Make a note!

I was reading through some of my notes today and I came acrosss these brief notations from a book I was recently reading. However, I failed to note the name of the book! So much for my note taking! However, these thoughts are precious and I thank the Lord for bringing them back to my attention.

1. Prayer is so necessary. That's why our Lord had to tell us so insistently to pray and pray always!
2. His invitation is "Come to me; without me you can do nothing."
3. Prayer is the soul's response to that invitation. The soul comes; it makes known its wretchedness; it pleads for help, for light, for the mind and strength, for the will. It asks for grace to bring its passions under control, and to submit the will to God who is order and peace.
4. God says to the soul: "I am and always will be a Father (to you). I love you and await your coming. Come"! And the soul replies, "My God, I can do no more. Come to me".
5. Holy Scripture never tires of telling us that God knows perfectly well what is good for us. We cannot do better, therefore, than to leave all to Him.

I hope you can find a good spiritual book for your Lenten Reading. The latest issue of "Our Sunday Visitor" has a whole bunch of suggestions. Books by Pope Benedict XVI, although a little difficult to read, are treasures. I just ordered Father Robert Baron's new book, "Catholicism" from our local library. You might want to give that a try! May you be spiritually nourished and inspired.

How to spend Lent

Well, tomorrow, is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the special liturgical season of Lent. I just threw away the last of the poinsettias so I can't believe it's here. I have been trying to get my heart ready to enter the season from the start rather than straggling into it gradually. I recently read an article on Catholic Online written by Deacon Keith Fournier entitled "Preparing for Lent: Learning to Pray, Love and Live Our Lives in Communion with God". Deacon Fournier tells us that Lent calls us to learn the way of prayer. When asked recently what is the greatest need in the Church today, he said his answer was simple: The greatest need in the Church today is more people who pray. Here are some thoughts from the article: (you can check Catholic Online to a search for the full article).

• Jesus was a man of prayer. We often think that He prayed the way He did only because He was Divine. However, in his sacred humanity he reveals the fullness of our own humanity as redeemed and recreated in him. In Jesus we find a new way of being human, beginning right now. Jesus can teach us how to pray.
• The prayer of Jesus opened the heavens, brought provision to the hungry, gave Him clarity for making decisions and brought the glory of heaven to earth and earth to heaven. Prayer still does all of this, and more, for all who will learn how to live their lives immersed in God as He did.
• Through prayer we recover the capacity for a communion of love with the living God. Through prayer we participate in the inner life of God.
• This is prayer - not so much about doing or getting but rather about being, receiving, giving and loving.
• Through prayer we receive new glasses through which we see the true landscape of life and find the way to walk.
• Through prayer darkness is dispelled and the path of true progress is illuminated.
• Prayer expands our capacity to comprehend truth and equips us to change through conversion.
• Through prayer we are drawn into a deepening relationship with Jesus.
• Christian prayer does not always bring consolation, at least at the affective or emotional level; hoever, it does always bring an increase in this communion.
• In prayer we learn to crawl into the wounded side of the Savior and find our home next to His Sacred Heart.
• Prayer is the most concrete way to make our home in God.

Love of Jesus compelled them

I don't know about you but there are days when I am grumpy, when the road of life seems to have many potholes and bumps! When I read the Office of Readings today from the Liturgy of the Hours I was greatly convicted of my lack of gratitude for the wonderful life that God has given me. I invite you to click on the following link and scroll down to the reading at the bottom of the page regading St. Paul Miki and Companions, the Japanese martyrs whose feast we celebrate today. I guarantee your heart will be deeply moved but the example of their faith. It brought me to tears.

http://www.universalis.com/readings.htm

A model for our turbulent times

Today is the feast day of one our community "friends" - Saint Don Bosco! Because we are a community whose mission is to share the Catholic faith with children, young adults and adults, we find St. Don Bosco a worthy model for our Sisters. Here is a link to a thorough biography of this holy man of God, the founder of the Salesian Order of Priests and Sisters whose members number over 16,000 men and women throughout the world. Herhttp://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=63

And follow this link to an article that recounts the story of an amazing vision that the saint had of the Church, a vision that can apply to our present time in history.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/story.php?id=44592

Saint Don Bosco pray for us and intercede for our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI and your Holy Catholic Church here on earth.

A very courageous act

Have your emotions sometimes made you feel like "going through the roof"?! Today's Gospel is about such an event (see Mark 2:12) http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011312.cfm It is one of my favorite examples of Jesus' great love and wisdom. As you read the story you see how four "friends" were determined to bring their friend to Jesus so He could heal him. The crowds around the house where Jesus was teaching were so thick they couldn't get through. They climbed on to the roof, carring their paralyzed friend on his mat and when they reached the top they began peeling off the tiles above the spot where Jesus was seated. Slowly, with ropes, they lowered the man down through the hole and laid him at the feet of Jesus. What a feat! You know the rest of the story.

As I prayed with this passage this morning I asked the Holy Spirit to reveal to me what God wanted me to know about the story. Some thoughts: the men loved their friend enough to go to great lengths to have him healed. They had great faith in Jesus and truly believed he would heal the paralytic. They had boldness and courage to place their petition before the Lord. As far as we know they chose to let Jesus handle the situation in His own way and He did - first of all teaching everyone about the power of His forgiveness. Before he healed the man He forgave Him his sins.

How do I petition the Lord.? Do I have faith in His love and mercy? Believing that He loves me, do I have he boldness and courage to ask Him for great things? Am I willing to go to great lengths in my prayer. Am I willing to take time to pray? Do I let it up to Jesus to answer the prayer in His own way or do I outline for Him the way I want my prayers to be answered? These were all the questions that I asked myself as I prayed through the passage. Why don't you try it yourself! See what Jesus wants to say to YOU!

What do we have to offer Him?

On this great solemnity of the Epiphany, when Jesus was revealed to the world through the three Kings, here are some thoughts for meditation.

"The Wise Men persevered in their travel even though they did not know the exact place of Jesus' birth. In like manner each of us must persevere in doing good and in seeking God in spite of interior darkness, even when the light which shines on our path seems to grow dim. This darkness can only be overcome by an intense spirit of pure naked faith which trusts in God alone. I know that God wills it, I know he is calling, and this is enough for me. 'I know him whom I have believed, and I am sure (Tim 1:12), no matter what he permits or asks of me, I cannot doubt him. This is the best way to unite ourselves to the adoration of the Magi: 'as they brought forth from among their treasures mystical gifts which they offered the Lord, let us also bring forth from our hearts something fit to offer him.' (St. Leo the Great)."


(This meditation is taken from "Divine Intimacy" Volume I by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen O. C. D. Ignatius Press)

He who sings prays twice (St. Augustine)

As you pray during this Christmas season perhaps you would want to meditate on the words of our traditional Christmas carols. The composers were men and women of great faith and their thoughts can lead us to ponder the mysteries of the Incarnation and cause us to give glory and praise to God. Give it a try!

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials was born to be our friend.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

For more hymns see your parish Missalette or click on http://ldsguy.tripod.com/Christmas.carols.html