What Consoles You?

This is the question that will decide everything in your life, so you better have a good answer.
What consoles you? 

Well, first of all, what exactly does console mean? Webster says "to alleviate or lessen grief, sorrow, or disappointment" and "to give solace or comfort". Maybe you can counter that you don't know anyone close to you who has died so you don't have any grief to be lessened. But grief isn't the only thing from which we ask
for comfort. 

We are all hurting. We are all asking for something more than this life. Each one of us faces disappointment every day. And when we are overcome by that ache, the sadness that makes us miserable and empty inside, where do we run for comfort?

Comfort can be found in so many things. Friends. Family. Food. Drugs. Alcohol. Crying. Loud music. Fixing trucks. Shopping. Puppy dogs. Taking a hike. Texting. Fishing. Sleep. Casinos. Pornography. Talking. Cooking. Video games. Sex. Bullying. Facebook. Singing. Drawing. Riding a bike. Gardening. Starbucks. Laughing. Playing golf. Books.

Where do you run when you want to escape?
What consoles you?

We need to get to the point in our lives where
the one thing that consoles us is Jesus Christ. 

Next time you are facing disappointment, grief, or sadness, run to Him. Let Him be your escape. Let Him hold you when there is nothing else that satisfies you. Let Him embrace you when words can't speak for the hurt and disappointment you feel. Run to Him. You don't even have to say a word, just let His hope and love fill your heart and bring you solace and peace. Let Him be your everything and I promise you will be consoled by every pain you will ever have to face.

*Disclaimer: This post was inspired by a talk given by
Father Jeff Kirby.

the Little Flower

*picture from humanflowerproject.com

So once upon a time, not too long ago, there was this little girl. She didn't seem like much when compared to great world leaders or millionaires or inventors, and she only lived to be twenty-four years old. But in those short twenty-four years of her life, she lived beautifully and accomplished something that some people never even dream of. She became one of the four female doctors of the Catholic Church and she found her own "little way" for others to follow to get to heaven.

Today we celebrate the life of Saint Therese of Lisieux. She was born in France in 1873. When she was only four years old, her mother died. She grew up with five older sisters and was raised by her the father she adored. When she was fifteen, she entered a convent just like her other sisters and became a Carmelite nun. She was too young to join the convent, but when her father took her to Rome for a visit, she got close to the Pope and begged him to let her become a nun. She was carried off by two guards, but the Vicar General was impressed, and not soon after, 

she was admitted into the convent.

For almost ten years, she lived a simple life as a nun. She meditated very often on the faith and the last four things (death, judgment, heaven, and hell). She had always wanted to become a saint and live a life only for God. She found her own way to get to heaven - 

a short and straight way to God's arms.

"I have always wanted to become a saint. Unfortunately when I have compared myself with the saints, I have always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by. Instead of being discouraged, I told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to grow bigger, so I put up with myself as I am, with all my countless faults. But I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new."

*picture from
carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com

"We live in an age of inventions. We need no longer climb laboriously up flights of stairs; in well-to-do houses there are lifts. And I was determined to find a lift to carry me to Jesus, for I was far too small to climb the steep stairs of perfection. 

So I sought in holy Scripture some idea of what this life I wanted would be, and I read these words: "Whosoever is a little one, come to me." It is your arms, Jesus, that are the lift to carry me to heaven. And so there is no need for me to grow up: I must stay little and become less and less."

When Therese was on her deathbed, her biological sister who was the prioress of the order ordered Therese to write down the story of her spiritual life. Therese's writings became a book that is still widely read today: Story of a Soul.

She was an absolutely amazing saint and her works still inspire many people to be saints today.

His Grace is Enough

I went to a Matt Maher concert last night and he sang a song that I've heard so many times before, but I had never really thought about its meaning. It's called Your Grace is Enough.

This song he wrote was inspired by a verse in 2 Corinthians chapter 12. In this chapter, Paul is talking about how there is something in his life that he really struggles with, "a thorn in the flesh", "an angel from Satan sent to beat me" (2 Cor 12:7). Three times Paul begs God to help him overcome this trial ad suffering. But God says to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9)."

Just meditate on that for a minute. These are striking words, whether you've heard them a million times at mass or if you're reading them for the first time, I encourage you to think about how they apply to you in your life right now. The Scripture is alive and it speaks to us even today.

"I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor 12:9-10)."

So if you're going through a difficult time in your life or if there is something you're really struggling with, don't be discouraged. Hope in the Lord, for He will give you the strength you need to get through whatever you are fighting. Nothing is too much for Him to handle.

We are all human. We are all fragile creatures. We are all weak. There are always demons in this life that we must face. There is always something in your life that must be overcome so that you will be closer to Christ and closer to heaven. These weaknesses make us stronger because God's power is "made perfect in weakness". When we are weak, God will be our strength. So we don't need to rely on ourselves and our own physical strengths, but we should always cry out to God, for He is ready to give us everything we need. He wants more than anything to help us with our struggles and temptations. We can't overcome them without Him. There can be no victory over sin without the love, mercy, and strength of Jesus Christ.

In Matt Maher's song, he says "You (God) use the weak to lead the strong." So don't be afraid if God wants to use your weaknesses and your imperfections to show the world His own strength and might. Let Him work in your heart so that the whole world will come to know the beauty and strength of our almighty God. He can do great things if we let Him.

His grace is enough.

Come Home

For many Catholics, religion is all about rules and what you have to do and what you mustn't do. And if you don't follow these rules perfectly, you will go to hell. That is what many of us believe these days, even though it is very far from the truth.

The Catholic faith is not about doing everything perfectly and never making a mistake, it's about falling down and receiving from God the grace and strength to stand up and try again. It's not about being perfect and flawless, it's about recognizing our own weaknesses and overcoming them with God's mercy and love. It's not about fighting and hating our human nature, it's about realizing that we are weak creatures and we are nothing without God. It's not about blind and heartless obedience, it's about knowing and loving and serving God, doing His will, and giving Him glory in our every day lives, so that we may be happy with Him forever in heaven.

Even if you follow the rules perfectly, it doesn't guarantee salvation. We have to do all things with great love. Like it says in the Bible, "If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)."

Following Christ isn't about rules and regulations and doing meaningless things. From the very beginning, it has been the greatest and truest love story you will ever experience.

There's a beautiful song I would like to share called "Come Home" by the Christian band Luminate. Its lyrics are very powerful. Every time I hear this song, I begin to look at things differently. 

Here are the lyrics to this song:

You're best friends with the word regret
Your afraid that your life's been wasted
So why hope if it's only gonna let you down?
You don't think people really change
You're a mess and you'll always be the same
And you doubt if you'll ever get it turned around

So you've been running, searching for something
But you're looking in a place you don't belong
But it's never too late, you can't outrun grace
No, Mercy doesn't care what you've done 

Come home

Come home

You can try to fix your broken empire
Put bricks on a cracked foundation
But you'll be building castles on the sand
There's power in the blood of Jesus
Your father's screaming Just Come Home!
He's reaching out His hands

From the shadows, From the wrong roads
From the darkness, From the unknown
To redemption, Something beautiful
To a new love, to new home

I know you've been running, searching for something

But you're looking in a place you don't belong

But it's never too late, you can't outrun grace

His Mercy doesn't care what you've done

Come home

Come home

So if you feel like you're far away from God and you feel far from His love, know that He loves you still. Know that He just wants you to come home and share in His happiness and peace.

Come home.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today we celebrate the Assumption of Mary into heaven.

*picture from www.photo-junction.blogspot.com

"We never give more honor to Jesus than when we honor His mother, and we honor her simply and solely to honor Him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek - Jesus, her Son." 

~Saint Louis de Montfort

"Men do not fear a powerful hostile army as the powers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary." ~Saint Bonaventure

"Mary having cooperated in our redemption with so much glory to God and so much love for us, our Lord ordained that no one shall obtain salvation except through her intercession." 

~Saint Alphonsus de Ligouri

 

"Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did." ~Saint Maximilian Kolbe

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

~Saint Josemaria Escriva

 

"O sinner, be not discouraged, but have recourse to Mary in all your necessities. Call her to your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity." 

~Saint Basil the Great

"Mary, give me your heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing disguise 

of the poor." ~Mother Teresa

Saint Clare of Assisi

*picture from www.marypages.com

 
"Totally love Him, Who gave Himself for your love." 

~Saint Clare

"Gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as you desire to imitate Him."  

~Saint Clare

Today we celebrate Saint Clare of Assisi. Inspired by the teachings and life of Saint Francis of Assisi, she founded an order of nuns known as "the Poor Clares". She was a noblewoman, but she ran away to live a poor, humble life of mortification and simplicity.
 
"They say that we are too poor, but can a heart which possesses the infinite God be truly called poor?" 

~Saint Clare

Some soldiers came to attack Assisi and the convent, so Saint Clare brought the Blessed Sacrament to the wall of the convent so that the soldiers might see it. She prayed to God that He would save the nuns, and suddenly the soldiers ran in fear.

"Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! And transform your entire being  into the image of the Godhead Itself through contemplation." 

~Saint Clare


"He Christ is the splendor of eternal glory, the brightness of eternal light, and the mirror without cloud." 

 ~Saint Clare

In all the picture I have ever seen of Saint Clare, she is depicted holding a monstrance. I'm sure the artists are reminding us of that great day where God saved the nuns from the soldiers, but I think it tells us a lot about Saint Clare. She had a deep devotion to the Eucharist and was a great witness of God's love. She shows us the power of God and that we have nothing to fear if we believe in Him. She reminds me of our Lady who is always pointing us to Jesus. She was a powerful model of holiness in the way she lived and gave up her life for something deeper, something not of this world, but of heaven. So let us ask Saint Clare to lead us to Jesus and love Him in a deeper way, just like she did.

"I come, O Lord, unto Thy sanctuary to see the life and food of my soul. As I hope in Thee, O Lord, inspire me with that confidence which brings me to Thy holy mountain. Permit me, Divine Jesus, to come closer to Thee, that my whole soul may do homage to the greatness of Thy majesty; that my heart, with its tenderest affections, may acknowledge Thine infinite love; that my memory may dwell on the admirable mysteries here renewed every day, and that the sacrifice of my whole being may accompany Thine." 

~Saint Clare

"Save me, O Lord, from every evil - of soul and body." 

~Saint Clare

Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us!

Saint John Vianney

*picture from http://thepinoycatholic.blogspot.com

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint John Vianney. He was an amazing saint who lived a life of extreme mortification. He was renowned as a wonderful confessor.

Interesting facts about Saint John Vianney:

•  born May 8, 1786
• died August 4, 1859
• seventy-three years old
• also known as the Curé d'Ars (priest of Ars)
• the devil bothered and attacked him almost every night, occasionally injuring him
• the devil told Saint John Vianney: "If there were three such priests as you, my kingdom would be ruined."
• Saint John Vianney once said: "Oh! The grappin (his nickname for the devil) and myself? We are almost chums."
• the last ten years of his life, he spent 16-18 hours in a confessional
• by 1855, there were 20,000 pilgrims who came to visit him and seek his guidance each year
• had a strong devotion to Mary and Saint Philomena
• 300 priests and 6,000 people attended his funeral
• he is incorruptible - his body is still intact and not decomposed
• his incorrupt body is on display above the main altar in the Basilica at Ars in France
• patron saint of priests

 

*picture from www.christtotheworld.blogspot.com

Quotes by Saint John Vianney:

• Prayer is nothing else but union with God. In this intimate union, God and the soul are fused together like two bits of wax that no one can ever pull apart. This union of God with a tiny creature is a lovely thing. It is a happiness beyond understanding.
• If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy.
• My little children, your hearts are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God. Through prayer, we receive a foretaste of heaven and something of paradise comes down upon us. Prayer never leaves us without sweetness. It is honey that flows into the souls and makes all things sweet. When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun.
• I wish I could lose myself and never find myself except in God! 
• You cannot please both God and the world at the same time. They are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions.
• When we go before the Blessed Sacrament, let us open our hearts; our good God will open His. We shall go to Him; He will come to us; the one to ask, the other to receive. It will be like a breath from one to the other.
• If we could comprehend all the good things contained in Holy Communion, nothing more would be wanting to content the heart of man. The miser would run no more after his treasures, or the ambitious after glory; each would shake off the dust of the earth, leave the world, and fly away towards heaven.
• All the good works in the world are not equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men; but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man.

Pray for the Pope



*picture from allvoices.com


Don't forget to pray for our Pope as he travels to Rio to inspire the world and bring hope! Let's also pray for all those who are travelling from all over the world to see our Holy Father, that they might be safe and that they will be inspired and moved by the Holy Spirit to change the world for the greater glory of God.

Saint Christopher, patron saint of travelers, pray for us.

Come, Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit upon all who travel to Rio and all who are with them in spirit and especially upon the Holy Father. Help him to be open to You so that he may speak with Your voice and set our hearts ablaze so that we can help renew the face of the earth.

Come, Holy Spirit!



Turn to the LORD in your Need

*picture from stjudechapel.org

Either you heard this verse from the Responsorial Psalm this weekend or you heard: "Your words, Lord, are spirit and life." Your parish had to decide which one to read for mass. But I really like this verse from Psalm 69. It reminds us to turn to God with our needs and trials and pains. We should look to Him for help and support, so that we will live. 

He alone can give us true life, eternal life.

It seems like so many try to figure things out for themselves. They believe that they don't need God's help or they don't ask Him for guidance. (I can definitely be this way sometimes, too.) We read self-help books and act like we have it all figured out, but we really can't when we try to do it on our own. We need the Lord's help. He gives us everything, all we need, 

if we just ask.

So let's ask! Let's run to the Lord with all our hurt and pain and our needs and hopes and sadness. He will renew us with His everlasting peace and He will give us a fulfilled life. He will give His Holy Spirit, for He is the breath of our souls and He will breathe into us and make us whole. 

Let's turn to the Lord so we will live.

...but the laborers are few.

This Sunday is yet another Sunday of Ordinary Time - the fourteenth to be exact. Since the Church doesn't recognize Ordinary Time as a period of preparation (like Lent or Advent) or a time of celebration (such as Easter or Christmas), you might think that Ordinary Time is a period where you can just relax and take a break from God. It's not. Ordinary Time is just as important as any other Church season. The Gospel of Christ is just as important and just as beautiful now 

as any other moment in time.

*picture from http://lhim.org

This Sunday, we hear Jesus saying to us that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. This may seem rather ordinary, but there is a deeper meaning behind His words. He wasn't talking about a farm near town, He was talking about the soil in our hearts. What grows there, in your heart? What seeds have you planted? What seeds have you let take root?

Our Lord plants seeds in your heart every day. They may be the words of your priest, the readings from the Bible, or the notes from an inspiring song. But there is another sower who tries so hard to plant sinister seeds. He is the devil, and he is very persistent. Each day, he plants seeds that are quite different from the seeds of God. They may be insults from an enemy, disloyalty from a friend, or temptations. He whispers growth to them, and sometimes they begin to take root and flourish in our hearts. They start to take over the other plants that Christ has planted and tried so hard to cultivate. Sometimes we don't even realize how much they take over as they consume our hearts and dominate the soil within. But they are weeds and they don't belong in the hearts of the children of God. Confession is like God pulling weeds. He takes out all the lies that were planted by the evil one. 

He makes our hearts beautiful and pure again.

Jesus says that the harvest is plentiful. There are so many hearts out there that need to bloom and flourish with the flowers of Christ and His abundant love for us. "...but the laborers are few." We are called to be those laborers. Each one of us is called to be another Christ and to sow His love in the hearts of all. Not just our friends, not just our families, but even our enemies, even those in our workplaces, even those in our schools. Since the harvest is so abundant, we need to reach out to everyone and plant in their hearts the seeds of God's Word. And if you want it to take root and grow, you have to water it by giving others the hope and light of Christ. 

The laborers are few, so let us not stand still! Let's be laborers in the hearts of all, so that everyone will come to know the love of God. Since there are so few, we cannot afford to let seeds of sin grow in our hearts. We must uproot the weeds of the devil in our own hearts, so that we may sow only the seeds of love and hope and life in the hearts of others. As Father John Corapi once said, "You need to know your faith. You cannot give what you do not have." So let's grow in our Catholic faith, so that we may share its beauty with others.

 Since there are so few laborers, we cannot afford to be mediocre Catholics. We should take charge of our faith and let it grow in our hearts. We should always continue to grow in our rich Catholic faith and reach out to others and help them grow and fall in love with the One who loves us most. So don't stand on the sidelines. Take the devil by the throat and let him know that only the love of Christ will prevail.

 THE DAYS IN WHICH WE LIVE NOW REQUIRE HEROIC CATHOLICISM, NOT CASUAL CATHOLICISM. 

WE CAN NO LONGER BE CATHOLICS BY ACCIDENT, BUT INSTEAD BE CATHOLICS BY CONVICTION.

~BISHOP DANIEL R. JENKY

Dear Jesus,

Come into our hearts.

Change us so we will love the way You love.

Teach us to live the way You live.

Show us how to plant Your seeds of love 

in the hearts of all we meet.

Shine through us so everyone will look at us 

and see only You.

Set our hearts on fire for You alone.

Give us the zeal to be true Catholics 

so we may bring others to You.

This we ask through Christ our Lord.

 Amen.

St. John the Baptist

*picture from http://www.agia-markella.org

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist. There are only three birthdays celebrated by the Catholic Church and they are the birthdays of Jesus, Mary, and Saint John the Baptist. This puts into perspective how important this man is to our faith. 

Saint John the Baptist teaches us to be humble. He teaches us to point others to Christ alone and not to ourselves. He had no pride. He didn't think much of himself. He just lead others to Christ and got out of the way. He didn't ever talk about himself. He knew what God's plan for him was, 

and so he followed it perfectly. 

I pray that we can all be more like Saint John the Baptist by being less prideful, less selfish, to do God's will in our lives, and to point others to Christ.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

REMEMBER

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. 

Rather, we should thank God that such men lived."  

~General George S. Patton

"A nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure." 

~Abraham Lincoln

"The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree." ~Thomas Campbell

*picture from http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

Today we remember all those who fought and died defending our country. Let us remember and honor them. Don't forget that freedom isn't free. Their blood, their lives, their determination and strength has paid for our freedom. 

So let us thank them.

Never take for granted how blessed we are to live in the great United States of America. Let us pray for those living and deceased who gave their lives to protect 

our freedoms and our country.

*picture from http://www.366thspsk-9.com

These heroes are dead.  They died for liberty - they died for us.  They are at rest.  They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines.  They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest.  Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace.  In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death.  

I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead: 

cheers for the living; tears for the dead.

~Robert G. Ingersoll

Cover them over with beautiful flowers,
Deck them with garlands, those brothers of ours,
Lying so silent by night and by day
Sleeping the years of their manhood away.
Give them the meed they have won in the past;
Give them the honors their future forcast;
Give them the chaplets they won in the strife;
Give them the laurels they lost with their life.

~Will Carleton

*picture from http://boomersint.org

 Prayer for Memorial Day 

*prayer from http://scbpeoria.wordpress.com

Dear Heavenly Father,

With a sober heart we come before You this Memorial Day. We pause for a moment and call to mind all the men and women who have died in the service of our nation since 1776.

Dear God, please look with mercy on our brave and selfless brothers and sisters, who did not shirk from their task but gave themselves completely to the cause of defending and protecting us all. Bless all who have given their lives for the sake of liberty, and grant them eternal rest with You.

We remember also our brave men and women now serving in our Armed Forces, both at home and abroad. Dear God, send out Your angels to protect them all. Help them discharge their duties honorably and well. Please bring them safely home to their families and loved ones. Please bring Your peace and mercy to our troubled world.

We ask this in the name of Jesus, Your Son, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

The Most Holy Trinity

*picture from www.2heartsnetwork.org

"If God is not a Trinity, God is not love. For love requires three things: a lover, a beloved, and a relationship between them." 
~Peter Kreeft

Today we celebrate the Most Holy Trinity. This is the greatest mystery of our Church.

There is a story about Saint Augustine that wonderfully illustrates how deep the mystery of the Trinity is. (story from www.traditioninaction.org) 

It goes something like this:

One day, Saint Augustine was walking by the sea on the sand, trying his best to understand the mystery of the Trinity. Suddenly, he saw a small boy digging a hole in the sand. This little boy then began running back and forth between the sea and the hole, using a seashell to carry water from the ocean and place it into the hole. 

Saint Augustine watched him do this many times before he approached the child and asked, "My boy, what are you doing?"

"I am going to empty the sea into this hole," the little one replied sweetly.

"But that is impossible," the Saint said. 

"The hole cannot contain all the water of the sea."

The little boy looked up at Saint Augustine and replied, "It is no more impossible than what you are trying to do - comprehend the immensity of the mystery of the Holy Trinity with your small intelligence." 

And then suddenly, the little boy disappeared.

Some say that it was an angel sent by God to teach the Saint a lesson about pride and knowing everything. Others think that it was the Christ Child Himself who appeared to Saint Augustine to remind him of the limits of human understanding and the great mysteries of our faith.

I think there is an important lesson to be learned from this story. If a mind like Saint Augustine's can't comprehend the mystery of the Trinity, then how can anyone? We don't have to completely understand every aspect of our Catholic beliefs, we just need to have faith.

*picture from www.marianews.com

Prayer to the Holy Trinity

*prayer from www.catholic.org

Glory be to the Father, who by His almighty power and love created me, making me in the image and likeness of God.

Glory be to the Son, who by His Precious Blood delivered me from Hell and opened for me the gates of Heaven.

Glory be to the Holy Spirit, who has sanctified me in the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and continues to sanctify me by the graces I receive daily from His bounty.

Glory be to the Three adorable Persons of the Holy Trinity, now and forever. Amen.

Pentecost

*picture from www.flickriver.com

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. 

Acts 2:1-4

Today we celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the Church! 

It reminds me of my Confirmation and how we all receive the Holy Spirit and His gifts. All of these great things are at the tips of our fingers if only we ask for them. Through the Holy Spirit, we are given all we need to become more holy and grow in our relationships with Christ.

*picture from www.chicagonow.com

 So even though Jesus left us to go back to Heaven, He didn't really leave because He is physically present with us in the Eucharist and He also sent His Advocate the Holy Spirit to guide us in all we do. 

The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. John 14:26

From my experience, I think we tend to focus more on God the Father and God the Son, but we don't really think about the Holy Spirit that much. We have an image of God the Father as the great omniscient and omnipotent Judge (and don't tell me you don't usually think of an old man sitting on a throne). Our image of Jesus the Son is very vivid because we know all the stories about Him in the Bible and we have pictures and crucifixes in our homes and churches to remind us of our Savior who was fully human yet completely divine. But we don't really envision the Holy Spirit as anything other than a dove or a flame. This is a shame because we know 

He is so much more than that. 

The book of Hebrews even says that the Holy Spirit bears witness to us, He establishes a covenant, He is the Lord, He puts His laws on our hearts, and He forgives sins (Hebrews 10:15-17). And according to the Nicene Creed, the Holy Spirit is the Lord and Giver of Life. He is our inspiration. He is the reason for our strength to stand up for what we believe in and do what we think is impossible. He is the flame in our hearts that blazes with desire for Christ. He is the director of our consciences. If we let Him, He will change us and help us to change the world for the glory of God.

This Pentecost, I invite you to let the Holy Spirit become a greater part of your life. He will change you and make you holy. He will direct you and help you to carry out the will of God in your life.

*picture from www.lonelypilgrim.com

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, 

fill the hearts of Your faithful 

and kindle in them 

the fire of Your love. 

Send forth Your Spirit 

and they shall be created, 

and You shall renew 

the face of the earth.

Swim Against the Tide

I was reading part of Pope Francis' homily from a Confirmation he celebrated on April 28. Part of it just really struck me and inspired me to be stronger in my faith and swim against the tide.

Here's an excerpt 

from his homily:

 

And here I come to my last point. It is an invitation which I make to you, young confirmandi, and to all present. Remain steadfast in the journey of faith, with firm hope in the Lord. This is the secret of our journey! He gives us the courage to swim against the tide. Pay attention, my young friends: to go against the current; this is good for the heart, but we need courage to swim against the tide. 

Jesus gives us this courage! 

There are no difficulties, trials or misunderstandings to fear, provided we remain united to God as branches to the vine, provided we do not lose our friendship with him, provided we make ever more room for him in our lives. This is especially so whenever we feel poor, weak and sinful, because God grants strength to our weakness, riches to our poverty, conversion and forgiveness to our sinfulness. 

The Lord is so rich in mercy: every time, if we go to him, he forgives us. Let us trust in God’s work! With him we can do great things; he will give us the joy of being his disciples, his witnesses. Commit yourselves to great ideals, to the most important things. We Christians were not chosen by the Lord for little things; push onwards toward the highest principles. Stake your lives on noble ideals, my dear young people! The new things of God, the trials of life, 

remaining steadfast in the Lord. 

Dear friends, let us open wide the door of our lives to the new things of God which the Holy Spirit gives us. May he transform us, confirm us in our trials, strengthen our union with the Lord, our steadfastness in him: this is a true joy! So may it be.

Is it just me or is our new Pope really wonderful? He speaks in such a simple yet eloquent way. His words set your heart ablaze and make you want to live a stronger life in Christ. He makes holiness seem attainable. His words make me look at the Catholic faith in a new light. I'm excited to see how the Holy Spirit will work through this amazing man.

If you'd like to read more of Pope Francis' AMAZING homilies, visit www.vatican.va. 

Fourth Sunday of Easter

*picture from http://osucatholicsinfo.blogspot.com

They stood before the throne of the Lamb...

"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they stand before God's throne and worship Him day and night in His temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them. They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them. For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

(From the Second Reading for this Sunday)

Sometimes it seems difficult to think about the life beyond earth. At times, it doesn't seem real. Sure it's Heaven, but will it really be that great? We won't be able to do anything but praise God for all eternity, 
and that sounds pretty boring, doesn't it? 

Heaven will be even better than anyone could ever imagine. God's abundant beauty and excruciatingly brilliant glory will be revealed to us, and we will see Him face to face. It will be even more amazing than we could ever hope for.

Susan Tassone put it wonderfully in her book Thirty-Day Devotions for the Holy Souls: "St. Theresa of Avila received but a passing glimpse of the hand of our blessed Lord and went into ecstasy. St. Francis heard an angel give one touch of a violin, and the saint nearly died of pleasure. The mind of man cannot comprehend eternity."

There will be no more war, no more sadness, no more hunger. 
No more tears, no more heartbreak, no more struggles. 
We will rest in His arms for all eternity.

By the way, eternity is forever. A thousand years seems like a long time, but multiply that by infinity and you will get eternity. It's such a long time that our minds cannot come close to understanding it.

When we spend time thinking about our lives and about eternity, our priorities just fall into place. Our lives are nothing in the timeline of eternity. Each breath we take totals up to a tiny gasp. It's no wonder God doesn't really need us and our love. He just wants us, 
more than we could ever imagine.

I encourage you to spend some time thinking about eternity and your priorities in life. What do you spend the most time on? What does all your energy ultimately go into?

Father Larry Richards, an AMAZING priest, once said something like: At the end of your life, God will give you exactly what you want. If you want God above all things, you will go to Heaven. But if you want anything else other than God, you will go to Hell. (sorry, I'm just paraphrasing)

His words have always made me think more about my own life and its direction. I think it's important for us to do everything with the mindset of eternity and to think "Will doing this bring me closer to God?" and "By doing this, will it bring me closer to Heaven?"

So I encourage you to think about this for your own life. I pray that you will find some way to draw nearer to God so we will all be together in Heaven, praising God for all eternity.

Divine Mercy Sunday

*picture from http://thedivinemercy.org/mercysunday/christswords.php

Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. This special feast hasn't always been around. In fact, it's very new. Pope John Paul II announced at Saint Faustina's canonization on April 30, 2000, that the Feast of Mercy would be celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter.

Jesus appeared to Saint Faustina and told her many amazing things about His mercy and His love. If you want to read them all, you can read her Diary - Divine Mercy in My Soul. It's only more than seven hundred pages. Seven hundred pages seems a bit insane, but once you get started reading it, you won't be able to put it down! Her words will blow you away and deepen your faith and love for Christ. I can assuredly promise you this because I've read about half of it and that's the way it affected a sinner like me! I also believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, and I know He can work through the written Word of Christ. Your life will be changed. Get the book.

Here are some quotes from her diary. The following words were said by Jesus Christ Himself to Saint Faustina. The words in italics were written by Saint Faustina.

• My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy. 

• The flames of mercy are burning me. I desire to pour them out upon human souls. Oh, what pain they cause Me when they do not want to accept them!

• Tell My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls. 

•  Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity. The torrents of grace inundate humble souls. 

• If souls would put themselves completely in my care, I myself would undertake the task of sanctifying them, and I would lavish even greater graces on them. There are souls who thwart My efforts, but I have not given up on them; as often as they turn to Me, I hurry to their aid, sheilding them with My mercy, and I give them the first place in My compassionate Heart.

• I remind you, My daughter, that as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour (in the afternoon), immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners.

• My daughter try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore in the Most Blessed Sacrament My Heart, which is full of mercy.

•  My daughter, that when I come to a human heart in Holy Communion, My hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul. But souls do not even pay any attention to Me; they leave Me to Myself and busy themselves with other things.

• Now you shall consider My love in the Blessed Sacrament. Here, I am entirely yours, soul, body and divinity, as your Bridegroom. You know what love demands: one thing only, reciprocity.

• Amid the greatest torments, I fix the gaze of my soul upon Jesus Crucified; I do not expect help from people, but place my trust in God. In His unfathomable mercy lies all my hope.

• And I understood that the greatest attribute of God is love and mercy. It unites the creature with the Creator. This immense love and abyss of mercy are made known in the Incarnation of the Word and in the Redemption [of humanity], and it is here that I saw this as the greatest of all God’s attributes. 

• Great love can change small things into great ones, and it is only love which lends value to our actions.

• In whatever state a soul may be, it ought to pray. A soul which is pure and beautiful must pray, or else it will lose its beauty; a soul which is striving after this purity must pray, or else it will never attain it; a soul which is newly converted must pray, or else it will fall again; a sinful soul, plunged in sins, must pray so that it might rise again. There is no soul which is not bound to pray, for every single grace comes to the soul through prayer.

For more information, visit www.thedivinemercy.org. To learn how to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, go to www.divinemercychaplet.org.

Have a blessed Divine Mercy Sunday! 

*picture from http://reclaimingourchildren.typepad.com/lumina_a_ray_of_light_aft/2011/10/feast-day-st-faustina.html

"Whatsoever You Do..."

This is kind of old news (I guess about a week old), but it still gets to me. I am still so blown away by this humble man.

  

By the way, this is the POPE. Our holy Father, the man we faithful Catholics tend to think is the closest to Christ. So I guess he is following Christ's example in the best way, by serving the least of these and 
washing the feet of prisoners.

This picture inspires me so much. But it also makes me somewhat ashamed. If this is what our amazing and most Holy Father is doing, something so humble, then shouldn't I, someone so much lesser than our Pope, 

be doing something even more humble? 

Food for thought. And this amazing Pope is already changing the world through his inspiring humility and passion for Christ. May he continue to take our breath away. May he be a perfect and holy example of a faithful follower of Christ. May he continue to inspire us through his words and actions. May he continue to be a wonderful shepherd and lead us to Christ. May he help the Holy Spirit kindle the burning fire of Christ within us, so that we all may be the light of Christ to a world in need of hope and God's love.

Let us pray for our Holy Father!

 

  

*pictures from http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/346743

Happy Easter!

 

 *picture from http://wheregoodguyswearblack.blogspot.com/2009/04/easter.html

Happy Easter!

Jesus Christ has risen from the dead! The grave could not hold the King! He overcame death and defeated it! By His death, He has opened the gates of Heaven for us to enter in with Him. And since He has conquered Death, we should have no fear of it, for we will have eternal life.
 

He has come back from the dead. He has shown to us that His love for us is much greater than all things, much greater than Death itself! 

He loves you so much! 

The old has been cast away.  Behold I make all things new. (Revelation 21:5) Let Him make you a new creation. May this Easter season bring you new joy and new hope in the risen Christ. May He come into your life in a different way. Be open to Him and His love. He will come into your heart if you let Him and He will completely change your life and make you something truly beautiful. His light will shine through your life. Let Him live through you this Easter season and His glory will be poured out upon the earth. You can set the world ablaze with the fire of His love and His mercy. 

He will truly make all things new!

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!

Have a blessed Easter!