Burning

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041917.cfm) reminds me that I should always be burning with God's love. 

In the mobile game clash of clans, the leader needs to train troops first before attacking other bases. One cannot just attack and attack. Rest is needed - to save up resources and train people before attacking again. This is similar to our spiritual life as well. We should be filled with God's love before we go out into the world. 

"If you are not burning with God's love, you cannot inspire others"

Makes sense, right? Because truly, we cannot give what we do not have. We cannot love others and inspire others if we do not experience love from God, if we are not full of it, and if we are not burning with God's love. 

In the gospel, we see the disciples felt this. Jesus has just risen, so he was burning with the love of and for God the Father. He was filled with God. And as he was speaking to the disciples, while he was explaining things to them, he was able to pass this on burning love to others. 

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

We also see this In the first reading. Peter and John were burning with Jesus and God's love. They had no money, but they were full of God's love. Instead of giving money, they gave the man what they had. They healed another person, and in essence, they passed to others the love and joy of knowing and having God. 

We should also aim to be burning with God's love. We should allow God to love us so we can experience his love. We should also do our part, like praying, reading the bible, and partaking of the sacraments. These would help us be aware and conscious of God's love. 

How do I feel God's love in my life? What was the moment i felt God's love in my life the most? Am I burning with God's love? Am I able to share this to and inspire others?

May we do our best to be filled with God's love. May we ask God to continue to love us and fill us. And as we are filled, may we be generous enough to pass on his love to others. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for all your blessings. Thank you for loving me. thank you for being so generous. Lord, sorry for the times your love is. Ot enough for me. Sorry for looking for love and affirmation somewhere else. Sorry for the times I ignore and refuse your love. Lord, I allow you to love me. I allow you to fill me with your love, your blessings, your presence. I ask you to fill me so I may be able to share you to others. Help me feel and be sensitive to your love. As i do so, may I inspire others. May I bless others. Use me Lord for your purpose and glory. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

Ps

See related reflection:

http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2015/04/point-to-him.html

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April 19, 2017
Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 263

Reading 1 Acts 3:1-10

Peter and John were going up to the temple area
for the three o'clock hour of prayer.
And a man crippled from birth was carried
and placed at the gate of the temple called "the Beautiful Gate" every day
to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,
he asked for alms.
But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,
and said, "Look at us."
He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.
Peter said, "I have neither silver nor gold,
but what I do have I give you:
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk."
Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up,
and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.
He leaped up, stood, and walked around,
and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God.
When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
they recognized him as the one
who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,
and they were filled with amazement and astonishment
at what had happened to him.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

R. (3b) Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia Ps 118:24

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus' disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
"What are you discussing as you walk along?"
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?"
And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"
They said to him,
"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his Body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see."
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?"
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the Eleven and those with them who were saying,
"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way

and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.