Our blog is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:16
The above quote is from the Alleluia refrain in the optional Readings.
I had never thought of my good deeds as giving glory to God the Father. I had forgotten that in trying to imitate Jesus, who through His entire life gave Glory to His Father by living His life doing His Father’s will, I was, in turn, giving Glory to my Father by good deeds.
You may be thinking, how can I say this? But I just realized how badly I missed this point of what I, we are trying to accomplish in my, our life.
This, for me, is what is so interesting about trying to live and grow in my love of God, and right now, there seems to be growth happening in my life.
I reported in a prior blog that I finished reading What’s so Amazing about Grace by Philip Yancy.
I underlined about sixty to seventy percent of the book.
Philip is an Evangelical who stated that all Christian churches have become legalistic instead of operating in Grace.
Grace accepts outsiders.
Grace accepts the person who doesn’t conform.
Grace goes to find the people the world has written off.
By doing the above, we are giving Glory to God the Father.
Jesus ate with Sinners, Matthew 9
Jesus healed the lepers, Luke 17
Jesus recruited those scorned by the Jewish world, Matthew 9
When you consider the life of Jesus, you see He operated on the fringe with people rejected by society at that time. The rich and powerful were trying to trap Him and finally crucified Him.
Philip Yancy said because we are filled with legalization, we have become the Pharisees and Sadducees of the time of Jesus.
At the time of Jesus, the Jews had six hundred and thirteen rules the Jews had to live by.
The rules went, as Jesus pointed out in His ministry, to take away the Love that God wanted the Jews to live their lives by.
An example: If a man can receive circumcision on a sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a whole person well on a sabbath? John 7:23
How do we change?
Stop judging!
Fully realize the person who may not meet your expectations was loved by God before the earth was formed, for it is stated in Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
Stop judging; this will set us apart from the rest of the “world.”
Setting ourselves apart from the rest of the “world” gives Glory to God the Father.
“The nine” We pray you will grow in the Love, Joy, and Peace of the Holy Spirit by growing in Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.
Sidebar:
Four days from now, we will celebrate Christmas, which I pray will be the beginning of the end.
The end of not having the chance to know and touch God. The end of judging, the end of hate and envy, the end of not knowing your neighbors, the end of not knowing what your purpose in life is, the end of not realizing you were wanted and loved by God and are here for a reason.
For a child is born, life changed!
Life is exciting when you take up to the challenges that come your way, let God take you through them, and then give Glory to Your Father, through your Brother, filled with their Holy Spirit.
Also;
Today is also the shortest day of the year.
We made it!
I think for many people living in the “world,” this day is like all the others because they can’t get out of the “world” and bathe in the light of a Loving Triune God.
How sad, A child is born, and those who believe in Him are changed forever.
Sing joyfully when you go to Mass on Christmas because Angels can’t sing! Singing is a gift given to humans.
The angel said to them, (the shepherds), “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (I added the shepherds) emphasis mine Luke 2:10
Picture:
The eucalyptus tree was taken in Oceanside, CA. J.E. took the picture.
The tree pictured in the night is exciting because I am posting our blog on the shortest day of the year, and this is a night picture.
We are now out of pictures.
Consider a Christmas gift to your fellow readers and send us a picture.
A few of you asked for my email address, but I haven’t seen any pictures.
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.
