Isaiah 55:3

"Pay attention, come to me; listen, and your soul will live."

 

I love this and will make this my theme for this Lent season.  I have been immersing myself in the new U2 album.  There is a song on there called "Unknown Caller".  I really wonder if Bono had this in mind when he wrote it.  The lyrics: "Go, Shout it out, rise up, Oh Oh, Escape yourself, and gravity, Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak, Shush now"  seems to me to be about letting God in by silencing yourself and listening  to him.  When I read Isaiah 55:33 on Universalis.com this morning for the 9 am prayer, I thought of this U2 song.

The first stanza of the song has a Psalms feel to it.  One of Bono's favorite themes seems to be the feeling of being loss and calling out to God, as in their song 40 (which is Psalm 40).  But the line "I was lost between the midnight and the dawning, in a place of no consequence or company, 3:33 when the numbers fell off the clock face, speed dialling with no signal at all" brings the image of being lost, and just reaching out for anything (hence the speed dialing with no signal) and knowing you need God, but not sure how to call to him.  I also see the line of 3:33 referring to Christ.  For its believed that Christ expired at 3:33 on Good Friday.

This Lent season I will keep Isaiah 55:3 in mind and reminding myself to "Shush now" and hear God speak to me.  And hopefully with in God's words I will "Restart, and re-boot" myself as U2 and Bono says in "Unknown Caller"

Isaiah 55:3

"Pay attention, come to me; listen, and your soul will live."

 

I love this and will make this my theme for this Lent season.  I have been immersing myself in the new U2 album.  There is a song on there called "Unknown Caller".  I really wonder if Bono had this in mind when he wrote it.  The lyrics: "Go, Shout it out, rise up, Oh Oh, Escape yourself, and gravity, Hear me, cease to speak that I may speak, Shush now"  seems to me to be about letting God in by silencing yourself and listening  to him.  When I read Isaiah 55:33 on Universalis.com this morning for the 9 am prayer, I thought of this U2 song.

The first stanza of the song has a Psalms feel to it.  One of Bono's favorite themes seems to be the feeling of being loss and calling out to God, as in their song 40 (which is Psalm 40).  But the line "I was lost between the midnight and the dawning, in a place of no consequence or company, 3:33 when the numbers fell off the clock face, speed dialling with no signal at all" brings the image of being lost, and just reaching out for anything (hence the speed dialing with no signal) and knowing you need God, but not sure how to call to him.  I also see the line of 3:33 referring to Christ.  For its believed that Christ expired at 3:33 on Good Friday.

This Lent season I will keep Isaiah 55:3 in mind and reminding myself to "Shush now" and hear God speak to me.  And hopefully with in God's words I will "Restart, and re-boot" myself as U2 and Bono says in "Unknown Caller"

Bono - on God, Sex, Love

I just read this article and I wanted to post a link to it on here.  The moment that Bono shares about his revelation on the Christmas eve he is talking of, is almost identical to what happen to me during 2008 Lent/Holy Week.  It was the moment I truly understood Jn 3:16.  Tears rushed down my face as I totally comprehended the logic and complete love in Jesus Passion.  
For the first time I understood why Christ's sacrifice is called The Passion.

It does make complete sense to me, as it did to Bono, that its logical that  love needs to be incarnated.  Love must be made into flesh.

Bono - on God, Sex, Love

I just read this article and I wanted to post a link to it on here.  The moment that Bono shares about his revelation on the Christmas eve he is talking of, is almost identical to what happen to me during 2008 Lent/Holy Week.  It was the moment I truly understood Jn 3:16.  Tears rushed down my face as I totally comprehended the logic and complete love in Jesus Passion.  
For the first time I understood why Christ's sacrifice is called The Passion.

It does make complete sense to me, as it did to Bono, that its logical that  love needs to be incarnated.  Love must be made into flesh.

Ash Wednesday

"The Christian community listens to this vigorous invitation to conversion as it gets ready to undertake the Lenten journey that begins with the ancient rite of the imposition of ashes. This gesture, that some might consider outmoded, certainly clashes with the modern mentality, but this forces us to look for its deeper meaning, to explain its effective impact.

Receiving the ashes on the head, means recognizing that we are creatures, made of earth and destined to return to it; it also means proclaiming that we are sinners, in need of God's pardon in order to be able to live according to the Gospel; finally, it means reviving our hope in the definitive encounter with Christ in the glory and peace of Heaven."
Pope John Paul II, Ash Wednesday 2003

 

Ash Wednesday

"The Christian community listens to this vigorous invitation to conversion as it gets ready to undertake the Lenten journey that begins with the ancient rite of the imposition of ashes. This gesture, that some might consider outmoded, certainly clashes with the modern mentality, but this forces us to look for its deeper meaning, to explain its effective impact.

Receiving the ashes on the head, means recognizing that we are creatures, made of earth and destined to return to it; it also means proclaiming that we are sinners, in need of God's pardon in order to be able to live according to the Gospel; finally, it means reviving our hope in the definitive encounter with Christ in the glory and peace of Heaven."
Pope John Paul II, Ash Wednesday 2003

 

Pope Message for Lent 2009

"Through fasting 
and praying, 
we allow Him to come 
and satisfy the deepest 
hunger that we 
experience in the depths 
of our being: 
the hunger 
and thirst for God."

— Pope Benedict XVI's 2009 Lenten Message

Pope Message for Lent 2009

"Through fasting 
and praying, 
we allow Him to come 
and satisfy the deepest 
hunger that we 
experience in the depths 
of our being: 
the hunger 
and thirst for God."

— Pope Benedict XVI's 2009 Lenten Message

Sufjan Stevens - You Are the Blood - remix Dark was the Night

All I have to say about this is WOW!  He is typically very folky and have folky textures, but this track is layered with textures and different sounds and multiple segments on the melodic theme.  Beautifully chaotic guitars at the end.  It is over 10 minutes long.  It almost sounds like Sufjan spent time listening to Revolution #9 over and over again before mixing this.

Ear Candy! Ear Candy!

On a side note, Sufjan, when are you going to finally release a new album?  Will it be Indiana?

Sufjan Stevens - You Are the Blood - remix Dark was the Night

All I have to say about this is WOW!  He is typically very folky and have folky textures, but this track is layered with textures and different sounds and multiple segments on the melodic theme.  Beautifully chaotic guitars at the end.  It is over 10 minutes long.  It almost sounds like Sufjan spent time listening to Revolution #9 over and over again before mixing this.

Ear Candy! Ear Candy!

On a side note, Sufjan, when are you going to finally release a new album?  Will it be Indiana?

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

I love this reading today.  Our Lord tells us directly how to pray, fast, and make alms!!!  Its beautiful to have such clear instructions from our Lord.  This reading is very important for the day before the start of Lent.  Lent being the season of sacrifice, fasting, praying, and the giving of alms.  Were for 40 days we reflect on what Christ did for us on the cross.  I am so looking forward to this season.  May the Holy Spirit be with us during this Lent season and the strength of Christ helps us with our reconciliation, fasting, prayers and alms.

God Bless!

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

I love this reading today.  Our Lord tells us directly how to pray, fast, and make alms!!!  Its beautiful to have such clear instructions from our Lord.  This reading is very important for the day before the start of Lent.  Lent being the season of sacrifice, fasting, praying, and the giving of alms.  Were for 40 days we reflect on what Christ did for us on the cross.  I am so looking forward to this season.  May the Holy Spirit be with us during this Lent season and the strength of Christ helps us with our reconciliation, fasting, prayers and alms.

God Bless!

Todays Reading Mk 9:14-29

Mk 9:14-29

Prayer is a road to change and brings us closer to God.  It shows us that with work, devotion and love, we can change the world around us and ourselves  I know thru the paths I have taken in the past, my situation never improved, or if they did it, they were temporally improved.  But once I surrender to our Lord, and offer up myself in prayer, I found that  the darkness in my soul and heart had dis pursed, for the light of our Lord warmed it.  More than any drug, person, or earthly possessions ever could.  For it showed me true love.  For what I thought was love was not.  Where I thought there were was forgiveness, there was not.  Until I totally surrender myself and added daily prayers in my life, I was unchanged.  

The unclean spirit in this reading could not be driven out by the apostles.  Why they asked the Lord.  Our Teacher responded by saying "This kind can only come out through prayer."  Thru prayer we show our full faith.  Humbly asking and giving the glory to God instead of commanding out the change in our life.  As Christ said to his apostles that failed to drive out the unclean spirit in the man in today's reading, "'If you can!' Everything is possible to one who has faith.".  For we can drive out the darkness in our hearts and souls thru prayer.  In prayer we humble ourselves.  In surrendering to our Lord we humble ourselves and thru his glory we can change our lives and those of our fellow brother and sisters.

Todays Reading Mk 9:14-29

Mk 9:14-29

Prayer is a road to change and brings us closer to God.  It shows us that with work, devotion and love, we can change the world around us and ourselves  I know thru the paths I have taken in the past, my situation never improved, or if they did it, they were temporally improved.  But once I surrender to our Lord, and offer up myself in prayer, I found that  the darkness in my soul and heart had dis pursed, for the light of our Lord warmed it.  More than any drug, person, or earthly possessions ever could.  For it showed me true love.  For what I thought was love was not.  Where I thought there were was forgiveness, there was not.  Until I totally surrender myself and added daily prayers in my life, I was unchanged.  

The unclean spirit in this reading could not be driven out by the apostles.  Why they asked the Lord.  Our Teacher responded by saying "This kind can only come out through prayer."  Thru prayer we show our full faith.  Humbly asking and giving the glory to God instead of commanding out the change in our life.  As Christ said to his apostles that failed to drive out the unclean spirit in the man in today's reading, "'If you can!' Everything is possible to one who has faith.".  For we can drive out the darkness in our hearts and souls thru prayer.  In prayer we humble ourselves.  In surrendering to our Lord we humble ourselves and thru his glory we can change our lives and those of our fellow brother and sisters.

Good morning.  I have a busy crazy week.  I am blessed to give a job to someone here in my office, so I have to train that person this week.

I am looking forward to a few gigs this week.  One is Friday night at The Holy Spirit in Geist (Indianapolis) for their fish fry (first Friday of Lent).  Then I am doing a fund raiser for Bishop Chitard High School.

Also looking forward to Ash Wednesday, this Wednesday.  I am looking forward to this 40 day journey.  Its my hopes that I can grow closer to Christ and gain more humility.

Good morning.  I have a busy crazy week.  I am blessed to give a job to someone here in my office, so I have to train that person this week.

I am looking forward to a few gigs this week.  One is Friday night at The Holy Spirit in Geist (Indianapolis) for their fish fry (first Friday of Lent).  Then I am doing a fund raiser for Bishop Chitard High School.

Also looking forward to Ash Wednesday, this Wednesday.  I am looking forward to this 40 day journey.  Its my hopes that I can grow closer to Christ and gain more humility.

Supplication

Lord, I was such a sinful fool, now i am a sinful tragedy. For my eyes have seen your light, I have been immersed in the merciful water and blood that gushes from your heart and have seen such grace and love.  The tragedy is the suffering I know I have to endure for my sinful soul.  But I know that you will cleanse me so I can live with you.  Some days I feel total silence.  Is it cause I am not listening?  Is it cause I am being too human and not humble enough.  Lord I beg to have more humility.  I ache to have more closeness to you.  I call on to you to send your spirit to help repent this sinful soul.  For I am out of the darkness, but I am still feeling myself around, for your light is blinding. Please Lord lead me. 

Oh Mother of God, take my hand and lead me thru the light of your son.  For I am a child of the pour banished children of Eve.  Please hear my ever loving supplication for your mercy.  I want to share in your suffering.  I humbly beg for you to lead my heart.  Show me the way to your son, the fruit of your blessed womb.

Supplication

Lord, I was such a sinful fool, now i am a sinful tragedy. For my eyes have seen your light, I have been immersed in the merciful water and blood that gushes from your heart and have seen such grace and love.  The tragedy is the suffering I know I have to endure for my sinful soul.  But I know that you will cleanse me so I can live with you.  Some days I feel total silence.  Is it cause I am not listening?  Is it cause I am being too human and not humble enough.  Lord I beg to have more humility.  I ache to have more closeness to you.  I call on to you to send your spirit to help repent this sinful soul.  For I am out of the darkness, but I am still feeling myself around, for your light is blinding. Please Lord lead me. 

Oh Mother of God, take my hand and lead me thru the light of your son.  For I am a child of the pour banished children of Eve.  Please hear my ever loving supplication for your mercy.  I want to share in your suffering.  I humbly beg for you to lead my heart.  Show me the way to your son, the fruit of your blessed womb.