Be St. Joseph Like!

As Advent 2023 comes to a close, we have St. Joseph, the Foster Father of Jesus, the Husband of the Virgin Mary, as a role model. We see in the Gospel of St. Luke:

He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While he was there , the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 2:5-7.

The Christmas Story is so profound in its simplicity! We see St. Joseph providing for his young family the best that he could and the World received received her Savior!

Below is a little meditation that I hope will help us deal with struggles the way St. Joseph did so many years ago.

Have a blessed end of Advent 2023 and always remember to be a blessing!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

Happy Gaudete Sunday!

Choose Joy!

We are in the period of the last days in Advent 2023 and regardless of what we have been going through, we have a choice to find joy! Our model is St. John the Baptist who chose to live the joy of the Lord by preparing His way for us! However, will we follow John in his preparing the way of the Lord to everyone we encounter. The world still needs St. John the Baptist like individuals.

We find in St. John’s Gospel:

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.
John 1:6-7

Let us keep this testimony simple! St. John the Baptist was very much himself! He was “Wholly Holy”, he belonged to God, and he never wavered from surrender to God’s will for himself.

Can we use these last days before Christmas to give the true testimony that Jesus is the Lord of our lives? We do that by bringing joy to everyone we encounter!

Be Christmas Joy!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

May Our Hearts Be Alert!

Advent Blessings!

Happy New Year!

We begin again preparing for the New Creation in Jesus Christ! We are a Christmas People, and we must
review the mystery of God becoming one of us, so that we can become who we were created to be, images of the Divine working in the world!

Today we hear from the adult Jesus about what we need to be as ones who are waiting on Him:

“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.”
Mark 13:33

At the beginning of our liturgical year, we remember that Jesus will return to us. We must be ready for Him to return in glory. However, this is not for us to fear, rather it is to make us love each other more fully. Love of neighbor as we love ourselves, makes us ready to receive Jesus, now, at the hour of death and at glorious Second Coming!

If we love, we need not fear!

Have a blessed and meaningful Advent!

Pax.

The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

Jesus Rules!

When We Allow Jesus to Rule, Peace Reigns!

We are again at this special time of the year! We close our spiritual journey 2023 and next Sunday we will begin again. Each year’s Scriptures speak to us differently; the Scriptures remain but our lives changes and they speak to us where we are.

Today we look at the Final Judgment and we can look at our lives and see what side we are on. There are somethings that we cannot compromise on, if we are truly following Jesus, if Jesus is truly our King! We read from Matthew’s Gospel:

“Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was in prison and you came to me.’”
Matthew 25: 34-35.

Jesus is very clear; the God of Mercy will be the God of the Final Judgement and the Judgement will be based on the mercy that we share with one another.

This challenge goes against what the world sees as important, and we are so affected by the world! We are called to rise above the world and its non-Christlike behaviors.

We can be Christlike and thank God we have this day to evaluate ourselves and become more Christlike; it will have eternal rewards!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

Do Not Bury Love!

Are We Using Our Talents Well?

We have a new life in Jesus, are we making a difference?

As we come closer to the end of the Liturgical Year, we move our thoughts to the end of time. Many people think about getting for the End Times, but Jesus reminds us to Live Ready! This is important in the Parables of Jesus, and it is also important for our Wholistic Health!

Live Ready!

The Master gives talents:

“For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.”
Matthew 25:14-15

For us let us call the talent love.

In the Gospel selection we see the Master return and evaluate his servants. He is happy with two and upset with one. The key is what they did with what they were given.

The ones who used the talents they received and multiplied them were rewarded. The one who buried the talent that was lent to him, lost everything!

If the talent we have is the capacity to love, we must not bury it!

Or as Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change!”.

As we enter Thanksgiving Week here in the U. S., there will be challenges. As we enter the end of the Liturgical Year 2023 and are reminded to be ready for the End Times, one key take away is do not bury the talents that the Master has lent to us! The Master expects us to be fruitful!

Do not bury Love! Use it well and unselfishly!

Pax,
The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

Got Oil?

Got Oil in Your Lamp?

Jesus is coming, are we ready?

In the Parable of the Virgins in the Gospel of St. Matthew, we have a scene of the Virgins that are waiting for the Groom to get them and bring them to the Wedding Feast. This was done in the night; hence everyone needed a source of light to walk. The Wise Virgins were ready, but the Foolish Ones were not. It was too late for the Foolish Ones.

Jesus concludes this Parable with:

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Matthew 25:13

As we come close to the end of the Church’s Liturgical Year, we are reminded of the end times. But our reality is that any time has the potential of being the end time for us. Every night before we go to bed may be the end time. Are we ready for Jesus?

Got oil?

In other words, are we prepared to meet Jesus if he knocks on our door? There is a simple solution, but many of us find it hard to do.

St. Peter tell us in his Epistle:

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:8

Want Oil? Love everyone! Make peace and do not hold on to grudges. Remember, in Heaven even our enemies will be our friends!

Live Heaven Now!

Pax. Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/a1d90db2

Wholeness of Life Matters!

How We Live Reveals Who We Are!

Jesus had a real problem with hypocrisy! He was quite clear to the religious leadership of His people, Judaism. He heard one thing from their mouths, but He saw something different in their actions. Jesus found their way of living a major cause of His concern for them and the people that they were serving.

Jesus wanted better for His people, then and now!

It is not enough to have a title like teacher or father. All teachers, for Jesus’ Followers, must have as their real Teacher Jesus! All fathers, if they are Jesus’ Followers, must have Father God as their real Father Source! This requires the leadership of the people to be teachable!

Jesus tells us:

“He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbled himself will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:11-12

Being humble means being teachable! Being able to be taught by Father God and the Lord Jesus will allow each one of us to be Servant-Leaders after the Heart of Jesus!

Pax.

The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/a1d90db2

The Shema Life

Living Divine Love!

The ancient Hebraic statement of faith is central to Jesus and the Holy Family of Nazareth and must be central to those who follow Jesus!

Jesus states in the Gospel of Matthew:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul and with all of your mind.”
Matthew 22:37

And along with this statement of faith, which is and continues to be central to those who follow Him, Jesus tells us how this statement of faith is to be accomplished. This love must be lived in daily living:

“You shall love your neighbor as you yourself.”
Matthew 22:39

The Trinity of Love!

Jesus brings together the Way of Life of His People Judaism and confirms it for the whole world in His Life, Passion and Death on the Cross and Holy Resurrection! There are three movements of Divine Love which would bring Heaven on Earth, if we, as a people, put it into practice. This Trinity is, love of God, love of self, so that we can truly love our neighbor as God wants us to!

We cannot change anyone, but we can allow God to change us, and in doing so, we can inspire others to surrender to God, who can and will change them too!

Remember, if we know we are powerless, and we know that God is the Ultimate Power in the Universe, and we surrender ourselves to God, God has the power to change us!

Blessings! Pax.

The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/a1d90db2

Forgiveness Matters!

Let The Lord Come In!

Many things that we do block the Lord’s entry into our lives. One key way of letting the Lord in Is forgiving those we deal with on every level of our existence.

The concept is clear. The Lord’s Prayer reveals this to us every time we pray it. For me that is many times a day. Jesus tells us to pray and to live these words,

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Matthew 6:12

But do we hear what we pray?

It is difficult for us to live these words, because they go against the way we do things in the world. However, if we want to welcome God in, we must take on Divine Culture!

Jesus came into our world through Mary, to reveal our true culture. We were made in the Image of God, hence, this is our true culture, to be Christlike!

Practice makes perfect!

We fall down, but we get up again!

Pray that we truly become what God created us to be!

We will get better intime!

Pax.

The Hermit of Peace.
.
https://gofund.me/a1d90db2

The Wedding Garment

Make Love Your Garment!

The Wedding Feast is a Love Feast!

At times our Sacred Scriptures can be difficult to understand. For example, in the Gospel of St. Matthew 22:11-12,

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless…”

What is the “Wedding Garment “?

In this Parable of the Wedding Party we we know that Jesus is talking about being in line with God’s Kingdom. The original guests were invited and they had their own things to do, they did not join the party. Then the invite went to everyone, and they came, but one was not properly dressed. Being properly dressed for the party is essential. Not have the “Wedding Garment” is like being present at the affair and not really being there.

Perhaps being properly dressed refers to being clothed in love!

Clothed in Love makes sense because it is a love fest! God became one of us to bring us together in Divine Love!

We can be at the Wedding Feast and not really be there, because we choose not to be love.

This is a wonderful reminder and challenge! Being clothed in love means we are Kingdom People! This is our ongoing goal, working towards it, we will always belong at the “Wedding Party “!

Pax.

The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/a1d90db2