Lent Day 14 - Practice

My 4-year-old grandson Colton loves speed. The faster something goes, the bigger the grin on his sweet face. For Christmas this past year, Santa brought him a go-cart . . . I mean a real one with the capability of going up to 25 mph! The first time he sat in his shiny new machine to take it for a spin, the speed control hadn't been set and he took off like a bullet! Luckily no damage to him or any surrounding property occurred, but the speed bug hit him! With a little practice, determination and coordination, this kid shockingly mastered his (5 mph max speed set!) driving skills! At age 4!!! Here is a short video I took of him this past weekend, donuts being his favorite thing to do right now:

As with Colt's advancing driving skills, the more we "practice" our faith, living the life Jesus died to give us, the more enriched our lives become . . . the easier it is to master love, kindness, service to others, and compassion. 

In today's Gospel (Matthew 23:1-12), Jesus teaches us the value of practicing what you preach:

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Anne has written one of my favorite lines in her book Staying in Place, ithe first sentence in the quote below:

"If we expect life to occasionally feel like a rodeo instead of an orderly procession of happy events, we will be in a greater state of readiness for our life experience.

Self-pity is the enemy of wellness and joy. Self-pity is the enemy of virtue. Self-pity targets initiative and accomplishment. Jesus Christ kept working from the cross of His death, organizing care for His mother, obtaining forgiveness for His persecutors, doing the hard work to wrap His head around His circumstances, even asking, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'

My friends, if we are breathing, life has expectations of us. Today’s expectations could jump to a far higher level at any moment. We must prepare to serve. And when we are most disappointed, we must practice finding what is good around us, what is pure, even when it is only pure sorrow. Then we might say with profound gratitude, 'Thank you, Jesus that someone taught me to believe in the next life, where all of this suffering will have evaporated and where I will be united with loved ones in safety and celebration, free from pain, harm and threat.'”

Lay apostles, how are you practicing your faith this Lent? I figure if I can do it a little better every day, I am heading in the right direction. By reading/learning more about my Catholic faith, demonstrating patience when difficult and loving unconditionally, my road to Heaven becomes very clear. I just need to keep my blinders on when distractions come my way . . . which takes a lot of practice!

Thank you, Lord, for the lessons learned by watching my 4-year-old grandson mastering his go-cart! Your lessons are everywhere!

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day 13 - Merciful

It's easy to get caught up in noise. It's easy to try to predict reasons behind erratic behavior. Analyzing every possible scenario is exhausting. So why try? Well, it's just how my brain works. Luckily, I have learned that when my brain starts calculating worst case and best case scenarios, it's time to call in the Big Guy. My job is to love and be merciful, leading by example. And, set very clear boundaries. 


Reminds me of an incident when my three girls were teenagers. It was around the time Ricky Martin was the big teen heartthrob. He had just opened a restaurant in Miami, so we decided it would be a fun day trip. (The girls were hoping they would get a glimpse of him, although it was highly unlikely). We were on the highway for about 20 minutes, when my oldest Mallorie was arguing with her youngest sister Taylor. The first "girls, stop the fighting" calmly escaped my lips. They quieted for about 5 minutes. Then, the bickering began again. Now my voice was a little louder. "Girls, if you argue one more time we are turning around and going home," I said (regretfully after I realized I would have to follow through with the threat!). "Noooooo, mom, we won't fight anymore. We promise!"  I was actually pretty excited to visit the restaurant, too, so I hoped they would get along for the next hour. Mind you, my middle daughter Whitney stayed out of the conflict. After the first warning, she reiterated my words to her sisters. After the second warning, she was starting to get upset with them. We were about 10 miles from Alligator Alley and turning around wasn't an option for quite awhile. Then from the back seat, it happened. I can't remember who started it. "OK, no Ricky Martin today! You guys blew it!" Got off at the next exit and turned around with three girls crying and apologizing and begging for another chance, although they knew I almost always followed through with my threats (I did let some things slip once in a while!). The lesson is, stop the noise. I am completely aware teenagers = drama. But as adults, unacceptable behavior is just that . . . unacceptable.  With clear boundaries intact, it takes a lot to disturb my peace anymore. I love unconditionally, with mercy, but won't hesitate to pull off the highway and head back home!

In today's Gospel (Luke 6:36-38), Jesus talks about U-Turns:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."

In Anne's book Staying in Place, she reminds us of Our God's great mercy and patience:

"People tend to put their past sins in the front seat, blocking their spirituality. In truth, God understands more than anyone why that person committed the sins he or she committed. People might believe that a harsh God has turned away from them but it will never be true. And if human beings judged them for mistakes or for sins, people do not forget that and they believe God is the same. God waits patiently, up the road, pointing to a hope- filled future, waiting to be noticed as a merciful, loving and understanding force for healing and change."

Lay apostles, Jay has an analogy I love when things become chaotic. An American gentleman one day goes to India. He's meeting with an Indian executive on the first floor of a high rise building. Behind the executive is a large glass window through which he observes people outside the building spinning in circles. Finally, he interrupts the executive and asks what the people outside were doing. The executive explains it is part of a religious sect called the Whirling Dervishes. They whirl because it's part of their belief system. The American asked him "how do you deal with them whirling directly outside your building?" He responds, "I don't do anything.  I leave them alone. Don't allow them to disturb me. I allow them to whirl because they are going to do it wherever they are." The moral of the story is even though some people choose to whirl, we can allow them to do so without getting caught up in their vortex of chaos. We can choose to detach with love and mercy. In doing so, we will obtain more clarity, peacefulness, and energy to do His Will.

Thank you, Lord, for getting me through the teenage years and now enjoying my adult daughters and grandchildren! So much easier being a grandparent!

God bless,

Bonnie

Lent Day 10 - Liable

Today's word from the Gospel . . . liable. 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines this as obligated according to law or equity. I hear this and all I can think of are the protesters spewing hatred and violence because they don't know what else to do with themselves. The question that comes to mind is . . . don't they have jobs? Responsibilities? A life? If only they would direct all that energy to cleaning up neighborhoods devestated by poverty and crime instead of destroying small businesses, leaving trash/debris everywhere for hard working men/women to clean up after them. Jesus's words today are so pertinent to the climate in America at this time. Intolerance is being lauded instead of integrity. Violence instead of kindness. Though we can judge an action, we can't judge a soul. Therefore, we must begin within, auditing our own behaviors and actions. Compliance with Our Lord's teaching today (Matthew 5:20-26) is all about accountability . . . making us liable:

Jesus said to his disciples:  "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise, your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, her words/teaching hold true for each and every one of God's children:

"Like it or not, accept it or not, our Catholic Church is known for guilt complexes. People even use the word Catholic as an adjective for a certain type of guilt. Now, guilt is not a bad thing. Taking responsibility for one’s mistakes, especially when these mistakes elevate to the level of sin, is crucial for development. We must hold ourselves accountable for actions that hurt either ourselves or others. This is good formation and if taught correctly prompts the growth of integrity. Nothing is wrong on the face of that. As long as it allows for process and prompts people to ask the question ‘Why’? And also gives a path to adapt bad habits by providing a ‘How?’

Let us look at what can be called the other side of guilt, shame. What people are probably referencing when they say Catholic guilt is actually closer to shame. Shame is not from God. God does not want us to feel shame. The truth is that our sacramental life actually helps people to manage their guilt so they are not stuck in quagmires of shame which can cripple ongoing development as well as distort us and others. So it is crucial that we distinguish between the two and keep ourselves in a place of realistic understanding of our sins and patterns of sin. Perhaps we should break it down further.

Guilt communicates the following: ‘You did a bad thing.’ Or, far better, ‘I did a bad thing. I am capable of doing bad things.’ This is the truth. It is our condition as human beings. We have choices to make and sometimes, for various reasons, we make the wrong choices. The result can be sin which rightfully prompts guilt.

Shame communicates the following: ‘You are a bad person’. Or, sadly, ‘I am a bad person. I am not capable of good things anymore because the past actions I have committed mean I am permanently marked.’ This cruel distortion of the truth is immature, unrealistic, distorted and the enemy of all unity and peace and growth."

Lay apostles, we all have made poor choices which didn't exactly turn out as we thought they would, right? Unfortunately, our wounded humanity arises when we feel defeated or fearful, causing us to react. All Jesus is trying to tell us is when we do cause hurt, ask for forgiveness . . . make things right. And as Anne says, make sure you know the difference between guilt and shame. Don't let the enemy skew your thoughts, holding you back from being liable for your actions.

Thank you, Lord, for the crystal clear directions on how to be accountable/liable for my words and actions.

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day 9 - Ask

In today's Gospel (Matthew 7:7-12), the word "ask" caught my eye:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets."

Jesus makes it so simple to ask Him for what we need. Now, the key is accepting what happens after we ask as His Will, not ours! The Gospel spells it out clearly . . . TRUST in Him and He will provide. It's so easy to fall into the trap of believing God doesn't hear your prayers when they are left unanswered. Alas, here is a question to ponder: Do I calmly go about my life, consciously aware He will guide me in the right direction to answer my prayer? Or, do I anticipate immediate change, becoming impatient with God when it doesn't occur fast enough? Believe in the Gospel. Believe in Jesus. He is in control.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, Jesus asks us to open our hearts and minds to the love of God. For when we do, He is able to give us everything we need and pray for:

"I am extending to you now a gift of calm, along with a gift of certainty. Ask me for these gifts and they shall be yours. You will be glad of your commitment to me. The cost to you is the relinquishment of self-will. The benefit to you is sublime and goes out to the whole world. You are standing in a place of conviction. Talk about conviction. Talk about your certainty of My presence in the world and My plan for the children of the Father who both radiates love and creates love. When you receive His love and offer it to others, it grows and grows and grows. But you must accept love. Perhaps that is another question for you to answer.

Do you believe that you are loved? Contemplate this question often. You are loved infinitely. When others hate you because of Me, the Father’s tenderness for you reflects His tenderness for Me during My passion. Believe this because you will then rejoice at your sufferings. Each opportunity to endure ridicule will be for you an indication of how close you are to Me. I love you. You are a part of Me and without you the body of Christ on Earth is less. Please remain steadfast in My plan for you."

Lay apostles, WE ARE LOVED! Every one of us. Develop the confidence to fully follow the journey Christ has laid out for you and the courage to ask Him for graces in times of weakness or uncertainty. The more I trust Him, and I mean REALLY trust Him with my whole heart, the easier it is to handle the ups and downs I am faced with on a daily basis. 

Thank you, Lord, for Your beautiful words above . . . both in the Gospel and Staying in Place. Please be quick to remind me of Your passion and all You suffered for me so I can get back on track when I have gone a little off course!

God bless,

Bonnie

Lent Day 8 - Signs

Busy, busy, busy. The years seem to be flying by. Seems like just yesterday I became a grandma for the first time . . . now, four grandkids later, my oldest grandson starts kindergarten this fall! And, it has been almost nine months since our beautiful Catholic wedding at Tearmann Anama (Soul Sanctuary - DFOT HQ) in Ireland!  

This Lent, I am trying to slow down and savor every day . . . to take notice of all God has placed in my life, in full view. I see His blessing when my husband lovingly puts his arm around my shoulder while we pray in Adoration; in the delight of my granddaughter when she rushes into my arms when I pick her up from preschool. When life goes awry or busyness occupies our fleeting days, stop and notice the beauty, love and graces placed in your surroundings. He is everywhere . . . just slow down enough to notice.

Today's Gospel (Luke 11:29-32) provides a simple truth, stop searching for proof of God's existence, and look to His Son for confirmation:

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.  Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.  At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here."

In Anne a lay apostle's new book Staying in Place: Recovery in the Church, she reminds us we are all here on Earth for a reason . . . and how important each of us are in leading others to Heaven:

"We are in a time of reform. The signs are all around us. While we must reform our hearts, we must also remember why we have been assembled and for what purpose. We are the yeast which is to raise the children of God toward the dignity of Heaven. Everyone counts. Everyone is crucially valuable. Everyone is lovable and has the dignity of the Father who created us." 

Lay apostles, if you haven't fully committed yourself to walking this journey with Christ, what is your hesitation? Think about that today. It's surprising how what we think is a hurdle is actually a curb. 

Thank you, Lord, for the constant reminders of Your love and the sense to know I am needed by You.

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day 7 - Babble

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word "babble" means to talk enthusiastically or excessively. Considering Jesus uses the word babble as a behavior not becoming of a Christian in today's Gospel . . . well, the Italian in me is hard to subdue when I am passionate about something or someone. There are times I am in conversation with a new acquaintance and find I need to remind myself over and over to listen instead of "babble."  Is my need to chime in the need to feel connected? To show I understand or can relate to the story at hand? I love to find common ground with people I meet, to bond on commonality. But that doesn't excuse my lack of listening at times. This prompted thinking about my prayer life. Do I listen to Him or give Him my long list of prayer requests? Usually it's the latter. One of my goals this Lent is to listen to Him more, and babble less. A goal once perfected, will (prayerfully!) spill over into everyday interactions.

In today's Gospel (Matthew 6:7-15), Jesus gives us the perfect prayer to live by:

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 men their transgressions,

your heavenly Father will forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men,

neither will your Father forgive your transgressions."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she reminds us to be cautious of what comes out of our mouths: 

"In moments of useless communication when we are not in communion with Jesus, the enemy can come with temptation. Our talk is then subject to a dark influence. Our talk can then become subject to the enemy’s plan. In many ways and on many occasions we have furthered the plan of Satan through talking and other forms of communication that are not willed by heaven. Better we be mute than assist Satan in tearing down what the Lord attempts to build. Many things can happen in useless talking and random communication. Often what happens is destructive gossip. Before any communication, therefore, we must seek to determine if Jesus wants us to communicate. Is Jesus asking us to make this communication? Many times and probably most times the answer will be ‘No’. Jesus needs only the smallest percentage of the communications we make."

Lay apostles, let's take note of how much we listen to others today. Do we cut people off to "babble?" Do we finish their thoughts for them? I know I am guilty of this! Just a few moments ago when Jay was talking to me, I assumed I knew what he was trying to tell me and responded before he finished. He asked if he could continue his thought. The outcome was different than what I assumed. (Sorry my love!) Less babble, more listening for me!

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me to listen first, respond second (which I know is a common reminder for You in our relationship!).

God bless,

Bonnie 

Lent Day 6 - Inheritance

My word from the Gospel today: Inherit

This year will be the 10th anniversary of my mother's death. Hard to believe the time has flown by so quickly. My mother suffered many tragedies as a child, inducing a lifetime of mental illness. But there was one thing she was very clear on . . . her inheritance in heaven. She would always say, considering she was an orphan and a widow (after my father died), she surely would have the greatest riches in heaven. I remember thinking she might be spending a bit of time in purgatory before seeing those riches, but nevertheless, I knew she was right. So many search for their inheritance here on earth . . . thinking more money in their bank account means a better life. I've seen and heard about families feuding over an item left behind . . . coveting a material object instead of comforting each other for their loss of a loved one. It's time to let go of material things and start focusing on our heavenly inheritance. I will leave you with this quote from the movie Bella. The main female lead, Nina, says "I've done the research and ten out of ten people die." We are all heading in the same direction toward eternal life . . . we only have this one chance to aim for heaven. 

Today's Gospel (Matthew 25:31-46) couldn't be any clearer, and make my choice any easier . . . I want to be on the right side:

Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him.  And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

God the Father in Volume Three speaks words of comfort, filled with Fatherly Advice:

"In heaven, you will have instant and constant communication with Me. We will take such joy in each other, dear children. There is a complete absence of want in heaven. You will search in vain for the poor, the troubled, and the sick. Everywhere you look you will view another tableau of peace and serenity. Souls will seek knowledge and find it. Souls will seek wisdom and obtain it. Souls will seek understanding from others and others will instantly understand them. Such sympathetic listening will take place in heaven, My children. You will know nothing of anxiety for loved ones in heaven because all will be well and all will be decided. There will be no uncertainty in the hearts of My children. Dear ones, this is your destiny. This is your inheritance for which you were created. Your time on earth is a small capsule of time designed to give you the opportunity to obtain your place in heaven. Use the gifts I have given you and you will find no limit to what you can achieve on earth. All heavenly help is available."

Lay apostles, today when thinking about our heavenly inheritance, think about loved ones who have gone before us. Think about how much they may have suffered on earth. Then reread the excerpt from Volume Three above. I know my mom is finally where she always longed to be . . . home in eternity with her Beloved Jesus.

Thank you, Lord, for all the wisdom in Your Gospels and in the Volumes. I can't imagine life without them. And, thank you for reminding me about what is waiting when I return home some day!

God bless,
Bonnie

Lent Day 3 - Mourn

Weekly Adoration is invaluable. It's water to a thirsty soul . . . quiet time for just Jesus and me. My typical hour consists of first, the Rosary. Then, going through all family members/friends and praying for any intentions they may have or need. The hour usually flys by quickly. 

For Christmas this year, my daughter Whitney and my grandson Colt and granddaughter Savannah made me a Rosary. It bears the names of 4 little human beings I love and treasure with all my heart!

This past Tuesday Jay and I were visiting the Blessed Sacrament. I prayed my Rosary as I always do. Each decade I say a prayer for the grandchild whose name is colorfully displayed. After finishing the Sorrowful Mysteries, something made me get up to light candles, which I do sometimes, but not every visit. I felt drawn to light 4 candles specifically for my daughter Whitney, son-in-law Kevin, Colton and Savannah. As I approached my seat next to Jay, he whispered Kevin was calling my cell. By the time I reached for my phone, Kevin was calling Jay's cell. He stepped out and took the call. Jay returned and motioned for me to grab my things and come out. I knew something was wrong. Our baby Savannah (2 yrs old) was en route to the hospital via ambulance.  She had spiked a fever and became cyanotic (turning blue). We met them at the ER to find out it was a febrile seizure (A febrile seizure, also known as a fever fit or febrile convulsion, is a seizure associated with a high body temperature but without any serious underlying health issue. They most commonly occur in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years). On the drive home, I could not stop thanking Our Merciful Lord for quick recovery and that this was not something life threatening. 

After reading today's Gospel (Matthew 9:14-15), the word "mourn" struck me . . . one minute my sweet grandbaby is in the ER, the next day I was playing Barbies with her as I gave her a bath. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and thanksgiving in that moment and that's why the word "mourn" stood out today. Each day should be filled with thankfulness for our loved ones because, in a blink, any one of us can be called home. Why spend the time mourning what could be when we have them flesh and blood with us today?

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?

The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."

In Volume Four, Jesus tells us to mourn no more:

"Children of the world, look toward the light. Raise your eyes to all that is goodness. I come to you with joy and celebration. The time for mourning is past because God has taken His children back to His breast, never to be parted."

Lay apostles, let us celebrate all the Lord has blessed us with. We are surrounded by love always. God IS Love. He never leaves our side. Even in our darkest (or scariest) times, He is there to comfort if we only let Him. 

Thank you, Lord, for healing our baby girl Savannah. Please continue to protect her and our three grandsons so they grow up to live lives of faith and love of You.  

God bless,

Bonnie

Lent Day 2 - Rejection

The political atmosphere we encompass daily now is a barrage of negativity and, yes, fake news. Why are the people being paraded across social media so angry and violent? It has grown into brutal verbal and even physical attacks if one side doesn't agree with the other. In order to recoup my peace, I am finding the need to disconnect from the chaos (at least for an hour or so!) and focus on Jesus. As I read today's Gospel, the word "rejection" jumped out at me. I began thinking about the people "rejecting" our President and his desire to fix America. This question popped into my head: How do I act when I'm rejected? I'm hurt, I'm sad, or I'm annoyed. But through my faith (and with age), I have learned to subdue the pangs of rejection through prayer and thanksgiving for all the love that surrounds me.  There are many wounded people whose only recourse for their candidate losing the election is to make others feel as bad as they do. It's as if they themselves have been rejected. Many don't have Jesus to navigate out of the spiraling negativity. Many don't even have parents, a spouse, a significant other . . . someone to help ease the pain and confusion. The Son of Man endured rejection and He was Perfect, so why wouldn't His Words lead us in the right direction? There is Light at the end of the tunnel. And Jesus, the Most Experienced One, advises us in the Gospel (Luke 9:22-25) today:

Jesus said to his disciples: "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised."

Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?"

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she beautifully illustrates how Our Lord's unconditional love for His Children should inspire us to follow in His Footsteps:

"The greater the love we feel for others, the greater the craving for a reciprocal response of love. Our craving does not ensure that we will receive that which we crave, any more than the Lord’s craving for love from each man is satisfied. Happily, Jesus teaches us as much in rejection as He teaches us in acceptance, that is, the experience of rejection, being so consistent with the ongoing experience of Jesus Christ by humanity, enables us to further identify with the crucified Christ. When the Lord suffered Calvary, He suffered or experienced near-total rejection. This was His experience of it in His humanity, even though we know that not all mankind rejects Christ. Did this cause Him to return rejection or abandon His love for us? No. On the contrary, in the acceptance of those who rejected Him, Jesus set an example of heavenly and unconditional love. Jesus’ acceptance of the rejection of others in no way diminished His craving for the love of humanity. He craved love in both His humanity and His divinity until the moment of His death. He continues to crave our love and safety. The more we possess Christ, the more we recognize Christ and love Him in others."

Lay apostles, contemplate the Gospel today and remember how Jesus handled life's difficulties. Strive for unconditional love in every situation. As hard as that is to do at times, we should always attempt it when the opportunity arises! Remember, WWJD?

Thank you, Lord, for all the lessons in the Gospels. The are the salve to my pain and the icing on my cake!

God bless,
Bonnie

Monthly Message - March

We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2017 with the message from March 1, 2009 for our prayer groups and personal reflection.

March 1, 2009

Jesus

My children, your work stretches out before you. How many serve? How many resist My will for them? When you consider others who do not seem to be serving Me, I want you to turn your face away. I want you to consider only My will for you in a given moment. This will protect you from many temptations. You can answer Me with simplicity when I ask you at the end of the day, “Have you served Me well today? ”You can simply say, “Yes, Lord. I have done My best.” Then you can lay down your worries and rest. Beloved apostles of God, do not be distracted by others. I know this is hard for you. I know that others can cause you upset. But if you consider how I have asked you to experience others, you will do better. I want you to view those around you as pilgrims journeying toward Me. That is what you are, after all. Can you deny others the need to move gradually to perfection when you, yourself are doing the same? You are involved in a process which means that you remain imperfect. Why would it be different for those around you? You have come to trust My loving compassion, My forgiveness and My uninterrupted affection. That is because you have come to know Me. If others do not know Me as well as you do, they will trust Me less. If they trust Me less, they will experience fear and this will cause them difficulty which moves out from the fear to greater and greater pain. If My apostles will accept that fear of being unloved is the source of great pain for others, My apostles will view the mistakes of others with compassion, as I do. Yes, the pain of humanity can only be remedied by loving compassion. This is why you are sent out by Me. You move into the world with heaven’s healing compassion. My apostles, perhaps you do not feel this compassion from others. Perhaps you feel that you are in need of compassion and find only condemnation. I make two remarks about this. One, please be willing to ask for understanding from other holy apostles and then accept what they offer to you in humility. Next, ask Me if I am judging you. Ask Me if I view you harshly. You know that I do not. I am pleased with whatever you offer Me in terms of fidelity and service. I am pleased with whatever you give to Me in terms of prayer and silence. I work so well in your little soul when you allow Me. I feel the greatest compassion for you. I am happy with your efforts to be holy and to love those around you. I rejoice in you. I rejoice in your commitment to Me. I urge you today in the most serious way to trust Me and trust in My plan for you.

Children of Mexico International

Good morning lay apostles! Today is Ash Wednesday and what better time to contemplate how to use the gifts God has blessed you with than to contribute time/money/prayers to a beautiful mission I learned about when writing my first book, Heavenly Healing. Margarita Fajardo gave her testimony for my book and her story was inspirational. She is one of the most humble servants of Christ I have been given the blessing of knowing. Here is a quick overview of her mission from their website:

The Children of Mexico International Story

On one of her many trips to Guadalajara, Mexico, California native and seasoned speech pathologist, Margarita Fajardo, had a life-altering experience when she visited an orphanage and met a young girl named Conchita. Conchita, born with cerebral palsy, was abandoned at the city dump.

Fortunately, a garbage collector found her and she was then given a home along with 19 other disabled children and young adults at a home called “Bienaventurados de Jesus.” The following year Margarita returned, bringing with her more therapists and equipment to help improve the lives of all the children thereby enhancing their communication skills. Thus, Children of Mexico International was created.

If you are interested in helping Margarita and her team, you can reach her at Tel: (650) 784 6092 or email: childrenofmex@gmail.com.

Click on this link to download the Application to join this beautiful mission here: https://www.childrenofmex.org/apply

God bless,
Bonnie

Ash Wednesday 2017 - What is Your Word?

My husband Jay, my sister Diane and I attended a Catholic seminar with Jeff Cavins a few weeks ago . . . a dynamic speaker with a great sense of humor! My sister had experienced Jeff's Great Bible Adventure series years ago and raved her knowledge of the Bible grew into a yearning to learn more about our faith and Our God. There were so many "pearls" we walked away with that day, one of them being his recommendation to read the daily Gospel, decipher what word jumped out at you, write it down and contemplate what God is trying to teach you with that word. Part of my Lenten journey is to put this into practice. So today, the word jumping out at me is "hypocrites." As I sat to contemplate this word, immediately my thoughts went to my loved ones. How many times do I pray they become holier? That they love Jesus and demonstrate it in their actions? I'm thinking Jesus needed me to see where I was being hypocritical in thinking I know what they lack and where they need to improve! I can only control my own holiness journey. I am not walking in anyone else's shoes but my own. The word hypocrite today means, for me, to pray more . . . and to focus on my own journey toward eternity.

In today's Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18), Jesus is very clear . . . the internal journey toward salvation is what He asks us to concentrate on:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

The quote below from Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love connected the Gospel and my "word" perfectly, further defining my contemplation:

"Jesus will connect the one who seeks Him to holy fellowship when the time is right and persuade the searcher that while all Christians are human, all Christians are not hypocrites. This strategy for truly understanding what one is rejecting, seeks Christ in three ways: in Holy Scripture, in the Eucharist and ongoing life of the Church, and in other faithful Christians. These are good places to look for Jesus because He truly lives and ministers to us from these three places each day if we seek Him. What is the Lord’s experience of this time? I believe

that the Lord sees many of His children living outside of the safety of His Church and He is sorrowful. Why is He sorrowful? Is it because Jesus wants to control people? Is it because Jesus wants to be justified and powerful? Is He concerned about His glory? Hardly. Jesus is sorrowful because He wants to provide safety for His children and He cannot protect us when we reject Him. I believe that the Lord sees the spiritual and emotional and even physical danger of life lived in rebellion and He mourns our denial of these realities. What will help? Do we need more people preaching the Gospel? Yes. We do. At once. We need more truth tellers and fewer hypocritical representations of Christ. Do we need those preaching the Gospel to be humble? Yes. We require an increase in humility and a decrease in arrogance. The fact that those living in rebellion can be aggressive and hurtful is no excuse for us to respond with aggression and hurtfulness. We are called to be different. We should be different. Do we need greater obedience to the Magisterium of the Church? Yes. Only God knows how damaging the level of disobedience has been. Those serving in the Church who openly reject the teaching of the Church are hurting the Lord’s cause terribly. We are called to put on the mind of Christ, not the mind of the world. We just cannot all be leaders. Some of us have to follow. That is the point of the whole exercise ... to follow Christ as He manifests Himself through the teachings of the Church. Do we need more prayer? Yes. This is a compelling need for every Catholic. Less talk, more listening to heaven. We need all kinds of prayer in our days. If we learn to pray, we will learn to listen to the Holy Spirit and serve as He wills, not as we will."

Lay apostles, how are you planning to grow closer to Our Lord this Lent? What has worked for you in the past? I love suggestions on increasing holiness! I am excited to get back on track with writing my daily blog and contemplating the "word" Jesus is trying to highlight to open my heart and mind to what He wants for me!

Thank you, Lord, for all the beautiful men and women You have brought into my life to educate and enrich my spiritual journey.

God bless,

Bonnie

The Power of God

It never fails. When things seem to be going smoothly, evil will, in all likelihood, cause a hiccup! And the hiccup always has to do with another's behavior in opposition of my core beliefs. There is appropriate behavior which I may not be in agreement with, but I respect because we are all individuals with our own way of doing things. Then there is inappropriate behavior . . . behaviors I avoid at all costs. When they are demonstrated right before my eyes, my immediate thought is "SERIOUSLY?" But then the Good Lord steps in to calm me down. All I have to do is start writing my blog post for the day and He always sends the calm I need. There will always be those demonstrating inappropriate behavior as in the parable from the Gospel today (Mark 12:1-12). Jesus can only do so much with me . . . it's my free will I am in control of and in need of remembering to focus on Him when others try to disrupt my peace:

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant. And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully. He sent yet another whom they killed. So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed. He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture passage:

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?”

They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them. So they left him and went away.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, her point is eloquently made . . . there is always going to be disruption in our lives . . . it's how we handle it that matters:

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

Lay apostles, spiritual warfare is all around us. Today, take it for what it is . . . evil trying to disrupt our peace. Focus on Christ and His Will. Please Him in every reaction, every word coming from your mouth. When I practice this way of thinking (and I am far from perfect in doing this!), things seem to blow over much quicker! The power of God and His Mercy are abundant!

Thank you, Lord, for all the comfort and protection You give me in times of angst.

God bless,
Bonnie

God's Love Flows Through Us

Happy New Year 2017! Hard to believe so much time has elapsed since my last post. Life has been busy, wonderful, challenging, miraculous and a list of many other adjectives I could formulate in my head! If you follow me on Twitter (@bonnieyoung22), you know my joy and excitement for the results of the presidential election (#MAGA!!!). For me, it was all about pro-life agendas, retaining our religious liberties, the appointment of conservative Supreme Court Justices to uphold the law, and a president who is pro-America. I truly believe there were so many people praying for President-elect Donald J. Trump to win, the Good Lord decided to give us a miracle! The power of prayer hopefully has been restored in many who have put it on the back burner. God IS mightier than those who oppose Him . . . we must never forget that. God's Love flows through us if we allow it to. And, we must give it freely . . . even to those who allow evil to reign in their lives. If we stop the flow of God's love and replace it with revenge, hatred, or bitterness, how will the recipient ever see the beauty of faith in our Mighty God? Let it begin with me!

Today's Gospel (Mark 1:7-11) makes one thing clear . . . God is in control:

This is what John the Baptist proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me.  I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.  On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.  And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she beautifully illustrates God's power within each of us:

"There are days when the work we do for God is so steady that we do not look around. We serve without interruption, giving little thought to the bigger canvas on which God uses us to paint His story of renewal.

Sometimes we work very hard for long periods and during these periods God gives us all that we need to persist in His service. We have, during these periods of intensive service, little time to examine why we are serving God or what else we could be doing. We simply work. All is well. During these periods, God often withholds temptations of the more sublime variety, the “Do I really want to remain on this current course?” temptations. We barrel through the work, and God flows through us mightily even though we can be largely unaware of this. After a time, we get tired. Then comes a natural break. This can come in the form of an in-between period, or it is a time-off period. Perhaps we suffer with illness or a transition of service occurs. At those times, the floodgates can open.

God then allows us to struggle with the temptations necessary to secure our future service. The story with holiness, while written in the present, is concluded in the future. In other words, the end of the story is directly correlated to the action of the present. What will the end look like? That depends on what we choose today. The struggle we all experience of revulsion for the work that God wills for us is part of the work."

Lay apostles, what are you going to do differently in 2017? For me, I will, to the best of my ability, write more; love unconditionally (yes, I really try to pray for HRC!); be a better wife, mother, Mimi, sister, aunt and friend. I am so imperfect. But if I allow God to flow through me to others, His Divine Plan can continue to move forward in my life and the lives of those I love and come in contact with.

Thank you, Lord, for the reminder of the power of prayer. Help me to come to You first always!

God bless,
Bonnie

A Lesson in Parenting

From a motherly perspective, it's very difficult to watch children struggle with life issues, especially as adults. Most Christian parents pray their children grow up to be happy, healthy, and successful with Christ as their center. Some stay on track, but some stray off the path. Contemplating my younger days, I find myself apologizing to my parents (in heaven) for all the heartache I must have caused in my teen years. Although most of my bad behavior was to escape my dysfunctional home . . . a mother with severe mental illness and a father who just wanted to escape, I try to imagine how out of control my mother must have felt when she saw the damage I inflicted upon myself during the tough times in our family. It must have broken her heart that there was nothing she could do, just as it breaks mine when one of our daughters suffers. But we must follow the example of the Blessed Mother after she received the gut-wrenching news in today's Gospel. Despite hearing the dreadful words regarding Jesus's fate (and hers as well), she stayed connected to God knowing all the pain and suffering would bring about New Life. Just as our children have life lessons to learn and grow, we must remember to stay focused on Christ, trusting He is using these experiences to draw them closer to Him, just as our own life lessons have brought us to where we are today. 

Today's Gospel (Luke 2:33-35) is a lesson in parenting . . . stay strong and keep praying:

Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

In Volume Five, Jesus assures that if we offer our concerns to Him, He will use them to lead us to live holier lives:

"Dear souls, conduct yourselves with dignity. Be calm and recollected. Be thoughtful in everything and make decisions prayerfully, always seeking My counsel. I do not want My followers to be overly excited. I do not want My followers to spread bad news in order to incite hysteria.
There are changes coming, yes, but these changes are necessary and your Jesus is always looking out for the best possible environment for your soul to develop the greatest degree of holiness. I will see to every situation that you give Me control over. Be in the habit of constantly
giving Me your concerns and this habit will be then so ingrained that during difficult times, the practice will come naturally."

Lay apostles, are you struggling with something today? If you are, ask Jesus to take control of the situation. Pray for heavenly assistance every time that issue pops into your head. It's surprising how much relief heaven is ready to provide if we just ask. 

Thank you, Lord, for being the salve for my heart when difficulties arise. I know my children are in Good Hands. 

God bless,
Bonnie

Jesus Doesn't Condemn . . . He Saves

Rejection of God and faith is rampant in the news and social media . . . some comments outright, some disguised as human rights. As much as this can be discouraging, it ultimately is calling all Christians to action. How can we make a difference in this world? Seems like a feat too big to tackle alone, but alas . . . we are not alone! Jesus promises us He is always by our side. And that gives me the confidence to go out into the world spreading Christ's Love to the best of my ability. It may be in a kind word to a stranger, kissing a boo-boo on my grandson's knee, apologizing when I misspeak. Whatever my small part in this life entails, I want to live it as He wishes. Reading the Volumes pretty much spells it out as does the Bible. Any effort for Christ doesn't go unrecognized . . . by Him, and those we encounter on a daily basis.

In reading today's Gospel (John 3: 13-17), I find myself looking for opportunities to shine His Light:

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

In the Monthly Message from September 2011, Jesus provides food for my soul to continue serving Him:

"It is with joy that I speak with you today. When I contemplate your fidelity to My plan for mercy, I feel joy. When I contemplate your fidelity to holiness, I feel joy. Do not pause in your commitment to becoming holier. This calm movement into the Spirit of gentleness and kindness should help you to view others with compassion, yes, but also yourself. Do you view yourself with compassion? Do you offer kindness and mercy toward yourself when you contemplate your condition? My friends, My dearest friends, be careful to view yourself as I view you. Be careful not to view yourself in harsh light that seeks to condemn. If you are tempted against mercy for yourself, then truly, you are tempted against truth. Because it is only with mercy and love that I greet your
present condition and your attempts to advance in holiness. I am love. I could hardly ask you to love others and then withhold love from you. That would be a flawed plan, destined to fail. My plan is perfect. I give you a receptive heart, you receive My love in abundance, and then stand for Heaven to be a well on earth which both stores and distributes love. Beloved apostle, search your heart today. If you do not find mercy and compassion for yourself in your heart, come to Me at once and ask Me to give these things to you. My plan for you and for the world will not advance as quickly as necessary if you do not accept your present condition and understand My perfect love for you. Your potential for holiness has not yet been fully achieved, of course, and I want you to advance. And I ask that you do so in confidence, joy and hope. Rejoice. I am with you."

Lay apostles, today let's work on not condemning others flaws and especially our own. We are human and God knows we are imperfect. That's the beauty of it . . . love despite the flaws! Start the kindness within first. It makes loving others a much easier task.

Thank you, Lord, for all the mercy and love You have for Your Children. Please continue to correct my path to Yours when I veer off in the wrong direction!

God bless,

Bonnie

Peace Particularly During This Election Cycle!

This election year already has me exasperated! But I support our Republican candidate, Donald Trump. He may have a big ego; he may be politically incorrect. But he is the only candidate who offers some respite from the presidency of the last 8 years. I find my blood pressure rising when praise for the Democratic candidate is splashed all over the media. I don't have a problem with a female president. Not at all! I just don't want a woman who is pro-abortion (including late term abortion), an elitist, disrespects the truth, and is an unindicted criminal to bat. What is our society not seeing when her face appears on all liberal news stations? She's a woman so her criminal activity doesn't matter? Despite the political warfare occurring, I know God is in control. My only comfort is He has a plan . . . and it includes everything we experience every day we are on this earth. So I have a choice . . . pray for Mr. Trump and his family or fret about our country spiraling out of control if the Democratic candidate is chosen. I am choosing prayer! It's all any of us can do. So, Mr. Trump, I pray for you, your family, Mr. Pence, his family . . . and I pray for the Clintons. We need God back in this country, and Mr. Trump may be the only one to shift this country back to the faith it was founded on . . . Christianity.

In today's Gospel (Matthew 16:24-28), Jesus asks us to focus on our beautiful eternity, not on the chaos of the world:

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each according to his conduct. Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

In Volume Two, Jesus shows us by focusing on Him instead of ourselves, we can bring His love and kindness to others:

"If you are hurried, you will miss My cue and the soul will remain without necessary consolation and guidance. Children, this is the state of affairs all over your world at this time. Do you notice that loneliness and despair are everywhere? Children, you will not find loneliness and despair where I am. Indeed, even in the most wretched of circumstances, if I am present, you will see eyes that smile and offer kindness, and you will see great hope, even in the face of suffering and death. So what is missing in your world? I am missing. Few souls allow Me to work through them. When I am allowed, you will see hope begin to flourish again. Faces will be more at peace and joy will flow naturally from one soul to another. I will put such joy in your faces that you will be unable to conceal your unity with Me. Crosses will feel lighter and hold great meaning. Children, I have so much to offer you, both in these words and in My constant presence in your lives. So do not turn away, even for a day. Draw closer to Me, that We may proceed. What feels difficult to you, anticipating changes in your life, will come easily. That is another promise I make to you."

Lay apostles, these are challenging times. As Jesus says above, He is missing in this world. Our part of this political warfare over the next 3 months is to allow God to work through us to change minds and hearts. Alas, there is no need for anger or frustration. Stay focused on Him and your eternity; make choices with Him in mind; and pray my friends! 

Thank you, Lord, for Your continued patience when I let propaganda interfere with my peace. Help me to stay focused on You and prayer, always!

God bless,

Bonnie

Monthly Message for August

We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2016 with the message from August 1, 2008 for our prayer groups and personal reflection.

August 1, 2008

Jesus

My dear ones, I am with you in your struggles. How can I help you to understand that your struggles are necessary to your holiness? Perhaps you should simply trust Me and view your struggles as evidence that I continue working to perfect your soul. If there were no struggle, My little apostles, there could be no possibility of advancement. This is a time to make great gains in holiness but gains are only possible with effort. I am making every effort toward you. Are you making efforts to move closer to Me? Ask yourself today and each day, ‘Where is God asking me to be holier today?’ Perhaps it is charity, perhaps patience, possibly trust, maybe you should practice concentrating on your holiness and refrain from examining the work needed in other people. Oh, My dear apostles, if you could only see how desirable holiness is to heaven. If you could only see how beautiful you are when you are looking up to heaven with an honest desire to become holier. When you become distracted, My heart sighs. And yet I am patient with you. I know that My little ones want to serve Me. I know that My little ones struggle to absorb the truth about holiness. And that is why I am patient. I am patient because you are trying. Continue trying, dear apostles. Walk bravely into holiness. Be fearless in examining your condition. If you do so, I will surround you with love so that you do not become discouraged, but emboldened. You will become emboldened to strive for greater and greater heights of holiness and greater and greater heights of humility. How heaven will rejoice as the King’s apostles relinquish their ties to the world and attach themselves more fully to heaven’s work. Heaven’s work will always involve two goals, one, the holiness of the apostle, two the coming of the Kingdom. My apostles must concern themselves primarily with their holiness and then I, the King, can best see to the coming of God’s Kingdom. Be at peace. Rejoice. I am with you and My plan is advancing.

What Signs are You Promoting?

The Gospel today immediately brought to mind the song "Signs" by Five Man Electrical Band. I think everyone my age knows the refrain:

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind

Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Kind of reminds me of the state our country is in. Political correctness has stripped our rights to education of our children/grandchildren in the virtues/principles of our Christian faith. All that is good and decent has been cast into the shadows to please a minute number of non-believers/non-Christians. Is it any surprise hatred is running rampant as evidenced by all the shootings right now? Without God, we are nothing. We are not safe or protected from the unrest/retaliation. So, what can we do to turn hate into love? War into peace? Grasp on to the Hand of Christ and do our part to bring faith to the world, beginning with ourselves and our families. How are we reacting to the violence on Facebook? Twitter? Any social media? Are our posts Christ-filled or hate-filled? Signs are everywhere . . . how are you choosing to interpret them?

Today's Gospel (Matthew 12:38-42) reminds me when I stop looking for signs and focus on the here and now, I am giving Jesus the time He needs to answer my questions:

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

In the July 2007 Monthly Message, Jesus clearly defines how we are to view a world rejecting God and all that is decent:

“The signs of My presence are all around you, even though you struggle. Believe this. If you look at a person who has rejected Me, you will see signs of that rejection. If you look at a world that has rejected Me, you will also see signs. My beloved ones, when you see signs that God has been rejected, you must remain peaceful. I, Jesus, have told you that change is necessary. I, Jesus, have told you that I desire change. I do not abandon you and I do not abandon the world. I have many friends in this world and you are among them. You trust Me, I know. I will honor the trust you have placed in Me. I will bring all things to the good, both in your life and in the world.”

Lay apostles, today focus on how you can bring Christ to the world. Is it by posting something positive on Facebook? Staying away from groups spewing hatred for a race, vocation or religion? Stay focused on Him. Make sure whatever you post or write reflects His Goodness, not the malice of God's enemy.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me You are the answer to the world's problems . . . and that love should begin with me.

God bless,
Bonnie

Time To Pull Up The Bootstraps!

Teenage girls. Boy oh boy did my three drive me nuts every once in a while during their adolescence. Getting them to set the table for dinner, let alone clear the table or do the dishes was torture. So I created a list rotating between the three tasks. But when the "clearer" didn't do her job quick enough, the dishwasher wandered off, usually gabbing on the phone with girlfriends. Then came the complaining from the setter. She did her job on time so why were the other two able to slack off? I would then proceed to one of the bedrooms blaring some hip hop song and calmly remind the clearer to get moving so the dishwasher could do her job. Then by the third reminder, I wasn't so calm. As soon as a certain tone would come out of my mouth, I'd get the dirty look and the "ok, mom!" irritated growl. It is a miracle teenage girls, my teenage girls, turned into amazing young women! I love you, my beautiful angels! ;-)

In today's Gospel (Matthew 12:1-8), the Pharisees just couldn't stop complaining:

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath."

In Volume One, Jesus asks us to put duty over feelings:

“I want My children to have spiritual discipline. This means you practice your faith regardless of how you feel. There is far too much time spent on feelings today. Duty is more important. My children of the world think that their duties should be suspended if their feelings change. This is not the case, My children. On the contrary, you must complete your duties despite feelings of fatigue, boredom, and restlessness. The enemy uses these feelings to persuade people that they should not serve their loved ones. The world encourages this and does not hold people responsible when they shirk their duties or become lax or lazy. Indeed, even in work My children complain and think they should be given liberty. They begrudge doing their duty in every area of their lives. Only in their personal entertainment do they stop complaining, and that is being taken to excess. Children, this is not the way I intended for you to live. Your duty is holy and in it you will find your path to holiness. When you are unsure about what I want you to do at a given moment, look for your duty. Does it lie with your children, your job, your family, your home, your work? Everyone has a duty and in it you will find the path to your salvation. I want you to have discipline now. Decide, through prayer and conversation with Me, what spiritual practices you need to adopt. Then you must be disciplined about these practices.”

Lay apostles, simple tasks such as washing the dishes or mowing the yard are not exactly entertainment. But we must strive to complete our tasks on time with love and with no complaints. Each of us has a duty in life. Figure out what yours are and ask Christ for a heaping dose of motivation to accomplish them.

Thank you, Lord, for helping me survive teenage girls without pulling out all my hair! Please help my daughters to respond with love when their children reach that wonderful time in their lives when shirking duties/complaining is an everyday occurrence.


God bless,
Bonnie

Poor In Spirit

In todays Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12) I am always drawn to the line about being "poor in spirit." What exactly does Jesus mean here? Those who don't believe in God or have lackluster faith acquire the Kingdom of heaven? Is He talking about people who are depressed or those who are weak in character? No, just the opposite. It's understanding we are nothing without God. I found an excellent explanation in a Catholic Answers forum:

"Note that He is talking about the 'poor in spirit' here. In other words, those who are aware of their own smallness and emptiness. The poor in spirit are not those who beat themselves up, but those who frankly recognize how puny they are before the mysteries of the universe and the Creator of that universe. They don't let their own accomplishments and abilities blind them to their morality and vulnerability. They don't fool themselves."

With this meaning in mind, I am comforted in my climb to holiness. Through the writings of this mission, I have become smaller . . . aware of the Glory of God in every situation. My goal is poor in spirit . . . is it yours?

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

In Volume One, our Blessed Mother provides comforting words for our journey to her Son:

"My heart aches for my little ones. I see them twisting and turning in despair. How I hover near them, waiting for them to glance at me so that I may rush in to comfort and guide them. Alas, they look everywhere but to heaven. It was never this way to such a degree in the world. People are ashamed to ask God for help because they feel it is a sign of weakness. They fear trust. They think it makes them like children. So it does. And that is what they must be to enter in the kingdom of heaven, which is their eternal home. We must help souls to realize that it is time to come back to Jesus now. Time is short. There is no other way to say that. I want all souls to convert in the silence of their hearts and Jesus and I will lead them by the hand. No harm shall come upon them if they turn to us in their hearts. My heart is soft and forgiving. Like any good mother, I forget the mistakes of my children almost immediately. I can help poor sinners to forgive themselves and seek the forgiveness of my Son, a forgiveness that heals and strengthens. Sinners must not be afraid. They must simply close their eyes and say, ‘God, I have made mistakes. I’m sorry. I am Your child, though, and seek to be united to You.’ My child, all of heaven weeps for joy when even one soul makes this act of humility and love. How we rush in to assist this soul, and protect him from the attacks of the evil one. We nurture and guide this soul until he is back walking the path to Christ with confidence. Don’t be afraid, dear souls. You will find no recriminations. Only love."

Lay apostles, let's all strive to be "poor in spirit" today. What does that look like to you? How can you achieve what Our Savior asks of us? Is it praying a Rosary in thanksgiving? Or, sitting quietly in Adoration or even in your own backyard? Whatever it is, make time for Him. Open your heart and soul. He is ready and waiting!

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to achieve my quest to be poor in spirit. And, thank you for allowing me to understand Your Greatness through the Bible and the Volumes.

God bless,
Bonnie

School of Holiness 2016 - Chicago!

Greetings from sunny Florida fellow lay apostles and future lay apostles! If you are a young adult and haven't attended the School of Holiness in the past, now is your chance to attend in the U.S.! 

If you are a high school student or under the age of 20 (or the parent, aunt, uncle, cousin, etc of a young adult), don't miss this opportunity to interact with an energetic, dedicated group of lay apostles! 

God bless,
Bonnie