ST. VERONICA
Genesis, Chapter 46, Verse 3
Then he said: I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great
nation.
At times God asks us to go
down into our personal Egypt’s; so he can make us more by raising us up.
·
I
will observe your statutes; do not utterly forsake me. – Psalm 119:8
·
Blessed
is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will
receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. –
James 1:12
What
is your “Egypt”? What is your temptation, your land of (empty) promise? What
has placed you under bondage? For some it could be that “dream” job across the
country. For others it could be that big house, or luxury car. Chances are, if
you find yourself saying something like, “Things would better if I could
only…”, then you have an “Egypt” of your own. In most cases your “Egypt” is
really just another heap of steaming trouble, bundled in empty hope and wrapped
with false promise. God knows that humility, and a sense of self-worth centered
in God’s grace and not in “things” and “stuff” is what leads to a heart that is
not been made cynical by the disappointments of materialism. A humble and
compassionate heart is softer, fertile ground made ready and willing to love.
We must find contentment in the immutable, in the unwavering God. Only then
will the distractions, the idols, and the daily lies we tell ourselves to feel
okay… only then will they start to fall away and we can be fully Present. Being
Present means to exist fully in the now, in this moment. Not
regretting the past, not worrying about the future, but fully mindful and
present in the moment at hand. Then you would be able to give this text
your full attention, and not simply a cursory scan. You would find yourself
really listening to someone speaking, and not simply waiting for a chance to
talk. And most importantly, your find yourself fully enjoying the presence of
someone close to you, fully mindful that in an instant they could be gone. Our
personal “Egypt” is a always a source of bondage and domination. We find
ourselves broken through our pursuit of it, and God forbid, we attain it! Then
we realize that its promise and hope were dust and dreams and there is nothing
of substance to sustain us. Where do we turn to now? We’ve already spent
ourselves trying to attain our own personal “Egypt”? We turn back to God. He is
always ready and willing to perform the next personal Exodus out of another
personal Egypt. And you will need God’s help, for the wisdom of the
world and its Pharaohs will rise up to stop you the very moment you start to
trust God’s immutable providence for your life: Wake up. Spread the blood
of lamb on the lintels of your soul. Ask God for salvation from bondage to your
own personal Egypt, and God will act in your life.[1]
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shroud and veil superimposed
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” In character, in manner, in style, in
all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
We live in a complicated world; with taxes
and devices and every imaginable complication the world can provide. Wouldn’t
it be nice if we could just take some time to keep things simple? To winnow
life down to the bare essentials and hold onto it like the precious thing it
is? Simplicity Day encourages you to do just that, to let go of all of life’s
complications and live a day… simple. Simplicity Day was born out of a need to
be free from the complications of the world and to allow ourselves to just be simple.
Celebrate life through simplicity by turning off your devices, getting rid of
complicated things and just let life be about living for a day. One of the
great conundrums of the modern world is that the more opportunities and options
you have the less happy you’re going to be. Some of the happiest people in the
world have been determined to be those who live in uncivilized areas concerning
themselves only with what they’re going to eat that day and where a good place
to sleep is. We can learn much from them, though few of us would want to go to
such extremes. However, we can all benefit from just cutting out the things
that make our lives difficult. Simplicity Day is about getting rid of these
complications and culling from your life what doesn’t bring you joy.
How to Celebrate Simplicity Day
·
Step
away from the computer and find a sunny nook with a cup of tea and a book to
pass the time.
·
Walk
in the forests or through fields and just feel the sun on your skin and the
sounds of birds and insects. These moments will be the ones that can truly set
you free. During these long moments take the time to relax and consider how you
want to proceed in your life.
·
What
can you cut out that buries you under complications that bring no benefits? Are
there people or things you can remove that will make your life a little happier
each day by the removal of these complications?
·
These
questions can lead you to a simpler, happier life. Wouldn’t it be nice to have
peace of mind? Simplicity Day can lead the way.
Daily Devotions
·
Meditate
on the Passion
of Christ.
[1]
http://www.epochalypsis.org/daily-devotion-your-own-personal-egypt/
[2]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2018-07-12
[3]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/simplicity-day/
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