A New 1 Just Begun! 2005 is here.
What lies ahead? What does the year hold? These questions have been asked as people make predictions for the year ahead. Nevermind that their guesses last year were more likely wrong than right.
I am not going to try & make any predictions. That is not my purpose in writing this. What I am doing is sharing a bit of my hopes for this year.
I hope to continue to grow in my faith. As I have said, I am a Roman Catholic. I am a member because I truly believe it is the Church established by Jesus Christ. It is the Church Jesus put into the care of Peter & is continued to be cared for by Peter's successor John Paul II. The Church is the guardian of the truthes that Jesus proclaimed.
My desire is to grow & deepen my faith. To do so I plan to continue in several things that I have started over the past year as well as continue my regular prayer time.
The big thing I began was what has been often called a Holy Hour. That is where a person tries to, at least weekly, set aside time to go to a church or chapel & spend time praying before the Blessed Sacrament. It is a time for me to come before Jesus & spend time getting to know Him better. Catholics believe that Jesus is present body, soul, blood & divinity in the Eucharist. The bread & wine is not a symbol. It is no longer bread & wine but what Jesus said it was, His Body & Blood. It maintains the appearance of bread & wine. Yes, I can talk to Jesus anywhere. But Jesus is present there in a unique way. When I am there by myself in His presence, I feel like I am at home in a way that I feel nowhere else.
Part of my time is spent just being in the presence of Jesus, part is spent in prayer & study of His Word in Scripture as well as from a couple of books with writings from some of the Churches great teachers (right now either Catherine of Sienna or Archbishop Sheen). I also pray the Rosary.
In the few months I have been doing this I have begun to see the fruit of this effort in my life. God's Spirit is working in me & transforming me more & more into the person He wants me to be. I have a long way to go, a life time in fact. & at times I know I will stumble. But, Jesus is always there waiting to welcome me back.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I am not going to try & make any predictions. That is not my purpose in writing this. What I am doing is sharing a bit of my hopes for this year.
I hope to continue to grow in my faith. As I have said, I am a Roman Catholic. I am a member because I truly believe it is the Church established by Jesus Christ. It is the Church Jesus put into the care of Peter & is continued to be cared for by Peter's successor John Paul II. The Church is the guardian of the truthes that Jesus proclaimed.
My desire is to grow & deepen my faith. To do so I plan to continue in several things that I have started over the past year as well as continue my regular prayer time.
The big thing I began was what has been often called a Holy Hour. That is where a person tries to, at least weekly, set aside time to go to a church or chapel & spend time praying before the Blessed Sacrament. It is a time for me to come before Jesus & spend time getting to know Him better. Catholics believe that Jesus is present body, soul, blood & divinity in the Eucharist. The bread & wine is not a symbol. It is no longer bread & wine but what Jesus said it was, His Body & Blood. It maintains the appearance of bread & wine. Yes, I can talk to Jesus anywhere. But Jesus is present there in a unique way. When I am there by myself in His presence, I feel like I am at home in a way that I feel nowhere else.
Part of my time is spent just being in the presence of Jesus, part is spent in prayer & study of His Word in Scripture as well as from a couple of books with writings from some of the Churches great teachers (right now either Catherine of Sienna or Archbishop Sheen). I also pray the Rosary.
In the few months I have been doing this I have begun to see the fruit of this effort in my life. God's Spirit is working in me & transforming me more & more into the person He wants me to be. I have a long way to go, a life time in fact. & at times I know I will stumble. But, Jesus is always there waiting to welcome me back.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
posted by Al @ 11:36 PM
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