“All things are possible for him who believes, more to him who hopes, even more to him who loves.”

–St. Lawrence of Brindisi

SECOND READING: From the Imitation of Christ
The kingdom of God is the peace and joy of the Spirit

Turn to the Lord with your whole heart and leave behind this wretched world. Then your soul shall find rest. For the kingdom of God is the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit. If you prepare within your heart a fitting dwelling place, Christ will come to you and console you.

His glory and beauty are within you, and he delights in dwelling there. The Lord frequently visits the heart of man. There he shares with man pleasant conversations, welcome consolation, abundant peace and a wonderful intimacy.

So come, faithful soul. Prepare your heart for your spouse to dwell within you. For he says: If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and we shall come to him and make our dwelling within him.

Make room for Christ. When you possess Christ you are rich, for he is sufficient for you. He himself, shall provide for you and faithfully administer all your cares. You will not have to place your hope in men. Put all your trust in God; let him be both your fear and your love. He will respond on your behalf and will do whatever is in your best interest.

You have here no lasting city. For wherever you find yourself, you will always be a pilgrim from another city. Until you are united intimately with Christ, you will never find your true rest.

Let your thoughts be with the Most High and direct your prayers continually to Christ. If you do not know how to contemplate the glory of heaven, take comfort in the passion of Christ, and dwell willingly in his sacred wounds. Endure with Christ, suffer for him, if you wish to reign with him.

Once you have entered completely into the depths of Jesus, and have a taste of his powerful love, then you will not care about your own convenience or inconvenience. Rather you will rejoice all the more in insults and injuries, for the love of Jesus makes a man scorn his own needs.

READING 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

May the Lord increase you and make you overflow with love for one another and for all, even as our love does for you. May he strengthen your hearts, making them blameless and holy before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his holy ones.

A beautiful Spanish word….it has no great English translation.

CONVIVIR – con (with) vivir (live)

But the word doesn’t mean live with another under the same roof….it captures something much more…it means to share life with, to do life with…a divine kind of fellowship

And God issues us that invitatin today

CONVIVIR

Convivir with others in the parish
– those without church, when they get sick they get sick alone, when they have problems thay have problems alone, when they die they die lone…
– we belong to the FLOCK…we are one
– the church is a family, God’s famiy, God’s flock….and he wants that there be ONE FLOCK
– when was the last time I invited a family from the parish to dinner at my house? when was the last time I introduced myself to a new person or family here?
– when someone is missing form Mass, there should be 20 calls goin gout to that person!
– CONVIVIR….we are meant to share life with each other, and not just meaning be undert he roof of this buildin gof an hour each week
– CONIVIVR means we are meant to do life togheter as members of God’s flock….his family!

Convivir with Jesus
– God wants to share and do life with us too…ergo, the Incarnation!
– To convivir with Jesus is to have times for him alone
– Can you imagine? There are Catholics out there who have never had an intimate moment wiht JESUS!
– RETREATS!!!! So important folks….to go away with Jesus fo a while…even if one day.
– HOLY HOURS! In the chapel, wth our dear Lord
– Each day….each moment…convivir with Jesus
– Toda’ys Gospel: Jesus tells them to come away with him for a whlie and get rest

True life, true peace, true rejuvenation is IN Jesus and his flock!

“The closer one approached God, the simpler one becomes.” – St Teresa of Avila

Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Anything that upsets me is met w/the ol’ saying: “This, too, shall pass…” – Disser