Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:
Be submissive to those who are older. All of you, cloth
yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes
the proud but gives grace to the humble."
-- 1 Peter 5:5

Reflection:

In my ministry I discovered that I loved to do one very
special thing. I loved to work with our senior citizens.
What an honor and privilage it was for me to be able
not only to give but to receive so much. These folks
were what I called my warm fuzzies of my ministry.
They were amazing people. They were my source
of wisdom. Whenever I had a problem or a need within
the church I always consulted the older and wiser
members of my congregation. If I ever needed a friend
I could always count on the older members to be there
for me. There is no way I could ever give as much as
I received from them. There is a reason that in todays
verse there is a discussion of submission to the older
and grace to the humble. You see that is where I learned
real humility, I learned to be humble from my senior friends,
and family.

Thought:
The word "submissive" is often positive or negative based on its
relationship to us personally. It's nice having someone serve us
submissively, but serving someone else submissively is hard work.
Unfortunately, we are selfish way too much of the time. But God is
at work in direct opposition to anyone who is full of pride and
unwilling to serve others, especially if those "others" are older
believers! Whether it's easy to wear the clothes our Father demands
or not, we are to intentionally clothe ourselves with humility!

Prayer:

Lord please keep me humble. Give me the strength to serve and
to do it with a good heart. Thank You for the wisdom of seniors
and the love that I may share with them. THANK YOU GOD FOR
BEING GOD. In Jesus name amen.

Quote:

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
Pacifist Abolitionist, Feminist, Poet (1825-1911)

"I ask no monument, proud and high, to arrest the
gaze of passersby. All that my yearning spirit craves,
is bury me not in a land of slaves."

Scripture:

"Then He asked them, " Who do you say I am?
Simon Peter answered, ' You are the Messiah (Christ),
the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16: 15,16) NLT

Reflection:

That is quit an answer to an obviously important question.
The power that this Christ has had for over 2,000 years
is unbelievable. The belief in Jesus has withstood
that same question all this time. And we still ask the
question "Who is Jesus of Nazareth?", and you know
something, everything, I mean everything, depends
on our answer!
Peter didn't leave the answer that Jesus is the Messiah,
he further stated that Jesus the Messiah is the Son
of the living God! In a world which asks the question
is God alive or dead, this is quit a response. Peter
certainly didn't try to give a water downed answer.
He answered a direct question with a direct answer.
"You are Christ the Son of the living God." Peter
really didn't understand the whole meaning of his
statement, But I think he certainly made a great start.
Please know this, that if you love Him with all your being,
you will not lose in the end, but will receive a great
gain. Are you ready to make that start in your life,
to give your entire being to Jesus the Christ the Son
of the living God. I hope so, because you are in for
the greatest experience of life, the experience of
Jesus Christ.

Prayer:

Father God thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ.
I want Jesus in my life, I want to experience the
fullness of Christ. I want to experience Jesus
Christ the Son of the living God. THANK YOU
GOD FOR BEING GOD in the name of Jesus
Christ the Son of the living God AMEN!

Quote:
Jane Addams Advocate for the Poor and Homeless
Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (1860-1935)
"The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain...
until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life."

O Guardian of Israel,
Our shelter and shade,
Stir up in us that flame of justice
That Jesus incited on this earth,
That rages in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

O arouse in us
That very flame of righteousness
That enticed Martin
To be a living sacrifice of praise,
To seek freedom for all God's children.

O to you, God, ever faithful and true,
Be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.


- Attributed to J. Glenn Murray, SJ