My book, Heavenly Healing, not only made me an author for the first time, but taught me many lessons in the process. After reading today's Gospel and contemplating why the word "authority" spoke to me, Anne a lay apostle immediately came to mind. Heavenly Healing is a book of testimonies from lay apostles all over the world who had been blessed by the Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King. The first time I heard Anne speak, it was like drinking water from a fire hose! Jesus grabbed my heart that day, truly beginning my journey toward eternity. A few years later, after devouring every Volume, every Heaven Speaks booklet, Climbing the Mountain and Mist of Mercy, I wanted to write. I needed to write. After publishing a few articles in Christian magazines, I felt the Lord leading me to something bigger . . . I just wasn't sure what that was. Soon I found myself sitting across from Anne, interviewing her. Twelve years and four books later, our relationship has grown into a wonderful friendship, and to this day, she remains the most faith-filled woman I know (and she is the first to say she is imperfect!). God has genuinely given me a mentor to climb the mountain of holiness with.
So, why did I think of Anne when I contemplated the word "authority" in today's Gospel? Because she gives God the authority He deserves in everything she does, says and writes. It's never been about her, it's about what Jesus desires. She is constantly seeking His Will, encouraging everyone to do the same.
Matthew 20:17-28:
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."
In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, she reminds us that desiring Truth is ultimately our path to knowing God:
"Perhaps what is needed is a firmer connection to the mind of God. What is the mind of God? Well, any encounter with the Father would bring one to understand authority. The Father radiates authority. Real authority, of course, comes from Truth. Full Truth, that is. Not shades of the Truth, not self-serving slants on the Truth and certainly not the Truth arbitrated for any one given historical point of history. The Truth never changes but here is the reality of our relationship to the Truth. At given historical points, God seems to allow us to go deeper into the Truth, to discover in greater detail its unchanging elements. And it is those true elements that withstand the test of time, as Divine Mercy has withstood the test of time. It has proved itself to be a true revelation for all times. But people were not ready for it prior to its revealed moment and possibly only through time will we absorb and apply it more fully."
Lay apostles, how connected do you feel to God right now? Are you taking time this Lent to develop your relationship with Him? How does today's Gospel speak to you? My connection to Him is through our morning/spiritual readings, prayers at meals, weekly Adoration, praying the Rosary and going to Mass. The more I get to know Him, the more I feel the need to give up self-will . . . to let Him take the reins.
Thank you, Lord, for being the Authority in my life. It seems so much easier when I let You lead!
God bless,
Bonnie
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Gospel Thoughts Today: Make Sure Your Actions = Your Words
I trust my husband Jay with all my heart and soul. When he says he loves me, I feel it in every cell of this earthly body. He lovingly encourages me when I need a kick in the pants, and he is the first to congratulate me when I accomplish something, no matter how big or small. His actions = his words. I know he would say I do the same for him. I am allowed to be vulnerable. God is the center of our life. His Will is the consideration for every decision we make as a couple. This is what Jesus asks of us. Not only in our marriages, but in every relationship . . . love fully, speak the truth, serve each other, be humble. Listen to what He has to say in the Gospels. Then, begin acting as He instructs.
In the today's Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12), Jesus is pretty clear in how we should act:
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she encourages us to take action:
"Jesus Christ was acutely aware that He was here to set an example. And that is the first thing we must always consider in our days. We, like Christ, are setting an example. Are our daily actions an appropriate example to others? We should read Scripture and soak up everything Jesus said and did because it was all intended to show us exactly how to live and how to love each other. When we read about Him, considering what He must have been thinking and what He must have been feeling, we will fall for Jesus more and more, as so many have before us. Love of Jesus is as natural as breathing for a child of God. It is personal to Him and we must make it personal to us."
Lay apostles, vulnerability is honesty. Honesty is Truth. Truth is that which is . . . and He Is! It's never too late to change, to begin living as Jesus teaches us in the Gospels. Make sure your actions = your words.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to make sure I live what I preach. I know I am a work in progress, but it is getting easier every day!
God bless,
Bonnie
In the today's Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12), Jesus is pretty clear in how we should act:
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she encourages us to take action:
"Jesus Christ was acutely aware that He was here to set an example. And that is the first thing we must always consider in our days. We, like Christ, are setting an example. Are our daily actions an appropriate example to others? We should read Scripture and soak up everything Jesus said and did because it was all intended to show us exactly how to live and how to love each other. When we read about Him, considering what He must have been thinking and what He must have been feeling, we will fall for Jesus more and more, as so many have before us. Love of Jesus is as natural as breathing for a child of God. It is personal to Him and we must make it personal to us."
Lay apostles, vulnerability is honesty. Honesty is Truth. Truth is that which is . . . and He Is! It's never too late to change, to begin living as Jesus teaches us in the Gospels. Make sure your actions = your words.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to make sure I live what I preach. I know I am a work in progress, but it is getting easier every day!
God bless,
Bonnie
Monday, February 26, 2018
Gospel Thoughts Today: The Value of Patience
Here we are at Day 13 of our Lenten journey. What changes have occurred in your heart so far? For me, I am discovering patience is easier when you trust Him and His perfect timing . . . the problem is sometimes He takes a little longer than I desire! Which, in turn, challenges me in achieving one of my goals for Lent . . . patience. Ah! Such a vicious cycle at times! There is a line in Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love which is always a reminder to have patience . . . not only with others, but with ourselves: "We are, each of us, an ongoing heavenly project after all and we are, each of us, called to cooperate with heaven on the projects that are the people around us." To me, the message was to stop focusing on my wants/needs, using His heavenly gaze to help those around me . . . to bring Him to every person I encounter. In His mercy, He will make sure I have what I need. He always has. With patience comes less judgment/more mercy. So, the question is, how can I help another today? By seeing with His Eyes, not my own.
Todays Gospel (Luke 6:36-38) is key to live our lives as Christians:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she gives us the profile of a lay apostle and how to see ourselves and others with His Eyes:
"How do we separate ourselves from those who are destructive? We all have similar temptations, if the truth be told. We may crave attention, want to be admired and have rebellious thoughts against authority. So it is good to see that often our claim of holiness is not one we can back up in every moment. But here is the difference between your average struggling apostle and the one who is a fake. The average struggling apostle (most of us fall into this category) knows he is no saint. He has a realistic attitude about his gaps in holiness and he is striving to do better. He understands that to protect God’s interests, he has to exert himself and even then God’s interests are at risk from his humanity. The average struggling apostle will have the ability to laugh at himself when he is ridiculous and he will have a good working knowledge of his weaknesses and temptations. These others are not in touch with either their capacity for good or their instinct for destruction. They destruct at will. Wherever they go there is tearing down, drama, condemnation of others and judgment. Superiority comes out in regular waves like the rings emitted from a tracking device. They move, the superiority shifts to others but it keeps coming off them. Regardless of how much praising of God they do with their lips, eventually anger shows up because there is not enough attention in the world for them. Perhaps those reading this will wonder if in writing about this I am passing judgment. Be assured, I am convinced there are mitigating circumstances which will result in merciful treatment of those who behave this way. My goal in illuminating these things is to warn apostles to be alert to false representatives of holiness. They are a danger to our peace and to God’s work. They infiltrate our organizations and groups and create all manner of upheaval. How often we witness a holy apostle being compassionate and accepting ill-treatment in these situations, consistently returning love for hostility and overlooking attacks. It is good to try to achieve a good outcome and give others every possible benefit of the doubt but, at some point, one must tell a holy apostle, “This person holds ill will for you. You cannot fix this person.” There are times when we have to move decisively to protect ourselves or our work from such impostors."
Lay apostles, today, look at others/situations with His Eyes instead of your own. See as Jesus sees . . . with love, kindness, and patience. Practice what He tells us in the Gospel today. Live as Anne describes above. But be alert . . . I have had to disconnect from toxic people in order to keep focused on Him. I know what you're thinking . . . if I'm a Christian, shouldn't I keep trying with toxic people? Think about the life of Christ. Did He stick around waiting for people to believe? If you listen, He will direct you.
Thank you, Lord, for helping me to develop more patience this Lent. In my heart, I know Your timing is perfect. Can you please relay that message to my brain?
God bless,
Bonnie
Todays Gospel (Luke 6:36-38) is key to live our lives as Christians:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she gives us the profile of a lay apostle and how to see ourselves and others with His Eyes:
"How do we separate ourselves from those who are destructive? We all have similar temptations, if the truth be told. We may crave attention, want to be admired and have rebellious thoughts against authority. So it is good to see that often our claim of holiness is not one we can back up in every moment. But here is the difference between your average struggling apostle and the one who is a fake. The average struggling apostle (most of us fall into this category) knows he is no saint. He has a realistic attitude about his gaps in holiness and he is striving to do better. He understands that to protect God’s interests, he has to exert himself and even then God’s interests are at risk from his humanity. The average struggling apostle will have the ability to laugh at himself when he is ridiculous and he will have a good working knowledge of his weaknesses and temptations. These others are not in touch with either their capacity for good or their instinct for destruction. They destruct at will. Wherever they go there is tearing down, drama, condemnation of others and judgment. Superiority comes out in regular waves like the rings emitted from a tracking device. They move, the superiority shifts to others but it keeps coming off them. Regardless of how much praising of God they do with their lips, eventually anger shows up because there is not enough attention in the world for them. Perhaps those reading this will wonder if in writing about this I am passing judgment. Be assured, I am convinced there are mitigating circumstances which will result in merciful treatment of those who behave this way. My goal in illuminating these things is to warn apostles to be alert to false representatives of holiness. They are a danger to our peace and to God’s work. They infiltrate our organizations and groups and create all manner of upheaval. How often we witness a holy apostle being compassionate and accepting ill-treatment in these situations, consistently returning love for hostility and overlooking attacks. It is good to try to achieve a good outcome and give others every possible benefit of the doubt but, at some point, one must tell a holy apostle, “This person holds ill will for you. You cannot fix this person.” There are times when we have to move decisively to protect ourselves or our work from such impostors."
Lay apostles, today, look at others/situations with His Eyes instead of your own. See as Jesus sees . . . with love, kindness, and patience. Practice what He tells us in the Gospel today. Live as Anne describes above. But be alert . . . I have had to disconnect from toxic people in order to keep focused on Him. I know what you're thinking . . . if I'm a Christian, shouldn't I keep trying with toxic people? Think about the life of Christ. Did He stick around waiting for people to believe? If you listen, He will direct you.
Thank you, Lord, for helping me to develop more patience this Lent. In my heart, I know Your timing is perfect. Can you please relay that message to my brain?
God bless,
Bonnie
Friday, February 23, 2018
Gospel Thoughts Today: Can You Handle the Truth?
I can't stand it when I'm wrong. Passionate about what I believe to be true, I find it hard to swallow when I get it wrong. Well, at least I used to be that way. Now, I am finally mature enough to admit when I'm not getting it right. Anger is not a word in my vocabulary anymore. When Jay and I have a disagreement (which is VERY rare, but it does happen!), we quickly turn to Jesus. We don't harbor ill feelings toward each other. Most importantly, we listen to each other and talk it out. Bottom line . . . there is no doubt we love each other and neither wants to cause the other any hurt. There is safety in our relationship. We both feel safe to say what's on our mind, and do our best to speak in a loving manner. We try not to judge or bring up the past (prior to our relationship). Handling the truth takes practice, but more importantly, it takes trust. Trust in my partner . . . trust in the Lord. When you have both, life carries a peace that I personally have never experienced. Trust Him and everything else will flow.
The Gospel today (Matthew 5:20-26) tells us to never resort to anger . . . lest we be judged accordingly:
Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
In Volume One, Jesus asks us to remain peaceful at all times:
"Often, hearing the truth will anger a soul. Remain calm and loving in the face of this anger and know that people were and are often angry with Me. Children, do not spread unpleasantness about others, either factual or not. Say nothing unless you speak to protect another. Usually you should remain quiet about the sins of your sisters and brothers, as you have enough of your own to be busy about. Speak of kindnesses, sacrifices, and loving acts that brought you joy. Focus on the many, many good qualities of others. Remember that if a soul is not united to Me, that soul feels a gaping emptiness, a loneliness, and a sadness. Dearest children who are close to My heart, have compassion and mercy as I have had compassion and mercy for you."
Lay apostles, anger can get the best of us if we let it. Truly, anger erupts out of fear . . . fear of the truth coming out, fear of our own inadequacies, fear of the unknown. We can either choose to lash out when confronted, or act as Christ did when He faced others fears . . . calm and loving. Go out today knowing you are fully protected with the armor of Christ. So suit up and stay joyful, full of His Truth.
Thank you, Lord, for the peace you have given me through the Volumes and all of Anne's writing. I am a different person than I was even yesterday. You have filled me with peace.
God bless,
Bonnie
The Gospel today (Matthew 5:20-26) tells us to never resort to anger . . . lest we be judged accordingly:
Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
In Volume One, Jesus asks us to remain peaceful at all times:
"Often, hearing the truth will anger a soul. Remain calm and loving in the face of this anger and know that people were and are often angry with Me. Children, do not spread unpleasantness about others, either factual or not. Say nothing unless you speak to protect another. Usually you should remain quiet about the sins of your sisters and brothers, as you have enough of your own to be busy about. Speak of kindnesses, sacrifices, and loving acts that brought you joy. Focus on the many, many good qualities of others. Remember that if a soul is not united to Me, that soul feels a gaping emptiness, a loneliness, and a sadness. Dearest children who are close to My heart, have compassion and mercy as I have had compassion and mercy for you."
Lay apostles, anger can get the best of us if we let it. Truly, anger erupts out of fear . . . fear of the truth coming out, fear of our own inadequacies, fear of the unknown. We can either choose to lash out when confronted, or act as Christ did when He faced others fears . . . calm and loving. Go out today knowing you are fully protected with the armor of Christ. So suit up and stay joyful, full of His Truth.
Thank you, Lord, for the peace you have given me through the Volumes and all of Anne's writing. I am a different person than I was even yesterday. You have filled me with peace.
God bless,
Bonnie
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Gospel Word for Today: Prevail
Jay and I have had many conversations over the years regarding negative people. It's very easy to be drawn into conversations leading nowhere, commiserating with encounters from situations I personally experienced in my past. It takes actual concentration to turn those conversations around, focusing on the positive. A few years ago I had a conversation with a young man. He complained about his job, and how unfair his boss was . . . yada, yada, yada. I've had difficult bosses in the past so I could understand the frustration. But with age comes wisdom, right? I took my shot at turning his annoyance into empathy by explaining we never know the lives people lead behind closed doors. Some wear their emotions on their sleeve and some hide despair appearing upbeat and happy. He listened and agreed we never know what's behind angry words. Then proceeded to complain some more! The lesson I took away from this conversation? I had some work to do, to prevail . . . practice positivity, not allowing negative talk to escape my lips to the best of my ability. My goal is remembering to be more of Him and less of me. I just pray He continues to intervene when I fail to follow my own advice!
In today's Gospel (Matthew 16:13-19) Jesus shows us how faith in Him leads to the gates of heaven:
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
In Volume Two, our Blessed Mother gives us direction in trusting her Son:
"My children, I am anxious that you persevere in your conversions. There are many graces available to you so that you stay this course to holiness. Because I am a mother, your mother, I anticipate dangers that threaten my little ones. Beware of spiritual pride. Jesus intends to bring each of you to a high level of holiness in a relatively short time. At no time should you think this holiness comes from you. Your faith, your love of God, is God’s gift to you so do not hold yourself above your brothers and sisters who are not responding as fully and hence not receiving the same level of grace. My little one, you might wonder what it is you are contributing if everything is coming from Jesus. You are contributing your free will. You are contributing your time on earth. You are giving Jesus your heart and saying “Yes, Jesus, I want to be a saint.” Truly, little child of my heart, Jesus can do anything with a soul such as yours who has made a decision for heaven. Consider yourself now a soldier in the army of light. I anoint you as such and you work only for goodness. Prayer is your weapon and you are armed with the holiness acquired through your obedience. No evil can prevail against you. Such is the power you wield with Jesus as your leader. Fear nothing. We are with you. Be available to accept your direction through prayer so that as times change we can instruct you in everything. We are always available to you. I bless you now and entrust you to my Son, Jesus Christ. Serve Him faithfully and you will know heaven. How your loyalty will be rewarded. Truly, children, you will be overwhelmed with happiness. We have every answer, so bring every trouble to Us. I am with you and seek to help you as a mother helps her children through difficult times. When you need me, dear ones, I will be there, with additional guidance for your time."
Lay apostles, how are you handling negativity in your life? Whether it comes from your mouth or another's, be conscious of what you say and how you act. We can't force anyone to be happy or positive. This is a harsh reality. When an opportunity arises, I desperately try to lead others to this mission. The words of Christ and all of Heaven push me to be more humble, acquire patience and trust in Him always. But most importantly, love those I come in contact with on a daily basis. Responsibility for our actions is just that . . . our actions. So, focus on praying more. Read spiritual literature daily. Grow closer to Our Lord. It takes practice, patience, and perseverance. Shut out the negativity by remembering Christ is by your side . . . always!
Thank you, Lord, for helping me focus on the positive when there is so much negative in the world. But especially help me to prevail by shining Your Light to change the hearts of those you place in my path.
God bless,
Bonnie
In today's Gospel (Matthew 16:13-19) Jesus shows us how faith in Him leads to the gates of heaven:
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
In Volume Two, our Blessed Mother gives us direction in trusting her Son:
"My children, I am anxious that you persevere in your conversions. There are many graces available to you so that you stay this course to holiness. Because I am a mother, your mother, I anticipate dangers that threaten my little ones. Beware of spiritual pride. Jesus intends to bring each of you to a high level of holiness in a relatively short time. At no time should you think this holiness comes from you. Your faith, your love of God, is God’s gift to you so do not hold yourself above your brothers and sisters who are not responding as fully and hence not receiving the same level of grace. My little one, you might wonder what it is you are contributing if everything is coming from Jesus. You are contributing your free will. You are contributing your time on earth. You are giving Jesus your heart and saying “Yes, Jesus, I want to be a saint.” Truly, little child of my heart, Jesus can do anything with a soul such as yours who has made a decision for heaven. Consider yourself now a soldier in the army of light. I anoint you as such and you work only for goodness. Prayer is your weapon and you are armed with the holiness acquired through your obedience. No evil can prevail against you. Such is the power you wield with Jesus as your leader. Fear nothing. We are with you. Be available to accept your direction through prayer so that as times change we can instruct you in everything. We are always available to you. I bless you now and entrust you to my Son, Jesus Christ. Serve Him faithfully and you will know heaven. How your loyalty will be rewarded. Truly, children, you will be overwhelmed with happiness. We have every answer, so bring every trouble to Us. I am with you and seek to help you as a mother helps her children through difficult times. When you need me, dear ones, I will be there, with additional guidance for your time."
Lay apostles, how are you handling negativity in your life? Whether it comes from your mouth or another's, be conscious of what you say and how you act. We can't force anyone to be happy or positive. This is a harsh reality. When an opportunity arises, I desperately try to lead others to this mission. The words of Christ and all of Heaven push me to be more humble, acquire patience and trust in Him always. But most importantly, love those I come in contact with on a daily basis. Responsibility for our actions is just that . . . our actions. So, focus on praying more. Read spiritual literature daily. Grow closer to Our Lord. It takes practice, patience, and perseverance. Shut out the negativity by remembering Christ is by your side . . . always!
Thank you, Lord, for helping me focus on the positive when there is so much negative in the world. But especially help me to prevail by shining Your Light to change the hearts of those you place in my path.
God bless,
Bonnie
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Gospel Thoughts Today: Don't Be Distracted
I am an insomniac. Have been since my first semester of nursing school many years ago. When I decided to go back to school to pursue a BSN, my youngest daughter was two. My schedule of classes that first semester were College Algebra, Marriage and Family, Communications, and the culprit causing my insomnia, Microbiology. Early in the semester, we were given the task of determining the bacterial species of the organism distributed to each team of two. My partner Brian and I spent hours in the lab using different identification techniques to figure out what the little sucker was. Our professor was one of the toughest in the program, and also one of the most brilliant men I had ever met. Both of us wanted to impress him. As the due date for our project approached, my stress level soared. I remember going to bed one night running all the test results through my head on our dear little bacteria sample. We had it down to two. I tried to fall asleep but gram staining and phenotypic differences kept me drifting in and out. Then, I remember sitting up in the middle of the night yelling "staphylococcus aureus!" Brian had come to the same conclusion I discovered the next day. We proudly handed our brilliant findings to our esteemed professor, feeling we just rocked the Microbiology world! He took our precious research, smiled, stuck it in a pile, and went back to what he was doing. Not exactly the cheering we expected, but a much needed lesson in humility!
It's so easy to become distracted in this world. We have jobs, school and/or families. We have the internet, iPhones, TV, and every other form of entertainment at our beck and call. Don't you wish there was a switch you could flip to turn off the world and focus solely on Jesus? The closest I have found to flipping a switch is going to Adoration and praying the Rosary. Indeed, I still find myself drifting at times to worldly thoughts, but I get back on track faster when immersed in Him and His Life on earth.
After reading todays Gospel (Matthew 6:7-15), Jesus teaches us it's quality, not quantity when praying:
Jesus said to his disciples: "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."
In Volume Two, Jesus asks us to rely on Him when having a flurry of thoughts:
“It is not in My nature to confuse, so you must believe that confusion does not come from Me. Fear, anxiety, restlessness do not come from Me. Bitterness, hatred, deceit do not come from Me. Does that mean you will never experience these things? No. It is part of your earthly cross that you will encounter these things. What I am telling you is that you must bring these things to Me. I will then take them from you and you will be free of them. You may encounter these things again, perhaps within the hour. Come back to Me, in your heart, where I remain, and I will take them from you again. You see, My little dear one, your struggles are Mine now. I am stronger, wiser, more able for these things and I want to remove any negative thoughts from you. I seek to heal you and renew you. I can do this if you will let Me. I do not make this promise for now, this moment. I make this a lifetime pledge to you. When you experience a difficulty with your emotions, you bring it right to Me. And that’s where it will end.”
Lay apostles, do you struggle with prayer? If you do, just pray the Our Father. As you grow into a deeper relationship with Christ, prayer becomes as easy as talking to your best friend.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me reliance on You for everything will ease my mind of useless anxiety and distractions.
God bless,
Bonnie
It's so easy to become distracted in this world. We have jobs, school and/or families. We have the internet, iPhones, TV, and every other form of entertainment at our beck and call. Don't you wish there was a switch you could flip to turn off the world and focus solely on Jesus? The closest I have found to flipping a switch is going to Adoration and praying the Rosary. Indeed, I still find myself drifting at times to worldly thoughts, but I get back on track faster when immersed in Him and His Life on earth.
After reading todays Gospel (Matthew 6:7-15), Jesus teaches us it's quality, not quantity when praying:
Jesus said to his disciples: "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
This is how you are to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."
In Volume Two, Jesus asks us to rely on Him when having a flurry of thoughts:
“It is not in My nature to confuse, so you must believe that confusion does not come from Me. Fear, anxiety, restlessness do not come from Me. Bitterness, hatred, deceit do not come from Me. Does that mean you will never experience these things? No. It is part of your earthly cross that you will encounter these things. What I am telling you is that you must bring these things to Me. I will then take them from you and you will be free of them. You may encounter these things again, perhaps within the hour. Come back to Me, in your heart, where I remain, and I will take them from you again. You see, My little dear one, your struggles are Mine now. I am stronger, wiser, more able for these things and I want to remove any negative thoughts from you. I seek to heal you and renew you. I can do this if you will let Me. I do not make this promise for now, this moment. I make this a lifetime pledge to you. When you experience a difficulty with your emotions, you bring it right to Me. And that’s where it will end.”
Lay apostles, do you struggle with prayer? If you do, just pray the Our Father. As you grow into a deeper relationship with Christ, prayer becomes as easy as talking to your best friend.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me reliance on You for everything will ease my mind of useless anxiety and distractions.
God bless,
Bonnie
Monday, February 19, 2018
Gospel Word Today: Inherit
This March will be the 11th anniversary of my mother's death. Hard to believe the time has flown by so quickly. My mother suffered many tragedies as a child, inducing a lifetime of mental illness. But there was one thing she was very clear about . . . her heavenly inheritance. She would always say considering she was an orphan and a widow (after my father died), she surely would have the greatest of riches in heaven. I remember thinking she might be spending a bit of time in purgatory before seeing those riches, but nevertheless, I knew she was right. So many look for their inheritance here on earth . . . thinking more money in their bank account means a better life. I've seen and heard about families feuding over an item left behind . . . coveting a material object instead of comforting each other for their loss of a loved one. It's time to let go of material things and start focusing on our heavenly inheritance. I will leave you with this quote from the movie Bella. The main female lead, Nina, says "I've done the research and ten out of ten people die." We are all heading in the same direction toward eternal life . . . we only have this one chance to do it right. The time to start is now.
Today's Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46) couldn't be any clearer, and make my choice any easier . . . I want to be on the right side:
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
In the Monthly Message from January 2006, Jesus calls us to accept the Truth and our inheritance:
"Dear friends of the Saviour, together We are changing your world. When souls feel fear, We will bring calm. When souls feel anger, We will bring forgiveness. When souls feel abandoned, We will bring love. When souls feel great grief, We will bring comfort. And when souls see death, We will bring them to an acceptance of heaven so that they understand eternal life. Many in the world today do not understand their inheritance. This creates a fear of death that prevents souls from living fully. If a soul accepts the Truth about eternity, that soul works for Me because the soul knows that glory only lasts if it is obtained for heaven. The glory of heaven is love and is obtained by how much one loved on earth. Souls will be disappointed when they look back on their life if their life was lived in selfishness and if their purpose in life was to obtain worldly goods. This will be a disappointment for them, for Me, and for their families if their families were led astray by this flawed vision of the purpose of life. If you realign the purpose in your life, I will then help to realign the purpose for each member of your family. This is My promise to you. Make Me, Jesus Christ, the purpose of your life, and I will work through you to claim the world."
Lay apostles, we can learn so much from the Gospels! Listen to Jesus. Believe His words. Add the messages in the Volumes and all of Anne a lay apostle's books. The combination will open your eyes to a world you never imagined.
Thank you, Lord, for clarifying in the Gospel today the path that leads us to our heavenly inheritance. And thank you for sending the messages through Anne to assist where we don't understand.
God bless,
Bonnie
Today's Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46) couldn't be any clearer, and make my choice any easier . . . I want to be on the right side:
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
In the Monthly Message from January 2006, Jesus calls us to accept the Truth and our inheritance:
"Dear friends of the Saviour, together We are changing your world. When souls feel fear, We will bring calm. When souls feel anger, We will bring forgiveness. When souls feel abandoned, We will bring love. When souls feel great grief, We will bring comfort. And when souls see death, We will bring them to an acceptance of heaven so that they understand eternal life. Many in the world today do not understand their inheritance. This creates a fear of death that prevents souls from living fully. If a soul accepts the Truth about eternity, that soul works for Me because the soul knows that glory only lasts if it is obtained for heaven. The glory of heaven is love and is obtained by how much one loved on earth. Souls will be disappointed when they look back on their life if their life was lived in selfishness and if their purpose in life was to obtain worldly goods. This will be a disappointment for them, for Me, and for their families if their families were led astray by this flawed vision of the purpose of life. If you realign the purpose in your life, I will then help to realign the purpose for each member of your family. This is My promise to you. Make Me, Jesus Christ, the purpose of your life, and I will work through you to claim the world."
Lay apostles, we can learn so much from the Gospels! Listen to Jesus. Believe His words. Add the messages in the Volumes and all of Anne a lay apostle's books. The combination will open your eyes to a world you never imagined.
Thank you, Lord, for clarifying in the Gospel today the path that leads us to our heavenly inheritance. And thank you for sending the messages through Anne to assist where we don't understand.
God bless,
Bonnie
Friday, February 16, 2018
Gospel Word Today: Fast
Grocery shopping is going to be tough this Lent . . . a few nights ago I realized how chocolate is strategically placed throughout the local grocery store where we shop! On the end cap of the ice cream isle . . . every kind of chocolate topping one can imagine (so even if you weren't planning on buying ice cream, you now must do so in order to have something to pour your jar of Dove chocolate upon). In the produce department . . . chocolate donut gems. Walking by the bakery . . . chocolate cake, chocolate iced donuts, chocolate chip cookies. And of course, the ultimate chocolate temptation . . . beautifully stacked rows on both sides of the check out lane! I have been going to this grocery store for almost 15 years and on any given day I don't even notice it (probably because I have a bag of the Enjoy Now chocolate chips - diary, nut and soy free mind you!). But tonight it got me thinking . . . am I overlooking Christ at times when I should be focused on Him? Just like the chocolate, He is everywhere. In Jay's kiss after a long day at work; in the mischievous smile my granddaughter gives me when she has pushed the buttons on the dishwasher; loving words from a friend despite her challenges; kind gestures from a stranger; in the pages of the Volumes. The list is endless. Lent is all about reprogramming our wandering minds to focus on the beauty and graces available in the Gospels. To grow closer to Jesus, becoming more of Him, less of me.
Todays Gospel (Matthew 9:14-15) is a lesson in spending as much time as you can with Christ:
The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
In Volume Seven, St. Christopher supplies us with a unique perspective on fasting:
"Fasting is a good way to let your body understand that it is not in charge. When you fast you deny your body and nourish your soul. Your soul grows strong and confident during these periods. The enemy becomes weak and ineffectual in your life if you are fasting. Can I ask that you take two days in each week and give up a little something that your body would like to have? You do not have to begin with a strict fast and if you are not used to fasting I do not encourage you to do so. Begin small, with little sacrifices. Keep busy and do not think about your body. Think about Jesus, heaven, our beautiful Blessed Mother, angels, and what you would like to discuss with us, your heavenly friends, when you arrive here. Think of the questions you have for Jesus. Think of what you would like to learn about when you arrive in heaven. Think about the beauty of participating in a world- wide mission of mercy. That is what you are doing, you know. You have become part of Christ’s team and we are working together to save many souls before the changes come."
Lay apostles, don't you LOVE the quote above from St. Christopher? Contemplating how fasting strengthens our soul and weakens the enemy is powerful. We can either blow it off as something unimportant, or, we can begin to use fasting to eradicate the enemy from our lives. Which do you choose?
Thank you, Lord, for Your assistance in the grocery store temptations! Please help me to remember, each time I'm tempted, to focus on You, not something as insignificant as a little chocolate!
God bless,
Bonnie
Todays Gospel (Matthew 9:14-15) is a lesson in spending as much time as you can with Christ:
The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
In Volume Seven, St. Christopher supplies us with a unique perspective on fasting:
"Fasting is a good way to let your body understand that it is not in charge. When you fast you deny your body and nourish your soul. Your soul grows strong and confident during these periods. The enemy becomes weak and ineffectual in your life if you are fasting. Can I ask that you take two days in each week and give up a little something that your body would like to have? You do not have to begin with a strict fast and if you are not used to fasting I do not encourage you to do so. Begin small, with little sacrifices. Keep busy and do not think about your body. Think about Jesus, heaven, our beautiful Blessed Mother, angels, and what you would like to discuss with us, your heavenly friends, when you arrive here. Think of the questions you have for Jesus. Think of what you would like to learn about when you arrive in heaven. Think about the beauty of participating in a world- wide mission of mercy. That is what you are doing, you know. You have become part of Christ’s team and we are working together to save many souls before the changes come."
Lay apostles, don't you LOVE the quote above from St. Christopher? Contemplating how fasting strengthens our soul and weakens the enemy is powerful. We can either blow it off as something unimportant, or, we can begin to use fasting to eradicate the enemy from our lives. Which do you choose?
Thank you, Lord, for Your assistance in the grocery store temptations! Please help me to remember, each time I'm tempted, to focus on You, not something as insignificant as a little chocolate!
God bless,
Bonnie
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Gospel Word Today: Rejected
The political atmosphere we encompass daily now is a barrage of negativity and, yes, fake news. Why are the people being paraded across social media so angry and violent? It has grown into brutal verbal and even physical attacks if one side doesn't agree with the other. In order to recoup my peace, I am finding the need to disconnect from the chaos (at least for an hour or so!) and focus on Jesus. As I read today's Gospel, the word "rejected" jumped out at me. I began thinking about the people who continue "rejecting" our President and his desire to fix America, even a year after his election. This question popped into my head: How do I act when I'm rejected? I'm hurt, I'm sad, or I'm annoyed. But through my faith (and with age), I have learned to subdue the pangs of rejection through prayer and thanksgiving for all the love that surrounds me. There are many wounded people whose only recourse for their candidate losing the election is to make others feel as bad as they do. It's as if they themselves have been rejected. Many don't have Jesus to navigate out of the spiraling negativity. Many don't even have parents, a spouse, a significant other . . . someone to help ease the pain and confusion. The Son of Man endured rejection and He was Perfect, so why wouldn't His Words lead us in the right direction? There is Light at the end of the tunnel. And Jesus, the Most Experienced One, advises us in the Gospel (Luke 9:22-25) today:
Jesus said to his disciples: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."
Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?"
In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she beautifully illustrates how Our Lord's unconditional love for His Children should inspire us to follow in His Footsteps:
"The greater the love we feel for others, the greater the craving for a reciprocal response of love. Our craving does not ensure that we will receive that which we crave, any more than the Lord’s craving for love from each man is satisfied. Happily, Jesus teaches us as much in rejection as He teaches us in acceptance, that is, the experience of rejection, being so consistent with the ongoing experience of Jesus Christ by humanity, enables us to further identify with the crucified Christ. When the Lord suffered Calvary, He suffered or experienced near-total rejection. This was His experience of it in His humanity, even though we know that not all mankind rejects Christ. Did this cause Him to return rejection or abandon His love for us? No. On the contrary, in the acceptance of those who rejected Him, Jesus set an example of heavenly and unconditional love. Jesus’ acceptance of the rejection of others in no way diminished His craving for the love of humanity. He craved love in both His humanity and His divinity until the moment of His death. He continues to crave our love and safety. The more we possess Christ, the more we recognize Christ and love Him in others."
Lay apostles, contemplate the Gospel today and remember how Jesus handled life's difficulties. Strive for unconditional love in every situation. As hard as that is to do at times, we should always attempt it when the opportunity arises! Remember, WWJD?
Thank you, Lord, for all the lessons in the Gospels. The are the salve to my pain and the icing on my cake!
God bless,
Bonnie
Jesus said to his disciples: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."
Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?"
In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she beautifully illustrates how Our Lord's unconditional love for His Children should inspire us to follow in His Footsteps:
"The greater the love we feel for others, the greater the craving for a reciprocal response of love. Our craving does not ensure that we will receive that which we crave, any more than the Lord’s craving for love from each man is satisfied. Happily, Jesus teaches us as much in rejection as He teaches us in acceptance, that is, the experience of rejection, being so consistent with the ongoing experience of Jesus Christ by humanity, enables us to further identify with the crucified Christ. When the Lord suffered Calvary, He suffered or experienced near-total rejection. This was His experience of it in His humanity, even though we know that not all mankind rejects Christ. Did this cause Him to return rejection or abandon His love for us? No. On the contrary, in the acceptance of those who rejected Him, Jesus set an example of heavenly and unconditional love. Jesus’ acceptance of the rejection of others in no way diminished His craving for the love of humanity. He craved love in both His humanity and His divinity until the moment of His death. He continues to crave our love and safety. The more we possess Christ, the more we recognize Christ and love Him in others."
Lay apostles, contemplate the Gospel today and remember how Jesus handled life's difficulties. Strive for unconditional love in every situation. As hard as that is to do at times, we should always attempt it when the opportunity arises! Remember, WWJD?
Thank you, Lord, for all the lessons in the Gospels. The are the salve to my pain and the icing on my cake!
God bless,
Bonnie
Gospel Thoughts Today: First Day of Lent - Keep Your Ego in Check
When my grandson Colton was beginning to walk, every attempt he made would result in all of us cheering for him (which created a huge grin on his face every time)! He somehow knew he was doing something special when he heard each of our high pitched voices praising his impressive ability! When his toddling became steadier, he would get a look on his face as he was about to walk . . . one that knew he was going to make his Mimi (or anyone in the room) become even more animated than usual. An ego in the making? It can be if the only positive reinforcement a child receives is doing something right or new or grand. If there is no love while disciplining when they make mistakes, they will seek to find it somewhere else. Teach your children the value of humility by showering them with love and encouragement. Give them what they need at home so they don't go searching for it in places which lead them away from Christ. Give them Jesus for times when we aren't there to praise them or bandage up their wounds. Teach them to rely on Christ . . . always!
Today's Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) reminds us to tuck away the ego and do good deeds for love of Christ:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
In Volume Seven, St. Damien emphasizes the importance of keeping ego out of what we do for Jesus:
"Many of your struggles can be minimized with constant acts of Holy Indifference. Jesus, along with all of His many helpers, needs you to be His hands, His heart, and His representatives. He can get the work done through you quite easily. You are a part of the work but not the whole work. Let me make this even clearer. If you remain small, understanding that without the help of God you are without power, He can do the greatest things through you. When man swells in his heart and feels that it is he himself who is accomplishing these things, the trouble begins. Egos are difficult friends and dreadful rulers. Keep your ego on a very short leash and understand that your merit lies in your obedience to Christ. Do not take credit for what Christ does through you. He cannot entrust great missions to you if your ego swells with each success. When your work is successful, praise God. When your work fails, praise God. When the sun shines, praise God. When the rain falls, praise God. Do you get the idea? You serve Him and He will do great things through you."
Lay apostles, the above quote reminds me of the first time I met Anne a lay apostle to interview her. Every time I asked a question about her, she immediately told me this wasn't about her, it was about Christ. She is one woman with her ego in check. Actually, there is no ego involved here. With all the hearts changed through this apostolate around the world, it is actually quite amazing there is no ego. Exactly why she was chosen to be one of His messengers in this time. So the next time your ego rears its ugly head, think about Anne. Think about all the negativity she has endured over the years. Think about how keeping her ego out of it has drawn so many back to the Church. She has profoundly affected my life. Not only through the Volumes and books, but with loving support she has given me personally. I couldn't be more blessed.
Thank you, Lord, for all the ego swells I have overcome with humility. Thank you for Anne and this apostolate. I am so blessed You chose me to be a part of it!
God bless,
Bonnie
Today's Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) reminds us to tuck away the ego and do good deeds for love of Christ:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
In Volume Seven, St. Damien emphasizes the importance of keeping ego out of what we do for Jesus:
"Many of your struggles can be minimized with constant acts of Holy Indifference. Jesus, along with all of His many helpers, needs you to be His hands, His heart, and His representatives. He can get the work done through you quite easily. You are a part of the work but not the whole work. Let me make this even clearer. If you remain small, understanding that without the help of God you are without power, He can do the greatest things through you. When man swells in his heart and feels that it is he himself who is accomplishing these things, the trouble begins. Egos are difficult friends and dreadful rulers. Keep your ego on a very short leash and understand that your merit lies in your obedience to Christ. Do not take credit for what Christ does through you. He cannot entrust great missions to you if your ego swells with each success. When your work is successful, praise God. When your work fails, praise God. When the sun shines, praise God. When the rain falls, praise God. Do you get the idea? You serve Him and He will do great things through you."
Lay apostles, the above quote reminds me of the first time I met Anne a lay apostle to interview her. Every time I asked a question about her, she immediately told me this wasn't about her, it was about Christ. She is one woman with her ego in check. Actually, there is no ego involved here. With all the hearts changed through this apostolate around the world, it is actually quite amazing there is no ego. Exactly why she was chosen to be one of His messengers in this time. So the next time your ego rears its ugly head, think about Anne. Think about all the negativity she has endured over the years. Think about how keeping her ego out of it has drawn so many back to the Church. She has profoundly affected my life. Not only through the Volumes and books, but with loving support she has given me personally. I couldn't be more blessed.
Thank you, Lord, for all the ego swells I have overcome with humility. Thank you for Anne and this apostolate. I am so blessed You chose me to be a part of it!
God bless,
Bonnie
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Gospel Word Today: Concluded
How do we arrive at the conclusions of our choices? Usually, it is through experiences of the past. At times we rely on those past experiences for fear of the unknown . . . if what we have seen or heard previously is real or perceived. It's hard to break out of old habits/thought processes. For me, faith in Christ must take precedence over any prior events charting the course of my life. Not an easy thing to do . . . but I have concluded that in times when I trust in Him and His Plan for me, life seems to flow in a more peaceful manner.
In today's Gospel (Mark 8:14-21), Jesus reminds His disciples to remember and believe:
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, "Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?" They answered him, "Twelve."
"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?" They answered him, "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she reminds us God is and always will be steps ahead of us, working to secure our future service leading ultimately to Him:
"There are days when the work we do for God is so steady that we do not look around. We serve without interruption, giving little thought to the bigger canvas on which God uses us to paint His story of renewal.
Sometimes we work very hard for long periods and during these periods God gives us all that we need to persist in His service. We have, during these periods of intensive service, little time to examine why we are serving God or what else we could be doing. We simply work. All is well. During these periods, God often withholds temptations of the more sublime variety, the 'Do I really want to remain on this current course?' temptations. We barrel through the work, and God flows through us mightily even though we can be largely unaware of this. After a time, we get tired. Then comes a natural break. This can come in the form of an in-between period, or it is a time-off period. Perhaps we suffer with illness or a transition of service occurs. At those times, the floodgates can open. God then allows us to struggle with the temptations necessary to secure our future service. The story with holiness, while written in the present, is concluded in the future. In other words, the end of the story is directly correlated to the action of the present. What will the end look like? That depends on what we choose today. The struggle we all experience of revulsion for the work that God wills for us is part of the work."
Lay apostles, what are you struggling with today? Bad choices? Illness? Lack of faith in God? Whatever it is, read and reread the quote from Anne's book above. We can alter our course by making the right choices today . . . by accepting our challenges in faith knowing He is in control of our destiny. With this in mind, suffering and fear feel a little lighter.
Thank you, Lord, for giving me the perseverance to push through past experiences, creating new experiences which lead to You!
God bless,
Bonnie
In today's Gospel (Mark 8:14-21), Jesus reminds His disciples to remember and believe:
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, "Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?" They answered him, "Twelve."
"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?" They answered him, "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she reminds us God is and always will be steps ahead of us, working to secure our future service leading ultimately to Him:
"There are days when the work we do for God is so steady that we do not look around. We serve without interruption, giving little thought to the bigger canvas on which God uses us to paint His story of renewal.
Sometimes we work very hard for long periods and during these periods God gives us all that we need to persist in His service. We have, during these periods of intensive service, little time to examine why we are serving God or what else we could be doing. We simply work. All is well. During these periods, God often withholds temptations of the more sublime variety, the 'Do I really want to remain on this current course?' temptations. We barrel through the work, and God flows through us mightily even though we can be largely unaware of this. After a time, we get tired. Then comes a natural break. This can come in the form of an in-between period, or it is a time-off period. Perhaps we suffer with illness or a transition of service occurs. At those times, the floodgates can open. God then allows us to struggle with the temptations necessary to secure our future service. The story with holiness, while written in the present, is concluded in the future. In other words, the end of the story is directly correlated to the action of the present. What will the end look like? That depends on what we choose today. The struggle we all experience of revulsion for the work that God wills for us is part of the work."
Lay apostles, what are you struggling with today? Bad choices? Illness? Lack of faith in God? Whatever it is, read and reread the quote from Anne's book above. We can alter our course by making the right choices today . . . by accepting our challenges in faith knowing He is in control of our destiny. With this in mind, suffering and fear feel a little lighter.
Thank you, Lord, for giving me the perseverance to push through past experiences, creating new experiences which lead to You!
God bless,
Bonnie
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Gospel Thoughts Today: A Woman of Great Faith
A woman of great faith . . . I know quite a few. But one stands out in particular. She is facing a challenging diagnosis, one causing physical limitations which are a daunting task. Despite these inconvenient symptoms, her faith is remarkably intact. She tries to stay positive and involved. After reading the Gospel below, I am struck at the connection between faith and unfavorable circumstances. It takes incredible insight and bravery to ask Our Lord for a miracle. But if we don't ask (and accept His Answer), how can we ever stay focused on our salvation? On showing others how great our faith is, even in times of great sorrow/grief? Well, my friend is a beacon of light for me. Her love of Christ and strong Catholic faith is what I strive to emulate. Only through an authentic love of God can we face whatever is thrown our way . . . and face it with grace.
Today's Gospel (Mark 7:24-30) demonstrates yet another miracle when Jesus's omnipotence is not in question:
Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
In Volume Three, our Blessed Mother lovingly inspires us to trust in her Son:
"But I promise you, if you let us work in you, you will see accomplishments you never dreamed would be associated with yourself. This is a time for great confidence. This is a time for great faith. And this is a time when great trust is necessary. Ask for these graces and these graces will be yours."
Lay apostles, what challenges are you facing today? Are your crosses too heavy to carry right now? Ask for the graces Our Lady encourages above. Even if it is just to get through this next day, next hour, next minute.
Thank you, Lord, for allowing challenges in my life in order to see the beauty of faith in You with all those You have placed in my life.
God bless
Bonnie
Today's Gospel (Mark 7:24-30) demonstrates yet another miracle when Jesus's omnipotence is not in question:
Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
In Volume Three, our Blessed Mother lovingly inspires us to trust in her Son:
"But I promise you, if you let us work in you, you will see accomplishments you never dreamed would be associated with yourself. This is a time for great confidence. This is a time for great faith. And this is a time when great trust is necessary. Ask for these graces and these graces will be yours."
Lay apostles, what challenges are you facing today? Are your crosses too heavy to carry right now? Ask for the graces Our Lady encourages above. Even if it is just to get through this next day, next hour, next minute.
Thank you, Lord, for allowing challenges in my life in order to see the beauty of faith in You with all those You have placed in my life.
God bless
Bonnie
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Gospel Thoughts Today: Pious on the Outside
Collecting testimonies for my first book Heavenly Healing sometimes consisted of two to three-hour telephone conversations. Each lay apostle graciously opened their lives to a total stranger. I cried with some, laughed with some. It was such an honor to speak with others who were touched by the apostolate. The Gospel today (Mark 7:1-13) reminded me of one of those three-hour conversations. I knew it was going to be a long call when within the first 5 minutes she said she was bipolar. Just like my mother (dx of bipolar), this woman loved to talk! One of the comments she made was before she began reading the Volumes, she would walk into her church looking very pious on the outside. But on the inside, everything was scrambled. She thought if she appeared a certain way, no one would know about her mental illness. No one would judge her. She actually convinced herself she was a much better Catholic than all the others because she carried a Rosary in her hand. Life in the privacy of her own home was chaotic. Reading the Volumes made her realize He loves us all, no matter what we suffer from. We are human. She learned, to the best of her ability, to make the inside match the outside. And, avoid judging others who appeared unholy. Accepting our flaws and weaknesses is a harsh reality. The kicker is to understand God accepts us, warts and all. The first step is to stop worrying about what others think!
Today, Jesus asks us to stay focused and release our human tendencies of disobedience:
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”
In the booklet Heaven Speaks to Consecrated Souls, St. Dominic boldly describes how disobedience begins when we don't want to obey Christ:
"My dearest beloved friends, one of the ways that darkness is being spread is through the promotion of healing powers that do not originate with Christ. These powers, limited of course, originate with the enemy of Christ. Jesus is sending unlimited graces for spiritual healing and conversion. He is sending great peace to those who come to Him and to those for whom you intercede during this period. I am asking you to speak out against powers that are not from heaven. The enemy would like to make the world think we live in a new age but as I have said, we live not in a new age but an Age of Disobedience. Souls do not seek Jesus because if they seek Jesus they will have to obey. If you are looking to avoid service, you do not seek the One who requires your service. Do you understand? Let us take the example of a fortune teller. Why does a soul seek to have his fortune told? The holy path leads to trusting Jesus with the future and relying on His providence. The exercise of such patience and trust builds sanctity and unity with heaven. In this time, though, the enemy lures souls to disobedience by saying that such things as fortune telling are simply amusing and harmless. I assure you, we in heaven are appalled and saddened, not only by such widespread acceptance of these sinful practices, but by the failure of many of God’s servants to speak out strongly against them. If you are walking with Jesus in the way in which you are called to walk with Jesus, you will not miss an opportunity to correct those in error. Always identify the source of the alleged power. If it is not Jesus, it is not from heaven and it is not acceptable for God’s children."
Lay apostles, I have been there before. Living a life which looks happy and carefree on the outside when I felt trapped on the inside. So how did I finally escape the secrets? I began by going to Confession the day I first saw Anne a lay apostle speak. Then, by slowly detaching from those judging me. Next, by realizing as long as I am making Jesus smile, all the others didn't matter. And finally, by speaking about what was hidden from my past to others . . . one on one, in a group, on this blog, at work. The freedom derived from being an open book is nothing other than miraculous.
Thank you, Lord, for protecting me as my true self is being revealed. And, for showing me those who truly love me don't care about my mistakes.
God bless,
Bonnie
Today, Jesus asks us to stay focused and release our human tendencies of disobedience:
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother. You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed on. And you do many such things.”
In the booklet Heaven Speaks to Consecrated Souls, St. Dominic boldly describes how disobedience begins when we don't want to obey Christ:
"My dearest beloved friends, one of the ways that darkness is being spread is through the promotion of healing powers that do not originate with Christ. These powers, limited of course, originate with the enemy of Christ. Jesus is sending unlimited graces for spiritual healing and conversion. He is sending great peace to those who come to Him and to those for whom you intercede during this period. I am asking you to speak out against powers that are not from heaven. The enemy would like to make the world think we live in a new age but as I have said, we live not in a new age but an Age of Disobedience. Souls do not seek Jesus because if they seek Jesus they will have to obey. If you are looking to avoid service, you do not seek the One who requires your service. Do you understand? Let us take the example of a fortune teller. Why does a soul seek to have his fortune told? The holy path leads to trusting Jesus with the future and relying on His providence. The exercise of such patience and trust builds sanctity and unity with heaven. In this time, though, the enemy lures souls to disobedience by saying that such things as fortune telling are simply amusing and harmless. I assure you, we in heaven are appalled and saddened, not only by such widespread acceptance of these sinful practices, but by the failure of many of God’s servants to speak out strongly against them. If you are walking with Jesus in the way in which you are called to walk with Jesus, you will not miss an opportunity to correct those in error. Always identify the source of the alleged power. If it is not Jesus, it is not from heaven and it is not acceptable for God’s children."
Lay apostles, I have been there before. Living a life which looks happy and carefree on the outside when I felt trapped on the inside. So how did I finally escape the secrets? I began by going to Confession the day I first saw Anne a lay apostle speak. Then, by slowly detaching from those judging me. Next, by realizing as long as I am making Jesus smile, all the others didn't matter. And finally, by speaking about what was hidden from my past to others . . . one on one, in a group, on this blog, at work. The freedom derived from being an open book is nothing other than miraculous.
Thank you, Lord, for protecting me as my true self is being revealed. And, for showing me those who truly love me don't care about my mistakes.
God bless,
Bonnie
Monday, February 5, 2018
Gospel Thoughts Today: The Many Facets of Healing
Healing comes in many forms . . . physical, spiritual, emotional. When we pray for healing, God's answer may not make sense right away. I tend to want my prayers answered at an accelerated pace . . . sometimes I am shocked by how quickly answers appear; other times, I feel like I am begging Him for a healing to occur. And, a particular healing may not be exactly the vision I had in mind. Boy, I can sure understand patience being a virtue! The point is, each day, hour and second must be approached with faith in Christ and His plan for us above all else. Misery is more than likely the only outcome when we take our destiny out of His Hands and into our own. I believe in miracles. I believe He can do all things. I believe He is and always will be in control. With that in mind, I will continue to pray for cures and spiritual healings of my loved ones. I just pray for the ability to let any fear or impatience evaporate when it rears its ugly head.
In today's Gospel (Mark 6:53-56), all it took was faith to be healed by Jesus:
After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.
In the Monthly Message from May 2010, Jesus asks us to accept His Will for us:
"You see, dearest apostle, it is through accepting your own pain and offering yourself for healing that you become My greatest example. You, in your willingness to accept healing and in your willingness to grow, show others what I am offering to the world in this time of Renewal. Beautiful humanity, how painful is My desire to heal you, to console you, to bring you to the Father where you will find eternal dignity and confidence. I ache with the desire that you accept My love. There are people who are waiting to experience Me, but it is through your acceptance of Me, with complete abandonment, that I will be brought to them. Do I burden you with My work? Do you find My friendship a heavy cross to carry? Let Me assure you, it is only in this cross that you will find your joy."
Lay apostles, think back on a time you received comfort. Maybe it was a kind gesture from a stranger. Or encouragement when you felt defeated. And, think about a time you comforted someone. It felt good, right? Each of us has the ability to heal others. There are so many opportunities every second of every day. Take the time to provide a healing touch today. We might not cure what ails them, but we must believe we can make a difference. After all, Christ lives within us. Listen to His promptings.
Thank you, Lord, for the ability to heal others with an embrace, a kiss or a kind word. Help me to be alert to those in need, not allowing fear or impatience to control my thoughts/actions.
God bless,
Bonnie
In today's Gospel (Mark 6:53-56), all it took was faith to be healed by Jesus:
After making the crossing to the other side of the sea, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up there. As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.
In the Monthly Message from May 2010, Jesus asks us to accept His Will for us:
"You see, dearest apostle, it is through accepting your own pain and offering yourself for healing that you become My greatest example. You, in your willingness to accept healing and in your willingness to grow, show others what I am offering to the world in this time of Renewal. Beautiful humanity, how painful is My desire to heal you, to console you, to bring you to the Father where you will find eternal dignity and confidence. I ache with the desire that you accept My love. There are people who are waiting to experience Me, but it is through your acceptance of Me, with complete abandonment, that I will be brought to them. Do I burden you with My work? Do you find My friendship a heavy cross to carry? Let Me assure you, it is only in this cross that you will find your joy."
Lay apostles, think back on a time you received comfort. Maybe it was a kind gesture from a stranger. Or encouragement when you felt defeated. And, think about a time you comforted someone. It felt good, right? Each of us has the ability to heal others. There are so many opportunities every second of every day. Take the time to provide a healing touch today. We might not cure what ails them, but we must believe we can make a difference. After all, Christ lives within us. Listen to His promptings.
Thank you, Lord, for the ability to heal others with an embrace, a kiss or a kind word. Help me to be alert to those in need, not allowing fear or impatience to control my thoughts/actions.
God bless,
Bonnie
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Monthly Message for February
We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2018 with the message from February 1, 2010, for our prayer groups and personal reflection.
February 1, 2010
Jesus
My dear apostles, I am directing you. I am giving you guidance. I am prompting you, again and again. Do you hear Me? Are you learning to separate My voice from the voices of the world? Do you hear Me when I urge you to greater and greater abandonment? You are suffering, I know. I am listening to your prayers and I am with you in your pain. Please do not think that you are experiencing suffering simply because you are serving Me. Look at those who do not serve Me or even those who do not know Me. Are their lives free from suffering? I am helping you to reject the temptation to believe that if you were not walking this path with Me you would be freed from suffering. It is not true. It would be true to say that if you were not united to Me, you would be suffering without the benefit of My companionship. Such lonely suffering. Such hopeless pain. Instead, I offer you the widest variety of consolations. I offer you understanding of the relationship between sacrifice and holiness. I offer you soothing graces to assist you in preparing your soul for Heaven and bringing others comfort and grace. Dearest apostles, you are surrounded by Heaven. You are surrounded by grace which supports you, even when you feel you are unsupported. If you feel you cannot stand, allow yourself to fall back and rest in My arms. I will care for you and give you all that you need to continue. Your life is changing, it is true. This should not alarm you. You should expect your life to change as I draw you more and more fully into the plan that I have for your time of service to Heaven. It is always the way that I bring you forward, never backward. There is always movement and change. If you were to reject service to Me, your life would still change. Change comes in life whether you are serving Heaven or not serving Heaven. You may wonder why I am telling you these things. I am helping you to resist the temptation to attach your commitment to Me to suffering. If you are suffering, it is because suffering is part of My plan for you. Each life will include suffering. Beloved apostles, you are trying so hard to serve Heaven. Please believe that Heaven is serving you, too. You are protected and loved. You need only remain on the course I have laid out for you and all will be well.
Gospel Thoughts Today: Lighten Up For The Journey
Years ago, I lost my Platinum status on Delta Airlines. My previous employment required a great deal of traveling . . . my territory was the entire U.S. There were a few perks of being Platinum . . . automatic upgrades to first class if available and the fast lane at airport security. For frequent travelers, this is a huge benefit. Knowing I could get a cup of coffee before takeoff in my roomy seat up front made the long haul a little easier to tolerate. But Platinum status required flying over 75,000 miles in one year. In 2011, the time away from home was insignificant as I was single with no responsibilities other than myself. My dog of 16 years had died that April, two of my girls were married and my youngest daughter was on the other coast in college. I quit my traveling job that November to write full time. The joy of Platinum status lingered throughout 2012. When I think about that year and losing the Platinum status, I am reminded of all the miracles in 2012 I never would have experienced had I been constantly traveling . . . the birth of my first grandson Connor; meeting the love of my life and having ample time to fall in love (so blessed he is now my husband!); the blessing of a mother-in-law I adore; the addition of another young woman to love - Jay's daughter Christine; and, the birth of my second grandson Colton. The craziness of making it to the airport on time, delayed or canceled flights, sleeping in uncomfortable hotel room beds, renting cars and trying to navigate in strange towns kept me busy and constantly on the go. My life is so different now. Status doesn't matter. Flying first class is nice, but not required when I have Jay by my side in coach. As I said goodbye to my Platinum status that year, I said goodbye to a different life . . . one I barely recognize anymore. As corny as this sounds, all you need is love, love, love. Love is all you need . . . everything else is just baggage!
In today's Gospel (Mark 6:7-13), Jesus informs His Apostles to lighten up for the journey ahead:
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
In Volume Nine, Jesus asks us to bring His Light to others through our love for Him. Attempt it boldly, even if at first His Love is rejected:
"There are many ways in which a soul can serve the Kingdom. In these times, though, more than in the past, souls are called upon to evangelize for Me. This means I need souls to bring Me to others. We must seek out each lonely, hurting soul who is isolated from his divine family. If you bring Me to a soul, I can melt that soul’s heart and fill it with joy. The soul can then begin to learn about the vast family of love that seeks to draw him back. Dearest little servants of the Savior, My angels will direct you to these souls. Be alert to their promptings and whispers because they see everything and they know who needs your assistance. If you feel an impulse to approach a soul with these words, do so. Trust those instincts. Even if a soul initially ridicules you, he will eventually face a time of fear or anguish, and, searching for some kind of comfort, he will reach for the book you have given him. If the words are not there, he cannot reach for them. If the Volume has been given to him, he will open it. Be at peace at the reactions of others. You cannot force a soul to learn about Me, but you can suggest that he do so. You can give witness to My presence by talking about your love for Me and the graces you have received from Me. Talk about peace. Talk about joy. Talk about calm. Do not talk about the enemy."
Lay apostles, what baggage are you clinging to? Is it status? Career? Money? Grudges? Think about how important those things will be in heaven. Yeah, I'm thinking the first will be last and the last will be first. Let it go. Lighten up!
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to lighten my load here on earth and focus on virtues I will be thankful for in heaven.
God bless,
Bonnie
In today's Gospel (Mark 6:7-13), Jesus informs His Apostles to lighten up for the journey ahead:
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
In Volume Nine, Jesus asks us to bring His Light to others through our love for Him. Attempt it boldly, even if at first His Love is rejected:
"There are many ways in which a soul can serve the Kingdom. In these times, though, more than in the past, souls are called upon to evangelize for Me. This means I need souls to bring Me to others. We must seek out each lonely, hurting soul who is isolated from his divine family. If you bring Me to a soul, I can melt that soul’s heart and fill it with joy. The soul can then begin to learn about the vast family of love that seeks to draw him back. Dearest little servants of the Savior, My angels will direct you to these souls. Be alert to their promptings and whispers because they see everything and they know who needs your assistance. If you feel an impulse to approach a soul with these words, do so. Trust those instincts. Even if a soul initially ridicules you, he will eventually face a time of fear or anguish, and, searching for some kind of comfort, he will reach for the book you have given him. If the words are not there, he cannot reach for them. If the Volume has been given to him, he will open it. Be at peace at the reactions of others. You cannot force a soul to learn about Me, but you can suggest that he do so. You can give witness to My presence by talking about your love for Me and the graces you have received from Me. Talk about peace. Talk about joy. Talk about calm. Do not talk about the enemy."
Lay apostles, what baggage are you clinging to? Is it status? Career? Money? Grudges? Think about how important those things will be in heaven. Yeah, I'm thinking the first will be last and the last will be first. Let it go. Lighten up!
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me how to lighten my load here on earth and focus on virtues I will be thankful for in heaven.
God bless,
Bonnie
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