Thursday of Week 31 in Ordinary Time
Phi 3: 3-8
Lk 15:1-10
“I have found my sheep that was lost”
I remember reading passages from the Bible, where the multitudes of angels, as well as everyone in heaven (the Church Triumphant) were praising God and singing hymns of praise. I can almost imagine the heavenly voices ringing through my ears.
A thought that followed the first time I heard was this: Did we exist simply to praise and to serve God, with no regard for ourselves? Were we created merely to be His servants, with no sense of ourselves? I wondered if we were slaves serving a master and if so, was it meaningless?
My answer came years later, as I was attending the Conversion Experience Retreat (CER). During the course of the five-day retreat, I experienced God’s love for me like I have never experienced before. I had always seen God as being detached, ruling from the heavens. I did not have a personal relationship with Him, and only ever encountered silence in my prayer time.
I had gone for the retreat out of a promise I made to a brother-in-Christ, shortly before he passed. I went with no expectations, and certainly did not expect to have any change in my life. My worst-case scenario was — it would be a five-day holiday from work.
I experienced God’s deep love for me, and this love made me want to worship and praise Him. It was not something anyone commanded me to do; there simply was a deep desire to do so. What I had experienced was a little glimpse of heaven, and I cannot imagine how much more beautiful heaven would be!
I want to praise you Lord!
(Today’s Oxygen by Paul Wee)
Prayer: Father God, please continue to give us the desire to spend eternity with You, loving and praising You.
Thanksgiving: We praise You and thank You Father, for loving us first. Help us to keep our eyes on You.
OXYGEN 
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