Ijournal entry 082216 #34. August, Month of the Blessed Sacrament and also Month of The Immaculate Heart of Mary. Maxim by St. Teresa of Avila. Quotes by St. Caesarius of Arles, Blessed Mother Teresa, and Fr. Henri Nouwen. "Am I Living in Denial?", by Nancy Shuman. "Being People for Others", by Vinita Hampton Wright. Part 2: "Prayer is Fruitful When it is an Attitude of Faith, Hope & Charity", by Fr. Jacques Philippe.
"Go and find Him when your patience and strength run out and you feel alone and helpless. Jesus is waiting for you in the chapel. Say to Him, ‘Jesus, you know exactly what is going on. You are all I have, and you know all things. Come to my help.’ And then go, and don’t worry about how you are going to manage. That you have told God about it is enough. He has a good memory". By St. Jeanne Jugan
“This blessed rose. … bore so stout a heart that however sharply the thorns of tribulation might have pierced her they could not change her will in any way, for she remained always most ready to suffer and to do the will of God.”
By St. Teresa of Avila
"Let thy desire be the vision of God, thy fear the loss of Him, thy sorrow His absence, and thy joy in that which may take thee to Him; and thy life shall be in great peace"
MTA= All things ordered bring peace, that always was and always will be. If we do have our single desire be of God, our one main fear of no other than of loosing Him, being sorrowful of heart for only His absence, and making our absolute joy be rejoicing in Him, then as sure as day follows night, there is no room in our hearts for all the incidentals that occupy our attention and rob us big time.
"Let thy desire be the vision of God, thy fear the loss of Him, thy sorrow His absence, and thy joy in that which may take thee to Him; and thy life shall be in great peace"
MTA= All things ordered bring peace, that always was and always will be. If we do have our single desire be of God, our one main fear of no other than of loosing Him, being sorrowful of heart for only His absence, and making our absolute joy be rejoicing in Him, then as sure as day follows night, there is no room in our hearts for all the incidentals that occupy our attention and rob us big time.
🔵 "You must show mercy in this world if you want to receive mercy in heaven. So, my dearest brethren, since we all desire mercy, let us make ourselves mercy". By Saint Caesarius of Arles
🔴 "We have only today. Let us Begin". By Blessed Mother Teresa
⚫️ "The story of Jesus will not always be accepted, but it must be told". By Fr. Henri Nouwen
🔴 "We have only today. Let us Begin". By Blessed Mother Teresa
⚫️ "The story of Jesus will not always be accepted, but it must be told". By Fr. Henri Nouwen
Praise God, He called and we answered, new consecratees to Merciful Love.
Do you hear your name being called? If so, there are only five more start dates before the Extraprdinary Jubilee of Mercy ends. However, the time for consecration never ends until death. Encouraging everyone to consecrate themselves to Divine Mercy. Not sure who else have made the consecration, but 😎Fr. Peter have met the Jubilee deadline. Extending the invitation to all, if you decide, just let me know so a Mass can be offered for you all, and we from "group I"can pray for all joining "group II".
👣Hope someone steps up to the plate
👣And yourself to Divine Mercy willingly consecrate
👣You will have not one regret
👣A fact? You bet!
👣Hope someone steps up to the plate
👣And yourself to Divine Mercy willingly consecrate
👣You will have not one regret
👣A fact? You bet!
A run down of our journey:
📌Twas the night before...
🙌🏻Sent out an Examination of Conscience link
👉🏼Examination of Conscience link:
http://www.beginningcatholic.com/catholic-examination-of-conscience.html
📌Day 1 begins the DM Consecration
👉🏼The Mass for the Divine Mercy Consecration GIG Apostolate participants was on Wednesday, July 13 @ 12:10pm @ St. Teresa of Avila church. After Mass those in attendance participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Before leaving the church, we prayed for about an hour:
🙏🏾before the altar of The Blessed Virgin Mary and at that altar were the
statues of St. Therese, St. Martin De Porres, St. Barbara, and St. Teresa
🙏🏻before the St.Joseph altar, where there were also the statues of St. Lucy, the Caridad del Combre Statue (Our Lady of Charity), St Jude, St. Francis, and the Little Infant Jesus of Prague.
🙏We proceeded to Pieta then the Sacred Heart of Jesus Statue, an icon of our Mother of Perpetual Help, and the last prayer was in front of the St. Anne statue.
📌Fr. Adams most graciously heard our confessions after Mass. (Fr. Aguda helped me months ago to remember that we need to always prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation)
🏅Tanya(Gold medalist), supplied the "Kick off" comment:
"What a great Gospel reading today to start our Consecration. Becoming childlike is one of St. Therese's main spirituality point. I asked for her intercession for us all this am!
After church we proceeded to the Adoration Chapel for a Holy Hour, then out to eat to feed the body. A blessed beginning, thank you Jesus for partners to share the journey.
📌Day 2-33
👉🏼Going for the jugular in regards to this Consecration. So very serious about becoming consecrated to Divine Mercy, because this is what it will mean for me in time and in eternity, and hopefully the same for you.
👉🏼1. First of all regarding eternity:
It is there that we wish to receive mercy where it really counts, when we about to meet the Lord face to face. May mercy lead us to the front row, no need to say anything else right?
👉🏼2. Next regarding "in time":
In this life, may we always meet mercy, for it will allow us to not miss out on "no good thing". To be remembered is this: we reap what we sow!
📌Twas the night before...
🙌🏻Sent out an Examination of Conscience link
👉🏼Examination of Conscience link:
http://www.beginningcatholic.com/catholic-examination-of-conscience.html
📌Day 1 begins the DM Consecration
👉🏼The Mass for the Divine Mercy Consecration GIG Apostolate participants was on Wednesday, July 13 @ 12:10pm @ St. Teresa of Avila church. After Mass those in attendance participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Before leaving the church, we prayed for about an hour:
🙏🏾before the altar of The Blessed Virgin Mary and at that altar were the
statues of St. Therese, St. Martin De Porres, St. Barbara, and St. Teresa
🙏🏻before the St.Joseph altar, where there were also the statues of St. Lucy, the Caridad del Combre Statue (Our Lady of Charity), St Jude, St. Francis, and the Little Infant Jesus of Prague.
🙏We proceeded to Pieta then the Sacred Heart of Jesus Statue, an icon of our Mother of Perpetual Help, and the last prayer was in front of the St. Anne statue.
📌Fr. Adams most graciously heard our confessions after Mass. (Fr. Aguda helped me months ago to remember that we need to always prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation)
🏅Tanya(Gold medalist), supplied the "Kick off" comment:
"What a great Gospel reading today to start our Consecration. Becoming childlike is one of St. Therese's main spirituality point. I asked for her intercession for us all this am!
After church we proceeded to the Adoration Chapel for a Holy Hour, then out to eat to feed the body. A blessed beginning, thank you Jesus for partners to share the journey.
📌Day 2-33
👉🏼Going for the jugular in regards to this Consecration. So very serious about becoming consecrated to Divine Mercy, because this is what it will mean for me in time and in eternity, and hopefully the same for you.
👉🏼1. First of all regarding eternity:
It is there that we wish to receive mercy where it really counts, when we about to meet the Lord face to face. May mercy lead us to the front row, no need to say anything else right?
👉🏼2. Next regarding "in time":
In this life, may we always meet mercy, for it will allow us to not miss out on "no good thing". To be remembered is this: we reap what we sow!
👉🏼3. Next, being consecrated to Divine Mercy is very important to me
because this will increase my confidence and trust in the love that God have for me/for us. Translated this means that when running up against that which is most difficult, something that can't you get around, can't do under, can't go above, it will be mercy that will take me/us THROUGH. Not taking me through like a defeated dog, but as an invincible lion. That means knowing with the heart as well as the head, that more good is coming from the headaches and pains than
👉🏼It's to know emphatically that the pay off will be, "oh so worth it". Otherwise Divine Mercy would not let things be happening "as is". The Consecration will provide graces, not for me to just talk the talk, but in my life when (not if) rough things happen, graces will help me walk the walk and they will see me through. In confidence and peace while praying hard and not losing heart, the wait will be bearable until the victory comes. For with God, come it most certainly will. We never lose the war, but battles here on earth, they will come and go. In the end, we win.
👉🏼4. Very excited to have been assembled as a group by God. Informed everyone to "give it all you've got", and that with our efforts, as best as we could reverently embark upon for this Consecration, God would do the rest and rain down blessings upon us. Surely benefits for all of eternity, and also for the people we hold dear in our hearts.
👉🏼5. Every so called accident along the way worked out for good. That said another way:
🐝The Holy Spirit kept on buzzing like a bee
🐝Helping us all along the way to choose and navigate rightly
🐝Thank God things aren't always left up completely to others or to me
🐝Otherwise to disaster after disaster that would in every way be the key
🐝So by extending a warm welcome & keeping an open heart, Divine help was given to us most certainly
🙏🏾6. My prayer was this: May Divine Mercy never evade us, may a torrent be our lot every single time we find ourselves in need. He who has called us is not doing so in vain, therefore may we become apostles of mercy, giving and receiving.
👉🏼4. Very excited to have been assembled as a group by God. Informed everyone to "give it all you've got", and that with our efforts, as best as we could reverently embark upon for this Consecration, God would do the rest and rain down blessings upon us. Surely benefits for all of eternity, and also for the people we hold dear in our hearts.
👉🏼5. Every so called accident along the way worked out for good. That said another way:
🐝The Holy Spirit kept on buzzing like a bee
🐝Helping us all along the way to choose and navigate rightly
🐝Thank God things aren't always left up completely to others or to me
🐝Otherwise to disaster after disaster that would in every way be the key
🐝So by extending a warm welcome & keeping an open heart, Divine help was given to us most certainly
🙏🏾6. My prayer was this: May Divine Mercy never evade us, may a torrent be our lot every single time we find ourselves in need. He who has called us is not doing so in vain, therefore may we become apostles of mercy, giving and receiving.
May our yes to God, bring everlasting graces and blessing, and may you my friends, never lack no "good thing"' unto your good and God's glory.
👉🏼 Received inspirations for tips to send out all 33 days, and each day's notes were religiously written down. Attention to the fact that each lesson should be read twice was called to our attention by 🎖Cathy (Silver medalist), so have double notes to share from each read. More insights did come the second time around, do praise the Lord for Cathy's input. Also of course a poem was born on the first day. My notes from this consecration can populate a book, that will be another veggie one day, as well as the poem given to me.
📌 Our Consecration theme song was: All of Me
🎧Link to the song: http://youtu.be/450p7goxZqg
👉🏼Three more songs were to follow:
🎧 Song 2= "Rejoice, rejoice, again I say Rejoice"
https://youtu.be/SITS51Erd_M
🎧 Song 3= "Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord"
https://youtu.be/pTyu2XUydt4
🎧 Closing song = She Will Show Us The Promised One"
Link to song: https://youtu.be/eXJfnDhcpGs
After listening to the closing song several times, it seemed to me that the message by the Holy Spirit was that the Blessed Virgin Mary would be showing to us, He who is "Merciful Love". For Jesus her Son, is the Promised One.
📌Day 34 Consecration Day
👉🏼Here is the link to the YouTube DM Consecration blessing that Fr. Paul prayed for all of us at the beginning of our Consecration. The first part of his prayer was for all, but wasn't videoing him at that point. As he went on, decided to record his beautiful prayer. The video consists of his prayers for me, the blessings of the cards, and another blessing for the participants. It was unexpected to have Fr. Paul leave his office, put on a cassock and surplice, and invite me into the church where he wanted to bless the cards, sprinkle them with Holy water, and give us a blessing. Thank God my response in kind was to out on my veil, and with a skirt over my shorts, proceed to follow him. May God reward him for his special efforts.
Video link: http://youtu.be/JyzwC5w1r18
👉🏼Surprise,surprise, obtained a little replica card of the last supper picture used for our Divine Mercy consecration. It was Fr. Paul's recent ordination card. Check out the God-incidents:
🎗He was ordained on June 4th, 2016, and is assigned to Divine Mercy parish, how unique is that.
🎗Had a pack of Divine Mercy/Our Blessed Lady medals at home. They were blessed on the special day by Fr. Aguda. Those medals were in my possession for about two years or so. They were ordered when making chain rosaries and chaplets were on my agenda. God knew that they would not be used for making Divine Mercy chaplets, but to be given out as a memento of this special Divine Mercy consecration that would take place on August 15, 2016. Special indeed, for no other Consecration does what this one does, being they are all different.
👉🏼 Received inspirations for tips to send out all 33 days, and each day's notes were religiously written down. Attention to the fact that each lesson should be read twice was called to our attention by 🎖Cathy (Silver medalist), so have double notes to share from each read. More insights did come the second time around, do praise the Lord for Cathy's input. Also of course a poem was born on the first day. My notes from this consecration can populate a book, that will be another veggie one day, as well as the poem given to me.
📌 Our Consecration theme song was: All of Me
🎧Link to the song: http://youtu.be/450p7goxZqg
👉🏼Three more songs were to follow:
🎧 Song 2= "Rejoice, rejoice, again I say Rejoice"
https://youtu.be/SITS51Erd_M
🎧 Song 3= "Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord"
https://youtu.be/pTyu2XUydt4
🎧 Closing song = She Will Show Us The Promised One"
Link to song: https://youtu.be/eXJfnDhcpGs
After listening to the closing song several times, it seemed to me that the message by the Holy Spirit was that the Blessed Virgin Mary would be showing to us, He who is "Merciful Love". For Jesus her Son, is the Promised One.
📌Day 34 Consecration Day
👉🏼Here is the link to the YouTube DM Consecration blessing that Fr. Paul prayed for all of us at the beginning of our Consecration. The first part of his prayer was for all, but wasn't videoing him at that point. As he went on, decided to record his beautiful prayer. The video consists of his prayers for me, the blessings of the cards, and another blessing for the participants. It was unexpected to have Fr. Paul leave his office, put on a cassock and surplice, and invite me into the church where he wanted to bless the cards, sprinkle them with Holy water, and give us a blessing. Thank God my response in kind was to out on my veil, and with a skirt over my shorts, proceed to follow him. May God reward him for his special efforts.
Video link: http://youtu.be/JyzwC5w1r18
👉🏼Surprise,surprise, obtained a little replica card of the last supper picture used for our Divine Mercy consecration. It was Fr. Paul's recent ordination card. Check out the God-incidents:
🎗He was ordained on June 4th, 2016, and is assigned to Divine Mercy parish, how unique is that.
🎗Had a pack of Divine Mercy/Our Blessed Lady medals at home. They were blessed on the special day by Fr. Aguda. Those medals were in my possession for about two years or so. They were ordered when making chain rosaries and chaplets were on my agenda. God knew that they would not be used for making Divine Mercy chaplets, but to be given out as a memento of this special Divine Mercy consecration that would take place on August 15, 2016. Special indeed, for no other Consecration does what this one does, being they are all different.
🎗The prayer cards that were given to me by Fr. Paul and his blessing came about in a way proving once again, that all things work for good. One day tried to go to the 9:30am Mass at a senior living center, but that day there was no Mass. A bit disappointed just for a minute, then happily thought about doing a Holy Hour then going to the 11:15 Mass with the Dominican sisters. Perfect timing as every place was near by. At the adoration chapel the bell rang and figured it was my turn to let the next person in. In comes Amelie, and talking to her led to a big blessing and confirmation. She showed me her new book, it was the Little Office of The Blessed Virgin Mary. She bought her book at St. Paul's and excitedly pulled it out for me to take a look. During browsing, a book mark captured my attention, and at first couldn't believe what my eyes were actually seeing. It was the last supper picture we are using to do the Divine Mercy Consecration. Was it really? Yes, yes, yes. Amazed, and couldn't resist asking if she had another one and in reply she said no. Then thinking further, she said yes, and to keep the one that was marking the book. She asked that we pray for Fr. Paul Clark who was recently ordained. The ordination card chosen by Fr. was the painting by Fra Angelico of the last supper. What are the chances of running into the card that was inspired to choose for our Divine Mercy Consecration? Seems God was affirming us as the group hand picked and united to gather at the spiritual table and consecrate ourselves to His Divine mercy in this jubilee year of mercy. Grace, grace, and mercy, mercy, mercy that each was called by name, known and loved by Him to experience and share untold mercy until our dying day.
🎗The explanation given by Fr. Paul in reference to that particulate painting of the Last Supper, really illustrated to me how pertinent was that choice to our Divine Mercy consecration. Fr. Paul said that four of the apostles are kneeling down so as to leave empty seats for others who may want to join the banquet feast. To me that seemed perfect that the Holy Spirit would inspire the choosing of this Last Supper painting because by making the consecration we are opening ourselves up to becoming more merciful. We should now make more room in our hearts for others by being more understanding, loving, kind, etc. That we will not want to readily welcome and embrace our own selfish wills, but do as God so wills. That we will welcome and give of time, talent, and treasures to others. Besides Fra Angelico's paintings, there may not be others as perfect a fit for this consecration as the one chosen.
📌Everyone was remembered at the concluding Mass said for the GIG Divine Mercy Consecration participants. Those attending were able to partake of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, pray the three consecration prayers and two of us (myself and Tanya),signed our written consecrations, as we all prayed in front of the main altar. We moved on to pray at the foot of the cross and the last three statues we all did not get to pray in front of the first time we gathered:
St. Anthony
Our Lady of Guadulupe
Our Lady of Suyapa
👉🏼The next step found us off to the Adoration Chapel to conclude with a Holy Hour. Many thanks to Holland, Katie, Tanya, Addie, Claudia, Kathleen, and Kevin who were able to attend one or both of the Masses and go to confession. Thanks to those away who attended in their area: Maribelle, Cathy, and Ricky. Thanks to those who had to carry on and commit to duties to their state in life: Steve, Lisa, and Milton. Thanks to those who decided to join in consecrating themselves to Merciful Love: Georgiana, Shelley, and Patrice in spirit. Thanks to each and every one of you. (Found out Georgiana started on the date we intended to start,July 12th, so she finished her Consecration on August 14th)
Yes, thanks be to God and to all you for enhancing the journey. Very grateful for the prayers, one for another. The climb is steep for the path that inspires me the most, so know that every single prayer helps me to hold fast, fight the good fight of faith, and keep on keeping on. Determined to stay the course and so blest by the partners God sends my way to help me march forward, and for those who are catchers to help me when falling behind. One day payday will come, and all the tried and true will go marching in as saints. For sure together we make each other better (thank you special ones). Enlightened at this point, there will now be those who have made the Consecration who know without a shadow of a doubt that the goal is real and attainable, and not one that makes someone appear prideful and/or delusional. It's not to just wish want to make it in the door, or have a back row seat, but it's about desiring and aiming high, putting forth all the effort we can muster. We go forth now prepared to console Jesus, accept His merciful love, share it, and become holy on the way to sainthood assisted by Our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, St. Therese, and all of heaven, church triumphant,church suffering, and church militant.
🎗The explanation given by Fr. Paul in reference to that particulate painting of the Last Supper, really illustrated to me how pertinent was that choice to our Divine Mercy consecration. Fr. Paul said that four of the apostles are kneeling down so as to leave empty seats for others who may want to join the banquet feast. To me that seemed perfect that the Holy Spirit would inspire the choosing of this Last Supper painting because by making the consecration we are opening ourselves up to becoming more merciful. We should now make more room in our hearts for others by being more understanding, loving, kind, etc. That we will not want to readily welcome and embrace our own selfish wills, but do as God so wills. That we will welcome and give of time, talent, and treasures to others. Besides Fra Angelico's paintings, there may not be others as perfect a fit for this consecration as the one chosen.
📌Everyone was remembered at the concluding Mass said for the GIG Divine Mercy Consecration participants. Those attending were able to partake of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, pray the three consecration prayers and two of us (myself and Tanya),signed our written consecrations, as we all prayed in front of the main altar. We moved on to pray at the foot of the cross and the last three statues we all did not get to pray in front of the first time we gathered:
St. Anthony
Our Lady of Guadulupe
Our Lady of Suyapa
👉🏼The next step found us off to the Adoration Chapel to conclude with a Holy Hour. Many thanks to Holland, Katie, Tanya, Addie, Claudia, Kathleen, and Kevin who were able to attend one or both of the Masses and go to confession. Thanks to those away who attended in their area: Maribelle, Cathy, and Ricky. Thanks to those who had to carry on and commit to duties to their state in life: Steve, Lisa, and Milton. Thanks to those who decided to join in consecrating themselves to Merciful Love: Georgiana, Shelley, and Patrice in spirit. Thanks to each and every one of you. (Found out Georgiana started on the date we intended to start,July 12th, so she finished her Consecration on August 14th)
Yes, thanks be to God and to all you for enhancing the journey. Very grateful for the prayers, one for another. The climb is steep for the path that inspires me the most, so know that every single prayer helps me to hold fast, fight the good fight of faith, and keep on keeping on. Determined to stay the course and so blest by the partners God sends my way to help me march forward, and for those who are catchers to help me when falling behind. One day payday will come, and all the tried and true will go marching in as saints. For sure together we make each other better (thank you special ones). Enlightened at this point, there will now be those who have made the Consecration who know without a shadow of a doubt that the goal is real and attainable, and not one that makes someone appear prideful and/or delusional. It's not to just wish want to make it in the door, or have a back row seat, but it's about desiring and aiming high, putting forth all the effort we can muster. We go forth now prepared to console Jesus, accept His merciful love, share it, and become holy on the way to sainthood assisted by Our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, St. Therese, and all of heaven, church triumphant,church suffering, and church militant.
"Am I Living in Denial?", by Nancy Shuman
Info from this site:
http://www.thecloisteredheart.org/2016/08/am-i-living-in-denial.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thecloisteredheart%2FqZBm+%28The+Cloistered+Heart%29
"Among my recently uncovered treasures from a friend, I found the following. It was written in 2000 and later edited a bit:
I believe God is calling us to wake up and stop wasting any of the moments of His precious gift of life. We live in an anesthetized society, a society in deep denial of the fact that each of us was made to live according to the will of God. All around us are people in a stupor, and we are affected by it - for how could we not be? Yet we are called to be like the saints gone before us: the ones who escaped from their societal denial and used their allotment of time for God.
As we enter a new millenium, we must walk in the footsteps of the saints. There is no more time to waste, no more time to walk with one foot in the world and one in the will of God. We must decide. A pretty serious call? You bet. If we're serious about following Christ, we are invited to follow in the footsteps of those who, in their own times, were not popular. Oh, the saints are admired now, when we read about them in books. They're well loved on days when we wear green and celebrate a bit of Irish blood in our veins. But the fact is, and we all know it, that the saints were never very popular in their own times. Why? Because they were those who worked to call their societies out of denial.
As those who live in the world rather than in actual physical cloisters, we live in an atmosphere of denial. The great lie is that this earth and our time upon it is the only important thing, and that what we get out of life is all that really counts.
🤔How much of this have I bought into?
🤔What is the motivation behind the things I do with my minutes and hours?
🤔Am I about loving God, serving others, working to increase the population of heaven?
🤔Am I primarily pursuing my own comforts, interests, gains or status - perhaps telling myself that I'm not doing so even as I do so?
🤔What is the focus of my life?
🤔If I knew that Our Lord was coming for me for me tomorrow, would this knowledge alter my activities today?
🤔Perhaps it's time for me to talk with Christ about some of these things."
Info from this site:
http://www.thecloisteredheart.org/2016/08/am-i-living-in-denial.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thecloisteredheart%2FqZBm+%28The+Cloistered+Heart%29
"Among my recently uncovered treasures from a friend, I found the following. It was written in 2000 and later edited a bit:
I believe God is calling us to wake up and stop wasting any of the moments of His precious gift of life. We live in an anesthetized society, a society in deep denial of the fact that each of us was made to live according to the will of God. All around us are people in a stupor, and we are affected by it - for how could we not be? Yet we are called to be like the saints gone before us: the ones who escaped from their societal denial and used their allotment of time for God.
As we enter a new millenium, we must walk in the footsteps of the saints. There is no more time to waste, no more time to walk with one foot in the world and one in the will of God. We must decide. A pretty serious call? You bet. If we're serious about following Christ, we are invited to follow in the footsteps of those who, in their own times, were not popular. Oh, the saints are admired now, when we read about them in books. They're well loved on days when we wear green and celebrate a bit of Irish blood in our veins. But the fact is, and we all know it, that the saints were never very popular in their own times. Why? Because they were those who worked to call their societies out of denial.
As those who live in the world rather than in actual physical cloisters, we live in an atmosphere of denial. The great lie is that this earth and our time upon it is the only important thing, and that what we get out of life is all that really counts.
🤔How much of this have I bought into?
🤔What is the motivation behind the things I do with my minutes and hours?
🤔Am I about loving God, serving others, working to increase the population of heaven?
🤔Am I primarily pursuing my own comforts, interests, gains or status - perhaps telling myself that I'm not doing so even as I do so?
🤔What is the focus of my life?
🤔If I knew that Our Lord was coming for me for me tomorrow, would this knowledge alter my activities today?
🤔Perhaps it's time for me to talk with Christ about some of these things."
(This article is perfect for the morning after. The "morning after", in this case is the Divine Mercy Consecration for the pilot group)
"Being People for Others", by Vinita Hampton Wright
Info from this site: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/24327/being-people-for-others?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dotMagis+%28dotMagis+-+Ignatian+Spirituality%29
"St. Ignatius Loyola understood that, even when we strive to do glorious deeds, often the motivation is selfish. Or at least it’s self-focused. In his early years, he trained to be a soldier and a knight. He wanted to sacrifice himself for country and for some beautiful lady he could defend and honor. But years later, as he meditated, prayed, and discovered God, who created and loved him, Ignatius dismantled old ways of thinking. Rather than becoming proud and worried about making a good show, a person must develop humility. Rather than focusing on himself and his dreams of glory, he must follow Jesus’ example and move outward, looking at what other people needed and dreamed for.
Being “people for others” means that we are willing to shift focus and actually notice others and care about them. What does that look like on a typical day? Here are just a few ideas.
When I’m around someone who is behaving badly, rather than think of how the behavior irritates or upsets me, I wonder what might be triggering that person to act like this. A child in the hospital? Job loss? Relationship problems? A string of faulty decisions?
While working with other people on a project, I resist worrying about how my input is received or how much I am noticed and concentrate on helping each person on the team do his or her best.
I pray as much—probably more—for others than for myself.
Rather than turn away and distract myself from others’ suffering, I make some move to help.
My decisions about time, money, and other resources always factor in how generous I can be, and I come up with concrete plans for sharing.
Being a person for others will always be a challenge, because we are conditioned from an early age to focus on “me and mine.” We might be encouraged to see the world as a dangerous place, to see many people as too different and therefore “other,” and to believe that there is never enough of anything to go around. Jesus requires that we resist this way of being in the world. He asks that, rather than growing fearful, we make an effort to be open. Rather than grasping and hoarding, we are to be grateful and generous. Jesus asks that, rather than operating in a judgmental and self-protective way, we extend to others God’s love and make room at the table for those we might call strangers"
"Being People for Others", by Vinita Hampton Wright
Info from this site: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/24327/being-people-for-others?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dotMagis+%28dotMagis+-+Ignatian+Spirituality%29
"St. Ignatius Loyola understood that, even when we strive to do glorious deeds, often the motivation is selfish. Or at least it’s self-focused. In his early years, he trained to be a soldier and a knight. He wanted to sacrifice himself for country and for some beautiful lady he could defend and honor. But years later, as he meditated, prayed, and discovered God, who created and loved him, Ignatius dismantled old ways of thinking. Rather than becoming proud and worried about making a good show, a person must develop humility. Rather than focusing on himself and his dreams of glory, he must follow Jesus’ example and move outward, looking at what other people needed and dreamed for.
Being “people for others” means that we are willing to shift focus and actually notice others and care about them. What does that look like on a typical day? Here are just a few ideas.
When I’m around someone who is behaving badly, rather than think of how the behavior irritates or upsets me, I wonder what might be triggering that person to act like this. A child in the hospital? Job loss? Relationship problems? A string of faulty decisions?
While working with other people on a project, I resist worrying about how my input is received or how much I am noticed and concentrate on helping each person on the team do his or her best.
I pray as much—probably more—for others than for myself.
Rather than turn away and distract myself from others’ suffering, I make some move to help.
My decisions about time, money, and other resources always factor in how generous I can be, and I come up with concrete plans for sharing.
Being a person for others will always be a challenge, because we are conditioned from an early age to focus on “me and mine.” We might be encouraged to see the world as a dangerous place, to see many people as too different and therefore “other,” and to believe that there is never enough of anything to go around. Jesus requires that we resist this way of being in the world. He asks that, rather than growing fearful, we make an effort to be open. Rather than grasping and hoarding, we are to be grateful and generous. Jesus asks that, rather than operating in a judgmental and self-protective way, we extend to others God’s love and make room at the table for those we might call strangers"
Video presentation: Part 2: "Prayer is Fruitful When it is an Attitude of Faith, Hope & Charity", by Fr. Jacques Philippe
Link to YouTube video:
http://youtu.be/iv6EBI2RDP0
Link to YouTube video:
http://youtu.be/iv6EBI2RDP0