Sunday Wisdom

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.  

Today’s Gospel shows us the many aspects of the life of Jesus.  It was the Sabbath, a day of rest, but Jesus seeing Simon’s mother ill was moved with compassion to heal her. 

Jesus shows us the importance of putting compassion before the law. His mercy is available to everyone, anytime, and with no restrictions.  Jesus shows us the power of silent prayer.  After an exhausting day of healing, Jesus went out “while it was still very dark” to find a deserted place to be with his Father, to reconnect as the Beloved Son. Through His silent prayer Jesus was able to discern the Father’s will, to move on to a new town.

We too can be strengthened for our journey.  Perhaps you are facing a big decision, a small decision, or maybe you are in need of physical, it all matters to Jesus. So go to Jesus and Our Heavenly Father, to seek advice, to be encouraged and to experience His loving presence so you will be renewed and reminded that we .are all His beloved sons and daughters.

We all know the right thing to do, but we do not always have the strength to do it.

In today’s gospel Jesus draws the battle lines. Jesus already possesses the Holy Spirit and carries the Good News of God’s love for all of us. The unclean spirit represents whatever forces dominate people and make them less free.

This varies depending on our life situation, but make no mistake about it, all is important, but for Jesus, power is simply for the service of others, as He continues to offer His mercy and healing to all.

We have to remember to trust, and that no temptation or sin can ever out power the light of Christ. Let us continue to trust that the light of Christ will expose our darkness and at the same time expel it.

Thank you Jesus for showing me the darkness so that with you, I can overcome it.

Jesus calls us to be united in our differences, to give hope to the world and offer peace to all we meet.

Peace is the treasure of treasures, the Pearl of Great Price, which Jesus purchased for all of us by dying on the cross. And just like Simon, Andrew, James and John, Jesus us is calling us to follow him in faith and in hope and to bring hope to those in need.

It won’t be easy and certainly there will be struggles and as the storms of life rage on, in the midst of it all, let us remember to thank God when things do not go our way because spiritual blessings are often wrapped in trials.

Let us trust and be confident as we continually strive to live in hope and be a beacon of peace for others.

Who is Jesus for you? 

What are you looking for?

What’s the goal of your life? 

Jesus invites each of us to “come and see” for ourselves that his word is true and everlasting.

“Come and see” is God’s invitation to grow closer to the one who created us. The one who loves us, regardless of how far we stray. and without his grace, mercy, and help we could not find him.

So allow yourself to be loved, to be accepted, to know that you are an important piece in the puzzle of life. Let us all grow in the knowledge of His love and truth and may the Holy Spirit set our hearts on fire to be Christ to all we meet.  For we are all His and we are all loved!

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” ~Mark 1:7-11

Even Jesus needed to hear words of affirmation from his father. These were not empty words, they were loving and encouraging words that Jesus was giving glory to his father through his ministry. Regardless of our ministry, we all need to hear loving and kind words of encouragement . They keep us going, right?

I am not talking about empty compliments, but real and genuine words of affirmation. This is not always easy because we are busy people and sometimes the busy parts of our lives keep us from seeing opportunities to bless those in our presence. But here is some Good news. Our Heavenly Father is never too busy for us and we can stay connected to Him through daily prayer. We don’t even have to be particularly good at it, we just have to do it!

I know there are people in our lives who need encouragement. So let’s notice those around us and tell them how much they are appreciated! It might be the daily meal that is prepared for us, or a single random act of kindness, it could be someone’s generous spirit, or it could be that someone in our life just needs to know they are loved.

Every time we shine a light on the people of God’s kingdom, God blesses us with his loving grace and fills us up. So let God tell you that he loves you today and then go out and do the same thing for others.

We celebrated Christmas, the birth of our Lord just a week ago and now we enter into a New Year, with the hope of the Magi.  If we look closely we will find the light of our Savior and if we allow ourselves to enter into the light we just may find more peace and calm. 

When we work together, pray together, love one another and forgive each other, the light of Christ enters us and is dispelled out into the darkness.  One light can make a difference.  One candle can light our way, but the Lord asks us to unite with one another regardless of our race, religion or financial status to bring that light to all.  He wants us to put aside our selfishness and our prideful attitudes to shine just a bit more brightly. 

So join with the Magi and ask the Holy Spirit to keep purifying us as we strive to bring the light of love into our world.  When we all unite as one, our problems seem more manageable and our hearts are lifted because we know we do not have to go it alone.  The Lord is here for all of us and his Mercy is endless.  Be filled this day and this year with hope so that we can fill the world with His glory.

Today is the Feast of the Holy Family and what a great time to give thanks for our own families. Sure we have all had our share of happy and sad times, but I think that is what makes a family holy, the ability to offer love and understanding in good times and in bad.

Even the Holy Family had it’s share of struggles, but they never gave up. They had to deal with Herod’s jealous and murderous rage, the secret flight to Egypt, that could not have been easy, and the resettlement in Nazareth, away from family and friends! But again, they never gave up and they persevered in love.

No family is perfect and all families face hardships, but it is how we handle these things that make the difference. It is how we draw strength from our Heavenly Father that gets us through the tough times. So let us all pray to be more kind and loving this year. Let us practice that selfless love that bears all things, hopes all things and forgives all things.

And on this Feast of the Holy Family, let us pray for all families to be united God’s perfect love and give thanks for one another as we humbly accept the mercy of our Lord and pray for peace this coming year.

Have a Blessed Sunday, I hope you will stop back tomorrow for some more crafting fun!

Yes, it is almost Christmas! We have 4 days left to prepare our hearts, bake those cookies and wrap those present. Hopefully all of your shopping is finished! LOL

Today’s gospel reminds me of the excitement and anticipation Mary and Joseph must have experienced long ago that first Christmas, but it also makes me wonder if there was also nerviness and anxiety. One thing I am sure of and often take solace in, is Mary and her undying love for our Lord. I am often reminded of her obedience, gratitude and acceptance of all gifts, the good and the stressful.

As we wait to enter into the Christmas Season, no doubt this year will be filled with some stress and anxiety, but remember it can also be filled with HOPE! We place our hope in the Lord as we long for peace, justice and security. My prayer for all of you this Christmas Season is that your heart will be filled with HOPE!

I am blessed to have so many of you as my friends, and today, I thank God for each and everyone of you!