God chose us in him, before the foundation of the world
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.” (cf. Eph 1:3-4). These words of Saint Paul accompany me throughout my life. Especially today when I remember my birthday
Each of us has been called to holiness. God wants us to be holy and unblemished. We read: He chose us before the foundation of the world ... It means that each of us was in God's plan from the beginning. This was His plan for us to come into the world. But that is not all. He decided that each of us would be holy and without blemish. This is God's Desire. That each of us may live in His Glory ... He has destined us as adoptive sons. Each of us carries within us the dignity of God's Child. We owe it to Christ.
The original plan was for us to be saints. But we have sinned, thus breaking our relationship with God. The dignity of God's children has been restored to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our dignity - being a Child of God leads us to a deeper knowledge of God. Or at least the dignity should guide us. Because it is not enough just to say: "I am God's child" ... It is not enough to state this fact publicly. It is not enough just to know about it. It is needed to go further. The dignity of God's Child should be related to the desire to get to know our Father in Heaven better and better. And in this the Holy Spirit help us.
The Holy Spirit comes to us with many gifts. But it is the Gift of Wisdom that enables us to know God more deeply. Our senses are not enough to know God. Paul the Apostle writes about "enlightened eyes of the heart". We may have very good, even eagle-eyed eyesight, but we will not get to know God with it. At least not as we would like it to be. The "eyes of the heart" are different. They allow us to look further and deeper. - Where the sight cannot reach. They allow us to see "what the hope of our calling is". They let us see where we are going and where we should be going. They are our "spiritual compass" with which we can correct our path to holiness. To the holiness that God himself desires for us.
“Therefore, I, too, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones, do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of [your] hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones. (cf. Eph 1:15-18)
Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your presence in my life.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george