We Are The Parched Desert

My friends, I am inspired today! The Holy Spirit has been working overtime in the past twenty-four hours to reveal an essential principle to me. It certainly is amazing that revelation can happen even though we are ignorant or unexpecting.

The following Scripture passage comes from yesterdays first Mass reading:

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom…it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy annd singing. … The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water…. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:1-10)

To what is this connected? As I read a book on prayer last evening, the author remarked that personal prayer is analogous to water that brings life to the dry, parched desert; that we need prayer to make us fruitful. Moreover, as I studied the eleventh chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, I saw how Jesus fulfilled the prophecy quoted above.

It is simple! When Jesus comes to us, physically in the Eucharist and spiritually in prayer, our lives are made fruitful. When we receive the Lord, the parched deserts that are our lives gradually cease to be arid. When we become less arid and are able to bear much fruit, we can become builders of the Kingdom of Heaven, the City of God on Earth.

God Bless.

Isaiah 35:1-10
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg LXX Hebrew
1The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice, and shall flourish like the lily.
2It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall rejoice with joy and praise: the glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the beauty of our God.
3Strengthen ye the feeble hands, and confirm the weak knees.
4Say to the fainthearted: Take courage, and fear not: behold your God will bring the revenge of recompense: God himself will come and will save you.
5Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.
7And that which was dry land, shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. In the dens where dragons dwell before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and the bulrush.
8And a path and a way shall be there, and it shall be called the holy way: the unclean shall not pass over it, and this shall be unto you a straight way, so that fools shall not err therein.
9No lion shall be there, nor shall any mischievous beast go up by it, nor be found there: but they shall walk there that shall be delivered.
10And the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and shall come into Sion with praise, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Published in: on December 12, 2006 at 9:37 am Comments (0)

Great Wisdom for Daily Living

As I meditated in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at my parish today, I came across a brilliant paragraph written by Thomas A Kempis in The Imitation of Christ. Indeed, the passage could serve as a wonderful morning prayer if one only had a few moments to spend with the Lord.

Every day renew your dedication to God, arousing fervent devotion in your heart as if it were the first day of your turning back to God. Pray to Him, saying: “Help me, Lord Jesus, to persevere in my good resolutions and in Your holy service till death. Help me to begin this day well, for up to now I have done nothing.

Let’s ponder: what good could come about if every Christian the world over would say, and live, this prayer on a daily basis? I imagine that the world would spin out of control from all the kindness, love, and joy that would be generated.

Hey, it beats the world spinning out of control from hunger, disease, murder, and moral relativism…

God Bless.

Isaiah 35:1-10
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg LXX Hebrew
1The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice, and shall flourish like the lily.
2It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall rejoice with joy and praise: the glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the beauty of our God.
3Strengthen ye the feeble hands, and confirm the weak knees.
4Say to the fainthearted: Take courage, and fear not: behold your God will bring the revenge of recompense: God himself will come and will save you.
5Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.
7And that which was dry land, shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. In the dens where dragons dwell before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and the bulrush.
8And a path and a way shall be there, and it shall be called the holy way: the unclean shall not pass over it, and this shall be unto you a straight way, so that fools shall not err therein.
9No lion shall be there, nor shall any mischievous beast go up by it, nor be found there: but they shall walk there that shall be delivered.
10And the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and shall come into Sion with praise, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Published in: on December 4, 2006 at 5:41 pm Comments (0)

Winning Hearts for Jesus Christ

I know that Pride is one of the seven capital sins, but I am really proud of our parish’s RCIA team. I am proud to be associated with that team, and I am proud to be associated with each of the other members.

If you would like to examine (and listen to) the work that the Lord is doing in our parish, click here for a complete list of dates and topics with links to download each weekly session. If you are able to do this, please leave a comment so that I can pass the encouraging words along to my teammates!

God Bless.

Isaiah 35:1-10
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg LXX Hebrew
1The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice, and shall flourish like the lily.
2It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall rejoice with joy and praise: the glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the beauty of our God.
3Strengthen ye the feeble hands, and confirm the weak knees.
4Say to the fainthearted: Take courage, and fear not: behold your God will bring the revenge of recompense: God himself will come and will save you.
5Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.
7And that which was dry land, shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. In the dens where dragons dwell before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and the bulrush.
8And a path and a way shall be there, and it shall be called the holy way: the unclean shall not pass over it, and this shall be unto you a straight way, so that fools shall not err therein.
9No lion shall be there, nor shall any mischievous beast go up by it, nor be found there: but they shall walk there that shall be delivered.
10And the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and shall come into Sion with praise, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Published in: on at 5:36 pm Comments (0)

The Word Is ‘Trust’

We must learn it, folks! We must learn to trust Our Gracious God for all that we need for this life; and to lead us into eternal life. A quote from Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta should serve to make this point quite well:

Don’t give in to discouragement…. If you are discouraged it is a sign of pride because it shows you trust in your own powers. Never bother about people’s opinions. Be obedient to truth. For with humble obedience, you will never be disturbed.

God Bless.

Isaiah 35:1-10
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg LXX Hebrew
1The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice, and shall flourish like the lily.
2It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall rejoice with joy and praise: the glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the beauty of our God.
3Strengthen ye the feeble hands, and confirm the weak knees.
4Say to the fainthearted: Take courage, and fear not: behold your God will bring the revenge of recompense: God himself will come and will save you.
5Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.
7And that which was dry land, shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. In the dens where dragons dwell before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and the bulrush.
8And a path and a way shall be there, and it shall be called the holy way: the unclean shall not pass over it, and this shall be unto you a straight way, so that fools shall not err therein.
9No lion shall be there, nor shall any mischievous beast go up by it, nor be found there: but they shall walk there that shall be delivered.
10And the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and shall come into Sion with praise, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Published in: on at 2:08 pm Comments (0)
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