Thursday, August 27, 2020

Called By a Faithful God by Beth DeCristofaro

 Called By a Faithful God by Beth DeCristofaro

Memorial of Saint Monica

 

God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)

 

Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.
(Matthew 24:45-46)

 

Piety

May we rejoice always in the company of St Monica and all holy women who have gone before us, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

        (Morning Prayer of the Day)

 

Study

Thomas Merton wrote “The first chirps of the waking day birds mark the “point vierge” of the dawn under a sky as yet without real light, a moment of awe and inexpressible innocence, when the Father in perfect silence opens their eyes. They begin to speak to Him, not with fluent song, but with an awakening question that is their dawn state, their state at the “point vierge”. Their condition asks if it time for them to “be.” He answers “yes.” Then, they one by one wake up, and become birds. They manifest themselves as birds, beginning to sing. Presently they will be fully themselves, and will even fly. the most wonderful moment of the day is that when creation in its innocence asks permission to “be” once again, as it did on the first morning that ever was.”[i]  How happy for the bird to wake fully immersed in the Creator’s presence – a presence necessary for them to “be” and glorify Creation with their question and their song.

 

God wants nothing less for us.  God wants us to “be” immersed and blessed in the Divine. However, we know we are far from innocent.  St Monica is recognized for persistence and patience as she prayed for the conversion of her wild-child son, St. Augustine.  Without doubt, God’s Breath, the Holy Spirit, provided her and countless others the certainty of God’s ultimate victory over evil, acedia, suffering, despair, and worship of false idols.  The Holy Spirit opens us to the “point vierge” and the welcoming of a “new dawn” in Christ.  Come Holy Spirit and fill our hearts with the innocent wakening to fellowship with Jesus.  Come Holy Spirit, incite us to say “yes,” to be servants always ready for the master.


Action

What fills our hearts today?  God loves us right where we are, offer this moment to God.  Ask the Holy Spirit for a new dawn of immersion in God and reach out as Christ’s eyes, hands, feet to someone.

 

 



[i] A Book of Hours By Thomas Merton edited by Kathleen Deignan, Sorin Books, 2007

 

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