After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to Mary Magdalene as she was weeping outside His tomb. Jesus appeared to her and she thought He was the gardener until He called her by name, "Mary." At the sound of His voice calling her name, she recognized Him.
Jesus is calling you by name. Be still and listen for the sound of His voice.
Jesus said to Mary, "Stop holding on to Me" but go to my brothers and tell them I am going to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God. John 20:17 Mary went to the disciples telling them, "I have seen the Lord" and she told them all He said.
When Jesus calls you by name and when you listen to His voice, go and do what He tells you to do. He told Mary to stop holding on to Him. He speaks these words to you. Stop holding onto the things that bring you comfort or the things that draw you away from the Lord. He is with you and He will help you do what He is calling you to do. Just listen and go. When you follow His voice and do what He tells you to do, you are doing His Will. When you do the Will of God, it may not be easy, but Jesus will be with you and you will be in peace.
On the evening of the first day of the week, the disciples, afraid of the Jews, were locked in a room and Jesus appeared in their midst, showed them His hands and His side and said, 'Peace be with you." John 20:19-20 He breathed on them and said "Receive the Holy Spirit whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained." John 20:22-23
When Jesus breathed on the disciples, they received the Holy Spirit and He gave them the power to forgive sins or to retain them. Jesus has given you the gift to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to receive forgiveness of your sins. When your sins are forgiven, the Holy Spirit showers grace upon you so that you can go and sin no more. Go. Jesus is waiting for you.
When Jesus appeared in the midst of the disciples, Thomas was not with them When they saw Thomas later, they told him that they had seen the Lord. Thomas doubted and said, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." John 20:25 A week later, the disciples were in the locked room again and Thomas was with them. Jesus appeared in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believe." Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God." John 20:26-28
Not long ago, I had an experience which was stressful. A beautiful priest told me to take my rosary in my hand and on each bead, pray, "Jesus I trust in You." I have a beautiful rosary given to me by a friend in Christ. The beads on this rosary are small miraculous medals. This rosary is so precious to me. I pray the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day with it. I did what the priest told me to do, but I also added my own prayer. On every miraculous medal, I prayed,
"Jesus I trust in You. Help me to trust You more deeply."
The stressful situation resolved itself in ways I could have never imagined and Jesus did help me to trust Him more deeply. Maybe you can try this way of prayer too. Jesus will draw you in close and He will help you to trust Him more deeply.
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in His Name. John 20:30-31
O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You. Jesus I trust in You.
No comments:
Post a Comment