Day 160 &161                     4 hrs                      234 to go

The story of David & Saul have been the first readings from the OOR for the past weeks – though I have heard & read these many times in the past, they are more real to me this time around – I have learned that even the best, even men who God has singled out as great struggle mightily as we all struggle to do God’s will

Then as I have been writing about, St. Gregory of Nyssa has penned homilies that are so wonderful and profound that they should be mandatory reading for all Christians – the recent ones have been about the hope to see God and the importance of developing a pure heart – “Blessed are the pure of heart for they will see God” – that has always been a struggle for me –  I have mentioned that the part of Psalm 51 – “create in me a pure heart & steadfast Spirit” always hits me square in the face as I read it each Friday – I will continue to pray – Saturday’s homily by St. Gregory clarified this idea of “seeing God” by explaining that to “see God” is actually to possess Him within ourselves.  That is the answer; the Eucharist and prayer allow us to “possess” God within ourselves – that is when we see God; when He is within us and we are thinking and acting as Jesus did – that is when we are pure in heart, when we are without sin (see, another reason for frequent confession)

Friday morning’s reading was from Galatians and is the exclamation point to this concept of purity of heart, “19 For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; 20 yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me.”

Then Saturday morning’s reading from 2Peter was the lesson on patience, “13 But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth  in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. 15 And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation”

This is amazing and incredible stuff and is the answer to dealing with all the crap the world throws at us to bring us to trial and to steer us away from being what is truly meant by the title Christian – “How deep are the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!” Romans 11:33

My chaplets were for the victims of the Haitian & Chilean earthquakes & for that oil to stop gushing in the Gulf & my rosary was for a safe pilgrimage for Father Brian, Father Darius and all those who are leaving for Poland on Sunday.