Devotional Thought of the Day:
³  He has by his own action given us everything that is necessary for living the truly good life, in allowing us to know the one who has called us to him, through his own glorious goodness. It is through him that God’s greatest and most precious promises have become available to us men, making it possible for you to escape the inevitable disintegration that lust produces in the world and to share in God’s essential nature. ⁵  For this very reason you must do your utmost from your side, and see that your faith carries with it real goodness of life. Your goodness must be accompanied by knowledge, your knowledge by self-control, your self-control by the ability to endure. Your endurance too must always be accompanied by devotion to God; that in turn must have in it the quality of brotherliness, and your brotherliness must lead on to Christian love.
2 Peter 1:3-5 (Phillips NT)

Since then, O my soul! thou art capable of knowing and loving God, why wilt thou amuse thyself with anything less than God? Since thou mayest put in thy claim to eternity, why shouldst thou amuse thyself with transitory moments? It was one of the most grievous reflections of the prodigal son, that he might have fared deliciously at his father’s table, whilst he was feeding amongst filthy swine. Since thou art, O my soul, capable of possessing God, woe be to thee if thou contentest thyself with anything less than God.

This morning, as I arrived at church, two little girls who go to our preschool were greeting each other with great joy.  Laughter and giggles were loud, as they danced around their moms who were obviously more aware that it was Monday, and that we shouldn’t be excited or enthusiastic about a new day.

My ten year old observed that it was because they were anxious to see each other, to share the week together, that explained the joy we observed. As I read St Francis de Sales words (in blue above) I thought it echoed my son’s words of wisdom.  Why should we have the Monday drama?

Isn’t there something good about this day?  Isn’t it one of the days the Lord has made?

de Sales talks about the woes that accompany those who are capable of possessing God (realizing they are in His presence, that they have His attention and His heart)  and find contentment ( or at least settle for) something less than God.   That we accept the doldrums, the burdens of our lives as being the reality.

We are capable of knowing and loving God!  This is what the cross means, this incredible encounter with God who lives and reigns.  We are invited to walk with Him through life, to behold the masterpiece He would make of it!

That’s why Peter talks so…. so gloriously about a life with Christ.  A life where we know the Father, where we endure and find the ability to endure because of our devotion to Him, a devotion that is a response to His giving us everything that is needed to live what Peter calls ( in the midst of a dungeon that could make the worst Monday appealing)) the “good life.”

It’s not what we endure that makes it good, but that we live in the presence of God while experiencing it that makes the difference.   Like the two little girls, greeting each other with great joy, we can greet our Lord, and see His smile, and rejoice in His presence!

So stop amusing yourself with anything but God… and find in Him the joy that overwhelms even a Monday you return from vacation!

Alleluia!  He is Risen!  He is risen indeed! And therefore – We are Risen indeed!

Francis de Sales, Saint. An Introduction to the Devout Life. Dublin: M. H. Gill and Son, 1885. Print.