Gospel Thoughts Today: Can You Handle Betrayal?

Betrayal . . . a word and action none of us want to experience, but cannot avoid. I immediately think of when my youngest daughter Taylor was 14 years old . . . she experienced the ultimate teenage betrayal. Her crush on the blond-haired, blue-eyed quarterback freshman year was every girl's dream guy.  The first week of school he saw her in between classes and asked if she needed help finding her class. Boom!  That's all it took to become her first high school crush. Excited about him approaching her, she rushed to tell her best friend of 5 years. She described him to a tee, every detail she could remember. A few weeks later, her best friend was dating him. Taylor was devastated (and my heart was broken for her). The fact that someone who knows us better than anyone else can so easily betray us in what seems like overnight is unfathomable . . . painful. If we struggle with it, imagine how our Savior must have felt as journeyed toward His crucifixion.

In today's Gospel (John 13:21-33, 36-38), Jesus identifies his betrayer:

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”

Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Staying in Place, she sees betrayal in a different light:

"Clearly, love is different from what people initially think when they hear the word. Love is vaster. Love demands a response and an honest acknowledgement of both frailty and vulnerability. We love with hearts that have been broken or with hearts that will be broken. Christ’s heart was broken at falseness, inconsistency and betrayal. We want to be as faithful as Christ was in our love for God in each other. But we must accept that we will fall short. If we have a full grasp of our teachings, we can negotiate our weaknesses, always striving for growth. But without each vocation integrating the teachings actively and ‘out loud’, so to speak, nobody really knows what this Christianity of ours is supposed to look like.

We desist from causing pain because Christ would desist from causing pain. We refrain from revenge because Christ refrained from revenge. We persist in our beliefs, at whatever cost, because Christ persisted in His beliefs, even to the highest possible cost. We are followers of the Great Love embodied in the Son. We do not claim goodness. Rather we use it to point most accurately at the One we follow. We are Christians through the greatest and most sublime act of the Creator, that of becoming one of us. And so we take our turn in the perpetuation of Love, which, it must be said again, is very vast indeed."

Lay apostles, as you contemplate the last days of Jesus this week, think about how you have handled betrayals in the past. And after reading the quote from Anne's book, how will you face them in the future? See it for what it is . . . the enemy using whatever it takes to draw you off the path to heaven.

Thank you, Lord, for Your suffering in the last days of Your Life. Help us to remember the pain and betrayal You encountered from those who were the closest to Your Sacred Heart. And, forgive them as You did.

God bless,

Bonnie

Monday of Holy Week - It Starts With Attitude

Writing this blog allows me to express how I am feeling. Others may not like what I have to say, but my thoughts are my thoughts. I am nothing special. But I am a lay apostle trying to do everything the Lord asks of me with love and kindness for this mission. I keep myself in check with those I love and trust, making sure I interpret meaning and intent in what I read and hear. It's very sad when others take their misery out on me.  Sometimes the truth hurts. I know it hurts because there have been many truths about myself I've had to look at over the last 14 years since becoming a lay apostle. So, when you read something on my blog that offends you, think about why it offends. Is there some truth to it? Is it something you don't want to admit about yourself because if you did it would mean you are flawed just like me?

In today's Gospel (John 12:1-11), see how others assume the worst with a selfish attitude when what was being done was for the Lord:

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.  Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.

In Anne, ARK's The Mist of Mercy, she beautifully describes the traps of evil:

"As lay apostles, we must look into each relationship in our lives and be certain that we follow Godly principles. We must seek to be genuinely giving, with an awareness that we should strive to set an example of Christlike behavior to each other. The devil does not want this, of course. The devil wants to use us to exploit those around us. People cooperate by using others, perhaps for sex, for money, for power, or ego. We must be scrupulous not to fall into these traps. There is no benefit to reading, or indeed writing a work such as this if we use it only to identify the flaws of others. We must search tirelessly for our own flaws, using the example set by Jesus Christ as our behavioral goal."

Lay apostles, think before you speak . . . read before you send. Don't let the traps of piety, power or ego get in the way of Christlike behavior. We are all servants of heaven. Serve the best you can. It's all any of us can do.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing the true joy and happiness being a lay apostle brings. You have strengthened me with Your Words and those surrounding me.

God bless,

Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: In Times of Uncertainty

Kind of a weird place to be in the world right now . . . who would have thought a virus could cause such a standstill?  As a nurse, viruses (some much worse than COVID-19) have always been around and waiting to infect the vulnerable and even the not so vulnerable. But why all the fear-mongering now? Well, one reason could be to try to take down the best economy in the world because of the vitriol hatred of our amazing president Donald J. Trump by the left. But more importantly, the fear a lack of (or lukewarm) faith in Jesus Christ can launch in vulnerable minds. This morning on a bi-weekly call with Apostles of the Returning King (ARK), Fr. Darragh read to us the quote below from Volume Five. He reiterated the importance of being calm and peaceful in times of uncertainty. He encouraged us to spread the words of Jesus and all of heaven to bring comfort to those in need. It's time to work on prayer life, spiritual reading and calm. We all have an expiration date . . . I am going to do my best every day to love, be joyful and stay connected to Jesus. What about you?

In today’s Gospel (John 8:21-30), Jesus gives us food for thought . . . where do we want to belong?

Jesus said to the Pharisees: "I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come." So the Jews said, "He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?" He said to them, "You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins." So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world." They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him." Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

In Volume Five, Jesus the Redeemer reminds us to focus on Him during times of uncertainty:

"Souls of the world, take heed. Your Jesus will return. The process of My return has already begun, but there are difficult times ahead. For those of you who set your vision on the heavens, you will find the time of transition manageable. It will only bring you closer to Me. Those of you who have your vision set on the things of this world will struggle. Remember the one
Truth and that is you will each die someday. Regardless of what
transpires between that day and this day, you are going to face the same end. Ultimately, you will have to relinquish anything you will have acquired. All that will last are your deeds of good or evil. Cast away the things of this world. I want My children to live simply. Look for your role in the Kingdom and you will find it. I have instructed you on how to pray and how to find Me. I do not wish to frighten and if you are unduly frightened that is possibly a sign that you are fearful of losing material possessions. You must care about My will for you and completing My will for you in each day. My dear ones, your Jesus is with you now and I will be with you in every moment of your life on earth."

Lay apostles, don't let fear drag you away from trust in Jesus. Closing our churches doesn't close us off from God. Be prayerful in these times of uncertainty and live each day as if your last!

Thank you, Lord, for the challenges ahead and looking to You for solace and mercy. Remind me You have overcome the world!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Of The Stoners and The Stoned

Of The Stoners and The Stoned - by guest blogger Annie Clarke

Lent is a time of self-reflection and change. It’s a time for looking a little deeper into yourself and weeding out what doesn’t need to be there. We all accumulate a lot of mistakes and wounds throughout each year, and there’s no better time than Lent to get rid of whatever is holding us back from holiness. It gives us the opportunity to spring clean our souls, the same way we air out our houses after a long winter.

Today's Gospel (John 8:1-11) reminded me of the importance of self-examination, and of how equally we need not concern ourselves with the spring-cleaning of another person’s soul:

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn, he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

This parable is a great example of God’s mercy and forgiveness. But the human element of the story does not end where the Scripture passage does. For the woman in question, it would not have been as simple as skipping out the door cheerfully whistling a got-out-of-jail-free tune. I wonder how the woman felt when all the haters slunk out the back. She would have had to forgive them, and all those who shamed and humiliated her. But in the face of God’s total lack of condemnation, she might also have had to forgive herself for her past mistakes, as well as (potentially) struggle to live in a different way. Forgiveness can be such a painful process, yet the act of not forgiving usually brings a lot more suffering than it’s alternative. Fortunately, God forgives a lot quicker than we do.

In the Heaven Speaks To Those Who Struggle To Forgive booklet, Jesus says:

“How blessed I am that you take a moment to read these words. I am God. I am complete, and yet your simple act of reading My words gives Me glory. You are important to Me and you are important to My family, which includes all men of goodwill. Because I love you and because I need your help, I wish to give you the opportunity to find greater peace in your heart. It is clear to Me that many suffer from hidden wounds. The only way for these wounds to heal is for the carrier of the wound to forgive the one who inflicted the injury. My dear child, this can be difficult. When a wound finds a home in the heart, it becomes comfortable there. It must be loosened and shifted. Both a willingness to forgive and a spirit of forgiveness are necessary because it is these things that make the wound uncomfortable. The wound then begins to dislodge. This reawakens the pain but only temporarily until the wound is removed altogether. I want to begin this process in you. If you proceed in the process of forgiveness with Me, you will find that forgiveness floods your heart. Your wounds will be gone. I have the power to heal every one of your wounds. When you try to do this alone, you do not experience success and you find that bitterness persists. Bitterness characterizes My enemy. Forgiveness characterizes Me. You, a beloved little child of God, seek to find peace in your heart. You will only find peace if you step into the stream of goodness. This stream is like a river of grace with which I desire to bathe you, removing all pain and injury. What will remain in your soul is joy. This joy, this heavenly peace, will be obtained by accepting your flaws and accepting the flaws of others. You see, My friend, if you accept the flaws and sins of others, you will soften in attitude toward yourself. I love you. I accept you. I need you to accept yourself so that you will be at peace in My Kingdom and it is through forgiving others that you will find acceptance of your own humanity.”

In order to grow closer to God, we need to remove any obstacles that keep us from Him, starting within our own selves. Bitterness and resentment don’t benefit anyone. A friend once remarked to me that holding on to bitterness and anger is like swallowing poison and expecting your enemy to die. So ask yourself, who are you angry with? Who do you need to forgive? What unspeakable hurt can you allow God to eradicate from your soul in order to find peace and progress this Lenten season? In the parable of the Stoning of the Woman, who would you be – and how will you carry it on?

God bless,

Annie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Accepting the Truth

His melanoma had been diagnosed in 2004; surgery on his upper back left a gaping hole as if he had been blasted in the back with a cannonball. My father was pretty upset after the surgery . . . mad he allowed my sister and me to convince him to have the melanoma removed. When a new lesion was found and diagnosed as malignant metastatic melanoma on his leg early 2005, he was in complete denial. The results of the PET scan came on my birthday. My father's cancer had metastasized to his brain, lungs, and bones. Having forced my father to have this scan done, he blew off the results. "Doctors are only out to make money," he would say. This was in April 2005. By September, he was living in my home, completely wheelchair-bound. A few weeks before his death in January 2006, he asked me if he would be in his own apartment again. This was an important moment for my dad and me . . . he knew he would get the full, unedited truth from me . . . no sugarcoating. Finally, in the end, he was ready to accept the truth. I told him no, he would be spending the rest of his days with us here. I promised him we would be by his side the entire time. He quietly said "OK" and we continued to discuss the Super Bowl. There comes a time, hopefully sooner rather than later, we all need to accept the truth. Truth in our human condition. Truth in what Sacred Scripture tells us. Truth in what the Volumes reveal.

In today's Gospel (John 5:31-47), Jesus asks us to accept the Truth:

Jesus said to the Jews:  “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true. But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true. You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth. I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life.

“I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.  I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: the one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me.  But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

In Anne's book Staying in Place, the following quote is clear . . . understanding Christ allows us to accept our own truth:

"Clearly, love is different from what people initially think when they hear the word. Love is vaster. Love demands a response and an honest acknowledgment of both frailty and vulnerability. We love with hearts that have been broken or with hearts that will be broken. Christ’s heart was broken at falseness, inconsistency and betrayal. We want to be as faithful as Christ was in our love for God in each other. But we must accept that we will fall short. If we have a full grasp of our teachings, we can negotiate our weaknesses, always striving for growth. But without each vocation integrating the teachings actively and ‘out loud’, so to speak, nobody really knows what this Christianity of ours is supposed to look like."

Lay apostles, have you accepted the Truth? Do you believe what you read in Sacred Scripture or do you look at it as the ramblings of a distant past? Read the Volumes to help you make sense of it all. The Gospel will begin to resonate deep within instead of in one ear and out the other.

Thank you, Lord, for Your Words in the Volumes.  They have made the Bible come alive for me.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Insane Persecution

Jay enjoys ticker symbols racing across the TV in our commercial real estate office. He keeps CNBC on silent to be able to glance up once in a while to see how our stocks are performing. Personally, keeping this #FakeNews station on annoys me once in a while when all I see is negative headlines regarding our patriotic President! President Trump suffers so much persecution from the biased, flagrant media. But then, it's the standard nowadays, isn't it? Thank God he doesn't seem fazed by any of it and continues his mission of Making America Great Again! I swear, he could invent the cure for cancer and the Left would say he was biased toward those who have (fill in the blank)! Thank God he is at the helm during this China virus pandemic. I can't even imagine anyone else running the U.S.

Lay apostles, there has always been persecution . . . the most prominent being Christ. The more I think about this, the more unruffled I feel. If people insisted on murdering the Son of God, what makes me think anyone is free of inhumane behavior or attacks on any one of us?  So, how do we handle all the criticism and insanity? We do just as Jesus did. Pick up our cross and continue in perseverance with the end goal in mind . . . heaven.

The Gospel today (John 5:1-16) demonstrates the insanity Jesus encountered is no different than the liberal media of today:

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."  He answered them, "The man who made me well told me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who told you, 'Take it up and walk'?" The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, "Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you." The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

The quote below from Anne in her book Staying in Place is perfect . . . let the Lord handle those who persecute:

"Regarding circumstances outside of our control? Those are the Lord’s affair. Healthy detachment protects us from disillusionment when we are persecuted and we must see the hand of God where the institutional Church acts protectively. Women, in particular, cannot fail to honor the massive contribution of our sisters gone before us. We must persevere in their footsteps, caring for all beloved men, women and children and actively assisting in the formation of the next generation. We protect the development of the Church by ongoing contribution in order to balance what can only be viewed as lopsided ministry where it is all male. Complementarity in Church leadership is the future. We must all, male and female, contemplate what that should look like and no doubt suffer to bring it about."

Lay apostles, persecution is the norm, so why are we surprised when we see it occur on the evening news? It's wrong, yes. It's inhumane at times, yes. View your persecutions with Jesus in mind. The next time you are chastised, take it on the chin for Christ, no matter how harsh the reality is. See it for what it is . . . harassment because of our beliefs. And, fear within the persecutor because his actions may be contrary to a belief system they refuse to follow due to sin they are not willing to give up. Think about it the next time you feel judged. And respond as Christ did.

Thank you, Lord, for bravery in persecutions. Without You, I am nothing. With You, I am humble. Give me the courage I need to make it home to heaven.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Comfortable in Nakedness

Nakedness in public places really bothers me. I am not a "naked" person. For example, in spas. Years ago I was redeeming a gift certificate from a well-known spa close to where I live. After a wonderful massage, I decided to hit the sauna and steam rooms. First I went into the sauna, where I was alone. It was wonderful and peaceful. Then, on to the steam room. The steam was thick but I found my way to the bench where I placed the extra towel I had tucked under my arm. I was alone at first, then the door opened. To my surprise, an elderly woman walked in completely naked! And, sat bare-fanny on the bench across from me! As the steam dissipated, I happened to open my eyes (they were shut tight at this point!) as the steam machine began spurting, ready to release another round of thick fog. Noticing I was not "meditating" anymore, she took it upon herself to start a conversation. In any other situation, I am open to meeting new people. But where do you look when speaking to a naked person sitting across from you? Ugh. Sheer misery for me. After discovering I wasn't much of a conversationalist, she left the steam room. I was alone again. I started thinking about this elderly woman and the freedom she must feel exposing every flaw to the world, unaffected by what others could criticize. A new sense of confidence came over me and I untucked my towel and re-tucked it around my waist (I wasn't ready for full-blown nudity). I was feeling pretty good sitting in there alone, exposed. Just as I was feeling pretty proud of myself, the door opened. I quickly readjusted my towel and headed for the door. And what do you think I walked out to see? The elderly woman sitting naked in the hot tub! Thoughts of bacteria floating around made me shudder. I figured I was done and headed for the privacy of a bathroom stall to get dressed! I don't mind exposing my flaws in public (mistakes of my past, etc) . . . those which can benefit others when struggling. But the whole physical naked thing in public, well, some things will NEVER change!

In today's Gospel (Mark 4:21-25), Jesus wants us to be comfortable proclaiming His Name, which may include exposing our flaws for the world to see. Once exposed and internally accepted, nothing can draw us away from Him:

Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she beautifully explains why we must be aware of our nakedness and not be afraid to admit it:

"There was a story about a vain emperor. In order to gain favor with him, some unscrupulous ones persuaded the leader to proceed naked. Being a foolish man, the emperor allowed himself to be influenced by the flattery of those around him. He proceeded through his kingdom naked. Because of his power, nobody had the courage or mercy to speak the truth, which was that the emperor was wearing no clothes. Instead, they allowed him to humiliate himself. A small child with clear vision finally spoke up and said, 'The emperor is wearing no clothes.'There is a similar phenomenon in this time. Truth is often not spoken. This habit of keeping back the truth has allowed God’s enemy terrific latitude in spreading sin and immorality. In the essay entitled Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, we read that 'a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.' So pervasive is this phenomenon that there is a name for it. It is called political correctness. I will take license and translate this term. Let us consider political correctness as a decision not to speak a truth if that truth will offend the sensibilities of those whose favor we seek. In other words, it would not be politically correct to share our honest feelings if our honest feelings would put us in bad favor with others. To be clear, it is not a decision to hold back the truth in order to avoid hurting the feelings of another, but a decision to hold back the truth to prevent reprisals of some kind. Hmm. How does this compare to the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God, in my experience, is all about truth. This truth is not negotiable and it does not change. Bad behavior is bad behavior and a bad behavior today does not become a good behavior tomorrow when we look at the spirit of the said behavior. How could it? Sin, a decision to separate oneself from God’s will, is known as sin in God’s Kingdom and none will spend time in heaven or purgatory trying to decide if a sin was a sin. If we search high and low in the next world, we will not find political correctness. What will we find? We will find truth, which is sometimes the opposite of political correctness. From the Christian point of view, which is the point of view Christians must operate from, it is merciful to speak the truth in love."

Lay apostles, what do you keep hidden from the world, or even from yourself? Are you afraid if you expose your flaws you won't be loved? Are you hesitant to correct a loved one for fear they won't love you in return? Are you judging someone who has bared their nakedness, trusting in you not to judge? We are all flawed. We are all beautiful in His Eyes. Have no fear in your nakedness, lay apostles. He is our protective barrier (in other words, our towel on the bench!).

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to expose my hidden truths and not be ashamed of them. They are my experiences and the path which led me to You.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Successful Detachment

When I was 19 years old, I rolled my Datsun B210 hatchback on a mountain pass. I was attending Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, headed home to the Denver area for Spring Break. In the accident, my nose met the steering wheel . . . hard. Broke my nose in a few places, got a few stitches in my shoulder, but I was alive. Needless to say, I didn't make it home, landing in the hospital overnight. About a week later I had a doctor's appointment to remove the packing in my nose. I could finally stop mouth-breathing, despite my nasal passages still being quite swollen. A roommate suggested I use nasal spray to decrease the swelling. Man, did it clear me right up!  And then 4 hours later, stuffed up again. A week later, I couldn't live without it. I panicked if my little white bottle with the red writing wasn't within 2 feet of me. I was addicted to nose spray. A year later, my dependency lingered. The thought of quitting did cross my mind, but then it would be time for a few sprays and I wasn't willing to suffer just yet. Maybe next week, I thought.  I continued to make excuses for why I wasn't ready to quit. Another year went by and after getting married, I became pregnant with our first child. My doctor told me I had to quit the nose spray . . . I almost hyperventilated. Pregnant and not being able to breathe seemed unbearable. He thankfully prescribed decongestants for comfort during withdrawal. Detachment did not go well the first week.  As time went on, day by day, it got a little easier. At one month post-nasal-spray-addiction, I was healed. Over the last 35+ years, whenever I've had a stuffy nose, I think of that little white bottle with red writing.  I'm thankful it helped me through a tough time, and I am thankful I successfully detached!

Today's Gospel (Mark 3:31-35) is at first a little surprising coming out of the mouth of our Savior.  But after contemplation, I see the value of detachment:

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God  is my brother and sister and mother.”

In Volume One, Thoughts on Spirituality, Anne shares her experience of Jesus and His detachment during her Stations of the Cross:

"On the First Station today, Jesus pointed out that when He received the death sentence and was condemned to die, He felt a momentary feeling of panic and revulsion. It was His humanity protesting at the idea of its death. He said we need to separate ourselves from the world and practice detachment from worldly things, human respect, and at times even people. We must separate because if we become too attached to these things, we cannot serve Him with completeness, which is what we are striving to obtain, completeness in Christ and in service to Christ. That is our goal, and we must set our spiritual bar very high. If we practice this, and make it a habit, we will not be disappointed or drown under the inevitable situation where the world or its people withdraw their esteem or affection from us. At times, if you are in the service of Christ, you will be attacked. When your eyes are set on heavenly things and you are detached, you will suffer the initial feeling of revulsion at this, and perhaps panic, but soon your focus will realign itself, your will will make the correction, and the attack will not disturb your peace too much. I think the great saints remained recollected in times of attack. They abhorred too much affection and ran from adulation. They knew."

Lay apostles, do you heavily rely on someone or something to make your life better? What would happen if him/her/it was taken away from you? Would you fall apart or move on? Sometimes it seems too hard to let go of something you love or feel you can't live without. The thing is, we are never alone or without help. Jesus and all of heaven are always on standby waiting to jump in and assist where we need the help. As Jesus says above, we cannot serve Him when we rely on someone or something else.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me detachment is necessary in order to serve You completely.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Humility and Wisdom . . . The Hard Way!

Learning lessons the hard way. Yep, that was me the first half of my life.  When I was younger, everything seemed so complicated. Poor choices were brushed off with the next difficulty. Only by the grace of God, I raised three daughters, all of whom I cherish. Since the girls were teens, I have tried to teach them the consequences of my mistakes at their age, and encourage them to be better . . . to be wiser. With age does come wisdom. All the pain, all the mistakes, all the poor choices, all the judgments made, and all the secret embarrassment did amount to something . . . humility and wisdom.  So take heart lay apostles still in the learning phase, it will all begin to make sense one day.  And when it all becomes clear . . . you will be thankful for every single blooper, blunder, aberration or whatever you want to call your misfires.  Accept this as part of your journey . . . the lessons and gifts. Once again, He proves just how much He loves us.

In today's Gospel (Matthew 11:16-19), Jesus speaks of wisdom prevailing:

Jesus said to the crowds: "To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by her works."

I love the following quote from Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity.  She gets right to the heart of it all:

"Which one of us would deny that our past pain from our sins has given us wisdom and compassion? Do not judge others. Bring others God’s love and God’s truth."

Lay apostles, what lessons have you learned along the way? How can you take those lessons and apply them to your life now? Discard the negative thoughts and replace them knowing the wisdom you have gained will lead you closer to Christ and His mission.  Pass on the lessons learned to your children or grandchildren; to close friends or family. Be gentle when they have made the same choices . . .

Thank you, Lord, for the humility and wisdom I have gained so far in my life. Thank you for showing me my "poor choices" have turned me into the person I am now . . . Your devoted follower!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: What Child Is This?

Today we honor our Blessed Mother Mary on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In an Advent letter from Anne a lay apostle a few years ago, she said, "Mary was the first Tabernacle and Jesus was happy to be nestled safely in His mother's body." I had never thought of Our Lady as the first Tabernacle! But truly she is! Her love and sacrifice were not only for God but for all of us, even 2,017 years later. So thank Mary today for her "yes" to birth Our Savior. She deserves it. Think about giving birth in a stable, in Bethlehem, in the middle of winter.  I checked online to see what the temperature is this time of year there. High in the 30's. Unthinkable enduring labor in 30-degree weather! Think about the sterile environment babies are born into today. A stable is full of manure, dirt, and mud. Not so sterile for Our King, right? Yet Mary didn't complain. Yes, thank Mary. She is our direct connection to her Son. She is ready and waiting to hear our cries and intercede for us. After all, as my mother always said, what Son doesn't listen to His Mother?

What Child is This? is a beautiful song reminding us of the love of our heavenly Mother:

What child is this, who laid to rest 

On Mary's lap, is sleeping? 

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, 

While shepherds watch are keeping? 

This, this is Christ the King, 

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing: 

Haste, haste to bring him laud, 

The Babe, the Son of Mary! 

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh, 

Come peasant king to own Him, 

The King of kings, salvation brings, 

Let loving hearts enthrone Him. 

Raise, raise the song on high, 

The Virgin sings her lullaby: 

Joy, joy, for Christ, is born, 

The Babe, the Son of Mary!

The Gospel (Luke 1:39-47) below shows the humility of Our Lady:

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

In Volume Seven, St. Thomas Aquinas describes the priceless love and intercession Our Lady provides her children on earth:

"Dearest brothers and sisters, never underestimate what Jesus can do with a soul who decides for Him. To underestimate what He can do is to limit Him. A soul deciding for Jesus can change the world and that is our goal. We must help Him to change this world. You have been given some ideas of the weapons you have at your disposal. You have Jesus, of course. You have Mary. Many also underestimate the power of our heavenly mother. Be assured that the enemy knows her power. Do not let your heavenly mother be attacked without response. If you witness this, you must speak out for her. This pleases everyone in heaven, but this pleases Jesus in a special way. She is a loyal friend to you and a powerful intercessor. There are many mercies and graces given to your world today which would be absent but for Mary. We love her immeasurably. You will not err if you follow her. She leads to Jesus."

Lay apostles, do you honor Mary, our Blessed Mother? Do you ask for her intercession? She is the direct path to her Son. Honor her. Love her. Pray the Rosary. She is always watching over us as a good mother does all her children.

Thank you, Lord, for my heavenly Mother Mary. I know how powerful her intercession is and thankful You allow her to appear to so many visionaries over the centuries. I promise to honor her every chance I get.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: The Biggest Leap of Faith - Mary's Yes to God

"Fear is faith in reverse." Zig Ziglar 

Today I came across the quote above when I googled fear and Zig Ziglar. It was perfect in combination with the Gospel reading on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. If Mary let fear take over when the angel Gabriel appeared, this world would be unrecognizable to us. But God chose Mary because He created her pure and faithful, knowing her love for Him would overshadow any fear of what He would ask of her. Stop for a moment and imagine being in Mary's shoes. Now think about your life as it is today. Would you say "yes" to God if He asked something of you? Lay apostles, He is and has been asking us to love and follow Him for a long time. It's all in the Gospels; it's in every piece of writing through Anne a lay apostle. Leave fear behind today and take a stand for our Heavenly Father. Commit to Him and witness the graces He has waiting for you!

In today's Gospel (Luke 1:26-38), Mary overcomes her human fear for God's Will:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

In Volume Three, our Blessed Mother Mary gives us strength and comfort when fear seems to be getting the best of us:

"Children, I know it is difficult for you at times. Remember that I lived the earthly life and drew much comfort from faith. I was often unsure of what the future held for my Son but I knew it was suffering. I lived with that reality, despite which I remained cheerful, dutiful, and joyful. You may ask how I did that. I tell you that I did it through prayer. I constantly asked our Heavenly Father to sustain me. When I felt the grief of my Son’s future, I stopped whatever I was doing, and made an act of obedience to our Father. This became my life habit and it served me well, even during the most difficult hours. You will find this too. Whenever you feel unsure of yourself or afraid, make an act of obedience. Say the following: “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.” That is all, children. That simple prayer will draw consolation down to you, consolation which will steady you and prepare you to proceed in His will. We do not judge you for your mistakes. We do not criticize. We want to guide you and if you turn the wrong way, we will simply correct you. Do not be afraid of failure, because, with God, failure is not possible. Step forward now with joy, enriched by my words. Jesus, your Savior, also has much to say to you, and will continue this heavenly direction. My children, humility is your watchword and love is your compass. You are being placed under my mantle of protection."

Lay apostles, what are you fearful of? Write it down. Make a list. Be honest with yourself. Then write down what you believe the outcome would be if what you fear was to come true. Does your answer have anything to do with pride? Fear of the unknown? Death? Choose faith over fear . . . it works every time!

Thank you, Lord, for helping me overcome my fears. I know I haven't completely eradicated them, but I know the graces are available at a moment's notice!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: A Lava Rock Walk?

Walking on lava rocks or on a concrete sidewalk? Either can cause us to fall (or burn our feet on hot lava rocks!) or lose our balance. But I imagine the lava rocks would be wobbling with each step whereas the sidewalk is smooth and balanced. The older I get, the more I appreciate consistency! When it comes to our faith, why do we choose the "lava rocks" every once in a while? Sin is inevitable, we are all sinners. With each new day, God allows us a "do-over" to try a little harder, be a little better, love a little more. Building our faith life with the Words of Christ can only strengthen our walk. It makes us a little stronger, more resilient, with the ability to appreciate suffering and the graces attached. His Love for us is immense. Let's build on Him, our Solid Rock!

Today's Gospel (Matthew 7:21, 24-27) drives home this point . . . following the Words of Christ means living in unity with Him:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.  And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.  The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.  And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she beautifully distinguishes between authentic LOVE and fake love:

"God is love, first, foremost, and always. Heaven is all about love and is brimming over and filled with love. Hell is the opposite, the antithesis of heaven. In hell souls will find no love, only hatred. If God’s Kingdom is all about love, then love is the most important thing we need to consider. Perhaps then, if this work is to be of any merit to souls, it should begin with an examination of authentic love and seek to expose fake love. Where the enemy is present, one can look for a lack of authentic love, which can be partially characterized by a willingness to sacrifice. Real love, which originates in God, willingly accepts that sacrifice and giving are necessary. The enemy’s version features selfishness. Clearly we draw a distinction between the love of an infant or child and the love of an adult. We must examine the relationships around us, most importantly, our own. The enemy will seek to destroy what is good in a relationship and replace it with exploitation and manipulation. As lay apostles, we must look into each relationship in our lives and be certain that we follow Godly principles. We must seek to be genuinely giving, with an awareness that we should strive to set an example of Christlike behavior to each other."

Lay apostles, we have a finite amount of time on this earth. Use it wisely and make sure you are filling your heart with His Words of love, not with what the world thinks love should be. Focus and keep climbing the mountain!

Thank you, Lord, for the grace to see all the love You have blessed me with. Sorry in the past I have had blinders on . . . I don't anymore.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: He Promises and I Believe Him!

In the Volumes (and as He does in the Bible), Jesus promises if we commit ourselves to Him, He will see to the conversion of our loved ones. This is a promise I hold Him to. When I find myself wishing a loved one would make choices with Christ in mind, I pray.  As quickly as I can, I turn the worry over to Jesus.  By doing this, I have literally seen miracles occur.  Some a little slower than I wanted, and some immediately where I could hardly contain my joy. His timing, not mine. I have learned a very important lesson He repeats over and over . . . Trust Me . . . Believe in Me . . . I am with you. I fall more in love with every Gospel I read, every Volume/DFOT book quoted on my blog. I know He is seeing to the conversion of my loved ones. My grandchildren are learning to know and love Jesus as much as I do . . . a huge credit to their mommies!  My role is to reinforce the love of Christ in my words and actions, not only with my grandchildren but to all those I am in contact with. Begin at home.

In the Gospel today (Luke 18:35-43), Jesus showers grace upon a believer:

As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!" Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He replied, "Lord, please let me see." Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she encourages us to share our love of Christ with our children (and grandchildren!):

"Do we want our children to live in the truth, which is that they have experienced some suffering but also many blessings and gifts? Let us not transmit to our children that they are entitled to greater wealth or privilege than others. This would be untrue. If our children have been blessed with steady shelter, sustenance and safety, then we expect them to flourish, assuming we parents are pouring love and formation into them which promotes Christian growth, and we expect them to then go out into the world and help others."

Lay apostles, are you worried about the salvation of your children? Grandchildren? Spouse? If you are, commit your life to Christ.  Live His words. Then hand over the heaviness of this cross to Him. Live by example.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me Your promise to convert my loved ones.  I am blown away how quickly You answer my prayers at times!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: The Truth Will Set You Free

The voter fraud being uncovered across the U.S. is not only unlawful but shines a light on the depths people will go to in order to be right . . . what I believe is a consequence of the lack of God in our schools and families. And . . . participation awards. True followers of Christ desire the truth . . . not their own version of the truth, or, whatever makes them feel better about themselves. We win and we lose. Period. Lying, cheating and stealing only serves to obtain temporary satisfaction. Following Christ leads to eternal satisfaction. We all will die. We all will face the Truth one day. Practice now . . . the Truth will set you free.

In today's Gospel (Luke 17:26-37), Jesus lays it on the line . . . we can be here today, gone tomorrow. It's time to shift our perspective:

Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left." They said to him in reply, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather."

In Anne a lay apostle's book Suspended in Mystery, she reminds us that Jesus is there to walk the sometimes difficult path to truth with us:

"We must rejoice in the truth that Jesus Christ is the friend who always gives good advice. He is the friend who, when he speaks, says things we may not want to hear but will recognize as truth. Jesus is like the friend who says ‘easy decisions, hard life. Hard decisions, easy life’. Jesus will keep us on the path to realize the most from the potentials we chose righteously. He will work with us to protect us, the people around us, and the Father’s will for the whole world. We might walk away from time with Jesus in the eucharist a little humbled, a little embarrassed about arrogant behavior, or with penitence for relationship mistakes. this is good. this is the friend we need. Jesus does not hype fear to manipulate us. He helps us to face fear and choose courage. He does not prompt us to select the easy way but instead the way of integrity and of the biggest possible plan for our time here. He helps us to gain a burning desire for his will and a single-minded purpose in protecting the potentials that we chose with him.

When we course-correct in an ongoing way, with God, we do not have to look back on tragic wrong decisions or patterns of behavior that killed the hope of the good things coming fully into being during our time on earth."

Lay apostles, are you ready to face the Truth? Are you living your life with the end goal of an eternity with Jesus? We are all imperfect. But today we can try to do a little better than we did yesterday. It's never too late to speak the truth, no matter how difficult it may be to hear or say. It's time.

Thank you, Lord, for all the opportunities to speak Your Truth. Help me to lean in the right direction accepting that the truth will uncover the real me, the ultimate goal in this life.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Rejected? You are in Good Company!

Rejection . . . I bet every person on this earth could conjure up at least a dozen occurrences . . . just within the last year (even the last week in some cases!). It sucks; it hurts; it diminishes self-esteem; it causes one to question their own intentions/feelings/decisions. So, how do we deal with the insecurities created by rejection? Seek to understand as my husband always says (not always easy!). And then you have a decision to make . . . move on with the intention of forgiving the offender, or, fall into the role of playing the victim. What did Jesus do when He was rejected? He continued on His Mission. He knew His Heavenly Father needed Him to complete the task at hand . . . save all of God's children from an eternity of darkness. We have a task at hand lay apostles. To bring the Light of Christ to a very dark world. We are His Hands, His Feet, His Heart on this earth until He returns. So, how are you going to handle rejection today? Before you answer, read the Gospel and excerpt from Anne's book Serving in Clarity below. You will see you are in Good Company.

Today's Gospel (Luke 17:20-25) teaches us to continue our climb up the mountain of holiness by keeping the end goal in sight . . . an eternity with Christ:

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Serving in Clarity, she reminds us who is behind the rejection and it surely isn't Jesus:

"Remember that Jesus had the complete truth. He was the Truth then and He is the Truth now, and yet, from this position of power Jesus was and is gentle and kind. We, His followers, are called to proceed similarly. We must speak the truth in kindness and gentleness, remembering always that we do not hold ourselves above anyone. I have observed some misguided apostles proceeding in great superiority to those around them. They are arrogant and give reprimands to others freely, as though they themselves had no spiritual work to do. This is wrong and it saddens Christ. The recipient of this kind of treatment feels rejection and condemnation, two things that do not come from Christ, but from His enemy. I hear the voices of these same people shouting, “But souls are condemned. There are souls in hell.” This is true, but the souls in hell are there because they choose hell, not because God rejects them or condemns them. God is good and gives all people an opportunity to repent. We must be humble, as Jesus was humble, and bring a spirit of loving truth to others. If we do this, souls will recognize God’s mercy in us and they will return to Him, not from fear, but from love and because they have been welcomed."

Lay apostles, when the ugly head of rejection creeps up on you, look it in the face and say "I Trust In You Jesus!" "I'll take this one on the chin for You God!" Every one of us reacts with emotions generated from our past. It's how we choose to change and grow in humility that will shine His Light. You never know . . . you just might be the example someone needed to experience and see today.

Thank you, Lord, for the grace of letting rejection float over my head to the best of my ability, not causing too much hurt. And, please help me to get over it a little faster, ok?

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

To be healed. It can mean many things . . . a cure for a disease/health problem; anger turned to peace; a control freak becoming open-minded; calmness instead of anxiety because traffic is flowing easily, to name a few. But are we grateful for each and every healing we receive, no matter how big or small? I know I have some work to do here.

I am thankful for many things . . . too numerous to name. Jesus has healed me in ways I never imagined possible. He has opened my eyes like never before. I will never take one second for granted (easier said than done at times!). I will thank Him for everything, even in situations that seem disastrous at the moment. He is always waiting with open arms to comfort us when we are sad and celebrate with us when we are happy. Living with Him as my constant companion has given me a peace I never knew in my earlier years, and will never live without until the day I am Face to face with Him.

Today's Gospel (Luke 17:11-19) reminds me to praise Him in thanksgiving for everything:

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."

In Volume Four, Jesus the King reminds us He is always present no matter where we are or what we do:

"Brothers and sisters, it is this prayer, this attitude of humble and meek acceptance that makes great saints. I will show you. Study Me as your guide. Study My life. Read about My life in scripture and you will see My humble and meek approach to souls. Did souls scorn Me for such a countenance? No, My brothers and sisters. Good and holy souls saw that I carried heaven within Me and were drawn to Me. Good and holy souls, souls hungry for the Spirit of God, followed Me from town to town and waited for Me so that they could be close to Me. It will be the same for you. Souls will be drawn to you in their hunger because they will sense that you carry the only bread that can fill them to satisfaction. I am using you, dear ones, to spread Me. I want to be felt in every room, every car, every place where even one soul rests in loneliness and spiritual deprivation. You will enter and I will be there. I will fill the room, the car, the place, and souls who hunger for God will feel My presence and give thanks. So do not curse hardship. Do not blame God for the pains and sorrows in this world. It is through your acceptance of these things that you will find your soul illuminated with the light of the next world."

Lay apostles, thank Him for the good, the bad and the ugly. When life seems to take a turn for the worse, remember, it only seems worse. Jesus has a plan.  Trust Him. And, most of all, thank Him.

Thank you, Lord, for the love You found me worthy of with Jay. And, for the love of my girls, sons-in-law, grandchildren, mother-in-law, family, and friends!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Orderly Disorder

Disorderly environments spark the organizer in me. Almost eight years ago, I had flown to DC to spend a month with my oldest daughter (pregnant with my first grandchild when I arrived) and her husband.  While we awaited the arrival of my beautiful grandson, Mal needed help organizing and getting rid of clutter in their tiny condo.  Perfect job for me!  We began with the kitchen and did something I think my son-in-law has finally forgiven me for (hopefully!).  There were 50 million (ok, maybe not 50 million!) wine glasses from visits to wineries around Virginia (with tastings, you usually get to keep the glasses).  Well, considering there were two of them in the house, I figured 50 wine glasses were taking up too much space in their already crowded kitchen cabinets. So, got it down to maybe 15, boxed the extras and placed it by the front door for a donation pickup. Kevin agreed to get rid of them . . . albeit reluctantly. I think he caved because he is a gentleman and, most importantly, I am his mother-in-law! By the time our grandson was born, a lot of elbow grease went into preparing the house for this tiny human being who required a lot of extras . . . diapers, clothes, crib, swing, stroller, etc.  I know Mal and Kev were as thankful for the help as I was in providing it. Just my small contribution in fulfilling my heavenly obligation to serve others joyfully!

Today's Gospel (Luke 17:7-10) teaches us to perform our heavenly obligations . . . no complaining allowed:

Jesus said to the Apostles: “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’?

Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she encourages us to identify heavenly obligations vs. earthly temptations and respond accordingly:

"It is so important to identify our ‘stuff ’ and not put it on someone else. If someone attacks us without merit, it could be their struggle that prompts the attack. We have to learn to identify our fears and insecurities and how these fears and insecurities affect our heavenly obligation, which is to love. Clearly, if someone we love speaks we must listen and examine their observations but there are times when the enemy tempts those around us against us and there are times when the enemy tempts us against those around us. To simplify, Jesus will always shine a light of compassion and truth on the people in our lives. The enemy will always shine a light of suspicion and anger on the people in our lives. As Christ followers, we must look at the people in our lives in truth, with compassion. We can judge objective wrongs as wrongs and still view those acting out those wrongs with compassion. We can say, 'Ah, yes, it is pain and vulnerability that prompts these bad actions against me.' Viewed in this way, we can avoid bitterness and condemnation, even as we deal with the effects of the wounds inflicted by others. We, committed to Christ and plugged into His constant healing graces, can stop the destruction from spreading and even push back at it by returning love for hostility."

Lay apostles, love and serve unconditionally . . . even when the task at hand may be met with protest. Before judging the "wine glasses" are just that, wine glasses, seek to understand the actions or motivations, and by all means, respond with love.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to continue to focus on my heavenly obligation to love and serve others.  Please help those whom I serve to see Your Light!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Down the Right Path

We can all laugh about it now, but when my girls were teens, it sometimes infuriated them. I'm talking about my response when they wanted to go somewhere with friends, attend an event, or stay out later than curfew.  When my answer was no, it usually didn't stop there. After a few times of "pleaaaasssseee, Mom," they would say it. "(Insert name of friend)'s mom said she could do it!"  My response every time, "Well I'm not (friend)'s mom!"  They were not too happy and knew it was a losing battle at that point. As adults, my daughters now understand I was protecting them, trying to prevent mischievous activity before it began. They got away with some things . . . things I didn't find out about until bridal showers with some of those high school friends in attendance!  All we can do is pray we are teaching our children to uphold Christ-like morals. As hard as we try to guide them down the right path, life happens. Understand we are all sinners . . . our children included.

In today's Gospel (Luke 17:1-6), Jesus shows us by the mere fact we live on this earth we are destined to sin. Let's just try not to take others with us:

Jesus said to his disciples, "Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,' you should forgive him." And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."

In Volume One, the Blessed Mother assures us despite our mischievous past, we are forgiven if we ask:

"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, pray the words Our Lady gives us in the quote above. Ask it with a sincere heart and you will be amazed at the graces which will flow in abundance. Evaluate your circumstances and if you are behaving in a manner that could lead others to sin, stop. You can do it. Begin by asking Christ for forgiveness, then lead by example.

Thank you, Lord, for the ability to step back and assess my behavior in addition to those around me observing it. Help me to continue healing and growing stronger being united to You always.

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Along With Blessings Come Crosses

Despite the chaos in the world, my life is blessed.  Saying "yes" to Jesus comes with a ton of graces for which I am forever grateful.  But it also comes with its share of crosses. The violence incited by left-leaning Democrats is beyond my comprehension. To lie, cheat, steal and harass seems to be their mantra. How did it come to this? My theory has two parts . . . lack of God in families and schools being one. The second? Participation awards. In my younger years, we learned about winning and losing. We bettered ourselves instead of feeling we were owed. We worked harder (and still do!) to achieve our dreams. My father was living proof. He became handicapped in his teens, but he never let it slow him down. He was a worker bee and a successful entrepreneur while he and my mom were raising four daughters. He never felt sorry for himself . . . I swear if someone would have made the comment when I was young about having a handicapped father, I would have been thoroughly confused by the comment!

My friends, there are so many lost sheep in this country, and Jesus is asking us to stay focused on Him so we can guide our lost brothers and sisters home.

In today's Gospel (Luke 15:1-10), Jesus asks us to assist Him in gathering all His sheep:

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus addressed this parable to them. “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’  I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’  In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Transforming Grace, her analogy is spot on when dealing with our lost brothers and sisters:

"We study once the again the relationship between Jesus and the good thief. The good thief must have railed against his sentence of death and the cruelty that meted it out to him. Yet through his sentence he was raised aloft with Christ and he was able to console Christ in a moment of exquisite temptation to despair. Would that each prisoner understand how uniquely placed he is to minister in the smallest of ways to those around him. Would that we, suffering from the place of our prisons of sickness and pain, understand how uniquely our crosses position us to help others suffering the same adversities. The beauty of the good thief shines out of scripture in flashing lights to those looking for validation, despite the inevitable guilt that comes to us from our fallen natures. Apostles, we must work hard to comfort others, despite our condition of sinfulness. We must accelerate our daily ministries, in our homes and in the world, despite the realization of our sinfulness and failure. Serve on, soldiers of the renewal. Do not be an obstacle to Christ. Truly, Jesus craves relationship with all and Jesus has never been more willing to accept the crumbs from the table of those who reject Him."

Lay apostles, how can we combat the disarray occurring in our country/lives today? If we each remember our blessings while carrying our crosses, a little more love pours from our hearts, leading the lost sheep to a place of comfort. Hard to do in the political climate we are experiencing, but the only way to peace.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing blessings and crosses in my life. I am finally understanding how this all works and the importance of doing my part in bringing everyone to You!

God bless,
Bonnie

Gospel Thoughts Today: Self-Examination

The truth can be devastating. It can also set us free. Admitting our poor choices takes too much effort, so excuses usually suffice. It sugar coats the reality we live day to day. The problem is, it will all catch up to us at some point. As Christians, we are called to speak the Truth . . . so why do we continue to make ourselves appear happier, smarter, more powerful, richer, etc. than we really are? Excuses. Facing the reality of who we are and what we have become could mean we are just like every other human being . . . flawed. Yes, I am imperfect. But every day I try my best to overcome my flaws and do it a little better than I did the day before. Sometimes I succeed. Sometimes I fail. Each day God gives me on this earth is an opportunity to become holier through self-examination drawing closer to Him. After all, I will meet God Face to face someday. And, there will be no excuses allowed.

In today's Gospel (Luke 14:15-24) Jesus, in so many words, asks us to STOP making excuses and focus on God:

One of those at table with Jesus said to him, "Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God." He replied to him, "A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, 'Come, everything is now ready.' But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.' The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.' The servant reported, 'Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.' The master then ordered the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'"

In Anne a lay apostle's book Transforming Grace, she provides an excellent formula for self-examination:

"For example, I was afraid and then I did this _____. I was addicted and then I did this _____. I felt rejected and then I did this _____. I was hungry and then I did this ____. I was assaulted and then I did this ____. I was un-parented, rudderless, confused and then I did this ____. I did not take responsibility for my strong emotions and then I did this _____. I stopped self-examining and then I began to behave this way _____.

To be clear, this is not to make excuses for ourselves. This formula helps us to gain self–awareness.

Each person can adapt this but the practice is one which ensures an experience of mercy. One can hardly condemn oneself when one sees that our human weaknesses and our inclinations toward sin are understandable given our wounds. And if one practices understanding others in this way, also, one will be compassionate to others."

Lay apostles, is there someone or something you make excuses for? Do you make excuses for yourself so you appear to be better than others . . . better than you actually are? Think about it. And, the next time you are about to utter an untruth, remember there will be no excuses on judgment day.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me that no matter how imperfect I am, You see the real me with such love and compassion!

God bless,
Bonnie