Today’s reading begins with “of who do you think when the expression ‘influence others for Jesus’ comes to mind?” The book lists some of the great saints in the history of the Church. I added some people who were influential to me in my Christian life. The whole point being your good works should point others to God and when asked why did you did what you did, you answer because of God’s love.
After I read today’s reading, I opened my Benedictine Prayerbook to the morning intercessions. A couple of the intercessions went this way:
That Christians manifest your mercy and their pardon by their love for others. Lord, give us hope.
That nations work unselfishly t0 give food to millions of starving people throughout the world. Lord, give us hope.
That the fertility of silence give life an power to our words and deeds. Lord, give us hope.
Hmm…. Coincidence probably not. Still smarting from that one.
March 8, 2010 at 6:46 pm |
My father was the first one that really pointed me to Christ. I would get up early on a winter morning and he would be standing with his back to our cookstove that he had just built a fire in and reading in his Bible (which is now in my possession). He was the one who always read the Christmas story every Christmas Eve. When I was confirmed in the Methodist church I received my first Bible, and started reading it every night after I would crawl into bed. When my brother found out what I was doing, we would read a chapter a night – he would read five verses, I would read five verses until the end. My brother and his wife started Spirit Wind Ministries in Phoenix as their mission work. My sister, Lee, had a very personal relationship with her Lord – so I guess I have been surrounded by people who have been my light all my life on how to live a Christian life (and I pray that I have been following in their footsteps!).