Sep 6 Fri - Why Did Nathanael Believe in Jesus?

 

Sep 6 Fri
Why Did Nathanael Believe in Jesus?
In John’s Gospel, we find the puzzling scene of Nathanael coming to accept Jesus as the Messiah based on seemingly little evidence. Nathanael is approached by his friend Philip, who says, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

Nathanael responds, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" He is skeptical that the humble, backwater village of Nazareth could be the place where the long-awaited Messiah comes from. However, he agrees to meet with Jesus. As he approaches, Jesus declares, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"

Nathanael, surprised, asks, "How do you know me?" Here comes the cryptic part. Jesus seems to sidestep the question and says, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Instead of asking for more clarification, Nathanael responds with a statement of faith: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

Perhaps Nathanael is stunned that Jesus miraculously knows that he was standing under a fig tree, and this divine sign is enough to convince him that Jesus is the Messiah.

Perhaps, but it seems insufficient.

Jesus's words have resonated with Nathanael on a deeper level. The clue lies in what Philip told Nathanael: "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote." Nathanael begins to realize that Jesus has connected Old Testament texts in a way that identifies Him as the Savior of Israel.

Nathanael is particularly familiar with the prophecies of Zechariah. Thus, he knows that during the promised time of renewal, people will invite their neighbors under their vine and fig tree. He knows he was standing under a fig tree when Philip invited him, and he is amazed by Jesus's miraculous knowledge of that event. But what seals the deal for Nathanael is Jesus's invocation of the Old Testament prophecy pointing to the coming Messiah.

Nathanael also knows that Jesus comes from Nazareth. In the Zechariah prophecy, new life will spring from the land of God's people, a land that had been left barren and desolate after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. Similarly, in Nathanael's time, new life will come from the least expected place: the lowly town of Nazareth.

Additionally, Nathanael may have Isaiah in mind, with the promise that spiritual renewal will come from the "branch" (netser), hence the name “Nazareth.” In a moment of spiritual insight, Nathanael realizes that the Nazarene standing before him is the Lord's Anointed One.

To conclude the passage, there is another allusion to the patriarch Jacob when Jesus essentially says, "You haven't seen anything yet! Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." This refers to Jacob's Ladder vision described in Genesis.

By invoking this imagery, Jesus dramatically places Himself at the center of the Old Testament as the Son of God and Son of Man, revealing Himself to be the "one mediator between God and men" who has come into the world so that the gates of heaven may be opened to all who believe.
Excerpts from Clement Harrold

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Sep 5 Thu - Why do we speak of transubstantiation?

 

Sep 5 Thu
Why do we speak of transubstantiation?

The Eucharistic discourse of St. John develops in a unique way, which can be described as a spiral or spiral staircase. In this discourse, Jesus seems to continuously return to the same themes, but each time introduces a new element that elevates our contemplation of the mystery. The new element in this case is bread, which is repeated up to five times.

The sacraments are signs that produce what they signify. Therefore, it is important to understand what bread means for humanity. To grasp the meaning of the Eucharist, it is better to look at the work of the farmer, the miller, the housewife, or the baker, rather than relying solely on the theologian.

Bread is a symbol of work, waiting, nourishment, domestic joy, unity, and solidarity among those who partake in it. Unlike other foods, bread never causes nausea, it is consumed daily, and its taste is always pleasing. It complements all types of food. People who suffer from hunger do not envy the rich for their caviar or smoked salmon; they primarily long for fresh bread.

What happens when this bread reaches the altar and is consecrated by the priest? Catholic doctrine expresses it with the word "transubstantiation." This means that at the moment of consecration, the bread ceases to be bread and becomes the Body of Christ. The substance, the true essence of the bread, which can only be perceived by the mind and not the eyes, gives way to the divine Person who is the living and risen Christ, while the external appearances (referred to as "accidents" in theological terms) still resemble bread.

To better understand transubstantiation, it is helpful to look at the word "transformation," which is similar and more familiar to us. Transformation means to move from one form to another, whereas transubstantiation refers to moving from one substance to another. For instance, if we see a lady coming out of the hairdresser with a completely new hairstyle, we would say, "What a transformation!" No one would exclaim, "What a transubstantiation!"

Of course, the lady has changed her external appearance, but not her essence or personality. If she was intelligent before, she remains intelligent now; if she was not, unfortunately, she still is not intelligent. The appearances have changed, but not the substance.

In the Eucharist, the opposite occurs: the substance changes, but not the appearances. The bread is transubstantiated, but not transformed; the external characteristics (shape, taste, color, weight) remain the same, while the profound reality changes—it becomes the Body of Christ.

The Eucharist enlightens, elevates, and consecrates the entire reality of the world and human activity. In the Eucharist, material elements such as the sun, earth, and water are presented to God and fulfill their purpose, which is to serve and proclaim the glory of the Creator. The Eucharist is the true "canticle of creatures."

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Sep 4 Wed - Why do we feel temptations?

 

Sep 4 Wed
Why do we feel temptations?
Temptation is an inducement to sin; it can never come from God. It always comes from any of the three causes: the world, the devil, and the flesh.
The WORLD refers here to men and society in general, “lifestyles” organized without regard for God.
The FLESH refers to the internal disorder in man, caused by original sin and aggravated by personal sins.
It has three manifestations: “the lust of the flesh,” which encourages man to impurity, gluttony, etc.; “the lust of the eyes,” which encourages him to greed; and the “pride of life,” which is the beginning of all sins (cf. 1 Jn 2:16).
The DEVIL encourages us to sin with strength and skill. We should neither ignore nor be surprised at his action (cf. 1 Pt 5:8; Jas 4:7).

Feeling a temptation is not a sin. Consenting to it, that is, accepting it by our will, is.
It is not right to arouse a temptation willfully. Putting oneself in danger of committing a mortal sin without serious cause will already be a serious sin, even if the sin is eventually not committed. It shows that one does not mind seriously offending God, and this is a serious sin in itself.

Sin renews and aggravates the four wounds left by original sin: ignorance in the intellect, malice in the will, weakness in the irascible appetite (wrath), and disorderly desires in the concupiscible appetite (lust).

Mortal sin causes the loss of sanctifying grace, and of the infused virtues (faith and hope may remain, but formless and dead), the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and all previously acquired merits (which, however, are recovered with grace when the sin is forgiven).

Sin spreads not just within the soul, but through the whole self. It produces a remorse of conscience. In addition, man is condemned to eternal punishment. Sin also affects human products —art, technology, even language.

Sin is not a passing event. It lasts. Sin is primarily a choice, and choices are spiritual acts that completely mark the persons who make them. Our choices cause us to be, in moral terms, the kind of persons we are, what we have chosen to be.

We cannot erase our own sins.

Guilt is the persistence of sin, not a matter of feelings. Sin remains until sinners change their minds and hearts —themselves— by repenting before God and seeking forgiveness by the Church. Repenting means a great deal more than simply not repeating sinful behavior.

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Sep 3 Tue - Why should I live fraternity?

 Sep 3 Tue
Why should I live fraternity?
We are all good shepherds to one another. God wants to use our help to sanctify others; He requests our cooperation. This is the best expression of fraternal affection. If the mere fact of coming from the same town is sufficient for many people to be friends, what level of love must there not be among us, who share the same House, the same Table, the same life, the same Head; the same Pastor and King and Judge and Creator and Father?

Nobody should feel alone: we are united by our common destiny to holiness. St. Josemaría: "The constant concern my children should have for one another is a blessed consequence of our unity: nothing, no matter how small it seems, can ever be indifferent to us if it affects any of us in any way. None of you is alone, none of you is an isolated verse; we are verses of the same poem, a divine epic."

Let us examine ourselves courageously, in the presence of God, to see how we can make a better contribution to the sanctification of others.

First of all, we have to be sensitive to the needs of others and be aware of what is on their minds: their concerns, their problems, or their sorrows. If we are too self-centered or engrossed in ourselves and not attentive to those around us, we won't notice when something is bothering them, and as a result, we won't be there to help them when they need us.

"Let's be friends with our co-workers, with everyone around us, even if they are separated from God. We should be even better friends with such people because they need us more. The ones who need us most are the lukewarm Catholics who are not living up to the faith they profess. Let's reach out to them with all our charity and understanding, offering them genuine and sincere friendship that is both natural and supernatural."

No matter the challenges, we should never stop striving to help souls. With great love and careful consideration for people's freedom, we should never let human respect or cowardice prevent us from doing everything we can to obtain God's grace for their conversion.

Fraternal correction contributes strongly to the sanctification of others. But we should be extremely tactful, realizing that we are not above falling into the same fault ourselves if God were to allow us to do so: "Not seeking, says St Augustine, something to reprimand, but what has to be corrected." And likewise, whenever we are corrected, it is a consequence of fraternal affection.

This could be a good time to renew our hearts and to ask God to increase our fraternal affection, and our readiness to show that affection. Our Mother Mary was faithful all her life long, and so we call her Virgin most faithful. Let us make the resolution now to say the Memorare prayer, devoutly many times a day for the person who needs it most.

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Sep 2 Mon - Is God my Father?

 Sep 2 Mon
Is God my Father?
The Hebrew word nefesh (נפש, pronounced "neh-fésh") is generally translated as "soul". To fully grasp the weight of the Hebrew word nefésh, we need to return to the beginnings. God called the world into being with the power of His Word. But man came alive because God breathed into him and –made him in the likeness of God.

Man is the recipient of God’s Covenant. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (nefésh).” Nefésh highlights the weight and worth of the Covenant.

In Psalm 19, David wrote: "How clearly the sky reveals God’s glory… no speech or words are used, no sound is heard; Yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth."

Have you ever considered that, just like the sky reveals God’s glory, your life is supposed to reveal it too? You, your soul, –your nefésh– should reflect the One who created you. Are you revealing God –His glory– to the people around you, with your words, with your example, and with your actions?

Baptism is a rebirth into a new life. We become "children of God" and, as such, must live as children of our Father. Our life must acquire a unity of life which has as its core the presence of God Our Father; this can and must be a daily reality. Living in the presence of God thus becomes the innermost joy of the Christian.

This biblical concept is clear: for a faithful Israelite, living in the presence of God in the Promised Land was the source of joy. Similarly, we must come to understand, through faith and spiritual struggle, that God is always by our side, acting as a loving Father. He loves each one of us even more than all the mothers in the world love their children. He helps us, inspires us, blesses us, and forgives us.

Therefore, our Christian life should be characterized by living in the presence of the Father, with joy, optimism, strength, serene hope, and love. The fatherhood of God demands that our dealings with Him should never be one of servile obedience or formal reverence, but rather one of sincerity and trust, like a child with his loving father.

As in the parable of the prodigal son, God is never scandalized by us. He never tires of our infidelities. Our Heavenly Father forgives every offense when we return to Him, repent, and ask for forgiveness. He is a Father who anticipates our desire to be forgiven, and opens His arms to us with His grace.

Indeed, no one could turn to the Father if it were not for Him, the God of the Covenant, taking the initiative to come out and meet us, calling us with His grace. A Christian conversion is never a solitary act; God always comes out to meet us. It is not a humiliating experience for us; rather, it has the joyful flavor of returning to our Father's house.

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Sep 1 Sun - Do I want what God wants?

 

Sep 1 Sun
Do I want what God wants? Can only a few be holy?
God looks after us throughout the day, hour by hour, helping us grow in holiness. He is always there, like a loving Father, ready to comfort and support us. Every day, we need to renew our desire to be holy. We become saints precisely through our work and daily duties. We should always be prepared to live our simple life as God intends, so that we can lovingly elevate the ordinary events of our day to a supernatural level and make them apostolically fruitful.

Saint Chantal was married and had six children. After her husband passed away, she performed many good works for the poor and the sick. She then founded the Order of the Visitation and led it wisely.

One day, she asked, "My dear daughters, most of the saints were not martyrs. Why do you think that is?"

After each nun shared her thoughts, she continued, "I believe it is because there is a martyrdom of love: God keeps His children alive to carry out their ordinary lives, full of love, for His glory, and this makes them martyrs and saints. I know this is the kind of martyrdom my daughters must endure."

One sister wanted to understand how this martyrdom would manifest in practice.
– "Give God your unconditional love and consent," she replied, "and then you will find out. He will be present in your soul, and, like a sharp sword, He will separate you from your self-centered pursuits."

Another sister asked how long this martyrdom would likely last.
– "From the moment we wholeheartedly surrender ourselves to God until the moment we die," she answered. "But this applies to generous hearts who remain faithful to love and do not retract their offering. Our Lord does not bother to make martyrs out of weak hearts and those with little love and constancy. He simply lets them continue in their own irrelevant ways. He waits, in case they give up and return to Him; He never forces our free will."

She was asked if this martyrdom of love is as painful as physical martyrdom.
– "We should not compare, but the martyrdom of love is no less painful than the physical kind because love is as strong as death, and martyrs of love suffer infinitely more by remaining alive and fulfilling God's will than if they were to give up their lives for their faith and endure suffering for a few moments."

For a child of God who views things from a supernatural perspective, the ordinary setbacks of the day provide an opportunity to draw closer to God, increase our spirit of sacrifice, and to improve in specific areas of our lives. This is how we can clearly demonstrate that our self-surrender is genuine and based on love. "How many people, who would willingly be nailed to a cross before the amazed gaze of thousands of spectators, cannot bear the daily annoyances with a Christian spirit! Think about which is more heroic." St. Josemaría

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Aug 31 Sat - Can I say that God’s Wisdom rules the universe and keeps it in order?

 

Aug 31 Sat
Can I say that God’s Wisdom rules the universe and keeps it in order?
The world, like the masterpiece of an artist, is marked by the signature of its Creator. We receive the gifts of God and can take them for granted: our lives, our family, the world, our intelligence, friends... everything! But some people do not bother to find out where all these come from and why they have been granted to them.

In Jules Verneʹs novel “The Mysterious Island” he describes a group of men shipwrecked on an unknown island in the Pacific. They believed themselves to be alone but at critical moments they received help: a toolbox; a rope hanging from a rock; enemies exterminated... However, they didn’t know where it came from, or who was helping them.

One night, finding themselves lost at sea after an exploration to a nearby island, they saw a bonfire from afar that served as a beacon to guide them back. This fire saved their lives. The seafarers believed that the fire had been lit by their leader, who had remained on land. But later they discover that it wasn’t him.

The main character of the novel tries to find the mysterious helper, but some others don’t care who provides that help; they just benefit from it without asking questions.

As in Verneʹs novel, some people see the world, but don’t bother to ask “Who made it?” After all, ʹnothing comes from nothingʹ. If we find a football in the jungle, we wonder how it ended up there; we need an explanation because we know that footballs don’t grow on trees. A human soul –capable of loving and thinking– is to the material universe what a football is to a jungle. It does not come spontaneously into it.

Towards the end of the adventure, the main character says: ʺWhat I do know is that a beneficent hand has constantly protected us since our arrival on the island, that we all owe our lives to this good, generous, and powerful being.ʺ He did not stop searching and eventually he found his benefactor.

In the face of the unexpected and unforeseen, we may initially be disconcerted. However, we should quickly try to recognize our Lord, who once again tells us: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear." Peace and calm should be constant features of our lives. “Have no anxiety about anything. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Trusting in Providence brings cheerfulness as well as peace. Thus, the source of our optimism and cheerfulness should be the awareness that we are children of God.

Mary, Mother of the Creator, help men to encourage everyone never to stop looking for the reason behind everything, searching for the Truth. What we are looking for is happiness; not a momentary happiness, but one that is deep and forever, and both human and supernatural.

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Aug 30 Fri - Why is the Lord silent?

 

Aug 30 Fri
Why is the Lord silent?
The summer of our Lord's second year of public life draws near. The latest miracles at the lakeside, the spectacular multiplication of the loaves and fishes, the great promise of the Eucharist, have all failed to move the hard hearts of the Jewish leaders. And Jesus, exhausted, goes off with the Apostles to Gentile territory to find a quiet place to rest.

The inhabitants of that quiet countryside overlooking the sea regard our Lord as just another stranger. Nevertheless, some have heard stories about the great prophet from Galilee traveling all over Palestine, curing many diseases and afflictions. The word spreads from house to house and along the shore. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon."

The action of the Canaanite woman is a wonderful lesson in daring petition. Spurred on by her daughter's pitiful plight, she leaves no stone unturned: she runs, she seeks, she enquires, until eventually she finds the Master and tells him the reason for her anguish. It is her love that causes her to cry out as she does.

There is an air of expectation among Christ's followers. Jesus is the only hope the woman has of seeing her daughter cured, and the anguish in her voice reveals the pain in her soul. But he did not answer her a word.

Christ is silent. It is not hardness of heart. Our Lord often tests our faith like this, because he wishes to strengthen us in the conviction that without Him, we can do nothing. Christ's lack of responsiveness here reveals his infinite love, which seeks to make the motive of our perseverance more supernatural. At times, Jesus keeps silent; he allows us to feel like strangers and exiles. “We may even imagine that our Lord does not hear us; that we are being deluded, that all we hear is the monologue of our own voice. We find ourselves, as it were, without support on earth and abandoned by heaven." It may seem to us that the Gospel scene is being repeated in our lives.

The Canaanite woman doesn't get discouraged. She begs him again and again. At times, when we want something really important, our Lord wants us to pray for it for many years: a prayer composed of supplication and work, of striving to fulfill his commandments and abandonment to his merciful designs; a prayer of our entire existence, which makes us more humble and draws us closer to Christ, because we discover that he is our only recourse.

Even so, we must pray even though it may seem that God is not listening to our plea.
“Everything has its time. Our Lord knows perfectly well what our needs are, yet he wants us to ask with the same persistence as the people in the Gospel."
“Ask the same way they did: they asked him for everything.”

Aug 29 Thu - What can I give to the Lord?

 

Aug 29 Thu
What can I give to the Lord?
The Gospel tells us about the miracle of the loaves and fishes (cf. Jn 6:1-15). A miracle, that is a “sign”, a “sign”, whose protagonists perform three gestures that Jesus will come to repeat at the Last Supper. What are these gestures? Offering, giving thanks, and sharing.

The first: TO OFFER. The Gospel tells us about a boy who has five loaves and two fish (Jn 6:9). It is the gesture with which we acknowledge we have something good to give, and we say our “yes”, even if what we have is too little compared to what is needed. This is emphasized, during the Mass, when the priest offers the bread and wine on the altar, and each person offers himself, his own life.

It is a gesture that may seem small, when we think of the immense needs of humanity, just like the five loaves and two fish in front of a crowd of thousands; but God makes it the material for the miracle, the greatest miracle there is – that in which He makes Himself present among us, for the salvation of the world.

 And so, we understand the second gesture: GIVING THANKS (cf. Jn 6:11). The first gesture is offering, and the second is giving thanks. It is saying to the Lord humbly, with also with joy: “All that I have is your gift, Lord, and to thank you I can only give back to you what You gave me first, together with your Son Jesus Christ, adding what I can; every one of us can add a little something.

What can I give to the Lord? What little thing can I give? My feeble love”. To give… to say to the Lord, “I love you”; but we, poor things, our love is so small, but if we give it to the Lord, the Lord receives it.

Offering, giving thanks, and the third gesture is SHARING. Within the Mass, there is the Communion, when together we approach the altar to receive the Body and Blood of Christ: the fruit of everyone’s gift transformed by the Lord into food for all. It is a beautiful moment, that of communion, which teaches us to live every gesture of love as a gift of grace, both for those who give it and those who receive it.

Let us ask ourselves: Do I truly believe that, by the grace of God, I have something unique to give to my brothers and sisters, or do I feel anonymously “one among many”? Am I active in giving good? Am I grateful to the Lord for the gifts with which He continuously manifests His love? Do I live sharing with others as a moment of encounter and mutual enrichment? May the Virgin Mary help us to live every Eucharistic celebration with faith, and to recognize and savor every day the “miracles” of God’s grace.
Pope Francis.
Today is the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist

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Aug 28 Wed - Is faith just a collection of truths to be believed?

 

Aug 28 Wed
Is faith just a collection of truths to be believed?
Faith involves both the ‘fides qua creditur’ (the faith with which one believes) and the ‘fides quae creditur’ (the faith which one believes, the content of the faith). There is a profound unity between the act by which we believe and the content to which we give our assent.

Saint Luke recounts that, Paul went on the Sabbath to proclaim the Gospel to some women; among them was Lydia and “the Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). Thus, knowing the content to be believed is not sufficient unless the heart, the authentic sacred space within the person, is opened by grace that allows the eyes to see below the surface and to understand that what has been proclaimed is the word of God.

Confessing with the lips implies public testimony and commitment. A Christian may never think of belief as a private act. Faith is choosing to stand with the Lord so as to live with him. This “standing with him” points towards an understanding of the reasons for believing. Faith, precisely because it is a free act, also demands social responsibility for what one believes.

The Church on the day of Pentecost, strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit, demonstrates this public dimension of believing and proclaiming one’s faith fearlessly to every person.

Profession of faith is an act both personal and communitarian. It is the Church that primarily believes. In the faith of the Christian community, each individual receives baptism.

“I believe” is the faith of the Church professed personally by each believer. “We believe” is the faith of the Church confessed by the bishops assembled in council or more generally by the liturgical assembly of believers. And the Church, our mother, teaches us to say both “I believe” and “we believe.”

Evidently, knowledge of the content of faith is essential for giving one’s own assent, that is to say for adhering fully with intellect and will to what the Church proposes. Knowledge of faith opens a door into the fullness of the saving mystery revealed by God. The giving of assent implies that, when we believe, we freely accept the whole mystery of faith, because the guarantor of its truth is God who reveals himself and allows us to know his mystery of love.

Yet many are still sincerely searching for the ultimate meaning and definitive truth of their lives and of the world. This search is an authentic “preamble” to the faith, because it guides people onto the path that leads to the mystery of God. Human reason, in fact, bears within itself a demand for “what is perennially valid and lasting.” This demand constitutes a permanent summons, indelibly written into the human heart, to set out to find the One whom we would not be seeking had he not already set out to meet us. To this encounter, faith invites us and it opens us in fullness.
Excerpts from Benedict XVI, Porta Fidei.
Pic: St Paul baptizes Lydia, the purple cloth dealer.

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Aug 27 Tue - Four physical abilities that are also very useful for the soul.

 

Aug 27 Tue
Four physical abilities that are also very useful for the soul.
Taking care of the body helps to take care of the soul.
Physical virtues bring health to our bodies. Moral virtues strengthen and guide our will to choose what is authentically good and beautiful and by aiding our relationship with God.

The abilities exercised in sport can be equally applied to the spiritual life.
Training the four elementary skills (strength, speed, endurance and flexibility), not only helps physical well-being, but also spiritual development. Both sides must grow harmoniously.

Some make their training charts without skipping any activities, but are still "too busy" for God. They find an hour every day to exercise, but don't seem to have time to go to Mass on Sundays.

There are four skills help develop the body, and improve the soul.

1. Strength.
God has given us the ability to use our body. Pushing the body further through exercise can increase strength and decrease injury.
The more the muscles are developed, the less chance there is of injury. It is the same with the soul; the more we toughen our character, the easier to avoid falling into temptations. Even if they keep coming, they will not control us.

2. Speed.
Speed training develops the ability to do intense physical activity in a short period of time. It exercises the lungs, heart, and muscle fibers like no other type of training.
The fight against temptation becomes more difficult when one delays to ask for the help of God's grace; so, speed training should not be neglected in order to react, right away, and avoid falling into temptations.

3. Resistance.
By gaining muscular and cardiovascular resistance, patience and willpower are also exercised.
In life there will always be moments of greater difficulty that may weaken faith in God and humanity; we must have patience, resist, and seek solutions.

4. Flexibility.
By training this ability, we will improve muscular functions and prevent injuries.
The human being possesses two facets: one that conforms to objective truth (justice) and another guided by love and compassion (charity). Both facets can coexist in balance thanks to flexibility.

Did you know that sport and a healthy lifestyle provide a great opportunity to grow in virtues?
Body and soul should not compete. Some may eat unhealthy food because "the physical is less important than the spiritual." They shy away from physical exertion saying: "God doesn't care what I look like."

To grow spiritually, we need exercise, proper rest, and a healthy diet.

       - Exercise: which is mortification that purifies both body and soul.

       - Rest: which is "rest in the Lord," prayer. We need rest in order to continue growing.

       - Nourishment: which is the Eucharist; to grow, and keep the "temple of the Spirit" standing. You are what you eat!

By taking care of the body and the soul, we show respect for God who made us in his image and likeness and who loves us so much.

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Aug 26 Mon - Should I have fear of God?

 

Aug 26 Mon
Should I have fear of God?

The word we translated as 'awe' or fear throughout the Bible is the Hebrew word yiráh (יראה, pronounced "yir-áh"), which can also be translated as devotion, respect, reverence and worship.

But yiráh also means ‘fear of the Lord’. Moses was filled with fear (yiráh) when he begged God to be able to see His glory, and could not behold it, lest he should die.

The Israelites were filled with fear (yiráh) when Moses came down Mount Sinai. I grew up thinking that to "fear the Lord" meant to be scared of Him. But as I was in real awe of a stunning sunset, I didn’t feel fear. I felt awe and wanted to worship the Creator. I felt yiráh! Proverbs 9:10 says: “The fear –yiráh– of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom… If you know God, the Holy One, you will understand what is right.”

The best way to regain our sense of awe is to follow God’s instructions (1 John 5:3). Jesus expressed its components, as two simple things: Love God, and love others. Do this… and we can regain our awe in God.

“The fear of God is holy.' This fear is the veneration a son has for his Father; never a servile fear, because your Father-God is not a tyrant."

“I don't like to speak of fear, for the Christian is moved by the charity of God, which has been shown to us in Christ and teaches us to love all men and the whole of creation. However, we should speak about being responsible, about being serious. "’Make no mistake about it; you cannot cheat God,’ the Apostle Paul warns us."

Thus, be consistent. Do you realize that the ‘fear of the Lord’ is expressed with our actions, by being ‘afraid’ of offending God? … by avoiding anything which may displease God? When was the last time you felt so moved by a sense of awe that all you could do was to thank God, to worship Him?

“It hurts me to see the danger of lukewarmness in which you place yourself when you do not strive seriously for perfection in your state in life.”
Say with me: “I don't want to be lukewarm! My God, pierce thou my flesh with thy fear: grant me a filial fear that will make me react!"

Lord, – say it with a contrite heart – may I never offend you again ... And do not think you are disqualified because sometimes you feel also fear; that fear comes because you know God wants you to be a saint, and you do not strive to be a saint.

The fear of God leads us to make good use of His grace. "’We beg you not to offer God's grace an unsuccessful welcome’. Yes, God's grace can fill us, provided we do not close the doors of our heart. We must be well-disposed; we must really want to change; we cannot play with God's grace.” St. Josemaría

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