Lumineux - Letting God's Light Shine

Show Me, Lord

2011-05-16T22:50:00.001-04:00

Then Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind." - John 9:39

Since God is love, any lack of love is sin. Sin isn't just failing to live up to God's commandments by breaking some of His rules, but the majority of sins we commit are against one another. Anytime we hurt, offend, or insult someone, we are sinning, and these are probably the sins that anger God the most because we are involving another of His beloved children. Being that this type of sin is so delicate, we need to closely pay attention to our treatment of others so that we don't sin against them without meaning to. Scripture gives numerous instances of Jesus giving sight to the blind, not only literally but metaphorically as well. He restored spiritual sight to people so that they can see the obstacles keeping their souls away from God. He can restore spiritual sight to us so that we can say who we are hurting and why we are hurting them and when we are hurting them. We might be completely oblivious to the fact that the smallest thing on our part is making someone else feel inferior. It's not entirely our fault if we never realize it, but it is our fault if we never ask the Lord to open our eyes to the things we need to see and address. It's our fault if we never ask the Lord to restore our sight so we can see the roadblocks ahead and get them out of our way. Just by asking Jesus for sight, we are on our way to the forgiveness of many sins.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, restore my sight and make me whole. Open my eyes and show me what You need me to see. If someone is hurting because of my words or actions, please show me and help me fix it. If someone is hurting because of my lack of attention, please show me,… guide me in what I should do. My trust is in You, my Lord. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

The Mouth Speaks

2011-05-02T22:20:00.001-04:00

From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. - Luke 6:45

I think it's horrible when people talk about others in a negative way. It's horrible when they start to criticize someone for their appearance, how they act, who they hang out with, etc. It always feels like poison to hear all these things coming out of their mouths. However, it's especially horrible to think this of someone else and not correct ourselves if we do it as well.
A lot of times we're the last ones to notice our own faults. What do we think of people? What do we say about them? If we bump into someone at the mall with a friend, what do we say as that person walks away? Do we say "omg, they look so fat!" or "they are so annoying!" This sounds terrible when we read it plainly like this, but these are really the things that come out of our mouths! Jesus tells us that the mouth speaks what's in our hearts. If that's the case, then the majority of us have some work to do within us. We need to ask God for forgiveness and work on being more humble so that the words that come out of our mouths represent the love we have in our hearts, and not pettiness and pride.

Today's Prayers:
Lord Jesus, You can look into my heart and get rid of all the things that need to go. You have nothing but love for me, faults and all. Show me to be the same way. Purify my heart and do away with all the nastiness that keeps me from loving my brothers and sisters and keeps me away from You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Lift Him Up

2011-04-30T23:52:00.001-04:00

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. - Luke 7:44

I was one of those people who was up early to watch the Royal Wedding. I got teased about it by some who said they didn't understand all the pomp and circumstance, but in a society in which jeans and a nice top are considered "dressed up," I think we need extraordinary celebrations to really put in perspective what's important in life. This all made me think about Jesus and how we also try to make Him into a more casual figure as well. We've become very relaxed about how we attend church, how we pray and how loosely we interpret and follow the gospel. We've become very relaxed about sin, toning down the seriousness of our offenses and writing them off as just human nature. Although Jesus came down from Heaven, lowering Himself to be one of us, we can never, even for a second, forget that He is God. He lowered Himself so we can raise ourselves up to reach the Heavens. All Jesus did was not for us to remain lowly, but for our human nature to be exalted and made like His.

In this passage in the gospel, a woman bathed Jesus' feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. The pharisees didn't do anything like that for Jesus. I'm sure they all thought of themselves on the same level as Jesus. This sinful woman was the only one who lifted Him up and treated Him like the King He is. Some things are worth making a "big deal" about. When we give special importance to things, we express how much they mean to us, and Jesus' place in our lives should be exalted and celebrated.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, give me love and attention for the things and people worth celebrating. Most of all, show me how to value Your redeeming work in our lives. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Religiously Correct

2011-04-27T23:11:00.000-04:00

As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. - John 6:66

Jesus was a controversial figure because He provoked a strong reaction from everyone He met. No one was left unaffected by an encounter with Jesus. In this passage in John 6, Jesus had told His followers that He is the bread of life, His "flesh is real food" and His "blood is real drink." This completely shocked the majority of the people who were following Him. You have to remember that this happened right after He had just fed thousands with the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish, and now most of these people found what Jesus just said hard to swallow. But did Jesus stop them and say, "hey, no… wait… let me explain." No, He didn't. He let them walk away. Jesus spoke the clear truth. He never sugar-coated a thing for anyone's approval. He said what needed to be said at any cost and then some.

If Jesus were walking the earth today, He would be even more controversial in our overly politically-correct society. He would have all kinds of groups angry at Him demanding public apologies. The sad part is that you and I are supposed to be Jesus today, and we're not. At least I know I'm not. I know I've shied away from speaking my mind on what I really think about taboo subjects such as abortion and separation of Church and State. I never want to offend anyone, or have anyone think I'm closed-minded for my beliefs, so I've kept them to myself many times. I'm definitely not doing what Jesus would do, and I'm not doing anyone any good with my silence. I need to learn to walk in the light of the truth. It's either I please people or I please God.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, give me the courage and conviction I need to speak the truth like You did. Take away my fears and speak through me the truths You need me to stand for. Most of all, give me love in dealing with Your children so that my words may not hurt anyone, but instead strengthen their faith. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Trust

2011-04-26T23:24:00.001-04:00

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7

I realized today how much I trust my parents. I can be anxiety ridden and stressed, and my mom can look at me, place her hand over mine and tell me things will be ok, and I somehow know they will be. My father can point things out to me, things I would have never seen on my own, and might not still at that moment, but because he told me it's there, I believe him. My parents have always been there for me and it's that past that dictates my confidence in them come rain or shine.

If this is the trust I place in my parents, who are flawed human beings, my trust in God should be rock solid. After all, God created my parents and their love for me comes from Him. That relationship is only a tiny reflection of what my relationship with God should be. And that goes for all of us. As much as we love our family and friends, one day, whether they'll mean to or not, they will disappoint us. We can't take that too personally because we all sin. God, on the other hand, stands firm and His love for us is unchanging, always waiting for us whenever we call upon His Name.

Today's Prayer:
God, as much as I trust my loved ones, I know I should trust You more. Give me wisdom to know that when I place my trust in humans, I can set myself up for disappointment. But when I place all of my trust in You, You give me more than I could ever ask for. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Do You Know Jesus?

2011-04-25T23:45:00.001-04:00

Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."
The evil spirit said to them in reply, "Jesus I recognize, Paul I know, but who are you?" The person with the evil spirit then sprang at them and subdued them all. He so overpowered them that they fled naked and wounded from that house. - Acts of the Apostles 19:13,15-16

We've all heard people say that life is all about connections. It's all about who you know. Therefore, you might not be surprised if someone tells you they were friends with Julia Roberts in High School, but in reality all there is to the story is that their lockers were in the same hallway. Or, someone might say they met Kim Kardashian in a clothing store but the truth is that they weren't there at the same time, just on the same day. As ridiculous as these scenarios seem, some of us are guilty of fluffing up our relationship with Jesus.

This passage in Acts of the Apostles is pretty funny: some brothers had seen Paul drive out demons in the Name of Jesus, so they tried it by driving them out in the Name of "the Jesus Paul whom preaches!" The evil spirit was quick to point out that he knows who Paul is and he knows who Jesus is, but he has no clue who they are and beat them up. The bible says they ran out of there naked and wounded! We could use our connections and think we're religious by association because our grandma's were or our parents are, or even because we go to mass every Easter and Christmas… but we shouldn't kid ourselves, this isn't knowing Christ. We'd get beat up by those evil spirits if that were the case! Knowing Jesus and being in a relationship with Jesus is the easiest connection there is since it's what we were created for. Life is all about who we know, but we don't need any other connections except for Jesus. Getting there is simply a matter of at least one conversation a day and asking Him to show us more.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, I want to know You better. Show me who You are. Show me how I can follow in Your steps and grow closer to You. Open my heart to receiving all that You have to teach me. In Your Name we pray amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

He Is Risen!

2011-04-24T23:15:00.001-04:00

"Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13-14

I chose to start writing again as my Lenten sacrifice and I'm not going to lie, it was very difficult. With working full time and the baby I've been so tired and writing at the end of the day felt like a chore. Yet, here I am, Easter Sunday and writing again.

I want you to know I do this for you. All gifts we receive from the good Lord are so we can share them with our brothers and sisters. The Lord has inspired me to do this and I must obey Him, joyfully. I pray each night that whoever receives these messages may be touched by the Holy Spirit and that each of you receives exactly what you need to hear from God. I pray for you all and what you need. I simply ask that you also pray for me so that I can continue and that the Lord may keep on guiding me. Thank you and God bless!

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, You conquered death and have made us all conquerors. There is no longer anything to fear as long as You are by our side. Keep us faithful to You and away from anyone and anything that can lead us from You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

On The Road to Emmaus

2011-04-24T00:54:00.001-04:00

But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place - Luke 24:21

On the very same day Jesus rose from the dead, He also met two of His disciples on the road to a town called Emmaus. The two were debating back and forth on the events of the past week, Jesus' death and the fact that some women said they had seen Him, so when Jesus approached them they didn't even recognize Him! How could you not recognize someone you love? There were a lot of factors at play besides the fact that Jesus was now in a glorified body. As this verse says, they were really hoping Jesus would be the one to change everything for them, but it seemed their hope died with Jesus. You put all your effort and faith into something and then to see it just taken away from you is beyond disappointing. These two felt lost. It was really the last thing they had expected. Of course they weren't going to think this man on the road was the man they were mourning. In fact, their "debating," as Luke writes, about all that was going on was also working against them being able to see Jesus. They were most likely arguing back and forth about whether or not they should believe. They were too caught up to recognize Jesus.

The journey these two men took on the road to Emmaus is very similar to our journey of faith. Think of all the setbacks we've experienced and how we handle them. When our hopes are as dead as these two men saw Jesus, do we trust because our faith tells us to keep on trusting? Most of us don't. Most of us let our faith die and resentment set in. Most of us take to telling others about how our faith has failed us as these two men did when they encountered Jesus. But these men were wrong. With God, we need to keep on trusting because even death, what used to be the ultimate end, is not final. When things take a turn for the worst and we feel our faith failing us, instead of debating, we need to pray and stay vigilant. If they would have been praying, they would have been able to recognize Jesus immediately, as we see Jesus at work in our lives when we live in faith and trust in Him.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, death has no hold on You. You've conquered darkness and I know that nothing will ever prevail over my faith in You. You have shown me there is nothing You can't do for me and that You will always be my hope. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Jesus Went First

2011-04-23T01:30:00.001-04:00

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. - Hebrews 4:15

Whenever I go on a roller coaster I like to look at the people who just got off the ride to see if they're ok. If they survived it, I could do it, too. When I was pregnant and terrified of childbirth, I would also look at other women due around the same time and take comfort in the fact that they got through it.

One of the perks of having God on our side is that not only is He the only One who fully understands us and knows what we're going through, but He's also the only One who can actually do something about our situation. Being fully human, Jesus lived our human condition and all the feelings that come along with it. Just because He is God doesn't make Him less human. The pain, the sorrow, the anger, the joy, the happiness were all experienced by Him. When we are going through simple or complicated situations in our lives, we can take comfort in the fact that not only does He get us because He's been there, but His is the power to change things around for us. Most importantly, with His death on Good Friday, He conquered the biggest fear we all have: death. He walked to Calvary dragging that cross so that we'd have a path to follow and to swing wide those Heavenly gates for us to enter into.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for leading the way. You knew we couldn't make it through this life if You didn't show us how to do it first. Keep on giving me the strength to follow You until the very end of this life and into the next. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Respect Good Friday

2011-04-21T23:44:00.001-04:00

Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, "Truly, this was the Son of God!" - Matthew 27:50-54

Years ago Good Friday was observed in a very solemn way. No one played music. People hardly spoke to one another out of respect for Christ's death. Instead, the day was spent in quiet prayer and meditation. The Christian community took very seriously the sacrifice of the cross and truly reflected on it.

Today it feels like most people see Good Friday as a day off. Holy Week is a mini-vacation. It's sad how disrespectful we've become. I want to challenge all of us to bring back the importance of the day to our lives. What would it mean to you if Jesus never died for you and all you have is this one life with no hope of anything else? No comfort in suffering. No hope of being reunited with loved ones we've lost. Christ has given all of Himself to us and on Good Friday He deserves all of out attention. Tune out everything and everyone else to the best of your ability and tune in to Jesus for just one day.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, show me how to meditate on Your death and immense love for us. Help me keep the day dedicated to You and observing what You have done for me. Keep away from me all distractions so that I can be united with You in prayer. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Listening & Speaking

2011-04-20T23:27:00.001-04:00

The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear. - Isaiah 50:4

Have you ever needed to talk to someone and get all of your feelings out, but all they did was talk? You ended up listening to them and not being heard. Or, has anyone ever come to you with terribly sad news and your heart hurts for them but you have absolutely no idea what to say to them? The ability to listen to someone who needs to unload a weight off their chest brings healing. The ability to speak faith, hope, and courage to someone also brings healing, and both of these qualities come from Christ. There has to be genuine love in listening and speaking in order to be able to bring about the healing the person needs, and only God can provide that. Unless I have a strong relationship with God, I can't listen with the compassion needed… I can't be open to receive from God the healing words the person so desperately needs to hear.

Sometimes we need to be listened to and other times we're the ones who are called upon by God to speak faith to someone. Pray the Lord makes us vessels of His Spirit and dwells in us so that we can be of service to those around us, and we never know if those same people will be the ones there for us when it's our turn to be heard and spoken to.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, open my ears and open my lips. From You alone come words of wisdom and the ability to hear not only with our ears but with our whole hearts. Make me your instrument to bring peace and healing to those who suffer. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Check! Check! Check!

2011-04-19T22:57:00.000-04:00

Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless, of course, you fail the test. - 2nd Corinthians 13:5

Ever since my son was born I always feel like I'm on the go. There aren't enough hours in the day to dedicate to any one thing. I find I'm always running through a checklist in my mind of things I need to get done before moving on to something else. Sometimes I get these gut feelings I'm forgetting something or something is wrong, so this tells me I need to review my checklist and get things right.

In our relationship with God, we also need to keep a mental checklist of things that need to get done to keep things running smoothly, especially since we're always busy. Are you regularly attending church? Check! Are you praying? Check! Have you made time for confession? Check! Do you make an effort to read the bible from time to time? Check! By examining yourself and keeping track of your progress, you should know if you're in good standing with the man upstairs or not. Also, remember to check for that gut feeling that lets you know if something's not right. Immediately you'll be able to go through your checklist, which is your conscience, to figure out what you're not doing and remedy that situation. This holy week should provide the perfect time to sit and reevaluate our relationship with God and get our faith life in shape!

Today's Prayer:
Father in Heaven, You know me best and can help me organize myself. Show me how to pray and find time to dedicate to You. Help me to keep track of what I need to do in order to always be right with You. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Weep For Yourselves

2011-04-18T23:30:00.001-04:00

A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children." - Luke 23:28

This week we enter into the Lord's Passion. Like the women in this passage, we might feel the need to think, "oh, poor Jesus who suffered so much!" but Jesus was quick to tell them, as He reminds us today, that we are the ones in a position to be pitied. Jesus made a very real, very serious sacrifice because the sins we are committing today merit death. That's how grave they are. This isn't about something that happened 2,000 years ago and we're simply remembering it,… you and I both are on our way to Calvary.

The good news is that Jesus already carved a path for us, showing us the way we need to go. This week is about following and making His sacrifice our personal salvation. As you participate in Church on the holy days that are coming up, ask the Lord to show you the seriousness of your sins and what you can do to change. Ask Him to soften your heart and make you more receptive to His Word and His love, so that with Jesus, you can also be brought to new life.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, You suffered greatly for my sins, but a worse offense to You would be if I ignored Your sacrifice. You died so that my sins would be forgiven, change my heart so that I don't add anymore offenses to that list. Give me the courage to pick up my cross and follow after You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Humble Yourself

2011-04-17T22:19:00.001-04:00

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. - Philippians 2:5-8

"You're special," "be confident," "don't let anyone put you down," "no one is better than you," are all phrases we grew up listening to in order to boost our self-esteem, but we have to be careful because it's easy to take this too far. Yes, no one is better than you, but also, you aren't better than anyone else. We talk too much about self-confidence and not enough about humility. The truth is that anyone who wants to make anything of themselves has to learn to serve at the very bottom. Don't ever think you'll be the one to make it to the top by starting at the top if Jesus Himself washed the feet of His apostles. How many of us would do that happily and willingly? Very few.

When it comes to the treatment of others, always choose to serve and think about the other first and ourselves last. In our friendships, seek the comfort and well-being of the friend first. In our marriages, seek the happiness of our spouse first. In our jobs, seek the best of the business and obedience to the boss first. Don't ever give yourself a position that hasn't been given to you by God. Let Him be the one to put you in a place you deserve. "But what about me? Don't I deserve better?" you might ask… but think about Jesus, obedient and humble until the very end, when He was resurrected and given His place by God. So let us all be obedient and humble until we are given our place by God!

Today's Prayer:
Forgive me, Lord, for my lack of humility. Forgive me for giving myself a comfortable position and expecting others to treat me a certain way, when I'm the one who needs to bend and serve instead. Help me to see where I am wrong, so You can help me change. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Walk Away

2011-04-16T23:56:00.001-04:00

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert - John 11:54

At this point in His ministry, the Pharisees had decided they were going to kill Jesus. Jesus had just gone too far in their eyes. Raising Lazarus from the dead was the last straw and they were going to come down on Him. So, Jesus took a breather and walked away for a minute to pray and be with His apostles. I know for a fact that many of you feel like there are people who are out to get you. They create drama in your life and are always coming down on you. What Jesus was going through is one end of the spectrum, but if anyone is causing you conflict and tension, then you also need a breather.

I've been in those shoes. Part of me felt that I needed to stick it out and bear it, offering it up to God, but it was breaking me. I felt anxiety, anger, and confusion all at once and it wasn't good for me. As St. Therese of Lisieux once wrote in her autobiography, sometimes the best way you can love someone is to walk away. If being around someone is causing you so much anxiety and stress, you need to take a breather from that relationship. You don't have anything good to offer them with your anger, instead you can sin against them. It's not abandoning the person because Jesus walked away to pray, and that's what you need to do - take a breather and pray for that person and for yourself.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I know You know what it's like to deal with people who cause problems. I mean well and I want to put drama aside but they don't make it easy on me. I can't take the stress anymore. Help me to walk away and take time for myself and find peace and strength. I also pray for them so that Your love may also transform them. In Your Name we pray, amen.
Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Not Why, But When

2011-04-15T23:01:00.001-04:00

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you - Jeremiah 1:5

A friend shared with me a painful journey she's on to achieve a dream. Sometimes she's hopeful, but when she's down, it just seems like things will never go her way. The worst part is that sometimes she feels so close, only to have it slip away. It feels like it might never happen for her.

We begin to pose really difficult questions to God when our dreams always seem out of reach. It almost feels like we have to convince Him of how badly we want it in order for Him to consider granting it. But these thoughts are from the enemy trying to knock us down. The truth is that our dreams are tied into who we are, who God created us to be. When God created us, He put into us our hopes, dreams, and desires, and they give us the drive to keep moving forward. We don't need to tell God about them, because He already knows. They're a part of His plan for us. What we do need to do is be patient… if He created us for a purpose, we have to let Him set the stage. We need to be obedient… things don't happen as we expect them to, but since He sees all, God knows best. And most importantly, we need to pray, because only prayer lets God into our hearts to work on us interiorly while He takes care of all that needs to go on outside of us. When you let this change happen, the heartache will melt away, and instead of asking "why doesn't this happen," you will be confident in looking forward to the "when this happens."

Today's Prayer:
Father, You created me and know me better than anyone. You put in my heart dreams I am trying to accomplish with Your help. Please keep me positive and open doors for me to make those dreams reality. Fill me, Lord, with Your Spirit so that I may always be hopeful and trusting in Your promises. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Open Your Eyes

2011-04-14T23:56:00.001-04:00

"Do not be afraid," Elisha answered. "Our side outnumbers theirs." Then he prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes, that he may see." - 2 Kings 6:16-17

Do you ever feel completely overwhelmed by everything that's going on in your life? You're looking down the road, but all you see are obstacles. You know where you want to go but it's depressing because you don't know how it's going to happen. Money is tight. Relationship isn't working out. No one seems to be on your side. It's all piled up against you. Overwhelmed and scared is probably how the prophet Elisha's servant felt. A great army had enclosed on them over night and he saw himself surrounded by men on their horses. The way he saw it, they weren't going to win this one. There was no way out, no hope. Elisha, however, wasn't worried at all because he confided in God. He told his servant not to be afraid and prayed that God would open his eyes, and when his eyes were opened he was blown away to see God's celestial army in position and far outnumbering the soldiers on the other side. That's God's strength on our side!

It's all about what we don't see. You see your obstacles, but God's power is greater. You see only problems, but God already has the solution. Letting your problems get the best of you is in a sense telling God He can't handle the load. You don't see the graces and blessings God is arming you with to get you through the other side. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there. At your lowest, close your eyes and ask God to show you all the forces He has set in place to bless you, protect you, and move you forward because you have trusted in Him.

Today's Prayer:
Father Almighty, please open my eyes so that I may be strengthened at this moment. Close my eyes to all of my problems, my anxieties, my worries and my fears, so that I don't focus on them and instead focus on how great Your power is. Keep my faith strong, my Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

God's Ten Percent

2011-04-13T22:57:00.001-04:00

Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood." - Mark 12:43-44

When you pick up your coat from coat check, you usually tip and put $1 in their little basket on the counter. Unfortunately, that basket resembles the baskets that go around the church on Sundays during the collection. If you agree to pay for something its because you believe its worth the asking price, and so you pay for the latest smart phone, iPad, iPod, shoes, bag, fancy restaurants, video game. These items give you entertainment, make life a little easier and may even make you feel a little better about yourself, but the Church is there to enrich your lives. It baptizes your children and buries your dead. It's there to help you with the forgiveness of sins and to get you through painful times. You have priests and pastors who give of themselves selflessly during the times you need them the most and have no where else to turn. Is $1 or $2 really the price you put on that?

God asks for love. When you love, you give the best you can. Give the best you can to the Church which feeds your souls. Jesus admired this widow because she gave from the love in her heart, whereas everyone else dropped their chump change into the collection basket. With the next paycheck you receive, give to God what you feel the Church is worth. Only you and God know what that amount is. You don't have to go broke, but you should make a more proportional contribution. And don't worry about parting with that money… if there's one thing God has shown me time and time again it's that He always reciprocates in huge ways.

Today's Prayer:
Father, You give to me freely and abundantly. Make my heart more generous with Your Church. Teach me to give and not worry about myself, but to be more concerned about helping others. Let me know the importance of contributing every Sunday to the needs of Your Church. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Life Outside of Facebook

2011-04-12T22:19:00.001-04:00

Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight, and followed him. - Matthew 20:34

One of the things that makes Jesus so special is that He really understood people. He knew when they needed their space and He knew when they needed to be reached out to and touched. This quality makes me think so much of facebook and the way we communicate now. We talk to one another and share our world through facebook, or we text. We hardly make phone calls anymore. Through these means we know all about our family and friends without even having to talk to them,… well, almost because they can't tell us the condition of their souls. Unless our friends disclose it, facebook can't tell us if they're suffering. Or, unless we decided to share it, others won't be able to tell when we actually need them.

This is why Jesus made it a point to get out there and touch people. If Jesus walked the Earth today like He did back then, I think for sure He'd text and be on facebook, but I also know He'd visit each one of His friends to see what their real status is. He'd want to personally be there to say congratulations when someone shares good news. He'd want to be there to comfort when someone is having a rough day. He'd want to be there to listen to work vents and all the random things that happen to us during the day. It's about personally reaching out to someone with a phone call, or better yet, actually connecting face to face. There's love and healing in that. There's real intimacy in that and not the impersonal relationships we share nowadays. There are days when we can share with our friends from afar, but there are days we need to be personal and feel. Make sure to do that for somebody!

Today's Prayer:
My Lord, help me to reach out to those who need a friend, to those who need You. Help us to not hide behind facebook and other impersonal forms of communication, but to experience face to face, human to human contact once again. Help us to actually share together and not from a distance. Bring us together, Lord. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

All By Grace

2011-04-11T22:11:00.001-04:00

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God. - Ephesians 2:8

There's a certain gift God has given me that has made me feel very proud of myself. At first I didn't think of it as a gift, but as something I accomplished on my own. It even made me feel a little superior. However, God is really good at knocking us off our high horses! After some prayer and thought, He made me realize that it wasn't a matter of me possessing this talent, it was a matter me being in serious trouble and being very stressed if I didn't have this talent! It was a grace from Him to help me through!

We take pride in who we are and in the things we have but the truth is that God is the one who gives them to us for our good, and nothing we have done make us deserve these things. It's not because we're smarter, more attractive, more deserving, wealthier, or better in any way than anyone else. It's because God knows where we are weak. I think of myself and the situation I would have been in if God hadn't given me the graces He's given me and I know I would've been in such a bad state. This doesn't make me better than anyone, but in a sense weaker because He had to come in and strengthen me. This is true for all of God's graces in our lives. They're supernatural powers He provides to get us through when otherwise we would have failed miserably! Think about the things you feel proud of yourself for and then think about your life if God hadn't blessed you with those gifts. It will change how you view yourself and relate to others. Then, thank God for what He has given you and realize how much you depend on those graces He's given you in your life.

Today's Prayer:
Father, thank You for the graces You have given me. I'm sorry for being prideful and failing to see that what I saw as an accomplishment was really You saving me. Help me to be grateful and to always acknowledge You in all the blessings in my life. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Thank You For Hearing Me

2011-04-10T22:53:00.001-04:00

So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me" - John 11:41-42

In today's gospel reading we heard about the most remarkable miracle Jesus ever performed, raising Lazarus from the dead. Without faith, it's impossible for us to believe it now, so imagine all the towns' people standing around the tomb watching Jesus when He said to move away the stone. You have to understand that Jesus already had a huge following. People knew Him and His message. The Jewish elders were also already at odds with Him. He had His fair share of people who wanted to see Him fail, and this could have been the moment. Lazarus had been dead for four days… he wasn't a little dead, he was dead and buried and I'm sure his sisters were already trying to move on from their grief. Then, here comes Jesus implying He's going to resurrect the corpse. There were many people around Jesus, few who believed but many more that probably doubted and were there to see Him make a fool of Himself… can you imagine the pressure? Jesus gets down and takes a moment to pray. What would you have prayed at that moment? I, for sure, would have begged God to please help me,… please raise Lazarus, please listen to me. But Jesus, being our perfect older brother of faith, simply prays, "thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me."

Wow,… that really humbles me and gives me confidence in my Father in Heaven, and I hope it does for you as well. God is always with Jesus, so of course He would have known what Jesus needed. A simple prayer to connect with God is all that was needed to make that miracle happen. A simple prayer to connect with God is all that we need to make our miracles happen. There's no begging God. No need to plead and hope for Him to listen because He does, no matter how big the problem is! Say thank You and acknowledge the Lord's love for you and that He wants to help. Say thank You and connect so that you can begin to see God's extraordinary miracles happening all around you.

Today's Prayer:
Father, as Jesus taught me, I want to thank You for listening to me. Thank You for always being there for me and anticipating my needs with Your divine providence. Help me to always be confident in Your love and Your presence in my life. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

He Is Not Dead

2011-04-10T02:26:00.001-04:00

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, "Why do you seek the living one among the dead? - Luke 24:2-5

On Easter Sunday, Mary Magdalene and the other women were expecting a dead body, instead angels greeted them and told them to not look for the living one among the dead. That's right, Jesus is not dead, but alive… and much more alive than you and I.

This is why so many of us struggle in our lives without cause, without hope… because we are treating Jesus as someone who once lived but is now dead. In reality, we are dead if our faith is dead. Without faith nothing matters because all things get left behind… money, looks, popularity, even health and friends. And when we see ourselves without these things, we become depressed, we feel alone although surrounded by many people, we feel insecure, and as if no one cares for us. We lose all hope in life and that's exactly what Jesus gives us - hope of new life, a life in Him. So, pick yourself up because we do have hope in the living one. If you ever feel like your life doesn't matter and you don't matter to anyone, then you need to stop looking for any kind of life among the things that will lead to death. Jesus is alive and wants to give you life.

Today's Prayer:
My Lord, help my faith. Fill my heart and open it to Your love and life in You. I need You to show me how to live and how to love You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Keep It Short & Sweet

2011-04-08T22:55:00.001-04:00

Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one. - Matthew 5:37

There's no doubt that Jesus is a great teacher. He even gave us instructions on how to speak, and I'm sure that if we followed this we would have far fewer problems with others and with God. When Jesus said this, He had just warned us never to swear. How many of us lie and then make up all this extra stuff around that lie just to make it seem more credible? I know I've done it! By keeping our answers direct and honest to people we, first of all, avoid lying, and we also get rid of all those excess statements that usually get us into trouble.

This verse doesn't only stress answering with truth, it also implies that there's no need to talk more than we should. We need to keep things short and sweet, especially because anything else leads to idle gossip. I've always said that one of the sins that scares me the most is calumny, which is when one makes up something fictitious to hurt the reputation of someone else. Obviously, it's such an evil thing to do, but when we add all this extra stuff I mentioned above to a conversation, calumny isn't too far away. It's very easy to bring up someone's name and before you know it, you're gossiping about them and the person you're speaking to takes that conversation to someone else with the information you gave them. You might not have meant to say anything bad, but idle talk never leads to anything good. We should use our speech and our words for good and no other purpose if we want to avoid sin. Like Jesus always is, be honest, direct, and concise.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, remove from my lips all lies and idle gossip. Let my lips only speak truth and avoid becoming involved in anything that hurts or degrades any one of your children. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

I Have Called You Friends

2011-04-07T23:19:00.001-04:00

I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. - John 15:15

I was driving with my mom yesterday and she was talking to me about things she's a bit worried about, and then all of a sudden, she touched the rosary hanging from the mirror and said, "but I'm not going to worry about it because I know You got me, Jesus. I know You know what I need and You're going to look out for me!" She said it with such a child-like confidence that she gave me confidence. It was pure and honest, and for me reinforced the fact that Jesus does have our needs in mind.

The reason my mom was able to talk to Jesus like that is because of her very personal relationship with Him. Jesus IS her friend. I think a lot of us approach Him in the same way we approach an acquaintance, some what awkward and unsure of where the conversation will go. The bible tells us that He knew us before we were even formed in the womb, so we're no strangers to Jesus. He knows our in's and out's. He's the stranger to us and that's what needs to change in order to have the sort of faith and confidence that gets us through life. We don't have to be strangers; Jesus calls us to be His friends and enter into a deep, personal relationship with Him. Approach Him as you approach your friends. Rely on Him as you rely on your friends.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, what better friend could I have than You? You know me better than anyone. You know what I need and will never betray me. You are always there when I need You. Help me to walk closer to You and take our friendship deeper. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com

Answered Prayers

2011-04-07T00:26:00.001-04:00

Thus says the LORD: In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you. - Isaiah 49:8

Throughout the bible, God is always telling us He will answer our prayers. He never says maybe. He always says yes. But yet there are many of us with what seem to be prayers that go unanswered. Why does that happen? The first answer to that is timing. God knows exactly when to do things. We're limited. We only look at the right now and how we think it will affect us. God can look at the big picture and know how it will affect everyone else as well. Plus, God is a great director; He knows the perfect spot in the story line to make our miracles happen. The second answer is a bit harder for us to understand. When God answers a prayer, He addresses our needs and not necessarily our wants. For example, you could be in love with someone and pray to God for the relationship to work out, but instead you break up. A few months later you meet someone new and you get married. Believe it or not, God answered your prayer. He knew you were actually praying for someone who was good for you, who put as much effort into the relationship as you do. The first relationship was what you thought you needed. God knows what you actually need and that's what He gives you when He answers a prayer. If we learn to keep our eyes open for these things and our trust firm in God, we'll see how He works things out for us. Yes, sometimes it takes a lot of time and many times it's frustrating if we don't feel anything is happening, but it is there. God never leaves a prayer unanswered.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, show me patience. No matter how much time passes and how difficult things look, calm me down and remind me that You are working for my good. Show me trust so that I can rest assure that You've got me in Your hands. In Jesus' Name we pray, amen.

Lumineux: Letting God's Light Shine
www.lettinggodslightshine.com