Let Christ permeate your life…

Let Christ permeate your life…

How much of your life is very earthbound, fixed on daily routines and habits?

How easy it is to be constantly on the move, often at speed, and to fill your lives with sound and endless chatter. We are rarely still or fully attentive to the present moment, we fail to know ourselves or our God in any depth. We have made ourselves ‘comfortable’, at home, living below our true potential. Come, launch into the deep; it may be risky, but it is worth it. Take time to explore the presence and power of God in your life and in your world.

Raise your sights and your life. Learn to live as someone who walks in the presence of the risen Lord. Begin now by reminding yourself that ‘the Lord is here: his Spirit is with us’: this is reality, make it your own. You can develop your awareness in this way, but give the words space to be at work in your life.

Lord, you are here…

You are with me now…

You, Lord, are present…

In your presence is peace…

Lord, in your presence, I arise…

In you I find newness of life…

Lord, in you I seek to abide…

For you are here, and with me now…

Colossians 3:1-4 New International Version (NIV)

3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Jesus comes to us now as the light in our darkness and walks with us when we are in the valley of the shadow. We can truly say, ‘Even though I walk in the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me’ (Psalm 23:4).

‘So, if you have been raised,’ says Paul, and he does not doubt that we have, you should raise your sights. You should not be totally earthbound. You should not live as someone who does not know Christ, but as one who knows that in Christ, life is eternal and that you will not perish. It is not what we trust in, but whom.

We should allow the presence, the power, the peace of Christ to permeate our lives.

Your life is ‘hidden’ with Christ in God. This is not so much hidden away but rather a hidden relationship through your prayer and a turning to him throughout the day.

Seek new ways of allowing your faith to have a great impact on your life.

Find ways in which you can give the risen Christ a better opportunity to ‘grow’ in you.

Work out how you can have your life ‘hidden’ with Christ in God. It is important to remember that faith is a living, vital, relationship with God. This relationship which should influence your life each day. Then when Christ is revealed you will still be with him and in glory.

Rest…

Place yourself where you will be uplifted and set free to be the person God wants you to be.

Jesus invites you:

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28).

Take the risen Lord at his word, come to him, abide in his presence and here lay aside all that weighs you down.

Stay with him and if your mind wanders, simply call upon his name, ‘Jesus.’

Christ Jesus, our risen Lord,

help me to live my life fully aware of you

and to know you as the Lord of life.

You raise those who are down.

You are the helper of the helpless.

You are healer of the sick.

You are the saviour of us all.

You are here with me now.

I come to you, Lord Jesus,

for in you alone is eternal life.

Amen.

Trust in the slow work of God

TRUST IN THE SLOW WORK OF GOD

Teilhard de Chardin

Trust in the slow work of God. We are, quite naturally, impatient with everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you. Your ideas mature gradually. Let them grow, let them shape themselves without due haste. Don’t try to force them on, as though you could be today what time, that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will, will make you tomorrow. Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be. Give our Lord the benefit of believing that God’s hand is leading you and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.

Jigsaw

Jigsaw

Philippines 4:8-9

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Every single one of us is different and unique, we bring differences to our families, to our friends, to our parish community and to the stranger.

We are linked together like a jigsaw, we are all part of this one world, God's world, our world which makes the picture of life. We each have a part to play for the good of all, here and now, in this present moment.

If a piece is missing it leaves a gap, the jigsaw is incomplete.

Take a few moments to reflect and write down one of the many gifts a family member, a friend or someone who has or is making a difference to you at this time of uncertainty. May we nurture these gifts and may they continue grow in the love, care and support of each one of us as we strive together to make this world the loving place, we strive it to be, for today and tomorrow.

Keep your piece of paper to the puzzle to remind you each day of how important each and every one of us is and that however difficult things seem or become you will never really be alone.

We give thanks for the friendships that have just begun and for those that have grown.

For the faith that has been lived in our daily struggles,

For the hope that has lifted our hearts on the dark days,

And for the love that has kept us going.