Dear Ones,
Happy Weekend!! The temperatures are not so hot now which makes our walks more enjoyable. Today I plan to do food prep and clean the apartment as we will be away tomorrow.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Recently I wrote about the sacraments and asked the question of how meaningful were the sacraments to you? Several wrote of how they have grasped the meaning of them in a special way and experienced God’s grace in a transforming sense. I have also heard of people being healed while taking communion.

When we were in the parish, I often went with Al when he gave communion to the shut-ins who were unable to get to church. It was a special time to receive in a tangible way the body and blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. How thankful those receiving were and often it was preparation for when they would soon go home to the Lord.

One friend responded to the question I asked about the sacraments by writing, “The sacraments have always been special to me. I find myself in tears sometimes when I think how Jesus died for my sin. Undeserving, yet he took it all on his shoulders for me.” Another wrote, “It is a sacred time for me of reflection and repentance and rejoicing and thankfulness in the indescribable sacrifice of Jesus so we may walk closely with the Lord!”

Another couple wrote, “Taking communion took on a deeper meaning last fall. We were on a mission to be with my husband’s aunt as she had been put on hospice. They lived in Nevada close to the California border. There were no children so we felt we needed to support them. We had not seen them in many years…we prayed about it and felt an urgent need to be with them. We spent three days with his aunt and spent time with her husband. (We had our RV in their yard and his aunt was in a small home setting with caregivers.) It was a beautiful time of sharing gospel, hymns. On the third night my husband felt the need to take communion to his aunt (there was no chaplain or pastor). His aunt radiated light that evening. I read from the Bible and we shared communion. It was so meaningful as his aunt knew the scripture and said it, too. During the night his aunt passed away. We then ministered with his uncle for the rest of the week. Taking the sacrament of Communion is more real and Jesus is near. God’s grace! We felt God’s hand leading us.”

May none of us take communion lightly, but receive, rejoice and give thanks for the sacrifice Jesus made for us. He gave His very life.

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to reveal your heart as you receive communion and picture Him washing you sparkling clean!
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy