Occasional thoughts

On Easter Sunday I heard and read many words; the ones that struck me most were from Bible Alive, a series of Bible reading notes from the Catholic Church. I read

“The life in the Spirit isn’t about gritting our teeth and trying harder; rather it is about letting go and letting God work in us. The resurrection life is a life of grace and grace is supernatural; we can’t manufacture it or strive for it because it is the gift of God.”

Reading them I was reminded of something that I have not sung for decades and had to look up the words to be sure I had them right.

Yesterday those same notes centred around the Annunciation, something that I have never given much thought to. As I read through I was struck by the first line below and God’s perfect and loving plan.

O the love that drew salvation’s plan,
O the grace that brought it down to man,
O the mighty gulf that God did span
at Calvary!
Mercy there was great and grace was free,
pardon there was multiplied to me,
there my burdened soul found liberty,
at Calvary.