Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Monday, Week 4 '23

May 1 ~ Feast of:

 Sts. Philip and James

Jesus, Fisher of Souls,
       You called these everyday-men to give up their ordinary lives to follow You, and they did.  Without completely understanding all that You were about, they trusted, they believed, and they grew into all that You wanted them to be. Even though there was uncertainty, they sometimes squabbled, asked frustrating questions, and they were occasionally fearful, You reached their hearts, and minds, and bodies. You molded them into Your earthly legacy that comes down to us today.  
      Thank You, Lord, for the example of these men. They remind me that, as an ordinary everyday person who doesn't always understand everything, with You as the Cornerstone of my Faith, I am also part of the continual building on the foundation they began, living in and through all that You taught. In this Easter season, help me to know You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow You more nearly, each and every day.  amen. 

      Saints Philip and James are on the Anglican/Episcopal Church calendar today, two of the original 12 Apostles called directly by Jesus to follow Him (see Mark 3:13-19). What little we know of Philip is that he lived in Bethsaida, in Galilee, the same town as Peter and Andrew. After meeting Jesus, Philip told Nathaniel that Jesus is "the one about whom Moses and the Prophets wrote" (see John 1:43-51). 

    We don't know much about James except that he is the son of Alphaeus and he is called James the Lesser ~ and he is not the son of Cleopas, nor is he James the son of Zebedee who is known as James the Greater, nor is he considered to be the author of the Letter of James in the New Testament. 

    We do know that they were pretty ordinary guys called to follow an extraordinary man. It appears from some of the discussions all the Apostles had with Jesus at one time or another that they weren't always swift on the uptake. Jesus was a bit impatient at times with their lack of "getting it" (see John 14:8-9a) but they ultimately understood and, as Jesus said they would, they received the power to heal, and preach, and teach in His name. They were each an integral part of the foundation that Jesus laid and He, the Cornerstone, called them, and us, to continue the work after His resurrection.

  

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Saturday, Week 3 '23

To show the love that we have for Him, we ought to serve and love every rational creature and extend our charity to good and bad -- as much to one who does us ill service and criticizes us as to one who serves us. For, His charity extends over just men and sinners. 

~ St. Catherine of Siena*

Our Risen Lord Christ, 
       We need Your help, more than ever, to live into Catherine's description of Your Great Commandment. Keep us conscious of the lives we touch and the impact we have whether intended or not. When we love and forgive with You in our hearts, it is the right place, and the right time, to remember the Teachings You give to us all.  amen.

*Catherine [1347-1380] was a Third Order member of the Dominicans, a lay person, not a vowed member of the community but an adherent to its principles and rules. She was also a Scholastic Philosopher and Theologian. Named a Doctor of the Church (one who has shown significant importance in theology and doctrine) by Pope Paul VI in 1970 along with Teresa of Avila, the first two women so named to one of the Roman Church's highest honors. Only 33 at her death, Catherine's profound spiritual writings and tremendous political influence were highly exceptional for her times and she remains greatly respected today.

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Friday, Week 3 '23

 the mythical Phoenix

  rises from the ashes of its previous life

I get knocked down

But I get up again

You're never going to keep me down

~ Chumbawamba

If there is anywhere on earth a lover of God who is always kept safe, 

I know nothing of it, for it was not shown to me. But this was shown: 

that in falling and rising again we are always kept in that same precious love.  

~ Julian of Norwich*

Dear God of Skinned Knees, Bruised Egos, Grieving Hearts, 

Pain-Filled Bodies, and Damaged Souls,

       I've been hit hard here and there ~ more than some, less than others ~ and then life goes on in its way until the next bump, or fall, or smack-down and I pick myself up, dust myself off, and life goes on again. Some days, though, I do have to fight back the quiet fears of what's next while the world turns on its axis, the sun rises and sets, and the seasons change. I know You are here with me, I don't know how I would have gotten this far without You. And as long as I have breath within me, I will try to remember to turn to You in those inevitable times. But, could you give me a nudge now and then? Sometimes I need it to get myself out of the dark. Better yet, send me off to help someone else ~ then I'll get out of my own stuff and let Your light shine. amen.

*Julian of Norwich [1342-ca 1416], was an English Anchoress ~ a hermit who lived in, and was sometimes permanently enclosed in, a small cell attached to a wall of the church ~ whose life consisted of daily devotions, prayer, devotional reading, and writing. She is considered to be one of the most important mystics in all of Christianity. Her manuscript of Revelations of Divine Love - also known as the Short Text - is thought to be the oldest surviving book written in English by a woman. She is probably best known for her words that with God, "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."

 

 

                

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com