Trust in the Lord

7 Quick Takes Friday - My Week

--- 1 ---

The Black Madonna visited our church this week.   I missed the welcoming prayer service on Friday night because I fell asleep on the couch.  The kids were home, and I can no longer stay awake like I used to be able to do and visit with them.  I was so tired, and I knew I needed a nap, so when the couch called my name, I answered it, and, according to my children, I slept and slept deeply.  When I woke up, it was too late to attend the prayer service.  I was very disappointed.




I didn’t set my alarm for Mass the next morning, but God knows me, and I was awake in plenty of time for Mass.  I decided that  I would just stay in bed and rest, but the call was to get going.  I took my shower, and I made it ten minutes before Mass started.  Imagine my surprise to see The Black Madonna in the center of church.  I realized that this was the reason for me to attend Mass.  At the end of Mass, we had a goodbye ceremony for Our Lady.  Then she was carried to the narthex of the church, where we were allowed to venerate her.  The few of us who stayed were given the special privilege of being alone with our Mother.  It. Was. Amazing!  The graces poured out into us.  Blessing upon blessing.  Grace upon grace.

--- 2 ---

Cantoring last Sunday  was a challenge because I didn't have all the music until the last minute. That meant NO. PRACTICE.  I became frantic, but I prayed, "I trust in you, Jesus."  I think He smiled.  I also asked our Blessed Mother and St. Cecilia for help, just in case.  I made it through the difficult parts with the help of our music director.  Singing wasn't my best, but it wasn't that bad. 

--- 3 ---

Sunday, I spent time with my new friend. She's 30, fun, and muslim. I was going to teach her to crochet, but we talked instead.  We decided that the next time we might just talk.  God has challenged me to overcome my fears and concerns and accept another of his children as His beloved child.  I am blessed.

--- 4 ---

Went to the cemetery to put flowers on his grave, only to find that the flower pot was missing.  Flowers are in the car until I can get a new flower pot.  I wish I had known.  I’m not sure when I’ll get back.  It was Memorial Day last Monday, after all. 

--- 5 ---

Our Church’s music director is my voice teacher, and with each voice lesson, I learn more about the ministry of cantoring.   As terrified as I am when the music is a surprise, I have learned that I must be willing to be vulnerable in order to connect with the congregation in prayer.  Very interesting thoughts, and I must ponder them in my heart.  Music is not about me.  Music is about the connection with the congregation in prayer.  Music is a journey.  Music is  a connection between God and the congregation.  Music is prayer.

--- 6 ---

I ordered new business cards yesterday.  If I can ever learn to fully trust in the power of the Holy Spirit, decisions like this would be easier.  "Trust, Me," He says, and I forget.

--- 7 ---

 My soul is tied in knots this evening.  I look forward to the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturday.   Peace that can only cone from God pours into my soul as I am absolved of my sin.  I am weak.   Thank God for the sacrament of Confession.  

As I progress on this spiritual journey, I find I am being drawn more into ministries that deal with the dying and those left behind after death.  I have asked the Holy Spirit to "shake up my life," and He has not disappointed me.
 

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

30 Word Thursday-There is None Like Me

"Remember this and consider,
    recall it to mind, remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is no one like me"

Isaiah 46: 8-9 

Shhhhhhh- Don't tell.  It's just a little over 30 words, but God's Word will always be.

Here's Who I Prayed for Today

I prayed for my children.
I prayed for Pope Francis.
I prayed for priests.
I prayed for the priests whom I have spiritually adopted.
I prayed the sick.
I prayed for the dying
I prayed for the Holy Souls in purgatory.
I prayed for the young man with the baggy pants walking down the street.
I prayed for the woman holding a lit cigarette out the car window as she drove.
I prayed for all of us at Mass.
I prayed for my family.
I prayed for my friends.
I prayed for those who are suffering.
I prayed for my dog.
I prayed for you.
I prayed for peace in our world.
I prayed for peace in my soul.
I prayed that the joy of God be infused in my soul.
I prayed that the joy of God be infused in my childrens' souls.
I prayed for my Facebook friends.
I prayed for those who have a hard time accepting differences.
I prayed in gratitude for all of God's blessings.
I prayed for a former friend.
I prayed for those whom God brought to mind.
I prayed for safety.
I prayed for Wisdom.
I prayed for Joy.
I prayed for the gift of knowing when to keep my mouth shut.
I prayed for the gift of acceptance.
I prayed for the gift of overcoming the pain of rejection.
I prayed for the gift of refusing to reject others, but to accept them and love them as they are.
I prayed for forgiveness.
I prayed to over come temptation.
I prayed in adoration.


For whom have you prayed today?

Luke 10: 21-24

Just at this time, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it has pleased you to do.

Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.'

Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them by themselves, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.'

Getting In Touch With Yourself

Today, you often see "memes" that talk about the wonder of you.  These memes talk about getting in touch with yourself, learning to like yourself, learning to love yourself.  These themes are often preached by secular speakers as they tour the country selling their books or appearing on TV shows espousing their philosophies of life, wealth and happiness. 

"You are amazing!"
"Like a snowflake, there is no one else like you."
"If you don't like yourself, neither will anyone else."
"You choose to be happy or not."
"Don't believe it when someone tells you that you are not perfect."

While all these statements have truth in them, (remember, we are made from the stuff that made the stars, according to the late Carl Sagan,) these philosophies that promise us happiness, fall short of the entire truth.  When we love only ourselves, we cannot be happy.  Self love is only a part of love, and without the rest of the story, we are really incomplete. 

Jesus tells us that we must first Love God with all our hearts and souls because this is the first and greatest commandment.  He then tells us that we must love our neighbors as ourselves.  In these statements are the two greatest commandments.  They are the completion of love. 


“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”  He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Matthew 22: 36-40

God
Neighbor
Self

This is the completion of love.  While it is important to love the self, it is more important to love
God first.  In Him we find peace.

" Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. “
John 14: 27

In Him we find rest.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11: 28-30

In Him we find Love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”
John 3:16
To love oneself is not enough.  It is important, but it is not enough.  We must also love our neighbor as ourselves.  If we love our neighbors as ourselves, then the love we have for God and ourselves is easily shared with our neighbors. 

The sequence is this:: We love God.  God fills us with His love and peace.  We are full of God's love and self love.  This gift of love flows out into our world to all the people we meet filling them with love.  Since nature abhors a vacuum, the lack of peace, which once filled our neighbors, now fills their souls with the love of God.  The negative is pushed out by love, Who is God. 


 The greatest commandment is to love. 

Love God.
Love our neighbor.
Love ourselves.

There is no other way.


“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8: 38-39

Mother of God, Pray for Us!