Remaining in the Present

A daredevil in the making. Our grandson Colton likes everything faster, higher, and whatever verb describes a thrill seeker. And he is only a 2 ¾  year old! Watching him being thrown back and forth in the ocean between his Daddy and his Papa this past Sunday sent my mind to future broken legs, fractured collarbones. Here is a pic I captured as Whitney, Savannah and I sat on shore:

This tossing back and forth went on at least 10 more throws! The tendency is to begin worrying about how to handle any harm this active little boy may see in the future. Worst case scenarios form cautionary thoughts on how to prepare him (and the impact on Mommy, Daddy, Mimi and Papa) to be a safer daredevil, so to speak. Personally, it is overwhelming to think of our little bubba getting injured. But if I believe what Jesus tells us in Scripture and in the Volumes (and I do!), I will stay focused on the present. I will take each day as it comes, bumps on the head and all. I will have faith the Lord is protecting Colton at all times. Where I need a little help is in graces to bear when injuries may occur!

Todays Gospel (John 16:12-15) tells us sometimes we need to stay away from worrying about the future, remaining in the present:

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”

In Volume One, Anne a lay apostle describes how too much thinking can turn into using your own will instead of God's:

"I have been dutifully asking God to send me His gifts, the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, which is perhaps the reason for all of this focus on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I turned all of this around in my head as I prayed and I began to get myself confused. Finally, I prayed, 'God, send me whatever gifts You choose to send me. My only prayer to You is that I not interfere with Your will because of my flaws. Beyond that, I don’t care what You do, so long as I am serving You.' It can get confusing because you don’t want to err in humility or desire great lofty gifts. On the other hand, you don’t want to have a weak will and cloak it in false humility. I am not worthy, therefore keep your gifts so it doesn’t cost me anything. There is also such a thing as thinking too much about it all, as though it were up to you and as though it were dependent on your own will. That’s where I was tumbling around when I finally said, 'Enough. I don’t care what happens and I leave it all to You.' He responded, 'Your prayer pleases Me. It is the evidence that you are ready for the gifts I intend to bestow on you.'"

Lay apostles, we can choose to continue strengthening our character and abilities, or throw in the towel. We can choose to live in the present or worry about the "what ifs." Life can be overwhelming at times, but we can't let it control us. If we stay focused on Christ, and doing the best we can with our situations, we can't fail.

Thank you, Lord, for the grace of living life for today and especially for patience with myself when worry peaks out it's ugly head!

God bless,
Bonnie

If I Can't Have You

Do you remember the movie Saturday Night Fever? Well, if you were around during the disco era, no doubt you know every song from this movie, word for word. One of my favorites is If I Can't Have You by Yvonne Elliman. Here are a few of the lyrics:

Don't know why I'm surviving every lonely day

When there's got to be no chance for me

My life would end and it doesn't matter how I cry

My tears of love are a waste of time

If I turn away am I strong enough to see it through

Go crazy is what I will do

If I can't have you, I don't want nobody baby

If I can't have you ah ah, I can't have you

I don't want nobody baby, if I can't have you ah ah

What human being hasn't loved someone, hoping for the same love in return? Who hasn't felt the grief or pain of loneliness when something seemingly secure goes away? Fear of the unknown washes over us. How will we cope? Alas, with time all wounds heal. Fear of the unknown becomes acceptance. So we shouldn't be surprised in todays Gospel (John 16:5-11) when the disciples hear of Jesus' impending departure. I think they were beginning to feel a little separation anxiety:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”

In Volume Four, God the Father asks us to trust Him. And, when we trust fully, He can move mountains:

"You see, My children in the world, I use each one of you to bring Me and present Me to others. If you are respectful of Me, if you acknowledge My dominion over you and your world, I am with you. In this way, I can be brought everywhere. I can be present to any soul who is with you. I can manifest Myself in many ways. I manifest Myself in your patience. I manifest Myself in your love for another when you ordinarily would find it difficult to love that person. I am present in your smile, in your speech, and I am present in your decisions, which is very important. So you do not see Me, it is true, but you will feel the difference if you go either from serving Me to not serving Me, or from not serving Me to serving Me. Serve Me now and let us no longer have any lapses in service. Remain with Me, your heavenly Father, who seeks to direct all that has an impact on you. I will bring every event in your life and turn it into something that benefits your soul and gives you eternal satisfaction and joy. But not all in my life is good, you are thinking. I know that, My child. That is why you need Me. I can turn the pain, the anguish, the mistakes and grief, into strength, wisdom, patience, and joy."

Lay apostles, we are in a time of great graces flowing from heaven. God is giving us specific ways to ignite the fire of the Holy Spirit within our hearts in the Volume Four quote above. He's asking for our service. He's asking us to love others in words and actions, emanating His Love for all His children. Let's work toward the goal of being able to see Him Face to face one day. And grateful we did the best we could for Him. Because, if I can't have Him, I don't want nobody!

Thank you, Lord, for reassurance I can have You 24/7, knowing any outcome is Your Will.

God bless,
Bonnie

Love Thy Neighbor . . . Even When Love Is Not Your First Thought!

A little over 3 years ago I wrote a blog post called Grace Under Fire. That day was a rough one for me. On the other hand, it was the day I knew, without a doubt, I was a true Lay Apostle of Jesus Christ the Returning King. It was a day where I responded to a verbal attack with humility and most importantly, I didn't respond emotionally. The old Bonnie would have come out swinging. Since that day, I haven't stopped praying for this person. I knew he was under a lot of stress and pressure, and taking it out on me would be safe considering I have a  pretty high tolerance for bad behavior. I am happy to say Jay and I  are friends with he and his wife today. When we respond with love of neighbor instead of reacting to an outburst hurled our way, it is amazing what God can do with that love! 

Todays Gospel (John 15:12-17) provides the key ingredient of a true Christian:

Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

Todays quote from Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain is a little on the long side, but so critical in understanding those who lash out at us and how important our prayers are for their souls: 

"Clearly, the love of Christ is meant to be shared. After the experience of heaven, I can see that the Kingdom of God is made up of souls who love each other. If Christ is in each one of us, and this is of course what we believe as Christians, then we must venerate Christ in every soul. How do we do that? 

We do that with respect and gentleness. Some might say, “Yes, this may be true but I see souls in error, in mortal sin, living far outside of the heavenly Kingdom.” Well, dear fellow apostles, this is when the call to treat them as Christ is at its most profound. If Christ has indeed been driven out of a soul, through serious sin and a spirit of rebellion in that sin, then the call to illustrate our unity with Christ is compelling. How does Christ treat that soul? How does Christ view that soul? I will tell you. 

Christ does not glance at a soul and see the sin, although He is acutely aware of the sin. Christ glances at a soul and sees the wound that both caused the sin and was worsened by the sin. So in order for the Kingdom to come, and it must and it will, we must treat each other as Christ would. 

Sometimes a soul living outside of the Kingdom is bitter. This bitterness is like a sore. When a soul in bitterness views Christ in us, it can be like salt in the wound or sore because our unity with Christ highlights his isolation from Him. This is good. The soul then comes closer to an understanding of what it lacks. Our experience of this may not be pleasant. It may be necessarily painful because in its pain his soul may strike out at us. This can be understood as an almost instinctual lashing out or crying out in the distress of his disconnectedness from Christ. We must accept these strikes as beneficial penance and part of standing with Christ as a companion on the Way of the Cross. 

To clarify, I am driving in traffic and I make a mistake, perhaps, or commit a deed that inconveniences someone else. I give the other driver an apologetic wave. He responds by swearing at me, shouting and threatening. This is shocking for a holy soul. 

We must offer this to Jesus. We must bring that soul to Jesus in prayer and petition. Our prayer will obtain critical graces for that soul. We must look at this person and see the wound, the sore. 

To be more specific to the call to bring Jesus Christ to souls directly, consider a soul who is estranged from the Kingdom. Perhaps it is a family member or neighbor. It is possible that he may be unkind to us because our holiness is an irritant to him and to his wound. Is it then acceptable to be unkind in return? No, this is not acceptable for an apostle of Jesus Christ who seeks to bring His love to them. Remember that it was AFTER the Crucifixion that the Centurion said, “Truly, this was the Son of God.” That soul only saw Christ through the manner in which Jesus accepted suffering from the offender’s hands. Note this parallel. 

A soul may be tormenting us, but for this soul to experience Christ, we must accept it as Christ would. This should be in flashing red lights. 

We may be praying for this soul and beseeching heaven for the conversion of this soul. So we must not complain at a little suffering for this soul, particularly if it comes from the hand of that same soul. 

It helps to examine our motives. Do we want this soul to be saved for the sake of the soul and for the consolation and glory of Jesus Christ? Or do we want this soul to be saved so that the soul will treat us better and make our life easier? I think perhaps it can be a bit of both and this is acceptable. But as we begin to lean more to the benefit of both the soul and the Kingdom, we will become more willing to accept the occasional bad treatment for the purpose of the greater good, which is the salvation of the soul and the consolation of Christ, as well as for the benefit of the Kingdom." 

Lay apostles, choose to love those who seem unloveable. Choose to be the light instead of the darkness. Choose humility over pride. With Jesus, anything can happen!

Thank you, Lord, for the ability to love when faced with adversity. Help me to always keep my focus on You!

God bless,
Bonnie

How Are You Connected?

Last year our family went to the Broadway Palm dinner theater to see The Music Man. Believe it or not, I was the only one out of the six of us who had seen the movie! Grant it, our girls and son-in-law are all under 30, so no surprise. But my darling husband had no clue what it was about! My mom loved any kind of musical, so I even knew the words to a few of the songs. The song Shipoopi was the biggest hit for my family (see clip here) http://youtu.be/9Jj622vbrrU. We had a blast and even sang in the car on the way home. We are connected. Not only by blood, but by love, laughter, and faith. Staying connected with our Father in heaven is what binds us all here on earth. Connect with Him first . . . then everything else falls into place.

Todays Gospel (John 15:9-11) is the starting point in our journey toward heaven . . . live your life connected to God at all times:

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.”

In Volume Three, God the Father encourages us in our struggles to holiness:

"The coming of My Kingdom is the coming of heaven or the expansion of heaven to earth. This is part of My plan and this is what the future holds for My children. Can you see it, dear ones? True happiness can be found only in the union of a soul’s will to the Divine Will. When your will is united to the Divine Will, there is no conflict, no struggle. Only a very few find such union on earth. The seeking of this union is the path to holiness that you follow in your obedience to My commandments. You are making decisions. You are moving forward along the road. You are making corrections. This is the process. At times in the history of mankind, most souls on earth were moving in the general direction of heaven. At this time, most souls are languishing along the way. Many are wasting their time on earth and are not coming in this direction at all. In this way, souls are lost. As a God of mercy, I send all manner of signs and warnings. In this time, however, most of My signs are being ignored. Such is the level of distraction, that My souls no sooner see a sign and experience My call, then they allow themselves to be distracted and pulled back into the world. Children, pay attention. You must focus on Me and on your path. You must be disciplined if you are to remain on the path to salvation. And believe Me when I say that all other roads lead nowhere. My children belong with each other, loving Me. Hear My call of love, now, while I can offer you a soft and gentle transition to holiness."

Lay apostles, take a moment to look at your life so far. Are you estranged from your parents? Your children? An old friend? If you answered yes, then take a look at your connection with Christ. Is it first and foremost? Probably not. Choose to be connected with Him today. Then think about those other relationships. Love as He loves us.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of faith and the amazing connection I have with my family. The closer I get to You, the more connected I feel to others.

God bless,
Bonnie

What Are You Afraid Of?

As I sit here pondering the question above, I decided to Google the word 'fear.' Here is the definition from Dictionary.com:

Fear: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

Hmmmm, "whether the threat is real or imagined." How many times do we react to situations only imagined? How many disagreements are started because of an insecurity? I'm sure the answer to the above questions are the same . . . MANY! In reality, if we believe everything we read in Sacred Scripture, the Volumes, and all of the books Anne a lay apostle has written, the answer should be NONE. Just as we need to feel the safety and comfort from those who love us, our Heavenly Father wants us to feel the safety and comfort of His Love every second of every day. So, what are you afraid of?

In todays Gospel (John 14:27-31A), Jesus wants us to understand there is nothing to fear in the world as long as we believe:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe. I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me, but the world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

In Volume Two, Jesus encourages us to always remember He will always be there to protect us:

"I tell you that you are destined for great holiness and you will achieve this holiness if you remain united to Me. And you will do so because I will protect you. Children, do not seek to further or advance the opinion others have of you. It is irrelevant. Please spend no time at all wondering or worrying about this. Worldly opinions change with the wind and a person could think well of you one day and slander you the next. You must not rely on these opinions for your peace because, as you have learned, you will be disappointed. Instead, rely on Me, who does not change. My opinion of you remains steady. I will always love you."

Lay apostles, what do you choose today . . . hanging on to the criticism of others (whether real or imagined) and internalizing it or remaining peaceful in the comfort of Our Lord's embrace, allowing Him to handle all the chaos? I choose Him today. I choose Him every day!

Thank you, Lord, for the criticisms, challenges, and lessons You send my way every day. Continue to hold me close to Your Sacred Heart so I can let go of anything bothering me quickly, placing it into Your care!

God bless,
Bonnie

In Need of Reminders

Every morning on our drive to work, I am in charge of the daily readings (well, Jay needs to keep his eyes on the road, right?). Honestly, there are times I am not in the mood. Either I'm tired or something is irritating me and I just want quiet. But routine is routine. And every time, I am reminded of the love, patience, and mercy of the Lord. It never fails . . . I read something from this mission, and Jesus speaks right to my heart. Sulking never solves anything. So I strap on my Christian armor and continue trying to do His Will to the best of my ability!

Monday's Gospel (John 14:21-26) reminds me how important spiritual reading is:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit  whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she beautifully (and visually!) teaches us about how faith works:

"A fellow apostle pointed out that much of our reality is invisible. As an example, he said, “Have you ever seen Australia? “No,” I replied. “I have never seen Australia.” “Do you believe it exists?” “Yes,” I said. “I believe Australia exists.” “Are you reasonably certain Australia exists?” “Yes.” “You believe Australia exists, in part, because you are relying on the testimony of those who have been there. Others have told you Australia exists. You have read about Australia, seen pictures of it perhaps, and your belief in its existence is reasonable given the evidence.” This spoke powerfully to me. I realized that if asked, I could give a certain amount of testimony about Australia despite never having been there. I believe there are kangaroos there, different seasons, crocodiles, vast expanses of unsettled land, and a good number of people with Irish ancestry. Additionally, I am aware of the Aborigine people native to that land. I understand, based on what I have seen of the Australians I have met personally, that there is a great sturdiness and resilience in the Australian people. Clearly I am not an expert on Australia. As I said, I have never been there. That fact will be evident to any Australian reading this. My limited knowledge of Australia comes in part from the testimony and information given to me by other people. So it is with heaven. So it is with Jesus and with God’s truth. A good part of the truth, the Invisible Reality that we rely on and believe in, has come to us from others in the Body of Christ, the community of believers. We accept the testimony of others because in our souls, we recognize the truth. This is discernment. In the same way, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are led to recognize what is false."

Lay apostles, are you beginning your day with Jesus? Even if it's a quick Morning Offering and Allegiance Prayer (see below), start with Him. It really does make the world look a lot less chaotic when we let Him have the control. 

Thank you Lord for all the challenges and lessons you throw my way. But most of all, thank you for loving us so much you chose Anne to deliver Your words of love through this apostolate. 

God bless,
Bonnie

Morning Offering:

Oh Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You the prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, and for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen 

Allegiance Prayer:

Dear God in Heaven, I pledge my allegiance to You. I give You my life, my work and my heart. In turn, give me the grace of obeying Your every direction to the fullest possible extent. Amen.

Filling Our Tires

Bicycle pumps. Yes, bicycle pumps. This is what todays Gospel triggered in my brain. Have you ever tried to ride a bike with a tire losing air? I have. At first I thought to myself, "man am I struggling today!" Then, upon further inspection, the tire was losing air quickly. A bicycle wheel is comprised of a tire, rim, spokes, hub and axle (yes, I had to google for correct terminology . . . thingy in the center sounded very elementary!). All must work together to create forward momentum. The hub at the center of the wheel (God) creates stability when everything is connected to it. The spokes (Sacred Scripture) connect the rim (Christians) to the hub to prevent damage from occurring. Now, sometimes that tire goes flat. This is where the bicycle pump (the Volumes, etc.) comes in . . . breathing new life into the tire empowering our journey to the final destination (heaven) smoothly. Before I became involved with this mission, I was a mediocre Catholic. Since then my tires remain full 99% of the time. Every once in a while I need a little extra air, a little extra peace. All I have to do is log on to this blog and begin writing. I am at 100% every time I log off.

Jesus gives us the air we need to make it home (John 14:1-6):

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.” Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

In Volume Nine, our Blessed Mother urges us to be peaceful, even when things aren't going our way:

"Children, your Jesus has asked that you walk in peace. He needs this from you, as His plan cannot be realized unless you cooperate with that request. Only through each one of you will peace flow into your troubled world. So, because this is so important, I am going to make a suggestion. Whenever you are troubled, and feel your peace has fled, you must speak to your angel guardian. Ask your little heavenly soldier to hasten to your assistance and obtain the graces you need to recover your peace. This is the perfect request from you because there is nothing heaven likes better than to help a soul in the world be at peace. You see, we know how important it is and you might say that these graces are easily obtained when the request comes from you. So say this when you are losing your spiritual balance and your peace, “Dearest angel guardian, I desire to serve Jesus by remaining at peace. Please obtain for me the graces necessary to maintain His divine peace in my heart.” You will not be disappointed, little ones. The graces will come to you."

Lay apostles, how are you filling your tires? With spiritual reading or activities bringing you closer to Christ? Or, with worldly things like food, alcohol or (you fill in the blank) driving you farther away? Choose Jesus and things leading you to Him. I guarantee your tires will be perfectly inflated for quite a while!

Thank you, Lord, for filling me with Your Words and Love on a daily basis. I am so blessed I have You to turn to when I am in need of heavenly air!

God bless,
Bonnie

Choosing the Best

Our grandson Colton is a car-aholic. He can never have enough Hot Wheels and is overjoyed to come to Mimi and Papa's house knowing he will get to pick a few new ones to add to his abundant collection. And it is not a quick, pick two cars, and go play kind of thing. He literally digs to the bottom, then the sides, picks a car and then decides against it, tossing it back into the mix. But once he decides on the perfect car(s), he happily runs to the table and places them in line with his plethora of mini automobiles circling our dining table. The Word of God is like those spectacular cars to Colt . . . they are perfect and just what we need for the day. 

Colton and Papa the morning after a recent sleepover!

In the Gospel yesterday (John 13:16-20), Jesus tries to prepare His disciples ahead of time:

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,

The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.

From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.  Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

In Volume Two, our loving Jesus assures us by choosing Him, we are choosing the Best:

"I have come to cleanse souls. Much as a mother cleans her house, My child, I am cleaning and organizing your soul. If you have been away from Me, We must be busy. Events in your life, from your past, must be looked at now in a different way. This is an important task, and that is why I am spending time on it with you. Events can leave marks on your heart when you are not praying. Hence, My goal. To clean these marks and leave a heart that gives and receives love freely. When you pray, My child, I help you to sift through the experiences occurring in your life. Perhaps you have a disappointment today. Taken alone, without My assistance, you might feel down, sad and discouraged. If pride is a problem for you, and many suffer from pride, you might not share your sadness and disappointment with even another soul. It remains on your poor heart and, after a time, this turns to bitterness. Now, earthly life being what it is, and human beings being flawed, as they are in their search for perfection, you encounter yet another disappointment or betrayal. Pride asserts itself and again you do not adequately share your grief. Another patch of disappointment turns to bitterness and covers another area of your poor little heart. My child, when this process continues, you have a heart enclosed in bitterness. A heart needs love, in the same way your lungs need oxygen. Your heart was designed this way, dearest, and if your heart is enclosed, the love is blocked off. How handicapped you are in the spiritual sense. How it grieves Me to see you so disturbed and unhappy. My little one, I am coming to clean every mark from your heart so that you will love freely, as I love. Do not think this is an impossible task. I am Jesus. I am God. I can cleanse your heart in no time at all if you are willing to let Me. I will restore order to your soul, I will adjust your thinking, and I will place the kind of love in your heart that is so genuine and abundant that this love reaches your eyes. All who see you will experience this love and know it is from Me."

Lay apostles, what choices are you making? Do they center around the Word of God? It's easy to make choices based on our woundedness and what makes us feel better in a worldly view. Consider what the Gospels and messages in the Volumes are trying to teach us . . . choosing the best is choosing Christ.

Thank you Lord for leading me to choose YOU 98% of the time . . . please help me over the fence to make that 100%!

God bless,
Bonnie

Monthly Message for May 1, 2015

 

We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2015 with the message from May 1, 2007 for our prayer groups and personal reflection.  

Jesus

My apostles, I speak to you with such hope. Why do I feel hope when I speak these words? I, Jesus, feel hope because you are reading these words and listening to Me.  In your soul, you are interested in My plan. In your soul you are willing to make the changes which will bring about My plan. In your soul you receive a foretaste of heaven which provides you with the joy that I wish to make available to others. My heavenly plan is truly rooted in your soul and for this reason I have hope. The times in which you live provide you with opportunities to practice hope, even while much of the world feels dismay and fear. My apostles see that the world is changing and this is the message, a message of hope, which flows through them. You are precious to Me, both because of the unique love I have for you and for the unique plan I have for you. Allow Me to rest in your soul each day and I will fill you with My love. Where can you find more silence? How can you give Me  just a few more minutes of time to be with you and sanctify you even further? My beloved apostle, please be disciplined about your time with Me in each day. I do not want you to be distracted. I do not want the world to take your hope from you. If you do not spend time with Me, you are vulnerable to the fears sown by the enemy of hope. I rely on my beloved ones. In them I find rest and solace. You see, dear apostle, if I can change you and fill you with My great spiritual blessings, I can change others. Is there even one life that you can say you affected by your faith in Me and by My presence in you? Do not limit My plan in your mind. My plan is vast and it is working. Be joyful today as I am joyful. Hope in Me, dear one, as I hope in you. Trust in Me as I trust in you. Be with Me as I long to be with you and together we will fill the world with hope, drawing many wounded souls back into our family of love.

 Download and Print

Have you been blessed through the Volumes? Please help others receive these words by donating a dollar a day. Your donation makes a big difference. 

 

Direction for Our Times (DFOT) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to spreading God's messages as revealed in the Volumes.

U.K. Eucharistic Day of Renewal

 

 Eucharistic Day of Renewal

 

May 16^th 2015

Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Therese of Lisieux Church

Venue: Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Therese of Lisieux Church.

Address: Parkfield Road, Saltley, Birmingham, B8 3BB, U.K

Time: 9.30am – 4pm

The day will include talks by Anne, a lay apostle, Mass and homily by Fr. Darragh Connolly. The day will end with a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration and an opportunity for Confession.

 Talks will include:

-    Vertical relationship with God

-    Becoming Co-responsible Laity 

-    Living a Contemplative Life in the world

This is an opportunity for us all to gather in prayer and fellowship to learn more about what it means to be a lay apostle of Jesus Christ the Returning King.  

Everyone  is welcome!

 

Have you been blessed through the Volumes? Please help others receive these words by donating a dollar a day. Your donation makes a big difference.  

  

Direction for Our Times (DFOT) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to spreading God's messages as revealed in the Volumes.

Accomplishing the End Goal

A repost from 2013, one of my favorite subjects, my girls:

No marriages or babies until you have a college degree in your hands. I can't remember how many times I told my daughters this throughout their lives. I went back to school full-time for a BSN when my youngest was two. Not an easy thing to do when raising three little girls. I am happy to report my mission is complete. Taylor just finished her BS last month and began her dream job today. As we spoke on her drive to Boca Raton this morning, she lovingly congratulated me on accomplishing exactly what I wanted for my girls. The thing she doesn't realize is . . . they all listened to me! They believed what I said. They plowed through the obstacles along the way, never losing sight of the end goal. Now, the hard work and dedication is paying off. What a great metaphor when thinking about being a Christian! We must believe what we read in the Bible . . . and believing is the easy part. Living a life driven by the words of Christ will lead us to the end goal . . . heaven. Not always easy, but worth leaping over every hurdle. 

In todays Gospel (John 10:22-30), Jesus reassures us He knows who we are: 

The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter.  And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.  So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?  If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”  Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.  No one can take them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.  The Father and I are one.”

In Volume Four, Jesus again asks us to unite ourselves to Him:

"Believe Me when I say to you that you will never have peace, true peace, while you are separated from Me. And your eternity must be considered. You will spend eternity in one of two places, dear little soul. You must give this serious thought and determine where you would like to reside. You say you do not believe in God or you do not believe that God would send people to hell forever. I tell you today that it is not I, the only God there is, who condemns souls to hell. It is the soul himself who chooses to reside in hell. Do you know why the soul chooses hell? Because there are like-minded souls there. A soul who aligns himself with darkness does not choose heaven because that soul would not be comfortable in heaven. You must understand that you can be angry with God but God is not at fault. You can blame God for all that is wrong with your world and perhaps this will work for you on earth. I assure you though, on this day that this will cease to work for you at the moment of your death. At that time there will be only yourself to blame as the Truth is inescapable. You will be facing the one, the only, and the true God and attempting to tell Him that He does not exist. How do you think this will go for you? It will not go well, dear soul, and that is why I am speaking to you now."

Lay apostles, do you find yourself veering off the path to heaven? If you are, think about why. Is it because if you listened to His words you would have to eliminate certain things in your life? Do you lack complete trust in Him because you have been let down in the past? My friends, Jesus only wants what is good for us. He wants us to make choices with Him in mind. Letting go of behaviors or habits which lead us away from Him can be freeing rather than restraining. Take the first step . . . just a baby step . . . and get back on track. He is waiting with open arms!

Thank you, Lord, for allowing my daughters to accomplish their goals in life with You in mind. Please continue to lead them in their careers/lives to do everything for Your Glory!

God bless,

Bonnie

Listen To Him

Raise your hand if you've ever made a poor decision?  Go ahead . . . raise it high! If you aren't raising your hand, then you have some work to do. I can tell you, mine is raised. So many times I made decisions based on what would make me feel better instead of listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If only the 53 year old Bonnie could have alerted the 18 year old Bonnie! But as I reflect on what I would have told the younger me, I realize my journey thus far has made me who I am today. Without all the mistakes, I could have ended up like a Pharisee, rigid and judgmental.  Instead, I have become more compassionate as I age. I see good people suffering rebukes and taking it on the chin instead of lashing out. I see good people making poor choices and making the best out of difficult situations. Because of my flaws and mistakes, I see others in a different light. I can identify with the poor choices of others because I've made them too. I understand the frame of mind when choosing darkness for its fleeting comfort. Now, I listen to Him. At times my listening capabilities can cause Him to speak a little louder, but I hear His loving call to holiness . . . and pray I make my Father in heaven proud.

In todays Gospel (John 6:44-51), Jesus is asking the crowd to listen and believe:

Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets:

They shall all be taught by God.

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.  Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.  I am the bread of life.  Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

In the Monthly Message from April 2010, Jesus provides His lay apostles with comfort and a way to draw closer to Him:

"My plan is perfect and if you are serving Me, listening to My voice, there are no problems. If you are not serving Me and you are not listening to My voice, then there are many problems for you and there will continue to be many problems for you. ‘Ah’, you say, ‘Jesus, I am listening to you and still I have these problems’. We must differentiate small problems from big problems. Small problems are the sufferings you bear for the sake of the divine will. Big problems are the problems you face when you abandon My will and insert your own will. Are you praying? Are you in steady communication with Me? Do you ask Me what I want you to do in situations where you are unsure? Do you spend time in silence, considering heaven and heaven’s plan for you in the day? Answer yes to these questions and I assure you, your problems will be manageable. Do not believe I ignore your sighs or turn away from your fears. I am with you. I will never abandon you. My plan will be realised through your perseverance and through the perseverance of many apostles like you. I am so pleased when you pray for each other because this is how you experience, in advance, My gratitude. You see My gratitude in the graces received by others through your intercession. Rejoice. I am responding to your pain and answering your prayers. Truly, I am with you."

Lay apostles, how well are you listening to His promptings? I know it's easier to ignore or make excuses for poor choices. But don't you think it's time to take His heavenly advice? Life is short and any one of us could be called home in the next minute, hour, day or year. Personally, I want our first Face to face meeting to be joyous . . . and hearing the words, "Well done, My child."

Thank you Lord for all Your promptings. And most importantly, guiding me to the choice of following them!

God bless,

Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Words Never Forgotten

I am notorious for forgetting to return phone calls. I tend to misplace my keys more often (although now I have a purse with a place to hook my keys on, so less misplacing!). I would like to blame it on my age, but I must admit it's been like this for awhile. I can't begin to imagine suffering from Alzheimer's . . . makes me think about my friend Joyce's mother, Del. Joyce and Paul cared for Del in their home for over 3 years. Her memory became more and more distant as the days turned into months and months turned into years. But I have to tell you, she did not skip a beat when she prayed. I was blessed to pray the Rosary with her a few times over the years. She would have no clue who I was sitting next to her, but not one word of the Our Father or Hail Mary was forgotten. The Memorare she prayed before a meal flowed so beautifully, it felt as if the next thing out of her mouth would be casual conversation. Alas, it wasn't. And she would drift back to her younger days. She was a strong Catholic woman and brought her children up loving God as much as she did. So, I try to be easy on myself when I misplace my keys or forget a follow up phone call. It's all very trivial when you look at the big picture. Like Del, we must know and trust Jesus with all our heart and soul. It's comforting to know the love I feel for Christ will never leave me, and I pray I leave His Words behind for my children and grandchildren to carry on. It's the best inheritance we can leave our children. Everything else fades away.

Todays Gospel (John 6:35-40) shows Jesus declaring His inheritance:

Jesus said to the crowds, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

In Anne ARK's book The Mist of Mercy, Jesus reminds us why we shouldn't get too attached to our earthly body and possessions:

“There is an attempt to obscure the reality of the next life, life eternal. For this reason, many souls do not accept that they have an inheritance awaiting them. Poor souls. How discouraging for them to labor and suffer without understanding the purpose. Is it any wonder there is such an attempt to discover substitutes for true peace? My apostles understand that there is no value in being too comfortable in an earthly body because they will one day relinquish it. The body is not a god, for all the enemy would like to portray it as such. Each body is a creation of the Father. Each soul is a creation of the Father. Humanity, precious humanity, I want you to understand that you are cherished. I, Jesus, love you and cherish you. My enemy does not feel this way. My enemy seeks to hurt you. Do not reject Me. Spend time in silence, considering the remainder of your days on earth and how you would like to conduct yourself. The enemy cannot promise you that you will live forever. Only I can make that promise and only through Me will you find the Father, the One who loves you. Have no fear when considering the next life, regardless of your sins. If you repent, you will be saved. It is that simple."

Lay apostles, our time on this earth is limited. Our bodies may begin to fail as we age. Our forgetfulness will probably increase as time goes on. Do you have an elderly parent, relative or friend who you become easily frustrated with because they say the wrong thing or seem to forget what you told them 5 minutes ago? What about patience with our children or grandchildren? Impatience and anger don't come from God. Or, are you the forgetful one? Give yourself a break and understand one of the most important lessons of this life: love God and aim for heaven.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to have patience with others and especially with myself. But can you please help me to remember where I put my keys?

God bless,
Bonnie

The Richness of Our Faith

The Gospel today triggered the thought of a conversation Jay and I had with a good friend of his, a non-Catholic, but strong Christian. He said works have nothing to do with going to heaven. Belief that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior was all we needed. Well, I can understand after reading the passage below how other Christian religions believe this. So I searched the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website (where I get the daily readings) for some back up. The first thing I found regarding works is a letter from John Paul II. Here is a clip from this beautiful letter:

"The liturgy itself is prayer; the confession of faith finds its proper place in the celebration of worship. Grace, the fruit of the sacraments, is the irreplaceable condition for Christian living, just as participation in the church's liturgy requires faith. If faith is not expressed in works, it is dead (cf. Jas. 2:14-16) and cannot bear fruit unto eternal life." John Paul II

Then I found this excellent article about "works" by Tim Staples, Director of Apologetics at Catholic Answers. Definitely worth the read:  http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/we-can-work-it-out

After reading the above, I feel so blessed to have the richness of my Catholic faith!

In todays Gospel (John 6:22-29) Jesus sets the crowd straight:

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.] 

The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”  So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she urges us to detach from desiring any ego stroking in our works, lest we find ourselves in the trap of the enemy:

"Very often, to protect our humility, the Lord Himself will conceal the fruits of our efforts. But I am not talking about that here. I am talking instead about the concentrated effort of the enemy of goodness to persuade us to stop our heavenly service by convincing us that our sacrifices are neither appreciated nor effective. This should not sneak up on us because it is such a predictable snare, but alas, it does. It is here that we need to learn Holy Indifference. This concept, identified by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, allows us to work hard but be detached from the outcome of our efforts. It is enough that Jesus has asked us to complete a task. Our “yes” answers to God give Him the praise and honor He is entitled to. What He brings through our “yes” answers and our efforts is up to Him. The way I see it, this attitude removes us from the enemy’s line of fire. If I am acting in good faith, in prayerful obedience to the will of God, I do not need to annoy myself with the outcome of my works. I leave the outcome to Him, who after all is the Director of all service. I may not see the need for an action but I will complete the action. I may not see the benefit of the action I have performed but I commit the act to His divine power and let Him do what He wishes with it. If we proceed in this way, we will be liberated from the outcome of any of our works."

Lay apostles, yes, works matter. We must continually strive to do God's Will in everything we do. Don't just give lip service to the fact you are a Christian . . . prove it! Do everything for His Glory, and I mean everything. You will soon realize you are accomplishing the works of God on a daily basis.

Thank you, Lord, for all the opportunities every day to do Your Will. Help me to be alert at all times, seeking to find what You have placed before me.

God bless,
Bonnie

Through Christ We Can Do All Things

A previous post written by my husband, Jay:

Disney makes millions of dollars a year reminding people to believe in their dreams . . . to never lose hope . . . and the impossible is possible. Have you lost the ability to dream? If yes, when was it? When you decided you were an adult? Didn’t our Lord remind us to remain childlike our entire lives? In order to be in constant communication with Christ, doesn’t it require a childlike belief our Father has an eye on us at all times . . . and He is looking out for our best interest? He wants us to experience the most benevolent outcomes in life and we can have them if we just believe . . . if we just trust. Trust we can do all things thru Him. A trust which believes if we do our part (use our gifts and talents to the best of our ability regardless of how large or small that contribution may be), He will see to it the rest gets put into place. If we trust in Him, knowing it is His Will, then we can allow it to occur in His time. God has perfect timing. He knows our dreams and aspirations. He wants us to prosper and live in abundance. He desires to live a life in communion with us . . . and thus a life much larger than we could possibly imagine without Him . . . without His love. If we will allow Him, He will go before us and have all events necessary occurring in perfect order and in perfect timing . . . if we just believe.

In todays Gospel (John 6:1-15), Our Lord has the apostles befuddled (again!). He sees a large crowd approaching in the distance and wants to feed them. Remember, the apostles were traveling very light at the time. All they have are the tunics on their backs . . . and the Lord is talking about feeding the mass of people gathering. Nomadic and befuddled . . . but more important, trustingly, they go about doing the best they can. In the end, the surplus is gathered. (Read that again . . . the surplus is gathered):

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she provides an excellent visual showing us our need for Christ is at our core:

"It is clear that the more closely connected we become to Christ in us, the more closely we project an accurate communication of our true self. Our true self, created by God, merges into God and we reflect God’s intent. Imagine a pot with one healthy flourishing flower, a hyacinth, for those who like clear imagery. Imagine this flower having the perfect nutrients in the soil, the perfect amount of light and water and the perfect quality of environs, meaning not too hot and not too cold. This is an ideal image, and crossing over a bridge to humanity, unrealistic. But to follow it down, this hyacinth projects a presence that is the ideal plan for a hyacinth bulb in that it has received the best possible circumstances and it has duly flourished. Sometimes, all around a flower bulb can seem ideal and yet some flaw, some biochemical happening, results in a bloom that is half-hearted or in a bulb that never blooms. The promise of a bloom, with the right circumstances, does not always result in what we expect and there is disappointment. But it is too soon to talk about disappointment when we are admiring what appears to be the perfect outcome of the plan for the bulb. Such a scent is given off by this flower! One is hard put to smell this scent and not find his heart transported to a good place. We can say that the fully blooming hyacinth accuratelreflects God’s plan for the bulb."

Lay apostles, He provides for us beyond our needs . . . in abundance. If we trust Him in good times and in times appearing grim; if we thank Him at all times; if we have faith, a childlike faith where we just believe Him no matter what is going on in our lives at the time, we will have a life of peace. We can live a life of joy. A life, once again, that we may only have once dreamed.

Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful writer in Jay, and the ability to shine our love for You together.

God bless,

Jay