Let me thank you, Lord, for bringing me the strength to re-think my words before I said something foolish.
The works of God are all of them good.
Let me thank you, God, for sending me wisdom to avoid offending someone with my opinion.
The works of God are all of them good.
Let me thank you, Jesus, for encouraging me when I received terrible news the other day.
The works of God are all of them good.
Let me thank you, Holy Spirit, for pulling me up when I was at the end of my resources.
The works of God are all of them good.
Let me thank you, Mary, Mother of God, for your gentle, nurturing presence in my life.
The works of God are all of them good.
Let me thank you, Lord, for world in which I find myself, for the people in my life, and for the many times you have protected and lead me on my journey.
The works of God are all of them good.
Let me thank you for your gifts of salvation and redemption, for your Word of promise that I treasure and share.
Let me put down roots, let me open up my petals, let me praise you, let me bless you . . . let me thank you, Lord.
“Just as physical hunger is an indication of a living, healthy organism, so spiritual hunger is a sign of a robust spirit, one that is active and continually developing. The soul which feels no hunger for God, no need to seek him and to find him, and which does not vibrate or suffer with anxiety in its search, does not bear within itself the signs of the Resurrection. It is a dead soul, or at least one which has been weakened and rendered insensible by lukewarm-ness”.
MAGNIFICAT Meditation, Fr. Gabriel of St Mary Magdalene, O.C.D.
What do we do when we feel that God is not listening? We might turn away, become angry or depressed; we might even curse God in the belief that we have been deceived. Yet these are the acts of petulant children. So what must we do? We must praise God still.
What do we do when we encounter God on our pilgrimage, even when we do not know at the time that it is God who works, plays, prays beside us? We might explain away the miraculous touch of God’s visit. We might take credit for God’s work in our lives by telling others that our good fortune is due to our own sweat and brains. Yet these are the acts of spoiled children. So what must we do? We must acclaim God still.
What do we do when we realize that God has just brushed by us, and we were so enmeshed with living that we did not take proper notice? We might excuse ourselves saying that we have too much work to pause, too many worries to reflect, too many tasks on our list of chores. Yet these would be the acts of self-centered children. So what must we do? We must applaud God still.
How might we behave when we feel as though God ignores us? We consider that we thirst, we consider that we hunger and we translate this sense of loss into a pining for the Living God. We consider that we are experiencing our own Resurrection and so we praise God. We consider that God accepts our burnt offerings of the thousand little and big ways that we suffer daily for Christ and so we acclaim God. We consider that we are experiencing spiritual hunger and for this we thank and applaud the Living God. For it is this yearning, this desire, this hunger which awakens the soul . . . and saves us from any lukewarm-ness.
And so we pray,
Generous and loving God, save us from our petulant selves and bring us close to you.
Patient and gentle God, rescue us from our spoiled selves and keep us ever in your presence.
Powerful and omniscient God, redeem us from our self-centered selves and remind us to give thanks to you.
Eternal and serene God, transform us from our insensible selves so that we might always live and act in you. Amen.
Adapted from a reflection written on March 26, 2008.
Cameron, Peter John. “Meditation of the Day.” MAGNIFICAT. 26.3 (2008). Print.
This beautiful story comes to us today to remind us that we need to make known the many small miracles we receive from God. Each time God inverts a plot, we must share the story. Each time God saves us from our own fears we must tell the good news. Each time God heals a wounded heart we must make God’s goodness known.
We have read this story before but today we find something new.
Verse 6: Raphael called the two men aside privately and said to them: “Thank God! Give him the praise and glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Honor and praise God’s deeds and do not be slack in praising him”.
The healing hand of God manifests itself frequently in our lives through strangers. When Tobit and Tobias wish to give a monetary reward to Tobias’ traveling companion for all the healing he has done in their lives, the Archangel Raphael reveals himself . . . and rather than take payment, asks them to praise God who has answered their cry for help and has rescued them.
Verse 10: But those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies.
We are reminded that when we sin, we are separating ourselves from God and hurting ourselves. The first step toward healing is recognizing that we are human and imperfect . . . and acknowledging that God is all and that God alone is enough.
Verse 14: . . . and now the Lord has sent me to heal you.
We can heal one another and in so doing also heal ourselves . . . and act as co-redeemers of the human race with Christ. For we are adopted daughters and sons of God.
Verses 17 and 18: And Raphael said to them: “No need to fear. You are safe. Thank God now and forever. As for me, when I came to you it was not out of any favor on my part, but because it was God’s will. So continue to thank him every day; praise him with song”.
Fear not . . . these are the same healing words which Jesus speaks.
Verse 22: They kept thanking God and singing his praises; and they continued to acknowledge these marvelous deeds which he had done when the angel of God appeared to them.
Let us proclaim all God’s wonderful works for God has sent angels to minister to us even though we might not see them. Let us tell everyone we know the stories of our own healing for these are miracles performed for us by a loving God. And let us remember to thank God for all that God does to heal us of all that limits us.
For more about Raphael, Tobit or Tobias, enter their names in the blog search bar and reflect on the gift of this story.
Adapted from a reflection written on January 2, 2008.
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri: Saul Attacking DavidAs human beings, we have a desire to record the emotions of great events so that the effect they hold on us will not be lost. We retain love letters, programs from special ceremonies, photographs and recordings . . . all in an attempt to recreate an emotion or a feeling we once had. Rather than press flowers or save baby teeth and ringlets of hair, what might we find within ourselves if we were to create hymns of praise for the ways God has been present in our lives in a palpable way? More importantly, how might we magnify God – each in our own small way – if we began to speak to one another of the wondrous transformations we experience rather than the daily toil and drudgery of our lives?
The story of David is such a good one because David is so human. He has both smallness and greatness. He succumbs to his human frailty and he glorifies God with abandon when goodness comes to him. David is not ashamed or embarrassed to acknowledge God. Davis knows how to wait on the Lord.
Today’s reading follows other less happy events in David’s life: his hiding in fear from the anger of King Saul against whom he had done nothing to merit persecution, the sad and unnecessary death of Saul and his son Jonathan (David’s boon companion), his taking of Bathsheba and the arranged murder of her husband Uriah in battle, the death of their son Absalom after a bitter civil war. Yet despite the unhappiness he has experienced, David rises from the ashes of sorrow and pain to praise God who is his strength and his rock.
Today’s song is also found in the Psalter as Psalm 18; and it is fitting that these verses appear twice in scripture as they so beautifully express the emotion we all long to feel. For it is with these verses that we magnify God . . . it is with these verses that we form a scrap book of memories and emotions that will never fade. These verses bring us what we seek; they answer the ancient yearning to acknowledge and to be acknowledged. They are all we truly need.
My rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my savior, my stronghold, my refuge . . . from violence you keep me safe.
David suffered years of persecution by Saul, years of struggle as the young king of a small desert nation; yet he places all of this anguish where it belongs, at the feet of God.
In my distress I called on the Lord and cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry reached his ears.
In this Lenten season we also must raise our voices in appeal to our God who hears all petitions. Let us not be shy about seeking peace from the Lord; but rather let us intercede for ourselves and for our enemies as we have been taught by Christ the saver of all.
He rescued me from my enemy, from my foes, who were too powerful for me. He set me free in the open and rescued me, because he loves me.
We also can number the times we have been pulled from despair and its downward tug by some sudden and surprising turn of events. Enslavement comes to us in many forms; so does deliverance.
You have given me your saving shield; you girded me with strength for war.
We also find this same strength when we put on our armor of Christ to walk humbly but with authority, to live justly and mercifully, to love well and always – no matter the cost.
Therefore will I proclaim you, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing praise to your name.
We also might pronounce stories of the times we have been rescued and upheld. We also might sing a pilgrim’s song of praise for our deliverance from all that drags us down and brings us fear.
So let us sing praise to the Lord our God, who hears our voices when we call . . . and who answers our cries for help. Let us join ourselves in a Warrior’s Song of Praise . . . to the one true God who loves us all . . . and loves us all so well.
We consider the gifts of humility and satisfaction that God grants Job – and us – for offering the Lord a life of fidelity, honesty and humility. And we are grateful. Today we celebrate the wisdom and hope this story engenders. We acknowledge the choice that God puts before us . . . the choice to live doubtfully or hopefully, dishonestly or faithfully, deceitfully or lovingly. And we affirm the choice we take to live in God’s wisdom as best we are able.
My Choice
Like a leaf windmilling in the
Quick current of life,
I tumble, waiting for the words,
All is well.
Like a flake of hoarfrost clinging to thin glass,
I lean on the hope of my choice that
God alone is enough.
I am a thought of God
sent into the wind,
Pinned to this fragile life I am gifted by
One so great.
I extend myself beyond my own imagining.
I give myself over to the only choice before me.
I bend all into the Spirit of the Lord, to rest in God’s healing wisdom.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 – Jonah 2 – A Prayer from the Belly of the Whale
JonahYesterday we reflected on this short but crucial portion of Jonah’s story; why does he offer a prayer of thanksgiving when he finds himself devoured by a whale? Read the December 20 Noontime and then join Jonah in his prayer . . .
Out of our distress we cry to you . . . the waters swirl about us, threatening our lives . . . the abyss envelops us . . . the soul faints within and we remember the Lord.
As we near the coming holiday we have much to accomplish. Some of our chores we do gladly; others weigh heavily on us. Good and wise God, help us to sort out the trivial from the real as we struggle to balance work and play.
As we approach the festival of joy we continue to be haunted by old angers and anxieties; we might relish this turmoil or we may want to cast it off. Good and patient God, lead us to the understanding that what looks like death is life, what seems to be the end is a new beginning.
Carlo Antonio Tavella: Jonah and the WhaleAs we move toward the celebration of hope we have sorrows and fears; we may be managing to stay afloat in this sea of turmoil or we may be sinking into its cold depths. Good and compassionate God, remind us that living for a time in the belly of the whale means that in the end . . . we have the opportunity to draw ever closer to you.
Our prayer reaches God . . . we give God resounding praise . . . we are delivered by the hands of the Lord.
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Let me thank you, Lord, for world in which I find myself, for the people in my life, and for the many times you have protected and lead me on my journey.![661v-at150[1]](https://thenoontimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/661v-at1501.gif?w=300)
The Noontimes 