Light of a Million Mornings

Ave Maria:) Good news first Bro.Bert who suffered a stroke and was comatose, with doctors giving up and sending feelers that if he would not improve, he would have to be sent home-- literally "rose" He woke up Easter Sunday, as per Bro. Olen's report, he can already eat... and that he will be sent home but be on the road to recovery, thank GOD -- it was Olen's wife Amy who shared how she had offered Bert in a special way that Easter Sunday especially during Holy Mass... praying fervently for a miracle..her prayer combined with all family and friends who interceded for Bert obtained this Easter miracle from GOD..Just think Amy is a busy mom with 2 small kids and running their softdrink business day to nite..almost no rest...she wasn't even able to offer a long prayer or a novena..yet how GOD honored her prayer! Blessed are those who have praying friends and families -- the sincere prayers and sacrifices of others help us when we are too weak to help ourselves..and this is what a Christian community is all about. It is sad and even futile to keep ranting how we love God and would climb the highest mountains for Him.. be visible in seminars , outreaches, fund-raisers... be so active in not just one but several Christian organizations yet miss out on the richness of authentic Christian community. The community is the oasis in the desert. This is the very reason why religious orders/ religious organizations have been formed thru the centuries...  priests and nuns, laity desire the way of living of the early Christians.. which really was SIMPLE AND SINCERE IN FOLLOWING JESUS and His teachings. They were focused on prayer, they shared what they had, no one was hungry.. they faithfully listened , studied reflected on the Word of GOD, the teachings of the prophets and JESUS... remember that it took awhile ..many years before the first bible was even written and distributed -- so they relied on the apostles, the anointed teachers who by the power of the Holy Spirit were able to pass on the teachings.. word of mouth, slowly painfully..faithfully and always with a firm vibrant hope that GOD's Word would hold true.Praise our Mighty and Gracious God! One can only imagine how terribly close they must have been, how they loved and respected and obeyed their elders..how they watched out for one another, constantly interceding for each other's spiritual and material needs..and working for protection from the enemies of the church.Persecution was a constant ingredient in their life ( think of roaring hungry beasts ready to feed on brave Christians with the Colosseum standing room only), they survived not only because of prayers and faith in GOD..but the total support of their Christian brothers and sisters was so crucial... In this planet..God needs a face, a beating heart, a human voice, hands and feet -- He uses us to make His love felt. to make His love a constant reality.As it is We would not marvel if Jesus Himself came down and mingled with us and loved us to pieces... but we would be blown away..when human beings, sometimes even those we barely know extend kindness /forgiveness/gentleness/charity to us... those are the moments we stop to reflect... and say to ourself.. there is a God, there must be GOD and He lives in that person. The impossibly vain selfish arrogant beings we are..by our lonesome self and limited powers..we cannot possibly love and reach out to others.. and forgiveness something unimaginable.. yes we can try.. but it will not be enough to last long-term and tide us even unto the next life... this is the very reason Jesus came for us. I wish I had units in theology..but what little I know.. I know Jesus came to fill in our major-major blanks. Jesus knew beforehand everything we would experience in our earthly lifetime, and He knew that in our fallen state with Sin claiming a foothold on our being-- that there was no way we could ever overcome all our woes and trouble... no way too we would resurrect after our death. Our status if Jesus did not come? Worse than poverty, worse than death..we would be nothing at all..!nothing!God's creation run berserk and just as soon forgotten.  If the Lord chose not to have anything to do with us ( with every acceptable reason, No.1 being:Jesus:" Many will not believe and accept me Father..many will refuse my love and sacrifice." ..YET Jesus chose to come for us..for you and me and yes even the most horrible persons you can think of...think of terrorist, serial killers. corrupt officials, perverted rapists..He died for all,and made sure He would rise from the dead to gain victory for us! He wanted us all to have new life thru Him! thru Him, with Him, in Him!  At last nite's bible sharing, husband and wife Rox and Mary Abelita chose a passage so well-know form Matthew 6:"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things shall be given unto you." and we ruefully discussed how so easy it was for us to fall for satan's bait..as he lures us with a worldly kingdom: material riches, power, lust, we want what can be measured with our eyes, fathomed by our minds , weighed in gold... for satan's kingdom is such.  But Jesus says seek His Kingdom, His righteousness...there is more.. infinitely More for us : in Galatians 5:20 St. Paul says true Christians will recieve: love, peace,joy, goodness, trustfulness, patience, self-control. We kidded each other :"No wonder we suffer anxiety attacks , sleepless nights, strained relationships, divisiveness .. a generally awful, difficult life..becoz we only bothered to ask for what we deemed was OF VALUE... Later on we realize, a posh car, a family, prestige, even good health ..that these are not enough to satisfy us. We donot have peace or patience or self-control becoz we didnot ask for it.Perhaps we never even thought it that important. We suffer brokenness in our families becoz we forgot to pray for love and forgiveness -- our prayers for our children only reaching as far as : Oh God help my son graduate and help him land a good paying job.. oh God make my husband healthy, increase his income, help me also earn well... yet we may have forgotten to consider praying for family members to be able to hear the gospel of Jesus, and beg God for conversion. It is like entering two groceries with each offering different set of goods. The first  store can only offer worldly diminishable goods... the second store provides life, love, inner strength and temporal goods as well for GOD knows all our needs. Our prayers are answered accordingly. God does listen to what we pray for and will not force Himself on us especially when we send a clear message that we don't want certain things. Please listen to this song we only sing during Easter.. it is titled Light of a Million Mornings by Sandi Patti... by God's grace , we were able to offer the song, not technically perfect -- will need a million yrs to learn the song hahaha-- but twas offered with a lot of joy and gratefulness..Sis.Lyn Granda helps out with high notes at last chorus ( this was quite a hilarious moment in a way... joy, nervousness that our veins would pop, unity all mixed up , thank you dear sis -- from Bro. ALbert's piano and patient teaching of arrangement, to the whole choir  singing praise to Jesus truly memorable becoz some members came home just for the Easter celebration ,the band, Tanny and Monching taking care of set-up, other community members, parishioners downstairs , it was Holy Communion so how very appropriate indeed  -- what makes a song beautiful is the concerted effort love and truth we inject into it.. In closing dear Swee'peas... we can always have passion in this life once we Encounter the Light of a Million Mornings who is Christ Jesus.and whenever you feel "down" just sit and listen to the song.Christ is truly risen THAT IS THE THING THAT MATTERS.HALLELUJAH! The Light of a Million Mornings Enjoy ... be awed by the Easter season..God bless you!.......................te mye