From morning prayer of the Divine Office, a reminder to us all that our cornerstone is Christ:
Ephesians 2:19-22
You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.
And there's an article on prayer as our weapon over at SavingOurParish.com. Wow, I needed that! Lord have mercy.
This was an excellent writing. We do need to pray. Pray for the will of God in this parish. Someone shared that at one of the facilities meetings they were told that it was God's will that we close Saint Vincent's. This is presumptuous and appalling. I believe that our Lord would want us to build more Churches and be the disciples that work to fill them. Closing churches sends the worst possible message. It says to the entire community: "The Catholics are disappearing". Who would want to return to, or join, a Church that sends this message? We need to send a different message to this community: "We are fighting for our Church because we are spiritually connected to the building where Jesus Christ resides in the tabernacle". Jesus is physically present on the Northside- let's keep Him there. What a tragedy that He will no longer have a home in the Post.
ReplyDeleteContrast that reading to this:
ReplyDeleteThere will be terrifying times in the last days. People will be self-centered and lovers of money, proud, haughty, abusive… irreligious, callous, implacable, slanderous, licentious, brutal, hating what is good… as they make a pretense of religion but deny its power. (2 Tim 3:1-5)
St. Gemma,
ReplyDeleteWow, how powerful and fitting. Although, with two young boys, I really hate to think we are in the "last days," even metaphorically.
Carol,
As a resident of the northside, I want to keep that presence of Jesus there. Let us pray that God shows us what He wants us to do AND give us the strength to do it.
Thanks Mary, God alone knows the hour we are in. I myself can only say one thing... we are in a solemn hour. Jesus always moves in a loving way, trying to awaken those who are falling asleep. When things get darker seeming, we need to shine brighter. We need to sound a wake up call even if our leadership does not want to hear our voices. God never abandons or forsakes those that love him. The important thing is to keep each other lifted up in faith and hope. God works all things together for good. I write this at a time when God has answered "No" to a lot of my personal prayers. Still I know that saying them is meritorious even when I don't get my way and am disappointed and feel dejected. We know that even when it hurts, we have to keep praying, hoping, and trusting. I agree with you so much when you say, we have to let Jesus lead and try in stay in step with what He wants. God Bless.
ReplyDeleteAmen!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete