Tuesday, August 31, 2010

How often must I forgive?

(A reflection on the Gospel of Mt 18:21)
This is the question of persons who do not yet know or possess Christ. This is why there is so much suffering in the world.

Those who want to have Christ as their model for living this life must be compassionate and forgive without limit. For God’s forgiveness is also limitless. Our Lord’s mercy and forgiving heart is at the center of our finding peace within us and in the world. But first, we must remember to pray, pray, pray…asking God to fill us with His boundless love. He will then help us to forgive seventy times seven.

Prayer: My Lord and my God, how guilty I am of my selfishness and worldly feelings. Grant that in Your compassionate love I may be found worthy of Your mercy in the future judgment…Give me Your heart that I may forgive others through You. Amen.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Finding Happiness and Peace

Let anyone who comes to you...
go away feeling better and happier...


How is my encounter with every person?
my encounter with every person I meet along the way, today?
Is my attention to noticing their presence?
Do I look at people along the way?
or am I hurried to "get-to-where-I-must-go"

neglecting little opportunities for blessings-poured-out?

God sends us blessings-poured-out, constantly...
Am I aware and sensitive to them?

or am I oblivious and distracted by the 'things' I must do?

I met a woman the other day who blessed my day in a way I will always remember. She lay quietly asleep in a bed in a room where no sounds could be heard other than the breathing she made. As I prayed silently next to her, I watched with admiration and awe how the little ray of sunshine coming through the window brightened her peaceful face. Her face changed. She was radiant and smiling...though her eyes remained closed...she showed me a warmth and brilliance that could only come from the Source of all light: God. I saw the light of Jesus in her face...This was my moment's gift.

This woman is the woman I visit when I go to a nursing home or a hospital...there are so many more women and men like her. They are just waiting to bring sunshine into our little lives...if only we would reconsider our priorities and daily duties...and pause for these gift moments as we go...how much wealthier we would be!

If God grants that we should live as long as He pleases...
Will we find ourselves waiting to shine our little light onto others from the quiet of an ailing moment...
or will we be neglected and forgotten by those we love?

Let us save time by shining our little light onto each and every person we meet along the way, today. We will be made happier as we acknowledge the gift of presence in the other.

This way, when it is our turn to slow down in life...we will have collected a treasure of shining moments to keep our face peacefully smiling inwards and outwards...
until we too shall breathe our last...and what a blessed moment this could be!!!
 

Thursday, August 26, 2010

We can be holy

 The One Who has called us is faithful; therefore He will [make us holy]. (a reflection on 1 Thes 5:24)

God who made us in His image, does not call us just to abandon us later to our own fates without any help. Since He cannot deny Himself, He cannot be unfaithful.

He gives us not only a good beginning
(all images He makes are very good)
but also (and most importantly) a good end.
We have only to grasp His blessed and mighty hand.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, firm as a rock is Your faithfulness among the waters of my infidelity and my weakness. You are my strength in life and in death.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Our seemingly ordinary lives are truly extra-ordinary when we see with the eyes of the heart. Life is a gift. When we can see with the eyes of a child in awe of God's creation...paying close attention to the littlest of things...the littlest persons around us...is when God's greatness is in full majesty. God is God in all His works. We must always be present to this reality of our lives...lest our busyness robs us of the extra-ordinary beauty in all that we are by the goodness and love of our Creator and Father.

If you look hard enough, or from another person's vantage point, you might just discover the extra-ordinary in your seemingly ordinary life.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

I will not be afraid

(reflection on Hebrews 13:6)
When we are true to our nature...
When we are true to the One...
We will find ourselves truly as reflection

of God's image, with the Spirit and the Son.

God has made us in His image...
He has made us in His love...
I will not be afraid of trusting

in His goodness and guidance from above...
and from within...
my heart clinging to God alone.

Lord, I want to trust you completely.
I am so glad that you will never let me down.
If only I follow your ways,
I know that my life will be forever

united with you, as One.
Amen.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Do we cling to the Good?

In our search...
In our search for justice...
In our search for justice and peace...
In our search for justice and peace within our hearts...
In our search for justice and peace for all mankind...

Do we draw close to Christ crucified...
the One who can direct all things

to the Good?
 
In our world of misdirections, we often find ourselves clinging to temporary directionals. None of which serve us in finding the ultimate purpose for our existence. So we navigate this world lost and confused, mostly...until we turn to the only One who can set us straight on course...our valid GPS is exactly that: God's Providential Steering...provided lovingly to us by Christ, our brother.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

We are celebrating!!!

I love to celebrate festivals dedicated to the Virgin Mary
(my dear spiritual mother).


When I look at her, I recognize immediately, the greatness of God. She is the Mother of Jesus, my Brother, and also the Mother of God (because Jesus is the Son of the Father).

How beautiful it is to celebrate Mary! A simple woman…totally dedicated to the Father. A woman full of grace and blessed among all women, because that is how God planned from all time and forever and ever ... Mary just had to say “yes”, and all would spill over unto Mary as already written by God.


But the “yes” of our sweet Mother would not be so simple to live ...

because all the sorrows of the Son, she would also have to feel...
Even so ... and beyond ...
Mary would enter into the glorious beating…
of the hearts united…
Father, Son and Holy Spirit ...

With whom she would assume…

And assume to the heavens…she did

but with the help and blessing of God ...
For the Father willed it so
to keep the temple pure, His Mother…
and unite her to the Triune God.

Oh Mary my Mother! Oh Consolation of mortals!

Shelter me and guide me to my heavenly home.
Hail Holy Queen! Our Mother and Advocate
God bless you on this special day!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

To be is to be loved

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. (Jn 15:13)
St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, sustained by his deep love for God and the Blessed Virgin Mary, found courage in the cross of Christ to lay down his life for a fellow concentration camp prisoner.


http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/

Friday, August 13, 2010

Be at peace today

Be at peace, today.
God will either shield you
from suffering...
or He will give you
unfailing strength
to bear it...
be at peace then,
and put aside
all anxious thoughts and worries.
In our weak moments,
God is strongest...
for us, with us and in us.
All we need to do
is to raise our eyes to the One.
He always knows what to do.
Amen.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

An encouraging word today

Comfort one another and edify one another, as indeed you are doing
(1 Thes 5:11)


Seven months ago already...
Seven months ago, today...
On this day, seven months ago
an encouraging word warmed my heart
when my mother was taken away.

It was the Spirit of the Lord, it was...
It was the whisper of God's Holiness...
It was the arm of my Big Brother
who gave the strength and comfort and peace.

God gives me so much each day
though He must also take away...
This is all part of His greater plan
unknown to me, I'll say.
The Lord always knows what is best for me
That is all I need today.

Pray with me...
Pray for my mother...
Pray in the presence of our Triune God.
Let us pray for one another,
and be one
in, with and through our divine Brother...
rising like incense to the heavens above.

He will give us what is needed...
He will walk with us hand-in-hand...
He will lead us to the Father
where we live in joy, peace and love
when He is One in us
and all in all.
Amen.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The closer you are to a mountain...

O Lord, You are great, and Your Name is great in power (Jer 10:6)

God's almighty power is visible even today...
If it is hidden from you it is because you are far away from God.

The closer you are to a mountain,
the BIGGER it looks to you!

Prayer: Lord, make me recognize YOUR greatness and power
so that this knowledge may benefit my life. Amen.

For Your Marriage - Por Tu Matrimonio

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