But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Many a sin has sullied me in body and in soul because I did not restrain my thoughts nor guard my lips:
nevertheless it is to you, O God of majesty and love, that I turn in my extremity, for you are the fount of mercy;
to you, as quickly as I may, I speed: for you alone canst heal me; I take refuge under your protection.– St. Ambrose
Out of self-denial comes great things. When we deny ourselves and take up our cross daily, we are choosing to be part of God’s special possession. When we deny ourselves and take up our cross daily, we are choosing to step into his wonderful light for the day. Days do not always go ideally though. Things happen. They go wrong, we get distracted, we fail, we sin. Thankfully, in choosing to take up our cross and declare the praises of God instead of the praises of our self, we are recipients of God’s mercy. Give thanks to God for the mercy shown to you when you sin or struggle. Take a few moments to prayerfully worship God for calling you out of darkness into his wonderful light.