Our blog is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Today’s readings had many themes we could have talked about.
The Holy Spirit picked the reading before the Gospel, presenting an interesting question.
Do you start each day rejoicing and being glad that you have another opportunity to praise and honor God, your Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for all they have done, are doing, and will do for you in this life?
In my first fifty years, I didn’t.
I had a job and a family to feed, and rejoicing and being glad didn’t make much sense with the problems I was contending with.
I, yes, I don’t think I had a long face or a rotten disposition, but rejoicing, being glad, and giving thanks to God were not part of my everyday vocabulary.
What a shame, especially at this time of year when we celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead.
Never forget 1.7 Billion, yes that’s Billion, Muslims don’t believe Jesus died on the Cross, so they also don’t believe He rose, and they can’t rejoice and be glad because they are justified to God the Father.
It’s only when YOU fully appreciate what happened this past week and realize a question that has haunted mankind throughout every age, that question being;
What happens when I die?
That, at least for me, the Answer has and is provided, especially at Easter time.
Say Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, shout it, and celebrate your being Justified.
Celebrate what the Triune God has done for you and your family.
You want only the best for you and your family,
Well, you’ve got it.
A Father, Brother, and Holy Spirit of Outrageous Love.
Think we’re kidding; watch the news tonight and see what Living in The “world” brings.
Choose the “Spirit World” which soundly defeated the “world” at the battle of Golgatha.
I have just realized fully that the Battle of Gogatha was a battle, and Jesus defeated satan, through His life, Death on His Cross, and His Resurrection three days later.
You’re choice, and I think we know what you have chosen because you are reading this blog. The question remains, do I want to live in the “world,” or do I want to live in the “Spirit World?”
Wanting to Live in the “Spirit World” for me wasn’t easy; I was hooked on looking at all the corruption, killing, sex, and hatred going on in the “world” until one day I, now we, said, “Enough!”, and I turned the “world” off.
Peace!
I love it!
I read headlines but don’t get caught up in all the details, which took away my Joy and Peace.
The question we said earlier, what happens after I die, is now not the only question you and I should ask.
The first question we should ask is, “I would love to believe that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will take care of me.”
Jesus’s death on the Cross brought true life into your everyday life, a God genuinely concerned with you and your family’s welfare.
God’s concern for the Jewish people was also genuine in the Old Testament, except that the Jewish people at that time spurned God and chose to worship foreign gods, who, in some cases, expected the sacrifice of their children.
Maybe this Easter season, you will engage satan and decide as I did a few years back and say, “Enough, I want to live in the “Spirit World,” and Rejoice and be Glad every day knowing that you are growing in your love of a God of Outrageous Love.
JESUS HAS RISEN, HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH,
If you want to join Team Jesus, pray. Thank you, Father, for the difficulties (Name the difficulty……………) you have ALLOWED in my life; I know you will take care of me. Pray this until you smile, and that smile tells you, you are back with the Holy Spirit living in the “Spirit World.”
Sidebar:
I, we were at the Veterans Home in Scarborough two weeks ago doing a communion service, and an exciting thing happened.
A few years ago, I was giving out communion to the veterans at the Scarborough Veterans Home when I approached Rob, not his real name, and asked if he was Catholic and if he would like to receive communion.
Rob said yes that he was Catholic, and Yes, he would like to receive communion,
But,
Rob hadn’t gone to confession in a very long time.
I had just finished reading the book One Great Act of Fidelity by Fr. Ronald Rohouser, and in that book Fr. Rouhouser said that when You say the Our Father, and say “Forgive us our trespasses,” God does!
I love God’s timing!
I just finished reading the book; I met Rob.
But,
As I am sure you all know, there is a hook.
We have to forgive everyone who has screwed us over, and for some people, as we have reported in earlier blogs, this is a challenging thing to ask.
I told Rob we would pray the Our Father, and when we got to the part, “as we forgive those who have trespassed against us,” I would say, “ Stop!” and give Rob time, one or two minutes, to forgive those who screwed Him over.
I observed Rob, and he was doing exactly as we asked.
Side note: Why in Mass do we not stop so we can forgive those who have screwed us over? Instead, we just keep plowing along, saying the prayer.
Well, from that Sunday on, Rob has been a bright light at the Veterans home, and two weeks ago, as we were doing the Communion Service, Rob asked me to do The Stations of the Cross. He was very persistent, soooooooo hopeful we get the approvals needed to bring The Stations of the Cross to the people at the V/A.
I’m filled with joy!
You will probably never know the impact you will have on someon’s life by being involved.
but
Not being involved has no impact!
One last comment:
We have stated that the sin of Adam and Eve was RAPE, and I was reading other notes I, we had outlined in One Great Act of Fidelity, and Fr. Rohouser said, and I quote, “The rape being talked about is wider than sex. In turning away from the posture of receptivity to the posture of seizing, Adam and Eve began to take by force, as by right, what was theirs only as a gift.” I pray this clarifies our statement about the sin of Adam and Eve being a sin of rape!
Picture:
Here is a photo from your home state. My husband and I spent the month of September (2021) traveling around the beautiful state of Maine. The picture was taken near Bass Harbor in Bernard, Maine. The calm waters remind me of the loving arms of Jesus and to trust in Him always. Picture by Patty Archibald
Please keep Snapping!
Remember, if you want to submit a picture, no people, please, because we have to get permission from that person to use their photograph; in the comments section at the bottom of our blog, tell me you want to submit a picture, and I will send you my email address in our reply on Thursday. By sending your picture, you consent to allow us to reprint that picture in our next book, God Thoughts 2023, with your name and any comments in the Blog.