Gospel Thoughts Today: Pieces of Me

Today I came across another blog post I wrote 7 years ago after the birth of my first grandchild. It brought back such wonderful memories, I wanted to share it again today:

Changing diapers on baby boys requires skill and agility of which my daughter and son-in-law acquired before they even left the hospital. Having all girls myself, the process seemed quite complicated at first. After a few diaper changes, I got it down. My grandson has taken it very easy on me . . . until last night. As I was changing him, his "bottom end" began sputtering. He was crying and kicking and having, as my daughter calls it, a poop explosion. I'm grabbing diapers and wipes trying to keep up with it all. It is going everywhere. Just when I thought he was done and had a clean diaper under him, guess what I forgot about? The line of fire! It started spraying everywhere. On his face, on my shirt (which later I discovered was decorated with a few brown spots!), and on the changing table. That's when I called in the experts. My daughter (laughing of course) swooped in and came to my aid!

After he was all cleaned up and in a fresh sleeper, I brought him out and held him as he slept peacefully on my lap. I am trying to take in as much of him as I can before I head back home. Looking at his beautiful little face, I see so much of my daughter when she was an infant. A family trait from my mother's side is a crooked pinky finger. We noticed it right after he was born. I have it. My daughters have it. And now my grandson. A little piece of me.

Just as my grandson has pieces of me, we are blessed with pieces of our Father and His Son in our hearts and souls. In today's Gospel (John 6:30-35), Jesus is speaking to a crowd asking for a sign so they can believe in Him. With patience, He replies:

"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 Anne a lay apostle’s book Climbing the Mountain, she encourages us to recognize and accept Christ’s presence:

“If we begin our climb up the mountain of holiness each day, we will be accepting that Christ is within us. At the top of this mountain is unity with Jesus, yes, and that unity is a guaranteed thing if we desire it. The higher we climb, the more we labor for holiness and for the Kingdom on the path that He has marked out for us, and the more we honor Jesus within our souls. Truly, the lay apostle has been given assurance that if that apostle works for Jesus, Jesus will care for all of his needs, including the conversion of the apostle’s family. We need no further encouragement or promise. The only peace is found with Jesus. Paradise is a place. Heaven is vibrant with activity and joy and we will all get there. Work for Jesus, my friends, and we will bring as many souls home to our Father as we possibly can.”

Lay apostles, no matter where you are today, ask Jesus for the graces you need to believe in Him fully. He is the Bread which will always satisfy your hunger.

Thank you, Lord, for the patience You demonstrated so long ago and which You continue to show me on a daily basis. I am blessed to be a piece of You!


God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Persevere in Times of Sacrifice

Seven years ago I wrote this blog post about my first grandson Connor. It still holds true, no matter what age our children become! And as I felt holding all my grandbabies when they were born, there is nothing sweeter than feeling and seeing new life . . . a soul who just arrived from heaven!

From 2012:

The newborn experience from the grandparent point of view is extraordinary.  From the new parent point of view . . . joyful, exhausting, amazing, confusing. My grandson has managed to get his days and nights mixed up, which is pretty typical for the first few weeks to month.  Last night I offered to stay up with him so my daughter and husband could get a little sleep. As I began singing favorite lull-a-byes, my mind drifted to Jesus.  Being a follower of Christ is exactly like becoming a new parent . . . at times it is joyful, exhausting, amazing and confusing.  But we continue to persevere out of love.  Love for the infant He has blessed us with and love for Him.  Would you deny an infant love and comfort because you were sleep deprived?  Because he changed the life you knew before his arrival? Of course not. Children require our love, attention and sacrifice 24/7. Our Father in heaven is the expert in sacrificial love. He gave His only Son for our salvation.  Yes, that means you, me, my grandson, my children . . . every human on this earth.  Lay apostles, remember God the Father's sacrifice every time you look at your own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or anyone you come in contact with.  Remember, actions speak louder than words.

In today’s Gospel (John 6:22-29), Jesus speaks to those who followed Him for the wrong reasons:

“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 the October 2009 Monthly Message, Jesus teaches us about sacrifice:

“ . . . Please, do not count the sacrifices when you consider your service. Do not count the loss of worldly respect. Count only the souls who are comforted and consoled. Count the repentance and healing of so many who have been restored to unity with heaven. Count the humility that I have bestowed on you, dear apostle, since you began to learn about true holiness. I am your King. I can give you anything. I choose to give you peace and holiness. I choose to make of you a resolute servant. Accept My will in your life and you will then be able to accept all of the graces heaven has stored up for you."

Comforting and consoling.  Sacrificial love.  Read from the Bible daily and you will understand what the one true Role Model desires of us. We need not look elsewhere.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me how to persevere when sacrifice is difficult.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Am I Glorifying God?

The word "glorified" jumped out at me today in the Gospel. First thing, I wanted to see how the word is defined. Dictionary.com gives these definitions:

1. to cause to be or treat as being more splendid, excellent, etc., than would normally be considered.
2. to honor with praise, admiration, or worship; extol.

This is my question (to myself and my readers): Do we glorify ourselves more than God? Are we purporting how great we are or all the good things we do to others without giving glory to God for our achievements? That's a tough one. We all like to feel we contribute to making this a better world. But what about if those good works aren't recognized by anyone? The answer is simple. God is within us. Continue glorifying Him, even if that means He is the only one seeing your good deeds.Ultimately, He is the only One I strive to please. I am grateful for the words of Christ today . . . a reminder to stay focused on my path to eternity.

Jesus is pretty clear in today's Gospel (John 14:6-14):

Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him,  "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."

In the Monthly Message of May 2009, Jesus encourages us to be humble in order to glorify God:

"How often have I called you ‘My little apostles’? Have I ever called you ‘My big apostles’? Why do you think it is that I call you ‘little’? I will tell you. It is because each apostle, by his desire to serve, becomes little. He becomes little so that God can be glorified. If a person is serving Me, that person desires only My glory. If a person is serving Me, he desires to be seen as a servant of men, not as a master of men. In the case of leaders, this desire for humility must be even more pronounced lest the leader begin to believe that he himself is leading, as opposed to My great hope which is that I, Jesus, am leading through the man. I intend to send leaders during this time. You will know them by their spirit of service. You will know them by their humility. You will know them because they will help you to think of Me and what I need from you. No man is entitled to the glory reserved for God. No man is worthy of this glory. I only speak in this way today so that each man will consider his call to service as a call to holiness. I want each man to give credit to Me for the good that I allow to come through him into the world. Do you understand, little apostles? I am reminding you that all good comes from Me so that you will not be tempted to pride by the great fruits I send through your service and your commitment to Me. It is important that every apostle examine himself for signs and symptoms of pride. I ask this of you in a serious way today. We, together, are ushering in a time of grace, and graces will be apparent, not through your power but through Mine. Little apostles, do not believe that Jesus is scolding you. I am not. I am helping you to examine yourself to prevent difficulties, both for your holiness and for My plan. I will help you in this each day if you ask Me. Ask Me to send an outpouring of the Spirit to you whenever you are afraid that pride is troubling you. I will do this for you because I love you and because pride makes you so terribly sad. Pride is the great devourer of joy. You, My beautiful apostles, are entitled to joy and I send My joy to you today. All is well. We work together to perfect your soul."

Lay apostles, sometimes when we don't feel good about ourselves, our lives, or our choices, we tend to want to shout our "good deeds" to those who will listen. Next time we feel this need, how about glorifying God instead? In glorifying Him, we heal ourselves.

Thank you, Lord, for lessons as in today's Gospel and the Monthly Message which refocus my thoughts and words.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Trusting God

Every morning Jay and I begin our day with three readings. First, from Jesus Calling. Second, from Daily Guideposts. And third, we end with an entry from one of the Volumes/books by Anne. There seem 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

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.

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

Gospel Thoughts Today: Heavenly Gifts

Seven years ago my first grandson came into the world. I can hardly believe how this day changed my life forever. I can only describe it as a heavenly gift . . . a blessing I prayed I would be alive to witness from the moment my first daughter got married! Same prayer when my second daughter was married.  Now I am the "Mimi" of four little angels. I was meant to be a grandma and loving every minute of it . . . heavenly gifts for which I am eternally grateful. Proof of a Loving Father.

In today's Gospel (John 3:7B-15), Jesus asks us to truly believe He is with us despite His human presence:

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) 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

Gospel Thoughts Today: Reentering Safety

We all "reenter" something in some way . . . Disneyworld rides we love; the workforce after a leave of absence; our Catholic faith when we have been away. Whatever it is we are reentering, it is because we are reinvigorated to renew what was once loved or enjoyed. As Christians, our faith life waxes and wanes over time by something or another causing us to divert from the path Christ laid out for us. The beauty of our Merciful God is He will always be waiting for us to reenter His Loving Arms. Always.

Today's Gospel (John 3:1-8) helps us understand 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 or in a rescue mission such as Direction for Our Times? If not, maybe it's time to reenter . . . reengage. 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 forgiveness!

God bless,
Bonnie

Important Reminders

I used to watch my grandson Colton three days a week for the first 2 years of his life. I remember watching in amazement how quickly he grew, learning something new every day. When he was in my care, we read, crawled around the house, played with the toy choo choo train, and practiced saying words. From the time he began identifying people by name (Mama was his first), I tried to teach him to call me "Grammie." Well, all the repetitive teaching started to pay off. At first, he started making the "g" sound when he saw me. Then my daughter Whitney had made a book for Colt with pictures of all his family. She said they got to my picture holding him and he repeatedly said the "g" sound over and over!  I was thrilled. Eventually "Grammie" became "Mimi" months later (which I absolutely adore hearing my four grandkids say!). Just as repetitive teaching helps our children to grow and learn new things, so does reading Sacred Scripture, the Volumes, and all of the messages Our Lord has graciously provided through saints and prophets. If you make spiritual reading a daily practice, soon you begin to live the messages to the best of your ability.

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 a lay apostle'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

Gospel Thoughts Today: Choosing Christ

Easter was a wonderful day. I treasure celebrating the Risen Christ with our beautiful family. This is a time of new hope. But it's also time to begin making choices with Jesus in mind. Ask yourself a few questions the next time you are in a quandary. Am I responding with humility or ego? Is my decision based on what I want or what's best for Christ's sake? It's so easy to get caught up in the muck of this world. Choosing Christ's way isn't always easy, but it's the only option we must allow ourselves.

In today's Gospel (Luke 24:35-48), Jesus still has a little convincing to do:

The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way, and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.

While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

In Volume Five, St. Thomas the Apostle encourages us to believe even when we may be doubting:

"I had the greatest of faith on earth, truly, but when you live on earth, and you are following Jesus, there are times when you are asked to believe what is inconceivable to the limitations of human thinking. It is at that time that you must turn joyfully to heaven and say, 'Jesus, I trust in you, I believe in you, and I will follow you.' Those simple words should be said all day long. There will come times when you will feel your faith wavering. This is perfectly normal, dear followers. You may expect to confront doubts at some time during your service. This should not affect your service in any way. Say those words and cry out to me, Thomas, and I will console you and comfort you while I simultaneously turn to the Throne and pray, interceding for you until the time of challenge has passed."

Lay apostles, there are things I don't like . . . for example, uncomfortable situations or people with ulterior motives. But I'm calmer now, more prayerful. And, most importantly, I trust in Jesus! Every once in a while my ire will get stirred up, but I am quick to let it go. Living life completely trusting Christ is so much more peaceful . . . even easier. As much as I wish I had read the Volumes at a young age, I do have the ability to make sure my girls and grandchildren read them and do their best to live the messages. My prayer is our grandchildren will know Jesus as my daughters do. Just yesterday when I picked up my grandson from his faith formation class, he was so excited to tell me they spent 5 minutes in the new Adoration Chapel! God answering my prayers in real time! I am so grateful.

Thank you, Lord, for placing the Volumes in my life to pass on to my children and grandchildren. I trust You will see to their salvation.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: How Do I Honor Christ?

After reading the Gospel this morning, the word "honor" pervaded my thoughts. Honor means to regard with great respect; to fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement). I know God doesn't have a problem fulfilling His part of the covenant with us. It's my human countenance that loses focus at times, allowing the world to dictate my ability to remain peaceful. My thoughts can quickly deteriorate, depending on the conflict ensuing. When I begin to "go there" in my head, the internal battle usually arises, causing me to feel unsettled. I know I am not respecting Christ and all He has done to lead me to where I am today. So, how do I honor Him in these circumstances?  I honor Him by accepting His Mercy, even when I feel I don't deserve it. I honor Him by giving up more and more of my free will in exchange for an eternity with Him.

The Gospel today (John 4:43-54) teaches us not to ignore the graces He shows us on a daily basis:

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast.

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe." The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus said to him, "You may go; your son will live." The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, "The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon." The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live," and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did
when he came to Galilee from Judea.

In Anne's book Staying in Place, she wisely reminds us of the honor Our Lord grants His Children:

"What is a sacrament? According to our Catechism, a sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward, invisible grace (St. Augustine). What is grace? Grace is a gift from God. We do not earn a gift. We cannot purchase one. It has to be given and the joy of receiving a gift is two-fold. One, we enjoy the gift itself, particularly if we need it and if it has practical application. Two, we are heartened and consoled that the Giver has contemplated us favorably, in love and earnest desire for connection. When someone earnestly desires connection with us and His motives are selfless, then we cannot help but be touched.

Our God is not a God of limitations and the only thing He is unwilling to interfere with is the action of our free will. If we insist on rejection of God and the family of God, then God will honor our choice."

Lay apostles, think about how you honor God today. Is it through a kind word or smile? Visiting Him in Adoration? Showing patience with a loved one? Whatever it is, make the effort and remember it's a two-way street. God always honors us . . . let's give Him the same in return!

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me honor goes both ways. Help me to honor You in all I do.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Mary's Incredible Faith

There is a song by Amy Grant called Breath of Heaven . . . a song for Our Blessed Mother Mary. Here are some of the lyrics:

I have traveled many moonless nights

Cold and weary with a babe inside

And I wonder what I've done

Holy Father, You have come

And chosen me now to carry Your Son

I am waiting in a silent prayer

I am frightened by the load I bear

In a world as cold as stone

Must I walk this path alone?

Be with me now, be with me now

Breath of Heaven, hold me together

Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven

Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness

Pour over me Your holiness for You are holy

Breath of Heaven

Do you wonder as you watch my face

If a wiser one should have had my place?

But I offer all I am

For the mercy of Your plan

Help me be strong, help me be, help me

This song is stunningly beautiful, especially sung by Ms. Grant. It depicts exactly what must have been going through Mary's mind as she carried our Lord and Savior. Today's Gospel (Luke 1:26-38) is about her complete trust in God:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

In Volume One, Jesus asks us to trust, even if we aren't sure:

"I need obedient servants. Again, I tell you, study the Bible. Read the Gospels. My children in the past did not always understand why they were asked to do things. Even My mother, Mary, did not always understand the value of her actions. Saint Joseph, My foster father, is a beautiful example of the reverence a soul must possess for the Divine Will in his life. Ask St. Joseph to help you with obedience and the trust necessary to obey. He will hear you. And you will progress. This is a time, now, for heeding My messages, children. I say this with all solemnity. Be advised. Your God wishes to save you through your obedience."

Lay apostles, think about Our Lady today and the incredible faith she had in God. It takes courage and humility to rationalize what others may deem as wrong or bad, even though it is Our Father's will. There is only One Person we need to please in this life. Stay focused on what He thinks rather than what the world thinks.

Thank you, Lord, for the courage and humility You have given me in times of disappointment or confusion. Remind me to remember the huge leap of faith Your Mother showed when she became Your first Tabernacle on earth.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Suffering For Peace

Suffering . . . the word itself is enough to send anyone running in the opposite direction! While contemplating this "word" from the Gospel today, my thoughts shifted to caring for my parents at end of life. Dad's end was distinctly different from Mom's. Dad always had a pretty good attitude and never once complained after surrendering his once independent life to living in my home full time. He accepted his suffering like a champion (metastatic malignant melanoma), and when he asked for pain medication, which he rarely did, I knew it was pretty bad. Every day for those precious four months I had with him (24/7) were filled with routine . . . morning coffee, out to the patio to smoke, and 10am Price is Right during the week! Afternoons were spent watching sports and occasional rides to Target (his favorite store!) just to get him out of the house. Despite the good days, the suffering was mutual. To see my strong, sports-loving father wither away into a thin, frail man broke my heart at times. His last moment on Earth was exactly what he had asked for and what my sister and I promised . . . we would be holding his hand when he took his last breath. It was as calm and peaceful as he had lived most of his life.

Now, my mother on the other hand . . . well, let's just say her end of life was consistent with her life on earth. A lifetime of mental illness was full of highs and lows. I know, in my heart, she suffered her purgatory on Earth. Always tormented by her traumatic childhood, her last weeks in hospice seemed she would leave this earth just as tormented. It was Lent and a visiting priest came in to see her. After he left, my sister and I read to mom (she wasn't responding at this point, but constantly scowling) from a Lenten devotional which happened to be on forgiveness that day. There were so many people who had hurt my mom as a child, and I believe she had held those hurts close. We encouraged her to forgive her tormenters so she could move on to paradise. That evening, something had changed . . . Mom had the most peaceful look on her face. And it remained until she passed away a few days later. Not only was she relieved of her earthly suffering, but now my sister and I could release ours too.

Today's Gospel (Luke 16:19-31) reminds us that suffering on earth is worth our eternity in heaven:

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.

Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’“

The quote by Anne below from her book Staying in Place correlates so well with my thought process today and spotlights my Lenten objective:

"For our Apostolate, let us focus on the people God has placed in our care. For us, Church must be found in the needs of God’s children around us. If we become temporarily discouraged by mistreatment in the Church, then we will look to the people in whom God has placed the Church around us, and we will persevere. The Church as the Bride of Christ is a spiritual institution. The most severe temptations will not sway us if we focus on our work, studying people’s pain and asking ourselves where love wants to go in the moment. The inevitable ups and downs of our experience as Catholics in the Church will not shake our resolve because we do not stare into the Church demanding something but stare into the people around us offering something. The sacramental graces of the Church sustain us along with our relationship with Christ in the Eucharist. Contemplation of people and their wounds will inspire us to give generously of all that we have.

Christ was not usually thanked and blessed. He was usually rejected and distorted. He is the One we follow. His experience will be ours, undoubtedly, to a greater or lesser degree. Suffering should not alarm us, but confirm us in our service."

Lay apostles, we all have suffered spiritually, mentally, emotionally or physically to one degree or another over the span of our lives so far. I love the last line in the above quote by Anne, "Suffering should not alarm us, but confirm us in our service." Suffering is not unique to certain people. My suffering is exclusive to me. As much as I would like things to go differently at times, it's not the path Jesus has in mind. The older I get, the more my eyes are opened to the reality that life is full of ups and downs. Mentally preparing for any kind of suffering can be done on a daily basis . . . by trusting Our Lord is maneuvering us on our path for His Glory!

Thank you, Lord, for the preparation you have done in my heart and mind leading me to where I am today. Although I have so much more to learn and practice, I know trusting in You will sustain me.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Who Is In Charge?

My book, Heavenly Healing, not only made me an author for the first time but taught me many lessons in the process. After reading today's Gospel and contemplating why the word "authority" spoke to me, Anne a lay apostle immediately came to mind. Heavenly Healing is a book of testimonies from lay apostles all over the world who have been blessed by the Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King. The first time I heard Anne speak, it was like drinking water from a fire hose! Jesus grabbed my heart that day, truly beginning my journey toward eternity. A few years later, after devouring every Volume, every Heaven Speaks booklet, Climbing the Mountain and The Mist of Mercy, I wanted to write. I needed to write. After publishing a few articles in Christian magazines, I felt the Lord leading me to something bigger . . . I just wasn't sure what that was.  Soon I found myself sitting across from Anne, interviewing her with one of my daughters sitting next to Anne (we attended the Eucharistic Day of Renewal together in Illinois). As I left the interview, I felt the need to tell Anne I'd do my best in writing about the apostolate (this was prior to the concept of Heavenly Healing). She looked at me and said, "Bonnie, you are going to do great things for Jesus." This was the confidence I needed to spread the love of Christ and Direction for Our Times.

So, why did I think of Anne when I contemplated the word "authority" in today's Gospel? Because she gives God the authority He deserves in everything she does, says and writes. It's never been about her, it's about what Jesus desires. She is constantly seeking His Will, encouraging everyone to do the same.

Today's Gospel, Matthew 20:17-28:

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, she reminds us that desiring Truth is ultimately our path to knowing God:

"Perhaps what is needed is a firmer connection to the mind of God. What is the mind of God? Well, any encounter with the Father would bring one to understand authority. The Father radiates authority. Real authority, of course, comes from Truth. Full Truth, that is. Not shades of the Truth, not self-serving slants on the Truth and certainly not the Truth arbitrated for any one given historical point of history. The Truth never changes but here is the reality of our relationship to the Truth. At given historical points, God seems to allow us to go deeper into the Truth, to discover in greater detail its unchanging elements. And it is those true elements that withstand the test of time, as Divine Mercy has withstood the test of time. It has proved itself to be a true revelation for all times. But people were not ready for it prior to its revealed moment and possibly only through time will we absorb and apply it more fully."

Lay apostles, how connected do you feel to God right now? Are you taking time this Lent to develop your relationship with Him? How does today's Gospel speak to you? My connection to Him is through our morning/spiritual readings, prayers at meals, weekly Adoration, praying the Rosary and going to Mass. The more I get to know Him, the more I feel the need to give up self-will . . . to let Him take the reins.

Thank you, Lord, for being the Authority in my life. It seems so much easier when I let You lead!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: What Are You Afraid Of?

Today the word "afraid" spoke to me in the Gospel, as it perfectly relates to a conversation I recall from a few years ago. Out to lunch with two women, the topic of martyrs came up. I recalled a dream I had while writing Heavenly Healing. I was in our local church, praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament. There were about 5 other Adorers scattered throughout the pews when I heard scuffling in the back of the church. I turned around and saw a few masked men coming toward me. One of them came right up to me, pointed a gun at my forehead and asked, "Would you die for Him?" I didn't hesitate. I said, "Yes." He pulled the trigger and the impact of the bullet woke me as if actually shot. I was a bit disoriented as I jumped out of bed . . . the dream felt so real. That dream was a key moment in my life. Just years earlier, I would have been too afraid to say yes, and probably would have lied to stay alive.

As I was telling the two women this experience, one of them said, "But you wouldn't actually say 'yes' if it really happened, would you?" With no hesitation, I said "Of course I would say yes and die for Him!" She was shocked, going on further, "So if a demented person walked in this door right now, and you knew he was mentally ill and pointing a gun, you wouldn't say something to save your life?" I then told her I would never deny Him, ever. The look on her face made me realize how important it is to spread the Gospel messages and words from all of Heaven in the Volumes.

We are all heading to the same place, and I know He controls the day I am called home. Whether I am shot, drown, or die peacefully in my sleep, I am ready. Not that I am asking Him to take me now! But, if we fear death, are we really trusting God? It has taken this apostolate to form me, to learn to trust in Christ, no matter what is happening in my environment. It's not always easy and I can't say human fear wouldn't take over if confronted with the scenario from my dream. But my answer will always be "yes." Be not afraid!

In today's Gospel (Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24A), Joseph had to overcome his human concerns about Mary, and follow the Lord's plan:

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, she illuminates how important it is to stand firm in our love of God and commitment to Him:

"Many people remain in place, offering God’s love to others long after they have ‘felt’ an experience of love. Those children of the Father understand, in simplicity, that the best response they can make to God’s love is to bring it to others. Those who accept God’s love simply, need the least amount of persuasion and maintenance. God, in a real sense, gives them everything. They have been given the whole inheritance. They do not feel this, yet they serve on because they know this to be true intellectually. Really, whatever it takes to keep us serving is available to us in the moments we need help. On one day, one thing will provide what we need. On another day, it will be something else. This is important because if something consoles us one day and we lose it another day, we must not be afraid that we can no longer persevere. Instead, we should rest in the certainty that we no longer need that type of glue, and the newest type will be offered to us so that we can stick out our commitments to the spread of the Father’s love."

Lay apostles, do you let fear control your life? Not just the fear of death, but fear of what others will think of you? If your answer is yes, dig into the Bible. Read about the lives of Saints. Read the Volumes. I promise the more you understand Our Lord, the easier it is to let go of fear.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me love and commitment to You trumps everything!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Making U-Turns

It's easy to get caught up in noise. It's easy to try to predict the reasons behind erratic behavior. Analyzing every possible scenario is exhausting. So why try? Well, it's just how my brain works. Luckily, I have learned that when my brain starts calculating the worst case and best case scenarios, it's time to call in the Big Guy. My job is to love and be merciful, leading by example. And, set very clear boundaries.

Reminds me of an incident when my three girls were teenagers. It was around the time Ricky Martin was the big teen heartthrob. He had just opened a restaurant in Miami, so we decided it would be a fun day trip. (The girls were hoping they would get a glimpse of him, although it was highly unlikely). We were on the highway for about 20 minutes, when my oldest Mallorie was arguing with her youngest sister Taylor. The first "girls, stop the fighting" calmly escaped my lips. They quieted for about 5 minutes. Then, the bickering began again. Now my voice was a little louder. "Girls, if you argue one more time we are turning around and going home," I said (regretfully after I realized I would have to follow through with the threat!). "Noooooo, mom, we won't fight anymore. We promise!"  I was actually pretty excited to visit the restaurant, too, so I hoped they would get along for the next hour. Mind you, my middle daughter Whitney stayed out of the conflict. After the first warning, she reiterated my words to her sisters. After the second warning, she was starting to get upset with them. We were about 10 miles from Alligator Alley and turning around wasn't an option for quite a while. Then from the back seat, it happened. I can't remember who started it. "OK, no Ricky Martin today! You guys blew it!" Got off at the next exit and turned around with three girls crying and apologizing and begging for another chance, although they knew I almost always followed through with my threats (I did let some things slip once in a while!). The lesson is, stop the noise. I am completely aware teenagers = drama. But as adults, unacceptable behavior is just that . . . unacceptable.  With clear boundaries intact, it takes a lot to disturb my peace anymore. I love unconditionally, with mercy, but won't hesitate to pull off the highway and head back home!

In today's Gospel (Luke 6:36-38), Jesus talks about U-Turns:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."

In Anne's book Staying in Place, she reminds us of Our God's great mercy and patience:

"People tend to put their past sins in the front seat, blocking their spirituality. In truth, God understands more than anyone why that person committed the sins he or she committed. People might believe that a harsh God has turned away from them but it will never be true. And if human beings judged them for mistakes or for sins, people do not forget that and they believe God is the same. God waits patiently, up the road, pointing to a hope-filled future, waiting to be noticed as a merciful, loving and understanding force for healing and change."

Lay apostles, Jay has an analogy I love when things become chaotic. An American gentleman one day goes to India. He's meeting with an Indian executive on the first floor of a high rise building. Behind the executive is a large glass window through which he observes people outside the building spinning in circles. Finally, he interrupts the executive and asks what the people outside were doing. The executive explains it is part of a religious sect called the Whirling Dervishes. They whirl because it's part of their belief system. The American asked him "how do you deal with them whirling directly outside your building?" He responds, "I don't do anything.  I leave them alone. Don't allow them to disturb me. I allow them to whirl because they are going to do it wherever they are." The moral of the story is even though some people choose to whirl, we can allow them to do so without getting caught up in their vortex of chaos. We can choose to detach with love and mercy. In doing so, we will obtain more clarity, peacefulness, and energy to do His Will.

Thank you, Lord, for getting me through the teenage years and now enjoying my adult daughters and grandchildren! If I would have known grandparenting was this wonderful, I would have been a much calmer mother!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: It's Only a Flesh Wound!

The Litany of Humility saved me again. Just as my heart and mind were about to “go there,” the words in this beautiful prayer came alive as if Jesus Himself was reciting them in my head. From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus. That others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. Those three verses get me over the initial sting every time. Most people don’t intentionally hurt us. They become absorbed in themselves and what they want. And that’s ok. We all have the right to choose options benefiting our own needs. But words can hurt. Yet, as the Black Knight says to King Arthur (after Arthur has cut off both his arms) in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, “It’s just a flesh wound!” Lay apostles, insults are only superficial. Remember the Litany of Humility and I promise, over time, you will learn not to take things so personally.

In today's Gospel (Matthew 5:20-26), Jesus reminds us not to hold grudges lest we are judged accordingly by the Father:

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment . . .'

In Volume Two, The Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, He tells us the ability to forgive is only a prayer away:

"Dear children of this one true God, seek out people who have hurt you, especially in your family, and offer your forgiveness. You don’t need to look for it. Ask Me where it is, dear child, and indeed, I will hand forgiveness to you. If you do this, you will heal. You may say, “Jesus, it is too hard. I cannot do this as I have been hurt too badly.” My child, again I counsel you to practice. Say these words of forgiveness in your head. Then say them aloud. Become used to the sound of them. With My graces, it will not only be possible, it will be easy. Trust Me, who loves you with a genuine love and seeks your peace. I want no barrier of bitterness between Us. I want to heal you. I want to heal families. Do not be afraid. If someone rejects your forgiveness, that is his loss. You will heal, and you will be rewarded. It matters not to Me what a recipient does with a gift you have given. I look only at the fact that you have given when I examine your life."

Lay apostles, I struggle on my path just as much as you. All I can do is continue following Christ through the Bible, Volumes and any other spiritual reading I can get my hands on. The more immersed I become, the closer I feel to the holiness He expects of me.

Thank you, Lord, for the strength to move past hurt quickly and painlessly. The closer I get to You, the easier life becomes.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thought Today: Ask, Then Accept His Answer

In today's Gospel (Matthew 7:7-12), the word "ask" caught my eye:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 

Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. 
This is the law and the prophets."

Jesus makes it so simple to ask Him for what we need. Now, the key is accepting what happens after we ask as His Will, not ours! The Gospel spells it out clearly . . . TRUST in Him and He will provide. It's so easy to fall into the trap of believing God doesn't hear your prayers when they are left unanswered. Alas, here is a question to ponder: Do I calmly go about my life, consciously aware He will guide me in the right direction to answer my prayer? Or, do I anticipate immediate change, becoming impatient with God when it doesn't occur fast enough? Believe in the Gospel. Believe in Jesus. He is in control.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, Jesus asks us to open our hearts and minds to the love of God. For when we do, He is able to give us everything we need and pray for:

"I am extending to you now a gift of calm, along with a gift of certainty. Ask me for these gifts and they shall be yours. You will be glad of your commitment to me. The cost to you is the relinquishment of self-will. The benefit to you is sublime and goes out to the whole world. You are standing in a place of conviction. Talk about conviction. Talk about your certainty of My presence in the world and My plan for the children of the Father who both radiates love and creates love. When you receive His love and offer it to others, it grows and grows and grows. But you must accept love. Perhaps that is another question for you to answer.

Do you believe that you are loved? Contemplate this question often. You are loved infinitely. When others hate you because of Me, the Father’s tenderness for you reflects His tenderness for Me during My passion. Believe this because you will then rejoice at your sufferings. Each opportunity to endure ridicule will be for you an indication of how close you are to Me. I love you. You are a part of Me and without you the body of Christ on Earth is less. Please remain steadfast in My plan for you."

Lay apostles, WE ARE LOVED! Every one of us. Develop the confidence to fully follow the journey Christ has laid out for you and the courage to ask Him for graces in times of weakness or uncertainty. The more I trust Him, and I mean REALLY trust Him with my whole heart, the easier it is to handle the ups and downs I am faced with on a daily basis.

Thank you, Lord, for Your beautiful words above . . . both in the Gospel and Staying in Place. Please be quick to remind me of Your Passion and all You suffered for me so I can get back on track when I have gone a little off course!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Immersed in Jesus

I am an insomniac.  Have been since my first semester of nursing school many years ago. When I decided to go back to school to pursue a BSN, my youngest daughter was two.  My first semester consisted of the following courses: College Algebra, Marriage and Family, Communications, and the culprit causing my insomnia, Microbiology.  Early in the semester, we were given the task of determining the bacterial species of the organism distributed to each team of two. My partner Brian and I spent hours in the lab using different identification techniques to figure out what the little sucker was.  Our professor was one of the toughest in the program, and also one of the most brilliant men I had ever met.  Both Brian and I wanted to impress him. As the due date for our project approached, my stress level soared. I remember going to bed one night running all the test results through my head on our dear little bacteria sample. We had it down to two. I tried to fall asleep but gram staining and phenotypic differences kept me drifting in and out.  Then, I remember sitting up in the middle of the night yelling "Staphylococcus aureus!"  Brian had come to the same conclusion I discovered the next day.  We proudly handed our brilliant findings to our esteemed professor, feeling we just rocked the Microbiology world!  He took our precious research, smiled, stuck it in a pile, and went back to what he was doing. Not exactly the cheering we expected, but a much-needed lesson in humility!

It's so easy to become distracted in this world.  We have jobs, school and/or families. We have the internet, iPhones, TV, and every other form of entertainment at our beck and call. Don't you wish there was a switch you could flip to turn off the world and focus solely on Jesus?  The closest I have found to flipping a switch is going to Adoration and praying the Rosary. Indeed, I still find myself drifting at times to worldly thoughts, but I get back on track faster when immersed in Him and His Life on earth.

After reading today's Gospel (Matthew 6:7-15), Jesus teaches us it's quality, not quantity when praying:

Jesus said to his disciples: "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

This is how you are to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy Kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

In Volume Two, Jesus asks us to rely on Him when having a flurry of thoughts:

“It is not in My nature to confuse, so you must believe that confusion does not come from Me. Fear, anxiety, restlessness do not come from Me. Bitterness, hatred, deceit do not come from Me. Does that mean you will never experience these things? No. It is part of your earthly cross that you will encounter these things. What I am telling you is that you must bring these things to Me. I will then take them from you and you will be free of them. You may encounter these things again, perhaps within the hour. Come back to Me, in your heart, where I remain, and I will take them from you again. You see, My little dear one, your struggles are Mine now. I am stronger, wiser, more able for these things and I want to remove any negative thoughts from you. I seek to heal you and renew you. I can do this if you will let Me. I do not make this promise for now, this moment. I make this a lifetime pledge to you. When you experience a difficulty with your emotions, you bring it right to Me. And that’s where it will end.”

Lay apostles, do you struggle with prayer?  If you do, just pray the Our Father.  As you grow deeper into your relationship with Christ, prayer becomes as easy as talking to your best friend.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me reliance on You for everything will ease my mind of useless anxiety and distractions.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: On the Right Side

March 9th was the 12th anniversary of my mother's death. Hard to believe the time has flown by so quickly. My mother suffered many tragedies as a child, inducing a lifetime of mental illness. But there was one thing she was very clear about . . . her heavenly inheritance. She would always say considering she was an orphan and a widow (after my father died), she surely would have the greatest of riches in heaven. I remember thinking she might be spending a bit of time in purgatory before seeing those riches, but nevertheless, I knew she was right. So many seek their inheritance here on earth . . . thinking more money in their bank account means a better life. I've seen and heard about families feuding over an item left behind . . . coveting a material object instead of comforting each other for their loss of a loved one. It's time to let go of material things and start focusing on our heavenly inheritance. I will leave you with this quote from the movie Bella. The main female lead, Nina, says "I've done the research and ten out of ten people die." We are all heading in the same direction toward eternal life . . . we only have this one chance to do it right. The time to start is now.

Today's Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46) couldn't be any clearer, and make my choice any easier . . . I want to be on the right side:

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

In Volume Three, God the Father calls us to accept the Truth of our inheritance:

"My little ones feel great joy in communicating with Me. That is the smallest foretaste of heaven. In heaven, you will have instant and constant communication with Me. We will take such joy in each other, dear children. There is a complete absence of want in heaven. You will search in vain for the poor, the troubled, and the sick. Everywhere you look you will view another tableau of peace and serenity. Souls will seek knowledge and find it. Souls will seek wisdom and obtain it. Souls will seek understanding from others and others will instantly understand
them. Such sympathetic listening will take place in heaven, My children. You will know nothing of anxiety for loved ones in heaven because all will be well and all will be decided. There will be no uncertainty in the hearts of My children. Dear ones, this is your destiny. This is your inheritance for which you were created. Your time on earth is a small capsule of time designed to give you the opportunity to obtain your place in heaven. Use the gifts I have given you and you will find no limit to what you can achieve on earth. All heavenly help is available. 'But we cannot see it,' reply My children in their poor little hearts. Dear children, as you have been told, you cannot see the wind, but you see the power of the wind and you see the beautiful things that can be achieved when you harness that power. I am the same."

Lay apostles, we can learn so much from the Gospels! Listen to Jesus. Believe His words. Add the messages in the Volumes and all of Anne a lay apostle's books. The combination will open your eyes to a world you never imagined.

Thank you, Lord, for clarifying in the Gospel today the path leading to my heavenly inheritance. And thank you for sending the messages through Anne to assist where I lack understanding.

God bless,

Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Right in Front of My Eyes

Grocery shopping is always full of temptations when Lent begins. Chocolate Easter bunnies and their shiny pink foil catch my eye every time I walk into my local grocery store. A few days ago I realized how chocolate is strategically placed throughout the store. On the end cap of the ice cream aisle . . . every kind of chocolate topping one can imagine (so even if you weren't planning on buying ice cream, you now must do so in order to have something to pour your jar of Dove chocolate upon). Just a few feet down from all the bread choices . . . chocolate donut gems. Walking by the bakery . . . chocolate cake, chocolate iced donuts, chocolate chip cookies. And of course, the ultimate chocolate temptation for me . . . beautifully stacked rows on both sides of the check out lane which include my favorite Reese's Peanut Butter cups! I have been going to this grocery store for over 19 years and on any given day I don't even notice it (probably because I have a bag of the Enjoy Now chocolate chips - diary, nut and soy free mind you!). But it got me thinking . . . am I overlooking Christ at times when I should be focused on Him? Just like the chocolate, He is everywhere. In Jay's kiss after a long day at work; in the tight hug my granddaughter gives me as she says "I love you, Mimi . . . you are one of my favorite girls!"; loving words from a friend despite her challenges; kind gestures from a stranger; in the pages of the Volumes. The list is endless. Lent is all about reprogramming our wandering minds to focus on the beauty and graces available in the Gospels.  To fast from behaviors drawing you away from Christ into sin. To grow closer to Jesus, becoming more of Him, less of me.

Todays Gospel (Matthew 9:14-15) is a lesson in spending as much time as you can with Christ:

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

In Volume Seven, St. Christopher supplies us with a unique perspective on fasting:

"Fasting is a good way to let your body understand that it is not in charge. When you fast you deny your body and nourish your soul. Your soul grows strong and confident during these periods. The enemy becomes weak and ineffectual in your life if you are fasting. Can I ask that you take two days in each week and give up a little something that your body would like to have? You do not have to begin with a strict fast and if you are not used to fasting I do not encourage you to do so. Begin small, with little sacrifices. Keep busy and do not think about your body. Think about Jesus, heaven, our beautiful Blessed Mother, angels, and what you would like to discuss with us, your heavenly friends, when you arrive here. Think of the questions you have for Jesus. Think of what you would like to learn about when you arrive in heaven. Think about the beauty of participating in a worldwide mission of mercy. That is what you are doing, you know. You have become part of Christ’s team and we are working together to save many souls before the changes come."

Lay apostles, don't you LOVE the quote above from St. Christopher? Contemplating how fasting strengthens our soul and weakens the enemy is powerful.  We can either blow it off as something unimportant or, we can begin to use fasting to eradicate the enemy from our lives. Which do you choose?

Thank you, Lord, for Your assistance in the grocery store temptations! Please help me to remember, each time I'm tempted, to focus on You, not something as insignificant as a little chocolate!

God bless,
Bonnie