Thursday, April 30, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Remove the Veil

Today I want to give thanks to my mother, Winnie, who passed away over 13 years ago. Because of her, I am able to look beyond exterior behaviors into the heart of those appearing out of control within their environment. Mom had a good heart . . . but her mental illness always seemed to get in the way. Fear generated the outbursts which she struggled to control. Fear of failure. Fear of harm. Fear of trusting. You can imagine the chaos. Despite the ups and downs, I never stopped loving her and knew how much she loved me. Because of her, I love Jesus and appreciate the beauty of my Catholic faith. Because of her, I have gotten to know externally brash people whom I have come to love and appreciate. Every one of us has a story. It's when we veer away from God's teachings we lose sight of what is important . . . love our neighbors as ourselves. It's not always easy, but with Jesus by our side, anything is possible!

In the Gospel today (John 6:44-51), Jesus spells it out for the crowd:

Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets:

They shall all be taught by God.

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

In Volume Two, Jesus teaches us to remain aligned to His Will:

My children, I am speaking to you from the depth of My Eucharistic heart. My dearest little souls of this world, you must come back to Me. I want your love now, as never before, and I want to protect you as never before. Because Our time is not like your time, I can communicate with you in a timeless manner. This is what I wish to tell you. I am going to share My deepest secrets with you. I am going to remove the veil from the tabernacle as never before. I want you to know Me. I want you to know Me in My miraculous form of the consecrated host. I am the Bread of Life. Yes. And I am your Jesus, also. I was a humble Man, who walked your paths of difficulty, want, and hardship. Many treated Me badly, so I understand the pain of hurt. We had little money, so I understand the pain of hunger. I was different, so I understand the pain of isolation. Little ones, I am with you. I want to teach you things that souls of past times did not learn until they came to heaven. I am doing this because I am raising up a tidal wave of Christians to wash over the shore of badness that has taken control of this world, so lovingly created by My Father. This process will cleanse your world, making it safe once again for God’s children. I am going to bring you knowledge, wisdom, and love. I am going to introduce you to the divine to make your hearts burn like furnaces of divine love. You will be given the opportunity to work with Me. Children, come with Me now. Walk this walk of the divine with Me, your Savior. Together, we call out to others to join us. In this way, we rise up against evil and reclaim goodness for the world, for its people, and for God in heaven. I am omnipotent. By cooperating with Me and working with Me, you share in My power. You will learn to love in a way you have never known before. I am revealing Myself in a new way, such as I have never done. Come, let us together pay homage and pledge obedience to God the Father. It is He who decrees this work. Thank Him often and deeply for these graces, for with these graces, you will help Me to save the world."

Lay apostles, life is a roller coaster ride, isn't it? As long as we stay secured in God's love and teachings, nothing can throw us off track. There will be a few bumps along the way, no doubt. So be fearless in the face of adversity, and hold His Hand at all times. Slowly, He is removing the veil. Open your eyes and discover the way to help Jesus save the world.

Thank you, Lord, for the lessons You needed me to learn in caring for my mother. I am forever grateful this apostolate has lifted the veil allowing me to know you intimately.

God bless,
Bonnie


Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Never Hunger

As parents and grandparents, we never want to see our children suffer. We do our best to raise good, honest and faith-filled adults. Some get sidetracked along the way, losing sight of the path leading to Christ. I know I did in my younger days. I was always searching to fill what I now know as the "God Hole" in my life. Poor choices only made me feel worse and left me more wounded and defensive. My life to that point had been filled with the roller coaster of having a mentally ill mother, in and out of mental institutions most of my childhood. Despite her illness, she did have faith which passed on to her 4 daughters. Only after having my first child did I start to see the importance of continuing that instillation of faith and gratitude she accomplished. 37 years later (can I really have a daughter turning 37 this year???) I am grateful for the faith and love I see in my girls. What filled my "God Hole" finally? This apostolate. Direction for Our Times. As my girls matured, so did my faith life. Reading the Volumes (see links to the right on this blog) empowered me with such love of Our Savior, I have never looked back. I am so filled with love, gratitude and joy I never imagined was possible. The graces Jesus has given this sinner are extraordinary in that I know I will never hunger again.

Today's Gospel (John 6:30-35) finds Jesus teaching the crowd about how to cure hunger . . . believe in Him:

The crowd said to Jesus: “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:

"He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

So they said to Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

In Volume Three, God the Father assures His children of His everlasting love and Parenthood:

"I am sending the greatest graces through My words to you and as God I would have you back in My heart from this moment on. Will you remain with Me, dearest soul? Do not go away from Me again. You have sampled the world’s offerings and you have been left unloved and in darkness. I offer you all that is light and good. I offer you safety and confidence. I will nourish you in times of hunger and console you in sadness. You need nothing, only Me. There is no reason to languish. Your God has called you by name. Come to Me."

Lay apostles, how are you filling the "God Hole" in your life? With spiritual reading? Prayer? Works? If not, try to incorporate one of those into your daily life. Even if it's a quick prayer in the morning to thank God for a new day.

Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings in my life and all the challenges You have been by my side to witness. I can't imagine anyone living without You!

God bless,
Bonnie




Monday, April 27, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Are Works Necessary?

The Gospel today triggered the thought of a conversation Jay and I had with a good friend of his years ago . . . a non-Catholic, but strong Christian. He said works have nothing to do with going to heaven. Belief that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior was all we needed. Well, I can understand after reading the passage below how other Christian religions believe this. So I searched the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website (where I get the daily readings) for some back up. The first thing I found regarding works is a letter from St. Pope John Paul II. Here is a snippet from this beautiful letter:

"The liturgy itself is prayer; the confession of faith finds its proper place in the celebration of worship. Grace, the fruit of the sacraments, is the irreplaceable condition for Christian living, just as participation in the church's liturgy requires faith. If faith is not expressed in works, it is dead (cf. Jas. 2:14-16) and cannot bear fruit unto eternal life." John Paul II

Works are important and necessary on our journey toward eternity, lay apostles. What works can you honor Jesus with today?

In today's Gospel (John 6:22-29) Jesus sets the crowd straight:

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.] 

The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”  So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

In Anne's book Climbing the Mountain, she urges us to detach from desiring any ego stroking in our works, lest we find ourselves in the trap of the enemy:

"Very often, to protect our humility, the Lord Himself will conceal the fruits of our efforts. But I am not talking about that here. I am talking instead about the concentrated effort of the enemy of goodness to persuade us to stop our heavenly service by convincing us that our sacrifices are neither appreciated nor effective. This should not sneak up on us because it is such a predictable snare, but alas, it does. It is here that we need to learn Holy Indifference. This concept, identified by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, allows us to work hard but be detached from the outcome of our efforts. It is enough that Jesus has asked us to complete a task. Our “yes” answers to God give Him the praise and honor He is entitled to. What He brings through our “yes” answers and our efforts is up to Him. The way I see it, this attitude removes us from the enemy’s line of fire. If I am acting in good faith, in prayerful obedience to the will of God, I do not need to annoy myself with the outcome of my works. I leave the outcome to Him, who after all is the Director of all service. I may not see the need for an action but I will complete the action. I may not see the benefit of the action I have performed but I commit the act to His divine power and let Him do what He wishes with it. If we proceed in this way, we will be liberated from the outcome of any of our works."

Lay apostles, yes, works matter. We must continually strive to do God's Will in everything we do. Don't just give lip service to the fact you are a Christian . . . prove it! Do everything for His Glory, and I mean everything. You will soon realize you are accomplishing the works of God on a daily basis.

Thank you, Lord, for all the opportunities every day to do Your Will. Help me to be alert at all times, seeking to find what You have placed before me.

God bless,
Bonnie

Friday, April 24, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: For the Love of Miracles!

Miracles . . . we all have a least a few we have been hoping and praying for, right? From healings, conversions, and lost sheep returning home to just a kind smile from a stranger, miracles are in the eyes of the beholder.  Think about this . . . each of us are capable of making someone's miracle occur!! When we see through the Eyes of Christ, the sky's the limit! He needs each and every one of us to participate in the Renewal. Who's miracle can you contribute to today? Remember, Jesus is by your side to help achieve His Plan.

In today's Gospel (John 6:1-15), Jesus performs a miracle out of love for His followers:

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.  A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.  Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.  The Jewish feast of Passover was near.  When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”  He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.  Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.”  One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?”  Jesus said, “Have the people recline.”  Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.  So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.  Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.  When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”  So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.  When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

In Volume Four, Jesus shows us miracles are a piece of cake for Him . . . we need only believe:

"You can blame God for all that is wrong with your world and perhaps this will work for you on earth. I assure you though, on this day that this will cease to work for you at the moment of your death. At that time there will be only yourself to blame as the Truth is inescapable. You will be facing the one, the only, and the true God and attempting to tell Him that He does not exist. How do you think this will go for you? It will not go well, dear soul, and that is why I am speaking to you now. I want you to divert from this path that leads to damnation. You are choosing against Me now and I am asking you to stop. I love you. There are many Christians in this world who love you and My love will flow through them to you. I want you for My Kingdom. I need you to serve Me. You are capable of the highest goodness. You are capable of bringing many souls to heaven for Me. Some of My greatest friends were far worse sinners than you. Please come back to Me. I love you and I can heal you and cure you. My forgiveness is yours. That hardly needs to be said. The greater difficulty will be in persuading you to forgive yourself but I am God and that would be only a small miracle for Me to perform. I will do that for you. I will make of you another Jesus, walking the earth in love. Do you want this? Can you picture it? Now, do not wait any longer. I shower you with graces. Lift your precious face to the heavens and feel My love as I beseech you to turn away from sin and follow Me."

Lay apostles, think about something miraculous in your life. Whether it is a new job, new baby, marriage, or creating a beautiful work of art, see God's touch in the miracle. We may believe the miracle is of our own doing, but truly God allows the miracle to occur. We can do nothing without God's graces and His Will. Start giving glory to Him for everything and soon the miracles will begin occurring right before our eyes. Ask Him for the vision to see them.

Thank you, Lord, for the patience and ability to see the miracles You have graced me with. I am so thankful for everything.

God bless,
Bonnie

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Refocus on Trusting Him

I have been a lay apostle for 13 years now. I have read and reread most of the writings Jesus and all of heaven have given to Anne. There seems to be three main messages in every book . . . rely on Him, thank Him and trust Him. Evil can materialize in an instant, destroying peace and calm with no warning. This is where spiritual reading comes in handy. Something I may have read will remind me to refocus on trusting Him, that everything has a purpose. It may not make sense to me at the time, but eventually, clarity is obtained. Trusting God is not easy all the time, but so necessary to continue climbing the mountain of holiness!

Today's Gospel (John 3:31-36) encourages me, even more, to trust in Him:

The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy. For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Transforming Grace, she describes why our words and actions must be in alignment:

"With regard to discernment, please know that a real connection with God will prompt a peaceful increase in the Characteristics of the Divine Will. A real connection with God will prompt humility, for example, as opposed to arrogance and anger. A real connection with God will prompt gentleness and eagerness to serve. If one is claiming a healthy prayer life but one is unwilling to see to one’s duties of the day, can we really find that credible? I do not think so and many non-followers have been badly stung by those claiming a prayer life which does not play out in action.

Truly, the cruelty of falseness rocks even the staunchest of us who believe. Good discernment will prompt prudent decisions as opposed to reckless and dramatic actions. Prudence stands the test of time and while others do not always find it exciting, the prudent decision will insulate and protect, not just for today but for the future."

Lay apostles, do you find God trustworthy? If you really think about it, He never lets us down. Humans do. So why do we tend to base our trust in Christ by our reaction to those around us? Well, we shouldn't. Trust Him always. As we are told in Luke 12:7: every hair on your head has been counted. He knows us intimately . . . nothing can be hidden from Him.

Thank you, Lord, for leading me to this apostolate, which leads me to dig deeper into my Catholic faith. Jesus, I trust in You!

God bless,
Bonnie


Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Will It Be Dark or Light?

My mornings don't get jumpstarted without a cup (or two or three!) of coffee. I love the smell as it is brewing. It all began when Delta Airlines stopped serving hot chocolate. The Medical Liaison position I held for over 5 years required a lot of traveling, which meant a lot of early morning flights. As I boarded those early mornings, I looked forward to my cup of hot chocolate and then falling asleep until the jolt of landing woke me up. Alas, when they did away with the hot chocolate, the only choices were tea or coffee. I knew tea was not going to win. Black coffee by itself was not going to cut it, either. Something was missing. Adding creamer made it more palatable, but still not something I could drink to warm me up on a cold plane. Next came the Splenda. Now, it was something I could enjoy. My coffee preferences have changed over the years (since doing Whole30, I make my own creamer with coconut milk, dates, and pure vanilla bean powder . . . amazing!). It's kind of like faith. Take the base which is faith in God (the coffee). Then add (the coconut milk) Scripture, the Volumes and other spiritual readings.  To top it off, add (the dates and vanilla) in good works, love, kindness, forgiveness and everything else Jesus has taught us. Just like the perfect cup of coffee radiates contentment in a sometimes chilled early morning plane, choosing to live and participate in our Catholic faith fully radiates the Light of our Savior through us in a world where others may feel drowned in darkness. Opportunities abound, lay apostles, to provide calm when there is fear; love where there is hate.

The Gospel today (John 3:16-21) reminds us to never stop seeking the Light:

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

In Volume Five, Jesus tells us even in the worst of times we are still able to shine His Light:

"These dark times, such as the one you are living in, create the most beautiful opportunities for holiness and sainthood. You look around and all seems hopeless. How challenging it is then to continue to hope and to allow My joy an avenue through which to flow into the darkness of your world. That, all by itself, is an opportunity for the holiest of acts, the most heroic deed of selflessness."

Lay apostles, are you choosing to live in the Light of His Love or the darkness of the enemy? The darkness provides empty promises. You will always feel something missing after the excitement or thrill is gone. It's the "God hole." Can't fill it with anything else but Him!

Thank you, Lord, for showing me choosing Your Light means graces galore, in good times and in bad.

God bless,
Bonnie


Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Escape It All

Amid all the confusion and chaos ensuing in the world, there is one place to escape it all . . . contemplative prayer. Taking Jesus along the hallways of our inner thoughts is like a warm blanket on a cold night. Comfort and safety are the first descriptors that come to mind. At times, I may only visit one room, let's say the Relationship room, in brief moments of quiet. But, walking through life's ups and downs with Him are kind of awesome . . . and at times a little scary. But I know the Truth, and as the saying goes, the Truth will set you free. Letting go of all my earthly worries allows Christ to work through me . . . bringing calm and love to my family and friends with the graces He allows.

In today's Gospel (John 3:7B-15) the message is clear . . . don't be confused about the Truth:

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to him, ‘How can this happen?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

In Volume Five, Jesus shows us the "caol áit" (this means 'thin veil' in Gaelic . . . thanks to Father Darragh for the beautiful reference years ago) between heaven and earth and how staying united to Him gives you the strength to combat any obstacle:

"Brothers and sisters in the world, please allow Me to fill your heart with heavenly gifts. There is no reason for you to live apart from My Kingdom. If you wish it, you can live your life on earth joined to us in heaven. You must practice living in faith, it is true, but like anything else, faith becomes a habit when you practice it, so much so that soon you do not even know you are exerting yourself. That is what I wish for you now and I am going to assist you by rewarding your tiniest acts of faith with supernatural gifts of faith. In this way you will only need a small bit to begin your union with heaven. What benefits can be gained by union with heaven? You will no longer have as many gaps in your peace. You will view all of your life as transient and valuable. Whether you suffer pain or experience joy, it will all be the same to you, as long as you are united to Me and to heaven."

Lay apostles, how have you been touched by this apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King? If you have been involved for a while, I'm sure you have read and reread the Volumes. If you are a newbie, I'm thrilled for you to begin your journey getting to know Jesus, Our Lady and all the saints you are about to meet. Since I made the commitment to live the rest of my life as a lay apostle, God has showered me with graces and blessings. Yes, there are many wonderful blessings in my life. But He has gifted me with the fortitude I need to stay focused on getting to heaven despite earthly "interruptions" in my peace. Pull out a Volume if you have one and start reading. Or, click on a link to the right of this blog post. All the Volumes and Heaven Speaks booklets are free to download. Today is the day to make a change. Go ahead, do it now.

Thank you, Lord, for so many heavenly gifts in my life. Although some were meant to teach me a lesson, I am forever grateful for every one of them.

God bless,
Bonnie

Monday, April 20, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Rebooting Ourselves

As we all delve into the unknown territory of "rebooting" lives and businesses during this COVID-19 shutdown, I can't help but think back on my life . . . decisions I've made. Many were good, some not so stellar. But after each "mistake," I found myself rebooting back to alignment with Christ. Jesus knows we will wander off the path every once in a while, but the fact we keep coming back to Him will eventually land us right where He needs us . . . living a holy life and dying a holy death to the best of our human ability.

In today's Gospel (John 3:1-8), Jesus describes the path to heaven:

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

In the July 1, 2008 Monthly Message from Jesus, He confirms His Love for us . . . always:

"My heart never stops loving and not for a moment does My heart stop craving love in return. I crave love from you, My dear apostle. You love Me, I know. You serve Me with steadiness, I know. ‘What is it that Jesus wants from Me that I am not giving’, you ask. I will tell you. I want you to show Me that you understand My love for you by trusting Me. I am hurt when you do not trust Me. Look at your time of service. Would you agree that I have provided you with everything you need to see to your part in My plan? Would you agree that I have given you consolation when you were afraid? Have I not guided you when you were unsure? What have I withheld from you? You are growing in holiness and I am answering your prayers for your loved ones with heavenly prudence and steadiness. The part you are called to play in My plan is important and I need your service but I would never ask you to serve to the detriment of your holiness. If you are not increasing in holiness, My dear apostle, it is because you are not allowing Me to direct you. Perhaps you are increasing but not as quickly as you would like. That is another matter altogether. It is for Me to decide how quickly to advance you. It is for you to cooperate. I am speaking today so that I can urge you forward. My apostles must be willing to benefit from the guidance I am sending. You must sit in silence with Me each day, asking Me where you can improve in holiness. What habits are you holding on to that you need to relinquish? What new habits should replace them? Apostles, it is not to stand still that you are called, but to move forward in holiness. This advance is necessary for these times or I would not be calling you to it so seriously. I am looking for you to change. I want you to grow. Many of you are saintly now, walking closely with Me in each day. I rejoice in you, it is true. You know that I do. And yet, I allow you to remain on earth, to work, yes, but also to become even holier. One of the ways you can become holy in a short time is by trusting Me in everything. A small child does not worry about one meal shortly after she has been fed another. She trusts her parents to provide for her, particularly if she has never gone hungry. You, dear apostles, have never been without My providence so there is no reason for you to fear. You can trust Me. I have proved this to you many times. I desire that you serve in joy and confidence and only through trusting Me will that be possible. Return My great love for you by trusting Me in everything."

Lay apostles, have you done a spiritual check lately? Are you participating in a local church community online during this shutdown? If not, maybe it's time to reboot your faith life. We are all so needed, not only to support our churches but each other on this journey to eternity!

Thank you, Lord, for loving me through all the good, bad and ugly. I pray I show others the same love and compassion!

God bless,
Bonnie

Friday, April 17, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Visible Reminders

The past two days I have been at home watching two of our grandchildren to help our daughter and son-in-law while they still work their jobs full-time (both in essential businesses). Our first day together was action-packed: taking a walk around our neighborhood looking for teddy bears (our small community was looking for fun things for kids/parents to do while staying at home!); swimming for a few hours then pulling out the old Slip-n-Slide (I honestly was pulling it out to toss), soaping it up with baby shampoo, creating another hour of fun. We ordered our grandson's favorite pizza (Mellow Mushroom) for dinner and watched Kung Fu Panda 2. Before the movie was even over, our grandson came over to hug me saying he could barely keep his eyes open! When I suggested an early bedtime (it was about 7pm), he was immediately opposed to the idea, telling me he was fine. After putting them both to bed, Jay and I were feeling so blessed to have the joy of grandchildren. Then it dawned on me . . . these little angels are visible reminders of God's love. While the world is struggling with this virus, it would be easy to let the reality of it all get you down. Jay asked our grandson what the highlight of his day was. His response? "Being with you guys of course, Papa!" Just pure heaven for this Mimi. And, even more important, to look for the blessings no matter how big or small. It may take several attempts to see the beauty, but eventually, it becomes second nature!

Caught this butterfly while we were swimming!

Today's Gospel (John 21:1-14) shows Jesus giving a third reminder to His beloved disciples . . . He is always around:

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

In Anne's book Climbing the Mountain, she beautifully describes it may take multiple attempts to get it right, but give yourself a break and do better next time:

"There is a story about a hole in the road. A child steps into the hole repeatedly until, after many consequences, he learns to walk around the hole, and finally begins taking another street and avoiding it altogether. Well, this is how it is for us at times. Which one of us can say that we have not repeated a mistake? The God we love understands that it can take repeated lessons until we learn. If Jesus accepts us with such readiness, can it be right that we judge ourselves harshly? We are called to emulate Him. He is tolerant of us. Dear apostles, let us accept our humanity and our flaws in the same way that Jesus accepts them."

Lay apostles, the time I spend trying to "get it right" requires steadfastness, consistency, and small investments every day. I used to be so hard on myself when I failed. Now, I try to be as forgiving of myself and others like Jesus. Not easy, but so necessary.

Thank you, Lord, for all the repetitive teaching You provide me. Sorry, it takes a few more reminders at times, but with Your patience and love, the lessons do come to me eventually!

God bless,
Bonnie

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: New Life Comes with Responsibilities

With Easter comes new life. And new life comes with responsibilities. How can we deepen our faith if we don't nurture and care for it on a daily basis as we do our children? Just as a child is a precious gift from God, so is belief in Him. Neglect only leads to dire circumstances.

Today's Gospel (Luke 24:13-35) finds two disciples walking along the road discussing all that had occurred over the past few days. Jesus appears walking along side of them, asking what they were so intently debating. The disciples don't recognize Jesus. Their eyes could not distinguish His presence until Jesus removed the veil:

That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his Body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

In Volume Three the Blessed Mother is speaking to priests, but the message applies to all of us:

"Better you say to a soul, 'Follow the path of righteousness.' In the event you have been wronged, look clearly at what happened. Be assured God is displeased with the wrong levied against you. It was not God’s will that you be injured. But God will judge your offender. The offender will not escape divine justice and the offense will not remain hidden. There are no successful lies or deceits in heaven, my children. God will heal even the most grievous of wounds and injuries. Believe this. If you do not believe this, dear souls, how on earth can you convey this gift of healing to others? You cannot. It would be impossible. So you must obtain this gift of faith before you can share it. To obtain it, you must spend time with Jesus. There is no other way. You cannot give what you do not have."

Lay apostles, whenever I gaze into the eyes of our grandchildren, I am overwhelmed with love for Jesus. These beautiful babies remind me to love and cherish my gift of Faith. To nurture it as our grandchildren will be nurtured by our daughters and their husbands.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of faith. I honestly don't know how people do it without You!

God bless,
Bonnie

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Challenge to Forgive and Detach

Last night as I watched President Trump triumphantly breeze through the disrespect shown him from hateful "reporters," my initial thought was to deck the blond woman from CNN, pin her down, and make her apologize to the President! Of course, I would never do that . . . but such hatred coming out of our media these days makes it challenging to forgive and detach from those spewing such negativity.

There are just some things hard to let go of at times . . . past hurts, ego, mistakes made, traumatic events. When I read the Gospel today, I started thinking about the depth of the wounds now healing in my heart. Instead of holding on to anger, pride or mistrust, through Christ, I can look past offenders to the fact I have been the offender periodically in my lifetime. I know I have never done anything mean intentionally (well, maybe when I was young and my little sister wouldn't give me my Barbie back!). But if I have hurt someone, especially someone I love, I want them to forgive me, not hold on to the hurt for years as we all have seen, heard of or experienced in families. Instead of holding on to the unpleasant memories, I try to view them as imperfect people making imperfect decisions . . . myself included. And that is my prayer when they think of me. Placing Christ in the forefront, I have better clarity gazing through His Eyes.

In today's Gospel (John 20:11-18), Jesus tells us to let go of earthly attachments:

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni,"  which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he had told her.

Today on our bi-weekly conference call with Fr. Darragh and Apostles of the Returning King (ARK), Father read this quote from Volume Seven, St. Gertrude that resonates in my journey toward heaven:

Dear brothers and sisters, how brave you are to read these words with faith. There must be a great push now for detachment. Try to concentrate on heavenly thoughts and heavenly goals, even while you remain in the world. In this way you will detach from the world more effectively and you will see the fruits of these words in your soul. Words are simply words, as you know, until they begin to impact behaviors and habits and, of course, souls. If you ingest these words quietly, they will take root in your souls and all manner of beautiful and exotic blooms will begin to form. The graces are there, my friends. Heaven needs only a willing spirit who will put herself in silence so that these graces can take root. Do not let these graces be wasted. Sometimes souls take the graces and admire their beauty. They correctly assess the worth of these heavenly gifts. But it is one thing to admire the work of a beautiful blanket or quilt. It is another to wrap yourself in it and allow it to warm you, which is its true function.

The true function of these words and their accompanying graces is growth. We want to facilitate change in your souls. Your souls must stretch now and to do that you must minimize the attention you pay to the world and maximize the attention you pay to your faith. Jesus is with you, awaiting your notice so that He can take your hand and begin a walk of union with you. Do not hold back from Him because you limit Him when you do. Give Him everything. Ask Him all throughout the day what you can do for Him. Do this fearlessly, understanding that if He gives you something to do, He will give you every grace necessary to do it. You need fear nothing, little souls. I have the greatest of love and understanding for you, as do we all. We repeat that so you will be reminded and remember to call upon us in your moments of difficulty or fear. Many things can cause fear but usually if you are aligned with Jesus your fears are easily managed. You will know when you are neglecting your prayers, my friends, because fears will begin to creep back into your minds. When I felt fear I began to praise God. In this way I turned the fear into a prayer and trained myself to allow Jesus to eradicate my fears. He always did. Again I say you should ask for the graces as the graces are there. You should not feel that you cannot experience the joy of Jesus because you are afraid. That would tell you that something is wrong and quite possibly you must simply pray more. We speak in simple words because heaven never seeks to confuse. Confusion does not come from heaven so you understand that it comes from the enemy of heaven. Confusion, like fear, is a symptom of the enemy’s presence. Expect to struggle with these little crosses at times and you will not be  alarmed or pay too much attention. When you find the cross of confusion or fear becoming heavy or quite noticeable, flee to your duty and wrap yourself in prayer. We all carried those crosses, dear friends. We understand and will help you. Suffering from these things does not mean you do not serve Christ well. On the contrary, it would be a nice thing to walk in blissful peace at all times but if you are a follower of Christ this will not be your experience, believe me. I say this with a light heart because we in heaven are so joyful at the beautiful and brave way that we accepted such crosses. It is like running a race against yourself and winning. We look back and say, “That fear could have distracted me from serving Christ but I kept my eyes on Christ and did not let it. Good for me.” You will say this too and you too will be joyful at what you accomplish.

Lay apostles, what past sins or hurts or opinions are you holding on to? First, ask yourself WHY you are holding on to them. When you figure out the WHY, contemplate where Jesus fits into the equation. There is a wonderful little book called Thoughtful Men and Women of God: A Guide to Contemplative Prayer to assist you in the healing process. It is time well spent with Our Lord. Give it a try. It's time to stop holding on and begin living your life for Christ!

Thank you, Lord, for the ability to heal the wounds acquired over my lifetime.

God bless,

Bonnie



Monday, April 13, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Admit You Know the Truth!

The Gospel today had me wondering . . . throughout Christ's torture, what were His disciples thinking? Were they so fearful for their human lives they went into hiding, nowhere to be found at the cross?  Did they feel immense anger or frustration knowing they couldn't save Christ as it would spoil God's plan?  And when Peter denied Christ three times . . . well, I can imagine how disgusted Peter was with himself. Is covering up the truth for fear of an unknown outcome = not trusting Jesus? I think it does. He is the Truth, the Way and the Life.  We have the benefit of the Bible, the Volumes, and all God has provided over the last 2,000 + years. Stand up for Christ. Don't remain quiet when others deny Him. It's time to be bold, lay apostles. Admit you know theTruth!

Today's Gospel (Matthew 28:8-15) should prove lies will only lead you away from Christ:

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

While they were going, some of the guards went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.

In Volume Five, Jesus the Redeemer makes it plain and simple . . . choose Him or choose the enemy:

"I assure you that a human being does not have the right to choose against God. That is not one of the choices you have been allowed. So when a soul chooses against God, he chooses to follow the enemy. Again, this is simple. The father of lies draws souls but only those souls who say “yes” to the darkness. Choose Me, then follow Me. You would not choose Me and then follow a path that leads away from Me. Many are doing just that because they do not like the earthly sacrifices that come with following My course. Little ones, you will laugh at the nothings of this earth when you die in your body and are born into your eternity. If you have sacrificed your eternity or your crown in heaven for the nothings of this world, your regret and bitterness will be profound. This is not for you. You are for heaven so I want you to learn all about Me, your Redeemer, and God, My Father, and all of our saints and true servants. I want you to learn about My Church on earth. I want you to have the answers when someone asks you why you follow this carpenter’s Son."

Lay apostles, what has Lent and the joy of Easter done for your spiritual life this year? I feel clarity, calm and fearless. After reading Volume Five, I have never felt so focused.

Thank you, Lord, for all the protection You offer when I stand up for You. Please continue to open my eyes to Your Truth.

God bless,

Bonnie





Friday, April 10, 2020

A Good Friday Reflection from Anne


The Perfect Sacrifice
An excerpt from 'Suspended in Mystery'
May Jesus bring you close to Himself on Good Friday.
Today we contemplate his death. He suffered for each of us and also for all those we love. Because we often tend to view ourselves in a harsh and negative light, we might take some time to examine how Jesus views us.
From the cross, we know that Jesus saw John, standing next to his mother. Is it possible that Jesus scanned John for flaws as he died a cruel death? This seems unthinkable. More likely, Jesus must have felt the most overwhelming gratitude for John. It had not been an easy road. Being part of a start-up spiritual movement brought significant highs and lows, and many had fallen away. John remained. John showed up on Good Friday and stayed, as we teach, even into and through the passion.
My friends, many people are terribly hard on themselves and this can make them hard on others, too. While we must challenge ourselves when it comes to mistakes and sins, Jesus does not expect that we will be perfect. Jesus did not die so that we would be perfect. He died so that we would be saved. He hopes that we will follow him, imperfectly, yes, but faithfully. Most of us are doing just that. In many ways we, too, have showed up and stayed – in marriages, vocations, as parents, as children caring for parents, as siblings and friends. Most of us reading this have showed up and stayed to the best of our ability in our Catholic faith life or at least in some kind of relationship with God.
Yet, many Christians carry a nagging, pervasive feeling that they are not good enough, and that because they are not the perfect spouse or parent or son or daughter or employee or student, they are failures. Many seem to feel that because they live their vocations imperfectly, they receive no credit from God, no gratitude from God for doing so. This is distorted. God is grateful to us. He knows that we can only do a thing to the best of our ability on any given day. We, too, carry crosses. It can be hard to be elegant in relationships with self, others, and God when we are suffering trials, both great and small. Often it is those times when we look our worst that we are actually extending the greatest offerings to God. In moments when we feel like total failures, it is possible we are actually living some of our finest hours, like Jesus Christ, dying on the cross.
Perhaps our expectations of ourselves need to be examined.
To extend this concept to others, many look at spouses, children, family members, and friends with an expectation that these people should be perfect. People can feel chronic disappointment that the people around them exhibit imperfections, or that they are not following a direct worldly trajectory for success, or simply that they have opinions which differ from their own. This way of thinking inhibits our ability to love. People die, all people, having lived imperfect lives. How many of us stare into the space where once a loved one sat and wonder why we expected them to be perfect? Why do we think anyone can be perfect? We must love people despite their imperfections and look hard at others for the beauty and light they possess. to be clear, there are no perfect families, marriages, or vocations. there are no perfect governments, no perfect days, and no perfect lives.
But today, right now, we do contemplate something perfect. We contemplate the perfect sacrifice, offered with a perfectly pure agenda by a man sharing divinity with our Father who lived a spotless life. While we accept that we are not God, we know that we can transform in Christ Jesus by studying Him. This will make us more like him in our relationships with ourselves, with others, and with God Himself. This is the job, to be servants to his love. Perhaps today, as we stare at the cross, we can view ourselves with compassion, rejoicing that we are good enough for God and that our instincts and choices have brought us once again to the foot of his earthly throne, the cross, to stand by him with loyalty and fidelity, imperfect though we may be.
We must remember. We are loved infinitely.

Gospel Thoughts Today: Good Friday - The Crucifixion

Today is a solemn day, one of sadness and mourning when reading the Gospel . . . Our Lord's last day on this earth. Every Easter, Jay and I try to watch The Passion of the Christ (with Jim Caviezal as Jesus). It is gut-wrenching from almost the very beginning of the movie until Jesus dies on the cross. But this is a story of redemption . . . a visual of God's love for us . . . so great was His Love that He sacrificed His only Son. For me, for you, for the whole world. Today, think about His sacrifice and His Son's willingness. When looking through the eyes of Christ, lessons are abundant. Love, forgiveness, and compassion come to mind.

Gospel today (John 18:1—19:42)

Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley
to where there was a garden,
into which he and his disciples entered.
Judas his betrayer also knew the place,
because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.
So Judas got a band of soldiers and guards
from the chief priests and the Pharisees
and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him,
went out and said to them, “Whom are you looking for?”
They answered him, “Jesus the Nazorean.”
He said to them, “I AM.”
Judas his betrayer was also with them.
When he said to them, “I AM, “
they turned away and fell to the ground.
So he again asked them,
“Whom are you looking for?”
They said, “Jesus the Nazorean.”
Jesus answered,
“I told you that I AM.
So if you are looking for me, let these men go.”
This was to fulfill what he had said,
“I have not lost any of those you gave me.”
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it,
struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear.
The slave’s name was Malchus.
Jesus said to Peter,
“Put your sword into its scabbard.
Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?”

So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus,
bound him, and brought him to Annas first.
He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year.
It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews
that it was better that one man should die rather than the people.

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus.
Now the other disciple was known to the high priest,
and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus.
But Peter stood at the gate outside.
So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest,

went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in.
Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter,
“You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?”
He said, “I am not.”
Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire
that they had made, because it was cold,
and were warming themselves.
Peter was also standing there keeping warm.

The high priest questioned Jesus
about his disciples and about his doctrine.
Jesus answered him,
“I have spoken publicly to the world.
I have always taught in a synagogue
or in the temple area where all the Jews gather,
and in secret I have said nothing.  Why ask me?
Ask those who heard me what I said to them.
They know what I said.”
When he had said this,
one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said,
“Is this the way you answer the high priest?”
Jesus answered him,
“If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong;
but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?”
Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm.
And they said to him,
“You are not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it and said,
“I am not.”
One of the slaves of the high priest,
a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said,
“Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
Again Peter denied it.
And immediately the cock crowed.

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium.
It was morning.
And they themselves did not enter the praetorium,
in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover.
So Pilate came out to them and said,
“What charge do you bring against this man?”
They answered and said to him,
“If he were not a criminal,
we would not have handed him over to you.”
At this, Pilate said to them,
“Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.”
The Jews answered him,
“We do not have the right to execute anyone, “

in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled
that he said indicating the kind of death he would die.
So Pilate went back into the praetorium
and summoned Jesus and said to him,
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered,
“Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?”
Pilate answered,
“I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?”
Jesus answered,
“My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”
So Pilate said to him,
“Then you are a king?”
Jesus answered,
“You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

When he had said this,
he again went out to the Jews and said to them,
“I find no guilt in him.
But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover.
Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
They cried out again,
“Not this one but Barabbas!”
Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.
And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head,
and clothed him in a purple cloak,
and they came to him and said,
“Hail, King of the Jews!”
And they struck him repeatedly.
Once more Pilate went out and said to them,
“Look, I am bringing him out to you,
so that you may know that I find no guilt in him.”
So Jesus came out,
wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak.
And he said to them, “Behold, the man!”
When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out,
“Crucify him, crucify him!”

Pilate said to them,
“Take him yourselves and crucify him.
I find no guilt in him.”
The Jews answered,
“We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die,
because he made himself the Son of God.”
Now when Pilate heard this statement,
he became even more afraid,
and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus,
“Where are you from?”
Jesus did not answer him.
So Pilate said to him,
“Do you not speak to me?
Do you not know that I have power to release you
and I have power to crucify you?”
Jesus answered him,
“You would have no power over me
if it had not been given to you from above.
For this reason the one who handed me over to you
has the greater sin.”
Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out,
“If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.
Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”

When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out
and seated him on the judge’s bench
in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon.
And he said to the Jews,
“Behold, your king!”
They cried out,
“Take him away, take him away!  Crucify him!”
Pilate said to them,
“Shall I crucify your king?”
The chief priests answered,
“We have no king but Caesar.”
Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself,
he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull,
in Hebrew, Golgotha.
There they crucified him, and with him two others,
one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.
Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross.
It read,
“Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.”
Now many of the Jews read this inscription,
because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city;
and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,

“Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’
but that he said, ‘I am the King of the Jews’.”
Pilate answered,
“What I have written, I have written.”

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus,
they took his clothes and divided them into four shares,
a share for each soldier.
They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless,
woven in one piece from the top down.
So they said to one another,
“Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be, “
in order that the passage of Scripture might be fulfilled that says:
They divided my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
This is what the soldiers did.
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, aware that everything was now finished,
in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
Jesus said, “I thirst.”
There was a vessel filled with common wine.
So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop
and put it up to his mouth.
When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,
“It is finished.”
And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Now since it was preparation day,
in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken
and that they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:
Not a bone of it will be broken.
And again another passage says:
They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

After this, Joseph of Arimathea,
secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews,
asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus.
And Pilate permitted it.
So he came and took his body.
Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night,
also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes
weighing about one hundred pounds.
They took the body of Jesus
and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices,
according to the Jewish burial custom.
Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden,
and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried.
So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day;
for the tomb was close by.

Have a blessed Easter lay apostles! 

He is RISEN!

God bless,
Bonnie

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Service with Love

Holy Thursday invokes visions of Jesus calmly washing the feet of His disciples, knowing His hour had come and the inhumane torture He was about to endure. I try to imagine what He must have been feeling . . . thinking. Sad because those He loved would betray Him? Frustrated He would be put to death like a criminal? Anxious about the pain of the first whip to strike His Body?  Probably. He was human. But He is also looking at the big picture, thinking about us and God's Will for Him. He knows His death leads to our salvation. This contemplation leads me to think about Jay and our girls, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. I would do anything for them. I would die for them. If I knew my death would save them, I would do it in a heartbeat. I can see myself, for their sake, being calm and loving the night before; trying to assure them of the destination I had been working toward before I died. Trying to help them live a better life by walking closely with Christ in humility. Jesus loved His disciples as deeply as we love our spouses, children and grandchildren. We must all remember on this Maundy Thursday how the Son of God humbly washed the feet of those He loved . . . including the man who would betray Him. It's all about love, isn't it? Loving others despite their intentions. Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do.

In the Gospel today (John 13:1-15), Jesus doesn't skip a beat in teaching His disciples the meaning of service to others:

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper,  fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,  “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him,  “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him,  “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him,  “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over;  so you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,  he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,  you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow,  so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

Anne's book Staying in Place provides such clarity and food for thought:

"The Father, in His heart, suffered with Christ in the Passion. Yes, in the way Jesus knew that God would never abandon Him and that He was loved by His Father, so we, too, know these things, even when our temptations reach despair. Total despair, or true despair, is actually rejection of God. Because grace is always present. And grace was there for Jesus. What was Jesus in His beautiful humanity but a collection of cells which vibrated together as matter? How can we believe that God is not with us when without His ongoing decision and action, our being would cease to vibrate and fall to the ground in death, stillness, engaged in the opposite of the process which occurs in the womb? At death the body then cooperates with natural law and decomposes, the opposite of the rapid and extraordinary process that occurs between conception and birth.

Jesus, did not make His way into time through ordinary circumstances. Rather, it was an action of the Trinity which resulted in this body taking form. Therefore, we have a different circumstance. Jesus chose to take human form and Jesus chose to depart from His life for the time between His death and Resurrection. Therein we note the difference. He picked up His life at conception. He showed us how to express holy human essence during His life. He laid down His life for us according to the plan of the Father. Then, in answer to all hope, He picked it up again at the Resurrection. He was choosing and acting all the time. While He did not choose the manner of His torture, which is important, He chose to submit to it."

Lay apostles, imagine this is your last day on this earth. How would you spend it? Organize your day with this in mind. Call a loved one; attend daily Mass; babysit for a young mother; talk to your children about Jesus and humility (even if your children are 50!). Live this day, then the next day, and the next as if your last. I couldn't imagine any better preparation to meet our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Thank you, Lord, for Your humble service and love the night before Your death. I promise to do my best to live each day as my last.

God bless,

Bonnie 

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Gospel Thoughts Today: Can You Handle Betrayal?

Betrayal . . . a word and action none of us want to experience, but cannot avoid. I immediately think of when my youngest daughter Taylor was 14 years old . . . she experienced the ultimate teenage betrayal. Her crush on the blond-haired, blue-eyed quarterback freshman year was every girl's dream guy.  The first week of school he saw her in between classes and asked if she needed help finding her class. Boom!  That's all it took to become her first high school crush. Excited about him approaching her, she rushed to tell her best friend of 5 years. She described him to a tee, every detail she could remember. A few weeks later, her best friend was dating him. Taylor was devastated (and my heart was broken for her). The fact that someone who knows us better than anyone else can so easily betray us in what seems like overnight is unfathomable . . . painful. If we struggle with it, imagine how our Savior must have felt as journeyed toward His crucifixion.

In today's Gospel (John 13:21-33, 36-38), Jesus identifies his betrayer:

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”

Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, she sees betrayal in a different light:

"Clearly, love is different from what people initially think when they hear the word. Love is vaster. Love demands a response and an honest acknowledgement of both frailty and vulnerability. We love with hearts that have been broken or with hearts that will be broken. Christ’s heart was broken at falseness, inconsistency and betrayal. We want to be as faithful as Christ was in our love for God in each other. But we must accept that we will fall short. If we have a full grasp of our teachings, we can negotiate our weaknesses, always striving for growth. But without each vocation integrating the teachings actively and ‘out loud’, so to speak, nobody really knows what this Christianity of ours is supposed to look like.

We desist from causing pain because Christ would desist from causing pain. We refrain from revenge because Christ refrained from revenge. We persist in our beliefs, at whatever cost, because Christ persisted in His beliefs, even to the highest possible cost. We are followers of the Great Love embodied in the Son. We do not claim goodness. Rather we use it to point most accurately at the One we follow. We are Christians through the greatest and most sublime act of the Creator, that of becoming one of us. And so we take our turn in the perpetuation of Love, which, it must be said again, is very vast indeed."

Lay apostles, as you contemplate the last days of Jesus this week, think about how you have handled betrayals in the past. And after reading the quote from Anne's book, how will you face them in the future? See it for what it is . . . the enemy using whatever it takes to draw you off the path to heaven.

Thank you, Lord, for Your suffering in the last days of Your Life. Help us to remember the pain and betrayal You encountered from those who were the closest to Your Sacred Heart. And, forgive them as You did.

God bless,

Bonnie

Monday, April 6, 2020

Monday of Holy Week - It Starts With Attitude

Writing this blog allows me to express how I am feeling. Others may not like what I have to say, but my thoughts are my thoughts. I am nothing special. But I am a lay apostle trying to do everything the Lord asks of me with love and kindness for this mission. I keep myself in check with those I love and trust, making sure I interpret meaning and intent in what I read and hear. It's very sad when others take their misery out on me.  Sometimes the truth hurts. I know it hurts because there have been many truths about myself I've had to look at over the last 14 years since becoming a lay apostle. So, when you read something on my blog that offends you, think about why it offends. Is there some truth to it? Is it something you don't want to admit about yourself because if you did it would mean you are flawed just like me?

In today's Gospel (John 12:1-11), see how others assume the worst with a selfish attitude when what was being done was for the Lord:

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.  Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.

In Anne, ARK's The Mist of Mercy, she beautifully describes the traps of evil:

"As lay apostles, we must look into each relationship in our lives and be certain that we follow Godly principles. We must seek to be genuinely giving, with an awareness that we should strive to set an example of Christlike behavior to each other. The devil does not want this, of course. The devil wants to use us to exploit those around us. People cooperate by using others, perhaps for sex, for money, for power, or ego. We must be scrupulous not to fall into these traps. There is no benefit to reading, or indeed writing a work such as this if we use it only to identify the flaws of others. We must search tirelessly for our own flaws, using the example set by Jesus Christ as our behavioral goal."

Lay apostles, think before you speak . . . read before you send. Don't let the traps of piety, power or ego get in the way of Christlike behavior. We are all servants of heaven. Serve the best you can. It's all any of us can do.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing the true joy and happiness being a lay apostle brings. You have strengthened me with Your Words and those surrounding me.

God bless,

Bonnie