The essence of today

This day, . . . Today . . . (Deuteronomy 26:16, 17) 

If an observant Jew were to ask God which day is his favorite, he might expect the answer to be Saturday, the day that God rested. A Christian might expect the answer to be Sunday, the day of the resurrection. But God’s favorite day is today. No, not this date in history, but today, every day, each particular day in which you find yourself. Why? Because today, this very moment, is filled with divine potential. This day is brimming with his power and grace.

Remember the Israelites wandering in the desert. God gave them a new start each and every day. Think about the manna that he provided for them to eat; they could collect enough for only one day. Yet it was there anew every morning (Exodus 16:4-15)! Now, as Moses gathers the people on the edge of the Promised Land, he calls them to trust this same truth: today God will provide everything they need; today he stands fully committed to loving them and protecting them.

You too have a brand-new day today. Yesterday, with all the mistakes and choices you wish you could change, is behind you. Tomorrow, with all the challenges that might make you anxious, is in God’s hands. But today, God is offering you his love. Today, he is offering you his word of wisdom. Today, he is inviting you to follow him. 

Everyone has many different needs, but in addition to meeting these needs, God offers one gift to every single person every single day: his full attention. Right here, right now, he is offering you his faithfulness and love. He knows what today holds, and he is offering you the wisdom you need to face it.

God is not limited to the past stories from the Bible and the ancient saints. Neither is he far away in some future time that you might live to see. “Yesterday, today, and forever,” he is with you (Hebrews 13:8). This is the moment when you can come to him, connect with him, and know how close he really is. He knows exactly what you need, and he already has it in hand for you. “This is the day the Lord has made” (Psalm 118:24)!

“Jesus, thank you for this day. Open my eyes to the grace you have for me, grace that is perfect for today.”

from wau.org

The stamp of grace

Behold, I am sending you. (Matthew 10:16) 

Do you feel just a little intimidated by Jesus’ words, that he is sending you to evangelize? Maybe you doubt that you’re holy enough. Or skilled enough. Or winsome enough. If so, try to look at “being sent” from a different angle.

Think about sending a letter in the mail. When you mail a letter to a friend, you try to make it look presentable. You pick nice paper, a clean envelope, and use your best penmanship. You try to choose just the right words. But you realize that the real “power” sending the letter is the stamp attached to the envelope. If there’s a misspelled word or bent corner, you don’t worry about it; the letter will still be delivered as long as it has a stamp. You trust your friend will receive it and appreciate the gesture.

Being sent out by Jesus is not so different. We are like letters sent by God. Our every encouraging word and caring deed can communicate God’s love to the people around us. 

In fact, St. Paul called the Corinthians “a letter of Christ . . . , written . . . on tablets that are hearts of flesh” (2 Corinthians 3:3). So of course you’ll want to make your letter the best letter possible. Of course you’ll want to live in a way that reflects God’s goodness and to speak words that lift up people’s hearts. But you also know that the real work of evangelization doesn’t rest only on your skill or effort. You need the stamp of God’s grace. 

Yes, the Lord calls us to be shrewd. Yes, being sent out does require our time and effort. But remember: the call to evangelize hinges on two things: the stamp of God’s grace and the letter of your life. Don’t discount the grace! Don’t forget that God wants his word to get out. Don’t forget that he wants to help you be as effective as possible.

So keep on speaking words of hope and performing deeds of kindness. But also rest in the knowledge that it’s not only about you. It’s also about the One who sends you, the God who has sealed you with his grace. He knows about your smudges and bent corners, and he’s sending you anyway because he trusts in the power of the stamp he has affixed to your life.

“Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

from wau.org

Relationship is key

See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God. (Hebrews 12:15) 

Imagine yourself as a teenager again. You’ve asked your father to give you and your friends a ride to the movies, but all he does is look into your eyes in silence. Then a grin flashes across his face. Reaching into his pocket, he hands you the keys to his brand new car. “It’s all yours tonight,” he tells you. “Be careful.” Your emotions swirl as you turn the ignition—elation, awe, and a healthy dose of fear! You have been entrusted with an object of great value. 

This illustration is not far from reality, because God has given you something even more precious than a new car. He has entrusted you with his grace. And he has entrusted you with the mission of sharing that grace with everyone around you. “See to it,” he says, “that no one be deprived of the grace of God” (Hebrews 12:15). 

So how do we spread God’s grace? Well, let’s consult the owner’s manual—the Bible! This verse comes in the middle of a call to live in unity with each other. Relationships are key! As we treat others in the profoundly merciful manner that God treats us, they’ll experience God’s grace, and that grace will move them closer to him. 

Scripture exhorts us: “Strive for peace with everyone . . . that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble” (Hebrews 12:14, 15). Do you have a relationship that isn’t at peace? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you extend grace to that person—no matter who is right or wrong. Pray for that person. In your heart, offer forgiveness. It may help to even say it out loud. Or maybe you need to ask for forgiveness. Ask God for the grace to do it, and then go out of your way to serve that person. Don’t expect anything in return. Just focus on the privilege of handling God’s precious grace.

“Lord, may your grace flow through me to everyone I meet today.”

from wau.org

Available grace

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. (Psalm 34:19)

Some of the most popular songs have been songs about heartbreak and loss. “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?” and “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Can’t Live Without You”—they all tell the story of someone who has been deeply disappointed by a trusted friend or lover. Clearly, many people can relate to these feelings, or the songs wouldn’t have been so popular. It seems that heartbreak is a universal experience.

How good to know, then, that there is a remedy for the lovelorn—and for all the other disappointments we face! It’s not a pill or a magic potion. It’s not a “something” at all, but a “someone.” As the psalmist says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves” (Psalm 34:19).

If you have been let down by someone—or just by life in general—you can turn to him. Don’t worry that he’ll ignore you or won’t help you. On the contrary, God is always on the lookout for broken hearts to mend!

This truth is more than just a platitude or a line in a song. God is able to mend our hearts because he knows our hearts. Remember that in Christ he took on our humanity—all of it except for sin. He knows what sorrow, suffering, and pain feel like (Hebrews 4:15). He felt all the hurt we feel, and more. And embracing it instead of running from it, he took it with him to the cross and healed it. The grace he won for us there—the grace of the resurrection—is now available to all of us.

So whenever you feel that your heart is breaking, tell yourself, “Jesus is with me right now.” When it feels like your pain will never go away, tell yourself, “I believe in Christ, and I know he is healing me.” And when you find yourself worrying about the future, join the psalmist in proclaiming, “Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the Lord delivers him” (Psalm 34:20). Stay close to the Lord, and know that he will be victorious in the end—and you will be too!

from wau.org

Signs of grace

This was the second sign Jesus did. (John 4:54)

Can you picture a two-stranded braid? If so, you can imagine the two words sign and believe being intertwined in today’s Gospel. Sign appears twice, and believe, three times—no coincidence, since they form a common thread running through John’s Gospel. If we recognize the signs, John tells us, our belief in Jesus will grow. Jesus himself linked the two, saying, “Unless you people see signs . . . you will not believe” (John 4:48). 

So how do we know a sign when we see one—and are they all miraculous? Not necessarily. You can find at least three of them in today’s Gospel. The first appeared in the testimonies of the townspeople. When the official heard that Jesus was a miracle-worker, he believed.

Then, when the official asked Jesus to come heal his son, Jesus told him to go home, that the boy would live. These words of Jesus’ were the second sign. When the official heard them, his belief grew. Jesus didn’t need to be present to heal! His word alone could do it.

After the official returned home, he found his son recovering—the final sign. And his belief grew even more, along with that of his household.

Did you notice that some of these signs were less obviously supernatural than others? It’s the same for our lives too. How often have you felt that God was speaking to you through your spouse or through a Sunday homily? Maybe you’ve opened the Bible to a random page, only to read exactly what you need to hear. Or maybe you’ve narrowly escaped what should have been certain calamity. These moments are signs too—ways that God is weaving grace into your day-to-day life. They strengthen our belief that Jesus is real, that he loves us, and that he is with us.

Did you also notice that two out of three signs came after the official began seeking Jesus? It’s amazing how many you can find in the middle of your search for him! So what signs of God’s presence are awaiting your discovery this Lent? They could be anywhere, so keep on the lookout. And let them move you into deeper and fuller belief in Jesus.

“Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see a sign of grace today.”

from wau.org

Full of grace

Do not be afraid, Mary. (Luke 1:30)

How hard it must have been for Mary to accept the angel’s words! First, he told her that her marriage plans were going to change dramatically. Then, when she heard that she would conceive a child “by the Spirit,” she must have worried that Joseph might leave her. And if she were left pregnant with no husband, that likely meant rejection by her townsfolk and a life of shame and hardship. 

God sure knows how to lay a heavy burden on a person, doesn’t he? Mary was left troubled, confused, and afraid. So why was she able to say yes to the angel’s invitation? Because Mary was full of grace.

Grace is a gift that God has freely given to all of us. There are many kinds of grace. For example, God gives us the grace of salvation, the grace to believe, and the grace to die to ourselves. God gave Mary an “enabling grace,” which moved her to say, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

This grace of God acts like the fuel we use to make a car go. It is God’s power at work in us, both to choose and to work “for his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). Now, even with all the grace that God had given her, Mary still needed to take hold of it and apply it to her life—just as a car filled with gas won’t go anywhere unless we turn it on, put it in gear, and begin to drive.

The angel assured Mary that nothing is “impossible for God” (Luke 1:37). Our Father can do whatever he wants, whenever and wherever he wants. But for some reason, he prefers to do his work in and through us. So as we celebrate this great day when Mary submitted to God’s will, let’s make the same decision. Let’s make sure we are open to the possibility that God may want to change some of our plans. Let’s all say, “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.”

~taken from wau.org