WEDNESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER

In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort
we must help the weak,
and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said,
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” ~ Acts 20:28-38

Show forth, O God, your power,
the power, O God, with which you took our part;
For your temple in Jerusalem
let the kings bring you gifts.

You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God,
chant praise to the Lord
who rides on the heights of the ancient heavens.
Behold, his voice resounds, the voice of power:
“Confess the power of God!”

Over Israel is his majesty;
his power is in the skies.
Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people. ~Ps 68

I speak this in the world
so that they may share my joy completely.
I gave them your word, ~ Jn 17: 11-19

In today’s reading we see the covenant God has with God’s people. We see God strengthens his people and gives power to God’s people… we also see God is awesome in God’s sanctuary. This is - where ever a house of God is…. God is present there. When we look at the Abrahamic Faiths, God is present in each one of God’s houses of worship, no matter the faith. Given the Abrahamic Faiths, we see different pieces of God present — for example we see God in the Torah, Quran, and Bible. We also see God present through sacred objects in each one of those locations. This is one reason why it is so important for us to respect sacred spaces and other faith traditions sacred spaces as well.

To go a little further in this - in the Catholic faith we see God present throughout the church - however, we also see God present in the tabernacle. We believe God is fully present in the Eucharist… We also hear God present in Sacred Scripture. In the above passages - which are part of Sacred Scripture - we are to confess the glorious power of God, in all God’s goodness and abundance. We have a God who cares about us no matter how weak we are. We have a God who loves us and wants what is best for us; a God who wants what is best for all people. But God’s love is even deeper than that. God gives each one of us gifts…. out of his mercy, God BRINGS us and gives us gifts he wants us to have, as the Three Kings did at the Nativity / The Birth of Christ (relate to your own faith - where has God BROUGHT gifts to you). As King, God brings us gifts. This is how much God loves and adores us, and you. The cities listed above are cities that have multiple faiths present in them.. as well as speak to the truth of other cities around them… and in other countries around them. Recognize these cities include many faith traditions - and have existed together, in COEXISTENCE for 100’s of years….

Challenge: In what ways have you failed to let God give you gifts, and let God give to you out of God’s abundance? In what ways are you keeping others from experiencing God’s abundance? In what ways are you holding back giving praise and thanksgiving to God for the ways God has blessed you? In what ways are you stopping others or preventing others from experiencing God’s blessings? In what ways are you co-existing or failing to? In what ways - in other faith traditions - do you see God’s presence, beauty, grace, goodness, and gifts? What is God trying to BRING you right now? What gifts is God trying to give to you right now? How are you being asked to be an example to others right now? If you are a world leader - how is God calling you to peace right now - so that all countries can have what they need to overcome the pandemic? How is God calling you to be in solidarity right now? How is God asking all of us to be United and in Solidarity with one another to overcome the pandemic?

For deeper reflection see the following artwork and listen to the following music:

Prayer intention: For all people as we overcome the pandemic. For all those of the Abrahamic Faiths - may we be united with each other against the pandemic…. to overcome it, as God has promised we can and will - through our unity and solidarity with each other…. not conflict with each other.

https://youtu.be/q5m09rqOoxE and https://youtu.be/Zp6aygmvzM4

The Rainbow is a sign of God’s Covenant with Humankind. …. Although all three of us admired the beautiful rainbow in our photography…. Ethie was the only one who who took the photograph of it…. we have included some of the other photography taken before the rainbow was present as well as when the rainbow was present and after.…. Given the different angles …. you can very faintly see the rainbow in some of them… or the rainbow just coming to form or being. We continued to walk and move up beach to get the photograph of the rainbow….. The rainbow is a symbol of God’s Covenant with us…

As we are continuing to overcome the pandemic…. these photographs and the above music are wonderful to share with you especially as certain nations are engaging in missile attacks etc against each other…. with the pandemic still being present. We continue to advocate for peace and a global ceasefire to be put in place as the globe unites together to overcome the pandemic. No matter what faith someone is, or what country they live in. Rest assured I have friends in almost every faith tradition if not every faith tradition…. We are continuously advocating for a ceasefire and for the vaccines to get into all the areas…. as well as medical supplies…. everything is stuck given the missiles and given the conflict/violence. The conflict and violence must stop so the vaccines can get in… and to all the people….. We are here for you to help everyone overcome the pandemic…. and we will continue to advocate for what you need. You are not alone, not matter your faith tradition…. May Our Faith’s Unite us in Solidarity with each other to overcome the pandemic…. and may our Faith’s Unite us to get the vaccine and medical supplies ( as more spikes are seen etc and supplies are needed) to all countries…. and into all areas as it is needed…. GOD HAS A BIGGER COVENANT WITH ALL THE PEOPLE - THAN ANY PANDEMIC WILL EVER HAVE.

~The Grenchus Foundation

(God’s Covenant Photography taken - Mother’s Day Weekend - USA…….avec les enfants….during the Covid-19 Pandemic 2021)

To purchase any of our photography from this trip - please go to: www.thegrenchusfoundationfineart.org - look under our beach collection — we will continue to post our beach collection throughout the month of May…. if you do not see the beach rainbow images posted there yet…. give us time to get them there… thank you!)