"Come with me to Golgotha..."

...We even boast of our afflictions (Romans 5:2b)

In today's gospel reading from Saint Matthew 11:28-30 , Jesus tenderly asks us to partake in the rest that only He can give:

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

And to the extent that our sufferings bring us ever closer to that eternal rest, we can even boast in them:

Saint Bede the Venerable (around 673-735), Monk, Doctor of the Church
Homily 12 for Pentecost Eve

“Take my yoke upon your shoulders… Your souls will find rest.”

The Holy Spirit will give the righteous perfect peace in eternity. But already now, he gives them very great peace when he enkindles the heavenly fire of love in their heart. For the apostle Paul said: “This hope will not leave us disappointed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Rom 5:5) The true and even the only peace of souls in this world consists in being filled with divine love and animated by the hope of heaven to the point of coming to consider the successes and failures of this world as unimportant, of being completely stripped of the desires and lusts of this world, and of rejoicing in the offenses and persecutions suffered for Christ, so that one can say with the apostle Paul: “We boast of our hope for the glory of God. But not only that – we even boast of our afflictions!” (Rom 5:2)

The person who imagines that he will find peace in the enjoyment of the goods of this world, in riches, is mistaken. The frequent troubles here below and even the end of this world should convince that person that he has built the foundations of his peace on sand (Mt 7:26). On the contrary, all who, touched by the breath of the Holy Spirit, have taken upon themselves the very good yoke of God’s love and who, following his example, have learned to be gentle and humble of heart, begin now to enjoy a peace, which is already the image of eternal rest.

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 2:33 PM 0 comments

Oh Lord, Thy will be done

Spirit Daily

MIRACLES OCCUR IN THOSE CRISES OF LIFE WHEN THE FIRST PRAYER IS FOR HIS WILL

When we're sick or in some kind of trouble our first inclination is to call out for help. "Heal me, Lord. Heal me," we cry when we are sick, and there's nothing wrong with that. The Lord hears our pleas (every one of them).

But often we have to remember to frame it differently. Instead of focusing on the problem, we have to focus on the solution -- and we have to be open to the Will of God.

"Oh Jesus, may Your Will be done in my life."
more...

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 10:15 PM 0 comments

"Merry Christmas, ACLU"; join WMCA radio host Kevin McCullough's Christmas card campaign

During this second week of Advent, a time of prayer and reflection on the birth of our Savior, we eagerly anticipate the arrival of Christmas.

But the ACLU keeps acting like the Grinch who stole Christmas---trying to remove any reference to Christmas in the public square.

Now we have a golden opportunity to fight with the love of God against the ACLU's misguided actions by joining Kevin McCullough in his "Merry Christmas, ACLU" Christmas card campaign.

Sending out those "Merry Christmas" cards to the ACLU along with a heavy helping of prayer could do wonders.

See also my other posts:

"Help disarm the ACLU with Christ's love; send 'Merry Christmas' cards to its national office," in "Pope Benedict XVI Blog," my blog on the Pope and the Vatican.

"Swamp the ACLU, the Grinch who stole Christmas, with 'Merry Christmas' cards," in "An Anglo-Irish Convert in 'the City'," my Christian screenwriting and media blog.

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 12:25 AM 0 comments