Fired Up Catholics

¹³ Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, ¹⁵ but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; ¹⁶ because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

Peter knows all about the mind games of the enemy!  For so many times he found himself in grace of the revelation of Jesus and the next minute under the spell of the evil one!

One minute he is being called the ROCK and foundation of Christ’s Church because he received the grace to say that Jesus was the messiah, the Son of the Living God!

And the next minute Peter was telling Jesus no way was he going to let Him suffer!

Jesus replies get behind me Satan!

So Peter knows first hand about the battlefield in our minds… and that we have to guard our minds and thoughts!

He is telling us here from experience to hold fast to the grace that comes from the revelations of Jesus Christ — not to all the distractions from the evil one but also from our own sinfullness and lusts and desires…

He is saying that obedience to Jesus is the way and not the way we used to be before we knew Jesus — since we are called by Him through Baptism…

Our way now is holiness which is a state of being not doing… our actions lead us there but it is about BEING — at the deep level of our being that we are imitating and being like JESUS!

He is our living model and we are to conform to His way and not the world’s ways.

This is a great time to reflect on your ways… and see where may you be struggling to follow the ways of Jesus?

Peter did a lot of repenting and so must we — turning away from sin – asking for forgiveness and turning to Jesus!

¹⁰ As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, ¹¹ seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

WOW!  This should really make us stop and think how blessed we are!  That all the generations even before Christ would be working for us!

And that the early Church through the apostles were serving us!

And lastly we must not take lightly the fact that we should be serving the generations to come.

So ask  yourself today… what am I doing to build the faith and pass on the teachings and Good News of Jesus and His saving Mercy?

This is the perfect time to get into action and align your life to God’s will so that others might have life!

The last words… we truly are blessed to live in a time of the fullness of truth and revelation of Jesus Christ.  For even the angels have not had what we have!

What do you think about this?

 ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ⁷ so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

WOW this is GREAT NEWS… it’s the fuel we need for living HOPE!

The blessing of being reborn as baptized Catholics we know gives us the sanctifying grace and washes us clean from original sin… what MERCY!

That we could be able to obtain the glorious inheritance of HEAVEN!  That’s incredible!!!

That is the prize — that is the silver lining of this chaotic, broken life that most of us are living… the life that at times seems to make no sense!

The life that we feel at times is questionable and lacking the answers to it’s purpose!

There is purpose in every minute of every hour of every day of  YOUR LIFE!

Whether you realize it or not… any distress or trial or suffering you go through has purpose…

Responding to God always with faith… trust… hope… love…

and our faith has purpose!

It is tested and molded and shaped… and it’s purpose is to give glory, honor and praise to God because no matter what…

We believe that He has a purpose and we will see Him some day and have the fullness of understanding…

Think and reflect on your life right now… think about it’s sharp edges and unanswered fragmented parts…

Allow God to fill in the places that are questionable… knowing someday you will have all the answers…

Until then  live with hope!

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

   To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

 OH WOW!  What an action packed greeting!

Peter, on fire with the love of God, is writing to those scattered in the churches in Asia Minor and gives them a powerful HELLO!

And so to anyone who feels alone in our church, to anyone who might feel like an alien, an outsider, an outcast…

What if we sent out this kind of a greeting?

Peter greets and teaches… in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit…

Affirming them who seem far off, that they are chosen by God who forknew them…

God who is all knowing… knows just where you are today!!!  No matter what you might think!

And He called you by the sanctifying work of the Spirit in you — preparing you for salvation our most prized goal and end…

And this is the best part — to obey Jesus the Son of God and to be sprinkled by HIS BLOOD!

Well this is a perfect way to jump into Lent!

To be greeted by Peter who reminds us that we are chosen, called by God and not by accident for salvation and we assist in this work by obeying Jesus and allowing His precious blood to cleanse us of our sinfulness!

And what a gift is His grace and peace in full measure, abundance… all because of Jesus!

This is a powerful greeting… full of grace and mercy…

What if we greeting people this way today?

When I visited Kenya Africa, Christians did greet people this way and still do.  When you enter the home of someone, they greet you with a prayer and when you leave they do the same thing…

What if you greeting your fellow Christian this way today… or make a greeting in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit, in  your own way…

What if you greeted someone who is away from the church this way?  Someone who feels lonely?  Someone on the street?

What if you prayed this greeting when you remember those most in need of God’s Mercy today… powerful words and words are prayers…

Let us know how you do and what you think?

I’ll do the same… be blessed!