Tag: #HermitOfPeace

Enter Into the Mystery and Be Renewed!

Happy Ash Wednesday!

We now enter into Holy Season of Lent, and it is a special time for us. This is a wonderful time to develop a closer relationship with Jesus, with our loved ones and with one another. This is our time to grow our faith and become the people that we were created to be, Children of God!

We read is the Gospel of St. Matthew:

Jesus said to his disciples, “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your Heavenly Father.”

Matthew 6:1

The message given by Jesus to His disciples is given to us today. We are the disciples today! We are in relationship with the Father through Jesus. Our righteous actions give glory to the Lord, and it is the Lord who will reward us because we do these things for the Greater Glory of God!

The Season of Lent can become a life changing experience if we enter into the mystery of God’s Love for us! It is a time to allow ourselves to be transformed into the people we were created to be, Children of God!

May we we allow ourselves to be recreated during this Holy Season!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace.

Come to Jesus and Be Healed!

We have reached the last Sunday before the Lenten Fast. Today in our Gospel section we meet Jesus our only hope. He is the one that can reconnect us to ourselves and to others.

We read in St. Mark’s Gospel:

And a leper came to him (Jesus) begging Him, and kneeling said to Him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I will;be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him and he was made clean.”

Mark 1:40-42.

The man seeking Jesus knew there was no other way in his world without the intervention of Jesus in his life.  Jesus, in His part, came into this World to do exactly what this leper needed; to be a healer.  Among many different reasons Jesus came to be with us, to be a healing presence in our lives.

As we conclude, for a while, these general Sunday topics, we leave with the knowledge that Jesus can and will heal our deepest concerns that keep us from living wholesome lives. Jesus can bring us to healing of what keeps us from Him and from one another.

Our requirement is to call on Jesus and to let Him take control!

Be healed!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/a1d90db2

 

 

 

We Have A Purpose!

Life may slow us down, but when Jesus lifts us up, we have work to do!

We read in St. Mark’s Gospel:

And immediately He (Jesus) left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told Him of her. And He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.

Mark 1:29-31

Simon’s mother-in-law knew she had work to do, but she could not do it. She needed a healing that only the Master could do! Fever had got her down and she could not get out of bed. Her son-in-law knew what to do, his brother and his friends, knew what to do; they brought Jesus to her! The chains of fever had her down, but the Great Physician, Jesus, took over and she was healed and praised Him my serving Him and everyone in their midst.

This could be our story! We are to serve one another and in doing so we bring them Jesus. These encounters changed everything because:

When Jesus set you free, you are free indeed! John 8:36

We are called to bring healing in our world. We do this by serving one another and in doing so, we bring them Jesus and we all participate in Jesus healing the world!

Share Jesus and heal the world!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

Call On Jesus!

True Freedom Is Possible!

There are many things that can enslave us, our past, our future hopes, the opinions of people, to name a few. But we see in St. Mark 1:21 and following a person trapped by an evil presence. However, he happened to be at the right place and at the right time!

We read:

Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!”

“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

Mark 1:23-26

Obviously, this is a very dramatic scene, however it may allow us to enter into what God can do for us if we make ourselves available to God! Whatever our situation is, we need freedom from what is holding us down.

Call on Jesus!

What Jesus did for this person two thousand years ago, He can do for us today!

Trust in the power of Jesus to save!

Bring to Him all of the troubles you experienced and let Him free you!

Many of our ancestors went through horrific situations and turn to Jesus and we are result of them trusting in the Lord and doing the best that they could do!

When Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed!

John 8:36

Jesus is able to deal with our situations and we can pass that healing forward to our loved ones and the world!

Let Jesus take control of our situations!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

 

 

Let God and Follow Jesus!

There are so many things in our world that may occupy our thoughts and actions. These things may have value or may be a distraction. We may be able to do something about them or maybe it is out of our control.

But what brings meaning to our lives?

What is the purpose of our lives?

The Disciples in today’s Gospel selection from St. John helps us to see what brought meaning to their lives.

We read:

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

John 1:35-37

These two disciples were looking for something to make sense out of their lives. We can imagine that they had the normal concerns for people in their time, but something was missing.

This may be a reminder to us. We may be going through some situation that is occupying our lives. But if we follow these Disciples, and follow Jesus, we will find peace!

We may be in the midst of a stormy time, but do not focus on the storm, focus on Jesus and walk through the storm doing what you are able to do!

May we bring Jesus into our lives and TAKE BACK OUR PEACE!

Pax. The Hermit of Peace

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

Be A Gift to the Baby Jesus!

The Magi Brought Gifts and Received the Greatest Gift!

Gifts are important items during Christmastide, but the gift that we receive needs to last us for the rest of our lives, Jesus! The Spirit of Christmas can be life changing if we allow the Meaning of Christmas to take us over.

The Magi travelled to find the source of light and was transformed by it. We read in St. Matthew’s Gospel:

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the Child with Mary His Mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:10-11

We join these Magi every day of our lives. May we bring whatever gift we have today to the Lord! May we be open to receive the gift that only this encounter can bring, the light of Christ!

May we carry Christmas with us all of our days!

Epiphany Blessings!

Pax. Hermit of Peace.

https://gofund.me/e4fbd23a

Say Yes to God!

We have a choice to make as we live our lives. That choice can change the course of our lives and the lives of others. As we close the Advent 2023, we see one choice recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke that changed the course of the world. It happened in an exchange between Mary and the Archangel Gabriel over 2000 years ago, and result of which we celebrate tonight as we begin Christmastide with the Vigil and the Vespers of Christmas.  We hear Mary here:

 

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the Angel departed from her.

St. Luke 1:38

 

This one yes brought God into the World in the person of Jesus! The Incarnation began with the Annunciation and Mary’s Yes!

 

This one Yes becomes one of the biggest celebrations in the world, knowing what it signifies or not knowing it!

 

However, Mary’s Yes reminds us to say Yes to God Too! Our “Love Yes” makes Jesus present in our lives and in the lives of others. And as the song says:

 

“I say yes Lord yes, to your will and to your way! I say yes Lord yes, I will trust You and obey!”

 

Fourth Sunday of Advent Blessings!

Christmas Eve Blessings!

 

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