Easter: More than a Day

Friends of Faith:

Happy Easter! Can I say that today, for it’s been more than a week since we celebrated Easter by dressing up and going to church with our families?

Have you ever thought that Easter isn’t just one Sunday of joy or that Christmas isn’t just about giving or sharing gifts for one day?

I’ve asked and been asked this before: “If you believe what you say you believe, then do you act as if you believe what you say you believe?”

“Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him,“We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Jn 20: 24-25

Most of us forget easily. We constantly ask for “proof.” We stop doing what we know needs to be done because we don’t see the results, the results don’t last, or because the results aren’t fast enough.

We don’t act like it’s Easter or Christmas every single day. Even things that are “easy” like getting dressed up to go to church with the entire family, or enjoying a family meal together are done only once in a great while. And even though we know the commandments we fail to speak kindly to and about our spouse, or to take the time to spend with them or do something for them, yet that was what we promised and believed on the day we said “I do.”

And like Thomas who walked with Christ through his 3 years of ministry, we still “ask” for proof to see what we already know, and to “feel”what we quit actively participating in.

Think about the forgiveness and allowances (peace) we see members of a family make on a holiday, at a funeral, or at a special family gathering. Or the difference in the way we act with our spouse in public vs how we treat them at home.

Heavenly Father, you are always present, always forgiving, always loving. I ask that the Holy Spirit will bless me with the gifts of patience, tolerance, perseverance and fortitude so that I may think less of myself, treat others with more dignity and forgive others their faults more readily. Thank you for giving me the chance to see You in another Easter Day. Amen.

Being Christian is more than celebrating a couple of special days in a year. It is about acting Christ like; it is about being able to say: I forgive, I’ll share and I’ll proclaim EVERY day of the year.

Because isn’t every day called to be a special day. Isn’t Christ always sharing by being present (Christmas)? And didn’t Christ restore us by dying for us so that our sins would be forgiven (Good Friday)? And didn’t He rise and proclaim the Good News (Easter)?

Believe for yourself that today is Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. And then act so that those around you may come to believe also.

Make today and everyday a day to give, forgive and proclaim His blessings,

In faith,

Charlotte

Be Not Afraid and Have Peace

Friends of Faith:

The Resurrection message is about the peace we find by placing our trust in the Lord.

Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! … Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.” Mt 28: 1-10

The published “count” for the number of times “do not be afraid” appears in the bible differs – up to an often quoted 365 times (once for each day of the year).

 

But the actual count really doesn’t make as much difference as the message itself and WHY God is so adamant that instead of having fear we should place our trust in him. And the promise that God gives us if, and when, we place our trust in him – the promise of eternal life. A life filled with something more than just worldly happiness, a life of eternal peace!

 

Calming the disciples fears the risen Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” Jn 19:20

 

Yet what feeling is described as the peace Jesus speaks of? Isn’t the often asked for cliché of “world peace” more than just the absence of war, of conflict and of fighting? Isn’t that peace more aptly represented by our own internal desires not to fear, for our hearts to have peace within us, a peace represented by the absence of worry, stress and anxiety?

 

I think the peace I feel in my heart is achieved directly in proportion to how much trust I place in God. The more I trust what God wants me to do, the easier I can accept the things I have to do; and the more I accept and trust the direction that God leads my life, the less I am afraid that my decisions will not bear His fruit in the outcomes.

 

Because trying to find peace by myself, trying to control how those around me act or react to situations, trying to control the forces of nature, even trying to control how my computer will react to my commands – is really beyond my control.

 

And if I think I have control, I will quickly find out otherwise –by a virus of some sort: the virus of illness, the virus of computer technology, even the virus of a friend or clients frustrations.

 

While at certain times I might think otherwise, the bigger influence, the biggest influence, the only one that has complete and total control, of my life and this world, is God. Therefore, He deserves my entire and unconditional trust. He is the only one who can give me peace of mind and peace of Spirit – a peace that allows me to accept what is beyond my personal choice, that which I cannot control.

 

The hope I entrust to God is that the daily choices I make will lead not to difficulty, turmoil or struggles for myself or others, but to an acceptance of whatever sacrifices I have to make to deal with those struggles and forces of nature; a hope for contentment, a removal of stress and a freeing of my mind because the burden of unmet expectations are placed in God’s trust. I hope and trust that God will give me peace on earth as well as eternal peace!

 

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. “Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you.” Ps 33: 20, 22 Amen.

 

May your faith and hope bring you peace in trusting God,

Blessings in Christ,

Charlotte

Roll Away the Stone

Friends of Faith:

HE has RISEN! The stone has been rolled away!

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Lk 24: 2

Have we allowed Jesus to roll away the stone from our tomb?

What is the stone that keeps God from entering our tomb?

Is our stone an addiction to work, food, alcoholism, drugs, arguments (with our spouse, etc..), pornography, lying, stealing,  manipulation…..? Are we too proud to let God enter our lives?

What fear keeps us in our tomb and hidden behind the “self” God created us to be?

I believe in the miracle of the Resurrection. I believe if I ask for Jesus’ help he can roll away any stone in my life, allowing me to exit sin and rise to a new life. I believe that His death on the cross and His forgiveness are the miracle designed to set me free me from the bondage of the sins that hold me back from the peace and joy he created for us in the Garden of Eden.

Am I humble enough to let go of my pride and ask for His help and His forgiveness? Will I accept the sufferings in my life as an imitation of His suffering for us on the cross? Will I help to roll away the stones in other people’s lives by forgiving them as He forgave me?

Sometimes being an ordinary sinner is easier than dying to our selfish desires and being transformed into the extraordinary person God has called me to be, His daughter(son), filled with God’s grace. It is much easier to stay behind the stone than it is to roll it away.

“Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” Col 3: 1-4

Are we afraid that that by spending time with those who know us best our true self will come out?

Jesus: You paid a debt You didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay. Roll away the stone that keeps me in the tomb of my own sin. Raise me to living the life You desire for each of your children. Teach me the way to follow the example of Your cross and to die to myself by willingly and patiently serving others as You served me. Give me the courage to avoid temptation and forgive me for my sins. Help me to forgive those who hurt me so that they too can be forgiven (Forgive us our trespasses AS I forgive those who trespass against me). Amen.                   

Do I truly believe that He changed our world for us when he allowed himself to do God’s will and when he stepped out from behind the stone?

Will I step out of my comfort zones and do what God desires me to do? Will I answer His call? Will I live as if I believe?  Do I believe that Christ can roll away ANY stone in my life?

Roll away the stones of fear, unbelief and unforgiveness,

Blessings,

Charlotte

Too Important to Forget

Women of Faith:

It is too important to forget special birthday’s or anniversaries; the birth of our children; our First Communion or Confirmation; our wedding day; a best friend; a special celebration in our community; or where we were when a new pope was announced.

For most of us these are important days because they change us in some way leaving marks in our memories and in our very beings. They are too important to forget.

I remember anticipating the Jesus that filled my soul at First Communion and the Holy Spirit that entered my life at confirmation. I remember eagerly studying to learn all I could about who Jesus and the Holy Spirit were and would be in my life. Do I now anticipate their presence each Sunday by just as eagerly attending mass each week. Or do I deny that I need their presence, and forget that receiving Spiritual food every Sunday is just as important as the meals I eat every day?

We will never forget our wedding day, all of the planning and the pomp and circumstance, but how often do we as spouses forget the vows we took that special day? Do I accept the sufferings and challenges in my marriage the way Christ accepted dying for us. Do I work through the problems, or just give up and say it is too difficult to accept and more importantly forgive, the faults of the spouse I professed to love, for better, for worse, AND ALL OF the days of my life? What did and do those vows really mean? Do I encourage others to remain faithful to their wedding vows  or do I give them the courage to escape their commitment because it’s become a societal norm?

I remember my children’s birthdays and I will never forget the feeling of holding them tightly and safely as newborns within my arms. Yet some deny even trying to conceive a child because they prefer sex as a  choice with no responsibility and for temporary pleasure. Others deny their “first responsibility” to be teachers of their children about God, expecting others to teach them in school and at religious education class. And as they grow older are we afraid to discipline them? Do we forget that as parents our responsibility doesn’t end when they become a certain age, but that we must continue to pray for them, encourage them, and forgive them, welcoming them back to Christ?

As he rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;  and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives,  the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen. They proclaimed: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.”  Lk 19: 36-38

Yesterday at Palm Sunday we celebrated Christ’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem with waving palms, tambourines and trumpets, and yet, the same Jesus Christ who we celebrated will be tortured and hung upon a cross in just a few short days, because His miracles of healing were forgotten and His true love for us was denied.

And Peter, one of his followers, one of his best friends, will deny even knowing Christ three times before the same week is done.

“This man too was with him.” But he denied it saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” A short while later someone else saw him and said, “You too are one of them”; but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.”
About an hour later, still another insisted, “Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.” Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” He went out and began to weep bitterly.” Lk 22: 56-62

Would we forget our best friend the way Peter forgot Christ? Do we stand up for the truth of the teachings of the Church? Or do we try to hide the fact that we are Christians? And will we fail to ask for forgiveness when we realize what we have done to hurt our relationship with Christ, with another?

Or will we be like Peter and Christ, willing to ask and give forgiveness for our sin of denial. Peter asked for forgiveness and Christ gave him the keys to the kingdom, making Peter his first successor, the first Pope of His Church.

Gracious Father, grant mercy on us Your children who are so quick to deny Your son, Jesus, in our lives. Increase the faith of all who place their HOPE in You. Help me to forgive those who have denied Your presence in their lives by denying your commandments and who by those sins have in turn hurt me. Help me never to forget that Your sacrifice for me forgives “my trespasses as I forgive those who trespass against me.” Amen.

This Holy Week, may each of us remember to forgive others remembering that Christ died for us so that we may be forgiven.

May your faith in Christ never be denied, it is too important to forget,

In Faith,
Charlotte

Love is Greater than Fear

Friends in Faith:

And they waited. And we waited. And we are rewarded. We are rewarded by a love that conquers our fears, a love that achieves our hopes, a love given to us by His grace because we believe.

And all because one man, Jesus, had a love for us greater than the fear of suffering; a love greater than the fear of torture and humiliation; a love greater than the fear of death.

Our patience was/is much less than the patience of Christ’s followers. We know what we are waiting for, Christ’s followers did not, and yet we struggle to wait thru the 40 days of Lent.

Christ’s followers had waited since the days of Adam, Abraham, Noah and Moses. We do not have to wait at all, since Christ’s redemption has already been given to us. Our only waiting actually comes in our searching, in our unbelief, or lack of belief, in what Christ’s death and resurrection means to us as Christians.

We have been given a love to conquer our fear the moment we were baptized. And if we accept and live in His grace we may share in His resurrection.

Just as fire and water our newly blessed thru scripture at the Easter vigil so we are renewed thru living and walking with Christ when we reflect His light in our lives and pour out our self in service to each other, just as He did in His own life for us.

“Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” Col 3:1-4
So what is a Love greater than fear?

It is a love that brings someone back to me when I need forgiveness for harsh words, judgmental actions, or unkind deeds.

It is a love that allows me to give my time to care for a sick friend, to stop to say an encouraging word to someone struggling with the loss of a loved one or to stay committed to a spouse who misunderstands or treats me without respect.

It is a love that replaces my fear of loneliness, my fear of suffering, my fear of sickness, my fear of loss, with hope, peace and comfort.

In each of these instances it is the images of the suffering Christ and the risen Christ which gives me the encouragement, the comfort, the hope, and the strength to keep moving forward.

It is the image of Jesus unselfishly hanging on the cross that is my reminder that I am supposed to sacrifice my own needs, my own time, my own wants to serve others. His walk to the cross is my reminder that “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”’ Mat 16:24

And it is the next image of Him, resurrected from the tomb, that turns my fears of not having enough time or money--of earthly things; or my impatient fears of being hurt and bearing more than my “fair” share—into the energy, peace and comfort to unselfishly accept my burdens and continue to move towards His glorious, resurrected, all encompassing, LOVE.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. He is Risen!

Blessings this Easter Season,
Charlotte