www.awildcanary.com
August 2010
Hosted by
Father Patrick A. Martin

Pray for World Peace
Secret and Hidden Wisdom
 

       We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him,"but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.    1 Corinthians 2:6-10

  Imagine that you sponsor a young woman in a third world country through a relief organization. You have become pen pals and her most recent letter to you is filled with stories about life in her village. At the end she asks you a question about your previous letter in which you said you had an ice cream party for your youngest child, and she asks, “What is this ice cream? Is it some kind of food? What does it taste like?”

  How could you possibly describe the taste of ice cream to a person who has never had any? How could you give her a sense of how it feels in the mouth, and how it tastes on the tongue when she has never even seen it?

        This is one way we can understand Paul’s words about God’s “secret and hidden wisdom” which can be revealed to us “through the Spirit.” Paul understood that it’s one thing to have an intellectual grasp of the truths about God’s love, mercy and power, but it’s another thing to experience this love, mercy and power in our lives. It’s like the difference between a theoretical understanding of ice cream and the experience of actually tasting it for the first time. Paul knew that only the Holy Spirit could rebuild and protect the unity that was being eroded in Corinth. And this would only happen if the people spent more time in prayer, asking the Spirit to reveal Jesus to them more and more. God wants to make the truths that we know in our minds come alive in our hearts so that we can experience His vitality and refreshment every day, in times of difficulty and trial as well as in times of joy and peace. We can know this life if we open our hearts and ask God’s Spirit to reveal this life to us.

        “Holy Spirit, come and fill me with your truth. Transform my times of prayer and scripture reading into intimate encounters with Jesus, Who is the way, the truth and the life. By your grace, may I taste your love, not just understand it.”

Reprinted with permission of The Word Among Us, 9639 Dr Perry Rd #126, Ijamsville, MD 21754,
www.wau.org. 1-800-775-9673. From: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
  
God is LOVE

GOD created humans containing spirits of LOVE
that will enable them to return and be with Him.
Humans, given free will, are free to govern themselves
sharing GOD'S LOVE with all human spirits.
Imagine how unhappy and sad GOD is
when humans fail to share the LOVE He has given them.

 I expect that when all of the above plays out as intended,
only then GOD will share His magnificent Heaven
with those of us who LOVE God our Creator.
                       Bernie 

 

Desire, Ask, Believe, Receive
Live by what you love, not by what you fear

  
     
      

    Prayer for Pope Benedict XVI
     Lord, source of eternal life and truth,
     give to Your shepherd, Benedict, a
     spirit of courage and right judgement,
     a spirit of knowledge and love. By
     governing with fidelity those entrusted
     to his care, may he, as successor to
     the Apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ,
     build Your Church into a sacrament
     of unity, love and peace for all the
     world. Amen
     May the Lord preserve him, give him
     a long life, make him blessed upon
     the earth, and not hand him over to
     his enemies.
Saint Francis' Prayer
Make me an instrument of Your peace . . .
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master . . .
Let me not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Prayer for the Beatification of
the Servant of God, John Paul II
O Blessed Trinity,
we thank You for having graced the Church with Pope John Paul II and for allowing the tenderness of Your Fatherly care, the glory of the cross of Christ, and the splendor of the Holy Spirit, to shine through Him.

Trusting fully in Your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, he has given us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, and has shown us that holiness is the necessary measure of ordinary Christian life and is the way of achieving eternal communion with You.

Grant us, by his intercession, and according to Your will, the graces we implore . . . hoping that he will soon be numbered among Your saints.     Amen

© Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Stockbridge, MA 01263, www.marian.org. Used with permission.
 
 
Music: I Give You My Heart
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