Often I become weary of my own faults and failings.
Exacerbated I often complain to God,
“How is it that I am not changed?
After so much prayer and effort and asking you to transform me,
why do I still struggle with this same old sins?”
And then I remember the Resurrection story.
I imagine the morning after when the disciples arose
weary and puffy eyed from weeping with grief
desolate, scared and confused.
No one knew the miracle that had occurred
in the silence and darkness of the tomb.
The women seek Jesus in the place they left him
only to be shaken from their despair with this pronouncement,
“Why do you seek the living One among the dead?”
“He is not here, but He has risen.”
How often do I got about my day unaware
of the almost imperceptible risings of grace within and around me?
How often do I revert back to old habits
and well worn terrain of thoughts and behavior?
How often do I head towards my own tomb,
forgetting the promise of the Spirit to recreate anew each day,
“my tender mercies are renewed every morning”.
How often do I cling to my old self
unaware of the stones that have been rolled away
and the new tender shoots of grace sprouting within me
I rotely travel down the same path
expecting to encounter my old, outgrown self.
Will I allow the power of the resurrection to take place within me?
Will I receive this gift and allow it to transform me?
For unless I digest the gift
and allow its power to raise me from my slumber
the resurrection is just a story.
We are not meant to be passive witnesses of the paschal mystery.
The Eucharist, is our great thanksgiving
for this live giving and transforming Grace!
We must never allow it to go stale,
or fall to numbed, hardened ground.
Spirituality is not a spectator sport!
It calls us to cast into the deep,
and be changed by the encounter with the living God.
Jesus invites us to his cross, his tomb, and his resurrection.
He invites us to share in his ministry of love and healing.
The women at the tomb were given a mission
to proclaim hope and possibility!
If I live believing in the Resurrection,
I must not keep returning to the tomb of my old self
but rather step into and live the grace that is offered me.
seeking The Lord in new and unexpected ways
both within me and without.
“How often do I head towards my own tomb,
forgetting the promise of the Spirit to recreate anew each day,”
So much power in those words. Thank you again for putting into words what I can only feel. Blessings!
Thanks!
Here is the link for Dew Drops
https://www.createspace.com/5682347
http://www.amazon.com/Dew-Drops-Relishing-Moment-Encounter/dp/0991338669/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452844315&sr=8-3&keywords=Christi+Ortiz
Here is the link for Encounter
https://www.createspace.com/5916540
http://www.amazon.com/Encounter-Reflections-Sacred-Christi-Ortiz/dp/1519684355/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1452844315&sr=8-2&keywords=Christi+Ortiz
Here is the links for “This Too Shall Pass”
https://www.createspace.com/5876876
http://www.amazon.com/This-Too-Shall-Pass-Through/dp/1519376227/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452844315&sr=8-1&keywords=Christi+Ortiz
Jan thank you so much for your kind words! Also I wanted to let you know that I did finally publish that book you predicted ? they are listed above. Thank you for your encouragement it has meant alot to me! Blessings
I’m so happy that you published a book! I’m going to go buy one now, and splash this all over facebook and twitter! 🙂 Your message of God’s love needs to be heard!