Simple Reflections

Decisons, Decisions

2010-03-05T00:02:00.000-05:00

I have decided to stop posting on this blog. At least for now. It is one of the things that I am letting go of this Lent. It is difficult to keep focused on 3 blogs, not to mention my newsletter, etc. I will continue to write reflections but they will be on my main blog, Thoughts on Grace.

I do not think I will delete this blog right now. I may decide to use it for special projects ahead. Like the Lenten Journal I am doing right now.

God bless you all and come visit me at Lenten Journal and Thoughts on Grace!

Lenten Daybook #2

2010-03-03T22:47:00.000-05:00

I am thinking ... I am following my Lenten plan pretty well. I hope I continue. Fasting from complaining is a real eye-opener for me. In order to keep from complaining, I have to pray every time I want to complain and I have to find the good in what is irritating me. This just changes my whole attitude! Of course, I am not perfect at this - not by a long shot. But I did not expect to be perfect. I just hope to give love and praise and more time to Jesus and not make everything be about me!

I am feeling ... Still Joyful! I am enjoying my prayer time and going to Mass. I have gone to daily Mass 2 times so far this week. I am really enjoying my Lenten Journal.

Scripture in my heart ... John 6:44: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him..." This phrase has been with me since the first week of Lent and I pray it every day. I do not know why. I just go with it.

Draw me closer, Jesus. Help me to complain less and love more.

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Mountaintop Experiences

2010-02-28T00:01:00.007-05:00

Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here;

let us make three tents ... (Luke 28:13)

I love this statement. I think of the times I have had a mountain-top experience and I wanted to hold onto it so it would last forever. It is as if I thought I would lose it. Or lose God. But those kinds of experiences are consolations, gifts, warm-fuzzies. Those experiences are not God Himself.

Peter had the company of God with him in a very unique way for 3 years. But he didn't know that. He didn't seem to understand that he was looking at the face of God everyday.

How many times have I looked right past God because I was too interested in the "experience" of God?

Lord, it is good to be here with you. Help me to remember you are with me all the time, in both the mountains and the valleys of my life. Amen.

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Lenten Daybook

2010-02-23T00:42:00.002-05:00

I am writing fewer reflections during this Lent because of keeping my Lenten Journal. Hope you can make it over there to check it out.

I will try to write reflections on Sundays and also a weekly Lenten Daybook to help me keep focused this Lent.

I am thinking ... I made it to Mass this morning. What a joy! The grace of Eucharist. I worked all day this Monday and never got grouchy! I would love to go everyday but it makes me late to work. I want to try to figure something out though when Lent is over.

Fasting from complaining has been interesting. When I do complain, I recognize it right away. I have found ways to accept things and I think twice without speaking. Most of the time. Not ALL of the time. And I do need to remember it is only the First Week of Lent.

I am feeling ... Joyful! I am enjoying Lent. I am sensing God is close. And I feel excited. Not sure why. Yet.

Scripture in my heart ... Psalm 1:3: "They are like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season; Its leaves never wither; whatever they do prospers." This phrase keeps repeating itself over and over in my head. I wonder if I am a well-watered tree. I do not know. I wait.

Lord, Help me to be more positive and not complain. Help me to not judge others. I know you are the well from which I drink. I no longer thirst for you give me living water. Amen.

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Into the Desert

2010-02-21T00:02:00.001-05:00

Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days ... (Luke 4:1-2)

Here I am again. I reflected about desert time last week. It seems like I am entering into my own desert. The desert time of Lent.

But I keep going back to Saturday's first reading from Isaiah - "Then the LORD will guide you always and give you plenty even on the parched land. He will renew your strength, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails (Is 58:11)."

I love that - you shall be like a watered garden.

Then I need not fear the desert.

Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you for the desert.
Thank you for the season of Lent.
Thank you for filling me with your Spirit.

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Desert Time

2010-02-14T00:02:00.001-05:00

"...in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit." (Jeremiah 17:8)

This verse reminds me of desert time. Those times in my life when I experience the desert in my prayer life. When everything seems so dry and I wonder if God is even there.

But of course, God is always with me. I need not be afraid. All I can do is pray every day and surrender all to God. And trust that what I do will bear fruit. Ultimately, the fruit is up to God anyway.

Lord, help me to trust in you more. Help me to know that you are always with me and I need not worry. You have everything under control.

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Where God Is

2010-02-09T00:02:00.001-05:00

We cannot go where God is not. And where God is, all is well. - Anonymous

A simple statement. Yet beautiful and true.

No matter where we are, God is with us, and all is well.

Sometimes it doesn't feel like it is well. Sometimes life is painful. Sometimes, it is dark.

But always, always, God is with us.

Everywhere.

Help me, Lord, to hold onto you. Help me to remember you are always with me, so when difficulties happen, I won't question it.

God Is Love

2010-02-02T00:02:00.000-05:00

The mystic Angelus Silesius (1624-1677), said: “There is still nothing here more beautiful than I am, because God, beauty itself, has fallen in love with me.”

We are precious to God. We may not feel that way. We may feel ashamed or afraid or unloved. But quotes like this one help remind me.

God is in love with me, His creation.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me.

Shine Our light

2010-01-27T22:44:00.000-05:00

"He said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?" (Mark 4:21)

I am sometimes afraid of using my gifts. I am afraid of speaking my inner truth. But then I read this scripture verse and I am reminded that it is a waste of the gift if I do not use it.

I read somewhere that "God will never lead you where his grace will not keep you." He does not give us gifts so we can hide them. I need to trust that, I need to trust Him.

Lord, I want to shine my light for you. Help me find courage, lean on you and use the gifts you have given me. Amen.

A New Song

2010-01-26T00:05:00.000-05:00

"Sing to the Lord a new song..." (Psalm 96:1)

When I hear this phrase, I often think about conversion. Conversion is not something that happens only once. We need to be open to conversion every day.

Often conversion is small. It is not always a huge moment, like Paul going blind. Everyday conversions are tiny little changes that can often be missed if we are not paying attention.

Lord, help me to pay attention. Help me to learn a new song everyday so I may grow closer to you.

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God's Infinite Love

2010-01-22T12:08:00.001-05:00

Your love towers to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies - Psalm 56:11

God knows what we need before we even know.

I once pondered this verse for a couple of weeks. Every free moment I would repeat this verse over and over to myself. And I wondered why it was sticking to me.

Then one day I was hurt by an acquaintance and I felt miserable. Suddenly that verse popped back into my head. And then I knew. These words were words that God knew I was going to need. They were food for my soul and heart.

God's love is forever.

Thank you, Lord, for your infinite love and care. Today and always.

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The Lord Knows Our Hearts

2010-01-19T00:14:00.000-05:00

"...not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance

but the Lord looks into the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

I try not to judge, But I do, more often than I care to admit. When I realize I have judged someone, I repent right away. I realize that I cannot know a person's heart.

I also judge myself, probably more often and more harshly than I judge others. Especially when I am in my "perfectionist mode." I am so thankful that God looks into my heart and knows me better than I know myself. For just as He sees others with love and tenderness, compassion and mercy, He sees me that way also.

Lord, I am so grateful that you know my heart, that you know the real me. Help me to see others as you see them.

Wedding at Cana

2010-01-17T02:47:00.003-05:00

His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you." - John 2:5

These are the last words of Mary recorded in the Bible. What powerful words they are. Sometimes I feel as if she is speaking to me. Do whatever he tells you.

The picture here is a picture I took when we visited the Holy Land. It is the church at Cana. We renewed our vows outside of the church because it was so crowded inside. We bought a bottle of wine at the gift shop there and gave it to our son when he and his girlfriend got engaged.

Jesus, thank you for the miracle at Cana, and for your overflowing abundance of love. Love for your mother. Love for us.

The Lord Hears My Cry

2010-01-13T00:48:00.001-05:00

"I waited, waited for the Lord;
who bent down, and heard my cry." - Psalm 40:2

This verse touches me. When I hear it, I picture Jesus bending down to listen to me better. I picture his face full of compassion, his eyes so tender.

What really touches me though, is his bending down. He doesn't wait for me to climb up to him. He bends down, so he can see me better and hear me better,

And so I can see him better, too.

Thank you, Lord, for bending down to hear me. I feel special that you would do that. I feel like a little child, whose loving parent needs to bend down to talk to me or to look into my eyes. Thank you, Lord, for loving me so. Amen.
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The Love of the Father

2010-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

"You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased." (Luke 3:22)

I was on retreat once. A five day silent retreat. I was in the chapel one day, praying silently and I heard within my heart these words: "You are my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased."

I thought that I had imagined it and continued praying. I then noticed that the Bible was open. I went to see what scripture it was open to and there was this reading from Luke.

I am surely not perfect. Far from it. But God is not saying that he loves us when we are perfect. He says he is well pleased with us just the way we are.We are His children. His creation. He is our Father.
That is enough to know. In fact, it is everything.
Father in heaven, thank you for your love. Thank you for creating me, your daughter. May I always be mindful of your great love, made known to me through Your Son, Jesus.
Amen.

How Do We Learn to Love?

2010-01-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

We love because He first loved us. - 1 John 4:19

How do we learn to love? Do we get lessons from our parents? Do we learn while still in the womb? Does it come naturally?

How do we learn to love?

I have often wondered about myself. I was abused as as child so how did I learn to love anyway? When I first read this scripture, I understood.

God's love lives in me. I love with his love. I learned to love from him.

Thank you, Lord. For your gift of love. For teaching me to love.

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What Does Love Mean

2010-01-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

For me, the First Letter of John has so many gems in it. This verse is one of them. If ever I doubt God's love for me, I just need to remember what He has done for me.

God loves me so much He became man. He loves me so much, that He humbled himself and then died on a cross, so I may know Him and His love. He suffered out of love for me. And forgave me.

To know what love is, to know what love means, we just need to look at Jesus. And we know.

O my Abba,

thank you for the gift of your Son.

Thank you for loving me even when I did not know you.

Thank you for showing me what love really is.

Amen.

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Epiphany

2010-01-03T00:01:00.003-05:00

Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come... (Isaiah 60-1)

Epiphany.

Light in our darkness.

Jesus in our midst. The manifestation of our God.

Help me, Lord, to see you everywhere and in everyone.

Help me to be one of your lights, to be your shining star, leading others to find you.
Amen.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

image source Royce Bair

Faithfulness

2009-12-30T00:28:00.004-05:00

"...She never left the temple but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer." (Lk 2:37)

I love Anna and Simeon (Luke 2:25-35). Their faith. Their faithfulness. Their patience in waiting for the Messiah. When I encounter Christ, when I see Jesus in the everyday moments of my life, I call them "Simeon moments."

Anna never left the temple. She worshiped day and night. What perseverance. Maybe that is why she saw the Christ Child. I know the more I pray, the closer I feel to Him.

Lord, I long to be as faithful as Anna and Simeon. Help me to be as patient. Help me to worship day and night, for I long to see your face.

the phrase "Simeon moments" inspired by this picture

A Light Will Shine

2009-12-25T00:01:00.003-05:00

"A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born to us."

(Responsorial Psalm Christmas Mass at Dawn)

A light will shine on us this day.

Jesus.

He comes to take away the darkness.

He brings us love and life and light.

And when we experience that light, we are never the same.

I grew up in a dark world. A world of abuse. A world of Lies.

Jesus has brought light to my world. He has revealed to me a world of love and truth.

Thank you, Jesus.

Happy Birthday.

Merry Christmas to all!

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Rejoice in the Lord

2009-12-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior." (Luke 1:46-47)

The Magnificat never ceases to move me. It reminds me of those moments in my life when I, too, have sung the Lord's praises because of what He has done for me.
My spirit rejoices. No matter what else is going on in my life, Jesus is there for me. I have learned over the years to trust in His presence. And to know He loves me.

Lord, I wish to sing your praises all the days of my life. I rejoice in you and in your love. For you have made all the difference in my life.
Amen.

Image: prozac1 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Blessed Are You Who Believe

2009-12-20T04:26:00.000-05:00

"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you

by the Lord would be fulfilled." - Luke 1:45

I would like to think that I have the faith that Mary did. I would like to think that I believe like she believed. More often though, I think I am more like the man who said - I believe, help my unbelief (Mk 9:24).

I have faith. I have enough faith to know that God is always with me, even during the worst of times. I am just not sure that I would believe that an angel had visited me. And if I did believe that, I am not sure that I would believe that some miracle was going to happen like the angel said.

But yet, I have had moments like Mary did when she spoke her Magnificat. I have felt that way - filled with joy and the knowledge that God has done great things for me. Moments when I have indeed felt blessed.

Lord, I love you. Lord, I believe.

Help me in my unbelief.

Amen.

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The Joy of the Lord

2009-12-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

"The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you ..." (Zep 3:17)

This scripture verse is a favorite of mine. I try to imagine God rejoicing over me and singing joyfully because of me. Because of me. I am the cause of His joy?

That brings ME joy.
I never thought this way before. I mean, I know God loves me. But rejoicing?

Now I think I am starting to get it. God loves me with all His love and passion and joy. Like I love my children.

Like I love God.

Lord, thank you for loving me with such joy and gladness and rejoicing. Help me to believe it with my whole heart.

Amen.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe

2009-12-12T18:39:00.000-05:00

I so love Our Lady of Guadalupe. I cannot quite put my finger on the exact reason why.

She is the protector of the unborn.

The miracle of the roses and her image appearing on Juan Diego's tilma.

Mostly, I love her words to Juan Diego: "Listen, my dear child, and know that I will protect you. Do not let your heart be dismayed. Am I not here? I am your mother. Is not my help a refuge?"

When I hear those words, I think she is talking to me. I take her words to my heart.

For she is my mother, too.

Dear Jesus, thank you for the gift of your mother. Thank you for bringing her to us to help us and cheer us and bring us to you. Always to you. Amen.

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I Am the Immaculate Conception

2009-12-08T00:37:00.000-05:00

When Mary appeared to a Bernadette in Lourdes in 1858, the young girl asked her who she was and Mary answered, "I am the Immaculate Conception."

Lourdes has always been one of my favorite apparitions. As a new convert trying to understand Catholic doctrine and Catholic faith and the attention given to Mary, this story blew me away. The Pope had made an infallible statement about the doctrine of The Immaculate Conception just a few years before Lourdes. No way a poor young girl would have heard or known of that term at that point.

This convinced me that many of Mary's apparitions are real. And that God really does take an interest in what goes on in His church. It seemed to me that God was letting us know, through Mary, that this doctrine was absolutely correct.

Lord,

Thank you for the gift of your Mother. Thank you for this feast day, too. Help me to grow closer to Mary and help me to learn from her.Amen.

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord

2009-12-06T00:02:00.000-05:00

Second Sunday of Advent

"A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'" (Luke 3:4)

Advent is a time of preparation. We prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord into our hearts. We pray that any obstacles to Jesus' birth into our hearts will be removed so His path is straight.

Sometimes I feel like I am a voice in the desert. I struggle with my advent preparations. I struggle because I have such a long things-to-do list. Christmas shopping, decorations, cards, work is crazy busy.

But I have to make time for prayer. I have to put Jesus first. After all, Jesus is the reason for the Season. So I am keeping it simple this year.

Less decorations. Fewer cards. More prayer.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Oh Jesus,
Help me to keep you first. Help me to prepare my heart for you. I bring you my failings, my worries, my burdens. I choose to put you first, Lord. I love you. Help me to keep you first.

Amen.

God's Love Revealed

2009-12-01T01:07:00.001-05:00

"No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father isexcept the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." (Lk 10:22)

I am using a wonderful little book to help me with my daily Advent prayers. It is called Waiting in Joyful Hope: Daily Reflections for Advent and Christmas, 2009-10 written by Bishop Robert Morneau. In today's reflection, Bishop Morneau talks about three ways we come to know Christ: prayer, study and revelation. He says that "Augustine says that God reveals himself to those who love him."

There are many ways in which God reveals himself to us. Bishop Morneau says that "the decisive event is Jesus, the very self-communication of God."

I like how he puts that. The very self-communication of God.

If I were to say the way God revealed himself to me most often, it would be through someone being Jesus for me, loving me like Jesus does. When a person loves me and accepts me unconditionally, I see Jesus. And I see God, for God is love.

Dear Jesus, help me to show God's love to others as it has been shown to me. Help me to be an instrument of your love and peace. Amen.

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Every Day is Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-26T00:01:00.001-05:00

"Let the earth bless the Lord, praise and
exalt him above all forever." (Daniel 3:74)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Image: prozac1 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Keeping the Faith

2009-11-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

"You will be hated by all because of my name." (Luke 21:17)

I feel like this is happening these days. The strong emotion regarding abortions and euthanasia. The "holiday" trees instead of Christmas trees. The towns that forbid the use of manger scenes. Seems like everywhere we look, we Christians are being discriminated against. And it seems to be "politically correct" to bash Catholics.

But we can take comfort in the verse following the one above: "but not a hair on your head will be destroyed." (Lk 21:18)

Dear Lord, help us to let go of anxiety and worry. Help us to remember you are with us always and we need not be afraid. I wish so much to witness to your love and mercy. Help me to live my life in such a way, that people will see You. Amen.

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God's Ocean of Goodness

2009-11-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

"Let us throw ourselves into the ocean of God's goodness, where every failing will be canceled and anxiety turned into love." - St. Paul of the Cross

When I recently read this quote for the first time, I remembered a time when I was on a private retreat. I had gone swimming in the convent's pool next door. I remember reflecting that, no matter where I was, I was close to God's heart, swimming in His love.

God's goodness is like an ocean. It goes on and on forever, in all directions. We can trust and jump into His love, and experience His never-ending love and mercy, or we can just put our big toe in, fearful of what we will find.

Dear Lord, thank you for your ocean of kindness and goodness and love and mercy. Help me to trust more in you, and to float with your currents, O Lord. Help me to let go of fear and anxiety, and jump right into your Love.

Amen.

Jesus Seeks Us

2009-11-17T01:00:00.000-05:00

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what is lost." (Luke 19:10)

Not only do I like to think of Jesus coming to save me. Better yet, he came to seek me. He wanted to find me. He sought me out.

He seeks us all out. As Mother Teresa said - He thirsts for our souls.

Awesome. Thank you, Jesus.

What Do You Want?

2009-11-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

"What do you want me to do for you? (Luke 18:41)

I know we need to pray. I know we need to ask God for what we want or need. It is not that God doesn't already know. He does. He knows our hearts.

But He wants to know, do WE know what we want or need?

I do not ask very often. I do not often know what I want. And even when I do know, I am afraid to ask. I do not feel like I deserve anything.
But God's mercy and forgiveness and love is not given to us because we deserve it.
It is grace. Free. A gift.

So, what do you want God to do for you?

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God's Word Brings Light

2009-11-12T00:36:00.000-05:00

"The revelation of your words sheds light, gives understanding to the simple." (Psalm 119:130)

I used to think the psalms were rather boring. I cringe inside to hear myself say that. But other than the responsorial psalms at Mass, I paid little attention to them.

Then I went to Pecos Monastery in New Mexico to take their Spiritual Direction class. The monks there prayed the Liturgy of the Hours 4 times a day and I prayed with them. I chanted the psalms with them everyday, day after day, for a month.

And something inside of me changed.

I began to really listen to the words. Soon I was not just saying words, I was truly praying them. Verses would stay in my thoughts and heart and I would pray them for days. I truly fell in love with the psalms.

Every feeling I can think of is expressed in some way in one or more of the psalms. There is pain and anger and fear and love and praise and gratitude and loneliness and sadness and joy.

Loving the psalms led me to read the Word of God with a different eye and hear it with a different ear.

It was like I had been sitting in the dark and God turned the light on.

Thank you and praise you, Lord, for revealing yourself to me through Your Word. Help me to understand it and learn from it and share its Light with others. Amen.

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The Lord is Close to the Brokenhearted

2009-11-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,

saves those whose spirit is crushed." (Psalm 34:19)

I remember when I first heard this verse. I was overwhelmed.

I have lived with a broken heart for most of my life. To know God is close by is to know I have not been alone. It makes a difference.

And my spirit is no longer crushed. The Lord has saved me.

Thank you, Lord, for being close to me, closer to me than I will ever comprehend.

Thank you for healing my broken heart.

Jesus Welcomes Us

2009-11-05T01:36:00.000-05:00

"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." (Luke 15:2)

I once remember a priest telling us in his homily that we don't go to church because we are perfect. We go to church because we know we aren't.

In those years that I was not going to church, I thought churchgoers were hypocrites. They worship God on Sunday and sin on Monday. I didn't really get it.

We go to church because we need Jesus. And we know, no matter how imperfect we are, on Sunday and every day, Jesus welcomes us and eats with us. Jesus forgives us and He heals us.
Every day.

Jesus, this is so awesome. I don't know how else to put it. You love me just the way I am, a sinner, imperfect, unworthy. I love the story of how you will leave 99 sheep to go find one that is lost. I love it because I was lost once. Thanks for finding me.

Amen.

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Never Let Me Go

2009-11-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

"I have stilled my soul, hushed like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on it's mother's lap, so is my soul within me." (Psalm 131:2)

I love this Psalm. I picture myself on Jesus' lap. I feel safe and secure and loved. No fear. No mistrust. Just peace.

Stilled, hushed.

Jesus, I know you are with me always.

Please hold me, Lord, and never let me go.

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The Lord's Love Holds Us Up

2009-10-31T01:00:00.003-04:00

"When I say 'My foot is slipping,'
your love, Lord, holds me up." (Psalm 94:18)

The Lord holds me up, no matter what is happening in my life. His love carries me and holds me and helps me to know I am not alone.

Sometimes I slip. Sometimes I fall. Sometimes I am afraid. But the Lord's love always holds me up.

I remember when my husband almost died from a blood clot after heart surgery. I remember being in bed, hardly able to get up, paralyzed by fear and depression. I prayed - Lord, help me up. I have to go to the hospital. I have to put on a good face for my husband and my children. Help me up, Lord. Please!

The phone rang. I had to get up to answer it. It could be the hospital. So I got up. It was a friend. All I could do was cry. I could not talk. I went back to bed.

Five minutes later, the phone rang again. This time it was my spiritual director.
"How are you," he asked in that kind voice of his. I fought back sobs. I told him about my husband. Then I told him of my depression. He told me that sometimes all we have left is hope. And hang on, he said. Hang onto hope.

We talked a few more minutes. He cracked a joke and I laughed. When we hung up, I was smiling. My mood felt lighter. I did not go back to bed. I went to the hospital to see my husband with a smile on my face and a song of hope in my heart.

Later it hit me. I had asked the Lord to help me up, and He did. He called my friends and they answered His call.

God's love held me up.

Praise you, Lord. Thank you for your Love and for always holding me when I slip and fall.

I love you.

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Everlasting Grace

2009-10-30T13:44:00.001-04:00

"May your grace be a sun that never sets."

(from Morning Prayer this week)
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Our Creator

2009-10-24T11:21:00.000-04:00

"The earth is the Lord's and all it holds,

the world and those who live there." (Psalm 24:1)

Our Creator, our good God, the One who created us, who dwells within us, is the same God who created earth and all it holds, all who live there.

It is difficult to fathom that whole thing. The same God who cares about what we do and think about is the same God who created the universe. How can that be?

I will never comprehend it. It is too big. God is too big to understand. But He is not too big to love us.

That is all I need to know.

God, thank you for all of your creation. Thank you for the sea and the mountains, the rivers and the plains. Thank you for all living things. Mostly, Lord, thank you for all I hold dear, and for loving me. Amen.

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Overflowing Grace

2009-10-20T00:49:00.001-04:00

"...where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more." (Romans 5:20)

The note in the bible on this verse says that "Paul declares that grace outmatches productivity of more sin." Interesting verse to contemplate. My spiritual director once suggested that could have happened with me when I was a child.

I was sexually abused by my father, but I can remember my love for God and church at an early age. My love for my first bible was such a comfort to me that I still have it almost 50 years later.

Did God's grace increase because of the sin in my home?

A friend of mine says that when she thinks of grace, she often thinks of rain pouring down from above. Now I think of the same thing. Grace falling down on us like a steady rain.

What a beautiful thought.

Oh Lord, please drench me with your graces.
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Wait for the Lord

2009-10-15T00:00:00.013-04:00

"I wait with longing for the Lord, my soul waits for his word." (Ps 130:6)

A beautiful psalm to pray today on the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila. I can picture her, in prayer, waiting for the Lord with longing.

O Lord, I wait for you with longing, when life seems dark and I feel as if you are absent.

I wait for you with longing, as I sit still in silent prayer.

I wait for you, Lord, with longing when I seem to be in the desert and I am not sure you are listening.

I wait for you with longing, when all is light and bright and I feel like I can see you everywhere in everything,

I never tire of waiting for you, Lord. I never tire of longing for you. It is a sign to me, that you are with me, calling me to yourself.

Amen.

God Our Creator

2009-10-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

"For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made." (Romans 1:19-20)

All I need to do is open my eyes and look around and I can see the evidence of God's presence. If I lose the sense of His presence, if I begin to doubt, I just need to go watch the sun rise, or a flower bloom, or a baby come into the world. Then I am reminded. And I know. I just know.

God, thank you for the gift of your Creation. Thank you for nature and for life and for the evidence of your presence. I know you are with us always. Help me to see you everywhere. Amen.
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Sing A New Song to the Lord

2009-10-12T01:31:00.000-04:00

Sing a new song to the Lord who has done marvelous deeds. (Psalm 98:1)

I see this picture to be of a woman who is praising God for the new day. Everyday is a new day, a new gift from God. I need to remember that when I get up in the morning, and when I go to bed at night. I need to sing a new song to the Lord, who has done marvelous deeds for me, everyday.

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Hope in the Lord

2009-10-08T00:00:00.001-04:00

"Blessed are they who hope in the Lord,for they are like a tree planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season..." (Psalm: Ps 40:5, 1:3)

I remember when my husband threw a dangerous blood clot the day after coming home from open heart surgery. The following day, I felt so depressed I could not get out of bed. After struggling through his heart surgery and bringing him home, only to have him almost die at home, I realized just how close I had been to losing him.

My spiritual director called me and we had a short conversation. He told me that sometimes all we have is hope. And we need to hang onto it. I knew he was right. When we hung up the phone, I immediately prayed to not lose hope. And I never did after that. To this day I remember those words.

Sometimes all we have left is hope. And we need to hang onto it.

Lord, thank you for the gift of hope. May I never lose it. And may I bring hope to others. Amen.
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Our Lady of the Rosary

2009-10-07T02:00:00.001-04:00

Lord, teach us to pray ... (Lk 11:1b)

I love the rosary. It is a beautiful prayer. It has so much - Mary, the Mysteries, the life of Jesus.

"It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat" (Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter, The Rosary of the Virgin Mary).

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Martha and Mary

2009-10-06T00:29:00.009-04:00

"The Lord said to her in reply, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.'" (Lk 10:41-42)

I know I am both a little bit of Martha and a little bit of Mary. I imagine most of us are. I would prefer to be more Mary really. I truly desire to sit at the feet of Jesus. I desire deeper intimacy with Jesus.

I know hospitality is important. I know we are called to minister to others. But I would still be happiest sitting at Jesus' feet. That is where I am feeling called right now. That is where I want to be.

I was listening to the Pray as you go meditation (Jesuit Media Initiatives) for today's reading and the narrator asked the question - Who was the one giving Jesus hospitality?

I had always assumed it was Martha.

But was it?

Dear Jesus, help me to remember to choose the better part. I wish to choose only you. Help me to respond to this call I feel, this need to have deeper intimacy with you, this need to sit at your feet. Help me to welcome you into my heart so I may truly listen to you and know your will. Amen.
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Picturing God's Holy Temple

2009-10-05T00:00:00.001-04:00

My prayer reached you in your holy temple." (Jonah 2:8b)

Let's face it. I am just a human. A broken, frail human being. While I know God is everywhere, while I know I can pray to God anywhere, sometimes I need to go find Him where I can see him.

Sometimes I need to sit by the ocean and watch a sunset. Sometimes I need to vacation in the mountains and take in the glorious views.
And sometimes, if I were to imagine what God's holy temple looks like, I would choose a picture just like the one above.

Lord, I know my prayer always reaches you in your holy temple. I know you always hear my prayer. I know you dwell within my very own heart.Help me to live in that knowledge; in my heart, not just my head. Amen.

image from Freedigitalphotos.net

Abba Father

2009-10-01T01:00:00.000-04:00

"To call God my Father and to know myself His Child,

that is Heaven to me ..." - St. Therese of Lisieux

There was a time when I could not think of God as my Father. As an incest survivor, I could only relate to God as Creator, because the "father" image was a problem for me.

Then one day I heard a priest describe the word "Abba" and how Jesus called God his Abba, or daddy or papa. I knew then that I wanted to know God as Father, too.

These days I do. These days I too call God Father and I agree with St. Therese. It is heaven to me.
Father, thank you for being my Abba. Help me to trust in you and surrender to you as St. Therese always did. Help me to follow her Little Way. And Papa, I love you. Thank you for showing me in so many ways, that I am your beloved daughter. Amen.
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Good News Angel

2009-09-29T00:00:00.002-04:00

"... in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise."

(Responsorial Psalm from Psalm 138)

Gabriel is the angel who brings to Mary the message of the Good News. When I think of angels, I often think of those people in my life who have been angels for me. Those angels who have announced to me the Good News of Jesus. And I sing the praises of God for all He has done for me.

Thank you God for your gift of angels. Thank you for those people in my life who are like angels, who bring me the message of your love and of the presence of Jesus in my life. Help me to be an angel for others. Amen.

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The Jerusalem of My Heart

2009-09-28T00:05:00.001-04:00

"Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city,and the mountain of the Lord of hosts,the holy mountain." (Zec 8:3)

"I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem. They shall be my people, and I will be their God,
with faithfulness and justice." (Zec 8:8)

Two years ago my husband and I went to the Holy Land. One of the most moving sights for me - and there were many - was my entrance into Jerusalem. Just knowing where I was brought tears to my eyes. Being in such a holy city, especially the city where Jesus walked, was an experience of a lifetime for me.

The day we went to the Wailing Wall, I was moved by the sight of seeing so many Jews and Christians at the wall, all praying. And then we heard the Moslems' call to prayer. People of three different religions, all stopping to pray at the same time, in the same city, together.

At that moment, I knew I was in a city like no other, a city of faith. I fell in love with Jerusalem: the Jerusalem of my God, the Jerusalem of my heart.

Yes, Lord, you shall be our God. Bring us peace. Help us to be your people. Mold us into who you created us to be. Rain down your graces upon us, Lord, and bring us home. Amen.

The Heavens Shine with God's Love

2009-09-21T00:43:00.001-04:00

"The heavens declare the glory of God ..." (Psalm 19:2)

I have always felt so small when looking at a sky filled with stars. But I remember so clearly one particular night, when I was suddenly overwhelmed by the realization that the God who made these stars, the God who made this whole universe, is the same God who made ME and loves ME and even counts the hairs on my head.

At that moment, I knew that I was loved beyond all human understanding. And with tears flowing down my face, I sobbed my prayers of praise and thanskgiving.
Oh loving God, You created the stars and the heavens, the seas and the mountains, the animals and all living things. And here I am, this little person, in the middle of all of your creation, and yet you know my heart, and my life, and my thoughts and my deeds. You are with me always. Oh, praise and glory to you, my Lord and my God. I love you. Amen.

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We Belong to Our Maker

2009-09-19T01:00:00.001-04:00

Know that the Lord is God; our maker to whom we belong,

whose people we are; God's well-tended flock. (Psalm 100:3)

I like the thought of belonging to God. That we are His. There is a sense of security with that and even more, a feeling of being loved. Loved and cared for.

Father, you are our Creator. You loved us into being. You loved us into existence. We have always been yours, even when we didn't know, when we weren't aware. We are your well-tended flock. Thank you, Lord, for being our Shepherd. Amen.

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Our Lady of Sorrows

2009-09-15T02:03:00.001-04:00

"And you yourself a sword will pierce." (Lk 2:35)

When my stepfather died several years ago, I remember grieving but I was also worried about my mother. She was keeping up good appearances. Throughout the 10 days or so that I was with her, I was not sure if she cried at all. Crying is so healing, so I worried.
When I left her to return to my own home hundreds of miles away, I worried about her going home from the airport to an empty house. When I got home, I called her and asked her how she was doing. She started to cry. Real sobs. The kind that comes from way deep down inside. I cried with her.
That saying - It is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all (Alfred Lord Tennyson)- used to always sound kind of hokey to me. But it doesn't any more. I remember thinking that we were so blessed to have loved someone so much that we would suffer that kind of grief when they were gone. To have that kind of hole in our hearts, means that kind of love was pretty big!
I can imagine Mary's heart-wrenching sobs when Jesus was crucified. Did someone cry with her? Did someone comfort her?
And then I also remember the empty tomb. The Upper Room. Resurrection. And the promise of God wiping away our tears.
The Son Mary cried for made all things new.

God's Promise

2009-09-14T00:00:00.004-04:00

"For God did not send his Son
into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him." (Jn 3:17)

At first glance, it almost seems strange to see a cross and a rainbow together in the same picture. The rainbow reminds us of God's promise that He would never send a flood to destroy the earth again. The cross reminds us of pain and suffering.
But the cross is also a reminder of a promise from God, one that we read in John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."

God, thank you for your love, a love so great and so eternal
that we will never reach the end of it.
Help us to know your love and to trust in your mercy. Amen.

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Joy in God

2009-09-11T22:42:00.002-04:00

I keep the Lord always before me...
You will show me the path to life,

abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.

- Psalm 16:8a,11

There was a time when I did not put God first in my life. He was in the back of my mind, always there but not noticed very often. Unless I needed something.

Once I started putting the Lord first, once I decided to follow His path to life, then I found joy. The real kind...the abounding joy in His presence. And I knew what Nehemiah meant - "the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

Lord, thank you for my life and all the blessings you have given me, Thank you for the joy that I experience in your presence. Please help me to keep you first in my life - always. - Amen.

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Beatitudes

2009-09-09T00:39:00.002-04:00

Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours. (Lk 6:20)

My husband and I were blessed with a gift of a trip to the Holy Land a couple of years ago. The very first day we went up on the Mount of the Beatitudes and took this picture. Imagine Jesus looking at this view of the Sea of Galilee, as He gave his Sermon on the Mount.

We may be poor in spirit, but we are rich in blessings.

Praise you, Lord, for your goodness and your love

and for bringing us into your Kingdom.

God With Us

2009-09-08T00:00:00.005-04:00

"Behold, the virgin will be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." (Mt 1:23)

What gifts God has given us. Jesus who is peace (Micah 5:4a). Jesus who is "God with us." Through the best and the worst and the in-between times, we are not alone. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise.
And today we celebrate the Nativity of Mary. Mary who said yes, Mary who gave birth to Peace, to the Shepherd, to Emmanuel.
God, thank you, for the gift of your Son. Help me to remember that He is always with us. Help me to remember to be like Mary, to be your disciple and please give me the courage to say Yes, like Mary did. May I be like Mary, and bring Jesus to others, so they too know that You are with them. Amen.

image by sonoftheprodigal

Hello

2009-09-07T14:19:00.001-04:00

This is my first post in my new blog. I have 2 other blogs - (see my sidebar). But I decided I wanted one just for small reflections on either a reading of the day or a quote or a thought. I won't be posting everyday, but hopefully often. I am going with the flow!