The beautiful Golden Gate Bridge Picture by Laurie Couto
The Holy Spirit inspired our blog.
Part of the First Reading
Early the next morning Abraham got some bread and a skin of water
and gave them to Hagar.
Then, placing the child on her back, he sent her away.
As she roamed aimlessly in the wilderness of Beer-sheba,
the water in the skin was used up.
So she put the child down under a shrub,
and then went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away;
for she said to herself, “Let me not watch to see the child die.”
As she sat opposite Ishmael, he began to cry.
God heard the boy’s cry,
and God’s messenger called to Hagar from heaven:
“What is the matter, Hagar?
Don’t be afraid; God has heard the boy’s cry in this plight of his.
Arise, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand;
for I will make of him a great nation.”
Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water.
She went and filled the skin with water, and then let the boy drink.
Emphasis mine Gen 21:114-19
Part of the Responsorial Psalm.
Fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
Emphasis mine Ps 34: 10-11
Part of the Gospel reading.
When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned. Emphasis mine Mt 8: 28-32
Today is the Thirteenth week of Extraordinary Time.
When I read the three readings for today, they all tied into the same theme.
Ask, and God will answer.
Let’s quickly point out a unique feature in each reading.
Genesis:
Sarah gave birth to Isaac at a very old age and noticed Isaac playing with the son of Hagar, and Sarah wanted Hagar and her son out!
The next day Abraham gives Hagar a skin of water and some bread, not enough to sustain her for her trip. Hagar was on a death march.
One interesting part of Abraham’s act is later, God tells Abraham to take his son and offer Isaac as a sacrifice.
I never could figure out why God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Tim Gray of The Formed said it was because of how Abraham treated Hagar and their son Ishmael.
I am sure you noticed God answers Hagar’s son’s cry.
The Responsorial Psalm,
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
I have experienced this over the past eighty-plus years, and this is very true.
But,
We have to define no good thing. I believe Love, Joy, and Peace fill this definition.
The Gospel reading is also very interesting to me, for the demoniacs ask to be driven into the herd of swine, and Jesus answers their request.
The last example is the most interesting to me. demoniacs ask, and Jesus complies with their request.
The swine run into the sea and drown. I don’t have any idea of what happens to the demoniacs.
But,
Jesus answered their request.
How about you? Are you asking and expecting a God of Outrageous Love to help you in your time of need, which is all the time?
Yes, we need God all the time, not just part of the time. I was a fool in my younger years to believe I could live aspects of my, not our life on my own.
If you want to join Team Jesus, try praying. “This is the day the lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”
Sidebar:
I was contacted by a woman living in constant pain with arthritis. She read our blogs every week and asked for help.
I reminded her I wasn’t a Doctor, nor a Phychrist, but we would try and help.
We asked her if she knew the nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit. She didn’t.
We asked if she was telling satan to get behind her when she experienced pain because I believe satan wants her in pain, but God doesn’t. She didn’t.
We asked her if she thanked God for the difficulty of the severe pain she was experiencing because of the arthritis, and state that God will take care of her.
She didn’t.
We’re writing about this because, in last week’s blog, we included two comments by readers, and both said about the same exciting thing. They have tried saying some or all of the prayers we have mentioned, and their life has changed, and they love the change.
We have had the same reaction in the jail.
Men come in, and some just go off into a different world mentally. Some, not all, try what we ask them to do, see a difference, and love it.
I believe The Holy Spirit has encouraged you to read our blog.
But,
If all you do is read and not try the prayers we suggest, then the reason The Holy Spirit asked you to read the blog is lost, and you end up in the same place you were before you read the blog.
Here are four quick examples.
I have reported, in earlier blogs, I went to a Baptist small faith group meeting where the hostess said she was scheduled to have a double mastectomy, prayed for a healing, felt heat on her breasts, asked the surgeon on the day of the operation to recheck, and found out she was completely healed.
I had a choice:
Tell myself that it was an interesting meeting and continue with life,
Or,
Ask, as I did, “Why haven’t I had any healings?”
When the Holy Spirit whispered for me to learn the “Nine,” I wrote them down and memorized them.
When I read Prision to Praise and Merlin’s comment on Thanking God for the difficulties, we started saying the prayer and my world changed again.
Lastly, in the jail, when the Holy Spirit explained to me how we could throw out satan I started saying this prayer.
As you all know, my world changed because of that night and the three times the Holy Spirit presented a new prayer for me to say.
Question, If you’re not learning these prayers, who smiles?
satan!
And who hopes you will change next time,
Your Father, Brother, and the Holy Spirit.
I want God in my life!
Because,
those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
Picture:
I have meant to send you photos for months. Somehow I never received your email, or it ended up in spam or something.
Anyway, I read your, as well as the rest of the Catholic Moment, posts weekly. I appreciate your insight and encouragement to seek the spirit world and the joy it can bring. My life, seemingly for nearly a decade, has challenged my faith. I continue to persevere, thou some days it feels impossible.
I find great joy in capturing moments with my lens. I hope perhaps one of these is useful for your blog.
Keep up the good work, Fred. What you share matters. All the best to you in your healing journey. Picture by Laurie Couto
Please keep Snapping!
Several people from foreign countries have asked for my email address, but I am still waiting to hear back. We decided to include my email for your convenience.
fprince101@gmail.com
Remember, if you want to submit a picture, no people, please, because we have to get permission from that person to use their photograph. 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.
