Nurture Holiness

I tensed a bit as I watched the clock on our rental car this morning. 9:06am. Mass was to began at 9:15am. The GPS on my iPhone said the Church was right there, across the street from where we stopped so Jay could run into a convenience store and ask for directions (yes, he actually did . . . he is such a manly man!).  As I stared at the empty lot in front of me, which, by the way, we drove back and forth in front of several times before stopping, I figured this was not the church for us today. Last night I had researched all the Catholic Churches in Schaumburg, and we decided the 9:15am Mass would give us time afterward for a full day of exploring the area. Jay climbed back into the car and with positivity in his voice asked "what's our next option!" The church we were looking for was about 15 minutes away. So St. Marcelline's it was for the 10:45am service. As Jay and I walked into the church, I told him there was some reason Jesus rerouted us here. There was some message we needed to hear today. Or some people we needed to meet. First of all, the church was not your typical Catholic Church layout. The altar was surrounded (360 degrees) by pews and chairs: 

Father Hal walked around greeting his parishioners with a smile and a handshake as Father Paul prepared to celebrate the Mass. I wasn't quite sure about the casual openness of the church, but when it came time for the sermon, WOW! Fr. Paul gave his sermon walking around and around that circle. It was incredible. As Father and the Eucharistic Ministers prepared for Communion, a song I have never heard began called "Christ Has No Body Now But Yours (Text: St. Teresa of Avila. Adapted by Steven C. Warner)." Here are the lyrics which brought me to tears:

Refrain:
Christ has no body now but yours, no hand but yours. Here on this earth, yours is the work, to serve with the joy of compassion.

Verse 1: No hands but yours to heal the wounded world, no hands but yours to soothe all its suff'ring, no touch but yours to bind the broken hope of the people of God.

Verse 2: No eyes but yours to see as Christ would see, to find the lost, to gaze with compassion; no eyes but yours to glimpse the holy joy of the city of God.

Verse 3: No feet but yours to journey with the poor, to walk this world with mercy and justice. Yours are the steps to build a lasting peace for the children of God.

Verse 4: Through ev'ry gift, give back to those in need: As Christ has blessed, so now be his blessing, with ev'ry gift a benediction be to the people of God.

OH MY GOODNESS!!! The clarity Jesus gave me through this song was very specific. Not that this was news to me . . . but the way He showed me the goal of my existence on this earth was profound. 

In todays (Monday 7/27/14) Gospel (Matthew 13:31-35), Jesus communicates with the crowd in words they could understand:

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”

He spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.”

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, 
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:

I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she asks us to take a look at ourselves and question if what we are doing is nurturing holiness or our ego:

"Some search constantly for evidence of unholiness in others. I think this might be their way of trying to fuel or protect their superiority or obtaining value for themselves in an unhealthy
way. Superiority is something that requires constant feeding, like an addiction. Just as a cigarette smoker needs a nicotine fix periodically, a superiority addict needs to look down on someone periodically. Anyone will do. Those around this type of addict will suffer the most but if the superiority addict must go outside of his inner circle, he is happy to do that. Reading the daily newspaper can work for him in a pinch, but one addicted to superiority will eventually find himself searching for reasons to condemn even the holiest souls. This should make our skin crawl with revulsion. Really. It should. I suspect that what is happening is that it is easier to snatch affirmation in small unhealthy doses this way than to actually look within, meet the eyes of Christ and take whatever affirmation we merit in truth while accepting the growth challenges that Jesus puts before us. I often wonder if these people think they are going to get into heaven by citing the unholiness of others rather than standing on their own holiness. Do they think Jesus will ask them to regale Him with stories about the darkness of the times and the sins committed by those around them? Jesus Christ knows the sins of others and instantly factors in all mitigating and aggravating circumstances in each life. The life we will be accounting for is our own. Jesus knew the law but He was not rigid because He applied it with love and mercy. Remember that the characteristics of the Trinity include gentleness, kindness, generosity of heart, truthfulness, eagerness to serve, prudence, and humility. Where do we find these things in the behavior of the Pharisees? Where do we find these things authentically in the behavior of the superiority addicts around us? Look at Jesus in this incident. He, in one situation, exhibits all of the above characteristics. Truly, the smallest bit of contemplation on the earthly actions of Jesus Christ will take the apostle far back into the study of the place that is the divine will." 

Lay apostles, I am in awe today of the grace of being rerouted to a different church this morning. He knew what I needed to hear and He got me to where I could hear it. His message was loud and clear . . . nurture holiness by being My Body, My Hands, My Eyes on earth. 

Thank you, Lord, for St. Marcelline Catholic Church, for Fr. Paul and Fr. Hal, for the beautiful music You chose for me to hear. 

God bless,
Bonnie

Jesus and His Parables

Jay is an amazing storyteller. And boy does he know how to lay them out perfectly. We were with a couple last week in Tampa who haven't really been around Jay very much. Actually, it was the first time meeting his wife for both of us (love her!!!). Jay kept the husband captivated, literally on the edge of his seat, until the "big reveal" arrived. It was hilarious! Our friend loved every minute of it! Me, on the other hand . . . well, let's just say Colton thinks I make pretty good monster truck sounds! I can write about anything, but don't have the talent my husband possesses!  I know listening to Jesus, the Greatest Storyteller ever with His Parables, was captivating . . . mesmerizing. I can imagine sitting there on the hill or at the shore, hanging on to every word He spoke . . . must have been riveting. At the end, it's all about what you take away from the storyteller. It's developing a relationship of mutual love and respect for each other. It's creating a bond of trust and support. It's listening and hearing the message within the story.

In todays Gospel (Matthew 13:10-17), I don't know about you, but I don't want to be the one of the people in Isaiah's prophecy . . . my eyes are open and the volume in my ears turned up:

The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?”
He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted and I heal them.

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

In Volume Seven, St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us to keep our eyes and ears open to hear what God needs us to do:

"Friends, you must keep your eyes open and remain alert. Your faith, your God, is being attacked. There is nothing more precious than your faith. Nothing. Through your faith you will inherit your eternity. Man can take everything from you in this world and it will mean nothing because quickly you will leave this world and truly begin to live forever in heaven. You will
not mourn the loss of your earthly possessions. You will count them as nothings. What you will be most interested in is your response to the loss of your earthly possessions. If you respond in bitterness to God, you will be disappointed. What will give you joy is your faithfulness to God. Stay alert. In situations where your God is being attacked, you must respond. We will help you. You should not respond in anger, although you may be angered. If you are prayerful, you will know exactly what our Lord wishes you to do. We are involved in a spiritual  war, dear brothers and sisters, and you are the soldiers. There is no choice involved, in the sense that the situation will deteriorate even further. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you will be engaged in the war. Jesus requires your help now and you do not want to disappoint Him. If you believe anything at all, believe that statement. You will not want to disappoint Jesus."

Lay apostles, I love reading the Gospel every day. The parables become etched in my brain. And although I have a small capacity to memorize bible verses, I do remember the stories and their meaning. As a lay apostle, the Volumes bring the bible to life for me. Hearing the words of Jesus in the Monthly Messages make the stories richer. Reading Anne's writing makes it clear. Pick up a Volume or read a Monthly Message today. The graces are waiting for you . . . just be alert to His Call!

Thank you, Lord, for choosing me to be a lay apostle. Continue to help me focus on seeing You and listening for Your Direction.

God bless,
Bonnie

A Safe Barrier

Years ago on a trip to Hawaii, I faced my biggest fear . . . sharks! (Seeing "Jaws" as a teen ruined me for life). Hawaii Shark Encounters took us out about 3 miles off the North Shore into international waters and . . . to what they call the "shark grounds." I had been doing a lot of praying prior to stepping on the boat! But I was ready. The shark cage I would jump into looked very sturdy, but only came out of the water about 2 feet. I think I asked if sharks could jump, praying the answer was "no!" Once I slowly slid off the steps and into the water with mask and snorkel on, it took a few seconds to muster up enough courage to take a look at my surroundings . . . underwater. It was glorious! To be inches away from something so feared was freeing. I had a safe barrier, grant it, feeling very protected inside a cage with steel bars. As my comfort level rose, it wasn't about me anymore. I let go of my fear and trusted in the protection of the cage (and protectors - great crew!). Although there was some potential danger (or else we wouldn't have to sign all the waivers!),  I had to trust. And I lived to tell about it! Thank you, Jesus!

A couple pics from Hawaii Shark Encounter website

In todays Gospel (Matthew 13: 1-9), Jesus tells us when we have complete trust in Him, we will always have a safe barrier:

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, her analogy of the lifeguard creates a perfect visual in understanding God's protectiveness of His Children:

"Think of a lifeguard. A lifeguard watches closely. He knows where he can protect people. He also knows that if people go outside of the safe barrier, he may not be able to prevent them from getting into trouble. They, through their own decision to behave foolishly, place themselves at risk of being unreachable in distress. They are not heeding the lifeguard’s safety parameters. The lifeguard knows what he is doing and he has watched the waters, day after day. He has watched people perish because they ignore the safety guidelines. My friends, God is the lifeguard. The beach is life and the water is behavior. People complain that the Catholic Church has too many ‘rules.’ If one studies the teachings of our faith, one will find the teachings to be protective in nature. To swim outside of the safety barriers is to knowingly abandon the teachings. The danger may not be apparent at once but if a storm comes or a swimmer simply becomes tired, as one does in life, he will not be able to put his feet down to rest because he has abandoned the area of foundation. He is, you see, in over his head. In those cases, many call out to God and He pulls them back to safety but damage is done in many ways, to both themselves and others because a bad example has a similar ripple effect to a good example."

Lay apostles, do you feel safe when out in the world amongst those who want to do you harm? Are you arming yourself with the protective shield of Christ every time you step out the door? If you aren't, it's time to start. Begin your day with spiritual reading. Say the Morning Offering and Allegiance Prayer every day. Put a safe barrier in place . . . Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for the protection and love I feel every day from You. Continue to help me let go of my fears, knowing any outcome is Your Will!

God bless,
Bonnie

An Imperfect Sinner

Why are we so afraid to be imperfect? More importantly, why is it so hard to admit? The truth is, there was only one Perfect Person who walked the face of this earth. And He wasn't sent here looking for perfection . . . just the opposite. About 3 weeks ago, Jay and I decided to get serious about our health and fitness. We downloaded an app called Calorie Counter to our iPhones. We have become very conscious of choices we make for every meal. Not only are we counting calories, but this app helps us monitor daily fat, cholesterol, carbs, sodium, sugar and protein. We are in the middle of week 3, and so far so good! But today I totally blew it. We went out for a business lunch and I thought the Waldorf salad (half) at California Pizza Kitchen was a good choice. I found a nutritional chart online for CPK and holy smokes,  it was 2/3 of my total calories for the day. By this evening, my chart had a lot of red lines (green if you stay within your daily limit). I started to get frustrated with myself, then Anne a lay apostle's words popped into my head . . . we are all imperfect people. Yes, I AM IMPERFECT. And I wouldn't have it any other way. 

In todays Gospel (John 20: 1-2, 11-18), Jesus shows His Love for us despite our imperfections:

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 

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

In Volume One, our Blessed Mother assures us her Son needs each one of us to help prepare the way for His Return:

"Little children, hear my Son. How eager He is to help you and bring you back safely to Him. Do not fear, please, if you have made mistakes. We are only concerned about today and this must be your approach also. Be sorry for your sins and walk away from them. Often, the evil one will attempt to keep you tied to past sins by reminding you of them and trying to persuade you that sinners cannot be true chosen souls. How ridiculous a notion! Look to the Bible for proof. Jesus came for sinners. Jesus will return for sinners. And my little chosen souls will prepare the way for Him. I am counting every one of you who receives this message as a chosen soul. What joy will be yours. Think about joy, dear little child. When did you last feel joy? Your mother will show you heavenly joy if you heed our messages now. Don’t be afraid, my small ones. Holiness is a process and it is mostly up to Jesus to move you through that process. In a special way, right now, you can let Jesus form you. We are going to take care of everything. You need only love Jesus and let Him direct your life. Be like a small sparrow, living only in the moment, confident that God will provide everything needed for the next day, the next season, and the next year."

Lay apostles, give yourself a break today. Give others a little reprieve, too. Imagine how much better we could assist our Returning King! 

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to accept all my imperfections (of which there are many!) and see the beauty in the imperfections of others.

God bless,
Bonnie

No Signs, Just Believe

Dear readers: Here is a post I did a few years back on todays (Monday) Gospel. We are preparing for the Catholic Marketing Network trade show in Chicago next week, so time is limited to write my blog! So, hope you enjoy! 

Trespassers. When I see one, I wonder why they feel entitled to intrude on or care less about another's property.  I've been pretty lenient with the kids in my neighborhood walking through my back yard to get to the manmade lake in the development adjacent to my house.  A few months ago I began noticing a large gap amongst the trees and plants develop toward the back of the yard.  I didn't think much about it assuming the hole was created by the guys who came to tame my yard. One day I was sitting on the patio with my daughter and her husband enjoying a cool breeze on a Florida afternoon when we began to hear young giggling voices approaching.  There were about five pre-teen girls from the neighborhood casually walking through my backyard, heading close to this "gap." They didn't see us on the porch until I said hi to them.  They stopped dead in their tracks.  I asked if they had created the pathway in the trees and the oldest of the bunch said no. The next words out of her mouth placed the potential blame on a wild pig for the five foot hole.  Hmmm.  So I asked them to not come through my back yard anymore or go near the hole as I wouldn't want them to get hurt by a wild pig.  After several more signs of them accessing the passageway, I went straight to Home Depot and bought this sign:

Well, my sign worked as far as I know (in addition to barricading the hole with dwarf palms and fallen palm fronds!).  It took posting a sign to stop the trespassing when my original request should have sufficed. No signs, just believe. 

Todays Gospel (Matthew 12:38-42) reminds me when I stop looking for signs and focus on the here and now, I am giving Jesus the time He needs to answer my questions:

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

In the July 2007 Monthly Message, Jesus clearly defines how we are to view a world rejecting God and all that is decent: 

“The signs of My presence are all around you, even though you struggle. Believe this. If you look at a person who has rejected Me, you will see signs of that rejection. If you look at a world that has rejected Me, you will also see signs. My beloved ones, when you see signs that God has been rejected, you must remain peaceful. I, Jesus, have told you that change is necessary. I, Jesus, have told you that I desire change. I do not abandon you and I do not abandon the world. I have many friends in this world and you are among them. You trust Me, I know. I will honor the trust you have placed in Me. I will bring all things to the good, both in your life and in the world.”

Lay apostles, instead of asking Jesus for a sign, move confidently through your day knowing He is by your side at all times.  Just because you ask for something, doesn't mean you are ready to receive it. He knows you best, so trust His judgement.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me I don't need signs to believe in You.  

God bless,
Bonnie

School of Holiness Quick Highlights #3

School of Holiness- Quick Highlights #3

 

  

  

From the notebooks of Tommy and Annie

July 8th, 2014

    Margaret gave the first talk of the morning. The focus of her talk was on increasing self-awareness and challenging negative beliefs. It is necessary that a child fall while learning to walk; the same is true of relationships and life experiences.Mentally framing things positively rather than negatively, accesses the more mature part of our brains. This helps us to relate to others from our secure selves rather than our wounded selves.  Contemplative prayer is neuroscientifically proven to make us more compassionate towards ourselves and others.. Self-awareness involves understanding  your wounds and thereby creating authentic relationships . Self-awareness involves three A’s: awareness, acceptance, and action. To be self-conscious is not the same as being aware because it is not grounded in self.

From the notebooks of Annie and Tommy

July 9th, 2014

    Margaret opened with a recap of yesterday’s lesson on self-awareness and went more in depth on the topic. The first part of self-awareness is awareness in which the individual must tune into their body and their thoughts and feelings. The second part is acceptance. When you know what your feelings are, you have to accept that you have them. Two ways that we fail to accept our feelings are denial and judgement. The third part is action. You have two choices on how to respond to your emotions once you are aware and accepting of them. Self-awareness helps you to challenge your distorted beliefs and make different choices.

   

From the notebooks of Annie and Tommy

July 10th, 2014

    This morning, the painting of Our Lady, Queen of the Church arrived from Poland with artist Janusz Antosz. Also, newly arrived this morning was Dr. Mark Miravalle. He spoke to us about Our Lady Queen of the Church, specifically the queenship of Mary and her role in the church as queen mother. Jesus is the king of the universe, as his mother is the queen. Her intercession is as unlimited as her son’s kingdom. The role of mother by its very nature is also the role of a mediator. Mothers mediate between God and their children. Mary mediated the mediator, Christ, to the world. As Mother Teresa said, “No Mary, no Jesus.” A good mother does three things: suffers for her children, nourishes her children, and intercedes for her children. Mary does all of these things for every one of us. She was called to be the Co-redemptrix with Jesus. She was spiritually crucified with her son. As the Immaculate Conception, she would have not experienced any effects of the fall, including pain from childbirth and did not even entertain uncharitable thoughts to her son’s killers. Dr. Mark asked us to imagine that the person we loved most in the world was in the place of Jesus during his crucifixion. Jesus gave us his mother to be our mother and the mother of His church as his last act before dying upon the cross. In this way she became the mediatrix of all graces from Christ to the world. Mary is the queen of the Atheists, of the Agnostics, of the entire world.  The symbolism of the painting was discussed and the floor opened for questions.

Read more updates and notes (click here)

School of Holiness Quick Highlights

School of Holiness updates continue with class notes shared by the students...

       

(click to watch video now!)

From the notebooks of Tommy and Annie
July 4^th, 2014

This morning we had guest speaker Fr. Finbar Lynch and Eileen talk to us about prayer and spiritual guidance. In order to have a good prayer life we must have discipline and we must have an environment where:

• Persons are more valued than things.
• There is room for growth and development.
• There is space for suffering.
• There is depth.

If you spend your life trying to escape suffering, you will never have peace. Jesus enables us to take up our crosses. Prayer is right from the beginning, it has already begun within us, before we are even aware of it. There are six steps involved in the immediate preparation for prayer. The first step involves self-awareness. You can approach God the same way you approach a friend, but God knows everything, which helps you to approach yourself. Step two is presence to God, in which one looks towards God and enters into His gaze. In step three, one asks for the grace to get one’s basic focus right, which is to serve and praise God. Step four is using one’s imagination to evoke God. One composes a picture as to compose oneself. In step five, I focus my desire and ask God for what I need. In the last step, I move from reflecting to relating.

In the second part of the afternoon, Eileen guided us in a prayer experience, incorporating the bible story of blind Bartimaeus. Afterwards, we shared our experiences with each other or personally reviewed them with ourselves.

In the afternoon, after lunch, Fr. Stefan gave a presentation. We discussed the different places where we receive our ideas about God. For example: nature, our parents, the bible, culture and society, and suffering. We then discussed what our ideas of God are: omnipotent, loving, compassionate, harsh, condemning, pure, one, and many others. Fr. Stephen then talked about his own experience with coming to know God the father and used the volumes throughout his presentation.

From the notebooks of Tommy and Annie
July 7^th, 2014

            This morning, Fr. Darragh talked about the first spiritual practice of the lay apostolate of Jesus Christ, the Returning King. The first spiritual practice is the daily offering of the Allegiance prayer, the morning offering, and the prayer for the Holy Father. He told us to think of spirituality from God’s perspective and told a story about mother’s unconditional love for her daughter, where the mother takes delight in the daughter’s seemingly worthless gift of a stemless daisy. This was a metaphor for God’s delight with our offerings to him. We talked about the small offerings we make to God each day: fasting, doing homework, chores, small annoyances in people, illness, and so on. There is a reciprocal “attitude of gratitude” between God and us when we are offering him our sufferings. The phrase “offer it up” must be taken lovingly and not the impatient way we are prone to using. Fr. Darragh then took us through the Catechism’s passages on sacrifice and on the role of all believers as a priestly people. The highest sacrifice is a humble contrite heart, as highlighted in Psalm 51. Purity of our intentions and actions is a necessary component to our offerings. To close, Fr. Darragh had a student exercise in which everyone said the first word that came into their mind when they heard the word “purity”.

“The eyes of the slave are on the hands of the master.”

            In the afternoon, Anne gave the second talk, beginning with everyone’s reactions to the word “purity”. Purity nowadays is frequently associated with sexuality. We must worry less about sexual sins and sexual purity. Anne told a story about a young, severely autistic boy comforting a crying six year old girl and told us to think about this type of purity instead of jumping to sexual purity. She meant purity of heart and actions. She introduced dualistic thinking in which people are believed to be either good or bad, versus mature thinking where it is believed that people are both good and bad. Jesus doesn’t love you like you are an obligation, He can’t help but love you; he delights in you. You should likewise delight in others and yourself.  Anne talked about our consciences as our sanctuaries as described in the Catechism and had us do an exercise in which we listed five good things we did in the past week. This was to help us focus more on what we are doing right and to do more of it, instead of getting bogged down by our sins. We must never disconnect our sins from our human natures. We must have hope for ourselves and for others. We are all involved in circles of service and must pipe Christ out to the world, just like the Hoover Dam pipes water to places that need it. In our consciences we must ask ourselves how we are impacting others. Are we offering Christ or our wounded self to others? As the final part of this class period, we got into groups and acted out skits representing what these two different scenarios would look like, presenting Christ or our wounds.

School of Holiness 2014 Day 3

From the notebooks of Tommy and Annie with a bonus short video highlight... 

What do you think so far? 

(click to watch the one minute fun video highlight)

July 3^rd, 2014 SOH Day 3 (Activity)   
     

To start off our class period, we had an activity. Everyone made a sign that said, “I am imperfect.” This was to show how we can be liberated by the awareness of our imperfection. Only God can be perfect. It is an unreachable goal and we know that while we will not achieve the perfection of God, we do strive to be like Him.

           

The next thing we talked about was finding the right person and if we want to find the right person, we must become the right person. As a class, we made a list of qualities that we would like our potential spouses to have. At the end of the exercise, we had to ask ourselves if we possessed those same traits. Some of the qualities included trustworthy, honest, non-judgemental, conversational, humorous, joyful, patient and kind.

           

The second part of our class today was Maggie speaking on brain basics, part two. We explored, in more depth, the roles of the limbic system and the neo-cortex. The anterior cingulate is the part of the brain known as the inner negotiator; it negotiates between the limbic system and the neo-cortex and its function can be compromised by stress or trauma. Staying in the limbic system for long periods can lead to negative patterns in thinking and behaving. It is extremely difficult to know God while in the limbic mind-set. Maggie’s talk was interspersed with catechism quotes given by Fr. Darragh relating to the morality of the passions. In the limbic system, it is hard to moderately express desires without overexpressing or under-expressing them. This can lead to aggression, passive aggression, and anger, all of which can have serious consequences in relationships. While acting and thinking out of the neo-cortex, the passions can be governed with the intellect and will. This allows for healthy navigation of relationships. Reinforcement of negative beliefs or thoughts will lead to negative choices or actions, which lead to negative results or outcomes. This reinforces the original negative belief or thought, meaning, this can become of cycle. We need to strive for self-awareness and positivity.

           

The last part of class, Fr. Darragh spoke more about the passions, using the catechism as the learning tool. He spoke to us about diminished culpability. Culpability depends on three factors: how free we are in the action, the seriousness of the matter, and how much we understand what we are doing as right or wrong. The two basic emotions are love and fear and all the rest stem from these two. The catechism says that emotions are a natural component of the human psyche. Love is an attraction and a desire for goodness.

Monthly Message for July

Again, time escapes me . . . I just realized I never posted the July 2014 Monthly Message! This month the message brings such comfort in an imperfect world:

July 1, 2006

Jesus

Be at peace, little children of God. I am with you. Do not think that you are orphans, abandoned to a world which lacks God’s love. I seek to bring love into the world in a continuous stream. How My little apostles delight Me with their willingness to allow Me to use them for this purpose. I work without pause in each soul who welcomes Me. You may be asleep, or at rest in another way and I am busy at work in your soul, preparing great gifts for your brothers and sisters who do not know Me. I am tireless. I am determined. I am forming many saints who will move up the mountain of holiness with speed in order to serve Me more completely. Do you wish to be one of these saints? Of course you do. We will work together, you and I, to move you more fully into My will. How I guard My little apostles. How I surround them with My protection. I watch your life closely so that every experience you have will benefit your soul. My little ones experience pain and carry wounds. This should not frighten you. I do not judge you for your pain. I look at your pain and remember My pain and I am compassionate. Your pain will not separate you from Me. Again I say, have no fear. I am working in your soul to bring My kingdom to earth through you. I will see to everything. Trust your Jesus and you will be at peace.

Ability For Greatness

Ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things through Christ. Every one of us has the ability for greatness. It doesn't require wealth or education. It doesn't require social savvy or popularity. But it does require commitment to God. We are capable of becoming extraordinary by following the path of Our Savior. It's not the easiest path to take, but the most gratifying in the end. Do you think you can't make a difference in this world? Give it a try . . . you will be surprised by what being a lay apostle of Jesus Christ the Returning King can accomplish. 

In todays Gospel (Matthew 10:1-7), Jesus shows us the power of the Gospel can transform the ordinary:

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

In Volume One, our Blessed Mother explains that all it takes is a "yes" to her Son:

"Children, Jesus is trying to tell you gently that you must join Him now. Not later, but now. The time of darkness is mercifully near its end and Jesus is going to intervene in the world in an extraordinary fashion. You must be prepared and that is why we are sending you these messages. Do not ignore the prophets we send as an act of extended mercy. Can you imagine how you will feel if you have been warned but failed to respond? Can you ignore Jesus after He has shown you so much love? Can you continue, possibly, to turn your back on Him? Of course not. Because in your heart you know that Jesus is the Way, and you know that He calls you for the last time in this world. My children must obey their God and hasten to assist Him. Be on our side, dear child. Our side is the side of love. Our side is the side of obedience. Our side is the side of light, happiness, and service to others. There is no real choice for you. Your God cries out to you sharply and you must answer Him. I, your heavenly mother, will help you. We are doing everything. We need only your “yes” to unleash all manner of graces upon you. Your mother blesses you and helps you in every decision, including the decision to serve. Be at peace with your service to Christ, little one, as it is the only correct decision." 

Lay apostles, how can you be extraordinary today? Whether it is caring for an elderly parent, being a stay at home mom loving her children, or a devoted father working hard at his job to support his family, do it all for Our Savior. Offer it all to Him for His Glory. Remember even the tiniest act of love will spread ripples of peace and joy to those around you. 

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to serve You within this apostolate. Thank you, Blessed Mother, for loving me so much I can actually feel your mantle of protection, even in the storms!

God bless,
Bonnie

Moved With Pity

It's a beautiful thing watching a young person discover the love of Christ. A few months ago when Jay or I mentioned going to Mass, or the Gospel, or even Jesus for that matter, the conversation changed very quickly with a particular young person in our life. It took a drastic move on Jesus' part to get her attention. But boy did He! We have conversations about Jesus and the Bible now. The other night we received a phone call on her way home from work. A comment she made still blows us away . . . she said she pities people who don't know Christ! Lay apostles, this is just a small taste of heaven on earth. To see someone change right before your eyes is miraculous . . . and, a great lesson in patience! His Time, not ours.

In todays Gospel (Matthew 9:32-38), Jesus feels pity for those who are lost and searching in all the wrong places:

A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, I found this quote absolutely perfect in describing what happens when we accept Jesus in our hearts:

"When one has rejected God’s mercy, there is the decision to be without God, and one’s loneliness brings one to bitterness. When one accepts God’s mercy and one is alone, that loneliness brings one to a longing for heaven and a pity and compassion for the plight of others who do not understand what they crave, that is, God."

Lay apostles, instead of becoming angry or irritated with those who criticize or judge us, find peace and solace knowing they are trying to fill the "God" hole with everything other than God. Have pity and compassion for those lost sheep. Jesus needs His lay apostles focused on loving rather than reacting.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me patience is a very important virtue! And, for allowing me to see little glimpses of Your Return through this mission, one soul at a time.

God bless,
Bonnie

Believe It or Not

Music has always been calming to me . . . during times of stress, joy and just about any ordinary day. This morning as I was changing sheets on our bed, I popped on my bedside radio (set on a station playing 70s and 80s music). Some REO Speedwagon song was ending, and then a song I haven't heard for ages came on . . . "Believe It or Not" from a TV series in the early 80s called The Greatest American Hero. I loved that show! But especially loved the theme song. As I started singing the lyrics (yes, I knew every word!), an overwhelming joy and peace came over me. This is my life now . . . this is the grace Jesus has given me for trying my best to serve as a lay apostle while on this earth. As long as He is by my side, I am on top of the world! Here are the wonderful lyrics I can't seem to get out of my head today:

Look at what's happened to me, 

I can't believe it myself. 

Suddenly I'm up on top of the world, 

It should've been somebody else. 

Believe it or not, 

I'm walking on air. 

I never thought I could feel so free-. 

Flying away on a wing and a prayer. 

Who could it be? 

Believe it or not it's just me. 

It's like a light of a new day-, 

It came from out of the blue. 

Breaking me out of the spell I was in, 

Making all of my wishes come true-. 

Believe it or not, 

I'm walking on air. 

I never thought I could feel so free-. 

Flying away on a wing and a prayer. 

Who could it be? 

Believe it or not it's just me.

Todays Gospel (Matthew 9:18-26) demonstrates the freedom we all can obtain when we truly believe:

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

In Volume One, Jesus assures us He will open our eyes if we only ask:

"These words I bring you are more Good News. I want you to share these words as you would share the Good News. If you prepare a great banquet, filled with the finest of foods, you do not sit down alone to sample and enjoy it. You invite friends and loved ones to share and celebrate together. In the same way, I want you to share My words. I will secure the necessary permissions and then you must obey the promptings I place in your heart. All will be seen to. I require only your obedience. I send these words to call humanity back to the light. I, your God, will move swiftly when the time is right. It is My will that souls be prepared. This is a great mercy of Mine and I would not have humanity treat it lightly. Be assured, dear souls, that I will triumph. My glorious plan is already beginning and if you ask Me, I will remove the blinders from your eyes and awaken your soul from its lassitude with My divine touch. Only ask Me. I call you now and wish to draw you with love into My plan. Respond to Me with all of your energy and love." 

Lay apostles, Jesus has given us directions to live a life leading to heaven. Pick up a Volume (or download for free to the right), randomly read a page, listening to what Jesus wants you to hear.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me so much and leading me to this apostolate. I never thought I could feel so free!

God bless,
Bonnie

Do You Doubt the Mercy of God?

Critics . . . they are around every corner. As a writer, I have come to accept people who throw daggers at my faith journey. But I believe in God's great Mercy. I believe EVERY SINGLE WORD Jesus and all of heaven have given through Anne a lay apostle. I believe in the message from Jesus in the Bible and in the Volumes . . . accept Him in your heart, be His lay apostles on earth by serving others, and be thankful for all things good and not-so-good occurring in our lives. We had a good friend over for dinner last night, an old buddy of Jay's. He is not Catholic, but became interested in the Volumes after reading Can You Text Me Directions? (he said he got to a certain testimony and then was extremely curious about those "Volumes!"). Reading the Volumes have changed his life (he started with Volume One then Two, etc. and is about to start Volume Nine). We talked about carrying crosses with joy, and not getting mixed up in the chaos of others. The man I saw last night is a completely different man than I saw only a few months ago. The fruits of this mission are miraculous. I am in awe of the love and compassion Our Lord has for each of His Children. 

Todays Gospel (John 20:24-29) is about believing in His Great Mercy:

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

In the Monthly Message from November 2006, Jesus is very clear:

"I am real, dear apostles. Do not worry that you have misplaced your trust. You will be rewarded for your service and commitment. The wise apostle understands that he has already been rewarded, of course. The wise apostle understands that being close to the King as a trusted servant is a reward in itself because through the proximity to the King, the servant becomes more and more noble. I am changing you if you are walking with Me. I am stretching your spiritual capabilities. My beloved lay apostles will find that the changes in their soul are constant, but gentle. There is great spiritual progress available in this time. This is My mercy and this is My plan. Through the holiness of the few, I will convert many. Be courageous while I make these changes in your soul. Be at peace. The Saviour seeks to preserve His plan by calling more and more into the field of service. Rejoice when you see many responding. Understand that this plan is for all. You are called. You are listening to My direction and you are becoming holier. Through you, I call to others. Others listen and respond, and through them, I call out again, to more and more. In this way, a multitude is drawn into the safety of the family of God. Be at peace, little apostle. All is well and heaven is content that God’s plan is proceeding. I will never leave you to execute My plan alone. You will always be acting with Me if you are acting for Me. Do you understand? I know that you understand because it is simple. I am with you. I will never leave you." 

Lay apostles, if we don't show others the Mercy of God, how will we ever help Our Returning King in this renewal? 

Thank you, Lord, for showing me so many miracles within this mission. I am so blessed.

God bless,
Bonnie

School of Holiness 2014 - A Must Read!

Click on pic above for video!

July 1st, 2014 School of Holiness  Day 1

From the notebooks of Annie and Tommy

The first talk today was given by Anne. Every time period in church history has challenges and one which we are currently facing is mind pollution. By comparison, in the early 1900’s entertainment was not readily available in the way it is today. Today, we are flooded with stimuli which distract us from our spiritual journey. Some symptoms of mind pollution can be unruly thoughts, impulsivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and also negative thinking. Just as we wouldn’t put a poisonous substance in our bodies, we shouldn’t put poisonous things in our minds. To combat mind pollution, we can make a commitment to silence and contemplative prayer in our day to day lives.

We talked about co-responsibility as described in Christifideles Laici, meaning the laity is co-responsible along with clergy. Co-responsibility, when fully integrated, will lead to renewal of the church. Pastores Dabo Vobis is an apostolic exhortation which outlines formation for priests and includes human formation, spiritual formation, academic formation and then pastoral formation. We, the lay people, if we are to become co-responsible, also need formation and we, the laity, require human development in order to effectively be formed spiritually.

The next topic we covered was “climbing the mountain” in terms of our spiritual journey. We must remember, while climbing, that the Lord takes delight in his people. As such, the Lord delights in each one of us, even though we are imperfect. We had an in-class exercise where we listed things that helped us climb the mountain such as humility, self-acceptance, fellowship, purity, love, and trust, silence, contemplative prayer. We also discussed things that hold us back from climbing the mountain: envy, hatred, addictions, fear, and shame.

Margaret reminded us that jealousy and even envy can be experienced by all of us and that gratitude is the antidote for envy.

Anne instructed us to think about our prayer lives and what they should look like. Anne finished by saying, “If you are concentrating on hating the darkness, you may grow in hate. If you concentrate on loving the light, you will grow in love.”

-Mind pollution is a serious challenge we face today.
-We must fill our minds and souls with silence and prayer, not with things that poison it.
-Co-responsibility of the laity and the clergy will lead to renewal of the church.
-The Lord takes delight in his people.
-Climbing the mountain of holiness will help us to grow in humility, acceptance of self and others, fellowship, purity, love, and trust.
-Envy, hatred, addictions, fear, and shame hold us back from reaching the top of the mountain.
-“If you hate the darkness, you will grow in hate. If you love the light, you will grow in love.”

Fr. Darragh Connolly today has referenced Gaudium et Spes (below)

§5. Today’s spiritual agitation and the changing conditions of life are part of a broader and deeper revolution. As a result of the latter, intellectual formation is ever increasingly based on the mathematical and natural sciences and on those dealing with man himself, while in the practical order the technology which stems from these sciences takes on mounting importance.

This scientific spirit has a new kind of impact on the cultural sphere and on modes of thought. Technology is now transforming the face of the earth, and is already trying to master outer space. To a certain extent, the human intellect is also broadening its dominion over time: over the past by means of historical knowledge; over the future, by the art of projecting and by planning.

Advances in biology, psychology, and the social sciences not only bring men hope of improved self-knowledge; in conjunction with technical methods, they are helping men exert direct influence on the life of social groups.

At the same time, the human race is giving steadily-increasing thought to forecasting and regulating its own population growth. History itself speeds along on so rapid a course that an individual person can scarcely keep abreast of it. The destiny of the human community has become all of a piece, where once the various groups of men had a kind of private history of their own.

Thus, the human race has passed from a rather static concept of reality to a more dynamic, evolutionary one. In consequence there has arisen a new series of problems, a series as numerous as can be, calling for efforts of analysis and synthesis.

Margaret, Psychotherapist and Human Development, notes below:

Empirically speaking those who are idealistically rigid tend towards being:

-pessimistic

-threatened by those who do not believe exactly the same as they do

-dogmatic

-close minded

-unable to tolerate ambiguity, mystery, or not knowing

-having negative perceptions of others

- intolerant of others beliefs, aggressive, or smug towards them

(Newberg,2012).

 Characteristics of less mature thinkers:

 -a need for certainty and control

-limited recognition of complexity and and an inability to incorporate opposites

-a lack of openess to unconscious processes

-the Beleif that all the important information necessary to make a decision is apparent

-lower empathic abilities

-less mature psychological defences

-more denial, blame, and projection

-less humour, sublimation, and suppression (Cozolino 213:2014)

Characteristics of Mature thinkers

-increased recognition of complexity and ability to incorporate opposites

-an understanding that not all important information is apparent

-an increased openess to unconscious processes

-more information gathering

-less concern about being in control

-an ability to tolerate personal limitations and ignorance

-more realistic expectations and forgiveness of others

-increased empathy and maintained connectedness

-more mature psychological defences

-less denial, blame, and projection…

-more humour

Ability to tolerate their strong emotions without necessarily taking action. (Cozolino, 214:2014)

Summary:

-we need mature minds from which to express our spirituality

-trauma and Woundedness leads to immature thinking

-we work on developing mature thinking in which to contemplate ourselves, others, and God

-people who practice contemplative prayer are proven to be able to generate compassion in situations in which almost nobody else can

-three active relationships: 1) with ourselves (self-awareness) 2) with others-friends, family, colleagues, etc 3) with God

-we contemplate all of these Relationships