Vol. 14, No. 2, April, 2009

The Lord has the Plan for your Life
by Sr. Brigid Meierotto, S.N.C.

In this teaching, we will accept the word of God, the Scriptures into our hearts and minds, letting them be light to us. The Scriptures are the inspired word of God which has the power to accomplish what it says, for us. Yes, for us, right here. right now!

The Scripture we are reflecting upon is Jeremiah 31:7-9; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52. Read these passages slowly, prayerfully.

As you read the Scripture, in your heart ask the Holy Spirit to explain to you the message that the Lord has for you personally. Do not doubt that the Lord Jesus will do this for you, because that is why he came, so that you can get to know and to love Jesus. "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (John 14:25f). Ask the Holy Spirit what you expect from him...something like this: "O Holy Spirit, Jesus said that you would teach me all things and I believe him. Teach me how to put my trust in Jesus, -- how to put my trust in the plan that Jesus has for me and for my family. Teach me to love Jesus with my whole heart, giving him praise and adoration with every breath! Thank you, O Holy Spirit."

Throughout the Scripture we read that the Lord has a plan for his people -- we are his people, he is our God! What kind of a God is he?

In the prophecy that you have been praying over in Jeremiah you have your answer to that question. You see that His plan for us is to save us, to save us from every evil, and to lead us in straight paths. Jeremiah continues:

"....proclaim, give praise, and say, 'The LORD has saved his people, the remnant of Israel.' Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who is in travail, together;...I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first born.

They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD....their life shall be like a watered garden....I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow."

We see in the letter to the Hebrews, that this prophecy in Jeremiah is fulfilled by Jesus' coming to save us.

The Father appoints as High Priest his own Son Jesus to act on our behalf. Jesus sacrifices himself, dies for us. Jesus knows and understands our weakness, because he takes our burden, our sin upon himself.

Jesus conquers death, rises to life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is here to save us from every evil, to bring us to life, fullness of life by the love, the power of the Holy Spirit -- to heal us in every way, to make us whole.

How could this happen to you, to me? What do we have to do? Ask! Ask like Bartimaeus in the Gospel, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me."

And Jesus says to us: "What do you want me to do for you?" There is no need too great or too small to ask from Jesus. His plan for us is that we have life, life to the full, new life in his Holy Spirit. The Lord wants to heal us of anything that takes away our life!

Closing prayer: Thank you, Spirit of love, for teaching me to put my trust in the Lord, who has the perfect plan for my life. Continue to teach me about living the new life of God's love poured into my heart through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us! Now the prayer to Mary: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus! Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen!"