Come to me!

Come to me!

“Come to me, all who are

labor and are burdened,

and I will give you rest.”

~ Matthew 11: 28

Our lives in this world have never been easy and will never be easy because it is a perpetual struggle between good and bad, freedom and bondage, faith and doubt, hatred and love and above all the choice between eternal life and death!

What are you going through in your life today that has become a “labor” and “burden” to the extent that it is threatening your faith in God and therefore affecting our relationship with our creator.

Many instances abound that can clearly manifest the physical weight of lives labor and burden, especially when we ask why do things happen the way they do; earthquake, natural disaster, death, accidents and wars, among others. What about sickness, incurable ones such as cancer, and how do we deal with lack of employment, inability to provide for loved ones and thrown into circumstances beyond our control? What about when our faith is challenged with the threat of martyrdom?

So, we may ask:

Is it the barrenness in my life that is my labor and burden today?

Is it the hatred that surrounds me that is my labor and burden today?

It is the fear and anxiety of life that is my labor and burden today?

It is a rocky marital life that is my labor and burden today?

Is it the betrayal and deception from trusted ones that is my labor and burden today?

It is a broken relationship among family members that are my labor and burden today?

Is it unfilled dreams and aspiration that is my labor and burden today?

Is it the lack of faith in my children that is my labor and burden today?

Is it the raging wars and other crisis that is my labor and burden today?

Is it the lack of employment that is my labor and burden today?

Is it immigration that is my labor and burden today?

Is it the color of your skin that is now your labor and burden today?

Is it failure and lack of success that is my labor and burden today?

Is it the lack of faith in God that is our labor and burden today?

Are you so much in despair that you now doubt God’s ability to repair your circumstances?

Are you lacking in love within your marriage, with your children and families, with friends, colleagues and those you come in contact with?

Are you dealing with a painful situation and unwilling to forgive those who have hurt you and therefore this has become your labor and burden today?

Are you no longer sure of a better tomorrow and this have become your labor and burden in life?

The “Labor” and “Burden” in our lives are those circumstances both physical and spiritual, real and unreal that make us to question God’s steadfastness, infinite love and divine providential cares. Yes, the weight of what we are experiencing in life may burden us to the extent that we may lose hope in tomorrow and consequently become doubtful, hateful and disgusted with the cross that we are carrying.

Our Lord Jesus Christ recognizes these “Labor” and “burden” that we carry, and that is why today, he is reaching out to us personally again with this pragmatically soothing and comforting words, which are truth, because, our God is faithful and trustworthy and never lie.

Today the same Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, the King that is to come and which has indeed come, is here and promising us his peace, prosperity and providential care, if only we are ready to let go of our confusion and turn to God!

Let us therefore empty ourselves before the throne of grace and allow Jesus Christ to fill us with his Holy Spirit, for where the Spirit abides, there is life.

Let us raise our voices and proclaim saying “I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.”

It is about time we turn to our God and believe that what the Lord has said, he will do, no matter the circumstances we may be facing,  because throughout history the faithfulness of our God has never being in doubt, and that is not about to change now.

Hold on to God and let the words of his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior heal our fears, anxieties and doubts today and may it permeate our hearts, so that we begin to see our lives through the eyes of faith in God, rather than our physical eyes, which are filled with human limitations.

“Come to me, all who are

labor and are burdened,

and I will give you rest.”

Prayer:

Jesus Christ, you have the words of eternal life, please come to me today and help me to find true rest in you. Amen!

Jesus Christ, you are my Lord and savior, please come to me today and heal my pains and help me to find rest in you. Amen!

Jesus Christ, you are the Son of God, please offer our needs to your heavenly Father, that we may enjoy your perpetual peace, prosperity and providential cares now and always. Amen!

Jesus Christ, you are our King, send your Holy Spirit to come and dwell in our hearts and help us to see you and abide in your life giving words and reject any form of distraction that takes from us your promises of eternal life and joy. Amen!

Ref: Zechariah 9: 9-10, Psalm 145, Romans 8:9, 11-13, Matthew 11: 25-30

@PeterNHelenOdeh @FocusInLove

Do Not Be Afraid!

Do Not Be Afraid!

Jesus said to the Twelve:
"Fear no one.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father."

~ Matthew 10: 26-33

Reflections:

What things in this world, of which you worry about and yet unable to do anything about it?

In fact without an iota of doubt, we all worry and most especially about situations we cannot change, for instance, life and death, health and sickness, true happiness and sorrows, accidents, natural disasters, other kinds of calamities. What about one’s fate during a trip, whether it’s on land, air or sea? Then, what about the worries about tomorrow, that has not even come, let alone the today that is not yet over?

In a split of seconds, our destiny can be changed by circumstances beyond our control and these are the reality of our life here on earth.

These circumstances are causes of untold anxieties, leading to fear and lack of trust in God’s divine providential cares and plans for our lives. Nevertheless, in this Gospel, our Lord Jesus Christ is reassuring us of his ever present timely help, if only we can cultivate the habit of trusting, hoping and having faith in our Lord and our God.

What are the challenges that you are facing today?

Are you experiencing difficulties in your family, marriage or with bringing up your children the right way?

Are you going through unfulfilled dreams and aspirations in your career?

Are you about to compromise your faith in God, because, in your mind time is no longer on your side?

Are you experiencing barrenness in your life?

Are you being rejected, insulted and even suffering other forms of persecutions because of your faith in God?

Are you about to give up, because the burden is too much for you to handle?

Well, you are not alone!

Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior is our compass and role model in dealing with the challenges of life and until we recognize this hidden secret, life on earth shall remain unbearable to us.

So, how do I emulate Jesus Christ, you may ask?

The prophet Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 20: 10-13), expresses his lamentation, when the almighty God told him to proclaim that only in God can we find the truth and love and prosperity and security we so much desires. His own people beat him up, rejected him and threaten to kill him for speaking the truth!

Jeremiah did not give up, instead, he was able to find courage and consolation in the Almighty and as a result moved by the power of God, he was able to say:

“But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion:

my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.”

Saint Paul addressing the Romans (Romans 5: 12-15), emphasize the significance of the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ in contrast with the disobedience of Adam! The later brought sin and death, whereas the obedience of Jesus Christ restored salvation to humanity! Therefore in order for us to emulate our Lord Jesus Christ we must be obedient to the law of God which is love.

Given the exponential manifestations of man inhumanity to man; killings, terrorism and other forms of hate crimes, stealing, corruption and inimical favoritism, the senseless wars, ethnic cleansing, and racism and chronic and acute intolerance, we may despair and begin to doubt whether our God really cares.

However, the reality is simply the truth and the truth is our God truly cares and love us so much that even the Sparrows that our God would not allow to fall to the grounds without his knowledge is worth nothing  more than us!

Actions:

We must act in reciprocation to the unimaginable and infinite love that God has for us!

No matter what you may be going through right now, the challenge to the Christian and lover of God is to turn to hope, rather than despair, faith, rather than doubt and above all turn to love rather than hatred.

Let us allow the love of God to transform our hearts today, so that we may continue to enjoy his divine mercy and grace, and trust that his divine providential cares and plans are enough to lead us through the darkness of this world, and bring us into the light of his goodness and ultimately into life everlasting.

Whenever we are faced with fears, anxieties and doubt, let us turn to Jesus Christ and experience the power of his crucifixion and recognize the fact that, if our God did not hesitate to offer his Only Begotten Son as the sacrificial lamb that brought us salvation, the Almighty will never hesitate to help us through our challenges and nor will our God forsake or abandon us.

Do not fear!

And so do not be afraid; for you are worth more than many sparrows indeed!

Amen!

Prayer:  Psalm 69

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness;
in your great mercy turn toward me.

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Peter Odeh @FocusInLove 6/25/2017.

Ref: Matthew 10: 26-33, Jeremiah 20: 10-13, Romans 10: 26-33

My Lenten Journey 2017: His steadfast love endures forever!

My Lenten Journey 2017:

His steadfast love endures forever!

And just like that, behold another Ash Wednesday celebration which marks the beginning of the 40 Days of fasting preparatory to the celebration of the resurrection of my Lord Jesus Christ!

The year 2017 have a special meaning to me particularly when I reflect upon my status in comparison to where I came from and where I am headed. It has not been easy, nevertheless through them all, my God has maintained his steadfast love, mercy and divine providence in my life.

This journey could not have been possible without my family and friends and especially the faith community and additionally the appreciations and rejections I experienced in my various contemplative posts on Facebook.

My temptations were many indeed; at home and away from home! I also have to deal with my sinful self and come to realize more than ever, my nothingness in comparison to God’s absolute greatness. Furthermore, during this period of Lent in the year of our Lord 2017, I also share a special relationship with my God in a way never done before. The proximity between my God and me was better than years before, and on various occasions, the almighty God has literally lifted me up from the valley of death, sorrows and disappointments.

Through this journey, my hands have been made strong, my heart steadfast in the Lord and my mind wiser than before in knowing about the indispensability of my God in my life. As the Lord lives, so do my faith, hope and love thrive irrespective of my circumstances.

I suffer a lot of spiritual and physical attacks; some nearly breaking me, however, my God did not allow the humiliation I suffered to cloud the eyes of my heart toward his infinite love and goodness to me.

Today is the last Friday before Holy Week and I am so glad that in spite of the fact that I may not have observed the Lenten season prescriptions of fasting, alms giving and prayer as I could have loved to, my little effort was more than compensated by my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, who I try to emulate on a daily basis. By his stripes we are made whole and saved from eternal damnation.

This Lenten journey has exposed my weaknesses and my complete dependent on my God for everything including breathe of life, and for this I am forever grateful to God.

One of my favorite narrative during this period of lent, even though there are uncountable spiritual narratives that continue to help my growth as a father and husband, brother and son, and above all an individual, searching to be a better follower of Jesus Christ is without doubt the STORY OF JESUS ENCOUNTER WITH MARY, MARTHA AND THEIR BROTHER LAZARUS!

As a result of Jesus Christ raising Lazarus from the dead, my faith which had been tested on various occasions has remained grounded in the Lord Jesus Christ. Daily I am reminded of the grace of God, His mercy and love and divine providence in my life.

Lazarus reminded me that there is indeed life after death!

Lazarus reminded me too that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God!

Lazarus reminded me that none of my dreams shall die as long as they are in accordance to God’s will.

Lazarus showed me that faith in Jesus Christ must be accompanied by my actions in doing my part to bring it about.

The Lenten journey is a process and very much ongoing, and therefore I continue to pray and seek divine guidance, protection and mercy from the almighty God who has once more given me the opportunity to see this day.

Today I may not have all that I wanted in the world, nevertheless I am so happy, grateful and contented with what my God has given to me which is more than the world could ever give- the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, who is my Lord and the Son of the living God!

Prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for my family and friends and especially for your church!

Help me never to harden my heart whenever I listen to your words of eternal life.

Touch me with your gifts of love, hope and faith and increase within me your generosity of mercy, compassion and charity.

Heal my wounds O Lord and God and comfort me in my distress.

Thank you for your divine providence in my life.

And thank you so much for making it possible for us to live and share in thy grace and bounty.

Forgive me my uncountable sins and grant me thy grace to sin no more.

Amen!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!

Immaculate Heart of Mary and Blessed St. Joseph, pray for me!

St. Martin de Porres and St. Therese of the Little Flower, pray for me!

Angels and saints of God, pray for me.

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen!

May God bless you all. Amen.

@FocusInLove

Africa’s Great Civilization : Origins

Uncover the origins of man and early human society in Africa with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

http://www.pbs.org/video/2365964624/

Splendid!

Historians rank Barack Obama 12th best President

Historians rank Barack Obama 12th best President:

Survey

It’s only been a few weeks since former President Barack Obama left the White House, but presidential historians have already placed him on the right side of history.

AC-SPAN survey of 91 historians and presidential experts ranked the Democrat the 12th best leader in United States presidential history — just ahead of James Monroe and right behind Woodrow Wilson.

Another Illinois politician, former President Abraham Lincoln, claimed the survey’s top spot. He’s followed closely by George Washington, with Franklin D. Roosevelt rounding out the top three.

Experts who participated in the survey were asked to grade the presidents on 10 different facets of their terms in office, like “Crisis Leadership” and “International Relations.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/historians-rank-barack-obama-12th-best-president-survey-article-1.2976168

You Are The Light Of The World!

“You are the salt of the earth…..

You are the light of the world.”

~ Matthew 5: 13- 16

In our very complex, confused and divergent era, it is very difficult at times to narrow down the qualities that make us to be the “salt” and “light” of the world!

Without an iota of doubt, Christians in the practice of our faith have been overwhelmed with how often we fall short of our calling as disciples of Jesus Christ, and the most unfortunate aspect is the realization that some of these negative actions are perpetuated through an act of ignorance.

The prophet Isaiah today shares in our concerns and through divine prophesy was able to itemize what is needed to be the “salt” and “light” of the world. On our own, we can do nothing, however if we turn to God, the same Almighty will not deny us, but more than willing to offer us his grace and divine providence, mercy and perseverance to achieve the goals for which we are call upon to exercise for the sake of our faith in him.

Thus says the LORD:

Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.

⁸ “Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side. ⁹ When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond.

“If you put an end to oppression, to every gesture of contempt, and to every evil word; ¹⁰ if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon.

Whatever environment you find yourself, God is asking you today to be the “salt” and “light” of the world.

Whenever you allow love, rather than hate to guide your actions, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you act justly and with mercy and compassion, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you support the poor and fill their poverty with you joy, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you recognize others pains and self to resolve or reduce them, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you treat immigrants and strangers as your own family, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you stand with the downtrodden and helpless, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you say no to racism, dogmatism and inhumanity, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you see the poverty and humility of Jesus in mankind, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you forgive your brother, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you pray for your “enemies” too, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you sacrifice for others, you are the light of Jesus

Whenever you become an instrument of grace to others, you are the light of the world.

In order to be a Christian, you must become poor- that is empty of pride and become full of humility, and then Jesus Christ can come in and dwell with you and fill you with his grace, which will enable you to be the “salt” and “light” of the world.

Therefore, as you step out today, let the Holy Spirit permeate your heart and help you to see JESUS CHRIST in everyone irrespective of their religion, greed and orientation, their color or race, their academic or social status and political inclinations.

Go out and become the light that Jesus Christ want you to be, so that through you, many might be given the second chance of knowing the infinite goodness and love of the almighty God who created man and woman and the entire universe.

God bless you. Amen

@Focusinlove

Isaiah 58: 7- 10, Psalm 112, I Corinthians 2: 1-5, Matthew 5: 13 - 16