Dear God, open a door for my message, so that I may proclaim the mystery of Christ. I pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Colossians 4:3-4

R4C

R4C
Reconciliation and Forgiveness ~ I am Sorry * Please Forgive Me * Thank You * I Love You. ~ Reconciliation and Forgiveness ~ I am Sorry * Please Forgive Me * Thank You * I Love You. ~ Reconciliation and Forgiveness ~ I am Sorry * Please Forgive Me * Thank You * I Love You.

Generosity from the Heart

Generosity from the Heart


Matt 6:3, "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing"


If this blog is informative and helpful in your pursuit to follow Jesus, and deepening your Christian faith;

Please support my work. Thank you and God Bless.


Proverbs 11:25, "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."


How to make contibution (click on this link)


May the Lord bless you for your generosity, and may the Mother of God intercede for your every need.


Your act of generosity will be rewarded, and your blessing will be “pressed down, shaken together, and RUNNING OVER.

Psalm 19:14, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Friday 28 April 2017

Prayer at the the hour of Great Mercy ~ 3 o'clock prayer & Chaplet


Our Lord in His revelations to St. Faustina;
At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion. (Diary, 1320)

Good Friday. At three o'clock, I saw the Lord Jesus, crucified, who looked at me and said, I thirst. Then I saw two rays issue from His side, just as they appear in the image. I then felt in my soul the desire to save souls and empty myself for the sake of poor sinners. I offered myself, together with the dying Jesus, to the Eternal Father, for the salvation of the whole world. With Jesus, through Jesus and in Jesus is my communion with You, Eternal Father. On Good Friday, Jesus suffered in His soul in a way which was different from [His suffering on] Holy Thursday. (Diary, 648)

As often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world — mercy triumphed over justice. (Diary, 1572)

My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant. (Diary, 1572)




3 o'clock prayer 
The Hour of Great Mercy

You expired Jesus,
But the source of life gushed forth for souls, 
and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world, 
O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, 
envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. (diary, 1319) 
O Blood and Water 
which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus 
as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in you! (diary, 84)

Holy God, 
Holy Mighty One, 
Holy Immortal One, 
Have mercy on us and the whole world. (diary, 476)
(3X)

Jesus King of Mercy, 
I trust in You!


* * * * * *
Ask for His Mercy 
Be merciful
Completely trust in Jesus

* * * * * *


Chaplet of the Divine Mercy
(can be said using normal Rosary)

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

[On each one of the 3 ordinary rosary beads begin with]:

[1st bead]
Our Father (The Lord's Prayer)
Our Father, 
Who art in heaven, 
hallowed be Thy name; 
Thy kingdom come; 
Thy will be done 
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; 
and forgive us our trespasses 
as we forgive those who trespass against us; 
and lead us not into temptation 
but deliver us from evil. 
Amen.

[2nd bead]
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, 
full of grace, 
the Lord is with thee; 
blessed are thou among women, 
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, 
Jesus.

Holy Mary, 
Mother of God, 
pray for us sinners, 
now and at the hour of our death. 
Amen.

[3rd bead]
Apostles Creed
I believe in God, 
the Father Almighty, 
Creator of heaven and earth; 
and in Jesus Christ, 
His only Son, our Lord; 
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, 
born of the Virgin Mary, 
suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
was crucified, died, and was buried. 
He descended into hell; 
the third day He rose again from the dead. 
He ascended into heaven, 
sits at the right hand of God, 
the Father Almighty; 
from thence He shall come to judge 
the living and the dead. 
I believe in the Holy Spirit, 
the holy Catholic Church, 
the communion of Saints, 
the forgiveness of sins, 
the resurrection of the body, 
and life everlasting. 
Amen.

* [On the large beads of a Rosary (before each decade)]

Eternal Father,
I offer You
the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity
of Your dearly beloved Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
in atonement for our sins 
and those of the whole world.

[On the 10 small beads of each decade]

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,
Have mercy on us and on the whole world.

[After five decades said repeating above * conclude with]

Holy God,
Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us
and on the whole world.
(3 times)

O Blood and Water 
which Gushed Forth from the Heart of Jesus 
as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in You. 

Jesus, King of Mercy, we trust in You!

Saint Faustina, pray for us.
Saint John Paul II, pray for us.

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



The miraculous sign of Jesus


Can anything on this earth truly satisfy the deepest longing and hunger we experience for God? A great multitude had gathered to hear Jesus, no doubt because they were hungry for the word of life. Jesus' disciples wanted to send them away at the end of the day because they did not have the resources to feed them. They even complained how much money it would take to feed such a large crowd - at least six month's wages! Jesus, the Bread of Life, took the little they had - five loaves and two fish - and giving thanks to his heavenly Father, distributed to all until they were satisfied of their hunger.

Jesus is the true bread from heaven that gives us abundant life 
The people of Israel had been waiting for the prophet whom Moses had promised: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren - him shall you heed (Deuteronomy 18:15). The signs which Jesus did, including the miraculous feeding of the five thousand signified that God has indeed sent him as the anointed Prophet and King. Jesus' feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle that is repeated in all four Gospel accounts. What is the significance of this particular miracle? The miraculous feeding of such a great multitude pointed to God's provision of manna in the wilderness for the people of Israel under Moses' leadership (Exodus 16). This daily provision of food in the barren wilderness foreshadowed the true heavenly bread which Jesus would offer his followers.

The food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ 
Jesus makes a claim which only God can make: He is the true bread of heaven that can satisfy the deepest hunger we experience. The sign of the multiplication of the loaves when the Lord says the blessing, breaks, and distributes through his disciples prefigures the superabundance of the unique bread of his Eucharist or Lord's Supper. When we receive from the Lord's table we unite ourselves to Jesus Christ, who makes us sharers in his body and blood. Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 A.D.) calls it the "one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ" (Ad Eph. 20,2). This supernatural food is healing for both body and soul and strength for our journey heavenward.

When you approach the Table of the Lord, what do you expect to receive? Healing, pardon, comfort, and rest for your soul? The Lord has much more for us, more than we can ask or imagine. The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist at the Lord's Table is an intimate union with Jesus Christ, our Divine Healer and Savior. As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens us in charity and enables us to break with disordered attachments to creatures and to be more firmly rooted in the love of Christ. Do you hunger for the "bread of life"?

The Lord alone can satisfy the deepest longing of our heart 
The feeding of the five thousand shows the remarkable generosity of God and his great kindness towards us. When God gives, he gives abundantly. He gives more than we need for ourselves so that we may have something to share with others, especially those who lack what they need. God takes the little we have and multiplies it for the good of others. Do you trust in God's provision for you and do you share freely with others, especially those who are in need?

Lord Jesus, you satisfy the deepest longing of our heart and you feed us with the finest of wheat (Psalm 81:16). Fill me with gratitude and give me a generous heart that I may freely share with others what you have given to me.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 
hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

Thursday 27 April 2017

Prayer to Jesus posted/shared by CLM


Jesus, my Lord and my God, 
I worship You and adore You. 
Lord You have said, 
“Your Father and Mother may abandon you, 
but I will never abandon you. “
I believe in You and so I surrender 
all fears, anxieties and worries 
into Your hands. 
Lord, I believe in Your eternal love. 
Cover me with Your love 
and let me experience Your grace. 
I pray for the following intention.... 
....(Mention your intention here).... 
If it is in accordance with Your will Lord 
and if it will be for my goodness, 
I humbly pray that You 
may grant me my request. 
Amen.

Mercy and Grace of God


God is the source of mercy and grace. Mercy is offered to all mankind and the all other living creations. God’s goodness is His benignity or bounty, by which He gives liberally to His creatures as creatures. Mercy is God withholding judgment or evil that we deserve. Mercy is the compassionate treatment of a person greater than what is deserved, and it is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. God is merciful to even the worst offenders and sinners. God’s goodness is His mercy, which denotes the ready inclination of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures. Thus, “mercy” presupposes sin. He is not sometimes merciful and sometimes judgmental. God is patient with us and always merciful. Mercy is shown because He loves us and only asks that we accept and trust His Son by faith.It is God who is merciful, who provides healing, forgiveness, redemption, crowns us, and satisfies us. God knows us in a way that we do not even know ourselves. And all things about us are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to deal. Only in the mercy of God can we find comfort and relieve for our pain, and peace for our troubled hearts.


"Because the Lord your God is a merciful God, 
he will neither abandon you nor destroy you; 
he will not forget the covenant with your ancestors 
that he swore to them."
Deuteronomy 4:31


"But God, who is rich in mercy, 
out of the great love with which he loved us"
Ephesians 2:4


"he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness 
that we had done, but according to his mercy, 
through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
Titus 3:5


"Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity
and passing over the transgression
of the remnant of your possession?
He does not retain his anger forever,
because he delights in showing clemency."
Micah 7:18


"Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful."
Psalm 116:5


"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, 
the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty 
with those who love him and keep his commandments, 
to a thousand generations"
Deuteronomy 7:9


"If we confess our sins, 
he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins 
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9


Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
Psalm 136

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort"
2 Corinthians 1:3


Praise God with all of your heart because of how great His mercy is to you and to me. every time we go to Mass and say, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy,” we know that the God who is relieving us of a heart of misery is also empowering us by his Holy Spirit to go and do the same for others. 


"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
Luke 6:36


Grace is God giving us blessing or good that we do not deserve.


"Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, 
so that we may receive mercy 
and find grace to help in time of need." 
Hebrews 4:16


"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, 
and we have seen his glory, 
the glory as of a father’s only son, 
full of grace and truth."
John 1:14


God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense


Grace means God’s unfathomable love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love, the unmerited or undeserving favor of God to those who are guilty of sin and ungodliness in the eye of God. Grace is the the merciful kindness and unconditional love of God for us, that God by His Divine grace gave to humanity by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to be cruxified and to die on the cross, thus securing man's eternal salvation from sin. By this grace that moves God to offer us the gift of salvation and forgiveness. God’s grace is does not cost anything to us, but not to God. It cost him much. 


"the righteousness of God through faith 
in Jesus Christ for all who believe. 
For there is no distinction, since all have sinned 
and fall short of the glory of God; 
they are now justified by his grace as a gift, 
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"
Romans 3:22-24


"For sin will have no dominion over you, 
since you are not under law but under grace."
Romans 6:14


"so that in the ages to come 
he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace 
in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, 
and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God"
Ephesians 2:7-8


"But by the grace of God I am what I am, 
and his grace toward me has not been in vain. 
On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them
—though it was not I, 
but the grace of God that is with me."
1 Corinthians 15:10


"but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, 
for power is made perfect in weakness.” 
So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, 
so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
2 Corinthians 12:9


Nothing we can do can increase God’s grace toward us, for us, on our behalf as it is all in God's favor and in His mighty hands, and is provided by God Himself. Sanctification is not a process of meriting more of God's favor but of adjusting our lives to allow God's transforming power to flow more freely. The road may be long and dreary, the days may be filled with difficulties and struggles, but rest assured that there will be grace sufficient for every need and ever trial, and this is the promise of God and the hope of the saints.


For the grace of God has appeared, 
bringing salvation to all, 
training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, 
and in the present age to live lives 
that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 
while we wait for the blessed hope 
and the manifestation of the glory 
of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 
He it is who gave himself for us 
that he might redeem us from all iniquity 
and purify for himself a people 
of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
Titus 2:11-14


God’s grace saves us and then it instructs, trains and motivates us to be godly people in this present age, zealous for good deeds, as we look forward and wait for the coming of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us.


"keeping steadfast love for thousands, 
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, 
but who will by no means clear the guilty, 
visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children 
and the children's children, 
to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:7


God is a God of justice as well as mercy, and He has expressly declared that He will “by no means clear the guilty”

Wednesday 26 April 2017

God loves the whole world


One of the most important spiritual truths I've ever learned is that God loves me. That may seem basic, yet think for a moment about the people you know. They may believe God loves the whole world, but do they really believe God loves them? Do you? Well, the good news is that He does...and He has something amazing in mind for you today.

source: Mike Evans (Jerusalem Prayer Team)

Love, Trust and Hope


We serve a God of hope who desires for us to be full of hope as we trust in Him.


And now faith, hope, 
and love abide, 
these three; 
and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13


But since we belong to the day, 
let us be sober, 
and put on the breastplate of faith and love, 
and for a helmet the hope of salvation
1 Thessalonians 5:8


Bear one another's burdens, 
and so fulfill the law of Christ 
Galatians 6:2

And let us not grow weary of doing good, 
for in due season we will reap, 
if we do not give up. 
So then, as we have opportunity, 
let us do good to everyone, 
and especially to those who are of the household of faith. 
Galatians 6:9-10

He has showed you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

And he said to him, 
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, 
and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it, 
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, 
the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1


Faith, Hope and Love are three individual tools that are powerful alone, but when combined great and miraculous things happen.

but those who wait for the Lord
shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31


Whoever does not love does not know God, 
for God is love.
1 John 4:8

God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son


Do you know the love which surpasses the greatest joy and happiness which one could ever hope to find in this life? Greater love is manifested in the cost and sacrifice of the giver. True lovers hold nothing back but give the best that can be offered to their beloved, including all they possess, even their very lives. God proved his love for each and every one of us by giving us the best he had to offer - his only begotten Son who freely offered up his life for our sake as the atoning sacrifice for our sins and the sin of the world.

God loves each of us uniquely and personally
Abraham's willing sacrifice of his only son, Isaac, prefigures the perfect offering and sacrifice of God's beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. This passage in the Gospel of John tells us of the great breadth and width of God's love. Not an excluding love for just a few or for a single nation, but a redemptive love that embraces the whole world, and a personal love for each and every individual whom God has created in his own image and likeness (Genesis 1:26,27). God is the eternal Father of Love who cannot rest until his wandering children have returned home to him. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) said, God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love. God gives us the freedom to choose whom and what we will love.

Truth, goodness, and beauty are made perfect in the love of Christ
Jesus shows us the paradox of love and judgment. We can love the darkness of sin and unbelief or we can love the light of God's truth, goodness, and beauty. If our love is guided by what is true, and good, and beautiful then we will choose for God and love him above all else. What we love shows what we prefer and value most. Do you love God above all else? Does he take first place in your life, in your thoughts, affections, and actions?

Lord Jesus Christ, your love is better than life itself. May your love consume and transform my heart with all of its yearnings, aspirations, fears, hurts, and concerns, that I may freely desire you above all else and love all others generously for your sake and for your glory. Make me to love what you love, desire what you desire, and give generously as you have been so generous towards me.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 
hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

St.Jude patron of the hopeless and desperate causes, pray and intercede for me

Dearest St.Jude, you are the patron saint for the desperate and hopeless cause like me. You are known of your miraculous intercession and prayer to Jesus, I and many have felt and received your miraculous power through Jesus having our petitions answered. Therefore, I who is currently going through storms in my life, and in need of your power intercession and prayer in overcoming the difficulties that I have been facing for several months which have become beyond my means and require urgent help. I have been diagnosed to be suffering from severe OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) whereby my sleep at night is disrupted over 600 times/8hours caused by obstruction of the upper airway (windpipe) when the throat muscles intermittently relax (repetitive pauses) and block my airway during sleep, despite the effort to breathe, and is usually associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. And now I need to buy CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) which cost RM5600~RM5800 to use every night to ensure my airways is always open for breathing. I am also have financial difficulties as my resource is not sufficient. Therefore, I put all my trust, hope and believe in the hands of God and Jesus, I know I am a sinner and may they show their mercy upon me, and do not left me be put to shame or disgrace but saved and restore me. Only miracle from Jesus by the will of the Father in Heaven can heal and provide for my solution to the above mess that I have caused in my life. I want and vow to change my ways and character for the better, by the help from Jesus and the Father through your intercession and prayer, dearest St.Jude. I feel so hopeless, impossible, desperate and worried, I urgently need your miraculous intercession and prayer, which I truly believe will be answered, and the help needed soon come from Jesus with the will of Father.


Dearest St Jude, please pray and intercede for all others who are also invoking your aid. Dearest St.Jude, I promise to make the devotion to you known, and I will always visit your shrine whenever I near one. Dearest St.Jude, pray and intercede for me and all others who are in desperate and hopeless situations. Amen.

Dearest St.Jude, please make use of  the privilege given to you by the Lord, to urgently help those in desperateness, 
hopelessness and in despair. Please pray and intercede that all their storms be rebuke and the calmness in their life is restored, and they are saved. 

THIS IS NOT A SCAM
I am really going through hard times.
If you have the Heart and Willing to Help, 
you may send me a email at
and I will provide you with details
or
directly make your help available

HELP through...
Malaysian Bank

Hong Leong Bank, 
Stanley
AC#-158-50-09065-0



through my PAYPAL link page.

Monday 24 April 2017

Unless one is born anew


Do you nourish your faith with prayerful reflection of the word of God? When Nicodemus heard about Jesus' miracles and extraordinary teaching, he decided to meet with him privately, away from the crowds and the public spotlight. Nicodemus was no ordinary Jew. He was a religious ruler and member of the Sanhedrin, which was the supreme court of the Jews, and a teacher of Israel (John 3:10). He was a devout Pharisee who sought to perfectly follow the law of Moses, as prescribed in the Five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Numbers) and further elaborated in the numerous scribal laws, recorded in the Mishnah and the Talmud.

Nicodemus decided to meet with Jesus at night, possibly for two reasons. He may have been cautious and not ready to publicly associate himself with Jesus since many Pharisees opposed Jesus' teaching and called him a Sabbath breaker. It is also likely that Nicodemus chose the night as the best time for seeking a private and undisturbed conversation with Jesus. The rabbis declared that the best time to study the law was at night after the day's work was completed and the household was at rest. When Nicodemus saw Jesus he addressed him asrabbi (a teacher of God's word and law) and acknowledged that Jesus' teaching came from God.

How can one get right with God and enter his kingdom? 
Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus went to the very heart of the Mosaic law - how can one get right with God and enter God's kingdom? Jesus' answer was brief and startling: "Unless one is born anew, he cannot see God." The new birth which Jesus spoke about was not a physical birth but the beginning of a spiritual birth which is something completely new and radical, and from above, namely from God himself. Jesus said that this rebirth was necessary if one was to enter God's kingdom. Nicodemus thought that to be born again, even spiritually, was impossible. He probably knew too well from experience that anyone who wants to be changed from within, can't accomplish this by oneself. Jesus explained that this change could only come about through the work and action of the Holy Spirit. This rebirth in the Spirit is very real and experiential, like the wind which can be felt and heard while it is visibly unseen to the naked eye.

Rebirth to new life in the power of the Holy Spirit 
What does it mean to be reborn in the Spirit? The new birth which Jesus speaks of is a spiritual birth to a life which is transformed through the power of God. This new life brings us into an experiential relationship with God as his adopted sons and daughters (Romans 6:4; 8:10-11). This new birth is made possible when one is baptized into Christ and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. God wants to renew all of his people in the gift of new life in his Holy Spirit. This new life in the Spirit brings us into God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).

What is the kingdom of God - which is also called the kingdom of heaven? God's kingdom - his reign and blessing as King over us - is the abundant everlasting life and power from heaven which God shares with those who accept him as the Eternal Father and Author of Life and Ruler of All he has created. Jesus explains in the prayer he gave to his disciples, what we call the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father, that God's kingdom is that society of men and women who acknowledge God as their Lord and Ruler and who obey his word and live according to his will on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

We are sons and daughters of God and citizens of his kingdom 
To be reborn in the Spirit is to enter that society in which God is honored and obeyed. Those who willingly accept God's rule in their lives become citizens of God's heavenly kingdom and members of God's family - his adopted sons and daughters. And they enter into possession of the life which comes from God himself, an everlasting life of love, peace, joy, and freedom from sin, oppression, and corruption. Do you know the joy and freedom of the new birth and abundant life which Jesus Christ has won for you?


Lord Jesus Christ, you offer us abundant new life and power to live as sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. Renew in me the gift of faith to accept and obey your life-giving word and to cooperate with the transforming power of your Holy Spirit who changes us into your likeness. May your kingdom come and your will be done in my life today, tomorrow, and always.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 
hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

Wednesday 19 April 2017

Did not our hearts burn while he opened to us the Scriptures


Why was it difficult for the disciples to recognize the risen Lord? Jesus' death scattered his disciples and shattered their hopes and dreams. They had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. They saw the cross as defeat and could not comprehend the empty tomb until the Lord Jesus appeared to them and gave them understanding.

Do you doubt the good news that Jesus rose to give you new life?
Jesus chided the disciples on the road to Emmaus for their slowness of heart to believe what the Scriptures had said concerning the Messiah. They did not recognize the risen Jesus until he had broken bread with them. Do you recognize the Lord in his word and in the breaking of the bread?

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) reflects on the dimness of their perception:
"They were so disturbed when they saw him hanging on the cross that they forgot his teaching, did not look for his resurrection, and failed to keep his promises in mind" (Sermon 235.1).

"Their eyes were obstructed, that they should not recognize him until the breaking of the bread. And thus, in accordance with the state of their minds, which was still ignorant of the truth - that the Christ would die and rise again, their eyes were similarly hindered. It was not that the truth himself was misleading them, but rather that they were themselves unable to perceive the truth." (From The Harmony of the Gospels, 3.25.72)

How often do we fail to recognize the Lord when he speaks to our hearts and opens his mind to us? The Risen Lord is ever ready to speak his word to us and to give us understanding of his ways. Do you listen attentively to the Word of God and allow his word to change and transform you?


Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart to recognize your presence with me and to understand the truth of your saving word. Nourish me with your life-giving word and with the bread of life.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 
hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East