Gospel Thoughts Today: One Act of Love

My worst fear as a teenager?  That my secret would be discovered. It was complete torture trying to hide it. I knew if my friends found out, let alone a boy I liked, it would be . . . well, embarrassing. Yes, I am talking about my curly hair. I did everything in my power to straighten it, and we are talking before the brilliant invention of flatirons!  Hollowed out metal coffee cans bobby pinned to the top of my head; hot rollers (which still gave me curls!); and even tried ironing it once because I saw my oldest sister doing it.  The point I want to make is, nothing else mattered at the time.  I had no other fears. And I took most of my angst out on my younger sister. I didn't care about consequences or how much I hurt her with harsh criticisms.  My mother would always say, "Do unto others as you would have done unto you." My response?  Bring it on. I really could care less what my stupid little sister had to say.  I always had a better zinger to boomerang right back at her. We were both stuck in a toxic environment with a very mentally ill mother after Dad left. Taking it out on her seemed the only way to purge the hurt, anger, and frustration of my chaotic world.  I remember the pained look in her eyes when I would erupt. But instead of feeling bad, it made me feel better.  As if there was someone else on this earth who felt as bad as I did.

You will be happy to know we have always been involved in each other's lives as adults and love each other very much today! Most importantly, we have learned to cope with our past and take it for what it was . . . our journey called life.

In today's Gospel (Matthew 7:6, 12-14), Jesus reminds us to play nice:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets. "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few."

In the Monthly Message of December 2005, Jesus gives examples of how to play nice:

“I have given you many examples of how I loved during My time on earth. Read about Me in Scripture, dear apostles, and then be gentle as I was gentle. Be kind as I was kind. Be respectful as I was respectful. Be forgiving as I was forgiving. I am with you in each moment and you may ask me for the grace to love each soul in your life. I will send you this grace and together, you and I will prepare you to love like a resident of heaven. In this process, you will find great joy. This joy is only the very beginning of My reward to you. Be at peace. Your God created you to love and He will teach you how to do this.”

Lay apostles, it all seems so crystal clear, doesn't it?  Then why is it so hard to forgive at times? To be kind, gentle, and respectful in situations where it is so desperately needed? Well, quite frankly, because we are flawed human beings. And, it takes practice! How can you practice being forgiving, kind, gentle or respectful today?  Well, I for one am going to call my baby sister and remind her how much I love her!

Thank you, Lord, for all the lessons You so desperately want us to learn. Help me to remember all it requires is one step forward, one act of love.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: It's Time To Be Bold

Today is the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. A man who prepared the way for many to Christ. As Christians, we are called to be His light on earth, drawing others to Him as John did. What behaviors are we displaying on a daily basis? Do they emulate Christ? Are we forgiving, thankful, loving, kind, and nonjudgemental? Nobody ever said being a Christian was easy . . . but if we live as John did, think about our reward in heaven. Now is the time to be bold, lay apostles. Don't shy away from speaking His Name constantly and out loud. Stop caring what others will think of you. Care about what Jesus will think of you . . .

In today's Gospel (Luke 1:57-66,80), as an infant, the crowds knew John was special:

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, our Blessed Mother encourages us to be bold as the reward will be great:

"This is the time of my Son. Dear apostle, how overjoyed I am at the loyalty He receives from this current band of followers. You are like apostles of the past in that you serve with consistency and joy. You are unique, though, given that you serve during a time when the enemy seeks to have a complete hold on this world. This attempt to overcome the world is bold. It ensures that you will have to fight, as all apostles are called to fight. The difference for apostles in this time is the consistent level of resistance they face from the enemies of my Son. Consistent with the increased resistance is the increased grace, of course. Heaven and earth work together as in no other time."

Lay apostles, do you shy away from speaking the name of Jesus in public? I used to be that way. I used to think I didn't need to "convert" anyone . . . as long as I tried to do my best. Well, I was wrong. We are asked to spread His Words and this mission. We are asked to live our lives boldly, as the first apostles did. It can be scary and overwhelming to stand out in a crowd. Let me tell you . . . I have done it and sometimes great conversions happen. Sometimes there is ridicule and mockery. But when it's all said and done, I know I have done, to the best of my ability, what He asks of me. What can you do today to be bold for Christ?

Thank you, Lord, for the strength, wisdom, and support You have given me in times I was a little leery of being bold. Please continue to nudge me when I'm not bold enough!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Love Your Enemies

There couldn't be better timing for the Gospel message today. With up-to-date news as close as a tap on our smartphones, the lies/intolerance occurring here in our own country is enough to entice my husband and me to visit a gun store/shooting gallery to inquire about classes. There is so much self-pity and childish behavior being flung since our president's election 2 1/2 years ago, it has become like projectile vomiting . . . most can't stop it from freely exiting their mouths! There is such a lack of control in the emotional department, I wonder . . . how did they become so angry? The only thing I can come up with? God is not front and center in their lives, or if even IN their lives. Christ assigns us a very difficult task today . . . love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. When people I love frustrate or disappoint me, it's easy to continue loving them and find a resolution. When the perpetrator is in Hollywood, the #FakeNews media or a random person on Twitter, I have to admit I struggle with loving and praying for them. The solution for me? Don't spend my hard earned money by going to the theater to see these characters try to act; keep the offending news channels off; block the frustrating tweets. I also try to stay focused on positive political #NewMedia like YourVoice America (Bill Mitchell is the best! Extremely positive and explains what is actually going on in America!). I am a work in progress . . . trying my best to pray instead of loudly voicing my opinion when I see or hear all the negativity! All I can say is . . . TRUMP 2020!!

Today's Gospel (Matthew 5:43-48):

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

The following quote from Anne's book Staying in Place perfectly states the reason we must stay focused on love and gratitude, not hate and anger:

"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 do we detach from all the noise encompassing our daily lives? Put the smartphone down. Call instead of text. Serve each other. Turn the TV off and read a Volume. Talk to each other. Pray.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me I have to love and pray for my enemies. I will need some extra graces FYI!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Offer No Resistance?

Years ago I was visiting my sister and nieces in Colorado a few weeks before Christmas. We were in the shopping mood and went to Flatirons Mall outside of Boulder. It was freezing, snowing and windy that day, the worst combination for this thin-blooded Floridian! The great thing about shopping in Colorado during the winter is all the summer clothes are on clearance. Perfect gifts for my daughters in Florida. After hours of shopping, we made our way out to valet parking (it was much too cold for my sister to park herself). There is a small enclosed seating area behind the valet attendant providing warmth to weary shoppers. The girls and I huddled together in this cozy little haven with shopping bags surrounding our feet, trying to stay warm. Luckily all my gifts fit into the big A & F bag I snuggled between my legs as we shivered. As our car pulled up, we all made a mad dash for it, grabbing our bargains and treasures from the day's outing. No sooner did we get in the car, I noticed my bag was missing. I thought I may have kicked it under the bench as I helped my nieces grab their bags. My sister turned the car around and drove back to the valet. I jumped out only to find there weren't any bags, or people, in the seating area. Gone. All the gifts I bought to give my daughters vanished. My sister kept the car running as my nieces and I retraced our steps and ended up at Lost and Found. Nothing. The girls (probably 10 and 13 at the time) were so upset for me. Trying not to put a damper on our Christmas spirit, I told them that whoever stole the clothes needed them more than we did. So I wished the thieves a Merry Christmas. We all giggled, then sprinted out the mall doors to the warmth of my sister's car.

After reading today's Gospel (Matthew 5:38-42), the situation above came to mind. But when the offense is perceived as unforgivable, how do we interpret and apply the following?

Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow."

Man, this is a tough one. Probably one of the hardest lessons Jesus preached, but a virtue worth attaining.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers from the Cross, she illuminates how evil influences:

"To clarify, we must not allow Satan to persuade us that the people around us are like him. Satan will always try to destroy what is good and holy. He will try to tempt us against each other. He will try to persuade us that we are being treated badly or worse than we are or that we are owed something from someone that they either cannot give or do not understand that they owe or that they do not even possess. I am searching and hoping to land, randomly if necessary, on the way the devil works against God's willed relationships. How often have we worked ourselves into a full-fledged war against someone only to find out the person never fired the first shot? I am talking about misunderstandings and assumptions . . ."

Lay apostles, Jesus isn't asking us to lay down and be doormats. He is telling us to peacefully walk away. Take no revenge. Hold no grudges. Hate the sin, not the sinner!

Thank you, Lord, for enhancing my ability to remain humble and go the extra mile when You need me to. It sure is a long walk sometimes, but I can do anything with You by my side!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Fight For Your Faith

The dreaded Annulment process . . . between Jay and me, we have experienced the whole gamut. Mine was a quick turnaround, his lasted 3 years. Why did we persevere through the adversity we experienced? I can sum it up in one picture:

Our 2016 Catholic wedding day in Ireland with our entire family!

Yes, our entire family was and is always watching. If we don't demonstrate the importance of our Catholic faith to them and the extent to which we must fight for it, who will? Divorce is not something either of us anticipated when we were young. Circumstances and life had a different outcome in mind. Before I met Jay, I didn't understand being in a marriage with a partner sharing the same Catholic values I cherish is a foretaste of heaven (minus the occasional bumps!) on earth. Now, I get it! So, if you are already married or about to enter into one, go in with eyes wide open. Pray together, always. Fight for your faith. Keep communication alive and a united front prominently displayed for all to see. Thrive, don't just survive in your marriage!

Today's Gospel (Matthew 5:27-32) spells out the importance of staying focused on your commitments:

Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you,  everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin,  tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

"It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, the following quote is long, but so relevant in today's topic of divorce and annulment:

"Given the limited amount of preparation for engaged couples, many embark on what is a considerable task, sacramental marriage, with little or no knowledge of what they are taking on. When it fails, they possibly are still not told what was missing or what they were supposed to be taking on. This supports conditions for a rebound effect wherein, because people do not heal adequately, they can be likely to repeat the cycle. We possibly offer the smallest amount of formation but then hold people to a standard that assumes the highest amount of formation. This is confusing for people. Many couples get married, get divorced and also get annulled, and could not tell you anything about marital chastity or describe a healthy marital prayer life. Who is getting it wrong?

Additionally, some people who leave a marriage are making the right decision, possibly for everyone involved. Others heroically persevere through difficult circumstances for the good of their marriages. The annulment process, at face value, recognizes both of these things as possible. But it must be noted that there is very limited ongoing support or marital formation. It is available to a degree in our Sunday homilies, and many a couple leaves Sunday Mass a little humbler. But if one is married to someone who is not practicing, that weekly support remains out of reach. We often say to people, “You remain in a sacramental union.” Yet they know, in some cases, that they must be separate.

Many report feeling condemned to a netherworld of guilt, shame and failure, often without benefit of Holy Communion if they move into an irregular union.

Clearly, we could say that they have made a choice. The question that has to be asked is, ‘How free people are to make that choice?’ Who is the one most equipped to discern the matter? Is it fair that another person or group presumes to discern this highly personal matter and then also presumes to make a judgment on it? Obviously, it is their job and they are doing their best, no doubt. This writing does not seek to criticize any one group but to stimulate thought for the whole group.

What would God desire for a couple in an irregular union? One or both have emerged from painful circumstances which can at times destroy one’s understanding of one’s own dignity. What would God desire that we offer in His name?

Is it more probable that God would want to take the best care of them and direct their family life as much as they allowed Him to do? In this way, the children would be more likely to experience formation as Catholics. This might be the Church receiving back in love, like the prodigal son, her children who have felt rejected and dead-ended and in many cases have chosen other faith communities. It has to be said. We must accept this or deceive ourselves into thinking we are always getting it right. A death of self-examination in the Church is a death knell for the development of the Bride of Christ and it must be said that the limited thinking that is inflicted on people can be disturbing. Also, sociological realities must be considered."

Lay apostles, contemplate your relationships today . . . spouses, parents, children, siblings, and friends. When looking from the outside at each relationship, does it demonstrate your love for God and each other or does it scream of angst, fear, hatred or pride? Sit in Contemplative Prayer today. I promise it's worth your time.

Thank you, Lord, for Contemplative Prayer and all the graces showered upon my wonderful husband and me! Let us be the light we wish to see in the world!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Handling the Truth

I can't stand it when I'm wrong. Passionate about what I believe to be true, I find it hard to swallow when I get it wrong. Well, at least I used to be that way. Now, I am finally mature enough to admit (most of the time!) when I'm not getting it right. Anger is not a word in my vocabulary anymore. When Jay and I have a disagreement (which is VERY rare, but it does happen!), we quickly turn to Jesus. We don't harbor ill feelings toward each other. Most importantly, we listen to each other and talk it out. Bottom line . . . there is no doubt we love each other and neither wants to cause the other any hurt. There is safety in our relationship. We both feel safe to say what's on our mind, and do our best to speak in a loving manner. We try not to judge or bring up the past (prior to our relationship). Handling the truth takes practice, but more importantly, it takes trust. Trust in the Lord . . . trust in my husband. When you have both, life carries peace that I personally never experienced prior to Jay. Trust Him and everything else will flow.

The Gospel today (Matthew 5:20-26) tells us to never resort to anger . . . lest we are judged accordingly:

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

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

In Volume One, Jesus asks us to remain peaceful at all times:

"Often, hearing the truth will anger a soul. Remain calm and loving in the face of this anger and know that people were and are often angry with Me. Children, do not spread unpleasantness about others, either factual or not. Say nothing unless you speak to protect another. Usually you should remain quiet about the sins of your sisters and brothers, as you have enough of your own to be busy about. Speak of kindnesses, sacrifices, and loving acts that brought you joy. Focus on the many, many good qualities of others. Remember that if a soul is not united to Me, that soul feels a gaping emptiness, a loneliness, and a sadness. Dearest children who are close to My heart, have compassion and mercy as I have had compassion and mercy for you."

Lay apostles, anger can get the best of us if we let it. Truly, anger erupts out of fear . . . fear of the truth coming out, fear of our own inadequacies, fear of the unknown. We can either choose to lash out when confronted, or act as Christ did when He faced others fears . . . calm and loving. Go out today knowing you are fully protected with the armor of Christ. So suit up and stay joyful, full of His Truth.

Thank you, Lord, for the peace you have given me through the Volumes and all of Anne's writing. I am a different person than I was even yesterday. You have filled me with peace.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Ready to Forgive

Decisions made in the heat of the moment can go one of two ways. We can either react emotionally, shooting daggers at the offending party. Or we can keep our comments to ourselves remembering every human being is a child of God. Even the worst of the worst. Think about Jesus on the cross. Two criminals on each side of Him. One of them hurling insults at Christ and the other realizing He was the Son of God, asking Jesus to remember him in His Kingdom. How did Jesus respond? He told the man who believed that they would be seeing each other in paradise. It's never too late to repent. No matter what your sins are, no matter how grave, Jesus is always ready to forgive.

Today's Gospel (John 21:15-19) is a perfect example of the forgiveness we can expect from our Lord:

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." He then said to Simon Peter a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, she points out God's Forgiveness is right in front of us at all times:

"Hurting another created child of God is the same as hurting the One who created that child. Rejecting God is a 'no' response to His complete 'I love you.' We repent and as Catholics, we seek absolution through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Yet, there’s something which is more widely available, also. We can evaluate it as existing within our human experience. It is by cooperation with grace we have been saved, through faith. By the same token, it would appear that there is nothing we could do negatively, through sin, which would prompt God to withdraw the gifts of grace available. We can reject the gifts, for example, we can reject the gift He offers of forgiveness by refusing to repent. We reject many of His gifts, but they keep coming and they remain in front of us for uptake throughout our whole life, regardless of our condition."

Lay apostles, Peter had denied Jesus three times. Paul was persecuting Christians. And yet they became true disciples of Christ. All Jesus asked was they feed and tend to His sheep. That's all He asks of us. Love Him and spread the Good News. For however we have sinned or been sinned against, truly repenting in our hearts is the goal.

Thank you, Lord, for bringing your lay apostles words to live by. Continue to help me forgive unconditionally. And most especially, to remain silent when I want to throw daggers.

God bless,

Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Scandals

Recently an article called "Give us Barabbas" by Fr. Michael Orsi, a Chaplain and Research Fellow at Ave Maria Law resurfaced from 2013. It is worth the read and still very relevant today:

Give us Barabbas

When Catholic institutions don't practice Catholicism, why call yourself a Catholic institution? Could it be to lure good, trusting Catholic parents into thinking their child will be safely immersed in their beloved faith while away from home? Are parents footing the bill for a prestigious Catholic education where they choose a man promoting abortion legislation in Ireland over their own Archbishop, Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley? Woe to those who lead their flock away from Christ.

In today's Gospel (John 17:11B-19), Jesus asks His Father to protect us from evil, and fill us with the Truth:

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she describes a day which began in darkness . . . then Jesus renews with His Light:

"I then considered the world where goodness is mocked and condemned. In its place the world elevates and applauds selfishness and base behavior. Those who truly represent Christ are targeted by even some who purport to serve Him because in their hearts they serve themselves. Such duplicity! Falseness! Contempt for innocence! How on earth are we to proceed in such an environment? I went to Mass seeking the One I cannot find. There was no Mass. A man also seeking Christ this morning winked at me and said, 'We should have read the bulletin.' His friendliness allowed the smallest bit of light into my heart. Jesus, who hides from me, began to speak. He said, 'Anne, come home to Me and write. The enemy plans destruction. I, in My mercy, plan salvation for My children. This consoles Me.' Back at home, I closed my eyes at the request of the Savior, listening to His voice. I experience no joy from this. It is like getting a telegram in the sense that I am denied any consolation from it. God wills this for many reasons at this time, the most important of which is that I must experience these moments exactly as other lay apostles experience them. I rested in my misery. Jesus told me to pray. I said, 'Lord, please give me renewed courage. Send me greater strength. Give me clarity in my role in the Kingdom on this day so that I may not disappoint You.' I lifted my head and began to write and as I did, I felt a return of courage and strength. I actually felt I could continue where prior to the prayer, I really felt I would lay my head down and quit. Jesus said this: My apostles will be sustained. Have no fear that I will allow an apostle to perish in battle. I will sustain My apostles with a constant stream of courage and strength in this new time, ensuring that each apostle desiring to serve will have exactly the graces needed to do so. Anne, these words should fill each apostle with joy."

Lay apostles, pray. There is scandal all over the news today. Some things we aren't too surprised about and saw coming. Others are just plain sad. Pray as Jesus did in the Gospel today asking for consecration in the Truth. Pray for those who know not what they do.

Thank you, Lord, for faith to meet the challenges and difficulties occurring in the U.S. right now. Guide my writing to speak what you would have me say.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Trust the Process

I don't know about you, but I am SO tired of the whole Russia, Russia, Russia stuff! As most of you know, I am a huge President Trump supporter. Have been since he won the Republican ticket. My sanity remained intact over the last 3 years because of Your Voice America host Bill Mitchell. One thing he has continually repeated over the last 3 years (and has pretty much nailed everything happening now) is #TrustTrump! I do and I have. I guarantee you Donald J. Trump will go down as the best president in American history. As much as I trust our President is fighting for America, I trust Jesus completely in His fight for my soul! My message? #TrustJesus!

In today's Gospel (Luke 24:46-53), Jesus guides His disciples to trust the process:

Jesus said to his disciples: "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.  And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, she nails how to trust in God:

"A symptom of possessing the correct disposition is detachment. That word is not disinterest. Disinterest is more like depression. Detachment includes supercharged energy and could be summed up in the saying ‘Pray to God and row for shore.’ It means that we should trust God completely and cooperate with Him fully. ‘Trust God completely and cooperate with Him fully.’ If we are doing a thing that God would not do, then we know we are not cooperating with God, regardless of what we try to say to ourselves and others. We are not in a state of Christian homeostasis if we are committing regular sin, regardless of the fact that we are fooling those around us. We try hard and we relinquish the outcome for His contribution. We are not gods. There is no such thing. There is only God."

Lay apostles, do you trust the words of Jesus in the Gospels? Take them to heart. Know that all He wants is our souls in eternity with Him forever. His Words are not full of hot air to make you feel inferior. They are full of life and joy and acceptance leading straight into His Arms.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me the grace to trust the process of my faith in You. I am so grateful You brought Anne into my life. This mission has formed who I am today.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Disco Evangelization

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 most wounds heal. Fear of the unknown becomes acceptance. So we shouldn't be surprised in today's 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, baby!

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

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Love One Another

A little over 7 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 him 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!

Today's 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.”

Today's 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 unlovable. Choose to be the light instead of the darkness. Choose humility over pride. With Jesus, anything is possible!

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

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: To Love and Protect

Our youngest daughter Taylor moved to California over 5 years ago. On our visits to see her, I want so much to tell her (and sometimes I slip it in!) not to walk her dog alone on less-traveled paths;  or, go into the city by herself; and, keep her doors locked at all times. Grant it, this young woman has been living in LOS ANGELES for 5 years!  Despite her being an adult now, I know she appreciates my loving guidance and protection. I guess I will never stop being a mom, caring and praying for the safety of my children and grandchildren. The same goes for our Heavenly Father! He wants us to feel the safety and comfort of His Love every second of every day.  If that's what we want for our own children, why wouldn't God want the same for us?

In today's 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 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

Gospel Thoughts Today: Christian Armor

During the week, on our drive to work, I am in charge of the daily readings (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!

Today's Gospel (John 14:21-26) reminds me of 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 all 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.

Gospel Thoughts Today: In Need of Air

Bicycle pumps. Yes, bicycle pumps. This is what today's 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 (Scriptures, 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 in today's Gospel (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

Gospel Thoughts Today: Mastering Knowledge

As I was driving my grandchildren home yesterday, my grandson wanted to make sure I didn't miss seeing the spot where he overturned his gocart trying to do "donuts" in the grass! "Keep looking to the right, Mimi!" he excitedly requested. I told him he would have to let me know when we made it to the spot and I would slow down to see since I was driving. From the back seat I hear, "not that street, not that street (he knows the names of each street on the long stretch to his home), ok Mimi, this one right there!" As I slowed to look, my first thought was . . . there is not a lot of space to do donuts!!

Speed is in his blood. My grandson didn't master it the minute he hit the gas pedal at age 4 (the speed can go from 5mph to 25mph depending on where an adult sets it). Actually, the first time he started the engine (after being taught how things work), he took off full speed ahead! Within an instant, his dad, running after him, caught up to him shouting to use the brake!  Adjustments were made, beginning with a speed of 5mph. Colt quickly progressed to his current speed max of 15mph . . . each increase creating new skill levels. Fun for him, Daddy and Papa . . . scary for Mommy and Mimi! If you think about it, the same applies to our faith life, right? The more we follow Christ and live what He preaches in the Gospel, the better we become at mastering our actions, emotions, and thoughts. The more we practice, the closer we are to His Sacred Heart . . . which ultimately is our fastest way to heaven!

In the Gospel today (John 13:16-20), Jesus tries to prepare His disciples ahead of time in order to master what was ahead:

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. Contemplate Him always and soon you will find the beauty in mastering our faith!

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

Gospel Thoughts Today: Judgement Day

Years ago, I was visiting my daughter and her husband in Virginia. A good friend lived close to them and asked if she could take me somewhere. To my surprise, we pulled into the parking lot of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. It was spectacular! I felt as though I was walking through a cathedral in Italy. The only difference being the Basilica doesn't have the musty smell or distinctive character of a church standing for centuries. Mass was in progress when we entered. Quietly making our way to the back of the church, the striking figure behind the altar grabbed my attention. I honestly couldn't tell if it was God the Father or Jesus from far away. After Mass ended, we made our way back to the altar. Up close the figure is definitely Jesus. I have never seen Him portrayed as in this stunning mosaic. After doing some research, I discovered it is called Christ in Majesty. It depicts Jesus at Judgement Day. A great blog by Msgr. Charles Pope from the Archdiocese of Washington discusses the image in detail: http://blog.adw.org/2010/03/awesome-or-awful-studying-the-christ-in-majesty-mosaic-at-the-national-basilica/.

The blonde hair, stern blue eyes, muscular build, and flames were intimidating at first. Maybe even a bit scary. But the more I scoured over every detail, the more I felt safe and protected by this depiction of our Savior. Judgement Day is not going to be happy and glorious for unbelievers. Jesus wants to save all His children. My interpretation of the stern look in this mosaic is the difficulty Jesus will face on the last day. Some will fall prostrate before Him, and some will continue to turn away. This is a choice we must make every day. Do we choose to follow Christ by how we live our lives, or do we choose to make ourselves happy according to the world? For me, I choose to follow Him.

In today's Gospel (John 12:44-50), Jesus speaks of the last day:

Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she drives home the point of following our Shepherd:

"The Church is warning us, cautioning us, advising us and attempting to lead us. The Church is the vehicle through which God seeks to counsel His flock. Consider that if lambs rejected the shepherd, they would be lost and vulnerable. Should the lambs turn their back on their shepherd or react in rage when the shepherd draws them down a given path? Wouldn’t it be ridiculous of the lambs to accuse the shepherd of stifling them? Controlling them? Wouldn’t it be a foolish lamb that bites the shepherd when the shepherd tries to bring him to a safe place? I am comparing us to lambs, as Jesus does because we are vulnerable, as well as lovable. If we reject the way, the direction that Jesus is giving us, we are at the mercy of the world and He cannot protect us. A smart lamb, a thinking lamb would say to himself, 'Hmm. The shepherd knows what he is doing. He has been put in charge of this flock and no doubt knows the way home. It is in my best interest to follow Him and encourage others to follow Him so that we can all arrive home safely.' In each of our souls let us cultivate a spirit of obedience even as we accept and understand that our life today may not match the perfect obedience lived by Jesus. In other words, we all accept that we can probably do a little bit better.”

I know I can do a little bit better than I did yesterday. Lay apostles, what can you do today that you didn't do yesterday? Pray a Rosary? Love yourself? Accept your circumstances no matter what they are knowing Christ is in charge? Whatever it is, do it. Make today different than yesterday. After all, don't you want to be prostrate before Him on the last day?

Thank you, Lord, for calming my fears of the last day. I know as long as I live my life for You, I am heading in the right direction.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: A Key Ingredient

A little over 7 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 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 good friends with him 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 15:9-17) provides the key ingredient of a true Christian:

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. 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."

Today's 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 unlovable. Choose to be the light instead of the darkness. Choose humility over pride. With Jesus, anything is possible!

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

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Thieves and Robbers

Happy Monday! I pray all mothers had a wonderful, blessed day. So grateful for all the blessings, challenges, heartache and joy motherhood brings. For each child born has a purpose . . . one only God knows in entirety.

While reading the Gospel today, my first thought after the first paragraph was, "I'm a little confused as to what Jesus is talking about just like those He is speaking to!" Then you get to the second paragraph . . . lo and behold, Jesus clarifies. Does the second paragraph remind you of anything? Well, it does me! All the stealing, slaughtering and destroying the Left has and is doing only drive a majority of people back into the arms of Christ, and, support of this great President. When you take a walk on the dark side, darkness invades your every thought to the point truth is disregarded. I truly believe we all must be praying for those determined to take an innocent man and those who support him down. As hard as that is, it is crucial to ask Jesus for the ability to do so. Solace comes in the fact God is and always will be on the Throne! Sometimes we must suffer in order to find complete joy.

Today's Gospel (John 10:1-10), Jesus explains how to live an abundant life:

Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, after reading the section below, read and reread the last line:

Protecting Against Distortions

December 7, 2014

"Today I became aware of myself ‘strolling’ through the Church yard. I was aware of the school behind me but I was casually moving amongst others, groups and individuals serving in the Church. I came upon someone using a whip to assault another. Whip and assault are two terms that are symbolic in this instance. I stopped, intensely interested, because I understood that I had a role to play. I focused all of my attention, with rather fearsome intensity which was not from me but from God, on the weapon, the ‘whip’. As I did, it disintegrated in the offender’s hand and fell to the ground. Next I extended my hand to the victim and pulled him to his feet. Without the distortion of whatever the whip was made of, the offender could hurt no further. I then resumed my walk, keeping the victim closely at my side and speaking calmly about all that was happening in the Church that was noble and admirable, all that legitimately represented the Trinity and the presence of the Trinity in the world so that the victim could also resume his ‘stroll’ through life as a Catholic with a Catholic understanding of the Church’s role amongst all of God’s children. The understanding he gained healed and directed him into his rightful service and then he began to concentrate with the same scrutiny as I had on similar scenes when I happened upon the initial scene.


Notable here were a number of things. One, I ignored the individual person of the offender but not the offense or the victim. I focused all of my attention on first the weapon that was being used, in order to understand it and expose it, thus disarming the offender. I believe the offenders are the thieves and brigands and we all need to work to possess self- awareness so that we are not that person on a given day."

Lay apostles, how are you conducting yourselves on a daily basis? The last line in the quote from Anne above is a good "self-awareness check" at the end of the day. Strive to be the light, not the darkness.

Thank you, Lord, for the challenges . . . they drive me closer and closer to You!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Everyone Has a Story

Today I give thanks to my mother, Winnie, who passed away over 12 years ago. Because of her, I am able to look beyond exterior behaviors into the heart of those appearing out of control within their environment. Mom had a good heart . . . but her mental illness always seemed to get in the way. Fear generated outbursts which she struggled to control. Fear of failure. Fear of harm. Fear of trusting anyone or anything. You can imagine the chaos. Despite the ups and downs, I never stopped loving her and knew how much she loved me. Because of her, I love Jesus and appreciate the beauty of my Catholic faith. Because of her, I have gotten to know externally brash people whom I have come to love and appreciate. Every one of us has a story. It's when we veer away from God's teachings we lose sight of what is important . . . love our neighbors as ourselves. It's not always easy, but with Jesus by our side, anything is possible!

In the Gospel today (John 6:44-51), Jesus spells it out for the crowd:

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 Volume Four, God the Father teaches us to remain aligned to His Will:

"The biological event that was your birth caused all of heaven to let out their breath in expectation of your time in the world. I created you to bring My Kingdom on Earth that much closer to the return of My Son. You are to participate in this joyous process. You must ask Me, your God, what plan I have for your participation. Some will reject Me, of course. I am well used to that during this Age of Disobedience. So perhaps I might ask you to serve Me in all love and allegiance to compensate for those who reject Me. Will you do that for Me, My little souls? Please have no fears. Understand that the Father wills these changes on earth so that the Son will be welcomed in the hearts of those remaining. We do not manifest as a poor boy in the stable. We manifest as the King of Creation. My Son is your God. I am your God. Our spirit flows through your world in such a way today that none can deny the heavenly times. The enemy will deny Our spirit. But you expect that, dear ones. That denial detracts in no way from truth. Truth flows right over the enemy despite the feeble objections of evil. I, the God of All Creation, can slap down and destroy evil with a glance. I allow a certain amount of evil to co-exist because My children can then discern between light and darkness, in the same way a child is taught to discriminate between cold and hot. Children, if you desire to blame Me for the state of the world, your ancestors in heaven will bow their heads in disappointment."

Lay apostles, life is a roller coaster ride, isn't it? As long as we stay secured in God's love and teachings, nothing can derail us. There will be a few bumps (whoopie rides as my dad would call them!) along the way, no doubt. So be fearless in the face of adversity, clinging to His Hand at all times.

Thank you, Lord, for the lessons You needed me to learn in caring for my mother. I am forever grateful.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: From Loss to Life

We never know what lessons and/or challenges God has in store for us. If we are not prepared for the unexpected, it leaves a gaping hole for evil to flood in and steer us away from Christ. But if we are prepared for anything, confident God is always with us (or loved ones, friends, etc), surprises are not as suffocating. We can go from loss to life if we stay focused on Jesus. Listen to what He says in the Gospels and the Volumes. He is bestowing the knowledge we need to survive anything!

In today's Gospel (John 6:35-40), Jesus teaches the crowd there is no other way than the way of His Father:

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 a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, St. Faustina gives such comfort in describing suffering in service to Christ:

"When you are serving Christ, you will know peace, even in suffering. Do not be surprised when you carry a cross for Jesus. This is a sign that He looks upon you as a friend. Dear friends of heaven, this is a time for the greatest trust. So trust Jesus in your doubts and fears and sufferings and you will be making the right choice.”

Lay apostles, when a heavy cross is handed to you, turn to Him and say, "Jesus, I trust in You!" As St. Faustina says above, it means we are doing it for whatever Jesus needs of us to change an outcome; to bring support when others run away; to love when there is hatred.

Trust He has a plan . . .

Thank you, Lord, for the crosses You give me and the strength to carry them. I believe, with every cell in my body, You are giving it to me to further Your Heavenly Plan.

God bless,
Bonnie