Author: MSFriend (Page 5 of 143)

First I want to start by saying how awesome this Advent and Christmas season has been. Advent and Christmas are my favorite liturgical seasons because Advent gives me an opportunity to wait patiently and Christmas……well, it’s CHRISTmas. In the waiting I can steep myself in prayer and when I do that, the abundance of grace is palpable and the joy leading to Christmas is amazing. Praise be to God!

This year I was able to take some time off for Christmas which really allowed me to maintain the patient pace of Advent and really relish the season. I say all this to share the fact that when I’m focused on prayer and following my routine, God always seems to “speak” to me at every turn. This morning I was amazed at how He revealed Himself in the Gospel and song I wanted to share. Both with the same message.

In the Gospel of John 1:35-42, I was drawn to think of our pastors as John and we, the disciples. As disciples, we follow Jesus, the Teacher, seeking knowledge, wisdom and understanding of His kingdom. He invites us to “come.” He invites us to stillness, silence and adoration to provide the space where He can show us where He’s staying – so He can reveal Himself to us.

We’re told in the Gospel that Andrew “first found his own brother” and told him. This resonated with me because, as disciples, we’re called to be guideposts within our own families. In many families today there’s division over faith and religion. While most of us would prefer to grab some family members by the hand and lead them to encounter Christ at Church, it’s not so simple. The resistance is real! However, this passage says: “he brought him to Jesus.” I believe there are other ways to bring our family members to Jesus. I like to place them at Jesus’ feet when I’m in Adoration. When I leave them there, I trust His will will be done in their lives.

One last thing about today’s Gospel – trust. Do we trust Jesus can do great things with very little? Do we not have proof in what He did with Peter? This morning what came to me in prayer is: the level to which we trust Christ corresponds with the level to which He can trust us. Are we truly trustworthy? Can Jesus trust us to be faithful, docile, obedient……….? Today let’s ponder what it means to be trustworthy for Christ’s sake.

Jesus is not outdone in generosity. He promises, He is faithful and He will accomplish it! The words in the song that stood out to me are: over all who mourn breaks the dawn of salvation, darkness reigns no more for Jesus is greater. HE IS GREATER!!!! Let us never forget that! For those, including myself, who mourn for family members who are resistant, have strayed from the faith or have no faith at all, I hope this song brought you comfort today. God bless you!

(This post was “misplaced” yesterday as was the one I prepared for today – they wound up as pages as opposed to posts – so expect two songs/reflections today! Sorry for the overload.)

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN! While Christmas is a seasonal celebration of Jesus’ birth over 2,000 years ago, it’s also a reminder for us to give him room to be born in our hearts each day. Was Jesus born in your heart this Christmas?

Are you experiencing joy in your life as a result of your love for the Lord? Will you share it with others? Go tell it on the mountain! This command means more than simply telling someone you believe in Christ or that God has blessed you abundantly. It means share your journey with others – how you pray, your daily routine, your desolations and consolations. Unite your journey with others, let them know they’re not alone.

This song reminded me of the importance of encouraging each other on the journey. Let’s make that our resolution this year! Let’s encourage each other not only through prayer but by sharing life and experiences. This way we can begin to realize we’re more alike than different and Jesus’ love and peace can permeate the world. God bless you!