Be Clearly Seen

Minute Meditations Beyond Vanity Come, O blessed Spirit of knowledge and light, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father. Show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for your glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to you and your eternal reward. — from Thirsting for God Blessed Caesar de Bus (1544-1607)   Like so many of us, Caesar de Bus struggled with the decision about what to do with his life. After completing his Jesuit education he had difficulty settling between a military and a literary career. He wrote some plays but ultimately settled for life in the army and at court. For a time life was going rather smoothly for the engaging, well-to-do young Frenchman. He was confident he had made the right choice. That was until he saw firsthand the realities of battle, including the St. Bartholomew's Day massacres of French Protestants in 1572. He fell seriously ill and found himself reviewing his priorities, including his spiritual life. By the time he had recovered, Caesar had resolved to become a priest. Following his ordination in 1582, he undertook special pastoral work: teaching the catechism to ordinary people living in neglected, rural, out-of-the-way places. His efforts were badly needed and well received. Working with his cousin, Caesar developed a program of family catechesis. The goal—to ward off heresy among the people—met the approval of local bishops. Out of these efforts grew a new religious congregation: the Fathers of Christian Doctrine. One of Caesar's works, Instructions for the Family on the Four Parts of the Roman Catechism, was published 60 years after his death. He was beatified in 1975. Comment: "Family catechesis" is a familiar term in parish life today. Grounded in the certainty that children learn their faith first from their parents, programs that deepen parental involvement in religious education multiply everywhere. There were no such programs in Caesar's day until he saw a need and created them. Other needs abound in our parishes, and it's up to us to respond by finding ways to fill them or by joining in already established efforts.   Saint of the Day Lives, Lessons and Feast By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.; revised by Pat McCloskey, O.F.M.     Presence Dear Lord as I come to you today Fill my heart and my whole being with the wonder of your presence Freedom Lord, you granted me the great gift of freedom. In these times, O Lord, grant that I may be free From any form of racism or intolerance. Remind me, Lord, that we are all equal in Your Loving eyes. Consciousness I exist in a web of relationships - links to nature, people, God. I trace out these links, giving thanks for the life that flows through them. Some links are twisted or broken: I may feel regret, anger, disappointment. I pray for the gift of acceptance and forgiveness. The Word of God   Reading 1 Acts 5:17-26 The high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy, laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said, "Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life." When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught. When the high priest and his companions arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the jail to have them brought in. But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison, so they came back and reported, "We found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside." When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to. Then someone came in and reported to them, "The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people." Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them, but without force, because they were afraid of being stoned by the people. Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or: R. Alleluia. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or: R. Alleluia. Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or: R. Alleluia. Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or: R. Alleluia. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. or: R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 3:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia. God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 3:16-21 God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.     Listen to audio of this reading     Watch a video reflection Conversation What is stirring in me as I pray? Am I consoled, troubled, left cold? I imagine Jesus himself standing or sitting at my side and share my feelings with him. Conclusion I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text. Conclusion I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text. Meditation: Acts 5:17-26 View NAB Reading at USCCB.org Subscriber? Login to view archives. 2nd Week of Easter Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life. (Acts 5:20) Was there ever a time when you felt trapped inside a "prison" of illness, emotional distress, or weak faith? Waking up every morning, it felt as if there were a dark cloud over your head or a ball and chain dragging you down. Now, remember the day that you woke up feeling better or the moment that your situation was resolved. What a sense of release! You couldn't wait to move forward with your life, relieved of those restraints! If you had the choice, would you willingly go back into that prison? This was precisely what the apostles did in today's first reading. An angel of God released them from their prison cell then told them to go right back to the Temple area and tell people about their life in Christ—the very thing that got them into prison in the first place. And they did! They couldn't keep quiet about the Lord, so they trusted that God would take care of them. Today's Responsorial Psalm tells us why the apostles were so committed to proclaiming the gospel in the face of arrest and imprisonment. "I will bless the Lord at all times," the psalmist says, "his praise shall be ever in my mouth." But why? So that "the lowly will hear me and be glad" (Psalm 34:2, 3). The apostles' witness and their courage inspired everyone in the Church in Jerusalem to stay faithful to the Lord. It also was instrumental in bringing more people to conversion. They blessed the Lord so that his blessings could overflow to other people! The same is true for us. Our testimony of how God has worked in our lives can hearten our brothers and sisters who may be struggling. Likewise, their stories can help us. It's always good, when feeling hemmed in, to be reminded that our horizons are a lot bigger than we think! What's more, the witness of our joy and peace in every situation, no matter how easy and challenging, can motivate the people around us to turn to the Lord and experience him themselves. So keep on blessing the Lord! Who knows how many people you will help lead to freedom? "Thank you, Jesus, for having rescued me! Help me to keep your praise always on my lips and in my heart."   Psalm 34:2-9; John 3:16-21     going4th-20150415080442.mp3 my2cents: Today's 5minutos reflection says (allow me to translate):   "It is very easy to say: "I believe"...expressing with a diffused sense of benevolence towards the Lord.  The true faith transforms the existence...it gives it a new dimension in life, and projects us to the plenitude of eternal existence.   God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that all who would believe in Him will not die, but have eternal life.  And this is not easy to realize in the indolence of an inactive faith.   He who lives the faith, acts constantly in the compromise to reach a live and cordial relationship with Jesus.   Those who do not believe, have already been condemned, for they did wicked things in the world, when the light came to the world they preferred darkness to light.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.  For/Through the faith we are to let Christ transform us; it is a painful transformation that expects the new life of rectitude and holiness.   "Go and take your place in the temple area,  and tell the people everything about this life."  The faith we are said to profess, but does not conduct us to a transformation to better...is not the true faith.   A transformation to better...in our love for the Lord.    A transformation in better...in the love and comprehension of our brothers (brethren).  In a lastly instance, the true faith...is the exquisite and delicate fulfillment of the desires of Jesus and of the will of our Father God."    What is captivating is the message of our Lord for us all today through messengers.  Listen to them.  Today, they release to freedom, and how do the apostles use their freedom?  To evangelize AGAIN, that very act of faith that got them in so called "trouble" with the world, but was freeing the world.  The same message is for us.  We are not to read the Holy Scriptures and not be phased.  We can't say like they say "oh they are nice moral stories" and live your life of debauchery and disorder!  We are free to do His will, yet what do we choose to do? We lead to the Gospel.   But first the Holy Psalms pray "The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor."  The Lord is on guard in your corner, with angels, those who are in Holy Fear of Him, which is Holy Love, obeying the angels.  Listen!  What is your faith up to nowadays?  Is it wondering?  Because your faith is your soul! In comes Jesus our Master and lover, the groom that gives and gives.  He comes in, through the message "God so loved the world" this crazy world, His creation, this majestical world where so much freedom reigns even in a jail cell, He so loved it, that He sent His only Son, the part of Himself to touch us, to free us, and to be free from what?  Well, let's think about it for a second:  What do you want to be free from?  Debt?  Is that all your worries in the world?   What do you want to be free from?  Stress?  What are all your worries about?     What do you want to be free from?  Sickness?  You mean the things stress is causing?       What do you want to be free from?  Problems?  What are your problems in life?  Are they not stemming from the world? Truly, what do you want to be free from?  Because none of the answers pointed to God.  Nobody says "I want to be free from sin".  Nobody says "I want to be free from darkness". That's because we prefer darkness to light.  We prefer our crazy world than the world He has to offer that lives forever.  How crazy is that?  As a matter of fact, during lent, I wrote a poem about craziness:     That's Crazy   Are you living your life that seems to go crazy? Are you living your life that you wish were amazing?   Because it seems like the weight of the world is on your shoulders Because it seems you live your life looking over your shoulders Why is it, and why do you like it so much? Why is it you live to live for that fleeting touch?   It's like you like to love to feel good, It's like you want to live like you want and not as you should, It's like a drug that you just can't let go, It's like you know what's right but you don't want to know.   That is so crazy. To live on a high that brings you so low. That is so crazy. To not want to be free, because you have been sold. That's crazy. And it's the life of the world, not wanting our Lord. It's crazy. That you can be set free, with only one Word.   It's unthinkable, to think you are free when you live in a pen. It's unattainable to live in the light when you're living in sin. Like the boy who grew up watching the armed guards on the fence. His family was released one day, only to realize he was locked within.   It's so crazy, I can't fathom the thought. I used to live that way locked up in the dark. I thought excitement and pleasure was the way to go. And it was the way to hell, all part of the show. ---- So what's crazy?    CHOOSING ANYTHING OTHER THAN GOD FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE adrian   Subscribe  podcast: http://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HS2yJb

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