Isaiah 40:30-31

Advent Day 16 ~ Soar like an eagle!

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The symbol for St. John is the eagle because he soars to the heights of mystical love

Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

Isaiah is so amazing.  He offers hope. He sees imminent possibilities for the human race.

At times, he also warns and sometimes chastises.

I’ve always loved this scripture that appear in the Advent Mass texts:

God gives strength to the fainting;
for the weak he makes vigor abound.
Though young men faint and grow weary,
and youths stagger and fall,
They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,
they will soar as with eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary,
walk and not grow faint.

– Isaiah 40:30-31.  

So many of us become discouraged by life, especially after months and months of sheltering in place because of this pandemic. Many of us may lose our job or have been told that we no longer have the health benefits we once had for our family.

We grow older and have more aches and pains and worry more. Some of us are couch potatoes and don’t exercise enough and get more depressed.

In these latter days of Advent, think about the ways you can restore your vigor ~ or better ~ ask the Lord to renew your strength! He will!  As he has done for me again and again and again! I’ve been down many times; but he never ceases to raise me up again.

And you might note that the symbol for John the evangelist is the eagle, because he soars to the heights of mystical glory in his writings. 

The Advent season provides many texts to comfort us and offer us hope. God knows we need hope in our land today! and throughout the world.

I praise you, Lord, because you’ve restored my vigor in marvelous ways.  

You have renewed my strength again and again.  

Please allow our young people to soar as if on eagle’s wings, 

and our older folk to be borne up on the wings of Your love, Lord.  

Yes, as I grow older, I’m ready to renew my priestly service to You, Lord,

as long as you grant me the grace, the vigor and the strength.  

Whatever You will, Lord. Whatever you will – for all of us! Amen.

Now, before you go, here is one of our great Catholic liturgical songs ~ “On Eagles’ Wings” Be sure to turn up your speakers and enter full screen. Click here.  

Here are today’s Mass readings if you’d like to reflect on them. It’s the lovely feast of St. John of the Cross. Click here.

(Below, I’ll provide you a link if you’d like to know some more about this lovely poet and co-founder of the reformed Carmelite Order alongside St. Teresa of Avila in the sixteenth century.)

 St.John of the Cross is known especially for his writings. He was mentored by and corresponded with the older Carmelite, Teresa of Avila. Both his poetry and his studies on the development of the  soul are considered the summit of all Spanish literature. Read more. 

With love,

Bob Traupman

contemplative writer

 

Advent Day 12 ~ Soar like an eagle! (and Hanukkah Day 3)

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The symbol for St. John is the eagle because he soars to the heights of mystical love

Thursday of the Second Week of Advent

Isaiah is so amazing.    He offers hope. He sees imminent possibilities for the human race.

At times, he also warns and sometimes chastises.

I’ve always loved this scripture that appear in the Advent Mass texts:

God gives strength to the fainting,

for the weak he makes vigor abound.

Though young men faint and grow weary,

and youth stagger and fall,

They that hope in the Lord

will renew their strength,

they will soar as with eagle’s wings;

They will run and not grow weary,

walk and not grow faint.

– Isaiah 40:30-31.

(This was the first reading of yesterday’s Mass) So many of us become discouraged by life. We may lose our job or are told that we no longer have the health benefits we once had for our family. And many of us are now worried how we’ll be affected by the Republican’s tax bill, if it becomes law.  We grow older and have more aches and pains and worry more. Some of us are couch potatoes and don’t exercise enough and get more depressed.  And are, indeed, in need of  an infusion of renewed strength.

In these latter days of Advent, think about the ways you can restore your vigor ~ or better ask the Lord to renew your strength! He will!  As he has done for me again and again and again! I’ve been down many times; but he never cease to raise me up again.

And you might note that the symbol for John the evangelist is the eagle, because he soars to the heights of mystical glory in his writings.

I praise you, Lord, because you’ve restored my vigor in marvelous ways. 

You have renewed my strength again and again.  

And I’d love to soar as if with eagle’s wings, 

if you would grant me that grace even now. 

Soar to the heights of the mountains,

and dive to the depths of the ocean of Your love, Lord.  

Yes, as I grow older, I’m ready to serve You, Lord

as long as you grant me the grace, the vigor and the strength.  

Whatever You will, Lord. Whatever you will.

Now, before you go, here is one of our great Catholic liturgical songs ~ “On Eagles’ Wings” Be sure to turn up your speakers and enter full screen. Click here.  

Today is the Feast of St. John of the Cross, the great Carmelite mystic and reformer Here are today’s Mass readings. Click here.

With love,

Bob Traupman

contemplative writer

 

Advent Day 19 ~ Soar like an eagle!

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The symbol for St. John is the eagle because he soars to the heights of mystical love
The symbol for St. John is the eagle because he soars to the heights of mystical love

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent

Isaiah is so amazing.    He offers hope. He sees imminent possibilities for the human race.

At times, he also warns and sometimes chastises.

I’ve always loved this scripture that appear in the Advent Mass texts:

God gives strength to the fainting,

for the weak he makes vigor abound.

Though young men faint and grow weary,

and youth stagger and fall,

They that hope in the Lord

will renew their strength,

they will soar as with eagle’s wings;

They will run and not grow weary,

walk and not grow faint.

– Isaiah 40:30-31.

So many of us become discouraged by life. We may lose our job or are told that we no longer have the health benefits we once had for our family.  We grow older and have more aches and pains and worry more. Some of us are couch potatoes and don’t exercise enough and get more depressed.  And are, indeed, in need of insurgence of renewed strength.

In these latter days of Advent, think about the ways you can restore your vigor ~ or better ask the Lord to renew your strength! He will!  As he has done for me again and again and again! I’ve been down many times; but he never cease to raise me up again.

And you might note that the symbol for John the evangelist, as the caption under the stained glass window above notes states, is the eagle, because he soars to the heights of mystical glory in his writings.

I praise you, Lord, because you’ve restored my vigor in marvelous ways. 

You’re renewing my strength. 

And I’d love to soar as if with eagle’s wings, 

if you would grant me that grace even now. 

Soar to the heights of the mountains

and dive to the depths of the ocean of Your love, Lord.  

Yes, as I grow older, I’m ready to serve You, Lord

as long as you grant me the grace, the vigor and the strength.  

Whatever You will, Lord. Whatever you will.

Now, before you go, here is one of our great Catholic liturgical songs ~ “On Eagles’ Wings” Be sure to turn up your speakers and enter full screen. Click here.  

And here are today’s Mass readings, if you would like to reflect on them. Click here.

With love,

Bob Traupman

contemplative writer

 

ADVENT DAY 13 – SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE!

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Friday of the second week of Advent

Isaiah is so amazing.    He offers hope. He sees imminent possibilities for the human race.  At times, he also warns and sometimes chastises.

I’ve always loved this scripture that appeared in the Mass readings yesterday:

God gives strength to the fainting,

for the weak he makes vigor abound.

Though young men faint and grow weary,

and youth stagger and fall,

They that hope in the Lord

will renew their strength,

they will soar as with eagle’s wings;

They will run and not grow weary,

walk and not grow faint.

– Isaiah 40:30-31.

Betsy’s really cool. She’s eighty-something and has had a marvelous 65 year love affair with John. I last saw them on the couch, both dressed in denim gaga-eyed like teenagers.  Now John is slipping away into another world within himself.  And yet, she finds that her God and the angels are lifting her up on eagle’s wings. And she tells me — to her delight –she feels renewed by her faith and the Magnificat prayer book I got her as a gift.    Renew her vigor, Lord.

I want to pray for to Aaron, Lord, a good guy in his thirties who’s lost somewhere on drugs.   He has “staggered and fallen” again, and again. He has lost his vigor, has lost his way.  Be with him, too, Lord.

And then, praying about this Isaian text, I want to mention the guys on the corner of Broward and I-95, Lord.  I don’t care what they do with the buck I give them. I just look them in the eye, give them a thumbs up and ask their name.  When the light changes, I lift them up in prayer.   Their sign often says “Homeless Vet.” Young men whose souls are  buried deep within. Homelessness is tough, Lord.  I know.  I had a brief bout of it.    Be with them, too, Lord.   Let them run again, Lord, into the wind.  Let us honor the poor, Lord.  They have much to teach the rest of us.

Then there’s Sean, Lord.  He’s worried right now because his marriage is in trouble. Be with that family, Lord, and all the homes in our land that are not sweetness and light before Christmas.

I, myself, praise you, Lord, because you have restored my vigor in marvelous ways.  You’re renewing my strength.  And I’d love to soar as if with eagle’s wings, if you would grant me that grace.  Soar to the heights of the mountains and dive to the depths of the ocean of Your love, Lord.  Yes, at age 69, I’m ready to serve You, Lord as long as you grant me the grace, the vigor and the strength.

Whatever You will, Lord. Whatever you will.

Now, before you go, here is the wonderful Robert Shaw Corale singing “And the Glory of the Lord” for  Handel’s Messiah.  Be sure to turn up your speakers and enter full screen.  Click here.

With love,

Bob Traupman

contemplative writer