A New Day

Source:neonline.org

“Each 24 hours of a human life is a voyage that can only be taken once.”

Those words were written by an Oblate of Mary Immaculate priest, Father Louis Marie Parent. If we reflect on this quote we are reminded of the value of the present. Father Parent also said: “Each day God offers me a new day like a blank page. It is up to us to decide how we are going to fill it.”

We do not get to relive yesterday, but we are given the opportunity to do a better job with today. That is our choice.

These quotes were taken from Father Parent’s book, THE PRESENT MOMENT (published by Editions Paulines in 1991). He makes a very good suggestion when he states that when we wash our face and get ourselves looking good for the day, we can also choose some good qualities to help us be the best we can be that day.

Turning to the Lord often during the day will help us stay on track.

The late Father Bob Bedard, CC, the founder of the Companions of the Cross in Ottawa, said: “After we have committed to Jesus, to follow Jesus with our whole mind and whole heart, the Holy Spirit begins to stir within us and will help us.”

And we have no better example of surrendering to the present than Mary, the Mother of the Lord. We should look to Our Lady, live the meditations of the rosary prayers and keep on saying our own “YES, LORD, I AM YOUR SERVANT”.

Of course, we will make mistakes. After all, perfection belongs to the Lord; He just wants us to keep striving for it.  It is not always easy to make the right choices, but practice does make you better, and the more you surrender YOUR WILL to GOD’S WILL, the more your life will be transformed.

Thank God we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We should not take this Sacrament for granted but use the opportunity, whenever needed, to seek forgiveness for our weaknesses and then allow the grace of God to fill our souls.

The joy of being reconciled through confession cannot be matched.

Let us seek the companionship of the Holy Spirit and often take time to pray:

“COME HOLY SPIRIT, FILL ME, GUIDE ME AND HELP ME TO DO MY BEST THROUGHOUT THIS DAY. AMEN.

Joan Levy Earle was an author and artist living in Cornwall, Ontario. She was the former Associate Editor of the Canadian Messenger of the Sacred Heart magazine.

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4 Comments
  • Peter Bisson
    Posted at 01:12h, 10 October Reply

    Thank you Joan!

  • Caroline Maloney
    Posted at 01:34h, 10 October Reply

    A very powerful message! Thank you!

  • Peter Chouinard
    Posted at 08:56h, 10 October Reply

    Beautiful reflection Joan. Thank you.

  • Lucille Kroeze
    Posted at 11:09h, 16 October Reply

    I thank you Joan for sharing these wise words. With the beauty that surrounds us this Fall, it is easier to give thanks and have a bounce to our step as we head out each day. I struggle more during cold and damp dark days but I know that the Lord walks with me each day and when I open my heart to Him I overcome everything.

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