Gospel Word: Trustworthy

Every morning Jay and I begin our day with three readings. First, from Jesus Calling. Second, from Daily Guideposts. And third, we end with an entry from one of the Volumes. There seem to be three main messages in every book . . . rely on Him, thank Him and trust Him. Evil can materialize in an instant, destroying peace and calm with no warning. This is where spiritual reading comes in handy. Something I may have read will remind me to refocus on trusting Him, that everything has a purpose. It may not make sense to me at the time, but eventually, clarity is obtained. Trusting God is not easy all the time, but so necessary to continue climbing the mountain of holiness!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God bless,

Bonnie

Gospel Word: Proclaim

I have so much hope for the world today. President Trump is in office. Our religious liberties are protected. We have a conservative Supreme Court Justice in place (with hopefully a few more spots opening up in the next 3 years!). The Lay Apostolate is in growth mode. My family is intact and healthy. Despite the negativity, so many proclaim the Word of God . . . on Twitter, Facebook and even from the mouth of our President! Love of God and faith is everywhere if we listen/look for it. But more voices are needed. Jesus wants us to be brave. What's the worst case scenario for proclaiming His Truth? Well, some would say death. With death comes our eternity with Jesus though, right? Best case scenario . . . Jesus is made evident and comes alive through our words and actions. Isn't that worth the risk?

Today's Gospel (Mark 16:15-20) is as clear as a sunny day . . . shout the name of Jesus from the rooftops! Let everyone in on the Good News:

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

In Volume Five, Jesus emboldens us to bravely shine His Light:

"I will guide and direct you with great specificity when this occurs. You must be brave then and proclaim My Word with even greater zeal. You are My messengers. You carry the Light within and this Light will not be extinguished. Let your family be one who would choose to be hungry before relinquishing My Light to the enemy, for it is this that may be asked of you. You will be great saints and the great saints that have gone before you will hasten to assist you. Children of the Light, you have been marked by the very hand of the Savior."

Lay apostles, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos swirling in our world. Instead of tuning into the "Fake News" channels, pull out the Bible or a Volume. Do some spiritual reading. Strengthen your soul and mind in readiness for spiritual warfare. Be brave as Jesus requests above.

Thank you, Lord, for strengthening my stamina for the continual battle against spiritual warfare. Provide me with the right words to proclaim your Sacred Name!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word: Reenter

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

Today's Gospel (John 3:1-8) helps us understand the path to heaven:

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

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

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

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

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

God bless,

Bonnie

Repetition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Words: Holding On

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

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

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

I love the following from Staying in Place . . . it's time to move onward and upward:

"The offenders abused the power that came with representing God. Note that we gave them the power, which speaks to our need for development, too.

There now. A deep breath must be taken by all and a new way found. We must seek a new way. What is the past is the past and those who cling to it soon wither because it no longer feeds. Those who preach it find few takers because it no longer inspires. The Gospel message is always fresh, as stated. We can all look back with today’s knowledge and perhaps find little spots where we, too, got it wrong, perhaps in actions which, while not elevating to the criminal level, lacked mercy and honest human expression and thus distorted God. We must all accept our collective need for development, along with our faith expression. What was enough in the past now must be updated because it is no longer enough to hold the love that is God. We have to ‘up our game’ and be more mindful of integrating our humanity with our Christianity. That means that ugly behavior is ugly behavior and we should call ourselves on it instead of spiritualizing it. Because we can all point to a person or a group of people and say, ‘If that is the Catholic Church, count me out.’ There is actually a case to be made that if a ship is sinking, you jump in a mechanism for survival that has been hard wired.


However, and this is a big however, all families are dysfunctional to some degree and our faith family has predictably proven itself no different. While some need to leave to heal, some need to stay to repair and recover the family, sweep up the glass, face the neighbors and yes, deal with any outstanding legal matters, may the Lord bless our bishops."

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

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

God bless,
Bonnie

Pray It Forward With The Volumes

Pray it forward with the Volumes…

Dear lay apostle,

We want to do an exercise with you. We will call it the positive memory exercise.

Take a moment now and remember a time when you held a Volume in your hands and, reading the messages from Heaven, felt the graces attached to those words flow into you. Most of us would say we felt God was speaking directly to us or that this message had been written just for us and for our exact situation at that time.

You felt loved, you felt a new clarity, a way forward, encouraged and changed somehow. Lay apostles, these Volumes and the accompanying graces are what we have each been asked to spread. How blessed we are that we get to do this!

“Will you answer My call? I am relying on my apostles on earth to spread My words and to allow My light and love to flow back into this world.”
— Jesus, November 1, 2005 Monthly Message

And so, it is our first priority to get the books of this apostolate into the hands of those who need them.

We are constantly amazed at the ideas lay apostles come up with for getting books into the hands of others –– a family member, a colleague, a friend, or even a stranger. And we are always thinking of ways we can make it easier to get the books into your hands too.

I cannot tell you how many times someone has described their life as before reading Climbing the Mountain and after reading Climbing the Mountain. For many of us life changed when we read about heaven and purgatory, less afraid, more excited about our faith and eager to help God spread this apostolate. So now we want to offer that same life changing grace to others.

For the next three weeks, we are offering an opportunity to participate in a special project that I’m sure you will want to take advantage of.
For $149.99 you will receive two complete sets of the Volumes, one for you and one for a friend, along with one copy each of Climbing the Mountain and Transforming Grace. The price includes shipping and handling!

What a great opportunity to spread the messages and expand the apostolate!

How it works:
1.     Place your order here before April 28: Pray it Forward
2.     Volunteer lay apostles will assemble to lovingly pack your order on    May 1st.
3.     Receive two sets of Volumes – keep a set and share a set!
4.     Receive Climbing the Mountain & Transforming Grace – Keep one, share the other?

As you know since the Volumes were first printed the price remained $5 but given increased printing costs and other overhead expenses since 2003 we will be raising the price to $7 after May 1, 2017. So, this is a fantastic opportunity to get your set at the old price and share the messages with a friend or family member.

As our friend Eric says 'we will pray it forward'. What does that mean? We ask God in prayer who He wants to get these books. And that is how we ‘pray it forward’. And then all together as a group we pray for everybody's book recipient. We pray for a powerful outpouring of comforting and conversion graces. Take that which comforted you and use it to comfort others.

We look forward to receiving your orders over the next 3 weeks.

Without you, this ministry is not possible. Thank you.

Faithfully,

Fr. Darragh Connolly, Chaplain

P.S. – Don't forget! The deadline for ordering your special pack of the Volumes and the two books is April 28. We will ship your order during the week of May 1st - May 5th.

Click here to order your pack now. This offer is only available through this link or by calling us at 708-496-9300

Who Do You Follow?

A few years ago Jay and I were watching the last installment of The Bible on the History Channel. From the moment the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, I could barely contain myself (The Passion of the Christ invokes the same). Throughout His torture, I wondered about His disciples. Were they so fearful for their human lives they went into hiding, nowhere to be found at the cross?  Did they feel immense anger or frustration knowing they couldn't save Christ as it would spoil God's plan?  And when Peter denied Christ three times . . . well, I can imagine how disgusted Peter was with himself. Is covering up the truth for fear of an unknown outcome = not trusting Jesus? I think it does. He is the Truth, the Way and the Life.  We have the benefit of the Bible, the Volumes, and all God has provided over the last 2,000 + years. Stand up for Christ. Don't remain quiet when others deny Him. It's time to be bold, lay apostles. Admit you know theTruth!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God bless,

Bonnie

Holy Saturday

Today is a day of waiting . . . waiting for our Risen Christ. Waiting for a new season of hope. We are an Easter people, and tomorrow is a grand celebration. May you all have a holy and blessed Easter.  

Today's Gospel (Luke 24:1-12) shows even those closest to Christ still had some doubt:

At daybreak on the first day of the week the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.  They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, she suggests we must seek to understand:

"God burns off our self-will by teaching us through His own systematic lesson plan which incrementally increases in us the willingness to sit in the Garden, like Christ, and accept that we only embrace the Father’s will by relinquishing our own will. Those are hard moments but in those moments come absolute and legitimate anointing. Now if we are playing pretend, we simply call life a cross and be drama kings and queens. Some things people call crosses help us to understand the incremental nature of our fashioning by God. But if it is real, a real Christ-cross, we know the price we are paying and we receive lovely dignity interiorly in the isolation that comes with heavy crosses.

What are effective Heavenly crosses? The loss of respect? The loss of one’s reputation? The loss of one’s physical strength or ability? The loss of the ability to affect regulate? The loss of one’s independence? The loss of one’s financial status? The loss of loved ones? The loss of ego (at the appropriate adult age and not before when we are supposed to be ego building, that is, until 24 years of age).

Some readers, as they read those sentences remember their anguish associated with those experiences. But the astute reader has already noted the benefits, spiritually, which accompanied such experiences, too. There are none of us, most likely, who would say, ‘God send me all of them.’ A wise person would not advocate such a request. God, Himself, knows what we need to transform. Best not to be prideful in requesting crosses that will neither benefit, nor anoint us. Suffering comes unbidden. Best to let the Lord design the cross that will strengthen us without overcoming us."

Lay apostles, think about the apostles and followers of Jesus today and what they must have been experiencing finding the tomb empty. What suffering they must have endured losing Him. But through suffering, we become stronger with Christ. Celebrate tomorrow as they did when Jesus appeared to them.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me hope and faith. Tomorrow will truly be a celebration!

God bless,

Bonnie

Good Friday of the Lord's Passion

Gospel John 18:1—19:42

Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley 

to where there was a garden, 

into which he and his disciples entered.

Judas his betrayer also knew the place, 

because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.

So Judas got a band of soldiers and guards 

from the chief priests and the Pharisees 

and went there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to him, 

went out and said to them, "Whom are you looking for?"

They answered him, "Jesus the Nazorean."

He said to them, "I AM."

Judas his betrayer was also with them.

When he said to them, "I AM, " 

they turned away and fell to the ground.

So he again asked them,

"Whom are you looking for?"

They said, "Jesus the Nazorean."

Jesus answered,

"I told you that I AM.

So if you are looking for me, let these men go."

This was to fulfill what he had said, 

"I have not lost any of those you gave me."

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, 

struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear.

The slave's name was Malchus.

Jesus said to Peter,

"Put your sword into its scabbard.

Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?"

So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus,

bound him, and brought him to Annas first.

He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, 

who was high priest that year.

It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews 

that it was better that one man should die rather than the people.

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus.

Now the other disciple was known to the high priest, 

and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus.

But Peter stood at the gate outside.

So the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, 

went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in.

Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter, 

"You are not one of this man's disciples, are you?"

He said, "I am not."

Now the slaves and the guards were standing around a charcoal fire

that they had made, because it was cold,

and were warming themselves.

Peter was also standing there keeping warm.

The high priest questioned Jesus 

about his disciples and about his doctrine.

Jesus answered him,

"I have spoken publicly to the world.

I have always taught in a synagogue 

or in the temple area where all the Jews gather, 

and in secret I have said nothing. Why ask me?

Ask those who heard me what I said to them.

They know what I said."

When he had said this, 

one of the temple guards standing there struck Jesus and said, 

"Is this the way you answer the high priest?"

Jesus answered him,

"If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong; 

but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"

Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Now Simon Peter was standing there keeping warm.

And they said to him,

"You are not one of his disciples, are you?"

He denied it and said,

"I am not."

One of the slaves of the high priest, 

a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said, 

"Didn't I see you in the garden with him?"

Again Peter denied it.

And immediately the cock crowed.

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium.

It was morning.

And they themselves did not enter the praetorium, 

in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover.

So Pilate came out to them and said, 

"What charge do you bring against this man?"

They answered and said to him,

"If he were not a criminal, 

we would not have handed him over to you."

At this, Pilate said to them, 

"Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law."

The Jews answered him, 

"We do not have the right to execute anyone, " 

in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled

that he said indicating the kind of death he would die.

So Pilate went back into the praetorium 

and summoned Jesus and said to him, 

"Are you the King of the Jews?"

Jesus answered,

"Do you say this on your own 

or have others told you about me?"

Pilate answered,

"I am not a Jew, am I?

Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.

What have you done?"

Jesus answered,

"My kingdom does not belong to this world.

If my kingdom did belong to this world, 

my attendants would be fighting 

to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.

But as it is, my kingdom is not here."

So Pilate said to him,

"Then you are a king?"

Jesus answered,

"You say I am a king.

For this I was born and for this I came into the world, 

to testify to the truth.

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

When he had said this,

he again went out to the Jews and said to them,

"I find no guilt in him.

But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover.

Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

They cried out again,

"Not this one but Barabbas!"

Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.

And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, 

and clothed him in a purple cloak, 

and they came to him and said,

"Hail, King of the Jews!"

And they struck him repeatedly.

Once more Pilate went out and said to them, 

"Look, I am bringing him out to you, 

so that you may know that I find no guilt in him."

So Jesus came out, 

wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak.

And he said to them, "Behold, the man!"

When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out, 

"Crucify him, crucify him!"

Pilate said to them,

"Take him yourselves and crucify him.

I find no guilt in him."

The Jews answered, 

"We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, 

because he made himself the Son of God."

Now when Pilate heard this statement,

he became even more afraid, 

and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, 

"Where are you from?"

Jesus did not answer him.

So Pilate said to him,

"Do you not speak to me?

Do you not know that I have power to release you 

and I have power to crucify you?"

Jesus answered him,

"You would have no power over me 

if it had not been given to you from above.

For this reason the one who handed me over to you

has the greater sin."

Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, 

"If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.

Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar."

When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out 

and seated him on the judge's bench 

in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon.

And he said to the Jews,

"Behold, your king!"

They cried out,

"Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!"

Pilate said to them,

"Shall I crucify your king?"

The chief priests answered,

"We have no king but Caesar."

Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself, 

he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, 

in Hebrew, Golgotha.

There they crucified him, and with him two others, 

one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.

Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross.

It read,

"Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews."

Now many of the Jews read this inscription, 

because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; 

and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.

So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, 

"Do not write 'The King of the Jews,'

but that he said, 'I am the King of the Jews'."

Pilate answered,

"What I have written, I have written."

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, 

they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, 

a share for each soldier.

They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, 

woven in one piece from the top down.

So they said to one another, 

"Let's not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be, " 

in order that the passage of Scripture might be fulfilled that says:

They divided my garments among them,

and for my vesture they cast lots.

This is what the soldiers did.

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

and Mary of Magdala.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved

he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."

Then he said to the disciple,

"Behold, your mother."

And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, aware that everything was now finished, 

in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, 

Jesus said, "I thirst."

There was a vessel filled with common wine.

So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop 

and put it up to his mouth.

When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,

"It is finished."

And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

Now since it was preparation day,

in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,

for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, 

the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken 

and that they be taken down.

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first 

and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, 

they did not break his legs, 

but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, 

and immediately blood and water flowed out.

An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; 

he knows that he is speaking the truth, 

so that you also may come to believe.

For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:

Not a bone of it will be broken.

And again another passage says:

They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, 

secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, 

asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus.

And Pilate permitted it.

So he came and took his body.

Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night, 

also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes 

weighing about one hundred pounds.

They took the body of Jesus 

and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices, 

according to the Jewish burial custom.

Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, 

and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been buried.

So they laid Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation day; 

for the tomb was close by.

Holy Thursday - Love

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God bless,

Bonnie  

Wednesday of Holy Week - Ego

Letting go of unnecessary struggles is not easy. Dictionary.com defines the word struggle as "to be coping with inability to perform well or to win; contend with difficulty." Do we struggle out of fear? Fear we will lose; fear we will be shamed; fear of death; fear of (you insert the word)?  Decisions we make based on fear do not involve God, they usually involve ego. There is a great acronym for the word EGO: Edging God Out. So why do we let our egos get in the way? Because it's familiar. Because if we don't protect our fragile egos, who will? The answer to the question is easy . . . God. He is our Great Protector. I firmly believe, as a result of this mission, it doesn't matter what threats or conditions I endure. He is worth the fight. After all, He fought for us and died for our sins. It's the least we can do for Him.

In today's Gospel (Matthew 26:14-25), the betrayal continues:

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,  went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said,

“Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, My appointed time draws near;  in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”" The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said,  “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”

In her book Staying in Place, Anne flawlessly explains the importance of keeping our ego in check:

"We must be vigilant stewards of our minds, not in a neurotic way, obviously, but in a loving way. If someone is speaking and we feel fear, we must be aware of that and then reset our minds to wonder, awe and joy. We must do it, because while others can point to it, only we have direct access to our minds with the ability to self-direct change. It must be that in the mind of God there is a plan for renewal which encompasses this training of our minds, thus protecting the Shepherd’s ability to have ongoing communication with His sheep. You cannot separate sheep, after all, if they are directly connected to the Shepherd. This will become more and more important in the future. But the future is always now so we must prepare without delay. 

Given our advances, it will come to be that people will confuse their mind with God’s. A greater awareness of what is being called consciousness will come. And while a few people on Earth fully embrace God’s mind, most do not. But if one allows pride to take root, one will be persuaded that he or she fully represents God. Why do Christians need to be aware of this? Because when it comes, people will attribute all manner of plans to God which will not actually be God’s plans. What will happen is really as old as the hills. People will be tricked into thinking they are God. That in their minds they have captured God or that they are in possession of God’s will and truth merely through an act of desire. This is heretical. We are not God. We have the capability and possibility of working with God, and for God as collaborators or co-creators. But that does not make us God. That makes us God’s children who seek to be good children. There is to come a grave problem in this regard and it will draw people from true relationship with the mind of God our Father. Be alert, apostles.

This is not to say one should be paranoid. One must not be a ‘pouncer,' who fears all other representations of relationship with God. God is Father to all humanity, after all. But neither can one integrate a way of thinking which builds itself on a primary flaw, that is, that we are acting as God through an act of the ego, that we can ego-will God or possess God, or that we have caged God in us, in a manner of speaking. This is like
saying, I AM. We should be saying, He IS. Trying to expose this, one feels apologetic at one’s inadequacy. However, let the reader look for arrogance, pride and a person pointing to himself or herself as the one bringing about anything that is good even as he or she purports to be humble. Oh the sickening sight of false humility. Better to be openly prideful than to pretend humility, which is like forcing everyone to watch a film instead of offering something real."

Lay apostles, what are you struggling with today? Think about it. Write it down if you have to. Then let it go. Let Jesus heal your woundedness. Aim to please Him, not your own ego. It's not easy, but every day that you let bits and pieces of your struggles go, the easier it is to handle bumps in the road that may arise in the future.

Thank you, Lord, for my life, my struggles, my fears. Continue to remind me to rely on You when fear begins to creep in. I honestly don't know how people do it without You!

God bless,

Bonnie

The Lay Apostle Way

by Anne, a lay apostle

The apostolate, through the spiritual writings, offers a way in which contemporary Catholics can understand their relationship to Jesus, yes, but also to the Church and to the secular world and its activities, too.
The apostolate, through the formation programs, offers a path for growth in self-awareness, which will always contribute to greater holiness, greater wellness and greater and greater compassion for self, others and even for the broken and damaging systems which man seems only ever able to create and then recreate.

What will happen when enough people accept a fuller formation? What will happen is that the Church, through a person here and another there, will begin to look less like a broken and damaging secular system and more like a heavenly creation which remains on earth but which points most consistently to the next life.

We, lay apostles, advance into the being and action of the Church through our commitment to the Sacramental life. When we reference Sacramental life in this context, we reference our determination to allow the Sacramental life to transform us. We will engage in a radical acceptance of our own shadow, which we acknowledge, even as we push off from it into greater and greater acquisition of the virtues.

Our presentation of our faith will be virtue based, rather than sin based. We will submit to learning about the goodness and love of Christ in Scripture and seek to recognise that same goodness in ourselves and others and strive to make that goodness grow, expand and develop out into the family, parish and diocese.

Our commitment to the family, parish and diocese will become part of our conversation so that we can build identity as Catholics, part of something greater than ourselves. In those three arenas we will build the international Church into a powerful force for Jesus Christ to become, not just present in the Eucharist, priesthood and in each of us but in our work, our systems of government and the very breath of the earth.

We acknowledge our Father as creator of our home, the earth, and we take responsibility for our impact on the earth, which is for all of God’s children. We, as a Catholic movement, will seek to impact and support efforts which protect water, soil and air, the support for God’s people and creatures. We will not knowingly destroy what God has created and we will begin to examine our relationship with the resources without which man’s life will not be sustainable in certain areas of this planet. God, Himself, will insure that man can flourish in some areas of the earth. We seek to make those areas as many as possible and as large as possible.

We will strive for balance in our own lives, recognising it as a human and spiritual need. This means we will seek to maintain a proper relationship with work and play and also with learning, which we accept must be ongoing through our lives in recognition of the limitless mystery of that which is invisible to us in our current state of being.

Our learning will be curious and happy, with an open attitude toward health and the sciences. We will strive to be respectful toward different belief systems, expecting that people will look differently and wish to concentrate on different matters, even concerning spirituality. One person will be attracted to one expression of the Church and another person will be attracted to another expression of the Church. We will celebrate this diversity and encourage it, knowing that the Body needs all parts.

While we accept that perfect unity can only occur in Heaven, we will aim for unity as a goal in our faith communities, large and small. When disunity threatens, we will ask ourselves where we must move to meet another in a unified place. This type of self-examination will be a part of our way, an ongoing methodology with which to remain open in love toward all of God’s children. We will ‘trial identify’ with others, putting ourselves in their place as a contemplative exercise of understanding another’s life experience, view and position. Even when unity becomes seemingly impossible, this practice will assist us in maintaining our peace. We hope always for union and reunion in Heaven.

Our recognition that we are one ‘stream’ in the Church helps us to respect and hold hope for other legitimate movements which hydrate the Church on earth. Our commitment to the diocesan structure, however, steers us toward that which will assist the whole Church and which is relevant to the whole Church congregation. In that way, we retain our fluidity and the flexibility to serve the local bishop in the needs which he identifies and in the manner which he expresses for our particular diocese. That stated, our methodology will always include the three pronged strategy, combining human, spiritual and catechetical programs which develop people most fully and completely.
Formation of the young will be understood as deeply important to Our Lady, Queen of the Church and also her son, the Returning King. As such we will make it our priority, too, whenever possible, as appropriate, by which we mean that other urgent needs do not take precedence. This balanced methodology will insure that any young people receiving formation from us will be receiving that which is age appropriate, kind and includes elements from all three parts of our methodology.

Ongoing formation for adults, by which we mean increasing the development of personal holiness, will be viewed as the primary preparation for equipping people to work with youth. Unless an adult can identify specific areas where he or she needs to develop greater holiness, that person will be considered in need of greater preparation.

Finally, our efforts internationally will always strive to be harnessed to the needs of the families from which we come, the parishes in which we take part and the dioceses in which we live. This will protect us from any notion that our duty can be abandoned. If one is not obliged locally, one is then free to serve in other arenas. The goal is not to limit or restrict but to preserve and protect the need for contribution and focus on family, parish and local diocese as a means for renewing the Church.

'Behold, I make all things new' (Rev. 21:5). 

Tuesday of Holy Week - Betrayal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We desist from causing pain because Christ would desist from causing pain. We refrain from revenge because Christ refrained from revenge. We persist in our beliefs, at whatever cost, because Christ persisted in His beliefs, even to the highest possible cost. We are followers of the Great Love embodied in the Son. We do not claim goodness. Rather we use it to point most accurately at the One we follow. We are Christians through the greatest and most sublime act of the Creator, that of becoming one of us.

And so we take our turn in the perpetuation of Love, which, it must be said again, is very vast indeed."

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

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

God bless,

Bonnie

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent - Understand

Understanding circumstances in which decisions are made can be perplexing . . . but there is always more to the story. Unless we are the ones conducting the action, how can we judge? It's hard at times to trust Someone knows what's better for me than me myself! The older I get the more I am able to give up control and allow Him to lead the way. I understand He intimately knows the bigger picture of my life. The lesson? Trust that the One with more background information knows what He is doing and is in charge!

In today's Gospel (John 10:31-42), Jesus attempts to "educate" again:

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God."
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, 'You are gods"'?  If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?  If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.

He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.  Many came to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true." And many there began to believe in him.

In Anne's book Staying in Place, she makes a great point . . . anything can change in an instant: 

"We can all remember a day which began like any other and ended in extraordinarily altered circumstances. Sometimes we say, “I wish it were yesterday and this thing had not happened.” And sometimes we say, “Thank God it is not yesterday before this wonderful thing happened.”

Expectations. Be careful about them, dear friends. We must understand whether or not our expectations are reasonable to our circumstances, and then begin the process of freeing ourselves from them because there are no guarantees. Life is changeable. Anyone who has dealt with an abrupt natural disaster or the death of a loved one can vouch for the need of freedom from expectations. Most of us will say that in some instance in life, what we expected to happen did not happen and, while devastated at the time, we now thank God for the altered course as we see the wonderful impact on our development and circumstances.

If we allow them, our crosses truly become our joys."

Lay apostles, let's all appreciate what we have and experience today, understanding life is a roller coaster. If today turns out to be less than stellar, there is always one Person waiting to console . . . Christ is ready and waiting!

Thank you, Lord, for understanding me better than I can possibly understand myself!

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day 38 - Deny

Justifications. We human beings are so good at justifying our misbehavior . . . our sin. We choose to live in the darkness because living in the Light means believing and obeying God and His Word in Scripture. It means, if you are a lay apostle of this mission, BELIEVING and ACTING ON the messages from Jesus and all of heaven. God doesn't expect us to be perfect. But He does expect us to love as He loves; forgive as He forgives; and most importantly, NEVER deny Him or His Son. I recently heard the words "I put it out to the universe" come from a young Christian's mouth (Jay knows this is a pet peeve of mine!). Probably the look of horror on my face made them quickly say, "umm, God." Since when do we refer to Our Lord as the "universe?" Some may think I am overreacting. But to me, this is denying Our Creator. The "universe" is some unknown entity floating around in the darkness. I know "universe" is very New Age thinking and focuses on 'you' the individual instead of service to God and His Children. Maybe this term is an excuse to live in the darkness and not in reality, allowing for justification of sins? Maybe it's easier if the "universe" denies you and not God? I don't know the answer as this is so far from my thought process. If you are a Christian, think next time you "put it out to the universe." God is the Creator of all. Use His Sacred Name always and give credit where credit is due.

Today's Gospel (John 8:51-59) makes me realize how PATIENT our Dear Jesus was with those denying Him:

Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”  So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?  Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?”  Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word.  Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”  So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

Anne gives us a great reminder in her book Staying in Place:

"Does God experience human feelings? The better question would be, do we experience divine feelings? Only in the idea that God is far, far away, with no real connection to His children can we deny that God has feelings. And as Scripture tells us that the Lord takes delight in his children (Psalm 149:4), we must accept and take responsibility for the truth that the Lord also feels rejected by his children at times, and not just other children, but us, too."

Lay apostles, do you stand up for Jesus? When you hear someone denying Him in one way or another, do you speak up in His defense? Or do you let it go because of potential backlash? Personally, I feel offended for Him and I try to defend our Beautiful Savior who died for me to the best of my ability. If I don't, who will? He is calling us to action . . . now.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me in the Gospel today the importance of gently reminding those who deny You of Who they will meet when it's time to go home.

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day 37 - Free

The word "free" grabbed me today in the Gospel. As I contemplate its meaning in my life, the first thing that comes to mind is the freedom to worship my Catholic faith in the United States. I am free to discuss Christ with anyone who will listen. I am free to acknowledge my President ends every talk with "God bless you and God bless America!" And, I'm free to choose how to live my life by the choices I make every day. By freely giving up my will for His (albeit a struggle at times), I am able to recognize the agony and the beauty of the Lenten journey to the Resurrection of Our Lord on Easter Sunday. The connection between suffering and joy surfaces and begins to make more and more sense with every Gospel I read. As Jesus says today, "the truth will set you free."

John 8:31-42:

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father's presence; then do what you have heard from the Father." They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!" So they said to him, "We were not born of fornication. We have one Father, God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me."

The following quote from Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place describes the importance of the gift Jesus gave us:

"It is important to distinguish between sacrificial actions that Jesus took, prompted by the Spirit and the manner of His tortures, prompted by the sin of his tormentors. Any teaching which insinuates that Jesus masochistically chose the manner of His torture is in error. We should watch for this in the future.

The Father, who moves through all matter, accompanied Christ the whole way. The Father, who moves through all matter, accompanies us the whole way. We are one with Christ in our suffering because we are also sons and daughters of God, albeit adopted. God decided He would come into being and absorb all rejection for all time to free us from this burden. In a sense, it is God at His best and highest expression of Father, relieving unmanageable burdens of guilt for His children. Who would reject this Savior who absorbs our guilt into His own body? There is sweetness in this that we might miss. This was kindness itself. This was truly God stooping low on our behalf. This is benevolence. He gave all in His little human essence. Why do I say ‘little human essence’? Because when looking at it from the eyes of the Father, Jesus Christ on Earth was as little and as vulnerable in His humanity as we are in our humanity. He was equally adorable and cherished. He was delightful. I think that God would want to direct our focus to the fact that Jesus shared our human state, viewing all of humanity as equal in dignity. He came to lift the whole thing up, to direct us toward the sanctity of all human life. He came to absorb our guilt, yes, and to give us hope, yes, and also to ask that we view this same Christ in every human person. Jesus possessed God and lived in union with God, and so can we. We must choose God and then live our choice, as Jesus did."

Lay apostles, are you fighting letting go of your past? Making decisions based on what others will think of you or your actions? We have been given the tools we need in the Gospels and in the Volumes to change our lives, freely choosing God's Will over our own. How will you let go just a little bit today? 

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of free will. Sorry it has taken me so long to see the beauty of giving it back to You. 

God bless,

Bonnie

Lent Day 36 - Alone

Distractions exist in abundance, don't they?  As a writer, alone in my environment, I constantly battle a wandering mind.  The simplest things can draw me away from the task at hand. When I'm at a loss for words, I check my email. Distraction. The buzzer goes off on my dryer signaling clothes needing to be folded. Distraction. Huge stacks of paperwork in need of filing. Big distraction!  And, boy, being in our commercial real estate office during the day . . . well, distractions abound! My conscience warns me to stay on track.  But old habits die hard. Excuses are made. Over time, my conscience may begin to accept the excuses as fact. I become lax in full focus and eventually become frustrated things aren't moving faster. Sounds a lot like our faith journey, right?  If we let the world dictate how we act and feel, how can we act and feel as God desires?  If we deviate from what is good and just, how can we ever escape our sins? We can't do it alone. That is a fact! Relying on Christ through prayer and with focus, His Abundant Graces will never disappoint.

In today’s Gospel (John 8:21-30), Jesus shows us the way to our salvation is through the Father:

Jesus said to the Pharisees: "I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come." So the Jews said, "He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?" He said to them, "You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins." So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world." They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him." Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

I couldn't agree more with Anne in the following quote from Staying in Place:

"Truly, we must exist bearing the tension of what is our fallen nature and what is God. This existence creates tension because one cannot advance alone. God is needed for transformation."

Lay apostles of all ages, what path are you following in your life?  The rocky yet heavenly path to Jesus or the easy sinful path while on this earth?  I am far from perfect.  But I am moving in the right direction despite a few steps backward once in a while! The key is, I flounder when I try to do it alone.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to stumble alone once in a while, always bringing me back to You and Your Love so mercifully!

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day 35 - Stone

Of The Stoners and The Stoned - by guest blogger Annie Clarke

Lent is a time of self-reflection and change. It’s a time for looking a little deeper into yourself, and weeding out what doesn’t need to be there. We all accumulate a lot of mistakes and wounds throughout each year, and there’s no better time than Lent to get rid of whatever is holding us back from holiness. It gives us the opportunity to spring clean our souls, the same way we air out our houses after a long winter.

Todays Gospel (John 8:1-11) reminded me of the importance of self-examination, and of how equally we need not concern ourselves with the spring-cleaning of another person’s soul:

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

This parable is a great example of God’s mercy and forgiveness. But the human element of the story does not end where the Scripture passage does. For the woman in question, it would not have been as simple as skipping out the door cheerfully whistling a got-out-of-jail-free tune. I wonder how the woman felt when all the haters slunk out the back. She would have had to forgive them, and all those who shamed and humiliated her. But in the face of God’s total lack of condemnation, she might also have had to forgive herself for her past mistakes, as well as (potentially) struggle to live in a different way. Forgiveness can be such a painful process, yet the act of not forgiving usually brings a lot more suffering than it’s alternative. Fortunately, God forgives a lot quicker than we do. 

In the Heaven Speaks To Those Who Struggle To Forgive booklet, Jesus says:

“How blessed I am that you take a moment to read these words. I am God. I am complete, and yet your simple act of reading My words gives Me glory. You are important to Me and you are important to My family, which includes all men of good will. Because I love you and because I need your help, I wish to give you the opportunity to find greater peace in your heart. It is clear to Me that many suffer from hidden wounds. The only way for these wounds to heal is for the carrier of the wound to forgive the one who inflicted the injury. My dear child, this can be difficult. When a wound finds a home in the heart, it becomes comfortable there. It must be loosened and shifted. Both a willingness to forgive and a spirit of forgiveness are necessary because it is these things that make the wound uncomfortable. The wound then begins to dislodge. This reawakens the pain but only temporarily until the wound is removed altogether. I want to begin this process in you. If you proceed in the process of forgiveness with Me, you will find that forgiveness floods your heart. Your wounds will be gone. I have the power to heal every one of your wounds. When you try to do this alone, you do not experience success and you find that bitterness persists. Bitterness characterizes My enemy. Forgiveness characterizes Me. You, a beloved little child of God, seek to find peace in your heart. You will only find peace if you step into the stream of goodness. This stream is like a river of grace with which I desire to bathe you, removing all pain and injury. What will remain in your soul is joy. This joy, this heavenly peace, will be obtained by accepting your flaws and accepting the flaws of others. You see, My friend, if you accept the flaws and sins of others, you will soften in attitude toward yourself. I love you. I accept you. I need you to accept yourself so that you will be at peace in My Kingdom and it is through forgiving others that you will find acceptance of your own humanity.”

In order to grow closer to God, we need to remove any obstacles that keep us from Him, starting within our own selves. Bitterness and resentment don’t benefit anyone. A friend once remarked to me that holding on to bitterness and anger is like swallowing poison and expecting your enemy to die. So ask yourself, who are you angry with? Who do you need to forgive? What unspeakable hurt can you allow God to eradicate from your soul in order to find peace and progress this Lenten season? In the parable of the Stoning of the Woman, who would you be – and how will you carry it on?

God bless,

Annie