Daily Readings
Reflection by Tim Brown, a parishioner
The divine inspiration that we receive from Christ through
the Sacraments, prayer, and the support of family and friends recently
propelled me through a particularly challenging issue at work. Reflecting back now, I can see how God gave
me what I needed, when I needed it.
The inspiration came during the Sunday Mass when a line from
the Gospel of Luke jumped out and bit me.
It was so completely obvious the verse was meant for me that I laughed
out loud when I first read it. There was
no interpretation needed here. Christ
was telling me the deal as clearly as He possibly could; now I had to accept it
and apply it. As the work conflict
unfolded, that verse continued to pop into my head, challenging and lifting me
up at the same time.
Christ spoke to me again at the end of Mass while I was
serving as a Eucharistic Minister. I have
no explanation for how or why this happened, but when offering the Body of
Christ, I got struck to the core by a stranger’s returning glance. The brief exchange took my breath away, and
the feeling of joy and humility that overtook me when I got back to the pew has
been a source of strength for me this week.
Christ spoke to me in a song on my way home after a
particular trying day. I really wanted to get beyond the emotions of the day
but was struggling. I turned on the
radio and the song that began playing was “My Savior Loves, My Savior Lives,” by
The Casting Crowns. The first line
immediately caught my attention, and as I continued to listen, my thoughts
turned to my relationship with Christ.
This song starts out with the line, “I am not skilled to understand what
God has willed, what God has planned. I
take Him at His word and deed. Christ
died to save me, this I read. And in my heart I find a need of Him to be my savior.”
A few verses later, a pounding course kicks in with “My Savior loves, My Savior
lives, My Savior’s always there for me.” What a song – what a God! Before arriving home, I spent some time with
Christ in Adoration, and we had a wonderful talk.
The next day at work I received a Christmas card from a
colleague that included a very kind and affirming note. This was exactly what I needed to hear, when
I needed to hear it. Christ spoke to me
through a friend. On the drive home that
night, lost in my thoughts, the song “Remind Me Who I Am” by Jason Gray came
on. I love this song, and hearing it
flooded me with positive emotions and an overwhelming feeling of love. The card and this song was the final one-two
punch I needed to knock me back to the realization of how fortunate I truly am. As the song continued to play, I felt complete
relief from the burdens I was holding onto. When I pulled in the driveway, I
was at peace.
I am so blessed to have Christ as my friend. My commitment to regularly seek Him out
through the Sacraments, prayer, and other people has provided countless
benefits. Filled with the Holy Spirit,
may we all leap for joy with the knowledge of the coming of our Lord!
Merry Christmas.
+In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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