IT'S UP TO YOU . . .

“Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”         Luke 10:38-42

Have you ever felt like Martha? We all have. But, it’s important to take a close look at what she is really worried about. Martha is telling Jesus that she is not being treated fairly. She wants others to start acting differently so that she will feel better. Sound familiar?

Poor Martha wants everyone around her to change, but she is not willing to change at all.

That can be a familiar feeling. When things aren’t going our way, sometimes our first reaction is to think that we are being ignored or taken advantage of. “Why is everyone doing this to me?”

This is when you can turn to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and freedom. If you do you will find an opportunity for real peace in any tense situation. But, you must take responsibility for changing yourself before trying to change anyone else, especially if you are asking for divine grace to help you. You see, while the Lord will help you deal with you, He alone will deal with everyone else.

And when you allow the presence of Jesus to have absolute first place in your heart, I guarantee amazing things will happen in your life! That is because God is so creative He can lead you to life-changing thoughts, decisions, and actions. This will do far more than just resolve a particular situation; it will bring healing, freedom, and even deliverance.

Be assured that your love and compassion for others will always replace your fuming over be slighted by them. Yes, if you call upon Him, God’s own divine wisdom will lead you to make changes in you and how you deal with everyone else in your life. He may even reveal how you played a key role in creating whatever problems you face . . . along with a way out of the mess!

But, no matter what the Spirit reveals to you, you will find your faith and trust in Jesus deepening. And as you experience His power to change your heart, His grace will flow out of you, helping everyone around you to experience that very same healing, freedom, and lasting joy.

          TODAY'S PRAYER

Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, 

true source of light and fountain of wisdom! 

Pour forth your brilliance upon my dense intellect, 

dissipate the darkness which covers me, 

that of sin and of ignorance. 

Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, 

a retentive memory, 

method and ease in learning, 

the lucidity to comprehend, 

and abundant grace in expressing myself. 

Guide the beginning of my work, 

direct its progress, 

and bring it to successful completion. 

This I ask through Jesus Christ, 

true God and true man, 

living and reigning with You 

and the Father, forever and ever.

Amen.

St. Thomas Aquinas