Gospel Thoughts Today: Immersed in Jesus

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 first semester consisted of the following courses: 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 Brian and I 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 today's 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 deeper into your 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

Gospel Thoughts Today: Skeletons in the Closet

Skeletons in the closet . . . what to do, what to do. Our past didn't happen accidentally or by oversight. We can continue to deny the painful choices we have made and baggage others have left behind for us to carry.  Or, we can allow ourselves to feel and experience the pain, then let it go. If we are on the path to Jesus, understand He has been with us every step of the way. Trust we needed to go through all we have and will because it is and was the only way He gets our attention.

The Gospel today (Luke 12:49-53) expresses the frustration Jesus is feeling with those who don't believe and His upcoming crucifixion:

Jesus said to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she describes the importance of following the Lord's example:

"Humility allows for wounds. This is partially why humility is so important. If a person is humble, he will be willing to say, “I am hurt.” When we admit something has hurt us, we can steer away from anger and take things calmly, acting with Christ to deal with any misfires in the relationships around us. This calm course will help us to remain an asset to heaven as opposed to a liability. It must be noted that Jesus, in Holy Scripture, acted consistently with kindness, gentleness and humility. Jesus was continually misjudged and maligned. He returned love for hostility. It would be an excellent exercise for us to spend some time today thinking of who in our day is hostile to us and how we will follow the Lord’s example as set out in Holy Scripture and treat these people with patience and kindness. Let us look, not at the Lord’s righteous anger in one example, but at the Lord’s parade of loving acceptance for those with whom He served. This method of behavior, rejecting anger in favor of humility, becomes habit forming. How beautiful it is to witness someone who has gained mastery over himself in this way. Their rare departures into anger or thoughtless remarks are reassuring in terms of their humanity but also stark contrasts from their normal behavior."

Lay apostles, what can you do today to let go of a skeleton in your closet?  Face your not-so-stellar choices in the past, one at a time, no matter how painful.  The key is to experience them for what they are.  Don't deny them.  Don't convince yourself they never happened. Feel the anger, the pain, the sorrow. Then pass each one on to Jesus.  Let Him carry the load for you. He is willing so you will find joy. Start with one skeleton today.

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to release the skeletons of my past so I can have a joyful future. I am a different person than I was yesterday.  And plan to be even more joyful tomorrow.

God bless,
Bonnie

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.

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

Gospel Thoughts Today: Skeletons in the Closet

Skeletons in the closet . . . what to do, what to do. Our past didn't happen accidentally or by oversight. We can continue to deny the painful choices we have made and baggage others have left behind for us to carry.  Or, we can allow ourselves to feel and experience the pain, then let it go. If we are on the path to Jesus, understand He has been with us every step of the way. Trust we needed to go through all we have and will because it is and was the only way He gets our attention.

The Gospel today (Luke 12:49-53) expresses the frustration Jesus is feeling with those who don't believe and His upcoming crucifixion:

Jesus said to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she describes the importance of following the Lord's example:

"Humility allows for wounds. This is partially why humility is so important. If a person is humble, he will be willing to say, “I am hurt.” When we admit something has hurt us, we can steer away from anger and take things calmly, acting with Christ to deal with any misfires in the relationships around us. This calm course will help us to remain an asset to heaven as opposed to a liability. It must be noted that Jesus, in Holy Scripture, acted consistently with kindness, gentleness and humility. Jesus was continually misjudged and maligned. He returned love for hostility. It would be an excellent exercise for us to spend some time today thinking of who in our day is hostile to us and how we will follow the Lord’s example as set out in Holy Scripture and treat these people with patience and kindness. Let us look, not at the Lord’s righteous anger in one example, but at the Lord’s parade of loving acceptance for those with whom He served. This method of behavior, rejecting anger in favor of humility, becomes habit forming. How beautiful it is to witness someone who has gained mastery over himself in this way. Their rare departures into anger or thoughtless remarks are reassuring in terms of their humanity but also stark contrasts from their normal behavior."

Lay apostles, what can you do today to let go of a skeleton in your closet?  Face your not-so-stellar choices in the past, one at a time, no matter how painful.  The key is to experience them for what they are.  Don't deny them.  Don't convince yourself they never happened. Feel the anger, the pain, the sorrow. Then pass each one on to Jesus.  Let Him carry the load for you. He is willing so you will find joy. Start with one skeleton today.

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to release the skeletons of my past so I can have a joyful future. I am a different person than I was yesterday.  And plan to be even more joyful tomorrow.

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day Seven: A Flurry of Thoughts

I used to be an insomniac. I had 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.

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.”

Do you struggle with prayer? If you do, just pray the Our Father. As you grow into a closer relationship with Christ, prayer becomes as easy as talking to your best friend.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me that reliance on You for everything eases my mind of useless anxiety and distractions.


God bless,
Bonnie

Are You With Me or Not?

In business, you surround yourself with an A-Team . . . those who work together to achieve a mutual goal. At least you think the best of the best are assembled. The ego is a funny thing, lay apostles. It can spring itself upon the unsuspecting at any moment, throwing off the equilibrium of the team. The trick is to maintain balance and focus on the goal at hand, letting the "Whirling Dervishes" whirl while you complete the task. And, remember Jesus encountered many whose ego got in the way of seeing who He really was . . . the Son of God. Get rid of the ego and get some humility. I have to add this quote I found in Volume Seven from St. Damien:

"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."

The Gospel reading from 07Mar2013 (Luke 11:14-23) leaves me with this thought . . . Jesus is and was one patient, focused Man:

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself,  how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

In Volume Five, Jesus reiterates what we have always known as Christians . . . if you aren't choosing God, you are choosing the enemy:

"Another darkness is coming and it will be a physical darkness. You will see it with your physical sense of sight. This has been foretold and does not surprise some of you, as I, Myself, have allowed many to understand what is in the future. Be at peace, holy souls, because this darkness and time of trial is willed by Me and I can only will what is good for My children. I will take many of you to heaven at that time and your reward will be far beyond your expectation. I will compensate you for experiencing this difficult time with the greatest and most sublime of graces during the transition from this world to the next. You see that you need not be afraid. Only if you have chosen against Me and continue to rebelliously sin should you be fearful. Repent. Do so now, today."

Lay apostles, are you letting your damaged ego get in the way of your work for Jesus and this mission? If you are, stop it now. Give up control and stay humble. Focus on bringing the attention to Christ, not ourselves. 

Thank you, Lord, for the lessons you are teaching me about staying humble while chaos is brewing. Continue to hold my tongue when I want to react negatively!

God bless,
Bonnie

A New Year . . .

After the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, Jay asked me to follow him. He took my hand and led me to the couch in my living room. Instead of sitting, he asked me to kneel next to him. He began praying . . . for us, our children, our grandchildren, lay apostles, and for the graces to continue building His Kingdom. I can't think of a better way to start the new year. 2012 brought Jay to me (in addition to two beautiful grandsons!). 2013 contains hope of 365 days working side by side with a partner  who truly is a gift from God. A man who has become a lay apostle quicker than I ever could have dreamed possible.  A man who is leading me to heaven by his words, his actions and his love of Christ.  I have never met a more humble man who shines His Light so brightly.

In the Gospel from 02Jan2013 (John 1:19-28), John the Baptist humbly paves the way for Our Savior:

This is the testimony of John.  When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,
“I am not the Christ.”  So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”  And he said, “I am not.”  “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”  So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”  Some Pharisees were also sent.  They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”  John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”  This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

In Volume Two, Jesus clearly shows us a place to begin in shining His Light to others:

"I wish to speak to My children about their speech. My children, does your speech accurately reflect who you wish to become? I want you to desire holiness. And I want your speech to be the conversation of a holy soul. My child, I know that you struggle and often do not feel holy. We allow this to protect your humility. But I want you to speak as though you have achieved the level of holiness I desire for you. “Jesus, what do you mean?” I hear you ask. I am with you, and you are with Me. Your speech must display or illustrate Our unity. Do not think that you have gained this unity but must keep it hidden. My child, that would threaten part of Our goal for you, which is that others look at you and see Me. Others must also listen to you and hear Me.

As a holy exercise, and in that same spirit of practice We have adopted, I want you to listen to what you say. Listen to your voice. And understand that I am also listening with you. Pay attention to your words, of course, but also to your tone and the inflections you use. Are your words, tone, and inflections meant to convey love? Do they accurately represent God, whom you carry within yourself? You will find, I am certain, that at times you will see that your speech does not reflect Me. Do not be upset by this, little learning soul. That is why We are checking. We are leaving no stone unturned to secure your beautiful reward in heaven. So when you identify something in your speech that you feel I would not approve of, ask Me how to say that thing differently. My child, you have been reading My words and hearing them in your heart. I wanted this for you because I wanted you to know Me. After all, I am your Savior."

Lay apostles, how are you going to lead others to Jesus this year? Now is the time to be bold in your faith. Are others seeing Christ in your words and actions? Are you creating a solid foundation of faith and love of Jesus in your children? It doesn't matter if they are 13 or 35 . . . it is NEVER too late to begin.

Thank you, Lord, for deeming me worthy of love from a man who is a true spiritual leader. Thank you for Your Words in the Volumes which speak to me so clearly and provide the nudge I need to change. 

God bless,

Bonnie

Skeletons in the Closet

Skeletons in the closet . . . what to do, what to do. Our past didn't happen accidentally or by oversight. We can continue to deny the painful choices we have made and baggage others have left behind for us to carry.  Or, we can allow ourselves to feel and experience the pain, then let it go. If we are on the path to Jesus, understand He has been with us every step of the way. Trust we needed to go through all we have and will because it is and was the only way He gets our attention. 


The Gospel from 25Oct2012 (Luke 12:49-53) expresses the frustration Jesus is feeling with those who don't believe and His upcoming crucifixion:


Jesus said to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she describes the importance of following the Lord's example:


"Humility allows for wounds. This is partially why humility is so important. If a person is humble, he will be willing to say, “I am hurt.” When we admit something has hurt us, we can steer away from anger and take things calmly, acting with Christ to deal with any misfires in the relationships around us. This calm course will help us to remain an asset to heaven as opposed to a liability. It must be noted that Jesus, in Holy Scripture, acted consistently with kindness, gentleness and humility. Jesus was continually misjudged and maligned. He returned love for hostility. It would be an excellent exercise for us to spend some time today thinking of who in our day is hostile to us and how we will follow the Lord’s example as set out in Holy Scripture and treat these people with patience and kindness. Let us look, not at the Lord’s righteous anger in one example, but at the Lord’s parade of loving acceptance for those with whom He served. This method of behavior, rejecting anger in favor of humility, becomes habit forming. How beautiful it is to witness someone who has gained mastery over himself in this way. Their rare departures into anger or thoughtless remarks are reassuring in terms of their humanity but also stark contrasts from their normal behavior."


Lay apostles, what can you do today to let go of a skeleton in your closet?  Face your not-so-stellar choices in the past, one at a time, no matter how painful.  The key is to experience them for what they are.  Don't deny them.  Don't convince yourself they never happened. Feel the anger, the pain, the sorrow. Then pass each one on to Jesus.  Let Him carry the load for you. He is willing so you will find joy. Start with one skeleton today. 

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to release the skeletons of my past so I could have a joyful future. I am a different person than I was yesterday.  And plan to be even more joyful tomorrow. 

God bless,
Bonnie

A Flurry of Thoughts

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.

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."

Do you struggle with prayer?  If you do, just pray the Our Father.  As you grow into a closer relationship with Christ, prayer becomes as easy as talking to your best friend.  

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.”

Thank you, Lord, for showing me that reliance on You for everything eases my mind of useless anxiety and distractions. 

God bless,

Bonnie

Be Perfect

Perfectionist.  One of the many words I use to describe myself.  An exuberant amount of time has been wasted internally demanding perfection. I set the bar pretty high. I wanted to be the most outstanding wife, mother, daughter, sister, and aunt.  I strived to be accomplished in my career, the best in my field. And, should I even get started about my physical appearance?  Probably, because it's where I've been the hardest on myself.  If I gain a few pounds, my brain goes into panic mode.  Wrinkles as I age?  Oh, good Lord, I don't even want to think about that!  The ongoing battle I have with my curly hair?  Thank God for flatirons.  I'm not suggesting you give up on being the best you. But, do you understand what I mean about wasted time?  I know every one of us struggles with perfectionism in one way or another. After reading todays Gospel (Matthew 5: 43-48), I realized I wish I would have spent more time perfecting my soul for Jesus instead of perfecting my appearance for an imperfect world:


Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Clearly, Jesus is asking us to perfect our soul.  He's not asking us to strive toward driving a Mercedes or clothe ourselves in expensive designer labels.  For even the most perfectly straightened hair caught in the rain will frizz and curl, revealing what lies underneath.

In Volume Two, Jesus shows us the way to perfection begins with humility:

“My children, would you like to know how to please Me? Would you like to know what consoles Me and comforts Me in the face of widespread disobedience and hatred? Humility comforts Me. Humility consoles Me. Truly, the humility of My chosen souls softens My heart and deflects punishment from a cold world, undeserving of the mercy of its God. My children, the closer you come to Me, the more you recognize My goodness. Your intellect will automatically compare your holiness to My perfection and the result is humility. This is good. Do not fear the knowledge that you are imperfect and must improve. That is the journey, My child.”

And, in Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she simply affirms:

“Facing the perfection of Christ keeps us clear on exactly how far we have to go until we reach perfection. The way in which we continue to face in His direction, upward, is through prayer.”

Lay apostles, let's all work together perfecting our souls.  What can you do today to move one step closer to perfection in God's Eyes?  Spend more time in silence with Him by heading to the nearest Adoration chapel? Take the first step to reconciliation with a family member?  Instead of concentrating on how something makes you feel, focus on how what you do will make Jesus feel.  Making Him happy will never be the wrong decision.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me perfecting the inside is much more important than perfecting the outside.  After all, beauty fades and careers end.  But You are everlasting!

God bless,

Bonnie