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When Night Becomes the Morning

“I thirst for souls that love God.”-Jesus

 

The darkest of nights can give birth to the most glorious of mornings.

 

We were made for so much more.

 

Fellow Christians, I come to you on Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus dying on the cross for us.  I wonder what He felt all those years ago?  Probably lonely, broken, and thirsting for souls to come to Him.

 

It’s amazing that He died for us, that He endured much suffering so that we could spend eternity with Him in heaven. Jesus was so Holy.

 

I imagine what it would have been like in Jesus’ day. The darkest of afternoons where our Lord hung breathing his last breaths, with the weight of so much sin on his shoulders.

 

Yet he endured it, looking forward to the reward of heaven.

 

His apostles all thought it was the end. They hadn’t realized that the end was the start of a beginning. I imagine what they felt when Jesus died.  “Teacher, now what?  What do we do now that you have died?”  I am sure they were afraid for their own lives and disappointed that Jesus, the Son of God had died!

 

But this was necessary.  Because of original sin, we live in a fallen world where sin had separated us from God.

 

Jesus came to restore our relationship with Himself.

 

We are made right with God through this sacrifice and look forward to eternal life with Jesus in heaven if we live upright, pure lives.

 

Many people are so weary, so torn down by life. They are going through dark nights, losing hope. Yet Jesus showed us that these dark nights are not the end of the story.

 

A new day is coming. A resurrection is promised.

 

And Jesus rose from the dead all of those years ago to tell us that Love has the final word.

 

God is so merciful that He gave us a way out of eternal death, a life without God. He gave us a way that we could forever enjoy Him in heaven.  But first we have to endure trials here on this earth. It is so encouraging to realize that these trials are not forever!

 

The Blessed Mother was with Jesus at the cross. Know that Our Lady, Jesus’ mother is always there to help you too.

 

So when it feels like a dark night, be encouraged-the moring is coming.  Hold onto hope! I am praying for you to live your dreams and to grow closer to Christ.

 

Let us pray:

Lord now that we are entering the 3 days of the Passion of Christ, let us always remember that amidst the sufferings there is joy waiting for us. Help us to endure our trials patiently and not lose hope.  I pray especially for those who endure many hardships every day. Bring them closer to Your heart.  Jesus we love you and through the Blessed Mother’s intercession we ask for peace. Heal us and help us to stay close to You. Amen.

Who is God

Who is God?

I talk a lot about trusting God, talking to God, depending on God.

But if you weren’t raised in a Christian home, you may be wondering just who God is.

Is God even real and how does He relate to me?

Is it too good to be true that we have a Creator who cares deeply for us?

I don’t claim to have all the answers but this is what I truly believe.

First and foremost, God is our Creator.  In the first book of the bible, we see that “God said, ‘Let there be light and there was light’.”  He created the heavens and the earth, including the stars, the planets, the seas, the angels–He created it all.  Before God, there was nothing but Him.

Then, “God created mankind in His own image.”  (Genesis 1:27)

I bet I threw you a curve ball there.  We, God’s creatures were made in His image and likeness.  Also, God knows us in and out because it was He who created us.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

Secondly, it is important to know God is love.  Here is where a lot of people get it wrong. God is not an angry, judgmental, harsh God.  Yes, God does judge us for the bad things we do, He is just.  Yet, wherever you are in life, God loves you and He always will. In fact, God is the very expression of love.  God shows kindness to all His creatures.

God’s greatest act of love was giving His son Jesus to die on the cross for us,

 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Jesus did some pretty amazing things while He was on the earth.  He healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, miraculously fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes.  Yet, the most amazing thing was the miracle of Him dying, and being raised from the dead.

He walked on water, beckoning His followers to come to Him, to have faith, just like he is beckoning you and me.

Satan tries to steal this from us. See there was an evil presence introduced into  the world by Satan.  Satan tempted Adam and Eve,  the first people to live on this earth (the people made in God’s image), to disobey God.  Once they did, they forever were left with the mark of original sin, essentially separated from God.

Yet God, sent His only Son Jesus to give us a chance at eternal life, life with Him forever in heaven.

Despite our sin, Jesus, both divine and man, came to this earth to redeem us in God’s eyes. He came to bear the weight of all mankind’s sin, defeating the powers of darkness.  That’s pretty powerful.

God is powerful.

He is in control of all Creation.  Without Him, all would cease to exist.  He grants us our prayers, He heals the sick, He provides.

All’s we are called to do is believe.

I would ask you to get to know God.

Listen to sermons online, go to a local church, message me on social media with your questions.

See, we were created to love God, and to be loved by God.

Trust in Him.

Talk to Him.

If you don’t know what to say, start with honesty.

Tell Him that you were just introduced to Him.  Tell Him about all that is on your heart and mind.  If you have questions, tell Him that.  Ask Him for peace for your heart.  You are forgiven.  All you have to do is ask.

God wants a relationship with all His children.  He loves us so much.

I imagine that image of Jesus on the water, walking toward us.

Come to me.

Come home.