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Gratitude

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The sun just above the horizon

Photo by Mike Erskine on Unsplash

New Year's Eve invites us to prayerful reflection and self-examination as we look back on the year passed and look to the coming one. The liturgy aids this process by presenting to us St John of the Cross’s Prologue for prayerful consideration.

Today's Gospel helps us to understand that the search for meaning begins and ends with the coming of Jesus, because today's Gospel helps us to understand that the search for meaning begins and ends with the coming of Jesus, because he is the Logos: the reason and meaning of all that is. If the question is, “What is the meaning of life on earth?”, the answer is, “Jesus of Nazareth”.  Our lives find their meaning, direction and purpose in him because by and for him we were created.

What the Scriptures and revelation make clear is that a time will come when at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. Our reflection, then, as we look back on the old year and forward to the new, should be evaluated not on achievements or goals, but on growing and maturing in our ability to give praise, glory and honour to the Father for sending us his Son.

Our lives find their ultimate meaning and purpose in giving glory to God for Jesus, so our main attitude should be gratitude. We must search for the mercies of God. The more we look for him the more we will find.  As the saying goes, "Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings to counting your troubles”.

The great poet and mystic William Blake said, "Gratitude is heaven itself”. Today let gratitude for the past inspire us all with trust for the future. We don't know what the New Year will bring, but we do know that God is with us, in our failures, successes and every moment of our lives.

This year may we thirst to know the Father more deeply, love the Son more intimately and walk in the Spirit more eagerly.

The children of Israel did not find in the manna all the sweetness and strength they might have found in it – not because the manna did not contain them, but because they longed for other food.' (St John of the Cross)

 

1 John 2:18–21 • Psalm 95(96):1–2, 11–13 • John 1:1–18

 

Chris 
 
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Magnificat

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Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash

 

Luke 1:46–56

“O King whom all the peoples desire, you are the cornerstone which makes all one.  O come and see man whom you made from clay.”

The Magnificat is Mary’s special prayer which offers us a wonderful glimpse into the personality and very heart of Mary: her lively awareness of God as both her Lord and Saviour; her humility and her own sense of poverty and nothingness; her bold awareness and proclamation of the wonderful things that God had done for her; and her acceptance of her role in God’s plan of salvation.  As we reflect and ponder on Mary’s qualities, we find our personal love for her grows.  We realise that God not only chose her to be his Son’s mother, but also our mother and a model for Christian life.

Mary, as a daughter of Israel had a keen sense of the importance of God’s people in his divine plan.  Mary’s prayer in the Magnificat is not her prayer alone but is also the prayer of Israel.  We can discover the spirit of the Magnificat in numerous prayers in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 2:1–10; Psalms 34:1–3 and 98:1–3).  In this sense it’s not unique but rather reflects how the wisdom of the Old Testament finds its fullest and most perfect expression in the events and circumstances of the New.  God had always intended that his Son’s Incarnation would bring healing and eternal life to the fallen and wounded human race.  He chose Israel, his beloved people, to be the place where the momentous meeting between God and humankind would take place.

Despite their sin and rebellion, Israel had remained God’s chosen people.  In Mary God found someone who was a living embodiment of all that Israel had aspired to be: humble, receptive and obedient.  Mary fulfils Israel’s role perfectly as the place of welcome for God’s Son, and the Magnificat expresses beautifully her sense of being right at the heart of God’s plan for her own life and his people.

Lord Jesus during Advent may my should magnify you and my spirit rejoice in God my Saviour, as I taste in ever-increasing measure the beauty of your presence and the goodness of your life.

1 Samuel 1:24–28 • 1 Samuel 2:1, 4–8 • Luke 1:46–56

 

Chris 
 
 
 
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Burdens

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http://heartsofcompassioninternational.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-to-hear-from-god-part-1.html

God knows that we carry many burdens, but what is our greatest burden?  God knows we have many troubles. but what is our greatest trouble? God knows we have many challenges, but what is our greatest challenge? We often think we are alone with our burdens, troubles or challenges, but perhaps the truth is that we all carry something similar: deep down we have lost a sense of God's love and forgiveness, and we feel that he is far from us.

Our deepest need, then, is to rediscover God's love, forgiveness and plan for our lives. But how can we do this? We can be saved and figure out our salvation by co-operating with the Holy Spirit.  He urges us to find time to pray and be still, for it's in this time of quiet and reflection that we can hear the Lord speak to us.

What does God say to us in prayer?  The Holy Spirit urges us to find time to read his Word, the Scriptures, and calm our minds and refresh our own spirits. What does God say to us through the Scriptures?  The Holy Spirit urges us to deepen our gratitude and sense of awe every time we celebrate the great gift of the Body and Blood of Christ.

What does God say to us through the Eucharist? The Holy Spirit urges us to forgive those who have sinned against us or offended us in any way.  What does God say to us through this gift of forgiveness?  The Holy Spirit urges us to reach out to those on the margins of our society: prisoners, the poor, cold, hungry or naked. 

When we co-operate with the Holy Spirit, find time to pray, read the scriptures, receive the Eucharist, forgive our enemies and serve others in love, charity and humility, God says to us:

'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for l am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.' (Matt. 11:28-30)

 

Isaiah 41:13–20 • Psalm 144(145):1, 9–13 • Matthew 11:11–15

Chris 
 
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