Praying Unceasingly

Praying Unceasingly:

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The Joy of Jesus Daily Word

Home | Daily Word: "ENERGIZED
I am energized and rejuvenated.
Each morning when I awake, I have the opportunity to start my day with prayer. Aware of my innate creative power, I am invigorated by Spirit within. I then move ahead empowered, choosing uplifting thoughts, positive statements and purposeful actions that reflect my greatest intentions.

If ever I feel sluggish or unmotivated, I pause and pray. A few minutes of communion with Spirit revives my vital energy and awakens my enthusiasm. In Spirit, I am confident, knowing that all things given to me will be accomplished, that all that is not understood will be revealed, and that all that is difficult will be made easy.

The God who has girded me with strength has opened wide my path. --2 Samuel 22:33"

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John 6:1-21 "After these things Jesus went over..." KJV - Online Bible Study

John 6:1-21 "After these things Jesus went over..." KJV - Online Bible Study

John 6:1-21

¹ After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. ² And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased . ³ And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. ⁴ And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. ⁵ When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat ? ⁶ And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do . ⁷ Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. ⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, ⁹ There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? ¹⁰ And Jesus said , Make the men sit down . Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down , in number about five thousand. ¹¹ And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks , he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down ; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would . ¹² When they were filled , he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain , that nothing be lost . ¹³ Therefore they gathered them together , and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten . ¹⁴ Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did , said , This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. ¹⁵ When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force , to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. ¹⁶ And when even was now come , his disciples went down unto the sea, ¹⁷ And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. ¹⁸ And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew . ¹⁹ So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid . ²⁰ But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid . ²¹ Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went .

New Melleray Abbey The Word

New Melleray AbbeyFr. Stephen Verbest: Feast of the Transfiguation

The Ambo	Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration Preached by Fr. Stephen Verbest
[Scripture Readings: Dan 7:9-14; 2 Pt 1:16-19; Mt 17:1-9 ] The disciples of Jesus did not know it, but they were about to witness something that had never happened before. Suddenly a blinding light flashed around them. In great confusion they turned to see where it came from. In the next moment a force rushed over them, knocking them down. This was not the little whisper of a gentle breeze like that heard by the prophet Elijah when he encountered the Lord. It was an even greater force than the frightening storm of thunder and lightning that shook Moses and the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai. The disciples of Jesus later compared it to the fury of an enormous hurricane. One moment everything was calm and peaceful. Then a flash of light brighter than the sun and a blast of wind stronger than any hurricane swept over them and just as quickly passed away. This was not the Transfiguration, but what Dorothy Day called the "anti-transfiguration." It was the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, the feast of the Transfiguration. The disciples of Jesus, Fr. Pedro Arrupe and his fellow Jesuits, staggered to their feet. To see what happened they went outside and climbed the hill protecting their residence on the outskirts of the city. From the top of that little mountain they saw Hiroshima transformed into one enormous lake of fire. There were thousands upon thousands of people whose bodies were half melted by the intense heat trying to flee the inferno. Half of a 140,000 people died right away. They were spared greater agony. The other half died slowly over the next few weeks and months. Ever since that devastating day, the world has been living under the threat of what author Tom Clancy calls, "The Sum of All Fears," a nuclear holocaust. Fr. Arrupe writes, "It is at such moments one feels in need of supernatural assistance." In the time of Jesus, people did not fear nuclear attacks. What they dreaded was crucifixion. Jesus knew he would die by crucifixion. It filled his heart with such agony that he climbed Mount Tabor to prepare himself by prayer. And he was transfigured with divinity, the sum of all hopes. Jesus willingly died so that we could share his divinity. St. Peter was an eyewitness of the honor and glory that Jesus received from the Father on that holy mountain. He writes, "His divine power has given us ... his precious and very great promises ... so that you may escape from the corruption that is in the world … and become partakers in the divine nature" (2 Pet 1:3f). In the second reading Peter continues, "You do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Pet 1:19). Whether we ever come face to face with the Sum of All Fears, a nuclear attack, or with a more limited, personal agony, today's mystery of the Transfiguration offers us the greatest of all hopes, divinization. We are called to enjoy eternity not only in a human way, but with participation in God's own nature, God's own level of existence. In the very first sentence of the Catholic Catechism we read that, "God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created mankind to make us share in his own blessed life" (#1). And in Article 1 on Revelation we read in the Catechism that, "It pleased God, in his goodness and wisdom, to make known the mystery of his will … that we should … become sharers in the divine nature." This is not just a metaphor for the greatest possible human happiness. It is a call to divine happiness. Like Jesus who is a divine Person with two natures-his divinity possessed from all eternity, and his humanity at the Incarnation-all the baptized also have two natures: a human nature from conception in our mother's wombs, and a share in the divine nature from baptism making us adopted children of God. Let us think clearly about this grace: it is not pantheism, because there are three essential differences between us and God. First, we do not become divine Persons. We remain human persons but with two natures. Second, we do not become infinite. We remain finite but with an unlimited capacity to grow in things divine. Third, we do not possess this share in the divine nature of ourselves, but in dependence on God's gift to us. How awesome is this gift, this sum of all hopes, divinization! St. Peter urges us to remember it often, like a lamp that chases away the darkness of all that we fear. Think of it! We are called to share divinity, to do what only God can do. First of all, to see at God's level of seeing, and that means the ability to see God, for not even the angels can see God by means of their own angelic nature. They also need to share in divinity to see God. Second, it means the ability to be present at any moment of time, past or future, like God is. Third, it means the ability to retain every joy forever, untarnished by time ticking away. Only divinity can do that. God never loses any joys, they never pass away. There is no nostalgia in heaven, no looking back at joys gone by, for they continue forever. And, might we also share God's ability to create from nothing? What will you create? This is the meaning of Christ's transfiguration in glory, the sum of all our hopes. St. Paul writes, "This slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure" (2 Cor 4:17). All day and night Fr. Arrupe and his fellow Jesuits ministered to the people of Hiroshima by tearing up their bed linens and even their clean underclothes to dress the wounds of the afflicted. Next morning, Fr. Arrupe celebrated the Eucharist. He writes, "In turning around to say 'Dominus Vobiscum,' I saw before my eyes many who were wounded, suffering terribly. ... I had to be careful not to touch with my feet the children who lay so close to me. I do not think I have ever offered Mass with such devotion!" We cannot live well without divine assistance. Brothers and sisters, the Mass we celebrate here this morning is one Mass with that celebrated by Fr. Arrupe at Hiroshima. It is one sacrifice with that offered by Jesus at the Last Supper and on Golgatha. We are never very far from the sum of all our fears. Let us never be very far from the sum of all that gives us hope, God's invitation to share in the divine nature. It is promised to us by the divine kiss we receive in communion, a kiss that will one day open our eyes and hearts to God's world when we also will be transfigured.

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Home | Daily Word: WORLD PEACE
I enfold myself and all beings in peace.
The commandment to love "your neighbor as yourself" is a reminder to me that my "neighbor" is not only the person living next door. My neighbor is every living being in the world. Just as I want my life to be peaceful, I want the same for my neighbors everywhere.

I may not have the authority to sign peace treaties or the power to stop war, but I do have the power of prayer and of love. When I see images of troubled people or unfortunate events in the world, I send thoughts of love, peace, comfort and understanding to all involved. It is up to me to love, to envision peace, and to believe in the power of prayer. As I do these things, I am an agent of change, an agent of peace.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart … and your neighbor as yourself.--Luke 10:27

John 5:19-47 "Then answered Jesus and said..." KJV - Online Bible Study

John 5:19-47 "Then answered Jesus and said..." KJV - Online Bible Study

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Home | Daily Word: LET GO, LET GOD
I release my concerns, certain of God's good.
Release is an act of confidence, not failure. In times of stress, I take a moment to find the gentle rhythm of my breath. If I feel tension, I relax my body and allow my mind to experience a moment of peace.

I breathe in and out with quiet awareness. On my outward breaths, I release one by one each concern for my life and the lives of my loved ones. On my inward breaths, I accept the assurance of right outcomes. I let go of my need to control and to know how everything will unfold. New ideas and insights are revealed in divine time and order.

I trust in God--the Infinite Source of healing and resolution. I will know what is mine to do, when it is time.

The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. --Psalm 145:9