Lent....what will i do differently

The Church in Her Wisdom gave us two seasons of repentance, change....  Advent and Lent....because left on our own we would never be too serious about introspection...looking within and finding those things that are contrary to a life of Love and trying to change.  i love to think of Lent as possibly my last time celebrating this season ....a final time i will have to really grow and change and leave my mark in this world and prepare myself to meet God and be able to truly say, "i tried my best!".  What peace comes when we know we are trying to get closer to God....closer to becoming more like Jesus.  There is a song called, "I wanna be just like You!"...it refers to parents wanting to be like Jesus because our little children often want to be like us or just inherit our habits both good and bad...but this can surely be applied to us wanting to be like Jesus so others in the world might be able to see Him and want to journey to find Christ for themselves... sometimes for the very first time.  Give a listen....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z8bXcBRIU0

Mohatma Gandhi said ,

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”  i am sure if he met Mother Teresa he would say she was very much like Christ!

We have to seriously look within ....to take time to think every night and every day how am i doing...examine our consciences to see where we need to grow....to ask God to make us more like Jesus and show us what needs change and how to do it.  There are so many resources for this Holy Season of Lent.  Go to a Catholic/Christian Bookstore and find what resonates with your soul...everyone is different so find your personal prescription for Lent.  It is fine to give up things, but better yet to do new things...visit a relative who is alone, find someone who suffers mental illness and love on them...go find the elderly in your family and neighborhood and make soup and visit and eat together....be Christ to others in every possible way ....learn to Love more deeply and you will be transformed to become more beautiful than you have ever been..., not just those you serve.  We have 3 days left....put time aside for the Most Important Work....Soul searching, God chasing and Life Growth and Change.  

Let's ask God that this will be our best Lent so far.  Let's set the alarm earlier to pray....go to our rooms earlier at night to be with God and listen....stop in a church during the day ...find some special Bible Study, Prayer Group, Stations of the Cross, Rosary, Catechesis....maybe daily mass....search and fill your time with more Holy and Beautiful God Focused things and people....them when Easter arrives we will feel like truly rejoicing....and better understand Jesus' Life, Death and Resurrection!

May Our Lent be fruitful with all the changes God wants us to make...don't just clean the house for Spring Cleaning....let's clean our hearts first....let's not just buy new Easter Clothes, but first clean and dress our souls...our hearts, our minds in Jesus Christ.  Remember Prayer, Fasting and Alms giving make a knot that does not break and brings miracles when applied all together.  

May everyone we meet say they like us because we are just like Our Lord and Savior, Jesus!  A Blessed and Fruitful and Life Changing Lent to us all!

til next time.....read this...Is 58:14...the entire chapter

1Cry out full-throated and unsparingly,

lift up your voice like a trumpet blast;

Proclaim to my people their transgression,

to the house of Jacob their sins.

2They seek me day after day,

and desire to know my ways,

Like a nation that has done what is just

and not abandoned the judgment of their God;

They ask of me just judgments,

they desire to draw near to God.

3“Why do we fast, but you do not see it?

afflict ourselves, but you take no note?”

See, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits,

and drive all your laborers.

4See, you fast only to quarrel and fight

and to strike with a wicked fist!

Do not fast as you do today

to make your voice heard on high!

5Is this the manner of fasting I would choose,

a day to afflict oneself?

To bow one’s head like a reed,

and lie upon sackcloth and ashes?

Is this what you call a fast,

a day acceptable to the LORD?

AUTHENTIC FASTING THAT LEADS TO BLESSING

6Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose:

releasing those bound unjustly,

untying the thongs of the yoke;

Setting free the oppressed,

breaking off every yoke?

7Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry,

bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house;

Clothing the naked when you see them,

and not turning your back on your own flesh?

8Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,

and your wound shall quickly be healed;

Your vindication shall go before you,

and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

9Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,

you shall cry for help, and he will say: “Here I am!”

If you remove the yoke from among you,

the accusing finger, and malicious speech;

10If you lavish your food on the hungry

and satisfy the afflicted;

Then your light shall rise in the darkness,

and your gloom shall become like midday;

11Then the LORD will guide you always

and satisfy your thirst in parched places,

will give strength to your bones

And you shall be like a watered garden,

like a flowing spring whose waters never fail.

12Your people shall rebuild the ancient ruins;

the foundations from ages past you shall raise up;

“Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you,

“Restorer of ruined dwellings.”

AUTHENTIC SABBATH OBSERVANCE THAT LEADS TO BLESSING

13If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,

from following your own pursuits on my holy day;

If you call the sabbath a delight,

the LORD’s holy day glorious;

If you glorify it by not following your ways,

seeking your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs—

14Then you shall delight in the LORD,

and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;

I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father,

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken

Men/Women's conferences NJ in March

March 4 and 11 are the Men's and Women's Conferences in the Archdiocese of Newark.  Please pass this info on to those in the Northeast who might be interested in attending.  What a great way to start lent.  Ck it out.

http://www.rcan.org/offices-and-ministries/evangelization/calendar-events

Bienvenue aux Canadiens!

Merci aux Canadiens d'avoir lu mon blog. Je voulais vous envoyer une note de bienvenue pour vous joindre à nous. Que Dieu continue à vous bénir. Loué soit Jésus-Christ! Maintenant et pour toujours!

(a welcome note in French to Canadians who are following my blog)  My family i first met in Italy live in Canada!  i have visited twice and hope to visit again someday!  God bless!  ang

Gott segne unsere deutschen Leser!

Wie gesegnet bin ich, Leute aus Deutschland zu lesen, die diesen Blog lesen. Ich danke Ihnen und wollte Sie in Ihrer eigenen Sprache begrüßen. Ich hoffe und bete, dass Google translate einen guten Job bei der Übersetzung meiner Notiz von Englisch auf Deutsch gemacht hat. Bitte geh weiter mit Christus und bringe das Licht zu deinem Volk. Gelobt sei Jesus Christus! Jetzt und für immer!

(A greeting to my readers from Germany in their own lanuage)   Frank, a friend from high school, his father was from Germany.  His mother became a dear friend of mine after she lost her husband.  They were very holy people.  i had the privilege of ministering musically at both their funerals  The family gave me their blue recliner after they both passed.  Now that is my "prayer chair"  :)

Thank you Sisters in Spirit!

A very special thanks to the Sisters in Spirit Prayer Group in St. Francis Church Ridgefield Park, NJ.  It was a privilege to be with you this week and what a lovely time of deep prayer, teaching and worship we had with Jesus!  Keep shining!  OH HOW HE LOVES YOU!

til next time....watch "How He Loves Us" by David Crowder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxTOsQ3LDE4

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Let's go to the Mountain to pray!

How very urgent it is for us to get away from life as we know it here on this earth to pray....to be still...to enter into silence to hear from God.  Retreat....we must find places of retreat, both quick ways to pull away during a day and longer times to be away for a few days at least.  We want to know God, but we often do not invest the time to really find Him and get to know Him for ourselves.  Before the Holy Season of Lent, let's find time to be with God One on one in solitude.  The Fruit is 'Out of this World'!  Jesus Himself set the example.  til next time....meditate on these few verses ...there are many more that refer to when Jesus went off to pray....

Mark 1:35

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Matthew 14:23

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

 Luke 6:12

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Mark 6:46 
After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

Luke 5:16

But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray

None of us deserve....

As a follow up to the last post, just a reminder....none of us deserve Love...we often have behaved and said things that hurt, but we choose to Love as believers because God requires that of us not because someone deserves it.  And in doing what He asks, the benefits are 'out of this world!'

The Mass Readings today all point in this direction.  Take time on This Sabbath to rest, be restored and pray.  Please limit your work.  A Jewish dear friend of mine told me Sabbath is like experiencing a piece of Heaven while on earth.  We Christians have to get better at this.  It is something i am working on.

til next time, read these Mass readings slowly and with deep intent to understand.  Praised be Jesus Christ!  Now and Forever!

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021217.cfm

Do for others while they are alive....

Social Media....can be a good tool....but i find it can be used to substitute real people and real encounters.....it can somehow satisfy us that we are really doing well in certain areas of our lives when in fact maybe we are not.

My Father's 4th Anniversary of His Passing to Heaven was this week.  Many many people circulated pictures, comments and videos of Dad which was nice....made lots of comments about him too ....and that was nice too...but the fact is he is on the Other Side....and to put lots of emotions on social media is okay, but Mom and Dad always had a saying...."Do for the people while they are alive!"...."Do for others while they live!"....i know what my Dad would say to all of us....'My wife lives, and is alone alot.  My wife lives and many never call or visit.  Don't wallow in my passing or in emotional ties with me.  Our time has passed....Go visit my widow, call her, sit with her, love and caress her while she lives!  Don't wait until she is gone to weep bitterly over her casket or 4 yrs after on an anniversary'.  In some cases sometimes strangers are more sensitive to these things than one's own close family/friend circle in today's world.  i find that odd.

i saw a women in her late 80's in church sitting with her 20 yr old granddaughter from out of town.  i was sooo happy to see the two of them together and complimented that.  Her granddaughter said "of course!....we all are always with her."  The Elder answered with a smile," they are all at my house every day angie, every single day."  i told her don't ever complain about that, for my Mom would give millions of dollars to have that problem.  How marvelous is that!...How wonderful that a family rallies their elders like that even though they all live at least an hour away.  That's how it was with my grandma....great memories of visiting and calling from childhood thru and including our adulthood. Our parents gave us good example in caring and loving and including the elders.

Well, i write this for a two fold reason...if you have elders in your life, make it priority to call and visit often.  Be creative in your ideas to show your love for them....cards, letters, calls, skype, teach them art, music, language, play games, make a meal that adheres to their diet, flowers, fruit baskets, projects....use the computer to gather a million other ideas....there are no limits to all the possibilities of enriching the lives of others if we get creative.   With cell phones there is no excuse for not taking 1-2 minutes to bring a smile to their face. Rotate a schedule so that each week they look forward to a visit from a different family member and this can ease the pressure of needing to visit too frequently if your schedule does not permit.  Love is important and sitting with someone and just laughing and talking or crying is healthy for them and for us as well.  You know people often feel sorry for a person who is in a nursing home thinking those living in their own home have it better.  In many ways those at home do have it better, but the loneliness is excruciating even with a full time caretaking family member and they are fully aware that they are forgotten already and that at their funeral is when most will come....when it is too late.  Remember they are not ignorant and they know when they don't mean anything to others.  Don't limit your visiting to only three times a yr for holidays.  Anyone can just do that.   Become a regular part of their lives.   A reminder, our children and grandchildren are watching how we care for the elders in our lives....soon enough we will all be elders and hopefully our example will encourage our children and their children to be around and be part of the life of their grandparents and great grandparents and other elders.  i am extremely aware of the gift my family has in having my 93 yr old Mom with us.  Many would have given thousands to have their parents/grandparents live that long.  So let's all take some inventory and see how we can do this better....Even if you don't feel close to an elder or they were not the best person to you, we, who are called to the Gospel, are called to minister to all and try to leave our mark/example and even to teach the elders...yes, they are still here like us to learn...and learning to Love is the main lesson in this world for you, me and everyone.

My  second reason for this blog is to insure social media has its place.  Evaluate the time you are on the phone, computer, social sites etc and see if you can cut back and instead visit and love on the elders, disabled in your circles.  We do have time for others, we just have to make it our priority. Sadly sports and social events  and careers have over riden the nurturing and caring of God, celebrating Sabbath and the family.

til next time....meditate on Sirach 3:1-16

1Children, listen to me, your father;

act accordingly, that you may be safe.

2For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children

and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons.

3Those who honor their father atone for sins;

4they store up riches who respect their mother.

5Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children,

and when they pray they are heard.

6Those who respect their father will live a long life;

those who obey the Lord honor their mother.

7Those who fear the Lord honor their father,

and serve their parents as masters.

8In word and deed honor your father,

that all blessings may come to you.

9A father’s blessing gives a person firm roots,

but a mother’s curse uproots the growing plant.

10Do not glory in your father’s disgrace,

for that is no glory to you!

11A father’s glory is glory also for oneself;

they multiply sin who demean their mother.

12My son, be steadfast in honoring your father;

do not grieve him as long as he lives.

13Even if his mind fails, be considerate of him;

do not revile him because you are in your prime.

14Kindness to a father will not be forgotten;

it will serve as a sin offering—it will take lasting root.

15In time of trouble it will be recalled to your advantage,

like warmth upon frost it will melt away your sins.

16Those who neglect their father are like blasphemers;

those who provoke their mother are accursed by their Creator.

Death no longer has power Rom 6:9

i sent this to someone who lost a lifetime friend in her 40s from cancer and felt it might be helpful for anyone who has lost someone and hurts.  The purpose of this note is not to play down the very painful reality of grief.  There are many who will love and caress your wounds and allow you to grieve.  My note comes from angie, often called the encourager.  i am looking to give a Strength and Power that only comes from God to fortify those in times of utter exhaustion and weakness....There is a place and time for the sorrow and another for strengthening and lifting up when our legs are ready to give in....i hope this might help you in some way....
-------------------------------

Remember, how a person dies and the circumstances surrounding their passing are a distraction to the Reality of the Bliss they are experiencing at this present moment.  The shell is gone but the soul is finally free and sees God Face to face.  Nothing and no one, even if we put all the best life has to offer together it will not come close to this Ecstasy our believing loved one is experiencing right now. Well up in you The Great Faith you have and Divine Courage  to read a Word of Truth and Hope from the Bible.  Your loved one will be with you always.  In God's Time and in His Perfect Way God will gather an care for all those left behind who are suffering.  He makes Beauty from ashes and the one who walked with Jesus here on earth, now walks literally with Him There.  The deceased will be everyones intercessor before the Throne of The Almighty.  Elevate and Fly Higher.  Be daring to believe the Miraculous!!!  Our God will carry you.

Take a moment to watch "i can only imagine by Mercy Me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da4fnYIuV9s

An watch "No More Night" by David Phelps one of my favorite hymns and worshipper and take notice how he sings the chorus after the key change with such conviction!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iPIi7sunEU

until next time....read Cor 2:9

"What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,

and what has not entered the human heart,

what God has prepared for those who love him"

Hebrew 12:12-13

So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.

A Quote to Live by....

i was blessed this morning listening to Christian Radio as i got ready to serve at Masses.  They quoted John Wesley who was an Anglican cleric and theologian who, with his brother Charles and fellow cleric George Whitefield, founded Methodism. This quote needs no help or embellishment....It stands alone.....hope it inspires you as much as it has me....After i heard it, i had to look it up right away so not to forget....thank God for computers and the ability to access information this quickly.

- Cha

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”

Hope you are well...till next time....

rles Wesley

Niech Bedzie Pochwaloni Jesus Christus

This is a greeting in Polish for those from Poland who are reading my blog.....my dear friend Freda is Polish and gave me this greeting in your language to extend to you,....thank you for being part of this blog.  God bless, angie

i will be guest speaker in NJ for Women's Group

Here is the flyer from a parish in NJ where i will be the guest speaker for a Women's Group.  All women are invited.  Feel free to pass this on to all women you know who might be interested and able to attend.  Hope to see you there.  Plz join us in prayer for all who serve and all who attend .  If you are in the Tri State Area and would like me to speak to your church group, send me a comment on this blog with your contact information, and i will reply.  Ty and God bless, ang

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, RIDGEFIELD PARK

SISTERS IN SPIRIT

S.I.S.

Who Are We and What is Our Mission?

We are women who want to grow:

spiritually in our faith; closer to God; in fellowship with one another.

3rd Thursday of every month

7:30pm

St. Francis Lower Church

Bring a Friend! Everyone is welcome (not limited to St. Francis parishioners).

Join us for fun, snacks, laughter and friends!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

GUEST SPEAKER: ANGIE ROTELLA-SUAREZ

Angie’s ability to share, ignite and bring alive faith and healing in others' lives is obvious with just one experience with her. Whether you are a fervent active Catholic, one who has been away from God and His Church for a long time, and/or somewhere in between, come ready and open to allow God to change and redirect your life on a journey aiming toward Heaven!

FOLLOWED BY: ADORATION

For more info, contact Celeste at 201-641-6464, qnceleste65@yahoo.com. Follow us on Facebook @ Sisters in Spirit-St. Francis Ridgefield Park.

Life...Always Sacred!

As one journeys closer and closer to God, a very deep and marvelous understanding begins to transform one's thoughts and beliefs.  No longer is it necessary to have things proven to you, because you now are infused with God's Sense of priorities and reasoning.  It is wonderful to have the Gifts of the Holy Spirit that clearly develop your conscience to know right from wrong.

There is nothing that causes more grief than when a society reaches a point of forgetting what is right and what is wrong.  Today i am referring to when life begins.  It is incredibly funny how our society will put you in jail if you jeopardize the safety of an eagle's egg and yet an unborn child has no rights.  i am aware this note will turn many away, or stop them dead in their tracts to not finish reading this blog, but i have a moral obligation to write this.  Too often people don't even know anything about the opposite side of their opinion, just that a woman must be free to do what she wants with her body. Well, let's start at the beginning.  When the Breath of God enters and begins a new life when the sperm and egg meet, that individual is a person....a separate being from the mother and is entitled to every protection under the law.  Stop for just a minute and visualize God breathing life into that meeting of egg and sperm...no one ever has lived that equaled this person, and there will never be another like them again.  Abortions are allowed thru the second before the child is born even up to 9+ months.  We men and women have allowed society to dictate that we should throw ourselves at one another like animals and degrade our bodies in ways that show no respect or love or commitment or openness to life and when life might be a bi product of our actions, the way to hide that action is to kill the evidence...kill the child....wash away anything that might actually require sacrifice or thinking outside of ourselves....

A baby bird, lion, whale in the womb we treat ever so warmly and our children...our babies because in a hidden place in the womb, we kill.  If you really accept abortion in any way or form, please look into the other side of things.  Become educated in your decision of whether you are pro-choice or pro-life....give yourself a fair shot at understanding every pro-life. antiabortion defense before claiming what you live and stand for.  And of the most importance, spend time with God and ask Him what His Opinion is.  Silently visit with Him to obtain a Wisdom that far exceeds knowledge from any human perspective.

It is time that Truth be spoken....we are not pro-life for no reason...God Himself in The Bible clearly states the following about when life begins:

http://www.priestsforlife.org/preaching/script1.html

http://www.lifenews.com/2013/12/24/16-bible-verses-that-encourage-a-pro-life-position-on-abortion/

It appears that i am strong in my convictions in this because millions are dead and so many uninformed people who claim to know God agree with this.

God does not need my voice to help people find His Truth.  A deep and prayerful life will bring one to God's Truth if they are sincerely open to His Intervention in their lives.

God is Love....Today is the day Mohamed Gandhi was killed.  This man exemplified non violence at its best!  It is time for us to go higher...higher in our respect and love for life...higher in our prayer life...higher in obeying Our Dear God Who loves us....higher to fight against what a selfish society accepts as right when it is so very wrong.

Plz do not stay where you are....learn...pray....read the Word of God...let your higher self hear the cries of all those killed by this thing called abortion...Remember all the joy and excitement when life is the news in ideal situations....well life is precious in all situations....

And remember, every women and man involved in abortions at some time breaks and is in serious need of counsel, outreach and healing because of what they have lived thru.  Not to mention the women may never be able to have children again in many of the cases.  oh the suffering...

If only it were manditory to show a mother a 4 D ultrasound of their child before they would make their decision of whether to abort of not there would not be a need for a Pro-Life Movement.  There are many very informative youtube videos on abortion....some very hard to see but yet very truthful....others moving and helpful....check them out for yourself...become an answer for someone wanting to give life to their child...assist in adoption groups....go to single parent homes for unwed mothers and help....

til next time...here are two nice videos, with no explicit content, informative on this topic...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIh10_Ik5e8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylD7ajPflqo

We are not alone!

This is a note for those who have always been different.  For those who have had deep spiritual experiences and feel alone with no one to share them with.  One can be in a great church, a good family, and still experience things others don't and not have confidence to share them because others just 'won't get it'.  This happens in families, religious communities, friendship circles, etc.

In the Catholic/Orthodox tradition, the lives of the Saints are always encouraged to be read for good reason.  You see,  these were ordinary people like you and i who experienced extraordinary things in their lives and in their walk with God.  You see even if we find ourselves alone among living men, we are NEVER alone.  God is always with us.  The Angels and Saints march in prayer with us.  And reading the life of a Saint that reasonates with our spirituality let's us know we are NOT alone and NOT the only one with these experiences and struggles.

i love to read a Saint of old that confirms my journey, encourages me on that God is active in my life, and get ideas on how to go on.  They pioneered the road first and continue to pray for us.  For those who do not understand why Catholics/Othodox believers ask for the intercession of the Saints and Angels, i think this article may clarify it a bit:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-intercession-of-the-saints

Don't force yourself to read books because people tell you to.  Pray and ask God to lead you to the books you need at this time.  When you pick it up and start, if it does not reasonate or animate you with a new Fire of Joy and Excitement, give it away until the right one comes.  Never, Never force yourself to read something.  There is a prescription that is personal for you and you alone.  A formula God has for your spiritual development and you do not have to rush it, force it, or make it just like someone else's.  God does not recycle when it comes to our journeys.  Each and everyone is individual and personalized just for us.

So open your eyes and ears....listen for God in your heart....and look for the next book on a Saint that walked before you that will nurture you and feed you deeply and help you go to the next level.

til next time....listen to the Litany of the Saints....a great prayer of old calling on God for His Mercy and Blessing and asking the intercession of the Saints that walk in Glory.....Our Heavenly Family that continue to pray for us as we journey toward Home.....It is one of the oldest prayers in the Catholic/Orthodox faiths   It was used in the "Litania Septiformis" of St. Gregory the Great, and in the procession of St. Mamertus. In the Eastern Church, litanies with the invocation of saints were employed in the days of St. Basil (d. 379) and of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (d. about 270).  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmmeTFYFOMY

The Mentally Ill

The most forgotten...those whose suffering knows no end....the mentally ill. ...When was the last time you sat and had patience with a close friend or family member that you know suffers greatly from mental illness?...Every one of us has someone in our circle who we know is in this category.  Most just ignore them, gossip about them, stay away, make believe they don't need us or step over them whenever we run into them like the plague.  Some consider 'running into them' their yearly visit.  Somehow appeases their consciences this way.

The mentally ill are in our lives for our growth and are here to stay....OUR growth...How afraid we are to remove our judgments and learn to sit and listen....visit and talk....love and find a place where we can meet on a common ground..accepting them just the way they are.....Today psychologists, therapists are needed more and more way beyond in years past whenever the Body of Christ fails. You see, there is a place for a therapist with tools, great knowledge and experience in helping people deal with mental issues, but all too often, a person just yearns a sounding board...a place to talk things out ..... In our world that is so selfish, too busy thinking we are pleasing God while stepping over Him in Disguise in These "Least of These" (Mt 25:31-46), embarrassed by them, ashamed of them, have all our own agendas for them...Therapists would have their place, but would not be so needed if we knew how to love others thru....really just love unconditionally...like God loves.

One can't love like God until one first experiences that love and strengthens the God Relationship.  We have to first love God and then ourselves before we can ever just Love another for no reason other than Love!  We never know the suffering one has when their head hits the pillow at night.  We take for granted our delicious rest and assume everyone else has that gift of sleep.

i advocate for the mentally ill.  Stop blaming someone for their illnesses or trying to pin blame when in fact, just like alcoholism, mental illness is just that, a disease that needs proper medical attention. The person did not choose it, they have no control over it and it doesn't just magically disappear. Stop thinking you have all the answers for this person, for if you are not them and do not suffer their sickness, you know NOTHING and if you are not God, you do not know what will help them, God does.  No matter how 'good' an advocate or family member gets at identifying symptoms, understanding the illness, if you are not the one suffering, you still know NOTHING.

God asks us to touch people one person at a time.  You may have great opportunities to reach millions, but if you miss caring and reaching for the 'Least of These' in your circle, you have failed in life....failed.  So let's go deep...asking God to reveal these suffering souls in our circles and what is our responsibility toward them.  When we get the answer, let's have the courage to do it!  "Do whatever He tells you!"...(This comes from The Wedding in Cana Story from the Bible...read it:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/2 )

There is a song whose chorus says:

"Do whatever He tells you, He'll turn your water into wine 2X
 He'll turn your water into wine 2X
HEAR AND OBEY EVERY WORD HE WILL SAY, HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT!"

There is a movie, "A Beautiful Mind" that really depicted well mental illness and the beauty, sorrows and pains it brings to both the ill and the family.  i recommend you find it an watch it .  it will open your heart up  and clear away all preconceived notions you have on the topic and those who suffer . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Beautiful_Mind_(film)

To those suffering i say:

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  You are the finest of God and your mind, and make up challenge all of us to be better versions of ourselves  Keep fighting, never give up, know you are loved, know you are precious and prayed for and please forgive us all for we lack so much of what you have, forgive us for not being able to love and support you as you need.

To family members/friends:

It is not your fault.  You did not bring on their illness.  And no matter how good you try to get in helping them, you will never be perfect in identifying, responding to the signals.  It is foreign  to anyone who does not live with the disease no matter how professional or schooled or patient or learned we become.

til next time....let's find the 'Least' among us and reach for them remembering the Last Judgment Mt. 25:31-46

Sacrificial Love...ENDURE

i want to start by saying:   If one is in harms way with physical or sexual abuse, immediate action is always required...call the police and get the help you need!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The day one is called to 'die' just a little bit....to sacrifice .....to forgive and to love til it hurts....is the day of the most potential growth and development of self control, patience, sincerity of heart, dependency on God in a person....We all suffer greatly in certain situations in our lives...rejection from family .. friends..a boss ....abuse....lack of respect....people's illnesses mental and physical and shortcomings....being misunderstood...conditional love....i am sure you can add your own things to this list.  In these sufferings God affords us the opportunity to rise and  discern how to act/respond in a way counter to the society's push.  Our world teaches that we should never take any abuse, we need to straighten everyone out, correct the wrong, defend oneself, ...but the strong one discerns first and does not react to outer influences...but waits on God...waits for Him to defend and lead the battle.  He helps us to decide well how to respond and to be able to do so in strength, courage, love and self-control.  We lose our testimony in Jesus when we lash out like everyone else does....it is very difficult because we innately want to hurt those who hurt us...we desire to have vengence now and many times deserve it....God will insure justice will come for all of us....He is the Only Fair One...God is Always Fair....Waiting on Him can be exhausting...holding back our justified anger and choosing to insure we come forward in a way that gives honor to Jesus and is elegant, poised and full of sincerity brings fruit that lasts nomatter how painful the process.  And what an advertisement for Jesus' Way of Living.

i have compaired this training ground to me being a horse...and Jesus is saddled up ...i, the horse, have not eaten in 3 weeks and there is an apple two blocks in front of me.  i wish to gallop with all my force, strength, energy to that apple to eat because i am starving.  But Jesus, in His Wisdom, says, 'you will get to that apple, but you will grow and learn in the process if you let me steer'... so He grabs the reigns tightly around his hands and pulls my face and head into a dignified position while whispering in my ear, 'nice and slow...one hoof at a time, lift the left leg and place it down and lift the right leg and place it down'....At Jesus' Pace i am unsure if i will ever get the apple, but surely The King of the Universe knows Best!  It is during that time of patient waiting....Not receiving immediate gratitude...that muscles are developed one never knew they had and these forster more beautiful qualities in a person than can be gained anywhere else.  But this journey is extremely painful...almost has a physical pain to it...and at the end, one feels as if they were hit by a truck..for this battle was not with flesh and blood ....Ephesians:  6:12  "For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens."  This war was with the evil one...who wants us to fail and not grow in these virtues only grown in the Fertile Soil of God!

i am so sorry you and i suffer....but let us approach this classroom in a different manner than most.  i was watching a movie,"St. Maria Goretti" on EWTN.  She is a Catholic Saint whose story is worth knowing.  She died young..11 yrs old..the youngest Catholic Saint....was stabbed 14 times for not giving in to rape....and forgave her killer and told God she did not want him to go to hell, she wanted him to one day be in Heaven with her.  Her death and manner of dealing with her assassin marveled everyone.  Her killer repented after having a dream of Maria.  At her canonization, she was the only saint to have her Mother and her killer present together.  Many miracles have come thru her intercession more than most saintss....What a story!  worth contemplating... ck it out http://mariagoretti.com/who-is-st-maria/

This kind of Sacrificial Love is Divine and can save souls, marriages, children, parents, friends, family.  It has the Power to heal.  Are we willing to imitate the Saints of old who walked this road before us and gained their crowns?  Love....True Deep Unconditional Love that is put into action is healing and has a deep mercy for all life which manifests itself in kindness, love, holiness, righteousness, friendliness, helpful, protective, caring, sharing, strong, compassionate,forgiving, empowering, discerning, creative, comforting, providing, teaching, training, trustworthy, reliable, good, beautiful, inspiring, modest, pure, wholesome,....and the list goes on.

This word is extremely hard to understand or accept, but in the spiritual life, we learn these Truths little by little and they are worth every sacrifice to attain.

til next time...prayer, fasting and almsgiving the way to breakthru in our lives....John 15:13

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends"

Arise warrior of God!

Too often in our lives, we either encounter people of two extremes.  One who say there is no devil and there is no war in our lives, and the other focuses all its attention saying there is a devil and dwell on the war all too much.  Balance, remembering the Catholic Church always speaks these words in areas like this, 'In the middle is the virtue' (posted in an earlier post in Latin.)

i just want to address that there is a war.  It exists and to deny that is to deny all that we believe in with our fight between good and evil.  i also want to give tools on how to approach life in this regard.
The Bible is sooo clear on this in Ephesians 6:10-17

10

¹ Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from His Mighty Power.

11

Put on the Armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.

12

For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.

13

Therefore, put on the Armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.

14

So stand fast with your loins girded in Truth, clothed with Righteousness as a breastplate,

15

and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of Peace.

16

In all circumstances, hold Faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one.

17

And take the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Every natural situation is affected by the supernatural.  Verse 10 tells us clearly to "draw our strength from the Lord and from His Mighty Power!"...too often we draw strength from people, money, intellect, actions, ....and usually the last thing we do is then turn to God.  Well we have things out of order.  We, as believers, should first turn to God and then discern what to do, who to go to, what to say etc., for without God anything we do is limited, but with Him, there is no limit.  

i love this armor that is spoken of in Scripture.  It helps us see that we are fighting a war, not with people around us but with a darkness that desires nothing more than our failure and to keep us away from Our Dear Father in Heaven.  What are the pieces of this armor that will protect us in life?....Truth, Righteousness, Gospel of Peace, Faith, Salvation, Word of God and the Spirit of the Living God.  Wow...how much clearer does it have to be? 

i was watching on EWTN the movie, "Mary of Nazareth" which aired last Sat. and will finish this week Sat. January 7, 2017 at 8 pm.  This movie mesmarized all who watched , people of all ages men and women alike.  Mary and Joseph were precious.  The actors portrayed such innocense and purity and sincerity of heart.  i thought how hard in this world to live that out....to trust God in everything...to speak Truth nomatter what....to stop and do the right thing because that is the right thing to do,....we are made fun of when we try to do these things.  We often are ridiculed for being naive or too innocent.  People literally try to 'grow us up' in the ways of the world, and let me tell you, the ways of world kill the soul.  

It is time to reclaim our rightful place in this world.  To hold our heads high in our convictions and beliefs.  To reclaim that innocense and purity and childlikeness and hold it dear.  To look to God to help us in every fight we encounter during our years on this planet knowing full well that any good we do or say comes only from the Grace given to us by God Himself.  He Alone gets all the praise!  

When you are faced with a war....whatever it may be, fight....fight....open the windows and doors and beg Jesus Himself to come and clean your house out.  Read Is 53:17 and put in the names of all those you fight for....use Holy Water, Fast even if you just push away a cookie, Pray and pray some more, give alms even if a cup of coffee in Jesus' Name.  Get mad because the devil wants to disrupt our families and our lives and as one of my dear warrior friends said,"to steal our inheritance".... and he has no right.  Pray the Rosary even as you do the dishes, wear the Scapula, get blessed Sacramentals in your homes, crucifixes in the bedrooms, pray with your family....Fight under Our King Jesus!!!!   

If you want your marriage renewed, fight; need work, fight; your child back, fight; someone to return to God,fight; health, fight; answers to every problem and situation in this world, fight.  If whatever we have been doing is not working, we need to up the anti....if you are praying once a day, pray twice; not fasting, start; reading the Word lightly, do more; giving alms once in a while, get serious in your giving.....we want breakthrough and yet we are unwilling to do all we can.  We may not get the exact answer we are praying for but we will get what is best for us for Our God Loves us like no other and He has the whole picture before Him.  

There is a line in Scripture that is so very clear and i will end with it.  Go forward my friends, reclaim the innocense in you, chase Your God and become the warrior you were created to be! Hebrew 12:12-13

12

So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.

13

Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.

Make a difference in your world and the world at large.....for as you and i grow and bask at the Feet of Our God others will want to find it too for themselves and without trying, we will become teachers of many seeking Truth.  Fame and fortune are fleeting but a person in deep communion with God is a person sought after, listened to and one that makes a big difference in the daily lives of all those they meet. 

Proverbs 3:5-6

5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not;

6

In all your ways be mindful of Him, and He will make straight your paths.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION...

'ALWAYS PRAY TO HAVE EYES THAT SEE THE BEST IN PEOPLE, A HEART THAT FORGIVES THE WORST IN PEOPLE, A MIND THAT FORGETS THE BAD IN PEOPLE, AND A SOUL THAT NEVER LOSES FAITH IN GOD!'

This was a quote that was printed in a church bulletin where i attended a Mass this morning.  As i sat watching a program with my son last night, a commercial we have seen many times came on for Amazon.  This commercial had the power to warm both our hearts and bring smiles to two people of different age groups, male and female and yet we both felt a Heavenly Joy that is not often experienced in this world,  yet alone come from a commercial on the tv.  It was a Catholic Priest and a Muslim Imam, both leaders in their respective faith communities.  They are shown visiting together and then say goodbye both struggling a bit physically with their legs to be able to get up and walk to the door.  As each goes to their home they both go to Amazon and order a gift for the other.  The gifts are delivered and they both ordered the same present, knee pads....KNEE PADS.  You then see each of them kneel in prayer in their own places of worship wearing their practical and heart felt gifts from each other. What Love, Respect, Brotherhood and Friendship are shown in this commercial.  It was just beautiful!  God is subtly 'advertised' in this.  When people really know the Living God, they know True Brotherly Love.  God bless Amazon for stepping out of our society's comfort zone and into the miraculous with this commercial!  Watch it for yourself...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouu6LGGIWsc

i also got a text from a priest i know wishing me a Blessed New Year and he ended this note to his friends with the phrase,"siblings by choice".  Wow!  What a statement!  Siblings by choice!  We all have blood relatives many of whom do not understand us, accept us or respect us.  Many of whom judge our lives and our walk with God because they do not really know us yet.  And then there are the 'Siblings by Choice!'  Those people we choose to adopt as our family who understand us without even saying a word.  They deeply appreciate our hearts because they 'march to the Same Drum'.  This is Unconditional Love....  The Unconditional Love of the Father Who made us.  How lovely to watch the secular commercial spoken of above and read a holy text the same day that express the same message.  My phrase for "siblings by choice" are 'My Tribe'...for my son, 'My Clan'...sometimes some of  our blood relatives cross over and also belong to our tribe.

None of this really needs any embellishment on my part.  The message is clear as a bell...As i spoke to a dear holy brother in the Lord tonight, we again were amazed at how Our God led us to the same words and conclusions.  How God can use us, but He surely does not need us to accomplish what He wants.  i ended with this statement:

"The Lord speaks the same message to all His children who sincerely seek Him with all their hearts yesterday, today and tomorrow.  As we see that we receive the same messages without talking to each other first, we know that the Spirit of the Living God is directing all of us in our journey toward Heaven."  This is why we Catholics read the Lives of the Saints.  Those who walked  before us who knew God have lots to teach us and confirm in us.  There is nothing more profound than reading a book on a saint and find that God has brought you to a similar conclusion 300 yrs. later.  God surely does great work in those who Love Him!

And so let's all put the opening phrase that is capitilized above in a place of prominence... somewhere for us to meditate on daily and apply to our lives.  A perfect mantra to begin a New Year.  With so many New Year's Resolutions, let's put the ones that have an Origin in God first and of Most Importance. This way, as we grow and evolve and change, everyone around us will sense the impact and desire to know Who and Why these beautiful things are happening in our lives...thereby another  small 'advertisement' for God!

Stay beautiful, keep smiling and keep chasing God...."The more you chase Him the more you catch Him!"..til next time....

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself!"  Leviticus 19:18 Matthew 19:19 (in both the Old and New Testament...Jewish and Christian People have the same verse)