2nd Wednesday of Advent, 2016

Uplifted rock formation

Bearing Our Burdens 

"Jesus said to the crowds: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." ~ Matthew 11:28-30

It has been some years now since I first heard an explanation of this Gospel verse from a priest. I struggled with the "take my yoke upon you...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light" portion of the verse for several reasons. The first being that I didn't want to take any one's yoke upon myself, because I was struggling with enough at the time as it already was...I didn't need to add an additional weight of someone's burden to my already over-burdened life, even if it was the Lord who was asking.

How I now shudder to think that I was once so shallow and mean-spirited and selfish. My spiritual director relieved me by asking me if I had ever seen oxen yoked together pulling a heavy weight. Of course, I replied in the affirmative. He went on to explain to me that neither of the oxen could pull such a weight by themselves, but that by pulling together, it made the burden lighter on both of them.
That was something I had never considered, even though I had been married for a number of years and had worked with my spouse to accomplish some things, it never dawned on me that we had been "yoked together" so that we could actually get the job done. Nor had I ever applied it to the Lord, oddly enough.

As I have since learned, when the Lord yokes Himself to me, it is for my benefit and not to make His burden lighter, as I had erroneously thought. He is actually doing me a favor by yoking His Divine Self to my poor and piteous human self and pulling with me through the difficulty. It is an astounding thought...that He would want to...and that I could be so foolish as to not want to be yoked together with the Lord of the Universe. Wow. 

Fortunately, with good spiritual direction, I was able to view that Scripture in the proper light and it opened for me a whole new way of viewing Scripture and the Lord's call in my life.That's the "and learn from me" portion of this Gospel verse. Because I was able to correctly understand this one verse, it opened for me a way to understand better (not something that comes all at once, but a journey of learning) scripture as God meant it to be. And now that I am studying Lectio Divina I understand that God's Word is Him actually speaking to me. To me, personally. Again, Wow. 

 It is still a little intimidating to think that He wants to be yoked to all that burdens me, as I sit and consider all that I have to do and all that is left undone. And that He loves me deeply enough and dearly enough to yoke Himself to me. For me and for my benefit. It's so amazing and I am so in love with you, Lord.

Thank you for all your many blessings and for choosing to yoke yourself to me that I might be able to bear my burdens with ease.

You must learn to accept all that you hear me speaking in the depths of your heart as our Heart to Heart Conversation. Yes, I use my Scripture to begin the conversation, but as we journey along, you must act on the sure knowledge that what you hear in the depths of your heart is actually me speaking to you. It will change your life, as you know from past glimpses of this truth.
My child, I do love you beyond imagining. Fear not. All is well.

Thank you, my Lord! 

First Monday of Advent 2016

Shadow creeps over the mountains as light fades

A New Beginning

"For over all, the Lord's glory will be shelter and protection: shade from the parching heat of day, refuge and cover from storm and rain."~ Isaiah 4:6

The start of Advent, coming as it does in the darkest part of the year, would seem an odd time to think of a new beginning.

At least, for non-Christians. 

Yet, it is the time when hope is brought forth from the darkness to shine brightly in our lives as we prepare for our Lord's coming.

The Lord promises us protection, from the natural elements that threaten us, as well as from evil that stalks around us, seeking our ruin.

How Blessed we are, to have the protection of the Lord of the universe as we journey ever closer to Him, waiting and watchful for the birth of our Savior in the deepest cold of winter's night.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

God Waiting for Us

Snow covers the hills with a blanket of snow

"A voice says, "Cry out!"
I answer, "What shall I cry out?"
~Isaiah 40:6

The words from Isaiah today really made me stop and think. It is one of those Biblical readings that seems to be directed specifically at me.
So often it seems that when the Lord asks me to do something..."Cry out!" I am like the person in Isaiah who asks, "What shall I say?" Instead of being obedient, I have to query my Lord about the details. Maybe He just wants me to do something, anything.
As I have been pondering why I procrastinate so often about doing what I think God is calling me to do, I came across a meditation...and I am sorry that I did not remember to bookmark it so that I could link to it....that essentially said that while we make preparations and are waiting for the Lord's coming, He is also waiting for us to do His will.
It was an eye-opener for me because I hadn't thought that we must try God's patience with our endless pettiness and failures (procrastination??).
 He waits for us to show Him that we are making progress and improving the world where He has placed us. I have often thought that if I lived someplace else or had a better means, I could do so much more for my Lord. He knows me well. What He is saying to me is that it doesn't matter where I am or by what means I choose to do His will. What is important to Him is that I act, using the tools he has given me and saying whatever I am inspired to say by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
How often have I thought, especially in recent years, that God must surely be coming soon in order to save us from the increasing evil that seems to permeate our world. What I had not thought about, and what now gives me pause, is that perhaps He waits for me to do something in order that someone might be saved. Maybe in order that I might be saved.
It has certainly changed my perspective on why He hasn't already come to redeem this poor world. Maybe He is waiting for me to reach out to my neighbor or my friends and family and share with them the one thing that may turn them back to the Lord. Or for me to do the one charitable act that might be of great help to Him in redeeming the world. As I am waiting for Him to come into the world, or better phrased, as I wait to celebrate His Nativity and His coming among us to save us, He might be forestalling His Second Coming in order that my prayers for the salvation of  my family,  friends and acquaintances and even myself can be answered. He might be waiting for me to act, to do the one simple duty He has given me to do that I keep procrastinating about doing. Lord, have mercy on me and inspire me to do your will.

Preparing for the Lord, Day 2 of Advent 2010

Snow covered hills

"Lord our God, help us to prepare for the coming of Christ your son."  --from the opening prayer for today's Mass

I struggled today about saying "yes" to the Lord when he asked me to wake from my slumber and write. I do not know why...I do love the Lord with all my heart and soul and mind.
But an examination of my conscience tells me that while I profess to love him so, my actions and deeds speak of another love...self love and doing what I want to do, not what the Lord wants me to do.
Yet, how can I do this? How can I not want to love the Lord with my whole being...He who has given me everything and loves me so very much that He has taken my sins upon himself? 
I long to be more like Mary, who immediately answered yes to her Lord, in the face of not knowing how His will would be accomplished or where His will would take her...she still answered yes. Inconvenience? It didn't matter as much as doing her Lord's will. What a remarkable woman Mary was then and remains to this day.

"Am I loving and serving God with my whole heart , mind and strength? Where can I do better? Am I waiting and watching for the Lord through daily prayer?" 

Am I watching and waiting for the Lord through daily prayer? Sadly, no. My prayer life lately has been short and a series of orders I seem to give our Lord. Can you imagine the hubris of such an action? Why would I do such a thing? I have really gotten away from my prayer habits. It seemed to be so rote and without sincerity of late...although that is not the Lord's fault, but my own. How can I make it more meaningful? By simply sitting in the Lord's presence for a time and soaking in his loving care of me! What a beautiful way to prepare for his Coming.

Lord, please help me to better love you with all my strength and to rejoice in my daily preparations for your Coming amongst us. Help me to truly show my love for you by better obedience to your commands, by not choosing to "do it later" a bad habit that I have developed lately.

Lord, I do love you. Help me to know how to live in that love on a daily basis.

My Child,

Long have I waited  for your coming unto Me, in simplicity and sincerity as you have done this day...after I prodded you. You can be so much and do so much in, with and through me. Try to be more like Mary, my Mother and your Mother, who didn't worry about the details of saying Yes. She knew the details would be handled by Me, if she chose to accept the role I gave her. So must you learn that the details are not for you to work out...I have already worked them out. You must prepare your Heart,  first of all, to receive me fully. Then you will have no more concern about how the details will be worked out. Sweet one, I love you and do have a plan for you...believe it and rejoice in it. It is a most wonderful Christmas gift. Prepare your Heart.