THE "THRILL" PRAYER

B.B. King laments in song that “The Thrill Is Gone!” And it may be so for you, the “thrill” may be, at best, faint.

Not in the romantic sense, not the adrenaline rush, but rather our sense of what is sacred, of what is holy;

in our failing to see sacred beauty in all things, by not appreciating that this life is a big, big deal.

For some of us it may be that “thrill” that is gone; the quickening, the blessing, of seeing all that is sacred,

the “bigness” of all life’s facets, facet by facet. To do so is true joy, the truest of joy, and you may be depriving yourself of it.

If so, be admonished! Seek now to be “thrilled” for all the joy of what is sacred within our Christian faith!

Yes, I will be a “thrill” seeker; the “thrill” of my faith will be vibrantly alive within me.

Yes, I will “thrill” at being aware of what is sacred in all things, in all people, for I know therein lies God’s gift of joy that is unsurpassed.

I WILL SEEK TO LIVE MY LIFE FILLED WITH GOD’S TRUE JOY BY:

1.       Knowing that my God is Perfect Love, Infinite Mercy, Amazing Grace, Pure Goodness!

2.       Amazement at the omnipresent awesomeness of my God!

3.       Privilege, of my “getting” to go to Mass and not “having” to go!

4.       Kinship with believers, joyfully united at Mass in prayer and praise to our God in Word and song!

5.       Expectation, that I will encounter Jesus at Mass; in me, in others, and physically in the Eucharist!

6.       Seeing Revelation when Heaven meets earth at Mass!

7.       Receiving the very Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist (“is” does mean “is”!)!

8.       Understanding the Biblical foundations of the Mass and the wisdom of Church tradition!

9.       Sensing the enormity of the Communion of Saints, especially their presence with me at Mass!

10.   Advocating for my departed holy souls, who hear me and advocate for me with their prayers!

11.   Cognizant that the goal of attending Mass is to worship God, not what I might get out of it!

12.   Believing that by my Baptism I am indeed chosen - anointed, consecrated, and set apart!

13.   Belonging; me living my life every day as an adopted child of the One True Living God!

14.   Reveling in God’s love for me, just as I am, just as He uniquely designed me!

15.   Realizing that I am purposely created, not merely a mathematical anomaly!

16.   Being amongst God’s Awesome Creation, animate and inanimate, perceiving its magnificence!

17.   Appreciating Jesus’ saving sacrifice for me upon the Cross; His Passion, His Perfect Love!

18.   Security, the availability of God’s protective armor if I but call upon it!

19.   Valuing my every breath; the in, the out, my first, my last; acknowledging it as God’s gift!

20.   Visualizing myself as a lost lamb, safely cradled in the loving arms of Jesus!

21.   Walking in faith, publicly, unabashed, without hesitation, fear or reservation!

22.   Perceiving the presence of Jesus in others, all others, particularly the poor, the scorned!

23.   Providing encouragement and comfort to those in need!

24.   Serving His people; all people, all stripes!

25.   Obedience, of my doing what is good, of glorifying Him in all that I do!

26.   Forgiving others, all others, and doing so unconditionally - without limit!

27.   Tithing, cheerfully so, from the undeserved bounty that God has so blessed me with!

28.   Almsgiving, my gratifying the outreached hand of a beggar, even the obvious panhandler!

29.   Friendship, mutual and intimate sharing of life’s good and bad with another believer!

30.   Presence, the honor, yes, the honor, of my being present at a person’s last breath!

31.   Gratitude, that everything, everywhere, all at once, are gifts from God!

32.   Meditation, valuing my quiet time alone with Jesus in prayer and the study of His Word!

33.   Silence, my times of focus, listening for the inaudible voice, the guidance, of the Holy Spirit!

34.   Searching my heart and realizing that God’s laws are actually written upon it!

35.   Good Works, knowing I do them by the promptings of the Holy Spirit!

36.   Recognizing the Holy Spirit at work within me, animating me, transforming me!

37.   Transformation, by not being dispirited in it being at a seemingly snail’s pace!

38.   Cohabitation, seeing to it that my body, my heart, is a temple, safely indwelt by God Himself!

39.   Rebuking Satan at each and every temptation, an active combatant in daily spiritual warfare!

40.   Confessing my sins, one and all, to my God and receiving His forgiveness for them, one and all!

41.   Thanking God for all that He has undeservedly bestowed upon me!

42.   Contentment with this day and every day in this life, in these circumstances!

43.   Surrendering, fully, to my God in all things, free from all (yes, all!) worldly attachments!

44.   Embracing my trials, my fears, my worries, and giving them to God, all of them!

45.   Acceptance of His Divine Will, His Divine Plan for me, and not cling to my own!

46.   Enduring my trials, my burdens, in faith and not despair!

47.   Living, appreciating the role God created me for, as only I can live it!

48.   Sojourning in confidence my path to holiness, convoluted as it might be!

49.   Awareness, that all life, all of MY lived life, is a sacred story, blemishes and all!

50.   Declaring victory over every trial, even while I’m still in its grip!

51.   Intentionality, my being present, aware, at all times and “walking the talk”!

52.   Focusing on God, not as an afterthought but always in the forefront of my mind!

53.   Witnessing, boldly for Jesus, even if it be in the smallest of ways, to all whom I encounter!

54.   Embracing the Beatitudes as my mantra to live by in deeds and not merely words!

55.   Commitment to my God, to my faith, just as He is committed to me (love=commitment)!

56.   Championing for the sanctity of the nuclear family, for the sanctity of life!

57.   Envisioning my life as one of abundance, not scarcity, no matter my lot!

58.   Striving consciously and constantly to be my best version of myself!

59.   Foregoing my urge to judge – life is not about voting others off the island!

60.   Friendship - a personal and intimate one with my Lord Jesus!

61.   Cheerfully forging on, not despairing of my continual failure to walk the happy talk!

62.   Examination of who I truly am, humbled but encouraged by seeing clearly my many failures!

63.   Elation when listening, singing along, with Christian music!

64.   Blessed that I was on God’s “Wake Up List” for today!

65.   Waiting patiently for my “promotion” when I pass from this life (keeping my eye on the prize)!

66.   Grasping every glimpse, every insight, revealed to me about the Holy Trinity!

67.   Thankfulness to look at a stranger in the face and see, encounter, ……Jesus!

All of these are sacred, though this list is a work in progress and of course it’s not even your list.

But if you sense your “thrill” of what is sacred is diminished, if your joy and rejoicing is not strong,

perhaps you can focus on appreciating the many ways our life with Jesus is sacred.

Experience the joy of being “thrilled”!