The Way of St. Francis: "It is not what we do that brings about the Kingdom, but what we embrace that God might dwell among us."

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God's admonition is that the people need to give the proper place to the worship of God so that their work might bear fruit.

One of life's great temptation is that we are "too busy" to pray.

In fact, it is the worship of God that gives strength and power to all our activities. Communion with God through prayer is the source of grace that makes it possible not only to accomplish all of life's demands, but to bring fruit to them as well.

Cutting prayer out of a busy life is a huge miscalculation.

Prayer is in fact what makes our work fruitful and possible.

With prayer, all of life's activities will bring in much fruit, satisfy us, exhilarate us, and warm us.

By Fr. Matthew Monnig, S.J.

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The Holy Spirit Himself inspires these deepest desires of our hearts. The interior movements, impulses, or desires which lead us closer to God, and thus reflect and reveal our most authentic humanity, originate in the grace of God and constitute His voice echoing within us. As we get in touch with, let surface, and live out our most authentic desires, the line between what I want and what God wants of me is blurred. In other words, what I most deeply desire for myself, when seen as an inspiration or grace of the Holy Spirit, is also what God wants for me.

The desires that bring me the greatest peace, joy, and fulfillment are those in which my humanity is most fully realized, and are, at the same time, the expression of God's will for my life.

Jesus asks two of John the Baptist's disciples who begin to follow him, "What are you looking for?" (John 1:38). Before healing the blind beggar Bartimaeus, Jesus asks him, "What do you want me to do for you?" (Mk. 10:51).

The answer is unambiguous: "Teacher, let me see again." Today you might make time to pray with your deepest, holiest, and most authentic desires, especially the desire to develop an intimate relationship with God, with Jesus.

In the quiet and stillness of prayer, listen to Jesus ask you:

"What are you looking for? What do you want me to do for you?" What are the deepest desires of your heart?

By Fr. Rob Kroll, S.J.

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" My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in the way of integrity shall be in my service."

Response: I will walk with blameless heart.

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"Are we to bless each other?

Yes, because we are blessings for one another.
In Jesus, each unique person becomes an opportunity
to experience God's presence in our world, our lives.

a reprint from: Living with Christ

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"Everything we are or have or accomplished or did or will do - - - are gifts. They all are from our God who is the SOURCE of ALL THAT IS GOOD. "

"Do something you really enjoy that makes best use of your skills and brings value to people's lives."

"Do what your love, offer everything to God, everything else will be added unto you."

"We preach with our lives. Use words when necessary!" by St. Francis."

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Jesus says: "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile." More literally, the Greek says, "to a desert place."

there is a sense in which every Christian is called to cultivate some space for the "desert" in his or her life.

Christianity threatens to become more and more about action and doing rather than contemplation and being.

In such a world, we need the silence and isolation of the desert where we can be alone with God.

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AH - - - - Aspire for HOLINESS

Enneagram - see #9

Follow King Solomon - ask the Lord for Wisdom not wealth nor power

Everything – is a gift, a talent given by the Lord. Use it, invest it to make it grow that we may share the Love of God to others.

Be a good person no matter what the circumstance is. That is the test of discipline and humility.

never forget to smile, never be a stranger.

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Jesus constantly calls us into the desert: "to rest awhile."

Jesus knows that we are weary and burdened.

He wants to refresh us. He longs for us to come to him and "rest awhile."

He waits for us.

Let us go into the desert and meet him there.

We meet Jesus heart to heart, face to face in the silence of our heart....in the silence of our being...in the silence of the desert...in solitude...we face our Jesus face to face.
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