Day: July 8, 2020

GOD IS JUST A PRAYER AWAY

by Roger, posted in Positivity

A. CIRCUMSTANCES

Sleep paralysis. A sleep disorder that lets you dream of something dreadful and your body won’t respond the way you want it to. Alyssa has suffered sleep paralysis for God knows how many years. As she grows older, those terrifying dreams become more vivid than before. 

B. STORY RESOLUTION

A face as white as paper and full of blood, staring at her. The face was smiling from ear to ear while staring at Alyssa. She tried to move her body but as what she expected, she couldn’t move! Her heartbeat is increasing and her fear is growing as the smiling face comes closer and closer, until it is centimeters away from her.

She abruptly opened her eyes. Alyssa sat up from her bed and clenched her chest. One day she would die from a heart attack! She looked at the clock. It was 3 am. She sighed and calmed herself and she browsed her phone. She needed to badly calm down. Her heartbeat was erratic. The horrifying face left a terrifying impression on her. 

She didn’t sleep anymore and kept on staring at the screen. Alyssa fought the sleepiness because she was afraid that the sleep paralysis would come back. Alyssa wasn’t a religious person but her family was. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe, but rather, she’s too lazy to improve her relationship with God. 

Alyssa’s family is Catholic. Most of the time, they pray without Alyssa. 

The sun finally rose, Alyssa stood up from her bed and got readied for school. As she was walking towards school, she suddenly remembered the horrid face of the woman in her dreams. She began to shiver and she quickly blanked out her mind. 

At class time, Alyssa’s chin was held by her right hand while she was looking outside the window. Then she saw a woman covered in blood, walking towards the classroom. Horrified, she quickly gathered her things and ran towards home. 

“Honey, why the rush?” Her mother asked her. She looked at her mother then at the window. The bloodied woman was getting closer!

“Mom! There’s a bloodied woman following me! I’m scared!” Alyssa said as tears came streaming down her face. 

Her mother embraced her. “Oh dear. Pray to God and the woman will disappear. You just need devotion to God.”

As if hearing a miracle, Alyssa quickly prayed.

Then there was a knock heard from their front door. Alyssa looked at the window and saw the woman. 

“Mom don’t open the door, it’s her!” 

“It’s okay sweetie. Let’s just pray.” 

Both mother and daughter continued to pray until the knocking was gone. 

“See honey? All we need is God.”

C. REALIZATION

When you are afraid of some things, all you need is to pray for God and He will lead the way. 

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MATTHEW 10:7-15 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JULY 9, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

MATTHEW 10:7-15 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JULY 9, 2020)

Go and proclaim the message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons.  Freely have you received, freely give.

Do not carry any gold or silver or money in your purses. Do not take a traveling bag, or extra shirt, or sandals, or a walking stick: workers deserve to be compensated. When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person, and stay there until you leave. When you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people are worthy people, your peace will rest on them; if they are not worthy people, your blessing will come back to you. And if you are not welcomed, and your words are not listened to, leave that house or that town, and shake the dust off your feet. I assure you, it will go easier for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment, than it will for the people of that town.  

POINTS OF REFLECTION

One of the most important Christian responsibilities was the work of evangelization. When we talk about evangelization, this is not only limited to the few who become  authority figure because of their deep knowledge of God’s laws and words but included as well ordinary Christian of this time  who by its way of life became a living witness of God’s presence in their own lives. 

Long before, evangelical works was oftentimes a form of home visitation wherein there was a sense of God’s penetration among home, families or people lives. For the host, the evangelizer could be disturbances which may opted them to say no if their lives were too busy. Doing in the same is not better in the eye of God for evangelizers come with the Holy Spirit who might invade into our homes or into our lives. Note that the consequence, as Jesus had said “it will be easier to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment, than it will for the people of that town” Negligence of God’s presence by way of  evangelizers pose a danger of eternal fire.    

Our experience as evangelizers is not that easy as one person thinks. In fact, we are deeply saddened because God has already given His initial judgment to those who despised the worker of God. Furthermore, Jesus said” When you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people are worthy people. Your peace will rest on them; if they are not worthy people, your blessing will come back to you.” In this particular line, Jesus promises a good offer when the evangelizer falls into unbelieving people saying that the blessing for the unworthy will come back to them. This is also an anchor verse why all of us are greatly encouraged to pray for our enemy or those who are considered as unworthy for what they have prayed for will be given to  those who  prayed for the unworthy.

In general, finding difficulty in praying those who are unworthy would mean poor in the blessings of God for much of His blessings bounce back in abundance from  the wall of the  unworthy.  

 

 

 

 

 

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