Shepherds of Christ          Daily Writing

May 27, 2007

May 27, 2007 - Pentecost

1 Peter 1: 3-5, 22-24

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into a heritage that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away. It is reserved in heaven for you who are being kept safe by God’s power through faith until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the final point of time.

Since by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves so that you can experience the genuine love of brothers, love each other intensely from the heart; for your new birth was not from any perishable seed but from imperishable seed, the living and enduring Word of God. For all humanity is grass, and all its beauty like the wild flower's. As grass withers, the flower fades,

1 Peter 3: 8-12

Finally: you should all agree among yourselves and be sympathetic; love the brothers, have compassion and be self-effacing. Never repay one wrong with another, or one abusive word with another; instead, repay with a blessing. That is what you are called to do, so that you inherit a blessing. For

    Who among you delights in life,
    longs for time to enjoy prosperity?
    Guard your tongue from evil,
    your lips from any breath of deceit.
    Turn away from evil and do good,
        seek peace and pursue it.
    For the eyes of the Lord are on the upright,
    his ear turned to their cry.
    But the Lord's face is set
        against those who do evil.

                When eyes were young they could see
                And as the eyes of this body grow old — they see
                    with less perfection.

                But the eyes of the soul can see with greater and
                    greater vision.

                When one is young they must learn of obedience,
                    they learn about the will,
                    they learn more and more about God.

                As the body grows old
                    hopefully the love of God and others is ever
                    advancing to greater heights.

                What would it be if we had our way many
                    times —
                    We were put on this earth by the Creator
                        with a purpose and He keeps us
                        and the world in place —

                We see little and think we know so much
                    and God imparts more and more His wisdom
                    to those who seek Him.

                When I was little I saw the world as so big and
                    I walked like a child discovering my space —

                Today I waken to learn more of the wonderful
                    Creator who put it all in place —
                    I enjoy His creation
                    I love His creation —
                    In what I see, I see the hand of the
                        Father who created these things and
                        keeps them in their place.

                A man went out one day to the woods seeking great
                    tranquility and as he wandered he saw a lake
                    surrounded by beautiful green foliage and the
                    light reflected on the waters and he said
                    "Oh Creator, how beautiful You have done
                    this for me."

                Then he sat there and he prayed and he knew
                    peace, love and joy as he reflected on the beauty
                    and His Creator. The morning air was so sweet, sweeter
                    than he ever remembered, a little breeze and the
                    air had a mixture so right with humidity and
                    comfort, but soon others began to come, making noise
                    and he said, Oh God, can I not just be alone to take
                    it all in, I needed Your comfort, the silence of
                    my heart listening in the gentle breeze and here
                    comes a clamor of noise, a radio blaring, laughing
                    and rude jokes, a cigarette butt thrown by my
                    feet."

                    Now we gaze at the wonders of God and we see the
                beauty of this earth — we know peace in our hearts —
                we love deeply — we can at an early age see more
                the vision of our heavenly Father if we are taught — we
                can always hear clamor from fast food restaurants —
                the quick life around us, the noise even in the morning —
                early morning darkening hours 2AM, 3AM — it seems
                someone is scurrying about making clamor, but no matter
                where I am, I am in peace because of what is inside of
                me. My peace does not lie in the hustle and bustle of
                noisy friends or others, my peace is in my connection
                in my heart with my Creator, with His purpose I know
                in my heart.

                    I sought a quiet lake and instead found the commotion
                of a rowdy throng, I sought tranquility and silence and
                found God called me to be in this world — to spread His
                Light — to shine, as He lives in me, to the people. I
                found God wants me in heaven with Him, but my
                heaven will come in loving God and loving others —
                A garden I wanted to plant — I would dig the soil and
                put in some good earth, I would make it pretty
                and people would gaze and say "ah so beautiful",
                but the day I set aside for my gardening my child
                came and needed a hand and the garden I planted
                was in the love I gave instead.

                    Our days are numbered and God does have a plan for
                my life — I want it — He created me with a purpose —
                Good ideas are not necessarily God's will for me, but
                I must seek this place where I go and am alone with my
                Beloved (God).

                    There He sorts out the fragmented pieces of my life in my
                heart and He helps me to know His will, I have time some time
                each day to be with Him before the Eucharist at church.
                It is His love He gives me. It is there He fills me with His
                grace. I live a deeper life in Him. "What is life?",
                I asked one day when I got up from my bed and I
                began to feel some negative thoughts — my feet
                hit the ground and I literally ran to get to the church —
                I could not get there fast enough.

                    Life is life in Him — Life is being filled more and
                more with His grace — life for a branch is to be
                connected to the vine.

                Song:  We Have Been Told

                And we have a wounded human nature, but God gives us
                    the sacraments — His Church — the fountain of His life —
                    I eat and drink at the table of the Lord —
                    I read His Word —
                    I eat His Flesh
                    I drink His Blood
                    Jesus is the Bread of Life
                    I go to the Master
                    I am nourished by the vine
                    I bear great fruit
                    I am not an isolated grape sitting in the woods
                    I am one with the Divine God

                    He has a purpose for my life

                    Oh heavenly Father —
                    I am Your little daughter —
                    Being taught by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit
                    Feeding on the Body and Blood of Jesus
                    Modeling my life after the New Adam and the New Eve
                    You are my heavenly Father —
                    I want to please You and live always according to Your
                        will
                    My heavenly Mother is by my side

                Nights were long and dark sometimes, but slowly the sun
                    came up across the dark sky and oh the light —
                    blinding light by noon day — the sun was
                    so bright I could hardly see.

                I pray with all my soul, united to my Divine God — to spread
                    the light of love on the thirsty earth — but I can't
                    sit in a corner all day - by myself — God has called me
                    to be alone with Him sometimes, but to carry that
                    deep oneness I have with Him, my life alive in Him
                    in my soul and to spread the Good News —
                    I know the earth as small, created by Him — the people
                    here are my brothers, I pray for them, I love them —
                    God calls us to spread His light to the earth

                I am little, but I rely on His Might

                    I am not afraid
                    I do what God wants
                    People may need to be taught like the little children who
                        need to learn

                    I know a little child needs to learn how to love,
                        how to share, how to do the right thing

                    We need to learn the ways of God
                    We are all different ages on the earth
                    Little children are different ages
                        1, 2, 3, 4, 5,  ...  95

                    We are all learning and we are in different places
                        in learning about God
                    But we were all created to know and love and serve God —
                    We were created by God
                    And the craving inside can only be satisfied by Him

                Song:  God's Love

                Song:  Why Do We Hurt the Ones We Love

                Our strength is in God

                Our life must be rooted in Him