Christ is Risen!
Truly He is Risen!
On this Easter Monday I am…
Grateful For
New Life
Spring
Sunshine
I am grateful for life in the Spirit, an ever renewing life that is constantly growing and changing. As long as I relax and say yes to God, His Spirit sinks deeper into my heart, soul, mind and spirit.
Pondering
I am pondering the words of Pope Francis on Holy Saturday, when he proclaimed the truth that God calls us out of our comfort zone to grow and change.
Indeed, the Baptism that makes us children of God, and the Eucharist that unites us to Christ, must become life.
…if I allow myself to be reached by the grace of the risen Christ, if I let that grace change for the better whatever is not good in me, [to change whatever] might do harm to me and to others, then I allow the victory of Christ to affirm itself in my life, to broaden its beneficial action. This is the power of grace! Without grace we can do nothing – without grace we can do nothing!
The joy of being instruments of the grace of Christ, as branches of the vine which is Christ himself, inspired by the sustaining presence of His Spirit! We pray… that the Paschal mystery might work deeply in us and in our time, in order that hatred give way to love, lies to the truth, revenge to forgiveness, sadness to joy.
Initially, I resist change out of fear of the unknown but when I let go of anxiety, relax and surrender, I can feel the Flames of Love becoming stronger within me. I crave to join my voice with St. Paul’s and say, “No longer I that lives but Christ that lives in me!”
Praying For
I pray for the grace to become the Presence of Christ on Earth. This concept is not a symbol. It is not just for biblical times or for a few select saints. This transformation is simply the normal Christian’s call, the normal Christian’s life. Watchman Nee, a Chinese missionary in China (1903-1972), wrote a book called The Normal Christian Life.
Though a new Christian may not yet fully experience the meaning of the death of the Lord Jesus, God nevertheless has made him alive together with Christ and he has obtained a new life in the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus. This is new birth.
Reading
Twenty-five years ago, at a Trappist Monastery near Montreal, my husband stumbled upon a book that changed our lives and filled us with hope and joy. Guidelines to Mystical Prayer by a British Carmelite nun, Ruth Burrows, relates the experiences of two nuns who live in her monastery. They know that their old nature has died with Christ; now Jesus lives within their hearts, minds,and souls. These two women are the polar opposite of each other. Ruth renames one nun Petra (earth) because she does not receive any mystical visions or feelings. She is an example of most Christians whose spirituality is called “light off”. Never the less, Petra knows that her old self has died. Claire (light) is really a “light on mystic” who experiences inner locution, visions and feels God’s presence. What a relief to discover a contemplative nun who is like my husband and I, who are very much “light on”. I can hardly express the exuberant joy we experienced as we connected and identified with Claire. We read and reread this book because God used it to explain our calling to us.
St. Paul’s words were true. It was possible to experience full transformation on earth!
joy of nine9 
What a thought provoking post. I love the “light off.” Sometimes that is truly how I feel when I read about the Saints. Then I think, “I am not called to have visions and the like.” I am called to be “faithful.” I am called to “trust” without them. I do not know if that is a “harder walk of faith or not?” Yet, I think back to the Apostles who saw Jesus daily, and still didn’t get it right:>) The thing we have to remember is, “Jesus did get it right.” Good post and enjoyed reading. God Bless, SR
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the most dangerous walk is light on because you can be deceived by your own voice, emotions, and the evil one.
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You could be right there Melanie. I remember reading St. Teresa of Avila and she said, “When those who have visions begin to think too much of themselves, put them in the kitchen to work and that will get it out of them.” So I guess along with what you have stated here, “pride” could also be another issue with the “light on?” The Bible did say, “Satan can also be an “angel of light.” Thanks for making me think. God Bless, SR
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we HAVE to have a spiritual director. Ours comes in the form of a Catholic Psychiatrict who KNOWS when it is the Holy Spirit or horse sh–.
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Very thought-provoking, Melanie. Sometimes our Faith has to be lights-off because, perhaps, we just do not understand. We just believe. To have Faith is to believe when one’s common sense tells you not to.
God bless.
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nothing about a relationship to God makes sense to the earthly mind
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Melanie, I am definitely a “light off” person. I’ve learned to look for confirmation after confirmation of my insights because I don’t have a spiritual director. Yet it’s true that by faith I know that Christ lives in me. The biggest leap of faith for me is to believe that in spite of my sins, Christ is there and doesn’t discard me in the trash heap. Not only that, He makes use of me to help others. We don’t have to be perfect to set a good example, we just have to keep working at it.
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amen- well said
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