Christ has risen, he who created all things,
and has granted his mercy to men.
ACTS 18:9-18©
My Soul's Beloved,
You speak to us constantly it is we who do not listen. We drown out Your voice and the voice of the Spirit because we are too easily distracted by our own needs and wants. If we tune out the world and all the sounds that din into our ears, if we enter into the secret place in our heart where You dwell and make Your home we will be in constant communion with You and we will always know Your will.
Paul did nothing without praying and waiting for the Spirit's instructions. This is why he preached boldly. He knew what to expect, the trials he would face, where he would be welcomed or rejected. He spoke words that were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Docile to the Spirit of Truth he became the greatest of the Apostles.
Lord Jesus, as the Church prepares to celebrate the great feast of Pentecost help me also to prepare for a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit. Grant me a greater docility and attentiveness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord.
PSALM 46(47):2-7 ©
All peoples, clap your hands,
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,
great king over all the earth.
He subdues peoples under us
and nations under our feet.
Our inheritance, our glory, is from him,
given to Jacob out of love.
God goes up with shouts of joy;
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise,
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
God is king of all the earth.
JOHN 16:20-23 ©
JOHN 16:20-23 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
Much of what You said to Your disciples before Your passion, death, and resurrection to prepare them for what was to come, they found hard to understand. The one thing that was clear to them was that You would leave them and their hearts were heavy with sorrow. They loved You and wished never to be parted from You. How much more sorrowful and grief-stricken they were soon to be. They forgot everything You said concerning all that You had to suffer before You died and they fled in fear abandoning You at a time when You needed them the most.
I too, my Lord and my God allow myself to be so overwhelmed with the troubles that surround me and my family that I forget that suffering is part of this life. There can be no crown of salvation without dying to myself. I live with a heavy heart and a depressed spirit and I allow all the joy to be drained out of my life because I focus on my troubles instead of Your promises.
Sadness and joy come in seasons and in each of these seasons, we are to praise and glorify You. We are only sojourners here our home is in heaven and for as long as we are alive we are to live in union with You. It is only by faith, O Lord, that we can glorify You despite the trials and sufferings that are necessary.
Grant me and my loved ones the courage to carry our daily cross faithfully and send angels to help us, Lord, when the weight of our cross becomes too heavy to bear. May we keep our gaze on You and look forward with expectant faith on the joy that will be ours when we come to the end of life's journey. Thank You.
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