As Thanksgiving closes in, let's not lose focus. This day is not a day to have anxiety or stressors about anything especially food. Save your high stress for when someone is bleeding or on their way to the hospital or someone is dying. Those are the big deals in life and yet even then we can remain in peace if we continue to evolve and journey with God. We can learn to take these issues/people in this world with "a side glance". My Spiritual Director was Fr. James Carroll for many many years til he moved far away and that was his phrase. 'Take everything with a side glance in life with eyes focused on God Front and Center. Only flinch if you offend Him.' How lovely and truthful a perspective like this is.
This day is about thanking the One and Only Who is there 24/7, Who loves you and i in a way no one in this world will ever. Even if we add up all those who love us that does not come close to God's Love for us.
You know as i spoke earlier about using beautiful things for our eyes to see in our homes, cars, work and prayer spaces, i got to spend some time praying in front of a Life Sized Crucifix. That is a Cross with the Body of Jesus on it. What a help to meditate looking at or holding a crucifix. It is one of my favorite ways to pray. This has two reminders for me. One, it reminds me of The Great Suffering Jesus underwent for me! This musters up sincere love and gratitude for so Great a God Who would pay my debt and take my place which is also why we as Catholics like the Stations of the Cross too which depict Jesus' Walk to Calvary in 14 images. We pray at each one thanking Him for all He did to save us. The second thing i am reminded of as i behold Him on the Cross is, i beg Him ,"Jesus,please teach me to love like that!" You see, in and of ourselves we have no clue how to love another. But as the Word so beautifully puts it, "No Greater Love hath any Man than to lay down His Life for a friend!" "I will not be able to do anything unless You teach me how to love like that Lord!". Add a Crucifix to your prayer collection,home,car and work, along with candles, flowers, pictures, statues, a pet, all good and holy things that can raise your mind to God when you see them. And ask Jesus to teach you to Love how He Loves. To be willing to "die" for another to help them thru. The rewards of learning how to do this are 'out of this world!" It is a painful and most difficult thing to work on but surely it is so worth it. i promise you that!
Remember, the doors of Heaven were shut. No one could enter because nothing that is not perfect and pure can be in front of the Almighty. So God sent His Only Son to die for all our sins. He paid our price so that the doors of Heaven were blast open so you and i have the opportunity to enter if we believe, Love and Trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior. i tell kids that a debt is like going to Toys r Us and filling three baskets full of stuff and when we go to pay, a man steps in front of us and says i will pay this bill for you. 'How do you feel about this man who paid your debt?'..."We love him and are very grateful and thank him."....that's what we feel about Jesus paying a much bigger debt for us. Just like the children's song says, "OH HOW I LOVE JESUS, OH HOW I LOVE JESUS, OH HOW I LOVE JESUS BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED ME!" til next time....i thank God for you and your gifts and your faith. Go Higher...and let's meditate on a verse that is very well known and treasured by believers in John 3:16:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have Eternal Life."
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