Now during those days He went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.
-- Luke 6:12
Can you imagine staying up all night to pray?
Though we might stay up all night at a prom party or a home coming celebration, it is rare that we'd do the same to pray. Jesus gave us this example more than once. Through prayer He nurtured the close relationship He had with the Father. The test of our prayer, however, is not its length--how long we spend in prayer-- but our commitment to keeping our relationship with God strong and alive.
Think about your own prayer life and see if you want to make any changes. Talk to a priest or a spiritually strong person for suggestions about how you can improve your prayer life. Maybe even try spending part of your night alone somewhere for your own extended time with God.
Spirit of God, help me deepen my prayer life so that I may know the joy of a real God experience of life.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Choose your friends wisely.
Make no friends with those given to anger, and do not associate with hotheads, or you may learn their ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
-- Proverbs 22:24-25.
People who are smart choose friends who are the kind of people they want to become. Its only natural that we all influence the people we hang out with and that they influence us. The author of the Book of Proverbs knew this, and warned against friends who may have a bad effect on us. It doesnt mean that we shouldn't be friendly with all people including hotheads. But choose people with good values and a positive outlook on life as your closest friends. Be a person who is positive and that's the kind of friends you will attract.
Holy Spirit, help me to find friends who model the values and attitude Jesus calls us to have. Help me to be that kind of person for my friends.
-- Proverbs 22:24-25.
People who are smart choose friends who are the kind of people they want to become. Its only natural that we all influence the people we hang out with and that they influence us. The author of the Book of Proverbs knew this, and warned against friends who may have a bad effect on us. It doesnt mean that we shouldn't be friendly with all people including hotheads. But choose people with good values and a positive outlook on life as your closest friends. Be a person who is positive and that's the kind of friends you will attract.
Holy Spirit, help me to find friends who model the values and attitude Jesus calls us to have. Help me to be that kind of person for my friends.
Enduring Ridicule
But let none of you suffer as a murderer,
a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief
maker.
Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian,
do not consider it as a disgrace,
but glorify God because you bear this name.
--1 Peter 4:15-16
It is painful to be made fun of. One of the cruellest things to witness is someone being humiliated. People can be ridiculed for as simple a thing as the kind of clothes they wear or the friends they hang out with. People can also be ridiculed for as simple a thing as the kind of clothesthey wear or the friends they hang out with. People can also be ridiculed for going to church, attending religious events, and taking a stance against war or abortion. Even in a country that cherishes freedom of thought and expression, many people have narrow attitudes. It takes courage to endure such ridicule and to keep on being faithful to your beliefs despite being laughed at for them.
Dear Jesus, you were unafraid to stand with people that society ridiculed and dismissed. Help me to have the courage to do the same when I see someone being put down or made fun of.
a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief
maker.
Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian,
do not consider it as a disgrace,
but glorify God because you bear this name.
--1 Peter 4:15-16
It is painful to be made fun of. One of the cruellest things to witness is someone being humiliated. People can be ridiculed for as simple a thing as the kind of clothes they wear or the friends they hang out with. People can also be ridiculed for as simple a thing as the kind of clothesthey wear or the friends they hang out with. People can also be ridiculed for going to church, attending religious events, and taking a stance against war or abortion. Even in a country that cherishes freedom of thought and expression, many people have narrow attitudes. It takes courage to endure such ridicule and to keep on being faithful to your beliefs despite being laughed at for them.
Dear Jesus, you were unafraid to stand with people that society ridiculed and dismissed. Help me to have the courage to do the same when I see someone being put down or made fun of.
St.Gregory the great.
Think of us in this way,
as servants of Christ
and stewards of Gods mysteries.
--1Corinthians 4:1
Gregory was a Benedectine monk who was elected Pope at the age of fifty. Even as a young monk, Gregory knew the importance of prayer to help keep him centred. Gregory lived at a time of great confusion and lawlessness, and he worked for justice and peace. He emptied the treasuries to ransom prisoners and removed unworthy priests from office. He was a wise man who cared for persecuted Jews and victims of the plague. He had to make many hard choices during his life, and he relied on the Holy Spirit's gift of wisdom to help him make them.
O spirit of God! When I am faced with hard choices or temptations, help me to pray, "Come Holy Spirit!"
as servants of Christ
and stewards of Gods mysteries.
--1Corinthians 4:1
Gregory was a Benedectine monk who was elected Pope at the age of fifty. Even as a young monk, Gregory knew the importance of prayer to help keep him centred. Gregory lived at a time of great confusion and lawlessness, and he worked for justice and peace. He emptied the treasuries to ransom prisoners and removed unworthy priests from office. He was a wise man who cared for persecuted Jews and victims of the plague. He had to make many hard choices during his life, and he relied on the Holy Spirit's gift of wisdom to help him make them.
O spirit of God! When I am faced with hard choices or temptations, help me to pray, "Come Holy Spirit!"
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Working together
For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?
-- 1 Corinthians 3:31
Is it easy to be jealous, to feel that someone is better looking or stronger or smarter or more popular. Another team or school or town or country feels like a threat, and we slip into destructive competition. Sometimes we fall into behaviour that can at best be described as "crass" without even realising it. Keeping our perspective can be hard if we don't have a strong sense of who we are. We must be constantly on guard against acting out of envy and foolish rivalry. So much more can be accomplished with cooperation instead of jealousy and unhealthy competition.
Dear Jesus, give me a cooperative spirit at home, at my place of study and play, and at work, inspire me to cooperate with, rather than compete with, those by whom I feel threatened.
-- 1 Corinthians 3:31
Is it easy to be jealous, to feel that someone is better looking or stronger or smarter or more popular. Another team or school or town or country feels like a threat, and we slip into destructive competition. Sometimes we fall into behaviour that can at best be described as "crass" without even realising it. Keeping our perspective can be hard if we don't have a strong sense of who we are. We must be constantly on guard against acting out of envy and foolish rivalry. So much more can be accomplished with cooperation instead of jealousy and unhealthy competition.
Dear Jesus, give me a cooperative spirit at home, at my place of study and play, and at work, inspire me to cooperate with, rather than compete with, those by whom I feel threatened.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Remembering your Friends
For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will...
so tat you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him. ---Colossians 1:9-10
Wendy was moved to tears when she found out that Charlie had taped the names of his best friends to his computer screen so that he would remember to say a quick prayer for them each morning. "Do you know how that makes me feel?" she asked. "Just imagine that someone is praying for me every single day!"
For whom might you pray every day? What will help you remember to do that? Is there someone, perhaps a friend or a grandparent, you might ask to pray for you like that?
St. Paul, you prayed for your friends without ceasing. Help me to remember to pray for my friends today.
so tat you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him. ---Colossians 1:9-10
Wendy was moved to tears when she found out that Charlie had taped the names of his best friends to his computer screen so that he would remember to say a quick prayer for them each morning. "Do you know how that makes me feel?" she asked. "Just imagine that someone is praying for me every single day!"
For whom might you pray every day? What will help you remember to do that? Is there someone, perhaps a friend or a grandparent, you might ask to pray for you like that?
St. Paul, you prayed for your friends without ceasing. Help me to remember to pray for my friends today.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Rejection
And (Jesus) said, "Truly I tell you,
no prophet is accepted
in the prophet's hometown."
--Luke 4:24
Jesus was preaching in his hometown, Nazareth. The people were impressed by his preaching. Yet they could not believe that this local boy was a great prophet, and they ended up driving him out of town. Sometimes, when we speak the truth, herald a new idea, or try to build a coalition to attack some social issue, we are rejected. That hurts. We feel isolated and lonely. We might be tempted to avoid taking risk again. However our model is Jesus, and He did not back down. He changed his strategy and looked for people who might listen to and appreciate his message.
Jesus, my model and my brother, sustain me as I try to courageously proclaim your Gospel message through my words and my life's action.
no prophet is accepted
in the prophet's hometown."
--Luke 4:24
Jesus was preaching in his hometown, Nazareth. The people were impressed by his preaching. Yet they could not believe that this local boy was a great prophet, and they ended up driving him out of town. Sometimes, when we speak the truth, herald a new idea, or try to build a coalition to attack some social issue, we are rejected. That hurts. We feel isolated and lonely. We might be tempted to avoid taking risk again. However our model is Jesus, and He did not back down. He changed his strategy and looked for people who might listen to and appreciate his message.
Jesus, my model and my brother, sustain me as I try to courageously proclaim your Gospel message through my words and my life's action.
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