From Morning Prayer(Liturgy of the Hours) - Eternal Father, you give us life despite our guilt and even add days and years to our lives in order to bring us wisdom. Make us love and obey you, so that the works of our hands may always display what your hands have done, until the day we gaze upon the beauty of your face.
Thoughts: Reading this prayer this morning caused me to think back on my life and all of it's tumultuous events. I recall a young man, 17 years old, who had a lot of knowledge and some pretty good common sense but greatly lacked in wisdom. I would imagine that many of us can relate to that. Kind of like the prodigal son from this Sunday's readings. I imagine he thought himself pretty smart also.
A life changing moment! It was April 25, 1982, My Dad, brother and myself had gone out for a Sunday drive. We did not know it but our lives would be changed that day. During this scenic drive through the central Texas countryside, I was attempting to make a left hand turn off the highway to go down to the lake. I did not see the 2 semis coming up behind me, one of them attempting to pass the other. The driver of the truck that was in the wrong lane could not stop in time when I started making my turn and he totally t-boned my truck.
I would have been dead if I had been wearing my seat belt as the impact had completely crushed the drivers compartment of the truck. I did, however, suffer a brain stem contusion leaving me unconscious for 11 days. After about a month in the hospital, I was released to continue my recovery at home. Based on the life I was living at that time, I certainly did not deserve to live and should by all rights have been dead but God had a plan for me. He had chosen to add years to my life. I am sure he added years to my life because he knew it would take years to actually add wisdom to my stubborn nature.
If we think back upon our lives, most of us will realize some point in our lives when God was watching out for us. We will see the hand of the Holy and Mighty One in a lucky break or a miraculous event. God, through the healing power of Jesus Christ, has set us all aside to know and love and serve him. I know now that my being saved was not an accident.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
Have a great day and know that the Lord truly has great plans for you. Pray that you may see clearly what those plans are and follow him unreservedly and without fear.
Prayers as you begin the diaconate program. My cousin was just ordained after he and his wife raised three children (and welcomed 10 grandchildren) and he says it is such a wonderful vocation. I was there for his "first mass" and people lined up for his blessing. It is a call to be a channel of God's love. Not of our doing - our yes is what we give - and even that is grace.
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