Tuesday, November 20, 2012

An Awesome Gift



An Awesome Gift  

November 20, 2012
Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

By Beth DeCristofaro

"'Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.  I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.
 (Revelations 3:  14-21)

Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over."  And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."  (Luke 19:8-10)

Piety

 I praise you Lord for creating me in your divine image. Thank you for giving me a free will to know you and love you. Open my heart to your teachings and help me to form my conscience according to your will.
Please strengthen me with the virtues of faith, hope, love, and especially prudence. Grant me your loving guidance each day and send me the graces to always do your will, even when most difficult.   Amen.

Study

The website www.SacredSpace.ie is one I often go to when I need a time out to in silence of thought, prayer and inspiration.  It offers this meditation at times:
"’I am free.’
When I look at these words in writing
They seem to create in me a feeling of awe.
Yes, a wonderful feeling of freedom.
Thank You, God.”

In this week of Thanksgiving, I give thanks for the freedom of will and conscience that God has given me.  It makes me ponder if I consistently employ that freedom to God’s glory and to answer God’s knock at my door.  Do I respond to God with a true spirit of repentance such as Zacchaeus showed?   Or do I let fear or complacency define my boundaries of freedom?

Action

As you give thanks this holiday season, take the time not only to list the many blessings in your life but to examine how you use those gifts to bring glory to God and to bring God to others.

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