Ending the Week with Thanksgiving and Praise

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

 

 

 

1) It's the first cherry tomato on the plant.  Soon.  Soon.  It will be spring!

2) I'm feeling better now.  The nerve ablation seems to be working!  That is really a relief!

3) The new tomato plants are non GMO and organic.  Isn't that amazing!

 

 

 

 

Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow.

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above the Heavenly Host.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!!!

Guardian Angels, Another Source of Grace from God

They are our loving protectors.

Every person ever born or that will be born has a guardian angel.

Each angel is assigned to a person for their life time, even a baby who is aborted has a guardian angel.

Imagine the sadness of that angel who sees the life of their charge ended before the baby has been born.

Our angels are with us throughout our lives.  They influence us in many ways, including using our imaginations to bring us closer to God.  They remind us that God is near.  They remind us that God loves us.  They remind us that God is God, and that He has our backs.

The guardian angel is a gift from God.  The angel brings us graces that will help bring about our salvation.

We, of course, because we have been given the gift of free will,

can reject these graces.  However, that does not discourage our guardian angels from doing their jobs or protection, influence and loving their charges.   Angels are a dogma of the church.  They are part of the truth of God.  It is in our best interests to have a devotion to our angel, to pray to them for strength and courage, and to use them to go before the throne of God and offer to Him our prayers, good works, and sacrifices.

Our angels are given to us freely from God.  If, when we die, we are challenged by evil, our angels are with us to help us and strengthen us.  If we are judged worthy of Purgatory, our angels are with us encouraging us, praying for us, and being an intermediary between God and man.

So, knowing this, how's your guardian angel these days?

From my experience, I think my angel has a severe headache on some days.  

My angel must be exhausted and often wonders why God assigned him to me.

I hope he has a sense of humor.

I know that angels are pure spirits and most likely are neither male nor female.  I simply refer to mine as male.  My angel does not have a name that I have given him.  I can only assume that God has named my angel, but that I will not know his name until I die.  The angel is a superior being to mankind.  It is a sign of great disrespect to the angel to assign it a name. So, I do not do that.

I don't feel that I pray enough to my angel.  I think this is something I need to do more frequently and regularly.  God has given this gift to me, and I need to use my angel as often as possible.

I have sent my angel, even as a teen, when Padre Pio was alive, to him.  I will do that now when I feel I need to get the attention of this great saint.  I usually do get his attention then.  I will also send my angel to my children's angels and ask him to tell them I love them and to give them a hug and kiss from me, which I assume is a peaceful blessing.  I don't know that my angel can do this, but I think it's worth a try.  I also pray to my children's guardian angels asking them to protect my children and guide them in the ways of God.

Angels are remarkable creatures.  They are not the new age creatures that are often so popular now.

God gave us angels out of His love for us.  I'll grant you that they are from the lowest class of angels, but if an angel can guard and protect you, think of what the upper classes of angels can do.

I once asked Father O. if each Catholic Church had it's own guardian angel, and he told me that they did, so I pray to the guardian angel of our parish.  I also pray to the guardian angel of our town, of our county, of our state, and of our country.  I have also prayed to the guardian angels of other countries, particularly those countries whose leaders seek to harm us.  

We can also pray to the guardian angels of those people who seek to harm us.  Right now, the guardian angels of both North Korea and it's leaders come to mind.  We also need to pray to the guardian angels of people who are engaged in evil,  such as isis.  They need our prayers desperately.

We can keep our guardian angels busy.  They will love it because they are always in the sight of the Beatific Vision of God and they seek only to do His Will.

Be grateful to God, on a daily basis, for this spirit who guards us from evil.  There is a spiritual world which we can't see where there is a great battle for souls daily, and this battle is never ending.

St. Michael the Archangel is one of the angels involved in this war for souls.

Pray to him for your children.  

Pray to him for your soul, too.

He will help and protect you along with your guardian angel.

Say this prayer daily:

St Michael, the arch angel, defend us in battle  Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.  May God rebuke Him we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell satan and all of the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.  Amen.

(I add)

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

Amen. 

Worth Repeating: You Have to Laugh, God Endowed us with the Gift of Joy, too!

Notice anything different?

I decided to have a little fun.

It was fun to wear the red nose.

I smiled.

People smiled.

There was a little more joy in the world 

because of a silly red nose.

The wine didn't hurt either!

Jesus laughed.

Even though most depictions of Him do not show Him laughing,

I posit that people would not have been attracted to Him if they could not feel His joy.

He went to parties.

He had fun.

That's part of being human,

and,

it's okay to laugh at the appropriate times.

Sometimes, we can't help but laugh at inappropriate times.

I used to get in trouble, as a kid, for laughing in Church.

I had my ear pulled many times for laughing, 

but,

the problem was that when I got in trouble for laughing,

I would only laugh more

resulting in expulsion from the front of the Church to the back of the Church, and

walking the 

walk of shame to the last pew.

Often times, that was not enough to squash the laughter.

Yes, there's more.

A phone call home, well, that stopped the laughter for a bit.

I wonder if Jesus laughed in the synagogue?

I'm sure His joy overflowed onto the congregation.

I think for someone to feel joy,

you have to be receptive to that joy,

then you have to pass on that joy to others.

Dearest Lord,

Fill me with Your Joy.

Help me Always to remember that You are God.

Help me to remember that You were filled with joy.

Help me to remember that YOU ARE JOY! 

Tempt me with Your Joy.

Make me a joyous person so that I may share a little of Your love and joy with others.

Amen!

Is it better to say, "Never Forget," or "Always Remember" the Holy Souls in Purgatory?

I don't think it matters which phrase you use, 

what matters is that you pray for the 

Holy Souls in Purgatory

every single day.

You don't know, but you might have 

family

and

friends 

who are still in Purgatory,

people whom you think might have already exited this gift from God

and are still suffering.

They will be most grateful for your prayers.

Forgotten souls.

Abandoned souls.

The souls of our non-Catholic

sisters and brothers.

These people might have no one to pray for them.   

The souls can do nothing for themselves.

They are completely dependent on our Merciful Prayers for them.

They cannot pray for themselves, although they can pray for others.

They cannot hasten their own exist from Purgatory,

they can pray for their families, their friends, the other souls in Purgatory.

Visionaries who have seen Purgatory have said that there are souls from all parts of history.

Praying for your family tree is a blessing for them.

Praying for the souls who died today brings them abundant graces.

Praying for the souls of those we consider evil,

remember, we don't know.

We have been told that we will be surprised at the people we meet in heaven.

Pray for the famous people who have died.

Many of them are forgotten because their fame was on earth.

Have you prayed for Prince yet?

Pray for the souls of the deceased Popes, Cardinals, Bishops, priests and deacons.

The visionaries who have seen them in Purgatory say that the clergy suffers greatly.

 

Then, remember this.

One of the most important souls you can pray for is:

Y.O.U.

There is no time in eternity.  Padre Pio used to pray that his grandparents would have the grace of a holy death, after they had died. 

It's never too late.

Put your guardian angel to work.

Send your angel to the throne of God asking God to ease the sufferings of the souls

Have masses said for the Souls in Purgatory.

Pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy daily for the souls.

Pray the St. Gertrude prayer daily, make a novena for it, daily by praying this prayer 9 times in a day.

This prayer is said to release 1000 souls each time it is prayed.

Offer your sufferings for the souls.

Offer your good deeds for the souls.

Offer anytime of prayer for the souls.

Be aware.  You will have powerful intercessors who are so grateful for your prayers.

Eternal Father, I offer You the most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with all of the Masses said throughout the world, in reparation for sins, for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those within my own home and within my family.  Amen.

(I add)

All praise and honor be to the Precious Blood of Jesus, for it wrought our salvation and our redemption

Amen.  

Ending the Week in Thanksgiving and Praise

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

 

1) The one red tulip that grows in my garden bloomed yesterday.  The coincidence was that it was my late husband's birthday!

2) White Merlot is a delicious wine!

3) Time to make more beads!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow.

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above the Heavenly Host.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!!!

Why Did God Make You?

Do you remember the answer to that question as found in the old Baltimore Catechism?

This might not be the exact wording, but this is what I remember reciting to Sister Mary Claudia in first grade.

"God made me to know Him, to love Him,  and to serve Him in this world and in the next."

Father R. expanded on this in one of his homily's.  Father reminded us that one of our purposes in life is to worship God, not because God needs our worship or praise, but because we need to connect with God and acknowledge Him as our Creator and God.

One of the best ways to worship God is in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because God, in the person of Jesus, the second person of the divine Trinity, is the center of the Mass.  

"Through Him, With Him, and in Him"

is the Mass based.  

Through Sacred Scripture in the readings, we hear the Word of God.

Jesus also speaks to us through the prayers the priest prays.

The Mass should remind us that God is King.

There is no other like Him.

He teaches us His ways in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 

We worship and adore Him.

We stand.  We sit.  We kneel.

We do all this in honor of our God.

God saves us from our sins.

He redeems us.  He sanctifies us.  He purifies our souls.

There can be none like Him.

Through the priest, the sacrifice of Calvary is reenacted, 

and 

through the priest's consecrated hands, the bread and wine offered at the Mass is changed into the 

Body and Blood of Jesus.

The term is transubstantiation.

From the priest's hands we receive the Eucharist, God's gift to mankind.

Holy!  Holy! Holy Lord!

God of all Creation!

Heaven and Earth are Full of Your Glory!

Hosanna in the Highest!

Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the Highest!

"God made me to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him in this world and in the next."

Amen.  Allelujia!

Worth Repeating: Living in the Moment

Animals live in the moment.   When they are hungry, they eat.  When they are thirsty, they drink.  When they are sleepy, they sleep.  They don't worry about what is to come next.  They simply live, and by living, do God's Will.

 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"
Matthew 6: 25-26

Thoughts on Mary, Our Lady, the Mother of God, A gift to us

  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.”  Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

John 19: 26-27


Jesus not only gave John the blessing of taking care of His Mother, but Jesus gave humanity His Mother. 
He also gave His Church the gift of His Mother.
His new Church honored and loved her.

Through the years, Mary has appeared to give guidance and counsel to her children. 

“Listen and let it penetrate your heart…do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain.  Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?” (Our Lady’s words to her servant Juan Diego.)

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.

“Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.”
Saint Padre Pio 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of God.

Oh, My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell.  Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of they mercy.
Taught to the visionaries of Fatima to pray between the mysteries of the rosary.

Mother of God,
Star of the Sea,
Pray for your children.
Pray for me.

"Before, by yourself, you couldn't. Now, you've turned to our Lady, and with her, how easy!" --St. Josemaria Escriva

Do not be afraid to ask the Mother of God to intercede for you.  She will.  She prays for her children everyday before the throne of God.  She will help you.  Jesus cannot say no to His Mother.


"If you ever feel distressed during your day — call upon our Lady — just say this simple prayer: 'Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.' I must admit — this prayer has never failed me."
--Blessed Mother Teresa  

Mama Mary loves her children.  She will give you the courage and strength you need.

We are the Church which honors and esteems Mary.
We are blessed to have her call us her children.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Amen!
 

Prayer Intentions for the Week

1) Today is the Feast of the Good Shepherd.  Let us pray for the Holy Fathers, Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict that they might continue to lead their flocks with love and mercy.

2) Let us pray for all priests.

3) Let us pray for all seminarians.

4) Let us pray for all those discerning a religious vocation.

5) Let us pray for women who serve as nuns or in the consecrated life.

6) Let us pray for all men who do not serve as priests, but who serve as men consecrated to God.

7) Let us pray for all married couples that they might place God first in their marriages and remember their vocation is also sacred.

8) Let us pray for all widows and widowers that they might grow closer to Jesus in their vocation in life.

9) Let us pray for all those seeking a spouse that God might lead them to the person who will become their husband or wife, and that this marriage will be open to children.

10) Let us pray for all single people, that they might grow closer to God in their vocation of the single life.

11) Let us pray for our country, that we might again be tolerant of religious freedom.

12) Let us pray for our President and our leaders that they might seek the common good.

13) Let us pray for all of our political candidates that they might bring God into their lives and political careers.

14) Let us pray for our world leaders, especially the leaders of Russia and North Korea that they might seek peace instead of war.

15) Let us pray to the guardian angel of the United States for the protection of our country and the conversion of it's people so that we might again be a Nation Under God.

15) Let us pray to our guardian angels that they might bring us closer to God.

16) Let us pray for all those who seek to convert the infidel through the use of violence that they themselves might be converted.

17) Let us pray for all children that they might have the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter, and clothing.

18) Let us pray for all parents, that they might seek God's help in raising their children.

19) Let pray for the intercession of three saints in our lives to help us grow closer to God.

20) Let us pray for the gift of humility.

My Legend of the Daffodil

Yes, I'm writing my own legend of this beautiful flower.

When the world was newly created, and before God created man,

the angels flew around the earth 

praising God for the beauty they saw in His creations.

They saw the night and the day.

They saw the orbs in the sky.

They saw the animals and plants.

They saw all the colors that God gave to the earth.

They praised God and thanked Him for this gift.

God smiled because He knew His work was good.

He rested on the 7th day.

During this time,

God played on the earth with its creatures and plants.  As He did, He saw what might have been a mistake.  He saw beets, olives, and the liver  His creations would eat.  He also saw a little girl thousands of years in the future who, when told to clean her plate, dramatically fell to the floor, gagging and choking because she knew that beets, olives, and liver,

which were all on her plate,

were a mistake that God made.

God smiled at the drama queen who would be born many, many years later, but He didn't feel that these foods were a mistake.  He knew they were nutritious and that many other people would not feel the same way, so He allowed these foods to be on earth.

He also knew that this little gift from God to her parents would be sent to her room without eating most of her dinner, and, above all, not being given any desert that night.

He knew she was being disobedient, and God would deal with that when she died many, many years after her birth, but He also wanted to send her a consolation, a small sign of His love

because for many years in the future, this little girl would become a woman and honestly believe that God did not love her.

God wanted her to have a reminder of His Love, even when she didn't believe it was true.

So, on the 8th day, in the silence and in the dawn of the new day, God created one more plant.

God made that plant a bulb from which would spring life.

God knew that one day the girl, grown into an adult woman, would remember the daffodils that grew 

outside of her childhood home, and she would realize that 

God. Really. Did. Love. Her!

The angels smiled at the new plant.

Adam found this new plant in the garden and named it 

Daffodil.

Then, that night, before she went to sleep,

the drama queen of her home heard the door open.

In crept her mother with a small sandwich.

There were no beets, olives or liver in the sandwich.

The girl was hungry, and she ate it quickly.

Her mother whispered, "Remember, God made beets, olives and liver, too."

After her mother left the room, the door opened again.

It was her grandmother with a small piece of leftover cherry pie.

The drama queen at it like there was no other pie in the world.

Her grandmother smiled and whispered,

"Look outside the window."

The child did.  She saw the flowers beginning to open.

"God made the flowers, too."

The little gift of God smiled and went to sleep.

Early, the next morning, the child's guardian angel woke her up very early.

The sun was just rising, and there was enough light to see the flowers.

Of course, the little girl did not see her guardian angel, but she heard the whispering in her dreams.

When the drama queen pushed her curtains aside, she saw a patch of gold.

The flowers had all opened up!  All of them!

She smiled and said to no one,

"God really does love me!
because she had felt so badly the night before.

Many years later, after life had been difficult,

she walked along the park with her small children.

Her head was hung low.  She thought about all that made her sad each day, and she wept.

Her young children came over and hugged her.

"Mom, can we have some olives and beets tonight?"

"No, I want some liver."

The woman smiled, then she laughed. 

She looked away for only a  minute when she heard her children call,

"Mom, look what we found!  We found gold!"

There they were, the daffodils.

Suddenly, she remembered that God loved her.

She wept for joy!

God. Loved. Her!

That is the legend of the daffodil that I made up.

Do you know other legends of the daffodil?

Ending the Week in Thanksgiving and Praise

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

   

1) Even though the candidates might make us shake our heads in disbelief, we are blessed to live in a democracy where the people elect the representatives to run our government.  

2) God continues to pour His blessings on our country.  When we look at other countries, we can compare our lives with theirs.  We might complain, but we are a much safer country than many places in the world.

3) I'm thrilled that the weather has finally warmed up in our part of Minnesota.  Today is going to be a very nice day!

Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow.

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above the Heavenly Host.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!!!

Pope Francis Said it Best...

I wish I could quote Pope Francis exactly, but I can't, so I'm paraphrasing now.

"Take time in prayer to let Jesus love you.  Do nothing else, but allow Him to love you during prayer."

He went on to explain that there are many times when he goes to adoration and just sits there,

letting God love Him.

God loves us without condition.

Even though we are sinners and sinful,

He loves us.

We cannot earn His love.

There is nothing we can do to buy His love.

He paid our debt for sin.

The Father allowed His only Son to die a miserable death on a cross with all the sufferings, the abandonment, the rejection, the torture...then the Holy Spirit came down to guide us and console us,

because our God loves us.

Most of us have excuses.

 "I'm not worthy."

"That's not how you pray in adoration."

"I can't just sit there."

"God wants us to pray and praise Him." 

All of these excuses are true.

From experience, though, I have come to realize that God is there waiting and loving us, always.

I have also come to realize that He does want us to accept His love,

which requires humility and trust.

Of course, part of our salvation is active in that we must avoid the occasions of sin in our lives;

we must be kind and loving to others.

We must love God above all else.

These are active works of salvation,

but there is a passive side to salvation, too.

Letting God love us is both active and passive.

When we move out of the way (die to self) God can move into our souls to love and heal.

God wants to love us, and He does.

This act of humility, and trust, is an act of mercy to ourselves and from God.

Allowing Him to love us,

whether we are at adoration or getting through our day,

restores our souls.

How do we allow God to love us?

Easy Peasy.

Make the sign of the cross.

1. Sit or stand or kneel for a few minutes and begin to pray.

2. As you begin your prayer, ask God to love you.  Tell Him you simply need for Him to love you in these moments of prayer.

3. Let it happen.

4. When your prayer time is over, thank God for that gift of His love and the time to feel His love pouring into your soul.

End your prayer time with the sign of the cross.

Soon, you'll come to realize how much God loves you, even if you don't really believe it right now.

Soon, you will know.

Amen!

 

  

Worth Revisiting: Do You Have What It Takes to Trust God?

   Every soul’s journey in life is unique.  Many paths lead a soul to God.  Many paths lead a soul away from God.  We make choices about the paths we follow.  God has given us this amazing gift of free will!  Our choices often distort our thought processes so that we drift away from God.  We feel that we no longer trust God, or, perhaps feel, that we never did trust God.  We feel that we have been abandoned by God. We are not close to God.  Then, one day, grace comes to you, and you begin to hunger for God.  You want to believe, in God.  Yet, when you have not developed trust in God or your trust has been destroyed.  The question is then: how do you learn to trust God? 

Learning to trust God is a decision.  If you have ever heard the expression, “Fake it ‘till you make it,” make the decision that you will trust God.  When there is a desire to trust God, make the decision to trust God, in time and with prayer, trust will develop.

Remember, trust is a gift from God.  Pray for the gift of trust.  Remember that God has a plan for each soul.  Your journey is different from any other soul you meet.  Remember this, and do not compare yourself to any one else.  Ask God for the gift of trust in His Almighty Will. Tell God you love Him, then step aside and let God be God.  You will begin to feel God’s Loving Hand in your life, and you will begin to trust.

When there are setbacks, and you feel, again, that God has abandoned you, stop fear in its path.  Whisper a prayer of trust to Jesus.  “Jesus, I trust in You.”  Ask, again, for the gift of trust.   Pull yourself off the broken path, ask for the intercession of the Mother of God, and pray until your fear is relieved.  Pray.  Pray.  Pray.
    
    Mother Theresa used to say in her darkest times, “Jesus, I trust in Your tender love for me.”
       
    Saint Faustina prayed as Jesus taught her, “Oh, Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You.”

When you need reinforcement, read Sacred Scripture.  The psalms are a magnificent source of prayers of trust in God.

Psalm 27:
The Lord is My Light and my salvation,
whom do I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge;
of whom am I afraid?

Psalm 23: 4
Even though I walk through a dark valley,
I fear no harm, for You are at my side,
Your rod and staff give me courage.

The facts are these:
God loves you.
God has a plan for you.
God wants you to be with Him in heaven.
If you ask God for the graces that will bring you closer to Him, God will grant you those graces.  “Ask and you shall receive.” Mathew 7:7
God loves you.

Trust Me...

I firmly believe that things do not happen without a reason.

We have the gift of free will.

That's a gift that God will never take away from us,

but

even when we make poor choices and sin,

God bring good out of evil.

For example, when articles about Trust keep getting fed into your Facebook newsfeed

before and after

Divine Mercy Sunday,

and 

when homilies speak about mercy and trust,

and when friends with whom you speak Catholic, 

talk independently about

Trust and remind you that you need to let go of your efforts to control events beyond your control,

then, perhaps, through all of these things,

God is speaking to you.

Trust is the attachment we need.

Anxiety, fear, distrust are opposite of the nature of trust.

Throwing ourselves into God's ocean of mercy,

trusting that, no matter what, God's Will will be done,

whether in calm seas or stormy seas.

St. Padre Pio directed us to:

Pray.

Hope.

Don't Worry.

When you pray you open up the gates of trust.

When you hope, you trust.

When you don't worry, you trust.

Easy to do?

Not always, but trusting God completely is part of becoming a saint.

God wants all of us to become saints, not just saints, but great saints!

Do we stumble and fall?

Of course we do!

We skin our knees and bruise our souls.

So what happens when we sin?

If we repent, God lifts us up and gently sets us back on the path of sanctity.

He is there if we jump out of the boat to follow Him and find ourselves sinking because our fears have overcome our will.

God knows us and loves us, in spite of ourselves.

He looks at us and smiles.

 

Close your eyes.

Look at God.

What's He doing?

He's looking back at you and He's smiling!

 

Trust Him.

He's the miracle worker.

He knows what He's doing.

Give Him room to work.

Amen and Alelujiah!

5 Reasons to Trust God

1) God never changes.  He is the same today as he was when the Garden of Eden was created.  God is good.

2) God is our Father.  Like any parent, he might not give us what we want because it might harm us, but He will give us what we need.  When you don't receive the answer to a prayer, remember that God has an answer that we might not like, but it is the best answer for us.

3) God is love.  God can only love.  The more we trust in His kindness and love for us, the more we will be able to love others.

4) God is a miracle worker.  God's job is to work miracles.  We don't need to work them because God does it.  When we step out of the way and let God, miracles do happen.

5) God has our backs.  When everyone else leaves, He will not abandon us.  

When you feel weak.  When you feel alone.  Say what Jesus taught Faustina:

Jesus, I trust in You!

Prayer Intentions for the Week

1) We pray for Pope Francis for his protection and leadership in the Church...

2) We pray for all priests, bishops, and cardinals that they may remain faithful to the magisterium of the Church....

3) We pray for all of our sisters and brothers who have left the faith....

4) We pray for peace in our world...

5) We pray for all world leaders that they might seek the common good...

6) We pray for those who seek to harm us that they might be converted and repent of their sins...

7) We pray for God's mercy on our world.

8) We pray that we might live in a kinder society where love and peace might exist...

9) We pray for all those who are addicted....

10) We pray for forgiveness that we might both give and receive it...

11) We pray for all those who are kind to us....

12) We pray for all those who are unkind to us....

13) We pray for the intentions of the Blessed Mother....

14) We pray for rest and restoration...

15) We pray for a cessation of violence in our world....

16) We pray for all those running for office that they might become true peace keepers and respect life from it's formation to natural death...

17) We pray for those who are lukewarm in the faith...

18) We pray for those who are confirmed atheists and say they have no fear of hell...

19) We pray for those who will die today...

20) We pray for the souls in Purgatory....

Amen.

Allelujiah!

Easy Ways to Pray for the Souls in Purgatory

Say a Rosary.

(Link to praying the rosary.)

Offer up Your Sufferings.

Offer up Your Joys.

Offer up Your Good Deeds.

Offer up Your Charitable works.

Offer your Mass.

Have Masses said for the Souls.

Pray 3 Hail Mary's.

Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

(Link to the Chaplet.)

Pray the St. Gertrude Prayer.

Eternal Father, I offer you up the Most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son Jesus, in union with all of the Masses said throughout the world today.  In reparation for sin, for the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those within my own home, and within my family.

Amen.

What else do you think you can do?

Ending the Week in Thanksgiving and Praise

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

 

1) I'm getting cranky because we haven't warmed up to spring yet.   It's still cold, but it would be so nice to not wear a coat.  It's still cold.

Ok.  Enough of the whine.

No matter the season,

God is always good!

That's enough for us to know!

2) Quiet time.  Yes, I am beginning to enjoy the silence once again.

I read that 2 hours of silence can help us to rebuild our brains, increase our understanding, and develop more synapses.  We shall see!  God always knows the way.

3) Have  you ever looked at a muscle or nerve tissue, even if it's just in a picture.  Once I saw my echo cardiogram.  My comment to the tech was that if someone saw this and didn't believe in God, I surely didn't understand it.  How God made DNA and supplied it with all the information a body would need, all I can say is WOW!

Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow.

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above the Heavenly Host.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!!!

Mercy in This Year of Mercy

"Blessed are the Merciful, for they will receive Mercy."

The Corporal Works of Mercy

Feed the Hungry.

Give Drink to the Thirsty.

Shelter the Homeless.

Visit the Sick.

Visit the Prisoners.

Bury the Dead.

Give Alms to the Poor.

Spiritual Works of Mercy 

 Counseling the doubtful.

Instructing the Ignorant

Admonishing the sinner.

Comforting the sorrowful.

Forgiving Injuries.

Bearing Wrongs Patiently.

Praying for the Living and Dead.

These actions are the things we do to serve with the gift of Mercy.  

So, what do we find in Mercy?

In Mercy there is:

Forgiveness

Love

Truth

Kindness

Gentleness

Compassion

Patience

Acceptance,

and, most importantly,

God.

In God's Mercy to us there is:

Kindness

Gentleness

Justice

Deliverance

and, most importantly,

Salvation!

Amen.  

Worth Repeating: To Love the Unlovable. To Pardon the Unpardonable. G K Chesterton

Public Domain  Christ on the Cross Zurba

"To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable."
G.K. Chesterton

This is the Divine Mercy of God.

 

For though we are unlovable, 

we are loved.

 

For though we are unpardonable,

we are pardoned.

 

Therefore, we are entrusted to love  all

and

 forgive all.

 

This is

 Divine Mercy.

 

To those whom we believe are unlovable,

we must awaken love in our hearts for them.

Through this love for the 

"unlovable"

we realize that they are lovable in God's eyes.

(And, they are.)

 

To those whom we believe are unpardonable,

we must pardon,

because we are all unpardonable but for the love of God.

(And we are.)

 

 

The Mercy of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

is the gift of love and forgiveness intertwining so that one cannot exist without the other

and remembering that if 

God ceased to love us,

we would not be,

but God chooses to love us,

He chooses to forgive us,

and

His Mercy flows out to humanity

who can accept or reject this gift.

 

Divine Mercy!

Divine Love!

The Need for Silence

"Be Still and Know that
I AM

God."

Psalm 46:10

The silence is ringing in my ears.

The silence is loud.

I'm not used to silence.

I prefer a chorus of white noise 

in the background,

but I am trying out the concept of

silence

in my life again.

 God knows what He's doing.

Science is now beginning

to prove that silence is important in our lives.

When exposed to silence for two hours a day,

mice begin to grow new cells in the brain.

These cells grow in the area of the brain where memory, emotions, and learning happen.

Silence, is this where we find God?

"He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;  and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. "

1 Kings 19: 11-12 

 

When praying, Jesus advises us to go into our private place 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."

Matthew 6: 5-6 

 

In this moment, I am embraced by the silence I hear.

I feel the peace of silence.

In this moment, I reach out to touch God,

but

He touches my heart with a silence that is not broken.

 

 In a few moments,  

 I will allow the world to intrude on my silence.

Perhaps silence is the key to restoring my prayer life?

 

I am beginning to realize that my world has been loud and noisy.

If God is found in silence,

why do I choose noise?
I will focus on this question in prayer and quiet.

Silence,

a gift of God 

and a

necessity for our souls.

Silence.

 

 

 

 

Divine Mercy Sunday- 5 Words Times 2

God So Loved the World

Jesus, I Trust In You!

Today's Message from the Mother of God in Medjugorje to Mirjana Soldo

When you read this, try substituting your name instead of the word: children.

"Dear children, do not have hearts that are hard, closed and filled with fear. Permit my motherly love to illuminate them and fill them with love and hope; so that, as a mother, I may soothe your pains because I know them, I experienced them. Pain elevates and is the greatest prayer. My Son, in a special way, loves those who suffer pains. He sent me to soothe them for you and bring hope. Trust in Him. I know that it is difficult for you because you see more and more darkness around you. My children, it is necessary to break it by prayer and love. The one who prays and loves is not afraid, he has hope and a merciful love, he sees the light and sees my Son. As my apostles, I call you to keep trying to be an example of merciful love and hope. Always pray anew for all the more love because merciful love brings light which breaks every darkness - it brings my Son. Do not be afraid, you are not alone, I am with you. I implore you to pray for your shepherds that at every moment they may have love, that they may work for my Son with love - through Him and in memory of Him. Thank you."

April 2, 2016

Ending the Week with Thanksgiving and Praise!

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

 

1) The weather is beginning to warm up a bit.  I love that fact!  

2) Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday.  The gift of Mercy from God will be poured out on our earth that day!  What a gift in this year of mercy!

3) 2 bags of Rosaries finished and 5 to go!  Yes!  Let us honor our Mother with a rosary everyday, especially in May!

 

 

 

Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow.

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above the Heavenly Host.

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!!!!