Saturday, January 18, 2020

“God Wills and Fulfills” by Sam Miller


“God Wills and Fulfills” by Sam Miller


The LORD said to me: 3You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.  Now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
 
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.  Sacrifice and offering you do not want; you opened my ears. Holocaust and sin-offering you do not request, so I said, “See, I come with an inscribed scroll written upon me. I delight to do your will, my God; your law is in my inner being!”  Psalm 40:2, 7-9

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:1-3

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.  He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’  I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”  John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him.  I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’  Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” John 1:29-34

Piety  
“Open my eyes, Lord; help me to see Your face.
Open my ears, Lord; help me to hear Your voice.
Open my heart, Lord; help me to love like You!
Help me to be Your servant, a light to the nations, and remain in me.  Amen

Study
What a HOLY COINCIDENCE!  I wrote a Tripod for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time in 2018!  The readings are not exactly the same, different Liturgical years (ya know), but I scanned that Tripod and noted the Responsorial Psalm verses I picked out are the same!  The slight word differences I found between the USCCB Daily Readings and the USCCB Bible really spoke to me.

The words, “I come with an inscribed scroll written upon me” to me, resonated with the word “remain” in the Gospel.  The verb inscribed is synonymous with engraved, carved, etched, cut and that indicates a pretty serious state of permanence to me.  In our Gospel reading for today, the word “remain” appears twice.  According to a footnote, “remain” in this context emphasizes the permanence of the relationship between Father and Son and between the Son and the Christian. Jesus is the permanent bearer of the Spirit!

Oh, my goodness, how much more permanent can one get than carving? “Your law is in my inner being.” JESUS is IN ME. Not just tucked under my arm, IN ME.  His law is IN ME; I am joined to Him by acknowledging that he is my Lord. He is staying IN ME.  Another, different arrangement of those two words, Jesus is MINE!!!  (Now, THAT was inspired!!)

Action
To aspire daily, to show proof that Jesus is IN ME, MINE!!

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