A Catholic Deacon's Perspective: January 2025

Friday, January 3, 2025

Second Promise of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: “I WILL ESTABLISH PEACE IN THEIR HOMES”

The first of the twelve beautiful promises that Jesus shares with those who are devoted to His Sacred Heart is that He will “give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.” What an inestimable gift to receive from our Lord! He is generous with His graces! The second promise of Jesus follows right upon the heels of that first one, where the graces we receive find their way in the most primary place in our lives... our homes. “I will establish peace in their homes”.

EPIPHANY: HOPE REVEALED

Today’s moveable feast of the Epiphany of our Lord is one of those liturgical celebrations that use the same readings, psalm and Gospel for Cycles A, B and C. Based on the revelation of the Savior, Jesus, who brings hope to the world, its theme is one of Hope Revealed in relation to what is happening in the world. Since that time 2000 plus years ago, believers and non-believers have been trying to recognize what that means in their life.

BLOG INTRODUCTION

Scripture is like the eyes into God’s soul. Whether from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) or the New Testament, we are able to garner, as best we can, who God is (what He feels and how He thinks in human terms). The original purpose of this blog, which began in 2019, was to take a three-year cycle of A, B and C Gospels and readings from each Sunday and provide a perspective as it pertains to our current lives as seen through the eyes of a Catholic deacon who for the last 19-1/2 years has served Catholics in words and deeds per his ordination. The intention was and still is to help all those who read the blog to find the purpose for which God created them and in turn to use the God-given gifts and talents they possess to fulfill that purpose. Since completing the three-year cycles of A, B and C, I have been expanding the blog to look into the areas of Commentaries, Scripture and Theology. I will continue to use the New American Bible to offer a perspective on what their messages might mean not only personally to you, but an additional aspect in which you as the reader can comment by offering your own take, if you choose to do so. In doing so, all of us will be able to see various insights based on where we are at in our life. My theme is the same as in the past in that I am looking at God’s purpose for creating us. We are tasked to discover what that reason is based on the gifts we are graced with by Him and then using that answer to serve all that God has created. Though many responses will be similar, each and every one of us has a story to tell that is unique unto ourselves. It is my hope that by sharing different perspectives, we will begin to understand our relationship with God and come to realize how oneness with our Lord is truly what makes life work no matter what the situation. In these new blog presentations, there will be general and specific questions that pertain to the subject matter at hand. Their purpose is to provide you with insights into yourself that may create additional ideas you would like to explore. Based upon your need to receive a response from the blog or others is when you are asked to offer comments at the end of each blog. You and responders can be completely anonymous with what you or they write. My answers will include my name. In all cases I ask that you remember this is a Christian blog and what you write needs to be approached in that manner as it regards verbiage used. It is my hope that you will see this as something of value to help you grow closer to the Lord. If not, I would appreciate your feedback to improve it or, if necessary, allow me to use a different format for furtherance of the relationship theme. Thank you for your openness to this. I look forward to your comments for all of us to grow into a deeper relationship with the Lord. Deacon Jim Merle