A Great Promise

I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, 

"Fear not, I will help you."

How can we fail when we have a friend such as this.  The God of the universe loves us so much that He watches and will grasp us with His right hand and will keep us from harm.  He tells us in this reading from Isiah that we are to fear not for He will help us. 

Look around the world today.  If there ever was a time when we needed the strong right hand of God to grasp us and pull us out of the pit it is today. Mind you, the world is still a very beautiful place.  There are abundance and plenty all around us. The sun rises and sets as it always has, the tides of the ocean are regulated by the moon. Plants take in the sunlight and grow and are nurtured by God's mighty hand and the animals of the forest find their food provided for them.  Yet, God in his love has done so much more for those of Adam's race.  Time and time again he has come to the aid of His children and all of us while at first grateful, later we fall away from His counsel, forget His laws, and we wander off on our own way again.  Does God turn His back as we would to one who offended us greatly? No, with infinite patience, care, and love He extends His hand in friendship ready to accept any and all that want to return to Him. 

In this season of Advent, I ask you to be cognizant of the state of your soul. Are you wandering down a path that will lead to your spiritual ruin?  Do not give the devil a victory by thinking you have not sinned.  This lie is the evil one's sharpest tool and one that is used to separate man from God. When was the last time you approached the Lord in the sacrament of reconciliation?  A year ago? Five years? A quarter of a century ago?  It does not matter how long it has been, make plans to receive the mercy and love of our God in the confessional.  He knows your sins already, you will not be telling Him anything He doesn't know.  But to heal you have to tell Him what you have done and apply for His forgiveness and mercy.  He has never rejected anyone who has come to Him in tears and sorrow, even if it took years and years to come to the realization that sin was present in life.

Forgiveness and healing are but steps away.  Show your love and faith in God by admitting your wrongs and resolving to do right.  Then the coming Christmas holy day will mean more to you than it did when you were a child because you will know the love and mercy of the God of the universe and He will grasp you with His strong right hand and never let you go again.  

Today would be a great day to say the rosary for the Poor Souls in Purgatory, it is the memorial of St. John of the Cross. Please remember the poor souls, they cannot pray themselves out of purgatory, they need your help.  Remember, my friend, as they are, perhaps someday you shall be. 

First Sunday of Advent - Wait, Wait, Wait

He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.God is faithful, and by him, you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is really hard to believe that the first Sunday of Advent is already here.  It wasn't too long ago that I was welcoming in the new year with all of its hopes and dreams.  

There is nothing so hard as waiting.  Life seems to be the period where we go from the back of the line to the front of the line.  Did you ever get into a line at the supermarket where everything was it seemed to be moving nicely and then you hear the dreaded "price check on seven."  The person in front of you has four ounces of cumquats and is insisting that they were on sale but the register rang them up at two cents more a pound than the sale price. You want to reach into your pocket and give the person a quarter so that she will get the heck out of your way!  Waiting is hard.  Can you imagine how hard it was for the Hebrew people?  

The Hebrews in the first century had been waiting for the Messiah for a long time. While they were waiting, countries were having their way with them and they wanted to be free of foreign interference with their government.  So, imagine having to wait centuries for something to happen and you think that your wait in the supermarket line with that screaming little brat that wants one of every candy bar that he has seen was long!  In the next four weeks, we will wait as we pray and reflect on the place of Jesus in our life.  Each week we will get closer and closer to that great time when our Savior will appear.   

There will be a lot of preparing to be done over the next four weeks. The house will need to be made ready to receive guests, there will be presents to buy and wrap and meals to plan, people to pick up and drop off.  It will be a mad scramble for some of us. All the while we are exhausting ourselves with the needs of the body will we be considering the needs of our soul?  There is no reason why even one of us cannot take fifteen minutes a day in prayer especially if you make time when all of the work of the day is complete.  You need this time of prayer.  Here is the painless way of doing it.  

Wait for a time just before bed.  Turn off the TV, radio, stereo and most of all the smartphone.  Breathe in and out deeply a few times and sink back into your chair.  Clear your mind of everything and just think of one word, "Jesus."  Breathe in and out as you slowly say the name. Then imagine that Jesus is there with you.  He is sitting just opposite of you and He is ready to listen to you.  Pour out your heart, let Him know how you feel.  Let Him hear of your joys and sorrows, laugh with Him and cry with Him. After fifteen minutes (longer if you like) take your leave of Him and thank Him for the blessings He has given you in your life.  

There is no secret to prayer that you need to know except this.  Prayer is simply talking to your friend.  He wants this relationship with you!  He loves you with all of His Heart.  

Advent is a great time to help your relatives and friends who might this very day be in Purgatory.  He or she is not there you say, well, then pray for the people who need it most.  Your prayers will not go unheard nor will they be wasted.