To browse more spiritual readings, please go to: http://www.webprayze.com

When you truly respect Him for who He is and worship Him out of a grateful heart, then supernatural wisdom will operate in your life. You'll know just what to do in difficult situations and you'll be a voice of godly counsel with your friends and family.

Memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine, S.J.

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Psalm 17:1bcd, 6-7, 8b+15

L uke 8:1-3 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, (2) and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Mag'dalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, (3) and Joan'na, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

Meditation by Eileen Wirth

“B ut now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”—Corinthians

This has been a day of “door knocking” although I work with an open door. People rap to alert me to their presence then stick their heads around the door. It has been a happy day of reuniting with students back from vacation, directing lost freshmen and plowing through a myriad of year-opening details.

But I miss a knock that will never come again. I keep halfway expecting to hear my friend Ashton Welch’s lilting Barbados accent asking to come in, a big smile on his face, catching up on the summer.  In the words of St. Paul, Dr. Welch of our History Department, one of our most loved and respected professors, has “fallen asleep.” His recent sudden death has left a huge void.

In these circumstances, meditating on St. Paul’s unflinching demand that we accept the resurrection as a sine non qua of being Christians is both comforting and challenging. St. Paul is almost scary in bluntly asserting that if Christ has not been raised then “empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith. “ And he gets tougher. “For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain.” In short, if we can only accept Christ as an ethical preacher and reject the resurrection, our faith is empty.

Instinctively, I WANT to believe in the resurrection because I cannot accept the idea that death is the end of life. So I do. It helps that the time and form of the resurrection are unknown. We don’t have to believe a specific scenario of what will transpire like those counting on the rapture to sweep them into heaven. 

We can accept the idea that at some time and in some form there will be a resurrection and leave the details to God. Then we can take comfort in the last two lines of this passage.  ”But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” We can trust that our loved ones live on in some form. Ultimately it’s in the hands of a God who loves them and us.        

The Beginning of Wisdom

The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom … - Psalm 111:10

Do you need more wisdom in your life today? The Bible says that the reverent fear and worship of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That word fear in this instance doesn't mean "to be afraid;" it means to have honor and respect. It means that we revere Him because He is God.

When you truly respect Him for who He is and worship Him out of a grateful heart, then supernatural wisdom will operate in your life. You'll know just what to do in difficult situations, and you'll be a voice of godly counsel with your friends and family.

Start reverently worshiping Him today by declaring His goodness and faithfulness in your life. Declare that He is your Provider, your Healer, your Redeemer.

When you focus on your God instead of focusing on your problems, you are honoring Him. As you honor Him, wisdom will flow through you, and you'll be empowered to live the life of victory He has planned for your life!

Father in heaven, I choose today to honor and worship You. I choose to put You first in my life. Thank You for filling me with Your wisdom today so that I can live in victory the way You intend. Help me make wise choices and honor You in all that I do. In Jesus' Name. Amen. – Joel & Victoria Osteen

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.

For past gospel meditations or to browse spiritual readings, you may visit the following:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes

http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com

http://www.webprayze.com