St. Andrew

November 30th, the Feast of St. Andrew. 

Andrew was one of the first apostles to follow Jesus. 

In today's Advent reflection from Dynamic Catholic, Matthew Kelly explains:

 "In order to be a really good leader, you have to be a good follower." 

St. Andrew was both, leader and follower. 

His life was a beautiful example of obedience. 

The root of the word, "obedience" means to listen deeply." Matthew Kelly

St. Andrew, teach us to listen deeply with our hearts.

 Encourage each of us to follow and lead others to Christ.

Today begins the St. Andrew Christmas Novena. 

The prayer is prayed 15 times a day from today until Christmas! 

 ST. ANDREW CHRISTMAS NOVENA 

HAIL AND BLESSED BE THE HOUR AND MOMENT 

IN WHICH THE SON OF GOD  WAS BORN OF THE MOST PURE VIRGIN MARY, 

AT MIDNIGHT, IN BETHLEHEM, 

IN THE PIERCING COLD. 

IN THAT HOUR VOUCHSAFE, O MY GOD, TO HEAR MY PRAYER AND GRANT MY DESIRE 

(MENTION YOUR REQUEST) 

THOUGHT THE MERITS OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, AND OF HIS BLESSED MOTHER. 

AMEN.  

Advent Begins

"Advent is a reminder of those nine months of prayer in which surely Mary engaged, praying to the Father, praying to the Son within her, awaiting his advent, awaiting his birth on Christmas Day." 

John Cardinal O'Connor   

For Mary, Advent wasn't just four weeks but nine months! 

During those nine months Mary prayed with trust and hope. 

In these past nine months of the pandemic, have we trusted and hoped like Mary? 

She is the perfect example of trust and hope. 

In our uncertainty and anxiety of what is to come, we can seek Mary's intercession.

 Watch, pray and stay awake!

Prepare your hearts for the first advent and prepare your souls for the second advent. 

"That will be the advent hope will assure us of eternal happiness." Cardinal O'Connor 

Thrive

 "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." Benjamin Franklin

What are you doing with your life?

Are you surviving or thriving? 

Some days it feels like I am just surviving. 

But today is not that day! 

I want to thrive! '

I want to face today without worrying about tomorrow. 

I want to become a saint. 

Not because my story is worth reading, but because my heart is worth giving!

That is what saints are... Ordinary people, who give their "all" to God. 

So I ask you again, what are you going to do?

Survive or THRIVE?

"It is difficult to become a saint. Difficult but not impossible." St. Padre Pio 

Preparing our Hearts

Today has been a busy day decorating for Christmas! 

We are all excited for the holidays!

Last night, after Thanksgiving dinner, we helped a loved one decorate his apartment and tree. 

We are preparing for Advent, which prepares us for Christmas! 

The first week of Advent begins on Sunday! 

Are we ready? 

Advent is a time of preparing.

Why am I sharing this blog today if Advent isn't for another two days? 

My mom beautifully shared, "We need to prepare our hearts for the season of preparing our hearts." 

Preparing starts now. 

 "You change your life by changing your heart." Max Lucado 

Thanksgiving

 "Rejoice in the Lord always, again, I will say, rejoice! The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:4-7 

This past year has taught me gratitude. 

We took so much for granted before the Pandemic. 

Though this Thanksgiving is different, there is much to be thankful for. 

I am thankful for the Thanksgivings when we gathered together with extended family.

I am thankful for my family and the love we share.

I am thankful for my godchildren, Ava, Faye, Daniel, Drew and Marga. 

I am thankful for friendship and laughter.

I am thankful for our warm home, especially this time of year. 

I am thankful for my new blog and for those who encourage me to take heart.

I am thankful for the gift of prayer. 

I am especially grateful for the gift of praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet everyday with Carson Kissell and his family. His Facebook page is called "Praying with Carson."  

 I am thankful for this beautiful day! 

Count your blessings! 

Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

Peace of Heart

 "If peace is really what you want, then you will choose peace." Meister Eckhart

We pray for world peace but are choosing to make peace happen?

Peace is a choice.

How can we expect peace when we do not make peace in our own hearts? 

"Peace lies not in the external world. It lies within one's own soul." Ralph W. Trine 

We want to make peace happen, but how? 

"Peace begins with a smile. Smile five times a day at someone you don't really want to smile at." St. Mother Teresa 

Peace is swallowing our pride and opening our hearts to doing the things we don't always want to do. 

Sometimes it's forgiving and other times it is being forgiven. 

Peace of Heart. 

"While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart." St. Francis of Assisi 

Let it Shine

"The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light." St. John of the Cross 

This has been quite the year of endurance. 

What is He preparing us for? 

He is preparing us for Himself. 

He is the light in our darkness.

The light when we are lonely and frustrated. 

The light when we are anxious and sad. 

His light gives us peace and joy.  

Jesus wants us to share His light with the world. 

Share your smile and your gratitude!  

Let those around you see Christ's light in YOU! 

Let it shine!

"As we let our light shine...we unconsciously give others permission to do the same." Marianne Williamson 

Trust Him

"Never be afraid to trust the unknown future to a known God." Corrie Ten Boom

Who are the people you trust? 

Most likely they are the people you know.

God knows us. 

Do we know Him? 

Will we trust Him? 

This year has proven that the future is unknown.

The unknown reminds us to trust in our God, who knows us. 

When we don't trust Him, we end up disappointed. 

By trusting Him, we lose nothing. We gain peace of heart. 

Be not afraid to Trust! 

 Blessed are those who trust in the Lord...They shall be like a tree planted by water sending out its roots by the the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes...in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 

Measure with Love

"The measure of holiness is how we love." Keeping in Balance 

In today's Gospel from Matthew, love is measured by the Corporal Works of Mercy.

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me."

Are we choosing to grow in holiness? Are we choosing to grow in love? 

"Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me." 

Measure with love. 

Are you feeding the people around you with love? Are you clothing them with kindness? Are you visiting those who need compassion? 

"Bottom line...every time you act or react at some level a choice is being made."  Andrew Cohen 

Choose to grow in holiness. 

Humble of Heart

 

"Do not seek to become perfect by your own strength. When you are humble enough, God will give you all." St. Paul of the Cross

. I am easily frustrated by my weakness. 

I wish I had the strength to do more. 

Today was one of those days when I could do no more.

"O Mary, Mother of Sorrows, I am the child of your sorrows. My tender Mother, here is your child, who can do no more. Have pity on me." St. Bernadette Soubirous  

I needed to humble myself and rest my restless heart. 

"Awareness is the beginning of transformation." Jamie Sams 

Jesus, transform my restless heart into a humble heart. 

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. Matthew 11:29 

Be Still My Heart

 "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14 

Be still my heart. 

"We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God." Dietrich Bonhoeffer 

Sometimes we have to be interrupted for God to have our attention. 

He wants to speak to us and He wants to have a relationship with us. 

Would you drop everything to simply just be with your best friend? 

Would you not give him or her your full attention? 

Will we not do the same for Jesus? 

What will it take for Him to have our attention? 

St. Mother Teresa was quoted, "For it is in the silence of the heart that God speaks."  

The best kind of friend is the friend you can sit quietly with.  

Quiet my heart, Lord. 

Whispers of the Heart

This week as part of my scripture study homework I read from the First Book of Kings.

1 Kings 19:11-12.

The Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake or the fire. He was in a tiny whisper.

He wants to speak to us but the world is so noisy we do not hear His whisper. 

This culture is too busy to stop and listen. 

However, He continues to whisper to each of us in our busy lives.

What in my life is drowning out the voice of the Lord? 

For me, my phone is a distraction and distractions fill the silence. 

Why are we so afraid of the silence? 

It is in the quiet that we hear and draw closely to God. 

It is up to us, to choose to pause and listen to His still small voice. 

"In the stillness of the quiet, if we listen, we can hear the whispers of the heart giving strength to weakness, courage to fear, hope to despair." Howard Thurman 

Beloved

  “Knowing God is love is not the same as knowing God loves you!” Ann Voskamp  

Do you know that you are loved?

I am reading Fr. Michael Gaitley's book, 33 Days to Greater Glory. 

In the Gospel of John, John references himself as the Beloved Disciple. 

Fr. Michael explains that John is trying to tell us that we too are His beloved disciples.  

"What the Father said to Jesus at his Baptism, "You are my Beloved," he also wants to say to you."         33 Days to Greater Glory 

We are His beloved. 

As one of his beloved disciples, I desire to love Him in return with all of my heart.

"We must love God in the way that pleases him, and not just in a way that suits ourselves. God wishes people to empty themselves of everything and to be filled with his divine love." St. Alphonsus Liguori 

God loves you. 

  "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." Elizabeth Barrett Browning 

Something More

"Is there something more you want? By coming, he took up your death, by rising he gave you his life. Do you want still more? He, the one who was crucified for you, by rising on the third day, raised you above the heavens. He made you a son of God. Is there still something more that you want? What will we give the Lord for what he has given us?" St. Quodvultdeus of Carthage 

We are always wanting more. 

But how much more could we possibly want? 

We have been given the ultimate gift, Jesus Christ. 

"Glory be to Him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine."         St. Paul 

What will we give to the Lord in return for all of the good He has done for us? 

How will we show our gratitude? 

"Every breath we draw in is a gift...every moment of existence is a grace." Thomas Merton

He has given us so much more! 

There is much to be thankful for! 

Seek Grace

"Seek grace in the smallest things and you will find also grace, to accomplish, to believe in, and to hope for the greatest things." 

St. Peter Faber 

Lord, give us the grace to believe and to hope in you.

Too often we lose sight of your plans.

We need God's grace to give us hope for the greatest things. 

"When we enter hope, it enters us and fills us with a quiet strength." Cynthia Bourgeaut 

Seek grace and have hope. 

The greatest things are yet to come!

"Grace and gentleness sustain the humble heart." Nan Merrill 

 

Take Courage

 "Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts." Winston Churchill 

The world can be overwhelming and at times defeating. 

So many times I have said, I am tired of Covid. 

We all are. 

But instead of giving up, we ought to persevere! 

Whatever knocks you down, don't let it keep you down. 

Will you choose to get back up? 

My prayer is that we remind ourselves to Take Heart. 

Take heart by having courage and being kind. 

"Each new hour holds new chances for new beginnings." Maya Angelou 

Give from the Heart

"The greatest gifts you can give are your time, attention, love and concern." Joel Osteen 

Who needs my time?

The person beside me. 

Who needs my attention? 

The person in front of me.

We all seek to be loved. 

It's nice knowing people care. 

We should all want to care and want to give. 

The Season of Giving draws near, but why wait? 

Begin now by giving the gift of your heart! 

"We obtain the most precious gifts not by searching for them but by waiting for them." Simone Weil  

Risk Hope

"The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion." Paul Coehlo 

Our words won't change anything but our actions will. 

We must be examples of hope.

If we want hope we must cling to hope. 

Do not give up hope. 

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let's consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as in the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Hebrews 10:23-25

This is how we are going to change the world!

By our hope and trust in Christ Jesus. 

He is the best example.

He is our hope! 

Take Heart in Him! 

Risk Hope! 

Invitation to Take Heart

 "Jesus represents all that we humans can be...As you become the-best-version-of-yourself, you become more and more like Jesus." Allen Hunt 

This is an invitation to follow Jesus. 

We are invited to follow Him by becoming like Him. 

We can choose to become like Jesus when we choose to be our best selves.  

The people we surround ourselves with have influence on us. 

We should desire to be influences of Christ. 

"God dwells in a secret and hidden way in everyone." St. John of the Cross 

Lord, anoint my eyes, my ears, my mouth and my heart. 

I ask that the desire to become the-best-version-of-myself grows within my heart everyday. 

I pray all hearts are open for the desire to become like Jesus.

Remember to Take Heart and have courage. 

Accept the invitation.

Follow Him. 

Take Heart

I am opening a new window into my heart. 

I have created this blog, Take Heart, for a fresh start.

My hope is that my new blogs from Take Heart will encourage and inspire others to take courage.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 

This is my favorite bible verse. 

When I was in heart failure, Sr. Jordan Rose shared this verse with me. 

Jesus talks about tribulation in the world. 

He tells us to be not afraid. 

"Nothing is permanent, not even our own troubles." Charlie Chaplin

What troubles you? 

Name it and pray about it. 

Bring your tribulation to the Father. 

Let Him work within you.

Take heart!