Divine Mercy Sunday

Good Evening, dear reader! I hope your day has been blessed. I do apologise for the lateness of this post. We have a lot to work through, so let's get started!! 

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Here is a little bit about how Devine Mercy Sunday came about:

"In a series of revelations to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s, our Lord called for a special feast day to be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. Today, we know that feast as Divine Mercy Sunday, named by Pope St. John Paul II at the canonization of St. Faustina on April 30, 2000. The Lord expressed His will with regard to this feast in His very first revelation to St. Faustina. Divine Mercy Sunday

is NOT a feast based solely on St. Faustina's revelations. Indeed, it is not primarily about St. Faustina — nor is it altogether a new feast. The Second Sunday of Easter was already a solemnity as the Octave Day of Easter. The title "Divine Mercy Sunday" does, however, highlight the meaning of the day." (1) 

In Acts, we see people from all over coming forward to be healed. People are laid in the street, awaiting the arrival of Peter. Word had spread of his healing of the disabled man and now these folks are hoping that even if a shadow of Peter falls on them, they will be healed. And this exactly what happens. But, this is not of Peter's doing. He is the vessel of Christ, granted the power through the Holy Spirit, to be able to heal all those who have come. This was truly an extraordinary day! So many of Jesus's faithful followers were blessed, converted and healed just by being near Peter. 

I will admit that when it comes to disecting the book of Revelation, I find it a bit tricky to understand. One has to know that pretty much everything written in the book cannot be taken literally. The work is entirely symbolic. According to the study guide in my Bible, verse 9 "suggests that John is on the Greek island of Patmos as a punishment for his witness to Jesus.", John is recounting a vision he had. It is this vision that brings him comfort during his punishment. It also is also seen as an encouragement to all who are opressed at this time. 

In this first vision, John is commanded to write what he sees, to the seven churches. He sees Christ in glory, whom he depicts in great imagery, John hears Jesus describing Himself in terms meant to encourage Christians by emphasising His victory over death. (2)

In John's Gospel, we once again see Jesus making an appearance to His followers. It is assumed that they were in Jerusalem at the time. The fact that they were in a locked room when Jesus appeared illustrates the fact that He was not in human form, but neither was He an apparition or a ghost. But His disciples understand that this is the risen Christ who stands before them. In verse 22, it states "He breathed on them and said to them 'Receive the Holy Spirit'" This refers to when God breathed on man and gave him life and now the disciples are given new spiritual life through Jesus Christ. 

"Thomas", this passage is how the phrase "Don't be a doubting Thomas" came to be. It literally means that unless you see something for yourself, you won't believe it. So, again, Jesus appears in a locked room, this time Thomas is present. Jesus allows Thomas to poke around Him so that he will believe that this is Jesus, that He has risen as He promised, and He was here with him now. But, you can see that Jesus is a bit put off by Thomas's doubts. He tells Thomas that the only reason he believed that Jesus was here was because he had seen Jesus, touched His wounds. If it weren't for that, Thomas would still be doubtful, 

This is the whole foundation of our faith. We do not need physical proof for us to believe. That is why it is called faith. Yes, on ocassion we may receive signs or symbols of Jesus in our lives, but we don't need those to believe in Him. We KNOW He lives. We know He is with us always. 

Let us pray for those who do not know the wonder of Jesus Christ. Pray for those whose very lives have become uprooted due to war. Pray that our world can find peace. And, remember, dear reader... be a nice human.😇 

Healing Waters

Good Afternoon, dear reader. A little late with this today, but better late than never! Today we look at the healing powers of water. We all know that without water, we will perish. Water nourishes our body as well as flushing out harmful things in our systems. We know that all living things require water for life. Water IS life. And that's why water is mentioned throughout the Bible. 

We see stark contrasts of what happens when there is too much water or too little. There are floods, unending rain, streams, rivers, oceans... We also see what happens when there isn't enough water. Things dry up, fade away, die off, unending thirst. We cross ourselves with holy water when we enter church, a priest may spread holy water as he proceeds up the aisles, blessing us as he goes. When we are baptised, we are either submerged briefly in water or it is poured over us. It's amazing how something so simple is so important. 

Water can also be the symbol of God's word. His word quenches our thirst and renews our spirit. It gives us peace and reassurance. Water is also seen as a symbol of Jesus and His unending love and ability to heal. In John's Gospel, we see the man who had been ill for thirty eight years. He had no one to carry him to the water to be healed. But Jesus said to the man "Rise, take up your mat and walk" (John 5:8, NAB). The man stood up and realized he had been healed. The man realized that Jesus WAS the water he needed. He believed, he listened and he was healed. If we look further on in John's Gospel, we see Jesus likening Himself to water, "Let anyone who thirsts come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture says, 'Rivers of living water will flow from within him.'" (John 7:37-38, NAB). I could go on and on. But, you get the point. 

Water is a powerful symbol. Never underestimate its power. Pour it out, drink it, wash in it, be blessed by it. The next time you get a glass of water, or a bottle of water, hold it for a moment, really look at it. Remind yourself of its importance to life. And be reminded of Jesus. Be thankful for all of it. And, as always, dear reader...be a nice human. 😇

Father Bill's reflection on today's readings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezPWTLZ4KFU

Signs

Water. It's important. Something we need for survival. In the Bible, we see water as cleansing. It is used to baptise the believers, it is used to heal, to bless, to wash. Matter of fact, water is so important that it is mentioned in the Bible 722 times! In the story of the leper, he is told to bathe in the river Jordan seven times and he would be healed. Naaman got angry with this. He thought that God would come down and lay healing hands on him in order to be cured. He was expecting some sort of grand miracle. Instead, he is basically told to take a bath in dirty water. (At that time, the Jordan was a muddy river.) You'd think that was the last thing you should be doing!! 

Apparently Naaman's servants knew something he didn't. I guess Naaman figured he had nothing to lose if he tried this. At the very worst, he would still be a leper. So he did as Elisha had said. And voila! That did the trick! He was absolutely thrilled!! He then went back to Elisha and offered to give him gifts for this magnificent healing. But Elisha refused. He wasn't looking for anything other than helping this man as God had wanted.

When we pray for healing, don't we expect some great thing to happen like we see in the movies? Something that is an undeniable sign that God hears us? We always seem to be looking for the grand gesture, the big bright sign. We want tangible, unmistakable signs that God is moving in our lives. We tend to overlook the simple, the every day. There is a beautiful song by Laura Story called "Blessings" which reminds us that sometimes God's work shows up in ways we wouldn't expect. "What if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know Your here? What if trials of this life are Your mercies in diguise?" Sometimes the best things are the simplest things. And that's what God wants us to understand. Don't look for the big answer. Don't look for glam and glitz. Remember this acronym, KISS-- Keep It Simple, Stupid! lol 

Today's Gospel reading involves our first reading. I've often found that in order to understand the New Testament, you need to understand the Old Testament. Much of what we see in the New Testament harkens back to the Old Testament. It's a reaffirmation of the coming of Jesus, the birth of a Savior. We are reassured that these things will happen and that they were preordained by God, delivered through prophets, signs and symbols. 

Our story opens with Jesus being back in His hometown of Nazareth. He attends  temple on the Sabbath day (Yes, Jesus was a Jew.) He spoke eloquently and the people were impressed. But when He told the story of Naaman the Syrian, this story really made the crowd angry. The people of Nazareth want a glorious sign that Jesus is, indeed, the Man who will save them. Why should the people outside of this city, outside of this country be the benefactors of Jesus's healing? Why are the lowest of the lowley being helped? Why include the poor? Do they think these people aren't worthy of what God is giving because they are looked down upon? 

All of this enrages those at the temple and they throw Jesus out and try to kill Him. This will be a common thread as we work our way through the New Testament. It is the foreshadowing of Jesus's eventual death upon the cross. He is constantly rejected, His life threatened. How could this Man, son of a carpenter, be the promised Savior? Why does he include the ones who aren't a part of "mainstream" society? Why doesn't Jesus perform grand miracles to prove who He is? Surely this Man must not be who He claims He is. We see this doubt throughout the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts. 

When we pray, don't look for immediate answers. Don't look for the bright neon billboard saying that God heard you and will be with you shortly. It doesn't work that way. It's all in the timing, God's timing and not our own. Keep plodding on, waiting, and praying. You'll eventually get your sign, it just may not be in the way you expected.

Today, look inward. What kind of signs are you hoping for? What are your expectations? Take that inner reflection to Jesus and ask Him to help you have patience, hope and faith. Ask Him to remind you that it's in the little things. Keep an open mind and an open heart. It will come to you eventually.

Be blessed dear friends. And, as always..... be a nice human.😇

"Blessings" by Laura Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xRNrnh__SE

Today's reflection from Father Bill Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fatr7Y_Rp4A

 

Spiritual Health Pt II

Today we are revisiting the topic of spiritual health, but in a slightly different way. Read on, lovely people......

I used to work as a medical assistant for a small practice. I was the one who would take you back to the exam room, get your vitals, get some information, and then pass it on to the doctor. When I would go in to brief the doctor, I would give her my impressions about the person she was about to see. Was the person acting sick? Did they seem depressed? Was there more going on than what they were telling me? The information I passed on to the doctor was helpful in that she knew what to expect when she would go in with the patient. 

People in health care are tasked with taking care of others WITHOUT passing judgement. We handle a lot of sensitive information. The patient has to know they can trust the person they are talking to so that they can get the best care possible. They have to reveal details that they normally wouldn't tell others. They trust in the fact that we will keep this information to ourselves, that we won't pass judgement on  them. We have to keep an open heart and mind, have a compassionate spirit. 

This is what today's readings are about. That we promise to follow God's rules and trust in the fact that He knows what He's doing. He's the ultimate physician, who holds our lives in His hands. He is the only one who can judge us.  He is the only one who can heal us when we have sinned. He is the only one who can breathe new life into us when we accept His covenant. 

Be Blessed my friends. And, as always, be a nice human. 😇

Saturday after Lent

 

Read: Isaiah 58: 9-14; Luke 5: 27-32

Did you ever wonder why Jesus hung out with the lowliest of people? It was because He knew that those people needed Him more than those who followed His word and His expectations. As He remarked in Luke, "I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but the sinners." (Luke 5:32, NAB). 

Think of it like this, when you are sick, you call a doctor. You are in need of some form of healing. Well, Jesus is that doctor. He heals your sins. But, you also see the doctor regularly to make sure you stay healthy. You want to prevent yourself from getting sick in the first place. Same deal with Jesus, except you see Him on a daily basis. You ask Him to keep you on the straight and narrow. However, try as we might to stay on this path, we are all human. We are all sinners. So, back we go to Dr. Jesus to once again heal us, to make us better. 

When you go to the doctor, at the end of your visit you are expected to pay for your visit. For some, this can be a costly venture. For others, not so much. Well, guess what?! Jesus doesn't heal us for free, either. He expects some sort of "payment". Only this payment comes from our heart and spirit. He wants us to work for that healing. He expects you to come to Him willingly and admit your wrong doings, admit your faults, ask forgiveness. This means giving of ourselves, whether it be in doing for others or through prayer and repentance or both. 

From the moment we are born, we are already in debt to Jesus. He had to die so that we could live through Him. He already knew we were sinners. He already knew what it was to suffer. So, for us to want to "give back", to pay down that debt, it is the least we can do for Him. This is precisely why we come to Him with humility and a grateful heart for His sacrifice. 

At the end of the day, when we look back on money we spent that day, when we balance out the checkbook, make sure you look back on what you did that day. Make sure you "make a payment" to Jesus. This way, you start tomorrow with a clean slate. 

God Bless and keep Jesus in your heart.