Spirit Promptings

 

Christmas Quotes – Thoughts about God

The Son of God became a man to
enable men to become the sons of God.  
-C.S.Lewis
(Mere Christianity)

~~~~~What are we to of make of
Jesus Christ? . . .
The real question is not what
we are to make of Christ,
but what is He to make of us?  
C.S.Lewis

~~~~~~ God’s gifts
put man’s best dreams
to shame.    -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

~~~~~~ Best of all, Christmas means a spirit of love,
a time when the love of God and love of our fellow men should prevail over all hatred and
bitterness, a time when our thoughts and deeds and the spirit of our lives
manifest the presence of God.  
-George F. McDougall

~~~~~~ Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas;
Star and angels gave the sign.  
-Christina Rossetti

~~~~~~ JOY

Somehow, not only for Christmas,
but all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others,
Is the joy that comes back to you.  
-John Greenleaf Whittier

~~~~~~ God sent a star to light the night for
The Way, The Truth, The Life–His Son.
He sent the Light of Life to prove His heart
so we would invite His Son into our own.
God has given us all the light we’ll ever
need to find peace on earth,
goodwill to men.  
-Pamela F.Dowd

PEACE IS . . .

~ gazing at the stars with the knowledge
that you know their Creator.

~ closing your eyes in sleep without fear
of tomorrow.

~ the stillness in your heart when trouble swirls
around you.

~ a quiet mind in a raging world.   - unknown

~~~~~~ Where there is faith, there is love;
Where there is love, there is peace;
Where there is peace, there is God;
And where there is God; there is no need.  
-Leo Tolstoy

~~~~~~ The flow of
blessings in our
life is directly
related to
our passing
blessings along
to someone else.  
-Thomas Kinkaid

~~~~~~ The giving of gifts is not something man invented. God started the giving spree when he gave a gift beyond words, the unspeakable gift of His Son. - Robert Flatt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Blessed is
The season which
Engages the whole
World in a
Conspiracy of love.  
-Hamilton Wright Mabie

How many observe
Christ’s birthday!
How few, his precepts!
O!  ’tis easier to keep
Holidays than
Commandments.  
-Benjamin Franklin

~~~~~~ This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ.   - Frank McKibben

~~~~~~~ GIVE THE FOLLOWING GIFTS:

To your enemy . . .forgiveness,
To your opponent . . .tolerance.
To a friend . . . your heart.
To a customer . . . service.
To all men . . .charity.
To every child . . . a good example
To yourself . . .respect

-Author Unknown

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WISDOM

 Wisdom is quiet listening as the wind floats through the trees,

sensing the Spirit in its gentle breeze.

Wisdom is gathering in the rainbow of birdsong,

knowing that I belong in its color.

Wisdom is piercing the depth of trees centuries old,

learning endurance and perseverance bold.

Wisdom is gazing awe-filled at the wonders of creation,

marveling with gratitude and elation.

Wisdom is the heart child-like simplicity,

Embraced by God in all I see! 

 

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° 

 

 

 

 

THE SAVIOR WEEPS

Our Savior weeps,

weeps over our hardness.

Weeps over our closure.

Precious tears of God

Longing to gather us

As a mother hen

Her chicks,

Safe under her welcoming wings.

 

But we would not,

Arrogant and self-righteous;

Choosing to crawl

When He would have us soar!

Grovelling in the grime,

When He would clothe us in Light!

 

Awake!  Awake!

He lingers still,

Withdraws not His love,

This Holy Hound of Heaven!

Turn to Him,

Forgiving our many refusals,

Atoning our numerous transgressions;

Casting behind His back

Our waywardness.

 

We’ve but to enter those arms

Outstretched for us.

Enfolded to His Heart,

Our reckless seeking ended.

At last at Home in Him,

Font of all Good.

 

Weep no more, dear Lord.

Your errant ones return,

Never again to leave.

 

                                                                           (Meditation on Luke 9, 41-44)

 

 

 

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MARY, FILLED WITH JESUS!

 

 

  

Mary,

House of Prayer!

Temple all pure!

No trace of aught

but God in You!

 

Living Ark,

enfleshing the Promise,

the Hope of Humanity!

All-given,

attentive to the Word,

pondering Him in Your heart;

living Him in Your life.

Virgin, Wife, Mother,

your roles fulfilled in every detail,

palpitating Love.

 

Oh teach us, Mother,

to welcome the cleansing

Jesus brings,

as He casts out

all that is not Him,

purifying us

that we too may be

Living Temples

where prayerfulness abides,

breaks out in songs of praise.

There His Word takes root

deep within,

transforming us into Him;

vibrant members of His Body!

 

(Reflection on Mark 3, 31-35 & Luke 19, 45-48)

 

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LUKE 1, 26-38

 

What is this wedding,   

divine and human —-

This meshing of

Heaven and earth?

What allure drew down the Creator

to the creature?

What force could so exert,

that Omnipotence

fit in Mary’s Womb?

Insufficient the vast cosmos

to contain so great a Love.

Yet space abundant

in this woman’s heart!

Mystery to sublime to fathom…

too elusive to grasp.

Faith alone can delve

silently

in awed wonderment,

this God

in human form

that we might become

divine!

 

 

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He’s come!

In the hushed silence

of the starry night,

All peace and calm,

Into that stable cavern bare,

Paradise came to earth,

 a fragile Babe.

No fanfare.

No trumpet blasts.

No court in attendance.

Just an ox and a donkey,

and two human hearts

to receive Him,

to dry His first tears,

to give Him comfort.

Only Mary’s breast

to sate His hunger.

Sufficient this

for Omnipotence!

 

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I’VE FOUND THE LORD!

 

Come to see!                                                     martha-mary

Not some secret

            This revelation,

To be held jealously

   To oneself.

The finding must be shared.

 

            Uncontainable…

Like a bubbling fountain

                        Rising up,

                                               Overflowing!

A discovery burning within

            Setting afire all it touches.

 

                        Finding Jesus,

                                   I find myself

                                               My goal

                                                           My raison d’etre

Existence takes on meaning.

                        Life lights up with purpose.

 

                                               Now contagious,

                                                           Joyfully I infect others

                        With Jesus’ vibrant virus,

                                               Fraught with holiness

                                                           To create the perfect human,

God’s dream enfleshed anew

                        In the Jesus captivated soul!

                                                                           (reflection on John 1, 35-42)

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REFLECTIONS ON LUKE 6, 36-38

 

COMPASSION and FORGIVENESS

     Are YOU, O LORD!         

This Your nature,

     Omnipotent Creator!

Slow to anger, rich in mercy,                                                                       light

patiently pardoning our many misdeeds.

Made in Your IMAGE,

To shine forth Your LIKENESS

with our compassion and forgiveness.

 

              Alas!  Filled with dross,

               our failings smear Your image.

                Incapable of that gratuitous love

                 with which You love us.

 

Wipe us clean, dear Lord!

Renew us in the ceaseless Fountain of mercy

flowing from Your Son’s open side.

Let us not abide

in evil’s darkness.

Birth us into Your LIGHT,

Your ever CREATIVE WILL

at work in us!

                                                                                                  

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