Looking back… Looking ahead...

     So, here we are at the start of a new year. Naturally, I've been looking at the year in review, and noticing some big changes.
     If you have followed this blog since its beginning, you probably have noticed that I used to post many more political/current events stories than I do now. It isn't that I don't care anymore. It's just that nothing ever seems to change. And when it does, it doesn't last.
     Take the Tea Party victory, for instance. What a disappointment how the Republican leadership repeatedly squandered the mandate for restoration... both by their votes and by their voices. And shame on the media for being complicit in the fundamental transformation of our Republic. Historians will have a field day. Someday.
     In the meantime, if you are looking for political commentary, you can go back into my archives. It's all there. I sounded the alarm for a year and a half. And my sidebar still offers a wealth of information and useful links.
     People ask me who I like in the field of Republicans. My answer is whoever runs against Barack Obama. It's not tricky really. Four more years of this, and America will cease to exist as we know her. She's different already.
     I guess for the primary election, for me, it will come down to who is the least statist of all of the statists. And who truly recognizes the threats to America, both foreign and domestic. Show me a true, small-government, protect our borders, constitutional conservative, and he will get my vote. Doesn't America deserve civic leaders who will ensure freedom, and who won't spend and regulate her to death?
     Enough about politics.
     On a personal note, so much has changed for me. Of course the passing of Mark's dad has left a gaping hole in our family. Time and hope are what help there.
     Sweeping across the year… by the end of last school year, we had decided to withdraw from institutional education and teach our kids at home.
     Best. Decision. Ever.
     They genuinely enjoy their days and each other. God is present all day long. Our family has a freedom we had never enjoyed before. Our daily rhythms are natural. The kids play outside. And they are learning.
     Teaching them has been a big challenge for me, as I have a tenth grader, a sixth grader and a second grader, all with different learning styles and at different stages… all at the same time. Very difficult for me, as order does not come naturally. But I am very happy. And I thank God for each new day. Plus, I have a lot of support from my homeschooling, and non-homeschooling friends. I thank God for that, too. Mark is still skeptical, but he'll see the fruits soon enough. Onward I go.
     In the fall, I attended my 30th high school reunion. The time period that followed that night took me by surprise. I went through a bit of spiritual upheaval. Mostly involving forgiveness and letting go of my pride. Thank you Lord for my time with you in Adoration to really take a long look at my heart.
     I have often said that I prefer the woman I have become to the young girl I left behind. A girl who was mostly self conscious, insecure and somewhat detached. But I faced that girl from graduation day and finally embraced her. A girl that I had considered silly and fearful, always telling her, You should have been more confident.
     I have realized that she had protected me on many occasions. And she was mostly kind. And she loved God and her family. That's still me. It may sound silly, but I thanked her. And I told her that she did good. For the first time ever, I told her she did good.
     Subsequently, I opened up a Facebook page. For years, I had told myself I didn't need to stay connected, but I was wrong. I like to reach out. I like to share little nuggets for the day. I like to see other people lifting each other up. I still hesitate a little when "friending" others, for fear of intruding in their lives without having been invited. A remnant of the teenage me, I guess.
     Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, came and went, carrying with them so many blessings. And now we are at the start of a brand new year.
     My word for this year is order. This year, I will try to establish order in my days… in our schooling, in our home, and in my prayer life. This is the Lord's house, too. A calm lake reflects the sun. Calmer days for us will reflect the Son.
     Blessings to you in the new year. May the peace of Christ be always in your hearts and in your homes.

Immaculate Heart of Mary...

     Father, you prepared the heart of the Virgin Mary to be a fitting home for your Holy Spirit. By her prayers may we become a more worthy temple of your glory. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
     For more prayers and activities, go to Catholic Culture.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus...

Merciful Jesus...

I consecrate myself today and always,
To your Most Sacred Heart.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
I implore that I may ever love You
More and more...

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
I trust in You!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Have mercy on us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus
I believe in Your love for me,
Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
Make my heart like Your Heart. Amen.

     From Catholic Culture... an explanation of the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus:
     "I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment." (Jesus to St. Margaret Mary).
     Sixteenth century Calvinism and seventeenth century Jansenism preached a distorted Christianity that substituted for God's love and sacrifice of His Son for all men the fearful idea that a whole section of humanity was inexorably damned.
     The Church always countered this view with the infinite love of our Savior who died on the cross for all men. The institution of the feast of the Sacred Heart was soon to contribute to the creation among the faithful of a powerful current of devotion which since then has grown steadily stronger. 
     The first Office and Mass of the Sacred Heart were composed by St. John Eudes, but the institution of the feast was a result of the appearances of our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1675. The celebration of the feast was extended to the general calendar of the Church by Pius IX in 1856.

Peter... Do you love me?

     This is a reprint from a post I wrote a year ago. It is the gospel from today, and so I thought it worth another look. May the peace of Christ be always in your hearts and in your homes.

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep." ~ John 21:15-17

       My name is Simon Peter.  I have been fishing all night and have come up empty. I feel empty. What am I going to do? I can't stop thinking about it. Just days ago, I did just about the worst thing you can do to a friend. Let alone your best friend. And it happened just as He had said it would. I cursed, and I swore I didn't even know Him. He had shared his knowledge and his wisdom with me. He said I was the rock, upon which He would build his church. I had watched Him do amazing things. Miracles. I had promised that even if everyone else forsook Him, my faith would not be shaken. But I was weak. I was so afraid. I still can't believe it. I turned my back on Him.

     I remember the first time I met Him. I was here fishing. He told me to go back out and put my net back over and try again. I remember thinking, what's the use? But I learned that day to humbly trust in Him. That was a lesson I would have to learn again and again.
     Wait.... Who is that on shore? At his very Word, our nets are overflowing once again. John says it's the Lord. Jesus? Here? Could it be? Oh, Lord... I want to be close to You again. I leap into this once fearful sea, and I swim as fast as I can. Thrashing through the water just to be with You again. One more chance to be near You. And there You stand, offering me your company, once again, in the breaking of the bread. I approach You. I am so sorry. I cannot say it out loud. Please forgive me. I am flawed. I am weak. I am sorry.
     Then He speaks. Simon, do you love me more than these? He asks... using the word agape... which means unconditional, sacrificial love. The way He loves. I am humbled. I don't think I am capable of love like his. No more boasting. I am imperfect. I say, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You... but I use the word phileo, meaning brotherly love. Earthly love. Imperfect love. It's all I have. I am not Him. After last weekend, we both know I may not ever love that way. I am human. He is God. But He tells me to feed his lambs anyway.
     He asks me a second time, Do you love me? I say again,Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He says, Tend my sheep. Once more, he asks me if I love Him. We are face to face. His eyes are so kind. I feel so guilty. I swore I would never deny Him, and I did it three times... when He needed me the most.  Well, I need Him now. I am lost without Him. I simply say, Lord, You know everything. You know that I love you. That is enough for Him. 
     The sun is shining now. I start to feel better. Three times. I love You Lord. I do. I do. A second chance. He is still my friend. He will never deny me. He has given me a gift. And He has given me a task. Feed my sheep.
     Even if my love isn't the perfect love of the Father or his Son, it's enough to do His work. I am enough for Him. I love Him. And I will ever strive to love as He loves. I will do my best to feed his sheep. He still trusts me. Even though I let Him down. He promises to empower me. I know what I must do. My life will never be the same again.

Bartimaeus again...

     Today's Gospel tells the story of Bartimaeus.  I posted about this last year. Here it is again, in case you missed it.

Saint Bridget's vision of the Nativity...

     As we wrap up these 12 days of Christmas, I have taken some time to reflect upon that first day of Christmas, and the birth of Jesus.
     I just found a site called The Clay Rosary Girl (thanks Amy), and there I found a post called Vision of the Nativity. I had chills.
     According to Clay Rosary Girl, the background story is that Saint Bridget of Sweden made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. When she reached the birthplace of Jesus, she knelt down to kiss the very spot where Jesus was born. This was when the room disappeared and she had this vision...
     "When all things were now ready, the Maiden knelt down with great awe and began to pray.  She turned Her back to the manger, but lifted Her face towards Heaven and looked to the East.  And with hands uplifted and Her eyes towards Heaven she knelt without moving, wrapped in divine sweetness.
     "While She was thus absorbed in prayer, I saw That which was in Her womb move, and in a moment She gave birth to Her Son.

     On other accounts of her vision, it has been written that Saint Bridget saw a light pass through Mary's womb at the moment Jesus was born. He lay on the ground pure and clean, free of any soil. 
     Saint Bridget's vision continues...
     "And so much light went from Him that the taper in the stone wall no longer gave any light...
     "But when the Maiden felt that She delivered, She bent Her head and folded Her hands, and with great awe She adored the Child and said to Him: 'Welcome, my God, my Lord, and my Son!"
     "Then the Boy wept and trembled with cold on the hard floor, and stretched out His little hands to His Mother, and She took Him up and laid His cheek against Hers, and Him to her breast with joy and great compassion.
     "And She sat down on the floor and laid Him on Her knees and began to swathe Him first with the linen cloths and then with the woolen pieces, and at last, wound the whole about His little body, legs and arms in one swaddling cloth, and swathed His head in the two woolen pieces that She had brought with Her.
     "St. Joseph threw himself upon his knees, adoring the Child and weeping for joy.  And in the Virgin there was no weakness as in other women when they are delivered.  She stood up with the Child in Her arms, and She and Joseph laid Him in the manger and adored Him with great joy.  And then I heard wonderful sweet singing of many Angels.

     May your Christmas joy and adoration last the whole year through.

Herod never found the baby Jesus...

    "There was a reason Herod never found the baby Jesus. He never went looking for Him. You can't find Jesus sitting on your couch." ~ Father Dan
     I started thinking about Herod. Why did he not go find the Child himself? Too busy? Lazy? Accustomed to others doing his leg work? Maybe he wouldn't have wanted to be so near the Christ. After all, Herod knew Who this Child was... and Who He was to be. 
     The "King Herod" from the time of Jesus's birth was Herod the Great. He was a ruthless, barbarian tyrant, who killed anyone who threatened his position as king. He was responsible for the slaughter of the holy innocents, among many other people, including family members... even his own sons.
     The "Herod" from the story of John the Baptist was Herod the Great's son, Herod Antipas. He loved to listen to John the Baptist, but he refused to obey his message. The Baptist had warned that it was wrong for Herod to take his own brother's wife, Herodius, as his lover, so he had John imprisoned. Herod had John executed to please Herodias's dancing daughter, with whom Herod was so delighted.
     He also cooperated with Pilate in the execution of Jesus.
     Both Herods were wildly consumed with the seven deadly sins... pride, jealousy, avarice, lust, gluttony, anger, and sloth.
     Jesus is the antithesis of these men.
     No wonder they wanted nothing to do with Him, but to destroy Him.
     Yesterday's Gospel told the story about the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus had just been rejected in his own hometown, by those who should have known Him the best. The feeding of the five thousand immediately follows the recount of the execution of John the Baptist.
     So, Jesus left his hometown, and taught and ministered to other towns nearby. When He and his friends left, word got out where they had gone, and the people, in their spiritual hunger, went to find Him. And they were part of one of the most famous miracles in history.
     Spiritually hungry? You won't find Jesus sitting on your couch.

Changing myself requires a commitment...

     Last night, I had the privilege of attending an evening of reflection, where the guest speaker was a priest named Father Dan. A good friend of mine who knows him characterized him as a "go-getter of souls." He is that. Unhesitatingly.
     Father Dan said many thought-provoking things that I am sure touched everyone in attendance, but this post is about one in particular.
     He told us that a great philosopher was once asked, "What is wrong with the world?"
     The philosopher replied, "I am."
     It is I who needs to change.
     Father Dan went on to tell us that if we ask God to help us with the area we most struggle with... if we sincerely commit to cutting out, with the help of God's grace, the one area that is the cancer in our lives... by the end of the year, it will be gone.
     But we have to mean it. And commit to ridding our lives of whatever vice afflicts us by praying for the opposite virtue. At the end of the year, where the cancer once was, there, the Lord will be.
     Father Dan went on to assure us that God will speak to us about the very thing we are struggling with, through conversations, homilies, chance encounters... God will use everything... if we only will listen... and see.
     I heard Glenn Beck on the radio this morning, and he told this story:
     "There was a man who decided to change the world. He was unsuccessful. So he decided to change his country. But again, he was unsuccessful. So he decided to change his city. But he was unsuccessful. So he decided to change his community. But he failed. So he decided to change his neighborhood. But he did not. So he decided to change his street. Again, he did not. So he decided to change his family. But he could not. So he decided to change himself.
     "At this, he succeeded. And by changing himself, his family changed, too. And when his family changed, so did his street. And then his neighborhood. And then his community. And then his city. And then his country. And soon, he had changed the world."
     It's the same story.
     What's the problem with the world? I am. The change will begin with me.
     God is speaking to me already.
     This year I will commit to changing myself. I will change my life. To be what God intended me to be.
     Father Dan said if you put a hot coal into a pile of cold coals, no matter what the other coals think, or what their attitudes are, they can not help but be ignited too.
     Change yourself, and see what happens. Commit to it.

The Prayer...

The Prayer

Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion

I pray you'll be our eyes, 
and watch us where we go, 
and help us to be wise 
in times when we don't know. 

Let this be our prayer 
when we lose our way: 
Lead us to a place, 
Guide us with Your grace 
To a place where we’ll be safe. 

La luce che Tu dai (The light that You give us) 
I pray we’ll find Your light 
Nel cuore resterà (will stay in our hearts) 
And hold it in our hearts 
A ricordarci che (reminding us that…) 
When stars go out each night 
L’eterna stella sei (You are the everlasting star). 

Nella mia preghiera (In my prayer). 
Let this be our prayer 
Quanta fede c’è (there's so much faith) 
When shadows fill our day: 
Lead us to a place, 
Guide us with Your grace, 
Give us faith so we’ll be safe. 

Sognamo un mondo senza più violenza 
(We dream (of) a world without more violence) 
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza 
(A world of justice and of hope). 
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino 
(Everyone give your hand to your neighbor), 
Simbolo di pace e di fraternità 
(Symbol of peace and brotherhood) 

La forza che ci dai (The strength You give us) 
We ask that life be kind 
È il desiderio che (is the wish that) 
And watch us from above. 
Ognuno trovi amore (everyone may find love) 
We hope each soul will find 
Intorno e dentro sè (around and within himself) 
Another soul to love. 

Let this be our prayer 
(Let this be our prayer) 
Just like every child 
(Just like every child) 
Needs to find a place: 
Guide us with your grace 
Give us faith so we’ll be safe. 

E la fede che (And the faith that) 
Hai acceso in noi (You have lit inside us) 
Sento che ci salverà (I believe will save us).

Zechariah's Canticle...

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Luke 1:67-69

The Magnificat...

Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Adoration...

     I have been going to Adoration on Sunday mornings before Mass.
     Alone in a room, face to face with Almighty God. Aside from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, it is my favorite hour of my week.
     Sometimes I sit there and stare at the Blessed Sacrament, trying so hard to see with my eyes something that my soul knows is there. Maybe I will see a swirling of majesty. The Risen Jesus, glorified, surrounded by the Heavenly Hosts. Maybe I will see and feel a warm light.
     A few weeks ago, I read something that changed my perspective. I had been so focused on what I could see when I look at Him, that I never stopped to think about what the Lord sees when He looks at me. Does He see a light? Does He see Himself?
     When I am there, part of me wants to approach the Lord Jesus, and hold the Monstrance close to me, as like a hug. To have God close. So close.
     The other part of me says, Don't you dare touch God. I am not worthy. He is perfect, and holy, and pure, beyond my human understanding. I don't dare disturb Him.
     But still, I want to be closer. Physically closer.
     Then I meditated on what I would see, if I could. And He wasn't a swirl of majesty. And He wasn't just a glow. Or the Man Jesus.
     He was a baby. The baby Jesus.
     In my mind and in my heart, I approached the manger of that first Christmas night, and I picked up that Baby. And I held Him close. And He was in my arms. And I kept Him warm.
     Jesus, the infant Savior. My infant Savior.
     For all the times in my life when I need Him... when He alone is my utmost joy... He holds me.
     But in that hour of uninterrupted quiet with the Lord, He needed me, and I held Him. I want to always hold Him close to me. And keep Him warm.... as He needed that first night in that stable. There, with His Mother and Father protecting Him and loving Him, it was safe and warm. But beyond those walls, it was dark and cold. And although there were some people who couldn't wait to meet Him, there were also those who wanted to kill Him.
     Lord, I pray that I can always hold you close. Especially when it is dark and cold out there.

Psalm 37...

     "Do not be provoked by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong. Like grass they wither quickly; like green plants they wilt away. 
     "Trust in the LORD and do good that you may dwell in the land and live secure. Find your delight in the LORD who will give you your heart's desire. Commit your way to the LORD; trust that God will act and make your integrity shine like the dawn, your vindication like noonday. 
     "Be still before the LORD; wait for God. Do not be provoked by the prosperous, nor by malicious schemers. Give up your anger, abandon your wrath; do not be provoked; it brings only harm. Those who do evil will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD will possess the land. Wait a little, and the wicked will be no more; look for them and they will not be there. But the poor will possess the land, will delight in great prosperity. 
     "The wicked plot against the just and grind their teeth at them; But the LORD laughs at them, knowing their day is coming. The wicked draw their swords; they string their bows to fell the poor and oppressed, to slaughter those whose way is honest. Their swords will pierce their own hearts; their bows will be broken. Better the poverty of the just than the great wealth of the wicked. The arms of the wicked will be broken; the LORD will sustain the just. 
     "The LORD watches over the days of the blameless; their heritage lasts forever. They will not be disgraced when times are hard; in days of famine they will have plenty. The wicked perish, the enemies of the LORD; like the beauty of meadows they vanish; like smoke they disappear. The wicked borrow but do not repay; the just are generous in giving. For those blessed by the Lord will possess the land, but those accursed will be cut off. 
     "Those whose steps are guided by the LORD; whose way God approves, may stumble, but they will never fall, for the LORD holds their hand. Neither in my youth, nor now in old age have I ever seen the just abandoned or their children begging bread. The just always lend generously, and their children become a blessing. 
     "Turn from evil and do good, that you may inhabit the land forever. For the LORD loves justice and does not abandon the faithful. When the unjust are destroyed, and the children of the wicked cut off, the just will possess the land and live in it forever. 
     "The mouths of the just utter wisdom; their tongues speak what is right. God's teaching is in their hearts; their steps do not falter. The wicked spy on the just and seek to kill them. But the LORD does not leave the just in their power, nor let them be condemned when tried. 
     "Wait eagerly for the LORD, and keep to the way; God will raise you to possess the land; you will gloat when the wicked are cut off. I have seen ruthless scoundrels, strong as flourishing cedars. When I passed by again, they were gone; though I searched, they could not be found. 
     "Observe the honest, mark the upright; those at peace with God have a future. But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. The salvation of the just is from the LORD, their refuge in time of distress. The LORD helps and rescues them, rescues and saves them from the wicked, because in God they take refuge."
     The psalm responds to the problem of evil, which the Old Testament often expresses as a question: Why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer? The psalm answers that the situation is only temporary. God will reverse things, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked here on earth. The perspective is concrete and earthbound: people's very actions place them among the ranks of the good or wicked.
      Each group or "way" has its own inherent dynamism--eventual frustration for the wicked, eventual reward for the just.

My Soul in Stillness Waits

This is one of my favorite Advent meditations...
My Soul in Stillness Waits

Refrain: For you, O lord, my soul in stillness waits. Truly my hope is in you.
1. O Lord of Light, our only hope of glory, your radiance shines in all who look to you. Come light the hearts of all in dark and shadow.
2. O Spring of Joy, rain down upon our spirits. Our thirsty hearts are yearning for your Word. Come, make us whole; be comfort to our hearts.
3. O Root of Life, implant your seed within us, and in your advent draw us all to you, our hope reborn in dying and in rising.
4. O Key of Knowledge, guide us in our pilgrimage, We ever seek, yet unfulfilled remain. Open to us the pathway of your peace.
5. Come, let us bow before the God who made us. Let every heart be opened to the Lord, for we are all the people of his hand.
6. Here we shall meet the makers of the heavens, creator of the mountains and the seas, Lord of the stars and present to us now.
Marty Haugen © GIA Music

An Act of Spiritual Communion...

I got the idea for this over at my friend Sam's blog...
For the complete story, click here.
Act of Spiritual Communion 
"My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present
in the Blessed Sacrament. 
I love Thee above all things and I desire Thee in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, 
come at least spiritually into my heart.
As though thou wert already there, 
I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee;
permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee."
Amen.

Meditation... A picture is worth a thousand words...

Divine Providence and Restoring Honor...

Restoring Honor Rally

     I am one who believes in Divine Providence... God's deliberate hand in the events of our daily lives.
     Saturday's Restoring Honor rally was held on August 28. For months, Glenn Beck has called it the 8/28 Rally. If you look up Romans 8:28, you will find a passage that many Christians immediately recognize by its citation... "We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."
     Okay... fine... There are dozens of passages you could choose from that would fit any date, but then I looked at Saturday's readings. The message is clear.
     Here is the link.
     Coincidence? I think not.
     Time has passed since the Founding of America, but the message is the same... Get behind the shield of God. Turn to Him. He is our true King. Freedom rests in Him.
     As the Founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence, "... with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor."
     Amen.

We the People... as far as the eye could see

Prayer of Abandonment...

     I saw this Prayer of Abandonment over at my friend Sam's blog, Thy Will Be Done. Thanks Sam.
     "Father, I abandon myself into your hands... do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you... I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures... I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul... I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands without reserve, and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father."
     This wonderful Prayer of Abandonment is written by Charles de Foucauld. More info here.

Why are you here?

     Do you believe that God created you for a specific purpose? Do you believe he formed you with your very own backpack full of the qualities and talents you would need to carry out that plan? Do you think God has placed you in this moment in time to do something amazing? Something important? Something only you can do?
     Why are you here? Do you know?

Forgiveness...

     My friend Joanne never disappoints. She sent me this story from The Word Among Us. 
     God always gives me just what I need.
     There is a story about a world-weary elderly man after the time of the French Revolution who was reduced to begging. He wandered from town to town, seeking alms to keep himself alive. Upon entering one small town, he made his way to the church, hoping for a handout. He wasn’t a churchgoing man himself, but he stayed there because of the steady stream of passersby.
     One day, after watching the beggar on the church steps, a young priest of the parish approached him. He gave the beggar a cloak and invited him to his own house for a meal. The beggar hesitated, saying he was not a religious man, but the priest insisted. 
     For several days afterward, the priest invited him to find shelter in the rectory. Finally, the beggar agreed and spent many days receiving the care and hospitality of his new friend. Eventually, through this priest’s witness, the man decided to come back to the church.
     He tearfully confessed to the priest that he felt alienated from God because of the guilt he felt for betraying the family he had worked for as a young man. His employer had entrusted his wife and children to his care during the Revolution, but the man betrayed them. He handed them over to the authorities, and all but the youngest child were sent to the guillotine.
     After telling the priest his story, the man lifted his eyes and saw on the wall a portrait of the very family he had betrayed. He asked where the painting came from, and the young priest, with tears in his eyes, said that this was his family. He was the youngest child. Everyone else had been executed during the Revolution. Uttering the words of absolution, the priest added, “and I forgive you as well. Be at peace.”
     We may not have to forgive such a grievous wrong, but we are all called to forgive—especially those closest to us, who often hurt us most deeply. Forgiveness like this opens the gates of heaven and allows God’s grace to be poured out on us and on the person we forgive. So let this story inspire you. And let it move you to be merciful as well!
     “Lord, help me to become a channel of your mercy in my home!