Gospel Word for Today: Seeds

The outcome of the Senate vote to Repeal Obamacare is, to say the least, disappointing. Our insurance is quite a bit more than our mortgage payment, let alone our deductible for the two of us is over $13,000/year. Jay and I are healthy (thank God!) and don't really use our insurance. But when we do have the occasional physical or checkup, we know the visit is our responsibility financially. We are blessed with the ability to pay for our medical expenses.  Thinking back to when I had a young family, I can't even imagine having to pay the astronomical prices most are struggling with today. The only saving graces for me today are 1) God is still in charge! 2) Donald Trump is still our President! and 3) The seeds have been planted. We now know who is fighting for the majority of Americans, and who strives for their own ego, power, and fame. Come 2018 elections, we will not forget those choosing their own aspirations over the promises they made to the Americans who elected them. These men and women failing our country need our prayers desperately.

I have to say, though, so much good has arisen from the turmoil . . . we have a President and First Lady who believe in God and our country. #NewMedia is changing how news is reported . . . just watch YourVoice America with host Bill Mitchell! Such an incredible group of dedicated American Patriots deciphering the truth amidst all the #FakeNews. Plant the seeds of Truth in rich soil, then watch the garden bloom.

In today's Gospel (Matthew 13:18-23), Jesus helps us to understand the concept of planting the seeds:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Hear the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the Evil One comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."

In Volume Ten, Jesus teaches us to be patient with those who reject Him. And, to leave the "sowing" up to Him:

“From now on, I will think of you as My apostles. As I prepared My original apostles to begin My beautiful Church on earth, I now commission you to reclaim My beautiful Church. You have such great heavenly assistance. When I speak of My Church, I am speaking of the body of the Church, comprised of its people. You are to call them back to the safety of the family of God. I send you out as I sent out the first group. You are to speak freely of Me. If a soul rejects Me, hold no malice for that soul. Simply pray for them and move along, seeking out another. Often you are like a farmer sowing seeds. I, Myself, must reap the harvest. This should not concern you because to insist on reaping what you have sown in this instance is not appropriate. Sometimes God is needed to ignite the divine. Use My words, dear little apostles. Spread them everywhere. Keep your words limited and allow Me to claim the soul. You will soften the soul by loving the person.”

Lay apostles, Jesus and Our Lady have equipped us, through the Bible, the Volumes, Fatima, Medjugorje, and numerous other avenues, to set out into the world and bring lost souls back to Him. Bring His Light to those in darkness. Today, how can you advance His Kingdom a little further?  How about reading or forwarding the current Monthly Message to someone you have lost touch with?  Possibly take 10 minutes this weekend to read a Heaven Speaks booklet you haven't read yet? Whatever you choose, be bold for Him and plant the seeds of Truth.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me it is You who moves a soul toward heaven taking that responsibility away from me. Help me to plant the seeds leading all toward You!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Bring it On

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "Bring it On." After reading today's Gospel (Matthew 10:16-23), this song immediately came to mind! If you haven't heard it before, here are the lyrics:

I didn't come lookin' for trouble
And I don't want to fight needlessly
But I'm not gonna hide in a bubble
If trouble comes for me
I can feel my heart beating faster
I can tell something's coming down
But if it's gonna make me grow stronger then'

Bring it on
Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll, let the storm winds blow
Bring it on
Let the trouble come, let the hard rain fall, let it make me strong
Bring it on

Now, maybe you're thinkin' I'm crazy
And maybe I need to explain some things
'Cause I know I've got an enemy waiting
Who wants to bring me pain
But what he never seems to remember
What he means for evil God works for good
So I will not retreat or surrender

Bring it on
Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll, let the storm winds blow
Bring it on
Let the trouble come, let the hard rain fall, let it make me strong
Bring it on

Now, I don't want to sound like some hero
'Cause it's God alone that my hope is in
But I'm not gonna run from the very things
That would drive me closer to Him
So bring it on

Bring it on
Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll, let the storm winds blow
Bring it on
Let the trouble come, let it make me fall on the One who's strong
Bring it on
Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll, let the storm winds blow
Bring it on
Let me be made weak so I'll know the strength of the One who's strong
Bring it on
Bring it on

Now, after reading the lyrics, read the Gospel. I promise the lyric "Bring it On" will be stuck in your head:

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of men,  for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she recommends we expect the storms in life, and learn to lean on Christ:

"During periods of duress, it is important that we be very gentle with ourselves. We must not condemn ourselves or judge ourselves more harshly than the Lord judges us. The enemy delights when we think, poor me. I’m not holy enough. Surely the Lord should cast me out of the family. Surely the Lord can do without the service of one who fails as I have just failed. We will all fail. We will at times lose patience with others. We will also, at times, mistakenly take the bait from the enemy and be drawn into upset and disorder. There are times when we will be the cause of the upset and disorder. But to beat ourselves up over failures is to prolong the enemy’s influence. Jesus has no need of perfect apostles or He would have created some. He needs us, in all of our imperfection. And He needs us to be humble so we must rejoice when we experience our humanity. If nothing else, mistakes remind us that Christ is King and we are not. Remember, too, that Jesus allows attacks. The devil has no power that Christ does not allow him. Jesus allows us to experience spiritual warfare so that we can grow in holiness and trust. With regard to spiritual warfare, my spiritual director often says, 'Expect it. Count on it. See it coming.' We must expect resistance and become adept at weathering storms. It is terrifically helpful to have humility. Ask God for humility each day as without it you will be vulnerable. It is a standing joke in our family that a request to heaven for humility is usually answered within minutes. If you lack humility, my friends, you will inevitably land on your backside. In fairness, we all land like that at times. Our humanity guarantees it. Be assured though, that a lack of humility insures a far more painful

landing." 

Lay apostles, what are the storms darkening your life right now? Is it finances? A rocky relationship? Stifling fear of the unknown? Whatever it is, think about the song lyrics above. Reread the quote from The Mist of Mercy above. Remember Christ is King and reigns above all. Try to see the storms through His Eyes . . . and trust He will bring us through anything the world can hurl at us. Anything! He is the Light. Follow Him out of the darkness. Ask Him to send the graces to see the Light.

Thank you, Lord, for leading me out of the storms and into Your Loving Arms!

God bless,

Bonnie

Gospel Words Today: Sheep Without a Shepherd

I suffer from a disabling disease which causes confusion, agitation and the feeling of impending doom. Most of the time it's under control. When I sit comfortably in my own little office writing, it is non-existent. So, here goes the big reveal: I am directionally challenged. I cannot read a map; I struggle to figure out where the bouncing blue dot on my iPhone GPS is actually taking me; and please, don't tell me north, south, east or west when giving me directions. Left or right will suffice and, most importantly, get me to my destination on time! Luckily, there are plenty of shepherds in my life providing the direction I require to stay on track. They are kind, patient, and understanding of my affliction. They love me despite my navigational abilities (or lack thereof). What did we ever do before cell phones?

We trust our GPS or maps function to lead us to our journey's end. It's there in writing and we believe it will not lead us astray (most of the time!). As Christian's, we have the ultimate guide book in the Bible. Step by step directions leading us to Christ.

Today's Gospel (Matthew 9:32-38) demonstrates the love Jesus feels for His lost sheep:

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."

The above quote is heart-warming to me. Jesus sees the chaos of our lives and yet feels compassion for us as we maneuver awkwardly through our days. All He wants is to lead His flock home.

In Volume Three, God the Father is activating His GPS:

“My child, for so long I have watched you. In some deep area of your soul, you knew I was there with you. I choose to be more active in your life now. I choose to lead you more directly, if you will allow Me. I want My children to be united with Me, but also with each other. I require a legion of souls who are living in union with Me, their God, and who are responding to My directives. Children, along with My Son, and Mary, his mother, I am giving you every assurance of your welcome. You are being guided in an unprecedented fashion and this guidance will continue. We will shepherd you through all difficulties. Many souls think that they do not have to return to Me now because they will have time later. They procrastinate. Children, this is not what I want. This is not what I am asking of you. I say, enough. Come to Me now. In order to enter heaven, you must accept Jesus, My Son.”

Lay apostles, take a look at the direction in which your life is headed. Are decisions leading you closer to Christ or to an unforeseen dead end? Isn't it about time to reboot and get back on the main road to heaven?

Thank you, Lord, for having pity on this poor sinner. I am finally learning to read directions that once mystified me! Your Patience is very much appreciated!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word Today: Faith

Music has always been calming to me . . . during times of stress, sadness and joy.  After reading today's Gospel, it brought back a memory, clear as day, how a song on the radio opened my eyes just a little wider. As I was changing sheets on our bed one day, I popped on my bedside radio (set on a station playing 70s and 80s music). A song I hadn't heard in ages came on, "Believe It or Not" (sung by Joey Scarbury) 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 in faith as a lay apostle while on this earth. Don't get me wrong, there are always going to be bumps in the road. But, as long as He is by my side, I am on top of the world! Here are the wonderful lyrics I couldn't seem to get out of my head that morning (and, will be on repeat in 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.

Today's 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 that will lead us to Him and an eternity in heaven. Pick up a Volume (or download for free to the right), randomly read a page, then contemplate on 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

Gospel Words Today: Mercy and Sacrifice

Let's start with two definitions (from Dictionary.com):

1. Mercy - compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence

2. Sacrifice - the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim

Now, let's read today's Gospel (Matthew 9:9-13):

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" He heard this and said, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

After reading this, I decided to do as Jesus asks . . . "Go and learn the meaning of the words . . ." By definition, I completely understand what Jesus means. Mercy is forgiving and sacrifice is suffering. Which is the more difficult challenge? Hands down, forgiving offenders. I would gladly suffer for Christ, my husband, my children, grandchildren and all those I love. I would stand in front of a bullet for them . . . die for them. There is no suffering so great it could deter me from protecting what is most important in my life. But the whole mercy thing . . . why is it so hard to forgive our offenders? And, how do we forgive those who continually want to disrupt our lives? Mercy. Jesus desires this of us. By using the word "desires" in Scripture today, Jesus is basically declaring He knows we aren't perfect and we won't always get it right. However, if we are doing our best to be merciful, He will be pleased. There have been many times I've refrained from rebuttal emails which could agitate an already difficult situation; or just plain ol' keeping my opinion to myself . . . and pray for the person disrupting the peace I work so hard to maintain!

In Heaven Speaks to Those Who Struggle to Forgive, Jesus teaches us by having mercy for others, we obtain mercy for ourselves:

"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."

Lay apostles, did you offend someone today? Apologize. Were you offended? Have mercy. Did you make a poor choice you regret? Accept it and forgive yourself. Do as Jesus desires . . .

Thank you, Lord, for giving me words of wisdom, showing me the value of mercy is priceless. Please continue to redirect my thoughts when I want so badly to debate!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Courage

There are will always be moments during our lifetime when change seems too daunting. Despite our misery, the unknown seems scarier . . . out of our comfort zone. In desperation, we backslide to the safety of what we know, continuing down a path eventually leading us full circle to the hurt and pain again. We stay in careers we loathe; enduring and/or recovering from painful divorces; even submerged deep within an addiction numbing us from reality. After all, it's safe. We know exactly what to expect. We know how to control this "world." Therein lies the problem. It's us trying to control our own world. It takes courage to walk in faith. To trust outcomes to Jesus. Let Him control our world by following in His footsteps, believing in the words of Scripture and the promises contained within the Bible. It takes courage to change and begin anew. But if we stand tall with Jesus by our side, trusting in His guidance, we cannot fail and will recover. And, oh, such beauty will illuminate our entire being when showered by His Graces!

In today's Gospel (Matthew 9:1-8), true faith is rewarded with courage:

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven." At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins?" he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, God the Father assures He will give us all the strength we need to survive this world:

“I will heal your hurts and restore your heart to you. I will give you courage and strength so that you can proceed with your earthly journey. I am asking you today, though, to proceed differently. Ask Me to be united to you. In this way, you will come to walk on the path that I, through Jesus Christ, have marked out for you. Dearest children of the world, please walk with Me. I need your help. I, the Almighty God, ask you now to walk with Me. There are many souls crying out to Me in pain. You must bring Me to them. My dear ones, bring Me to them.”

Lay apostles, take the first step to recovery with courage. Courage knowing Jesus is ready to catch us when we fall, and extending His Merciful Hands to restore our balance.

Thank you, Lord, for the courage to accept what I must and the strength to change my focus to You and not the world.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Word for Today: Believe

Years ago I met a young man (had attended Catholic school with one of my daughters) who lit up a room with his smile and personality. He was kind, funny and just plain fun to be around. I was helping this amazingly talented person with a project and we were going to be spending some time together. A few days into the project, we began talking about faith when he declared he was an atheist. Immediately, I informed him he wasn't an atheist, just taking a little detour. He is from a family with strong Christian values, so the building blocks are pretty solid. He just needed a little push in the right direction. On our last day working together, I asked him if he would do me a favor. I asked him to read three of the Heaven Speaks booklets (Addiction, Those Away From the Church, and Those Who Don't Know Jesus). Smiling, he agreed. I also warned I would be ramping up the prayers for his conversion. I don't know if he ever read the booklets as we have lost touch over the last few years, but I still pray for him. All I can do is plant the seed.

There may be times we doubt God's presence. I'm not referring to His existence as in our Creator. I'm referring to His Presence by our side, 24/7. No matter how dire our lives may seem, He is always there ready to comfort us . . . His Love never failing. And, He knows we are only human. It takes practice, patience, spiritual reading and prayer when developing a close relationship with Christ. Knowing Him intimately, issues you once thought draining or atrocious become small bumps in the road where you only stumble, not crash to the ground.

Today's Gospel (John 20:24-29) reminds me of that young man I spoke of above. Our last day working together, I remember him saying (jokingly, I'm sure!) it would take the stigmata for him to believe. Kind of like our Doubting Thomas:

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 Heaven Speaks to Those Away from the Church, Jesus consoles:

"My friend, listen to Me. Hear My words because My words are truth. Reject the rebelliousness of My enemy. Accept that you are called to follow Me and raise your behavior to My standards. I will help you. You will be welcome in heaven if you accept that I am God. You will have to accept that I am God in order to gain heaven, of course. Will you not accept this fact now, before your time on earth is finished? Will you return to Me now given that ultimately you hope to do so? My heart longs for your peace. I see everything. If you have been hurt by those who claimed to represent My Church but who failed, I will heal you. Do not use this hurt as a reason why you step away from all that I offer for you through My Church. This has taken you in the wrong direction and others walk behind you. Please, come into My Church. It belongs to Me, after all. You are welcome, regardless of your sins."

Thank you, Lord, for opportunities to teach younger generations of Your Love and Graces. Keep sending them, Lord. I know I may never see the outcome of my efforts, but I know You will take over where I leave off!

God bless,
Bonnie