Quote of the Day

I ran across one of my favorite quotes today and I figured I'd post it to share. I think everything, and I mean everything flourishes and grows in LOVE. How could it not be so? God is Love and He created everything. Even when Jesus was asked which commandment was the most important he named the two involving love. Love God with all your heart and soul and love your neighbor. All other commandments would be easily adhered to if you followed those two commandments. I was thinking about this earlier today while I was cheering up a stranger who seemed to be having a bad morning of sorts. It's amazing how with just a simple and genuine "Hello, how are you?" how you can truly bring a smile to one's face. Imagine the honor we have been given in being able to bring Christ's love to everyone we meet even to those who are angry, bitter or depressed. It is OUR actions, thoughts and words that in the end will be judged by our Father. We will have to account for everything we do, and everything we do must be done with great love and patience. There can be no room for love in your heart if anger exists within it.

St. Therese de Lisieux said in her autobiography The Story of A Soul that it is those acts (prayers) that we do in secret in front of our Father for those we really do not want to address or talk to that count so much for our Father and brings Him such pleasure. It's talking to that person whom you would much rather pass by. In those small sacrifices we make to bring God's light, love and compassion to others that we glorify Him and show Him our Love for Him. There is NO other way to show God our Love if it is not by loving our neighbor. (St. Catherine of Siena-The Dialogue) Especially those who attack us, or try to make others feel badly. Remember always, that those who are bitter or angry need our prayers and love the most! I pray during this Lenten season we can all pray for those who suffer, who have shut out God's love, and who so desperately need to feel and receive God's love. We are those vessels that can bring that joy and light to those who God is trying to reach. And with that said....the quote...oh how I digress!! :)

"You must place love, where there is no love to OBTAIN love"
-St. Jose Maria Escriva


Pax
Maria :)

Where there is a Will, There is A Way

One of the things that brings an instant smile to my face is when I see a large Catholic family enter church to attend Mass. A few months ago, one of our larger Catholic families sat right in front of my pew at church. The entire family filled the entire pew as the smallest to oldest child filed in and made themselves quite comfortable. They were followed of course, by the parents. As I observed the children interact with eachother, I noticed the the smallest child who was sitting the very end and also the farthest away from the parents became quite anxious. It was when I paid closer attention to her that I noticed that she was trying to get up and make it over to her father. Her sister sitting right next to her would hold her back and tell her to sit down yet this little girl kept saying to her sister "I want to go sit w/dad". She was oh so relentless in her efforts to push through her sister then make it past the other four sets of knees blocking her way to get to her father. She finally made it her mother and her mother picked her up and sat her on her father's lap. As she sat on her father's lap she grinned and had a face of relief and of joy that can come only in knowing one has defeated all odds and has won the "prize". She was oh so content.

As i prepare myself for this Lenten season, I think of that little girl and how absolutely dedicated she was to getting to her father. Nothing would hold her back from getting her fathers love and attention. I can only pray to have such an innocent resolve to "make it" to Him in complete humility. And just as the little girl's mother lifted her daughter up to sit on her fathers lap, I pray our our Blessed Virgin Mary lift me up to our Father and that I may truly feel the love and mercy that was poured forth for us and be forever thankful for such an unfathomable act of Love given to us.

Lent is truly the time to meditate on our Lord and Savior's Passion. I think of Jesus sweating blood in knowing He would die for us, for our sins, yet He knew we would continually sin against our Father's will for us. What agony, one can never imagine the intense and acute pain Jesus must have felt in knowing this. I pray we all submerge ourselves in God's love and mercy and that we do all we can to get to Him. I pray nothing get in our way and that once there, after climbing to the summit, to Calvary, that we too feel God's love for us and what He did for us and we give Him glory and praise for giving us the ONLY true and real act of LOVE ever given to any one of us. To God be the glory, the power and the honor always and forever.

Pax
Maria

"Atheism"

I love photographs where you only have to look at it and it says it ALL. Photographs in which few words need to be said to describe the image. I got lost in a blog trance of sorts as I was navigating in the "blogger black hole" as I like to think of it. It's when you go from one blog to the next getting lost in everyone's writings and thoughts. It can be quite the time consumer...but I ran across this picture and it impacted me. What a most resounding message this picture sends. Amazing. In not believing in God, we do indeed cut ourselves off of the tree of life, our branches cast away and thrown into the a pit of darkness where God does not exist. How horrible a death to endure, to not see God's love. What an unbearable thought to think these souls have chosen to not believe...oh do not harden your hearts! We must pray for them, their conversion, and that they open their hearts to receive God's love. This picture just says so much...to me at least.

"He who desires anything but God deceives himself, and he who loves anything but God errs miserably."---St. Philip Neri

pax
Maria :)

Cabin Fever

This winter has been incredibly long and cold. Between studying and working I have had no time to really sit down to write down thoughts. And thoughts I have had plenty! There is something about being cooped up due to the weather and feeling as Spring will never get here that really plays games with one's mind. But Alas! Winter is necessary as it prepares us for the beauty to come. I've experienced a winter within my soul that has left me wanting the Lord to revive me so very desperately. Some call it the dark night of the soul, or aridity. It is when you perceive the loss of God's presence that all becomes eerily still. The feelings of despair and anxiousness begin to invade the mind and you wonder, am I alone? These are the moments that although I know I may feel alone it is when God is the closest to me. I can feel Him wanting me to hold on to Him tightly while I go through these moments of anguish in determining my next move or thought. SoI hold on very tightly. I wrap my arms around Him and hold on for the storm to pass. And it always does. As our beloved and great St. Teresa de Avila (Jesus)says "This too shall pass, God Alone Suffices." How very true. How I absolutely love our beautiful faith, the Catholic faith. Giving us such incredibly humble saints to emulate.

God gives me strength and courage to endure every cross He may feel I need to carry for ANY reason He feels necessary. It is up to us to carry and love and embrace our crosses with great Love and the crosses we are given to bear are given to us with Great Love. This winter has been a lesson of sorts for me. I realized that when I saw fall approaching that I was to brace myself for the harsh and cold winter that was to come. In my soul the same occurred. I can usually sense when I am being prepared to be left to my own devices to put into practice the virtues that I am so desperately trying to attain and perfect. I am tested time and time again and I welcome it. I know that winter will have to come to an end both in season and metaphorically speaking. God knows what He is doing, I do NOT. I am at His mercy with every single breath that I take. I have nothing to call my own, and I want nothing other than what God wills for me.

Oh the ridiculous attachments that we set before us. The distractions we entertain as futile attempts to escape His will for us! There is nothing this world can offer me that I would want more than the desire to be with Him. I sometimes wonder why I am not a nun. I can completely understand why a soul would want to find solace in God and in contemplation for the rest of their days. Silly attachments to creatures, to things, to this world...when will I ever learn?

But even so, even with the harsh winter and the chilling breeze that encircles my soul like a vulture waiting for the death, it will not defeat my will to surrender my heart to God. The love I have in my heart remains in tact. No one can take that from me. Nothing can dim that light in my heart for God continually fuels that fire for me, keeping warm the love and faith that I so treasure, a warmth like embers within.....tell me, what creature or thing could even come close to bringing this joy in suffering? NONE. God alone sustains my soul. I am forever yours Lord. All Glory and honor is yours Almighty Father. Forever and Ever.


Pax
Maria :)