To have love, give love.

Sawadee Khrap

My meditation this morning,  first thing that came into my mind was Jesus’s words “If you see me,  you see my Father”.  But He also said

“If you bring it into being within you, (then) that which you have will save you. If you do not have it within you, (then) that which you do not have within you [will] kill you.” {#70  Gospel of Thomas}. And  #76  ” “The kingdom of the Father is like a merchant who had merchandise and found a pearl.  That merchant is prudent. He sold the goods (and) bought for himself the pearl alone.  You too look for his treasure, which does not perish, (and) which stays where no moth can reach it to eat it, and no worm destroys it.”

To me that means that only the gifts or miracles from Spirit are those that will not perish. I think “The Prayer”, traditionally attributed to St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) captures the essence.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O Divine Master, grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand
To be loved, as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
And it’s in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it’s in dying that we are born to Eternal Life
Amen”

All the cliché’s and sayings that I heard, as a child, from my parents, in church, school, AA, and now my spiritual path have deeper meaning.  Before I’d dismissed them as great sayings but not something I needed to cultivate as my life.

Peace, love, pardon, faith, hope, light, joy, console, and understanding ARE
the gifts of the Spirit – (I prefer to replace “pardon” with “Forgiveness”.  Pardon implies something happened but no punishment is deemed necessary, Forgiveness says it never happened, it is just an error in judgement that needs to be corrected).

Now these must become the cornerstones of my spiritual path – God is LOVE therefore so am I. 

Father, help me to make these ACTIONS become my path so I may become a reflection of Jesus and Yourself.   Amend

God Bless      Ciao