One of our Morning Glory plants. Picture by Jerry Torres
The Holy Spirit inspired our blog.
Wednesday of the First Week in Extraordinary Time
Since the children share in blood and Flesh,
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death
had been subject to slavery all their life.
Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of Abraham;
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Emphasis mine Hebrews 2:14-18
Jesus came down and lived with us so He, Jesus could experience life as we did, with all of its pressures and fears.
As stated above Jesus didn’t do this for the Angels, but us, and what was the help that we needed?
The fear of death.
I am eight-four, as many of you know, and Gail and I have had many, many friends.
This is great, but it does present a problem. We are at an age where we are saying goodbye to many people who have been a part of our life.
Thank God I believe I will see them again, and the goodbye isn’t final. I think Gail and I have attended five or six funerals, or celebrations of life over the past six weeks.
It’s easy, and not easy.
Easy because I know I will see them again,
Not easy because there is a hole left in my life.
This is all obvious, but the really good news is Jesus is able to help those being tested.
Help them by letting all who know Him, that He died, and rose again.
Who, in the entire history of Man, ever conceived of such a thought?
All of the gods before Jesus were powerful in human aspects, never suffered death, and weren’t able to raise themselves or anyone else from the dead.
This is how Outrageous The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus is.
Many just blow past these words and give them no further thought.
I, yes, I, now think anyone reading A Catholic Moment, Bible, going to Mass, saying prayers is going to Heaven. We are all sinners, and we are all Justified,
NOT
Because we are good, absolutely not, but because Jesus was Good, and Justified us by His Death and Resurrection.
Which is one of many reasons, I’m FANTASTIC!
Prayer:
The Fruit of The Holy Spirit:
You grow in LOVE, JOY, AND PEACE by growing in PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL. Learn these nine words in order and say them daily, and you will see a difference in your life.
Sidebar:
I just finished reading The HARBINGER by Jonathan Cain. A truly stunning book about Isaiah 9:10, and how it applies to the downfall of Jerusalem and America.
The interesting thing for me was I didn’t just plow through the book, but took my time.
Why?
It’s a great book, I should have consumed it, but I didn’t, and I now believe it was because The Holy Spirit wanted to tie one concept in the book into this week’s blog.
The Concept is “NOW.”
In our last blog I, yes I, said God has taken care of me, I have faith God is and will take care of me. This is wrong.
God HAS taken care of me – that is absolutely true.
God IS Taking care of me – That is absolutely true.
There is no FUTURE.
We only have NOW.
This is the concept that leaped out at me (The Holy Spirit) when I read this book. We are only one heartbeat away from death.
If we’re smart, and I think all of you are, you will quickly realize that since we are one heartbeat away from death, we are actually living in the NOW! whether we like it or not.
One quick personal example; Dad came down to breakfast, ate his meal, put his head down, and jumped on the Hallelujah train home to Jesus.
This explains some of the last words Jesus spoke on His Cross.
“Father forgive them (you and I) for they do not know what they are doing.) Lk 23: 34
And
The Criminal on the right said
One of the criminals who hung there (Left) hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”But the other criminal (Right) rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[”Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”Emphasis and brackets mine Lk 23: 39-43
Notice the criminal on the right will be in Paradise TODAY, (NOW). Everything that took place while Jesus was being Crucified was NOW.
Jesus could have said, “Next week, month, or a year from now, and that would have been great,
But Jesus said “Today.”
By reading: A Catholic Moment, the Bible, praying, helping others, you are NOT hurling insults at Jesus, like the man on the left.
No,
You need Jesus to Justify you, and if you realize that Justification takes place NOW, this should give you a strong sense of Love, Joy, and Peace.
And
The more you try to do the will of your Father, the more you will want to do His will. Because of Love, Joy, and Peace living in the “Spirit World” is even more addictive than living in the “world.”
Picture:
A shot of one of our Morning Glory plants. Although invasive, I love the inner light that seems to radiate from their center. I believe we all have that inner light in us.
Matthew 5:16 Just so, your light must shine before others… Picture by Jerry Torres
Jerry is right, the Morning Glory does have an inner light. Wow!
Please keep Snapping!
Email me if you want a copy of the prayers we discussed.
fprince101@gmail.com
Remember, if you want to submit a picture, please do not include people. We have to get permission from that person to use their photograph.
