It’s All About Love – pt 1

The First Act of God’s Love

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER – PSALTER, WEEK III

May 13, 2018

1 “First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see.” – The Message Bible (MSG)

God in the absolute is a creator God. He alone knows all the secrets of what He has made. In that, each singular creation reflects an individualized miracle from the creation of the universe with its many miracles we have yet to discover and all the things which are now in our knowing.  In all these miraculous things within the universe, God saw fit to spread life throughout. Therefore, He gave life to each sun, planet, moon, within each galaxy right down to every solar system. When we look up into the night sky we are really looking at a detailed oriented creator who is all about life in all it’s it many forms. Yet God held in the highest esteem an idea of a creation that would represent him in the flesh, made in His own image. Acting upon His idea God created man from the dust of the Earth and women from the rib bone of man which we traditionally call Genesis. Life is God’s gift, His divine love, and His hope manifest and expressed in an infinite number of ways too numerous to count.  So I testify today my brothers and sisters that God created all that we see and all that we do not see out of love.

LET US NOW TALK ABOUT LIFE!

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. – Genesis 2:7 New International Version (NIV)

What is life? What parameters equal life? Well from the scientific definition of the word we find that life is, ‘the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.’ – Dictionary.com

This explanation of life is a good description of what living things do but fails to express the source of life. What gives organic matter life? For this, there is an element most people in the scientific community is not ready to admit but is necessary to explore in order to get the full picture. With that said, life originates from God. Nothing lives without the blessing of God over it first. That being the case then nothing dies without the blessing of God over it as well. This makes God the absolute source of both life and death. The bible teaches us that God formed Adam, molding him from the dust of the Earth but Adam though created was not yet alive. It wasn’t until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. In this act, God gave Adam a soul or spirit which is in its most basic expression a piece of God, which resided within Adam that which gave him life. We are no different from Adam in that we are formed and given a spirit or in other words, a tiny piece of God Himself which resides within us. This is why Jesus answered the Pharisees as he did, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” – Luke 17: 20-21 New King James Version (NKJV)

This is our eternal link to God the absolute creator. In everything so far discovered life abounds and is a reflection of God. Life then is also much more than the actions of a living being, rather life is the very embodiment of the living God which dwells within each one of us. Life is precious because it is both a miracle and a blessing from God again in every form that it takes. Life is sacred because it is the very expression of God’s love. Therefore, God could not forsake us when we fell into sin. Think of it this way, God being a detail-oriented creator is also a detailed oriented savior. Where he gave life there can be found His love, mercy, and grace. Thus, life is as much about forgiveness as it is about living justly and morally. For the Kingdom of God is also in each one of us and in God’s eyes that makes us scared.

IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE!

16 We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. – 1 John 4:16 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Insite – When I was about five years old I remember the Baptist Preacher bigger than life preaching away about sin and moral consequences and everything was a sin which as he put it, ‘Will take you straight to hell! No passing go, no collecting $100, and no hope for redemption!’  It was this kind of language and fire and brimstone tone that truly scared me because I did many of the things he was talked about! Yes… I cussed twice, I disrespected others a couple of times, I got angry and threw a fit, I lied more than I could count on my fingers and toes, and worst of all I was a sinner for life headed straight to hell… at five!  On the other hand unnoticed to me at the time was this pastor never talking about God’s love, which is a shame because as I grew older I had to learn about this awesome concept through other means known as life experience and studying about the subject.

Moreover, the older I grew the more I would hear many people around me blame God for the bad things which happened to them while never seeing the moral life lesson God was teaching them. The problem of course with this is that God was not the culprit because God had enough foresight to have given all mankind something called ‘Free Will’, which happens to be the most sacred and greatest gifts which God has never interfered with. Thus, if said person does something that causes negative repercussions that comes back to haunt them then said person who decided to perpetuate whatever it was in the first place cannot by default blame God! Why? Because everyone is held responsible for every action, decision, and words spoken be them good or bad! But yet somehow many people still want to blame God for things they themselves have done. People are willing to do ungodly things but yet cling to the concept that they are saved because Jesus saved them on the cross. Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way! Rest assured my brother’s and sister’s God loves you and He knows how you are feeling every minute of every day. Likewise, He knows every lie you have ever told, every ill thing you have done to someone else, and He is aware of every consequence to those actions which were perpetrated through individual human free will! Here is the kicker I inherently already knew all this at the ripe old age of 5 yet it takes many people an entire lifetime to figure that one out. Go figure!

Yes… God is willing to forgive us for our transgressions but we must humbly come to Him first. Wait! Free will again? You got it! God didn’t force us to ask for forgiveness or to humble ourselves… that happens through our own free will… or perhaps guilt hopefully played its part. But when the guilty truly come to God looking for forgiveness it is a decision made by that person alone and as for God… He has a strick none interference policy much like the Federation in Star Trek!  This being true what more could anyone ask for from a God of Love? Oh… wait! A savior? A savior willing to sacrifice himself for you? From Jesus’s perspective and His mothers perspective, His death was cruel, but God allowed it, and Jesus complied with God’s wishes. Jesus is the very definition of love just as God is love. Without the passion, there would be no salvation! There would be no hope, no peace, no grace, and no life in God. But yet it is through love we find God, we have hope, He gives us eternal grace and is responsible for the miracle of life within Him. That is love expressed to it’s fullest extent. God gave us life, a spirit, and a path back to Him and His kingdom and on top of it free will all out of love. For truly I say to you my brothers and sisters only a God of Love, a God of creation, a God of detail would dare to give so much to beings that did not deserve not one ounce of any of it. But we have only scratched the surface… [To Be Continued]

Guiding Question: “How can God not be about love after doing all this for us?”

LET US PRAY

Lord, open my lips.

– And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father, and Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

PSALMODY: Easter 7th Sunday: The Lord is King, robed in splendor, alleluia.

PSALM 93

SPLENDOR OF GOD THE CREATOR

The Lord our mighty God now reigns supreme; let us rejoice and be glad and give him praise (Revelation 19:6-7) 

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed; the Lord has robed himself with might, he has girded himself with power.

– The Lord is King, robed in splendor, alleluia.

The world you made firm, not to be moved; your throne has stood firm from of old. From all eternity, O Lord, you are. 

– The Lord is King, robed in splendor, alleluia.

The waters have lifted up, O Lord, the waters have lifted up their voice, the waters have lifted up their thunder.

– The Lord is King, robed in splendor, alleluia.

Greater than the roar of mighty waters, more glorious than the surgings of the sea, the Lord is glorious on high.

– The Lord is King, robed in splendor, alleluia.

5 Truly your decrees are to be trusted. Holiness is fitting to your house, O Lord, until the end of time. 

– The Lord is King, robed in splendor, alleluia.

(To Pray the Liturgy of the Hours as in the COMMON OF APOSTLES  click here

PRAYER

Father, help us keep in mind that Christ our Savior lives with you in glory and promised to remain with us until the end of time. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

Happy Mothers Day 2018, I wish my mother all the best and hope all is well on this special day.

 

NEED HELP OR ENCOURAGEMENT?

If you would like to receive ongoing encouragement, to help you stay focused, and/or need some guidance in where to look for motivational scriptures in the bible then feel free to email me at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com with your request. Remember your never alone.

Amen, Alleluia!

May the Lord bless you, protect you from all evil and bring you to everlasting life.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Saint Joseph, Pray for us.Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro nobis,’

Now go spread the word!

FRIENDS WHO LIKE LISTENING FAITHFULLY COMMUNITY

A Facebook Group. Everyone is welcome! Come be part of the discussion!

Listening Faithfully Podcast w/Brother Brian

powered by Podbean

Each podcast is focused on a specific reading based upon the Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth (3rd Edition) by Saint Mary’s Press. Listen, Learn, Share!

Reaffirming Our Mission

To Always Image Christ in Mind, Heart, Body, and Soul.

LIVE STREAM

Saint Louis De Montford Catholic Church

LIVE STREAM

7:30am – Mass
9:30am – Mass
11:30am – Mass
3pm – Mass (Spanish)
6pm – Mass

Special events outside the above schedule will also be streamed.

Be a part of spreading the word of God by giving what you can today. 

The form is not published.

“Let’s grow together as children of God”

photo

Listening Faithfully Blog written by Brian K. Stark © 2009-2018

 

It Is Accomplished!

8 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” ~ 1 John 4:8

1-john-4-8-watermark

From the start to the end of the Holy Bible, example after example, story after story, we read about a God who loves His creations so much that he allowed His only Son to become human, to live and die and to spread His divine word. Every story was filled with imperfect people who all sinned greatly and all of whom God loved. We read about the dysfunctional psyche of people who prayed and then committed horrible acts against their brothers and all of whom God loved. We take great care to make villains of those we do not understand and in this we close off the possibility to think that perhaps even those we do not like God stills loves. The Holy Bible is filled with emotion the strongest of which is love. I find it nearly impossible to tell the stories of the Bible without finding Gods divine love mixed in some where, even in those moments man has felt Gods wrath. Therefore, in 1 John 4:8 we are told who God is, and if you know Him you will know love because God is love.  If you take away anything about the message of God you have to be left with the one single fact staring you in the face, that if you have ever been loved, felt loved, been in love, or been surround with love then odds are you have felt God moving mountains in your life. I write this with all sincerity that in all the troubles I have gotten myself into and all the problems that found me without my help God has never let me down and I have always been surrounded by loving people be them family or friends, and in all this drama I can honestly say I was also loved. Because of this I am aware of God moving the mountains in my life and within that knowledge I know God also loves me as much as He loves His only son Jesus, King David, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and all the other people who lived before me and will live after me. God fulfills His devotional cup of love to every single human being that has ever lived on a daily bases. God’s love for us is “accomplished” every night, every morning, for every day of your life!

god__s_love_and_glory_by_imrui

New Year Challenge: Write down every time you have ever felt loved and some obstacle has been moved for you.

 Amen

If you enjoyed “It Is Accomplished!”, I invite you to stay in contact with me through the following ways and please do not forget to rate this posting below.

IMG_3941

Email: listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com

Facebook: Click Here