“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:14
Merry Christmas
Peace!
Tag: King Of Glory
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If you are here, in body, spirit and mind, you are everywhere that Holy Mass is being celebrated at that very second the Priest consecrates the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Lord, giving Him all the glory and honor! When you are IN the Eucharist, you are in God’s time. You are in God’s holy presence, with Him, everywhere. Thus the reason to keep clean and receive Him in the state of grace. Places you never knew existed. You are present through Him, with Him and in Him.
My last post Assumption of Mary, sparked some deeper thoughts in regards to the photos of a church I posted. A very beautiful place located in the Julian Alps in Bled Lake Slovenia. The area was carved from glaciers leaving picturesque views with a beautiful lake, and in the lake, a small island that in the 1500, a Catholic Church was built for the Glory of God and in honor of the Assumption of Mary. It goes so much deeper then “this looks like a good place to build a church”. So much deeper. It took centuries of Divine Providence, to create the glaciers, carve out the mountains, plant and grow the surrounding forest, fill the lake, leaving room for the island, filling many souls with the good news of our Lord, going fourth and spreading the gospel, many of which became Martyrs, souls growing in faith in Christ, to identify a tiny spot, beautiful enough to honor Mama Mary and her Assumption into heaven. This is but a sliver of God’s love for her, made known to the world for doing His will.
When I found the photo, I desired nothing more than to go to this place. Definitely placing it on my list of places I had to go! Realizing in a very shot amount of time, with a smile, in prayer, I have been there. Many times.
Before pondering this, I fell for the natural beauty of this place and as it pulled me into a deeper understanding of God’s love for her, made me aware of God’s love for us and how it’s so visible in every aspect of His creation. He takes the natural and joins it with the supernatural. Not only did it take Him centuries to create a beautiful place to honor the Mother of our Lord, but we share in that beauty, by simply being present at Holy Mass. Present meaning in full communion with Mass. In total concentration in prayer on where we are and not what we will be doing after Mass, all so we can be TOGETHER with Him and the Holy of Holy’s in His body, the Eucharist! Since the Beginning!
How beautiful it is to know, that every time you truly attend Holy Mass, you are here.
Oh how wonderful the “Interior Castle” truly is.
But more wonderful, more powerful, you are here, because He is here –
still in exile, giving the Glory to God.
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MISSINGLost Soul
Last seen coated in mortal sin. Heading for eternal damnation.
Taken by a “Thief In The Night”
No Reward. Not interested in her return.
Good RiddanceI have finally reached a very comfortable point on my road back home. Funny how I can’t even look at photos of myself without thanking God for my conversion. The photos bring back memories that make me realize just how lost I truly was. It to me is a testament to God’s mercy.
I found a photo of my husband and I, just weeks after we had met. I have been praying so intently for a personal issue to God concerning my husband & I and this evening at dinner with my girls, I believe He answered me.
I have been struggling so hard with the “What If” factor regarding “Did I miss my chance God?” The “Chance”? Rather then the vocation of Marriage, dedicating my entire life to God as a religious Sister. There is NO DOUBT I would join a religious order if events in my life were different. Or should I say, if I had not had such a hardened heart once upon a time. I can say without a doubt, my husband was placed in my life, so I could HEAR God calling to me. It was the only way for Him to get my attention. He tried everything else. I just didn’t listen. Now the price I pay, is realizing that I belong to God and would have no problem dedicating my life to Him, but now have my husband under circumstances NOT in line with Catholic teaching.
I was married in the Catholic Church when I was 20 and pregnant. I won’t go into details, but I will say, I didn’t want to do it. I was married for less then six months before papers were filed for a civil divorce. I was divorced just before my 21st birthday. I never filed for an annulment in the Catholic Church, until 2 1/2 years ago. I married my current husband in of ALL places, Caesars Palace, Vegas, Nevada. If your rolling your eyes, I am too. Its not bad enough I divorced and remarried but to get married THERE? “Render unto Caesar”.
Lets bring God back into this post. I don’t believe for a second, our Lord was very happy with me at this union in such a way. As a matter of fact, I know He wasn’t. I should have followed the correct path by filing for the annulment, waiting, THEN having the marriage performed in the Catholic Church. Be it that He was not happy, through His mercy, he blessed us with three children anyway. One we lost while I was at just 7 weeks pregnant, who was a twin to my youngest Chloe. It was through the children God blessed us with, I started remembering how important faith was and started back on the road to Him, after another brief diversion.
As it stands now, my husband & I have been living as brother and sister since my total conversion back to the Catholic Church, until the annulment is complete and a decision is reached. Our relationship is based completely on trust and faith in God. It is not a easy life and it is full of many difficulty’s but its the right thing to do in regards to “Obedience” to God. Its an understood “Chastity” between two people who understand God comes first. I thank God for placing him in my life to get my attention. We have already decided that if the outcome is not in our favor, we will continue to live in this way, as brother and sister, until our children are grown. Then I will dedicate my life to a religious order. If they will take me.
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Luke 12:34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Since moving to San Diego in 2002, and being able to blossom in my faith, now planted, rather then being kept as a bulb in a bag, waiting for my chance to grow, my faith in Christ has taken over my entire life. Growing is a very slow processes and we don’t always see the daily effects until after the flower has opened to view its beauty. When we do take the time, we learn how to cultivate it. Nurture it and prolong the growing for a bigger and richer harvest.
Last summer, I was grocery shopping and came across cut bunches of peony’s. They were so beautiful and I was taken back to my childhood, in my mothers garden and then again in my grandmothers garden back in the Midwest. Peony’s don’t grow where I live now so seeing them was such a delight that I HAD to have a couple of bunches. They were not cheep. I wanted them. The scent of them was so wonderful! I placed them in the cart and finished shopping. As I began to load the groceries into the car, I was overcome with the thought that I had to go to Adoration and pray before going home.
I finished loading up the truck and headed down the street, passing the turn for my home and headed straight to church. As I pulled into the lot, I didn’t want to go empty handed. The peony’s I had purchased, were right next to me. I smiled, thinking they ALL need to be here, and began to open the two bags containing the bunches, gathered each of them all up and brought them with me into Adoration for our Lord.
I placed them into a vase that was already in the room, in front of our Lord and smiled, knowing full well, He wanted me there and I came. I prayed only for a few moments, kissed the tabernacle and left our Lord with SO much peace. I couldn’t hold back my smile. As I was walking back to my truck, I thought of how I didn’t need the flowers. I needed that time with Him and was so grateful for it because nothing can fill that void in your soul, but Him. Not flowers, money, beauty nothing! With Him, you have everything. You only need Him.
I climbed back into my truck, smiling and at peace, and looked down to find laying across the seat, just one peony. I was moved to tears. I thanked our Lord for giving me one. It took my breath away. I cried the whole way home. I placed that one peony in a tiny vase and it brought me more joy then a thousand of them and still does to this very day.
Peg Pondering Again 