KINDNESS

 

Mariam witnessed a friend save the life of an ill bird. She was deeply touched. 

Rabbi Jesus told her, "To be truly human is to be truly kind."

Let us love one another and the beautiful world God made.

UNFOUNDED RUMOUR

 

Mariam was approached with accusation of an unfounded rumour which had followed her for years. She felt distressed.

Rabbi Jesus told her, "People can say ugly things about you; they can't make them true."

If your conscience is clear, be at peace. You would be far more troubled if the actions wrongly imputed to you were in fact true.

Innocence of heart leads to peace of soul.

EMBARRASSMENT

 

Let us live and love our life! Jesus at Cana, the Son of God Who changes water into wine

Mariam felt embarrassed at having shown spontaneous emotion during a social gathering, which caused raised eyebrows among some of her colleagues.

She told the Rabbi, "I made a fool of myself. I should have more decorum."

Rabbi Jesus told her, "You will never be an anonymous nonentity."

Embrace your personality which God gave to you.

HOLY COMMUNION

 

Mariam had received communion. All that day she felt strengthened and contented, despite various difficulties which came her way.

She asked the Rabbi, "What happened?"

Rabbi Jesus answered, "The altar bread difference to your day."

Go to the sacraments and receive Holy Communion from time to time. This strengthens you in readiness for eternity.

ANCIENT ARGUMENTS AND FORGIVENESS

 

Mariam remembered an ancient argument: thus keeping the memory fresh.

Rabbi Jesus told her, "Don't chew the cud of old hatreds."

Let it go. Perhaps you were unfairly treated. Perhaps the other didn't understand what you truly meant to say. It could be you made a mistake. Possibly the other was mistaken. Maybe you acted wrongly. It may be that the other treated you wrongly.

It doesn't matter. When we pray to the Father for forgiveness as we forgive others, let our forgiveness be total and generous.

It is only sensible. Perhaps our soul will be called tonight for our judgement. Why go before God unprepared through lack of forgiveness for events so very long ago.

GLASS CEILING

 

Mariam had worked for years in an employment environment, in which she felt she had hit her so-called glass ceiling very quickly. 

She asked the Rabbi, "What have I gained at all from these years of work?"

Rabbi Jesus answered her, "A wealth - a fortune of knowledge."

Knowledge is never lost. Experience will always stand to your stead.

ETHICS AND THE ISSUE OF ABORTION

 

Mariam was studying ethics in relation to the issue of abortion.

She told the Rabbi, "It is clear in the ethical field that the father has the responsibility in his role as father and protector of the child to  . . ."

Rabbi Jesus answered, "Accept the law of life above the law of death."

Mariam pondered thereafter. How hard it is for a father who wishes to acknowledge his unborn child, and the mother chooses abortion.

Let us all consider well that the act of love is not a light matter, neither sport nor fleeting amusement. The act of love transmits life, and should be respected as such.

ETHICS IN MARRIAGE AND THE ISSUE OF ABORTION

 

Mariam was studying ethics in marriage and the issue of abortion.

Rabbi Jesus told her, "Neither the man nor the woman can forswear their total responsibility and commitment to the child whose life their love helped to awaken."

TEMPTATION

 

Let us turn to Jesus Christ for His Grace when we are being tempted to do wrong

Mariam was undergoing temptation to do wrong.

She turned to the Rabbi, and said to Him, "Even here there are temptations .  .. "

Rabbi Jesus answered, "Wherever you are, the snake uncoils."

Be on your guard against the wiles of the devil, clever schemes used by satan to ensnare us through temptation, threat or intimidation.

Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us to be strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power. We are to put on the full armour of God, so that we can take our stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 

In the New Testament of the Bible, the Book of Revelation makes use of ancient serpent and the dragon several times in order to identify satan or the devil (Revelation 12:9, 20:2).

LETTING GO OF PAST SADNESS

 

Mariam decided to let go of past sadness. She destroyed old letters with bygone memories.

Mariam told the Rabbi, "The purpose of life is to grow, always grow. To move rapidly past . . ."

Rabbi Jesus answered, "Oceans of hurt, universes of pain."

Life is a school of learning. Often there is the pain of love, love lost, death and sad events in a fallen world being made new by the Saviour.

Yet earthly life is not the final destination. 

Mariam realized, "We are moving towards ..."

The Master gently answered, "A new wholeness in the Resurrected Christ and His Kingdom."

Have faith. Trust in God's strength. Sadness and suffering does not last forever. The cross will end in the glorious Kingdom.