Archive for December 22, 2011

The Magnificat

Posted: December 22, 2011 by CatholicJules in Memory Book
Tags: , ,
0

From a commentary on Luke by Venerable Bede, priest
(Lib 1, 46-55: CCL 120, 37-39)

Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

The Lord has exalted me by a gift so great, so unheard of, that language is useless to describe it, and the depths of love in my heart can scarcely grasp it. I offer then all the powers of my soul in praise and thanksgiving. As I contemplate his greatness, which knows no limits, I joyfully surrender my whole life, my senses, my judgment, for my spirit rejoices in the eternal Godhead of that Jesus, that Savior, whom I have conceived in this world of time.

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Mary looks back to the beginning of her song, where she said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. Only that soul for whom the Lord in his love does great things can proclaim his greatness with fitting praise and encourage those who share her desire and purpose, saying: Join with me in proclaiming the greatness of the Lord; let us extol his name together.

Those who know the Lord, yet refuse to proclaim his greatness and sanctify his name to the limit of their power, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. His name is called holy because in the sublimity of his unique power he surpasses every creature and is far removed from all that he had made.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy. In a beautiful phrase Mary calls Israel the servant of the Lord. The Lord came to his aid to save him. Israel is an obedient and humble servant, in the words of Hosea: Israel was a servant, and I loved him.

Those who refuse to be humble cannot be saved. They cannot say with the prophet: See, God comes to my aid; the Lord is the helper of my soul. But anyone who makes himself humble like a little child is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

The promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.

This does not refer to the physical descendants of Abraham, but to his spiritual children. These are his descendants, sprung not from the flesh only, but who, whether circumcised or not, have followed him in faith. Circumcised as he was, Abraham believed, and this was credited to him as an act of righteousness.

The coming of the Savior was promised to Abraham and to his descendants for ever. These are the children of promise, to whom it is said: If you belong to Christ, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs in accordance with the promise.

I AM GREAT I AM

Posted: December 22, 2011 by CatholicJules in Life's Journeys, Personal Thoughts & Reflections
0

How do you help someone enter into a relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? That is the question that has plagued me for many months? Am I the only one trying to help?, obviously not! The message of how to, is out there in homilies, books, Church fellowship talks, bible sharing, blogs, its practically everywhere.  But why are most people not listening? Do they not care for entering into a relationship with God?

Although this may be an over simplification, I believe the answer is a two fold one.  One, they have not fully surrendered their lives to God and two, they are holding on to their addictions, hurts, un-forgiveness or sins.

In both instances ‘I’ am in charge of my destiny, ‘I’ love my way of life it is all ‘I’ know! ‘I’ will continue to live this way, don’t try to teach ‘me’.  ‘I’ go to Church every Sunday and ‘I’ go for the sacrament of reconciliation at least once a year.  God knows what is in ‘my’ heart.  Or one day when I can muster enough strength I will change and come back to the Lord.  Why then do you not experience inner peace and constant happiness?  Why do you feel unfulfilled? Why is your life filled with anger and resentment?  Why do you constantly feel guilty? Why do you feel like you’re in quicksand half the time? Why does it seem your life is going in circles?

Ours is a loving God and His love endures for ever ( Psalm 136 ) God is love (1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16) ; the God of love and peace (2 Cor 13:11); love is from God (1 John 4:7); he will be silent in His love (Zeph 3:17) In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us ( 1 John 4:10) For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) He came for sinners ( Matt 9:10 )

Why then be afraid to surrender to the Lord our God? Why do we say “They Kingdom come, thy Will be done” If we do not mean it?  Surrendering to Him does not mean we become mindless or risk being puppets with no control of our limbs, it simply means we invite God our Father to minister to us, to love us and to pour His graces upon us.  To allow Him to do this we need to empty ourselves. He must increase  but I must decrease (John 3:26 ) And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work (2 Cor 9:8)

Jesus came to draw sinners to himself (Luke 15:1) So why wait? He loves us and says there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:7) Hence let Him transform us and He will do so, so long as we desire it with a contrite heart.  He will show us the way….He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. (Philipians 3:21)

We therefore have a choice to make if want to enter into a relationship with God our Father.  Are we continuing to say I am Great as I am! Or do we bow down before the Great I AM and praise Him for His goodness?

Catholicjules.net