THE MERCY OF GOD

 

God is the Merciful God. We know this from the Sacred Scriptures. God revealed Himself to us, His Face and His Heart, He Himself, as narrated in the Book of Exodus. 

God revealed Himself to Moses with the following words, "The Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness". (Exodus 34;6).

God never tires of forgiving (Jonah 4:2, Joel 2:13, Psalm 86:15, Psalm 103:8, Nehemiah 9:17). The Old Testament prepared the way and led us to the full revelation of Jesus Christ, Who reveals the Father's Mercy.

The Lord is Merciful. This words evokes an attitude of tenderness as that of a mother dealing with her child. The image it suggests is that of God Who is moved and becomes tender for us as a mother when she takes her child in her arms.

The Lord is Gracious. He gives grace, has compassion, and, in His greatness, bends over the one who is weak and poor, always ready to receive, to understand, to forgive. God is like the father in the parable of the Prodigal son. The father does not shut himself away in resentment because of the younger son's abandonment, but, on the contrary, continues to wait for him. The father forgives his son unconditionally upon the son's return.

God is slow to anger. God is able to wait, and His times are not the impatient ones of humankind. The Almighty is long suffering and has capacity to endure. God waits for us to repent and return to Him, even if this takes years of His constant reaching out to us.

The Lord is abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. God Who is great and powerful, has no problem in stooping down to our level, we who are weak and small. In fact, God has so loved the world that He sent His only Son to incarnate in the tiny body of an infant human, in order to save all humankind from the consequences of sin and the dominion of satan.

God's faithfulness is without limits and never fails. The Lord is the Guardian Who does not fall asleep but watches constantly over us to lead us to life. 

"He will not allow your foot to slip;

or your Guardian to sleep.

Behold, the Guardian of Israel

never slumbers nor sleeps. ...

The LORD will guard you from all evil;

He will guard your soul.

The LORD will guard your coming and going

both now and forever."(Psalm 121:3-4, 7-8).

Let us entrust ourselves totally to God, and experience the joy of being loved by God the Merciful and Gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

(Source: Culture of Life Apostolate, St Charles, Victory Park. Catechesis "Mercy in the Bible." Pamphlet)

TOUCHING THE HEM OF CHRIST'S GARMENT

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYEmdFyWBq8

Women carry the awesome ability to grow a new life within themselves. Yet this gift has a price. At times suffering and illness is experienced.

God created woman with the ability to bear life. Yet women are much more than their age, at times fleeting external beauty and ability to bear children. Every girl and woman is a reflection within her soul of the Image of Almighty God.

May all girls and women turn to the God Who made them. God understands the suffering of women. Jesus, His Son, healed a woman of her ongoing haemorrhage. Moreover, Jesus healed Her soul of loneliness, embarrassment and fear regarding her illness.

Jesus understands the suffering of women. Let all in need feel free to touch the hem of Christ's garment. We do not need to carry our worries alone - often Jesus carries them for us.

Let us pray for all who assist women. Let us pray for all fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, doctors and doulas who help women. 

May society never look down upon girls or women.

They are the creation of God.

With thanks to the Chosen youtube video

MORAL STRENGTH

 

As followers of Christ, we are to practise moral strength and courage.

THE SUFFERING OF WOMEN

 

The woman with haemorrhage

"To Jesus this woman was not lost in the crowd; in her hour of need, to Him she was all that mattered. Jesus is like that for every one of us. [1]

The extraordinary, and the movingly beautiful thing, about this scene is that all at once amidst that crowd Jesus halted; and for the moment it seemed that for Him no one but that woman and nothing but her need existed. She was not simply a poor woman lost in the crowd; she was someone to whom Jesus gave the whole of Himself." [2]

[1] William Barclay, Gospel of Matthew, page 348

[2] William Barclay, Gospel of Matthew, page 347

Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible, Gospel of Matthew, Vol 1: CH. 1-10. Revised Edition. 1981.

 Saint Andrew Press: Scotland.

TRUST IN GOD

 

https://youtu.be/2IDJQivWjdc

Trust is utter confidence in the other person. Part of what we understand about real trust is confidence, relationship. Also part of trust is self-surrender. When we trust, we surrender some of our control. We trust in God by taking our hands off the controls of our own lives, and letting events develop at their own pace. Trust is a crucial part not only of our secular lives, but also of our spiritual lives.

Trust in God is essential, but not easy to do. As human beings, we like to be in control, in charge. Yet we need to sit back and relax in the gentle embrace of the Holy Spirit. God knows what is best for us.

We are not to omit careful thinking; but we should not pursue the thoughts of our minds without giving credence to God. Flying according to God's Flight Plan is always best. In this way, God shall direct your paths.

Our ways are influenced by our families, cultures, personality, talents, time of life. In all these, we need to trust God to direct us. We need to turn every area of our life over to God. We are called to make Him a vital part of everything we do.

God can direct us also by disappointments, or by realizing our dreams. We may be directed not always in pleasant paths, but always the right paths.

Trust in the Lord with your whole heart, and do not trust in your own undertakings alone.

Jesus Christ told us, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God;  and trust also in Me." John 14:1

Resource: Public sermon by Reverend Vanessa Wyse Jackson July 2016. Dublin, Ireland

LET US TRUST IN THE LORD JESUS

 

Let us trust in the Lord Jesus to successfully complete 

the work of holiness in each one of us that He began.

OUR COMPANION JESUS

 

We link hands with Jesus as He companions us 

on our discovery journey towards Heaven.