Reflections Blessings to all... Good day! The following reflection is courtesy of PresentationMinistries (c) 2014. Their website is located at PresentationMinistries YOU ASKED FOR IT Ask, and you will receive. Matthew 7:7 The Lord commands us to ask Him, but for what? Jesus taught us to ask God for His name to be hallowed, His kingdom to come, His will to be done (Mt 6:9-10). The Lord is not commanding us to ask for our wants, but for His wants. This presents a problem, for we often ask wrongly, with a view to squandering what we receive on our pleasures (Jas 4:3). Prayer is not getting our will, but Gods will. However, if we seek first Gods kingdom and His way of holiness (Mt 6:33), the Lord gives us our daily bread (Mt 6:11). When we ask for Gods wants, we receive our needs. However, when we ask for our wants, we move away from talking to God into talking to ourselves. We may appear to be praying, but were actually in a self-centered monologue. Asking is difficult for us. We cant ask for His will and our will at the same time, unless our will is conformed to His. Asking means dying to self, repenting of sin, and taking up our daily cross (Lk 9:23). Asking is not playing prayer games with God, but communicating with the Lord in a heart-wrenching, self-denying way. Asking requires love and faith. The Lord is giving you now the command and grace to ask. Therefore, ask. Prayer: Father, transform me this Lent. I will no longer ask in my name but in Jesus name. Promise: Save us by Your power, and help me, who am alone and have no one but You, O Lord. You know all things. Est C:25 Praise: Bernard, a sixteen year_old, asked the Holy Spirit for the gift of leadership when he received prayers to be renewed in the Spirit. Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant my permission to publish One Bread, One Body covering the period from February 1, 2014 through March 31, 2014. Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 8, 2013. The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or statements The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager (c) 2014, whose website is located at DailyScripture.net Do you expect God to hear your prayers? Esthers prayer on behalf of her people is a model for us. She prayed for help according to Gods promise to be faithful to his people. God wants us to remember his promises and to count on his help when we pray. Jesus wanted to raise the expectations of his disciples when he taught them how to pray. Jesus parable of the father feeding his son illustrates the unthinkable! How could a loving father refuse to give his son what is good; or worse, to give him what is harmful? In conclusion Jesus makes a startling claim: How much more will the heavenly Father give to those who ask! Our heavenly Father graciously gives beyond our expectations. Jesus taught his disciples to pray with confidence because the Heavenly Father in his goodness always answers prayers. That is why we can boldly pray: Give us this day our daily bread. Those who know and trust in Gods love, pray with great boldness. Listen to what John Chrysostom, a 5th century church father, has to say about the power of prayer: Prayer is an all-efficient panoply [i.e. a full suit of armor or splendid array], a treasure undiminished, a mine never exhausted, a sky unobstructed by clouds, a haven unruffled by storm. It is the root, the fountain, and the mother of a thousand blessings. It exceeds a monarchs power. ..I speak not of the prayer which is cold and feeble and devoid of zeal. I speak of that which proceeds from a mind outstretched, the child of a contrite spirit, the offspring of a soul converted - this is the prayer which mounts to heaven. ..The power of prayer has subdued the strength of fire, bridled the rage of lions, silenced anarchy, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, enlarged the gates of heaven, relieved diseases, averted frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. In sum prayer has power to destroy whatever is at enmity with the good. Prayer flows from the love of God; and the personal love we show to our neighbor is fueled by the love that God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Jesus concludes his discourse on prayer with the reminder that we must treat our neighbor in the same way we wish to be treated by God and by others. We must not just avoid doing harm to our neighbor, we must actively seek his or her welfare. In doing so, we fulfill the law and the prophets, namely what God requires of us - loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The Holy Spirit is every ready to transform our lives in Jesus way of love. Do you thirst for holiness and for the fire of Gods love? Let me love you, my Lord and my God, and see myself as I really am - a pilgrim in this world, a Christian called to respect and love all whose lives I touch, those in authority over me or those under my authority, my friends and my enemies. Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor. Help me to forget myself and reach out towards others. (Prayer attributed to Clement XI of Rome)
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 02:33:55 +0000
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