PEACE is Believing, Not Doubting (Repost)

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Monday, February 15, 2016

PEACE is Believing, Not Doubting

I’m reposting a special post today. One where I feature a father and son. (Sorry, I didn’t have one featuring a mother and child.) Blessings to all those of you who are mothers, act as mothers, or have mothers.

Today is a special day. I am featuring a special family: Joe and Gladys Limmo, and their son Levi.

Members at St. Luke’s Christian Community Church in Morton Grove, Joe and Gladys are an integral part in the life of the church. Not to mention their son Levi! He is precious to the whole congregation, and daily evidence of God’s love, grace and goodness.

I wanted to highlight this wonderful family! And, Joe and Gladys gave their personal definitions of PEACE for this #PursuePEACE project.

Joe’s definition had two parts: first, PEACE is “no doubt.” Second, “but believe.”  Joe said, “What is peace? Peace is ‘no doubt, but believe.’ I have a scripture reference, John 20:24-29. Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you.’ So, peace comes from God.”

Wow! Such a profound truth. Yes, in one of the first post-Resurrection appearances of the risen Jesus, that was exactly what He said. “Peace be with you.” I am sure Jesus’s appearance must have been shocking. I would imagine some of the disciples being scared to death. Jesus must have known He needed to reassure them.

Jerusalem was in a tumultuous time, right after the death of Jesus. No wonder the risen Jesus brought words of PEACE! And belief? Believing is the response to the words of Jesus.

Now, Gladys. Gladys was shy of having her photo taken, although she set right to, writing a definition of PEACE. She was shy to show her definition, too since she says she wasn’t very articulate in her writing. Gladys wrote “PEACE is obtain through God that you can keep within your self and your soul.” Both definitions are strikingly similar. God is operative in both!

Dear Lord, gracious God, thank You for Your expression of peace. Thank You that You are the way to peace. The Prince of Peace. We also thank God for Joe, Gladys and Levi, and pray that You will draw them closer together as a family. Thank You for your love for the Limmo family, and thank You for your gift of peace that is available to us all. Amen.

@chaplaineliza

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Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza  And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

This Prince of Peace

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Tuesday, December 29, 2015

This Prince of Peace

The world today is not a peaceful place. Definitely not peaceful.

I live in the Chicago area. There is definitely a lack of peace here, too.

I crave peace. Calm. Gentleness, kindness, love, joy. Lord God, peace seems so out of reach, both corporally as well as individually. Yet, there is good news. Good news of great joy, which was given for all people.

God came to earth at Christmas. It was not only Love that came down at Christmas, but also the Prince of Peace came into this world. God reconciled the fallen, hateful world to Godself, in a vertical direction. One of the compilers of this book of December meditations writes, “Where God comes in love to human beings and unites with them, there peace is made between God and humankind and among people.” [1]

But, wait. That’s not all. God also overcame the enmity one person has with another. One group with another, one country with another. “Come and see how God, out of pure love, has become our brother and wants to reconcile us with each other.” [2]

Now there is the possibility of peace, love, and togetherness, instead of fear, hatred, and isolation. Prince of Peace, You entered into the world to show us love, in the most personal and vulnerable way possible. All that I can say is thank You, Jesus.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, trans. O.C. Dean, Jr., compiled and edited, Jana Riess (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 2010), 74.

[2] Ibid.

What Does Make Christmas?

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Wednesday, December 23, 2015

What Does Make Christmas?

The holiday season is coming to a crescendo. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow will be a wonderful service at my church, and lots of warm and fuzzy feelings. Christmas carols sung, special music at the service, candles lit, closing with “Silent Night.”

Yes, all of those things, and more, are wonderful. Special. One of a kind, even.

But, Henri Nouwen’s words in today’s Advent meditation bring me up short. “Somehow I realized that songs, music, good feelings, beautiful liturgies, nice presents, big dinners, and many sweet words do not make Christmas.” [1]

So, what does make Christmas?

I feel like Charlie Brown at the Christmas pageant rehearsal. “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” I know Linus responds, “Sure, Charlie Brown. I can tell you what Christmas is all about.” He then recounts the Nativity narrative from Luke 2. Except—it doesn’t penetrate into Charlie Brown’s head. Yet.

I realize—intellectually—that “Christmas is believing that the salvation of the world is God’s work and not mine….it is into this broken world that a child is born who is called Son of the Most High, Prince of Peace, Savior.” [2] Feelings do not come into the equation. It is, in fact, something far beyond all feeling and emotion, as Fr. Nouwen says.

Yet, God wants all of me. All of us. Intellect, physicality, emotions, and feelings, and all. The salvation of the world is, indeed, God’s doing. God wants to save all parts of us. Not just emotions and feelings. Thank God. Thank You, God.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] Advent and Christmas: Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen (Linguori, Missouri: Redemptorist Pastoral Publications, 2004), 50.

[2] Ibid.

Praying for True Peace

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Praying for True Peace

Peace. Searching for peace. Why is it so fleeting, especially today? The Prince of Peace. I seek His face, the One who brings peace.

Yes, this is Advent, a time of waiting. A time of longing. A time neither here nor there, a time when I acknowledge the First Coming and await the Second Coming. This is most certainly not a time of peace. This crooked, broken world holds wars, rumors of war, fighting, free-floating anxiety, panic, dread.

Yet, I know the Prince of Peace is much more than that. I know the One who brings peace has overcome the world.

Henri Nouwen says, “Keep your eyes on Him who becomes poor with the poor, weak with the weak. He is the source of all peace.” [1]

In this slim book of Advent readings, there is an Advent Action for each day. The action set for this reading for today is to listen to liturgical music. That particular kind of music “can often help us pray and can even help to overcome the chaos of a tense situation at home or elsewhere.… find and listen to a CD of religious music that expresses the calm serenity of waiting for the Christ child.” [2]

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your gift of peace. Thank You for entering into this sinful world, coming to humanity and offering perfect peace to all who come to You. We praise and honor Your holy name. Amen.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er

[1] Advent and Christmas: Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen (Linguori, Missouri: Redemptorist Pastoral Publications, 2004), 22.

[2] Ibid, 23.

‘Twas One Week Before Christmas

matterofprayer blog post for Wednesday, December 18, 2013

In recent, past Decembers, I have been harried, rushed, almost frantic with everything that needed doing. But not this year. I’m so proud of myself—I have not been rushing around like a chicken with my head cut off. (Yay!)

However, I must confess that I did not set out to act like this—calm, peaceful, almost sedate. No, my December just turned out that way. So far, at least.

Perhaps the calm came to me as a byproduct of the email prayer list I moderate (St. Peter’s Prayer Project, an intercessory prayer ministry for members and friends of the church I belong to). Or, possibly, the peace could have come from my fairly regular Advent devotions (I’ve only missed two days this season so far—great batting average for me!). Then again, I have been joyfully consistent in my exercise at the YMCA gym in town—three times a week for several months. Yay! (My spiritual director knows and approves heartily.)

I am not quite sure what is helping me to maintain a modicum of peace and serenity this Advent season, but I am thankful for the wonderful feelings of calm and contentment that come to me more often than not. More often than in recent Decembers, I can tell you! Whatever (Whomever?) is helping me, may it continue. (Thanks, God!) I do appreciate the peace.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thanks for helping me to stay in the peace and calm of Your presence this Advent season—at least for a while. Forgive me when I stray from Your side, and from where You want me to be. I know I don’t always need to run away in a physical sense. I can stray mentally, spiritually and psychologically, too. But You help me to quiet my mind. You still the tumult in my soul. You allow that Peace that passes human understanding to enter my heart. Thank You, Prince of Peace. Amen, God!