This, I say then, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Gal. 5: 16
As we celebrate the Renewal of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are reminded to acknowledge that we have the SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT at our disposal. These sevenfold gifts are the spirits of;
Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and the Fear of the Lord.
You shall walk in all that the Lord your God has commanded. Deut. 5: 33
To whom much is given much is expected is the old adage we have heard over time. Been blessed with these gifts of the Holy Spirit we are charged to use them, so that we can bear the fruits of the spirit.
But the spirit produce, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. Gal. 5: 22- 24
With the incidence of COVID 19 Pandemic, our world seems to have been thrown into confusion. Man is confused.
In all the scenarios that we have been observing, we have seen how the plan of the evil one is unveiling day by day but most interestingly we have been seeing the Hand of God at play.
My intention is not to discuss the pandemic and its outcomes rather I am looking at how the Holy Spirit aids us in the understanding of God’s purpose for our lives, most especially in times of trials, if we allow him.
Let us walk properly as in daytime, nut in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and in sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Romans 13: 13
By implication, we are told that working under the influence of the Holy Spirit, we can surmount any power of the devil and his agents. This brings me to the real issues.
GROWING GRACEFULLY
For some time now, I have been faced with the issue of how people see Ageing this days, right from our looks, our perception of life to our expressions.
Apostle Paul in 1Cor. 13: 11 says, “ When I was a child, I talked like a child but now that I am a man I have no more use of childish ways.”
This days you see a fully grown woman (the 50s and above) coming, you look at the make-up and it looks as wild as that of a young teenager who is just exploring the world of cosmetics. We do not pride ourselves in our lovely golden hair; we compete with our children and grandchildren.
Oh, talk of the ageless Grannies, I love it when I see a gracefully ageing grandmothers. She walks with elegance, speaks with love and expresses wisdom. Her looks show the beauty of God in a different way. Her make-up is mild and well blended, she is not aiming at competing with her younger generation. She discusses with great decorum any issue at hand, trying to be a good light , leading the younger ones to Christ. So it is with a gracefully ageing old man. He is quick to point out the wrong path and shows that no way is better than the way of the Lord, stressing, “though it is not an easy way.” He does everything moderately and is never found in uncompromising circumstances.
Our approach to life determines how we respond to situations of life. When we grow our spiritual man, we handle all aspects of our lives better, like our Mother Mary and our brother and Lord, Jesus Christ, we become humble. That causes us to do everything in moderacy and having Heaven in mind. This I say to you as a Christian.
Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him. Colossians 2: 6
When we are growing into old age we need to seek anew the grace of the presence Holy Spirit, especially, the spirit of wisdom understanding, counsel and the fear of the Lord.
Most of the times, when one is approaching old age, there is the very likelihood that one experiences the loss of one’s love (the spouse). This usually results in shock in the one who is left behind. After a while, one gets over the shock and starts missing the lover, then the fear of being lonely forever sets in. This is where the evil one steps in, toying with ones emotions and creating circumstances that prove one cannot survive the time.
Then the true nature of the person comes to play. If the person in question is a fun loving person (which is a good nature, usually such people are amiable) he or she feels left out in life. They first become withdrawn, but later breakout and decide to move on. This is the time to draw closer to God, the All knowing and Ever Faithful One.
1 Cor. 7: 8 says, “It is better for the Unmarried and the Widows to stay unmarried as I am, but where you cannot, you can marry rather than burn with passion.”
Now some say why should I remarry when I have all that I need to be comfortable and care for myself, while some say I don’t want to be committed to another person in wedlock, I just want to be free to live my life and enjoy the rest of my life. All I need is a friend for companionship. Hmm, my brother, my sister that is the path of Sin.
The word of the Lord in Hebrews 13: 4 KJV says, “Marriage is honourable in all and the Marriage bed be undefiled but God will judge whoremongers and adulterers.”
But I seem to like the New International Version NIV of this quotation better as it is more explicit. Look at it – Marriage should be honoured by all and marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
So if you burn with passion, walk with the Lord and let the Holy Spirit show you who you can share your passion with. That I say, is the most difficult part for many who are in the situation of loneliness.
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without wall. Proverb 25: 28
SELF CONTROL: This is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit that we need very much in our lives, even at any age. Life will surely bring its challenges, but we have within us Christ our Saviour (whose spirit we need to keep alive by seeking to keep our relationship with Him, by doing His will) So for Christ sake, choose Life. Do that which is proper in God’s sight. Marry if you need to and if not stay single but married to Christ, serving Him in your children. Yes, in your children biological or adopted by love, it doesn’t matter. Keep serving Humanity, doing all that you have passion for. Since He has not called you to our Heavenly Home, you still have a purpose to accomplish.
You can have a new vocation, sell the Kingdom to others by setting good examples. You are still full of life, enjoy yourself. Have good relationships, good Catholic brothers and sisters (or Christians at that). You should still have some of your family friends who sincerely care for you and want to be there for you. Keep appointment with God at Masses and visit the Blessed Sacrament. You will be blessed with excellent discernment. So you know Christ has your back and you cannot make wrong choices of who to lean on. You can’t fail. You will find fun among your kind and be saved.
I leave you with this, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41: 10
Be empowered, be a Winner in Christ.
I have been thinking a great deal about my experience at Reconciliation this past Saturday. I felt an intense and unexplainable urge to go and confess my sins when I woke up that morning. I try to go every six weeks or so, but this was no routine visit to the priest for me. I needed to unburden myself of the numerous venial sins I had committed since I last participated in this Sacrament.
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After salvation, many young Christians wonder if there's anything more to their newfound faith than just the security blanket of "being a Christian." Time and time again, God shows himself as a "refiner," and our lives are as gold. God started leading me in this study to understand what He was doing in my life, as well as in the lives of others.
Picking up my pen to write this column, I couldn’t imagine how time flies. Since the last publication of this column I have gone through a lot, especially the loss of my dear mother to whom I dedicate this article. Not only her, but seems I lost a whole generation of my close family.
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Saint Josephine Bakhita »
Feast Day: February 8
Patron Saint Of: Sudan
Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering.
Catholics Must Fast More Intensely This Lent»
The Norbertine Canons of St. Michael's Abbey have created this digital Lenten retreat so that you can journey through this holy season alongside them. If you want to have one of your best Lenten seasons yet, join us in our Lenten Program "The Great Fast" - https://theabbotscircle.com/the-great-fast-join
When Your Faith Is Put to the Test - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon»
Friends, we come now to the Second Sunday of Lent, and we’re on both dangerous and very holy ground with the first reading from the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. The ancient Israelites referred to it as the “Akedah,” which means the “binding”: Abraham binds and is ready to sacrifice Isaac at God’s command.
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