There is only one God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Category: Reflections
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Christ with the Eucharist, Vicente Juan Masip, 16th century The Pillar has a post we all need to read.. The ‘Who can receive Holy Communion?’ ultimate explainer™
As one who was out of Communion, could not receive our Lord for a time, repented of my grave sin and came to fall in love with our Lord in a way, that I know without a doubt was pure grace, not being able to receive was a come to Jesus moment, in which I was able to see, just how out of Communion I had placed myself.
The entire debate over what the Catholic Church has abided by since the beginning, is more damaging than telling me I was out of Communion. Its not political pandering. Its not weaponizing the Eucharist. It’s finally teaching us ALL what WE believe as the UNIVERSAL Catholic Church.
I pray that we all get back on the same page.
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The tomb is empty!
He is risen indeed!
Blessings to all this Easter!
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LIVE | Special Contemplation of the Holy Shroud of Turin
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Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;
To be poor in spirit, for me, is to be filled with humility. The virtue at odds with being full of pride. When we live in humility, we are able to accept that we are not God, although we are created in His image and shine His Light. We then, do not act in a way which would diminish the Joy of our Lord and in turn are filled with His joy.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.Mourning is grief. Grief is never premiant for one with faith in our Lord. We know without a doubt that death does not have the final say. There is great joy in knowing that our loved ones have just stepped into the other room and one day, we will also.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.To be meek, is not to be weak, but strong in the virtue of love for neighbor. When love of the other is lived, there is peace in the land. Thus, we work together with others and are not filled with a desire to overtake for selfish ambition. If we quell selfish ambition, there is joy shared with all in society.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.What is this hunger? It is the hunger for our Lord. Our Lord is all that can satisfy the soul. If we truly hunger for righteousness, we stay on His path and follow Him intently, this leads to joy. His joy! Everlasting joy.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.It is mercy which is the driving force of the pure form of happiness. No one who has ever been shown mercy, was ever enraged. Rather, they are relived and are at peace. Peace and Joy are sisters who go hand in hand
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.A clean heart, is also a clean conscious, clear sight, clean hands and nothing “unclean” can see God. When one can see Him, He can not be unseen and thus, joy can not e taken away. We then strive to stay clean.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.What great joy we obtain by being called children of God! The greatest joy obtainable.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.We are called by our Lord to follow Him. How persecuted to death He was. So we should also and be filled with JOY as we follow Him to the resurrection!
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Do not let our Lord’s gift of peace remain unopened. Do not be afraid.
There is no better time than now, to put away the failed political ideas and the political ideology’s behind them and to put on the armor of Christ. Nothing and no one but our Lord can save us. Turn back to Him and may you find the eternal peace He alone can give. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” John 14:27
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
His peace within ensures His peace abounds.
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‘Sobotni promyk” – Piotr Stachiewicz (1858-1938) January 1, 2021, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God. True God and True man.
Ponder, if you will, the tasks of a Mother. Contemplate our Holy Mother doing these same tasks for our Lord. He needed to grow into a man, to eat, to drink, to be changed, to be bathed, to be held, to be comforted, to be taught. To be loved.
Ponder his cooing to her, how He gazed into her eyes, how he touched her face as she held Him near.
Ponder, did she teach Him to say Abba first before He said Mama?
She is a Mother like all mothers in sharing every responsibility that comes with Motherhood and unlike any other mother, being the Immaculate Conception.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
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In the still of the night, our Holy Mother rests after bringing us the gift of our Salvation, our Lord Jesus Christ.
St. Joseph, Foster Father of our Lord, protector of the Holy Family, Terror of demons, protect us in this year dedicated to you, as you protected our Holy Mother and our Infant Lord from the evil of this world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
— Amen. -
May you be blessed and come to know our Lord in the time which you have been given.
Merry Christmas to all
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St. Joseph seeks lodging…. May we all make room in our hearts for our Lord and our Holy Mother in this Year of St. Joseph. Through the intercession of St. Joseph. Amen.
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Just listen.. From the beginning
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Please Read: A Christmas letter from St. Nicholas to the accidental Arians of 2020
Jesus Christ is LORD, and nothing less than LORD.
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Jesus Christ is Lord – Plea for Unity and Humility. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever – Hebrews 13:8
Place your faith, hope and love in our Lord, where it all belongs.
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As we enter into this very celebrated weekend, I would like to point out three very important things that take place.
“Na Dušičky” by Jože Uprek - Halloween – All Hallows’ Eve – The most beautiful All Hallows’ Eve I have ever participated in, was a few years ago, in Old Town San Diego. Friends of mine held a Requiem Mass for everyone who had died that year. Not just in the parish in which this Mass was celebrated, but through the entire world. All who were unknown to us, were offered Holy Mass. This took place at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Old Town San Diego. It was in Old Town, San Diego, that Saint Junípero Serra celebrated his First Holy Mass in California on July 2, 1769, near the site of the present Immaculate Conception Church. At the same time we were celebrating Mass, Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos preparations were being made just outside of the Church, in streets outside. At the very moment the moment of Consecration, we rang the church bells, which echoed through the town. When Mass ended, we had a candlelight procession through the streets, singing the hymn Dies Irae, and praying for the dead, as we walked to the Old Adobe Chapel on Conde Street and then to Old Town Cemetery to bless the graves. All the people who were celebrating Day of the Dead early, stopped what they were doing, as we passed them in prayer. This is what Halloween is. All Hallows’ Eve, “a day when Catholics celebrate the triumph of the Church in heaven, and the lives of the saints on earth”. Catholic Answers has a beautiful reflection in regards to the day, “Putting the ‘Hallows’ Back in Halloween“
2. All Saints Day – All Hallows’ Day – See how it all goes together? Just as Christmas Eve is celebrated in anticipation of Christmas, so to is All Hallows’ Eve celebrated in anticipation of All Saints Day, or All Hallows’ Day. This is the day we commemorate all the Saints in Heaven, known and unknown, who strove to enter through the narrow gate and win the crown of Victory in Christ. Please read: What’s the Point of All Saints Day?
All Souls Day – Joža Uprka 3. All Souls Day – “The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed” is a day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died. The Roman Catholic celebration is associated with the doctrine that the souls of the faithful who at death have not been cleansed from the temporal punishment due to venial sins and from attachment to mortal sins cannot immediately attain the beatific vision in heaven, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the Mass. In other words, when they died, they had not yet attained full sanctification and moral perfection, a requirement for entrance into Heaven. This sanctification is carried out posthumously in Purgatory. In this year of Covid, where so many of us have lost loved ones due to this virus, please see Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary regarding plenary indulgences for the faithful deceased in the current situation of pandemic, 23.10.2020
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
So you see, this is a very special weekend, in which we place our thought’s and prayers, in the direction of the souls in most need, who’s earthy life has already ended and eternal life has officially begun. It’s a reminder that we too, shall die.
Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning ‘remember you must die’. All of us need to remember that our time here in exile, this life, is not long but forever is eternity. How we spend eternity depends on how we have lived here. It is wise to prepare for this moment through repentance and heeding the words of our Lord: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate , for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” Luke 13:24
Lord convert our hearts.
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“an unjust law is no law at all” St. Augustine.
As Catholics, we are ORDERED to treat everyone with dignity, mercy and love. We are not ordered to embrace sin and in no way can anyone change the Dogma of the Church.
An unjust law, is no law at all. If ONE unjust law, is accepted, that would mean ALL unjust laws would have to be embraced and accepted. It’s not an option.
Watch and see that the EDITING of this “movie” in which Pope Francis was “quoted”, was edited to cut out the full quote and the proper context in which Pope Francis had actually spoken on this subject.
No different than ALL the other times our Holy Father was taken out of context and misquoted.
Trust in our Lord, love one another anyway and be at peace.
What did Pope Francis say about civil unions? A CNA Explainer
10/23/2020 UPDATE: Mexican broadcaster: Vatican held back Pope Francis’ words on same-sex civil unions in 2019 interview footage
Father Agustino Torres has a great explanation that he posted on Instagram too, HERE
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Satan Being Cast Out by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890) I must share this beautiful reflection from today’s Lectio Divina, through today’s Gospel.
“Jesus overcame the power of evil, Satan, who causes so much fear to people, He dominated him, seized him, conquered him, cast him out, eliminated him, exterminated him, destroyed him and killed him!” By this the Gospel wants to tell us: “It is forbidden to the Christian to fear Satan!” By his Resurrection and by his liberating action, Jesus drives away from us the fear of Satan, He gives freedom to the heart, firmness in our actions and causes hope to emerge in the horizon! We should walk along the path of Jesus savoring the victory over the power of evil!
Be not afraid to do the same. Fear nothing but our Lord. Have the courage that strengthens in Love, to conquer all that is holding you back from loving as you have been called to love.
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Please take the time to read Pope Francis’s new Encyclical to fraternity and social friendship. I pray you read it.
You can find the link by CLICKING HERE
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After morning prayers this morning, I sat and watched the series, The Chosen. About ten minutes into it, the phone rang. I looked to see who it was, and I did not answer the phone. There was no need to. As I seen the name, I was flooded with Light. There was no need to answer the phone, as I had already answered the “call”. I did not know who was on the other end of the phone, but I do know Him, who called me long ago.
It is said of St. Mary Magdalene, that our Lord had expelled seven demons from her. (see Mk 16:9; Lk 8:2). She is a deeply penitent women of our Lord’s. She had given herself completely to our Lord, in the way of service to the Apostles. Giving up herself, for Him, which is The highest form of gratitude to our Lord. It’s not a simple thank you, but a life of thanksgiving. A life lived full in Love with Him. In choosing to do what is right and just, and doing His will.
I will never forget the day He called me. It is an unforgettable moment, that dictates every action that I take now, still. It was a day that I truly was given hope. It was a day that my soul cried and was answered by the One who created me. It can never be forgotten nor understood in words in which I try to write or say. It can only be understood in the mystery of faith.
Again I say, I did not answer the phone today, but the call long ago and carry the message with me always. The call from our Lord to repent and believe in Him. Today, I ask you too, for the glory of our Lord, repent and believe in the Gospel, before the day that phone rings. To allow yourself to be purged of all that is not Him. Of all that is evil. Of all that tarnishes the soul.
Today is the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels.
“God is strong”, “God heals”, “Who is like God!”
Repent and believe in the Gospel!
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Fantastic talk by Bishop Robert Barron on what is going on. Listen closely and see if you can see why our education system is failing. Why Hollywood is failing and keeps putting out trash. It IS Marxism. It IS Communism. It is the driving out God and replacing Him with me. This is the driving force of Communism. Fluid is a word heard a lot lately, be it gender fluid etc. When we see fluid as in a body of water, it always needs a form to be identified. What communism does is preach to the individual that YOU are in control of what you would like the form to be. Without thinking about where and Who created the “fluid” to begin with.
Think of Life Giving Water. Jesus Christ offers us the water of life. What form does this life giving water produce, but that of THEE Truth. With THEE Truth, comes law, order, freedom and peace.
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O most holy virgin, mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affections for the passing joys of this earth, I may long for the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforth all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed toward this one most desirable object.
Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate mother of God.
Amen.St. Bonaventure
SEVEN SORROWS
- The prophecy of Simeon. (St. Luke 2:34, 35)
- The flight into Egypt. (St. Matthew 2:13, 14)
- The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple. (St. Luke 2: 43-45)
- The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
- The Crucifixion.
- The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
- The burial of Jesus.
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My King Of The Blues Lotus Yesterday, as I returned from physical therapy, I was greeted by the most beautiful flower. My “King of the Blues” Lotus was in bloom! It had graciously surprised me, as it was not supposed to bloom this late in the season and I did not expect it until next May. I was SO overcome with joy and awe! I could not believe it had bloomed.
From the moment I started working on this little pond, I had pondered, no pun intended, the beauty of the Lotus. I had always wanted them. They had become a favorite flower of mine going all the way back to childhood. Probably because I could not have them. Growing up in the Midwest and Chicago winters, prevented the thought of every having them. Now living in Souther California, and seeing them bloom at my sisters before she remover her pond, sparked the interest in me to grow them here.
When I seen the “King of the Blues” lotus for the first time, I knew it was one I needed to try to grow. I deeply admire blues music and through suffering thought it would be a beautiful addition of joy to my garden.
The day I received this tiny little tuber, it had two little leaves curled up and not even open. I thought of the parable of the mustard seed, and its tininess of what it could become. As I planted it, I pondered the spiritual meaning of the flower. What this most beautiful flower is planted in, is very thick and soggy mud. Like the sludge of the earth. How we too are born in this world of sin and suffering, trying to make our way through it all, from birth to death. The filthy mud and water we make our way through, sometimes overcome by it all. In the midst of chaos, my Lotus blooms. In Christ, we rise above it all.
If you have ever had to walk through thick mud, you may understand what I am referring to. This world cakes us in sinfulness and we, through the grace of our Lord and His sacrament of Baptism (water), must find His way out of it and overcome it all. Well, like the Lotus flower, we do just that when we follow our Lord . We are called to rise above the murky waters and filth of this world to give glory to Him. That which we suffer through, is only but a moment of time and we grow from it.
My little Lotus in my little pond 9/7/2020 Today is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Yesterdays beautiful bloom made me ponder her more deeply as the Most Beautiful Flower. Today as I looked deeper, I was able to see that I now have TWO beautiful flowers, inspiring me to singing the Hymn: Mary the Dawn
Mary The Dawn
Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!
Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!
Mary the wheat sheaf, Christ the living Bread;
Mary the rose tree, Christ the Rose blood-red!
Mary the temple, Christ the temple’s Lord;
Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored!
Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest;
Mary the mirror, Christ the mother’s Son.
Both ever blest while endless ages run.
Amen
In the midst of chaos, my Lotus blooms. With a crown of Glory, she is adorned. Mama Mary, pray for us.
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Continuing with yesterday’s post, we move into today’s Gospel. Always. How many times must I forgive? Always. It’s hard to think of doing this, especially when someone has hurt us, or when someone continues to hurt us, or when we see someone consistently making bad choices which move them to take out their own frustrations on us. BUT, it is necessary, as we know how much our Lord has forgiven us, when we too have been on that same path. As we forgive others, our Heavenly Father has forgiven us.
Matthew 18:21-22: Forgive seventy times seven! Before the words of Jesus on fraternal correction and reconciliation, Peter asks, “How often must I forgive? Seven times?” Seven is a number which indicates perfection and, in the case of Peter’s proposal, seven is synonymous with always. But Jesus goes beyond. He eliminates whatever possible limitation there may be to pardon: “Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times”. It is as if He would say “Always, Peter! Even seventy seven times! Always!” This is because there is no proportion between God’s love for us and our love for our brother. Here we recall the episode of the Old Testament of Lamech: “Lamech says to his wives, Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; listen to what I say: I killed a man for wounding me, a boy for striking me. Sevenfold vengeance for Cain, but seventy-sevenfold for Lamech” (Gen 4:23-24). The task of the communities is to reverse the process of the spiral of violence. In order to clarify His response to Peter, Jesus tells them the parable of pardon without limits.
Please read more, HERE
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Today’s Gospel beings the discourse of our Lord, in how to properly correct a soul who has failed. Keep in mind, “failure” is not the end, but a moment to address where the soul has gone wrong and rectify it, in love.
The Carmelites have a beautiful reflection on this today, and I MUST share it.
Matthew 18:15-18: Fraternal correction and the power to forgive. These verses give simple norms of how to proceed in case of conflicts in the community. If a brother or a sister should sin, if they had behavior not in accordance to the life of the community, they should not be denounced immediately. First, it is necessary to try to speak with them alone. Then it is necessary to try to know the reasons of the other. If no results are obtained, then it is necessary to take two or three persons of the community to see if it is possible to obtain some result. Only in extreme cases is it necessary to expose the problem to the whole community. If the person refuses to listen to the community, then they should be considered by you as “a sinner or a pagan”, that is, as someone who is not part of the community. Therefore, it is not you who excludes, but it is the person himself/herself who excludes himself/herself. The community gathered together only verifies or ratifies the exclusion. The grace to be able to forgive and to reconcile in the name of God was given to Peter (Mt 16:19), to the Apostles ( Jn 20: 23) and, here in the Discourse on the Community, to the community itself (Mt 18:18). This reveals the importance of the decisions which the community assumes in regard to its members.
Please see the rest of this reflection HERE
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The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is inviting all Christians and people of goodwill to join in a Day of Mourning on Friday, July 24 for the conversion of the #HagiaSophia in Istanbul back into a mosque after serving for over eighty years as a museum. The museum was a place of encounter and dialogue between people of all faiths and cultures. The Greek Orthodox have asked that every Church toll its bells, every flag be raised to half-mast and that the Akathist Hymn is chanted in the evening. For Catholics unfamiliar with the Akathist Hymn, the recitation of the Rosary is recommended, as both prayers entreat the Mother of God for her intercession.
Please see HERE
How to pray the ROSARY can be found HERE
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Something to ponder….
What exactly is NOT beautiful about worshiping our Lord at Mass?
Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan turned a concentration camp into a cathedral, the palm of his hand into an altar, his pocket into a tabernacle and darkness into Light with the grace of our Lord.
See yourself at a Wedding. Is the food not to your liking? Are the Groomsmen not wearing what you would like? Is the music not in the right key for your ear? Is the Wedding not up to your expectations?
What do you suppose the Bride and Groom’s mind is on this day? Is it the wedding or the Marriage? If she messes up her words, it is His that have already held True and it doesn’t negate the validity of the Marriage. It’s happening, everyone is there, its the most beautiful thing in this world.
We are a sorry lot. We often complain about the wedding without taking the Marriage into account. What makes the Liturgy strikingly beautiful, is the reality that our Lord entered into and rose above all that “ugliness” of ours and we can too, because He tells us to follow Him.
“Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”
It is a blessing just to be there. We should be grateful simply for that.
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“So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel, and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him’”
Glorify God in all that you do. In all places. At all times. He is with us always. Not just when we remember Him. Not just when we gather together, but always.
Blessed and beautiful feast to my Carmelite brothers and sisters!
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.
Most loving Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
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Have you ever heard someone say, “If Jesus was here”, or have you said or thought this saying yourself? If we truly believe, we know He is here. He is with us always. It is our own lack of faith that tells us and others, when we say this, that He is not.
In today’s Gospel we hear our Lord’s proclamation:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.Remember when you were a child. You were cared for and all the “worries” you may have today, back in childhood, were nonexistent. You went about life doing what a child would do. You just KNEW you were cared for. Such is the faith we have in our Lord when we know He is with us always.
When our Lord Ascended into Heaven, although He was gone, the Holy Spirit made known the reality of His continued presence. The Apostles did not preach saying “If Jesus was here right now”. No. They preached saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is here, our Lord Jesus Christ, is here STILL right now, repent and believe. As we still this day preach, because He truly is.
Our Lord is not a far away God. It is we who are far away in our knowing Him. We may know of Him, which keeps us distant from Him but He is not far from us at all, as He knows us. We must make the decision, as in all relationships, to know Him better. When we do this, we move closer to Him.
At the Wedding of Cana, our beautiful Mother Mary, intercedes for the Wedding Couple, when she says to our Lord, “They have no wine”. The guests, those who were there to be served, never knew. They continued on celebrating. Who knew the of the intercession? Who SEEN with their own eyes what took place? The servants who carried out the orders by our Lord. So too do we continue to see the work of our Lord, when we carry out the orders of our Lord and to see His hands at work in this world, is cause for joyful celebration that the “world” can not understand.
Please go to today’s Novena HERE
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Today’s pondering is a focus on silence. On quiet. On listening and not speaking during prayer.
Do you find yourself aimlessly reciting prayers, without pondering what you are saying, because your mind is clouded with distractions? Be the distractions of what your plans are later, what is troubling you, what you had experienced at some other time or even trying to focus on the words themselves, so not to make a mistake while reciting them?
What one can try is very simple. Stop everything. Keep the focus on what you are doing right now. You are in prayer. Be in prayer. Place 100% into the prayer. Sit and be mindful. Turn off what your distraction is, and “turn on” what you are doing. Slow down what you are saying, so that each word perminates you. Allow the fragrance of the prayer to envelop your entire being. When we bend down to smell a flower, do we bend down without thinking of what we are doing, while thinking of all our troubles? No. We are captivated by the beauty of the flower, while taking in the lovely scent. Thus, we stop to smell the flowers. The same must be done with prayer.
In practicing this always, that same focus takes in the beauty of our Lord. He becomes our focus, while all else, falls away.
Please see today’s Novena HERE
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Keeping the Word no matter what. In today’s Gospel, we hear our Lord say: “one’s enemies will be those of his household” . Do you find yourself at odds with those closest to you because you truly practice the faith? You are not alone. The more we pray, the more we adhere to our Lord’s commands and the more we come to believe in our Lord, the more we grow in the faith, and die to the world, the more we become like sandpaper to those around us, who do not believe. Oh, they often say they believe in our Lord, but they often add that “BUT” to their answer when you ask if they do.
All the “buts” they can give us, are very telling. Its generally a fear of wanting to move closer to the cross of our Lord. Moving closer to the cross, seems to souls that they will have more suffering, more struggles, more storms, more heat and who want’s that? The reality is, we have these things anyway, even far away from the cross, but closer to His cross, we find we are able to bare them because we are with our Lord.
How do we not become “sandpaper” to those around us? Through accepting the fact that we are all on this journey. We do not shove a soul nor demand them to believe in our Lord. We allow them to decide for themselves while we are living the faith deeply. Yes, you will be hated because of His name and we know that this is not against us, but the soul who finds fault with our Lord, is reveling the faults of themselves. They will hate you anyway, because they do not accept Him.
What they need, as a little sprout, is more water, more heat, or more sun. Fear keeps them from moving, growing into Him. Why is it, that humans are the only creatures that try not to reach out for what we need most and reach for what we want instead? Our Lord knows what we need. It is always Him.
On to today’s Novena HERE
Peg Pondering Again 