Walking the Camino - Bless me, Father, for I have Sinned...

If our Beloved Pontiff, Pope Francis, chooses to reconcile himself to God through the sacrament of reconcilliation,

how can we do less?

Walking the Camino - The Alpha and the Omega

Walking the Camino - His Unending Love

Walking the Camino - Thank you, Sister Mary Claudia

Today, as we walk this Lenten Camino, let us remember those who influenced us, in a particular way, as Catholics.  Then, let us thank God, and if we can, thank them, for their influence in our spiritual development.  Let us also remember to reverence the Holy Name of Jesus.

I’ll never forget Sister Mary Claudia. She was my first grade teacher at St. Mary’s.  She was a Sister of Charity from Cincinnati.  Sister Mary Claudia and her fellow sisters wore the full habit.  The sides of her face were encased in her wimple and veil.  How she could see us, I’ll never know, but she knew what we were going to do before we did it!  I remember that she was about 10 feet tall and did not put up with nonsense, at. all.  Once, she made me stay in from play during the lunch break for talking when we were supposed to be doing our arithmetic.  I didn’t dare tell my mother because I knew the kind of trouble I’d be in for disobeying Sister Mary Claudia!  She was amazing! We all knew better than to disobey Sister Mary Claudia!

I do have many fond memories of Sister.  Because of her, when I meet a nun or a priest, I cannot call them by a first name, but I must  address them as:  Sister or Father.  This was the respect for the priests and nuns that we learned from her.  Because of Sister Mary Claudia, my printing is still neat and legible, even though my cursive is very poor!  Because of Sister Mary Claudia, my head bows automatically at the name of Jesus.  She ingrained in us that His is a Sacred name and that with each Hail Mary, and anytime the name of Jesus was spoken at Mass or in prayer, we were to bow our heads.  She said that we were to set the example of those around us and bow our heads for all to see.  Sixty years after first grade ended, I am still being influenced by this Sister of Charity. 

Sister Mary Claudia, thank you!

"Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 
and every tongue should confess that 
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
 Philippians 2: 10-12

30 Words Thursday - Holy Water

"Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me."

Psalm 50: 3-4

Walking the Camino - Acts of Reparation for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary

We all do it, or have done it, through our sins we have offended the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  We have taken the name of Jesus in vain.  We have been indifferent to Him.  We have committed sins of pride and arrogance.  We have insulted our great God by thinking that we know better than He. We have heard others repeat blasphemies against Our Lord and His Mother and have said nothing.  We have returned His Unending Love with grievous hurts.  This is why we need to perform acts of reparation to both the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Acts of Reparation can be actions and/or prayers.  We can offer up a stomach ache in reparation for sins.  We can refuse to buy something we really want as reparation for sins.  We can fast anytime in reparation for sins committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  We can bite our tongues when we want to return hate filled words for the hate filled words that were directed at us.  We can be silent in the face of gossip directed at us.  All of these things, and more, can be offered up in reparation for the sins of mankind that so deeply hurt the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

We can pray.  The Rosary is a wonderful prayer to offer up in reparation for sins.  Say a rosary a day for this intention.  Our beautiful Church also offers us a plethora of prayers to be said in reparation.  Google is a wonderful tool for finding these prayers.

At Fatima, Our Lady, herself, gave us prayers of reparation to say as we offer up acts of reparation.

“Oh my Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Our Lady asked us to add this prayer of reparation  at the end of each decade of the Rosary.

Oh My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy.

This prayer, again given us by Our Lady, became known as the Pardon Prayer.  It is an act of reparation those who do not believe.

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee! I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.

The Angel of Portugal gave this prayer to the young visionaries of Fatima.

Most Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit- I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifferences whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.


When Jesus showed Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque His Sacred Heart, He said to her,

“Behold the Heart that has loved men so much that It has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify to them Its love. But in return I receive from the greater part of mankind only ingratitude, by reason of the contempt, irreverence, sacrilege, and coldness shown Me in this Sacrament of Love.”  Then, Jesus gave her this prayer.

Adorable Heart of Jesus, glowing with love for us and inflamed with zeal for our salvation. O Heart that understands the misery to which our sins have brought us, infinitely rich in mercy to heal the wounds of our souls, behold me humbly kneeling before You to express the sorrow that fills my heart for the coldness and indifference with which I have so long returned the numberless benefits which You have bestowed upon me.

With a deep sense of the outrages that have been heaped upon You by my sins and the sins of others, I wish to make reparation to Your most Sacred Majesty. It was our sins that filled Your Heart with bitterness; it was the weight of our guilt that pressed down Your face to the earth in the Garden of Olives and caused you to die in agony on the Cross. But now, repentant and sorrowful, I implore Your forgiveness.

Adorable Heart of Jesus, Source of true consolation and ever merciful to the penitent sinner, impart to our hearts the spirit of penance that we may be sincerely sorry for our sins. Pardon them, O Lord, in Your mercy, and let all who have sinned against You in the Sacrament of Your love be converted and return to You. Deliver us from our sins. And in order to repair the sins of ingratitude by which we have grieved Your most tender and loving Heart, may we love and honor You in the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar, where You are present to hear and grant our petitions and to be the food and life of our souls.

Merciful Jesus, be our Mediator with Your heavenly Father, whom we have so grievously offended. Help us to amend our ways. As Your Sacred Heart is our refuge and our hope when we have sinned, so let it be the strength and support of our repentance, and nothing in life or death shall ever separate us from You. Amen.

As you continue to walk this Camino, stop and offer acts of reparation and prayers of reparation for the sins and offenses committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Walk this Camino in prayer and sacrifice. 

Walking the Camino - Trust in God or Fake it 'Till You Make It

Life is out of our control.  We have no control over the weather.  We have no control over other drivers.  We have no control over what someone else will do to us.  We have no control over world leaders who threaten war.  We have no control over earthquakes.  We have no control over terrorists.  We have no control over illness.

Life happens, and it can be frightening.  Our anxieties rise.  We fall to our knees and pray and pray and pray hoping to  affect the outcome.  We bargain with God.  “If you do this for me, God, I’ll never miss Mass again.”  “If you give me the money I need, I’ll never use another credit card as long as I live.”  “If you make sure I keep my job, I will go back and find the car I hit and leave a note. I promise to pay for the damages.”  We do things we would not normally do as we are battered by the storm of fear. 

We say novenas that require us to publish the novena in the newspaper or leave copies of it in church for others to see. We loose sleep.  We miss meals.  We snap at our families and coworkers.  We eat too much.  We drink too much.  We self medicate.  We become so self involved that we fall into a box of fear that even prayer cannot release.  We forget that fear and anxiety are not gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Fear opposes peace in our souls.  Anxiety prevents trust in God. 

Real control begins by turning everything over to God, even if we are still afraid, even if we do not trust that God really does know what’s best for us and those we love. 

Think of Abraham, when the Lord commanded, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.”  Genesis 22:2   Although stunned by what God was asking of him, Abraham set out on this journey to sacrifice his only son to God knowing that he would return alone.  In the end, God pleased by Abraham’s trust and obedience, stopped the sacrifice of Issac and provided a ram for the sacrificial offering. 

Not every ending to a storm will be a happy ending.  Our loved ones die.  We loose our homes.  Our lives are destroyed by a tornado that devastates a town.  Children die from cancer.  We feel pain.  We feel devastation  We doubt and wonder why.  These reactions are normal.  This is when we need to trust that God, as in the case of Abraham, does know what He’s doing and that He is working in our lives to bring us closer to Him. 

So, how do you begin to trust in God when you are fearful and full of anxiety?  You fake it ‘till you make it.  Even if your emotions pull you the other way, you begin to learn to trust in God by saying, “Jesus, I trust in You.  Take care of this for me.”  You retrain your thinking so that every time you gasp in fear, you say, “Jesus, I trust in You.”  Jesus loves to hear this, and He knows what’s in our hearts whether it’s love or fear.  He knows where you are, and He appreciates these acts of faith, even if you are in a full blown panic attack.  He will give you the strength to bear it.  He might not give you the outcome you would like, but He knows that you are working to trust Him in His goodness and mercy to know what is best for you and for your loved ones.  He is filling you with graces so that you will draw nearer to Him. 

Jesus did His Father’s Will knowing that He would die a painful death on a cross, a death reserved for the lowest of the low.  He knew that in giving His all for us, we would be saved.  He knew and He trusted His Father.   Jesus asked that His cup pass, the Father withdrew,  and Jesus accepted His Father’s Will.  Jesus left the garden to face His destiny. 

Mother Theresa, in her bleakest moments, would say, “Jesus, I trust in Your tender love for me.”

Jesus, Sweet Jesus, I trust in You.  Take care of this for me.  Our journey begins.  Trust.  Peace. 

Jesus, I trust in You.  Take care of this for me. 

Walking the Camino - Almsgiving Through Service at Church

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”
Matthew 9: 37
Take a quiz:

The phone rings.  Caller ID shows that someone from Church is calling you.  What do you do?

a) Think of an excuse quickly because you know that they are looking for volunteers.

b) Realize that because you are not going to tell the truth you will have to go to confession, and since it’s Lent you will have to go to confession anyway, if you have time, so that’s okay, but you don’t have time.

c) You don’t answer the phone and let it go to voice mail because you don’t have time to help out at church.  (Whew!  You don’t have to lie because you didn’t answer the phone.)

d) Answer the phone, but you do feel guilty because you don’t want to help out, I mean don’t have time.

e) You answer the phone and politely say “No” to the appeal for help.

f) You answer the phone and agree to help.


Almsgiving is not only the sharing of our physical wealth, but it also involves giving of ourselves, through service, to others in the area where we live and in our church community. 

We are all given unique gifts or charisms by the Holy Spirit.  The gifts are ours to use for ourselves, but they are also meant to be used in service to others.  Charisms can range from celibacy to hospitality to intercessory prayer.  Volunteering in your church community is a magnificent way to use these God given charisms.  Do you make time to use your gifts, even in a small way, in service to your church?

Not everyone can sing in the choir or cantor at Mass, but have you considered the bell choir?   Have you thought about becoming a lector at Mass?   Again, this isn’t a gift for everyone, but have you considered becoming a sacristan?  Would you be more open to helping out in a single event when you are called by the church secretary knowing she really does need your help?  Is there a way to involve your entire family and volunteer at church?  How about asking to be called for the prayer chain at church.  You can involve your entire family in intercessory prayer.

When you open your heart to the Holy Spirit, His abundant graces flow from Him to you, and He fills you with His love. Use your gifts whether you volunteer to help serve at a soup supper or make a few phone calls recruiting volunteers for an activity at Church. Open yourself  to His Unending Love.  God will never be outdone.  Choose an activity.  Give of your time.  You will be blessed. 

Service may be the hardest part of walking this Camino, but as you walk and give of your time and talents, you live the gospel and evangelize.  St. Francis of Assisi said, “ Preach the Gospel at all times.  When necessary, use words.”  Follow this example of almsgiving.  Volunteer at church.  Your help is needed and appreciated.

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
Amen.

Walking the Camino with Pope Francis - Confession

Walking the Camino - Learn from the Prophet - Isaiah 54:10

Walking the Camino - Offer it Up

Are you familiar with the term, “Offer it up?”  I am.  As a kid, I skinned my knees frequently, and my mother would say to me, “Offer it up.”  So, I would.  I remember feeling down in the dumps one day, and I read an article.  It said something to the effect of “offer it up.” 

How do you offer something up?

It is very easy to offer something to God.  When you are sad, when you have hurt yourself, when you suffer great sorrows, when you rejoice in a simple act of joy, say to the Lord,
 
“My dearest Lord, I offer this ________________ (event) up to you.” 

That’s all you need to do. It’s very simple. 


What does it mean to offer it up?

To offer something to God, means that  we unite ourselves, our wills, and our lives to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  The decision to “offer it up,” whether a joy or sorrow, Is an act of Faith.  This act of faith joins our joys and sorrows to God’s Will. 

We can offer our sufferings and joys up with a specific intention in mind, or we can offer it up into Jesus’s loving hands knowing that He will use this gift to help bring about His Holy Will.  What is God’s Will?  God’s Will is Love. 

Can we offer everything up to God?

Yes!  We do not have to limit this sacrificial act to one thing.  We can turn our entire day into a prayer by which we offer everything to Him.  The Morning Offering is an invaluable way to begin our day. 

Morning Offering

O My Jesus,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You all of my prayers, works,
joys and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions
of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world,
in reparation for sins,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends,
and in particular
for the intentions of the Holy Father.

Amen.

30 Words - Walking the Camino with St. Joseph

Dearest St. Joseph,

My heart is at your feet.

Hear my prayer, Dearest Guardian of the Virgin and Child,

My prayer, 

Sweet Silent Joseph,

The Prayer that I bring you.

Walking the Camino - Invite St. Joseph to walk along with you!

Walking the Camino
Honoring our Saints

Saint Joseph
Patron Saint of Everything!

We know very little about this man who was the earthly father to Jesus of Nazareth and the husband to Mary, the Mother of God.  However, the few things we do know about Joseph, the Patron of the Universal Church, are important. 

Joseph was of the house of David, from which it had been prophesied, that the Messiah would come. 

Matthew 1:19 says that Joseph was “a righteous man.”  Would God have picked any one other than a righteous man to raise His Son on earth?  No, so God the Father chose Joseph to be the father of His Son and the wife of the Mother of God. 

When Joseph found out that Mary was with child, Joseph knowing the child was not his, planned to divorce Mary, but out of the kindness of heart would not expose her to public disgrace.  Then, he had a dream…

“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.  But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  Matthew 1:18-21

We know that after Jesus was born, when His Parents took Him to the temple to be circumcised, the fee for this act was a small one, 2 turtle doves, the fee paid by the poor.  Joseph was not a rich man. 

Joseph raised the Son of God teaching Him the ways and religion of His people.  Joseph taught the Father’s Son the trade of carpentry.  In his life before Jesus began His mission, Jesus practiced that trade to support He and His Mother after Joseph died.

We assume that Joseph died in the arms of Mary and Jesus.  Other than that, we do not know much.

Today, Joseph is known as the patron of the Universal Church.  He is also the patron saint of a happy death, fathers, husbands, workers, employment, homes, and housing.  He is renowned as a terror to demons.  He can do just about anything!  Wednesdays are the days of the week chosen to honor St. Joseph.  His feast day is March 19.  If you need something ask for his intercession as we walk this Camino Del Rey. 

Walking the Camino - Six Easy Ways to Resist Temptation

As sinners, we are all tempted before we sin.  The problem is there is not way to prevent being tempted.  It is the way it is.  However, when temptation strikes, there are ways to help us resist satan’s temptations.

Step 1. When temptations come:  Pause.  Whether the temptation is to anger or sex, simply pause. 

Step 2: Think about the temptation.   Is what you are contemplating or reacting to sinful?

Step 3: Ask your self, what would God want you to do?  Would he want you to yell an obscenity at the other driver?  Would God want you to lust after another person? 

Step 4: Ask the Holy Spirit for the graces to resist the temptation.

Step 5: Say:  Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with you.  Blessed are you among women, and Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

Step 6:  If necessary, skip steps 1-4 and go directly to step 5.  Use step 5 as often as you need to during the day.  If you’re like me, you will use Step 5 a lot each day!

Walking the Camino - Praying for the Dead

Purgatory.  A gift from God so that we might be with Him for all eternity. 

In this Camino, let us remember all who have died  and seek to relieve their pain, for their sufferings are great, even though they have achieved salvation. 

As we continue to walk this Camino, let us pray daily for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

(Article 12, Section III, 1030-31 Defines Purgatory as a place of purification  for those who have achieved salvation, but who have not yet achieved the degree of holiness they need to enter heaven.)

Upon death, the soul of the deceased person, which will live eternally, is judged by God.  A soul is  either  sent to heaven, hell, or purgatory.  Souls who are cleansed and united with God, enter heaven.  Souls who have rejected God and have refused to repent of their sins are condemned to hell.  Souls who have died in the state of grace, but who have not had all of their sins expiated, are sent to purgatory. 

After death, a soul is no longer able to help itself.  A soul can pray for others, but it cannot pray for itself.  When a soul enters purgatory for the final purgation, a soul can only hope for the prayers of those left behind to ease their sufferings.  Although joyful in the knowledge that they have been saved and will enter heaven when their time of purgation is over, a soul in purgatory suffers greatly for those sins that have not been expiated. 

Padre Pio said: The souls in Purgatory pray for us, and their prayers are even more effective than ours, because they are accompanied by their suffering.  So, let's pray for them, and let's pray them to pray for us."
Do we know who goes to heaven, hell, or purgatory? 

No, we don’t, unless officially canonized by the Catholic Church, only God knows. 

If we do not know where a soul goes upon death, for whom should we pray?
We should pray for every deceased person whether we knew them or not.

Are there any prayers we should say for the Holy Souls?
There are many ways and prayers to pray for the Holy Souls.  Here are some suggestions.

The St. Gertrude Prayer is said to release 1,000 souls from Purgatory, each time that it is prayed.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Another good prayer.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; And let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen
What else can we do for the Holy Souls?
We can have Masses offered for the souls of the deceased.

Masses are important for both the living and the dead.


We can pray Rosaries for the deceased.
Padre Pio said: ”The souls in Purgatory repay the prayers that we say for them."

 Aside from prayer, is there anything else we can do for the souls in Purgatory?
We can offer our works of charity and our sufferings for them. 

Increase your prayer time.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory daily as we walk this Camino Del Rey.

Walking the Camino - Pope Francis on Learning From Christ

Walking the Camino - Almsgiving - Pope Francis

Let us walk this Camino Del Rey remembering what our 

Beloved Pope Francis has said.  

(Almsgiving)

Walking the Camino - Listen to Jesus as He Teaches Us How to Pray

 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others.  Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.   

But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Matthew 6: 5-8 

Invite Jesus to walk this Camino with you.  Go into your room.  Shut the door and pray to The Father in secret.  Use this time and place to grow closer to the Most Holy Trinity as you pray.  Walk this Camino and become the person God intended you to be!  Stop.  Listen.  God speaks to you in silence.  Stop.  Pray.  God loves the ripples of silence when you pray.  

At times, this Camino is difficult.  Stay the course, and may God be with us.

 

Walking the Camino - 30 Words - Looking at things differently

From the loft,

the view has changed.

As we walk this Camino,

let us look at those around us differently.

Use eyes of love and peace

As our Jesus does.

Walking the Camino - Choosing How to React

This weekend the "arteeest" in me came to the forefront.  Knowing full well there would be reactions,  I dyed my hair pink.  After all, pink is my favorite color!

Yesterday morning, at Mass, my hair was a lovely salt and pepper color.  Nothing was extraordinary or different.

When I attended the Stations of the Cross, our soup supper, and the Novena of Grace, that evening, my hair was pink. 

I looked around.  Some people avoided me.  Others avoided looking at my hair when they talked with me.  (They were surprised.)  I finally told one young priest, "It's okay to look at my hair.  It's pink."  He laughed with me. 
One member of the parish came to me and said, "You did it!  I love it!"  Another person asked me if I knew how old I was.  Several laughed behind my back.  Truthfully, most people were surprised and did not know how to address this change. 

I knew there would be reactions.  (Our parish is very conservative.  Pink hair is not the norm.) I still chose to color my hair pink.  Without realizing it, everyone with whom I came in contact, chose their reaction.  There were those who were making fun of my hair behind my back.  There were those who wondered if I knew how to act my age.  There were those who would come to me after the fact to tell me that others were making fun of me or laughing at me.  There were those who were shocked, but honest.  There were those few who smiled and said, "Way to go!"  Each one of us makes a choice in the way react when we are confronted with the "different."

Ironically, God gave me a pop quiz at a recent dinner engagement.  I was assigned a table where I was very uncomfortable.  I could hardly wait to leave.  This is where I learned an important lesson and made a count of my sins.  The lesson:  We choose how we will react.  Our reactions are either sources of grace or sin. 

 I sat down with 5 children of God.  I really didn't like any of them.  I thought they were, well, weird.  I made judgments about each of them.  (Are you counting my sins here?)  I ate as quickly as I could, so that I could leave.  I interacted, but I kept my eyes on my food, and excused myself.  I made choices here, too.  I chose to react as many did to my pink hair. 

I was unkind.  I was judgmental.  I was harsh.  I was unloving.  I rejected other children of God.  (I think I need to go to confession, again, very soon!)
   
Ouch!

Lord, Jesus, 
I'm sorry for having offended you in my reactions to those who should have been a source of grace for me.  You would not have rejected any of them, as I did.  I beg Your forgiveness, and I ask You to bless these people whom I rejected.  I also ask that you bless all of those people who reacted to my pink hair whether positively or negatively.  Thank you for teaching me the lessons I needed to learn about love and kindness.  I ask You to give me the strength to accept all of Your children, especially those whom I would reject but for love of You.  
Amen.

As we walk this Camino Del Rey (Walk of the King), let us stop to think before we react.   Let us  pray for those whom we might reject.  Do you see that young person with black fingernail polish and her hair spiked?  Would Jesus reject her?  What about that person who smells?  Would Jesus reject him?     These souls are all chances for us to grow in grace.  Jesus saved all of His children, not a select few.

Walk this Camino and open your hearts to the Love of God.  Seek out those who might be rejected by others.  Pray for them.  Make them the object of your prayers.  Give to the poor and don't expect to be paid back.  Love all of God's children.  The Camino is not meant to be an easy trek through the desert.  The Camino is meant to be difficult.  Interacting with God's children is not always easy.  Walk the Camino bravely.  Love God!  Love His Children. 

Walking the Camino - Gratitude

When I took this screen shot, I was so grateful.

I walked outside without my coat. 
I could feel the warm air flowing on my skin.
I could hear the birds chirping for joy.
I could see the snow melting into puddles.
I could taste the sweet, warm air on my tongue.
I could touch the cold trees and know that soon, they will be green and full of leaves.

Gratitude?  Really?
Yes, really.  When you live in Minnesota, you expect cold winters.  This winter has exceeded our expectations.
IT. WAS. COLD!

Thank you, Lord!  We made it through the winter!


For what are you grateful today?  For what were you grateful yesterday?
Studies show that people who live in a state of gratitude are happier people.  

As we walk the Camino Del Rey, let us learn to appreciate and be thankful for all of God's blessings, even the ones hidden in life that we would rather not experience!

Praise God!  We are alive! 

When it's cold outside, 
Thank You, Lord, because, eventually, spring will come.

When life is wonderful, 
Thank You, Lord, because we love this time without storms.

When life, at best, is difficult, 
Thank You, Lord, because we know that You are at our side.

Glory to God in the Highest!
Praised be God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!

Walking the Camino: Reading Sacred Scripture

What is your favorite scriptural verse?

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is a favorite for weddings.

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.”
I love this one:

Matthew 16:15-16

Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ,  the Son of the living God.”

When was the last time you read Sacred Scripture?  Not sure where to find Sacred Scripture?  The best place is, of course, the Holy Bible.  Where is your Bible?  I have several Bibles in my house, but you only need one.  If you don’t own a Bible, this would be a good time to purchase a Bible and give it a place of honor in your home.  Leave it out for all to see.  Gather your family and read Sacred Scripture each day.  Choose a verse that inspires you and discuss that verse together.

As we walk the Camino Del Rey, let us open our Bibles  and begin to read.  Learn more about Jesus through these writings inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Read and open your heart to Him.  Learn about the Love of God in Sacred Scripture. 

As we walk this Camino decide to read Sacred Scripture for 15 minutes each day.  Begin with a simple prayer to the Holy Spirit:

“Come, Holy Spirit.  Open my heart to your whisperings.  Lead me in love and joy as we see Your Love poured out on mankind in Sacred Scripture.  Thank you.  Amen”

End your readings with a prayer.

“Thank You, Holy Spirit.  Thank You for this time of joy in reading of My Lord and My God.  Praise to You, Holy Spirit.  Amen.”

A Camino is not an easy journey.  This week, let us challenge ourselves to grow closer to God through Love, Prayer, Fasting, Alms giving, Reading Sacred Scripture and Works of Charity. 

Walking the Camino Del Rey - Almsgiving

Do you notice what Sacred Scripture says about 

almsgiving?

It's not just giving money.

It's performing acts of kindness and justice for those around us.

Today,

as you walk the Camino Del Rey,

perform an act of kindness without anyone knowing it was you.

You've heard of

Random Acts of Kindness.

Same thing.

You're free to perform more than one act of kindness.

Always remember,

Through this Camino Del Rey,

we are growing closer to God.

Walking the Camino - Penance

As we walk the Camino Del Rey,

let us repent of our sins,

confess in the 

Sacrament of Reconcilliation,

and grow closer to God.

Walking the Camino - Grow Closer to God in Prayer

Where's your Rosary? 

Do you know? 

Do you own one? 

If you don't own a Rosary,
I strongly suggest you buy one or find one that might be freely given  by those who love this prayer.

 (Many churches have free rosaries available for anyone who wants one.)

Do you know how to pray a rosary.  If you don't remember, click HERE.  It's easy to pray the Rosary, and it only takes 20 minutes.  If you don't think you have 20 minutes to spare, and you might not, say one decade of the rosary as you walk your Camino Del Rey. 

Penance, Fasting, Prayer, and Alms giving.

Walk the Camino Del Rey and grow closer to God this Lent!

30 Words -Walking the Camino Del Rey as we Remember the Way of the Cross

 I walk where Your feet have been.

I stumble and see You reaching down to help me up.

Covered in blood and beaten,

You reach down to help me up.

Ash Wednesday - the Beginning of the Camino Del Rey

The walk of our King to Calvary begins today.   Will you join me in the Camino del Rey?  (Walk of the King.)  Each day as we walk this journey to the Cross, we strive to grow closer to God.  We walk the path that Jesus walked.  We grow closer to Him through prayer, fasting, and alms giving.  We seek Him in our joys, pain, and sorrows.  We strive to keep Him in our sight through each moment in life.  Let us walk the Camino with Jesus.  Let us open our hearts and walk in joy towards the cross.

Meditation:
Let us begin our Camino by holding a crucifix in our hands.  See Our Jesus as he hangs bleeding, naked, and cold on His Cross, held only by nails driven into His Hands and Feet. See the cross which He embraces, this instrument of torture and disgrace, which is the sign of our salvation.  Remember that He, who is the King of Kings, lowered Himself and willingly accepted all sufferings for the redemption of sin.  He, who is Love embodied, loved His His sisters and brothers, so much that He willingly and full of love, accepted His Father’s Will that He be tormented, tortured, and killed by those whom He came to save.  He who was the fulfillment of the covenant the Father made with the chosen people, gave His life that all might live eternally with Him in heaven. 

Stand at the cross and remember His Love for us.  Touch His cold feet and feel His Sacred, warm blood flow from them.  See His Mother standing by the cross.  Reach out to her, for she has walked her Camino with her Son, and ask her for help to grow closer to Jesus.  She will never refuse this prayer.  Ask our Mother to learn to trust in God’s Will.  Ask Mother Mary to hold you close in her arms.  

Rest in the gift of love which is the crucifix.  Hold the crucifix close to your heart.  Tell Jesus you love Him.  Thank Him for all He endured.  Ask Him to walk with you as you walk your Camino. 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!
We adore You, oh Christ, and we praise You,
Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Ash Wednesday Requirements - Get Ready! The Season of Lent Begins tomorrow!

Tomorrow, the season of Lent begins.  As we immerse ourselves into this season, we walk the way of the Cross with Jesus.  As with other Holy Seasons, our Church asks us to follow some simple rules to grow closer to God. 

What are the requirements of Lent?
What are the requirements for Ash Wednesday?

1) Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

2) Catholics age 14 and older are required to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays during the season of Lent.

That's not hard, so be ready. 

Here's a link to American Catholic. org.  The article explains the requirements and the reasons for the requirements of Lent.  It's not a long article, so be sure to read it to the end.

Click

HERE

to ready it.

Acceptance

I recently read an article about a young couple whose  young son had been diagnosed with a life threatening, degenerative disease.  As his parents prayed for his healing, a priest advised them not to pray for healing.  He suggested that they pray for acceptance first.  He counseled the young couple that if healing was God’s Will for their son, then the healing would happen.  However, by praying for acceptance, they would find peace. 

Acceptance leads to peace.  Peace leads to surrender.  Surrender leads to Trust.  Trust leads to being immersed in God’s Holy Will which is Love.

Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

        --Reinhold Niebuhr

 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3: 5-6

Acceptance
Peace
Surrender
Trust
Love

That’s Where I Want to Be!

Pope Francis - Peace

Peace - John 16:33