Live for today

Difficult as it might be; living one day at a time is a wholesome self-control mechanism which teaches us patience and genuine reliance on our Lord.

Of course, we all like to plan ahead, to be in control of our future, and to prepare for all eventualities. There’s nothing wrong in that, and it would be foolhardy to leave all to chance and do nothing.

Yet, at the same time, we should balance our every plan with the reality of what is now. We should live each day in gratitude for what God has given us today, rather than look ahead to what is yet to come.

They say “You never know what’s round the next corner”. How true. All it takes is a sudden event, an illness, an accident, something out of our control, to put all our plans into disarray.

Thank you Lord for another today.

 

Father Francis Maple

The Gift of Knowledge

With the continual advancement of technology we have evermore ways of worldly things and ideas intruding on our spirit and knocking God out of our consciousness.  Today's meditation from Divine Intimacy tells us what we need to transform our earthly vision into a heavenly vision: the gift of knowledge.

This paragraph shows us how important the sacrament of Confirmation is because through it we receive this and six other gifts of the Holy Spirit that aid us in keeping God in the forefront of our daily lives as Colleen wrote about a few days ago.  It's another good argument for moving the sacrament of Confirmation up to around seven years of age as it was when I was young.  Get the kids started in good spiritual habits early.

When a soul is profoundly enlightened by the gift of knowledge, creatures no longer hinder its ascent to God, for whether considering their nothingness or the beauty with which God has endowed them, whether in giving them up or in using them through necessity, they always urge the soul on to God, inspiring it to seek Him and love Him, the one infinitely beautiful Being.

I am guessing that the people lined up at 1:00 a.m. the other day to be the first to get the new iPhone5,  whatever that is versus earlier versions, need the gift of knowledge.  And those of us who have it need to ask for the grace to put it into action all day every day.

Putting God at the Top of My List

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I am one of those people who keeps lists. I like lists, especially Things To Do Lists. They help me to keep my life organized. And I like crossing things off my lists. Makes me feel like I've accomplished something, I guess. Makes me feel productive.

At the top of my list is God. Or at least God is supposed to be at the top of my list. God is supposed to be Number One. Always. I am supposed to think of God first before speaking. I am supposed to pray to God first, before deciding, before writing, before doing anything. Put God first and everything else will follow. Sounds good.

But for some reason God keeps sliding down that list and becomes Number 2 or maybe Number 3 or ... well ... you get the picture. I keep finding other things I need to do first. And then when things get a bit discombobulated, I wonder why.

The problem is, I sometimes put God on the wrong list. God is not a Thing to Do. He is no more a thing to do than kissing my husband good morning or telling my children I love them. God is not a task to be accomplished and then crossed off the list.

God is Love and Life and Light. God is my creator and my everything. God belongs in my heart, permanently, never to be crossed off.

Will I always remember to put God first? Nope. I will forget. But praise God, He never forgets. He has a way of reminding me of things. Works better than lists.

"For in him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28)

from my newsletter, Prayerful Morsels, February 2012

Where?

Where have all the authors gone?

They are resting. Or possibly praying. Or waiting for inspiration. Anyway ... when is the last time you posted here Victor? 

Ooops ... sorry !!!!

Finding God

Having a bad day?  Want to reach out and slap someone?  Take several deep breaths and and consider this from Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene, O.C.D., from meditation #298 in Divine Intimacy:

God does not let Himself be found nor does He show Himself in the midst of disturbance and excitement, but only in interior peace and calm.

We often want to change others. What we really need to do is change ourselves, peacefully, calmly, and with the grace of God.

What is Trust?

Do you have people in your lives who you don't trust?  Have you ever thought much about trust or do you take it for granted?  A conversation with a close friend this past week got me examining my beliefs on the nature of trust.  I wrote a post on the subject because I think trust is one of the most important aspects of relationships between people, nations, and God.  If you'd like to read it, rather than my re-posting it here and incurring the wrath of Google-bots, click on this link: What is Trust?

God bless all.

Quick Bytes #37: Birth and Death

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A good name is better than precious ointment,

    and the day of death than the day of birth.
                            (Eccles 7:1)


We celebrate when a life comes into this world of sin, 
and cry when one departs for the beauty of Heaven.

I wonder if we've got this thing all backwards?
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Quick Bytes #36: In God We Trust

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"Our national motto is 'In God we Trust,' reminding us that 
faith in our Creator is the most important American value of all."
                                              - Marco Rubio at the RNC

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