Time To Be Bold

Today is the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. A man who prepared the way for many to Christ. As Christians, we are called to be His light on earth, drawing others to Him as John did. What behaviors are you displaying on a daily basis? Do they emulate Christ? Are you forgiving, thankful, loving, kind, and nonjudgemental? Nobody ever said being a Christian is easy . . . but if we live as John did, think about our reward in heaven. Now is the time to be bold, lay apostles. Don't shy away from speaking His Name constantly and out loud. Stop caring what others will think of you. Care about what Jesus will think of you . . .

In todays Gospel (Luke 1:57-66,80), as an infant, the crowds knew John was special: 

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, our Blessed Mother encourages us to be bold as the reward will be great:

"This is the time of my Son. Dear apostle, how overjoyed I am at the loyalty He receives from this current band of followers. You are like apostles of the past in that you serve with consistency and joy. You are unique, though, given that you serve during a time when the enemy seeks to have a complete hold on this world. This attempt to overcome the world is bold. It insures that you will have to fight, as all apostles are called to fight. The difference for apostles in this time is the consistent level of resistance they face from the enemies of my Son. Consistent with the increased resistance is the increased grace, of course. Heaven and earth work together as in no other time."

Lay apostles, do you shy away from speaking the name of Jesus in public? I used to be that way. I used to think I didn't need to "convert" anyone . . . as long as I tried to do my best. Well, I was wrong. We are asked to spread His Words and this mission. We are asked to live our lives boldly, as the first apostles did. It can be scary and overwhelming to stand out in a crowd. Let me tell you . . . I have done it and sometimes great conversions happen. Sometimes there is ridicule and mockery. But when it's all said and done, I know I have done, to the best of my ability, what He asks of me. What can you do today to be bold for Christ?

Thank you, Lord, for the strength, wisdom and support You have given me in times I was a little leery of being bold. Please continue to nudge me when I'm not bold enough!

God bless,

Bonnie

Dear God . . . I Have Become My Father

Guest blogger: Jay

I believe the evolutionary process of a child becoming an adult goes as follows . . . child believes and hangs onto every word their parents say . . . adolescent rebels and swears never to repeat any words of wisdom, ever, in their adult life . . . and then somewhere about 30 years old (or within first couple of years of having your own children), you incredulously start to incorporate some of the same words of wisdom into your very own parenting.

One of the sayings my dad would verbalize often that I’ve subscribed to is ”don’t tell me what you believe are your priorities . . . let me just observe what you do for a period of time . . . and I will tell you what you really value." This has been great in making decisions when two or more options exist. This however, has not been so great at times when I am honest with what I have devoted my time to during days of the past, especially during many of my business weekdays.

I find that I've had days where work dominated a majority of my thoughts. I find there have been days my will dominated my thoughts. I have had days where money issues dominated. And I've had days were people who didn't support my faith, my family, or my health . . . have dominated my day.

In todays Gospel (Matthew 6:24-34), Jesus forewarns that if God is not the center of our thoughts then mammon is. Now I’m absolutely sure  I never called these other things mammon, but they were my mammon. I am also sure I am being told if I focus on anything other than God . . . then it can be labeled as mammon:

Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, St. Peter illuminates todays arrogance of focusing on self over God:

"I asked Saint Peter if these times were darker than the times in which he lived. He said this: 'In my time men worshipped false gods. There was self-will, of course, and sin. The difference between my time and your time, though, is the level of arrogance. Man thinks he is a god. Man is filled with arrogance. The great learning and knowledge is generally not being used to further each other, but to advance self. This is not the way our Lord intended man to live.'"

Lay apostles, what have your mammons been? Have you removed all of them from your life? If you haven't, now is the perfect opportunity to get re-centered, redirected and wide open to receiving all of the promises, blessings, and gifts of Christ.

Father, thank you for Your words of wisdom even though in our early journey with You (similar to our adolescent years in life), we thought we knew better. God, help us to be wise enough, to just accept (not reinvent . . . not modify . . . not reject) what is already masterful!

In gratitude and humility,

Jay

Treasures on Earth

Jay and I are about to celebrate one year together (June 23rd!). Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined Jesus had this in store for me. I truly believed and accepted, after my divorce, I would remain a single lay apostle for the rest of my life. I was perfectly ok with that. I have been blessed with two grandsons, knowing the rest of my life would be full and happy. Little did I know what was right around the corner. Jay came bursting into my life like a breath of fresh air I didn't realize I was lacking. Within 5 minutes of meeting him (the couple who set us up were 20 mins late!) and finding out he was Catholic, my mind immediately went to "oh Lord, what are you doing here?" That first date lasted 9 hours. Within those 9 hours, he met my close friends Karen and her husband Stan (they happened to be at Coconut Point right at that time), and two of my daughters (Whit and Tay were meeting me for a movie at 4pm). Might be a little overwhelming for most men (or women) on a blind date. But not for Jay. He loved meeting them all. We went from lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, to coffee at Panera Bread, to a movie with the girls, to sitting in his car talking about everything until 9pm, completely missing dinner. I drove home blown away. One week later, I told him I loved him. He replied back with the same. And this past year has been one of the best years of my life. So many of our friends told us to take it slow . . . we just laughed and told them we would. Jay is one of my treasures on earth. And I cannot wait for the day I become his wife. He asked me to marry him on Valentine's Day, in front of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Raphael's Adoration Chapel. Our relationship began with God in the middle. So Jay said He had to be there when he proposed. I am truly blessed.

Todays Gospel (Matthew 6:19-23) reminds us to forego earthly treasures for heavenly treasures:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”

In the booklet Heaven Speaks to Consecrated Souls, St. Dominic reminds all of us when we work for Jesus, our reward is great joy:

"How heaven delights in the souls who dedicate their lives on earth to the goals of God. You are our treasure, our gold. You have been given a role to play in this time and you will do so. Jesus depends on your yes, little one, and I know you will not disappoint Him. I know that you will serve heaven and I want to help you. With heaven there is joy that is not replaceable by anything that comes from the world. Only heaven’s followers have this joy. We want to spread this heavenly joy throughout the world at this time and you know that we want to do this through you. We will give you joy as a gift that you can share with others. Ask us and we will place it in your heart. Come to me often for any assistance you require. If your heart is heavy, rest in my Immaculate Heart and I will share your burdens. In this way you will be lighter and heaven will flow through you more efficiently. Only rewards will come to you."

Lay apostles, I can confirm working for Jesus brings great joy and peace. Not that I don't experience difficult times. I do. But when you are blessed with all Christ gives His dedicated lay apostles, nothing is difficult to endure. I know anything coming my way is His Will. He and all of heaven provide the comfort I need, when I need it. The treasures are there waiting for you . . .

Thank you, Lord, for the greatest treasure on earth . . . love. Love with Jay, my girls, my sons-in-law, my grandsons, my family, my friends. This is a taste of heaven. 

God bless,

Bonnie

A Simple Prayer

For a long time, going to bed at night, I began with the same prayer I learned as a young child: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep; if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. A simple prayer which says so much. It's not full of fancy words and it's not a quote from Sacred Scripture. Just a prayer asking for His protection while we sleep. Jesus asks us in todays Gospel  (Matthew 6:7-15) to resist trying to sound profound when we are speaking to Him . . . He who knows every part of  us . . . Even the hairs of your head have all been counted (Luke 12:7). Speak to Him truthfully and ask for what you need. Or, ask His forgiveness. Most importantly, keep it simple.

Todays Gospel teaches us prayer doesn't have to be complicated:

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 Three, the Blessed Mother gives us another simple prayer and the Lay Apostle Allegiance Prayer we pray daily:

"Whenever you feel unsure of yourself or afraid, make an act of obedience. Say the following: 'God in heaven, I pledge my allegiance to You. I give You my life, my work,

and my heart. In turn, give me the grace of obeying Your every direction to the fullest possible extent.' That is all, children. That simple prayer will draw consolation down to you, consolation which will steady you and prepare you to proceed in His will."

Lay apostles, are you praying in the morning when you wake up? In the evening before going to bed? And any time you can in between? Prayer is so powerful. Run straight to Him when things seem chaotic or hopeless, asking for His guidance and protection. It really is that simple . . . you just have to trust the outcome is His Will.

Thank you, Lord, for simple prayers. 

God bless,

Bonnie

An Ego in the Making?

My grandson Colton is beginning to walk. He started taking steps about two weeks ago, before he was even 10 months old. When he attempts to walk, we all cheer for him, which creates a huge grin on his face every time. He somehow knows he is doing something special when he hears each of our high pitched voices praising his impressive ability! Now that his toddling is becoming steadier, he gets a look on his face as he is about to walk . . . one that knows he is going to make his grammie (or anyone in the room) become even more animated than usual. An ego in the making? It can be if the only positive reinforcement they receive is doing something right or new or grand. If there is no love while disciplining when they make mistakes, they will find it somewhere. Teach your children the value of humility by showering them with love and encouragement. Give them what they need at home so they don't go searching for it in places which lead them away from Christ. Give them Jesus for times when we aren't there to bandage up their wounds. Teach them to serve and love others as He did. 

The Gospel from 19Jun13 (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) reminds us to tuck away the ego and do good deeds for love of Christ:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

In Volume Seven, St. Damien emphasizes the importance of keeping ego out of what we do for Jesus:

"Many of your struggles can be minimized with constant acts of Holy Indifference. Jesus, along with all of His many helpers, needs you to be His hands, His heart, and His representatives. He can get the work done through you quite easily. You are a part of the work but not the whole work. Let me make this even clearer. If you remain small, understanding that without the help of God you are without power, He can do the greatest things through you. When man swells in his heart and feels that it is he himself who is accomplishing these things, the trouble begins. Egos are difficult friends and dreadful rulers. Keep your ego on a very short leash and understand that your merit lies in your obedience to Christ. Do not take credit for what Christ does through you. He cannot entrust great missions to you if your ego swells with each success. When your work is successful, praise God. When your work fails, praise God. When the sun shines, praise God. When the rain falls, praise God. Do you get the idea? You serve Him and He will do great things through you."

Lay apostles, the above quote reminds me of the first time I met Anne a lay apostle to interview her. Every time I asked a question about her, she immediately told me this wasn't about her, it was about Christ. She is one woman with her ego in check. Actually, there is no ego involved here. With all the hearts changed through this apostolate around the world, it is actually quite amazing there is no ego. Exactly why she was chosen to be one of His messengers in this time. So the next time your ego rears its ugly head, think about Anne. Think about all the negativity she has endured over the years. Think about how keeping her ego out of it has drawn so many back to the Church. She has profoundly affected my life. Not only through the Volumes and books, but with loving support she has given me personally. I couldn't be more blessed.

Thank you, Lord, for all the ego swells I have overcome with humility. Thank you for Anne and this apostolate. I am so blessed You chose me to be a part of it!

God bless,

Bonnie

School of Holiness Weekend 2 Recap

Wonderful video SOH!!! Loved Dr. Mark Miravalle's insight on angels and Our Lady Queen of the Church! 

Recap SOH

Can You Handle The Truth?

I can't stand it when I'm wrong. Passionate about what I believe to be true, I find it hard to swallow when I get it wrong. Well, at least I used to be that way. Now, I am finally mature enough to admit when I'm not getting it right. Anger is not a word in my vocabulary anymore. When Jay and I have a disagreement (which is VERY rare, but it does happen!), we quickly turn to Jesus. We don't harbor ill feelings toward each other. Most importantly, we listen to each other and talk it out. Bottom line . . . there is no doubt we love each other and neither wants to cause the other any hurt. There is safety in our relationship. We both feel safe to say what's on our mind, and do our best to speak in a loving manner. We try not to judge or bring up the past (prior to our relationship). Handling the truth takes practice, but more importantly, it takes trust. Trust in my partner . . . trust in the Lord. When you have both, life carries a peace that I personally have never experienced. Trust Him and everything else will flow.

The Gospel on 13June2013 (Matthew 5:20-26) tells us to never resort to anger . . . lest we be judged accordingly:

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, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

In Volume One, Jesus asks us to remain peaceful at all times:

"Often, hearing the truth will anger a soul. Remain calm and loving in the face of this anger and know that people were and are often angry with Me. Children, do not spread unpleasantness about others, either factual or not. Say nothing unless you speak to protect another. Usually you should remain quiet about the sins of your sisters and brothers, as you have enough of your own to be busy about. Speak of kindnesses, sacrifices, and loving acts that brought you joy. Focus on the many, many good qualities of others. Remember that if a soul is not united to Me, that soul feels a gaping emptiness, a loneliness, and a sadness. Dearest children who are close to My heart, have compassion and mercy as I have had compassion and mercy for you."

Lay apostles, anger can get the best of us if we let it. Truly, anger erupts out of fear . . . fear of the truth coming out, fear of our own inadequacies, fear of the unknown. We can either choose to lash out when confronted, or act as Christ did when He faced others fears . . . calm and loving. Go out today knowing you are fully protected with the armor of Christ. So suit up and stay joyful, full of His Truth.

Thank you, Lord, for the peace you have given me through the Volumes and all of Anne's writing. I am a different person than I was even yesterday. You have filled me with peace.

God bless,
Bonnie

Week Two, School of Holiness

Take a look at some amazing young people trying to make a difference in this world by enriching themselves with fellowship and the words of Christ:

Week Two, SOH

Obedience to His Words

(Special message for June 12th - HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY to my oldest daughter Mallorie! Love you always, always!)

Do I really have to obey what I read in the Bible or in the Volumes? The short answer . . . yes! I do have to obey what Christ asks of His lay apostle. He has given us the silver lining playbook for a successful win at the end. I am far from perfect, but I do my best. And let me tell you about one of the graces I have received for my attempted obedience. Last night was our local lay apostle prayer group meeting. My daughter Whitney makes it whenever she can depending on her work schedule. She and I have prayed her husband would attend the prayer group some day. We have prayed this prayer for a long time. When he stepped out of Whit's car, I was overcome with thankfulness. Prayers do get answered. Sometimes so quickly you can hardly believe your eyes. Sometimes, it seems like an eternity, then, when you least expect it, in walks an answer to your prayers. When it came time to pray for intentions, I couldn't contain my tears while I thanked God out loud for my son-in-law being at his first lay apostle meeting. Internally, I thanked Him profusely for this tremendous gift realized in my lifetime. 

The Gospel from 12Jun13 (Matthew 5: 17-19) makes it clear . . . obey:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

In Volume One, Jesus reiterates the importance of listening and working toward obedience to Him:

"I would speak to souls today about the value of obedience. My chosen ones believe they should understand everything. This is not always possible. There are times when you must obey Me without understanding why I have chosen to ask a thing of you. I realize this is difficult for you, and that is why I am asking you to practice this virtue. There will come a time when I ask you for obedience and I will need an immediate response. I cannot have My chosen ones wasting time, questioning why I am asking them to complete a task. So now we will practice obedience, dear ones. In your everyday life, I want you to always consider what it is that Jesus is asking from you. You will know, in your heart, what My desires require. Please, begin this today and practice obeying immediately, even though perhaps you do not recognize the merit of the request. How often you will say later, “I see now why my Jesus asked me to do that task.” Children, in this way you will become free. Your liberty will be complete and your slavery to this world will end. 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, the word "obedience" can be difficult pill to swallow. It screams of perfection, doesn't it? But truly, when Jesus uses that word, He is asking us to "practice" being obedient, one step at a time. He knows we are far from perfect. By providing the words above, He gives us encouragement and clear guidelines which lead to Him. After all, it's where we want to end up, right? So try a little obedience today. Maybe it means you pray before a meal, even if you are alone. Or, pull out a children's Bible and read a story to a little one. Whatever you choose to show Him your obedience, do it with love. Do it for Christ!

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me obedience does not equal perfection. If it did, I would be in big trouble! Today, I will read "Thank you, God, for Puppies" to my grandson when he gets here!

God bless,
Bonnie

Lingering Flavors

Jay and I boldly disagree on two things . . . spicy food and sushi. I love both, he won't get near either. Let's talk about spicy food. The hotter the better for me. Jay doesn't see the point of burning off all your tastebuds. Early on in our relationship, we went to spend some time with his good friend Mike (shout out to Mike who reads my blog!! Hey Mike!). We went to a Mango festival in Cape Coral. As we strolled along, seeing what each vendor had to offer, I saw something I couldn't pass up! A guy selling hot sauces. From the mildest of mild to some so hot, the names alone would scare off a few "salsa" lovers. Of course, I asked him to give me his hottest. I still remember the look of disbelief on Jay's face . . . priceless! And, boy, it was HOTTTTT! But oh so good! Didn't burn off my taste buds, and the lingering flavor only complimented the mango ice cream right around the corner!

In todays Gospel (Matthew 5:13-16), Jesus asks us to never lose sight of our love for Him:

Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she makes it clear . . . faith in Jesus will help you weather any storm:

"Dear apostles, the struggle will continue while we remain on earth. Periodic mystical storms show that we are holding our swords and doing battle. If we had departed this place, there would be no struggle. This is so important. If we had departed this place, we would be existing in another rhythm altogether. It is for this reason, the need for struggle, that we must work continually on the concepts of this place because if we work continually, we are less likely to be bounced out of the place of the divine will by our fallen natures during a storm. In other words, the daily work gives us strength with which to navigate the violence of the storm periods. We should not be afraid of mystical storms, though they rage on. We are protected by the bedrock, even if there are times when we land so hard on it that we are bruised. It does support us. Apostles in the divine will have an obligation to provide good examples to each other and to those outside of this place. Because we serve in our humanity, it is true that we will not always set the example that either we or Jesus desires but let us strive to consider always, in our words and actions, what kind of example we are giving to others."

Lay apostles, never give up fighting for Christ. Remember all you have learned about Him through the Bible and the Volumes. Don't fade away like a wallflower when challenged on your beliefs. Stand tall and know His love will linger until the day you meet Him Face to face!

Thank you, Lord, for the consistency of Your Love. I may lose my focus once in a while, but I always come back to You!

God bless,

Bonnie

A Little Bruising

The minute I see my grandson Colton coming in the door at Mass, I can't wait to get my hands on him! The minute he sees me, his huge grin melts my heart. And when he reaches out for me to hold him, well, it's just heavenly. Yesterday at Mass, he was sitting on my lap, starting to get a little antsy. Jay handed Colt his very heavy watch (which Colton LOVES to play with) and as usual, he started swinging it everywhere. My youngest daughter was sitting next to me, home for the weekend. Trying to dodge the watch, I wasn't fast enough to avoid collision with my eye. A loud enough connection to the bone under my left eye caused my daughter and Jay turn to see if I was ok. It hurt, and I knew I may be looking at a black eye. We just laughed and despite being a little bruised, my love for Colton trumps everything! There is absolutely nothing this baby boy could ever do to make me angry . . . he is my little angel! And I am happy to report today there is no evidence of a bruise!

Loving unconditionally can mean suffering and sacrifice. In todays Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12), Jesus explains life as a Christian:

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.  He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she encourages us to think like disciples of Christ:

"Yes, it is clear that the early apostles struggled. It is also clear, though, that they expected no less. They understood that if they were called to follow Jesus they would be treated like Jesus, whose experience included mockery and anguish."

Lay apostles, reread the Gospel today. Let it sink in. There is always going to be suffering and sacrifice as a Christian. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, offer it up for Christ's suffering on the cross. Unite your pain to His and continue climbing the mountain. Take  bumps in the road as challenges to become what Jesus Himself describes above. Be blessed!

Thank you, Lord, for all the bumps and bruises in my life. Help me to never be bitter and always offer up my suffering for You.

God bless,
Bonnie

School of Holiness, Week Two Begins!

Is this a fun bunch of young lay apostles or what?

SOH Week Two

June Talk from Anne at Lay Apostle Prayer Group Ireland

Love her wisdom and insight . . . we are so blessed!

June Talk from Anne a lay apostle

Thursday at School of Holiness

I am inspired with hope when I see young men who love Christ! And look at the blue, sunny skies in Ireland!! I don't think I've ever seen such a clear day when I've visited!

SOH Thursday

My How the Times Have Changed

Guest blogger: Jay

I remember as a small child riding in the back seat of my dad’s Dodge Dart Convertible, sitting on the top of the back seat (actually the trunk area . . . not in the seat . . . not buckled in) with my four sisters . . . arms waving in the air . . . as we traveled down one of the main roads in my small Indiana home town, at a relatively high speed, not a care in the world.

Years later, I would make sure that my child was buckled in at all times. This was progress. However, compared to today, I was still neglectful at times. I remember one time going into a Walgreens and, thoughtfully leaving the car in park, the air conditioning running, and my daughter (age 2) strapped into her car seat . . . going in for just a few things. I would be gone for just a few minutes (no foul no harm). When I came out of the store, a lawyer buddy of mine was standing by the car. He smiled and said that he just wanted to keep an eye on Elle while I was gone. He said that it made him nervous . . . a small baby, car engine running, locked in a car on a Florida morning, all alone. Obviously, we had framed the situation differently that morning, but the fact that he was not being judgmental, even jovial while sharing his perspective, I thought about it the rest of my day and never repeated that situation.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 2:41-51), Jesus was missing for an entire day before Mary and Joseph became really concerned. Imagine what was going through their minds, finally finding Jesus three days later. Putting all of these stories into perspective, all of them would not have been the atrocities in their day as  they may appear today.

In Jesus’ day, we’re told that it was not unusual for the children to spend time traveling with other families, still part of a very long caravan. The Gospel today tells a beautiful story about two human parents (very much aware that their son was the Son of God) and yet, overwhelmed with the same human emotions any other parents would feel, having thought they had lost their child.

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

In Volume One, Jesus calls us back to Him whenever we feel lost:

Lay apostles, have you ever left a child behind or lost a child temporarily in a crowd? Have you ever been left behind or lost? Many have had the momentary feelings of fear or panic. In the readings, we are told that fear is not of God. Fear is a lack of trust and yet we see the parents of God experiencing the human emotion of fear. The readings demonstrate that we are neither good nor bad because we experience certain emotions (fear, panic, etc.), but that it is important to know where those emotions emanate and how, with God’s help, we can deal most effectively with them. In the end, we see that Jesus never suffered the same emotions. In His mind, He was at peace with all that was transpiring. He was just going about doing the work of His Father.

Lord, thank you for the improvements each generation contribute to the next. Help us to see that people come from different backgrounds, different cultures, and different families. Help us to be open to new ways of looking at things as long as they do not violate our morals and ethics. Thank you for teaching us that fear no longer has to be an emotion we need to suffer long term, just experience and deal with from time to time. Thank you, Lord, for the times that we have lost someone and the times that we have been lost. And for teaching us that in the end, You were and have always been there.

In humility and gratitude,

Jay

Surprising Yourself By Getting It Right

It was a quiet evening at Hope Hospice that night. Unresponsive at this point, Mom seemed comfortable in her hi-tech bed. My sister Diane and I spent three and a half long weeks by Mom's side, 24/7. One night in particular we had the TV show "Jeopardy!" lingering in the background. I will tell you right upfront, I suck at this game (of course, depending on the subject . . . 70's music and movies I can be fierce competition!). As usual, I half listened to the "answers" not quick enough to figure out the "question." The final Jeopardy! "answer" was read . . . something about a Spanish painter . . . and I knew the answer! I yelled out "Miro!" The response from the players . . . "who is Miro!" I started woohooing, proud I finally got one right! Within seconds, Mom's nurse came running in. "Is everything ok?" she asked calmly with an empathetic look on her face. All of the sudden, I realized I was in hospice, and loud noises coming from a room are usually cries of grief at the loss of a loved one. I assured her there was no change in Mom, and I just got a little excited about getting the Final Jeopardy! question right. She just smiled and nodded, closing the door behind her . . . I'm sure . . . to keep the noise level down.

The Gospel today (Mark 12:28-34) shows Jesus confirming when one of the scribes got it right:

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel!  The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,  and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she states very clearly what "getting it right" means to God:

"God is seeking exceptional. God is seeking passion. God is seeking a return on the total and selfless love that He has for each one of us. It is this caliber of love that led Him to a violent and humiliating death on the cross. Dear friends, He is entitled to our best in the way of love. Love of God creates calm in the soul. An apostle who is climbing the mountain will begin to feel calm more often and excited less often. Gradually, sometimes very slowly, the excitability that is constantly fueled by the world will fade as the apostle withdraws from the swirling and retreats into the calm waters of the spiritual realm. This is good. Love of God will encourage this, or rather, demand this, and great progress will follow. Love of God results in a desire to please Him. We begin to desire to serve Him as He wishes to be served. We want to get it right for Him. The desire to be good and holy is rooted in Christ but initially bears many elements of self-interest. As the soul progresses up the mountain, these elements dissipate and are replaced by more pure motivations."

Lay apostles, I don't know about you, but I want to get it right! The more I remain calm and peaceful (of course, those who know me know I get quite excited about things and the Italian comes out very quickly!), the more I tend to make decisions with Him in mind. It's kind of an internal challenge I give myself in chaotic situations . . . most of the time, it's a good decision to keep my opinions to myself when I can't offer solutions. So, today, surprise yourself by getting it right . . . speak up, listen, assist, bandage, feed . . . whatever it takes!

Thank you, Lord, for getting it right when I do. Without Your continual guidance, who knows where I would be today!

God bless,

Bonnie

Day Three, School of Holiness, Ireland

So thankful to be part of an apostolate building an army of young people for Christ! Learn your faith, lay apostles! Arm yourself with knowledge to protect and defend our Church. In Jesus Christ's Name, Amen!

School of Holiness Day Three

Misinterpretation

We've all done it, probably more than once just in the past year. It's easy to do if our initial instinct is to react. Misinterpretation of a comment or action from another can lead to wars. Wars between spouses, children, family, friends and countries.  Our wounded little hearts strive for perfection, but where are we getting it wrong? When others don't lead with love, we assume we are not worthy of their love, respect or whatever emotion surfaces. We can become tense and fearful, reacting differently than we would in a calm and peaceful state. For those trying to tame their inner control freak (who me?), the best defense is to listen. If we focus on listening, our thoughts won't spew out of our mouths so quickly. Clarify any misinterpretation first by summarizing what you thought you heard . . . calmly. Then, listen again. Most of the time, it was not the intended message. If what you heard was not a misinterpretation, relax and let it go! Walk away educated for future discussions!

Yesterdays Gospel (Mark 12:18-27) reminds us to listen to and believe what Jesus is saying in Scripture and in the messages given in this apostolate:

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she advises us to be aware of what is from the enemy and what is from heaven:

"Even the most seasoned apostle can suddenly find himself tumbling about in the grip of something that feels a bit like being a gym shoe in a clothes dryer. Such pain and confusion! This should be our first clue, of course, that we are being targeted. A fellow apostle once said, “It’s no problem once you know it’s the devil. But usually someone else has to tell you that.” How true. Who would fail to pick up a sword if someone approached them and began to duel? The enemy is more clever than that, though. The enemy comes in the form of a hurtful comment from a friend, an overdrawn bank account, a misunderstanding where our words are twisted and thrown back at us in mockery. The enemy can come dressed in perfect logic, with a superior attitude and a patronizing smile offering some “good advice.” Much of what we are asked to do as lay apostles will not make sense when measured against the world’s standards of what is right and wrong, wise or unwise. We will sometimes appear foolish if we work for heaven, particularly in the eyes of those who work for heaven but do so safely within the limits of worldly acceptance. We must always identify the author of the thoughts. My friends, the more we love God and the more we are asked to work for God, the more committed we must be to conversation with God."

Lay apostles, work on listening more and talking less today. Don't let pride get in the way of reality. Remember, the enemy can be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Stay focused on Christ in every conversation. Remembering He is with you at all times (this is a conscious effort for me!) will begin to slow your reaction time to negativity.  My life is so much more peaceful and stress free nowadays!

Thank you, Lord, for helping to slow my brain down so as not to misinterpret what others are saying. Life is so much easier this way . . . sorry it took me so long to get here!

God bless,
Bonnie

School of Holiness, Day Two, Ireland

I absolutely LOVE the joy and peace radiating out of Anne in this video! Watch and see how our young adults are learning to love our Faith . . . in every aspect. Just beautiful!

Day Two School of Holiness

Day One, Part Two, School of Holiness in Ireland

School of Holiness Day One, Part Two

Day One, School of Holiness, Ireland

Day One of the School of Holiness, Ireland!

Day One School of Holiness

Jesus I Trust You . . . But . . .

Guest blogger: Jay!

As a guy . . . I like simple! Give me simple instructions . . . take out the garbage . . . we need to leave by 10:20 a.m.  Or better yet . . . for my birthday I would like this kind of shoe, found at Macy’s, talk to Joan (she knows my color and my size).  I’m a list guy. I love to give and really like to know that what I’m attempting is going to bring about results.

Want to confuse me? Tell me that something doesn’t matter when it really does. Tell me to surprise you and then be disappointed or critical. (You mean the new vacuum cleaner  with three  more features than the old one for your birthday is not what you consider a great surprise? Every guy has been there or has seen a buddy who has been there and the results are pretty consistent regardless of the recipient . . . it does not end well!)

Give me simple and I’ll ace it! I did not say it had to be easy, in fact, sometimes the harder the better and the more satisfaction I receive . . . but it has to be clear. On the other hand, the more ambiguous or the more it doesn’t make sense to me, the more frustrated or challenged I become.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 9:11B-17), it’s getting close to quitting time and the apostles are ready to start directing folks to start heading off the hill so they can get home . . . or at least find safe shelter come nightfall. As the apostles are preparing to instruct the people, Jesus requests that the crowd be fed before journeying away from the day’s gathering. If I’m in the apostles group, the question most prominent in my mind is . . . Are you joking Lord? Please tell me you did not just ask that! You are God . . . surely you must already know we travel extremely light ourselves. Surely you know that the food we have plus what we may be able to gather is not nearly enough to feed a few, let alone the throngs of people assembled!

From reading the Bible, we realize the apostles probably would not have been able to join the local MENSA organization in their day, however, what they lacked in formal education they often excelled  in the areas of trust and faith in Jesus. Not fully understanding the logic, not understanding how it could possibly turn out good, they still went to work on following our Lord.

Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves." They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people." Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty." They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

In the Monthly Message from February 2005, Jesus asks us to listen and trust:

"I wish to tell the world of My love. Dearest children of God, you will be welcomed in heaven. You have a family here who prepares for your arrival. Each soul on earth is steadily making progress in their earthly journey in that you are steadily approaching the end of your life, even if you will live to a very old age. If we begin with that thought, My next thought will make even more sense to you: I wish you to consider what it is you will bring to Me when I come for you. Will you bring Me kindness to others? Will you bring Me service to your family? Will you bring Me a duty fulfilled in obedience and dignity? You see, little souls, I will not ask you for your material possessions because they will have no value here, unless you use these possessions to help others. Only then can material possessions acquire heavenly value. I have placed you in the world to serve. I am with you in each day but you must also be with Me. Dearest children, ask Me for guidance and I will tell you how I wish you to serve."

Lay apostles, is there something in your life you are being called to do as a Christian you know is the right thing to do, but you don’t want to do? Is there something our Lord commands that just doesn’t feel good or make sense? Is there someone you need to forgive today (or who needs your forgiveness today) that you are holding back on forgiving? Is there a project that needs to get started you know will build the Kingdom, but your are not clear yet as to how the people needed or the events needed to bring it to completion will come together? Is there a project or organization that needs your help requiring your time, treasure, or talents? In the words of Nike, Jesus is saying ”Just do it!”  Action through faith (us plus God) is infinitely more powerful than our most brilliant action through logic and human intellect (without God).

Father, thank you for Your patience! Thank you for realizing that on our best day we only understand a small fraction of Your Plans. Thank you for reveling we can trust You completely and thank you in everything!

In humility and gratitude,

Jay

School of Holiness video starring Justin!

Wondering what the School of Holiness is? Justin will give you a quick overview! Click on the link below:

School of Holiness begins

Monthly Message for June

We continue our cycle of monthly messages with June 2005 for our prayer groups and personal reflection:

June 1, 2005

Jesus

My brothers and sisters, how I love you. How eager I am that you use the graces available to you. When a soul understands this mission and begins to ask for graces for others, heaven is joyful. In the same way, those on earth for whom you intercede, begin to benefit and to change. Graces surround them. Their soul becomes alert because there is hope. Dear ones, help Me. I want every soul to return to Me. I am waiting for each soul to become open so that My graces can flood that soul. Many of you have seen this and you understand. For those of you who have not seen this happen, please ask Me for graces for a soul who is far from Me. Continue asking Me. Ask Me for graces for strangers. I will come to them in a special way. I will observe them closely, as only I can, given My knowledge of them, and I will find the perfect moment. While I wait for this moment, I will be allowing them to benefit from your prayers and wishes by sending moments of grace and people of grace into their lives. Think, My friends. Did I not do this for you at some time in your life? Did I not pursue you if you were far away? If you were never far away, perhaps I encouraged you when you felt abandoned or afraid. I have graces for each soul in darkness. Please work for Me now and you will see souls returning. All is well, My dear friends. You are children of heaven and as children of heaven you have nothing to fear. There is only good possible for you. The earth is a temporary residence. Your home is in heaven. So when you come here, you will have come home. Be joyful servants of your Returning King and you will see great changes in your world.