unexpected?
• The key to hearing is simply to abandon yourself to him.*** “In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:6).***
• *** The more we focus on his agenda***, the less important ours will seem—and the more rewarding our lives will become!

“Lord, let me hear your voice! Show me the plans and purposes you have for me today. I want to live no longer for myself, but only for you!”

 

[BarbaraTherese]

We are weak and imperfect creatures…that is simply our nature that only Grace can overcome - St. Paul: “why is it I find myself doing the very things I have made up my mind not to do…and what can save me, why nothing but the Grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ”.

Yesterday’s mediation revealed how St. Paul almost made a dreadful mistake and a great saint (Mark) was condemningly misjudged by Paul. And St. Mark went on to do great things for God. My reasoning is if that great saint and theologian, St. Paul could make such a terrible error and really he was not 'walking his talk ’ at that time…then why should I be amazed and downcast if I do even far worse finding myself absolutely not walking my talk!

Since all good has God for the author and the one who brings it into being, be it small or great, and sustains all good in existence, goodness is never our work, it is God’s Work and His Grace sustains and protects it. This is an awesome thought for now and then I do find myself doing and thinking something good…this is actually God at work in ME!!!

So never be discouraged because of faults and failings, of sinfulness. Jesus has left us with the wondrous Sacrament of Reconciliation that is His Guarantee that no matter how dreadful and serious our sin knowing as He does our poor nature “he was like us in all things - sin alone excepted”, He is prepared with eager loving to forgive us…not only to forgive, but to completely forget and to restore us to that state as if we had never sinned in the first place. We really need to accept our fallen, stumbling nature which is also jolly good psychology making for sound mental health…but we have more, we have the guarantee that all the foibles our fallen nature can lead us into will be totally forgiven by God. Self forgiveness can be another matter and for the sake of our Peace and emotional and mental good health, we need to learn how to forgive ourselves - and as someone pointed out excellently in another thread, if we persevere in praying to be able to self forgive, then The Grace will be given to do so will be given to us.
We really must treasure this Sacrament of Mercy with overwhelming gratitude … this creature sure does for sure!
Were it not for this Sacrament I would be consigned to the pits of Hell and trust me for sure, that is no pious platitude at all!!! Not at all!!!
Off the soapbox…http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_12_7.gif…God’s richest of blessings…Barb