My Saint and my Word for 2015

The saint who chose me for 2015 is::

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta!

I used Jenifer Fulwiler's

Saint's Name Generator

I am not under the care, protection, and direction of this amazing woman for the year 2015!

Thank you, Jennifer, for this amazing tool!

If you've ever received and email from, you will notice that my signature has a quotation from Mother Teresa::

"Peace begins with a smile."


Mother Teresa worked hard in the slums of Calcutta, loving the "untouchables," and giving them the dignity of a beautiful death.

She did all for the Honor and Glory of God.


Which brings me to my "Word" for the year.  When it comes to choosing a word, it's necessary to remember that this word will be a focus for me this year.  In 2014, my word was "Hope."  I was challenged so much in 2014.  God sought to teach me Hope.  This year, my word is going to be more than one word.  I will be using a phrase instead of a single word.  That phrase will be::

All for the Honor and Glory of God!

These words will mean, I have to change my life and my focus.

God has to be first in all I say, do and think.

With the help of Mother Teresa, perhaps I will be able to live this phrase and grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.

All for the Honor and Glory of God! 

Mother Theresa on Joy

Mother Theresa practiced joy in spite of her dark night of the soul.

Joy - Mother Theresa

Peace - Thank you, Mother Theresa

All Souls Day, November 2

Let the saints speak:

Padre Pio said,

"The souls in Purgatory repay the prayers that we say for them."

"When we pray for the souls in Purgatory we will always get something back."

“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 for them to pray for us.”


St. John Vianney said:

"Consider then...the magnitude of these sufferings which the souls in Purgatory endure; and the means which we have of mitigating them: our prayers, our good works, and, above all, the holy sacrifice of the Mass."

"The fire of Purgatory is the same as the fire of Hell; the difference between them is that the fire of Purgatory is not everlasting.”

 "Yet how quickly we could empty purgatory if we but really wished to.”

Mother Theresa said:

“When you pray for the souls in purgatory God will be so pleased with your unselfish prayers for those you don’t even know, that he will grant you your dearest wish, without even asking and sometimes maybe without you even knowing what your dearest wish is.”

Regarding the rosary beads that were being used by Mother Theresa:  At the beginning were totally black but as the beads went on they got lighter until, at the end of the rosary, they were completely white. As she took out the rosary he ventured to ask about the differing colors of the beads.  She explained they were called Holy Souls Beads and the changing colors signify coming from darkness into light.  We know as we pray a Rosary for the holy souls, Jesus brings many of them out of darkness into the light.”


St Gertrude the Great:

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious Blood of your 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.
1000 souls are released from Purgatory each time this prayer is recited!

Amen.

Do You Have What it Takes to Trust in 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.