I've been thinking!

I've been thinking!!

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself, through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. 

(2Corinthians 5:18-19)

One of the most amazing scripture verses I read recently reminds me that God came into our world to make himself known to us. He is the Creator, and he wanted to, actually wanted, not could have, not should have, there are so many different forms of communication he can us, however he chose to come to earth in a human body and as a servant!!

WOW

Its amazing to think how he spoke everyday language of the people he created to bond with them in their language, not his own, not high up or presenting himself better, just meeting the people where they are at in that moment. 

If God could take the trouble to leave the 'wonderful world' that he enjoys, with all its glory to enter the fallen world in which we live, out of love for us, then we can make the effort to entering the fructured world of others to help them too. As ever, in his mercy, God shows us the way!!

When I sit down to hear the news or just absorb the peoples stories around me, I make a prayer that the Lord will make me compassionate towards all. Where to begin is often a question I ask myself - often with a gentle answer - from the beginning !!

No one in history has shown more compassion and care for people like Jesus. 

When he wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus, I believe he was grieved to his core at the sorrow that sickness brings in the world. I wonder if he felt sad at the thought of bringing Lazarus back into this world. This same Jesus who empathized so deeply then, is still the same today. 

I have come to a point where I believe that the bible describes us all (his people) on a pilgrimage, and there are times when our journey takes us through some tough places. But we don't go through them alone. Jesus said that after he had been crucified and gone to heaven, he would send us a gift - Holy Spirit, who would be in us, not merely resting on us or alongside us - no IN US. (John 14:17)

He promised that the Holy Spirit would never leave us, and our experiences of caring for people show this to be true. The other day during Mass the priest caught me by surprise with a simple yet powerful change in words to the response - 

"Save us savior of the world, by your cross and passion, you have set us free!! "

In that moment I was so taken by the power of the words I just wanted the mass to stop so I could catch my breath! 

It just goes to show that - 

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1) 

Jesus season was hugh, cross and passion have started to take on a new form of meaning for me, different light, different weight and different form. Yet none of us would anticipate a season that might take us on a journey through unfamiliar times as we are not God! It makes no sense at times, yet neither does children dying in childhood, or young men and women dying in 'war' or violence. There is so much that we don't understand. We do know, through, that the longer we live, the more we see the principles of scripture working in our lives, and one day we will see the whole of God's purpose.