The icy roads were to blame I guess.....
My deepest sympathy to the Families!!!
SPIRITUAL LIVING
Prayer and Devotions
My Joy Has Been Fulfilled
by Father Roderick Ermatinger, LC
Resolution: Compliment at least two people, in order that you might decrease and Christ might increase.
January 12, 2008
Christmas Weekday
John 3: 22-30
After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized --John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. Now a discussion about purification arose between John's disciples and a Jew. They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him." John answered, "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.' He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease."
Introductory Prayer: My heavenly Father, you made me out of your infinite love. Even though I have failed to love you as a good child should, still you send me gift upon gift. You sent your Son to redeem me and to make me one with you, in and through your Son. You and your only beloved Son sent your Spirit of Love and Truth, the Holy Spirit, to dwell in my heart, mind and body. Open my heart and eyes to all that you have done for me and continue to do for me, so that I will grow in generosity with you, your Church, and all of your children. Perfect me in the fire of your love, and, as you sent your only Son and your most Holy Spirit, send me into this world to set it ablaze.
Petition: Lord, grant me humility like John the Baptist.
1. Prepare Yourselves Well. John the Baptist and the disciples of Jesus are baptizing (Jesus did not – cf. John 4:2). They do this to help prepare people to meet Christ by first helping them to see their need to convert and be cleansed. We, too, have the same need of conversion and cleansing. But it would take our Lord’s baptism on the cross and his resurrection for the waters of baptism to purify the soul of man. John the Evangelist makes note of the abundant water – a reference to the abundance of God’s grace. Water is a symbol of death (the Red Sea, the Flood) and of life (when the Israelites were dying of thirst in the desert, Moses struck the rock with his staff and water flowed forth). What do I need to be washed of, and what will happen if I drink the water that flows from the side of Christ?
2. Who Gets the Glory? John the Baptist was always quick to let others know that he was not the Messiah, that he was not fit to untie the sandals of the one who was to follow him. How quick are we to take credit for things when others truly deserve the recognition? Do we truly appreciate that anything of value we do is due to the goodness of God? Humility is the fertile soil upon which the tree of holiness is planted. Mary was the lowly handmaid of the Lord; our Lord said that he came to serve and not to be served. If we want to destroy our pride and egotism, then we should eagerly strive to be humble servants of God and our neighbor.
3. The Secret to Holiness. John the Baptist sought holiness at every turn in his life. Here he is nearing the end of his earthly life, although he did not know that the end was so near. He teaches us the key to happiness, the key to holiness: I must decrease, so he, Jesus Christ, may increase (John 3:30). Christ became man that we might enter into his divinity. John realizes that Christ came not only to live among us but to live in us, and to do this we must decrease. How can I decrease so Christ may increase?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, it is a true grace to see and act as if I were not the beginning, middle, and end of all things. Jesus, please bless me with this grace.
Resolution: I will compliment at least two people, in order that I might decrease and Christ might increase.
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