215th Meditation
“You know when I sit, when I rise,
You understand my thoughts from afar” (Ps 138:2).
What an immeasurable grace it is to live in the certainty that everything we do happens under the loving gaze of our Heavenly Father! Read More
Showing all posts by Elija
Doing the good permanently
Heb 6:10-20
God would not be so unjust as to forget all you have done, the love that you have for his name or the services you have done, and are still doing, for the holy people of God. Our desire is that every one of you should go on showing the same enthusiasm till the ultimate fulfilment of your hope, never growing careless, but taking as your model those who by their faith and perseverance are heirs of the promises. Read More
THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF TEMPTATIONS
214th Meditation
“Without trials God’s providence is not seen, and you cannot obtain boldness before God, nor learn the wisdom of the Spirit, nor can divine longing be established in you” (Isaac of Syria).
Temptation, suffering and persecution are some of the most difficult lessons in our journey of following the Lord. It is not easy for us to reconcile them with the tender love of our Father, even though we know that it always enfolds us and has been assured to us in so many ways. Who would willingly choose to carry such a cross? Read More
Learning obedience in suffering
Hb 5:1-10
Every high priest is taken from among human beings and is appointed to act on their behalf in relationships with God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can sympathise with those who are ignorant or who have gone astray, because he too is subject to the limitations of weakness. Read More
BELIEVE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND
213th Meditation
“Someone says to me: ‘I seek to understand in order to believe’. I reply: ‘Believe in order to understand’.” (St. Augustine).
Not everything is accessible to our understanding. Particularly faith is revealed to us first of all through the supernatural light of the Holy Spirit, rather than through the efforts of reason. Our intellect needs divine light in order to penetrate more deeply into the mysteries of faith. In this context, we are reminded of the words that Jesus, filled with joy in the Holy Spirit, exclaimed: “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children” (Lk 10:21). Read More
The light of the nations
Is 49: 3.5-6
The Lord said to me, ‘Israel, you are my servant, through whom I shall manifest my glory.’ And now Yahweh has spoken, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him and to re-unite Israel to him;-I shall be honoured in Yahweh’s eyes, and my God has been my strength.- Read More
AT THE HAND OF THE FATHER
212th Meditation
“Go forward calmly into the dark future. Know that in this dark night you walk at the hand of a loving God” (St. Arnold Janssen).
These words give us clear direction. Whatever may be and no matter what happens, the hand of our loving God will not let go of us. In this certainty we must be grounded, without being tempted to focus too much on the darkness of the present time and that which may yet come, for then we would already be absorbed by it. Read More
Love and truth
Mk 2:13-17
Jesus went out again to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking along he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. Read More
“We have never seen anything like this!”
Mk 2:1-12
When he returned to Capernaum, some time later word went round that he was in the house; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as they could not get the man to him through the crowd, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Read More
SERENITY IN GOD
211th Meditation
“He who strives to conform himself to the truth and is not so much concerned about how people treat or esteem him, finds his serenity in God” (Blessed Henry Suso).
These words help us to overcome the human respects we often still have. Indeed, it will not please our Father if, instead of keeping our eyes fixed on Him, we are too preoccupied with what people think or say. How we lose our freedom when our soul is constantly busy with the real or supposed judgement of people! Read More