BE
NOT
AFRAID
DAY 3
Choose faith over fear.
God Writes Our Story- Fr. Stephen Gadberry
"They journeyed through an uninhabited wilderness, and pitched their tents in untrodden places. They withstood their enemies and fought off their foes.When they were thirsty, they called upon you, and water was given them out of flinty rock, and from hard stone a remedy for their thirst." -Wisdom 11: 2-4
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RESOURCES
Prayer prompt resources:
Holy Imagination and Story-telling
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Fr. Gadberry's Notes:
"Everybody loves a good story, especially a story with a twist. We have all had experiences reading a book or watching a movie when the apparent story-line takes a sudden and abrupt turn. It takes the listener on an exciting ride down an unexpected path. If the story was told well and understood by the listener up to the point, the change of events makes the story more interesting. If the reader or listener was disengaged, the temporary detour will totally derail them. Brothers and sisters, we are bouncing along a mysterious path as part of an unplanned detour in that great novel called the History of Salvation. The History of Salvation reveals the exciting drama that unfolds between God and his chosen people. The Old Testament captures this story well and shows how faithful God has been despite the ongoing infidelity of his chosen people. In the New Testament, we learn of the extremes that God will go to in order to maintain that special relationship with his chosen friends, to the extreme of death! The story has continued for the last 2,000 years and is still being written today.
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As a story develops, the hearer must dance an intimate dance on a three-beamed balance. The listener must always keep in mind how the story has developed thus far and be conscious to where the story is currently at, all while maintaining the anxious suspense of how the story will unfold. It is an ongoing game of hopscotch between remembering, being and dreaming.
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In these days, our Heavenly Father is inviting us to remember his fidelity and the promises he has made to us. We must stay present to the present moment, for it is only in reality that we can truly encounter God… never in fantasy. Finally, we must live in joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of the great promise he has made. God is ALWAYS good on his word. We must consider whether we believe that fact or not. This is not a lie. This is not a story. This is Gospel truth! God loves us and is ever faithful. Our Lord desires greater things than we even desire for ourselves!
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Stories shape society! It’s a mystery how these current events will shape our future. Without a doubt, according to his divine plan, God is twisting the plot in this great story of salvation history. What role do you play in this story? How will you participate in the dramatic scenes being played out, right now? Will you continue to tell this story in the future? Everybody loves a good story, but I can assure you. Being part of a good story is so much better than simply hearing it. Consider yourself blessed in these days! Be bold. Story on."
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For reasons outside of our control, we are unable to receive our Daily Bread in the Holy Eucharist. Fortunately, our Lord is not bound by space or time, but only by hard hearts. In these days, many of our hearts have been broken. While this hurts, our broken and vulnerable hearts are most prepared to receive God’s grace. You may have heard of it by now, but I invite you make a daily spiritual communion. This is a prayer given to us from our Mother the Church, in which we pray for all the graces we would normally receive at the reception of communion. This prayer can be prayed by anybody, anywhere! I hope you find yourself spending more time in prayer these days and I hope you add this one to your time of daily meditation. When you pray it, with your heart’s eye, see yourself receiving communion from Jesus himself. Pray it while kneeling, if you physically can. After you’ve prayed it, remain kneeling, as you would at Mass, and meditate on the presence of Christ with you, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and an outpouring of the Father’s mercy. See our Blessed Mother on your left and St. Joseph on your fight. Feel the presence of your favorite saints around you. Which saints are around you? Are they in front of you or beside you or behind you? What are they doing? May God bless and keep you.
My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.