‘Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?’
Anamnesis at the supper at Emmaus
As my daughters and I were rummaging around a thrift store this afternoon, one of my daughters pointed out a cute little hand painted item. As she handed me the item, she told me, I had to have it. It was something I needed to take home. I have a deep devotion to our Lord in the Eucharist.
It is St. Paschal Baylon. His name is painted on the back of this image and I found it quite strange that being a Franciscan, he was painted in white. How many souls today are slaughtered for simply celebrating Holy Mass and receiving our Lord in the Eucharist! “The white–robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee”
As we continue to celebrate the Easter Season, may his prayer be received into the hearts of us all, for deeper conversion, for a deep desire of our Lord present in the Holy Eucharist, to be received by us all, with sincere devotion and reverence. May we all fall in love with the Eucharist, Jesus Christ truly present, in the tabernacles throughout the entire world.
Prayer:
Litany of St. Paschal Baylon, Patron of Eucharistic Congresses
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world,Have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us. Holy Mary, Pray for us. Holy Mother of God, Pray for us. Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for us. Saint Paschal,Pray for us. Thou ardent adorer of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Pray for us. Who as a child sought thy bliss before the Tabernacle, Pray for us. Who assisted at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with the most fervent devotion, Pray for us. Who as a shepherd-boy was favored with an apparition of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Pray for us. Who as a Religious didst remain day and night at the foot of the Altar,Pray for us. Who in meditating on the Most Blessed Sacrament wert filled with heavenly wisdom, Pray for us. Who didst joyfully make known thy belief in the Most Blessed Sacrament, Pray for us. Who didst defend with holy zeal the Presence of Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament, Pray for us. Who didst endure persecution and suffering for Our Saviour in the Blessed Sacrament, Pray for us. Who didst end thy life in adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Pray for us. Who didst show reverence to the Most Blessed Sacrament after death, Pray for us. Who dost prepare thy faithful clients for the reception of the Holy Viaticum, Pray for us. Who, because of thy wonderful devotion toward the Most Blessed Sacrament, hast been declared by Holy Church the Patron of all Eucharistic Congresses, Pray for us. Thou model of true simplicity of heart and humility, Pray for us. Thou lover of evangelical poverty, Pray for us. Thou model of faithful obedience, Pray for us. Thou lily of holy purity, Pray for us.Thou great penitent, Pray for us. Thou ardent client of the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God,Pray for us. Thou faithful son of Saint Francis, Pray for us. Thou pride of the Seraphic Order, Pray for us. Thou father of the poor and needy, Pray for us. Thou great Wonder-worker, Pray for us.
That thou mayest obtain for us a lively faith and tender devotion toward the Most Blessed Sacrament, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest obtain for us an ardent love for Him Who in the Most Blessed Sacrament has loved us to the end, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest obtain for us a holy zeal in assisting at Mass, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest obtain for us a holy longing for frequent reception of the Most Blessed Sacrament, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest through thy intercession guard us from unworthy reception of the Most Blessed Sacrament, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest help us through humility and purity of heart to become true lovers of the Eucharistic Saviour, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest promote the endeavors of Eucharistic Societies by thy powerful intercessions, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest obtain for us the greatest of all graces, to depart this life after the worthy reception of the Holy Viaticum, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest obtain for the enemies of the Most Blessed Sacrament the grace of conversion, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest obtain for us a childlike devotion to the Mother of God, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou mayest obtain for us eternal happiness, We beseech thee, hear us. Saint Paschal, our patron in life and death, We beseech thee, hear us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:Have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Our Father, Hail Mary
V. Saint Paschal, Patron of All Eucharistic Societies, pray for us
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray. O God, Who dost glorify those who glorify Thee and desirest to be honored in Thy Saints: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may worthily extol the glorious merits of Saint Paschal, imitate his virtues, and rejoice in his powerful intercession before Thy Heavenly Throne. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
Amen.
Why are we hated by so many for loving our Lord? Because there are many who refuse to face reality. So many do not know Him.
“There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood, just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist” – St. John Paul II
This Holy Thursday, I pray for our Priests and for the laity to pray for our Priests, to look deeper into the need for all of them and to seek to understand our Lord in the Eucharist in a more profound way, then one had known before.
Please read St. Pope John Paul II – ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA, in its relationship to the Church. Also, to pray for vocations to the Priesthood, and for all our Priests today.
A Prayer for Priests
By St. Therese of Lisieux
O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,
where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Your Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let Your holy love surround them and
shield them from the world’s contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit and
may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and
everlasting crown.
Amen.
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
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….
As I began making dinner tonight, after not feeling very well, I started gathering all I needed for dinner that was supposed to be made last night. I have had a fever and not sure what my body is doing again, and my children & husband escaped to a school function so I was left with a lot of ingredients, and no need to use them, or to cook yesterday.
Tonight, I’m preparing a pasta & shrimp meal with garlic & shallots, green onions and some lemons. I love cooking with our Lord as I am in “conversation” with Him through prayer. Simply asking Him, okay, what do we add here and should I use this and He points the little things out to me. It makes for a beautiful way to prepare a meal when the family is off doing what they are doing and allows me time away to enjoy the little consultations that our Lord gives to me.
Tonight as the meal is simmering in the pan, our Lord allowed me reflect on the topic of conversation that has been on everyone’s mind in regards to receiving Him at Holy Mass. I had shared my story before, but tonight as I began to ponder it, He made me laugh so hard and filled me with His joy. A few days ago, I had brought my girls to the mall and we entered into a store called Bath and Body Works. To be honest, I don’t much care for their products as that’s just not where I find simple pleasures, and this is in no way a plug, but its funny how things work in the end, and give glory to our Lord, even when the world doesn’t understand what it did, or is doing.
I allowed my daughter to purchase a few things that she liked and as we made our way to the back of the store, I notice next to the register, a bottle of hand soap named “Lemoncello”. I laughed because I had heard this story a few months ago: Rome prepares for Holy Year of Mercy – with ice cream. I purchased the limoncello soap.
Back to making dinner and pondering with our Lord, all the ingredients were in the pan, and now were ready to simply simmer. I walked to the sink and began to wash my hands. As I used the soap, I noticed the name: Bath and Body Works. I smiled as our Lord began to remind me again. Bath meaning Confession, as the Sacrament of Confession is the “shower for your soul” and Body meaning Eucharist, His Body in a state of grace, followed by “Works”. It works. Peace. “This is the time for mercy.” “Gather in my name”, not scatter.
Its a great consultation to have Him cooking with me in this home, I look forward to going to His home for our next meal together.
Praise, glory and honor to our Lord.
Praying for conversions back to our Lord now,and always, especially for the coming of the Holy Year of Mercy.
‘This is my body which is given for you”
Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore
Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more,
See, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart
Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.
Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived;
How says trusty hearing? that shall be believed;
What God’s Son has told me, take for truth I do;
Truth himself speaks truly or there’s nothing true
St. Thomas Aquinas
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
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.
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
I write this in regards to the reports of the destruction of the Church Buildings by ISIS and Radical Islam in Iraq…
The devil always tempts us to place faith in the material goods around us, including in the Church, and its an often used weapon to cause anger, and inflame rage in hearts at the destruction of “material goods”. The devil uses this so called destruction to cause more souls close to our Lord to sin deeper. Do not be alarmed by what you see. Do not worry. We know one day they will have to answer to our Lord, as we also shall. Watch your souls and pray for theirs.
Its not worth it to fall for the ISIS “Temper Tantrum”. The Vessel of God can never be destroyed. “Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”.John 2:19
When a Church Building burns by accident, arson or any other way is destroyed, over time, it is rebuilt. Material possessions are not the heart of the Faith. The heart of the Faith is our Lord. Even when you see the inflammatory rhetoric stating that Shariah will dominate the world, we can never forget the words of our Lord:
“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
Pray for them. ” be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
It may be disappointing to lose the things that have been around for thousands of years but we must also remember our Lord has always been and always will be.
Someone to ponder while ISIS destroys the Churches (buildings) in Iraq. Servant of God, Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan of Vietnam. Imprisoned for 13 years in Communist Vietnam, he celebrated daily Holy Mass in his dark cell, with a single crumb of bread & a tiny drop of wine. His Altar was his hand and his shirt pocket became a tabernacle.
We become tempted by thinking that excess of “things’ makes the Faith, but less, truly is more.
Pray for their conversions.. Pray for serenity. Pray without ceasing.
Servant of God, Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan, pray for us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my faith and trust in You.
No one can destroy the Temple, as the Temple is our Lord.
You don’t have to show me a soul who loves God, as God shows you that soul Himself. St. Florian, please help to put out the fires of hell, in souls who do not understand how hurtful the sins they commit are to our Lord. Help repentant sinners to put out the fires of sinfulness, as you have helped me, in which were started through my own fault. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
There is no distance nor amount of time that could stand in the way, of getting my Lord a glass of water.. Please read here
In 1930, on this date My Great Uncle Mikulas was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest. 56 years ago, my “God Mother”, my oldest sister, received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. On this date in 1975, My Great Uncle Mikulas celebrated Holy Mass for the 50th Anniversary of my Grandparents, which at that time, I received the sacrament of First Communion One year ago today, my husband & I were married in the Roman Catholic Church. My “God Mother” was Matron of Honor.
Today is the day the Lord has made Let us rejoice and be glad Glory to God
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!
“So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, ‘Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do,’” (John 13: 12-15)
Never forget “this post” LINK HERE and the fact I love both forms of our Holy Mass
Our Lord is in the Holy Mass in “Word”, scripture, “Blood & Flesh” in the Eucharist and Spirit, through the Holy Spirit – St. Augustine taught us, “what the soul is to man’s body, the Holy Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the Church. The Holy Spirit does in the whole Church what the soul does in the members of the one body.” We can’t “Escape” Him anywhere we go, why would it matter which way the Priest is facing while celebrating Holy Mass? Would our Lord not “show up” all of a sudden because of the position the Priest is facing?
Psalms, chapter 139 1:12
For the leader. A psalm of David
LORD, you have probed me, you know me:
you know when I sit and stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
You sift through my travels and my rest;
with all my ways you are familiar.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
LORD, you know it all.
Behind and before you encircle me
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
far too lofty for me to reach.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence, where can I flee?
If I ascend to the heavens, you are there;
if I lie down in Sheol, there you are.
If I take the wings of dawn
and dwell beyond the sea,
Even there your hand guides me,
your right hand holds me fast.
If I say, “Surely darkness shall hide me,
and night shall be my light”
Darkness is not dark for you,
and night shines as the day.
Darkness and light are but one
Our Lord is with us always. There is no escape. If in all our ways we can not escape Him, why would anyone think for a second He would leave us in His Sacrament because the Priest is facing a different direction or is not speaking in Latin?
The Church teaches that the priest ministers in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. In speaking to his disciples, Jesus said, “He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me” (Lk 10:16). “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:22–23).
Did our Lord turn His back on the Apostles while preaching to them or during the Last Supper? Of course not. (I don’t mean this in regards to what many may say is the reason the priest turning his back on the congregation as originally, the Priest is facing East and leading the way to our Lord) We are surrounded at Holy Mass by our Lord therefore when we look past the “distractions” we have in our own ideas, we can focus once again on the Face of our Lord. Thus I believe the reason our Lord is truly present in both forms of the Holy Mass. Because He said so, and it gives us time to “overcome” that which distracts us and pulls our attention away from our Lord to grow in understanding that it’s not the “Church” that is broken and as so many say in “shambles” because of this, but we who are because we “choose” to allow the “distractions” of our own, to pull us away from our Lord.
Both forms should make sense..
UPDATE 4/11/2019 at the bottom of this page: Praise, glory and honor to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
I shared my story with two Catholic Priests recently. I don’t like talking about this but I know there is someone who can be helped by this. No. I am not crazy. No matter how much the world refuses to believe that God is our Creator. I believe a Saint of our Lord said it best: “My job is to inform, not to convince.” Saint Bernadette Soubirous. I see this all day in my life. Jesus Christ is God. He is present in the Eucharist. He has called me to repent and return to Him. I shared this story in the past with for other Catholic Priests over the past 5 years. I don’t know why this is, all I know is where it has lead me to. Back home to the Catholic Church. Repent. Return to your first love.
What I have written with the help of the Holy Spirit. This is etched on my memory and our Lord has made it very difficult for me to forget any of the details. I did add a few details to this as I wanted to make it a little clearer for understanding.
Thank you So much Fathers for just listening and reading this. I don’t expect anything but the glory and honor of my entire conversion and all the events of my life, to be given to God as He knows everything. He allows everything because we have free will to choose to do His will and I full accept, no matter what may come to me.
In 1998, I had an experience that changed my entire life. I have to give you some background as I know it’s important. I have confessed every sin and I know I have been forgiven, as I now go to confession at least every 10 days. I am also in formation with the Third Order of Carmel, and pray every second I am conscious. When the event in 1998 occurred, I was a covered in mortal sins. I had broken every commandment. Every one of them including murder through abortion. I had for many years not been practicing our Catholic Faith and had not gone to confession for over 25 plus years. I still believed in God, but was in a state of despair and had been since a VERY young age. I’m not making excuses for my sinful behavior nor trying to justify it. It’s just something that needs to be revealed as this horrifically sinful person no longer exists because our Lord has truly changed my heart. I am still a sinner a repentant one.
I had fallen in love with a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at about the age of 8 or 9 years old. I was reminded recently by the Holy Spirit, (in the past 5 years) about how at a younger age, I would sit in my parents basement at the earliest age of about 4 or 5 and look through the old cabinet they had of books. My favorite for a long time was a book of nothing but Gregorian Chant from the Liturgy of the Hours. It was very old and all in Latin. I didn’t know what it was or how to read it. I would just sit and stare at the pages and ask God to give me the ability to read it. I used to think of how hard it was to be “big” to have to learn all this stuff. Later on, I found an old handbook from the Legion of Mary. I was about 6 and thought it was something bad, because it was all about Mary and not our Lord. I didn’t understand it and when I asked my mom, she rolled her eyes and told me just leave that alone. I thought it was something really bad against God and thought my family was doing bad things. In my rebellion at the age of 9, I used to go back to it and read it sometimes out loud in spite of what my mom told me. There is so much more to this part, but I have to keep this on track and will go back to this point.
Back to the age of 8 with the picture of the Sacred Heart of our Lord. I would hide in my room and play records for Him and sing to Him as I didn’t have many friends. Things started to happen. I would hear things in my heart and this voice would tell me things that then they would happen in real life. It scared me. I was very young and the voice scared me very much. It would tell me things that my family was going to do and they would happen. At that time, one night, I had a dream that a bunch of clouds came and picked me up. I had no power to do anything but they brought me to the way I would walk on the way to school, about a block away from St. Maria Goretti. It left me terrified as I didn’t know what this was. Today when I pray the Rosary, I am often reminded of this dream while praying the mystery of the Ascension of our Lord. and I had asked my father if it was okay for me to call our Lord my boyfriend and to think of Him in this way. My dad told me it was a sin to do so. (I have LONG ago forgiven my dad for this as I know he truly didn’t understand that our Lord was more than likely calling me to religious life and neither did I) I felt that our Lord hated me at this time, because of what I had done. Especially when things started to happen. It broke my heart but I got rid of the picture and stopped talking to him. I thought I was dammed to hell and stated to think the devil then must be my friend since God hated me for what I had done. I spent some of my early life (pre teen and teen years) casting spells, telling the devil I would sell my soul for _____________ (fill in the blank) and turning to evil thinking it was “cool”. It was anything but. I was miserable. I was angry all the time. I lived for most of my life thinking something was seriously wrong with me. I was depressed and a VERY sick soul. I grew out of this “evil” things stage and continued on into what I thought was life. I had NO self esteem. I hated my life. I thought everyone on earth was better than me because I believed I was “so hated by God.” I was very promiscuous thinking having sex with anyone was love and that they would love me which is sad because at the age of 11, I believed without a doubt that when a man and woman had relations, it meant they were married for life. I asked one of my older sisters about it and she laughed at me. Little to say, I grew up with no true teaching of the Catholic Faith except for having to go to church every Sunday. Confession? After graduating from Catholic grade school, (1981) when I had to go, I never went again until 2001. My mom did take my little brother and me to see Pope John Paul II in Chicago, Grant Park in 1979 and to be honest, it was amazing! I was blessed by him from his Pope Mobile, as he was driving past and it left me in a state of peace I can never describe in words. As soon as I was brought back into contact with my brother & mom that peace quickly left but I had never forgot that day. I also have to mention that my mom’s uncle was a Catholic Priest in Slovakia, who survived the Nazis and then the Communist Occupation. He spent a few days in prison for just being a Catholic Priest but the Communists released him and he continued to celebrate Holy Mass daily, underground. I was awe struck by him for most of my life. He was a role model for me who I loved dearly and I had only met him 3 times and we never spoke the same language. I just heard stories about him and he was kept tight in my heart and still is today. He passed away in 1981. I was never able to express my love for our Lord in my home growing up. I was to afraid because my brothers & sisters made fun of me all the time. So I just stopped talking and became angry and full of hate back at them. When I was about 4 years old, my Great Uncle, the Catholic Priest came in to celebrate my Grandparents Wedding Anniversary. I met him for the first time and ran to him as he was standing next to my Grandfather and told him I wanted to be a princess. I wanted him to take me home to Slovakia to I could learn how to be a princess and live with the Priests and Nuns because they all live in Castles. My grandfather told him what I had said and my Great Uncle told my Parents to please keep an eye on me that there was something very big here. I fell through the cracks anyway. I had such a deep love for God then. I would talk to Him all the time.
Getting the day in May of 98. After living a very worldly life, I had been going through some very rough times. I had lost my dad to Cancer in 96 and my mother had been diagnosed with the same cancer a year before my father’s death and was facing death herself. I had been living with a man who left his wife to be with me, who of course, was abusing me in the same way he had abused her. I forgive him and EVEYONE I have to mention here as it’s not about anything I hold against anyone as I don’t hold anything against anyone, ever since this day in 1998. I forgive everyone including myself. That is not why I am speaking of this and I am in no way seeing ANY amount of sympathy. It’s all related to my conversion back to the Catholic Church and to Our Lord.
In 1998, two years after I lost my dad to cancer, a series of events took place in which I had great remorse for the way I had been living. I had written a letter to the wife of the man I had been living with, apologizing to her for my part in the destruction of their marriage and it was ripping y heart out about thinking about how much I hurt her. The man I was with did NOT like that I had done this. The night my father died, September 23, 1996, I had said to him, although he was unconscious, to put in the good word for me to God that I was going to need some help. As soon as my dad passed, INSTANTLY I said our loud, I need to change my life. And it started the change.
I can’t tell you if what happened to me was a dream, or actually took place in May of 1998. All the events of this day are etched on my soul and I am reminded VIVIDLE every second of this conversation that took place this day. I don’t know “WHO” this was all I know is where it lead me to since this took place and that is back to the Church and to our Lord in such a way I can never live without Him and Her again!
I was at work and my boss called me into his office. He told me he needed to talk to me about something very serious and that someone had been saying very bad things about me. I thought he was going to fire me. I thought I did something wrong and I couldn’t imagine what It would have been. I sat down and he said before he started he wanted to know if I wanted someone in with me to hear about what he had to say. I said yes. Call in David. David worked for my boss Al in a another smaller landscaping company he had. I thought Dave was handsome but we were just co-workers. I just couldn’t think of anyone else to say. He called him in and David didn’t say a word. My boss began to tell me that someone was saying very nasty things about me and saying that I had been doing some very nasty things. I asked him who this was and he said it doesn’t matter I just want to know if this is true what I am hearing about you. I said I want to see who is saying such things and he and David opened his office door and pointed to someone sitting in a chair in his waiting room. I looked at the man as he raised his head to me. My boss asked me if I knew him. I was COMPLETELY chilled in fear. I began to shake in utter terror and my body shook in fear. A gripping fear of total horror and every bone in my body, every part of me rattled. I ran and grabbed David and hid behind him. I couldn’t escape what I had seen. David commanded me at that second, “Don’t be afraid”. The second my ears heard this the terror left me and I was no longer afraid. I stood there grabbing on to him and I wouldn’t let go. I immediately stood up straight and at attention. My boss repeated to me, do you know him? I said NO! I have never seen him before in my life. My boss Al then told David, throw him out of here and get him out of my sight. David left and my boss began to tell me that “Someone” had a bet and I was part of it. He told me he wanted to get in on it and with that I asked if David should be here? He said okay and called him back in. With that, Al, my boss said he would be right back and left me alone with David. David began to ask me questions. The questions he asked me were very personal and he knew the answers before I would give them. All the answers came from my heart. He asked me about my sins. He knew them. All of them since I was old enough to remember. He didn’t care about them. He only cared about the answer I was giving. I knew in my heart, this was not my boss, nor David my co-worker I was with. I didn’t know who they were but I just listened to my heart when answering them. There was this DEEP love I felt for David at this time as I was telling him everything in my soul that he had already knew. I broke down for a moment in the middle of the conversation and resumed again with him. He also said he knew these guys that had a bet. He wanted to be in on this bet also and wanted me to help settle it. I kept asking about this bet but he wouldn’t tell me. He said the winner would be richer than anyone could ever imagine. He wanted to tip the scales and make it easy and wanted me to help him and that he knew this guy who was giving him all the answers. I don’t know how or why, but I brought God into the conversation. I said that would be cheating what he was asking me and that God wouldn’t like that especially if so much money was involved and we had the answers before anyone else did. He smiled and asked me if I liked my life. I said no. I hated it. I was so unhappy. He asked me what would make me happy. I said I just want to go to heaven. I just want to go to heaven. He then asked me what my idea of heaven was. I said I don’t know. He said again, what do you think it would be like in heaven and why do you think it would make you happy. I said I don’t know. God knows. I want what God wants for me. He knows better than I do. We talked more about my idea of heaven which was far from being anything heaven would be today, knowing my faith now. David began to tell me things. He said he had a good friend who wanted his wife back. He said someone got in the way of their relationship and she left him because of a misunderstanding. I said I would do everything to help him if I could. As I had told him about how I had been a part of an adulterous relationship and I had sent a letter of apology to the woman. He told me there was two roads to take to get there. A high road with is very hard and a low road with is easier but not much more easier as it was still very difficult to navigate both of them. I said I would take the high road. He continued asking me questions about everything from my family, their children, the country, the world, priests, religious persons, Saints and so much more. He told me things about what was going to take place. He asked me how I felt about gays, gay marriage, and everything our society is now going through. I answered his question without any idea of what I was saying as I thought this was just a random conversation and I began to say things without even thinking. He said well that does it. You can’t help me. I said but wait! I didn’t answer with my heart. We went over everything again and I answered everything with sincerity. It was like we were talking for HOURS. When He told me about the two roads, the high road was me becoming a religious. The low road was me getting married and having children and I only see that now as I type this. He then told me someone loved me very much. I told him that love was very important because I didn’t know what it was or how to love. He said he knew someone who loved me very much. I asked him who it was. He said someone from my past. I couldn’t imagine who it was. He said it was an old boyfriend I had. He said he wanted me back. I had no clue who he could be talking about. By this time we had talked about so much nothing made any sense and I was in such a state of exhaustion. I asked him if he was the guy and he said NO. But I hope my guy wins. I asked him who his guy was and he said your friend’s son. I said my friend? He said yes. I was your friend David, his son. I said who is his son? What is his name? He looked at me and said one day I would know what he was saying. I understand this now as “Son of David”. He asked me who was in heaven and I said God. He said no, who is in heaven? I said Jesus? He started asking me about the picture I had of this guy when I was young and I sand I had a lot of pictures and I had no clue what he was talking about. He looked at me and said, you truly don’t remember! I said no. I don’t. His mouth opened wide for a bit and he said to me, someone is going to come to you and remind you. He then said to me he will know you as Mary. I became frightened and yelled at him because I thought he was referring to our Holy Mother and wanted me to do something against her. I said you can’t DO that! We already have a Mary in Heaven. No one can be her. No one! I was so angry. I said to him Okay! If all these things you are telling me DON’T happen then what? You still want to get together? He didn’t like that. He said to me this better work or we will all be tossed into the abyss. I asked him then the good one? Or the Bad one. He didn’t remember telling me about the “Good Abyss” . I only know the Good Abyss now as the one St. Faustina spoke about in Divine Mercy. Who I never knew about truly until 2007 or so.
There was much more said between the two of us and even when Al , my boss who had been absent returned. I’m ended this here for now and going to tell you that EVERYTHING David and AL has told me from that day has taken place, for the most part. He knew who I was going to get married to. The names of my children. How people were going to die and when. World events. Presidents elected. Popes elected. The name of EVERY church and the priests I would encounter. He actually called some of them friends of his. We went over the ENTIRE Legion of Mary Handbook together, ADDING: (I didn’t remember this until AFTER I had joined the Legion of Mary in 2011 and I was reminded of the prayers we talked about and how I used to pray in my parents basement) and I had no clue what it was when he was telling me the prayers. He just told me one day I would be reminded. We went through every mystery of the rosary and I couldn’t understand why the Annunciation was called the Annunciation and not the Visitation. He told me about a prayer that would remind me of this day every time I prayed it and it was the Angelus. EVERY time I pray it, I understand EXACTLY what it means and what Mama Mary must have gone through as every second of my life is a constant reminder of this day in may of 1998. ADDED: (As I am sure Mama Mary knew the exact same things that were revealed to her after the fact and held them in her heart) When the conversation was over, Al told me that if I came back to him to ask him about the conversation he was going to deny it ever took place. ADDED: ( I didn’t know if this was a dream or had actually taken place. I did confront my boss at a later day and he had no clue what I was talking about. He didn’t remember any meeting like this) When David was present, Al was gone. When David spoke with me, Al was gone. They were only together for that one instance to ask me if I knew who that horrible soul was. When I had finished with David, and I was back in Al’s office, I sat in a chair and was so tired. He said awe, look at you. Your starving. Your exhausted. You need help. I was so tired. It was as if I had been running and running. I could barely speak anymore. He began to tell me he cared for me. He said to me, You better do all these things you have been asked to do and I said to him why do you care? He said I’m your father I care about you. I became enraged! I jumped out of the chair and said to him, in his face, you are NOT my father. I asked him then are you Ernest my father? Because that is my dad and you know he died and it’s been very hard on me. He said no. I said with just as much anger, are you God? He said no. I said then you’re not my father! He then said to me, I care about you like a father. There is so much more but I’m not sure if it will matter. The outcome is the same.
I don’t know what will happen. I can’t predict the future. All I know is everything that was told to me, is taking place every second and I am reminded every second that our Lord is with us. Every conversation I have has been told to me that it would take place. Everything I write, I was told to and told that I would. The house I live in. The family I have now. All had been told would be. It keeps me in a state of repentance and how I know this is not hell, is that there is great joy and I receive consolations from Abba Father that no one can take away. I have grown to not look for them, but rather understand everything at this point is a consolation from Him and all I want is Him, although His conciliations are wonderful, I want Him. When I pray there is great joy. He allows me to see visions. I seen the face of our Lord in the Eucharist and then myself when I was about 4 years old. . When I am at Mass, when I am in prayer and seeing things manifest that bring me closer to our Lord. Not my interpretation of Him, but Him. In His word. When I was little I fell in love with His picture. With who I wanted Him to be. Today, I have fallen in love with Him through His Word. In the Eucharist and in Who He Is. In His sacraments. All of this taking place after the fact 99.9% of the time of the events. In His Holy Church. In His Priests. In every soul on earth, I can see Him even when He is being denied by the very souls I can see His actions in.
Two weeks after this conversation in June of 1998, everything that they had said to me, started to happen. I thought I was losing my mind in the beginning as when this all started to take place, I tried to tell people who were NOT religious but very worldly and my entire family believed I was crazy. I told them things in a way that at the time I didn’t have the gift of understanding yet. I casted my pearls’ before swine. And the world made sure I was labeled as crazy. With the grace of God, I have overcome it all. I have a love so deep for every soul on earth. Friends, family, enemies, strangers. Makes no difference. I love them. I forgive them for they know not what they do, as I too had no idea of what I was doing. How much pain I had inflicted on our Lord. I have a new outlook and it truly is our Lord.
All glory and honor to God.
PAX
Peg Demetris
All I know now is that I love our Lord above all else. I love my neighbor as myself. I believe, I pray, I hope and I don’t try to worry about the events that I see as I can not change anything. I simply accept our Lord Jesus Christ as my savior and hope to spend eternity with Him. I pray this helps the most frightened souls pull closer to our Lord and His mercy.
QUESTIONS that were asked of me:
PRIEST #1 But Peg, who was the old man?
The old man? If your asking me Father who the old Boyfriend was, I know without a doubt, it truly is the Sacred Heart of our Lord. Although I had fallen in love with His picture, I longed to know about our Lord. At that time in my life, I knew “of Him” being Jesus Christ, but I didn’t know Him being our Lord. Today I do.
EDIT TO ADD: The “Old Man” is Zachariah! This is my “slip” I LOVE our LORD! St. John the Baptist, pray for us!
Priest #2 And who was David?
Father – I still don’t know who “David” was. I still don’t know who “Al” was. It was as if they both were speaking to me in parables. EVERYTHING was symbolic. Everything had a meaning beyond my understanding, but I knew how to respond. I can only assume our Lord was speaking through me to them, when I finally started to speak through my heart. of what they were saying and being in the state I was in, I had no clue what it was all about. I was still living a worldly life and most of what they both had said to me, I see happening around me all the time. Its as if the both of them are at my side, walking me all the way home. At times I sometimes feel like I may have them in my grasp and I am dragging them back home. Al had said something to me at that time about how I was going to be given a watch. I was going to be given blocks and they were his. I was going to be given a drink of water. This “guy” was going to build a house for me. I said I didn’t want anything but to go to heaven. He looked at me deeply and said you better keep these things or at least the watch. The water I know is a reference to The Woman at the Well. The watch? “Keep Watch”. The blocks? Last week at my Formation Meeting with the Third Order of Carmel, I was given paper work on the Structure of the Carmelite Rule. My formation director made copies of everything and placed what she needed to hand out where everyone would be seated. It was random where we sat. She spoke about the block being the Foundation, the four walls, and that was all we should have at that point. As I looked at my paperwork, I had the Foundation Blocks, The four walls and the Roof. I mentioned it to her and she had no idea how I could have gotten it all as she didn’t think she had that copy. She asked me to please share all that I had with them later. Carmelite Spirituality is based on the Rule of St. Albert. I never knew what any of this was back then in 98. When I first started to read the Rule of St. Albert, I was in awe. I had been living this rule for many years already and I didn’t even know what I was doing. The House? Do I even need to go there? 2 Corinthians 5:1 Do I dare say it was him? (EDIT TO ADD: I truly do not know who EITHER of them were 100%.)
Something else he (Al) said was I was he (this Guy) was going to send me to school and I was going to be tested. A bunch of people were going to pray for me that I would pass. I don’t want to assume here but I truly hope instead. This was a reference to St. Peter and the conversation with our Lord about Satan wanting to sift him as wheat. But our Lord prayed for him. One of the last things he said to me was I needed to return to my father. He already knew I was coming and when I get there he was going to put a ring on my finger. “The Prodigal Son”.
I HOPE: I know who “David” is and was! My guardian Angel! “Beware lest ye scandalize any of these little ones, for their angels in heaven see the face of My Father.” Glory to God! (EDIT TO AD: but I do not know)
I may be wrong about both of them and who they were. I don’t know. All I know is where this has lead me to and the daily suffering that I have united to our Lords. One day, I hope to know but I understand it wont matter one bit if I am able to spend eternity with our Lord. This is how my conversion of heat truly began and is ongoing. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us all.
I love you.
St. Michael, St. Raphael, and St. Gabriel: PRAY FOR US, Protect us, heal us, In the most HOLY NAME of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,*
who abide in the shade of the Almighty,*
2 Say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”a
3 He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare,
from the destroying plague,
4 He will shelter you with his pinions,
and under his wings you may take refuge;b
his faithfulness is a protecting shield.
5 You shall not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,c
6 Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,
nor the plague that ravages at noon.d
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
near you it shall not come.
8 You need simply watch;
the punishment of the wicked you will see.e
9 Because you have the LORD for your refuge
and have made the Most High your stronghold,
10 No evil shall befall you,
no affliction come near your tent.f
11* For he commands his angels with regard to you,g
to guard you wherever you go.h
12 With their hands they shall support you,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.i
13 You can tread upon the asp and the viper,
trample the lion and the dragon.j
II
14 Because he clings to me I will deliver him;
because he knows my name I will set him on high.k
15 He will call upon me and I will answer;l
I will be with him in distress;m
I will deliver him and give him honor.
16 With length of days I will satisfy him,
and fill him with my saving power.
EDIT TO ADD: 4/11/2019
As I attended our Parish Mission and Penance Service last night, our Lord revealed this to me.
Our Lord was there, and with me. He revealed it to me, at the moment the Mission Priest was speaking to us about a Team of Landscapers. You have a property, overgrown with weeds, trees not producing fruit, and your house looks like hell broke lose. All of a sudden, a truck pulls up, a bunch of guys jump out and in less than 30 minutes, its transformed into paradise.
It was during this moment I turned to my daughter, as I was overcome with the moment of our Lords Resurrection, and the revelation that St. Mary Magdalene realized she was not speaking to the Gardener, but to our Lord.
I turned to my daughter, smiled and said \“Rabbouni, The second the words left my lips, my eyes widened as they focused on the Altar & The Tabernacle. Everything about that moment 20 plus years ago, became clear. Peace
On my way into work this morning, I was praying the Rosary as I always do, as it is so pleasant to focus on our Lord and Mama Mary, rather than the stress that comes with a long bumper to bumper commute. I noticed a pick up truck with the “Jesus Fish”. As I was praying, in my heart I felt the presence of our Lord. Not in a way that He was driving the truck or anything even remotely close to that. In a way He was with me and my eyes catching that icon, drew me into His presence, along with praying the Rosary. During the prayers it made me smile to see it. Just as soon as the smile came, a bigger cargo truck pulled in between the two of us and I lost sight of the “Ichthys” icon. I panicked a bit and I don’t know why. It didn’t mean anything but I just wanted to see. I got into the next lane over and instantly in my heart, still as I was praying the Rosary, I heard; “Just because you can’t see Him, know He is still there”. There was something in the back of the pickup that bothered me a little and I’m not sure I want to say why because it was just an everyday shop vac. But a though had come to me that as quickly as it came to bother me, our Lord took it away from me. It had to do with abortion.
The smile returned and instantly I remembered my lack of faith for many years past. It had truly blossomed into just KNOWING He is always with us, even when we lose sight of Him. Even though I am no longer doing as much as I was in years past for my Church in activities due to having to go back to work, He is still here. “His love endures forever”.
Further up the road, someplace where, I do not know, I was no longer focused on the “icon” but rather on the fact of our Lords word; “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” – MATT 28:20 I don’t know where the truck turned off or where he went, but it no longer mattered. It and the shop vac were gone. I arrived at work and started my day. As I was going about my work, my thoughts were still focused on our Lord. I experienced something so profound as I was working. I remembered how my mom used to call me at my work, years ago and it was so vivid. I could see her so full of life and she was so joyful and at peace. It was as if she was calling me right that second and all she wanted to do was say hello. My mother passed away in 2002 and I hadn’t had much thought about her in such a way as she had been ill for many years and in a very fragile sickly state. Today? She was beautiful! I heard in my heart, call me, and I began to pray the Hail Mary. The image of my mother was quickly changed into that of our Holy Mother Mary and there was such joy and elation in my soul that words could never describe the feeling that I had. I then began to pray the Divine Mercy and have been in a state of peace ever since.
I don’t know was any of this means. All I know is it has been a fantastic day in which I am eternally grateful to our Lord and Mama Mary.
Ichthys:
Iota (i) is the first letter of Iēsous (Ἰησοῦς), Greek for “Jesus”.
Chi (ch) is the first letter of Christos (Χριστός), Greek for “anointed”.
Theta (th) is the first letter of Theou (Θεου), Greek for “God’s”, the genitive case of Θεóς, Theos, Greek for “God”.
Ypsilon (y) is the first letter of (h)yios[4] (Υἱός), Greek for “Son”.
Sigma (s) is the first letter of sōtēr (Σωτήρ), Greek for “Savior”.
CLICK HERE: Symbolism of the Fish
EDIT TO ADD:
The picture of Mama Mary I seen in my heart this morning was one that is now stuck with me. I can’t remember if I had ever seen this particular painting of our Holy Mother or not, but the “picture” that I seen of her today in my heart was of almost a side profile of her, wearing a blue and gold veil. Brilliant blue with a gold edge, our Lord was under a year old, clinging to her chest with His head resting upon her. In total, pure Contentment. If anyone has seen this before, please share a link.
This is VERY close but the both had their eyes open with almost the same expression and Mama Mary’s veil was trimmed in a thick ribbon of gold.
When I was a little girl, I spent many hours thinking about what my life would be like. As most do. I wondered what I would be when I grew up and would spend hours wondering who would fall in love with me. Who would want to. I was chunky & ugly and mean. (My description) I didn’t much like myself nor did many others seem to like me. I went to a Junior High dance once with a friend who attended a public school with high hopes of someone dancing with me, leaving that night, not even dancing.
I still wondered who would ever love me? I wondered if I would go up to be popular, which I did not. I wondered if I would grow up to be famous, which of course, I did not. What was I going to be? I had high hopes and a lot of dreams & ambition, that just seemed to be placed where I didn’t belong. Much of this taking place after I could not have this “True Love” (read here)
I spent most of my hours growing up, listening to love songs, hoping one day, to sing them to the one who loved me and having them sung to me. One particularly stuck out and I heard it tonight after this wonderful day in prayer.
As I was folding the laundry from todays chores, I had a music channel on and this song came on. I thought, wow, I liked this song a lot when I was little. It brought back memories. And then lyrics hit me and the tears of joy ran down my cheeks. And it happened. I realized Who loved me. Who still loves me. Who I had wondered so much about all these years. Especially listening to THIS song from my youth that I used to wonder about all the time. Here I am, writing “the story”, my on-line diary, for the first time, EVER writing something down and its all about Him. I absolutely love Him. Our Lord is, the best thing that ever happened to me. Finally I can say, Its You! It’s really YOU Lord! With Your grace, O Lord, with Your mercy, I will never leave you again! I love you!
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
I am a sinner. A repentant sinner. In all that you can read in all I have written, what it all comes down to is I have done nothing. Nothing that anyone else who believes in our Lord would not have done. I am a sinner. A repentant sinner, only now, living the faith that our Lord has given to us. I am no different than anyone else. Anyone else who said yes Lord.
This is where my entire conversion of heart has come to, today. I have a blazing love for all souls, but more for our Lord. I try to live within the balance of the world to come, and exile. I can not survive without our Lord. Without being in full communion with Him and His bride. Without receiving the sacraments continually, and in a steady life of prayer. I can not live in Him, without the glory being given to Him at all times. This is where He has brought me. Many years have passed and I have been through many trials. In all my tribulation, I have accomplished nothing but the acceptance of God gaining my soul. Only today, the race home has begun. All else was simply training for the race. With our Lords help, may I win to give Him the glory and all my love, as today and all days, belong to Him. I have done nothing, but everything wrong. Today the right path is open. Only now finding I am truly empty, to be filled with our Lord. You, Lord have “Cleaned the inside of cup and dish first so that it and the outside are both clean.” All glory and honor to God.
EDIT TO ADD:
Recognizing sin, accepting mercy is key to salvation, pope says
Jesus told his disciples that the entrance to heaven is like a “narrow gate,” not because God has made salvation so difficult, but because people find it difficult to recognize their sinfulness and accept God’s mercy, Pope Francis said.
Before the full fire of my conversion took hold of me, it was December of 2008. At Holy Mass, just before going up to receive our Lord, just after praying, “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed, I heard in my heart, very distinctly “DO NOT receive me.” So I didn’t. I cried. Tears ran down my cheeks.
I understood that moment that I needed to take care of my sin, repent and do what is right and just. I shook at the thought of telling my, the man who I called my husband for three years. Would he understand? Would he leave me? I brought this up to my confessor who reassured me, DO NOT receive our Lord because I had been married outside of the Church, after divorcing my first husband. Thus the annulment process began and the 4 years of deep repentance, and CHASTITY (my current husband and I living as brother & sister) began.
I was able to receive our Lord after a time of not having relations with my, the man I called my husband and grew through our Lords grace, to understand it truly IS Him in the Eucharist, after many years “thinking” maybe it was Him. In that time, I fell in love with our Lord.
During the time I could not receive, I attended Holy Mass daily anyway, and when it came time to receive Him, it was as if I was chained to the pillar, receiving my lashes for my sin against Him. It was very painful and He shared this with me, so I would grow closer to Him.
It’s VERY important NOT to be in a state of Mortal sin when receiving Him. Straight couples, or homosexual. We are ALL called to chastity and when we refuse to use that grace of His, we are refusing Him. When you refuse Him in “Spirit”, please don’t receive Him in the flesh.
I am posting this for all souls today who are divorced and remarried, who are cohabiting before marriage, engaging in sexual relations before marriage and for all homosexual relations as to when NOT to receive our Lord in Holy Communion. To receive our Lord in a state of Mortal Sin is receiving death.
Happy the man watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts; For he who finds me finds life, and wins favor from the LORD; But he who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death.” Proverbs 8 34-36
EDIT TO ADD: 4/2/18
After the breaking of the bread, Pope Francis said, the priest invites the faithful to acknowledge that the Lamb of God takes away the sins of the world.
“This invitation,” he said, “calls us to taste intimate union with God, who is the source of joy and holiness.” It also pushes us to examine our conscience in the light of faith, he said.
He said that acknowledging our sins helps us accept the “medicine” of the Blood of Christ, which unites us ever closer to him, according to St. Ambrose.
Margaret Leo of McLean, pray for us.
Please read her entire story at the link below..
The Littlest Suffering Souls, part 2: Margaret Leo of McLean
By Austin Ruse
Friday, 31 May 2013
Her special gift was joyful friendship. In an elevator, she would pepper strangers with questions, with a steady gaze and big smile. “What is your name?” “Where are you going?” “What is your birthday?” They sensed she really wanted to know. The girl had no artifice. Even Supreme Court Justices can be attracted to that.
What they did not know, because she never mentioned it, even to her family, was that she was likely in unimaginable pain. Think of a titanium rod being bent by your spine, and about to poke through the skin of your neck. Or a shunt inside your brain.
No one describes her as a “spiritual athlete.” Her faith was profoundly childlike. Her whole life she prayed out loud the simple prayer her mother taught her as a child, “Jesus, thank you for coming to me in the Eucharist.”
Father Z has a great article over at his blog: Protesters at Mass must be denied Holy Communion. Have a plan of action?
I hope all my readers ponder this with a clear mind. If you are taking your gay marriage protest into Holy Mass, you are not at Holy Mass but at a protest rally. Please place yourself in the presence of our Lord and not your own agenda. You are in fact, protesting against our Lord.
In all honesty, if you are taking ANYTHING to Holy Mass with you, other than your righteousness to offer to our Lord in the holy sacrifice of the Mass, and your full attention to Him, are you truly attending Holy Mass or are you someplace else? Are you worshiping Him or the game later? Is your mind on our Lord or is it on the people around you, the family coming in for dinner, the beach, the game or some protest?
If we can not give 100% attention to our Lord in His own home, why are we there? I have been pondering lately the souls who do not like to attend the “Wedding Ceremony” but are more than willing to attend the “Reception”. The reason there is a reception, is because the “Wedding” took place. At Holy Mass, you are in the presence of God. You are in Communion with all the Holy of Holy’s. It should be the utmost importance of a soul not to ensure he makes it to Holy Mass, but that He actually is “present” in the Holy Mass. Place yourself at our Lords precious feet and listen to every word He is saying.
“The heavens open and multitudes of angels come to assist in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.” St. Gregory, Doctor of the Church
“He who is in the habit of devoutly hearing holy Mass shall in death be consoled by the presence of the angels and saints, his advocates, who shall bravely defend him from all the snares of infernal spirits.” Revelation of Christ to St. Mechtilde
After a long spiritual battle, going further back then I can remember, my husband and I have finally married in the Catholic Church, May 4, 2013. We had been living as brother and sister for many years so I could continue on in the journey home to the Catholic Church. After several years of uncertainty, rumors of divorce and other daggers spit at us from Satan, we have, only by the grace of God, finished this race. Many miracles occurred on this road. I am forever grateful to our Lord.
After all the ups and downs, I was given a beautiful spiritual gift I will not soon forget. On our way home from our wedding celebration, close to our home, I looked arround as my husband was driving and sence of being in friendly surroundings had overtaken me.. It was a peace I had not had for some time. I can ony describe this as a soldier coming home from war to a waiting family. I could breath. I could relax and it was as if our Lord had taken a creat crushing weight off of my soul. It truly has been a daily battle of intense fighting for freedom. Our Lord had allowed me R & R. There is nothing in this world more precious than KNOWING, God’s will have been done, the battle won and now, I could sit back and breath on this front of the war I know for fact, I am now fighting on the side of God and for good.
The gift from God below, (at the link) is the greatest gift I have ever received. I live to give this gift back to Him. With His grace, His will be done. Always.
https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10201294534230201
Thank you Lord, your servant is listening…..
I had a dream last night, I was able to fly. I had not dreamed like this since childhood. When I was a child I dreamt all the time I could fly but I was never able to fly in front of anyone. I would tell them I could and try but never could get off the ground. I would beg them to believe me but the never would, and would walk away, leaving me alone where once again, I would fly.
Last night, in my dream, I flew in front of people. I woke up the morning and after prayers, thought about it. Our Lord freed me from the hunters snare. But more, I had a dream a long time ago, that I was a baby bird. I wrote about it here. (Impossible Dreams, Where Do They Take You) that left me with a prayer: “May God whisper in your ear, as Jesus plans your tomorrows, while you sleep under the wing of the Holy Spirit”.
I went to Mass this morning and served my first as I was Extraordinary Minister of the most Precious Blood of our Lord, and I didn’t know that was going to be. I “Flew” in front of everyone for the very first time and I served our LORD. All Glory to God!
Prostrate I adore Thee, Deity unseen, Who Thy glory hidest ‘neath these shadows mean; Lo, to Thee surrendered, my whole heart is bowed, Tranced as it beholds Thee, shrined within the cloud. Taste, and touch, and vision, to discern Thee fail; Faith, that comes by hearing, pierces through the veil. I believe whate’er the Son of God hath told; What the Truth hath spoken, that for truth I hold. On the Cross lay hidden but thy Deity, Here is hidden also Thy Humanity: But in both believing and confessing, Lord, Ask I what the dying thief of Thee implored. Thy dread wounds, like Thomas, though I cannot see, His be my confession, Lord and God, of Thee, Make my faith unfeigned ever-more increase, Give me hope unfading, love that cannot cease. O memorial wondrous of the Lord’s own death; Living Bread, that giveth all Thy creatures breath, Grant my spirit ever by Thy life may live, To my taste Thy sweetness never-failing give. Pelican of mercy, Jesu, Lord and God, Cleanse me, wretched sinner, in Thy Precious Blood: Blood where one drop for human-kind outpoured Might from all transgression have the world restored. Jesu, whom now veiled, I by faith descry, What my soul doth thirst for, do not, Lord, deny, That thy face unveiled, I at last may see, With the blissful vision blest, my God, of Thee. Amen
“Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.’” (John 6:53-56)
3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples returned home. – John, chapter 20 3-10
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
Yesterday when I arrived at Church to dress the Altar for Easter, I had gotten there very early and spent, as I normally do, most of my time in prayer while preparations were taking place. While pondering St. Mary Magdalene and placing myself in her shoes, (Read here: Empty Tomb – Pope Francis Homily Added) our Lord filed me with great joy being the first one there to prepare for the celebration. After thirty minutes the first helper arrived. t was one of our maintenance men and the first thing he said to me was: “I ran all the way here!”
I smiled and laughed so hard and asked him, “Are you Saint Peter?” Then explained to him what I had been pondering. It filled me with awe.
He is risen indeed!
Acts 10:40-43
God raised up Jesus on the third day and granted that he be seen, not by all, but only by such witnesses as had been chosen beforehand by God – by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and to bear witness that he is the one set apart by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets testify, saying that everyone who believes in him has forgiveness of sins through his name.
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.”
I have often said that our Lord proposes to me every day and every day I say yes. Today He surprised me in a very special way. For as many years as I have been saying yes, today is the day…
At Mass this morning, our priest celebrated the entire Mass as a wedding. Every part of the Mass was described in detail, as the “Wedding Feast”. Every Catholic Mass is a “Wedding”. The Bridegroom is our Lord. We the “Church”, each one of us are His bride. Our priest even had the organist play the “Wedding March” at one point to remind us, He is the lover of our souls. The only one to give His life for His bride. He is always faithful and He is our King waiting for us to say yes to his proposal to live in Him. To become one with Him. As “Communion” with Him is the “honeymoon”.
Every Mass I attend, I know this, but oh how special today was, to have the entire church understand exactly how much He loves them. Last night I was called in to the church to put away some decorations and brought the rose from “The Heavy Rose” story, and placed it at the feet of our Holy Mother Mary. When I was reminded of this, I asked her to help me to be the faithful spouse our Lord intended me to be, to Him, completing this day in total JOY!
Since it is our “Wedding Day” as Catholics, I am going to spend this day with the ♥ Spouse ♥ of my soul 🙂
Have a blessed day ♥. I pray every Catholic understands the beauty of the Mass and never forget, but grows in love, to love Him more.
Our Lord is present in the tabernacles throughout the entire world, waiting for you! Come back home.
How many times do you hear: I never go to Mass, I’m a good person, but I don’t follow any faith or “religion” but I’m “Spiritual”.
The bigger question is, what “Spirit” are you following? If you’re not following Jesus Christ, then you need to ask yourself this question. The reason we are Christian is the fact we follow Jesus Christ. We do what He tells us to do. Especially in regards to “obedience”.
Todays gospel reminds us that the devil, who is also “Spiritual” knows Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. All “Spirits” know Him. The evil ones are the ones who refuse to follow Him. They do everything in their power not to follow Him. They do not believe Him. To “Believe” means to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so. Thus we “Listen” to what He tells us to do, because we know it to be the correct path. We do it because we love Him.
Ask yourself again, what “spirit” am I following if I am not following Jesus Christ?
At the end of the gospels, all of them, by the end of our Lords ministry, all the Disciples of Christ, know who He is. “Who do you say that I am?”.
When we seek Him, we can find Him. We desire only to stay with Him. In “Communion” with Him. To receive Him and for Him to receive us. To love and serve Him. In all that we do. He makes it known, He is with us, in love. Without a doubt. His presence we encounter in the Holy Eucharist, becomes His presence in us, that we may share Him with all we encounter.
“Gospel, Mark 1:21-28
21 They went as far as Capernaum, and at once on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach.
22 And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.
23 And at once in their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he shouted,
24 ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’
25 But Jesus rebuked it saying, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’
26 And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him.
27 The people were so astonished that they started asking one another what it all meant, saying, ‘Here is a teaching that is new, and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’
28 And his reputation at once spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.
Peg Pondering Again 