Listening for God in the SILENCE

God speaks in the silence of the heart.

Listening is the beginning of prayer. ~Mother Teresa

I am currently on a silent retreat.  I did my first silent retreat five years ago.  I have to admit the thought of it was a little scary.  No talking, including meal time, except for an hour a day with your spiritual director.  

It was one of the best things I have ever done.  For me it was a wonderful way to slow down and take time to listen to what God was trying to tell me.  It seems that in todays world everyone is always on the run.  How often do we really take time to listen for God?

God speaks in the whispers and we must take the time to listen. In order to do that, we must turn off the tv, radio, ipods, cell phones and find some quiet time alone.  Take time to quiet our hearts and just sit and let God speak to us.  You may choose to use this quiet time to read Scripture, read a spiritual book, go on a walk, meditate, or pray.  It is really about finding a little silence in our daily routine, even if it's just five minutes.  

Remember…Pray as you can, not as you ought.   As we learn to take time each day to listen for God in the silence, we begin to hear his gentle nudging and sweet voice leading us in the way we should go.  I hope you will make an effort to find some quiet time with God each day.  He is there waiting patiently for us to listen for Him.  It is in the silence that we hear His voice.  

Be still and know that I am God: psalm 46:10   ~http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcX5106rJLY  

Blessings on your day....Enjoy the journey

Having an attitude of gratitude

This past weekend I went to visit a friend that has been dealing with a very serious illness, spoke to another dear friend and cousin dealing with cancer.  When I spoke with my cousin her response was, "I know this is scary stuff, but I am filled with such gratitude.  There are so many people praying for me it is overwhelming." Then my other friend said nearly the same thing.  They are all so aware that all that is important at this point of their lives is family and friends.  


Nothing else matters they said.  To be at the edge of life, knowing that their own lives can go either way they, feel only gratitude.  What a beautiful lesson for us all to learn.  How often do we experience gratitude in our every day lives?  When things we are facing are not life or death, do we see God's grace?


Today I challenge us all to be witnesses of Christ's abundance.  Look for the  gratitude that exists in our own lives.  Hug your spouse and children, tell someone you love them, take some time to jot down all that you are truly grateful for.   


We never know when life's circumstances may change and we might be the ones facing such trials.  Let us all be aware of carrying an "attitude of gratitude" with us wherever we go.


May God bless you always and may we always be aware of the abundance that exists in our lives.  

The Labyrinth

Mary Queen of Heaven in Elmhurst has the "Pathway of Peace" Labyrinth behind the church. This project was built with volunteers from Boy Scout Troop 403, Parishioners from Mary Queen of Heaven, Helpers from the Teen Renew group, and others. Work was being coordinated by Neal Styka. Articles on the work have appeared in the Catholic Explorer and Addison and Elmhurst Press.


This past weekend I had the privilege of sharing time with parishioners talking about the labyrinth.  It was a beautiful morning and our pastor spoke about praying with our senses.  Truly seeing God in everything. We all had the opportunity to walk our church's labyrinth.  For any of you that have not had the chance to walk a labyrinth I strongly encourage you to give it a try.   The beauty of the labyrinth is there is no right or wrong way of walking it.  We can walk, slow or fast, enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, or carry someone or something with us on our journey.  


For me walking the labyrinth is a sacred experience.  It is a time for God and me to connect, a time for me to tell Him whatever is on my mind.  Walking can be like a mini pilgrimage.  We walk the path winding and praying or just listening to God's call in our lives.   I understand the labyrinth may not be for everyone and you may find it is not your way of connecting with God.  You will never know until you try.  


For those of you in the area I will be doing a candle lit walk this summer.  All are welcome.


Blessings to everyone on your journey.

HAPPY MONDAY

A new week, a new day, a new chance to live our lives out to the fullest.  I love the image of the butterfly as it signifies new life and change.  The butterfly can be our reminder to make changes when the opportunity arises.  Is there something you can shift in your life that will cause your life and the life of those around you to be more amazing than it already is?  You might feel as though you are a caterpillar today or perhaps you just want to stay in your cocoon.  We all have those moments, days or weeks when life just seems to come at us.  How could things be different if we chose to love everything about our lives, even those things we are not happy with ... How can I work to change those things and make them different?  For me it is with God's help that I am able to do this.  I truly believe that with God I can accomplish anything.  However, life doesn't always go as we would plan and we need to work a little harder to find God's grace.  Today, I choose to have a wonderful day, no matter what comes my way.  I will choose to be happy, show love to others, and give God thanks and praise!
I pray that your Monday will be one filled with happiness, love, and lots of giving thanks to our Lord.
Blessings