Monday, March 9, 2015
Day 17
Today I reflected with teachers on the meaning of Mary lending me her heart and keeping me in her most pure heart. I was overwhelmed with awe when I looked at Mary's plea as a mommy of her only son - begging us to direct our attention to Him, to be awed by his every essence. I can not comprehend her desire for this because I can barely comprehend my own weak, human yet profound unspeakable love for my boys. How often do I want to share with others the absolute beauty and mystery and laughter of my children. I want others to see what I see in them. I want others to know them like I know them because it is so amazing to see each milestone unfold. How much more does Our Lady beg us sisters to ponder her Son in His perfection and to be awed by His grace, his gentleness, his humor. Lord, help me to turn to Jesus through Mary remembering always the Love she has for her son because He is her son.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Day 12
Your Will + my will = Sanctity
Thank you Lord for the Ignatian examen as a means for determining Your Will in my life. I couldn't help but laugh when two days ago, Matthew Kelley's prayer process is virtually the same process of the examen:
Thank you Lord for the Ignatian examen as a means for determining Your Will in my life. I couldn't help but laugh when two days ago, Matthew Kelley's prayer process is virtually the same process of the examen:
- 1Gratitude: Begin by thanking God in a personal dialogue for whatever you are most grateful for today.
- 2Awareness: Revisit the times in the past twenty-four hours when you were and were not the-best-version-of-your-self. Talk to God about these situations and what
you learned from them. - 3Significant Moments: Identify something you experienced in the last twenty-four hours and explore what God might be trying to say to you through that event
(or person). - 4Peace: Ask God to forgive you for any wrong you have committed (against yourself, another person, or Him) and to fill you with a deep and abiding peace.
- 5Freedom: Speak with God about how He is inviting you to change your life, so that you can experience the freedom to be the-best-version-of-yourself.
- 6Others: Lift up to God anyone you feel called to pray for today, asking God to bless and guide them.
- 7Pray the Our Father
Lord, help me make and find the time to participate fully in prayer to discern what is Your will and not my will. To talk with you and not just "think things through." Help me to be a hand servant of the Lord. Mary, send me your graces.
Day 11
In today's reflection, we read how St. Thomas Aquinas examines, "The Great Circle of Being." He observes how when we are in good order all things return to where they came forth from. Being Lent, the humble cross of Ashes placed upon our forehead surfaces - You are Dust. I can't helping thinking again of the infant I hold in my arms at night. If I smile, he smiles. He giggles. He could spend all day staring into my eyes or gazing upon the wonder of a fan blade circling about his head. He is baptized, free from original sin. Nothing in his little life has been tainted by disordered desires that drive our sin and separate us from God. I'm sure he even gazes upon the face of God, the hosts of angels, and the his guardian is present to him.
We journey through life. We are tested in our vocations - our marriages, our children test us they grow, time tests us, balancing our jobs with life demands is a challenge. We daily fail tests that might turn us for a moment away from that which are to return. If we are faithful to our prayer life, God in His love gets us back on track. I see it much like the DNA helix that Miss Truchan's class produced from an onion. It is a long spiritual spiral extending down through eternity. The students wrote that DNA is how God made us each unique - one child's response pointed out that our DNA marks us each a miracle. I may have to come back to this post and enter in some of their reflections. If DNA is the physical representation of our body, so must their be a spiritual realm. Some of the loops may be larger than others at those times we stray and wander - but thanks be to God - we turn back.
Lord, help me always to LISTEN to Your voice and turn back. Do not allow disordered desires stemming from our cultural influence (individualism, relativism, hedonism) that yield not the the fruits of the Holy Spirit, but fruits of greed, overtake me.
Save me O Lord.
Through Mary make my spiritual DNA a small and refined helix that is on the most direct path to you and your Son in heaven.
We journey through life. We are tested in our vocations - our marriages, our children test us they grow, time tests us, balancing our jobs with life demands is a challenge. We daily fail tests that might turn us for a moment away from that which are to return. If we are faithful to our prayer life, God in His love gets us back on track. I see it much like the DNA helix that Miss Truchan's class produced from an onion. It is a long spiritual spiral extending down through eternity. The students wrote that DNA is how God made us each unique - one child's response pointed out that our DNA marks us each a miracle. I may have to come back to this post and enter in some of their reflections. If DNA is the physical representation of our body, so must their be a spiritual realm. Some of the loops may be larger than others at those times we stray and wander - but thanks be to God - we turn back.
Lord, help me always to LISTEN to Your voice and turn back. Do not allow disordered desires stemming from our cultural influence (individualism, relativism, hedonism) that yield not the the fruits of the Holy Spirit, but fruits of greed, overtake me.
Save me O Lord.
Through Mary make my spiritual DNA a small and refined helix that is on the most direct path to you and your Son in heaven.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Day 10
What I don't understand about modern culture:
Money. Please Lord give me just what I need to provide for my family and give to charity.
Sex. How could anyone ever cheat on their spouse? How could they convince themselves that it is okay? How can people be so numb as to not feel the pain and emptiness this betrayal causes. In our world, infidelity is common. I couldn't imagine ever being next to someone besides PJ(… dogs don't count.)
Power. Please Lord help me to seek you and not a popular reputation.
Violence: Satan must be real. I do not and never will understand the root of violence, from where it is conceived, and how people can live with themselves after victimizing others. If Christ is conceived from the union between Mary and the Holy Spirit - Violence is conceived between the devil and _____….What is the opposite of the the Immaculate Conception?
I am grateful for:
PJ
The simplicity of my home and of my husband's dreams.
Time outside today.
Henry's laughter.
That God is present to Luke.
Hearing the birds yesterday (sorry to the one that banged into the window a few times - they aren't even clean. Poor bird is just out of practice I guess.)
Day 9
Happiness and Jesus
It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your life…
I have always known this, felt this, been guided by this even when I was most trapped in sin. The Holy Spirit has always remained present and visible to me. St. Max identifies the Holy Spirit as the uncreated Immaculate Conception - that which has existed before creation and will never cease to exist. What will the Holy Spirit in me create? For many years I was caught up in what I would become. God certainly gave me talents that could leave a mark on history if I played my cards right, if I worked hard, and if I kept striving for the next goal. Then suddenly…the something great I desired to do with my life changed...Through the sacrament of marriage two souls made one conceived two new souls - created, baptized, and entrusted to PJ and me. They are the greatness of Christ. All else pales in comparison to great acts or deeds. It is no longer about writing the greatest novel, establishing the most life giving charity, or starting my own school. It is not about getting to the top of anything. The summit is actually tiny, humble, dependent on me, and the center of my life. My priorities have been turned upside down. It is no longer about me. Having children is a sure means to understand dying to self.
It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your life…
I have always known this, felt this, been guided by this even when I was most trapped in sin. The Holy Spirit has always remained present and visible to me. St. Max identifies the Holy Spirit as the uncreated Immaculate Conception - that which has existed before creation and will never cease to exist. What will the Holy Spirit in me create? For many years I was caught up in what I would become. God certainly gave me talents that could leave a mark on history if I played my cards right, if I worked hard, and if I kept striving for the next goal. Then suddenly…the something great I desired to do with my life changed...Through the sacrament of marriage two souls made one conceived two new souls - created, baptized, and entrusted to PJ and me. They are the greatness of Christ. All else pales in comparison to great acts or deeds. It is no longer about writing the greatest novel, establishing the most life giving charity, or starting my own school. It is not about getting to the top of anything. The summit is actually tiny, humble, dependent on me, and the center of my life. My priorities have been turned upside down. It is no longer about me. Having children is a sure means to understand dying to self.
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