Ball of Fire

 

Twilight for me is one of the best moments of the day. It is that brief period of time right before the sunset, when outdoors, it is no longer bright, but it is also not yet too dark to see without artificial light. There is a certain softness and gentleness in the air, and a quieting down of the spirit in preparation for rest.  Peace. Tranquility. Quiet. These are what I associate the moment with.
 

It is really such a joy to notice the sky as it begins to glow, slowly turning from blue to yellow, to orange, red, violet and then to a deep blue before darkness.  And to watch as the ball of light very gradually descends into the horizon. The moment is very brief, but the ball of fire never seems  rushed nor harrassed. It just fades out gently, peacefully, quietly.
 

 

My simple camera can not seem to do justice to what our naked eye can see when we look at the sky. The beauty of the moment is so much more than what one can capture and hold.

This reminds me of His love!  The big ball of fire that is His great and deep love.  His love that constantly hovers around us. That is ever present like sunlight, that leaves its mark like sunburn on our skin which we only notice after, that at times seems to withdraw from us or hide itself in darkness.

Twilight allows us to see the sun more clearly. If we extand our hand in its direction, we can even imagine holding it in our palm. Twilight reminds me of  special moments when we are able to see more clearly the constancy of His love, know its beauty, experience its tranquilty.  The sacredness of these brief moments brings a real feeling of security.  His is a fire that  never goes out.  A Love that constantly burns, both in light and in darkness. 

 

 

 

 Thank you my dearest Lord, for Your great big ball of fire, for the fire of your constant love!

 

  

 

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Heaven on Earth

 

When we allow ourselves to receive God's love in the way that He waits for us to receive it... when because of it, we finally believe how truly loved we are by Him and begin to genuinely love Him back in ways that truly please Him... we actually experience Heaven.  Yes, He already gives us a taste of Heaven here on earth!

 

For what is Heaven  -  but our being in union with Him... trusting in Him... loving Him and all He wills... being one in journey with Him... laboring and resting in Him...

 

All these, inspite of our very limited human nature...

All He asks is that we love Him through our hopes and joys, our fears and struggles, through all that we are... To love Him with the fullness of our very limited human nature :o)

 

 

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Christmas Rose

I like to think of the poinsettia as the 'Christmas rose'.

The red of the rose is very attractive, especially against the backdrop of green leaves. During Valentines and other many special occassions, roses are given and received as a symbol of love.  During the feast of St. Therese,  her image is adorned with roses, in honor of her special way of loving Christ: great love through 'the little way'.

Similarly, poinsettias usually have very attractive red petals, and these are additionally highlighted by the green leaves underneath.  The reds and greens of Christmas. The moment poinsettias are in sight, you know that Advent, as well Christmas, is really here.  And when you no longer see poinsettias around, you have to concede that the season is over. How synchronized its timing is with this special occassion.

More than color though, what the poinsettia has in common with the rose is its connection with love. Like the rose, the poinsettia in its association with Christmas, can also be seen as a symbol of love:  Love that reached out to us in the form of a fragile, vulnerable baby born in a poor manger. Love that chose to take on flesh and blood like our own, because He is truly in love with us, His special creation. "Love that's freely given, and that wants to freely be received... Love that longs to share His life with us, in hopes that it will grow... and until He finally calls us home..."

The Christmas rose...  reaching out, indwelling, waiting to be loved back...  our dear God, WHO IS Love!  

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Stillness...in His Hands

It is hard to describe with words what the experience of inner stillness is... it's something that is just felt. The moments when you just know that you are exactly where He wants to you be at this time... with the people He wants you to be with... doing exactly what He wants you to do for now... and, just being able to be totally yourself, because you know that that is also exactly how He really wants you to be for Him.. for always.  

It is in these moments of stillness within you that you just know without a doubt, from the deepest part of you, how truly loved you are by Him, and that He will never cease carrying you in the palm of His Hands... 

Perhaps these moments of inner stillness and certitude of His abiding love, are what St. Augustine was referring to when he said that our hearts stay restless until they finally find rest in Him. 

Thank you, dearest Lord, for this precious gift of stillness... in Your hands!

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I Know My Sheep

"I am the Good Shepherd... I know my sheep and my sheep know me..." These lines have lingered in my mind  and heart recently. It really strikes me how Jesus tried to convey to us with these words the type of love our Lord God has for us. He was not referring to a relationship of authority - a shepherd having authority over subordinate sheep. Or just about duty - a shepherd having a duty to look after the flock. The use of the word "know" touches me. He knows each and every sheep. Though they all sport fuzzy white wool, he is fully aware of who are present and who strays.. or is lost. He knows where the stray one might head for, and where to find it. In like manner, the sheep can recognize right away when it is its shepherd's voice. It feels at home, it feels safe. It even knows that the good shepherd will come looking for it and will still swoop it up into his arms and hold it close inspite of its having strayed away from the flock.

I am amazed that Jesus used this metaphor to describe our relationship with our God. If He used this, it could only be truth. Truth that this is a relationship of deep caring and intimate loving. He could have stopped at, "I am the shepherd and you are the sheep." but instead He made sure that He described this love as: "I know my sheep and my sheep know me...", and more than that, "For these sheep, I will give my life..."

Truly our Good Shepherd.

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Fresh Like Spring

Pass It On
by Kurt Kaiser

It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That's how it is with God's Love,
Once you've experienced it,
You spread the love to everyone
You want to pass it on.

What a wondrous time is spring,
When all the tress are budding
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming;
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it.
You want to sing, it's fresh like spring,
You want to pass it on.

I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on God
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountain top
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.

Someone once shared, "Your love for the Lord will last, but the beautiful feeling might not. So enjoy and relish it while you can. It's grace God gives so we will know Him more intimately and serve Him more generously."

From the freshness of God's love springs forth our own love for Him! And as this happens, He gives us the grace to relish it and the desire to pass it on.