Do Not Be Afraid! July 1, 2013

“There is no place for selfishness—and no place for fear!

Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands.

Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice”–Pope John Paul II

Today, this quote from Pope John Paul II really spoke to my heart.

FEAR. How many times has fear held use back from doing what God asks of us?

So many times we can make excuses for why we can’t do something.

And most of those excuses come from a deep fear inside of us, don’t they?

Our love for God will always challenges us to move beyond our fears.

Loving God is not a static position.

Loving God is a constant transformation to selfless, agape love.

What fears hold you back from selflessly responding to God’s call?

Persistance In Prayer February 21, 2013

I would like to share with you an excerpt from a meditation I read this morning. 

It speaks so clearly of the importance of trusting God and persevering in prayer.

“You may have been seeking something from God for a long time

-perhaps a job or healing from an illness. 

Don’t give up!

Your persistence will pay off as you draw closer to God

-and as he draws closer to you.

  So give your worries to him.

  Even if He doesn’t answer your prayer the way you had hoped,

he will answer in the way that is best for you. 

The only thing he can’t do is ask for you-that part is up to you!”

September 11, 2012

“God has created me to do him some definite service;

he has committed some work to me that he has not committed to another.

I have my mission-I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

I have a part in a great work;

I am a link in a chain,

a bond of connection between persons.”

Cardinal John Henry Newman

Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life is? I’d have to say that sometimes in my life my purpose seems so clear.  And at other times, I feel like I have no purpose at all.  I am lost in this world. Cardinal Newman reminds us all that God has entrusted us with a particular purpose, a particular mission.  Maybe when we aren’t feeling real valued, or we are feeling down about ourselves, or our world is turned upside down, we should pull this quote out and read it again and again.  We each have an important role to play in God’s Kingdom.  Each one of us is priceless to God’s plan.  No matter how much we think we have screwed up or how far we have fallen from God, we still have a valued place in this world!  Let’s all pray that we my know the purpose God has in mind for us!  May we all know the value of each moment of our lives to our God.

God’s Will! August 23, 2012

God’s will might at first seem an unbearable burden,

a yoke impossible to bear;

but in reality, God’s will is not a burden;

God’s will gives us wings to fly high,

and thus we can dare, with Mary,

to open the door our our lives to God,

the doors of this world,

by saying “yes” to his will,

aware that this will is the true good and leads us to true happiness!

Pope Benedict

Come Out of Ourselves July 2, 2012

“God’s heart calls to our hearts,

inviting us to come out of ourselves,

to forsake our human certainties,

to trust in him and,

by following his example,

to make ourselves a gift of unbounded love.”

Pope Benedict XVI

This quotation from Pope Benedict speaks completely to our vocations as baptized Christians.

Our vocations, no matter what they may be, call us out of ourselves.

They call us to leave behind certainty, stability, and independence.

They call us to depend solely on our God for all that we need.

Do not be afraid to find and follow your vocation.

Set the World on Fire June 19, 2012

‘Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.’

St. Catherine of Siena

Do you believe that God wants you to set the world on fire for him?

Well, guess what?

He has given you a particular vocation.

Particular gifts and talents.

And he has put a particular passion in your heart.

Discovering these things about yourself.

Using them for God’s glory.

Will only set the world on fire.

May 29, 2012

“Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them

if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him,

and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly.”

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Today, this quote from St. Ignatius struck me.

Can you imagine how different our world would be if each person gave themselves over completely to God.

Imagine if each person were to become the person God created them to be.

Imagine what God could do in our hearts and in our world.

We can all be one of those people.

If we can only have the courage to give our lives completely over to God’s hands.

What part of your life do you struggle to give over to God?

Do you trust him with your life?

Dreams April 23, 2012

Dreams

And the Lord God said:

I Myself will dream a dream within you.

Good dreams come from me you know.

My dreams seem impossible.

Not too practical.

Not for the cautious man or woman.

A little risky sometimes.

A trifle brash perhaps.

Some of my friends prefer to rest more comfortably,

in sounder sleep, with visionless eyes.

But from those who share my dreams,

I ask a little patience,

a little humor,

some small courage, and a listening heart.

I will do the rest.

Then they will risk,

and wonder at their daring;

run, and marvel at their speed;

build, and stand in awe at the beauty of their building.

You will meet me often as you work;

in your companions, who share your risk;

in your friends, who believe in you enough

to lend their own dreams,

their own hands,

their own hearts, to your building.

In the people who will find your doorway,

stay awhile, and walk away

knowing they, too, can find a dream….

There will be sun-filled days,

and sometimes it will rain.

A little variety!

Both come from me.

So come now, be content.

It is my dream you dream;

My house you build;

My caring you witness;

My love you share;

And this is the heart of the matter.

Author Unknown

March 6, 2012

“The greatest among you must be your servant.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;

but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew

When I listen to these words from Christ, I think about my own tendencies to pride.

Pride is one of those sins, that sneaks its way into our lives unexpectedly.

It can be very subtle and very apparent.

But, Jesus tells us in the Gospel today to avoid being like the pharisees who want to be seen.

How many times a day do we do things because we want to be seen in a particular way.

Because we want attention.

Or we think we are great and should be told so.

Instead, Jesus calls us to be humble.

To put others before ourselves.

To see ourselves as he sees us.

Lord, help me to lay my pride aside so that only you shine through me.

Lord, i pray that when others look at me they only see you!

Help me to lay down my pride for your glory!

What is Holiness? January 19, 2012

“Holiness is a selfless openness and response to God’s call in this sacred moment.”

Father Albert Haase, OFM

Recently, i have been reading the book “The Sacred Moment:  Becoming Holy right where you are”  by Father Haase.

His definition of holiness really struck me and I thought I would share it all with you.

Holiness involves selflessness.

It is letting go our own desires and needs and agendas to be attentive to the needs of others in the present moment.

When is the last time you put yourself aside and attended to the other?

Are you aware of the needs of those you rub shoulders with each day?

Are you attune to the moment?