Suffering with Christ

I heard a soul say try to explain the mystery of suffering today. He said that some souls, if it is possible Jesus loves more. I disagree.
He said this in an effort to explain the mystery of why some suffer more than others.
First of all, who can measure how much suffering each one of us has? Impossible.
Secondly, Peter and Jon were called to be set apart at least twice; Once when they climbed the mount of transfiguration, where they received the great consolation of seeing Christ in his divinity, and then again in the garden of Gethsemane where they witnessed his agony.
They were close to him both in his sufferings and in His Glory.
Christ loves all and calls some to be closer to him than others. Those who are closer may experience His sufferings more readily but they also experience his joys and glories in greater ways. Good always conquers evil.
It serves us well to remember that there were two people crucified with Christ. One chose to be angry and bitter, but the other chose to accept it and in doing so he heard the voice of His savior promise him paradise.JD

Grace

I heard someone say today that God will give the grace that you need for today.
Don't worry about what might happen tomorrow. You're not there yet,nor are the graces that are prepared for it.
Matthew 6
31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Jesus Loves Us This I Know

"When you look at Jesus on the cross you remember how he loved you 2000 years ago and when you look at the Euchrist you see how he loves now" Taken from EWTN's special on St Margaret Mary

Romans 5:3

3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.

What is the reason for your hope? Trust in the Lord. He will not disappoint. Come Holy Spirit fill us with your love overflowing.

-- Psalm 55 liv, 17-19,22

But I have cried to God: and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and He shall hear my voice: He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me...

22 Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 34:19

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;

Truth - St. Maximilian Kolbe

"No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it. The real conflict is the inner conflict. Beyond armies of occupation and the hetacombs of extermination camps, there are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of every soul: good and evil, sin and love. And what use are the victories on the battlefield if we are ourselves are defeated in our innermost personal selves?"
~ St. Maximilian Kolbe

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

Jeremiah 17: 7- 8 Trust

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the water that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of the drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit."
Jeremiah 17: 7- 8

Theresa of Avila

Consider seriously how quickly people change, and how little trust is to be had in them; and hold fast to God, who does not change." Theresa of Avila

A Last Prayer Mother Theresa

Mother Theresa writes..

The devil may try to use the hurts of life,
and sometimes our own mistakes,
to make you feel it is impossible that Jesus really loves you,
is really cleaving to you. This is a danger for all of us.
And so sad,because it is completely the opposite of what Jesus is really wanting,
waiting to tell you. Not only that He loves you, but even more, He longs for you.
He misses you when you don't come close. He thirsts for you.
He loves you always, even when you don't feel worthy.
When not accepted by others, even by yourself sometimes,
He is the one who always accepts you.
Only believe, you are precious to him.
Bring all you are suffering to His feet,
only open your heart to be loved by Him as you are.
He will do the rest.
- Mother Teresa, 1910-1997 For more see side bar

Don't Quote Me - Mother Theresa

"If I can give you any advice, I beg you to get closer to the Eucharist and to Jesus... We must pray to Jesus to give us that tenderness of the Eucharist." -Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Angels We Have Heard on High- keep it simple

This morning, on Christmas Eve, I awoke with the song, Angels We have Heard on High” going through my head. I felt joy and peace.
One wonders why the shepherds heard and saw the angels and heavenly host on the first Christmas. I have heard of many reasons but this morning, when I read in the Gospel of Luke;”The shepherds were in their fields at night keeping watch over the sheep", the word “watch” struck me.
I imagine that the noise and the hustle of the city during the census left most of the inhabitants too busy to hear or see God.
The Shepherds, on the other hand were keeping watch. The lives of the shepherds were simple. The shepherds were in a place where they could see and hear God’s voice through the angels. This Christmas, one may ask the question, are we in that place?
Keeping things simple at Christmas time can be a challenge. I pray that the activities of the season and anxieties of this world would not distract us from hearing the voice of the angels say to each one of us, personally,..”Do not be afraid…Today in the town of David a savior has been born to YOU, he is Christ” Luke
God came to us as a little Baby, small, vulnerable and pure. Glory to God in the Highest!
Merry Christmas

O Come Let Us Adore Him

The journey of the first Christmas included traveling, waiting, fighting the crowds, plans and preparations that were thwarted by the need to register to pay taxes. We all can relate to this, after all, it almost sounds like a modern day at the mall during Advent.
Mary's and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem included not only joy but frustration, rejection, poverty, and trials.
But then there was that “Silent Night” when the heavens were opened and the Christ child was revealed to the world.
And yes, there was the Epiphany! (Matthew 2:1-12 )
How we all long to experience an epiphany with God! But are we willing to recognize that it takes time and work? In order to find Christ, the Three Kings and the Shepherds had to engage in a journey which involved time, sacrifice, faith and trials. Are we willing, like the Wiseman, to sacrifice in order to prepare our hearts for Christ?
Like the wisemen we have been given a star to guide us; The light of the church is there to guide us to Christ, who is waiting for us in the tabernacle and in the Sacraments. How will we respond to the Good News of Christmas? Can we respond with the shepherds, who upon hearing the Good News said: "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."?
The good news is Jesus is in the Tabernacle in our Catholic Churches. Let us go to Eucahristic Adoration and SEE.

Facing Failure

Facing Failure

Mother Teresa:
" Jesus the Son of God was sent by His Father to proclaim Good News.
He was fully confident that his father would work out His plan of slavation in spite of the apparant failure of his mission. He was confident even when he saw that people did not accept him. For 30 years in Nazereth they knew Him only as the son of Joseph and Mary. Our Lady and Joseph too must have wondered. People told Him that He was mad, a liar, they slapped Him, spat at Him crucified Him. He seemed to be a complete failure. He knew though that in spite of all this, the will of His Father would be fullfilled. Do you have that Trust?" From "Thursting for God", by Mother Teresa

The Battle is Not Ours but the Lords

Sunday, October 14, 2007
Life is a Battle, Spiritual Warfare

EXODUS
8Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim.
9So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."
10Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.
12But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.
13So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
__________________________________________
Moses and the people of Israel were in a battle. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Isreal had the better of the fight. But even Moses could not do this alone. Moses needed the help of the community (Aron and Hur) to support him. We too are in a battle and without community to support us we can not have the victory. Lifes battles can be exhausting and we like Moses need to do more than just believe that our help is in the Lord. This reading is a great reminder that we need to surround ourselves with others who share our faith and whom can we can depend on for help when we are weary. Don't Go it Alone.
Love Mrs. TLF

Autumn

In light of what I just read in my last post (posted two months ago ) I should be changing a lot.
Change is in the air. The leaves are turning, changing falling. I have often reflected on how beautiful the leaves are just before they die. I wonder if that is how it is suppose to be for all of us or at least all of us who believe. When we reflect on the death of Jesus on the cross it is easy to see only the gruesomeness and horror of sin and death. How sad it is that this is the only thing some see, when they look at the cross. Others see Christ and His love for us and some see both. The paradox of the cross, that it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Change
Leaves falling in beautiful golds and reds,
Dying
While we give thanks for life
And reap the harvest;
Beautiful, mystical fall.

Suffering

" Suffering is healing. There are those who think the path to holiness is to be healed of your bodily suffering, but often times God uses the suffering to change us and to heal our souls." Mother Angelica

Don't Quote Me

Pray always and don't doubt that God keeps you in His divine arms and that the time will come when He will teach you His most holy Will.

-- St. Paul of the Cross

The Good Shepherd

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me,
15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.