MERRY CHRISTMAS 2024

Merry Christmas….and Yes, let us keep Christ in Christmas! 

As we prepare to celebrate the wonderful gift and feast of the Nativity, let us be mindful that the gift of Jesus is given to us each time we attend and participate in the celebration of Holy Mass. The gift of His real presence is one that we can receive every day, and not just one day a year. Yes, we can and do behold Christ every day; in the Mass, in Mary our Mother, in each other as sister and brother and in the mirror. As we behold Him, we become the Body of Christ, so as you behold and encounter your family, friends, coworkers, community members and neighbors, remember that the presence of Jesus is in each of them. Seek Him and you will find Him.

As Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes, take the season to wrap others in the warmth of your love as you offer it in the form of a loving embrace, mercy, and forgiveness, in your home with family and loved ones, with friends, at work and amid your daily tasks, with all those you encounter in laughter, in tears, in prayer and in silence.

As Joseph listened to the Angel and trusted in God as He was led to the unfamiliar, the uncertain and the risky, take the time to listen to God as He leads you on the road that might hold a great deal of uncertainty, a road that may be very risky as you are called to go out of your comfort zone, and unfamiliar as you place your complete trust in Him as He calls you to personal transformation, conversion, and spiritual growth.

The spirit and gift of Christmas is a state of mind and one that we are blessed with every day. We are called to be a selfless and not a selfish people. We are and can always try to give of our self. If someone is grieving and is in need of comfort, be God’s instrument of consolation and support. If someone is ill and needs a good listener, be the ears of Christ and listen in silence. If someone is alone and in need of a visitor, be the visitor of compassion, support, and empathy. If someone has hurt you, be merciful, listen and forgive as God has forgiven you. If someone is joyful, be joyful with them and don’t let your life crosses, struggles and challenges overshadow their joy. God loves a cheerful giver.

If you are carrying a heavy cross, don’t try to carry it alone, remember Jesus accepted help, so let others help. If you find that you are not your best self, remember that what you see is only a partial view, where God sees the whole picture.

That picture is one of love, compassion, healing, and wholeness, so rejoice that your better self IS emerging, just move out of your way so that you can see it more clearly. If you find that you are being tough on yourself because of mistakes, weaknesses, or sins, “I am sorry” are the words that God knows possess your heart and He wants to hear them from you so that He can take action to heal, forgive, strengthen, and make you whole. Let God love you through your sorrow and love yourself as you receive the unconditional gifts of His mercy, love, and peace. LOVE of God, LOVE of others, and LOVE of self. Embrace it, extend it, exude it.

Find time to spend with someone who cannot seem to find the joy of Christmas in their heart. The peace, joy, and happiness that the Baby Jesus wants for each of us is far deeper than the peace, joy, and happiness the world offers or wants you to believe in. As we carry the crosses of our life and assist others as they carry theirs, what seems to be a very heavy and seemingly unbearable cross, in their life, let us do so with faith, hope and trust in God, others and our self. As Christ's followers, may we never forget that Jesus is with us and loves us unconditionally and that He carries our cross with us. As Christmas day approaches and we realize that once again it may be celebrated a little differently, may we accept our limitations as a gift as we as we strive to stay healthy and keep those we love healthy. We might not be able to gather with loved ones in person, but love will see us through and keep us strong no matter how we gather; in person, virtual, face time, or zoom. Covid 19 did not break the bond of love that joined us to our dearly beloved family, relatives, and friends, nor can we let it’s lingering effects, other illnesses,  defeat, discourage, or dissuade us from being our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become.  God’s love for us and our love for another cannot be dis-eased with fear, anxiety, stress, or anger.  We need to remember that Jesus is with us and loves us through our difficulties and He will never abandon us even when we want to lose our self or abandon others. When Jesus came into the world, he was born away from home and amongst strangers. Mary and Joseph had to be away from their family and friends for the birth of Jesus and their first Christmas. If because of illness, aging, long distance or the nightmare of traveling, and we have to be away from our loved ones during this Christmas season, we are in great company with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. As we journey amidst our each day and try to live life to the best of our ability, joy and acceptance, we may not be able to see where the road will lead us, but then again neither did Mary and Joseph, but they trusted in God’s plan and walked the road with the eyes and heart of faith, trust, and anticipation.

As you place one foot in front of the other on this earthly journey may God’s peace be with you and all those you love, near and far.  As you gather to celebrate with your loved ones via virtual or in person, remember all those who will be alone during great day of our Saviors birth. As you approach the great day of the birth of our Savior with the new year right around the corner, may you recognize and seek a different type of vaccine or booster, that of a spiritual vaccine; that of developing and deepening your relationship with God through your prayer life, reception of the sacraments, attending worship, serving the needs of others, and loving the person that is reflected in the mirror. You! You are God’s greatest creation, His beloved child, and He loves you unconditionally. He wants you to receive a spiritual vaccine or a bosster so that you can grow in love of Him, with Him and in Him. A spiritual vaccine/booster can alleviate the spread and uprise of spiritual dryness, discouragement, despair, anxiety, fear, or hopelessness and so get vaccinated. Think of what a shot of a spiritual vaccine/booster will do for you as you seek to grow healthier in body, mind, and spirit. Its free and will give you a boost in the arm, the same arm that reaches out to lift others up and extends itself in mercy, and is extended to help build up the Kingdom of God here on earth.

May his birth into our hearts, bring us to exk,perience His deep abiding peace that touches us so that we grow in a greater reverence for His loving presence within us as a gift to be cherished and honored.

To those in our military, we pray that God continue to protect them and bring them home safely. For those who God has called back home to Himself as they made the ultimate sacrifice, may their loved ones find peace and consolation in the fact that they followed the example of their Savior and offered their life unconditionally, selflessly and without a doubt.

For those who are separated from family due to estrangement, or personal life challenges, may the grace and love of God penetrate the core of their being so that they can reach out to their loved ones, and may their trust in God give them the strength to follow His direction.

For those who are ill and in hospitals or hospice, and unable to come home for Christmas, may they find the healing, courage, and strength in those that God has placed to care for them. As they are away from family, may the trust of Mary, the hope of Joseph, and the love of Christ, be the connection that places them at the seat of the table of their loved ones in the spirit of presence, hope and love.

Merry Christmas to all of you, and this is my prayer for you as you prepare to celebrate the wonderful feast of Christmas.

May Jesus open your eyes so that you can see the wonderful gift of His presence in those that surround you: your family, your friends, your community members, your neighbors and yes even the stranger.

May Jesus open your ears so that you can hear the laughter and listen to the stories of those around you and respond with the empathy, compassion, joy and love of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. May your ears be opened to hear the message that Jesus has for you that will expand your heart and open your mind. May Jesus touch your nose so that you can smell the various aromas of the food that is being prepared for your table. As you enjoy the aromas, may that prompt a prayer of thanksgiving for those who are preparing and serving your Christmas dinner.May Jesus touch your sense of taste and allow you to enjoy all the food that you partake of. Taste and see the Goodness of the Lord.

May Jesus touch your mind, body, heart, spirit, and soul with His grace. May you reach out and touch someone today that is in need of comfort, consolation, healing, empathy, compassion, peace, joy, love and laughter. Being and giving might not always be easy, but like Mary and Joseph, if we trust in God and follow the star of His grace that guides us, we know that He will always protect us and show us the right path to follow. There are so many ways that Christ is calling us to be His beacon of light, love, mercy, and compassion, we just need to listen, look, and respond the best way we can.

Merry Christmas. Enjoy the presence of Jesus in those that surround you, family, friends, relatives, community members, neighbors, coworkers and yes, even the stranger. Keep Christ in Christmas by your words, deeds, actions and attitudes, do not give the secular world the credit for Christmas. Jesus is the reason for the season, so wish people a Merry Christmas!

With my love and prayers………..Cookie

 

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 15, 2024

WAITING

As I reflect on the beginning of the third week of Advent one thought that comes to mind is having to wait. Waiting in silence with Elizabeth and Zechariah, Waiting in trust with Mary and Joseph, and waiting in Anticipation with John the Baptist.  But what is required of us to wait with God and not alone? I believe that we need to have an open mind, spirit, and heart to wait with God as He reveals to us what it is that we must wait for and why it isn’t there for us immediately. And what are we waiting for? If you are waiting for something, is it with great joy and anticipation or with apprehension and angst? Are you waiting for God to act in your life, to answer your prayers, to let you know that He is there, what does His response look like? Are you open to His will and accepting it however HE chooses to reveal it to you? God’s answer to prayer may be a NOT YET to even a NO, but the reality is that He knows what is best for us and when He answers in a way that we are not expecting, anticipating, or hoping for, we aren’t too happy most of the time. Yet, as followers of Christ and God’s beloved children, created in His image to be our best self the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become, we need to pray for the grace to be open to His response and accept it as a gift of grace and not as a punishment or a curse. A gift that once we receive it, God will unwrap it in the best way so that we can recognize its beauty. In God’s time He answers our prayers. He knows what we need as we strive to be our best self and He provides the tools we need to build up our character so that we can better reflect His.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this Glimpse of God, we need to be open. Open to what? Open for what? If we open the doors of our heart, mind, and spirit, what if an intruder; anger, hatred, painful memories, resentment, bitterness enters in, how do we deal with that? If an intruder enters your home, you call the police and make sure everyone is safe and secure. What would you do if a spiritual intruder entered the home of your heart, mind, and spirit, who do you call and how do you begin to feel safe and secure again?

This week’s Glimpse of God correlates well with the signs, “House for sale” and “Open House”. These signs we see all the time: in every neighborhood, the rich and the poor, for big houses and small, for old houses and new, for those that are in the beginning stages of construction, as well as those that are in the poorest of conditions, we see these signs during every season throughout the year and seem to survive any of the weather conditions that hit against it. What is in a sign and how is it a Glimpse of God?

What is a house? It is a building with a solid foundation and is constructed of strong walls that protect its inhabitants from the various and difficult weather conditions that Mother Nature can cause. It is place that is heated in the winter to keep one warm and cool in the summer to keep one comfortable. It is a building that is a dwelling for an individual or a family. It provides one with an address so that one can belong to a community and develop a sense of belonging. A house is a place where one can return after a long day’s work and relax. 

Owning a house is big responsibility and taken on by only those who feel that they are mature and can accept the responsibility and all that goes with it. Where is God is a house?

A house is just a building, but with the love and the presence of God’s sons and daughters, it becomes a HOME. A house becomes a different type of dwelling when one chooses to dwell with God. When one chooses to dwell with God, their heart becomes God’s home. When I see a sign “house for sale”, I often wonder what took place in the house and what is being left behind as the house is put up for sale. When I see the sign “open house” I wonder what is being left open for others to see and what doors have been closed so that no one can see through or past them.

As Catholic Christians, as God’s sons and daughters, God’s home should be our heart. Our heart is what we open to God so that He can enter in and help us to become the best loving sons and daughters that we can be. God chose us before we came into existence. He created us and knows us better than we know ourselves. He chose to dwell in our hearts and our very soul when we were conceived, and He called us by name when we were baptized. Our being, our very existence is not like a house that provides the temporal safety or the warmth or coolness or the sense of relaxation. Our presence in this world is a choice by God and only when we choose Him can we truly feel the peace, the warmth, the comfort, the safety and the sense of belonging that He alone can provide.

The sign “house for sale” is all about a building. I wonder at times what events, memories, celebrations, positive or negative, took place in that house and how they are being remembered, cherished, or forgotten. How has that house changed the people that dwelt in it?

The sign “open house” is about showing the house and the condition in which it is left. This often includes upgrades as well as additions since the house was first purchased. If we were to open our heart, our home to God, what would that look like? What has been upgraded in our life? Our sense of God? Our morals and values? What have we added? Religion? Prayer? Community?

What aspects and areas of our life are we keeping closed? What areas or aspects, memories or circumstances are shutting out and not allowing God to enter in and heal? Have we opened the doors of our heart to God completely? Partially? Not at all? What areas, memories, aspects, and situations are we opening our heart to and allowing God to touch with complete faith, surrender and hope? How has our heart, changed, become more open, been more loving since we invited God to dwell there? 

During this third week if Advent, let us wait with an open heart, mind and spirit so that God can fill it with a greater trust, a deeper hope and a sense of joyful expectation. We are the home of the Holy Spirit, so let us prepare our home for the coming of our Savior where the Holy Spirit has room, and God does not have to find a place in the corner beyond all the clutter, but in the center where all revolves around Him. Let us remember how He chose to dwell in the various memories that pervade our heart, our very being.

SUNDAY -- today, let us remember the many birthdays, anniversaries, celebratory events that took place in our life and opened our hearts to rejoice, feel joy and happiness and let us be grateful.

MONDAY – today, let us remember the events that broke our hearts, the loss of loved ones that created emptiness and void because of their absence: the death of a parent, spouse, child, or pet. Let us ask God for the healing and the grace to see that they are at peace and that through the memories we can find consolation, be filled with peace, and know the hope that Christ promised through His resurrection. 

TUESDAY – today, let us remember, with the grace of God, the painful memories, the times that we were not respected or respectful of another, the times when our heart was broken due to the sinfulness of another. In these memories, let us seek to forgive and become healed and whole so that our hearts can truly love again as God intends.

WEDNESDAY – today, let us remember the times when our hearts were made bigger, when they were expanded beyond our comprehension. For the times when we first said, “I love you”, to a parent, or a sibling, and when we were told that we were loved. Let us be grateful for the times when we were able to forgive another and receive forgiveness from another. In the silence of our hearts, let us love those who have loved us with the words that only the love in our hearts can form.

THURSDAY – today, let us remember when we were the healing touch and presence to another whose heart was broken. When we were the wounded healer. For the persons whose relationships ended, or one whose love was not received or was rejected. For the parent, sibling, friend whose heart was broken because it was promised love and a sense of belonging; through addictions, power, prestige, money, and found that these were all empty promises. Let us ask God to continue to open their hearts and heal them of the pain that comes from the deception the world offers. Come Lord Jesus.

FRIDAY – today, let us remember the events that caused us to see our inner strength and realize that we were growing up and becoming the person that God called us to become. Our reception of the Sacraments, when we got our driver’s license, when we graduated, when we became engaged or became parents. In all these events, God was present in our life and that we were responding to His invitation to grow into the mature, loving children that He knows that we have the potential to become. Let us look back with a sense of humility, pride and thanksgiving recognizing that He entrusted us with these decisions to draw us closer to Himself and we said yes to Him.  

SATURDAY – today, let us remember, that God is always knocking at the doors of our heart and is always ready for us to open them to Him. The doorknob is on our side. God will never force Himself on us or in our life; He gave us free will so that we can choose Him out of love and not out of fear or obligation. He invites us to be with Him and no matter what our sin is, that invitation is always open to us. God waits for us selflessly,patiently, lovingly, compassionately, joyfully, and mercifully.

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OFS DECEMBER 8, 2024

MARY: THE FIRST LIVING TABERNACLE

 

Yesterday, I led my annual Advent Day of Reflection titled Mary: The First Living Tabernacle, and what a glimpse and spiritual encounter with God it was. It was a spiritually enriching encounter with God. As Mary was a living tabernacle and we too become one as we receive the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, we encounter God in ways that only He reveals Himself. He revealed Himself, by  His many glimpses in and through the the openness of the participants to the words that were shared by myself and others. The devotion to Our Blessed Mother and Her Son was profound and deepened today in the hearts, minds, souls and spirits of those who attended. God’s grace was working and touching them in ways that were not anticipated but very  welcomed. I encountered God in and though the presence of the retreatants, and I had a panoramic view of His face in the faces of the many before me.

We had men and others from Saint John’s hospice that enhanced our Day of Reflection by their presence, their gift of enhancing our Liturgy with song and instrument, and their sharing of the experience. I happily anticipated their attendance since I found out they were coming and with a  grateful heart gladly welcomed them back. I missed them, since in the past, prior to the pandemic, for 5 years, the men attended my annual Lenten and Advent days of reflection. Their presence, their sharing, their openness to the Catholic faith was and remains deep and profound. They add a perspective with their sharing that enriches those who listen their words.

The Sisters from Assisi House have been attending my days of Reflection for many years as well and they too were in attendance. Their devotion and love for our Blessed Mother, her Son Jesus and all those they encounter, is an inspiration and gift, their prayers, support and encouragement is something that I truly thank God for.

There was John who provided us with music after lunch, John is a very talented musician, especially on the accordion. He is blind and has other challenges but that doesn’t stop him from sharing his giftedness with others. Through his dis-ability, his ability to entertain, make people laugh, give glory to God with his voice and talent, and play anything that people request, reflects the grace of God and how he is so much more able to see God with his heart, spirit, soul and mind and gives glory to God by his presence.

 

There were those who attended that I met for the first time. They were so spirit filled, open and and their support and encouragement is a blessing and an affirmation to the words that I was inspired to speak. It was nice to meet folks for the first time and to feel and see their prayerful support and encouragement, confirmation and affirmation.

And there were those who have been attending my retreats for years and have been the most encouraging, like minded, loving and supportive pray-ers, that God could send in my life. I am truly blessed for all those that came because my life has been enriched by their presence and I am grateful to God for them. Thank you all.

Anyway…It is the second Sunday of Advent and the weird weather that comes with the month of December. We are closer to the anniversary of Christ’s birth, the annunciation to Mary of being chosen and invited to say Yes and She did, Her FIAT was in and out of complete and selfless love for her God and trust in His Word. The call of conversion and turning back to the Lord, as Saint John the Baptist voice rang out in the desert and rings out in our desert, our barrenness, and any darkness that we are experiencing.

As Mary was the First Living Tabernacle and we too are living tabernacles, think of the many life giving experiences, people and event  that you anticipate encountering and how they will bring you new life as a fellow living tabernacle, monstrance  in  and of God.

SUNDAY – “A” Anticipate

Think of the people that you anticipate seeing during this Christmas/holiday season, of those holiday parties that you will attend, the family members that may be coming in from a far distance, anticipate those who you miss dearly that of family, friend or neighbor, but more importantly anticipate with eager longing, the words that God will speak to your heart: the words of love, being His cherished son or daughter, and that you are not only His gift to others, but He sees you as a gift to Himself.

As a living tabernacle. Seek to anticipate how Mary longed for the Savior to be born and how she lived in great anticipation, not without questions. but with trust and surrender. 

MONDAY – “D” Desire for

Today seek to show mercy to someone who may have not been merciful to you. as a living tabernacle, ask for the grace to be a stronger, better person and extend mercy instead of holding onto a grudge, so that your light may continue to shine brightly. As we think of those who live lives being bitter and resentful, let us pray that God shed not only His mercy upon them, but also His compassion, peace, healing and joy.

Ask Mary to help you overcome those temptations that want you to give in to bitterness and seek her strength and compassion to forgive. 

TUESDAY – “V” – Voice  

Today let your words be sincere and heartfelt, and if you find that they are not, choose silence. Let the words you speak be a source of strength to build another up and not of a source to tear another down, let them be a reflection of your silent time spent in prayer as you listened to God and how He chooses to reveal Himself. As a living tabernacle, the Body of Christ, the mouth, or the voice that we have can bring both life and death. The words that we speak can lift up or tear down, be life giving or cause us to need CPR., build up the kingdom of God or tear is formation to shreds, Take the time to quietly pray for those who have no voice: the unborn, the elderly, and the victimized, all whose voices are silenced, and let the words of your prayers be for their courage, trust, hope and perseverance. 

WEDNESDAY – “E” - Encounter with

Today, as you encounter others today, reach out to someone who could use your words of support, encouragement or consolation. Let them know that you truly care about them and that they are in your thoughts and prayers. Let us pray for those who are alone and have no one to be with them, that they experience the presence of God in and through the compassion, care and concern of others. As Mary and Joseph traveled and were away from home, and at times, felt alone. We know that we are never alone and that God dwells in our hearts if we invite Him. Pray to open you heart to Him, and pray that those you encounter also open their hearts to the God who loves them and is waiting to embrace them.

 

THURSDAY – “N” – Newness of life

Today, be refreshed, renewed and rejuvenated in God’s love for you and your love for God. May the love of God be a source of healing, wholeness and happiness as you continue your Advent faith journey of personal self-discovery, conversion and transformation into the presence and love of God to yourself and for others.

Receive the gift of God’s newness in life as He gives you His real presence in the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist.

Let us pray for those who are wounded in body, mind or spirit, that they discover and embrace the depth of God’s desire for them to be healed and whole and that they may come to know His peace and newness of life. Jesus came to bring peace and joy to all.

 

 

FRIDAY – “T” – Thankful for

Today, have you expressed your gratitude to God for the gift of life, faith, family, friends, health, home, happiness? Can you recognize that God is the source of all your blessings and that you are a recipient, not the creator? Do you know someone who is not able to recognize their giftedness and how blessed and loved they truly are because of the weight of their crosses and suffering? Let us pray that God touch the lives of all those hearts who are hardened, with His gentle, healing and merciful love.  

Saturday: “S” Simplicity and surrender

For today, try to rid yourself of the chaos and the clutter that is robbing you from seeing the face of God in the mirror and in the lives and faces of others. Seek God’s grace to  recognize how you are a living tabernacle, a monstrance of Christ’s presence to those you encounter but mostly the one you see in the mirror. Keep it Simple. God loves you and comes to you freely and without cost. He sees your beauty and wants you to see it to too, but when you allow the self-doubt, shame, fear to cloud your vision, God will not interfere, so clean the mirror and invite God to come before you and He will show you the true and beautiful person that you are and how you are the face of God in His Kingdom here on earth. We eagerly await the day of our Savior’s birth, in our longing, may we strive to be the Body of Christ, a living tabernacle as Mary was, and bring the gift of His mercy, compassion, justice, peace, joy, happiness, consolation, understanding, encouragement, support and love to those we encounter on the journey of faith, self-discovery and spiritual growth.

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of November 24, 2024

The Feast of Christ the King

My Glimpse for this week comes from a spirit of gratitude or thanksgiving for God’s many blessings, both in the sacred and the ordinary, the awesome and the pawsome, those seen out the window and in the mirror.  I will share a few thoughts about this week.......

Today, liturgically, we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, and this Thursday we celebrate with a Thanksgiving Day feast. In a few days, at the Thanksgiving Day table we will gather as a family with friends and many extended family members. We will gather for the great day of celebration, as we recognize that we have so much to be grateful for. In and through all the challenges that you may have faced this past year, the true meaning of life that can be found in each day is the presence of God. God has blessed us beyond our imaginings each and every day. Beginning with the very breath that we take as we arise to a new day, to the very one that we take as we sleep, God is blessing us. We might be temporarily blinded, or deaf or unable to feel His blessings due to fear, anxiety, stresses, heavy crosses, many burdens, and unavoidable worries, if we think about it, only God can give us the strength to make it through these current challenges and the ones not yet known or experienced of our life, to carry the crosses so that we are given so that we can experience the resurrections.  We are called to give thanks not just when things appear to go our way, but even when they appear to go opposite our way, to thank God when our cross is light and our prayers answered, to when He is silent, when His answer is “No” or “Not yet”. When we give thanks, it is not just about giving thanks for the things or blessings that He has showered upon us, but more importantly because He sent His Son Jesus to suffer, die and rise so that we might inherit eternal life.

SO as you gather with loved ones, or not, for this Thanksgiving Day, take the time to reflect on what Jesus did for you, how HE came into the world, lived and died for you selflessly, unconditionally and freely. Reflect on how He has invited you to be His follower and proclaim His good news to all those you encounter, and how you have responded and continue to respond. Take the time to be grateful for His Holy Spirit that has prompted, inspired, and a strengthened you to be your best self, the person that God created you to be and have the potential to become. As you do this, bring to mind and memory all those who have been a source of God’s love in your life, those living and those who have gone before you in faith, those who have helped form you into the person that you are today, and those you have been a humble instrument of formation to as you enabled them to be their best self. Thank God again, after all we can never thank God enough for all that He has given us and continues to give us.

I will share a few thoughts about this week.......

Today, liturgically, we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, and this Thursday we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, the biggest traveling week of the year. It will be a day or week of mixed emotions; anger at those who are estranged from the family, and who would not only be missing from the table, but more importantly, missing our loved ones who have gone before us in faith, who were gathered at their thanksgiving table a year ago and now will be absent and their seat empty. There will be tears of joy come as the heartfelt memories spring forth from those gathered as they freely share and give thanks for the living and the deceased. Also, as individuals gather to celebrate the wonderful Thanksgiving holiday they will gather with family and friends to spend quality time in each other's presence, share stories and partake of a meal. There will also be those who celebrate quietly and alone on this Thanksgiving Day. There will be those who feel that they have nothing to celebrate or be thankful for because of their life challenges or situations. On this Thanksgiving Day we must be mindful of those who are suffering in body, heart, mind or spirit, and we must pray that God will touch their hearts so that they can uncover and rediscover the seed of gratitude and thanksgiving that has been buried or quenched by their murky waters. In gratitude and as members of the Body of Christ our King, we must pray for each other.

As you gather around the table on this Thanksgiving Day, try to recognize with a greater clarity, that God is very thankful for you and to you for being His beloved child, His greatest creation, loved unconditionally and beyond your imaginings. Each day that you strive to be your best self, the person that God created you to be and have the potential to become, God smiles and is very thankful because you do so by choice, your choice. You have chosen to follow Him, be His witness in the world, and to Build the Kingdom of God here on earth.

This week we will also participate in, voluntarily or not, a parent's nightmare or the shopper's heaven,.... Black Friday.  So....I invite you to see Glimpses of God in all of the sanity and insanity: the ordinary and the extraordinary, the pets and the people, in a life of simplicity and in the sometimes very complicated, in the creation we see and the greatest one that we were created to be. God is there, wherever you were, are and hope to be. 

Sunday – Thank God for the gift of the routine and ordinary, the exciting and the extraordinary.

Last Sunday we celebrated the last Sunday in Ordinary time. Yet, I must ask, if it were your last Sunday in the ordinary time of your life, how would you respond? Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King.  A thought to ponder…Would you change the way you are living as you prepare to meet Christ the King, or would you continue to live as you are with Christ as your King? Today as we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, are you celebrating with anticipation of meeting Christ your King when your earthly journey is ended, or are you stressed out because you are realizing that you haven’t focused on Christ being your King? God knows and understands your heart and I can tell you that He is your King and will always be that for you and to you. He is a King that doesn’t use His power to rule or control you, but rather He shows His power, the power of His love, by creating you in His image and loving you unconditionally. Through others, through the sacraments of the Church, through your payer life, He is there to remind you that you are His beloved child and that there is nothing that you can say or do that can make Him love you less. That is the true power of love it is a power that enables and invites one to grow and not to shrink. Christ gave up His life so that you will never forget or doubt that love.

Sometimes we become stagnant because we do some of the same things each day like going to work, cooking meals, cleaning the house, helping with homework, paying the bills, taking care of the pets, school work, and we don’t feel as if we are growing as a person. We lose sight of their meaning and why we do them, and begin to take them for granted. This happens in our spiritual life as well, we say our set prayers, we pray at meals, we reach out to those in need, and we even find time to read the Bible, but yet these spiritual exercises have become more routine and the understanding of their deeper meaning and purpose seems absent. Our relationship with God, our desire to grow in that relationship falls into the depth of routine and ordinary instead of exciting and extraordinary.

A simple question to you is this: In the ordinary routine events of your day, is Christ your King or have others things taken His place? Whether you are a religious or lay person, married or single, young adult or child, would others see the crown of Christ on your head or at the cross? Is the reason you get up each morning so that you can follow Him and give Him the glory and honor that He deserves, or does He come to mind only when you need something? Christ lived and died for you, do you recognize that you are His beloved child, that He has called you by name and that He loves you more than you can ever imagine? Does His being King of your heart and life empower you to live more for Him and not for the world? Can you give your heart to Him today and let Him heal the brokenness, bind up your wounds and make you whole? 

Monday – Thank God for the gift of the awesome and mighty pawsome

As I begin a new week, I reflect on how our puppy Carmel seeks to please us and make us happy. Carmel is there for  us and as she grows in size, she is also growing in understanding. Carmel reminds us that even as a mere puppy, she looks to us to lead and guide her, teach her, correct her, but in and through all of that, to love her. She may have accidents, or might puppy bites or as John says,  have puppy brain, she always looks to us with a heart of a puppy depending on us to love her, forgive her and be there for her. Carmel reminds me of how I am called to be and can be if I choose to be. I am reminded that Carmel is  God’s messenger of unconditional love, forgiveness, patience, joy, fun and happiness, the question is do I listen to the message of the messenger or do I ignore it? On this feast of Christ the King, I hope and pray to listen more.

Today, look to the pets that you have or that others have and try to see them as God’s instrument of healing, happiness, wholeness, peace and joy. They give of themselves completely for the happiness of their owner and those that they are in the company of. They are reminders of how we should be: unconditionally loving, forgiving, and happy just because. They don’t hold a grudge no matter what their owners forget to do for them. They wag their tails even at the point of dying to show their owners that they will suffer, but they don’t want their owners to. This is true love. Christ died so that we may live, does your life reflect that selfless act of love? 

 

 

Tuesday – Thank God for the gift of Children

Today look at the children and try to see the face of God in them. They remind us by their innocence that we are all called to trust and believe in the love and presence of God, and not let others change or diminish our faith. God dwells in the heart and soul of each child. When they give of their heart, they are giving of what God has planted in them. They are trying to please parents and family with the gift and talents that they have discovered and uncovered in themselves. God gives us the gifts and talents that we possess. We should do our best to nurture and use them to glorify Him and thank Him.

Children are reminders of that by the way they give of their hearts. Parents take that and give them the opportunity to grow with their gifts. They recognize the giftedness. Do you recognize your giftedness? Can you see that your talents are gifts are from God to be used to glorify Him? Can you thank Him today? 

Wednesday – Thank God for the gift of His creation

Today, look outside and try to see the face of God in His creation. God gives us the free gift of the fresh air, the trees, the green grass, the birds and other creatures. God is there as the wind blows and when it is quiet. He is speaking through the birds, foxes, hawks, all of God’ creatures (great and small), the blue sky and the gentle rain. He is there to remind you that He is all around and not limited to any space or time.

If you are seeking Him and having trouble, just look out your window and pray that He speak to your heart. Wait and you will hear His gentle voice. Do as Mary said, Listen to Him.

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Thursday – HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

I will begin this day with an attitude of gratitude, I am grateful to God for:

T - The gift of time where I am nourished by and grow in my relationship with God, and I am blessed to be able to develop and share my talents to glorify Him , and my treasure to serve Him.

H  -My health, although it may not be all good, I am overcoming its challenges one day at a time and not letting it define me.

A - the awesome gift of God’s creatures and creation that encompass me, envelope me, and embrace me.

N - My ability to recognize the newness in life: especially after being reconciled; when I was forgiven and I forgave another.

K – The many acts of kindness shared with me by kindhearted individuals and those that I have shared with others.

S -  My trust in and surrender to God’s grace, and my desire to truly be more like Christ, that enabled me to be selfless especially when it would have been easier for me to be selfish.

G - God’s gift and graces showered upon me as I received the Body of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, reflected on Sacred Scripture and embraced the Sacraments of the Church.

- God’s gift of being intuitive and insightful, where I have been able to recognize the needs of others and be present to them in the silence, through words and by my actions.

V - The voice of God’s Holy Spirit that speaks through me when I speak for those whose voice is not heard: the poor, the marginalized, the forgotten, the grieving, the hopeless and the most vulnerable.

-  With my life challenges, heavy crosses and stresses, I know that God loves me in and through them all, and I am inspired to share my story with others so that they too can see the action and presence of God in their life.

N - When I was able to be nice to someone who has treated me badly through their words and actions, thus nurturing mercy and compassion instead of anger and bitterness.

G -  When God gives me the humility to look in the mirror and with His grace recognize that I am His beloved child, a sinner striving to be a  saint, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation.

 

- My dauntless spirit emerging when life’s challenges brought about fear, apprehension and uncertainty.

- The amazing love and support of my faith, family and friends, that strengthened me, sustained me and empowered me to take one step at a time instead of going backwards or getting stuck.

– This past year with its joys and sorrows, celebratory and solemn moments, my seemingly overwhelming crosses and dark tombs to my mini resurrections and empty tombs.

Friday – Thank God for the gift of your loved ones near and dear

Today, look for Him in the faces of those you love. Offer prayers of thanks for those you have been blessed with to call family, friend, or neighbor.  Look at those you have near to you and see God’s face in them. Today try not to take them for granted. Offer words of encouragement, support, and gratitude and let them know that you are blessed by their presence in your life. Spouses, children, siblings, nieces, nephews, and neighbors are all God’s way of showing us His many faces. He offers us the opportunity to recognize them and see in and through the differences that He is the one and only creator,

we are His creation, we are all His beloved children and that we are all placed in this world to build up His Kingdom one person at a time. We can’t do anything alone; we need Him and each other. 

Saturday – Thank God for the gift of YOU!!!

Today, look in the mirror and try to see that face of God in the person that you are looking at. He is there. He is smiling on you. He is looking into your very heart and placing His love there freely. This is a jaw dropping realization for some, is it for you? Do you believe or do you look in the mirror in disbelief? When I think of this, my jaw drops because it means that He sees my potential, my abilities, my desires, my heart and even my sinfulness and believes in me more than I believe in myself. Thank God He is God.

 

 

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 10, 2024

Our pawsome guides

The following reflections for this Glimpse of God comes after a long and challenging week, yet it is ending with a great sense of gratitude and a renewed sense of humor, joy and appreciation for and of God’s great and many gifts and graces that He has bestowed on me.

Last weekend John surprised me with tickets to a “show” called Mutts Gone Nuts, Unleashed, at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington. It was a phenomenal show where the most talented four-legged performers performed their best acts, and they were all a howling joy to behold. And the best part was that all the performers were rescue dogs of all ages, sizes, breeds and talents. They were world champions as well as being on national TV.  SO why or how is a bunch of talented dogs a glimpse of God, or where can there possibly be a spirituality in God’s most awesome pawsome creation?

When I think of rescue dogs, I think of how grateful they are to be rescued, their unconditional love, the joy they exude, their selfless loyalty, their sense of fulfillment, their happiness, their ability to have fun and reach their potential. Although they were abandoned and many live and remember the effects of being abandoned, forgotten, abused, and rejected, when they are chosen, when they are loved, when they find a forever home with forever moms and dads, after getting past their initial apprehension, fears and anxiety with new folks, they in turn seek to please, love and  remain forever their owners best friend.

Although we are not rescue dogs performing, we are and have been rescued by God, through the death of Jesus on the cross.  We were rescued from eternal death and darkness so that we can be the light of our redeemer to others, and this empowers us to not perform, which has a time period, but rather live out our acts of love, mercy, compassion, kindness and joy with sincerity, truthfulness, authenticity and genuineness.  If we execute or a perform these acts just so people can see them, we are no different than the pharisees or the hypocrites in Jesus’ time. But if out our acts flow from within, we are showing that we recognize how we are blessed, gifted, rescued and redeemed, our acts will take root, and people will see that we are Christians not only by our love shared, but by the depth from which it springs forth.

If we choose to recognize that we have been rescued, I believe that we are choosing to recognize that in the midst, height, depth and width of our sins, God chose to suffer and die for us, and not just everybody else, God chose and chooses to give us new life, and God chose and chooses to love us with His perfect love and that means that there is nothing that we can say or do that will make God love us less, He can’t, His love is perfect. Sometimes we choose quickly and other times after greater time of reflection and deliberation.

Sometimes when we realize that we are rescued, we think less of ourselves and other times we have a WOW moment. WOW, what a great gift, to realize that God chose us, loves us, redeems us and all He asks is that we love Him in return, and when we choose not to love, to come to Him and seek His grace to try again and not get discouraged or give up hope.

God is our life saver. He is our creator, and we are His greatest creation. He never wants us to feel rejected or neglected or believe that He has forgotten us or that we are insignificant and invisible. The devil wants us to believe these lies and acts of deception, and tempts many to fulfill them, but God wants us to believe, feel and trust in His love, so that we can be healed and made whole.

We, like the rescue dogs, are all different. We are all unique and gifted, blessed and talented.  We all have different talents and gifts that God has instilled and blessed us with and would like us to share them with others. We are not robots, and we were not created in the cookie cutter factory, but rather we were called by name in the womb and strengthened to be His followers, to enter His passion and death, and to live in the light of His love, at our baptism. Although we are not the rescue dogs that were able to perform a variety of agility, action and comedic acts, we as God’s chosen, are agile and able to jump into action when necessary with acts of mercy, kindness and reconciliation, we perform acts of comedy when we can make another laugh by tapping into their joy where they are able to see that joy and hope are gifts that God has blessed them with, despite their challenges and crosses. We can work with others as we build up God’s kingdom here on earth, not by synchronized dancing or performing acts, but rather by and with walking with another together and not doing anything to deter them, tear them down or discourage them. Who are the THEM? For whom are we performing? All those God places on our journey; the members of our family, our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers, the stranger, the enemy, and yes, even the person that has injured us the most. SO…. As a daily reflection, I propose that we look to God’s pawsome creatures for some inspiration…

SUNDAY – Performing

As God’s creatures, the rescue dogs perform as they are trained to. We as God’s beloved children, don’t act or perform but rather live out what we have learned to from our parents and the Church as they taught us about our faith, and showed us by their example how to love, forgive and be our best self. Unlike our pawsome buddies, who learn how to catch, dance, sing, and roll over to please their human owners, God is not waiting for us to do tricks that  please Him to show us His love, He did that 2000 years ago and constantly shows us His love in and through every breath that we take, through the reception of the sacraments of the Church and in each other. Being rescued brings about a renewed sense of love, of being loved.

In return the dogs give us their selfless unconditional love, are always there to please us and make us happy, they never hold a grudge, and in all of that, they help us to be our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become just as they live up to theirs.

For today: Do you feel that you need to please God for Him to love you or do you see that He is already pleased with you and loves you unconditionally? Pray to see the truth in His power of Love.

 

MONDAY- Unconditional love

Dogs are unconditionally loving. I believe that they are a reminder of how we as humans should be. No matter what forget to do for them or do to them, they choose to love us anyway and this is evident by their smile, shining their puppy dog eyes, rolling over in gentleness, and the wagging of their tail. We as dog owners can sometimes lose our patience or raise our voice and even when this scares our pawsome friends, they don’t lose it with us.

They choose to come to us with those eyes, that wagging tail, their rolling over, and the gift of their paw, and at least for me, help me to get back to normal, patient and sorry. How is God with us after we realize that we are rescued? How many times in a day do we recognize that we are rescued? And what sets within us when we recognize that truth and live in that reality? Do we come to God with our sorry eyes, the eyes that say we see not only that we are rescued, but that we are sorry for the times that we denied that reality or turned away from the gift of peace, healing and joy. God’s unconditional love for us is bigger and brighter especially when we think that it is not. There is nothing that we can say or do that will diminish God’s great, unconditional and selfless love for us. There is no sin that is greater than His perfect love. Although we are sinners striving to become saints and our love is imperfect and limited, God just asks that we strive to love more dearly, see Him more clearly, and follow Him more nearly each and every day. For today: Reflect on the gift of God’s unconditional love and seek to recognize how He has shown you this love in just one aspect or area of your life. Take one aspect at a time, and revel in it, I think that like our pawsome friends, you will see a reason to smile.

TUESDAY – Gratitude

Why are you grateful? Do you remember to let God know how grateful you are? Does gratitude come only when things are going well or do you have an attitude of gratitude when life is challenging, stressful and seemingly overwhelming? When e our pawsome friends realize that they were chosen and loved for who they are, they are grateful and how do we know that? They seek to please us as their way of

saying thank you. It is through their simple acts of giving us their paw, showering us with kisses, being lap dogs, listening to our commands, and rolling over, this is their attitude of gratitude, so what does ours look like? How do we show God that we are grateful to Him?

For today: Reflect on your attitude of gratitude and in humility, and in front of a mirror, tell God what you are grateful for so that as you remind yourself of your blessings, you can see how they make you feel, and you will see a reason to wag your tail, or in human terms, smile.

WEDNESDAY – Agility

How agile are you? do you think you are? What does being agile in your spiritual life look like? For the purpose of this glimpse, how about we take it as being open.  Dogs are agile, they are open to do whatever they need to do to please us, whether we throw them a ball or a frisbee, take them out for walk, or forget to take them out. In most cases, they wait and trust that we will be there for them. In and with our relationship with God and others, being agile can mean many things. One is being open to what God is inviting us to do so that we can become our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become. Becoming more open may look like forgiving and extending mercy to someone that has injured you, reconciling with an estranged family member, forgiving yourself for past sins, taking a leap of faith and trust in a relationship, or a career move. Being open or agile is not just about trusting in God, especially when you thought that you could never do what He is inviting you to and in His plan for you, but it is also about being able to move in His direction verses remaining stuck or going backwards. It is about opening your mind and heart, spirit and soul to the transformative power in His plan and opening your hands to surrender and trust as He chooses to reveal Himself in and through His plan. For today:

With open your hands in prayer, ready to hear His voice of invitation for transformation, look at how your hands are empty, and ask God to fill them with His grace to fulfill His will.

THURSDAY- Happiness

What does happiness look like to you in your relationship within yourself? with God? and with others? True happiness does not come when we gain all the riches in the world or obtain a degree or climb the social latter of success. True happiness lies in when we recognize that we God’s beloved child, loved unconditionally and without reserve, and that is our true identity in God. Our identity is not in our social, economic or educational achievements, but rather being God’s beloved child. Our happiness comes when we recognize that the degrees, the social successes, and the economic pleasures, are all gifts from God that can make us happy if we see that they are gifts that He has blessed us with to glorify Him and not take the credit for possessing them. True happiness comes from God, is a gift from God and flows from His divine fountain of love, grace and compassion for us.

For today: look at what makes you happy. Where does your happiness come from and who or where does it flow towards?

FRIDAY – Fun.

Having fun yet? Do you say that you enjoy life or that it is a burden? Does realizing that you are rescued by a selfless, unconditionally loving God bring tears of peace and joy to your heart or tears of remorse or pain as you beat yourself up over your past’s sins and present weaknesses? God wants us to enjoy life so that we can live it to the fullest. Life is too short to take it serious 24/7. We have the ability to laugh, so laugh at a joke or something that you can’t believe you did or said. Its ok to laugh, as long as we are not laughing at our, or another’s expense, or out of insult, ego or injury. Enjoy the beauty of the sunrise or sunset, the canvas of creation as you look out the window, or better yet, the person that you see in the mirror. For today: Grow down, be like a child, and HAVE FUN!!!!

SATURDAY –Being unleashed, not being bound or chained, but choosing to love.

It has been a full week. Being rescued is an act of love from and on God’s part as He chooses you, calls you, invites you, to be in relationship with Him in all of the yesterdays, todays and tomorrows of your life. I believe that God uses all of His creatures and creation to show all of us His love, how to love Him in return, and to see ourselves as loved so that we can love ourselves and others.  For Today: Thank God for how He chooses to reveal Himself to you.

Glimpse of God for the week of November 17, 2024

What we can learn from all of God’s creatures

As we welcome a new week and continue to prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday that is right around the corner with various travel reservations, family visits, favorite recipes being followed, and gearing up for the dreaded or appreciated black Friday,  let us pray in gratitude for the many blessings, crosses, and graces that we received this past week. Let us strive to recognize them in our present, so that we can appreciate and be strengthened by them in the future.

This week has been a challenge, but it was through our puppy Carmel, our boy bunnies, Cadbury and Cocoa, and Cannoli our cat, that God chose to reveal His presence, His peace, His joy, His healing and His mercy. How you might ask? With the paw of a puppy, the purring of a cat, and the cuddling of bunnies, I was able to experience unconditional love, true joy and unending puppyness.

In and through these various intuitive actions, they chose to show me that not only do they want to be present to me, and that they trust me, but they allow me to be there for them as a weak, imperfect and vulnerable creature of God. I am constantly reminded that God has blessed me with them, not so I can be an instrument of power or control, but rather one of compassion, mercy, healing and joy, through the painful and difficult, joyful and fun times. They are Christ for me and it is with this attitude that I pray in gratitude for all of God’s  four legged, flying and crawling creatures: our cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, birds, snakes and others…, that as they live in God’s kingdom alongside of, below, above and with us, they too are a reflection of God’s presence. They too are God’s handiwork and they are intentionally a stroke of color on the canvas of our life created by God. Every stroke of color, of difference, of uniqueness that God uses to create our corner of His Kingdom here on earth is created in and out of love for us. It is in and through His creatures that we can better understand His great love for us for when we are able to recognize how we are called to love His creatures with our imperfect and limited love, we see better how unlimited, perfect and unconditional God’s love is for us.  Let us pray for those who are invited by God to care and tend to His creatures; our local veterinarians, animal techs, rescue  and wildlife personnel and organizations, and our neighbor next door who feeds and tends to the abandoned creatures  in the backyard.  As they serve God’s most vulnerable, helpless, innocent, forgotten and abandoned creatures, they are serving God who created them. As we begin a new week, let us also remember that our pets are reminders of what we can be and are called to be: unconditionally loving, forgiving, and happy to be alive because they are  in the care of great owners, or in our case, a great God.

 

SUNDAY - “wag the tail” – Dogs wag their tails, as a greeting, to show that they are happy. How do you greet others? Are you happy and look them in the eye or are you unhappy and pass them by? Does your happiness depend on material things or do you recognize that happiness comes from within and God is the source of all happiness?

Dogs wag their tail, some people clap their hands, and what do you do to show that you are happy? Do you smile, are you able to laugh, do you radiate an inner happiness given to you by God in and through your attitude towards and with others, or do you dwell on your stresses, complain about your crosses and sulk in pity? In the midst of life’s pains, challenges, and crosses, we can learn from our pets that we will not be defeated. Pets have owners that are entrusted to take care of them; we have a loving God who takes care of us. We are all God’s creatures and He takes care of all of us. We have a lot to wag our tails, run in circles and be happy about. 

MONDAY – “give the paw” - Dogs are good at giving their paw on command. I see it as a gift especially with Carmel. They want to make us happy, so they listen and follow the command. Their paw is a part of them that they lift up for one to take and shake.

Do we give our hand to another to take and shake, or do we raise it against another as a sign of power? Do we give of our self to make another happy, or do we isolate our self? Are we selfless or selfish? We don’t need commands to do the right thing. We know in the depth of our heart what is right and what is wrong, yet there are times when we know better but we still choose the wrong. When we do this, we can say that we are sorry; we can reach to another and either extend peace and mercy or ask for it. God wants to take our hand and extend His peace, mercy and love so that we can be happy and share His peace and happiness with others. Can you reach out today and touch someone who is in need of your forgiveness,  that you need to seek the forgiveness of, or ask to be touched by the God of all mercy and love? 

TUESDAY – “roll over” – Carmel, our new puppy and Cannoli, our cat roll over mainly because they want their belly rubbed. When they place themselves in this position, they are submitting to being very vulnerable and submissive, but also trusting and content. God doesn’t ask us to roll over, and just accept what we are asked to do as a robot would. But rather He wants us to be in relationship with Him, and through prayer, Sacred Scripture, the sacraments of the Church and each other, discover what it is that He has in store for us so that we can be more trusting and content. He asks us to trust Him and know that He will not hurt us or take advantage of us. We have pets that trust us and we have friends and family that we trust and also trust us. In our relationships, when we feel vulnerable and afraid, we are not expected to just rollover and accept whatever we are told, but rather we are called to love our self enough to stand up for our self and be true to our self.  When we are true to ourselves, it is then that we are being our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become. 

WEDNESDAY – “purr” Cannoli purrs when she is happy. It is a sound and sign that she is comfortable, happy, and her belly is full. You can hear her even if she is not right next to you. It is reassuring to hear her purr because even though she is so independent, her purring is her way of reminding me that I am needed but on her terms and not mine.

When you are still, does your body resonate with stress, tension or peace and contentment?

Are the sounds that come from you sounds of disgust, anger, frustration, or do you resound with happiness, peace, love and joy? Do you treat your body as a temple of God’s Holy Spirit? Do you get enough rest; do you try to eat right, and what about exercise? Do you take care of your body, as you know you should? Do you work or are you always so busy that you don’t have time to truly relax with family, friends, or others? Our body is the only one that we will be given so it is up to us to take care of it as best we can. Progress leads to Purrfection. 

THURSDAY – “cuddle” - Carmel and Cannoli cuddle when they want to be close to us. They come to us to cuddle and sleep. It is nice to know that we are useful.  Anyway, to cuddle involves a comfort level that comes from within, one that calls us to let our defenses down and just be in the presence of another. Do we feel the need to have our defenses up with others or do we trust others?   We may not cuddle with our friends, but we are called to be open and not have our defenses up all the time. Are you comfortable with others where you can be yourself without feeling the need to make yourself something that you are not out of fear or insecurity? Do you hide behind a mask so that others do not see the real you, but rather the person that you think they want to see or you think that they rather see? Do you recognize that God loves you just as you are and that He wants to cuddle, embrace and hold on to you because of His great love for you? 

FRIDAY - "stay" - We are training Carmel to "stay" because we don't want her to go ahead and possibly get hurt. When we walk and are ready to cross the street or go a different route, the "stay" command is what she will hear and obeys, at least most of the time the rest of the time she is just her puppy deliberate self.

What are we being called to "stay" with? What do we need to be with, to honor, to process, to discern, to acknowledge? There are times in our life that we want to just get through and not deal or feel that we expect will come. Yet in those times, we can experience great peace, healing, joy, comfort, consolation and solace, if we are willing to stay and not just run ahead. It is in those “stay” moments that God fills us with His grace so that we can make it through the difficult times without running away. God doesn’t tell us to stay, He invites us to stay, be still and know that He is God, and that He will never abandon or forsake us. 

SATURDAY – “come” – Our pets come to us when they want or need something. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart

We also come to Jesus when we want something; that something can be peace, joy, forgiveness, love, presence, companionship, a spiritual hug, and a loving embrace. Jesus invites us to come to Him, He wants us to come to Him, and He waits for us to come to Him. He rejoices when we come to Him. When we come, we are responding to the words of encouragement, support and healing that Jesus expressed, are you ready to come?

                                                                                                                     

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3, 2024
The place of brokenness

My Glimpse of God for this week comes from a different place. It is a place that after many deep and painful conversations this week, I began to realize that many people are visiting it, some want to stay and learn more about it, and others want to deny that it exists and run away.
I believe that this place is one we are all familiar with, but sometimes don’t want to visit, it is a place that we are aware of, but yet sometimes choose to ignore, and it is a place that can be an instrument of healing or a source of constant pain. It is where God dwells both in the silence and in a gentle whisper. It is a place where God invites us to grow, be reconciled, and be transformed so that we can become healed and whole. In this place, once we choose to experience personal and spiritual transformation, we can then humbly and intimately stand before Him and others with grace and courage.
What or where is this place? The place is where our brokenness lies. Our brokenness due to illness, life circumstances, others bad choices against us, or our own bad choices that have led to sin and an open wound. It is a place where we realize that although we may be God’s vessels, there are some weak area, area that may have tiny cracks or big gaps that need to be strengthened, healed and made whole. It is in our brokenness where we can choose to run away, yet we realize that God is calling us to run towards; it is in our brokenness that we become aware of our limitations, yet we realize that with God there are no limitations, it is in our brokenness that we can invite God to transform us, or we can choose to remain broken and become bitter.
What is brokenness or woundedness? It is when we recognize that we have been deeply hurt by another in body, mind or spirit, and how that hurt has affected how we live our life, and how we are unable to be at peace and harmony with our self, others and God. As we recognize our woundedness and that we cannot heal it our self, this can lead us to desire more deeply God’s grace so that we can seek and accept His healing. When that desire takes root in the core of our being, we then begin to recognize that we need God’s grace so that we can be open to His healing, mercy, love and peace.  When we can recognize this, it is then that we can see how He is calling us to be our best self, the person that that He created us to be and knows we have the potential to become. Healed and whole, a wounded healer.

This week let us take the time to pray for those you know who feel broken, and in need of healing in body, mind, heart and spirit. Take the time to pray for those who, because of their woundedness, don’t feel that they are loved or can be loved by God or anyone else. 
Before the week is up, take time to say a prayer of thanks for the brokenness that has brought you to seek healing, and has opened your heart to the love, compassion, mercy and the peace of God.
May we always strive to see the face of God in others as they strive to see the face of God in us.  If we truly desire to see the face of God, God will show it. When we behold the face of God, it is then that we choose to see God in others more clearly and not put blinders on, we choose to speak His good news, to be a voice for the voiceless more readily and not be silent, we choose to hear His message and listen with our hearts and not be deaf to the cries of the poor, we choose to smell the scents of hard work, sweat and tears, and not hold our noses high in judgment and disgust, we choose to console the sorrowing and not force a smile, and we choose to honor and listen to the wisdom of those who bare  wrinkles, gray hair and much needed desire to talk and not dismiss them because they are “old”.

SUNDAY - for today, take the time to rest and remember the joy of this day. We weren’t promised it, we didn’t do anything to gaon it, but we received it from God to not only enjoy it, but to give God glory through it.  Sunday Eucharist is an act of gratitude, one where we come together as a community to give thanks. We receive the real presence of Christ from Christ as a you are welcome. Don’t forget that being thankful is an attitude that we can possess and share, it is an attitude, a spiritual disposition that God has planted in our hearts, one that He nurtures every time we attend Mass and receive Holy Communion. Eucharist means thanksgiving. We are what we receive.
 
MONDAY – For today, as you begin a new week, think of the people that you work with, those in your neighborhood, and those you are acquainted with that feel broken.  Say a prayer that God heal them the way that He sees best and ask Him if He is calling you to be an instrument of His healing to them. How can you be an instrument? By listening, by showing true and genuine care and concern, compassion and kindness, by your presence and in your silence. Others often share their pain with us, not to dump on us, but because they see that they can trust us with their story. Trust in another is a step towards healing, but it also brings with it a great responsibility. Once someone trusts us with his or her story, we cannot betray that trust. God expects us to honor it so that the healing that has begun will not be hindered. Who do you trust on your healing journey and who trusts you?
 
TUESDAY – for today, as you think of trust and brokenness, think of whom you have trusted in your brokenness, how they have honored your trust, and how they helped you in your healing process?
How has your relationship with them grown? Can you recognize the presence of God in that trust and in the person? How has your life changed, spiritually, emotionally or physically since you were able to share with that person and know that what you shared was going to be held in confidence, not betrayal? Can you say a prayer of thanksgiving to God for them if you can’t tell them directly?
 
WEDNESDAY – for today, don’t allow your circumstances or situations to overwhelm you. As you get ready to go to work, get the children ready for school, prepare to help your parents, volunteer locally, clean the house, do the grocery shopping, go Christmas shopping, or just relax at home, think of this: when Martha and Mary had the honor of Jesus being at their home, remember that Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to his every word, while Martha was preparing the meal and doing all the hospitality work.  Martha complained to Jesus for Mary to help her. Jesus kindly said to Martha that she was worried about many things but Mary has chosen the better part for herself…..
I believe that what is important is that we listen to Jesus, as Mary did, so that we can do what Jesus asks of us, as Martha did. Jesus was not disciplining Martha but rather showing her that we need to listen well if we expect to do what is necessary as followers of Jesus. Sometimes it is normal to want to complain especially when things are stressful, and we feel under appreciated. As you begin your day, remember that God understands, and He does appreciate you as you spend time with Him time to sit and listen as well as doing the spiritual and physical household chores.
 
THURSDAY – For today, think of the brokenness of our world. Think of the many people who are wounded and feel broken and without any hope of healing or wholeness being theirs; victims of prejudice, gun violence, bullying, war, homicide, terrorism, human trafficking, poverty, homelessness, pray for them and ask God how you can put your prayers into action to help alleviate their suffering. 
 
FRIDAY – For today, as the weekend approaches and I realize that many stores are ready for Christmas shopping to begin. The stores are decorated, the aisles are filled with Christmas items, and there is Christmas music playing.  Go figure and it is only the beginning of November. I hope to take this as a time to get prepared so that as the season of Advent approaches, I can truly prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ or I can just enjoy it because I do like it, it reminds me that despite all that is going on outside of my world, Christ chose to be born and continues to be born in my heart if I choose Him.

So I come prepared with my list; this is what I want so that I can truly embrace the spirit of Christmas and share that experience with others.
I want to learn what it means to be poor in spirit and not to not seek the riches of this world but rather the riches of heaven, so I will visit or pray for the many religious Sisters, Priests and missionaries who have joyfully given their life to poverty, chastity, and obedience to serve God and His people,
I want to learn what it means to behold the face of God, from the heart and not from the wallet, so I will look for the face of God in the poor, the prisoner to addictions, the homeless, the unemployed and the outcasts, those who can easily get on my last nerve and in the mirror.
I want to learn what it means to be compassionate and still and not get caught up in the materialism of the season, so I will go and sit with a parent whose child is dying of cancer, addiction or whose life ended in suicide or homicide, or sit with a child whose parent is slowly passing from this world to the next from Alzheimer’s disease, or is in hospice, unconscious and unaware, not knowing or remembering who their child is.
I want to learn what it means to be selfless, so I will close my eyes and pray for all those who because of their pain and woundedness are not able to find joy during this holy season of preparation, anticipation, expectation and fulfillment of the child Jesus.
I want to learn what mercy is so I will reflect on the many times where I have offended God and how God in His unconditional love and mercy forgave me and filled me with His grace and peace, so as I live I can go and do the same.
 
SATURDAY – For today, as you prepare to attend your Sunday worship service, reflect on how it makes you feel and the thoughts that go through your mind. Do you feel that your time spent with God, community, and self in prayer and worship fulfills you, brings you comfort and healing and is a source of peace, whereas sometimes when you leave for Sunday Worship you approach it feeling hungry, downtrodden, broken and discouraged? When you attend Sunday Worship, do you feel as if a burden is lifted even though circumstances may not have changed? Are you able to surrender to God all that is weighing you down; the stress that comes as you unceasingly worry about family, work, finances, health? Do you believe that God hears you and will answer your prayers as He sees best, but when you leave for Sunday Worship you are thinking that God is deaf, and you are only going out of guilt? Where is your heart now? Where do you want it to be after Mass or worship this weekend? Do you feel as if in your brokenness, God knows, and will bring you healing, and can you accept that it may not be in the form or way that you think it should be?

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of October 27, 2024

A Reflection on All the Saints that walk with us, on this our mutual holy ground, 
and All the Souls that have walked with us on their journey of faith to their final reward.,
eternal rest, peace, and happiness in the loving embrace of God.
 
As we begin a new week, we encounter the tricks and treats of Halloween, and we conclude the week as we honor All Saints Day on Friday and All Souls Day on Saturday.  Two of these days encompass that which we strive to be here one earth, sinners striving to be saints so that when we enter our eternal reward, we can join all those beloved souls of who have gone before us in faith. Halloween is God’s gift so that we can honor our creativity through a costume and allowing ourselves to be a kid once again as we go through all the candy collected looking for our favorite.
To me, All Saints day is not just about those who have been officially declared saints by the Church and through their example and love for God, inspire us to seek a greater holiness. To me it means more than that. For me it is about those who walk on this mutual holy ground with us on our faith journey every day. It is about those who we are blessed to walk with, our beloved family members, friends, coworkers, community members, neighbors, parishioners and even the stranger.
As we walk with each other, the saints are those who endure our impatience, our weaknesses, have been the recipient of our sinful choices, tolerate our moodiness and our inability to be compassionate, pray for us as we are merciless and selfish, instead of being merciful and selfless, and see us at our worst and not our best and choose not to judge us or condemn us. They choose to remain with us because they know that that is what God would want them to do, and they also realize that is what God does for them as well. They, those saints in our lives; our parents, our family members, our spouse, our community members, our friends, fellow parishioners, choose to love us through and in all of that.
You might think of them as martyrs, but the difference is that they are not dying for their faith in us, but they are dying to their very self as they invite us to be a better person, the best person that God created us to be, and they know we have the potential to become.  They call us to a greater, deeper, and better knowledge of God through their life and their example. They invite us, by God’s design, to grow in relationship with Him. Those saints in our life choose to die to themselves, their desires for themselves while they are walking with us, so that they can show us what God truly desires for us and how we can best reach that. They are allowing God to make them His instrument as they walk with us on our mutual holy ground. Our parents, our spouse, our children, our friends, and even those whom we do not know well are gifts from God, His instruments of love.
Like many gifts, we don’t always recognize their beauty or significance, purpose, or reason. As we live each day as sinful human beings, we are given the gift and presence of others who are also sinners striving to become saints, to help us see our self as God sees us; His beloved children, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation. 


As we walk with each other on our faith journey here on earth, on this our mutual holy ground of God’s great creation, we walk together one with each other, one with Christ, so that we stay focused on the direction that will lead us to our eternal reward, that true and lasting holy ground. So that we all can become our best self, the person that God created us to be, and have the potential to become.
Who is your faith journey saint? Who are you walking with that is inviting you to become your best self and at the same time, challenges and does not condemn you, when you are your worst self?  When you are in their presence, can you admit, that you see a something greater than just a Glimpse of God, but maybe a bigger picture of who God is? Does your saint inspire you? Lead you to a deeper sense of holiness and a spirit of humility? Are they at peace with their God as they look in the mirror, and even as see their reflection, they can recognize themselves as a sinner, but more importantly they know and believe that in their sinfulness, God loves them unconditionally because they are His beloved child, His greatest creation?
Has God called your saint back home to Himself? As you remember their saintliness, can you pray to them now as they stand before God in the company of Mary and the communion of saints? Can you ask them to pray for you as you continue to be a sinner who also strives to be a saint here on earth?
All Saints Day and All Souls day should bring us a sense of peace as we think about the saints here on earth that we will walk with today, have walked with us in our yesterdays, and will walk with us in our tomorrows. Their souls, the souls of the just, are now resting in God’s loving embrace, but their memory, their love, their presence, will always remain in our hearts, and we should never forget them or think them to be gone forever. Although we miss their physical presence, their presence and impression, their impact and their love will remain in our mind, within our heart and a part of our spirit, as long as we choose to remember them and not forget them.
As you enter a new week, take each day to remember those saints that walk with you and your saints that have walked before you to their final journey. Think of the virtues, qualities, gifts, and graces that God has bestowed on them that makes them saintly. As you admire these virtues and qualities in another one of God’s beloved children, ask him to help you nurture your own special gifts, qualities, charisms, virtues so that you can grow closer to Him. Ask for the grace to recognize those qualities, virtues, gifts, and charisms within yourself, those that will help you become your best self, the person that He created you to be, have the potential to become, and will make you a living saint here on earth.
God has many gifts in store for you to help you as you seek to grow in holiness. Allow God’s goodness, His love, His invitation to grow with Him, His peace, His mercy, His dying example of selflessness and His loving embrace, be the glimpse, the big picture that keeps you focused on being the best person that you can be and want to be. 
As you reflect on the saints that have journeyed with you and the souls that have gone before you, thank God for them, and in and in a spirit of humility, thank God for calling you to be a saint in their lives and on the faith journey of others. For the souls who have gone before you in faith, pray to them and for them as they find eternal rest, peace, and happiness in the loving embrace of God. 
If they have harmed you, or if you have caused them harm during their earthly journey, seek greater saintliness by forgiving them and seeking their forgiveness.


SUNDAY – “G” God’s goodness
God is good and gracious.  He provides all that we need to grow in relationship with Him. What glimpses or gifts has God placed in your life that have allowed you to grow in a deeper relationship with Him? Have you been given the gift of quiet time in the midst of your busy day? Have you been gifted with a better understanding of prayer and how God wants you to speak from your heart, honestly and without fear?  Can you recognize the goodness of others that surround you and how they have helped you grow in love with your God and in a deeper relationship with Him? Your parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers, friends, co-workers, community members, neighbors? Thank God for being so good to you.


MONDAY – “L” God’s love
God’s love is eternal.  His love for you will never die, grow short, end or be restricted.  He loves you unconditionally. There is nothing that you can say or do that will make God love you less. Do you believe that? On your journey toward holiness, who is a beacon of the unconditional love of God? To whom have you been a beacon to of the unconditional love of God?


TUESDAY – “I” God’s invitation
God invites us to be in relationship with Him. He invites us to be in communion with Him each and every day. This communion will be a communion of transformation, conversion, renewal, and refreshment. It is an invitation that comes not because we have earned it, or won it, or deserve it. It is free but it comes with a commission and mission. It is an invitation for us to unite our will to God’s so that we can be our best self, the person that He has created us to be, the person that others want us to be, and the person that we can face in the mirror and not run away from. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to extend the invitation to others and be ready and willing to talk about the good news with them. Have you opened your invitation? Is it still sitting on your desk, unopened? Opened but still in the envelope? Right out front ready to reread again and again? Is it in a prominent spot that reminds you of how much God loves you and wants to be in relationship with you? Say your own RSVP. No regrets. 


WEDNESDAY – “M” God’s mercy
God’s mercy is such a gift. It requires grace to share it, grace to receive it and grace to extend it. Can you recognize how God’s grace has opened your heart to receive His mercy and can you see how you have extended it to others? How has mercy been extended to you?

Blessed are the merciful they shall be shown mercy…. 


THURSDAY – “P” God’s peace
We can’t experience true peace without God. In the midst of life, where we can get stressed out and anxious, the peace that God longs for us to have and hold onto is overshadowed by many other things.  Being at peace doesn’t mean that there will not be times of stress, but rather it can mean that in the midst of the stress, when we can turn over our concerns to God trusting in His infinite wisdom, we trust that we will not feel overwhelmed, alone, or anxious.  In the midst of life, when we invite God to walk with us through it all, His presence brings about the peace that we need so that we can keep putting one foot in front of the other and not turn back.
The prayer of Saint Francis, the prayer for peace, is a foundational prayer that when one prays it, one begins to experience what true peace is and can be. 
As we pray for peace with Saint Francis, we begin to see as a co-worker in the vineyard of God, building His kingdom one brick, one act of mercy, one prayer at a time.
What is you level of peace? is it at the brim flowing over and abounding? Is it in the middle, half of peace yet still the other half filled with worry, concern, and anxiety? Is it on empty, because your worries, anxieties, weaknesses have sucked up all your peace and left you deflated, discouraged, or defeated? Good news!!! God’s peace flows like a river, it will never run dry, it will never leave you empty, and it will never be denied. 

Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall experience peace… 


FRIDAY – “S” God’s selflessness and selfishness
God calls us to be selfless not selfish. Jesus’ death was a selfless act of unconditional love and surrender. He chose to die for us so that we can experience eternal peace, joy, and happiness with Him when our earthly journey is ended. How are you called to be selfless? How hard is it to selfless and not selfish? How do others encourage you to be selfless? Who has been a selfless model for you to follow? When you are tempted to be selfish instead of selfless, what changes your mind?
Only God can be selfish and when He is it is for our own good. God is selfish in that He wants us for Himself. He loves us so much that He wants us to be in relationship with Him while here on earth so that we can see Him face to face when our earthly journey has ended. He wants us to give our time to Him and not spend so much on the computer, playing video games, texting, partying, over working, self-medicating because only when we give our time to Him in prayer can we recognize and receive the graces that we need to grow to be our best self.  God is selfish in that HE is the only God, and He doesn’t want us to be deceived by the devil in believing that the world and all that it allures us with, is a god.  Only God forms us in our Mother’s womb, gives us life, nurtures us throughout our earthly life with the sacraments of the church, gives us His grace so that we can live and be the best person that we can be, and promises us eternal life.
There is no god but God. Who or what is your god: consumerism, social status, power, prestige, laziness, self-centeredness, ego? have you been deceived by your god? Do you allow the only one true God into your heart and mind so that He can steer you clear of the false gods that are ready to claim you as their own?


SATURDAY – “E” God’s embrace
It is the embrace of God, the love of God, the spiritual hug from God that makes one stronger, healthier, healed, whole, at one with God. How far are you from God’s embrace? What does the embrace look like? Is it in the face of compassion, mercy, forgiveness, healing, rest, enjoyment, fun, laughter, or in the form of pets, creation, the sunrise, or the sunset? God’s embraces here on earth are as many and as often as one opens their heart and mind to seeing and experiencing them.  Our greatest spiritual embrace is the Holy Eucharist, but yet we, as the body of Christ, are called to be embracers, to embrace others. How have you been God’s embrace to others? How have others been God’s embrace to you? As you walk with those saintly people in your life, how have their embraces lessened your fear, calmed your spirit, healed your soul, and awakened your hope?

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 13, 2024

“Walking”

This week’s Glimpse of God on “Walking” comes from my husband John. As he presented the challenge to me, it came after we attempted to walk  our new golden retriever puppy Carmel, or  rather she walked us and we followed as good parents.  After he said it, may thoughts came to my mind like, why do we walk, what do we walk towards or away from. If we define walking as placing one foot in front of the other and this sounds so simple, what do we allow to deter us from placing one foot in front of the other each day? Who or what motivates us to place one foot in front of the other? What trips us up, makes us go backward, causes us to walk quickly or even stand still? Who or what sets our walking pace?

Is it joy, happiness, love, fear, anxiety, stress or pain, and when these factors set the pace, do we think that we are in control, or do we allow God to be in control?  Where is God in our walking? Is He there as we place one foot in front of the other or even when we keep our feet still, firmly planted? Are we walking with God when we choose to sit down, standstill, or fail to go forward and regress to spiritually walking backwards? Are we walking with God when we need assistance because our bodies cannot walk any longer and we are restricted to being in a wheelchair or having to use a walker or a cane?

If we are healthy and can walk on our own yet we walk with a grudge, bitterness, or anger, are we walking with God or have we left Him and chose to walk alone? If we choose to carry bitterness and hatred, jealousy, and worry, are we really walking or are we limping along on our spiritual journey? As we walk, the very decision to walk involves making a choice and following it with an action. When we place one foot in front of the other, we do so that we can get to our destination, so that we can move forward.

Many times, as we place one foot in front of the other, we are not even aware of our action. We were taught to walk as babies, and we have been doing it ever since.  When we were just babies and learning to walk, we probably smiled and laughed with our parents because we had just taken our very first steps by our self.  We may have fallen a few times, but we got right back up and kept going.  Today, as we get older, walking may be more difficult or challenging. The physical action of walking may be painful or leave us unsteady, yet each time we decide to place one foot in front of the other, despite the challenge we are facing, we progress forward to our destination.

Walking in our spiritual life is no different. When we choose to walk with our Lord, we may at times place one foot in front of the other with confidence, faith, and trust and yet there are other times as we think about placing one foot in front of the other, we become afraid and spiritually unsteady. As God’s beloved children, we need Him to lead and guide us on our spiritual life journey.

When we choose to walk without Him, it is like we are walking in the dark and our steps falter. Although we think and even try to walk alone because we want to be in control or feel that God has abandoned us because of our sinfulness, we are never alone and even when we fall short of being our best self, God lifts us up and helps us to become steady again.

Like our parents who were proud of us as we took our first steps, our God is always proud of us as we choose to take each step with Him. He smiles as we place one foot in front of the other despite the weight of our cross or the stress of life challenges. There may be times when we need the assistance of others to walk so that we don’t fall, or of a wheelchair because our limbs can’t carry our weight, or a cane so that we do not lose our balance, yet all of these are not tools that God gives us to punish or embarrass us, but rather to assist us as we choose to walk with Him as He sees best. The choice to walk with Him is in response to the graces received at our baptism. We choose to walk with Christ on our earthly journey so that we can reach our final destination of being reunited with Him in heaven when our earthly journey has ended.

As with our physical health and the need to use the instruments or tools of a wheelchair, cane, walking stick, or walker, arises to help us walk and not be injured, it is similar in our spiritual life. The need to utilize the graces given to us through the of the Sacraments of the Church especially Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist, enable us to walk with God and others.

Developing and nurturing a prayer relationship with God, spiritual support and guidance and community all are graces that empower us to walk with our Lord and each other so that we can become our best self, the person that God created us to be, and we have the potential to become. As children, tweens, young adults, and older adults, we may be able to physically walk without the assistance of a wheelchair, cane, walking stick, or walker. There are times as God’s beloved children, that we may think we are spiritually strong enough and in control, independent and self-supporting, and do not recognize the need for spiritual assistance, yet it is those very times that the devil is tempting us and pulling us away from God. He is making us believe that we do not need God or others on this earthly journey and that we can achieve eternal salvation on our own. It is those very times that we need the graces and the gifts of the sacraments, prayer, and others so that we do not fall and fail to get up, go backwards and not recognize that things are just wrong.

As we begin a new week during this beautiful season of autumn, let us choose to walk with God and others with a renewed sense of joy and happiness. Let our choice and our action to place one foot in front of the other remind us that Christ made that choice in our place and gave up His life freely, selflessly and without a grudge. Let us walk with each other with compassion and mercy.

Let us look at our steps backwards not with regret, shame, or guilt, but rather as transformative graces and gifts from God trusting that He knows our heart and our desire to do His will and when we fail to go forward, He has our back and uses the experience to help us so that we can become our best self, the person that HE created us to be and have the potential to become.

 

SUNDAY – “W” Walking alone or with others.

When we walk with others, do we see them as instruments of God’s peace in our life? When we walk by our self, are we able to recognize that we are instruments of God’s peace in the lives of others? When we walk alone or with others, do we look at our steps or just take them for granted? Each step on our spiritual journey is a step towards holiness as we all are sinners striving to become saints. Each step of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, love, reconciliation is a step towards us becoming our best self and helping others to become their best self in the light of God’s love. As builders of God’s kingdom here on earth, we can only build His kingdom one step, one prayer, one act of kindness, one act of mercy at a time.

For today: as you choose to walk alone or with others, look at each step you take as one step closer to seeing Christ in yourself and in them. As you seek to recognize Christ in all those you encounter, as well as when you look in the mirror, offer a prayer of gratitude to God for bringing you one step closer to seeing Him more clearly, loving Him more dearly and following Him more nearly each day.

 

MONDAY – “A” Assistance while you walk: cane, walker, walking stick, dog or another’s hand.

The moment that we enter into being, the moment that we take our first breath, we can find our self needing the assistance of another, whether it be for a short time or an extended period of time. God places others like our parents, extended family members, friends and sometimes strangers to help us as we walk on our earthly journey. There are also times that we need the assistance of tools or instruments to help us walk. People can be there to offer us support and encouragement, yet there are times when God places His instruments to aid us as we walk.

These are not meant to deter from wanting to walk or taking the first steps, but rather to encourage us to take each step with courage and trust. When we are unsteady or unable to walk on our own, we have the gift of a wheelchair, cane, walking stick, or walker. These can be seen as gifts because they allow us to live with a quality of life that is better than remaining in bed or sedentary. These gifts allow us to get around, be mobile, walk with God and others and not be defeated or discouraged by our limitations. Although we may not be able to put one foot in front of the other without assistance, this does not diminish our self-worth or God’s love for us.

In our spiritual life, God places instruments in our life to help us walk with a more steady pace. These instruments can look like the cane of courage, the walker of unwavering faith and dedication, the wheelchair of motivation and determination, the hand of humility and the feet of faithfulness. It is in and through these instruments that God’s presence, His love, and His healing is occurring. As we seek to be open to God’s presence through these instruments and our surrender to God’s will in our life, we are being healed, not of the physical or spiritual limitations that requires us to use them, but rather the doubt, discouragement or frustrations of needing to ask for help. Jesus accepted help; how can we not?

For today: look at the many instruments that you use to assist you as you walk on your spiritual journey; others, humility, obedience, patience, acceptance, and openness, and as you walk, seek to recognize them as God’s instruments of love, for your healing and becoming whole. 

 

TUESDAY – “K” kickstarting – what gets you going, makes you walk: energy, others, nature.

How do you begin your walk? Stressed out, weary, determined? Spiritually, how do you begin or what makes you walk with God or away from God? When we are happy, things are going well, we feel good, we can walk with joy in our step and with a quicker pace. We may walk as if the weight of our burdens or stresses, has been taken away or lessened, and it shows. What makes you walk with God? Your heart full of gratitude, your spirit overflowing with thanksgiving, your body being energized by the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit that have been showered upon you.

What makes you walk away from God? Shame, weakness, sin, or guilt? As we choose to place one foot in front of the other, there are those things that can weigh our foot down so that we cannot walk right, we stumble and fall. The devil places that weight upon us because he knows that if our feet are stuck, we will also be stuck. If we allow our self to be afraid or ashamed of God because of our sin, guilt, weaknesses, or shortcomings, then the devil becomes the Kickstarter and we become the kicked. On our spiritual journey, as we discover or recognize those things that keep us from going forward, God gives us His grace and that is enough. He knows what we need and when, and that is when He places His grace in our life to motivate us to walk with Him and others.

For today: kickstart: Help another who is stuck and unable to get going, to go forward. Be their Kickstarter, their reason to turn over and begin anew, their instrument of peace. 

 

WEDNESDAY – “L” levels of walking: speed walking, amble or unsteady due to injury or illness

As you spend some quiet God time walking, do you have an idea of the spiritual pace that you are walking? Is your pace quick, so that you can just go to the next thing on your check list? You gave God some time, now you have move on.  Is your pace more like a meander pace where you want to be still with God, yet not completely still so that you have to listen more, where you might hear Him tell you how much He loves you, adores you and wants the best for you, and this might make you want to run and not walk? Is your pace unsteady due to the spiritual injuries that you have suffered at the hands of others or that you have caused? Is your pace unsteady due to dis -ease where you need to, desire to, experience the healing graces of God in the sacrament of reconciliation?

For today: Look at your pace and ask God to help you walk at a pace that will allow you to grow closer to Him, and others. A pace that will bring forth a greater spirit of humility so that you do not choose to walk ahead of others because of pride or self-righteousness.

A pace that will allow you to walk with compassion and accompany those who are behind you. Not because of their education level, their addiction, or their status, but because of the weight of their cross is slowing them down.   A pace that will invoke mercy from you as you want to pass them by, where you want to leave them on the road so that you can get ahead and leave them in their sin, their bad choice, and their weakness. A pace that will help you to stop and see yourself as God sees you, His beloved child, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation. For today: Pace yourself. 

 

THURSDAY – “I” what is your incentive to walk: better health, lose weight, quiet time.

As you decide to take a walk, what is your incentive, who or what is behind you wanting to put one foot in front of the other? There are probably days when we have woken up and getting out of bed was more of a challenge than it needed to be. We might have been weary from not getting enough sleep, pure exhaustion set in as we looked at what needed to be done that day, we may not have been feeling well physically, the weather may have been dreary or whatever reason, I think we can all say that we have experienced those kinds of days. It is on those types of days where we had to make a conscious choice to get out of bed, place one foot in front of the other and go forward, verses putting the covers over our head, pressing the snooze button, and hoping none caught on. So, as we can all recall those kinds of days, what motivated you to get out of bed, place one foot in front of the other and walk with God, others or for yourself? Was it your commitment to get healthy, stay healthy or to lose weight? Was it to honor and reverence your quiet time with God? Was it to bond with your dog and embrace their unconditional love, support, and affection?

For today: as you recognize what your incentive is that makes you want to walk with God, others and for yourself, be encouraged by it, cherish it, pray for it, and share its fruit with others.

 

FRIDAY – “N” nature walking; to observe, appreciate and be in awe of God’s creation.

Walking in nature is a like walking in grace because in and through all of God’s creatures and creation, He is alive and well, present and bursting with light and love. God is everywhere especially in His creation that shines through the windows of our home and our heart. God’s love shines through the window of our heart, that place where love dwells and there is no room for darkness. God’s love dwells in and through the windows of our homes, where the beauty, the color, the radiating joy bursts forth, where we can behold God through his creatures that hover above or crawl below. What an awesome walk.

For today: as you walk in nature or observe nature from inside, take a moment to recognize the many gifts of creation; birds and bugs, animals, and trees, that you are being given the gift to behold and thank God for each of them. As we strive to recognize the many gifts that are before us, may we open the eyes of our heart, mind, and spirit to recognize the gift that we are before God and others.

 

SATURDAY – “G” God time walking where your walk is your prayer.

How do you pray when you walk? Is your God time, the quiet time that you choose to reverence Him and your relationship with Him, either inside or outside, a time that allows you the opportunity to grow in your relationship with Him? Is your walk with God focused on the steps that you take going forward where you want to grow in your relationship with Him? Is your walk focused on the steps where you have gone backwards due to sin, weakness or shame and you truly desire to go forward and be reconciled? Or is your God time a time where you have stopped walking or felt that you could not walk any further? You only want to rest in the Lord? Our spiritual journey walk is one of greatness in that God can accomplish great things through us if we allow Him. When we realize that we do not have the energy or desire to walk one more step, it does not mean that we chose to stop walking with the Lord. It is in those times where and when God chooses to carry us so that we can be renewed, healed and whole.

For today: Allow God to carry you without complaining or condemning yourself. God knows our heart, our needs, and our limitations. When He chooses to carry us, it is not because He wants us to think that we have failed, so when we want to judge our self harshly as being too weak or incapable, let us be reminded that even Jesus accepted help in carrying His cross, and as His followers we are called to be Simon of Cyrene to others and allow others to be Simon to us.

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 6, 2024

The conclusion of the Prayer of Saint Francis

SUNDAY - Oh Divine Master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,

What distractions keep us from consoling another? Is it pride, ego or our need to be

 

of trust since we find it difficult offering consolation because we feel as if we will say or do the wrong thing? It is okay to seek consolation when we are distressed, sorrowful or grieving, God is not going to deny us that grace or gift or the people to offer it to us. But when we find our self seeking to be consoled knowing that there is another who is suffering and in need of consolation, that can be a momentary distraction of selfishness. When we thoughtlessly turn the attention to our self, then the devil is placing a distraction before us. It is then that we need to recognize that it is only with and by the grace of God that we will be able to put it aside. What distraction is being placed before you that you find that you are more often selfishly seeking to be consoled rather than selflessly offering consolation to another?

Prayer for today: Lord, grant me the grace so that I may seek more to offer consolation than to be consoled.

MONDAY - To be understood as to understand

and WOW, that short prayer says so much. How many times or how often do we find ourselves saying that someone did not understand us? What does that mean or look like? How do you feel after the comment emerged? Angry, frustrated, discouraged, confused? When we seek to be understood, we are usually looking for someone to identify or empathize with us and in our needs. We share with others that we trust, our concerns during times of stress, worry, illness, or family or work struggles. In our trust of those we open ourselves up to, we hope and expect that they will understand us and extend some form of encouragement and support. AND when that understanding or support is not met or we feel as if our concerns were dismissed, that hurts. Yet we are called to forgive and not seek to get even by ignoring the other or dismissing their concerns when they come to us.

When we seek to better understand another we are acting through, with and in Christ. Those that Jesus walked with, healed, touched, and ministered to, despite His unconditional love for them, did not accept His message and chose to walk in the other direction.

The devil placed before them ignorance and fear, so that they could not surrender to and accept their need for conversion and transformation.  Their understanding for spiritual fulfillment and their hunger being satisfied was misguided by the devils lie that he understood their needs better than Jesus and that he could fulfill them without any spiritual conversion or transformation, since these were not necessary.

In our life today, the devil is still misleading God’s people to believe the same thing. That he understands us better than God, and that we do not need to understand others, since he’s got that. We seek to understand others and we seek others to understand us, because we cannot do it ourselves. God places others in our life and us in other’s life so that we can mutually be empathetic, sympathetic, compassionate, kind and be selfless when life challenges and cross experiences are shared and a genuine need to know God’s will is desired. What distractions keep you from understanding others and not always seeking their sympathy, compassion, or support?

Prayer for today: Lord, grant me the grace so that I may seek more to be understanding than to be understood. 

TUESDAY - To be loved as to love,

Being loved. A prayer and need that we all have and desire. To be loved, to be cared for, to be needed, all of these are essential or part of the weaving of our human nature. These needs or desires, among many other needs and desires, all gifts from God, enable and empower us to want to grow to be our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become. So why is the prayer stress as to love? Easy but challenging answer. To me, when we are loved, we are called to share that love with a genuine and authentic heart, and not superficially. God consoles us, understands us, and loves us unconditionally and it is that very gift of consolation, understanding and love that we are called to share with others. Although our consolation, understanding and love are imperfect, our wanting to share these gifts is a sign of our love for God, others and self, and God knowing our heart makes up for what is lacking in us as we seek to be His instrument of peace, love, compassion, and mercy to others. Do you love yourself and what does that mean? How do we love others if we do not feel loved or love our self? God loves you and me unconditionally and He showed His love for you and me when He chose Mary to be the Mother of His Son, a woman, our Blessed Mother who could understand all that we experience and can guide us toward Her Son. He showed the depth of His love when His only Son, Jesus Christ, who chose to endure His passion, suffer and die on the cross, and rise from the dead. You were in His heart when He did this, He did this for you. You were not exempt for these acts of love. You are God’s beloved son or daughter, His greatest creation oved unconditionally and without reserve or cost. When we love our self, others, and God, it is then that we reflect the love that God has planted in our heart because it has permeated our very being.  It is then that we respond the prayer as to love.

For today. Love yourself, be good to yourself, forgive yourself, pamper yourself, be kind to yourself. That is God. 

 

 

WEDNESDAY - For it is giving that we receive,

What are we giving away, giving up, giving into, and what will we receive, get back, hold onto? We can give of our self by giving our gift of presence to those in need of an ear to listen, a

shoulder to cry on, a hand to raise up. Presence is a gift that is meant to be given to those in need. We might not know what to say at a given time, but the Holy spirit will fill our mind and heart when the time is right and if words are meant to spoken or silence is meant to be reverenced.  

What we receive back is the grace to be God’s presence, His instrument of peace to those He places on our spiritual and earthly journey. So, back to the first questions. What are we giving away? Perhaps our time for others whose time is being occupied by daily stresses, worries, concerns, illness and our time with them brings them a sense of belonging, peace, comfort and encouragement. What are we giving up, perhaps selfishness? We can think of so many things that we need to do, to check off of our list, and yet when another who is need calls upon us, that check list becomes secondary and being present to another becomes our primary concern.

What will we receive, get back or hold onto? The gift and consolation, courage, inspiration, encouragement, and strength knowing that the grace of God was given to us so that we can be His instrument when another needed to hear from Him through us.

Prayer for today: look at what you have been given or received and seek to let go of those things that these gifts replaced

THURSDAY - It is pardoning that we are pardoned,

Only when we pardon another can we seek pardon from God. I often say that we can get to heaven with cancer, but not with holding a grudge, being resentful or unforgiving. When we seek to forgive another, we are seeking to bring about peace, to build up the Kingdom of God here on earth and to be God’s instrument of mercy and compassion. If we seek to hold onto a grudge, and choose not to forgive another or our self, we are not allowing the love of God to enter into our being. By these actions we are choosing to be self-centered and self-righteous, and greater than God. As Jesus died on the cross, He said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” Who was He referring to, who was the Them? Those who crucified Him, those who betrayed Him, those who rejected Him, those who denied Him, those who abandoned Him? If they were the ones He was referring to, then we can consider us in that same company of sinners. Don’t we abandon, reject, deny, betray Him when we abandon Him by casting aside the needs of those abandoned by society, when we judge them as less than human. Don’t we reject Him when we discard or reject those who are less fortunate, prisoners to addiction, less educated, poor, homeless, yet we all are God’s children. Even with that knowledge, we still find justification when we reject their needs to fulfill our own need of feeling or being superior or stronger and not weak?

Don’t’ we crucify Him by placing the nails of prejudice, hatred, bias, intolerance and injustice in the hands and feet of those who are different, whose life choices are not ours, who we deem as sinners, and we do not seek to understand or accept them for their choices or differences? Forgive them for they know not what they do…..When we seek to not pardon another, do we really know what we are doing and how it will affect our spiritual journey now and in the life to come?

Prayer for today: seek pardon from someone you have injured and pardon one who has injured you so that you can forgive yourself, and God can renew your hope, shower you with His gift of peace, fill you with His love and mercy so that you can share it joyfully. 

FRIDAY - It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

As we live and walk our earthly journey we are not being promised tomorrow. We are given the grace of each day, each moment so that we can give glory to God in and through our life. To know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this life so that we can be happy with Him in the life to come. Sound familiar? Yet it is a short summary that tells the whole story. We are not given each day to live selfishly, but rather to die to self so to live for God. How does dying to self unfold in our life? That answer comes in and through your prayer as God reveals what dying to self means for you at that time. We die to self every time we are selfless and place the needs of others before our own. We die to self when we accept our cross without complaining and when we can unite our suffering to Christ and seek His strength so that we do not quit. We die to self when we surrender to His will, let go of the things of this world that we have allowed to possess us and choose instead to possess the attributes, attitudes and characteristics that are Christ like. We die to self when we realize that we are in the world but not of the world.

So, as we live each day dying to self and living for Christ, so that we can inherit eternal life, what is holding you back from being more in the world and not of the world? Prayer for today: seek to let go of one thing that you are holding on to that is keeping you from dying to self and being more selfless. 

SATURDAY – AMEN

I believe, after this week of reflecting on the distractions that keep us from truly being or becoming instruments of God’s peace, I hope that have you been able to recognize that the momentary distractions have helped you to focus more and with a greater intensity and steadfast spirit what God is calling you to, and how you are being and living as His instrument of peace. Do you believe that? I do, and so can you, after all God knows your heart better than you do, and He knows that you want to be your best self, the person that He created you to be and have the potential to become. You are living up to your potential as you continue to strive to be His instrument of peace amid the distractions that come right in the middle of your prayer, and you have put them aside and stayed the course.

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 29, 2024

The feast of Saint Francis which we will celebrate this Friday, October 4th, is also our wedding anniversary. This week John and I will celebrate 26 years  of marriage. It has been 26 years of God showering His many graces and gifts upon us. His graces of strength, wisdom, consolation and courage as we were invited to carry our ow crosses as well as to assist others, who were carrying heavy crosses. The gifts of friendships, strengthening of old and the gift of new ones. The blessing and gift of both the Sisters and staff at Assisi House. The gift and love of Clover, and now her predecessor Carmel, our cat Cannoli and our boy bunnies Cadbury and Cocoa  It is always a time of blessing and as I reflect on our wedding anniversary and the feast of Saint Francis. I lift my mind and  heart in gratitude as I can’t imagine my life without the love of John, the blessing our home, the gift or our selfless and likeminded our friends, and our unconditionally loving and crazy pets.  

In anticipation of the feast of Saint Francis this Friday and our wedding anniversary, I realize how they are both are gifts from God given to me so that I can live out my prayer to  become a peacemaker and as I do, I am becoming more of  my best self, the person that God created me to be and have the potential to become. John is very instrumental and my mirror prayer as we celebrate the gift of married, covenant and grace filled love. Having such great friends in the Sisters, is also a  mirror image of how we are all called and striving to become peacemakers, our best selves, the persons that God created us to be and have the potential to become.  We are called to walk in the spirit if peace, mercy, compassion, faith, trust, hope, harmony and love, since we are all  walking together, hand in hand with God and not running ahead. or making others stumble. We walk in the spirit of humility, peace and compassion of St Francis and our Mother Mary so that when we feel or think that we cannot continue, they are there to remind us that no matter how or what happens, our Yes to God , His love for us and His knowing of our heart, will see us through as Mary’s did.

I thought it appropriate that we reflect on the Prayer of Saint Francis. As a daily reflection I propose that we think about what is required to bring about true peace and what we allow to distract or deny us experiencing peace and allowing God to touch our life with His gift of harmony, lasting joy, and deeper love. As we pray the prayer of Saint Francis, I would invite you to think of and how we, you and I, allow distractions, anxieties, emotions, to interfere with what God wants to give us, what we pray for, or ask to have granted us. Next week as I continue to reflect on the prayer of Saint Francis, I invite you to we reflect on the prayer and conclude with the Amen. Allow your desire and faith, your AMEN, to permeate your being so that you can truly be a builder of God’s Kingdom here on earth and God’s instrument of peace in your world.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

SUNDAY - Where there is Hatred, let me sow love

We all want to be a more loving, compassionate, and caring person. BUT we all have been injured in some way or have injured another. As we live each day and strive to be peacemakers, our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become, there can be distractions that want to hate and keep us from being a more loving person. 

What is the distraction that keeps you from being more loving? Other’s opinion of your experience and how you should respond to it? The unpopular view on loving your enemy but getting even instead. The color of one’s skin, their religious views, their educational or social status, jealousy? The devil only wins when we allow these views to dominate our attention so that we can form a greater and more deeper hatred and then justify it. When we truly strive to be our best self as God knows we want to be, the distraction comes more like a thorn in the side that only when we seek His grace, can it be removed.

MONDAY - Where there is Injury……pardon

When we pray to be merciful and truly desire to be, yet we are distracted by our hurt or the pain that it caused, our humanity dwells on the hurt and we get lost in it. We are not intentionally turning away from God or love, but rather, we get stuck in the hurt and are distracted from the course or pardon, reconciliation, and mercy that we originally started on.

What are the distractions that keep us away from following through with pardoning another or seeking pardon after an injury? Is it a momentary sense of pride, big ego or sense of discouragement or despair? What is your injury and how do you see it being healed? Who has caused you injury or who have you injured and what does pardon look like? A phone call, a personal visit, a letter? When we pardon another or seek pardon from another, we can only then begin to recognize what God is trying to show us in them and in our self: P – The present or gift they are to us and we are to others, A – The admiration that we have for them and they have for us, R- How we are called to Reverence them and our self as God’s beloved child, D – How we strive to become more determined and resolute in our desire to be Christ like, and how we can better recognize that same quality in others and through our distractions, gain a greater strength to overcome the temptation to give in or give up. O- How we are called to have an open mind and heart so that we can recognize the love that shines forth in our desire to pardon, and seek pardon from, another, N- Being nice is a natural attribute that helps us be the authentic person that we have been created to be, makes people want to be around us and we choose to be around.  

TUESDAY - Where there is Discord……unity

Where is there discord in your life and how disjointed do you feel because of it? Discord or conflict seems to make our worse self emerge and our best self remains hidden. Most people do not like conflict and do whatever it takes to avoid it, while others thrive on causing conflict and find happiness when others do not feel united or at peace. As God’s beloved sons and daughters, we are called to walk with each other and not place a stumbling block on their path. We are called to build each other up and not tear each other down.  There are times when we find our self in the midst of a conflict, or a disagreement with another and it is during those times when God calls us out of our self, and our will, and seek to know better what His will is for us. We cannot live when we are dis-united or separated from each other. No one is an island. God created us to be in relationship with Him and others. We are all God’s beloved sons and daughters.  Jesus died for all of us, He overcame death: yet as He lived, he loved those who tried to diminish compassion, deny love, cause dissension, create discord, deny truth and He loves them and us anyway.

WEDNESDAY - Where there is Doubt……faith

It is easy to doubt when things are not clear to us. When we feel as if we are traveling a road or journey with more questions than answers, more uncertainty than certainty, we sometimes doubt the direction and purpose that we are going.  It is in and during those times when our faith can be our greatest strength and our hope strongest reason to place one foot in front of the other. With faith there cannot be fear. Faith overcomes fear and makes us better and stronger people. You have a great faith that is being challenged, yet without the challenge your faith can not grow stronger. Even Jesus called out to His Father on the cross, “My God, My GodWhy have your abandoned me? He doubted yet HE trusted and believed that God, His Father, was with Him and had not abandoned Him. Can we say the same, Do we want to?

THURSDAY - Where there is Despair..…hope

There is a saying that despair or misery likes company. We sometimes want our pain to become the pain of others, or we want to be the center of attention by sharing and dwelling on our pain so that we can gain the sympathy of others.  We allow or choose to let sympathy be the distraction and joy to remain on the outskirts. We are afraid to allow joy to enter in and permeate our being. This can be a momentary or temporary experience or one that requires professional help. When it is a temporary experience, the distraction that enters in is sometimes shame, guilt, or self-loathing where we choose not to allow God to touch our heart, and in that choice, we lose sight or let go of hope and any form of healing or wholeness. Healing requires trust and an openness to what God has in store for us, it will being us a newness of life, give us hope, and that can sometimes makes us afraid where we go backwards and not forward. Are you or someone you know experiencing a temporary sense of despair due to life stresses, a heavy cross and difficult challenges? Can you allow the hope that God offers you to enter into your being and change you, bring you out of the despair that you feel into a true sense of joy and a renewed hope?

If you are experiencing a lasting sense of despair and hopelessness, what is causing you to be in despair? Why do you feel hopeless? Have you sought help and guidance or are you to ashamed to? God wants to offer you his healing so that you can become whole again. Can you let Him? Trust Him? Walk with Him into the uncertainty of what healing, and hope will look like?

FRIDAY - Where there is Darkness…….light

When things appear dark or are dark, we can become frightened and unable to move. Darkness can be seen as a reason to be afraid and not take any steps towards light. When we enter a dark room the first thing we reach for is the light switch, when the lights go out we look for candles and flashlights, these are mini quick fixes that calm our fears and allow us to move forward. But in our spiritual life, there doesn’t seem to be a quick fix when we are in the spirit of desolation and darkness. The spiritual sense of darkness has a deeper meaning and significance, which I cannot really use this glimpse to elaborate on. So for the sake of this reflection I will keep  it to less intense reasons why we find ourselves n the dark.. When we are experiencing spiritual darkness, we tend to feel as if God has abandoned us due to our sinfulness and how far from the truth is that conclusion. God never abandons His children. it is us who abandon Him because of our shame, anger, injury, betrayal, or self-loathing. We choose to walk in the darkness of fear and false conclusions. It is then that God is right there waiting to show us the light of His love in and through the passion, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth, the light, and the life. Without Him we walk in the darkness of sin and get lost in despair, discouragement, and defeat. When He is our light, we seek to be reconciled to Him and others so that we can become a greater reflection of His light in our world.

SATURDAY - Where there is Sadness……joy

Sometimes when we are sad, we cannot or are unable to recognize the joy that God has in store and is waiting to share with us.  When we lose a loved one, or experience the death of a relationship, or the financial burdens outweigh the financial blessings, we can become sad and not allow any joy to penetrate our being. This is not what God wants for us. Joy to the World is a song that we sing during the Christmas season, yet when Christ died for us, He gave us true and lasting joy not just to sing about but to realize is ours as He opened the gates to paradise and the promise of eternal life for all who believe. Joy doesn’t deny the sadness but rather gives us hope that the sadness will not defeat us or overwhelm us if we believe that it is a temporary experience that will make us stronger, whole and healed builders of His Kingdom here on earth.  What is taking away your joy and being able to be joyful and joy filled? Whose joy have you spoiled by your own stress, jealousy, anger, or frustration? How can you restore your joy or that of another? Do you think that you can you do it on your own? Remember, with God, His Son our Savior Jesus Christ and the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary, all things are possible even finding and restoring joy.

Next week’s Glimpse of God will continue with the conclusion of the Prayer. 

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

 

As I reflect on what a Glimpse of God may look, feel, sound, or be like, I can say that our beloved Clover was all and more of God ‘s presence to us and all those she met. With broken hearts and spirit, John and I continue to mourn the loss of Clover. It has been a very painful, difficult, and challenging time. The quiet is deafening, and the emptiness is a reminder of Clover’s absence. SO when do you think a puppy is coming? In light of the painful absence and how we, as well as the cat, are struggling in our grief, we chose a puppy in Lancaster that will be coming home this coming Saturday. I have this week to get ready and prepare for the newest members arrival. Wish us all luck! She was Clover’s pick; her name is Carmel. She is our 5G. (5TH GOLDEN RETRIEVER)

As I reflect on the loss of Clover and the grieving process, I couldn’t help think of who or what do we grieve when their presence is absent, and we area left adjusting to our new normal, our new circumstances, or our new reality. Some of the events, or “its” that I think we are invited to grieve over, and not just take for granted and quickly run from, are: the death of significant loved ones, loss of our pets, our sense of youth, our good health, our working days, and our sense of immortality. With those events, I don’t have to wonder why some people might run from the grieving process and pretend that they are OK. But if we run from the process, what are we deeply missing that God has ready for us and invites us to receive?

The grieving process is different for each person and as well as for each event or loss. We are invited to grieve when we have lost something or someone that was a significant part of our life and is no longer, or that has changed, and it is not what we thought or expected it to be or become.

As we recognize that we are all getting older and with that reality might also come certain health challenges and obstacles that we need to overcome and not be overcome by, that might be calling us to change our lifestyle, diet or whatever. An illness or ailment does not define us, it affects us, but we are not it. We are invited to grieve, to recognize that there is a loss, but more importantly that there is something to gain.  

When we are facing a terminal disease and realize that our time here on earth may end sooner than we thought, we begin to tie things up and prepare for meeting our God face to face. This loss of time here on earth can be a scary period to go through. Fear, anxiety, depression can settle in and when that happens, we are not only mourning the loss of more time here on earth, but the end of relationships.

If we are facing retirement from working and now have to accept a new schedule and routine. We grieve the loss of a schedule where we functioned to the best of our ability and were productive, and we might think that retirement will make us lazy or nonfunctional.

When we lose a loved one, be it family or friend, to death and we realize that their physical presence will no longer be visible, that is a painful truth to accept.

At the onset we might not be able to grasp that they will forever remain in our hearts. But as we go through the treasure trove of heartfelt memories and share them with others, their spirit remains alive and we are inspired by them through our laughter, our conversations, our recollection, and our prayers.

When we lose a pet, their absence is evident very quickly because the routine to care for them is no longer a part of our day. Taking a dog for a walk, the dog bowls being empty, a cats box not needing to be cleaned, and their toys still in their own pile and not everywhere in the house. I am sure if you had a pet that you lost, you can identify your routine and how it changed.  Their physical presence is no longer, and this painful reality is brought to the surface as you see their toys, their food and water bowls, are just sitting there.

In and through various losses, the “its” of our life ,  the one thing that we can never lose is the unconditional love of God. Our identity is not in what we have done for work, or our illness, or our education level, because when we are no longer working and using our education experience, we are and will always remain God’s beloved child, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation. That is our true and only identity. Our work, our education is God’s gift to us, what we do with these is our gift to God.

SO as we begin the first week of autumn and begin to see the various changes in the color of leaves on the trees, the temperatures, and the lessening of daylight, let us be grateful for these changes that will bring us a newness of life in nature. As we think about newness of life through the grieving process, let us think about what grieving can mean and how in and through “it”, God wants to transform us to be our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become.

 

SUNDAY – “G” GRATEFUL for “it”

Whatever you are grieving today, grieve “it” with a grateful heart. If what you lost didn’t mean a lot to you, you probably wouldn’t be grieving but rather moving on, so let not haste take away the joy, the love, the significance of your loss, and let gratitude to God for “it” renew you, console you, transform you and give you hope.

For today: I am grateful for “it” because……..

 

MONDAY – “R” REMEMBER “it”

Whatever you are grieving today, remember “it” in your words, conversations, thoughts, prayers, and actions. Don’t let the darkness of ‘its” absence make your memory of “it” a thing of the past but rather a gift in the present.

For today: I will remember “it” because……

 

TUESDAY – “I” INTEGRATE “it”

When we feel the loss of “it” we can feel wounded and broken. The loss leaves us feeling that part of our heart, spirit and soul is empty in that we know that something is missing, and we can’t get it back. If we integrate “it” with our thoughts, words, deeds, actions, conversations, then we will feel the grace of God making us whole and transforming us from broken to whole, wounded to healed

For today: I will integrate “it” in my…….

 

WEDNESDAY – “E” EMBRACE “it”

As you reflect on “it,” you are being the grace to recall the significance of “it”.in your life. Whether “it” is a loss of a person, pet or health, work, …., “it” meant a lot to you and to God. For if God did not think that it would help you on your earthly journey, “it” would not have entered your life, so embrace “it”, love “it”, cry over “ it” and surrender “it” so that God can continue to bless you with the graces that can flow from “it”.

For today: I will embrace “it” with both arms ……and not shake “it” off as insignificant.

 

THURSDAY – “V” VOICE “it”

Sometimes when we are grieving, we choose not to talk about “it” because of the pain and sense of loss. Yet, “it” did not come into your life to be silenced, but rather to be spoken of from the rooftop of our mind, heart, soul, and spirit. As I am telling myself at this very moment,, speak of the “it” and don’t be afraid to cry over, be sad because of “it”, “It” meant a lot and can be voiced so that others will know how important “it” was.  When we speak of “it” we need to be mindful of not complaining but rather recognizing how we are being transformed, conformed and reformed.,

For today: I will speak of the joy and love that “it” has brought me….

 

FRIDAY – “E” EXCLUDE “

“It” meant a lot to you and the last thing that you would want to happen is that you excluded “it” from your conversations, didn’t think about “it” because of the painful feeling that well up from deep within, erased “it” from your memory, silenced ”it” in your conversations, and excluded “it” back in your prayer. God knows your heart and the pain that the loss has brought you. But God knows that you wouldn’t be who you are today without “it”. So if you are angry because of “it” and would rather exclude “it” from everything, think of where you might be today if “it did not become a part of your life.

For today: I will look at how “it” has made me a better person, the person that God created me to be and I have the potential to become.

SATURDAY – “S” – SELFLESS

How has “it”; the loss of a loved one, the loss of a pet,  a terminal illness, a certain ailment, retirement, your youth, made you selfless and not selfish. Are you self-centered and focusing only on your loss, or are you to able to be empathetic with others as they too experience loss and grieving? Was your loved ones life example one of selflessness where you want to emulate it? Did our pet show you unconditional love and forgiveness so that you  too want to choose to be unconditionally loving and forgiving? Did having a stroke make you so bitter that you cannot see others pain or have you surrendered your limitations to God and are now able to recognize others who are also limited, with greater compassion, empathy and understanding?

For today: I will seek to be selfless, because ”it” has opened my eyes to others and the “its” they are grieving over.

 

 

Glimpse Of God for the week of September 15, 2024

Our Beloved Clover

(11/30/2010 - 9/10/2024)

As I reflect on what a Glimpse of God may look, feel, sound, or be like, I can say that our beloved Clover was all and more of God ‘s presence to us and all those she met.

With broken hearts and spirit, John and I are mourning the loss of Clover as she passed away this past Tuesday. Although she had several health issues, she continued to beat the odds by her deliberate spirit and unwillingness to be defeated. Unfortunately, the mass in her liver ruptured and her death was sudden and painless. For those of you that knew Clover, you also knew how special she was to us and will always be. We are devastated, broken and at a loss since it was unexpected and rather sudden, We couldn’t prepare, but she knew and in her unselfish way, did what she could so that we would not suffer. Cannoli our cat, Clover’s best buddy,  is missing her and we don’t know how to make her feel better. As she continues to look up at me and cry, all I can do is to shower her with hugs and kisses.

As I reflect on God’s presence and how He chooses to reveal Himself, I could write a book on how Clover was more than just a glimpse, but rather a kaleidoscope, a panoramic view and presence of God.  We are all God’s creatures. He created every single creature that exists. All were created in and out of love. In that spirit of love, Clover was unconditionally loving, she never held a grudge, she was always there to make us happy no matter what, she made me feel like I was the only person in that she was my shadow and when she couldn’t  see me she would woof. When she looked at John the look spoke of complete trust and peace.

As I reflect on me being my best self, the person that God created me to be and have the potential to become, I know that Clover was the instrument that God chose to help me along that path of me living  up to my potential. As  I recognize that this is the most painful glimpse for me to write, I also realize it will be extremely painful for some to read. She touched many, many lives especially at Assisi House where she was a therapy dog for 8 years.  In those 8 years, she touched the lives of many of the Sisters and staff. When she got her paws in the front doors of Assisi House 8 years ago, no one would have ever imagined the relationship that would flourish and become such a gift, a grace and source of strength to us. The relationship between Clover and the Sisters, John and I with the Sisters and staff, and even the Sister’s visitors with Clover. I have come to know and love all the Sisters at Assisi House. They have not only welcomed us into their home, but made us feel as part of their family and not just a visitor. Every Sunday when Clover would go to Assisi house, she was welcomed and greeted with smiles, many pets, neck rubs, back rubs, and endless compliments. For that we are very grateful and we thank you.

As I reflect on the unexpected and somewhat sudden loss of Clover, I believe that Clover is now frolicking in heaven and we will see her again. I also realize that no one knows the day nor the hour when God will call us back home. But more importantly, it reminds me of how we should treat each other. We tend to react out of some experience and that may cause us to be negative, say things that we can’t take back and do things that we will regret. Sometimes we think that we are justified when we get revenge, hurt another by our words or destroy someone’s reputation because of our selfishness and ego. I also believe that we can enter the gates of heaven with cancer, but it is a lot harder to enter them holding a grudge or being bitter. Dogs can’t choose to sin or not, but we humans can. Dogs are selfless, but we humans can choose to be selfish. Dogs smile by wagging their tail while humans choose to way their finger in blame or control. Dogs can happily frolic and enjoy life, yet we as humans find every reason not to be happy and to complain about life.

God gave us dogs to remind us of how we should be, should we not take a hint from the Clovers in the world  that says not only do they innately trust in God as their creator and the humans that God chooses to fulfill their earthly needs,  how much more we, as God’s beloved sons and daughters, should trust in God as our creator knowing that He will fulfill our every need  here on earth .

If we believe that, then people would be more selfless and not selfish, compassionate and not unfeeling, merciful and not bitter and resentful, open minded and judgmental.  We would walk together and with each other as sinners striving to become saints, and not run ahead or make others stumble, and we would allow and enable  others to become their best self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become.

Don’t take life or people for granted, because we do not know when our life circumstances will change, our loved ones earthly journey will end and we are feeling regretful and not rejoiceful. The six words that can make our world a better place when said in truth and sincerity are

“I forgive you” and “I love You”  if we choose to remember and recite these words, then we are also choosing to repair relationships and reshape their outcome 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of September 8, 2024

In remembrance of those who lost their lives during the 9.11.01 attacks

On Friday, the Philadelphia FBI had their annual “Run to Remember” over the Walt Whitman Bridge. This run /walk was organized several years ago because the Philadelphia FBI family wanted to memorialize and honor not only the FBI employees who died, but all those who died during the attacks; Civilians, First responders, Fire, Police, and Military. To honor them, I was asked as the FBI Catholic Chaplain, (By the way, I am the first lay, female, Catholic Chaplain for the FBI) to lead with prayer/remarks. I was honored to be invited to do so. This also afforded me the opportunity to see and meet more of the FBI family members that I am invited to serve.

The invitation for me to lead in prayer was an invitation for me to speak God’s words of remembrance, honor, witness, trust, and hope.  It was an opportunity for me to express how we as a people, one nation under God, will never forget those who lost their lives during the September 11th attacks and since then. The attacks of September 11th, as well as every day when lives are taken coldly, viciously and without reason, should cause us all to question, resolve and pray. We are all God’s children, yet people are being treated like invisible objects void of feelings, that are deemed as unnecessary so their lives can be extracted from the earth, and no one would care or notice and eventually they would be forgotten. The devil thought that he could use the devastation of September 11th to prove this point. He was wrong….

As a nation, we are resilient, As a people, we are resilient, As God’s beloved child, we are resilient. As God’s children, we resolve never to forget those whose lives were taken that horrific day and every day since. As God’s children, we will always remember and honor those near and far who are still suffering and bearing the cross of grief, loss, anger, uncertainty, fear and disbelief since September 11, 2001. As God’s children, we will always remember those who sought to serve and assist during the aftermath of the attacks, but whose lives were changed and ended due to their being exposed to the toxic chemicals in the air and on the grounds of the attacks. As God’s children, we all have crosses to carry, yet if we deny or ignore our fellow brother or sister crosses because of fear or ego, then we are choosing to make it heavier and unbearable. By our prayers, our resolve to be stronger and never again be a victim but rather a victor, our acts of remembrance, and our conversations of those who have passed away in our family, our circle of friends, our community and our world, we are choosing to assist those who mourn by paying respect to, honoring and remembering those they mourn for.

The “Run to Remember” and being asked to lead in prayer, served as a reminder to me that as we all have crosses to carry that sometimes they may seem too heavy and other times more like a splinter than a cross, we are not only invited to bear them in faith with our God, but we are also called to assist others as they carry theirs. How do we assist? With compassion, understanding, empathy, honor, respect and dignity.

September 11th happened 23 years ago, and I think we can all remember what we were doing and where we were that fateful day. We can recall how church services were filled, and faith was shared and not hidden. But as the saying goes, out of sight out of mind, we cannot let that saying become our reality when it comes to remembering those, we loved whose life was taken from us, from other moms, dads, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandparents.

As we approach the 23rd anniversary of 9.11, may we use this time to pray for the healing of our country, and all those who continue to carry the cross of grief, anger, fear, and uncertainty and seek God’s grace to continue to heal them and make them whole.

Instead of a daily reflection, I invite you, with the grace of God’s Holy Spirit, to pray over some of the lines or thoughts of this prayer.

A question that you may ask as part of your prayer could be How have I been transformed by the cross of death, or the 9.11 attacks, of that I carry or that I have assisted others to carry?

 

Prayer for Transfiguration, in memory of those who lost their lives in the 9.11 attacks

Lord, you invite all who are heavily burdened to come to you and you will refresh them. America comes to you Lord,

for continued healing, courage, restoration, renewal, and transfiguration.

We come to you as the FBI family to run and walk, as we remember

the terror attacks that occurred in our country 23 years ago.

The World Trade Centers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington DC

and Shanksville, Pa.

We come to you as we remember and pray for the many victims, survivors, and bystanders of that painfilled day and the many days, weeks, months and years that have followed, filled with great anger,

unimaginable grief and unanswered questions.

We grieve with those who have suffered the greatest loss, the loss of a loved one that has been taken from them: their fathers, sons, uncles, grandfathers, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, a toddler,

other young children, and even strangers.

We come to you in the midst of death, anger, pain and weakness,

and ask that you transfigure all of us.

Transfigure our anger and hatred into your mercy and forgiveness.

Transfigure our grief and mourning into a deeper faith,

a greater hope, and a lasting peace.

Transfigure our fear into stronger courage,

greater determination and an undaunting strength.

Transfigure our desire for revenge into a greater trust in your justice.

May your gentle hand wipe away our tears, raise our heads high

and lead us to a place of healing.

Make new those who are now standing at the gates of paradise

and renew those who struggle to go on.

May your breath of life bring us out of ourselves and into a deeper love,

service, and compassion for our neighbor, near and far.

Finally, Loving God, transfigure our confusion, dismay, and discouragement

into a wonder and awe as we stand before you: united, resilient, victorious, strong and in one accord, because you are the God who has overcome evil, because you are the God who has overcome evil,

conquered death and has blessed America through the power of the cross.

We ask this in unity with the Holy Spirit and in the name of Christ our Lord. AMEN

THE CROSS OF DEATH IS THE CROSS OF HOPE

The TRUE Cross is                H a sign of HOPE            E to be EMBRACED

 

Christ selflessly gave up of His life so that all may live and inherit eternal life

Remember that you were included in that great promise

Open your mind, heart and spirit so that this final act is your hope

So that you can share His message of love, healing, and hope with others

Selflessly, sympathetically and without reserve.

 

As you remember the reason for the cross, and how it remains a sign of love and source of hope, through your presence, listening and compassion,

with those whose burdens and crosses are heavy, you are selflessly helping others carry theirs so that no one feels alone, abandoned and without hope.

 

May we never forget to embrace and not exclude, reconcile and not retaliate,

receive and not reject, So that we can become God’s instruments of peace

as we build his Kingdom here on earth.

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of September 1, 2024

Laboring in Love

Happy Labor Day Weekend. May it be a safe, happy, relaxing, and celebratory as you gather with all those you love and hold near and dear to you.  Cherish those times that you celebrate with family and friends and be mindful of all the labors of love that you have participated in, been the recipient of and have freely performed. May all your conversations, and shared heartfelt wishes, be a glimpse of God’s never-failing love, grace, hope and presence. May it be an opportunity to recognize of the many hidden blessings that come out of hiding, graces that expound, joy that refreshes and peace that permeates the core of your very being, from your head to your toes, and brings you refreshment, renewal, and strength.  May the memories of the quality time spent in the presence and company of your family and friends as you celebrate the ending of summer and the upcoming of autumn, be a source of energy, encouragement, renewal, strength, hope and support. May the end of summer remind you of how blessed you are and how much of a gift you are to others, and they are to you.  In your celebration of Labor Day 2024, try not to focus on the feeling of discouragement or sadness that you may have felt, or may be feeling, due to financial or family stresses, illness, or mental or physical weariness. Take the opportunity to focus on the courage that God gave and continues to give you, to face and carry your crosses and how you became victorious over, and not a victim to, their weight, effects or temptations.

My prayer for you this Labor Day 2024 is that you are able to recognize and recall the numerous labors of love this past year that came forth from your compassion and concern for others and their concern and love for you. Look at the many random acts of kindness, extensions of love, compassion, forgiveness, quality family time, and the growth of genuine concern and caring for the stranger that continue to emerge be it from covid or the reality that we need each other, and no one is an island.

As you reflect on the significance of this weekend and the gift of labor, take a moment to thank God for the many graces that He has bestowed upon you as you labored in the light of His love: in the light of your hard work as a parent, on the graces received as you raised your family and gave of yourself, your energy, though probably often depleted yet never selfishly held onto, your attention, your discipline, your wisdom, your insight, your tough love and your tender love and care. In the light of your hard work as an employee, coworker, mentor and how you were blessed with so many gifts and talents especially of your attention and reliability, look at how you gave of yourself out of selfless love for the good and growth of others so that they could grow up and become their best self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become. As you live and love as a consecrated religious, member of the clergy, single, married, or retired, can you recognize that it is in your many labors of love that have allowed you to grow and become the mature person that you are today. In the light of your love as you offered your talents and gifts to your family, children, siblings, grandchildren, employers, coworkers, friends, member of your religious community, neighbors, church members and even the stranger, can you see God’s presence, His graces, and blessings?

Let the memories of those who have gone before you, the gift of their hard work and their work ethic be a source of strength for you as you take a break to celebrate the gift of your labor. 

Labor Day means so much more than labor or work.  It is how we labor or work that makes this day so much more meaningful.  How we labor in love, with love, in love and out of love, for our God, self and others is what makes Labor Day a day to celebrate and remember verses just thinking that it is just another holiday that makes for a long weekend. As we celebrate this Labor Day with picnics, going to the shore, or BBQ’s at home, amongst family, friends, or neighbors, it doesn’t really matter what we do or where we go or who we celebrate with, what matters is what are we celebrating and why is it important.  For many the gift of Labor is about the job that they do so that they can provide for themselves and their family.  The gift of labor is truly a gift especially as we reflect on the effects of the pandemic and how many businesses are still looking for employees to keep them afloat. Let us be grateful for the jobs that we do have. Let us continue to pray for those who are disabled and diseased and unable to find work, businesses that cannot find employees to work and thus cutting back or eventually having to close shop. And for businesses that, due to the financial turmoil since COVID, have had to close their business and lay off longtime faithful employees. Labor is truly a gift that provides the ability for one to support themselves and one’s family. Yet as with many gifts, we fail to recognize the giver as God, and we misunderstand the significance of the gift. We sometimes think that our identity lies in what we do, our labor or work, and not who we are, God’s beloved children.  So, when one is unemployed, one can develop a sense of low self-worth and discouragement because they feel that they are insignificant since they are not financially contributing or supporting themselves or their family.

 

Some people think that they alone are responsible for their work, and they fail to see that their gifts and talents are from God and that their identity does not lie in their work, but rather in their status as God’s beloved children, loved unconditionally and beyond measure.  

Our labor, our giving of self, our recognition of the work and talent of others is what can make their Labor Day weekend and everyday a memorable gift, a glimpse of God to celebrate, rejoice in and thank God for. Do we labor out of obligation, or to gain attention and accolades or just to get a paycheck? Could it be that there is a deeper reason, one that speaks of service, giving of self for the good of others, out of gratitude to God so that we can be our best self by sharing the gifts and talents that we have been so blessed with? So, as you reflect on Labor Day 2024, will you take time to celebrate the gift of your life and the love of those you love and have been a coworker with you as you strive to build up the kingdom of God here on earth?  Isn’t that the best labor of love that you can participate in here on earth? One brick, one step, one prayer, one act of kindness, one word of mercy, one word of contrition, at a time…

Yes, students return to school, the crazy and hazy rainy days of summer will soon be behind us, but as you look in the rearview mirror at the summer of 2024 can you see, do you recognize, how you have been participating in the great labor of love? It is because of your compassion, selflessness, extending of yourself to help make the days of time spent all about quality time. It is because of your presence before your God and with those that surrounded you, all of God’s beloved sons and daughters, that they are able to recognize how they too are reflections of His presence and beacons of His love.  It is because of your faith that you can be an instrument of God’s peace in a world that is divided and in discord. Do you see how you have labored in love by the way that you cared for an elderly parent, visited a widowed neighbor, encouraged a lonely friend, called someone who may have been feeling discouraged and depressed and suffering from mental illness, forgave an estranged sibling or family member, how you helped raise your grandchildren, remained in contact and encouraged your nieces and nephews, were present to the members of your religious community and parish community? Do you see your labor of love by the time spent time in prayer, placing the needs of others before your own, your sincere and humble contrition before your God and your extension of mercy and peace where there is injury and hurt? Your labors of love are the very blessings that have come back to you.  As you have labored in the love of mercy, you have become merciful. As you have labored in the love of empathy, you have become more compassionate.

As you have labored in the love of healing, you have become more whole and a wounded healer. As you have labored in the love of offering peace, you have become a peacemaker. As you have labored in the love of silence, you have become a lover of humility. As you have labored in the love of tough love, you have become more sympathetic and supportive. As you have labored in the love of thoughtfulness, you have become more selfless and less selfish.As you have labored in the love of prayer, you have become a better and deeper pray-er; and as you have labored in the love of spreading the Gospel, you have become a visible witness of your faith and the presence of Christ in your life.

May your Labor Day weekend remind you that it is not the work or lack of work that makes this Labor Day special, or a cause to celebrate, as much as it is the measure of love that you use as you strive to be your best self, live up to your potential as God’s beloved child, and help others to do the same.

 

LABOR DAY 2024 PRAYER:

Make each day your prayer of gratitude

as you recognize God’s great love for you, as His laborer of love in the whole of creation.

May you, as God’s LABORER of Love…….

 

(Sunday) “L” - Live with joy, Love always, and Laugh often. 

(Monday) “A”- Because God Adores you, Abides, within you and Abounds from you.

(Tuesday) “B” – Believe that you are Blessed, Brave, Beloved and Beautiful in God’s eyes, although broken or discouraged at times,  

 

NEVER

(Wednesday) “0” – Overcome by despair, destroyed by diversity, or defeated by self-doubt.

BUT

(Thursday) “R” – Renewed and replenished in the grace and by the strength of GOD. 

SO

(Friday) “E” - so that you can embrace the cross of Christ with humility, openness, surrender, peace and joy,

 

(Saturday) “R” – resolving to show love, empathy, and understanding when looking in the face of hatred, prejudice, indifference, and hostility.

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of August 25, 2024

God’s graces and instruments given to us for our healing journey

This week’s glimpse is one of deep thought and reflection.  As I walked through the days of this past week, I encountered several individuals who are  carrying heavy crosses, and due to their physical, psychological or emotional toll, find themselves a bit stressed out.

This glimpse reflects the instruments and graces that God offers us, invites us to utilize, on our healing journey as we all carry our crosses. You and I already possess these graces and instruments. How would you and I know that? I would ask you to think back in the past when you were carrying a heavy cross and how you managed to carry it and chose not to be defeated by it, when you became a victor and not a victim. We all have the instruments to use in our healing process, but unfortunately there are times when we do not recognize or choose not to make the most of them, but that doesn’t mean that they are not there. Jesus invites us to embrace the many graces and instruments we need to be healed, those that we possess, we just need to ask for the wisdom and steadfastness to actively seek them, the courage to recognize them and the strength to use them. We cannot heal ourselves, we cannot just wish our crosses away by denying them, and as much as we think we are, we are not the divine physician, but more importantly we are not alone. So as God invites us to be healed and become whole, He gives us the graces and instruments to be such.  These instruments and graces will enable and empower us to become our best self, the person that God created us to be, and have the potential to become.

Jesus’ Promise - Through the cross that Jesus carried on His journey to crucifixion, He surrendered to His Father and embraced the pain of weight of the cross; he embraced the pain of those abused, rejected, tortured, abandoned, those who needed to rely on others to help carry their crosses. He fell three times under the weight of the cross as He experienced the weakness beneath unfair burdens. Through the encounter with His Blessed Mother, through the sorrow in Mary’s eyes, He saw how love’s power gives strength. Mary’s heart was broken as witnessed the suffering and passion of her Son and she continues to suffer with all those mothers who have lost a child to violence or tragedy. Jesus experienced the profound weakness of disability and disease and aging itself and the ultimate vulnerability of the defenseless. With that, is there anything that Jesus would not understand, is there any cross that we carry, that He has not already carried, and is carrying with us? His promise was and remains that He will always be with us and that He will never abandon us. What can our promise be in return?

My promise is that I strive to be my best self, the person that HE created me to be and have the potential to become. In and on the healing journey, my best self is to be healed, so that I can become a wounded healer, a whole and personally, spiritually transformed self.

What are some, obviously not all, of the graces and instruments that can help us on our healing journey? I am going to reflect on People, Pets, Perseverance, Patience, Prayer, Peace and Pardon.

SUNDAY – People There are certain people in our lives that we walk with on our faith journey that we are able to share and talk about our faith and know that we are understood and not judged.  As we carry our crosses there are people that help us even when we think, we try to, we fight, we refuse because we believe that we can do it on our own. The Simon of Cyrene’s if you will realize that we can’t and offer their assistance. Even Jesus, as much as HE wanted to carry the cross alone, He knew that he needed help and humbly accepted it from Simon. So, to are we called to accept help when we cannot carry our cross alone. This doesn’t mean that we have failed in doing the will of God by asking or accepting help, it means that God is sending us His instrument of help so that we can make it and not feel discouraged or become defeated. Healing requires that body to be permeated with the graces and gifts of strength, courage, that God offers. These graces can come in many forms since God is not limited in how He reveals himself and we know that He chooses to reveal Himself in so many and varied ways. So, when a person offers to help us, who are we to deny God’s answer to our prayer, through that person or persons, for healing and wholeness.

As you think about people who have helped you through the healing process, how often have you been a Simon to another and by your words or your silence? As you helped them carry their cross knowing that they are never alone and will always be accompanied by God as He chooses to reveal His presence in and through another human being.

MONDAY – Pets

Pets, be it dog or cat, rabbit or hamster, horse or lama, pets have a gentle way of soothing fringed nerves, lowering blood pressure, bringing about a sense of peace through their smile, their tenderness, their unconditional love and acceptance. As you know Clover is a therapy dog for the retired Sisters of Saint Francis Sisters at Assisi House. She has been going there for 8 years. The sisters and staff enjoy her visits, they find the smile of a dog one that brings a smile on their faces as well. Some say they feel their blood pressure decreasing, some say that they feel better just seeing her, some even are overcoming their fear of dogs by petting, feeding and being with Clover. And of course, Sr. Schiminsky, one of her pawsome friends since she began her therapy dog visits, brings her 2 sugar cookies each week, which Clover devours in seconds flat.  I believe that pets, through their innocence and trust in you, bring about a sense of calm when calm seems like a distant ideal or unattainable goal, because the cross we carry clouds the vision or the ability to find calm, feel joy, see happiness in and through the animal God has placed before you. If you don’t have a pet, take a moment to look at the many pictures or videos of the antics pets perform and see if that doesn’t bring about a smile or act as a short diversion from the focus of the weight of your cross.

We have a good friend, Debbie, who is highly allergic to dogs, cats and bunnies, and of course all of them reside here at our home. Yet when she comes over to the house, Clover greets her completely and insists on being pet and pet, and Cannoli our cat, insists on getting in on laying on her purse. Debbie pets them as long as they need to be pet and when they are content, they go and lay down, and she has to wash her hands. She never treats them as a problem, but loves them and gives them what they need, a friendly acknowledgment of their presence. I can’t speak for all pets or people, but I believe that healing comes as we see the eyes of our pets, their unconditional love, their acceptance of us even when we might have failed to do or remember something and they don’t hold a grudge, they always smile when they see us, and when they allow us to pet them, they show us that they trust us and want to be close to us. Although you may not have a pet, take the opportunity to go outside and look at all of God’s creatures; those that fly, hover, crawl and hop and take a moment to thank God for His gift of creation and the creatures that roam in it. Try to recognize them as His instrument of healing as you behold the gift of His creation, and how you are His greatest creation, His beloved child, loved unconditionally.

TUESDAY – Perseverance. There are many other words that work with perseverance, like determinization, stubbornness, diligence, resolve, insistence, but no matter how you describe it, it is what can get one through the some of the darkest, stressful, challenging and probably many painful and painfilled times. How is perseverance an instrument of healing, and How might God be revealing Himself through your perseverance? Determination? Stubbornness?....If we didn’t persevere through the trials and tribulations, the stressful and the painful times, the heavy crosses and even the splinters of the cross, we wouldn’t be able to recognize how the body, mind, and spirit refused to be defeated by not becoming a victim or a person of despair. God invites us to work and walk with Him as we carry the crosses that come our way. Those crosses that feel too heavy and seemingly unbearable, that weigh us down, make us feel defeated and discouraged and bring us to a new low, one that we didn’t expect. God isn’t punishing us with our crosses butt inviting us to become our strongest self, the self that will heal and become whole if we trust in Him and utilize the instruments that He provides for our healing. We, although are not the divine physician, we receive from the divine physician, the ability to stand strong because we know that we are not alone and that He will provide and supply the graces we need to remain strong and fight not take flight, on our healing journey.

WEDNESDAY – Patience

For me being a patient patient is a challenge. I push myself hard and refuse to give in to whatever my body is going through, Yet I know because and through the love and concern of others that I need to stop and take time to heal. I will not give in to anything that will make me feel as if I am not trying. I refuse to recite the litany of aches and ailments or talk about pain and doctors. My faith calls me to trust and know that God is with me in all that I am enduring and that I have and will never carry my crosses alone.  Another word for patience is serenity. I feel the peace and serenity that comes from the sacraments, family, friends and yes my pets. When I try to rush through things I am called to my truth, that of if I really trusted that I would rise above this cross or that one, I need to slow down, so that I can allow my body, mind or spirit to experience healing so that I can become truly whole and transformed. Why are we inpatient? What makes us want to rush to the next thing? If we are carrying a heavy cross, how is being impatient a hindrance and not an instrument of God’s healing? How does He turn our impatience into patience and allow it to be a source of healing? We can only answer that question for ourselves. For me, and I think others would agree with this, when I am impatient and try to get ahead of the healing curve, it is then that I am reminded that my body isn’t ready and  I need to be still, listen to God’s gentle whisper or sometimes His you’re not listening voice more often, do less than I am, and believe it is for my good, my healing and not anything less than that.

THURSDAY – Prayer

Communion with God. When you are carrying a heavy cross and are feeling frustrated, stressed out, weary, angry, and in need of healing, Don’t you think that God already knows that? Your prayer should be an honest dialogue with God with the trust and peace knowing that you will not be judged, condemned, or loved any less. God’s love is perfect and there is nothing that you can say or do that will make God love you less, He can’t. His love is perfect, and you are His beloved child, His greatest creation and loved unconditionally. If you are angry because of a terminal diagnosis, or treatment for a disease takes a lot from you, or age is catching up with you with the various aches and  pains that accompany it, or you have to endure various therapies after surgery or a stroke and they bring about more pain, or you are stressed out because of an estranged family member, financial concerns, family discord, these are all known to God and He wants you to be honest with Him about how you are feeling. Feelings are not sins; they are our reality. Even Jesus felt abandoned as He hung on the cross when He said, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” What we do with them is our choice. Lying to God in prayer is not going to bring about healing, only further frustration. I think that people lie to God because they can’t see His reaction or His face, so we assume He is angry or displeased with us and what we feel.  How far from the truth. Take the time to communicate with your loving God how you are feeling and listen to His response. I believe you’ll be amazed at how loving and compassionate He will be and how much peace you will feel.

FRIDAY – Peace

As we journey through our healing process, whether it be physical, emotional, spiritual or psychological, we sometimes fail to recognize God’s gift of peace. Why? I think that it is because of the newness of the diagnosis, stress, the concerns or worries that accompany the injury and or pain, take over our body, mind, heart and spirit, and when we allow that to occur, unconsciously or not, God’s peace gets buried and overshadowed. We can’t seem to feel peace, experience peaceful moments, or think that we deserve or should be at peace because of the cross that we are carrying. Do we think that God wants us to be at peace as sinners? Do we feel that our choices, our crosses are what takes away our peace per God’s declaration?

When Jesus rose from the dead the first words to His apostles were “Peace be with You” He offered peace to those who abandoned and denied Him. He knew what they did, but more importantly He knew their hearts and how they really felt. His gift of peace did not erase what they did, it was necessary in the overall plan of redemption, but it showed them not to be afraid or feel that they were eternally damned. In fear they chose to abandon and deny Christ, yet in light of Christ’s love for them, He forgave them and offered His peace, His abiding, forgiving, merciful peace, through His compassion, empathy and love. Not a token mouthful of words but rather heartfelt and direct words. Peace is God’s instrument of healing in the midst of pain and struggle if we ware open to receive it, listen to its message and allow to permeate our entire being from head to toe. Peace is a gift, not one given when things are always just right, but rather to remind us that when things aren’t God’s love for us, His compassion, care, concern, and presence are there to bring us peace, echo the very words and love that Christ offered to His apostles, sinners too, that we are and will always be His beloved children and there is nothing that will make Him deny His gifts to us of His grace, and peace. We can choose to reject them, but He will never reject us because of our choices.

SATURDAY – Pardon

As we walk with each other on faith journey, this our earthly journey, we are called to walk with each other and not take short cuts or make another’s journey difficult out of jealousy, injury, ego, revenge or any other weakness that we struggle with. With this glimpse, I offered some instruments that we can utilize in and on our healing journey. Some of the major instruments that will be necessary for healing both from with- in and with- out are compassion, mercy, trust, surrender, and love for God, others and self. Healing that needs to come from injury due to sin and the pain inflicted on us, or by us out of sin is a healing that will require personal and spiritual transformation, reformation and conformation. The instruments of compassion, mercy, reconciliation, forgiveness and love are necessary If we are serious about our faith journey. If we truly desire to assist all of God’s children, those that we know and the stranger we encounter, to become their best self, the person that He created them to be and also have the potential to become, then we must go the extra mile all as sinners striving to become saints. We cannot choose to hinder them, but we must choose to walk with them as they also encounter the face of Christ in us, and we see Christ in them. We must seek pardon when we recognize how we have failed to see the face of Christ in another out of our own selfishness and ego and we must offer pardon to those who have recognized they have injured us and are sorry. Jesus was asked, “How many times must we forgive, 7 times” No seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:22 Just as we have been forgiven numerous times, given second, third and millionth chances to start over, we must also be open and willing to offer that same gift of pardon to another.Glimpse of God for the week of August 18.2024

How do you listen to God?

 

As I have often said, God shows us Glimpses of Himself in many and varied ways; in and through our self and others, in the many situations that we find our self in as well as in our lived experiences both positive and negative. In the beauty of nature, in His various creatures that crawl, fly and sliver, in common words and phrases and how we have come to understand them, and in the many other surprising and mysterious other ways that He chooses.

As I realized that we are more than half way through the season of summer, I also realized that this summer included a vast variety of difficult days that consisted of extreme heat and heat waves as well as a great deal of heavy winds and rain with tremendous flooding conditions. Although having air conditioners may have helped deal better with the heat, it also made those who are older stay inside more days in a row then they normally would have, it made being outside difficult and it caused worry and concern because of the cost to run an air conditioner. And for those who had fans, well they survived and I am sure that it was difficult. The heavy winds and rains made it difficult for driving, for those who are employed outside to do their work, and for the electric company, to keep power on.

So… as I begin this glimpse, I ask you, how did you deal with the weather so far this summer and where was God as you tried to cope? Were you able to hear God’s gentle voice in the winds, rain and heat? Was your emotional state on the verge of going bonkers because you didn’t know what to do as you found yourself stuck inside or at a place that you didn’t want to be? Did you get tired of listening to others complain about the weather as you were trying to maintain a positive attitude? As you were stuck inside and had ample time to be in communion with God, did you find yourself avoiding time with Him or spending more time with Him? Were you able to see God in the clutter and noises of the  winds, rain, the complaints, the unexpected and constant presence of others around you? Do you see God in your frustration?

I composed a brief reflection on the words SILENT and LISTEN. As I reflected in the summer months of surprising weather, I offer this reflection as an instrument of healing and hope.

Instead of daily reflections, I offer this idea,. As you begin each day, take time to see with the eyes of your heart, to listen to with the ears of your spirit,  and be embraced by the love of your God as He blesses you with the rain of renewal, the heat of healing, the sunshine and warmth of wonder, the winds of wholeness, and the days of light and laughter.

Offer a brief prayer, any thought that comes to your mind, to the God as you listen in the silence.

 

 

TAKE TIME TO

be SILENT............. and LISTEN

 

SILENT

Both of these words use the

exact same letters

but in different order.....

It takes you being silent

to hear and listen

to the voice of God

in the depths of your heart.

 

Is your heart able

to be silent

so as to listen to God's

gentle whisper, His soft voice

in the rain, the wind, the thunder

or the warmth of His gentle touch in the heat,

or

is your heart filled with the noises

around you that

you can neither listen or be silent?

 

Perhaps today

you can be silent so that you can listen to

what God wants so much to tell you...

that He loves you, that you are His beloved child,

that you are loved unconditionally and His greatest creation,

and even amid the noises and clutter,

your frustration, your vulnerability and your lack of control,

He still knows your heart

and hears and listens to your prayers.

LISTEN

 

 

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 4, 2024

THE SPIRITUALITY OF A DRUG STORE

This week’s glimpse is one that I have been inspired to write, not one that I have previously thought about or even would come up with without the gift of the Holy Spirit. Trust me, I don’t produce these glimpses unless I am inspired to. I believe that along with the inspiration, I am also called to develop and share a different perspective; a perspective on something that we all deal with on a regular basis, yet, I think, never reflect on it as a spirituality or as an avenue of prayer and an invitation to deepening our relationship with God.  This glimpse is one that has taken a lot of prayer, thought and reflection and I hope you find it helpful on your spiritual journey.

The spirituality of the drug store comes about as I reflect on how often we go to one seeking a product to make us feel better from various, non-threatening illnesses, conditions or ailments. As we enter into a drug store, we enter with the hope that we are going to find exactly what we need to cure us or alleviate what is ailing us, making us feel uncomfortable and bringing out our weary, weak, and miserable self and not our best self.

So where is God in the drug store? How does going to a drug store become a spirituality? If we see God as the Divine Physician and He places before us products that can make us better, how much more does He want our bodies to be healed, whole and renewed, verses weak and tired spiritually? What does he offer us spiritually that will help us heal and become the whole person that He desires us to be?

If we were to go into His drug store, what would we look to purchase to help us become healed, whole and our best self? Would we seek to find more time to pray so that we can develop and deepen our relationship with God and Jesus? Would we look to the Holy Bible so that we can not only read and hear God’s inspired word but learn from it? Would we see how our Judeo Christian History continues to form, inform and transform us into becoming our best self before God and each other? How through Sacred Scripture we see the hand of God throughout salvation History and how He has never abandoned His people. Would we seek to find the graces that the Sacraments give us so that we can live holier lives and be in the world and not of the world? Would we search out the estranged, the outcast, the forgotten, members of our community, our Church, our family, our society, those that we are afraid to embrace, yet we are called to embrace as Jesus does? Would we seek out or run from those items that God presents that will heal us and make us whole? What holds us back from wanting to become healed and whole? For what do we go to the drug store for?

SUNDAY - Allergy medicine: What in our spiritual life are claiming to be allergic to? If an allergy is in response to an external or internal source, how do we deal with our spiritual allergies? There is an expression; “get under my skin” this can have both a negative meaning; where it means to irritate or upset someone, or a positive meaning; to affect someone positively even though they are not expecting to be affected in that way. So, in our spiritual life what is under our skin? A negative experience where we have been injured and cannot seem to forgive the person, but rather hold on to the grudge, spread gossip about them, where we’ve allowed them to not only get under our skin, but make a home there. Is it a positive experience that has affected us so tremendously that we are blessed to have it under our skin? Reconciliation with another who had been estranged from us, helping others with the cross they are carrying, and they find peace with Christ because of our efforts, us experiencing peace through the sacrament of reconciliation after holding onto shame, guilt and self-abasement?

For today: allow Jesus to help you overcome your allergy to those spiritual graces that scare you because once you experience them you can’t turn back:  inner peace and joy, greater compassion, forgiveness. Let him show you that you are His beloved child and that there is nothing that will make Him allergic to you where He will never run or hide from you, where you will always be able to be in His presence without the fear of getting under His skin in a negative way only a positive one.   

 

MONDAY - Antibiotic cream – If antibiotic cream is used to fight infection on the skin caused by cuts, scrapes and burns, what spiritual minor cuts, scrapes and burns are you in need of and antibiotic cream for so that they do not get worse? If you were cut to the heart and burned by another’s harsh words, gossip, betrayal, deceit, can you allow God to mend those cuts and burns with His grace to forgive, as you have been forgiven? If someone unintentionally hurt you or scraped your spiritual wellbeing out of fear or shame, can you brush it off and walk with them instead of away from them?

For today: Antiobiotic creams treat the infection immediately. Ask God for the cream or salve of His grace to rid you of any infections of the skin so that they do not worsen and reach the heart, soul and spirit.

TUESDAY - Aspirin - Aspirin is used to treat mild pain from a headache or other body aches. When our body aches, it is usually responding to inner or outer stresses. In our spiritual life we might need aspirin to treat the minor and unintentional pain that came from another’s quick words of dismissal or ego where we felt ignored and our experience diminished. If we have a spiritual headache, is it from worrying about family, finances, health issues and we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and stressed out? Would God’s advice be not take to two aspirins, but rather say two heartfelt prayers. One to our heavenly Father and one to Our Blessed Mother so that the stresses can be surrendered and not held on to.

For today: Take time to recognize where you need God’s aspirin of grace and faith to remedy your spiritual aches and pains. Or take time to recognize where he has healed you of your minor spiritual aches and pains through His grace and offer a prayer of gratitude.

WEDNESDAY -Band-Aid 

What is going on in our life that we choose to deny and run away from that we just want to put a band aid on so that we don’t have to see it as it is? It can be a big band aid or a small one, but in either case it hides the wound so that we and others do not have to see it as it is. A band aid does not treat the wound or clean it up, it just hides it. If we do not treat the wound first by cleaning it with an antibiotic or something else, before putting on the band aid, we are probably not doing ourselves any good. If a wound is properly cleaned out first, a band aid will prevent any further harm or infection. So, for what in your spiritual life are you using a band aid? How big is your band aid? Is it one that will cover the wound of a broken relationship, estranged family members, abuse or betrayal? And has the wound been carefully cleaned out with God’s grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation, so that it would not get worse and permeate your whole being, seep beneath your skin and saturate your mind, heart and spirit? Or is your band aid a small one that you want to cover the shame that you feel because of your weakness, sin or guilt?

For today: If your band aid a temporary fix until you can take the time to ask God for the grace to clean out the wound and be healed from its effects, Ask now, ask for God to help you remove the band aid with you so that any fears that you have He can calm and dissolve.

THURSDAY - Cough syrup – a cough is a reflex reaction designed to keep your airways clear. So, if you are seeking to purchase cough syrup what in your spiritual life is blocking your airways and making you need to cough often? What irritants are getting the best of your spiritual well-being? Are they others’ shortcomings, or your own, unexpected negative experience or challenging day, is it the mold that developed from your lack of forgiveness and harboring a grudge, or the dust that you have allowed to cover your ego and how it made another feel discouraged, diminished and invisible?

For today: take a breath of fresh air so that your airways can be cleared, then seek the grace to continue to be God’s breath of life to all those faces you encounter, especially the one in the mirror.

FRIDAY - Thermometer – A thermometer is used to measure the temperature of the human body especially when one is feeling under the weather. The normal body temperature is @97 degrees. One can be a little under and a little over without any cause for concern. When one has a temperature far over normal, that indicates a fever which is the body’s response to an infection or inflammation of some sort.

So, in our spiritual life, is our temperature below or above the norm? Is our faith cold that we do not see it as anything important? Do we see the need to nourish it so that we can be transformed by it?  Or are we on fire with our faith where we see it as a gift that we want to share and proclaim from the rooftop and not from under a bushel? I don’t believe that God uses a thermometer to measure our faithfulness, but rather He looks into, and sees our heart, and how we strive to do and be our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become.  Since God knows us and our hearts far better than we do, He sees that even in our coldest moments, they are not frozen moments, but rather moments that are able to melt with the warmth of His love, compassion, peace and grace.

For today: If you see God using a thermometer to measure your faithfulness, and you feel that you fall low, or cold and you’re not dead, seek His grace to recognize that in a breath of surrender, trust, and faith, the temperature can and will rise and you will be alive in God’s love again.

SATURDAY – Vitamins – A vitamin is defined as a nutrient that the body needs in small amounts to function and stay healthy. There are vitamins to cover every letter of the alphabet, they come in pill form, chewable, gummy form, liquid form, all so that we can ingest them. There are babies, children, young adult, men and women vitamins, vitamins to meet many of our body’s needs and vitamins that I couldn’t tell you what they are for.

In any case, we can reach out and purchase whatever vitamin we need to stay healthy.

So, once again as we walk into the weekend, and we have perused the drug store of our spiritual life, we have discovered the many graces that God has in store for us as we seek to be healed, remain healthy and become whole, we can now walk in gratitude and seek nourishment in and through our Sunday worship. We can receive the vitamins of faith so that we can become and sustain being;

A – authentic, B – balanced, C – Caring, D – Dependable, E – empathetic, F - Faithful,  G – God fearing, H – Helpful, I- Inspirational, J – Joyful, K- Kind, L – loving, M – merciful, N – nicer, O – open, P- patient, Q- quiet, R – respectful, S – sincere,

T- trustworthy, U – understanding, V – virtuous, W – warmhearted, X-xcellent, Y- youthful Z- zestful.

Glimpse of God for the week of July 28, 2024

My Glimpse of God for this week comes from our golden retriever Clover, and Jimmy, the gentleman that maintains our pool and has been for over 15 years. Jimmy has come to know Clover since she was a puppy. Jimmy loves Clover and Clover loves Jimmy.  Every other week when he comes to clean the pool, Clover has to be the first to greet him with her song and dance. Jimmy fusses over Clover as if she were the only thing that mattered.  Clover is the center of his attention when he first arrives, and it shows by the back rub, ear rubs, and hugs that He gives her, and she graciously receives, not because Clover makes a nuisance of herself, but rather because Jimmy is a very caring person, one who sees the joy and energy that Clover exudes and honors and recognizes it very affectionately.  I believe that they both are a source of renewal and joy to each other.

Last week when Jimmy came, I wanted to let him know that Clover recently suffered a stroke but was healing amazingly. I had told him that she has cancerous tumors on her liver and kindey, but at that point she hadn’t had the stroke, and we were going to see an oncologist. With the stroke, the cancer is going to be monitored since having surgery or any treatments might complicate her neurological issues. The relationship that Clover has with Jimmy is one that all is well when he is here, and they are best buddies. Jimmy has watched her grow into a golden oldie puppy.  Over the years, I have watched Jimmy’s family grow through conversation, so he is like family to all of us and we are blessed with him as a family member.

When Jimmy sees that Clover is panting, he will go and refresh her with the pool water so that she is comfortable. This always is a big Glimpse of God because in that action I see how God not only sees that all of His creatures are taken care of, but He opens our hearts so that we can see the needs of His creation beyond our own. The actions of Jimmy are always very touching and inspiring.  When Clover was younger and he would pour water on Clover, He would encourage Clover to jump in the pool, even as they were cleaning it, so that she would stay cool in the 95-degree heat. Now, as an older golden, she will go to the side of the pool and make bubbles, but jumping in, not so much anymore. This might seem like a small deal, but to me, it meant a lot because it showed the genuineness and caring aspect of Jimmy’s character as well as his ability to be an owner and lover of animals and a conscientious and professional worker. Jimmy gets his work done and he does it very well and I think that in a small way, Clover helps because she is a reminder of how to balance all that we enjoy and love doing without resisting one or the other.

As we begin a new week in the midst of summer, heat waves and all, let us be mindful that God affords us many opportunities to be a source of cool refreshment and renewal to and for others. He also affords us the grace to remember how others have been a source of renewal to and for us and asks us to rejoice for each day is the day that He has made, let us all rejoice and be glad in all of them.

SUNDAY – Rejoicing - This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. Are you able to rejoice and celebrate the love that God has for you, and the love that you have for God? He has created you; He loves you; you are His beloved and He with His angels is rejoicing over you. Do you believe this? For today, celebrate and rejoice in His love and share that love with those you encounter. Rejoicing is another source of renewal. As you rejoice, allow yourself to feel the joy that comes from the depth and recesses of your being, and smile. 

MONDAY - Remembering – As you begin a new work week, try not to dwell on the stresses of the past week, but remember them, surrender them and leave them behind. This week, allow yourself to remember the promise that for those who seek, they shall find, for those who knock the door will be opened and for those who ask it will be given. What is it that you truly seek from God? What do you want God to do for you? What are you looking for that you want God to provide? What doors are closed that need to be opened, and what doors are still ajar that need to be closed? In the process of remembering, strive to focus on the positive and seek the grace to let go of the negative.

TUESDAY – Renewed – For today, just take and pray for one aspect of your life that you would like to be renewed. Is it your faith; would you like to deepen your prayer life and grow in a deeper relationship with God? Is it family; do you feel that as a family you are not able to spend quality time together because everyone is always on the go? Has the busyness of life taken away your time together? Is it relationships; do you feel that you are taken for granted or that you take another for granted? Are there people that you would like to appreciate more or that you would like to be more appreciated by?

In these areas, are you in a “rut” where you find yourself and others doing the same thing and there is no quality time being spent or nurtured? Are you seeking to be renewed or are you happy with the way things are? Ask God to renew those areas, those relationships that He knows are not the best that they can be.

 

 

WEDNESDAY – Restoration - What in your life do you feel needs to be restored? Ask God to restore those things, those areas, those relationships, that once restored will bring you to a greater recognition and appreciation of His presence, His grace, His healing, in the restoration. God brings back, or returns something, someone, to you, when He feels and believes that you are ready to receive it. As you seek restoration, seek wisdom so that you will see with clarity the change and the newness that you are being blessed with.

THURSDAY – Relaxation – take time to relax and use your senses to bring your body, mind and spirit to a deeper awareness of God’s gift of serenity, peace and calm. Use your eyes to see God resting on the 7th day, after the creation of man and woman, His greatest creation. Use your ears to hear Him say IT IS GOOD, after He was finished with the creation of man and woman. Listen to Him tell you that you are Good and that He is happy with you and loves you very much. Use your nose to smell the aromas that surround you, those of fresh flowers, coffee brewing, meals cooking, fresh cut grass. Appreciate the ability to smell and breathe in the story behind the aroma. Use your hands to reach out and feel the presence of God in and through everything that He has created. When you reach out and touch someone or something, you are touching a part of creation given to you to cultivate, appreciate, reverence and tend to. As you touch someone who is grieving, rejoicing, carrying a heavy cross, you are reaching out in the name of Jesus and offering His love, compassion and mercy to them.

FRIDAY – Resistance – For today try to resist the temptation to talk about another, hold a grudge, remain angry, carry a hurt another day, but instead, seek to forgive and be forgiven. God’s grace is there to grasp as you strive to be His witness in the world. The devil tempts us with those things that we like and are drawn towards. If we like being angry, holding a grudge and talking about others, then we will not be able to resist the temptation to continue, but if we recognize that these are not healthy spiritual practices, then God will give us the grace to say no, and seek ways to build up others and His kingdom here on earth.

SATURDAY – Reconciliation – Is there anyone that you would like to be reconciled to? Are you estranged from God, from others? Are you punishing yourself for a choice or choices that you made and feel that you can’t be forgiven? The grace of reconciliation is always there. As you seek to be reconciled, know that you will be called to forgive, seek forgiveness from another, and experience the joy that comes from healing. Sometimes we hold on to things because we are afraid to experience true happiness; God’s happiness for us. God wants us to experience His happiness for us, not the world’s idea of happiness. As you seek to live as God’s beloved, allow yourself to be loved. You are loveable and loved. God rejoices when we are reconciled to Him and each other.

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of July 21, 2024

Now to follow the theme of Christmas in July, last week I focused on some of the Christmas songs that we are familiar with and the possible spiritual significance they can have in our lives. I have to admit, it took me time and serious reflection as to what to write about for this week’s glimpse. As I was continually inspired and the idea would not leave me, as you will soon see, I couldn’t resist the inspiration and I decided to write this week’s glimpse on the 12 days of Christmas along with a combination of my and another’s Catholic Christian interpretation which I will call the 12 gifts of Christmas. That made it easier because as I tried to come up with a spiritual parallel for the 12 days, I did fall short of a few so I borrowed from another. As I reflect on the 12 days of Christmas and how they are normally celebrated beginning with the day after Christmas to the feast of the Epiphany, my suggestion is as we reflect on a different interpretation of the 12 days, may we make them a mindset as the Spirit of Christmas should be, beginning with each new day. I have to admit, the 12 days of Christmas is one of my least favorite Christmas songs, that is why it wasn’t included in last week’s glimpse. I actually never listen to it in its entirety because I feel it is too long, and goofy, like what was the partridge doing all by himself when all the other creatures had company, and they didn’t all travel in pairs, the French hens and the swans were all odd. The lords were leaping, why? For joy?, were their pants were on fire?, were they playing leap frog? But that is just my opinion, and I don’t mean to insult anyone else’s. So, you can see that I have listed the song with the secular and the Catholic Christian interpretation.

Now since I normally write a reflection for each day, I had to write this glimpse up a little differently, so bear with me through it all. I could not write this in the actual order of the 12 gifts of Christmas so as you will see I did include them just a little out of order.

 

SECULAR LYRICS – 12 DAYS                              CHRISTIAN INTERPRETATION –      12 GIFTS                                                                    

                                                            OF CHRISTMAS

The 1st day - A Partridge in a pear tree                           1 - The 1 True God

The 2nd day - 2 Turtledoves,                                         2 - Old and New Testament

The 3rd day - 3 French hens,                                         3 - The Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy        Spirit

The 4th day - 4 Calling birds,                                         4 - 4 Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and    John

The 5th day - 5 Golden rings,                                        5 - The Pentateuch: 5 first books of the Bible

The 6th day - 6 Geese a laying,                                      6 - 6 Days of Creation

The 7th day - 7 Swans a swimming,                               7 - 7 Sacraments

The 8th day - 8 maids a milking,                                    8 - 8 Beatitudes

The 9th day - 9 Ladies dancing,                                      9 - A novena

The 10th day - 10 Lords a leaping,                                 10 - The 10 Commandments

The 11th day - 11 Pipers piping,                                    11 - 11 Faithful Apostles and

The 12th day - 12 Drummers drumming.                       12 - 12 Points of Doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed

 

SUNDAY - As we begin a new week, let us begin by acknowledging that our God is the One True God and in and through Him we have been give the gift of life and received the promise of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. As we seek to know God in a deeper way, think about reading His inspired word as found in Sacred Scripture.

You can begin by the Old Testament, beginning with the Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the Bible which describe the history of man’s fall from grace, or the New Testament which include the 4 Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, that narrate the life and ministry of Jesus. They include the narrative of His birth as found in Luke, as well as His healings, His teachings, The calling of His Apostles, His many other miracles, as well as His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

MONDAY - Today as we seek to draw nearer to God through the graces that we received as we attended our Sunday Worship, the time spent in reading Sacred Scripture, developing our personal prayer so that our relationship with God can deepen as we seek to become our best self, the person that he created us to be, and have the potential to become. Let this be a day where we continue to seek the graces, inspiration, and the wisdom from the Holy Trinity: God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Let our prayer be to God that we seek to know His will and surrender our will to Him so that what He calls us to do we will do. Let us take each day that the Lord has made to glorify Him and serve Him faithfully.

 

TUESDAY - He created the heavens and the earth in 6 days and rested on the 7th. Let us take our cue from Him and seek to serve Him during the week, but make the time to reverence, rest and reflect on our worship and on our service so that our service does not become something out of habit, but rather out of love. Let us take each day to follow Him so that when we rest on the sabbath, we can see where our footsteps were going forward, where we faltered and where we learned to get back up and put one foot in front of the other. Let us seek to serve and honor Christ in and through the 7 Sacraments of the Church.

With the 3 sacraments of Initiation which are Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation. In the sacraments of initiation which are baptism where we received the light of Christ and were cleansed and freed from original sin, the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist where we receive the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and Confirmation where we are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. The 2 Sacraments of healing which are Reconciliation where we are reconciled to Him and given the grace and strength to reconcile to another, forgive another as we have been forgiven, ask for mercy and strive not to sin again. The Sacrament of anointing of the sick where we are anointed in the case if terminal illness, in preparation for surgery, chronic illness and death. The 2 Sacraments of vocation which are Marriage, where we honor our call to serve God and His church as a domestic church where a married couple nurtures their children and family in the knowledge of the faith, God’s will and His plan for them as they grow with morals and values consistent with the teachings of the Church, and the Sacrament of Holy Orders is the sacrament by which men are ordained as priests or deacons. It is a sacrament carried out by a bishop, who must lay his hands on the candidate. Taking holy orders is a commitment for life both to God and to the Catholic Church. Through the sacrament of holy orders, or ordination, a man vows to lead other Catholics by bringing them the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. He promises to do this by proclaiming the Gospel and by providing to Catholics other means to achieve holiness. Being ordained a deacon - a deacon may baptize, preach, and distribute Holy Communion (but not to transubstantiate it). Being ordained a priest - a priest is believed to have the power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ (transubstantiation) and to forgive sins.

 

WEDNESDAY – The 8 Beatitudes, which mark the opening of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. {Matthew 5:1-12} They can be viewed as attitudes to live by, learn from, and grow in. The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls them the heart of Jesus’ preaching.  So, the 8 beatitudes are the center of all Jesus’ teaching, and they give life to Jesus’ teaching.  – just as the heart gives life to the body. They can be seen as 8 signposts that lead us to happiness because they are what Jesus gave us to show us how to be more like himself here on earth as His follower, and to lead us to our eternal reward which is heaven when our earthly journey is over.

The 8 Beatitudes are: Blessed are;

the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, the meek for they shall inherit the earth, those that mourn for they shall be comforted, those that  hunger and thirst for justice for they shall have their fill, for the merciful for they shall obtain mercy, the pure of heart for they shall see God, the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God, those that suffer persecution for justice sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

THURSDAY – A nine-day Novena. A novena is a period of nine consecutive days of intensified prayer.  A novena may be offered in preparation for a major feast day such as Pentecost, to deepen one’s relationship with Jesus Christ, to grow in greater devotion to the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, to honor a particular saint, or to make a request for a special favor. A novena can be offered by the entire Church, within a community or by an individual.

 

FRIDAY – The 10 commandments that were given to Moses from God to teach us how to live rightly by following the commands of God that He knew would lead us closer to Himself. They are not rules that God gave us to punish us or to make life difficult, but rather to lead and guide us to a better life, a life centered on Him, serving Him, honoring Him, and reverencing Him. They help us to know how to serve God and how we should live with each other.  We can not honor God or reverence Him if we purposely seek ways to hurt others. The 10 commandments show us how to keep on the right path and divert when we see the devil try to take us down the wrong path.

The 11 faithful apostles were on the road to following the 10 commandments just as Jesus did and as He combined them with the beatitudes, he gave the apostles first and foremost the richer more real-life education so that they can teach it to those to which they were sent. After Jesus suffered, died, and rose, he offered them peace and commissioned the 11 faithful yet very much afraid and confused apostles, to go and to teach in His name so that others would come to know Him and grow in His love as they exuded it and shared it. Although Judas was one of the Apostles chosen by Jesus, he chose to go off the path of righteousness and gave into the devil’s temptation to betray Jesus. When Jesus offered peace to the apostles after His resurrection, he offered it to them knowing their heart and even in their weakness as Peter denied Him, and the others ran from Him and hid out of fear, he forgave them and believed in them that they would do His will and proclaim His message of unconditional love and mercy to all the ends of the world.

 

SATURDAY – The 12 doctrine points of the Apostles Creed. We say the Nicene Creed each week at Mass, but we do not say the Apostles Creed except during baptisms. We often say prayers or other parts of the mass out of memory, but do we know what we are saying and do we realize how what we are saying is significant in our life? The Apostles creed came first and was adopted by the early church before in the beginning of the 2nd century and is shorter than the Nicene creed. The Nicene creed was created by the council of Nicaea in 325.   The Apostle’s creed summarizes our faith and leads us to confirm what we believe so that we can live what we believe. The creed begins with “I believe” so that we can take responsibility for what we believe and recite.  Take some time today to pray the Apostle’s creed. Listen to your prayer as you profess your faith and see where you live it out in and through these words.

 

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary,
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of July 14, 2024

Last week, I wrote about Christmas in July and the 12 days of Christmas. Because I think that Christmas should be a state of mind all year long and not just one day a year, I’ve included another glimpse about Christmas. I thought that the glimpses in July on Christmas in July would be a refreshing break amid the amazing heat waves alongside the rain that this summer has brought us thus far. With my focus being on celebrating Christmas in July, my idea of celebrating is not about the parties we attend, or the dinners we partake of or the various gifts that we exchange. What I mean by celebrating is more about how we, as followers of Christ, are called to celebrate and rejoice in our calling to serve one another in the name of Christ.  When we serve in Christ’s name, we give Glory to our God and King of our hearts. When we celebrate the birth of Christ, we not only celebrate in His coming to us though Mary, but also His coming to us through baptism, the sacraments of the Church, Sacred Scripture, and each other. These are all great gifts and graces given to us by God so that we can see Him more clearly, love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly each and every day. As we strive to make Christmas a daily mindset; a mindset focused on a greater and deeper sense of faith, hope, love, peace, and joy, let us do so rejoicing and not lamenting, offering gratitude to God for all our blessings, and not complaining about our crosses or what is wrong, but focusing on what is right.

So how can we do that, consciously or unconsciously, but differently and with a smile? We celebrate with music. As we talk about Christmas in July, one of the first things that comes to my mind are the Christmas songs that we play, hear everywhere, and can hum because we don’t remember the words, or don’t want to scare people away, but can recall the melody. So here are some Christmas songs to not only hum or sing or play but also to pray with so that you can draw nearer to Christ our Savior, Redeemer, and Lord, today and every day. When we sing or hum or not, we do so with the hope of glorifying God whether our music or voice rises to the sky or sinks to the shore. 

SUNDAY: O Holy Night

Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother and in His name all oppression shall cease.

Are you a law abiding Christian or not? Would you be arrested for breaking the law of love and would your sentence be harsh, or would you receive a slap on the wrist, good advice to be taken seriously, and then put on probation? Do you try to obey the law of love given to us by God, the law that requires you to love one another as Christ loves you, or do you break the law of love by holding onto resentment, bitterness, anger, not attending worship or spending time in prayer so that you can deepen your relationship with God?  If you were asked these questions, how would you respond? If we truly strive to follow Christ, as sinners striving to become saints, then I believe that our honest answer would be a little bit of each. Sin entered the world and because of it, we find ourselves in darkness, darkness of shame, guilt, self-abasement, and yet with Christ, in our darkness we are invited to live in the light of His peace, mercy, compassion, joy, and reconciliation. The chains of sin, the chains that bind us to darkness can be broken by the grace and love of God. The law of love that can build bridges and tear down walls that separate us from one another, has the power to unite that which was divided, to offer hope and not despair, is engraved on our heart, instilled in our mind, and permeates our spirit.

Let this be a holy night for us so that when we wake from sleep, we will see clearly how God chose to renew and refresh us.

 

MONDAY: Away in a Manger

Verse 3 Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay Close by me forever, and love me, I pray; Bless all the dear children in thy tender care and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

Jesus was born in a manger, away from home, away from Mary and Joseph’s family and friends. He was born in poverty and the Holy Family trusted in the protection of God, His plan and the kindness and love of strangers.

Where is Jesus and where is the manger? Jesus is alive and well within the manger of your heart. As we have learned to adapt to a new normal and accept the changes that have occurred, we have all been challenged to accept His call to a spiritual poverty where we have had to surrender and trust in His plan for us and our loved ones, as did Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the birth of Christ, this new life that came down from heaven, that was born to us, wasn’t just of that moment, a moment to remember as part of our salvation history, or to look back on with no real connection, but to look into, into our hearts, into our spirit and recognize the gift and presence of a lifetime of love to nourish, cherish and reverence, so that we are renewed, refreshed, and revitalized each and every day. 

 

TUESDAY: Go Tell it on the Mountain

Refrain: Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere; go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

What do we want to tell on the mountain, or proclaim from the rooftop? Is it that we made it through the Pandemic the most challenging time of our life, or that we have found a new connection with close family a great gift, or that we have undergone a personal and spiritual transformation that, at first, we did not want to embrace, but now we embrace it with great strength, gratitude, and appreciation? Is it that we are grateful to be alive and have been healed of COVID or other spiritual or physical dis-eases that were in the need of healing; the dis-ease of bitterness, estrangement, anger, resentment, discouragement, or despair?

What is your “it” that you want to tell from the highest mountain, from the rooftop, or even from your valley? Remember that God knows your heart and your “it” and is waiting for you to proclaim “it” for all to hear. “It’ is your gift to share with others. Don’t leave “it” behind or forget about “it”, but rather take “it” with you, embrace “it” and love “it” for “it” has made you want to become your best self, the person that God created you to be and have the potential to become.

 

WEDNESDAY: Joy to the World

Verse 3: He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love.

Joy to the World. Joy is a gift that we can choose to accept or deny. We can choose to live in misery, discouragement, self-pity, frustration, or sadness. We can choose to avoid enjoying life and embrace those things that help us deny that there is any reason to be joyful. We can close the eyes and ears of our soul, heart, mind, and spirit to the joy to of Christmas that came not as the end but the beginning.

The joy of Christmas to the world is that Jesus came not to just be born, but rather to suffer and die so that we can live with Him forever and be born anew in heaven with our Loving God.

The joy is that Jesus is with us each moment of each and every day to help us through the times where we are not able to recognize the light of joy, or the reason to be joyful because our crosses have either dimmed or temporarily snuffed out that light. Remember that the cross is not a denial of joy but an embrace of joy. Joy for and in the love of Christ and how He chose to love you as you strive to be more like Him through your cross. I believe that we all have many reasons to be joyful….what are some of yours?

 

THURSDAY: O Come All Ye Faithful

Verse 3: Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to thee be all glory given Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O Come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

O come all ye faithful, that is you and that is me. We are invited to come and give praise to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Will you come? Where will you go, who will you go with and who will you invite to come with you? It is a new morning. It is a new day. This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us adore Him. Let us come with those who we are grateful for, those He has placed in our life that have allowed us, invited us, waited for us, and called us to be our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become, and let us come hand in hand with our enemy, that very person that we are called to forgive as God has forgiven us. Now we all His faithful are walking with another as we choose to be our best self, a faithful fallower and disciple of Jesus Christ this Christmas day in July and always. 

 

FRIDAY: Night of Silence

Verse 2: Voice in the distance, call in the night, on wind you enfold us, you speak of the light, Gentle on the ear, You whisper softly, Rumors of a dawn so embracing, Breathless love awaits darkened souls, Soon will we know of the morning.

We do know of the morning. We have opened our eyes to a new and glorious day, this day God awaits our response to His gift of light, newness, peace, joy, and the presence of loved ones. Our eyes have been closed in the darkness of night, the stress of financial and family concerns, health challenges, the death of a loved one, estrangement of family members and discouragement, but the soft whisper of God calls us to believe in the newness that awaits us with our new normal, healing, reconciliation, peace, and compassion; the newness that comes weather we choose it or not, it is God’s promise, and He never goes back on His word. His word is greater than any sin or short walk-in darkness that we may have taken. He loves us, has loved us through the shadow of darkness that our cross has caused and is loving us now through this new day. Christ endured the greatest night of darkness and rose from the tomb. Are we ready, and willing to emerge from our tomb? To let God help us carry our cross so that we can emerge from the tomb and walk in the newness of life, to seek healing so that we can become whole?

Can you identify the ways that He is loving you today? Or how He has shown His great love in the past minutes, hours, days, months, or year? Christmas in July…there’s an answer. Even if you are not able to recognize His love right now, His act of love over 2000 years ago can still be your final answer and be a correct one. No jeopardy here.

SATURDAY: Let There Be Peace on Earth

Verse 1: …..Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now. With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow: to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. Le there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Can you allow these words to permeate your very being from the top of your head to the toes on your feet? It is not a peace that we can or should postpone, but rather embrace and share right now. If your step needs to be a step towards physical, emotional or psychological healing, so that you can experience a greater peace, love, sense of compassion and the grace and gift of reconciliation, then be gentle with yourself and take one step at a time, don’t run, or leap, or even skip right now, but just walk humbly and tenderly with your God as He draws you nearer to Himself. Let each step draw you nearer to your God and be a step toward your own personal journey of healing and wholeness. Let your step of peace be an olive branch to those who have injured you or that you have injured. Let your step be into the new normal, not looking back with regret but with gratitude, not with anger that takes deep root and destroys your foundation, but rather with mercy, compassion, and love. Christmas is a state of mind. One that we should seek to focus on and not lose sight of. Remember that a journey begins with placing one foot in front of the other, not jumping, or running, but walking with God and with those whose hand

He places in yours in to walk with, talk withtalk with and grow with in peace eternally.

Glimpse of God for the week of July 7, 2024

Christmas in July….

Christmas in July. Considering all that is going on in our communities, society, and world, you might be asking how I can even think about Christmas in July. With Covid19, somewhat in the rear view mirror, I believe that as we continue to walk on the path of healing and wholeness, we will emerge as a physically, emotionally, and healthier people.  This is a reason to proclaim Joy to the World.

Since Covid 19 started over four and a half years ago, I believe that we have learned and accepted our new normal, as well as recognized that we have been profoundly affected by it. Hope springs eternal in that we are choosing to live with a sense of caution and trust, and not so much fear and anxiety. The rays of the shining star touch all of us, the weak and the strong, the rich and the poor, the ill and the healthy, the abandoned and the embraced, the child and the tween, the terminally ill and the forgotten elderly, we are God’s beloved children and are given His grace to come to know Him as our Savior and Lord, to enlighten us as to where God is in our daily life, as we carry our heavy crosses and persevere through the daily family, financial and personal stresses, to see the good that comes out of the tomb so that we can emerge from them and to see how they have changed and transformed us.

This is not a glimpse encouraging you to begin your Christmas shopping or to write out your Christmas cards, so please put the keys down, the lists away and keep the stamps and address books in the drawer. What is Christmas in July?  In our commercial and consumer world, it is where retailers have Christmas decorations and all the necessary items out for sale so that the consumer can get a jump start and shop ahead.  July is in the middle of summer where it can also be the hottest time of the year, so that when we talk about Christmas, there can be a sudden feeling of refreshment and cooling off.

But on a deeper and a more spiritual level, why is or should July be different than any other month? Why don’t we celebrate Christmas every day and not just the one day a year? On December 25th, we as Catholic Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, where God chose Mary, a young virgin to be the Mother of God and Joseph to be His foster father here on earth. Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, we know that it is the Christmas season because it is officially Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. How do you know it is Christmas? You can’t miss the various and many clues; decorations  and advertisements abound everywhere; in the malls, on houses, in stores and on televisions, Christmas cards are sent out,  Santa Claus appears everywhere either in his PJ’s or in his full red suit, people celebrate with parties, the poor, hungry and homeless are remembered through various food collections, special dinners, coat and clothes drives, the sick children are thought of in a special way, people are kinder, gifts are exchanged and children send their Christmas lists to Santa at the North pole early so that they can get everything they want.

Christmas is not just about the bright and positive, it is also about the cross of Christ experienced first by Mary and Joseph. Christmas is also a time where many people grieve the loss of their loved one and would rather cry than celebrate or smile, families are broken, wounds are renewed, lives are lost through war, homicide, suicide, and addictions and all of these lives are gifts that have been taken away, the poor are still poor, many of the homeless are still without a home, the hungry are still hungry and peace on earth is still our hope and our prayer. There is still more darkness than daylight and the weather can lead to cabin fever.

My Glimpse of God for this week is not to eliminate Christmas in July, but rather that we make the meaning of Christmas our daily mindset; a mindset focused on a greater and deeper sense of faith, hope, love, compassion, service, mercy, peace, joy, authenticity, presence, and trust.

As we begin a new week during this month of July, let us focus on some of the aspects of our faith and discipleship and seek to live it out as if it were Christmas every day.

 

SUNDAY – Spirit of Christmas

The spirit and gift of Christmas is a state of mind and one that we are blessed with every day. We are called to be a selfless, and not a selfish, people. We are all God’s beloved sons and daughters, and when we share the gift of our love and beloved-ness with others, it helps them recognize with greater clarity how unconditionally loved they are by God and others.  The Spirit of Christmas is a spirit of self-emptying love, surrender, trust, hope, and joy that permeates and penetrates our very being and dwells within our hearts if we are open to God’s Holy Spirit and His plan for us. We are and can always try to give of our self. 

If someone is grieving and needs comfort, be God’s instrument of consolation and support. If someone is ill and needs a good listener, be the ears of Christ and listen in silence. If someone is alone and in need of a visitor, be the visitor of compassion, support, and empathy. If someone has hurt you, be merciful, listen and forgive as God has forgiven you. If someone is joyful, be joyful with them and do not let your life crosses, struggles and challenges overshadow their joy. God loves a cheerful giver.

Today: If you are carrying a heavy cross, do not try to carry it alone, remember Jesus accepted help, so let others help. If you find that you are not your best self, remember that what you see is only a partial view where God sees the whole picture. That picture is one of love, compassion, healing, and wholeness, so rejoice that your better self is emerging, just move out of your way so that you can see it more clearly. If you find that you are being tough on yourself because of mistakes, weaknesses, or sins, remember that God knows what is in your heart and that you are sorry, in humility admit your wrongs and seek His mercy so that He can take action to heal, forgive and make you whole again.  

 

MONDAY – The Senses of Prayer for you today

May Jesus open your eyes so that you can see the wonderful gift of His presence in those that surround you: your family, your friends, your community, your neighbors, your coworkers and yes even the stranger.

May Jesus open your ears so that you can hear the laughter and listen to the stories of those around you and respond with the empathy, compassion, joy, mercy, and love of Jesus. May you hear and listen as you open your heart to His message. May Jesus touch your nose so that you can smell the various aromas of the foods that are being prepared for your table, the breakfast table, the fast-food table, the dinner table, the snack table. As you enjoy the aromas, may that prompt a prayer of thanksgiving for those who are preparing your meal. Remember each meal, beginning with Holy Eucharist, is a gift given by God to nurture and sustain you spiritually and physically, so that you can be a stronger witness as a Member of the Body of Christ to all. May Jesus touch your sense of taste and allow you to enjoy all that you partake of weather at the table, or on the run. Taste and see the Goodness of the Lord.

Today: May Jesus touch your mind, body, spirit, and soul with His grace. May you reach out and touch someone today that needs comfort, consolation, healing, empathy, compassion, peace, joy, love, and laughter. 

 

TUESDAY – The Greetings of Christ

When we greet each other with a smile, kind words or a friendly gesture, it is the recognition of the presence of another that spreads love, mutual respect, understanding, peace, mercy, compassion and builds up the Kingdom of God here on earth. When the Christmas season approaches, respectful of the other holidays that are also being celebrated in and around the same time, you often hear various greetings from Merry Christmas, happy holidays to Happy Hanukah. 

I believe that these greeting are one’s attempt to be respectful of the many religious holidays and to acknowledge a person’s celebration. 
Why wait till the season to greet others? Normally a smile, handshake or a simple hello are ways to acknowledge another’s presence without causing any political or religious debate or offense. 

How do we greet others as Christ’s followers as builders of the Kingdom here on earth? We encourage each other, support each other, and call each other to be their best self despite what contradicts that goal.

Christ did not preach just at Passover. He did not perform miracles just at parties, He glorified the Father all the time without fear or hesitation. We are asked to do the same.  Sometimes it is easier to give praise and thanks to God when things are going well, but when things are difficult, it is a special gift and grace form God to be able to offer Him thanks and praise.  

Today: When you want to greet another but hesitate because of fear or the uncertainty of their response, offer a nod and say a prayer for them.  When Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to the disciples, the first words from His mouth were Peace Be with You!! Let these words echo in your heart as He speaks them to you, and as He wishes them for all His children through you. 

 

WEDNESDAY – The Presence/Presents of Christmas

Christ comes to us and gives us the greatest gift that we could ever ask for or imagine receiving, the gift of His real presence in the Holy Eucharist, and His healing presence in the Sacraments of the Reconciliation and Anointing. His gift of Self to us was a selfless, unconditional self-emptying gift that we could never earn or deserve. Knowing that, He came to earth as an infant through the virgin Mary, suffered His passion, died on the cross and rose from the dead, to show us, not only how unconditionally loved we are, but that there is no sin that could ever diminish or take that love from us. Do we believe that, and can we live in and with faith that empowers us to rise above our weakness and trust in His mercy?

We are the Body of Christ, and we are called to be the Body of Christ to others. Being present to others and giving of our self is not always easy, but like Mary and Joseph, if we trust in God and follow the star of His grace that guides us, we know that He will always protect us, guide us, and lead us to those who need to experience His gifts of love, mercy, and peace through us. There are so many ways that Christ is calling us to be His beacon of light, love, and compassion, we just need to listen, look, and respond the best way we can.

Today: Merry Christmas today. Enjoy the presence and gift of Jesus in those that surround you. Keep the spirit and meaning Christmas alive by your words, deeds, attitudes, and prayers and do not give the secular world the credit for your witness and love for God through Jesus.

The gift of Jesus is in all those that surround you. If the eyes of your heart , spirit and mind are open, you will see so many gifts from Jesus, gifts like; the smile of a friend, the words of consolation, the long awaited embrace after covid, the joy in being able to see another’s facial expressions, the jokes that raise our laughter level, the person in line ahead of us that invites us to go ahead of them because they have more, the person who defers to you in traffic, the child that embrace you after a hard day at work, and the opportunity to gather with others. 

THURSDAY – The peace of Christmas

We hear this song throughout the season but not much during the rest of the year. If we prayed for peace more often, but more importantly, if we believed that we are instrumental in bringing about peace in our home, community, church and world, peace would abound in ways that we cannot even imagine. Peace is like the ripple in the ocean, one little prayer, selfless action, random act of kindness, can bring about peace so that it ripples and grows further out from us to those who need it most.

If you are like me, once a little song enters my mind, it stays, so with that, pray these words, sing these words, post them, but always remember YOU are God’s instrument of His Peace here on earth.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth the peace that was meant to be. With God as our Father and family all are we, let us walk with each other, in perfect harmony. Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now, with every step I take, let this be my solemn vow: to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

 

HOW???? Let us listen to the Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord make me an instrument of your peace, where there is hatred, let me sow love, injury…. pardon. doubt…faith, despair….hope, darkness…light, sadness…joy, Oh Divine Master, grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

 

FRIDAY- Serve in the name of the Lord.

As the festive season approaches, we often and always hear of the many organizations and ministries that reach out to the military, the poor, the homeless, the addicted, the sick children and the homebound.  We as a community, neighborhood, city, town, state, and country, amazingly and generously respond to the needs of those less fortunate and need help. When the season is over, the requests for these same people are silent or muted.  We do not hear as much about them.  Yet their situation has not changed, and they still need help. Wouldn’t it be nice if we reached out in the same way all year?

If we truly desire to embrace the spirit of Christmas each and every day, then we are accepting God’s invitation to help others, give of our self instead of being selfish and seek to raise up those who are bowed down because of their crosses. Let us remember that those who were homeless are still homeless, the poor are still among us, the addicted are still suffering and the unemployed are still seeking employment to feed and support their families, there is never a time to stop being or seeing Christ in others who are carrying heavy and burdensome crosses.

Today: If there was a group that you were generous towards for Christmas think about them and pray for them.  With your Christmas heart, reach out to them in whatever way you feel called. You do not need to give them a gift but remember them in a prayerful way throughout the day, the week, the month, and the year. 

 

SATURDAY – Joy to the World

The angel announced with great joy that the Savior was born. As you move through another weekend, another part of the hot, humid, and rainy summer season, find your joy and share it with others.  Is your joy in Christ? Proclaim it by your smile and your love. Is your joy in that you recognize that you are His beloved, as well as those you love? Look in the mirror and say thank you. Pray for your mom who accepted the seed of faith of your presence, and where God formed you in her womb and gave you your name. Pray for your dad who loved you the nine months you remained hidden and loved you to the new physical life that you took on. Is your joy in your vocation: married, single, cleric, religious? God has called you and you have generously responded to His call to be His witness and Kingdom builder to those entrusted to your care, love, and concern. If married to your spouse, children, extended family, and grandchildren. If a religious; to your community, your past and present students, your employees, your elderly religious sisters, your caretakers, your family, your nieces, and nephews. If single; to your friends, family, extended family, and community.

Is your joy in your accomplishments? God has given you the talents and gifts that have allowed you to become accomplished, but your identity does not lie in what you do, but rather in who you are:

His beloved child loved unconditionally and without measure. Look at what you think means a lot: your degree, your job, your successes and seek to see the hand of God and His Holy Spirit in your life.

Today: Seek to recognize in all of those that you have touched, and have touched you, how they have been a source of joy to you and for you. They, as well as you, are a joy to the world and in the world. Our world needs more joy. Can you spread the joy by speaking of those who have given you joy in the past, or give you joy in the present? God is waiting to hear from you. The angels proclaimed it from the roof top, how will you proclaim it?  From your knees, from your lips, in your greeting, in a nod?

 

 

 

Happy first official Sunday of Summer

Below you will see the Glimpse of God for both this week and next week. I am having surgery tomorrow at Fox Chase and I don't know exactly how I will be feeling, so I am providing two weeks of Glimpses for you.

I hope that you find them helpful. Have a safe and happy July 4th.

 

Glimpse of God for the week of June 23, 2024

“receive”

This week’s Glimpse of God comes from the word “receive” and how Jesus’ love and His Good News of reconciliation, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, peace, joy, and hope, are received by His listeners both then and now. How His actions of healing, restoration and raising from the dead, His words of being “Blessed” as spoken on the Sermon on the Mount, the many parables that He told, the disciples understanding of all of Jesus’ words, actions, and silence, and how we receive them today.

What does it mean to receive something? How do we respond when we receive something? I would imagine that it all depends on what we receive to how we will respond to it. When someone gives us a gift, we usually receive it with gratitude, and when we are given a raise at work, we usually receive it with joy, yet when we receive a poor evaluation or are given a negative review we tend not to respond positively, but with feelings of hurt or anger.

Now how does the word “receive” represent a Glimpse of God? Let me explain….

When we attend Mass, we receive many gifts from God. The first is when we listen to His Holy Word as proclaimed in Scripture, we receive His words that can speak to our heart, and how we respond to them is up to us. We can have an open mind and heart where the words take root as we seek His direction on how He wants us to build up His Kingdom here on earth, or it falls on rocky ground because our hearts and our mind is closed to the revelations of God as He chooses to reveal Himself. The seed scatters and cannot take root where it can be nurtured.

When we receive the Holy Eucharist, we are receiving the real presence of God, the Body and Blood of Jesus Himself. When we receive the Holy Eucharist, we are then commissioned to be the Body of Christ in all that we say and do, by our actions, through our life choices and in our attitudes, our words, and our prayers.  As members of the Body of Christ we have a responsibility to live as connected members and not disjointed, as people that realize that we need Christ to sustain us on this earthly journey so that we can attain our goal of reaching heaven when our earthly journey has ended. We need the Holy Eucharist, the Body of Christ; the bread of life, to nourish and sustain our body, mind, soul, and spirit. We need the Blood of Christ to quench the thirsts that arise when our life struggles leave us parched, and we suffer from burnout and need to seek refreshment in the Lord alone.

When we are connected to community, we are not connected to find faults with others but to build them up. We are all sinners striving to become saints and how we receive, welcome, and embrace others as members of the Body of Christ will show them how we truly received the good news of Jesus Christ. Do we use the good news as a tool to build others up through our support, encouragement, forgiveness, compassion, and mercy? Or as a weapon to tear down because we believe God has appointed us as His judge here on earth, so therefor we pass judgement on others, we seek revenge because we have been injured, we justify our anger and jealousy, and we do not feel that we need to try to understand or show empathy towards others.

The same message of love is listened to by all yet how we receive it is different. What makes Catholic Christians stronger receivers of the Word is that we have the Holy Eucharist and the other Sacraments of the church that we can receive when we are in most need.

The graces that we receive when we partake of the sacraments are innumerable and beyond the understanding in the mind of humans. God is very generous and is always waiting to shower His blessings and graces upon us.

Yet as we participate in the sacraments, we can behold the rite or ritual and the actions that are shown, but we cannot behold the graces that are received because they are not tangible or visible. The graces received and the effect of God’s grace can only be recognized through the eyes of faith, the spirit of trust, and the openness of both heart and mind. The good thing about being on the receivers end with God is that we do not have to be perfect, just humble enough to admit that we are not, we do not earn or pay for His grace, we just need to recognize that as sinners, He died for us once for all and therefor our debt was already paid.

We only need to be open to His grace and allow it to work in our lives so that we can become our best self, the person that he created us to be and have the potential to become.

So, as we walk through this coming week, in anticipation of Independence Day  next week, where we received our freedom as a nation, let us be most mindful of what we receive and if it comes in the form of items, gifts, compliments, criticism, forgiveness, love, grace or silence, that God is with you as you open your hands, heart and mind to receive all of these. What they can call you to is what He wants to give you, an opportunity for personal transformation and growing deeper in love with Him and yourself.

 

SUNDAY – “R” replenishment

How do you need to be replenished? What is lacking or near empty in your life? Is it your ability to be understanding or compassionate? Are you angry or suffering from an injury that you need to be healed of? Is your heart broken over a failed relationship, the death of a loved one, the separation that has come because of distance of your adult children in college, or in the military? The memory of someone near and dear to you? Can you allow God to refill your heart with His grace so that you can forgive, mourn with hope, and love yourself with a greater love, the love that God has for you and wants to fill you with? Can you receive these graces with open hands? These gifts that will renew both your mind and heart, can you receive them with love and humility, peace, and joy?

For today, ask God to replenish you and free you from anything that is depleting your energy and not allowing you to be your best self, the person that God created you to be, and you have the potential to become. 

MONDAY – “E” encouragement

Can you encouraged to keep going and not get discouraged or disheartened? Are you encouraged by the people around you, your family, and friends, loved ones, your coworkers your community? What does encouragement mean to you? Can you receive encouraging words from another and humbly express your gratitude? Can you receive the words from God that lift you up and inspire you to raise others up?

For today, seek to encourage someone that is down and needs to be raised up.  Encouragement is often about raising others up even when you do not feel like it. When we reach out of our self and seek to raise up another, we too are then being raised up over our discouragement to be more encouraged and stronger than we thought we could be. Encourage another to be their best self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become because God loves them unconditionally, beyond words or measure.

TUESDAY – “C’ compassion

What does compassion or being compassionate mean to you? Being compassionate means being merciful, kind, caring, kindhearted, loving, sympathetic and empathetic towards others. Being compassionate means loving oneself so that one can share your compassion with others.  It means using the graces that you have received from God, so that you can share them as God reveals the how, when and who. Do you feel that you are not a compassionate person? Is it because of an injury or a hurt that you cannot get over or forgive?

Do you feel that you cannot be compassionate towards another especially one that hurt you? As God has forgiven you and continues to show His compassion toward you are you not strong enough to also do the same.

For today, ask God to show you how you are a compassionate person, but to also free you from anything that is causing you to be and act cold towards others and thus not allowing you to be your best self, the person that God created you to be, and you have the potential to become. 

WEDNESDAY – “E’ embrace

God waits to embrace you. You just need to invite Him in and allow Him to embrace you tight so that you can feel His strength and receive His grace so that you can continue to go forward and build His Kingdom here on earth. He loves you unconditionally and there is nothing that you can do or say that will make Him love you less. So, what does God embracing you look like? It could mean a moment or moments of serene peace that envelopes you. It could mean a sense of strength and courage that you feel empowered by. It may mean a feeling of love and joy that only God could have planted in your heart. God embraces you every time that you receive Him in the Holy Eucharist, it is like a spiritual hug given to you by God and no one else can see this loving embrace but you feel it. You are changed, blessed, and now charged to continue to be His Kingdom builder here on earth.

For today, thank God for His loving embrace, and ask Him to free you from anything that is causing you to reject His embrace and not allowing you to be your best self, the person that God created you to be, and you have the potential to become. 

THURSDAY – “I” inspiration

Who or what inspires you? Do you think that you inspire others? Where does inspiration come from? As you walk through your day today, seek to reflect on what comes forth from you and how those thoughts or actions help others and cause them to be lifted and raised up.  Your inspiration, your creativity, your insight allows others to see themselves, their crosses, their joys, their struggles, their celebrations, their world, their God in a different way, you are a glimpse of God as He chooses to reveal himself though you.

For today, ask God to continue to inspire you so that you can share your inspirations with others, and free you of the weariness that is not allowing you to be your best self, the person that God created you to be, and you have the potential to become.

FRIDAY – “V” value

You are held with great esteem before God. God does not put a price tag on you or a discount tag on you, or a no return ticket on you. He died for all sinners of which you and I are included. God knows your heart better than you do and He knows that you do not want to turn away from Him. You are His greatest creation and His beloved child; He loves you unconditionally and there is no sin that will make Him love you less or cause Him not to what to be in relationship with you.

His love cannot be measured or expressed in words, only in action and that action was His death on the cross. He proved that on the cross. Were you there? Did you never hear those words that came forth from His mouth: Father forgive them for they know not what they do? The “them” was those then, those of us now and those who will follow. He values you and loves you and He wants you to love yourself as He loves you. You are a beautiful creation that enhances the Kingdom of God here on earth.

For today, ask God to show help you to recognize how much He values you and to take way those things or thoughts that make you feel less than a beautiful creation, and not allowing you to be your best self, the person that God created you to be, and you have the potential to become.

SATURDAY – “E” enjoyment

This upcoming Thursday we will celebrate July 4th, a middle of the week celebration. As we prepare and make plans as to how we will celebrate July 4th, let us reflect on the many freedoms we are able to enjoy and celebrate. With that I would propose the question; why wait till July 4th to recognize how free we really are and begin to enjoy those freedoms every day, not just once a year. The freedom as a nation, the freedom of being able to see our loved ones and being able to embrace them safely, and the freedom of religion that allows us to celebrate the many graces of freedom that God has bestowed on us. We are free to practice our religion, to give our will over to God and invite God into our heart, mind, soul, and spirit, we are free to live our lives as followers of Jesus Christ, we are free to forgive and be forgiven, we are free to be our self and not what others want us to be, we are free to forgive others or hold on to a grudge, and we are free to love our self as God’s beloved child, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation. Or we can conform to what others ask, expect, or control us to believe and not choose Christ who is the way, the truth and the life, our true freedom lies in Jesus who once and for all gave of His life so that we can be free. The question is do you believe that He suffered and died for you or just everyone else?  For today, ask God to free you from anything that is depriving you from enjoying life as He has set it before you, and not allowing you to be your best self, the person that God created you to be, and you have the potential to become.

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of June 30, 2024

“Spiritual Freedom”

How great a blessing it is that we are able to celebrate our religious freedom and our nations independence on Thursday.

As Catholic Christians, we can begin this day by gathering at the table of the Lord, where we celebrate our first freedom as children of God. As we listen to the proclamation of Sacred Scripture, we hear how God reveals to His people how they can become a free people.

What is our freedom in relationship to our faith? It is not just about being given the right to practice our religion freely without the fear of persecution but is more about us freely choosing to practice our religion and worship our God. It is about freely choosing to worship our God, not out of fear or guilt, but out of love, respect, and reverence. It is through the proclamation of the Sacred Scripture, the living and inspired word of God, that we hear God speak to our heart where He invites us to grow in a deeper relationship with Him. As God reveals Himself through Sacred Scripture, how we freely choose to respond will make us either a freer people or a people bound up in our guilt, ego, and sinfulness. As we listen to the inspired word of God, through His Holy Spirit, we are given the grace and wisdom to make good choices. It is through our good choices that we can avoid sin, but when we do sin, we then can choose to seek the mercy and healing power of God. God created us and instilled in us our free will. It is through that free will we can choose to be obedient or disobedient to God and His will and plan for us. This is not a task that we are given without help. Sacred Scripture, the Sacraments of the church, Worship, and community, are there to assist us our journey of personal and spiritual transformation, conversion and self-discovery.

As Mass continues and we celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we are then given the Body and Blood of Jesus. Jesus our redeemer, who suffered and died for us, who set us free from eternal damnation and opened the doors for us to eternal life. Jesus set us free and invites us to stay a free people. Our freedom is celebrated each time we receive the Sacraments especially Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. In the sacrament of reconciliation, through confession, absolution, and penance we are set free from our sin. In the Eucharist, and all throughout Mass, we are given the opportunity to reflect on and repent of any wrongdoing and weakness, that does not require going to the sacrament of reconciliation and receive God’s mercy and forgiveness. Our spiritual freedom does not mean that we will be free from sin, we are human, but what it can mean is that when we do sin, we recognize our sinfulness and repent, and choose not to fall into self-righteousness, despair, discouragement, or hopelessness. When we can recognize how we have fallen short of God’s desire for us becoming our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become, we are free. That freedom is choosing to see how we have fallen short but with hope in reconciliation and not despair, with courage to go forward and not turn back, emerging as victorious and not victims. Our spiritual freedom is when we choose not to be bound up in Satan’s deceptions.

God is the God all of His beloved sons and daughters. We as Catholics can begin each day by attending daily Mass. But for all of us, God’s beloved sons and daughters, the religious freedom that we can enjoy is when we choose to be in relationship with God as our heavenly creator, His only Son as our redeemer and Savior, and the Holy Spirit as our inspiration and guide to fulfilling the Father’s will so that we can all become our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become.

This week, let us reflect on what freedom means to us, what is keeping us from being spiritually, physically, or emotionally free, and seek God’s grace to let go so that we can celebrate our freedom in the light of God’s love in and through Christ, with His Holy Spirit. 

SUNDAY – “F” faith vs fear

Having faith is one of the biggest tools in becoming and remaining a free person. With faith, not a perfect faith, but a greater desire to believe in the God who promised to always be with us, that He would never abandon us, that we will never be overcome, and that we never have reason to be afraid. If we believe that then we have chosen to meet our fear face to face and in trust that we will not be defeated. Remember that fear is the devil’s tool to take you away from God by having you believe that there is something that you cannot overcome, that you will be defeated by it, and that you have been abandoned by God.

As you celebrate your spiritual freedom, are there areas in your life that you would like to have greater faith so that your fear will dissipate, and you will experience a newfound independence?

MONDAY – “R” reconciled vs regret

When we want to and choose to be free, we are choosing to let go of that which is constraining or binding us to our past choices, weaknesses, sins, and injuries. When we choose to be reconciled to God and others by admitting our mistakes and sins, it is in that reconciliation we are renewed in God’s grace, mercy, and compassion. Being a new creation, we are then able to go forward in that same mercy and compassion that has been shown to us and extend it to others. We then can choose not to look back and hold on to anger, grudges, resentment, and vengeance. It is when we choose not to be reconciled, it is then that we can have regrets. We regret that we have isolated ourselves from others because of injuries that have been inflicted on us or by us, regrets that we are angry about, and it is surging within us and making us more miserable, that our past choices and our need to be in control is controlling us and making us feel defeated, discouraged and despairing. Regrets can be eliminated by one act of reconciliation with God, who then gives us the strength and courage to seek reconciliation with others.

As you celebrate your spiritual freedom, are there areas in your life where you would like to seek reconciliation with God and others; over a past sin, injury, grudge, so that you can experience a greater sense and reality of true autonomy, healing, and wholeness?

TUESDAY – “E” embrace vs exclude 

As we choose, with the grace of God, to recognize that which is binding us, we can then choose to embrace it or exclude it. What I mean by that is when God invites us to grow in our faith, we are being invited to see ourselves as God sees us; His beloved child who is loved unconditionally, His greatest creation, and that there is nothing that we can say or do that will make Him love us less, He cannot, His love is perfect. It is in those truths that we need to see both the weak and the strong sides of our humanity. If we fail to recognize our sinfulness, our weakness, or our bad choices, but justify them or deny them all together, then we cannot undergo personal or spiritual transformation.

God knows our hearts better than we do so He knows our choices and the reasons behind them, and He is ready and willing to forgive us. I believe that we are all sinners striving to become saints and, in our desire, we fall short and give in to the devil’s temptations.

SO, when we acknowledge our choices or sins in the light of God’s love for us, their power to diminish our belief in God’s love for us as His beloved child is defeated, and we come out living more to our potential to be our best self.

As you celebrate your spiritual freedom, are there areas in your life where you would like to acknowledge or embrace instead of denying or excluding, so that you can undergo a greater spiritual and personal transformation?

WEDNESDAY – “E” entrust vs endanger

As we seek our spiritual freedom so that we can undergo a greater spiritual and personal transformation, we sometimes put it at risk by not commending or entrusting our will to God. We seek to be in control, we try to fix our problems, we attempt to heal our brokenness and fail to see His presence and His love within us. We endanger our spiritual freedom because we seek to stay bound in control, self-righteousness, fear, ignorance, or self-reliance. Yet we are never out of God’s loving sight, or out of His desire to forgive and extend His mercy and compassion. Entrusting God means surrendering your fears, your will, and your control.  This might be scary, but not impossible.

As a sinner who is seeking to become a saint, a co-builder of God’s Kingdom here on earth, and a beloved child of God, I do not believe that you mean to or want to endanger your spiritual freedom, it sometimes just gets lost in the stresses and crosses of daily life.

So, as you celebrate your spiritual freedom, can you surrender those areas that are calling you away from God and risking the spiritual freedom that God has given you?

THURSDAY – “D” delight vs discourage Have a safe and happy July 4th

God delights in you and adores you. You are His beloved child, loved unconditionally, and His greatest creation. He called you by name when He created you. You are one of a kind, there will never be another you. You are unique and special, you are YOU. You are a sinner striving to become a saint, a builder of His Kingdom here on earth, an instrument to bring others to know, love and serve Him better in this life so that we can all experience His presence in the life to come. Do you believe that, or does that discourage you? Does your sinfulness or weakness discourage you to the point that you cannot believe that God loves you unconditionally? That He delights in you? that you are loved beyond measure? and that Jesus died for you and not just everyone else? When we delight in someone or something we experience a great joy, happiness, and peace. God wants you to believe in His love for you so that you can experience His joy, happiness, and peace.

As you celebrate your spiritual freedom, where or what keeps you from believing that God delights in you, and can you pray for the grace to let go so that you can find delight in yourself?

FRIDAY – “O” open vs obstructed

As we seek our spiritual freedom, we can choose to be open to it and all that it stands for, or we can put obstacles or obstructions in its way so that we cannot experience the freedom we are being invited to receive. Sometimes the idea of being free, forgiven, reconciled, healed or whole can be scary, we do not know how to respond to or live with this new freedom.

For instance, being healed means recognizing where we are broken, see the cause of our brokenness in the light of God’s love, allowing God to fix the brokenness because we cannot so that we can then become a new and whole creation. 

 

Healing occurs when in the past where we have given control over to anger, bitterness, resentment because of our injuries, we now allow love, compassion, empathy, compassion and understanding to permeate our being instead. Being forgiven means that we have to admit that we have caused another harm and that we were wrong and sometimes our ego gets in the way and we justify our actions instead. I believe that the two phrases that are hardest for humanity to speak are “I am sorry” and “I forgive you”. When we say that “I am sorry” we are admitting that we have caused another harm, intentionally or not, we see that we have hurt them, and we feel remorse.

When we say that “I forgive you” we are given the grace to recognize the remorse in another who has caused us harm and we extend God’s mercy to them as He has so often extended it to us. When we are open, God’s grace overflows within us to without us. But when we put obstructions in the way because we would rather stew in our anger, shame, guilt, bitterness, vengeance, or grudge, then God’s grace is left waiting at the door of our mind, heart, spirit, and soul, and we need to open the door for it to make its way in. There is no obstacle or obstruction that cannot be removed and overcome with faith and trust in God, no matter how small we think it is, God can work miracles.

As you celebrate your spiritual freedom, are there areas in your life where you would like to be more open to God’s grace so that you can overcome the obstacles or obstructions that are keeping you from opening the door of your mind, heart, spirit and soul to His love, mercy, and compassion?

SATURDAY – “M” mercy vs memory

God’s mercy is greater than we can ever imagine or put into words. He doesn’t remember our past sins, but rather our present desire to repent, conform to His will and seek personal and spiritual conversion, and transformation. Yet when we sin or are injured, we often do not want to forget, but choose to dwell on the injury or sin. We continue to allow the shame, guilt, anger, and grudge to fester and take root so that the love, mercy, and compassion of God cannot make it’s dwelling within our heart, mind, spirit, or soul. Our memory serves us well when we choose to remember the good times, the great people of the past and present that have touched our life, and the events and celebrations that have brought us great joy. Our memory also serves as a tool or instrument that reminds of the painful events or injuries that have also formed us and make us who we are today. God is not expecting us to forget those aspects of our formation, but rather what He is inviting us to do is to not allow our memory of the painful experiences to control us, make us feel like a victim and cause us to despair. But rather to remind us of His healing power that will make us a victorious, hopeful, and a resurrection people. As we seek God’s mercy, we are called to share that mercy with those who are in most need. With those who have injured us, or us for us, who have injured another. When we can share that mercy, then the pain and the effect of the memory will fade and grow farther away in the rearview mirror, and we will steer straight ahead to healing and wholeness that God desires for us.

As you celebrate your spiritual freedom, are there areas in your life where you would like your memory of past hurts or injuries lead into seeking God’s mercy so that you can offer it to those in your life who are most in need?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of June 9, 2024

Flea markets, yard, and garage sales

 

This week’s glimpse comes as I reflect on what it means when we participate in or sponsor a flea market, yard or garage sale. Our parish held its annual flea market last week. I believe that it was very successful . The weather was perfect, and there was a constant flow of folks throughout the day as they came to see what treasures they could find. As I walked around and engaged folks in conversation, I noticed various expressions on their faces. There were expressions of hope as people searched for a new treasure that they could call their own, expressions of determination as they were in search of a specific item, to expressions of surprise as they found something new that brought them a feeling of joy. There were those who were excited to get out on such a beautiful spring and those who came to support the parish because of the positive and good experiences of the flea market that they had in the past.

So back to this glimpse. How can or does a flea market, a garage or yard sale become a glimpse of God? Where is God in the midst of items being sold for so little, where bargains are sought and where the least amount of money can bring a great amount of happiness? Is it possible that one person’s old stuff be another one’s treasure? When we attend or sponsor any of these events, there are usually things that we want to get rid of because they may have lost their sentimental value, we are downsizing or moving, we are decluttering, we need some instant cash, or we hope that we do not leave empty handed but rather we leave with a treasure or two. No matter what the reason, when one either sponsors or attends these types of events, there is an expectation that they come with and there is either a desire, need or purpose that prompts their expectation into a reality.

And where do we find God? With the fleas, in the garage, on the yard? If we are looking for God at these various events, are we hoping to find Him in someone else’s treasure, or our own? Are we looking to see Him in the eyes of others as they scope our treasures, the treasure of others and in their joy of finding something? Do we see God or hear Him as we barter for a bargain? Is He there when people just look over, make comments on, yet do not purchase a gift or treasure? Is God a part of the giving away or selling of our treasure? Do we see God in the treasure that we have lost joy in possessing? Do we think that God is disappointed when we no longer hold onto our treasure, but prefer to just get rid of it for whatever reason?  Is God listening to our heart when we seek to sell something because it brings about painful memories? Or when we purchase something because we experienced an unexpected moment of joyful reminiscence?

God is in all of these moments, whether they be to sell or buy, to barter or to give away, to declutter or to just get rid of, to show we have let go or that we are still holding on.  

God is there and as I try to show what the spirituality of a flea market, yard or garage sale can look like, I hope that as you either attend or sponsor one of these events in the future, you are able to see God more clearly in the items and people that you encounter.

As you walk through this week, take a moment to reflect on how God is being made present to you. As you reflect on the various reasons for selling a personal treasure, or purchasing someone else’s treasure, try to recognize God in the discernment and decision-making process.

 

 

SUNDAY – Decluttering

What does it mean to de-clutter? What is clutter and why would one need to de-clutter? Spiritual clutter can be those life experiences, life’s messiness that we have gathered, stored, and can’t seem to get through, over or around.  Life’s experiences that take up our energy, mind space, heart, and soul where we can’t fit God in. Life’s clutter can come in the form of resentment, anger, loathe, bitterness, and revenge. When we put up items for sale because we are trying to de-clutter, we usually realize that they have taken up some valuable space and we need the space more than we need or want the item. So when it comes to spiritual de-cluttering, what is God calling you to get rid of so that you can open up the space of your mind, heart, spirit and soul, and God can fill it with His grace and blessing? Is it resentment, jealousy, anger, bitterness, hatred, gossip, shame, guilt, where we choose not to forgive, where we choose to hold onto these and justify our reasons, where we choose to think that we are in control, where we choose to believe that God doesn’t love us or this or that would not have happened, where we choose to believe that we can’t be healed, we can’t be forgiven, we can’t be made whole after what we have done or failed to do? The good news is that God is in the midst of your clutter and your desire to de-clutter, you just have to surrender to Him and trust that what He decides needs to go is in your best interest so that you can become your best self, the person that He created you to be and knows that you have the potential to become. Material possessions can possess us just like emotional negativity.

A treasure from God: “There is an appointed time for everything, a time to seek and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away.” Ecclesiastes 3: 6

 

MONDAY – Downsizing

There are those times that we need to look at where we live, the size of our house and decide if it is just too much house and we need to move into something a little smaller. This decision can come from  a practical viewpoint like we raised our children in this house, but now they have moved out and we do not need five bedrooms for just two of us, or because of health issues that now require that we do not climb stairs, or financial issues, where the rent or mortgage is now too much for us financially and we need to go to what we can better afford. Whatever is the scenario, we need to look at the gathered stuff and decide what we can take with us, or what we need to let go of, sell, or give away. We would like to keep all those items that have meaning, but then we wouldn’t truthfully be downsizing, but rather just re-placing.

So, what does spiritual downsizing look like and when would one spiritually downsize?  I think that spiritual downsizing begins when we seek to let go of all the spiritual fluff. And what is spiritual fluff, you ask? I think that spiritual fluff are those tasks, things, prayers, actions, that have occupied our life and have allowed us to not turn to God in our need, or to deepen our relationship with Him, because we were too busy and always focused on others’ needs.

Where we used, not intentionally misused, our acts of charity so that we can be in control of those less fortunate, our volunteering so that we can be the center of attention, our leadership role so that we can tell others what needs to be done, when and how to do it.

As we have done these things, we have not truly and honestly spoken to God, prayed to Him, sought to develop our relationship with Him, because we were too busy doing what we call “HIS WORK”. God knows our heart better than we do and He knows our intentions.

He is not going to interfere with our decisions because He knows that what we are running from or trying so hard to avoid, we will eventually come face to face with, and He will be there when it does. When we decide that it is time to nurture our spiritual life by prayer, reading Sacred Scripture and being still so that we can hear the gentle whisper of God speak to our heart, then we have begun the act of spiritual downsizing.

A treasure from God: John the Baptist: He must increase while I must decrease.

 

TUESDAY – Moving

I believe that we all have had to move at some point in our life. As children or adults, we know what it is like to go from one house to another, from one groups of friends to another, from one community to another, and it isn’t always fun. Moving requires packing everything, from our personal items, like clothes to dishes, furniture and…. And what do we do with the items that we do not want to take to the next destination? We sell, give away, donate or if a flea market is coming up, we set up a table or just donate the items and we hold a yard or garage sale in the hope of gaining a few extra dollars. And when we pack the items that we are not taking with us, we put a relatively cheap price on them because the goal is not to have to pack them or find a home for them. Moving can be an adventure because the excitement of going to a new location can be a positive experience that can also diminish any negative ones.

So what can a spiritual move look like?  What are we moving to? From? Spiritual moving can be when we go from our childhood faith to an adult faith. A faith that doesn’t take God as a fire and brimstone God ready to abandon us when we sin.  We move from a childhood faith that trusts without question to a faith that questions so that we can gain a deeper trust. We move from an image of a fire and brimstone God to a compassionate, merciful God. We move an image of God who is only “up there” to knowing that our God is within us, about us, and surrounds us. Our spiritual move can be an uplifting but challenging, risky but worth it, life transforming move. Are you ready to move so that you can experience your God in a new and transforming way?

A treasure from God: Move out of your own way so that I can move in and take refuge in your heart.

 

WEDNESDAY - Holding on to

As with any house, the rooms can hold both positive and negative memories, The kitchen can hold a host of positive ones in that the memory of your parent cooking a good meal, the aromas that filled the house and the time spent with family as one broke bread, can bring a tearful, but joyful smile. There can be rooms where abuse happened, anger was displayed, people were hurt, and we can’t seem to forget or let them go. We can also hold onto positive memories from our heart that we want to take with us. Spiritual holding on to takes shape when we are not able to forgive because we want to hold onto the anger as we justify it. Or when we sin, and we want to hold on to the shame, guilt, and self-loathing because we feel unloved and unlovable. We don’t believe that God can love us as we are.

A treasure from God: There is no sin or choice that can make me love you less, my love is perfect.

 

THURSDAY – Letting go of

Letting go of what? And where do we want it to go? Letting go is not an easy task, it takes courage, wisdom, trust, and hope in that as we look at what has harmed us, hurt us in some way, we can now see and say that we are healing from it and hope that as the healing continues, we become more of a wounded healer, a better person and not a bitter person.

Yet there are also experiences that we hold on to, and store in our heart, mind, and spirit and they affect us in a negative way. Let us pack the negative experiences, conversations, events that we experienced in our spiritual home, the home of our heart, and put them in a box so that we can let them go and throw them away. Not taking them with us but throwing them away shows that we have experienced healing and now can let go. Letting go indicates that we have looked at them face on, we see them for what they are, and have, through the grace of God, been able to seek and experience healing of mind, soul, heart, and body.

A treasure from God: Let go, let God.

 

FRIDAY – Bargaining

This is for you. What are you bargaining for with God? More life on this earth, healing, financial ease, or reconciliation with an estranged family on your terms? If you are negotiating with God for something, whatever that might be, are you willing to accept the final answer? You are God’s special creation, loved unconditionally and one of a kind. You are a temple of the Holy Spirit. You are God’s beloved child, loved unconditionally and there is nothing that you can say or do that can or will make Him love you less. You can bargain with God and He understands why. In all that you are and mean to Him, if He answers your prayer as you want, you will only continue to bargain, whereas if you accept his answer on his terms, I believe that you will end up the winner with the greatest treasure; that of a deeper, more personal relationship with your God, a greater sense of self, better relationship with others, and a sense of freedom and healing that only He can provide.

A treasure from God: My Father’s house is a house of prayer, you have made it a…..

 

SATURDAY – Valueless

When we donate items to a flea market, garage or yard sale that seem valueless, the question that I have is did it at one time have value? due to how you acquired it; was it a gift, an intended purchase, or a surprising, good find?  There are certain items that at one point in our life seemed to hold value be it personal, emotional or spiritual and now seems more insignificant than significant. When it comes to our faith life, do we hold prayer as the valuable gift that it is, or do we turn to it just when we need something or when we feel desperate? Do we see prayer as a time to speak to God and listen to Him speak to us or do we use it as a tool to scream at God when things do not go our way, when we do not get what we want or prayed for? If we were to put up our prayers for sale at a flea market, yard, or garage sale, would we ask a lot for them because we value them, and realize how blessed we are by how they have helped us to grow in our relationship to God or would we just about give them away because we don’t feel that they were heard or answered?

A treasure from God: “Do not fear, you are worth more than many sparrows” Matthew 10: 31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of June 2, 2024

Summer

As we unofficially enter the season of  summer, let us take the time to reflect on what summer can be for us as we seek spiritual growth, a rejuvenation within our body, soul and heart and spirit, and personal transformation. Let us take the longer days with more light, the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the waters be it in an ocean or backyard pool, the gentle breeze and the cool rains. Let it be a season that you find enjoyable, not complaining about the heat, but reflecting on the warmth of God’s love for you, no complaining about the bugs that creep around, hover over and bite, but seek God’s grace and patience with those who bug you by their words, actions and attitude, not complaining about the crowds around your favorite summer resort, but being thankful that people are getting out, enjoying God’s creation and having fun safely, in a healthy manner and mutual respect for others. Enjoy your summer, don’t let it get away from you without some rest and relaxing moments amid your busy schedule, with your God, your family, friends, and most of all, with yourself. You are your best company, enjoy, relax, and remember that you are God’s beloved child, His greatest creation and loved beyond measure.

WHAT IS SUMMER FOR?

What does summer mean and how does it change me? 

S – Self – Am I taking care of myself and finding the time to rest and relax, so as to replenish my body, mind, spirit so that I can more fully enjoy and be present in my relationships with family and friends?

 

U – Undo – Can I allow Mary, the Un-doer of knots, to undo the stress knots that I have, and allow myself to rest in the presence of God? If I recognize that stress comes from how I handle situations, challenges, and circumstances in my life, can I change how I react so as to live a more whole and healthy life? Can I ask Mary, the recipient of many stressful triggers, to calm my fears, lessen my anxieties, and help me to draw nearer to her Son Jesus?

 

M – Measure – During these summer months, what do I measure? Do I measure and count the moments, hours of my time spent with family and friends, or my time spent in prayer?

Do I look at the time I spend in relaxation as a time of blessing or do I see it as wasting time?

Do I look at and measure the time that I spend at work as a necessary evil or as using the gifts and talents that God has given me to glorify Him?

If God had a measuring stick, and He asked you to mark where you thought His love for you was,

where how would you mark it? Would it be in centimeters, inches, feet, or yards?

Would it be on the low end because of shame, guilt, false humility, or the high end because you realize that His love is unconditional and unfailing?  He gave and continues to give His love freely and without measure, without cost, the cost was paid in full on the very cross that you behold. Do you believe this?

M –Memory  - The season of summer often brings back memories of our youth and the things that we did as a family on summer vacation. If your memories are great and plentiful, continue to live them.  Try to do some of the same things with your family so that they can come to appreciate your past and the love that your family shared on summer vacation.

If your memories are painful, start your own new memories. Create new traditions. Build memories for your children so that they can pass them on to their children.

Good heartfelt memories are very special gifts from God especially created for us.

 

E – Embrace – During these hot summer months, are you open to embracing and being embraced? To allow oneself to be embraced, one has to let down their guard

and open their arms to fully experience the love that comes from a genuine embrace.

Being embraced sometimes involves forgiveness. Can you forgive? Can you ask for forgiveness?

God wants to embrace you and tell you how much He loves you.

He is waiting for you to let down your guard that is hiding the shame, guilt, fears that you might be holding on to. Can you open your heart and arms to God so that He can not only embrace you, but also touch and heal you? Once you let down your guard and take the time to feel the love and embrace the mercy of God, you will also realize that God has had you in His loving embrace since that moment He formed you in the womb. His embrace has been love that surrounds you, the peace that envelopes you and the joy that fills you, despite the challenges that confront you.

 

R – Refreshment – During these summer months, take the time to be refreshed and rejuvenated.

This is the time to rejoice in the longer days filled with sunlight, the warmth of the sun as you relax under its rays,  the brisk cold feeling of the ocean waves as they hit you, the calm of laying on a raft in your pool, and the ability to go on vacation where you can enjoy the great gift of God’s creation and the blessings that surround it such as  faith, family, friends, nature and the joy of  having FUN !!!!

HAVE A HAPPY SUMMER!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR MEMORIAL DAY 2024

As we can finally look at Covid 19 in the rear-view mirror, with all the havoc that it had caused, I believe that we can now say, with greater ease because we have become a wiser people, that we have adjusted and accepted our new normal, and are choosing to regularly follow healthier habits, lifestyles, and practices.

But yet even with the great devastation that Covid19 caused and its aftermath, it still does not compare to what our veterans were faced with in war, or the killing of innocent people due to the gun violence in our communities, state and nation, and the mental illness that many are suffering, that is a contributing factor, leading to violence against others as well as in the rise of suicides. We must continue to pray for an end of the gun violence and the killing of our innocent young children and adults who are only trying to live their life safely, to a greater awareness of mental illness and services to assist those who are suffering, from the most elite and financially secure, to the  downtrodden and the poorest.

Memorial Day is upon us, and the reason for remembering this day in a special way has not changed or lost its meaning, On Memorial Day we remember our Veterans, past and present, who selflessly chose to serve their country so that others could enjoy what it means to be a free people, a people that do not have to live in fear, but in peace. These past 4 years, are days, weeks, and months that people of all ages, all social status, all education levels, all economic and political levels will recall with profound and transforming memories. The impact of these past four years has challenged and effected all ages, from the youngest to the oldest, from the child in daycare to the parent in skilled nursing care, from the infant just born to the parent that just died.

            Our global community is carrying this cross of suffering and death because of the rise of gun violence, opioid addictions, unending mass shootings as well as the murders that occur every day in our neighborhoods, cities, state, and country.  I believe that it has been through that collective cross that we are all carrying, that we have become more united as a world, nation, state, community, neighborhood, church, and family. But as we look into the faces of these various deadly situations, we can choose to open our eyes and face it or close our eyes and complain about it.  We can become a force to be reckoned with or a force that we bow to. We are fighting a war that we need to be prepared for and want to win.  We want to fight for our health and the health and wellbeing of those we love, those we encounter and even the stranger.

We want to rediscover what peace, freedom, and warm embraces are amid our new normal, even with the constant catching covid conversations . So how is rise in gun violence, the mass shootings, suicides, overdoses, and the wars that our veterans have fought, similar?

We are all fighting a war, the war to stay alive, stay healthy and keep our children safe. We are asked to remember and pray for those who have lost their life due to gun violence, opioid addiction, drug overdoses, and suicide. All of this affords us the opportunity to recognize that in the hearts of the men and women who bravely chose to serve our country that their choice was rooted in a deep love for God, country, and their fellow human being. There was and is a presence of selfless, self-emptying, giving and a sacrificial love and heart where God dwells and strengthens them to give all that they have for the safety, good and wellbeing of another, from those they know to the complete stranger. Our doctors, nurses, medical staff, EMTs, fire and police, are those war veterans who are fighting for the health, wellbeing, and safety of others. Theres too is a presence of a selfless, emptying, giving and sacrificial love that goes beyond any ego, selfishness, self-centeredness that could take root. 

They are all facing the unimaginable death and grief as they see those they know and don’t know pass before them, whether it is from illness or from gun violence. God is the one and only author of life and death and yet many have taken that role in their own hands and have taken the life of another as if the other doesn’t matter, or they are insignificant, or because they can’t control their own illness and it gets the best of them in the worst way.

The Veterans, our heroes, that fought and continue to fight for our country, and for the peace and freedom of others in our global community, gave and continue to give of themselves completely and are willing to offer the ultimate sacrifice for what they believe and are fighting for. They have watched their comrades fall and could only hold their hand and speak words of peace, job well done and surrendered them to their God.

They have lifted up those who were wounded from gun and mortar shots and the pain that wrenched through their bodies, and they have had to rescue those who were in the grips of the enemy. In a different way, our front-line heroes are doing the same. They have watched their comrades fall to the opioid and drug overdoses and gun violence, with only their hand to hold as they closed their eyes, Our heroes, both our Veterans and those on the front line, have had to endure the face of death yesterday, today and for many tomorrows to come.

Our Veterans suffered and died for their country. Country is not just a word, but they suffered and died for humanity no matter who they were or where they lived. They deserve our gratitude, our thanks, our recognition, and our prayers. When they came home, they may have come home to a hero’s welcome, but that didn’t take away the pain of their memories and the suffering that they experienced and will continue to experience physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually. Our Veterans gave of themselves completely.  They fought and continue to fight for the causes of life, liberty, peace, and security.

If you ask a Veteran if they ever expected to face such a war in their own back yard, in their families, their community, their nation and their world, I will venture to say they would not have. This is a war where men and woman are not just in camouflage searching out the enemy, but also in medical scrubs and masks.

With combat in war, gun violence, opioid and drug overdoses, the effects are all devastating because the bottom and most critical line is that human life is being taken away. People are dying at the hands of others, wars continue out of a need for and to control, the devastating opioid addiction and drug overdoses that continue to take lives, families are broken, fear is paramount as the violence against each other rises, the morale of the people is exceptionally low, and the grief is on a monumental level.

But where do we go from here? We go with our Veterans with a greater determination to fight, live life with gratitude, and seek strength from each other, from our God, and from within especially when life’s cross gets heavy and seemingly unbearable. As our Veterans did and continue to do, we seek the courage to fight when we feel we are without fight, we seek the strength to carry this cross when we feel fed up, we resolve to defeat the enemy and not be defeated by it so that we come out as victors and not victims.

So… as we prepare to celebrate Memorial Day, let us be mindful of how this day came about and let us pray for those who we are called to remember, our military past and present, that selflessly sacrificed and continue to do so for the good of others. Let us close our eyes and see that through their faith, courage, and determination, we are free and know what peace is. Let us pray that they know and believe in their hearts that they have done and continue to do the best that they could to be their best self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become.

If you are looking for Glimpse of God, seek out, talk to a Veteran, an active-duty member, a reservist, and listen to their story, learn from their wisdom and experience, and discover the God that called them, sustained them, and loved them through the most difficult period and time of their life. Their time, their sacrifice, their love for God and others, all formed them to be the selfless and courageous person that they are today. We all need examples of faith, hope and charity. We can find it in those who served and are serving our country, the family members, close friends, neighbors and all other soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who support the home front while their loved ones are deployed far away. Our military, both active duty and reservists, are a Glimpse of God. Family, friends, and supporters are big glimpses of God, so where do you fit in?

Take each day this week to remember and pray for the Veterans who fought for us and those in the military who are fighting for us now. May the week ahead not make us weak in spirit or our desire to fight, may the days ahead not put us into a daze where we choose to ignore our health and well bring and the health and wellbeing of others, may the hours in each day remind us that the day is ours and we can choose to live life to the fullest despite our limitations, may each minute remind us that nothing or no one is minute in the sight of God, and may each second offer us the opportunity to be the breath of God, where each second counts, and not wait to make that our second choice.

Duty, Honor, and Commitment…..We all have the duty to honor our commitment to serve God, be our best self and help others to become their best self. This war is an internal one where the devil seeks to take us away from our duty, our honor and our commitment and bring us to a place where we serve him and not our God or our fellow human being. We become less committed to becoming our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become. You can win that war one battle at a time, one prayer and one act of surrender to God, at a time.

 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of May 19, 2024

“To Break” 

To break something seems like a negative action and it usually is unless you experience a Breakthrough in some difficult area of your life, or you break bread and share a meal with another or you break  in, like a new pair of shoes, or you enjoy your breakfast, after a long evenings sleep.  If you break something, be it an object by accidently dropping it, or you break a person’s spirit by sharing gossip or saying cruel words that cannot be taken back, usually out of anger, or jealousy or as an act of revenge, all of these need to be repaired or healed in one way or another.

Objects once broken will either need to be repaired or will need to be discarded. Relationships although much harder to repair or mend, depending on the hurt inflicted, can be repaired, healed, and even be made stronger. In many cases, if one is open to the Holy spirit and truly values the relationship, reconciliation and healing can occur and hopefully the relationship will not be discarded or become estranged. Although with relationships, the healing process may be painful, but the end result will be a new vision, a new experience of the other, and our self,  in light of God’s compassion, love, mercy and peace.

            God wants us to be whole. Once a relationship is broken and in need of healing, His grace is there for us if we desire to make amends and mend that which is broken. What does it take to break an object? A hard blow by accidently dropping it, carelessness, or anger. Once an object is broken, although it may be able to be repaired with glue or something,  it will not look the same as it did when it was new and carefully taken care of. You may be able to see how or where it was repaired, and you will know that something has happened to it. For some objects that have great sentimental value, this can be an emotional experience. With objects where one can see the wounds, if you will, with people, the wounds that are caused are deeper and more damaging. The wounds that are caused by our negative words, abuse, our tearing down, our jealousy, our anger vented, are usually hidden and not as visible as if we were a broken vase of dish. To break one’s spirit by what we say or do to another causes a brokenness that needs to be healed and reconciliation needs to be humbly sought, so that wholeness can occur, and peace can be experienced. We need to recognize that only with God’s grace can these actions of healing, restoration and wholeness take place.

            When we desire to repair relationships that are broken due to our harming of another by our words or actions, or because of the actions of another that have caused us injury, that is a response to God’s grace in our life. When we choose to mend or heal that which is broken, we are choosing to love others as God loves us and this begins with loving our self. When we can recognize that we have not been loving, or that others have not loved us, and we choose to heal that relationship, we see within our self, that we want to become our best self, the person that God created us to be, and that we have the potential to become. This action is not easy and yet, as followers of Christ, we are called to forgive and when we truly follow Him, not just on an occasional trip, but throughout our earthly journey, we are trusting that He will gift us with His grace so that we can be more loving and follow His lead as to how we are called to be the most loving that we can be. Relationships are not meant to be discarded as if they were insignificant or invisible. We are all God’s beloved sons and daughters, and as His children we are called to treat others with the respect and dignity. We are called to love others, we may not like them  and when we realize that we can and should always pray for them and their good. With courage and grace we can genuinely ask God to bless them because only HE knows their heart and ours better than we do our self. When we choose to hate, or not forgive or remain broken, we are choosing not to be healed, this can lead to a self-righteous, ego centered heart and spirit. God will not force His love or His mercy on us, He invites us to receive it and share it.

It is our choice. To break from God, to walk away, to suffer broken relationships, all cause deeper emotional pain, but unlike objects, we as humans cannot fix or repair these relationships. Without God’s grace, when we try to do it on our own, we tend to get frustrated by the lack of a desired response from another. So, we discard the relationship, and we walk away. When we walk away, we are not only walking away from the other, but from God, and we walk further away from living up to our potential to become our best self. When Jesus suffered and died for us, He did so that we can not only love others as we are loved by Him, but also to grow in a greater love of our self as seen through God’s love for us. As Jesus died on the cross, He asked His Father to forgive them for they know not what they do. We all sin, and I believe that we often do not think of the harm that we are causing another or our self.  We act out of our present experience and say or do something that injures another and breaks their spirit.

When we are wounded due to sin, weakness, bad or poor judgment, only God’s grace can bring us healing. Jesus is the divine physician and only He can properly clean out, bandage, and heal our wounds. It can be painful and there will be scars, but they can serve as a reminder of our woundedness and how we have been healed. How can that be? How can we be healed of the most traumatic, painful and sinful wounds that have been inflicted on us or that we have inflicted on another? What if we don’t want to be healed or want to forgive or see another ever again? If we choose to nurture anger, resentment, bitterness and  resentment, we can never properly heal. When it comes to healing of relationships and forgiveness of those who have injured us or that we have injured, Jesus has the spiritual repair kit; it includes the grace to desire mercy and forgiveness, a greater sense of compassion, a desire to be healed and become whole, a prayer for peace for all those who are broken in our lives, reconciliation with those who have caused us to become broken or those who we have caused injury to, and a spirit of gratitude for the graces that He gives us each and every day not to give up or give in to what seems insurmountable.

          Now when we experience a breakthrough, we are experiencing a God given grace to get past whatever has been getting in our way to personal, emotional, psychological, or spiritual growth. Breakthroughs are experiences that we cannot forget or let go of quickly. When we experience a breakthrough, we experience a grace filled freedom, a sense of inner peace, and I would imagine a greater self-worth because whatever has been in the way of our growth has, with God’s grace and our cooperation, has been put aside. The obstacle or experience that has been in our way does not disappear, but it may become smaller and not as intimidating. The fear of it diminishes and we are given a greater courage when God knows we will draw upon it, to conquer and be conquered, to become victorious and not remain a victim.

          To Break bread, to receive the bead of life, to receive the Holy Eucharist at the Celebration of Mass with fellow sinners striving to become saints, is the key and essential action that will lead us to healing and wholeness. Jesus repairs what is broken both through the Holy Eucharist and The Sacrament of Reconciliation.

As we choose to be a resurrection people, a Eucharistic people, we are then becoming a more radiant light and rays of inner joy and peace, hope, healing, wholeness. Breaking bread together is an action that Jesus invites to partake of. We gather as sinners striving to become saints, and we leave as sinners strengthened to be more saintly.

          As you and I walk through another week, let us be mindful and pray for healing for all those who are experiencing brokenness in body, mind or spirit. As we pray for others, let us also pray that if we are experiencing any type of brokenness from the past or present, that we also seek God’s healing and not diminish it or discard the experience as nothing. Let us focus on what we need to do mend the brokenness around us and to recognize with greater clarity what we need to do to avoid breaking down others. Let us forge ahead and break through the barriers that are blocking us from the peace that awaits us. Let us  with fellow sinners striving to become saints with Jesus at that head of the table feeding us that which is nourishing and that which will sustain us.

SUNDAY – T – Thanksgiving for the brokenness that can lead to a greater sense of spiritual growth and maturity, healing, and wholeness. It is not a pleasant experience to be broken or cause another to experience brokenness, but when we seek the grace to become healed, and whole, we can also experience a greater sense of oneness with God and others. 

MONDAY – O - Other centered so that we can become more God centered. When we choose to be selfless and not selfish, we are choosing to act as God did, and not as the devil is tempting us to. To seek forgiveness or to forgive is a selfless act. When we experience brokenness, we are torn, discouraged, and hurt and need to seek God’s peace and healing so that you we can find and experience the gift of His peace and joy. When we choose to recognize that others are also hurt because of our words or actions, and in need of God’s healing, both of us will experience a greater joy in the act of reconciliation and forgiveness.

TUESDAY – B – Believe that God wants what is best for us and that we are meant to be healed and not broken, so if we cannot reconcile with another, ask for the grace to forgive them from your heart and God will take that prayer and turn it into your reality. 

WEDNESDAY – R – Reverence others and yourself as God’s beloved children. When we reverence and respect others as God’s beloved children, we in turn treat them with greater respect, dignity, understanding and patience. That means wanting them to be healed and whole as much as we want to be healed and whole. Healing is a gift and grace from God that He wants for all His children, so if we can do anything on our part to share that gift, as Christ’s followers, we are called and expected to do so. 

THURSDAY – E – Embrace His gift of mercy and spiritual healing. It is there for all of us. Do not turn away from it out of sense of fear or unworthiness. There is nothing that we can say or do that will make God love you less. period!!  Embrace His gifts, allow them to permeate your very being from the top of your head to the toes on your feet. 

FRIDAY – A – Allow yourself to be forgiven and to forgive so that you and the other can experience God’s gift of true and inner peace, happiness, and joy. 

SATURDAY – K – Know that God wants only the best for you and others. As we all walk on this holy Ground of our spiritual journey, we can assist others to becoming their best self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become, and as we choose to do that, we are choosing to become our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become.

 

Glimpse of God for the week of May 12, 2024

Happy Mother’s Day

to all of you who are moms, grand-moms, single moms, God-moms, widows, foster moms, and single women who also exude the qualities that our Blessed Mother possessed and passed on to you: Love for others, compassion, a joyful heart, a giving spirit, and a nurturing woman of faith. Thanks for being that to all of those you have encountered, and may you know that your mother is proud of you as she continues to walk with you here on earth or looks down from heaven.

My glimpse of God comes from a place that I have had to spend a lot of time in, somewhat unexpectedly but all good.  It is in my car.  This past week I have had to do a lot of driving and spent long stretches of time in the car. As I have been spending much more time in my car, I began to look at it differently. Not just as a means to get somewhere, but rather a road map from God as to the best way for me to go in the direction that He knows is best for me. I looked at each aspect of the inside of the car in light of my relationship with God and how I choose to enter into that relationship. Now I know that not everyone has a car and relies on public transportation, but I believe that this glimpse can be imagined by most.

The front window, the gear shifts, the controls, the gas and brake pads, the music and the rear-view mirror all have a way of bringing out God’s presence, His voice, and His direction for my life.  As you read this, you might not agree with my analogy, but I hope that you will look at the various aspects of the car differently in light of faith and how God reveals Himself through them.

As we begin a new week, one that includes honoring our mothers here on earth and as well as in heaven in light of the great love that our Blessed Mother has shown all of us. As we begin a new week in the midst of the wonderful season of spring, rain and all, let us see where we need to be renewed, cleansed, refreshed, so that we can make changes in our life so to better recognize God’s presence.  Let us also pray for a greater desire to grow in an appreciation of the instruments that He uses to reveal His presence to us in our everyday encounters, routines, and experiences. When our cars need to be repaired, we bring them to a mechanic. When aspects of our lives need to be repaired, renewed, or reconciled, we bring them to God and the Church.  A big difference is that when a car reaches a certain number of miles, you know that it will soon need to be replaced and you will need to get another used or new car.  As we age and our bodies falter, God isn’t telling us that we need to be replaced or recycled, but rather that we need to be renewed so that we can continue on our journey of faith in the newness of His life. Although our bodies may ache, with some parts needing to be replaced and others removed, the heart, spirit and soul can only grow and be expanded as they are filled with more empathy, understanding, compassion and peace.

 

 

 

SUNDAY – Front window

As we begin a new week and a new day, let us look at it through the big open front window. Let the big, open, streak free, non-tinted window be how and where we allow God to show us all that lies ahead.  Not looking to the future, but rather looking at the gifts that are right before us and see them in all of their beauty. As we sit in the front seat, we have the opportunity to look ahead and carefully navigate the path that we choose to drive.  God is in the driver’s seat in that He knows where He wants us to go.  The question is are we ready and willing to go in His direction or do we want to veer of course, take a short cut or make a u turn?

For today, as you get into your car or take the time to imagine being in a car, look out your front window. Is your window into the world, that is your relationship with God, fresh, reconciled and renewed so that you can see what lies ahead and the direction God wants you to go? Or Is your window so full of streaks, the streaks of personal weakness and shortcomings, that you can’t see straight as to what direction is the right direction? Or is your window just little cloudy from daily frustrations and life challenges that it makes it difficult for you to see the direction that God is setting before you because you haven’t made the time to pray and ask for His help? Whatever your front window looks like, always remember that the Son will always shine and can always break through even the worst of our dirt, streaks, smudges, and dust.

MONDAY - Steering wheel

Take a hold of the steering wheel and go. We use the steering wheel to keep the car straight on the road so that we can be safe and avoid hitting others.  When we take the steering wheel, we can use both hands with a good grip, or one hand with a loose grip. How we choose to hold the steering wheel can reflect how we relate to God, others and how we see our self. We can choose to use both hands and that is where we choose to keep God close and not want to let go so that we don’t veer off course and hurt others by our words, actions, deeds, and attitudes. We realize and choose to keep God at the center of our journey and in control, where He chooses to use us as the steering wheel so that we can freely choose the direction that we will go. When we choose to use one hand with a loose grip, it can be our way of saying that we are comfortable with the direction of our journey and that God is a part of the journey, but we are taking a risk and are not fully connected or invested in the journey. Driving with one hand involves taking risks. The risk that if we hit a pothole or have to swerve to avoid something, we won’t be able to control the car as well because we don’t have both hands on the wheel.

For today, look at how you choose to hold the steering wheel or walk on your journey of faith. Do you put both hands on the wheel so that you have the control that you need so as to avoid hurting others and yourself? Or do you use one hand thinking that you have everything under control and only when things go seriously wrong do you return to using both hands in prayer?

 

TUESDAY – Gear shifts: Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, what one are you in?

Park: Do you want to stay in park because life challenges are too hard or seemingly unbearable, and it would be easier to just stay put and not move ahead? Or do you want to stay in park to admire the view? The view of God’s awesome creation? The view of your journey and how grace filled it is?

The view and canvas of God and how He has chosen to reveal Himself: through a sunrise, a sunset, a rainbow, the green grass, the rain fall, the various trees, and bushes in their array of colors that they hold.    

Reverse: Do you want to go back into a special place and time, where a cherished memory lies and a loved one is alive and well.  Do you want to go back to a period of your life where you were happy and felt a genuine inner peace? Do you want to go back to bring up a painful hurt, or a grudge? Do you want to live in the past because it was a happier less stressful time? Living life in reverse is not living at all. We cannot live in the past if we are Christ’s followers.  We must trust In Him so that as we live in the present and choose to go forward, we can take the past, recognize it for what it is and how it has shaped us and use it to form us for the future. We cannot deny our past; good, bad, or indifferent, it has made us who we are today, but we need to, we can choose to forgive so that the person that God wants us to be, the best person that we can be, is what we make of our self for the present and into our future. 

Neutral: Are you stuck in neutral, unable to decide what to do or where to go? Is your spiritual life in neutral? Is God the God of your present, the God of your past or the God not yet known? Being in neutral allows one to stay and be idle, but not indefinitely.  It is not park, but rather a temporary pause.  Life is a long sentence, sometimes we want to put a period where God wants to place a comma because He is not finished with us yet and we are not finished either. There are times and periods in our life that we want to remove or end, yet our growth, our healing in not done or so God places comma instead. The pause is a respite where God allows us to take a deep breath and exhale any negative stresses. When we take a breath and put our spiritual growth back into drive and out of neutral, we are allowing and inviting God to take us on the next step of our faith journey, the journey of healing and wholeness, peace, joy, and happiness as He defines it.

Let’s take a drive. Let it be slow, let it be with purpose, let it be with an open mind and open heart so that you can experience the freedom and the refreshment that comes. As you drive, invite God on the ride. Invite Him to steer, change lanes, change gears, go faster if necessary or slow down if needed, stop, or just take a pause.  In all things, let God tell you the direction that He wants you to go and the best way to get there. Have faith and don’t let the past keep you stuck in reverse or fear keep you in neutral, but allow your trust and courage put you in drive so that you can continue to move forward.

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY – Gas tank icon, how much gas is in the tank?

It’s the middle of the week, how much gas, energy do you have left? Are you running on empty or do you have a full tank? Is your spiritual life being nurtured by the sacraments of the Church, a good spiritual director, and personal prayer time, or is it being taken for granted and you are running on fumes? We all know that if you run out of gas, you are stuck and might even have to push the car to a safe area. In our spiritual life, if we run out of gas, that is we have run out of our own ideas and solutions and we need to ask God for His help to get us back on the road. We need to be filled with God’s graces so that we can keep going and not falter. Both for our cars and our spiritual life, we need to be aware of bad gas which can destroy the cars engine and bad advice that can lead us into temptation and cause us to sin. For today, get the premium gas. Go for the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation. Give yourself the gift of these graces so that your gas tank will always be full, and your heart and soul will always be ready for the journey.

For today, look at your gas gauge and ask God to fill you with His grace, love, and blessings where you are running low and almost empty or have been running on fumes and are suffering from burn out. His grace is enough for you, and He waits for you so that He can shower His graces upon graces upon you.

 

THURSDAY – gas and brake pads

Life comes at us quickly and there are times when we want to put the brakes on and yet there are other times when we think that things aren’t happening quick enough, and we want to put our foot on the gas. When we are driving, we often get behind someone who is going so much slower than the posted speed limit and we find our self becoming inpatient and frustrated. We think that we need to rush.  We think that there is too much to do, and we are wasting time, so we speed up.

Our spiritual life is similar. We often think that God isn’t doing things quick enough, so we decide that we can do it better and make hasty choices. We don’t take the time in prayer to seek God’s wisdom or insight. When we put our foot on the gas, we go so fast that we miss the present moment and the many graces that God has ready for us. When we speed in a car, we can get into a serious and life-threatening accident. When we choose to omit God in our spiritual life and make hasty choices, we can get into many spiritual accidents where we fall shot, sin, hurt others, hurt our self and leave God in the dust. It is only when we put on the brakes are we able to avoid a serious accident and are better able to listen to God as He gives us direction and the proper speed limit to travel.

For today, ask God to post His speed limit on your heart so that you can absorb, and embrace all that He has to show you so that you won’t miss anything because you were going too fast or too slow.

 

 

 

FRIDAY – Music

When I drive, I usually listen to music.  I choose to listen to Inspirational music as I drive because it keeps me in a prayerful mode, and I remain in a peaceful place.  When I am weary, I listen to the exercise music that I have on my phone so that I can keep my brain from becoming too relaxed.  Whatever the choice, I hear the music of God because when I drive, I know that God is with me and that my driving time is another experience of prayer. When I choose to listen to music, I am not choosing to do so to avoid hearing God.  I don’t turn it on to avoid listening to Him, although I know that some people need the noise to avoid the silence.  I find that in the words and melodies of the songs, I hear many different voices, genres, and decades of God inspired melody that sings to glorify, testify, and magnify His presence.

For today, as you listen to any music, in your car or not, don’t so much focus on the words, but rather the feelings that the music brings up in you.  I love music and that is one source where peace and joy abound for me. Why do you listen to music?  Is it an instrument of peaceful melody? Or is it a clashing of cymbals? Whatever it is, do you want to keep that same station or change the channel, lower the volume, or turn it up? As we walk on our faith journey and encounter various life challenges, crosses, joys, and celebrations, the music of the heart can bring us to our center where God dwells so that we can better cope and not get discouraged or feel defeated. When God is speaking through the music, we can’t make things go away by just turning changing the channel, but we can make God voice heard by turning up the volume.

 

 

SATURDAY- Rear view mirror

If it has been a challenging week, look in your rear-view mirror and be filled with hope in that the challenges, worries, pain, and suffering are now behind you, and you have the opportunity to begin anew.  Use the weekend and take the time to find refreshment. We take our cars to the car wash, take you tired body to a place of rest, relaxation, and refreshment. Your cross may not get lighter or change but your ability to carry it, your outlook of it, your weariness from it, will change as you seek strength and hope from the God who loves you unconditionally, is with you always to remind you that you are His beloved child and His greatest creation.

For today, pamper, pamper, pamper yourself. That can be in whatever way that you need to so that you can reconnect with God and allow His loving embrace to refresh you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of May 5, 2024

The rainbow of self as seen in the mirror

In a previous Glimpse, I tried to show how friendship is a different type of rainbow, as is the one that God paints across the tapestry of creation after the storms.  Both types of rainbows are instrumental in God’s plan for me of personal transformation and conversion in that they renew my joy, deepen my peace, and strengthen my hope. When I think of a rainbow, I think of the storms that passed through, by, over and how in and through it all, God’s promise is fulfilled, hope is strengthened, light shines, the floods subside, and we can begin io walk on the holy ground once again.  It is in and through our friends that we can walk on this, God’s Holy Ground, after the storm. It is our friends that point out to us where the rainbow is, where God fulfilled His promise and how we have survived the latest and most recent trial or flood waters, and did not drown, or was overcome. After the flood, God promised through the rainbow that He would never abandon His people and that He would always be with us.  The colors of the rainbow are there to show us that even in the midst of the darkest storms, light, peace, hope, and strength prevail.

This week as I met up with one of the Sisters at Assisi House, and she complimented me on this week’s glimpse, I made the comment that I haven’t even began to write up one for this upcoming week. In the busyness and weirdness of this week, I haven’t had the chance to sit with the many and varied revelations of God that I had been privileged to see.  These glimpses range from varied and profound conversations, to seeing my grandniece for the first time, to the varied humorous and deliberate antics of our pets, and other events, mostly positive, but some not so, yet in all, God was and continues to reveal Himself to me.

SO as I think about a glimpse for this week, where as a few hours ago, I had no idea, I am inspired to write on another type of rainbow, this one is the rainbow that is reflected as you and I look in the mirror.  As I see a rainbow in the sky, as I reflect on the promise of God through the rainbow and how it is a symbol of hope and promise, I realized that we as God’s beloved sons and daughters, His greatest creation and loved unconditionally, are His unique and special rainbow; instruments of hope and promise by our faith and trust in His holy will. How are we a rainbow? I believe that we are chosen by God to be His rainbow. Because as His followers, His disciples, His witnesses, His wounded healers, His peace makers, His instruments of hope, beacons of promise and kaleidoscope of presence to others, we symbolize, we radiate what it means to be hopeful, to be His presence in the midst of the storms of our life and the life of those we love, encounter and care for.

God has chosen us to be His rainbow, to be His instruments of hope and presence, but we need to believe that, and we need to hold fast to that call and be open and respond in the unique way that God has chosen for us. A rainbow as a symbol of hope and promise is a very clear and colorful way to remind us that we are never alone, that we will never be abandoned because we are deeply, selflessly, and unconditionally loved. As His followers, we are invited to be His presence, His hope, and His love to all those we encounter; those in our family, community, neighborhood, church, workplace and on the street. We are invited to be His hope to those who feel hopeless and discouraged, to be strength to the weak and fallen and to be His presence to the grieving and inconsolable. We are invited to be the rainbow of hope and presence through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, because God knows we can be, and He wants us to be.

He hopes that we say Yes and did Mary, the first living tabernacle, and Joseph, the constant light that shined to show Jesus was present in the tabernacle, the womb of Mary.

This week, as we experience various days of scattered showers, and we might be blessed to experience the beauty of a rainbow, let us see how we, through the various weather experiences of life and the crosses we carry and help others to carry, believe that we too as living tabernacles, the Body of Christ,  are God’s rainbow, His sign of hope and His promise of presence in and through it all.

 

SUNDAY “R” - radiating and resounding, As you look in the mirror, do you see how you

radiate the presence of God in and thorough your smile, your willingness to help those in need, your prayers for those who you promised to pray for and those in need of prayers and whereas only God knows their needs, those who seek your presence, prayers, and support because you are an inspiration, and they seek the peace that you radiate and resound with? The rainbow is a sign of hope and presence, do you see yourself as God’s instrument of hope and presence? You are….

MONDAY “A” – abounding and abundant, As you look in the mirror, do you see how God’s compassion, hope and love abound from you? You might have some stressful days where you feel overwhelmed, but yet with others you are compassionate, empathetic, and selfless despite those days? The devil tempts us to be negative, vengeful, and resentful when our crosses are heavy, but you confront him with the weapons of compassion, peace, joy, empathy,

and understanding, and he flees. Satan bite the dust!!!!

 

TUESDAY “I” – intuitive and insightful, As you look in the mirror, do you see how you are

intuitive and insightful to the needs and concerns of others? That you sense that there is something happening that forces another to put up a mask, and you see past the mask that put up so that their cross is hidden? You are able to see the reflection of their cross, the shadow of their cross, and you peer past the mask to be present to them in their need? As you discern the needs of others, you discern how you are called to see past the masks of their storms, and how you reflect the presence, understanding, empathy and peace of because God dwells intimately within you?

 

WEDNESDAY “N” – nice and never ending, As you look in the mirror, do you see how you are so nice and never ending with your humor, joy, love, and care? It is sometimes hard to be nice or kind when you are not feeling well due to chronic health issues or age-related issues, or you are feeling stressed due to family dynamics, and overwhelmed with financial concerns. Yet in and with these heavy on you mind and spirit, you always or mostly come across nice and kind and try not to be a negative person or an unkind and miserable person because you believe and know that you will emerge victorious as you emerge from these tombs.  God has enlightened you with His grace to see past your pain and see the person of Christ within you as He helps you carry your cross and share the joy of your mini resurrection as you emerge from your tombs. Your kindness spreads to others so that they too will emerge from their tomb and experience the joy of their mini resurrection. Do you believe that you will emerge from your tombs so that others will have the hope that you exude to emerge from theirs? I believe for both me and you.

 

 

THURSDAY “B’ – beloved, blessed and broken, As you look in the mirror, do you see how you are so blessed by God as His beloved son or daughter? That you have been chosen by God, Yes, He chose you and continues to choose you to go and bear good fruit, proclaim the Good news, live in the light of His love, and share that love with others? You are so blessed by God because of your YES, your surrender to His holy will, your trust in Him and His rainbow of faithfulness and promise, that His presence, His grace radiates from you in the form of compassion, peace, joy, empathy, love, concern, prayers, mercy, and care for others? You are God’s blessed, beloved and yes, broken child, your brokenness is not meant to be a tool so that you can be a negative, controlling, or egotistical follower, but a humble, heartfelt, and wounded healer for others. Can you see in and through your brokenness, be it as little or as big as it is, that you are so blessed and beloved by God in your healing, wholeness, and mercy? As you look in the mirror, can you hear God whispering His thank you to you for your continued Yes to Him in the blessed and broken times of your life? Pray for the grace to hear the whisper of His gentle, Holy Spirit.

 

FRIDAY “O” – overflowing and outgoing, As you look in the mirror, do you see how you overflow with His love? That you are outgoing in professing and witnessing to His power and presence in your life? As you share your story, as you witness to His awesome graces and gifts and how they have transformed you into the person that you are today, that you have become more outgoing, expansive, and generous with and towards others? Your heart has been expanded and you have not only recognized that, but you have also allowed it to empower you to share the who, how, why and wow of that great action of love in your life with others. WOW what a feeling.

 

SATURDAY “W” – wonderful and wonder and awe filled As you look in the mirror, do you see how being a follower of Christ, His beloved son or daughter, loved unconditionally, is such a wonderful and wonder filled gift? I believe that when God calls us and invites us to be His follower without a road map to follow, in our trust that leads to our YES, we are responding out of wonder and awe. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is wonder and awe. It means that although we might not understand the actions of God, we stand in such reverence and respect of God that we trust and believe that He will fulfill His promise that we will never be alone or abandoned and that hope will never disappoint. What miracle of God that you have been privy to in your life has filled you with wonder and awe that you have been or are speechless and, in this inability, to put words to God’s actions in your life, your silence has inspired others to also recognize the awe filled actions of God in their life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of April 28, 2024

Our spiritual weather conditions.

As I reflect on this glimpse and how the weather across the nation is and has been unseasonal to say the least,  I realized that, we as God’s greatest creation settled in the very midst of His creation, are like the weather conditions that surround us. We go through the thunderstorms in our life where the thunder and noise of our surroundings get too loud and then the rain of other’s worries, concerns, stresses shower upon us. As God’s instrument of presence, maybe as a parent, spouse, caretaker, we sometimes feel as if we just experienced an avalanche of emotions as we are present to our children, spouses, family members, community members, neighbors and even the stranger, as they experience life and its many challenges. We sometimes are freezing cold because we have been hurt and are very wounded, and at other times we are experiencing a heat wave because we have allowed  and have been embraced by the love and warmth of our God and others, and we at times can feel as if we are in the midst of a hurricane, a whirlwind due to stresses, concerns, things beyond our control and we don’t know how to seek refuge and surrender to God so that He can keep us safe. We cannot escape the weather. We cannot escape God. We cannot escape our self. We can run from these, we can hide, we can cover up or we can stand before God and others as our bare self, but in the end, God sees us as we are and unconditionally loves us as we are. He lovingly and patiently wants us to be our best self, the person He created us to be and have the potential to become, in the midst of His creation, and not apart from it.

The weather that we are in the midst of and cannot run and hide from can be a reflection of our relationship with God, and how we either run towards or run from Him, seek to feel the warmth of His  love or cover our self up with shame, guilt, self-abasement, and doubt. Like the weather, we can be prepared or take our chances, we can prepare our hearts for God in prayer or we can move on as if it doesn’t matter. We have no control over the weather, only how we deal with or respond to it.  It can be harsh at times: thunderstorms, flooding, showers as well as refreshing: the rain and sun helps things to grow, and is refreshing on our face like a summer rain. The sun can be a source of growth and relaxation; summer times at the beach, but it can also be cause of death for those who have trouble breathing during a heat wave.   We can decide that we don’t want to deal with it (snow, sleet, cold, ice) so we move to a warmer climate, or we can decide that we want it more often, so that we can participate in more skiing, ice skating, and sledding. The weather can kill and destroy lives and people’s livelihood like hurricanes, tornados, floods, but it can also bring people together during the aftermath.

The seasons can hold a vast variety of difficult days that can consist of extreme heat, cold, rain and heat waves as well as a great deal of heavy winds and rain with tremendous flooding conditions. Although having air conditioners may help deal better with the heat, it can also make those who are older stay inside more days in a row then they normally would. The heat can make being outside difficult and can cause worry and concern because of the cost to run an air conditioner. The heavy winds, rains, sleet and snow can make it difficult for driving, for those who are employed outside to do their work, and for the electric company, to keep power on.

So… as I begin this glimpse, I ask you, how do you deal with the various weather conditions, their impact on your daily life and where is God as you try to cope? Are you able to hear God’s gentle voice, soft whisper in the winds, through the sunshine, rain, cold and heat? Although the winter didn’t cause too much difficulty for us in this part of the state, can you remember when, after the last challenging winter, or the heat of summers past, your emotional state was on the verge of going bonkers because you didn’t know what to do as you found yourself stuck inside or at a spiritual place that you didn’t want to be? Do you get tired of listening to others complain about the weather as you were trying to maintain a positive attitude? As you reflect on the past winter and these past few new weeks of spring, have you been able to be in communion with God? Do or did you find yourself avoiding time with Him or spending more time with Him?

Were you able to see God in the clutter and noises of the cold winds, rain, sunshine, the complaints, the unexpected and constant presence of others around you? Do you see God in your frustration?

Now that is spring, still reveling in the Easter season, are you able to see and enjoy the beauty of the newness, the colors, the growth that surrounds you? As there is more day light to behold, can you see that  as a sign from God, more day, life giving light to lead and guide you?

Although a few weeks ago we did experience an earthquake, this spring I don’t think we will experience any hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, typhoons, or wildfires, yet we can experience them in our spiritual life. In this area, during the summer we can experience heat waves and severe thunderstorms in the winter we can  experience snow, sleet, hail, and blizzards, but with our spiritual life we can experience any and all of these at any time. Sometimes we can and are prepared ahead of time and other times we are taken by complete surprise. If we listen to the meteorologist, we can prepare for the rain by carrying an umbrella or if we listen to God, when it comes to the storms in life, we can decide to get wet and allow the waters to cleanse us so that we can be transformed, reformed and conform to His holy will.

Our spiritual life and the weather conditions are very similar. We can experience a thunderstorm outside of ourselves and in our spiritual life, we can feel the storms of life, family, work, community, where we can’t see in front of us and are afraid to go back. The winds and rain can be a source of inspiration if we choose to stop and listen to God’s gentle voice and whisper. With heavy snow, it is difficult to walk in, and with our spiritual life it is similar in that we can go within our self and walk with God as He speaks to our heart, or we can choose not to. With the sun, we can choose to walk in its light or we can hide from its dangers. With the Son of God, we can choose to walk with Him the light and warmth of His love or we can choose to avoid Him and fall into the danger of self-centeredness and control.

As with the weather and as with God, there are some basic truths that we cannot deny or escape from: the weather is what it is, the sun will shine, the rains will come, the winds will present them self, and God is everywhere in His creation. We cannot run, hide or escape from Him. As the sun permeates our being so does the warmth of the Son of God’s love. He is within us, in our hearts, no matter how much we try to avoid him. The winds are his gentle voice and the rain is opportunity and invitation for renewal and reconciliation, cleansing and refreshment. The tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods of our spiritual life are when things are overwhelming, and we get caught up in our life challenges, struggles, and crosses, and they become like wild fires that spread quickly and are beyond our control.

But do we believe that they too will pass? This week let us look at the weather conditions of our spiritual life and see how we can best prepare for them with God.

 

SUNDAY - “W” The Wind

The wind can be refreshing if it is a gentle wind or fearful if it is a wind that can carry you away. With our faith life, if our heart is rooted in Christ, our hands are holding onto God’s, and our feet are walking in His path, there is no wind that can carry us away.  When God speaks to us through a gentle breeze, we can listen to Him or dismiss and ignore Him. Sometimes when we experience life’s winds, I believe that it is when God is speaking louder to us so that can hear, listen and choose to follow His will as He speaks to our heart. He knows our hearts and He knows that we want to do what is right and best, but He also knows our weakness and the challenges of the world and how they pull us away. So when you feel the winds of life pulling you away from the voice of God, choose to hold onto His hand and       keep your feet steady for the ground that you walk on is Holy.

FOR TODAY: Honor the ground that you walk on as holy ground, and those that you walk with as God’s instruments, His hands, holding yours so that you can overcome the winds of the world, and embrace the voice of God as He speaks to you as a gentle whisper or a loud call.

MONDAY - “E” An Earthquake

Not being a meteorologist here, but for simplicity, I will use this definition of an Earthquake as the sudden and violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great destruction.

OK now as for our spiritual life, our spiritual earthquakes, my question to you is what sudden or violent upheaval of your foundation has occurred? Is your foundation built on rock, sand or cement? Do you waver in your faith; whereas you feel as if you go from believing wholeheartedly to doubting more, not being in communion with God, to only praying only when you need something? Is your foundation that which your house is built on, the temple where God dwells and has dwelt since your baptism, built on the faith as it has been revealed to you through your parent’s, family, friends, community, the sacraments, Worship, the Holy Spirit? Or is it built on the lies, and deception of the world as it tells you that happiness lies in your possessions, your wealth, your education level, your social status?

A spiritual earthquake is not meant to cause you damage and harm, as much as it may be to open your heart and mind to the truth of God and how only by living in that truth, can your foundation be strengtened and firm and not be like the sand; hard to walk on and get our bearings, or cement; no openness to change or to be changed.

For today, if you have experienced a spiritual earthquake, or are in the midst of one, instead of falling under the sudden destruction of your foundation, ask God to hold your hand and keep your feet steady so that whatever needs to be destroyed, that which is keeping you away from God and his Truths: That you are His beloved child, His greatest creation, loved unconditionally, and that there is nothing that you can ever do or say that will make Him love you less, be destroyed, so that your mind, heart and spirit will be restored in His love, peace, compassion and mercy.

TUESDAY - “A” An Avalanche

Not being a meteorologist here, but for simplicity again, I will use the definition of an Avalanche as an event that occurs when a cohesive slab of snow lying upon a weaker layer of snow fractures and slides down a steep slope.

What is our spiritual steep slope? What are we doing that can and will affect our spiritual life in a very negative way? Is it staying away from the Church, avoiding prayer, holding a grudge, being revenge filled, hating our brother or sister, turning inward and hating our self because we think that God couldn’t or doesn’t love us because of our sins and weaknesses? In any of these, God wants us to know that there is no reason that our slope continues to be steep. He wants us to know that He understands us and knows our hearts better than we do. That He is waiting for us to come back to Him. The slope may be steep and difficult to walk alone, but with God, He will take us by the hand and walk with us to a place where the ground is level and smooth. Smooth not being without challenges, but rather with God so that the challenges do not cause us to trek alone.  Doubts and the world make us weak in spirit so that when other things come along that seem better or a quick fix, we take them. Once the devil knows our weakness, He will never stop tempting us, but the good news is that God knows our hearts and He will never stop loving us.  He will love us through our weaknesses and temptations, and He will bring us through them so that we can look back and see how our better self emerged and that we stand strong on our holy ground.

For today, look at one weakness or sin that you feel is making you walk a steep slope. Seek God’s grace to listen to Him as He tells you that in your weakness and sin, His power, grace, compassion, mercy is reaching perfection in you. In your humility and contrite heart, your weakness is becoming a source of strength because in and through it, you are seeking God’s help so that you don’t fall under the avalanche of self-doubt, or feeling that you are unlovable or unforgivable.

WEDNESDAY - “T” A Thermometer

An instrument used to measure temperature outside. Ok I think that you will figure out where I am going to go with this as it applies to our spiritual life.

We look at the thermometer and that helps us to decide how we will dress: If it is below freezing, we will put on sweaters or heavy coats before we go outside, so that we will not get cold. If the temperature is high, we will wear as much modestly as possible to stay cool and not get overheated. In many cases we decide what activities we will participate in according to the temperature.

So.. what is your spiritual thermometer telling you? Is it reading a high number where you are warm or hot or is reading a low number where you feel cold and chilled? If God had a thermometer in His hand, what do you think the temperature is telling Him about you?

If God had a thermometer in His hand and you are in communion with Him; living the best you can and trying to be your best self and live up to your potential, I believe that temperature would be very high because you are absorbed in the warmth of His great love for you and honors you for your choice to live and witness to that love. You are His greatest creation, loved unconditionally and His beloved child, there is no reason that His thermometer would read any less than the highest it can be.

It is we who think that we are too cold, that we don’t pray enough, that we are the worst sinners, that we don’t deserve His love. We think that we are less than what He expects us to be, thus we are not able to recognize how this goes against His truths for us.  The love that we hold for God, others and self is the love that only God can give us and He has. Love grows from God. It is his grace that allows us to love more, beyond our imaginings, beyond our self, to and for others and God. God’s love is a warmth that covers us and permeates our very being. Look at your love. Look at those you love. Look at how your heart has been expanded in love as you have grown in your relationship with God. Look at you have been able to love when it was or is difficult. Look at the love God has for you and how you have shared that love with so many: your parents as they aged and became more dependent on you, your siblings as you have grown and matured and gone in different directions, your spouse, your children and grandchildren, your religious community members, the stranger and the friends. Love is a warmth, a gift, a grace that God invites us to share with others. Love is not too cold or too hot. It cannot burn you or make you freeze.

Rather is invites you to be open so that as you experience the various weather conditions in your spiritual life, you can receive and embrace the warmth of His unconditional, the selfless gift of His great love.

For today, look in the mirror and ask God to show you that He is not holding a thermometer or taking your temperature or measuring your ability to be loved by Him by what you do or don’t do. Your identity lies in being His beloved child, His creation and not in what you do. Don’t take out a thermometer and tell God that you feel too cold because you haven’t prayed or that you have sinned. HE knows all of that and yet you stand before Him, still.  Be open as He tells you that He not only surrounds you and covers you with His love, but graces you with the ability to love, be loved by others, by Him and that you love yourself as His greatest creation.

THURSDAY - “H” The Heat

The heat can be a source of enjoyment. We go to the beach to sit, relax, read, tan, or swim in the ocean. We open our pools in the summer so that we can enjoy the beauty of the cold water in the privacy of our back yards.  We open our pool so that Clover can have her swim dates with her best buddies and be refreshed from the heat of the summer. The heat can cause some stress as those who suffer from breathing problems must stay inside with an air conditioner running or a fan. In either case many worry about the bill that will come from the necessity of using the air conditioner. The heat can make the season of summer a source of enjoyment and refreshment. How does our spiritual life reflect the heat that comes or the heat waves that we encounter?

The heat in our spiritual life is the warmth of God’s love covering us so that we can feel it through and through from the tip of our toes to the top of our head. The heat is a gift from God to remind us that no matter what storms that we have faced, His love will never die or be diminished, end or be taken from us. Sometimes when we feel a heat wave coming and we think that we will melt, that God can’t love us that much, so we seek a cool place to go, we run, or we try to hide.

For today, when you feel the heat wave of God’s love covering you, stay still and know that it is God protecting you so that you will not get burnt and loving you as only He can do.

FRIDAY - “E” Endurance: patience, staying power, perseverance, and determination.

Endurance and all the various personal choices that we make to stand firm in the various weather conditions that our spiritual life may encounter can make us our best self, the best person that we can be, and have the potential to become. We can choose to give in and bury our self when the storms of life are intertwined with our life, or we can stand up to them with Christ so that we will not be overcome by them.

If you look back on any of the storms that have pounded your heart, mind and spirit, or the avalanches that have caused you to run or move quickly away, or the earthquakes that have shook your, thought to be, strong foundation, can you recognize that you are standing stronger now and are more determined not to be defeated?   Do you see the hand and love of Jesus as the apostles did on the boat? Yes, they were afraid and told Jesus as much, but in their fear, He loved them through to the calming of the sea.

He loves you through your fears, He doesn’t turn away from you because of them.

He admires and loves you for your ability to persevere, your self-determination, your prayers, your patience with others during the difficult times, your resilience, your flexibility, your stamina and your desire to carry your cross despite the storms, and not run away because of them.

For today, thank God for the gift of endurance in all its forms.

SATURDAY - “R” The Rain

Rain comes in many forms; there are rain showers, thunderstorms, scattered showers, rain drops, misty rain and its raining cats and dogs, whatever that means, in all its forms it can symbolize a need for cleansing, renewal and refreshment. Rain can cause major flooding as well as be a source of nourishment for all crops to grow and provide nutrition for everyone.  Rain can help those who garden feel as if they struck gold, and those who own car washes, shutter. In any case it rains and we need to endure the rain in whatever form it comes.

As with our spiritual life, we can have showers that might symbolize our need of cleansing from significant guilt, anger, bitterness, resentment, shame, or low self esteem before God. God sends us showers not to drown us, but rather to cleanse us so that we can walk with our head held high, wet but high. We may experience little rain drops that can symbolize that we need refreshment so that we don’t walk that slippery slope and fall into the need for showers. We can experience a warm summer rain or a cold winter rain.

Our souls, our spirits an be in line with God and the rain drops can remind us that HE is always there to provide refreshment and reconciliation, peace and happiness. When it rains, we tend to be unhappy, yet we can look at it as a time to see God in the drops, call to mind His refreshing love for us and remind us of our baptism and how we were cleansed from sin and began our new life in Him.

For today, if it rains, go out and get wet, not too wet, but wet enough to call to mind how refreshing God’s love is and how we can always start over, one step, one rain drop at a time. If you carry an umbrella, see it as God’s warmth and love protecting you so that you do not get drenched in the worries and stresses of life.

 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of April 21, 2024

The rainbow of friendship

This week’s Glimpse of God comes in the form of a different kind if rainbow, the one of the gift of friends and the friendships formed. Merriam Webster defines a friend as “one who attached to another by affection or esteem”, and friendship as “the state of being friends”.

So how do I see the gifts of friends as a rainbow? When we look at a rainbow, we see the many beautiful colors that together create the bow in the horizon. When I look at a rainbow I am always struck with a sense of awe, amazement, and wonder.   When I close my eyes, I am always filled with a spirit of joy, great hope, and a deep abiding sense of peace. Friendship is a different type of rainbow in that it also renews my joy, deepens my peace, and strengthens my hope. When I think of a rainbow, I think of the storms that passed through, by, over and how in and through it all, God’s promise is fulfilled, light shines, the floods subside and we can begin io walk on the holy ground once again.  It is in and through our friends that we can walk on this, God’s Holy Ground, after the storm. It is our friends that point out to us where the rainbow is, where God fulfilled His promise and how we  have survived the latest and most recent trial or flood waters, and did not drown, or was overcome. After the flood, God promised through the rainbow that He would never abandon his people and that He would always be with us.  The colors of the rainbow are there to show us that even in the midst of the darkest storms, light, peace and strength prevail.

It is in friendship where I recognize the promise and presence of God in and through His beloved sons and daughters. I am blessed that I have people that I consider friends and even more blessed that they consider me their friend. I still am mourning the loss of a very good friend Dorothy, yet I celebrate the gift of friendship that I have formed with her sister, Barbara. I will always cherish the gift of friendship with my mentor, God father figure of 46 years and longtime friend Father John, as well as my best friend and best gift of my husband John. I am sure that we can all come up with the name of our best friend or friends. There are some people that believe  that in our lifetime, there will be only a few people that we can truly call friends. I disagree. I see that in God’s promise to always be with us and never forsake us, He gives us friends to remind us that His promise is constantly being fulfilled on a daily basis. It is through our friends that we see the person of Christ and in and through who they are, and this enables us to become a greater reflection of that  presence and friendship with others.

As I reflected on the Franciscan jubilarians last week, John and I consider many of the Sisters of Saint Francis that reside in Assisi House as well as other places, some of our nearest and dearest friends. They are truly friends of Christ and in and through their faith, their example, their  humor, encouragement and prayers, I see Christ, I see God’s promise of always walking with me and I know that with their support and their love for  God, I am given the grace to live up to my potential as God’s beloved daughter.

In and through the many people that God has placed in my life, I see a different kind of rainbow, one of a promise being fulfilled. The presence of friends is always an incarnational sign of the fulfillment of God’s promise that He would always be with me, and that He would never leave or forsake me. I see it in friendship. When I gather with friends be it in prayer at daily Mass, or when I volunteer at Assisi house, as well as when I gather with our faith sharing group of 14 years. I see all as an extension of that very promise as members of the Body of Christ, that we are never alone and that God will never forsake or abandon us.

It is through friends that the promise is fulfilled, and that I am not only the recipient of the gift of the promise but also a humble instrument through whom that promise is fulfilled. As faithful, faith filled individuals, trying to live and be the best people that God has created us to be, and sinners striving to be saints, friends are tangible witnesses of God’s presence in my life. Their presence reminds me that God’s promise is being fulfilled in the many different and varied ways represented in the very unique and extraordinary persons that they are. Friends are signs of hope when things are tough. They are merciful. They are instruments of peace and vessels of joy. They are a sign of strength and courage when they call me to be true myself when I’d rather run and hide from myself and my choices. They are signs of resilience when there are no words to speak amid pain, suffering and woundedness and signs of joy when I am victorious over sin, discouragement and  alienation. They are humble disciples that through their lives and example profess their love for God, others and self. Friends accept us as we are, challenge us when we are not being our best self the person that God created us to be, and celebrate with us when we reach our potential.

The gifts of friendship, the gift of a rainbow, the gift of self, are three of the many signs of God’s love. We are all signs of God’s love for and to each other, but do we know that, and if we know it in our head do we believe it in our heart?

This week, as you think of the rainbow as a sign of promise and of hope, I would like to look at the colors of the rainbow and the meaning in the colors as you look at what friendship means.

 

Sunday (RED) – Love.

The gift of God’s love for you, your love for God, your love for self and your love for others.  Can you let your heart be expanded so that it can be filled with more love? Has your heart been broken that you are afraid to love?   Let God, through your friends, be a source of healing, consolation, and peace. If you allow friends to love you as you truly are, with your flaws and your virtues, then you can humbly stand before God in a spirit of joy, gratitude, and peace. 

For today: Think of a friend that has reminded you of how loved you are and how loving you are, and thank God for their gift of selfless love.

Monday (ORANGE) – Openness

Are you open to the surprises that God has in store for you? Are you ready to receive the many graces that will transform, conform and reform you into a clearer image of God to others? Can you stand before others and humbly accept their honest criticism so as to grow? Is the door of  your heart  open so Christ can enter in and rest in you?

For today: Think of a friend whose gift of friendship was a surprise and thank God for His gift of providential surprises.

Tuesday (YELLOW) - Joy   

Joy is not the denial of pain or suffering, but the trust that in and through it, God is present. Joy comes when you realize that God’s presence is the source of your happiness. Do you want to be a joyful person? Are you surrounded by joyful people? Are your friends joyful people? Is the joy of the Eucharist, the true presence of Christ in your life, your spiritual foundation and the foundation of your friends?

For today: Think of the JOY (love for Jesus, Others and Self) that fills your heart and seek to grow in it. Don’t let the stresses of this world take away your joy.

 

Wednesday (GREEN) - Hope

Do you have hope? Are you a messenger of Hope? Do you, can you allow the love and peace of God transcend your stress, alleviate your suffering, and transform your mind so that you can be a hopeful, hope filled person of faith. What stops you from being a hopeful, hope filled person. For today: Think of a friend who has been your anchor, your hope amid seemingly hopeless situations, circumstance and ask God to give them continued strength, insight and wisdom so they can continue to be His instrument of hope to others.

 

Thursday (BLUE) - Rebirth

Can you close your eyes and allow the feeling of God’s love washing away your sins and making you whole, reminding you of your baptism. We love our friends for who they truly are, from what we see to what we know lies in their heart. As a human being we sin and offend God and those we love the most, are we merciful to those around us?  In and through our baptism we enter into the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are reborn. We receive the light of Christ so that we can walk in that light in our daily journey of faith and spiritual transofmrion. With our friends, are we faithful companions and witnesses of the power of Christ in our lives?

For today: think of a friend who has invited you to believe when in God and in yourself when all else seemed to tempt you to fall into doubt, disbelief and discouragement, and thank God for their gift of a selfless and life giving spirit.

Friday (INDIGO) - Integrity

Are you a person of integrity? Do you have strong moral principles? Do you stand up as a witness to your faith? Do you see in yourself and in your friends: a person of good character, a fair person, a person that is truthful and trustworthy? All these virtues are aspects that make and create a rainbow of friendship. 

For today: Seek to be a person of integrity and thank God for the integrity, authenticity and honesty of friends that has called you to be a better and more authentic person.

 

Saturday (VIOLET) - Peace

Is there someone you need to forgive so that you can be at peace with them?  Is your heart troubled and do you want to experience peace, healing, and reconciliation? Can you allow your friends to help you and bring you the comfort and peace that Christ wants for you? Are you a peacemaker and are the friends you choose peacemakers and instruments of God’s peace, love and mercy?

For today: seek the mercy of God for you and your friends today and always.

 

Glimpse of God for the week of April 14, 2024

The immeasurable treasure, the precious gems of the Sisters of Saint Francis.

As I begin this Glimpse, I want to take a moment to recognize the many graces and the giftedness of so many that the Church of Philadelphia has received, through the open hearts of many men and women who have answered the call to serve as Priests, Consecrated Religious and Permanent Deacons. My glimpse for this week comes from the Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia who reside at the Assisi House and will celebrate their Diamond (70 years) Jubilees as well as other Sisters who will celebrate their golden and silver jubilee but live elsewhere. No matter how you look at it or how long they have been professed, they are all gems and precious in the eyes of God and all those they encounter and serve. We consider all the Sisters at Assisi House and OLA genuine gifts from God, friends in the Lord, our second family especially to Clover and those we hold near and dear and can call true friends. As I reflect on the Sisters at Assisi House, I am reminded of the prophet Sirach when he states “a faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. Faithful friends are beyond price, no amount can balance their worth. Faith

 

ful friends are a lifesaving remedy; those who fear God finds. Those who fear God enjoy stable friendship, for as they are so will their neighbor be.” Sirach 6:14-17. At their age, whatever that is, you will not meet any stronger or faithful shelter in the Lord.

This Month, many Sisters of Saint Francis of Assisi of Philadelphia, will celebrate, in an incredibly special way, the diamond, silver and golden jubilee of their first profession. WOW!!! When you see them, you would think at they made their final profession when they were in kindergarten. Not only do they not look their age, whatever that is, but they are the youngest at heart women that I have ever met. Their hair may be white or gray but their smile, but their love for God and neighbor, their humor and joy, is vibrant, luminous and shines with great radiance. It is nowhere close to being just black or white. They see the kaleidoscope of life, people’s experiences, God’s presence and their vocation as a gift. The colors of the rainbow in the brightness of life and the Son shining after the storms of life pass by, the color of the pain and darkness of death, separation, sin, and injury, the gentle colors of consolation and encouragement, the bright colors of reconciliation, the permanent colors of peace, mercy, compassion and joy. They live the simplicity of Saint Francis by being authentic, genuine and real and with that, their reality shines brightly. It is a radiance that is welcoming and inviting and we are honored to call them friends.

The Sisters who are celebrating their Diamond, Golden and Silver jubilee are celebrating when they made their final profession. They professed the vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, and in a way we all profess these same vows by the way we love, try to serve our God and each other, and remain true to ourselves, our vocation to be faithful and live up to our potential as God invites us to. The vow of poverty that the Sisters take means that they keep nothing to themselves, and that all goes to the community that they belong to. When we seek to live for God and others without possessing the best or the newest or the brightest of what the world has to offer and the devil tempts us to believe that we need, I believe that we too take a silent vow of poverty when we desire not to seek more of what we want than what we need. The vow of chastity they take as they are the bride of Christ and the church and not to the vocation of marriage. As God’s beloved sons and daughters and temples of the Holy Spirit, we too try to love ourselves by respecting, honoring and reverencing our bodies. To be chaste is to faithful to our God and the person that we are as His follower. Obedience is not about submission or a false sense of humility but rather a loving deference to the wisdom of another that will help one be conformed, transformed and reformed into a greater reflection of the Christ.    

To the Sisters at Assisi House who are celebrating their Diamond Jubilee: Sr. Margaret Cunniffe, Sr. Dolores Duffy, Sr. Carmel Gregg, Sr. Isabel Marie Haughey, Sr. Damian Marie Jackson, Sr. Regina McCloskey, Sr. Noelita Marie Rodriguez, and Sr. Virginia Spiegel, At OLA:  Sr. Jean Ustasiewski. Those who live elsewhere celebrating their Diamond Jubilee are Sr. Mary Francis Flood, Sr. Bernadette McGoldrick, and Sr. Dolora Taylor, their Golden are Sr. Margaret Lopez and St. Ronnie Grier and the one Silver jubilarian is Sr. Mary Beth Antonelli. We joyfully and prayerfully celebrate with all those men and women who recently responded, those who continue to discern God’s call, and those who continue to say Yes every day. I imagine that when they looking in the face of  life’s unexpected challenges and God’s surprises, they profess their personal Yes, as did Mary, every moment of every day just by their surrender, trust and openness.

So how did we ever come in contact with such great friends? It was God’s plan, 8 years ago, Clover’s golden personality would make it her first ministry as a therapy dog. We had Clover trained as a therapy dog and found that the Assisi House was open to having a therapy dog come in on a regular basis to meet with the Sisters. So, ever since then John and I have been taking Clover, our Golden Retriever, for pet therapy. Clover was greeted, hugged, given treats, complimented, fussed over, sang to, and given many kisses by the Sisters as well as the staff from the very first time she entered the door. From the moment that she enters the doors of the vestibule to the moment that she walks out, she is the hit of the parade. They make her feel welcomed in their home. As a therapy dog, she is there to serve her purpose and that is to be a silent presence to each person. Although it is about Clover and the calming affect that she has on the Sisters, they always make John and I feel welcomed and a part of their family as well. Clover is the instrument that God uses where we and the Sisters have come to love each other and grow in friendship. The Sisters who do visit, share their stories with us, their challenges, their wisdom and their prayers and they embrace our stories, our challenges, and offer us their prayers, support, and encouragement. They are present to us as even as they spend time with Clover. It was Clover who got her paws in the front door as a therapy dog, which allowed us to walk with her and each sister on this wonderful and blessed journey of true love, support, genuine friendships, deep lasting relationships, and joy. Thank you Sisters for continuing to allow us into your home, we are deeply blessed and grateful.

As I reflect on their jubilee and their vocation as Consecrated Religious, I am inspired, and in awe of these wonderful deep women of faith. These Sisters who are celebrating 70, 50 and 25 years as a Consecrated Religious, as well as every sister who has been there and has moved on to 70 plus years, as well as to the sisters who aren’t there yet. Be it diamond, golden, or silver, each year they continue to shine as a true gem and precious jewel in the hands of their creator and the lives of His beloved children and creation.  All have said YES so long ago, and yet just moments ago as well. Their YES is a daily YES. They live out their YES to God by the life that they live, have lived, and hope to live that of a faithful service with a heart that remains open always ready to be transformed, conformed, and reformed to the heart of Jesus.

They said YES with no treasure map to follow, no guarantee or refunds, no promises or exceptions as the world would ask or expect. Instead they put their trust in God’s wisdom and knowledge of their deepest desire and love for Him, their treasure map was and remains in the Sacraments of the Church, for it is in them they find the direction and path that they need to follow, their promise was eternal life and the guarantee was given to them by Jesus as He was nailed to the cross, and there are no exceptions, we are all included.  All who choose to follow Christ will inherit eternal life.

The Sisters have remained faithful followers despite and amidst any physical limitations, pain, discouragement, and disappointments. In the midst of it all they renew in their heart their YES to Christ as His beloved bride. All the Sisters are not only a Glimpse of God, but a clear picture of God and His wonderful all-encompassing love for all His children. They, like Saint Francis, exude the simplicity, humility and compassion that makes them truly God’s instruments of peace in a world torn by strife, discord, and division.

As we begin a new week, let us take a moment to thank God for all of those individuals; religious, secular and military, who have given us our freedom so that we can practice our religion, have given us religion so that we can pray for freedom, and who have united us as one under God, so that we will not be afraid to be a witness and a sign of  His presence through acts of justice, words of truth, and signs of reconciliation. 

SUNDAY – “J” – JOYFUL - The feelings expressed or a causing of immense pleasure and happiness.

Are you a joyful person? What brings you joy? What takes away your joy? Joy is not a fleeting gift from God, but one that is planted with deep roots. It is up to us; we can choose to cultivate it or ignore it. We can be a joyful person despite the challenges that come our way, or we can allow them to make us bitter and unhappy. For today, take time to look at the various events, people, circumstances that bring or have brought you joy,  as well as when you were the cause of joy for someone and how it made you feel and offer  a prayer of gratitude.  

MONDAY – “U” - UNIQUE - Someone or something that is unlike anything or anyone else and incredibly special.

Do you see yourself as a unique individual? Do you recognize that you have been given extraordinary gifts and talents by God that make you who you are and the special person that you are? God sees you as unique, special and He calls you, His beloved. Can you allow yourself to be loved by God?

It is a gift to be different and not blend in with everyone. God has created you to be you and not anyone else. There will never be another you. There will never be another heart like yours, another spirit like yours another soul like yours. You are created as uniquely as God creates. Do you like who you are, or do you try to be someone else? Can you allow God to love you and show you how special and unique you are and that you are gift? For today, look in the mirror and begin to identify your uniqueness, your giftedness by God, what makes you special, intellectually, physically, or emotionally, what makes you stand out from the crowd, what people notice about you. Honor and reverence who you are and recognize that God created you and wants you to see how special you are to Him and all those in your life.  

TUESDAY – “B” – BOUNTIFUL - Giving generously, unselfishly openhanded.

We all have opportunities to give generously of our selves: by being present to another as we listen and words are not necessary, by offering our prayers to those who are seeking to feel God’s presence, by lending a hand to someone who is need, and by lifting up one who has fallen by our showing of compassion, mercy and understanding. For today, look at how you have been bountiful and how others have been bountiful in your life. Ask God for the grace to continue to extend yourself to those in need, be it spiritual, physical, or emotional and thank Him for those who He has sent to you when you needed them most and, in some cases didn’t realize it.  

WEDNESDAY – “I’ – INTUITIVE - Having the ability to understand things without any proof.

The prayer of Saint Francis can be a prayer of intuitiveness because it is in the prayer where we identify those areas that are “off”, hatred, doubt, despair, darkness, … and we want to make right with God’s love, pardon, faith, hope,…We want to make right what we spiritually intuit to be bringing us away from the Lord. We might not be able to identify the exact moments where we have fallen to hatred or how we have doubted God or the how or why we gave into despair, but we sense deep within that something is not right, and we want to change. Hatred, injury, doubt, despair, discord, darkness, sadness, can permeate our very being, but it is the desire to bring forth love, pardon, faith, hope, truth, light, joy, understanding, and consolation that enables us to act in a positive way toward others before the weakness of sin wins.

For today, slowly pray the Prayer of Saint Francis and pray for the grace to identify one aspect in your life that you want to change, or that needs healing or has been healed. 

THURSDAY – “L” – LOVING - Feeling or showing love or great care.

The Sisters have lived their life showing great love for all those that God has placed in their care. We all have the potential to be loving people, yet there are times when our love is overshadowed by hate, our compassion is overshadowed by rash and harsh judgment, and our mercy is overshadowed by bitterness. Yet in an instant, we can change and be loving and better people. We just need to ask God for His help and His grace. For today, ask for His grace to let go of those dispositions, attitudes, actions, judgments that make you unloving, and ask to be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit that will make you become the best person that you can be, the person that God created you to be, and have the potential to become.

Your best self is a loving self a giving self, continue to share your gift of self with those whose best self might be overshadowed by self-doubt, sin, shame, or unnecessary guilt. 

FRIDAY – “E” – EFFUSIVE – Expressing a feeling of gratitude pleasure in a heartfelt matter.

The celebration of the Mass is an act of thanksgiving. We come together to give thanks and to celebrate as a community the great love of Jesus as He gives us His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist. We are the Body of Christ. We are commissioned to be the hands, feet, voice, eyes, and ears of Christ in our families, our church, our neighborhoods, our community, our workplace, with those we know and the stranger, the outcast and the forgotten, the humble and the proud. We are all called to build the Kingdom of God here on earth. When we possess a spirit of gratitude, we can build the Kingdom without being inhibited or restricted, where there are no walls only open spaces. For today, express your gratitude to those who need to hear it. If it is God, pray it, if it is to a family member, say it, but just don’t let it go. 

SATURDAY – “E” – ENDEARING – Inspiring love or affection and sharing it.

Do you inspire love or affection, or do you shy away from it?  God draws us to love; to be love and to share love, just not to hold onto love. For today, as you prepare for the weekend, think of how you have inspired love and how you have shared that love for God, others, and self. Remember to pray for those who have inspired love for the stranger by placing their lives in harm’s way; our military, police, fire, All these individuals give of themselves because they were inspired by the love and selfless actions of another. We might not be called to go out and minister to another who is carrying so great a cross, but the person sitting next to us at home, in the restaurant, on the train or bus, the next person that we welcome in our home, the stranger that we see walking  down the street, we can all give the selfless act of love by sending a prayer to God on their behalf, since only God knows their heart and the cross they carry, our prayer made  in and out of love can make their burden a little lighter. 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for April 7, Divine Mercy Sunday

 

What did Mary Magdalene, The Apostles, Thomas, and The Disciples on the road to Emmaus, have in common after Jesus rose from the dead?  What they had in common was that they were prevented from recognizing Jesus after He rose from the dead. They thought that He was the gardener, a stranger in town, or just another man. What was preventing them? What did Jesus know about each of their hearts that needed to be healed by His presence after He died on the cross and they felt abandoned, left alone to figure out things, led to a darkness that they never felt or expected?

All were prevented, unable to see or recognize the risen Christ. The very Jesus that they broke bread with, ministered together with, experienced His miracles, shared their stories about their brokenness, their joys, their families hopes, their sorrows, and their hopes about the Messiah and how He would change things for the better. Christ raised people from the dead, healed the blind, the deaf, the crippled, he ate with sinners and ministered to the outcasts, and these very apostles, disciples, and women followers were with Him to see it firsthand. They had come to know Jesus and the kind of person He was. They learned of the kind of person that they would need to become if they were going to be His followers and follow His example from His life to and through His death, and to His resurrection.

Yet they were unable to recognize Him after He rose from the dead, Why? Seeing Him after He rose from the dead, frightened them and instead of being jubilant and happy to see Him, they were unable to recognize Him for who He was, and they stood in disbelief. What was preventing them from seeing Him as Jesus and not the gardener or a stranger? Was it their grief at His horrible death, was it their anger at how they followed and believed in Him, and now they had no one to follow and they felt abandoned and left on their own? Was it fear? Was it overwhelming disbelief at all that happened, and they still could not make any sense of it all?

What causes us to not see the resurrected Jesus in our life and in the face and life of others? How have we been prevented from seeing Jesus during the pandemic, the flu outbreak, our daily stresses and concerns? Although we are no longer required to wear masks, do we still hide behind our masks of insecurity, anxiety, shame, guilt, sin, hopelessness, fear, discouragement, or despair and fail to recognize Jesus’ compassion, mercy, hope and love?

Do we allow Jesus to call us by name and have we have we removed our mask so that others can recognize us as we strive to be our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become? from others, and from God. What are we hiding from that is blinding us from seeing Jesus or allowing others to recognize His presence within us? As we try to walk, run, crawl, and stumble through life challenges and with our crossses in hand or thrown by the wayside, are we able to recognize where Jesus was and is, and how we are blessed by His presence in the unique and new ways that He has revealed Himself?

 

The disciples were prevented from recognizing Jesus for various reasons. We are prevented from recognizing Jesus for many reasons as well. Sometimes when we are afraid, caught off guard, surprised in a painful way, we are not able to open the eyes of our heart, mind, spirit or soul to seeing Christ as He is in these moments. What else prevents us from recognizing Jesus? it the pain or separation that comes from the physical death of a loved one? is it our woundedness where we need to be healed, and made whole? is it the death of a relationship through separation, divorce, disagreement? is it the death of an ideal? of a dream?  is it anger, loneliness, or fear? We are prevented from seeing the risen Jesus in the faces and lives of others when we cannot see past the pain of our cross, our own personal suffering, whether it is spiritual, emotional, or physical.

Mary, Thomas, and the Apostles were in the very presence of Jesus and witnessed to His many miracles but lost clarity of His presence because fear got in the way. We like them, have the very real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist when we become afraid and need to feel His calm and warmth, reassurance, and peace. When we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, it is then that the eyes of our heart and mind are opened and we recognize Him as He is, our Savior and Redeemer. We then are invited to see our self as He sees us; His beloved sons and daughters, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation.

I believe that our anger, our sorrow, our weariness at what we are coping with can prevent us from seeing the Risen Christ and experiencing the resurrections in our life that Jesus has in store. You cannot have a Good Friday without a Resurrection Sunday. They go together.

Jesus' first words to His followers who stood in disbelief were "Peace be with you!" He didn't reprimand them for not recognizing Him because he knew their hearts and how much they loved Him, even when they were filled with so many other emotions.

The resurrection experiences in our life come in the forms of peace, joy, happiness, reconciliation, healing, compassion, mercy, understanding and a renewed desire to be the best person that God created us to be despite our crosses and the challenges that they bring. 

It is difficult to experience resurrection if we cannot let go and let God bring us these gifts because of our disbelief that He wants to give them to us, and our fears that we will be called to change and be transformed forever.

When Jesus saw Mary Magdalene, she at first was unable to recognize Him as Her Lord and Teacher. He saw through her fear and instead of causing more pain for her, He touched her heart because He knew the depth of her love for Him. He brought that love forward, past her fear, her pain, her deep sense of loss and much confusion, and it was then that she recognized Him.  He offered her Peace. That is what He offers all His children. He knows that depth of our love for Him even in the midst and the weight of our crosses. When we say Yes to His will, recognize Him as our true teacher, desire to do and be the very best we can and surrender our will to Him each day, then we are experiencing a resurrection.

 

So this week, let us take time to see the resurrected Jesus in our lives and in the faces and lives of others. "Rabboni" which means teacher. Your prayer for the week can be: Teach me your ways O Lord and make known to me the path that I must travel to walk closer to you. 

 

SUNDAY - "T" – Thanksgiving

Are you thankful for the gift of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection that enables you to emerge from your tombs and experience you mini resurrections? Through Jesus' passion, death and resurrection you have someone that knows your pain, your suffering and your confusion and is there to help you as you carry your cross. He blesses you with His peace, joy, and happiness here on earth, so that you can move forward and recognize your resurrections and rejoice in them, and at your final breath can rejoice in the resurrected Jesus’ loving embrace.

 

MONDAY - "E" – Empathy

Are you empathetic, understanding, compassionate towards others who fail to recognize the risen Jesus in their life because of the weight of their crosses and the pain that they are feeling? or do you put them down, judge them, lose patience with them, see yourself as better than them? Empathy requires an open heart, one that is in relationship with God and wants to share His good news of mercy, healing, peace, and love with others, and how they are His beloved children, loved unconditionally, and His greatest creation. You cannot be empathetic if you want to hold others back and think yourself as better than them. Recognizing the risen Christ and the resurrection experiences in your life means that you have the heart of Christ and the desire to expand it so that Jesus can fill it with His presence in the way that He chooses to reveal it. Share that love, allow God to expand your heart, break open your heart and you shall be amazed at the graces that flow from you.

 

TUESDAY - "A" - Amazement

Are you, can you allow our self to be amazed? Can you see, do you see the many signs of resurrection in your life?  Do you recognize your resurrections, the place where you experience the Risen Christ, the Christ of reconciliation, healing and peace in your life? Do you see them in and through the healing that has taken place through reconciliations? Can you recognize the Risen Christ, your resurrections in your joys, your family, your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your church, and your place of employment? All of these can provide signs of resurrection and the peace that Jesus wants for you. Can you see them? Ask for the ability to recognize the Risen Jesus as you encounter others, see circumstances differently, recognize that personal grudges as an unnecessary weight that is holding you back from peace and seek the grace to let go.

 

 

WEDNESDAY - "C" - Charity

Are you charitable in your words, deeds, actions, and attitudes? Do you offer peace, reconciliation, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness to others, especially those who have caused you pain and have made your cross heavy? Jesus offered peace to His disciples even after they denied Him, abandoned Him, and hid in fear. He forgave them because He knew their hearts. He knows your heart and how it wants to be the best in love. He offers you His mercy and peace so that you can be more charitable. He does not want you to hold onto grudges because it is then that you miss out on the hope of reconciliation, renewal, and reconnection.  

 

THURSDAY - "H" - Honor

Do you honor yourself, others, and God by how you treat yourself, others and in your relationship with God? Can you honor others, who are also God's beloved children, who have offended you in some way? Do you recognize that God honors you? Or are you your greatest offender? Do you want to ask God for His grace and love to penetrate your brokenness so that you can recognize not only how He honors you, but loves you beyond any sin or weakness that you have committed? God's love is greater than any sin that you can commit, and He wants that truth to be your resurrection. He wants you to embrace your new life with Him as risen.

 

FRIDAY - "E" - Embrace

Do you go towards Jesus as He holds out His arms to embrace you or do you run from His embrace? What brings you towards Christ so that you can be embraced by Him? Is it your desire to say thank you and talk to Him about what you are experiencing in your life? Is it because you want to be healed and you realize that only he can heal your woundedness in whatever form it is taking? What turns you away from going to Christ? Is it fear, shame guilt, ego or pride? You can't fix what is broken or shattered, only Jesus can. You can become the wounded healer though and that is a great gift, a big resurrection, the recognition of the risen Christ in your life.

 

SATURDAY - "R" - Revelation

What or how has God revealed Himself to you this week that has made you respond with joy and happiness, that brought you a deep sense of peace and gratitude, thanksgiving, and serenity? Was it a reconciliation of a relationship? forgiveness of self for something that you have held on to but now are able to let go of and forgive yourself for? Was it a blessing that you have been praying for and have received and found it to be better than you could have imagined?  What resurrections have you experienced this week? Do you see the Risen Christ because of your resurrections more readily in those around you? How has He revealed Himself to you? How have you revealed Him to others this week? How do you want to reveal Him to others? So go for it, and just do it!

 

 

                   

 

 

 

Glimpse Of God for Holy Week -------March 24, 2024

As we enter Holy Week, my Glimpse of God is not in a single experience that I had this past week or in any special situation that I found myself in, but rather in the anticipation of this Holy Week and what it means to me.

As a source of personal reflection and to discern my motivations, I often ask myself; What is Holy Week and what is it all about to me? Is it about the long passion gospel narratives that I hear on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, or the passing out of palm, or the unusual crowds, or the different liturgy times on Thursday and Friday, or the misunderstanding that people have about lent and the triduum, or the barrenness of the sanctuary and the empty tabernacle on Good Friday, or even the long Easter vigil and how people either avoid it or are attracted to it?

I don’t believe that it is these elements that make the week “holy”; they make it different, but not holy. These elements are necessary to celebrate and remember the specific events of Jesus, but it is not the outward celebration of the events that make them “holy”. I think that it is the spirit in which they are celebrated, and the inner disposition of those who participate in the celebrations, both the celebrants and the congregation, that make them “holy”. “Holy” means sacred, and blessed, as well as consecrated and hallowed.  Liturgy is sacred. We are blessed. The celebration of the Mass is the most sacred and holiest events that we are privileged to attend. It is through the Mass that we encounter Christ in Sacred Scripture and in the reception of the Eucharist.

We were blessed at our baptism as we were immersed in the waters of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. All that being said, if our hearts are not present to the reality of the liturgy, then we are going through the motions. We miss the true meaning, the “holy”, of the holy week services.

Jesus often criticized the religious leaders for “looking” holy, by saying all the right things but they were not doing the right things. Jesus said that the people could listen to what the religious leaders said because they knew the law, but do not follow their example, for their heart was far from God. I don’t think that Jesus would want us to celebrate His entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, or the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, or His passion and death on Good Friday out of obligation or guilt but rather out of love, desire, and gratitude.

Out of Love for Jesus in that He endured His passion and death for you and me in complete selflessness, unconditional love, mercy, and sacrifice. If we are truly in love with Him and desire to draw nearer to Him and live out our baptismal call to enter more deeply into His passion, death, and resurrection, then we would want to attend the special liturgies. It is in and through them that we encounter the suffering Jesus, the Jesus that although did not and could not sin, endured the death of a hardened criminal out of pure love. We want our hearts to be more like His because His heart is the perfect heart, and we want to strive to love as He loved and be more perfect in our love. He said Yes to His Father and gave of Himself completely so that we may live in eternity with Him, what love, what gift!

He would want us to celebrate with a spirit of gratitude in that we have been redeemed and forgiven and that we are grateful for such a wonderful life changing, transforming, lifelong gift. He would want our hearts to be united with His in His passion, death, and resurrection so that we can truly appreciate and be thankful for the gift of His love and life in ours. We can choose to enter into the liturgies as just a body in the pew, but I think that it would be better if we entered into them with a heart ready to be loved and embraced and a mind open to being truly present at the special events of Jesus’ life.

So, as you enter into Holy Week, my idea is to just take each day and reflect by using your senses as you draw nearer to and enter into the Holy Triduum. And as we begin this new and holy week, as you look in the mirror, take the opportunity and the grace to see within yourself the love of Christ as King: King of your heart, mind, soul, and spirit, and look out the window to see that same presence in others.  When you are not able to recognize His presence as King because you are focused on your weaknesses and sins, shortcomings, and failures, and those of others, look into the mirror only to remind yourself that you are loved by God just as you are because His love is much greater than all of these. Seek His grace so that you can recognize, in a greater way, the presence of His great mercy, compassion, and unconditional love that HE has for you, that He has showered upon you and that you have shared with others.  His death is a reminder that He sees all that you see, but He looks into the depth of your heart to see that which you have not begun to.  

If during this holy week, as lent gradually comes to an end, and you journey into the days of the Sacred Triduum, you find yourself asking, “How have I grown in my relationship to Christ, or how have I been a reflection of His presence in my life to others”? As you look back and recall how you found yourself helping others and giving of your time, talent, and compassion, and mercy, know that your desire is in response to God’s grace, so trust in God and believe that you are closer to Him than you think. We measure our progress and that of others with human expectations and limitations, but God looks into the very heart that He created and sees its width, its depth, its woundedness, its potential and fills it with His compassion, His mercy, His peace, and His grace so that we can be the best loving person that we can be. You are what He wants you to be, for you can be nothing less. What you are is God’s gift given in love and out of love, what you become is your gift to God.

This week that we call Holy is an invitation by God the Father to draw nearer to Himself and His Son Jesus. It is through Jesus’ suffering of His passion and death that we are made stronger to suffer our passions and deaths so that we can emerge from our tomb with a renewed hope, sense of self, healed and whole. This week we can all become a little bit more holy, a little bit more open, a little bit more Christ like if we choose to humble ourselves and recognize that not only did Christ endure all that HE did for you and me in and out of love, but that He would do it again. Yet HE does it again, repeatedly, every time we participate in the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacraments of the Church.

SUNDAY – PALM SUNDAY – As a bystander at the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey, Are you one that is throwing palm or your personal cloak on the ground to make a path for Jesus? (touch)

As you listen to the crowd, are you also shouting Hosanna to Jesus as He passes by you? (hearing)

Are you so far back in line that you can’t see Him, and you are experiencing so much frustration that you are ready to leave for you home miles away? (sight)

When you hear that Jesus is entering on a donkey, the worse smelling animal, do you just turn away and go home, missing the greater purpose for which He is there? (smell)

When you hear that Jesus is coming and you want to be there because you witnessed His miracles and wanted to see Him again, can you taste the excitement in the air? (taste) 

 

MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK – Using the sense of Awe, do you try and make sense out of Jesus’ actions, or do they leave you in a sense of awe because you cannot explain or understand how He can do what He did out of complete and unselfish Love? That is so hard for us to believe, understand or imagine, but if we are truly His followers, it is not impossible for us to imitate. Do you believe this? Get ready, the Triduum is coming and if you are still trying to understand Jesus, even in these coming days you still might not understand but don’t get discouraged, just get ready, be open and allow Him to speak to your heart. He will stretch it, open it, expand it, embrace it, and return His mark of love on it.

 

TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK –  Using your sense of mystery, can you recall Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, and look ahead to Holy Thursday and Good Friday and see such a stark change, and ask yourself where would I have been in these events? Would I have changed from glorifying Jesus to condemning Him? Every time I sin, I am not choosing Jesus, so do I deny Jesus as Peter did, and choose Barabbas to go along with the crowd no matter what the consequences are? or do I stand as an observer, silently and sadly by Jesus as did Mary and the women? 

 

WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK – Using your sense of Wonder, beginning tomorrow we will celebrate how on Holy Thursday, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. As we look ahead, we are reminded that every day we are called to do the same. Jesus washed the feet to show us that we must serve the needs of others. Serving others is not reserved for one day a year or just on the holidays, but rather every day. How we are called to serve is different for each of us because our motives are as unique as we are and as God calls us. How difficult serving others is sometimes especially when we cannot seem to serve with the empathy or compassion Christ had. Instead, we are judgmental. It is during these moments that we must reflect on the reason that God has called us to serve and seek His grace to serve not only in His name but in and out of love for Him and those we are called to serve.

The feet of another are what carries them and enables them to place one foot in front of the other and not remain stuck or go backwards. When we are called to wash the feet of another, what Christ might be inviting us to do is to walk in the shoes of another with a greater sense of compassion, empathy, mercy, peace and understanding, so that we don’t judge and turn away from them but rather receive and embrace them.  When you find yourself being present to the needs of the poor, the homeless, the forgotten, the unforgivable, the estranged, then you are allowing yourself to be servant, not the judge, but the humble servant being and bringing Christ to them by your words, deeds, attitude, actions, and love.  

HOLY THURSDAY – Using your sense of sight, can you be present and allow yourself to experience the humility of being a servant and serving the needs of others as Jesus did in the Washing of the Feet? Or can you use your sense of taste and perhaps as you receive the Holy Eucharist in the Commemoration of the Last Supper, reflect on how Jesus gave us of Himself to His apostles at the Last Supper and continues to give of His real presence today in every celebration of the Mass? This is Jesus’ real presence, His true Body and Blood, not a symbolic representation, but the real deal. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord….. 

GOOD FRIDAY – Jesus dies on the cross. We hear Him being condemned, crucified, and dying on the cross. We know that He did nothing to deserve such cruel and terrible treatment, but we also know that He willingly, selflessly, and lovingly accepted His fate so that we may live forever in His and His Father’s love. Are you listening? As you venerate the holy cross, are you allowing yourself to be present at the cross to tell Jesus how much you love Him and how sorry you that your sins are the cause for His suffering? Not just do you hear, but also are you listening when He says “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”? He was talking about you and me, not just His persecutors. He forgives us when we say we are sorry, do you listen when He tells you that He forgives and loves you or do you just walk away? 

HOLY SATURDAY – We celebrate the joy of the resurrection. We celebrate all of our senses in that we have the blessing of the fire, the lighting of the paschal candle and the lighting of the congregation’s candles, the proclamation of the Exultet, the Liturgy of the Word, the blessing of the Holy Water to be used at the baptisms of those being received into the Catholic faith that evening, and to be sprinkled on those at Mass reminding them of their baptismal call and promises, the aroma of the sacred chrism and holy oils used for the baptisms and confirmation, the reception of Holy Communion by those entering the faith and the congregation. We are truly a resurrection people. We proclaim the Gloria and the Alleluia again to celebrate this great mystery. Lift you voice and proclaim the great things that the Lord has done, they are marvelous in our eyes. Let us fully be present to this great and glorious gift.

 

 

 

LENT IS A TIME TO:

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 17, 2024

Happy Saint Patty’s Day to all

A continuation on the Lenten reflections…

FORGIVE and not to be bitter.

We are called to forgive ourselves and others, and not hold on to the past of bad choices, deep hurts, and poor decisions. Only in true forgiveness can we experience genuine and lasting freedom so that we can be the beacon of Christ’s mercy, love, and compassion for our self and to others.  "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.

This week’s Glimpse of God is not one that will consist of a daily reflection, but rather a reflection on the act of forgiveness and how we partake of that act both for ourselves, and others.

Do we allow God to forgive us, do we allow others to forgive us? do we forgive others? but most important do we forgive ourselves? To forgive, to be forgiven, God’s grace and peace is alive and well.

I believe the two hardest phrases to say are “I am Sorry” and “I forgive you”. Both indicate an action by a person to admit to a wrongdoing and how it has caused injury to another and seek their forgiveness, or to forgive another who has caused them injury and then to let it go and never bring it back up. Forgiveness is not an act that one does because it sounds like a good idea at the time or is cool, but because deep inside they realized that they have either caused injury or they have been injured, and there is a humble need to pardon or seek pardon so that the peace, reconciliation, and love can prevail.

To seek forgiveness and to offer forgiveness, is an act of the will, but forgiveness is not yet experienced. The act and desire to forgive and seek forgiveness is a gift from God. That gift and grace that God invites one to receive and be held accountable for is one that sets a person free and allows them to share the gift of true freedom with another. As we seek to forgive or be forgiven, we can pray the words of Jesus on the cross, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. When we sin, we often do not see the choice for what it really was or is. We give into temptation and only afterwards are we able to recognize that the devil duped us, and we got duped. We are like the other person and therefor need to be seen as God sees them and not just how we want to see them; with blinders on, with bitterness, with hatred, or with fury, but perhaps with the eyes of compassion, understanding, love and openness.  

As I reflect on our Lenten journey and how we are deeply immersed in acts of prayer, penance and alms giving, as well as a conscious choice of turning away from sin and being faithful to the Gospel, I hope that you are having a spiritually rewarding Lenten journey, one of personal and spiritual transformation, renewal, and a restoration.

As I reflect on forgiveness and this week’s glimpse, I pose the question: Who is the hardest person to forgive? Is it “God”, “the Other” or “yourself”? Who do you beat up more often over bad choices, deep hurts, poor decisions, or sins of omission? You can beat up others by your choice to ignore them, criticize them, reject them, taunt them, and isolate them, your act of silence can devastate them, and your cruel words can destroy them, yet we can all find ways to point out another’s sin by the way we respond to them.

So how are you and I any different when it comes to forgiving our self?

I believe that like the gift of love, if we do not have it for ourselves, we cannot love another, if we fail to truly forgive our self, we cannot truly forgive another.  

Forgiveness for ourselves is God’s will for us. He wants us to experience the peace and the joy that comes from being reconciled with Him and others, after we recognize our sin and express sorrow for it.

He knows our heart better than we do, and so He knows that our heart’s desire was not to stray or walk away. But we fell short of following our heart’s true desire of making the right choice and following God’s direction, and decided to either take a short cut, walk on the side of the road, head backwards or just stood still.  

He forgives us and we are called to forgive our self so that we can truly forgive another. If we fail to forgive ourselves, we make God a liar, His truth has no room in our heart, and we stand as a hypocrite. Christ died on the cross, but before that, He suffered His cruel and bitter passion. He suffered and died for our sins, all of ours, all of humankind, not just the other persons.

If He chose, and He did, to endure all of that so that we can experience His mercy, love, compassion, and reconciliation, who are we to discount or deny that same love, mercy, compassion, and reconciliation when it comes to our sins? Yet we do….when we say that God can’t or won’t forgive us, or that we are unlovable because of what we said or did, then we close the door of our heart to God and we dwell in  the negativity and falsities that the devil wants us to choose so that we walk away from God and not towards Him.

When we fall short of what we know and feel God is calling us to do so that we can be our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become, we then beat ourselves up. We do not think as God thinks because we are so focused on our short comings that the only thought about God is how disappointed He is or ashamed of us He is. Not how much He loves us despite our sins, or how unconditional that love is despite our sins, or how much He can’t love us less despite our sins. We let our sins take control of the mercy and love of the God who created us, suffered, and died for us, opened the gates of heaven to us, and gives us the sacraments of healing and life.
We have a hard time forgiving another because we cannot forgive ourselves. We struggle to forgive ourselves because we think of the sins that we committed and how big they seem to be and think that we are unforgiveable, unlovable, and unredeemable and yet our sin, already known to God, cancels all three of these false ideas.

As genuine and authentic people, people that not only profess to be followers of Christ, but live as followers of Christ, forgiving others, but we first need to forgive ourselves.

What does forgiving ourselves look like? What words would we use?  How can we experience true peace if we choose not to forgive ourselves? Where is God when it comes to forgiving ourselves?

Can you look at any moment in your life where you fell short of forgiving yourself and the reasons that you used, and ask God for the grace to let go and to see yourself as He sees you? Then be prepared for a great sense of peace to permeate your being because God has been waiting to lift the unnecessary burden off of your shoulders and wants to fill you with His peace, so that you can walk proudly but humbly with your head held high, your eyes focused on the road God has set before you, and your heart ready to love God, yourself, and others with a heart that has been expanded, strengthened and filled with more love that it is overflowing and ready to be shared in the form of forgiveness, compassion, peace, joy, and true happiness.

All of these are gifts and graces that God has in store for all His followers. You are His follower. You are His beloved child. You are His chosen one. You are His. You are His greatest creation. He has called you by name. He loves you unconditionally. There is nothing that you can say or do that can or will make Him love you less, He cannot, His love is perfect and that is impossible. God wants you to be genuinely happy and only His peace can bring you His happiness. I

f there is something that you cannot forgive either in yourself or in another, reflect on the words of Jesus; Father forgive them for them know not what they do…then look in the mirror and listen to Jesus say; Father forgive my beloved child standing before you, for they did not know what they were doing. I know their love for me is great and I want them to realize that and let go of what is the keeping the mirror foggy and not allowing them to see themselves as we see them, beloved, adorable, and precious in our eyes.

Choose not to be bitter…you can choose bitter candy, bitter drinks, and even bitter foods, but don’t choose a bitter heart, because that you can’t spit out, wrap up and throw away, or pour down the drain. You can surrender it to God though and ask Him to exchange it for a more loving and forgiving heart. I can assure you the gift that you receive back is one that you will open with great pleasure.

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of March 10, 2024

A continuation of the Lenten reflections:

LOVE ourselves and others, especially those who do not like us, and we really do not like, but we are called to LOVE, and to HATE those things that take us away from God and make us want to be more self-centered and selfish, instead of being more Christ centered and self-less.

 

What does it mean to love yourself unconditionally? Does it mean not seeing your faults because your ego is so inflated that there is nothing that you cannot love about yourself less than totally or absolutely? or could it mean that despite your faults, or in light of your faults and sins, you accept them because you are able to recognize that that God forgives you, knows your love for Him is deeper and that you want to choose to grow it that love despite any bad choices? If we choose not to love our self, we cannot love others or love God. Love comes from within, and it is within our heart that God dwells with His compassion, mercy, joy, happiness, and peace. How we choose to share those gifts is how we choose to love.  

Do you love yourself unconditionally or do you find fault with who you are, do you look at your imperfections, sins, weaknesses, faults, with your eyes wide open, and judge yourself unworthy of being loved by God or others? or can you see yourself as God sees you? HE sees you and loves you totally, without reserve and completely, and that means He sees all and sees past the negative. He sees your heart and what fills it, and all He sees is love:  your love for Him, others, and self, imperfect though it is, it is the love that emerges from your desire to be in a deeper relationship with Him so that you and grow in love with Him, self, and others. What would it look like or mean to love yourself unconditionally, after all God loves you unconditionally and He knows all about you, He knows your heart better than you know it yourself, and cannot love you less than unconditional, eternal, complete, and without exception?

Parents choose to love their children unconditionally. They choose to unconditionally love those that they have been given the grace to conceive, raise, and love into the world, with a complete and unconditional love. The seed of love that only God can and does sow in their minds, hearts, and spirits, and as they share that love, the seed continues to cause growth and the beauty of love flourishes.  

Can you love those who have hurt you, that you do not like or who do not like you? Love conquers all, do you recognize that in the people, events, and situations that have challenged your ability to love and not hate, to forgive and not hold a grudge, to be reconciled and not remain estranged, they have made you the courageous and better person that you are, and that evil has not conquered your love, but has built it up and made it stronger?

What does it mean to you to be selfless and not selfish? To be other centered and not self-centered? Do you feel that you get lost as you focus on others, or do you find a renewed sense of self in love and God, as you walk with others in their moments of pain, experiences of suffering, and joyful celebrations?

This week as we enter another week of lent, a time of prayer, personal conversion, and transformation, as we turn away from sin and choose to be faithful to the Gospel and the God who loves us unconditionally, let us recognize that God calls us in love, and out of love, to seek His will and become our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become.

 

SUNDAY – “T” Trusting

What does it mean to trust as you choose to love? Not looking back on old messages, but on the truth that God loves you unconditionally. Who do you trust to show you the truth of God’s message of unconditional, complete, and absolute love for you? parents, family, church community, leaders of the Church, friends, and co-workers? And who looks up to you to point them in direction of the truth of God’s unconditional love? Choose to seek the truth with the eyes of love and keep them open, so that the eyes of distrust can remain closed.

MONDAY – “O” Other centered

As you choose to love, turn away from sin, and towards God, how other centered are you? Have you been able to look out the window to the see more of the needs and concerns of others, or are you still looking in the mirror at yourself with your faults, sins, flaws, and weaknesses? As we choose to look to the needs and concerns of others, as we become more selfless and less selfish, the love of God is taking root and we are becoming a new creation, growing in the unconditional love of self and acceptance of others. Do you recognize that God is constantly making you a new creation with every beat of your heart that chooses to love and not hate, every word that springs forth as the breath of God that chooses to forgive and not tear down, and every time you choose to walk with another in their shoes, not judging but walking with compassion, love, and acceptance?

TUESDAY – “W” Without reserve

Without reserve or restriction? What does that look like and how can that become a greater aspect of your loving yourself, others, and God? To place no restrictions on your love? How hard is that especially when it is difficult to love someone that does not like you, or that you do not like? Only with God’s grace can we overcome placing restrictions or conditions on our imperfect love. Only with God’s grace can we choose to love despite our desire to hate, hold a grudge or not forgive. Choose to live in the truth and grace of God’s love so that you do not fall into the grave of the devil’s lies.

WEDNESDAY – “A” Accepting

Have you, can you, accept your weaknesses and love yourself unconditionally? Can you accept that God loves you so much because you are His beloved child, loved unconditionally, His greatest creation and that there is absolutely nothing that you can say or do that can make Him love you less? This is the truth of God, believe it, live in it, and it will set you free.

 

THURSDAY – “R” Reverent

In light of your baptism, you have been blessed by God, called by name, and as you were immersed into the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, you burst forth, you emerged as a new creation, one set apart by God to give him glory and honor. You are blessed and therefore you should reverence the very person that you are as God does. What does it mean to reverence yourself? Could it mean that you forgive yourself, not see just bad choices that you made, but seek to recognize the greater good that possesses you and that you possess, can it mean reverencing others, that you forgive others as fellow sinners striving to become saints, and we need each other to build up the Kingdom of God, can you reverence them as God’s beloved child as God does? Go forth in reverence and not backwards in rejection.

FRIDAY – “D” Determined

As we begin our Lenten journey, is lent bringing you a sense of a greater self-determination or less? Is the fear of getting the flu or covid 19.  causing you to fall back on, or driving you to, a greater self determination to change, seek His will and guidance? Are you resolving each and every day to turn away from sin and towards God? If so, that is all He asks of you, so you are on the right track. Do not give up or give in but seek to recognize the graces that have transformed you into the strong person that you are and have become through your self-determination, self-conviction and steadfastness. Demand to be determined and not be determined to be in command.

SATURDAY – “S” Selfless

Choose to be selfless and not selfish and the fruits of your choice will be those of compassion, peace, joy, happiness, forgiveness, love, acceptance, truth, and not the pits of discord, injury, hurt, hatred, darkness, and pain. Be fruitful and multiply, and not fruitless and in a pit.

 

Glimpse of God for the week of March 3, 2024

As I reflect on what Lent can be for each one of us, the last glimpse that I wrote was on what can be for each one of us.. I hope to elaborate on the various paragraphs of that glimpse. Having missed two weeks of glimpses due to being in the hospital, I hope that I do not condense things too much but rather offer enough to spiritual food to chew on, that is not difficult to swallow and easy to digest., but if you find it difficult to digest, that you seek the only GI physician (God’s Intervention) for healing.

Paragraph 1 was SURRENDER those things that keep us from being the person that God has created us to be and keep us from becoming the person that He knows we can be, those things that are standing in the way of our seeing Christ more clearly in our self and in others, in life’s challenges and in our crosses. LENT IS NOT A TIME TO GIVE UP and think that we cannot do what God knows we can and invites us to believe that we can and that we, with His help, will.

Paragraph 2 was STRETCH OURSELVES

This week I will reflect on the second paragraph of what Lent is or can become and it begins with STRETCH OURSELVES: our imaginations, our minds, our spiritual comfort zone, and our hearts. We need to stretch so that we can see ourselves accomplishing and overcoming the hardest challenges that face us, but we think will defeat us. We need to allow God to stretch that which is set and confined so that HE can reset, reform, and reshape us into a better reflection of His image.  

So, as we enter a new week of Lent, what does it mean to stretch, be stretched, or undergo stretching? what do we desire or want to be stretched?

According to Marriam Webster: to stretch is to draw up (one’s body) from a cramped, stooped, or relaxed position.” To be stretched can mean that one is broadened, unfolded, expanded, and extended. To undergo the act of stretching involves the action of straightening, widening, and enlarging.

So, as we stretch our spiritual comfort zone, and are stretched beyond our imaginings, has the act of stretching made you a better witness to Christ, are you being transformed by the act of stretching, and do you, can you recognize that as you stretch your spiritual comfort zone, it is an opportunity for you to invite God in so that He can fill you with His many graces and blessings?

As you have been expanded, transformed and reformed into a better reflection of His presence, love, compassion and mercy, are you grateful to be stretched? Or do you want to return to being cramped, in a stooped position and so relaxed that you do not want to grow or experience personal and spiritual transformation?

 

 

During Lent and every day, I believe that God invites us to stretch and be stretched in our spiritual life so that He can fill with His graces and blessings, expand our understanding of how He is calling us to be our best self, the person that He created us to be and have the potential to become, and stand up to what we believe and truly desire, and not and not be so relaxed in our life that we ignore the need to grow in our spiritual relationship with God, others and self.

So, my question to you is what does it mean to be stretched out of your comfort zone? What comfort zone needs to be stretched the most? Is it your spiritual life where you recognize that you have been on the lazy side of your personal and community prayer, your time and your communication with God have been less than what you would like, your idea of serving others make you feel exhausted?

Are you afraid of what God may have in store for you and that your fear keeps you still and less open to Him? Is it your love life where your heart is broken due to injuries imposed on it by others? Has a relationship been broken beyond repair? Are you experiencing a hurt that has caused you to become bitter and vengeful instead of forgiving? Is y our heart a vessel with many cracks and you desire to be healed and mended? God can stretch your heart where you can forgive, feel new, whole, and healed. Are you ready to be stretched to experience those graceful and grace filled moments?  Is it your physical wellbeing, where you recognize that you need to take better care of yourself, but are afraid to change your habits and are too tired to initiate any change? God has an excellent spiritual exercise program that can make you feel better and live healthier. It includes prayer pushups where you can place your prayers before God and truly ask that they be answered according to His will and desire, knee bends where you can kneel before the God who loves you and tell Him how much you love Him and desire to serve Him better, walking so that you can place one foot in front of the other at His pace and not yours, Sit ups so that you can take notice of what and how God is acting in your life with a clearer vision and direction and lying flat on your back so that you can allow God to enter into your very being from the top of your head to your tippy toes. Let Him enter through your hands of service that have helped carry the crosses of others, to your heart of love, that has forgiven and sought to heal the brokenness and woundedness around you, to your feet that have walked in another’s shoes, to your senses that have seen, heard, and listened to the stories of those who were hurting and in need of experiencing the presence of God in their life through you. There is nothing that God cannot do if we are open and willing to experience His many forms of surprises that He choose and wants to give us.

Being stretched by God is not meant to be an experience where you think that God is not pleased with you or that you have disappointed Him, but rather an experience where He not only recognizes that you are open to His will and desire, but also that you seek Him so that you can grow and become  your better self, the person that He created you to be, and that He knows you  have the potential to become despite any and all obstacles.

Once you feel that God is stretching you to become a better, healthier, healed, more whole person living in His love and light and being a beacon of that love and light, then you will have come to recognize the graces that not only have enhanced your spiritual life, but also your personal, physical, professional, and psychological life.

This week let us allow God to stretch us as He sees we need to be stretched and let us commit to remaining open and not wanting to return to being closed, left in a cramped position, or stooped in shame, guilt or weakness.

SUNDAY – “S” – be stretched with inner strength.

            Today I seek to be renewed with inner strength because….

MONDAY – “T” – be stretched with trust.

            Today, as I am stretched,  I hope to grow in trust, and less in fear,….

TUESDAY – “R” – be stretched with resolve.

            Today I resolve to be more forgiving, understanding, loving, compassionate…..

WEDNESDAY – “E” – be stretched with empathy.

            Today, as I am stretched,  I will seek to be more empathetic towards….

THURSDAY – ‘T” – be stretched with totality of intention.

            Today I will allow God to stretch me completely and not put limits or restrictions on what He knows I needs to experience…..

FRIDAY – “C” be stretched with compassion.

            Today I will try to be more compassionate with myself and others as I experience the grace of conversion, transformation, and renewal through being stretched as God knows I need to be.

SATURDAY – “H” be stretched with happiness.

Today I choose to be happy in the Lord, and happy with myself and others. I know that we are all being called to be stretched. As Mary and Joseph said Yes to God and allowed themselves to be stretched beyond their imaginings, my surrender to God and being stretched has allowed me to feel freer and more flexible, less confined, and no longer stooped in shame or guilt.

  

 

 

 

My Glimpse of God for the week of February 4, 2024

“Conversations”

 

My Glimpse of God came through in the many and various conversations that I have had on the telephone this week. The presence of God within the telephone conversations automatically came out when others reached out to talk to me. There was a trust and courage present that enabled one to pick up the phone knowing that it would be a difficult conversation. The glimpse was in the actual conversation that took place, in the words that were exchanged between two people that care about each other, and in the visualization that took place as I spoke to the other.

God’s Glimpse can be seen not only in the various elite forms of communication such as Facetime, Email, Voice mail, and Text messaging, but also in the simple form of a telephone conversation. The Glimpse is in the conversation that takes place and the method or instrument that God chooses for us to use is an added gift.

What is conversation? Whether it be in person or on a telephone, I believe that it is the shared thoughts, feelings, ideas, life experiences and events that are spoken between two people: privately, openly and without fear and with great trust. There are many other types of phone conversations, like job interviews, sales calls, and scheduling of appointments, but the more important ones are those where personal interest and well being are discussed, feelings are shared and a sense of care, concern and love are the basis for the dialogue. A good conversation is when you can hear the pitch; tone and volume of the voice on the other end, and with your heart listen to where they are coming from and where you might help them get to.

In all of the conversations that I took part in, I found myself listening to a variety of emotional levels. There were high levels of stress, personal frustration, fear, professional frustration, and anxiety, but there were also high levels of acceptance, faith, trust, compassion, mercy, and love. As I talked with many this past week, I was able to hear in their voice, where they were coming from and could envision their facial expression as well as their body language. The conversations were healing, touching, and gifts from God. God showed Himself not only in the presence of the person on the other end, but also in the inspiration and the guidance that came through the words that were shared.

As I think about conversations that we will probably have with others; those we know, love and care about, as well as those who we are not so familiar with and show up on caller id as spam, I believe that the most important conversation that we will have and are invited to participate in, is with our God, I call it prayer.  

As we begin a new week, this week, I would like to focus on the various methods or tools that are used in conversation and how they can all be instruments where God not only reveals Himself through the words expressed, but more importantly in and through the people that are exchanging them.

Next week, as we prepare to begin or Lenten journey, I will write about the spirituality of the various responses to God’s invitation to converse with Him and how we can improve our phone line reception so that it is  sounds clearer, nearer and with less static. I think that there are several ways that we can respond to God’s invitation to converse with Him, we can answer the call or walk away from the call, or our prayer line can be busy,  off the hook, without power, or disconnected, or we can send it to voice mail. Stay tuned…

 

SUNDAY – Prayer

The best form of conversation comes in and through our prayer time. When we take the time to pray, we are placing ourselves in the presence of our Creator, Lord and Redeemer with open hands and trusting heart. Our prayer time is a time where God speaks to our hearts and gives us the graces we need so that we can continue to see Him more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly each and every day. It is a time where we can express our deepest feelings, concerns, fears, weaknesses, prayers of gratitude, and blessings and know that not only does God hear us, but He listens with a forgiving, compassionate and loving heart. It is the most blessed and strengthening conversation that we can have, and it is by no mistake that we begin each week in Prayer and Worship. Each day God gives us the opportunity to be at prayer: It can be memorized prayer, rote prayer, simple prayers, or prayers from the heart.

God is pleased and happy to hear prayers in whatever forms they take because when we pray and lift up our minds and hearts to Him, we are choosing to converse with our God and creator, reverencing Him and putting Him first whereas many choose not to.

For today, ask God to bless all of the conversations that you will have. May He bless your words and the words of those you are speaking with, so that in and through them, you both may come to know, hear, and listen to God’s voice speaking through you.

MONDAY – Text Messaging

Text messaging is important and necessary for us to keep up with people especially when we are not able to speak with them directly. As we text, we are conveying what we feel is necessary for the recipient of the text to know. As you text someone, try to see them as they read your text and how they will respond. Why do you text? Are you texting to purposely avoid talking to them because of your or their situation, experiences, or circumstances? Do you text because is it not a good time to talk? Do you text because it is easier than conversation?  Is there a need to be reconciled or to forgive or to ask for forgiveness and words would be difficult to speak or hear so texting seems easier?

For today, if you are about to text someone, first think if it would be more beneficial to you and him or her, if you were to have a conversation with him or her. If it would, then make a resolve to reach out to them in and with a personal conversation. 

TUESDAY – Face Time

Face time is great because you can see the person; their body language and their facial expression, you can hear the tone and volume of their voices, as well as their level of joy or anxiety, peace or frustration. Face time is a double blessing, especially for grandparents whose grandchildren are not close by yet through face time they are right there.

For today, when and if you face time, make it a prayer face time.  As you look at the person on the other end of the phone, take a moment to thank God for the gift of their life in yours. When we can see each other face to face, we are looking into the depths of their soul through their eyes, in their voice, by their expressions and their trust as they speak with us.

Imagine you are face timing with God, what does that look like?  What is His expression as you speak to Him? Is He smiling at you? Laughing with you? Crying with you? Can you see Him wanting to embrace you and touch you? Allow your prayer face time to be a time where you see God’s face. Listen to Him as He talks to you in love because you are His beloved child, His greatest creation and He wants to remind you of how special you are to Him. 

WEDNESDAY – Voice mail

Voice mail is something that we use when we cannot seem to catch up with someone on the phone. We end up having to leave a voicemail message about why we called and needed or wanted to talk.

When we leave a voice mail, we are missing an important aspect of personal interaction and communication. We are not given the opportunity to see or hear the person that we are trying to reach or that is trying to reach us. This creates a void as to how the person is doing, what is going on in their life and in ours. Voice mail can let someone know that you are trying to reach him or her and that you want to talk with him or her. With voice mail you are given the opportunity to hear the other person’s voice, or they get to hear yours.

For today, if you should have to leave a voice mail or receive one, think of the person on the other end. Say a prayer, that as you listen to their voice or they listen to yours, that the Spirit of God speak through them as they continue to be the breath and life of God through their voice, in their words and by their actions.

THURSDAY – Email

Email is an essential aspect to living today. We are emailing people near and far. Email is great to let someone know what is going on in your life when you do not or cannot actually speak to him or her. We use email to let loved ones and friends know what is going on in our life when we are not able to call them. Email has been a salvation to many grandparents whose grandchildren are away and are not able to call, but are able to send an email keeping them up with current events in their life. When we email, we are sending information to another where they cannot see us, or our facial expression or our body language. When we receive an email, we are receiving words. It is up to the recipient to connect those words with the person who is sending them and read into what is happening in their life.

For today, if you are going to send an email to a loved one or friend, think of what you are trying to convey through your email and the person to whom you are sending it. Pray that God speaks to their heart the words and the experience that you need them to know.

FRIDAY – Sticky note

I know that this sounds strange, but hear me out…. When I write something on a sticky note, and by the way, they come in many shapes, forms, sizes, and colors, just like us, I write only that which is important, that I need to remember, that will fit on the somewhat small piece of paper, and that the reason for writing it is clear. I sometimes leave a sticky note in my husband’s lunch, that might say have great day, that I love him, a message from the; pawsome crew, or just a smiley face. For me, these few words convey a great deal to him from me. He doesn’t expect it so it is a surprise, and if it makes him smile in the midst of a difficult day at work, then I rejoice in the God’s grace present on that little piece of paper. It is  unique, short also can be very deep, transforming and grace filled conversation.  The message sticks.

For today: think about sticky notes and how they can convey  your love in the sweetest way, most caring and surprising ways.  

SATURDAY – Phone conversation

Phone conversation is what started this glimpse and what I will use to complete it. It is through phone conversation and personal dialogue that we get to know what is happening in the lives of those we love and care for. Although we cannot talk to everyone that we love and care for, all those on our contact list, we can pray for them. Phone conversation allows one not only to hear our voice, but we can hear theirs. God gives us a voice to speak His words and spread His message. It is through our voice that others learn of, become more familiar with, get closer to, the God that not only created them but also loves them unconditionally.

For today, when you are talking on the phone with a loved one or friend, imagine God is the connection that brought you together, that allows you to speak openly and honestly with each other, and allows you to be His instrument of empathy, healing, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, understanding, peace, joy, happiness, hope, love and laughter. As you talk on the phone, remind yourself that it is not a call in vain, but a call in and out of love and service.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

GLIMPSE OF GOD FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 28, 2024

Speak Lord, your servant is listening!

This week’s Glimpse of God comes as I look around and see the many people, events and situations that have been a source of inspiration and peace to me. I believe that as a resurrection people, we are called to live in hope and be a sign of that hope to all we encounter. It is through our conversations, our activities, our deeds, and our attitudes, amid and through our fears and anxieties, that we can choose to exude the presence and light of Christ or diminish it.

As one reading this Glimpse of God, I believe that you and I have been inspired by others, and we have inspired others, through various conversations and by their example and ours, to continue to live as a resurrected people, living in faith, trust, and hope. There are also events and situations that are a source of inspiration, but for this glimpse, I am choosing to focus on those people that we know who have inspired us. I believe that as you and I live each day, there have been special people, events and situations in our life that have inspired us to continue to put one foot in front of the other, not knowing where the path may lead, but trusting that we are not walking alone.

For me, there are many who inspire me to become my best self, the person that God created me to be, and that I have the potential to become. By their presence they exude the warmth, love, and compassion of God, and in their faith and through their silence, they invite me to hear and listen to His voice, so that I can respond to Him as He calls me. They inspire or connect with the Spirit dwelling within both of us to be God’s messenger to others. And because they inspire me, I can freely say to my Lord and God, as did Samuel, Speak Lord for your servant is listening. SO

At our baptism God breathed into the us the breath of life, hence, as God’s beloved sons and daughters, we are the breath of God, we are His voice. The words that come forth from our mouth should be words that build up others, extend compassion and mercy, offer peace, share joy, give hope, and impart healing.

As you continue to walk on your journey of faith with the many challenges that life brings, can you take a moment of more to reflect on those who have been a source of inspiration to you; spouse, mentor, parents, children, siblings, friends, religious, coworkers, parishioners, and how they have invited you to become your best self, the person that God created you to be, and you know that you have the potential to become.

Being an inspiration is about speaking, exuding, and sharing God’s word and presence in our life, so that we can build up, encourage, console, support, and forgive others so that they have a greater desire to become their best and better self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become.

We are all capable of being an inspiration to others since we all possess the breath of God. It is how we choose to use that breath that will either inspire others or bore them. You are a source of God’s inspired word; how will you choose to inspire others this week? 

SUNDAY – “I” intellect (a high IQ is not required to hear the voice of God)

Having a high IQ, a doctorate, a large bank account or the latest iPhone, is not a prerequisite for being an inspiration to others. Although they may influence you to inspire others who are seeking to attain certain aspirations and achieve specific goals, God’s voice is not a reward for one’s personal achievements. God’s breath of life, His voice was given to us at our baptism, and whether we choose to be His voice is our choice. God does not force us to be His instruments or to do His will. He invites us because He will never go against our free will. He wants us to choose Him. Being an inspiration is not something new to us, or that we need to go to class to learn about because when we are compassionate, generous, humorous, joyful, and merciful we are unconsciously inspiring others because they are seeing God’s action in the flesh of humanity as we do the will of God. His presence, His Holy Spirit is within us, and when we ask for the grace to respond to the Holy Spirit, God will show us how we can do that so that He is glorified.

For today: pray for those who inspire you not because of what they possess, but rather what they do not possess: self serving ego, power, control, and how the spirit of simplicity enables and empowers them to be a humble servant of God.

MONDAY – “N” noise (noise prevents one from hearing inspiration)

The noises of the outside world can inhibit one from hearing the voice of God from within. Sometimes those noises cannot be controlled and therefor need to be heard, while there are other times when we allow the noise to enter our heart, mind, and spirit so that we cannot hear what is truly going on in within our self and what or how God is trying to connect with us. Inspiration is not noise, but rather silence with words and sometimes without words. We are silent and God speaks through us with His inspired word. Inspiration is not about what we want to say to set a person straight, to prove them wrong, or make them feel bad, it is not a ticket for us to judge another. Being an inspiration is about speaking, exuding, or sharing God’s word, His presence in our life, so that we can build up, encourage, console, support, and forgive others so that they have a greater desire to become their best and better self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become.

For today: Take a few minutes to reflect on how you use noise to avoid the silence and ask God to give you the grace to be still so that you can know that He is God and is always there and is speaking to your mind and heart.

 

TUESDAY – “S” silence (silence brings forth the ability to hear the inspiration)

Some say silence is golden. I would or could imagine that the some could be new parents of an infant, a home with many children, those who live near a train station or an airport, to name a few. Silence is a gift of tremendous value, one that the recipient can either take for granted or appreciate.  When one needs to search for a place of silence, it can be like a treasure hunt or easy as opening a gift, you either know where to go or you have to search extensively to find it.

It is not that difficult if one truly seeks to hear and listen to God’s voice from within. Amid the busyness or the noise that each day brings, if one seeks silence, one can be refreshed by even a minute of silence, of hearing God’s voice in the silent time and going forth renewed and inspired. Hearing and listening to the voice of God is about the desire to lift one’s mind and heart to God so that He can speak to you, and you can respond as He invites you to. God knows your heart and your desire, and He answer it as He knows best, so be ready for surprises

For today: Thank God for the gift of silence and ask for the grace to invite that gift more into your daily life. 

 

WEDNESDAY – “P” peace (inner peace arising from inspiration)

When one seeks peace in and through God, one finds peace, without God there can be no peace. If one has an open heart and a humble spirit, and truly seeks to inspire others by being their best self so that others desire to be their best self, God will answer that desire with the gift of His peace.  A peace that will not take away the cross or lessen life challenges, but rather will strengthen one so that one can carry the cross knowing that they are not alone, that they will not be defeated, and they will conquer and overcome the temptations that want to get the better of them. As God speaks to one’s heart, one might feel the need to share that message with others. If it was a message of hope, one might share it with those who are struggling as they are, if it was a message of consolation, one might share it with those who grieving, if it was a message of courage, one might share it with those who are afraid to carry their cross. In all these messages, God offers His peace to those who hear the message, share the message  and allow it to take root.

For today: Pray the prayer of Saint Francis when you feel non-peace, agitated, frustrated, or discouraged. Pray it again with gratitude when you experience the gift of God’s peace.

 

 

 

 

THURSDAY – “I” inter-dependent (dependent upon one another)

We need each other. We are not on this earthly journey to travel alone. Jesus did not minister alone, He chose the twelve apostles, twelve men who were sinners and new to the ways of Jesus. Jesus knew their hearts and their weaknesses, yet He chose them to be His witnesses and His closest friends. He sent them in two by two, never one, to go and share His good news, for He knew too that they could not do it alone nor did he want them to. We cannot think that we can go life’s journey by ourselves.  We are a people created to be with others, to walk with each other and to help build up the Kingdom of God with each other. As we walk on our earthly journey, we will encounter others who are spiritually ahead of us, behind us, off the beat and path, and in the shadow, yet we are all walking towards our heavenly reward, eternity with Jesus. If we choose to be alone, to exclude others, to deny others entrance into our heart, we are not allowing the life and breath of God to take root, we are not allowing our heart to be expanded and we are not allowing others to be our Simons of Cyrene or our Veronicas. For today: Who has been a Simon of Cyrene or a Veronica to you, and who have you been a Simon of Cyrene and Veronica to? As much as it may have been difficult for you to reach out to them or just to accept their act of kindness and help, can you see how God inspired them to reach out to you? Do you see how you were also inspired to accept their help instead of rejecting it? Pray a humble prayer of gratitude.

FRIDAY – “R” reverence (reverence one who inspires as well as oneself)

Being reverent is an inward sign of love and humility that emerges with respect and openness to being God’s open and humble instrument as He chooses us to be. We must first respect and reverence our self if we are to respect and reverence God or others.   At our baptism we are blessed with the Holy Water that makes us a holy and blessed creation, one that should always be treated with reverence and respect. Yet we often do not reverence or respect our self because of sin, shame, guilt, and despair. Being an inspiration is about acknowledging our failures before God, and others if we choose, and choosing to grow from them, be transformed by them, and seeking the grace of God to overcome them. It requires a reverence for our self and others that even with our faults and failings, we are and will always be God’s beloved children, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation. We are called to reverence that which is holy, where God resides and as the Body of Christ, Jesus dwells within each one of us and therefore should be treated with great respect and reverence. For today: Bless yourself with the sign of the cross and at each sign take a minute to recall how loved, blessed, chosen, and reverenced you are by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father, you are created and beloved. In the name of the Son, you are called, and chosen, in the name of the Holy Spirit, you are inspired and gifted. In the Amen you are united with the Blessed Trinity, and seek to trust in the mystery and grow in faith. 

SATURDAY – “E” embrace (embrace the voice and action of God)

You are God’s gift. You are God’s inspiration to others and others are an inspiration to.

Others know that you seek to live as God’s witness, with a spirit of humility, simplicity, and joyfulness, and it is by your life example, that others are inspired. You also recognize in others the action and presence of God and you are inspired by their example. Inspiration requires a spirit of humility and humility expands one’s heart to love greater. It is in that spirit of humility that God graces us with the ability to love self and others more. When one inspires us or we inspire others, we are inspiring sinners who strive to become saints. God’s voice can and does come through the greatest sinners as they experience personal conversion, transformation, and forgiveness, and the saints among us. It can come through any person, of any faith, and in many and varied circumstances. One can be inspired by a stranger’s random act of kindness, to words of consolation and support, by a smile in the midst of a difficult time, or a handshake of reconciliation that brought about a deep and lasting peace. Asl God’s beloved children, He speaks through all of us to each other. We should not close our heart, mind and eyes to those who are different or the stranger because it may be through them that God chooses to speak.

For today: embrace the action and voice of God’s inspiration however and by whomever it may come.

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week for January 21, 2024

Winter day of reflection …” It’s time to build a snowbody

 

My glimpse of God comes from a source that brings me a deep sense of joy, makes me smile when my eyes behold it, reminds me that even in the midst of the severe cold of winter, the snow that accumulates, the frost on the windows, the lack of daylight and the lack of desire to be outside because I get cold too easily, he or she is still a picture of joy with a great smile to go with it. What is this glimpse? This glimpse is that of SNOWMAN,  SNOWWOMAN, SNOWCHILD, SNOWDOG, SNOWCAT AND NOW SNOWBUNNIES.

When I was a child, the first thing that I did when it snowed and the snow was good for packing, was to go out and make a snowman. My snowman was as unique as I was. It would have a variety of things that could be found around the house to be used as his ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and shirt buttons. Then the topper would be his hat, hopefully like the one that Frosty wore, but in my case, any hat that I could find around the house would do. My snowman, depending on the cold and the packing of the snow, would have two or three big balls of snow. The biggest on the bottom, the next smallest would be his belly and the smaller would be his head. If it was too cold or the snow wasn’t packing snow, he would have a big belly and a small head. When I was done, I would look at he finished product and smile.

How can it bring me to see God more clearly? Does God work through such “made up” characters? I believe that God works through and with all His creation and creatures. We are His greatest creation and when we seek to see His joy, in the small and big ways, and desire to bring it to others, then we are working in unison with Him in bringing about and building His Kingdom here on earth. We are all called to use the gifts that God has given us. Snow is a gift. We can complain about it, tolerate it, ignore it or use it to bring joy to children and the big kid in all of us.

I still smile today when I see children creating a snowman. I don’t think that the fun that I experienced making or building a snowman can be compared to anything else.

So if you come to our house during the winter months, your eyes will behold the many sizes and shapes of various snowmen, snowwomen, snow children, snowdog, snowcat, and now snow bunnies. I am surrounded by various snow creatures that make me smile and remind me that even with the simplest gift, that of snow, God invites, allows, and waits for me to be attentive and creative. I also believe that as people enter our home and smile, they are remembering something that brings them joy. I don’t ask why they are smiling, I can only imagine that it may be for the same reasons that I do.

So as we enter a new week of winter, and the first full month of winter, let us think of ways that we can bring a smile to another and strive to accomplish that task.

 

 

 

SUNDAY - “S” - Sincere

In all of interactions with others, our first thought is that we need to be sincere genuine and authentic as Children of God, followers of Christ. We cannot, should not interact with others, attempting to make them smile or bring them a sense of peace, happiness or joy, if we are not sincere in our reason and desire to help them. We cannot bring happiness to others if our message is just words and not from the heart. People who are suffering or unhappy for whatever reason, are not always looking to hear the right words, as much as they are looking for someone to be honest, sincere, and humble as they interact with them. People see through our deception, our false image, our need to make our self feel good at their expense, and our ego that thinks we are succeeding and fooling them. We don’t have to pretend that we are perfect, but we do have to be sincere when we meet another imperfect human being, just as we are, and seek to raise them up.

 

MONDAY – “N”- Not me

When we seek to help another to make them happy, it should not be about us. God will reward us, will show us that in our spirit of humility and selflessness, that we are being taken care of, that we are loved, and in our being loved, we are able to love others. As you go to help others today, go with the attitude that it is about them and that God will give you the words to speak or the ability to listen to the sounds of silence. He will show you how to be present and to that person. He will also show you how, it is about you and how you responded to His invitation to build another up, and not tear them down or ignore their plight.

 

TUESDAY – “O”- Open minded

When you reach out to others today, keep an open mind. One never knows what another is thinking or feeling, yet what they say can shock, surprise, or hurt you. Keeping an open mind will allow you to see things better from their perspective, experience, or circumstances. You will grow in the grace of understanding, empathy and humility. As you reach out to others in an attempt to help them, remember that they are in a need and in that need, they are vulnerable, and when one is vulnerable, they tend to say or do things that they would not normally do or say.

 

WEDNESDAY - “W” -Wise

Being wise or having wisdom is not something that one can fall upon; it must be gained by prayer and relationship with the Holy Spirit, personal experience and the ability to see things from another perspective. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is wisdom. Wisdom is a gift that allows us to make the right decision, as God would want us to do. When we strive to make another happy or help raise them up, then we are using the gift of wisdom. Wisdom differentiates the right motives from the wrong, and enables us to make a decision that goes in accord with the will of God and not our own. They say that wisdom comes with age. I believe that as we mature the desire to make the right decision no matter what it may be.

As you seek to help another today, pray for the gift of wisdom so that you can see more clearly where and what God is calling you to say or do.

 

THURSDAY – “M” -Merciful

We are all called show mercy, just as God has been and continues to be merciful with us, we are called to share that gift with others. When you seek to make another happy, you are seeing beyond any weakness and looking to the heart. Being merciful is not something that we can take lightly. As we are weak, so too is our brother and sisters in Christ. When we seek to help others, we are seeing their need, not their weakness.

Today when you go to help another, remember that they might feel vulnerable, needy, and possibly stressed to the point of being angry. See past this and look to their heart.

 

FRIDAY – “A” – Awesome ……………God is awesome!!!!

His gifts are not only special, but awesome because they have been chosen just for us.

People have been placed in our life to show us that we are all God's chosen beloved children and that we are here to help support each other on our earthly journey. 

For today as you recall the many memories that bring you joy, like the beauty of the snow and building snowmen do for me, offer a prayer of thanks to God for those memories. As you are placed in the lives of others and you want to help them recognize the awesomeness of God, don't just use words but let your heart speak. Let your heart speak of the love that it is filled with and that you want to share. Others will see the power, presence of the awesome God more clearly and with greater clarity. 

 

SATURDAY - “N” - Newness

When we attempt to lift others up, we often find our self more lifted than the person that we hoped to help. God works with the hearts of His faithful and when our hearts are in the right place, He can work wonders. We experience a newness of spirit, heart mind and body  We experience a refreshing spirit that not only is uplifting, but also transforming. As I look at the many snowwomen, snowmen and snowchildren and snowpets in my home, I experience a refreshing spirit of joy and happiness. No matter what the day had or has in store, I believe that in and through the gifts that God showers upon me: His grace, His mercy, His peace, His unconditional love, these gifts transform me and invite me to transform the lives of others. So when I seek to help others, it is not my idea, but rather God speaking.

So today when you extend a helping hand to lift another up, remind yourself that it is God extending His hand to you and lifting you up so that you can do likewise. "For what you do to the least of my brethren you do unto me."

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of January 14, 2024

Your “Sonroom”

My glimpse of God for this week came to me as I sat in our sunroom looking out to the beautiful scenery of the barren, but standing tall and proud trees and bushes that embrace our yard, and the sun breaking through the clouds and shining on them.  The sky in all of its beauty reminded me that in the stillness of life and its busyness, God speaks through His creation and creatures. As I returned home from Mass, I realized that I was at a still and peaceful place in my heart, mind and body and after this week, it was a very special and welcome place to be.          

I realize that there are many individuals who are unable to experience peace due to the various life changing events that have been occurring in our communities, city, nation and world. My hope and prayer is that we allow the peace of God to enter into our minds, hearts and spirits so that we can live up to our potential as God intends. In light of these events, I am choosing to focus om the positive events and situations, and not any negative things that can cause us to lose sight of the many blessings that God places in our life. As we live each day, and rise from slumber, let us enter into it with the light of the Son as our guide. Let us be open to recognize how we are called to walk in that light as God’s beloved child, loved unconditionally, and called to be our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become. Let us enjoy the beauty and the gift that God had provided of a landscape with His writing on it. 

We all know or at least are aware of the gospel of the vine and the branches and how we as the branches, cannot survive if we choose to separate ourselves from the vine. Christ is the vine. He is our source of life, through whom we take root and our faith is strengthened and nurtured. Without Him, we are lifeless, and our branches will not produce any leaves, they will just be bare and unproductive. 

The trees and the bushes reminded me of a greater gift and that is the gift of faith and how it is represented in the tall trees as well as the smaller trees and bushes. The trees are firmly rooted. The roots spread throughout and are hidden under ground. As we are unable to see the roots, our faith is also like the roots. We are not called to live our faith just so people will see us, and we will be the center of attention, but rather we all called to live it in a spirit of humility, reverence and love. We are all called to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy to aid those in need and not to bring the focus on our self. We have to remember that God knows our hearts and that when we choose to follow Him we are choosing to live as members of the Body of Christ. Being the body of Christ is a calling to be Christ like. This means that He must be our motivation and our desire, not our need to be the center of attention. God will place us where we can be the best instruments for Him. Our roots are in God and grow as we grow in our relationship with God. As the trees stand in the midst of God’s creation, they stand alone as they display their beauty, both when they are barren and when they are full of color.  Amid the forces of Mother Nature, the trees stand naked and are at the mercy of Mother Nature and all that she can send down upon them. We always stand naked before God. We cannot hide but we can stand in humility, love and openness so that He can dress us with His grace and blessing.

The branches are spread out and at this time there are very few leaves clinging to the branches. There are times  after carrying a heavy cross that we begin to feel desperate, it tis then that we cling to God; we tie a bigger knot, so that we don’t fall away. We cling to God out of love, sometimes out of fear and other times out of a desire to grow nearer to Him.

All are good. As the branches spread out, we too spread the good news of Jesus Christ by our lives, our actions, our attitudes, and our words. As God’s children, and as a people that need to live the resurrection, we need to and will also lose our leaves. We will experience times when we die to self, so as to live for God and others. We will experience Christ’s passion through our crosses so that we can rise with him in our healing, personal transformation, and spiritual restoration.

As we enter more deeply into the winter months, let us take notice of the shorter days, the colder weather, the kaleidoscope of barrenness, the green  colored bushes, the brown branches,  and the blue sky in the landscape of God’s creation. As we  look back at covid19, the flu, the various strands and viruses that remain in our midst, let us be mindful that as we perform certain tasks so that we can remain physically healthy and safe, there are things spiritual tasks that we can do so that we can  remain spiritually healthy and safe. If we are sincere in our commitment to follow Christ, we too must undergo change, transformation and conversion, if we are to become the best persons that God has created us to be and have the potential to become. 

As the beauty of God’s creation surround us, we are called to reverence it, enjoy it, honor and appreciate it. Creation is a gift to behold. The trees, the bushes, the grass, the sky, the forces of nature, the sun, the moon, the birds that fly freely and the crawling creatures that we get frightened by; all are a part of the one canvas that God has created.

When we look outside and behold God’s creation that embraces us, try to imagine how carefully God planted and placed it in our lives and how it can be an instrument of spiritual growth and transformation. Look at the trees and bushes in light of your faith and how you are also firmly rooted, how you spread the good news and how you are a resurrection believer.

This week take each day, observe, honor and reverence God’s beautiful gift of nature in the “Son Room” of your heart where Christ dwells.

 

SUNDAY – The leaves: how are you changing, evolving, growing, letting go?

What do you need to let go of so that you can grasp, with greater strength, God’s blessings, graces, and gifts? How have you changed and become a better more spiritually mature person? Do you see how you have evolved and continue to do so?

 

MONDAY – The green grass: without water, the grass can become brown and burnt. Only God can satisfy our hunger and quench our thirst. Do you allow God to satisfy your thirst or do you suffer from spiritual dryness and burn out?

 

TUESDAY - The tall trees: How do you stand before God?

Do you hold your head high and stand tall in humility or are you bowed down in shame? Can you, do you allow God’s grace to lift you up?

 

WEDNESDAY – The blue sky: Can you see the all-encompassing, enveloping, beauty of the sky as you look up or are there so many distractions that you can’t see in front of you? God wants us to see His beauty in the midst of life’s challenges, so the sky is the opportunity to do that. It might bring forth rain, sleet, hail, sun, and clouds, but through them all, God is letting us know that He is watching over us and that we are not alone.

 

THURSDAY - What is your sky filled with? Can you recognize God’s hand in the sky of your life and give God thanks for your sky?

Is it always cloudy because you can’t seem let go of those things that are blinding you from seeing God’s light in and through His love for you ? Are the clouds in your life people, life circumstances, events, grudges, anger, discouragement or bitterness that block the love, compassion and healing power of God from entering into your heart, mind, soul and spirit?

Is it rain, because of the storms of life? Are the storms of your life robbing you from experiencing the gentle rain, the moisture that removes the spiritual dryness? Can you allow the rain to soak in and become an instrument to spiritual growth?

Is it sun, because in and through life’s storms, you have held onto, and continue to do so, the reality that you are a resurrection person and the sun will always return with its healing rays?

Is it snow, because you are God’s beloved son or daughter, unconditionally loved, filled with His grace and unique as each snowflake that falls from the sky?

Is it filled with birds, because as God’s greatest creation, you can fly high above all else and soar freely because you are God’s beloved son or daughter?

Is it darkness because you feel isolated and alone? Can you allow God to take you by the hand and guide your steps trusting that He will not allow you to fall or stumble? 

 

FRIDAY - The big bushes: The bushes are big, round and pruned. How have you been pruned and made into a better person despite the pain and the humility that pruning involves? Do you miss that which God has removed because God saw that it wasn’t necessary for your spiritual health and well-being?

 

SATURDAY - God’s many creatures: birds, deer, rabbits, groundhogs, squirrels, ….

All God’s creatures great and small give God praise because He made them all. Can you praise them even as they eat your vegetables, leave droppings on your deck, knock over your bird feeders, or dig holes in your lawn?

Next time think of them like this: They know to eat what is good for them so they eat the vegetables that you so carefully planted, do you always eat what is good for you? Do you believe that you are the Body of Christ and that you are strength for others? Is it easier for you to reach out for the junk food: tv, phones, computers, overworking than to feed on the word of God, the Sacraments, or personal prayer time?

They leave droppings on your deck, the place where you gather. When you gather with family or friends, are your conversations always positive or are they sometimes filled with “bad droppings”: gossip, negativity, anger, about others? We all need to clean up, God gives us remorse, contrition, forgiveness through the sacrament of reconciliation, and the humble words “I am sorry” and “I forgive you”

The knocking over of the bird feeders: God graciously gives us Himself in the Holy Eucharist yet there are times when we choose to turn away, in anger, have a fit, or in pain, ignore Him and try to solve things our own way. The bird feeder can always be refilled because God takes it from the top. He doesn’t look back but allows us to begin again. Sometimes He has to knock us over for us to realize that we cannot find fulfillment from any other source but Him.

The digging of holes: groundhogs dig many holes and leave our nice lawns looking like golf courses. Yet how often do we dig a hole for our self that we can’t get out of? We try to impress with colorful accomplishments that we cannot justify, we misspeak because we are afraid of the truth, we hide because we don’t believe in our self or our abilities? God hid in the hole in the ground for three days, the grave that seemed at first to defeat Him became the tool for our redemption. No matter how much we hide, cover our self, or burrow, God sees us, gently brings us to the light, dusts us off and places us on our two feet to start anew.

 

 

 

 

Glimpse of God for the week of January 7, 2024

Do you believe in miracles? What is miracle? The Oxford Dictionary defines a miracle as: an extraordinary and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore attributed to a divine agency”.

I think in simpler words, a miracle is an act of God that remains a mystery to the mind, yet provides an invitation by God’s Holy Spirit for a personal transformation of the heart. 

When I think of a miracle, I first think of the Holy Family. The Immaculate Conception of Mary, chosen by God at her conception to be the mother of His Son, our Savior.  Joseph, the miracle and his gift of faith as He fell in disbelief at the announcement, to trust and courage as an angel visited him. Jesus how He was able to undergo His passion, death and resurrection. All of which these three individuals would never been able to respond to without faith, trust, and courage and the desire to surrender to God’s will, which allowed them to be His instruments for the salvation of souls today, yesterday and all our tomorrows.

Miracles happen every day?  God’s divine intervention occurs every time our heart is involved and our minds need to make changes, or be changed so that we can be our best self before God, others and in the mirror. Do you recognize them?  A miracle requires as least two things; an openness to God’s working in

your life so that you can recognize His action, and a willingness to accept the miracle as meant for you and not everyone else.

A miracle to me can only be an act of God.  The first miracle that I would like to focus on is the breath from God that keeps us alive.  Humans are not plugged into an electrical outlet to get their power supply or energy.  No God created humanity in His image and likeness so that we would depend on Him to receive our spiritual and physical energy, nourishment and power. Power to do what?  To choose love over hate, pardon over injury, peace over division, compassion over judgment, understanding over differences and acceptance over hatred. God gives us our very breath and live so that we can honor Him, serve Him and build up His kingdom here on earth.

Another miracle occurs when a baby is born. Think of how a baby grows in the womb for the nine months, and then is ready to be born into a new world, from the warmth of the womb to the warmth of a parent’s loving embrace. Only God can form a child in the womb, although the mother feeds the new life that is growing and provides the nourishment that is needed, only God can be credited for the wonderful, amazing gift of life that comes forth. To me that is a mini miracle. New life is a gift to the parents and how they respond to it is there gift in return to God.  All children are God’s beloved sons and daughters, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation, and it is up to the parents to acknowledge, reverence and love that child into that reality.  I pray that God will transform the hearts of parents who are unable to do that, and I thank God for all the parents who through the various and many struggles that go with child rearing and raising, seek to do that.

Another miracle is the miracle of death. It is a grace filled moment to be in the presence of someone who is preparing to meet their God face to face, and to know that God is actively bringing them back home to Himself. To witness their last breath on this earthly journey and how it will become their first breath into their eternal reward, is a moment and grace from God. God creates and calls us into life as an infant, and then brings us back home to Himself when He feels that our time, our mission here on earth is complete, and Jesus says to us: Come ye, blessed of my Father, and possess the kingdom which was prepared for you from the beginning, where thou reign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, and where  we hope to reign with Thee, world without end.

Life is God’s gift to us and what and how we choose to live that life is our gift to God.  Are we able to recognize the many miracles that occur every day? From the moment we awake to the moment we sleep and the many moments in between? And when we do, are we grateful or afraid or unaccepting of such a gift?

 

Do we allow our self to recognize the miraculous powers that our family, friends, and community hold? When they can love us in our lowest and most vulnerable times, when they forgive us of our most hurtful actions or words directed toward them, when they see our best self when we can only see our worst self as it emerges.  That is God, that is God’s divine intervention at work.  We can’t deny the presence of the Almighty when we see our weakest self-emerge, and others seek to see our best self even as it is hidden, but they know can and will come forward. Do we see others as God’s instruments of peace, joy, healing, pardon, or do we try to find a logical secular reason for events that occur that we didn’t expect and or surprised us?

For someone to be canonized in the Church to sainthood, 2 verifiable postmortem miracles need to be attributed to the candidate saint.  Saints are ordinary people who lived life and did things in an extraordinary way.  I believe that we are all sinners striving to be saints as we live and not after we die. We might not be recognized by the Church for our good deeds, or our acts of kindness, or our great love shown, but God knows our heart and all that is in it, He has seen it expand and sometimes shrink.  He sees our heart and He wants us to know that when it comes to matters of the heart, only His grace and intervention can lead us to become our best self and live up to our potential, so that we can not only recognize His power within us, but that we can bring about his miracles, both mini and major, to others. Miracles are a surprise to many and a revelation to others.  We are or can be surprised when we think of miracles happening in our life. We don’t expect them, and we don’t necessarily pray for them, but if we think about it long enough, we can see more clearly God’s intervention as we reflect on difficult situations, people, or events that we found our self-choosing love, being loving and allowing the grace of mercy overflow from the core of our being.

So, as we begin this new week with a new year tucked in, let us strive to see more clearly the many mini and major miracles that occur. May we not be afraid to embrace them, acknowledge them or share them with others. Let us seek to recognize the many miracles that will embrace, surround and transform us to be a better person, a Eucharistic person, and Incarnational person knowing that Christ dwells within us and all about us.

 

SUNDAY - “M” The Mundane

In the mundane, the routine of work, raising a family, providing for your family and the demands on your energy, sometimes make you feel as if you are going around in circles and not producing any good.  We sometimes look at our daily routines and get discouraged because we can’t or are unable to see progress, or we feel underappreciated and taken for granted.  We can feel as if we are not living up to our potential and this makes us feel as if we are disappointing God. Being bored, underappreciated, physical and spiritual weariness, can lead us to thinking that we are not doing our very best, but then the miracle occurs. When we take a moment to reflect on what we see as mundane, God sees as gift, when we feel underappreciated, He wants us to know that He not only appreciates our efforts but rewards them with His love, peace, joy and calm. When we look at the hard work it takes in raising and providing for a family, and we find that we do it out of and in love for them, God and our self, we begin to see things differently. The mundane becomes an avenue for miraculous. God’s grace opens our minds, hearts and spirit to see His action so that we don’t feel as if we are in the mundane alone. He allows us to see the love that binds us to our families, to Him and to others, and that love is what motivates us to endure what seems to be mundane, but, is a transformative avenue, agent or power to share.

For today, look at your mundane and see the face and presence of God in you as you plow through it and refuse to be mastered or defeated by it.

 

 

 

MONDAY - “I” Invitation God invites you to draw nearer to Him

God can be selfish.  Yes, He can. He wants us to be in relationship with Him, to honor Him as the one true and only God and to place all our cares, concerns and worries on His shoulders so that He can work with us to use them as sources of strength and not weakness or worry.  He wants to be in relationship with you and He gives you so many ways to enter in that relationship with Him. He created  you so He knows your weakness and strengths, sins and celebrations, He is not waiting for you to become perfect but rather for you to take  your imperfections to Him so that His miraculous power  can transform them from imperfections to invitations to seek personal and spiritual transformation, renewal and conversion. I would say that God wants you all to Himself, and that He will get that when He calls you back home to Himself. But during this earthly journey, he is being selfless because He wants you to spread His love and message of Good News to all those you encounter.  He fills you with His love so that you can share it, spread it and come back to Him for refills.

For today, invite Jesus into your heart, mind and spirit so that you can be His instrument of miracles that He intends you to be.

 

TUESDAY - “R” Making it through the rough patches

God knows that you feel as I you need a miracle to get through the rough patches, heavy crosses that life presents. Whether the rough patch be the death of a spouse or a close family member or friend, unemployment, financial worries or concerns, broken or estranged relationships or health issues, they can leave us drained and unable to see or recognize God in their midst. We need a miracle or divine intervention if we are to carry the cross and make it through the rough patches. Yet in the worst situations and heaviest crosses, miracles surround us. When we lose a loved one, the miracle of many heartfelt memories overflow from within us, and the consolation, support and encouragement of friends and family lift us up.  When darkness abounds, when we feel the pain of separation, divorce or a broken relationship, we feel broken, betrayed and deeply wounded. Our free will gives us the choice to choose His grace so that we can seek the healing that only God can provide, or we can choose to turn away from His grace and choose to selfheal or medicate to escape the pain.  God wants us to know that even in the darkest moments, hours or days of brokenness, He is there with us, walking with us through our darkness so that we can enter the light of healing wholeness, conversion and transformation together. The miracle is that you desire the grace to forgive and not seek revenge, to let go and not hold onto grudges or bitterness or anger, and you want to move on and wish no harm on those who have hurt you. The miracle is in forgiveness. It is a humble and selfless act that requires the presence and miraculous power of God’s grace so that it is genuine and lasting. We cannot forgive on our own. We as a sinful people, sometimes guided by the secularism of the world and the ‘me’ mentality, seek to get revenge, and get even with those who have hurt us at whatever cost.  Yet the miracle lies in the presence support and prayers of those who know you and the kind of person that you are and how you want to be your best self. They pray for that and God hears and answers their prayer for you. When you find yourself forgiving or seeking forgiveness, when you find your self ready to bury the past and begin anew, when you find your self at peace and happy in the Lord, the miracle of healing has occurred and the rough patch has no more power over you. When you find yourself doing the very thing that you didn’t want to do, or didn’t think you could do, God action in your life is powerful and at work. You can pray that others experience healing in their life as well, but your healing, wholeness, becoming your best self and reaching the potential that God knows you can, does not depend on others choices only your own.

For today, thank God for the rough patches that have made you the strong person that you are today. Thank Him for calling you from the darkness and heavy weight of your cross to His marvelous and miraculous light that has allowed you to move towards becoming your best self, the person that God created you to be and have the potential to become.

WEDNESDAY – “A” Admiration of your hero, mentor, spiritual guide

When we admire someone of hold them in high esteem it is usually because of how they have guided us and brought us to see the goodness and love of God for us and in others. God places people in our life as His instruments to bring us to a greater knowledge of His love, His presence and His desire to draw closer to us. Our heroes, our mentors, our spiritual guides are and have been chosen by God for us.

We look up to some people differently because they have brought us through some rough patches and have led us to learn about what true love is; the gift, work and presence of God. For many their heroes are their parents. Because as they reflect on when they were children and the heartaches, worries and stresses that they caused them, the challenges that they presented, their parents loved them through all of that and didn’t give up on because of them.  They taught them what true love was in forgiving and seeking forgiveness, in compassion and empathy instead of judgment and self-condemnation, in acceptance of their responsibility and not self-justification of their actions. When a couple exchanges wedding vows, they do so not just for themselves, but for the family, the children that they hope to raise. I will love you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer until death when we part.  Their vows extend to their children. Parents vow to be there for and love their children through all times; the times that their children experience growing pains, identity struggles, independence fights, financial battles, curfews, driving privileges, and wanting to be on their own because they thought that they knew better and could do better without their rules and responsibilities. Parents are there for their children when they are sick and when they return to good health, when they struggle in school and when they improve and excel, when they move out and begin a new life of their own with their own family, when they are burdened financially and unable to support them self because of  unemployment or unexpected health issues.  The miracle of admiration be it of a parent, friend, mentor or spiritual guide, is that it is due to God’s grace and how He has enabled you to see His presence in them because you needed to see it more in yourself.

For today, think of those you admire and why, and take a moment to thank them personally or in prayer. And then take a moment to thank God for the gift of His grace that has enabled you to recognize with greater clarity those qualities that you admire in others you also possess.

                     

THURSDAY - “C” Your compassion, care and concern or others

In the compassion, care and concern that you show, we all know and realize that it is difficult to show when one is weary or stressed out.  It can be difficult to be present to another who is in need when you are needy and aren’t sure how your own needs will be fulfilled or can be fulfilled, your energy levels are low and what you do have left is minimal. Face it, it’s not a sin or weakness but rather a human limitation and reality. 

When one is suffering, ill, carrying a heavy cross, you are always there to help them by listening, consoling, offering whatever assistance you are able to offer.  God knows that you thought you would not be able to be present to another, yet He also knows that if you are called upon you would be an instrument of His presence as He reveals it.  The time that you take to be compassionate and caring in your most depleted moments is God himself in a miracle moment.  The recipient needed to hear from God and since only God knows our hearts, He called on you to be what they needed.  God doesn’t say Hey, it’s me, or give me credit, but rather He invites us to recognize His presence in the soft whisper, the gentle calming voice of others like you. He sends you and you choose to enter into that covenant of love with Him and with those who are in need and seeking to see a glimpse of God as He chooses to reveal himself and asks us to do the same for others. God’s grace and His miracle is when we choose to be patient so that as we extend our care, concern and compassion we do it in and out of love and not obligation.

For today, pray for tall those who have been instruments of love by how they have extended their compassion, care and concern to you and for you in your most difficult and trying times.

 

 

FRIDAY – “L” the miracle of Love

He miracle of love can build bridges, climb mountains, heal broken hearts, bind wounds, bring lives together and bring about new life from the tomb and frit e womb. Love supports, sustains and challenges our hearts so that we can be and become our best self, but most of all, love reminds us that in our weakest moments and most sinful times, Christ redeemed us out of complete, unselfish, selfless and unconditional love. We were redeemed in and out of love when Christ chose to die for our sins and open the gates to heaven for us so that we will one day be reunited with God our creator, Christ our redeemer, and the Holy Spirit our advocate. In love and out of love, Christ comes to us every time we receive Him in the Sacraments of the Church. In the Sacrament of Baptism, we are not only forgiven of original sin, but we are also called by name and given the light of Christ so that as we enter His passion and death here on earth, we are led with His light to continually seek resurrection. In the Sacraments of  Reconciliation and Anointing, we receive His healing and merciful touch, in the Holy Eucharist, we are spiritually nourished and sustained,  in the vocation covenant of Holy Orders and Marriage, we are strengthened to remain in a covenant relationship with our spouse and the Church, we receive His strength and are nourished and in the last rites before we enter into the loving embrace of God, we are forgiven, nourished, and called to trust and not be afraid for God is with us and calling us back home to be with Him where there is no more suffering or pain, only eternal joy, happiness and peace. The Sacraments of the Church are God’s miracles given to us out of and in love so that we can grow in love with Him and others, and learn to love our self as His beloved children. When we love beyond our imaginings, we are responding to God’s presence and intervention. When we choose not to love, we are closing our heart, mind and spirit to love which is God.

For today, reflect on your miracles of love and thank God. Thank God for them and those who have been His instruments.

 

SATURDAY - “E” God’s loving embrace

We all know the pain of grief when we lose a loved one in our family or in our circle of friends. Yet we believe, maybe not right away, that they truly are in peace and in the loving embrace of God. God calls us back home to be with Him, and when we look back a the lives of those who have touched us and have been called back home, we remember the many mini miracles that they were a part of; the many times, instances, circumstances and events that they showed great love in the midst of contradiction and turmoil, congratulations and celebrations.  They were instruments of God’s presence and intervention and when they touched our life, God invited us to go and do the same. We will all called to come home. The last major miracle that we will witness to is when we are called back home by God where there is no more pain or suffering, sin or sadness.  We are now at our final destination and resting place where we will see Jesus who loved us to death, Mary who loved us to life with Her Son by her Yes to God, and to our loving God and father who created us  and loved us to  life both here on earth and heaven.

For today, pray to those and for those who have gone before you in faith and thank them for their ability to bring about God’s many mini miracles to you from Him. What a gift!

 

 

 

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Glimpse of God for the New Year 2024

The Spirituality a Christmas Tree, from Cookie

As we celebrate the New Year, some begin to think about taking down the Christmas decorations, and yes, even the Christmas tree. Not us, John and I have a Winter Wonderland that will remain up until spring and that includes our Christmas tree that will become a winter wonderland tree. Our winter wonderland consists of Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Frosty and company, penguins, and other winter figures.

Anyway... this Glimpse of God comes in the form of the spirituality of decorating or undecorating your Christmas Tree and what the various decorations might mean spiritually.

Every part of the tree can have a deeper spiritual meaning, one that means more than just putting a Christmas ball or a string of lights or a star on it, but rather one that speaks the message of God’s love to your heart, and through the many and different decorations that you place on the tree, you are remembering the various and many people that have been and remain God’s presence and love in your life.

As you look at your tree, look at it with the eyes of faith and begin to see how the tree, from the trunk to the branches, with the various colored balls, lights, ornaments and the star or the angel at top, speak God’s message of love: love of others for you and you for them, God’s love and presence in your life and in those you love, and how you are commissioned and called to reach out, like the branches on the tree, and spread the good news of that great love to all those you encounter.

Trees come in various sizes, shapes, types, and shades of green. They are short, tall, wide, and thin, just as we are. We are all different and unique, created by God, and chosen as His beloved to be His witnesses to the world. Just as a tree radiates its beauty, the beauty that the decorations have brought out, we also radiate the beauty of God: the beauty of love, compassion, mercy, peace, joy, and hope and we bring that out in others. The tree, just as we, do not need decorations to be a light to the world or to radiate the beauty of God, it is inherent. God allows us to decorate our tree of faith so that we can remember how blessed we are and have been, and it can be a sign of hope amid life’s challenges.

As you reflect on this glimpse, take time to see what part of the tree decorations are speaking to you, and how God is calling you to a greater recognition of His love for you through it.

SUNDAY - The tree trunk. The outer bark protects the tree from the outside world, and it is continually renewed from within.  It helps keep out the moisture in the rain and prevents the tree from losing moisture when the air is dry. It insulates against cold and heat and wards off insect enemies. The trunk could not stand if its roots are not deep. Jesus is the true and only source of life.

If we allow Him to nourish us, protect us from harm, insulate us from the evil one, and keep us from spiritual burnout and dehydration, our tree will grow much taller and stronger than we can ever imagine. The trunk is Christ, in that He is the source and strength, the root of our life in faith. We can choose to hold onto the trunk, see it for its strength and trust that we are deeply rooted. Jesus is our nourishment. We can choose to be fed and nourished by Him in and through the sacraments of the Church, especially the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If we choose to go it on our own and become dried out or over watered, Jesus is there to nourish us, forgive us, strengthen us, and lead us to grow stronger and with a greater self-determination and resolve. Who has Jesus sent into your life that has been that true source of strength, courage, stability, and determination that has reminded you of who and what you are rooted in, and has grown from that trunk to be God’s branch of love and life?

MONDAY – The branches. The branches grow out of the tree trunk and serve as support structures for the various fruits, flowers, and leaves.  The branches are those in our life that we have reached out to or have reached out to us in a like minded faith and spirit that has allowed us to grow in our faith and relationship with God and His Son Jesus. The branches are those who have embraced and supported us in our good times and challenging times, who have held us up when we faltered, fell down, or felt discouraged and hopeless. The branches are those who, as they held us up, did so out of love for us, God, and themself. The branches hold the lights, the ornaments, and the balls that remind us of the various and many ways that God shows His great love to us. We too are the branches that have held others up when they have been torn down or broken down because of another’s words, actions, or attitudes towards them. Who has been a branch of life to you, who has raised you up, held you up, or reminded you that Jesus is still your center even during life’s challenges? To whom have you been a branch of life?

TUESDAY – The solid or colored lights. The lights light up and call attention to the branches. They shimmer and intensify the beauty of each branch that they are carefully laid on. The lights can serve as reminder of the many people present or in the past that have been the light of faith to us. By their shining light have made our light grow brighter and more vivid; the light that has helped us recognize with greater clarity the gifts of God’s joy, friendship, blessings, miracles, and love in others, and in our self. The lights come in varied colors and sizes. Our light bulbs are sometimes small with a little light, or a big glowing light, either way, we are shining the true light of Christ to others. We accentuate the branches in our life, those people who have reached out and embraced us, those who have been God’s strength and courage for us, and those who have called us to become our best self, the person that God created us to be and have the potential to become. The solid or colored lights in our life have drawn us closer to our true source of life, Jesus.

Who has been your light and to whom have you been a light of Christ? Is your light a solid color symbolizing forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, or trust that bring hope to others, or are your lights colored symbolizing the varied colors of new and renewed life; love; peace, joy,  hope, and healing?

 

 

WEDNESDAY – The sentimental ornaments. These ornaments can bring back memories of individuals, events, or milestones in one’s life and in the lives of those we love. As we place the ornament on the tree, we usually place it in front or in dominant place so that others can see it, remember the who or the why, and instinctively offer a prayer of gratitude to God. Who or what ornament brings back sentimental and heartfelt memories? Can you vision the person that created the memory and thank God for the gift of their life, their support, their faith?

THURSDAY – The various colored balls. The various colors and sizes of Christmas balls represent the fragility of life. The glass balls represent that fragility of all people and how we are called to handle all with the care, dignity, and respect that God intended. We are called to handle life with its many challenges with tender love and care. The very tender love and care that Jesus has for us, we are called to have for others. When we feel fragile due to life challenges: unemployment, ill health, the death of a loved one, addiction, divorce, separation or the estrangement of family members, the colored and fragile balls remind us not only our fragility and challenges, but also how others have held us up, embraced us and allowed us to stay whole and not break under the stresses that enfolded us.

We can mishandle people by our words, our anger, our grudges, our gossip, and we can break them; we can break their spirit and we can damage their self-worth. None of which is God’s intention, or a part of His plan for His children. As you look at the various colors and sizes of the Christmas balls that you will place on your tree, can you reflect on the fragility that each ball, each person represents, and pray that God heal, make whole and strengthen them? Who do you know that is fragile, due to life challenges, and needs your prayers, support, and encouragement? Can you offer that in the form of a phone call, a zoom gathering, an email, text, or prayer?

FRIDAY – The Angel. As we complete our tree decorating, we can place an Angel on the top that could represent our hope and desire to be God’s Angel of mercy, compassion, hope, love, joy, and peace to those we are privileged to encounter. As the Angel announced the plan of God to Mary, she said Yes. As the Angel announced God’ plan of protection and trust to Joseph, He said yes. As an Angel announced the miracle of birth to a barren Elizabeth, she said yes. We are reminded that we too can and do announce God’s message of love, peace, miracle, hope, trust to others and as we place the Angel on top of our tree. We often are God’s Angels in disguise where we choose to be His messengers without the ego, or need to be the center of attention, or be recognized?  We are saying yes to God’s message spoken to our heart and seek to be reminded of our call to be God’s messenger.

Who is or has been an Angel that has revealed God’s message to you? To whom have you been an Angel? As you awake to a new day and new year, what message do you want to proclaim and what do you need to hear? Is it a message of hope or healing trust and strength? Ask the Angels to help you be more like them in that you will proclaim God’s message as it is revealed to you.

SATURDAY – The Star. The beams of the star represent how we are a part of the light that shines forth and are called to be that light that lead others to Christ. We are the beams that lead others to the Christ child and the miracle of His great love for each of us. The star guides us and others to the real presence of Christ. As we place the star on top of the tree, we can be reminded of the many people that have been the beams of light that have called us to a greater and deeper relationship with Christ. They have been the spark through the stubble and the clouds.

Who is or are your shining stars? Is it your children, your spouse, your mentor, your friends, your church community, your neighbors, or your coworkers? Do you recognize the presence of Christ in their light and how they have made your light shine and brought you closer to Christ? 

Other decorations or items that support our Christmas tree and all of its beauty.

The hooks that secure the decorations on the branches of the tree. The hooks on a tree are a necessity if you do not want the decoration to fall off the branches and break or become damaged. The hooks could represent the people in our lives that are hooked on Christ. They are those people who remain in the background and do not seek to be recognized or become the center of attention, but they seek only to keep us connected to Christ and each other. The hooks support the fragile in and of our life. Without the hooks we take the risk of breaking that which is precious and valuable like heartfelt memories, and treasured relationships.

Who is your hook? Who has kept you connected so that you would not fall and break away, but rather remain strong and steadfast? The hooks in our life are those who are strongly connected to both Christ and us and will not let us fall. Who have you been a hook for? 

The trees skirt is laid down to protect the trees water supply and provide a beautiful rest spot so that the manger can be placed on it.

The trees skirt is laid down over the water supply at the base of the tree. It hides and protects the base of the tree where the water is and where the tree was cut.  The tree skirt can remind us of the great love Christ had when He laid down His life for us and was crucified.  The base of the tree where the water is can remind us of the last words of Christ: I thirst as well as the waters of baptism and how they flow from Christ.  The tree needs water to thrive. We thrive only when or thirst is quenched with and through Christ and not with what the world offers. As Jesus suffered and died on the cross, He thirsted. When we choose to hide our only source of life, we thirst, and that thirst cannot be quenched. As we cover the base of the tree with the tree skirt, let us see that act, not of one where we are choosing to hide from Christ, our only source of nourishment, but rather it is Christ protecting us from suffering from spiritual burn out by keeping our water supply, the grace where the waters of baptism flow, safe and unpolluted by the world. It is then that we place the Manger scene on the tree skirt. We lay down that which will accentuate the true reason for the season: Jesus Christ coming as our Messiah in the form of a baby child so that He can be born in our hearts.

Who have you laid down your life for so that the child Jesus can be born in their hearts? Who has laid down their life or prostrated themself before God so that you would be protected from yourself and getting in your own way of spiritual growth and development, healing, and wholeness?

 

 

GLIMPSES OF GOD FOR 2024

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© Cookie A Magee