Daily Thought For June 9, 2017

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Being Steeped In Christ

Everyone knows that if you place a tea bag in a cup of hot water, that water will be transformed. It’s no longer just water, but a cup of tea with a distinct color and flavor. Once they’re combined, it’s no small task to remove the tea from the water. It would take a chemist a complex series of steps to separate the elements.

This is a good analogy for the way God changes our lives. Take Peter and John, for example: they had been fishermen, but once Jesus came into their lives, something changed them. Then they spent three years being steeped in his love, his teachings, and his power to heal. They saw him in the day-to-day activities of their lives. They saw his death and his resurrected glory. Then they received the Holy Spirit, who came to live in them. How could they not be changed?

You have been changed by the Lord, too. Like the tea bag in hot water, the Holy Spirit is in you; he is making a difference in your life. Every time you go to Mass, every time you ponder the Scriptures, you are “steeping” yourself in him. Every time you go to Confession or spend time serving people in need, his life is becoming stronger in you. He is making you “look” and “taste” more like him. You are becoming a living, breathing example of the truth that anyone who is “in Christ” is a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Do you know what this means? God can use you to change a little part of the world! You may not feel ready to pray with people for healing or to share your faith like Peter and John. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Holy Spirit lives in you and he’s moving in your life. Besides, it’s the Spirit’s job to make you like Christ—only he can manage such a transformation. You don’t need a complicated program of self-improvement. You just need to spend time with the Lord and let him do his work. Isn’t that good news?

“Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Thank you that your life in me is ever growing!”

Daily Thought From The Word Among Us (April 21, 2017)

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Giving God Permission          If you want a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, give God a blank check. Decide in your heart that you want whatever he wants for you, no matter what it is. Don’t put limits on him. Be willing to come out of your comfort zones and the grooves you’ve dug to ensure your safety, comfort, and security. Tell the Lord every morning that your life is his and that you give him permission to do with it whatever he wants. Then walk throughout your day with one ear turned toward the Spirit. Don’t leave the Spirit at home or in church. Be conscious of his presence; attempt to listen even amidst the noise and frantic pace of life. When you hear him, or sense his prompting or gentle nudge, act on it. Don’t hesitate, do what he wants you to do. If you do this consistently, the Spirit will become your intimate friend and he will make something beautiful out of your life.       Pope Joh...
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