New Study: The Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium of Oviedo Covered the Same Person
And the same Man is ever present in the Holy Eucharist
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.—Luke 8:17
photo by @roilagarde via twitter
Watching in awe
From January 29, 2015
Thank you St. Pope John Paul II, for prayers answered…
As I was waking this morning, I couldn’t shake the thought of him, St. Faustina and the abyss of love that has replaced the abyss of misery that was my life.
Thank you Lord for him, for You and for your Divine Mercy.
Pondering: Vatican II (inside the church) not being the reason souls left the pews, but the temptation of the ‘sexual revolution” (on the outside), being the “apple” many “fell for” that lead souls astray and out of the pews. Therefore our Lord was already prepared to address the needs of a society of souls far off, and the Father meeting them on the road to welcome them back home.
If souls were “obedient” and in love with our Lord, there wouldn’t have been a mass exodus. It’s as if a fear of something other than of our Lord gripped the souls in the pews rather than “trust” and “obedience” to our Lord, which holds all souls in love.. Just as a temptation that “original sin” is a thing of the past grips souls today and holds them in that same lack of “obedience” to God.
BUT “patience obtains all things” and “all things work for the greater glory of God”.
Just pondering….
The Global Warming Of Hearts
Please see the edits to the previous post.
Ecology of Pope Francis.
LISTEN UP! What Pope Francis is saying, is when you place love of God, Abba Father, above ALL ELSE, there would be no need to talk about a clean environment, saving abused animals, ending abortion etc. because it would BE CLEANER, they would be “saved” because placing your love for Him above all else, trickles down and shows in your love for all His creation and creatures. “Right Praise” and “Right Worship” becomes doing what is right and just. Faith and works. Its the love relationship.”“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” <–click there
End of rant. It all starts with YOU! “Who do YOU say that I am?” LIVE IT!
E·col·o·gy
ēˈkäləjē/
the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.
Our Lords way of “Global Warming”
EDIT TO ADD: Pope Francis…
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Consider the Lilies of the Field
Beauty Hints, At No Cost
For Wrinkled Brows
Try the well-known cream, SWEETNESS OF TEMPER.
It tones up the facial muscles, reduces wrinkles and is very uplifting.
For the Lips
Use the marvelous lipstick SILENCE.
It is particularly good for lips that have been distorted by uncharitable gossip.
For Lovely Hands
There’s really only one preparation to use.
It is called GENEROSITY. Get a large size jar.
For Facial Tone
Expose the face to the morning air, especially between six and eight o’clock.
The air on the way to MASS is especially refreshing and uplifting
For clear Eyes
Faithful care with that tried and true protective preparation.
MODESTY. For the best results we recommend that you carry it with you wherever you go.
A Wonderful Cleansing Agent
CONFESSION
An Ideal Conditioner and Beautifier
HOLY COMMUNION
I had a very hard time falling asleep last night as I was pondering the state of the world and what is taking place. Although our hearts can be crushed at times, our love, hope and faith can not. I had posted something to Facebook last night:
We are facing Iran with nukes, US Marines being assassinated by terrorists, children being murdered and body parts harvested for profit, the media practicing Communist censoring tactics, forcing Catholic Nuns to supply birth control because the government no longer considers them to be a “religious group”, All out assault on the Catholic Church by the government, Gender neutrality, destruction of the natural family, homosexual “marriage”, flags being the cause of murdering people and terrorists are not, Kindergartners being taught sex education, Teens able to get an abortion without parental notification but are not Adults, Christians being labeled hate groups…. And the big story is an earthquake MAY wipe out the entire Pacific NW is supposed to worry me? Please. You can’t stop the earthquake. Everything else is the real problem that NEEDS attention and is all self inflected. ASAP. Lord have mercy on us all.
As I lay in bed, unable to sleep and found myself pondering all the things taking place, I began to pray to our Lord. Asking Him why? Asking Him how could so many souls be so lost in “worldliness” and not see true peace in Him? I pondered a post to twitter that i had made in regards to “crickets chirping” from anyone in the state government of California in regards to investigating planned parenthood.
I began to pray the rosary as I lay in bed. My focus was drawn on to the suffering of our Lord amidst the crowds of people who did not believe Him on the road to Calvary. It was horrific to see our Lord spat on and mocked. Ignored and very little compassion shown to Him. What I couldn’t help but see was He also went through the crowds of souls who didn’t care about Him. Didn’t want to hear Him. Had better things to do then repent and believe what He had said and done. I fell asleep and began to dream….
I had the most beautiful dream I have ever had. I was walking in the City of God. I was a princess being courted by our King. Everyone was full of joy. Everyone knew me and was so kind. Kindness radiated for every soul, no matter where I walked. But I didn’t know me. A man approached me and I knew Him to be our Lord without saying a word to me. He offered me everything and I asked Him, “Will you read me this book?”, I don’t know what the book was, and His smile answered. He was dressed for a huge celebration and wanted me to join Him. I kept telling him I needed to get ready. I needed to get dressed. He smiled and I heard in my heart, “Go look”. He knew I was complete, but I couldn’t comprehend what complete entailed. I walked into a small changing room that was full of mirrors. I had thought I was not dressed and ready for this celebration. I had been fumbling around in a purse for lipstick and when I looked up to apply it, nothing was needed. When I looked at myself, I was perfect. He had dressed me in what I had needed. He made me ready for where we needed to go. He provided everything without my even knowing it was already complete, it was done.
I woke up and my eyes fixed on the picture of our Lord in the Eucharist that I have on my dresser. The peace and joy that I had in this dream remained with me when I woke from it. And I still have it this evening. I had this immense ringing in my ears that sounded like crickets as I woke. What came to my heart the second I was aware of the ringing in my ears was Scripture John 8 21:30 with our Lord telling my heart, if they are not listening to Him, don’t listen to the misery they cause for themselves. Offering only Him in their pain. Hear nothing but the chirping crickets. Do not let it drag you into misery yourself. Peace. Faith, hope and love in Christ always.
Today I find myself pondering most of John 8 and knowing in my heart, it is already complete. Souls only need to answer Him, yes or no.
I had a dream I was a princess being courted by our King. When I woke up, it wasn’t a dream but the beauty of reality in living our faith in Him.
Glory, praise and honor to our Lord, Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen
“Let us understand that God is a Physician and that suffering is a medicine for salvation, not a punishment for damnation.” ~ St. Augustine
Pondering choosing the mercy of God over the death of sin…
How many have seen this video of the people choosing the candy bar over the bar of silver?
After seeing this video floating around, commenting a few times, sin came to mind and how we choose the sin so many times over choosing what is right and just.
I woke this morning and after praying, couldn’t stop thinking about “He will sit refining and purifying silver“.
Lord, help me to choose what is right and just. What is holy and not what is sinful. Help me with Your mercy, through your most Holy sacraments of Your church, to pull closer to you and distance myself from the world and all the empty promises that fill me with garbage, still leaving me hungry for You O Lord.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for me, a sinner. I choose the Refiners way and not the way that leads to eternal destruction. Purify me O Lord. To You be the glory, honor and praise, O Lord.
Receive the Sacraments, especially Confession, as often as you can. Not when you feel like it or when its required. Sit with Him in Adoration. Spend time with Him.
From a FB Friend.
Occupy Him
Pray your time zone
Divine Mercy at 3:00 PM daily.
Also the RosaryRepent. Tell God how sorry you are. Ask Him for forgiveness. None of us is without sin.
He loves you more then you can ever love Him.
Saturday July 4th, I will be dedicating to our Holy Mother Mary and first Saturday. I ask you to join me as we celebrate her, our Catholic Faith and TRUE Independence from our sinfulness. I have my flag out already. I will be bringing my children to Holy Mass after we all receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Just an idea I feel needs to be shared.
“In the end, My Immaculate Heart will triumph.” – Our Lady of Fatima
FREEDOM!
All praise, honor and glory to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
EDIT to add:
Its not a call to abandon hope, nor to hide inside this day, but to celebrate LIFE in Christ. To still enjoy our Lords creation. TO STILL live the life our Lord has given to us and to appreciate Holiness in the Light. Its not that we are NOT still sinners, but rather we know we are and we are TRYING with the grace of God to get back home to our Lord, in TRUE Love. Agape!
“Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen!”
EDIT:
The original photo has been changed at the top of this post. WITHOUT KNOWING, I was flying my Vatican Flag upside down for many many WEEKS. I didn’t know it. Today, I fixed it. Keep in mind ANY flag flown upside down is a sign of “distress” and NOT disrespect. Pray for this nation and the ENTIRE Church.
REPENT…
All over the MSM you see “Love Wins” in regards to the same sex marriage law being man made legal in 50 US states. Yes. Love most certainly does win but most do not know who He is yet. I pray that many will receive the grace from our Lord for understanding of who He is.
Again SCOTUS chants “We have no king but Caesar”. Just as it was chanted through the pen for Abortion and now for Marriage. Jesus Christ is MY King, not the USA. It was Saint Augustine of Hippo who stated that “An unjust law is no law at all”. Just as an unjust law is no law at all, so to are the men and woman who enforce the unjust law. So to are those who follow the unjust law. I will not. I OPENLY refuse to worship the “Golden Calf” of the nation. Jesus Christ is my King. “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15
“Regardless of what a narrow majority of the Supreme Court may declare at this moment in history, the nature of the human person and marriage remains unchanged and unchangeable. Just as Roe v. Wade did not settle the question of abortion over forty years ago, Obergefell v. Hodges does not settle the question of marriage today. Neither decision is rooted in the truth, and as a result, both will eventually fail. Today the Court is wrong again. It is profoundly immoral and unjust for the government to declare that two people of the same sex can constitute a marriage.”
Please continue to read at the link.
Repent. Pray Divine Office 3X daily. Pray the Rosary daily. Pray before every meal. Attend daily Holy Mass (if you can) and if you can not, participate in it through EWTN rebroadcast. Pray without ceasing. Receive the sacraments frequently. “LOVE one another as I have loved you” – Be not afraid. DO not give into disrepair. Give in only to our Lord Jesus Christ. Teach your children to do the same! LIVE the faith. Don’t just talk about it.
The Sacrament of Marriage will never change.
Can’t help but ponder…
Pondering “Laudato Si” and Pope Francis on Twitter in the past few hours:
“I invite all to pause to think about the challenges we face regarding care for our common home. #LaudatoSi. We need a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. #LaudatoSi. There is an intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet. #LaudatoSi. There is a need to seek other ways of understanding the economy and progress. #LaudatoSi. There is a value proper to each creature. The throwaway culture of today calls for a new lifestyle. #LaudatoSi. “To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God.” (Patriarch Bartholomew). The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all. Climate change represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day. #LaudatoSi. The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.These problems are closely linked to a throwaway culture. One particularly serious problem is the quality of water available to the poor. #LaudatoSi. The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together. The deterioration of the environment and of society affect the most vulnerable people on the planet. We have to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. #LaudatoSi. To blame population growth, and not an extreme consumerism on the part of some, is one way of refusing to face the issues. A true “ecological debt” exists, particularly between the global north and south. Developed countries ought to help pay this debt by limiting their consumption of nonrenewable energy. There is no room for the globalization of indifference. #LaudatoSi. Economic interests easily end up trumping the common good. The alliance between economy and technology ends up sidelining anything unrelated to its immediate interests. Whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenceless before the interests of a deified market. We need only to take a frank look at the facts to see that our common home is falling into serious disrepair. #LaudatoSi. The present world system is certainly unsustainable from a number of points of view. #LaudatoSi. Each community has the duty to protect the earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations. “Creation” has a broader meaning than “nature”; it has to do with God’s loving plan. #LaudatoSi. Every creature is the object of the Father’s tenderness, who gives it its place in the world. A fragile world challenges us to devise intelligent ways of directing, developing and limiting our power. At times more zeal is shown in protecting other species than in defending the equal dignity of human beings. We should be particularly indignant at the enormous inequalities in our midst. #LaudatoSi. We continue to tolerate some considering themselves more worthy than others. Earth is essentially a shared inheritance, whose fruits are meant to benefit everyone. #LaudatoSi. For believers, this becomes a question of fidelity to the Creator. Never has humanity had such power over itself, yet nothing ensures that it will be used wisely. Each age tends to have only a meagre awareness of its own limitations. It is possible that we don’t grasp the gravity of the challenges before us. #LaudatoSi. We are learning all too slowly the lessons of environmental deterioration. #LaudatoSi. By itself the market cannot guarantee integral human development and social inclusion. Scientific and technological progress cannot be equated with the progress of humanity and history. There is an urgent need for us to move forward in a bold cultural revolution. #LaudatoSi. Christian thought sees human beings as possessing a particular dignity above other creatures. The culture of relativism drives one person to take advantage of another, to treat others as mere objects. It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. #LaudatoSi. We need an integrated approach to combating poverty and protecting nature. For indigenous communities, land is not a commodity, but a gift from God, a sacred space. Having a home has much to do with a sense of personal dignity and the growth of families. #LaudatoSi. The world we have received also belongs to who will follow us. #LaudatoSi. What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up? What is at stake is our own dignity. Leaving an inhabitable planet to future generations is, first and foremost, up to us.”
Most who will read this will either not understand or call me crazy. I forgive you. Some with a greater gift then I, I hope will read more into it then I can. This vision is so etched on my soul in great detail, it is the only thing on my mind. It has consumed me. After seeing this vision last night, and still being in this world, it has managed to separate two worlds completely. The world in which we live and the world in which we hope to live. I can only see this world we are in as dying and know I am still apart of it but the Kingdom of Heaven is my home and where I belong. There is zero doubt, this vision was a gift of our Holy Mother as it came to me while praying the Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary last…
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“And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
On this beautiful feast of Corpus Christi, we were blessed with my youngest daughter making her First Holy Communion yesterday at Holy Mass. It was bitter sweet for me, as I quickly learned that I would never be preparing any more of my children for this beautiful Sacrament. I thought of years past, when Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, Cousins and EVERYONE would pile into the Church to witness this beautiful Sacrament. There was always a huge family gathering that followed with great food and cards & a big cake. There were only five of us in our family to celebrate this beautiful day for her. My husband, her older sister and my sister & brother-in-law.her Aunt & Uncle, my sister & brother in law, along with myself.
Taking into account most of my family is out of state and my parents have been gone for close to 15 years, I found myself at odds with how things were and how they are today. I was wrestling with the Parable of the Wedding Feast. So many invited, but everyone has something better to do. My husbands family consists of a sister, her baby and husband and his mother here in California, about 50 miles north, who very recently suffered a death of a teen nephew and could not attend. The rest of his family is in London and other parts of the world. We did what we could to make it a special day.
I couldn’t help but ponder the utmost importance of the family’s role in the celebration and how big a part they are in making the child receiving the Sacrament understand its a BIG deal. When many come to celebrate something you have done, seeds are planted not for you, but for future generations to come. For them to make the Sacrament a BIG deal for their children and not lose the reverence for it and our Lord, by family that just can’t be bothered to participate. Therefore my child will understand that if she is given the gift of children later on, she to will do everything to make the Sacrament a Big Deal. Because it is.
In my struggles with not having many attend, I was presented with a thought that its not just about one day. Its about every day. Its a continuing “Celebration” in all time and eternity and as long as our Lord was present, so were all the Holy Angles & Saints. So were all those family members who could not be there for the party here with us, who are now with our Lord.
I find myself today, embracing the “tiny bunch of grapes” left in my home that are present to celebrate not only my daughters First Holy Communion, but for all Holy Communions in the Celebration of the Holy Mass that is ongoing for all time and eternity.
As we continued today, my husband surprised me and the girls with a trip to Greek Fest here in San Diego. We ate great food and seen children dancing and my children played games in the children area. As we sat with them, my youngest pointed to a sign and an area for very small children and said to me: “Mommy? Why can’t I be under 3 so I can play in that place?”. The Holy Spirit inflamed my heart with an answer. I said to her, you are under 3. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we have to move on to different areas because we grow. That doesn’t mean your not under 3.(Father, Son & Holy Spirit) You will always be under 3. As long as you stay under 3. As we grow bigger, and we look back, we forget to look back forward to the things we can do and need to do rather then the things we can’t do anymore. God wants to show you new things as you are growing. She completely understood it! She didn’t throw a fit, she moved on. And so did I.
May the Celebration continue!
Glory to God.
EDIT TO ADD: From June 4th, 2015. Pope Francis on Twitter: “We need to build up society in the light of the Beatitudes, walking towards the Kingdom with the least among us.”
Last night my family and I attended the San Diego Padres game. We bought tickets through my girls school to sit in a section dedicated to all the school. My youngest child got in some trouble earlier in the day the second I dropped her off for school, so I actually thought of keeping her home and letting my husband and older daughter go.
As we waited for my husband to get home so they could go, I kept hearing in my heart, its a family occasion. My daughter who got in trouble at school had already been punished at school for her behavior and I just was not settled completely what I was deciding. At the last second, I decided that we would all go.
As we go there and made our way to the fantastic seats and began to settle in, my older daughter pretended to be a princess, blew kisses to all and went to throw herself in her seat. Well, much to her surprise she fell back hard. Really hard and smacked her elbow on the arm rest as the seat she though was there had folded up and she slammed into the ground. It hurt. No one from her school had seen what she had done so it saved her little pride moment but she was hurt. We sat for a moment as I checked out her elbow to see what damage had been done and the pain on her face was there. She couldn’t move it and streaked at the thought of moving it.
For the first two innings of the game I comforted her and kept vigil for her and the elbow to see if maybe she had broken something. We couldn’t just jump in the car and go to the hospital to get her checked out as we had taken the train to get to the park. The more the tears flowed the more I became to worry if she had in fact broken something. I got up and walked her to the First Aid station. All we needed was ice.
As we walked through a maze of different directions we go there. Looked through the window and a group of souls opened the door for us. The immediately brought her in and placed her on a medical chair and began asking the questions and checking her out. The nurse and the EMT checked her over and she was given an ice pack to keep any swelling down. They talked to her and had her bend it and move it to see where she had gotten hurt. After a while, then they handed her a Padres hat and a baseball. I was never expecting that.
As I sat there I was flooded with thoughts of our Lord. How much more then will your Heavenly Father give to you? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
I have worried about so much in my life taking place that I had in the past allowed the worry to replace Life. Even for the benefit of others, as that is the basis for all worry I have had. Worry does no good. Its the parable of the 10 Virgins that strikes me here. In all that I do for our Lord, I can not give my prayers and works to others to use for their salvation. God doesn’t have grandchildren. Only you can say yes to the adoption to be His child. I can’t share my holiness with you for your salvation. I can be a model of holiness, but I can not be a fountain. That is reserved for our Lord. You have to become holy using His grace. You have to trim your lamps at all times. Which is done through prayers, receiving the sacraments and obedience to Him. You have to use His grace for your salvation.
When I first noticed and acted upon my conversion of heart, all I was looking for was to go to heaven. When you realize what comes with Heaven, you can only start to understand, all I wanted was an “ice pack”.
My daughter is fine, just a bruise and is playing today, a little more guarded over what she had experienced last night.
Thanks be to God for no broken bones.
Thanks be to God for all His gifts. Thanks be to Jesus Christ our Lord for the gift of Life. Thanks be to the most Holy Spirit for giving gifts of the Father and the Son. All praise and honor and all glory to the most Holy Trinity for You are all we truly need. Amen.
From Catholic Online:
Glory be to the Father,
Who by His almighty power and love created me,
making me in the image and likeness of God.
Glory be to the Son,
Who by His Precious Blood delivered me from hell,
and opened for me the gates of heaven.
Glory be to the Holy Spirit,
Who has sanctified me in the sacrament of Baptism,
and continues to sanctify me
by the graces I receive daily from His bounty.
Glory be to the Three adorable Persons of the Holy Trinity,
now and forever.
Amen.
One point I feel a need to make..
The San Diego Padres beat the “Pits” burg Pyrites
Its not the Catholic Church that has failed in Ireland with the passing of same sex Marriage. She never can. It is secularism that blinked exposing itself for the terminal cancer it has always been and many souls are suffering because of it. When our Lord was crucified and put to death, the secular world thought that was the end of Him also. False peace, is what same sex Marriage, abortion, and all that contradicts what is Right and Just in our Lord, is.
The secular world has always contradicted our Lord. It does not mean in any way they win or they can change anything. It means our Lord is Right and Just. Stick with Him. Not them. Do not cling to anything but Him. The gates of hell shall not prevail. Pray for those who persecute you. May they who have been swayed by secularism away from the Truth, be converted back to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Your country can not save you. Your family can not save you. Your friends can not save you. Only Christ can save you. Place your Faith, Hope and Love back in Jesus Christ and nothing else. Repent. Not only Ireland, but everyone. Return to your first Love. God never changes. “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
There is a good reason for the upcoming Year of Mercy and our Lord Jesus Christ knows what He is doing.
Repent. Our Lord converted my heart when I was far off from Him, when my ideas of life were actually death to my soul. I pray today for the conversion of all who are still far away from Him through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Mother, Spouse of the most Holy Spirit, intercede for us and bring us into the fullness of the Sacred Heart of your Son, our Lord. Amen
Cardinal Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) in an address during the Eucharistic Congress in 1976 for the Bicentennial celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence … said:
“We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. I do not think that the wide circle of the American Society, or the whole wide circle of the Christian Community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-church, between the gospel and the anti-gospel, between Christ and the antichrist. The confrontation lies within the plans of Divine Providence. It is, therefore, in God’s Plan, and it must be a trial which the Church must take up, and face courageously
In the heart of every sinner, there truly is a dragon slayer by the name of Jesus Christ. A dragon is not a myth but a reality in sin. The war being waged within the soul against the powers of this world becomes manifest when the sinner repents, or turns away from self, therefore becoming the penitent and uniting with the Dragon Slayer and not the dragon.
At that moment the soul can identify, submit and surrender completely to the voice and actions of our Lord Jesus Christ. In order to slay this dragon of sinfulness, every gift of the Holy Spirit of our Lord must be used for the purpose it was given, and not for self. Every repentant sinner is called to the Army of Christ, not to slay one another, but rather to slay the dragon of sin that seeks to destroy all souls.
The Penitent becomes what our Lord created, a dragon slayer, and not dragon fodder.
My family and I walked into Holy Mass today and two little girls from my daughters class walked up to my daughter and asked her if she found a box of tissues. We were set back a bit and my daughter said no. We went to sit in the pew and like every week, my daughters argued over who was going to sit where and my Violet grudgingly slid deeper down the pew instead of grabbing the end of the pew. She began crying and became angry that her sister took HER SEAT. She sits there. It belonged to her and her alone!
As the tears ran down her cheeks from the raging anger that was eating her up about her sister, I reminded her about the two girls that asked her if she found a box of tissues and tried to calm her down and have her think about where we were, and prompted her to think of how it was our Lord was speaking to her. The two girls asking if she found the box of tissues, her getting upset about nothing and crying her eyes out, not having a tissue to wipe them away. Nothing was registering. She couldn’t comprehend what I was telling her. She didn’t want to listen. Her sister took HER seat! She began to tell me about how her sister sat in HER seat LAST WEEK TOO! To which I reminded her that we sat in the middle of the pew last week and everyone was someplace else.
The tears finally ended, focus was regained and Holy Mass began. As I received our Lord today in Holy Communion, He made me cry. It was my turn. I had been contemplating all the things He had been showing me, all the worry I had for others and myself and the state of the world as it is. How He had lead me back to Him and all the beautiful and frighting experiences I have seen and lived through with Him leading the way. I was crying like a baby as He reminded me, “My sheep hear my voice”. Everything that has caused me to worry about others and why no one was listening to me all became the focal point as to why. Why is because if I can here Him, they will too. In His time. When He calls His sheep, they will hear Him. Not me, but Him. A question was then asked of my heart. Is it for pride that I do this, or for Love? I didn’t have to answer as the answer radiated in my heart. That little box of lost tissues made seance again.
Mass had ended and we went for coffee and donuts in the back of the hall. One of the church groups was selling plants. “I am the vine. You are the branches”. My daughters bought two little plants. Our Lord made it perfectly known to me, He already gave me two more little “sprouts” on this “branch” to take care of on His Vine.
As we sat eating and relaxing, I had noticed that a chain on a gate that had been there for a very long time, was no longer there. Although the gate was closed, all I had to do was lean on it as it was no longer locked. I knew it was significant at the time, but it just wasn’t registering. I am only now reminded of last week and The Good Shepherd. “So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep.”
All glory, praise and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ. Today and forever. Amen
Litany of Humility.
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved…
From the desire of being extolled …
From the desire of being honored …
From the desire of being praised …
From the desire of being preferred to others…
From the desire of being consulted …
From the desire of being approved …
From the fear of being humiliated …
From the fear of being despised…
From the fear of suffering rebukes …
From the fear of being calumniated …
From the fear of being forgotten …
From the fear of being ridiculed …
From the fear of being wronged …
From the fear of being suspected …
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I …
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease …
That others may be chosen and I set aside …
That others may be praised and I unnoticed …
That others may be preferred to me in everything…
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…
Amen
From CNA/EWTN News
A priest who witnessed to a miracle in communist Czechoslovakia in the 1940s was tortured and beaten to death for refusing to recant what his parishioners had seen. And now Catholics from the country are honoring his heroic virtue and pushing for him to be recognized as a martyr.
During the season of Advent in 1949 – the early phase of the communist era in Czechoslovakia – some parishioners told Fr. Toufar that they saw a cross at the altar in the church moving from one side to another several times. The event has come to be known as “the Cihost’ miracle.”
To prevent the news of the phenomenon from going public, the secret police interrogated Fr. Toufar, demanding that he say that he had moved the cross himself.
The priest, however, refused.
In response, the police beat him so drastically that he was unable to speak, walk or sit. Later tortured until he would sign a document asserting his guilt, he died two months after the miracle took place.
After Fr. Toufar’s death, the Church along with all religions were suppressed across the Soviet Union-led communist regime. The state was officially atheist and any accounts of miracles and those who spoke of them were treated in way to be erased from the record and the historical memory. The regime even filmed a documentary which tried to show that the Cihost’ miracle was a forgery.
Today’s secular society continually seeks “signs”. Constantly looks for the ONE THING that would change their minds in regards to the faith, to cause one to repent and believe in our Lord. Always missing the fact that the “signs” of our Lords presence in our lives and in this world are so bright and so prevalent, one with faith can never miss them, and those without faith in Him, will always refuse to believe they are His “signs” at all. Placing their faith in something other then Him. Some other reason, some other answer, some other theory. Therefor making it impossible for themselves to find exactly what all hearts seek, that being peace.
In my own life, in trying to share my personal experiences with Christ our Lord with others, sharing all He has done for me and all He continues to do,every second, I am beginning to see the importance in His silence during His “trial”. His silence, keeps us silent to those who refuse to believe in Him. Stone hearts stood in judgement over flesh. In their minds, our Lord was already guilty and all “they” wanted was to silence Him. If “they” could not silence Him, “their” world would change drastically. Their “lifestyle” would change drastically and they, in fact, would have to change. No different then today. The evil that drove them, as the same evil today, would cease to exist, if they only listened and acted when they had the chance. You see today, where this Communist era ended and the Church and her faithful, continue on. Patience in trials, obtains all.
As the Communists did here and secular society’s try to do today to Christians, by trying to force them to adhere to secular teachings rather then “cleave” to Him and what He has taught us, with abortion, homosexual marriage, euthanasia, promiscuity, divorce, and like any “used car”, to much to list, secular society’s believe they are “gods” and force others, the faithful, who do not comply with their teachings, just as they did to our Lord.
At our Lords trial, many asked Him to prove Himself. Prove His words and actions. It wouldn’t have mattered what He would have done, as their minds and hearts were made up to crucify Him. All He did and said, was used against Him, instead of for Him, therefor bringing about His death and Resurrection, over 2000 years ago. He continues on. He always continues on. He is timeless.
You see, those who DO listen, who do repent, who do change and follow Him, have that peace in this life our Lord promised. Those stone hearts that once sat in the chests of many, became flesh again and were able to love as He loves. As you are still in the world, repent. Don’t wait until death. At death, its to late to go back and do everything for Him, after doing everything against Him. Where is Communism in Czechoslovakia today? Dead. Our Lord is still alive. Everything is a miracle. Everything is a sign.
Today’s Gospel:
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.” – LK 11:29-32
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”…
BE NOT AFRAID!
My Lord and my God!
This is our King. This is how its done, world. It is He, who we must worship, not the things of this world.
How could Jesus, the Son of God, become simple bread & wine? He doesn’t. He turns bread & wine into His Body & Blood, in the same way he turns sinners into Saints. In the same way the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, because HE is God ever-present with us so we could be ever-present with Him.
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
(Lk. 22:18-20) – And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying. This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
As many times as I have seen Christ in others, in works of others and in my own life and works, in paintings of Him and statues, I can say as beautiful as these spoons of grace from God are, noting in this world contains our Lord in His purest form as Him in the Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
You say and I say also, Christ is present in every soul on earth but not in His purity. So many times have I seen Him for a split second in so many souls. There is only one place in this world where you can find Him in such a way that the world is completely stripped away of all impurities and our iniquities and that is in the consecrated Eucharist in the Holy Catholic Mass.
Sunday while attended Mass early in the morning, He presented Himself in this way, and I seen Him. In His poverty and I accepted Him fully. As it was time to receive Him, I noticed one of the Eucharistic Ministers whom I have seen Christ in a few times in the past in a little shimmer of light. This man was presenting Him to me at Mass on Sunday. This particular person was used by our Lord in the past to present a message to me and I held him in a high regard because that moment in my life I had been struggling with many spiritual things. The Inner Voice of our Lord came over my thoughts in this way, asking me, who is it, the presenter of Me whom you seek, or Me in My fullness? As I was walking up to receive our Lord from this person, I blocked out his face and the experience of what I had see in him in the past, and accepted Our Lord ONLY. Making the choice to the question between the two that was asked of me and my answer was and will always be, My Lord, The King of Glory. Jesus Christ in His pure form in full poverty. Not my “Image” of Him, but Him.
The tag line on my blog reads, “Trying to paint a picture of Christ”. No matter how many images there are of Him in this world, and no matter how close they bring a soul to Him, His fullness is contained completely in the Bread of Life. His true face is there. He is there!
“Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.” Matthew 26:40
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you…For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
John 6:35, 53, 55-56
First off, let me apologize for my absence. As of Monday night, I have become the lead coordinator of my parishes Perpetual Adoration Chapel which has been taking up most of my time. Along with my girls both getting out of school for the summer, I have to say I am officially VERY busy.
Two years ago, a wonderful woman named Pat stood up at mass during the announcements and asked if anyone would be willing to sign up for Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. It was Divine Mercy Sunday, and something very strong in my heart, told me to do it. Since then, my life has changed for the better in so many ways, I couldn’t list them all.
Over the past two years, Pat became to frail to resume scheduling of souls to participate along with various other dealings with Adoration. During this time, she would often suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, say a pray to her Guardian Angel and ask him to please ensure Our Lord was not left alone. Funny really, as I have also been woken up in the middle of the night, sometimes by very vivid dreams, in which I have written about it, and sometimes no dreams but just a sudden “Wake Up Call” of the senses, telling me to get up and go. And I did. Sometimes, getting there to find others already there, and sometimes, getting there and no one was there. Sometimes, this would happen during the day.
For my readers who do not know what this is:
WHAT IS PERPETUAL ADORATION?
Perpetual Adoration is a Eucharistic devotion whereby members of a given parish (or other entity) unite in taking hours of adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament (in most cases, exposed), both during the day and throughout the night, seven days a week.
For one to sign up for Perpetual Adoration, know that it is a calling. Its not something you do for a few weeks, until you get tired of it. It is something you do because you feel you have been called by our Lord to do it, and once you start, the graces flow so generously from heaven, its as if the soul has been transplanted besides the river of life from the middle of the desert. As I spend more time in Adoration then in the past, I hope to continue to write as much as I have in the past, but the next few weeks will be very busy as I make the transition. I know in my heart, I am not the one who recruits new souls as only God can do that, as He did for me. But I can see him using me as his pen and paper, taking down the names to scheduling souls, so He will never be left alone.
I can’t help but wonder if Blessed Pope John Paul II has something to do with this beautiful gift that has been given to me.
Stay with us
“Stay with us today, and stay from now on, every day, according
to the desire of my heart, which accepts the appeal of so many hearts
from various parts, sometimes far away… Stay that we may meet You in
prayers of adoration and thanksgiving, in prayers of expiation and
petition to which all those who visit this basilica are invited…
May the unworthy successor of Peter and all those who take part in the
adoration of Your Eucharistic Presence attest with every visit and make
ring out again the truth contained in the Apostle’s words: ‘Lord, you
know everything. You know that I love you.’ Amen”.
Prayer for the Spread of Perpetual Adoration
Heavenly Father, increase our faith in the Real Presence of Your Son Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
We are obliged to adore Him, to give Him thanks and to make reparation for sins.
We need your peace in our hearts and among nations.
We need conversion from our sins and the mercy of Your forgiveness.
May we obtain this through prayer and our union with the Eucharistic Lord.
Please send down the Holy Spirit upon all peoples to give them the love, courage, strength and willingness to respond to the invitation to Eucharistic Adoration.
We beseech You to spread Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament in parishes around the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen
Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Help us to spread the glory of Your Son through Perpetual Adoration.
Blessed Pope John Paul II – Eucharistic Adoration
Wonderful Quotes on Adoration
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324)
“In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1327)POPE JOHN PAUL II
“I hope that this form of Perpetual Adoration, will continue into the future. Specifically, I hope that the fruit of this Congress results in the establishment of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in all parishes and Christian communities throughout the world,” (June 1993 homily at the 45th International Eucharistic Congress in Seville, Spain).“The best the surest and the most effective way of establishing everlasting peace on the face of the earth is through the great power of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.”
(Prayer beginning Perpetual Adoration on December 8, 1982 at St. Peter’s in Rome).“The worship of the Eucharist outside of the Mass is of inestimable value for the life of the Church. This worship is strictly linked to the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. The presence of Christ under the sacred species reserved after Mass—a presence which lasts as long as the species of bread and or wine remain—derives from the celebration of the sacrifice and is directed toward communion, both sacramental and spiritual. It is the responsibility of pastors to encourage, also by their personal witness, the practice of Eucharistic adoration, and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in particular, as well as, prayers of adoration before Christ present under the Eucharistic species.” (Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia)
“The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world. May our adoration never cease.”(Pope John Paul II, Dominicae Cenae, February 1980)
POPE PAUL VI
1418 Because Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar, he is to be honored with the worship of adoration. “To visit the Blessed Sacrament is . . . a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and a duty of adoration toward Christ our Lord” (Paul VI, MF 66).BLESSED MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA
“It was not until 1973, when we began our daily Holy Hour that our community started to grow and blossom.”ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
“What wonderful majesty! What stupendous condescension! O sublime humility! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the Son of God, should humble Himself like this under the form of a little bread, for our salvation.”
“So they said, ‘What sign will you yourself do, the sight of which will make us believe in you? What work will you do?”
I ponder this a LOT! I believe in my case, most of the signs I am shown that God is in my life, be it subtle or blatant, usually tend to draw me close to Him. Its been that way since an incident in 1998 that I will not post as of yet. Granted, they didn’t pull me closer to Him at first, but rather sent me on a path of destruction. Destruction of the “Self” that did not belong in His plan for me.
In the beginning of my spiritual conversion back to the Catholic Church, I would see these “Signs” and most of the time be so frightened by them, I would end up running in circles like a chicken with its head chopped off, or in the other direction away from God. I was starving and I didn’t even know it. So lost I didn’t know where to turn. Think of it in the terms of Manna From Heaven and the meaning being What is it? Then setting out on the quest, to find out just “What It Is”.
I called myself a Catholic, after all I was baptized Catholic, received First Holy Communion and Reconciliation and finally Confirmation. I somehow thought that sealed my fate. Until I started receiving the sacraments and using them, being IN communion to receive Communion, praying daily and LEARNING the Catholic Faith I was supposed to be a participating member of.
Today, when I see the signs of our Lord in my life, and they are blatant, I am no longer afraid. I understand them to be a grace and not a punishment. I understand them to be a thank you gift, in advance, from our Lord for being on the correct path, and not only listening to Him, but heeding His advise in where I need to be heading in my Life in Him. Now that I understand and can discern the food from our LORD and that which does not come from Him, I am sustained through Him and there is no replacement for that.
“Jesus answered them: I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me will ever thirst.”
Peg Pondering Again 