June 18
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. Galatians 6:18
We have a friend named Mary Grace, who not only is an amazing woman - jogging work and family and participation in Faith filled works constantly - but to me, also brings to life the meaning of her name. A joy to be around, she constantly fills those around her with uplifting energy and she has a healing presence about her. Her ability to prioritize what is most important in this life is phenomenal. I am forever kidding her that her mother knew exactly what she was doing when she gave her the name Mary Grace!
This passage from Paul to the Galatians brings so much comfort, as he asks for God’s grace to be with all of us! Grace is a wondrous word! When researched, from its Latin origin, gratus, to the free and frequent use of the word today, one is struck by the sacredness of it. It touches our soul. It conjures up images of light and peace, protection and strength. To know that God freely gives this to us without any merit on our part at all, should be all we need to keep us going, no matter what is causing discord in our lives. But, to feel its full measure, for me anyway, I need to take time think about it though; I need to be more aware of this awesome gift that God has blessed us with, to fully appreciate its affect on me, on how I live my life. For those of us that are Catholic, as in many religions, we believe that during the Sacraments we participate in throughout our lives, we receive divine grace from God during those occasions also. And as we pray for one another, to ask God to continue to bless them with His grace, is by far one of the most valuable gifts we can ask for them.
Typically, a Catholic Mass ends with this passage as a prayer, and I always leave feeling a little fuller inside, a little more blessed than when I first entered the Church, a little stronger and more protected than I did an hour earlier. For to think about the “graces” that God freely gives to us, we recognize that they do exactly that for us – they strengthen us in faith, protect us with His mighty arm, and fill us with His everlasting love. How humbling and exhilarating at the same time . . . .
May God’s grace be with you, with all of us, always. Abba! Father! We are yours!
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. Galatians 6:18
We have a friend named Mary Grace, who not only is an amazing woman - jogging work and family and participation in Faith filled works constantly - but to me, also brings to life the meaning of her name. A joy to be around, she constantly fills those around her with uplifting energy and she has a healing presence about her. Her ability to prioritize what is most important in this life is phenomenal. I am forever kidding her that her mother knew exactly what she was doing when she gave her the name Mary Grace!
This passage from Paul to the Galatians brings so much comfort, as he asks for God’s grace to be with all of us! Grace is a wondrous word! When researched, from its Latin origin, gratus, to the free and frequent use of the word today, one is struck by the sacredness of it. It touches our soul. It conjures up images of light and peace, protection and strength. To know that God freely gives this to us without any merit on our part at all, should be all we need to keep us going, no matter what is causing discord in our lives. But, to feel its full measure, for me anyway, I need to take time think about it though; I need to be more aware of this awesome gift that God has blessed us with, to fully appreciate its affect on me, on how I live my life. For those of us that are Catholic, as in many religions, we believe that during the Sacraments we participate in throughout our lives, we receive divine grace from God during those occasions also. And as we pray for one another, to ask God to continue to bless them with His grace, is by far one of the most valuable gifts we can ask for them.
Typically, a Catholic Mass ends with this passage as a prayer, and I always leave feeling a little fuller inside, a little more blessed than when I first entered the Church, a little stronger and more protected than I did an hour earlier. For to think about the “graces” that God freely gives to us, we recognize that they do exactly that for us – they strengthen us in faith, protect us with His mighty arm, and fill us with His everlasting love. How humbling and exhilarating at the same time . . . .
May God’s grace be with you, with all of us, always. Abba! Father! We are yours!
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson