“You nursed me with the spiritual milk of your divine utterances. You kept me alive with the solid food of the body of Jesus Christ, you’re only-begotten son and our God, and you let me drink from the chalice of his life-giving blood, poured out to save the whole world.” (St. John Damascene)

I read the above quote a few days ago in my morning office as I sat before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer. And the phrase “I get to be” came in to my heart.

What do I mean in uttering this phrase?
Let’s begin with a little banner I have hanging on my office door. It is a banner I got when I visited Fr. Paul Mensah in Ghana Africa several years ago. It simply says, “The Secret of my Joy is Jesus”. It is a joy that fills and empties you at the same time. You find this joy when you get to be.
It has been a little mantra I often use at night before bed and when I wake in the morning. I get to be a priest of Jesus Christ. It is a gentle reminder that on the worst of days and the best of days nothing can rob me of this joy. I get to be…
Once in conversation with a husband and father we talked about getting to be and how that should bring joy…he “get’s to be” the husband to his wife, the father to his children. On the best of days and on the worst of days he receives the joy of this blessing. He get’s to be…

This does not mean that the problems, sins and confusion will not be present but we are called, as St. John Damascene reminds us, to become a living prayer in our sacramental life. We get to be with Jesus. We get to love and be loved. We get to be…
Each person is invited into this being where we discover a peacefulness, a contentedness, and yes, a joyfulness because we have encountered Jesus the source of life.
Where ultimately it is that I simply get to be, a life, a gift from our God and Creator.
God bless

if you have a chance, please donate to Awaso Hope Foundation in memory of Fr. Paul Mensah for the education of children in his home village of Awaso Ghana Africahttp://awasohope..org