Receive His Peace

"Peace be with you; I give you my peace. Not as the world gives peace do I give it to you." - John 14:28

Wake up in the morning, another day, same routine. Got to get to work. Driving to work… traffic, someone cuts you off. On the train, people shoving and you're standing because someone's got their feet on the only seat left. Get to work, deal with the boss and co-workers… always people trying to get over on you. After work, arguments with your family and friends. And what is the peace the world gives us? Get mad and get even? Show people you don't care about them? And then have a drink to wash it all away?

This isn't the peace of Christ. Jesus would wake up and deal with apostles that never got anything right. So many people calling on Him without ever giving Him a chance to take a break; everybody needed something from Him! Jewish leaders on top of Him, criticizing even the best of His work.

What is the peace of Christ? The peace of Christ means knowing your life has a bigger purpose and remaining in that mind set. He came to do His Father's work. No matter what people said or did to Him, He never let it get to Him because He belonged to the Father, who judged Him for what was in His heart and would reward Him for what was in His heart. You belong to the Father as well. God sees your actions. God understands, and in the midst of all of your routine, God is with you. God will lead you out to where you will find comfort and be restored. Hold on to the peace of Christ.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, sometimes the day zooms by me and leaves me worn out. I can't find comfort in the world and need Your peace more than anything. Please help me to trust in it. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Space Between

"Christ Jesus is the same today as yesterday and forever." - Hebrews 13:8

When we're little, God is the old man with a long beard. We ask Him to protect us and give us sweet dreams. When we get a little older, we ask Him to watch out for us, to help us in school, with friends, and for other things we really want, like a new bike. As we get even older, though, we seem to leave our old friend and protector behind. A teacher once told me a story of a newly wed couple who would sit closely together in their truck as the husband drove home. Years passed and the distance between them in the truck got wider and wider until one day, the wife complained to her husband, "why don't we sit close together anymore?!" to which the husband replied, "honey, I've always been in the same place, you're the one that's moved away!"

In this story, God is the husband and we are the wife. God is the same with us today as He was when we were innocent, trusting children. He still sees us in the same way, why don't we? When we suffer and go through hardships and all sorts of problems and blame Him for it to the point where we don't even count on Him for anything, realize that it's that you forgot to trust in Him. You forgot to believe in Him like you did when You were younger. We often go around trying to create these worlds for ourselves without ever asking Him what He thinks and if these things are good for us. God hasn't gone anywhere, He's still waiting for you to come back and run everything by Him! Stop and take a look at your life and how close or far you've gotten from Him. Remember the total trust you had as a child that God would take care of you. Anyone that knows a child knows they speak the truth because they don't complicate themselves with all of the things we do. Therefore, go back to the way you were, and to the God who is still waiting for His child to get close so He could offer His protection.

Today's Prayer:
My God, as a child, You were my great protector and as I got older, I thought I didn't need You anymore. Oh, my God, allow me to return to You with the same innocence I had back then, and also with the same trust. Help me to see that You have been there all along while it was I who moved away from You. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Over Already

"Make us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart." - Psalm 90:12

Today, my 17 year old twin brothers learned what death is. Two of their friends were killed in a car accident in front of their High School on the way back from lunch. Their white mazda was pretty much wrapped around a telephone pole.

No one can ever explain why some lives are taken so soon. Jordan and Jonathan lost two of their friends. One of them was Jonathan's lab and gym partner. How is he going to understand the emptiness he'll feel when there's no one sitting next to him tomorrow? There are families grieving over their sons right now with no comfort. These are the reasons why we have to ask God to help us number our days. We will all face death one day, but are we ready, or are we counting on getting older to make the changes we need to make in our lives? If you were to meet with death tonight, are there people you should be apologizing to? Are there people who should know how much you love them? Are there mistakes you need to correct? Are there things you need to set right with God? I'm sure Quinntin and Saul would have used their last hours in very different ways if they had known.

I'd like for the Lord to help me get over the shock of their early death, and allow for this to show us the reality and fragility of our lives. It can be over in a second and we never know when that will be. Let's make sure we're right with God for when our turn comes.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I ask You for the souls of Quinntin and Saul, two kids who know find themselves in Your presence today. I ask You to provide extraordinary comfort to the parents and families of these kids as they deal with this tragedy, and I ask You for all of the students and friends mourning their loss, especially Jordan and Jonathan. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Go To Confession!

"If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness." - 1st John 1:9

At the start of Lent, I urged you all to go to confession and wash away sin and the guilt and remorse it causes. Now, just a few days before the start of Holy Week, I want to urge you again if you haven't already. During this week 2,000 years ago, Jesus gave up His life so that you and I could be cleansed of the wrong we do. More importantly, His death wasn't about making us do something to make up for our sins, but to heal us from the pain of sin. God is loving and knows the regret and the heaviness that we inflict upon ourselves when we fall into things we shouldn't have. It leads to conflicts within ourselves, with others, and with God. Through confession, you are bringing to the light those things that need to be washed away, so that in the Name of Jesus Christ you can be forgiven, healed, and brought back into full communion with the Lord… no matter what you've done or how long it's been since your last confession. God is longing to forgive you and heal you.

Since it's the weekend and the start of Holy Week, churches have confession on Saturdays and during most of this week. Please call your church, go online, or look at the bulletin to find out when the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) is being held. Spend time meditating on the areas in your life where you have fallen short and bring those things to the Lord.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You died for our sins on the cross and it is only right that we take full advantage of Your sacrifice by confessing our sins. Search me Lord and show me what I need to bring before You for cleansing and healing. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Be Holy

"God has called us to live, not in impurity but in holiness." - 1st Thessalonians 4:7

Up until a couple of months ago, I thought that to be holy I had to be pretty much a nun. I thought holy people were those that lived in monasteries praying all day or those like Mother Theresa that dedicated their lives to helping the poor. They were the saints and the rest of us were poor sinners. I was so wrong. Holiness is a call to try to integrate God into all we do in our every day lives. It doesn't necessarily mean praying 24/7, but acknowledging God in all we do. We can be holy and chaste in a marriage if we honestly give of ourselves in complete love to our partner. We can be holy in our friendships if we serve our friends out of respect and dignity. And we can be holy with ourselves if we take care of our souls, keeping them pure and protected from the things we know can only bring us harm. The bottom line is that we can all be holy if we imitate Jesus who all through His life set an example by the service He gave to others. Holiness is in trying to follow this example. And please know that it's ok if you can't forgive today, as long as you're trying to in Jesus' Name. It's ok if you haven't given up on that addiction today, as long as you keep on asking God for help. It's all about the journey - knowing God is calling us for holiness and trying in all the big and small things to get there one day at a time.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, in Your love for me You have called me to be pure and holy like You. I'm so far from it now, but please look at the desire in my heart and bring me a few steps forward each day. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Perfection

"When what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away." - 1st Corinthians 13:10

This one truth can tell us so much about our lives. How do we know if we've made the right decision about something? How do we know we're on the right path? I've been learning in the last couple of months that what we really want out of life is what God wants for us, because He was the one that put that desire in us. But so many times, especially when we're younger, we don't know what that is. It's as simple as how Paul puts it here: when what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away. The moment that you make a decision about something, you should feel in your being if that decision has brought you peace or brought you anxiety. What is perfect brings you peace. What is perfect will light you on fire so that you shine and never look back on that darkness you have left behind, except to thank God for where He's taken you. When you find what is perfect, in terms of a relationship, a job, a new home, anything, all will fall into place for you. Of course, there are always struggles, but God helps you get to where you need to be. The imperfect bring us fruitless worry, strife, and continuing on that path is like going against the wind in a storm. It can only take you further back in life making a mess of everything else.

But how are you able to make the decision to choose what is perfect? By quietening yourself down, and giving God's voice the chance to break through the noise in your own head. The Spirit within you will feel drawn to what is perfect, without doubts or hesitations, to the will of God for you.

Today's Prayer:
My Lord Jesus, You are perfection in my life. You bring out the best in me and help rid me of all my hurtful imperfections. Help me be quiet to hear You and be able to see the perfect things You have planned for me ahead. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Personal Property

"You belong no longer to yourselves. Remember at what price you have been bought and make your body serve the glory of God." - 1st Corinthians 6:19-20

This is a very strong message. With His death, Christ paid the price for you, your body and your soul. You have life because He offered up His own for yours. Therefore, you do not belong to yourself anymore. Jesus paid a price for you and you belong to Him. Think about this fact in everything you do. When you are considering a sin, remember that if you choose to fall, you are betraying what He did for you. If you let this sink in, not sinning can become easier. You wouldn't damage someone else's property, would you? You wouldn't break something that belonged to someone else, something that person sacrificed so much for? So don't do it to Jesus. Through the sacraments you have received, you bear His mark upon you - the mark of the Holy Spirit. Your life and His work in you have so much value. Don't treat it as if it has been acquired cheaply. Watch closely what you do, say, and think.

Also remember that since you belong to Him, He is taking care of you. He is watching over you. Paying the price that He did, He won't let any harm come upon you. When you live with this in your mind, it will be easier to accept what happens to you, and easier to choose between right and wrong. God has made you His property, learn to give all things up into His hands since you are not your own.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, I'm sorry for thinking myself master of my own life and my own body. I forget that I belong to You and Your will needs to be my will. Forgive and help my ego, my pride, my selfishness, and my foolishness. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Waiting...

"One day some Aramean soldiers raided the land of Israel and took a young girl captive who became a servant to the wife of Naaman." - 2nd Kings 5:2

As the days in your life pass you by, do you ever feel like nothing changes and instead you're always waiting for something? To meet the right person, a new job, or maybe for a certain problem to go away? I remember telling my friend that life sometimes feels like I'm swimming along the shore of a quiet beach with still waters, waiting and waiting for the right waves to come, but other times, I'm caught in a bad storm and the waters, like for Peter, can't calm down soon enough. But during all these times, when nothing seems to be happening, we're still praying and we're still asking God for certain things to come our way, yet there seems to be silence. It feels like for all of the years we've lived, there are few days that stand out as memorable like our graduation, meeting our first love, getting our first job.

Yet, I have to remind myself how limited my vision is. I only see what I can perceive and am completely in the dark as to what God is doing. Naaman, the man mentioned in the verse above, was the commander of the Aramean army. He was an extremely powerful and prideful man but had been sick with leprosy for a while. By the power of God, Naaman was healed with the help of the prophet Elisha in the Jordan River. It was a day that changed and restored his life, but that single day doesn't sum up all the work God put into it. While Naaman was sick with leprosy in Aram, a young girl was born in Israel and grew up believing in God and seeing the work of His hand through Elisha. When the Aramean army raided Israel, they took this young girl captive and she landed precisely in Naaman's house to work for his wife. It was then that this girl saw her master's illness and spoke about the power of God to this family. This motivated Naaman to visit Elisha and become healed.

God knows what you are waiting for! Even though it feels like nothing changes, God may even be planning on uprooting people, like with the Israeli girl, just to come into your life and bless you! Give it time, the master of the universe is at work and His works are seamless and perfect. Until then, try to wait with hope and peace, awaiting that one day God is ready to show you what He had been working on all along.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, I want to thank You for all of those things You're doing behind the scenes. I pray that You grant us patience and perserverance to wait it out and to never ever assume You're not paying attention. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Alchemist

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches grow tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all that I have told you, know that the time is near, even at the door." - Matthew 24:32

I have a story to tell you…
My retreat was this weekend for my ministry classes and it combined some of the people in my own Wednesday night classes with others from the other churches across Long Island. I was so happy to get away after all the stress I dealt with at work this past week. The retreat was held at a seminary out in Huntington and it's so secluded and just gorgeous. And although I was away from everything and in this tranquil place, my mind would get anxious and go back to worrying about work. The retreat consisted of class sessions regarding the dynamics of the family and during discussions, this young man would get up to give his own opinions about the subject matter and I was blown away by not only his intelligence but by his passion. I know people like him, people with great minds I met in college, but the people I know didn't believe in God, like they were too intelligent for Him. It was so refreshing to see someone like him with such a zest for God and the faith. I told myself I would introduce myself but Friday came and went and come Saturday, whenever I was free he was talking to someone else. Saturday night during our last session, our presenters gave us a break and I stayed by my seat a bit zoned out when all of a sudden I look up and there he was next to me. He smiles, extends his hand and introduces himself and before I could really react, he reached out again with his other hand to give me a book. I was a bit confused and took the book but thought, "I don't have any money on me right now," thinking he was trying to sell it. The book was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and he asked me if I had ever read it before. Although it had been on my mind to read for a while, I told him I hadn't. "I just had a feeling I needed to give you this," he said, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you under a lot of stress?" And as a balloon suddenly being released of its air, I burst out "yes," letting out so much emotion at the same time. "Then you need to read this book," he went on, "It's about following your dream, what you're really meant to do in life." I told him its exactly what I needed and he replied, "then maybe this is meant to tell you something," and walked away.

After last night's social, I left at around 10pm back to my room and began to read this story of a young shepherd who through signs and omens goes on pursuit of his "personal legend," that one dream in life that will make you happy, the one thing you were meant to do because God put that desire in you. Today when I was leaving the retreat, I wanted to go back and thank the young man for having given me the book. I was so taken aback by the fact that God let him feel what I was feeling and allowed him to give me this gift. When we said goodbye, he gave me a letter he wrote me about the book. In the letter, he quoted one of his favorite authors who said he found the one thing in life that made him simmer and boil, and for me to pray so that God can show me what that one thing is in my life.

Right now, I'm only on page 90 of The Alchemist, but already I've learned so much. Each of us has something we really want to do, something we really want out of life…and that one thing is God's will for us because He put that in our hearts. For so long I've questioned my career and have dealt with so much stress and anxiety that I've slowly realized that if it drains me in this way, it's not what I'm meant to do. And maybe the story in this book won't relate to me that much, but like the main character who sees God pointing him in different directions through signs, God sending this young man to me was a sign that He sees my struggle and my quest for my "personal legend," and I believe God does this for all people if we allow Him to guide us and be where He needs us to be in order to bless us. Nothing happens from one day to another, but we learn and grow through processes and, like Jesus tells us, by reading the signs God puts around us to lead us to where He is and where we're meant to be.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, thank You for the retreat and for the person You put in my path to give me The Alchemist. You see my anxiety and my confusion and You show me You are there and You are by my side to guide me to the place You created me to be. In Your Name we pray, amen.

New Things In God's Hands

"Do not be anxious about anything. In everything resort to prayer and supplication together with thanksgiving and bring your requests before God." - Phillippians 4:6

Starting something new? A new job? A new project? A new relationship? Or is there something you've been working on that you want to get off the ground? Before, I used to worry a lot and wonder if whatever I was doing would work out well. I think that sometimes our doubts and insecurities get the best of us. The key to all these things and seeing success in your life is to put whatever you're starting in God's hands. At my job, I juggle about 8 projects at a time and every time a new one is starting, I go to church and present it to the Lord. I tell Him, "God, You know I have this going on. Please help me. I put this in Your hands so that You guide me and help me do a great job." And He always does exactly that. That's what you need to be doing. Your work, family, relationships, everything, put it into God's hands and He will let it grow. Even if you're a confidant person who sees the glass half full all the time, imagine how much more you could do if you put your projects in God's hands first! You see, nothing happens on this earth without the consent of God. There is nothing you can accomplish without His grace, so if you truly want to be blessed and prosper, make sure all new things you start this new year are founded on God first.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, thank You for Your grace in my life. As I start 2008, I want to place all my new projects, work, family and relationships in Your hands for You to take care of for me. I know that nothing that's not based on You can grow, and I want to make sure my foundation is securely placed on Your love. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Job's Faith

"His wife said to him, 'Do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God and die!' Job replied, 'You talk foolishly. If we receive good things from God, why can't we accept evil from him?' In spite of this calamity, Job did not utter a sinful word." - Job 2:9-10

In one day Job lost his servants, his livestock, his sons, his daughters and his health. He was a man so dedicated to God that his wife was repulsed by the fact that Job held on to his faith in God even when he was left with nothing. Does this mean God abandoned Job? No. The reasons God allows things are only know to Him, but no matter what we go through, there is always a good that comes out of it if we follow through on our faith. Many of us feel like Job at times - just when we think things can't get any worse, they do. We lose hope, we lose our joy. But as hard as it is, God gives us the strength to make it through one day at a time, building us up a little more each day. Ultimately, it is up to us if we choose to lose our hope and joy; God never took that away from us, it is always ours to keep. Negative things will happen to us, but do you choose to be like Job's wife, bitter and sinful? Or would you rather stand firm like Job? He didn't let his disasters take all of him because he knew his God knows what to give and what to take away. If you're going through a trial, remember this - it's up to you how you choose to carry through. You could allow yourself to be miserable, or you could live your faith in God who will take care of you!

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are with us through the good and the bad. You know our limits and when things feel like too much. Please give us strength to not only make it through, but keep the joy and faith alive in our hearts. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Humanity of Jesus

"When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature and strength." - Luke 2:39-40

When I think of Jesus, I think of this powerful savior who was strong and confident. He boldly opposed sin, walked on water, went around performing miracles, and even resurrected from the dead. How can any of us ever match the Son of God? But we forget that Jesus Christ was also fully human. We tend to cast this aside because we want our Savior to be strong and holy and we consider regular human emotions as weak.

If you really read the bible and look past the miracles, you will find a regular human being just like you and I. The gospels write of a Jesus that cried with His friends. He felt anger. He would get impatient, sad, happy. He even felt fear, embarrassment. And just because He was the son of God doesn't mean He never doubted. The devil also tempted Jesus with pleasure of the flesh, pride, power, and the testing of God. These are the normal feelings that we all grow up with. Some are seen as good and others are seen as bad. Jesus experienced them all and that's why Luke says that the child Jesus grew in strength and stature because each of us grows in a physical and emotion form.

Therefore, don't ever feel like you have to give up and the world is too hard on you. God has not given us a burden we cannot carry. On the contrary, He sent His only son to live as we live, feel what we feel, experiencing pain and joy in the same way we do. Jesus Christ understands what you go through. His life is real and attainable.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for being an example to us through Your life and especially Your weaknesses. Help me to learn from You so that I may imitate You in all things. In Your Name we pray, amen.

True Life

"I say to you, then, and with insistence I advise you in the Lord: do not imitate the pagans who live an aimless kind of life. Their understanding is in darkness and they remain in ignorance because of their blind conscience, very far from the life of God." - Ephesians 4:17-18

It pains me to say, but I see this aimless kind of life Saint Paul talks about all around me. I see people whose priorities are all screwed up. Is life just stacking up materials things to be in a better class range than others, or is it going out late, getting wasted and doing it all again the next day? It's none of these. That's an empty life, it's aimless and no life at all. Unfortunately, it's what we see on TV, magazines, and movies. It's the life of the people we admire, the lives of people we wish we had for just one day. But I guarantee that as fabulous as it seems and as fun as it seems, they are so empty inside. Are you feeling empty inside? What is the aim of your own life? What are you doing with the gift God gave you? People go around trying to fill their lives with things they think will make them happy, but only God, who is the author of life can give it meaning. The confusion you feel within you, that sense of being absolutely lost at times, the answer to that is not in the world. It's not in what you think you want or what you think will fill you and make you happy. Don't look for the answers among the rich and good looking people - they've just got it together on the outside. But true life, true meaning is only found in God. You were created by Him to have life in Him, and away from Him, you are nothing. You toil and trouble, trying to arrange your own world, but it's all in vain. You're still empty. You're still lonely and feel you have nothing or no one. Surrender yourself to God. Let Him fill you. Let Him show you what real life is, what real happiness is, what real peace is.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the source of all goodness and kindness. Reinforce in my heart and in the hearts of all who read this that only You can fill us and give us true life in abundance. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Do Not Cheat God

"I, Yahweh, have not changed in anything; just as you, children of Jacob, are always the same. Since the day of your ancestors you stray from my ordinances and do not practice them. Return to me and I will return to you, says Yahweh of hosts. But you ask: 'Why do we have to return?' Can a man deceive God? Yet you cheat me and morever ask: 'How did we cheat you?'" - Malachi 3:6-9

God is not an option in your life. I come across way too many people who pick Him up and put Him down when it is convenient for them. When things are good, or they're busy planning out their lives with no concern for the will of God for them, they forget Him and ignore what they have been taught. Then when they need something, they immediately start praying and supplicating for God to listen to them. Even getting mad if the answer takes time. But it is as God says here to Malachi, He does not change the way He is with you, so why do you dedicate such little time to Him and not listen to His Word, His commandments? You cheat Him and then have the audacity to think you're getting away with it but you're not. God sees all things and knows what in the depth of your soul. If you really want to live a good, happy and successful life, put God first. Follow His commandments for your life always and He will take care of You. Don't cheat Him, or just try Him out to see how things go because you will fail. There is no real life away from God; all you will find is sadness and emptiness. Return to Him with all your heart and He will return to you. Remain in Him and He will remain in you.

Today's Prayer:
God, I am evil and stray from You although You are always there when I need You. I don't want to cheat You my Lord so please give me the strength to perservere out of love for You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

In The Beginning

"In the beginning, when God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth had no form and was void; darkness was over the deep and the Spirit of God hovered over the water." - Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning stages of our relationship with God, we have no shape and the life we think we have is actually empty and dark. Things like friends, money, parties, clothes, drinks, fill us up temporarily but what do you have when the party is over and you're alone again? The thing about us all, whether we care to acknowledge it or not, is that we all need God in order to be fulfilled. Our souls were created by Him and only with Him can we ever feel completion and rest. When we go about without Him, the Spirit of God hovers around us. As far from God as we get, He will always put something or someone in our path to remind us that He is there. The passage says He hovers over the water. He hovers like an eagle who flies over her young; she doesn't get too close, she doesn't interfere, but she watches closely by and the second her baby is in danger, she's there to scoop it up as God is always there for you.

Let Him begin His work in you, form you and chase out the darkness with His light. Let Him fill you with life so that you will no longer be void, dark, and empty.

Today's Prayer:
My God, thank You for looking out for me, especially in those moments when I'm too busy to even remember who You are. I know You respect my will but right now I want to give You permission to always, always remind me, even in a harsh way, that You are all I need. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Just A Mist

"You have no idea what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? No more than a mist which appears for a moment and then disappears." -James 4:14

Think seriously about this passage. Really, what is your life? Can you guarantee that you will be here tomorrow? No. And if, God forbid, something did happen to you, to a family member or to a friend, can you say that you have lived as you would have liked? I know that I certainly can't. It's only very recently that I've been trying to assess my actions and hold them up to God's standards. Every second you have in life is a chance to do God's will, repent of a sin, help someone in need so when the opportunities arise, and they do come up, don't brush them aside, but put all your efforts into striving for eternal life for we really don't know how much time we have left here. It would be a shame if we would have been counting on having more time and end up losing. Your time is now.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know that I am not the creator of my life, You are. Please help me to use all my days wisely so that I grow closer to You instead of taking the path that leads to perdition. In Your Name we pray, Amen.