Sunday Wisdom

This is a pretty famous Scripture saying, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son” and these simple words can bring us so much hope.

God did not send his Son to condemn us, but to help us see the light! We are all created in God’s image, yes, but we were also created with freedom of choice and sometimes that means we make bad choices. Of’ course we are not measured by our past mistakes or bad choices and God wanted to make that very clear, so He sent his only Son to enlighten us.

We have to allow ourselves to be enlightened. So, how do we keep that Divine light in our lives? How do we stay connected to our inner goodness? Quite simply put, through daily prayer. Prayer is the spark that ignites the light of the presence of God within all of us. God’s light fills all of us with love, forgiveness and healing. The light of God is so powerful that it spreads to others and shines most brightly when we are being true to our most inner selves.

Prayer is our continual awareness that God loves us and will never abandon us. So go ahead, flip the switch! Turn on that light of prayer and shine brightly for all to see.

In today’s gospel we experience the sincere frustration and anger Jesus portrays as he drives out the money changers from the temple.  Yes, Jesus gets mad.  Being anger is an emotion and it is never wrong to have emotions, but what we do with our emotions determines who we are.

Jesus shows us it is okay to get mad, but remember He did not hurt anyone with his anger. He just overturned a few tables to get everyone’s attention.  So why was Jesus so mad?  After all selling oxen, sheep and doves had been a traditional part of history, so what made this day so different.

Jesus was angry over the disrespect many of the merchants were showing in the temple area. He was not angry at the merchants for selling animals, He was angry at the injustice of some of those merchants exploited the poor by selling animals for a far higher price in the Temple than would be made outside. They were profiting from the good intentions of others.

I am sure we have all experienced a time when money creeps in to a situation who it tends to take over.  I am not saying that money is bad, it is certainly needed and we can use our money to make the world a better place, feed the poor, house the homeless etc.  However, when money becomes the focus, it takes over. 

Jesus is gently reminding us to keep our focus on him and to keep our priorities in check. This Lent, let us continue to put Jesus first in our lives.  Spend a few quite moments each day this week thanking God for the many blessings in your lives.  It might just change your life.

Wow time sure does seem to be flying by. It seems as though it was just Christmas and now we are preparing for Easter. Our Heavenly Father gave us the gift of peace through the birth of His beloved Son and this week we receive the gift of His wisdom and glory in the Transfiguration. “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him.”

That really is the key, to be still and listen. It is always a challenge to “be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), but if we turn to prayer and really listen, it gets easier. The key to loving others, especially those who seem to always try our patience is to try to see them as Jesus does. This takes prayer, practice and grace.

Jesus wandered throughout many villages teaching and preaching, filling those who would listen with His wisdom. But do we listen or do we just go about our day where nothing changes. At Easter God will give us Jesus again, not as a gift of peace, but as a gift of forgiveness and redemption.

He, Jesus, came to die for everyone and His Mercy is for all who will take time to listen and be moved with compassion for others. It may not seem like much, but a little kindness and compassion really can change the world. So don’t give in to fear and doubt, put your trust in the one who sacrificed His life for you and trust in His everlasting grace and mercy.

“Jesus I need your grace. Help me to seek you with all of my heart and to be caring, kind and compassionate to others.”

In today’s gospel Jesus enters the desert and remains there for 40 nights for one reason, to seek God and to belong to him totally and exclusively.  There, His humanness is tempted and He is tested. This is good news because now He can relate to us!

Temptation is all around us every day and we may even feel like we are in the wilderness, but God is found in emptiness and in fullness.  In the desert Jesus teaches us that trust in our Heavenly Father is a cure or at least a remedy for temptation.

Perhaps you are struggling with temptations in your own life or maybe you feel like as though you are in the wilderness, but remember you are not alone and God does love you.

The wilderness can bring hope and a renewed intimacy with God.  Sometimes it is in our darkest moments that we feel the closest to God.

Yes, Satan did his best to destroy Jesus’ spirit, but because Jesus trusted His Heavenly Father, angels ministered to Him and He came out of the desert stronger.

So if you are struggling with temptations or feel like you are in the wilderness, trust it to God.  He is our source of strength, courage and peace.

We hear over and over in the gospel readings that Jesus was “moved with pity”.  Whenever I hear these words I am filled with hope because I know the Lord wants to heal me of my wounds and offer me whatever grace and mercy I need to live fully alive.

If you have ever suffered with physical pain from an injury or the effects of a long term disease as the leper in today’s gospel, you probably didn’t deny your need for healing.  But what if you are suffering from a mental illness, struggle with anxiety or harbor feelings of resentment and unforgiveness? Do you seek healing or deny your need for it?

We all have wounds.  No one can go through life without suffering, but remember Jesus is always “moved with pity” and wants to heal us.   The Lord is patiently waiting.  His love and mercy is available for everyone who seeks Him with a sincere heart. 

Don’t allow fear and shame to keep you locked up, be brave and reach out to God for His healing touch.  You may not be healed in the way you want or relieved of all your suffering, but God promises to always be with us even in the darkest of times.  

We don’t always understand why things happen the way they do, but if we allow ourselves to trust, we will be filled with the incredible peace of knowing that Jesus is walking with us and is always “moved with pity” for us. If there is an area in your life that needs healing, be brave and reach out for His outstretched hand, it’s waiting for you.