April, 2024: RANDOM THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, by Deacon Sam

As Christians we should be all about JOY. If you attend Mass, you should feel better - it should fill you with JOY. We are human beings precious to God - this should fill us with JOY. We should be happy - God so loved the world - He does not hate or condemn us. BE JOYFUL! God gave His Son to save us and He loves us totally and unconditionally.
REJOICE AND GIVE THANKS TO GOD!

If God is with us, who can be against us – this is the ultimate test of faith. Our challenge is to accept God's will for whatever it is and not for what we want it to be. There are no insignificant moments with God. We can meet all situations with the confidence that God will not abandon us. God lived as one of us, suffered and died for all of us – His love for us is eternal. None of us needs to live in the darkness of whatever is in our past that prevents us from seeing that there is light in our lives and that we are all worthy of God's mercy and help.

We humans are drawn to heroes by the way they have lived their lives and what they stand for. We are moved by those who exude goodness, compassion and courage for standing for the truth. We are attracted to Jesus because of His love and goodness; He always looks for opportunities to raise us up and He takes us in the warm embrace of His arms whether we do good or sin. Jesus is the channel of grace that opens us up to the glory of God.

Charity can transform lives. It begins in small ways – a kind word, a smile, a hug, etc. We are called to charity by God, to participate in the ongoing work of Jesus. In our own way we can each be a beacon of light and love in this world which is often darkened by doubt, anger and indifference. Jesus cares for the needs of those who often get unnoticed. It seems that today our rendering service to the broken-hearted, the vulnerable and the marginalized among us is more important than ever. Every person has dignity until his or her last breath. Generosity is sharing what we have and bringing hope to others. Do everything for the glory of God.

The choices we make today shape our destiny. We live in a culture of self-advancement and frequently attempt to seek pleasure at all costs. Jesus, however, wants us to follow Him, to keep our eyes on Him and to choose life with and in Him. Unreal expectations can rob us of our joy and the presence of God in our lives. Let us choose wisely those things that bring us peace, life and love and let us pray, in the midst of disillusionment, to say "yes "to God, and do His will.

Many people believe that more psychotherapy is accomplished with a good friend talking over a cup of coffee rather than spending hours in a therapist's office. It is good to examine our relationships, live each day with gratitude for God's blessings and be a blessing to others.

"Speak Lord - Your servant is listening." Too often in prayer we do all the talking. Maybe God has something He wants to communicate to us. Spend some quiet time with God. Listen to the voice of the Lord and allow Him to tell us what He wants from us. God invites us into His presence. Experience Jesus and get to know Him.

"Pray with great confidence, with confidence based on the goodness and infinite generosity of God and upon the promises of Jesus Christ. God is a spring of living water which flows unceasingly into the hearts of those who pray."
St. Louis De Montfort

 "The school of Christ is a school of love. In the last day, when the general examination takes place… Love will be the whole syllabus."
 St Robert Bellarmine