Who are you?

Posted on May 1st, 2012 by Dan Burke

You are God’s child (John 1:12)

You are Christ’s friend (John 15:15)

You are a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)

You are a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)

You are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)

You are His chosen one in Him before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)

You are adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)

You are in Him (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:30)

You are forgiven (Ephesians 1:8; Colossians 1:14)

You are a person with purpose (Ephesians 1:9 & 3:11)

You are included (Ephesians 1:13)

You are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)

You are salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14)

You are God’s coworker (2 Corinthians 6:1)

You are alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5)

You are raised up with Christ (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12)

You are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6)

You are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)

You are near to God through Christ’s blood (Ephesians 2:13)

You are a special guest of the Father (Ephesians 2:18)

You are a member of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19)

You are secure (Ephesians 2:20)

You are a holy temple (Ephesians 2:21; 1 Corinthians 6:19)

You are a dwelling for the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22)

You are a light to others, and can exhibit goodness, righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:8-9)

You are dead to sin (Romans 1:12)

You are not alone (Hebrews 13:5)

You are growing (Colossians 2:7)

You are His disciple (John 13:15)

You are united with other believers (John 17:20-23)

You are not in want (Philippians 4:19)

You are victorious (I John 5:4)

You are set free (Romans 8:2; John 8:32)

You are a light in the world (Matthew 5:14)

You are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)

You are safe (I John 5:18)

You are part of God’s kingdom (Revelation 1:6)

You are no longer condemned (Romans 8:1, 2)

You are not helpless (Philippians 4:13)

You are overcoming (I John 4:4)

You are persevering (Philippians 3:14)

You are protected (John 10:28)

You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

You are delivered (Colossians 1:13)

You are redeemed from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13)

You are qualified to share in His inheritance (Colossians 1:12)

You are chosen and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12 along with the entire Bible and Tradition of the Church)

 

I like dogs better than people, am I off base?

Posted on February 25th, 2012 by Dan Burke

Q: Dear Dan, I was telling a friend of mine the other day that I really prefer dogs to people. He told me that I needed to pray about this and that he thought it was a serious issue for me spiritually. His response really has me baffled. Still, since Lent has me a bit introspective, I thought I would take his challenge seriously. What do you think? Is this just a silly conversation that I am taking too seriously?

A: Dear Friend, just thinking about your conversation made me smile. In a strange twist of providence, I just happened to have read a lenten meditation written by a 19th century Jesuit priest. Before I offer his response, I must publicly affirm that I do believe dogs will be in heaven. Here’s what Fr. Gallwey has to say:

“Some profess to have much love for our Lord, but a strong dislike for men. We hear them say that dogs and horses are much more loveable than Christians. Against such thoughts we must have ready the words of St. John who so well understood all about love: ‘He that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God Whom he seeth not?’ (1 John iv) The love of God and love for men must both come down from heaven; and the ordinary rule is, that it is by loving men that we grow in love for God.

Again, some who profess to love our Lord are very kind to one priest, to one church, to one nun, or to a very small select party of lay people, but cold and indifferent, if not harsh, to those outside of this narrow pale. One whose heart is becoming more like the heart of our Savior will, on the contrary, say: ‘I am partner (O Lord) with all them that fear Thee and keep Thy commandments.’ (Psalm cxviii) St. Paul’s heart became much like to our Lord’s; he therefore could weep with all who wept, and rejoice with those in joy. ‘Who is weak that I am not weak? Who is scandalized that I am not on fire?’ (2 Cor xi)”

He then offers this prayer:

Make us, loving Heart of Jesus, love Thee, and for Thy sake all whom Thou lovest. Grant us some share of Thy true and wide-reaching love, that we may be able to say humbly and in all simplicity, ‘All thy friends, O Lord, are my friends.’

May you find a love for your humans that far surpasses your love for your dogs, and thereby, may you find a deeper love for God, and then find your home in heaven with all of them.

Love beyond love

Posted on December 12th, 2009 by Anonymous

Almighty God, I do love and fear you. What fool would fail to tremble at your ability to cast it into the eternal suffering of its own making? But I am not motivated by your power to effortlessly give me what I have often requested by my choice of sin. No, I am not motivated by my fear of judgment and hell. My divine Love, I am driven to love you by the reality of your unimaginable grace. How is it that you love me? How is it that a perfect, holy, and good God could love one who has so often spurned, rejected, and trampled on perfect love? I rightly imagine myself the murderer of a mother’s only son. But instead of hatred and disdain, she offers me her hand of friendship. And then in an act of love beyond love she extends me complete forgiveness. In her embrace to heal my dark soul she discovers that I am an orphan, and without hesitation, she welcomes me into her home. Now, I sleep in warmth and comfort – in her son’s bed – the son I had stolen from her. I live with her perfect incomprehensible grace. Oh my God, oh my Love, how can I give anything less than everything back to You?

Theophilus