On this day

On this day, I give thanks for my life. Thank you God for the gift of my family and my friends...

It is the last day of the year.

On this day, the sun did shine
even brighter than yesterday...
On this day, peace reigned
in my heart and in my home...
On this day, love was stronger,
warmer...
and I know it will be even stronger
tomorrow,
and the day after
because God's love never ends...

My wish for the New Year 2014?
That more people
experience this
brightness,
peace,
warmth,
and infinite
LOVE...
God bless us all!

This is the Day the Lord has made...I'm so glad!

This is the Day the Lord has made...
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Thanks to my parents for the gift of life.
This day is the day of my birth.

Join me in celebration!
Give glory to God! Gloria a Dios!

What is so special about 11/13/13?

I did say 11/13/13...not 11/12/13

The day is special to me because I was lifted up from my "darkness of unemployment" to the "light of new work"...The best part is that this new "light of work" continues to build up and form within me, the labor of love that began a few years back: to build up my little "Domestic Church".

My husband and children and family are rejoicing with me because we never lost hope that this day would arrive in God's perfect time. To work for the Catholic Church is a privilege and great responsibility. The rewards begin at home. When we live what we profess...many blessings are "added on to you"...God takes care of me and mine every step of the way. All I'm asked to do is to believe. The more I believe in faith...the more I will be given.

What is so special about 11/13/13? A new day begins...again!
Gloria a Dios! Glory to God!!!

Stay On Course

If times of great stress become times when you let go of the things you truly value, you will find yourself adrift and heading for the rocks, like a ship without its anchor. In times of great stress, only your top priorities can have your time. Keeping the Lord's Day holy and putting God's time first will help you stay on course.

— from How the Ten Commandments Can Change Your Life

Personal reflection: At this present moment in my life there are many ‘stressors’ (no job, sick child, retired spouse, among others…). How do I ‘stay on course’? I wake up each morning thanking God already: for His will to be done! And when I surrender to His care; He leads me in perfect peace.  

The gift of my son's words of wisdom...

"Life has it's ways of knocking us over and kicking us when we're down. It is a relentless process that sometimes seems like it will never let up or end, and happiness seems like something that is such a foreign concept we wonder if we will ever feel it again. To all my friends and family suffering from tragic loss, stress, and hard times...Know that whatever it may be that plagues you. No matter what hell you are going through. It isn't forever, it will end, and things will get better. It may be hard to see now, and it may take some time. But know that none of you are alone in this... no one is ever truly alone. Do not fall into despair, but grow stronger knowing you can survive the hell you may be in. 'Someone' is always there for you if you need. Stay strong, live on."

 

Note: That ever-loyal and constant "Someone" who never abandons nor betrays...who is always loving us 'no-matter-what'...is God.

If today you hear his voice...

What do these words really mean?
"if today you hear his voice..."
Whose voice are we talking about, and why does it matter?

What do you think?
Is "his voice" that of an important person like a father, a grandfather, a political figure, or star athlete?
Is "his voice" a wise voice or a voice that talks too much?

When you decide to "hear his voice" because this voice speaks only the Truth...
Then, remember to "harden not your heart".
In the end, God is the wisest "voice" of all.
Listen to "His" voice, and you will never go wrong.

How alive is your faith?

Did you ever hear the words:
"...it shall be done to you in accord with your faith..."?

Well, since I first heard these words...
I've gone back to reading them again and again.
They are words from the Bible (Matthew 9:29)
(in case you were wondering...)

When I read them in my present situation...
they inspire me to trust in God - more than ever!
God's love and power are boundless...no-end...infinite...Wow!!!

In order that God's love and boundless power work for me,
I must have a living faith, and trust in God
like a child.

This kind of faith goes beyond
the understanding of the 'adult' human mind.
This kind of faith requires a total surrendering of the will, to the Father.
So, hand-in-hand we walk...my "Daddy" and me.
God always wants what is best for me -
for I am His child, His creation, His image...

The more I trust in my Father,
the more He will do for me.
Am I ready to live my faith more fully?

How to Listen

Did you know that 70% of our waking day is spent in communication?
Only 9% is given to writing, 16% to reading, and - surprisingly- only 30% to speaking.

So...on what do we spend most of our time? Listening!
We spend 45% of our waking hours listening,
and we are so poor at it.
We have never been trained 'how' to listen.

Listening means really paying full attention to the person attempting to communicate with you...
Listening means to be present to the fullest...and not daydreaming...while the other person speaks.

Not with words alone do we speak...
we speak with our tone of voice, pitch...rate...volume...
Our body speaks too, our eyes, face, arms, hands, breathing...

What we don't say...can be as important as what we do say.
Listen with the heart. Listen intently...
and you'll grow better at it...

if the grain of wheat dies...it brings much fruit

It is a natural law that what is inferior must be sacrificed...
for what is better.

When we sacrifice the 'old self'
the self that carried much unnecessary 'baggage'...or burdens
...we are set free...
Free to follow the simple way of love.
Free to devote oneself - the 'new self' - completely to God...

In obedience to God - we will rise
with a new spiritual life...
Our lives will then be, eternally fruitful.

Are you trustworthy? ¿Eres digno de confianza?

3 areas we must be trustworthy:
1.- Faith
2.- Prayer
3.- Struggle for Sanctification

(according to 1 Cor 4:2)

One day I will be judged according to this trustworthiness,
not according to earthly success or failure.

Glorify God...before darkness sets in...

Taken from Jeremiah 13:16...
what does this mean? "Glorify the Lord, your God, before darkness sets in..."

Nothing is lost when we turn to God while living this life...
As long as there is life within...there is always HOPE...
And since nothing is impossible with God,
conversion of hearts can occur at any moment...
even at the very hour of death.

The reminder here:
we must turn to the Lord while we can still make this choice - ours.
even when we cannot understand fully - the reason or the 'why', the 'how'...
God knows all things.
God knows our condition.
God knows our situation, and our struggles.

All we need to do - is ask.
God will take care of our situation,
and we will be set 'free' from the burden, the weight...the darkness.
Gloria a Dios!!!

Modern Evangelization

Evangelization, however, can and should be new in its methods and its expression. It must be proclaimed with new energy and in a style and language adapted to the people of our day.

— from Catholic Update Guide to the New Evangelization
How have you reached out-and-touched someone new with a kind word or expression of God's love?

Finding Balance

Everything we need includes the time and energy to do what God has in mind for us to do on any given day. Balance and freedom from obsessive worry is the goal. May we find that balance by God's grace.

— from Fools, Liars, Cheaters, and Other Bible Heroes

Friday Fast: for the courage to keep witnessing to marriage

Every Friday, participants in the Bishops' Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty receive a reminder to fast and abstain from meat on Fridays, along with an intention for that week plus a reflection and a tidbit of knowledge.

  

 

To join the Call to Prayer, go to www.usccb.org/pray.

  

This week's reflection: St. John the Baptist, whose birth we celebrated on Monday June 24, was a martyr for truth and justice, particularly the truth about marriage. He was put in jail, and ultimately executed, because he rebuked Herod for marrying his brother's wife, Herodias (see Mt 14:3-12 and Mk 6:17-29). St. John the Baptist's defense of marriage cost him his head.

Sharing Your Faith

Pray each day for God to lead you to someone with whom you can share your faith. Be aware of the dignity and needs of people who serve you. You'll brighten their workday, and you might open a door to some deeper sharing.

— from Catholic and Confident
How to share one's faith, you ask?
It is as simple as a smile or a greeting or saying "hello"...
Many people simply walk-on-by without so much as looking at you or even acknowledging one another's presence...

Gospel of Freedom

Your own holiness is the best “gospel of freedom” you can offer. If you are holy and happy, people will know you are somehow different, and they will want what you have.

— from Catholic and Confident
Are you holy and happy? Are you happy because you are holy? Make sure your happiness comes from the love only God can give...which makes happiness shine from within you...

humanity's deepest needs...

"The Christian truth is attractive and persuasive because it responds to humanity's deepest needs."
- Pope Francis

The Perfect Prayer

The Lord's Prayer is the most perfect of prayers.... In it we ask, not only for all the things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired. This prayer not only teaches us to ask for things, but also in what order we should desire them. —St. Thomas Aquinas — from A 40-Day Spiritual Workout For Catholics

The Value of Suffering

The value of my suffering does not come from what I put into it. It is Jesus who suffers in me and through me. I belong to him, and it is his suffering that now grazes the edges of my life but will ultimately pierce through its very heart.

— from Never Give Up

Personal note: Every moment passes...whether we are suffering...whether we are laughing...whether we are crying...whatever moment we are in...remember that it is in the absolute 'surrender' of each and every moment that we live fully as we ought. Mother Teresa once said: "Life is an adventure to be lived...and not a problem to be solved." I agree!

Prayerful Fidelity

Peace, patience, and above all prayerful fidelity in suffering constitute the path most of us are called to travel. Perhaps we can manage to be cheerful in the midst of suffering; this is a courageous virtue and one not easily attained.

— from Never Give Up

I call it 'diligence'....never giving up....as long as we have life - there is hope....pray, pray, pray...

true freedom

"He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, to let the oppressed go free."
(Luke 4:18)

The paradox of the Gospel is that we are set free from the chains of our own making by choosing to 'yoke' ourselves to Christ, who 'bursts' our bonds by his own death and Resurrection...

(A meditation from the Magnificat for 6/18/13)

How wise are you? Really?

There is nothing wiser than to follow Christ…
There is no surer way of happiness in this world than following the Gospel.

The person who has sacrificed much in order to follow the supernatural goals set by our Lord Jesus Christ may look unfortunate in the eyes of the world, but he or she will have great interior peace. That alone makes supernatural prudence the wisest and most acceptable way to walk in this confusing world. This is a spiritual virtue we all can practice: prudence.

Please be prudent. These are dangerous times. Don’t make any unnecessary enemies. Keep your eye on the goal, which is not the earthly goal of human acceptance, prosperity, comfort, or ambition. Be prudent. Seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things will be added unto you.

“Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).

Pray Incessantly

What does this mean?
We pray without ceasing...we pray all the time...we pray perpetually...

God already knows what you need; now He just wants to hear you say it.

— from Tweet Inspiration

"Abba, Father...please hear my words...
help me to walk this day as You would have me walk...
Remind me to turn where I ought...
and not be distracted by the 'noises' of the enemy.
In the name of Your Son, Jesus...
please take care of my wounds and heal me...
You can do all good things for me...if only I ask...
...And, Father...I'm asking you now...
H-E-L-P me, please...Amen!"

The Gift of Silence

How can we choose silence in today’s world filled with noise from television, radio, traffic, music, conversations? It’s possible – it’s a choice! Consider a time in your daily schedule when there is less noise. Maybe it is early morning or late evening or during lunch time… Maybe you find silence when the children are sleeping… What do we benefit from silence? Personally, I become more aware of God’s presence, and I experience a profound peace in my heart.

Blessed Mother Teresa explains it well in a way that is called the Simple Path:
The fruit of silence is PRAYER.
The fruit of prayer is FAITH.
The fruit of faith is LOVE.
The fruit of Love is SERVICE.
The fruit of service is PEACE.

Spending time in silence with someone we love is a gift, perhaps greater than the best chocolates or beautiful flowers or any other gift. Gifting others with silence can be a time when one appreciates the other and experiences the inner beauty and goodness of that person… a time when we can experience the image of God in the other…Go for a silent walk with your spouse, or your child or a friend. Find a bench in the park or your backyard and enjoy simply being with each other without conversation or outside noise to distract your moment of silence with one another.

Consider giving the gift of silence to someone you love on this day. Begin the Summer Season by planning time for silence. Plan time for silence every single day, and you will reap greater rewards.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
– Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Be Not Afraid

Let us never be afraid to reach out to those whom we might think of as far away from God. In truth, no one is ever far from the heart of the Father no matter how hard they may try to distance themselves from him.

— from Jesus the Evangelist

Heavenly Army

As the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us, we, too, are called to live out and share our faith in our daily lives. However, we do not have to face this challenge alone. We have the promise that Jesus goes with us, we have a Church that encourages us, we have the Blessed Mother in heaven praying for us, and we have the Holy Spirit with us, offering the right words at the right time.

— from Jesus the Evangelist

Why Evangelize?

We evangelize because of love for others. As we have experienced Jesus's love, we want to share it. The gifts we have received from God are not gifts for us alone, but build in us a desire to bring all people to the Good News.

— from Catholic Update Guide to the New Evangelization

This is what "Evangelize" means...to share the goodness of God with others...

Beacon of Christ

On a cold night it's a good idea to stay near the fire. When our faith cools it's a better idea to stick to the warmth of Christ's presence. One of the reasons for adoration of the Eucharist is that the experience fires up our love for Jesus. Instead of being detached and dull Catholics, we are on fire with Christ.

— from Holding Jesus

Secret to Happiness

Being a friend, one who empathizes and supports, is the first step in helping people discover the secret to your happiness—an intimate union with Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior.

— from Catholic Update Guide to the New Evangelization

Who would you like to be?

....A wise man once said, "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly" (Proverbs 14:29).

And then this wise man compares patience with a strong city, saying that patience is even more secure than that - for patience is both an invincible weapon and a sort of impregnable tower, easily defeating all attackers. As a spark falling into the deep does not injure it but is easily quenched, so on a patient soul...whatever unexpected thing falls, it vanishes rapidly; the soul is not disturbed.

There is nothing as impenetrable as true patience. I pray for true patience...for you, and for me.

People talk about strong armies, having a lot of money, building high walls to protect them, or anything else whatsoever, but you will not name anything to compare with true patience.

The person who is encompassed with all these 'other things' will sometimes become overcome by anger, upset like a little child, fill the air with confusion and storminess... but the patient person enjoys a profound calm, like a boat settled quickly in a harbor. Even if you surround this person with turmoil and trouble (literally, 'all hell can break loose around them'...) you will not move the rock. Even if you hurl insults at them, you haven't shaken the tower. And even if you bruise them with wounds, you haven't bruised the strong person.

This sort of person is called long-suffering, because they have a kind of long and great soul. This patient excellence is born out of LOVE. Whoever possesses it and enjoys it owes it all to LOVE. These persons are gentle souls...who are abandoned in the arms of God (God is LOVE)...

Who would you like to be?

I prefer to abandon my will to God. I never wish for any harm to happen to you or anybody. Every single day, I pray to forgive and be forgiven (in the name of the Lord). Please pray for me...that I may love more and more each day...even when it means to be given to the long suffering for the sake of LOVE.

If only you knew (and can experience) true love for the sake of God...you will become a stronger and more patient person - who many will look to for their own strength and guidance. You must first forgive in your heart...really forgive....not just with words...God knows our hearts much better that we ourselves...

God bless you!!!

 

My prayer today

"My God and loving Father, grant me the wisdom to think, speak, and act as You want me to. May I never be so foolish as to disagree with Your supreme goodness and wisdom. Nothing on this earth can bring me lasting happiness. This is why I ask that you never let me sin for the sake of anything of temporal value. I want to live for the perfect happiness for which You created me. Amen."

Meaningful Goals

The most meaningful goals in life are those that can be accomplished with the help of God's graces. We should use those graces to give us confidence that, with God's guidance and help, our gifts are capable of being developed well beyond our imagined potential.

— from Answer Your Call

Leading by Example

You should lead by your example in family, among friends and neighbors, and with colleagues and coworkers or fellow students. Your examples should include putting family and community above self, placing respect for the dignity of each person ahead of self-gratification, and demonstrating love for others - above all.

— from Answer Your Call

Have you listened with your heart to your spouse, child, coworker today? Have you treated each person with equal respect and dignity? making no distinctions: whether the person is rich or poor, young or old? considered 'famous' or 'commoner'? Jesus said: "whatever you do to the least of these...you do to Me."  

Becoming Saints

Our flaws are part of his plan to bring forth holiness in us. He calls; we answer. By responding to his call with courage and faith, we can become saints.
— from Firmly On the Rock

I want to follow the way of Life...Do you?

Taste of Heaven

Sunday doesn't just prepare us for the week ahead—it prepares us for eternity.

— from Tweet Inspiration

We can taste a bit of heaven on earth...pray, pray, pray...as if your life depended on it!

Pray Without Ceasing

Maybe this idea of “praying without ceasing” is a novel one for you. Maybe the thought of offering God every moment of your day is overwhelming. But maybe you're also feeling the call to do exactly that—and you just don't know where to begin.

— from The Everyday Catholic's Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours

God's Love for You

Being born into a Catholic family isn't what makes you Catholic. Being Catholic, following Christ, is a decision of the heart. It is a relationship with Love Himself and a commitment to be faithful to the One who has faith in you.

— from A 40-Day Spiritual Workout For Catholics

Peace Within Family

Communion between God and his creation came with the shedding of Christ's precious blood; communion in our families can begin with the shedding of our deeply held resentments.

— from Set Free

Saved By Love

Jesus came to save us from our sins. He came to save us through love. And that divine and human love burned with compassion for all the fragility of our afflictions, our sickness, and our poverty.

— from Never Give Up

As a mother, I know what it means "to sacrifice one's life - through love" - for my children. It is the ultimate gift! In the eyes of God, each life is precious! Created by God, each life is a 'child of God'. How great God's love for us - that He should lay down his life for each one of us...

Confidence in God...

If we ask for anything...according to God's will, He hears us.

"According to His will"- this is the important thing to remember when we pray and the ultimate reason why certain prayers are not heard.

When the selfish human will opposes God's will, the prayer is useless...

Prayer: My Lord and my God, give me always only what is good for my salvation. Do so even if it is not what I think is good for me. Amen.

Start With God

Life's too short not to tell the people you love how you feel. Say it...and say it often. Oh, and start with God.

— from Tweet Inspiration

Have I told you today: that I love you? Well, I love you more...

Emulating Jesus

When we share our faith, Jesus is our model. He had compassion on the unbeliever. He met people on their own level, and he spoke their language—in parables and stories they could understand. — from Catholic Update Guide to the New Evangelization

Elements of Evangelization

The love of neighbor, the reaching out to those who never have known Christ or whose relationship with Jesus has waned, the participation of all, the transformation of people and social structures, the use of new media to share faith—these are elements of our call to the New Evangelization. — from Catholic Update Guide to the New Evangelization

God is close at every moment...

God is close, and his miracles are everywhere. He is with each of us on the road we must travel through life. He can work miracles for us every day if we merely recognize his presence and allow him to be part of our lives. — from Answer Your Call

Achieving Sainthood: is for ALL...

The best way to become a saint is to live life to the fullest—to have an Eternally fulfilling and wildly rewarding life here on earth, doing the things you are most passionate about and doing them in a way that brings satisfaction and true joy to you and those around you, while also bringing glory to God.

— from Answer Your Call

Traveling a Different Path

It is important to realize that we can each achieve sainthood by following a different path—a path unique to each of us, tied to our own unique call and the gifts given to us by God.

— from Answer Your Call

¡Resucitó! He is Risen! ALELUYA!!!

Alive in Christ

Heavenly Father, from the very beginning you planned for us to be obedient, happy children here on earth, and together with you in heaven someday. No matter how many obstacles our willfulness and disobedience put in your path, you continue to show mercy and provide a new way for us to journey back to you, making us alive in Christ. — from Lenten Reflections

"The cross of Christ, embraced with love, never brings sadness with it, but joy, the joy of being saved and of doing a little of what he did on the day of his death."
- Pope Francis

Seeking God's Will

When we pray we ought to be trusting in God and ultimately seeking his perfect and most holy will for any given situation. We ought to allow God to be God.

— from Wrapped Up

Also: we must remember to pray that God remove any doubt, anxiety, need to control...and that He give us a stronger faith in His Divine Providence...for with God, everything that happens to us has a purpose...for our good.

Perpetual Gift

We are so grateful to God for the gift of forgiveness that we never forget its liberating powers and feel a need to share it with others. Forgiving others and ourselves is discovering a gift that truly keeps on giving.

— from Wrapped Up
- also, you can find many, many quotes in the Holy Bible about forgiveness...
when was the last time you opened and read from this precious Book?

Light in the Darkness

Keep the light of faith ever burning—for Jesus alone is the way that leads to the Father. He alone is the life dwelling in our hearts. He alone is the light that enlightens the darkness. Be not afraid. Christ will not deceive us.
—Bl. Teresa of Calcutta

Obedience

I want to do what you ask of me, in the way you ask, for as long as you ask, because you ask it.   —Pope Clement XI

— from Firmly On the Rock

A little mercy makes the world less cold

A little mercy makes the world less cold and more just...
We need to rightly understand the mercy of God, a merciful Father, who has a lot of patience with each one of us...and is always ready to forgive our transgressions and offenses...

The prophet Isaiah, says that even if our sins are bright red, God's mercy can make them white as snow. Do we believe this? Do we hold an ounce of doubt in our hearts? If we doubt God's infinity...then it is by our own mistrust and lack of faith that God's divine plans for us don't always work in our lives...

I learned from a holy priest that there are four impediments to receiving healing in our lives:
1.- doubt 2.- weak faith 3.- fear 4.- unforgiving hearts

Are we ready to 1.- believe 2.- grow in faith 3.- be unafraid and 4.- forgive?
If so, then God's mercy will be ours for the asking, as we minister to others who have yet to experience this warmth...this charity...this love.

A little mercy will then truly bring warmth to a cold/indifferent world....

Papa Francisco...

Papa Francisco es un humilde servidor del Pueblo de Dios: La Iglesia Catolica...
Oremos unidos porque todos somos pobres e insignificantes...
ante la Gloria de Dios!

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Pope Francis is a humble servant of the people of God: the Catholic Church...
Let us pray united because we all are poor and insignificant...
before the glory of God!



God Is Love

Everything we have—every blessing, every talent—is a gift from our Father. The only thing that's all ours is our sin.

— from Tweet Inspiration

Are we ready to give up sin and embrace the Father's LOVE??? It is ours - no matter what...

Forgive For Love

Praised be you, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of your love and who bear sickness and trial. Blessed are those who endure in peace, for by you, Most High, they will be crowned. –St. Francis — from Francis and Jesus

there is still time...

"There is still time for endurance, time for patience, time for healing, time for change. Have you slipped? Rise up. Have you sinned? Cease. Do not stand among sinners, but leap aside."
                                                                                                                                            - St Basil
 

God's Gentle Work

Feel the sorrow in your heart when you apologize, but also feel the gratitude when you give thanks for God's gentle work inside your heart as he continually labors to make you more Christ-like, day by gently day.

— from Fast, Pray, Give

God is so good...to me, and you, all the time!!!

Think First

A peaceful attitude can go a long way toward living the message of the Gospel. If we think (and pray) before we speak or act, we will save ourselves and others a great deal of misunderstanding and heartache.

— from Lent with St. Francis

Draw Closer to God

What we do for Lent is far less important than why we do it. The time-honored traditions of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are less to benefit us than to draw us closer to God and improve the lives of those around us.

— from Lent with St. Francis

Eternal Gain

Heavenly Father, help me to see that the earthly goods are nothing when compared to the eternal treasures you long to give us. Thank you for this earthly journey, meant to lead us all to our true home with you in heaven!

— from Lenten Reflections

Divine Discipline... and intentional Charity

Lord, whatever I've decided to give up for Lent, let me use that small sacrifice to remind me of the continual self-denial you call me to. And most of all, let me remember the reason for your call to be able to participate in your divine life!
— from Lenten Reflections

Lord, please fill my heart with Your infinite LOVE during this Lenten journey...
and that I remember to reach out in charity to many, in an intentional and loving way...
no matter what the cost to self might be.

It is not enough to 'give-up' doing or self-denial...
it is crucial for my growth in You, that I become intentional in seeking to do more good
in a world that is often blinded by fear and evil...

For You promised to be with me always, until the end of time...
Amen.

Model for Humility

The model for humble living is Jesus Christ,
who refused to cling to divine status;
possessed a deep reverence for and patience with others;
reflected an interior silence and self-possession;
and was willing to forgive.

— from Making Sense of God

Administrative or Spirit?

"The more administrative machinery we construct, be it the most modern, the less place there is for the Spirit, the less place there is for the Lord, and the less freedom there is. It is my opinion that we ought to begin an unsparing examination of conscience on this point at all levels in the Church."

- Pope Benedict XVI

Stay quiet with God...a little while longer today...

"If a tiny spark of God's love already burns within you, do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out.... Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter.... Do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself."
                                                                                                     - St. Charles Borromeo
 

Everything is a gift from God...

Todo es don de Dios.

Y sólo reconociendo esta dependencia vital del Creador,

encontraremos libertad y paz.

Everything is a gift from God. And only by recognizing this vital dependence of the Creator,

we will find freedom and peace.

     Benedicto XVI: @Pontifex_es

Open to Grace

The Holy Spirit is the vehicle by which we leave off the old self bound by sin, slavery, fear and egoism, and embrace the new, open to grace and freedom and love.

— from Making Sense of God

Helping, Not Judging

Just as there are people who will not eat today without help, through no fault of their own, there are people who will never make it to heaven without a great deal of help. Judging them is not our business. Our role is to help whomever we can without criticism.

— from Make Room For God

Generous Love

Where there is Christ there can be no hatred or jealousy or anger or bitterness. There can only be love, the love that unites not by clinging to things for themselves, but by giving itself away, by suffering and death for the sake of greater union.

— from The Humility of God

God in Our Midst

The humility of God means that we do not have to strain our necks looking upward or strive to climb the narrow ladder to heaven. Rather, God is bent low in love.

— from The Humility of God

Faith is nothing less than...

"Faith is nothing less than being interiorly seized by God's restlessness, which guides us along the pathways of life."  

 ─ Pope Benedict XVI

MLK 2013

MLK 2013

Forgiveness Is an Action

Forgiveness is something we do internally. It is a refusal to hate, resent or desire revenge. It is an act of the will, not a feeling. Once we understand God is not asking us to pardon someone when we forgive, we can work on forgiveness.

— from Make Room For God

God Is Always With Us...

God is with us in the struggles and difficulties of life
to help us choose life,
to choose God,
even when we don't feel God with us.

— from Weaving Faith and Experience