Happy Memorial Day

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

Today is the day to reflect on our freedom and those that have made it possible.  For all those that have lost their lives serving our country we salute you.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

How do you show love to others?

“Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.” 

― St. Thérèse de Lisieux

Recently I have had some dear friends experiencing great loss.  It has had me reflect on how I show love to others in my life.  I would like to think that I am showing others love and seeing God's love in everyone and everything every day.  "perfection"??  far from it.  My goal is to love like Jesus loved and yet I am a sinner.  So, every day I start out to love and when I fall short, I pick myself up and start all over again.  I do my best to see God's beauty in everything and everyone, even the car accident I had this week.  I had just finished praying the rosary, listening to my Christian music and had no cell phone in sight and still I found myself in the back of a huge Ford truck.  Someone cut the truck off, he slammed on his brakes and I ran into him.   Thankfully there were no injuries.  It did remind me to be so thankful for life.  As I started this entry today I mentioned my friends and their loss.  I honestly know my accident is not even in the ballpark of what they are dealing with.  A car can be repaired, but we can't bring our loved ones back once they are gone.  Yes I believe they are in a better place, but our hearts long to be with them.  My Godfather who is dealing with dementia had a beautiful moment of clarity last week.  He said about the death of his son, "when you loose a child you reserve a place in your heart for them, you will always love them."  I agree you never stop loving your family and friends once they are gone, but let us remember to show our love while they are still here with us.  St Therese would sweep the floors of the convent with pure love in her heart, such a menial task and yet she found God in it.  This week, let us all try to find God in all we say and do.  When we study for a test, walk the dog, go to work, get upset with our parents, spouses or children, play our sports, even get in a car accident.  Let us all love like we might not see tomorrow and to be Christ for all those we meet.  
Blessings to all for a wonderful week.

A friend of mine wrote the message below on his blog and I thought you might enjoy it as well.

http://deaconlex.blogspot.com/2012/05/god-is-love_04.html?spref=fb

Taking time with the Lord

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 
                                                                                                 ~ 2 Timothy 1-7

Today I woke up to pray and meditate with the Lord.  I have found that taking time each morning to just "be" with the Lord my entire day goes smoother.  I have always believed that quiet time with the Lord will increase the peace so to speak... but it really works!  I challenge you if you are not already taking some quiet reflective time each morning when you get up to try it for Lent.  Perhaps you will start with 5 minutes a day and increase the time as Lent continues.  
I pray that you and I will be able to stay present to His presence in our lives and in our world. 
Blessings for a wonderful Wednesday.

Will Lent be time of change for YOU?

An outward sign of your faith

Tomorrow, Wednesday February 22 begins our lenten journey.  How will you choose to prepare your self for Easter?  We are asked to offer 3 types of actions to our Lord.  

Prayer, Fasting and Alms giving.  What will you do?  

Fasting if you are 14 are older includes abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays of lent.  Fasting should also include some type of sacrifice.  Perhaps you will abstain from a certain television show, Facebook, or your favorite food.  You can abstain from different things each week if you prefer.   For me, fasting can keep me focused on prayer.  Each time I am reminded of my sacrifice I take that time to pray.  I will pray for the world, or someone in my life that needs praying for.  The beautiful thing about sacrifice and or fasting is it will remind us of what God did for us.  Sacrificing His only Son for us.  

Praying during lent can take many forms as well.  Perhaps you will read the Bible each day, pray the Rosary, pray for peace in the world.  Praying each day for our world, loved ones and friends is an important part of the lenten journey.  If you are just beginning your prayer life, maybe you will pray for a short time each day.  

Alms giving is also an important part.  Maybe you will choose a charity as a family and all will collect money to support your charity.  Maybe you brought a rice bowl home from school and each day you will use that for your collection.

Remember what ever it is you choose to do for Lent this is a journey between you and Jesus.  Nobody else needs to know what you have chosen to do.   It is a time for you to renew your life.  Make changes and sacrifice that bring you closer to Him.  If you don't really eat much candy then giving up candy is not much of a sacrifice.  However, if you love chocolate and eat it every day, then that is sacrifice.  Adding more prayer time to your day, doing random acts of kindness each day.  Have your journey be about you and Jesus.  You walking with Him on his journey in the desert.  I love lent because as a sinner it helps me to take time to just "be" with Jesus.  Thinking about who I want to be in the world every day.  

However you plan to go to the desert this lent have your journey be about change and renewal.  Like the caterpillar, we are entering into our cocoon.  Beginning to form and change ourselves into a butterfly.  Enjoy the journey!

Peace be with you...and also with your spirit.

This was the daily word i read after i got in the car after the man shushed me at the flea market.  What i realized is i do have joyful expression of spirit as a young child would and others are not always open to that in themselves.  I do need to be aware of how my free spirit may hinder others at times.  Just because I am comfortable with being a free spirit everyone around me is not.  
Saturday, July 09, 2011

Play

I am a joyful expression of Spirit.

When children play, they exercise their physical muscles and also their spiritual muscles of joy, love and zeal. While we may not play as often as children, we, too, experience the benefits of play in moments of joyful abandon.
As I plan for my spiritual fitness, I make space for play. Finding a playground swing, a box of colors, a ball to throw, or a kite to fly, I free myself to play.
I release any concerns about my age, my responsibilities or my body that might limit my enjoyment. I smile and breathe in the pure joy of being alive. I am an eternally young expression of Spirit as I exercise my love, joy and zeal in play. 

So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves.--Ecclesiastes 8:15

I think often life is about finding ways to help others embrace the child like wonder and awe that exists inside of them. Recently, two young women I know have embarked on huge mission trips.  One to Honduras and one to Israel.  I believe both of them are very in touch with the child like wonder and awe that exists in each of us and are working to find some way to change hearts to love.  They are keenly aware of how we must all love each other like a child loves his mother.  What both of them have found is it much easier said than done.  I am blessed to be involved with a group that is currently praying daily for change of heart in Israel/Palestine.  If we do not learn how to love our enemies and recognize that the God we love is the God who saves we will never come to a peaceful solution. 

Below are two quotes that I keep posted at the end of all my emails and I think fit this very well.  One is from Henri Nouwen and the other Mother Teresa.  Both worked tirelessly to help others find peace with in themselves and within our world.  I add one more today from Mother Teresa ~If We have no peace It is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. 

Today May the God of love and mercy grant you the peace that passes all understanding

SHALOM

Concrete Love

By Henri J. M. Nouwen on 05-31-2011

I find it difficult to conceive of a more concrete way to love than by praying for one's enemies. It makes you conscious of the hard fact that, in God's eyes, you're no more and no less worthy of being loved than any other person, and it creates an awareness of profound solidarity with all other human beings.... And you'll be delighted to discover that you can no longer remain angry with people for whom you've really and truly prayed.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.   ~Mother Teresa

Easter Blessings

Happy Easter to everyone.  I hope you all enjoyed time spent with family and friends. 

I wanted to take a moment to talk about Divine Mercy Sunday.  


Jesus told St. Faustina that this Feast of Mercy would be a very special day when "all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened". (Diary 699) Our Lord made a great promise to all those souls who would go to Confession and then receive Him in Holy Communion on the Feast of Mercy, on the Sunday after Easter, which is now called Divine Mercy Sunday throughout the Catholic Church.


If you have never had the chance to attend this event I strongly encourage it.  Check your local parishes and see who is hosting.  For anyone in or near Elmhurst IL the following is specific info for you... Visitation Parish on York Road

Like a Second Baptism! The Message of Divine Mercy

The mercy of God is unlimited and available to even the greatest of sinners. 

Fr. Matthew Pratscher presiding

1:30 P.M.

Confession (5 priests), Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

3:00 P.M.

Incensing of the Blessed Sacrament and Opening Prayer

Gospel reading and Divine Mercy homily

Divine Mercy Chaplet, Litany of Divine Mercy,

Blessing with the Relic of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska 

Benediction 

Blessing of religious objects

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

will NOT be celebrated during the afternoon service.

All are Welcome

If you are free any part of Sunday May 1 I really encourage you to attend this blessed event.  May God bless you and always be your guide.

I say HOLY you say SPIRIT

This past weekend we had our 8th grade Confirmation retreat.  What a glorious day.  Some people might think spending the day with 60 8th graders is taxing.  Honestly it was invigorating.  We had about 12 high school leaders that helped with the day and they were such awesome role models for all gathered.  The combination of adult leaders, high school leaders, Confirmandi and Holy Spirit was nothing less than awe inspiring.


It was clear that the Holy Spirit was present on Saturday.  Before we started the day the high schoolers and myself prayed that all the students present would hear something that would touch their heart.  Like Acts 2:1 says, they would hear in their own language.   It is my hope and prayer that the day was one of hope and inspiration for all present.  Hope in the Lord that He will be with those 8th graders always and they were inspired to look at who they believe Jesus is calling them to be.

• Spiritual Gifts ( I Corinthians 12 :4-9)

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord;
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit.


A couple of years ago our Confirmation class came up with a wonderful way to remember the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Its a catchy little rap that goes like this

 God's WURK CRW 

  Look at me serving you, I'm on God's work crew.  I've got ...WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, RIGHT JUDGEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE, maybe some day I'll go to college, COURAGE, REVERENCE, WONDER AND AWE,  I want to see the things that Jesus saw, now that's raw!  AAAAAHHHH.  

blessings to all

Hope you are safe and warm!

Mrs G