Overwhelmed by Blessings

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about all the gifts we have been given, and sometimes it is so overwhelming!  In case you’ve forgotten just how lucky you are,  let’s review quickly some of our shared blessings:

Jesus – who could imagine a better Redeemer?  Not only did He die for us, but He’s still with us even though He’s in Heaven.  We could hardly ask for anything else, but wait, there’s more

The Holy Spirit – always guiding us from within with wisdom, knowledge, counsel, understanding, strength, reverence and fear of the Lord.  We certainly can never say that God has left us alone in our struggles

The Church – passing along and defending the true meaning of Jesus’ teachings so that I’m not forced to decide with my error-prone judgment.  And connecting us with our brothers and sisters all around the world through the Mass (which probably deserves it’s own blurb)

The Sacraments – fountains of grace (need I say more?)

Angels – Jesus made it clear that angels and demons exist (so we don’t get to decide if they exist or not) and it’s comforting to know we all have guardian angels fighting for us

Mary – Jesus gave her to all of us on the Cross, and  we couldn’t ask for a better Mother or a better intercessor  (see the Wedding at Cana).  The ultimate disciple, she has so much to teach us about following Her Son

The Saints – nothing like real life models of what’s possible for those who fully give themselves to Him.  How much richer we all are for their writings and examples

Prayer – the Creator of Heaven of Earth is always available to us whenever we want to talk to Him (I usually have to wait 2 days just to see my doctor!)  Seriously though, it is such an amazing gift to have the opportunity to spend time with our Lord – to be heard by Him and to hear Him

The Bible – last, but certainly not least, the Good Book is a most precious gift!  Where would the world be without this record of Divine Revelation?

After contemplating all these gifts, just saying thank you to Him doesn’t seem to be remotely enough!

Searching for God

The world has certainly come a long way technologically, but in many ways it hasn’t changed much.  The world is still searching for God.  Looking for meaning.  Trying to figure it all out.  I just started reading “God’s World and our Place in It” by Fulton Sheen and was struck by one of the subtitles in the first chapter: “The world still doesn’t know where to find God.”  What a sad truth!

We’re certainly very creative in the many places we look for Him – nature, relationships, work, family, and for some poor souls in sex, drugs and alcohol.  But even in those instances where we find Him in some of these places, He’s veiled – hidden behind or inside of something else.  Where’s the one place that isn’t true (or should I say in what person)?  In Jesus Christ.

It is only in Jesus that we can find God in all His love and goodness.  And yet how often we forget this and look elsewhere!   And I’m just as guilty in this as the next person.  In fact just today, I had to drag myself to Church (it’s like 3 degrees outside!).   And as always I’m so glad I went, because if there is one place we can all always find God, it is in the Eucharist!  There is just no equivalent to receiving Jesus’ body and blood.  No equivalent to this reminder that He loves us and wants to be with us so much, that He gives all of Himself in mere bread and wine.  What an undeserved gift!

It’s easy to just go to Church every week and take for granted the Eucharist.  To forget what an immense privilege it is.  To forget the strength and graces we receive from Him there.  Today I needed that reminder that there’s no better place to find Jesus (and hey, I figure the reminder can’t hurt you either).  May the body and blood of Christ bring us all to everlasting life!