TODAY GOD WILL SING BECAUSE OF YOU!
“Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The Lord, your God,
is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His Love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.”
- Zephaniah 3:16b-18a
“Your Love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your
Truth…”
- Psalm 26:3
Do you realize that today the Lord will sing because of you? I love that thought so much – an amazing thought, a consoling thought, a transforming and healing thought! Often after Eucharist, in those precious moments of Holy Communion with Jesus, I ask Him as always to live in my heart forever, and then visualize myself delighting in God’s Love for me like a babe in the arms of his loving father.
Have you lately seen how animated with Joy an infant becomes when you shower your love upon them? I see it now quite regularly with my half year old grandson Mario. As I cradle him in my arms and “sweet talk” to him with my love, little Mario radiates with Joy. His smiles animate his whole face, making it shine as if lit up like a Christmas tree. All the while his feet are kicking and his arms are waving. He is excited by a happiness that permeates his whole being, a happiness that comes simply and solely from the awareness that he is valued, cherished and loved.
So after Eucharist I too let myself rejoice in the awareness of God’s Love. I let the warmth of God’s Love restore and rejuvenate my soul. I let the word of God to Zephaniah proclaim their power to me. I take them to heart. I even hear the Lord say those incredible words to me: “Today I rejoice over you with gladness. Be renewed and transformed in the embrace of my Love. Know that today I will sing joyfully because of you.”
Even as I leave the church after Mass I “feel the Power” of His Love take hold of me. I look up at the beautiful statue of Christ in front of our church and read His word at the base of the statue: “Remain in My Love…” As I walk on I feel like that happy little infant in the arms of a parent, and within my heart I am leaping for Joy in the embrace of God’s Love. I am lifted even to the heights of Joy after Eucharist in the real experience of His Love.
Often the touch of Christ’s Love lingers so long that I am drawn irresistibly to take my ritual ride into the country to one of my favorite sacred places. It is called the Kingsbury Street cemetery, a beautiful, quiet place surrounded by vast open fields. It is place where deer graze openly even during the day, and where wind-blown wheat and corn glitter and shine like gold in the breezes of summer.
The peace and presence of God I feel in that place is palpable, especially near the one gravestone where I always park. I know it is because of the Scripture inscribed on that one stone, words from Psalm 26:3 that always speak powerfully to my soul: “Your Love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”
So I let the touch of God’s Love linger. I hold on to it for as long as I can. I “remain in His Love”; I stay focused on that Love, and keep the vision of that Love always before me. I abide I that love (Jn. 15), and make my home each day in the presence of that love. (Ps. 27) In the arms of His Love I am never shaken or moved. (Ps. 16) Therein lies the secret to the Joy of the Christian, to live in the awareness of a Divine Love that is always with us, a Love which exalts our soul to the heights of Joy and to a real glimpse of heavenly bliss.
To all my friends then – and especially to all my students, former and present – a most important counsel: look to the Love of Jesus on the cross – a Love like only God can love, and live in the awareness of that Love – a Love far beyond all that we can ask of imagine possible, a Love far more than we could ever dare to dream real. It is this Love which we must keep ever before our eyes. It is the reason that this day God will rejoice over you with gladness, that today God will sing at the thought of you…
Peace to you, my friends,
Doug +
P.S. In the next few days please take a look at the “Events Page” on the Tri-Cor website. Three Antioch Retreats are coming up over the next few months for senior high through adult levels. Dates, times, and contact information will be posted shortly on the “Events Page”.
“Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The Lord, your God,
is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His Love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.”
- Zephaniah 3:16b-18a
“Your Love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your
Truth…”
- Psalm 26:3
Do you realize that today the Lord will sing because of you? I love that thought so much – an amazing thought, a consoling thought, a transforming and healing thought! Often after Eucharist, in those precious moments of Holy Communion with Jesus, I ask Him as always to live in my heart forever, and then visualize myself delighting in God’s Love for me like a babe in the arms of his loving father.
Have you lately seen how animated with Joy an infant becomes when you shower your love upon them? I see it now quite regularly with my half year old grandson Mario. As I cradle him in my arms and “sweet talk” to him with my love, little Mario radiates with Joy. His smiles animate his whole face, making it shine as if lit up like a Christmas tree. All the while his feet are kicking and his arms are waving. He is excited by a happiness that permeates his whole being, a happiness that comes simply and solely from the awareness that he is valued, cherished and loved.
So after Eucharist I too let myself rejoice in the awareness of God’s Love. I let the warmth of God’s Love restore and rejuvenate my soul. I let the word of God to Zephaniah proclaim their power to me. I take them to heart. I even hear the Lord say those incredible words to me: “Today I rejoice over you with gladness. Be renewed and transformed in the embrace of my Love. Know that today I will sing joyfully because of you.”
Even as I leave the church after Mass I “feel the Power” of His Love take hold of me. I look up at the beautiful statue of Christ in front of our church and read His word at the base of the statue: “Remain in My Love…” As I walk on I feel like that happy little infant in the arms of a parent, and within my heart I am leaping for Joy in the embrace of God’s Love. I am lifted even to the heights of Joy after Eucharist in the real experience of His Love.
Often the touch of Christ’s Love lingers so long that I am drawn irresistibly to take my ritual ride into the country to one of my favorite sacred places. It is called the Kingsbury Street cemetery, a beautiful, quiet place surrounded by vast open fields. It is place where deer graze openly even during the day, and where wind-blown wheat and corn glitter and shine like gold in the breezes of summer.
The peace and presence of God I feel in that place is palpable, especially near the one gravestone where I always park. I know it is because of the Scripture inscribed on that one stone, words from Psalm 26:3 that always speak powerfully to my soul: “Your Love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”
So I let the touch of God’s Love linger. I hold on to it for as long as I can. I “remain in His Love”; I stay focused on that Love, and keep the vision of that Love always before me. I abide I that love (Jn. 15), and make my home each day in the presence of that love. (Ps. 27) In the arms of His Love I am never shaken or moved. (Ps. 16) Therein lies the secret to the Joy of the Christian, to live in the awareness of a Divine Love that is always with us, a Love which exalts our soul to the heights of Joy and to a real glimpse of heavenly bliss.
To all my friends then – and especially to all my students, former and present – a most important counsel: look to the Love of Jesus on the cross – a Love like only God can love, and live in the awareness of that Love – a Love far beyond all that we can ask of imagine possible, a Love far more than we could ever dare to dream real. It is this Love which we must keep ever before our eyes. It is the reason that this day God will rejoice over you with gladness, that today God will sing at the thought of you…
Peace to you, my friends,
Doug +
P.S. In the next few days please take a look at the “Events Page” on the Tri-Cor website. Three Antioch Retreats are coming up over the next few months for senior high through adult levels. Dates, times, and contact information will be posted shortly on the “Events Page”.
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