Celebrate Life

 "We are here... to celebrate life, because life has been created in the Image of God. Life is to love and to be loved." St. Mother Teresa 

Celebrate Life! 

This is the perfect quote to reflect on as we count down the hours into the new year.

We don't know what 2021 will hold, but if we hold onto love, we have nothing to fear. 

Life is beautiful when we love and love life to the full. 

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16   

This is what we celebrate!

 God's love poured out for us. 

We were created in His Image. 

We were made to love and to be loved. 

May we always remember to celebrate the love of God today and in the New Year!  

Celebrate life and Take Heart! 

Simple As That

I am not going to make plans for the new year, because as we all know it, plans change. 

However, one of my goals for the new year is to simplify my life.

It's going to be a challenge but very much needed. 

I want to clear out everything that is distracting me from what is important. 

For example, today I worked on cleaning out my desk. 

But then I read this quote,

  "The nearer one gets to God, the simpler one becomes." St. Therese of Liseux

In order to live simply, I need to shift my focus on simplifying my heart. 

I need to make more time and space for God. 

It's as simple as that. 

Lord Jesus, teach me to simply live for you.  

"We are invited to hold everything in this life a little more loosely, and to cling to what is eternal." 

Sisters of Life Imprint Magazine

FOMO

The Fear of Missing Out is real. 

This past year has proven that fear. 

What did I miss?   

What am I going to miss out on in the new year? 

So much life is wasted in fear and that is no way to live. 

We miss out on enjoyment when we fear the unknown. 

We miss out when we doubt ourselves. 

Fear does not come from God. 

God wants us to surrender our fears. 

 "Anything we turn in the direction of God is a prayer." St. Ignatius 

I pray this will be a reminder to overcome fear and doubt.  

"Jesus is with me. I have nothing to fear." Blessed Pier Giorgia Frassati  

Crave Love

"Give every single person that look of love which they crave." Pope Benedict XVI 

I saw this quote on Facebook today and saved it on my phone. 

We all crave to be loved. 

Not just the people we think that deserve our love. 

Every single person. 

We all desire to love and to be loved. 

"Love, to be real, must empty us of self." St. Mother Teresa  

True love is not deserved, it's simply given. 

Love was freely given to us and we should freely share that love. 

There is a world of people craving to be loved. 

"Love one another; just as I have loved you." John 13:34 

 

The Holy Family

  "St Joseph, how I love him! What does me a lot of good when I think of the Holy Family is to imagine a life that was very ordinary, just like our own." St. Therese of Liseux  

Sometimes we wish for extraordinary lives instead of being content with our ordinary lives. 

Our culture has decided that ordinary is below average. 

We wish for more than what is given. 

Something is wrong with this picture. 

Something is wrong with our definition of 'ordinary.' 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph are an example of finding beauty in the normal. 

They lived ordinary lives. 

They did not draw attention to themselves. 

Their ordinary lives were hidden, making them relatable. 

Not everything good we do is always seen but this teaches us humility.

 "You must always humble yourself lovingly before God and before men, because God speaks only to those who are truly humble and He enriches them with His gifts." St. Padre Pio 

Holy Family, help us to choose joy in every ordinary day. 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us! 

Feast of Stephen

 "The truth is not decided by a popular opinion." Pope Benedict XVI 

The truth is the truth, no matter what.

This past year has made us all question the truth. 

But it has also made us search for the truth. 

Today is the Feast of St. Stephen.

St. Stephen believed in the truth and shared it. 

However, those who did not want to believe in the truth of the Resurrection, had Stephen killed. 

He was the first martyr. 

St. Stephen proclaimed the truth and set an example for us to stand firm in the truth.

Nothing else matters. Not even our own lives. 

"Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." St. Stephen

May we strive to be brave and bold in our faith, as St. Stephen was bold in his faith. 

May we choose to share the truth in such a way that will lead others to the truth. 

The Truth will set you free. John 8:32   

St. Stephen, pray for us! 

Merry Christmas

Happy Birthday, Jesus! 

Today we celebrate the mystery of your birth!

"We can't lose sight of the enormity of the mystery, the incredible, the awe consuming mystery." Matthew Kelly 

The mystery of your coming!

"Our world says if you can't understand it or explain it, it doesn't exist." Matthew Kelly

However, our faith tells us otherwise. 

Our faith tells us to hope.

Hope in the mystery.

Trust in God when you cannot understand or do not have all the answers. 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6  

Through the mystery we draw closer to you. 

  "Jesus, you are the star that leads me on." St. Therese of Liseux 

https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/best-advent-ever/all-reflections/a-christmas-mystery.html?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=best%20advent%20ever&utm_content=day%2024%20header%20banner

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve! 

It is the season of the heart

A special time for caring

 The ways of love made clear

 It is the season of the spirit

The message, if we hear it

It makes it last all year

The Muppets Christmas Carol, It Feels Like Christmas Lyrics 

Today is a day of gratitude! 

"It is impossible to be grateful and not be happy at the same time." Matthew Kelly

We have so much to be thankful for! 

Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free. he has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. Canticle of Zechariah 

He has came for us! 

Praise the name of the Lord! 

Give thanks today, tomorrow and in the new year! 

"I will hold you close with a thankful heart." The Muppets Christmas Carol 

Merry Christmas!

 https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/best-advent-ever/all-reflections/filled-with-the-holy-spirit.html?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=best%20advent%20ever&utm_content=day%2023%20header%20banner

Rejoice

"The secret to happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for all that He, in His goodness, sends to us day after day." St. Gianna Molla  

Rejoice for others! 

Share in their happiness! 

Let this be our challenge to rejoice with others this Christmas season and in the new year!

We become happier, when we are happy for others. 

When we see the good as gift for others, we receive the gift of joy.

"It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you." Pope St. John Paul II 

No one will make us happier than Jesus. 

O Come, Emmanuel! 

Rejoice! 

https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/best-advent-ever/all-reflections/rejoicing-for-others.html?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=best%20advent%20ever&utm_content=day%2022%20header%20banner 

Surrender and Hope

"When we are struggling to surrender a circumstance that we desperately wish would change, hope is the virtue we need to focus on and develop." Keeping in Balance, Walking with Purpose  

Focus on hope. 

Hope is one of the most important virtues. 

Hope helps us to have faith in the impossible. 

When we choose hope, we choose to surrender to the possible. 

"God doesn't ask us to surrender to some unknown force or being. He asks us to surrender to Him-- our loving Father." Keeping in Balance

Work on surrendering. 

Give to God what you cannot do on your own. 

"We experience freedom when we embrace our limitations." Keeping in Balance 

Our hope is in Him alone. 

Open your hands and your heart to receive the gift of hope.

  "For nothing will be impossible with God." Luke 1:37 

  

Choose Joy

Do you want more joy in your life? 

Dynamic Catholic presents that question today. 

My answer is, yes.

What brings you joy? 

Joy, for me, is found in serving and in giving. 

On normal years, I enjoy serving lunch and coffee to the senior citizens in our community. 

I find joy in giving, whether that be gifts or blogging, both resulting in the sharing of my heart. 

In today's reading, Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth.  

Her first thought was to go and serve her expectant cousin.

When Elizabeth greeted Mary, John, Elizabeth's son, recognized the presence of God from the womb. 

He leaped with joy! 

John, the infant, understood the beauty and importance of God's presence. 

This is what true joy is.

Am I living in the presence of God?

Another question for us to stop and think about.

"When we recognize God's presence, there is a natural joy that erupts deep in our souls." Matthew Kelly 

Emmanuel.

God is with us. 

Choose joy!

 https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/best-advent-ever/all-reflections/what-makes-you-jump-for-joy.html?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=best%20advent%20ever&utm_content=day%2020%20header%20banner

Words of Hope

 "Do not be afraid." 

Those are the words the angel Gabriel declared to Mary. 

Words of hope.

Everything will be okay. 

Mary hoped in the Lord. 

She chose hope over fear. 

She became the Mother of the Savior of the World. 

Mary did not know what that would entail. 

Yet, her response was, "Behold, I am the hand maiden of the Lord."

She gave her yes. 

She trusted in God and gave us hope.  

"For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it." Romans 8:24-25 

Trust in this message of hope.  

Be not afraid! 

Hope will not disappoint! 

Close Enough

 "The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren't interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them." Kyle Idleman 

How close to Jesus are you? 

That's a serious question. 

Compare your close friends to the friends you keep at arms distance.

Who do you feel closer to?

Who are you more likely to share everything with? 

We invest our hearts in the people we want to keep closest to us. 

We love them without expectations. 

The real benefit in being close to Jesus, is knowing Jesus is close to us. 

Will we be close to Him? 

"The Lord is near to all who call on Him." Psalm 45:18 

Overcome

"He did not say you would not be troubled, you would not be tempted, you would not be distressed, but He did say you would not be overcome." St. Jose Maria Escriva 

That last line speaks to my heart. 

"You would not be overcome." 

 God will triumph!

What do you want to overcome? 

Grief? Anxiety? Fear? Loneliness?  

Do not let your hearts be troubled. 

"If all of this is a part of God's plan, then we can take heart.We can find hope. God knows what we are up against. He never asks anything of us that life doesn't equip us to accomplish." Keeping in Balance, Walking with Purpose  

Our hope is in Him who will overcome all things. 

"But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37 

Problems and Answers

 "You can't solve spiritual problems with worldly solutions." Matthew Kelly 

We turn to everything else before turning to God. 

We often think of Him as our last resort.

We think we can find our answers on our own.  

Yet, our spiritual problems remain.

We seek more than what this world has to offer. 

We may not always realize it, but the longing is always there.

All of our answers come from God. 

Not by social media or from word of mouth. 

From Him alone. 

Ask Him your questions and you will receive your heart's answers. 

 "God always speaks to you when you approach him plainly and simply." St. Catherine Laboure

Surrender

"Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if He wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength." St. Philip Neri 

In other words, surrender to God. 

What are you unwilling to let go of? 

For me, it is hard to surrender to God's timing. 

I want to make my own plans of when and what should happen. 

But then I always realize I need to surrender my ways to His ways. 

"If we aren't willing to surrender our desires and needs to God, we'll become convinced that the only way we can be happy is to have those desires and needs satisfied. This places us on very shaky ground. Our circumstances will always be subject to change, and as a result, our happiness will rise and fall. But when we submit our will to God's, when we want what He wants, we can receive anything from His hand as a gift. " Keeping in Balance 

Be open to His embrace and the plans He has for you. 

Surrender to receive the gifts He wants to give you.

Trust that He will strengthen and guide you. 

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 

 

Peace of Heart

Today is the Feast of St. John of the Cross. 

 "Strive to persevere your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it." St. John of the Cross 

A friend of mine shared this quote today on Facebook. 

We all want peace of heart. 

"Let no event of this world disturb it."  

This is what we strive for. 

But sometimes we lose heart in persevering. 

When that happens, bring your heart and your desire for peace before the Lord. 

Pray for the grace to persevere and for your heart not to be troubled. 

"Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away:God never changes. Patience obtains all things.Whoever has God lacks nothing;God alone suffices." St. Teresa of Avila

Peace of Heart is found in God alone. 

"Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Mark 4:39 

Just Good

 "Jesus doesn't just want "good people" - he wants saints. He wants us to be on fire with his love..." Fr. Michael Gaitley 

It's not enough to say, "I am a good person." 

We are better than that. 

Don't stick with the status quo. 

Don't stop at "I am a good person." 

Seek to be better and desire to be more than just "good." 

 He wants us to be saints! 

"Holiness does not consist in doing extraordinary things. It consists in accepting, with a smile, whatever Jesus sends us. It consists in accepting and following the will of God." St. Mother Teresa 

Jesus, set us on fire with your love. 

Grow in each of us the desire to be holy. 

Through Your Goodness, we pray:

"Merciful Father, in the name of our lovable Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and all the Saints, I ask You to set me on fire with Your Spirit of Love and to grant me the grace of making You deeply loved." Prayer from 33 Days to Merciful Love 

Our Lady of Guadalupe

"Do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation. anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am your mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?" Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego 

Today is a beautiful feast day! The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! 

Mary appeared to Juan Diego asking him to have the Bishop build a church where she appeared. 

Mary provided roses in December as a sign for Juan Diego to bring to the Bishop.

 The roses were placed by Our Lady's hands in Juan Diego's tilma. 

When he showed the Bishop the roses, an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on his tilma. 

A church was built and Mexico converted! 

It was a miracle! 

This tilma with Our Lady of Guadalupe's image on it can be viewed today in Mexico!

The black sash around Mary's waist meant Mary was with child. 

A doctor held a stethoscope to the tilma and heard a heart beat!  

Another miracle! 

Our Lady of Guadalupe, we come to you in hope of Christmas miracles! 

Protect all unborn children and their mothers. 

Remind us again and again, that you are our Mother! 

Keep us close to your heart.

Amen. 

 

True Humility

 "Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." unknown 

Jesus lived humbly. 

He lived an ordinary and hidden life. 

Jesus did not draw attention to himself. 

Instead, John the Baptist, points us to Jesus.  

"Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?" But Jesus, answering, said to him, "Allow it at this time, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him." Matthew 3:13-15 

The Model of True Humility. 

The Holy of Holies humbled Himself for us.  

Born in a stable and died on a cross. 

Jesus, teach me to live humbly as you did in your ordinary and hidden life. 

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30 

"Come, Holy Spirit, fire of mercy, help me to live my ordinary life with an extraordinary faith, hope and love." 33 Days to Merciful Love, Fr. Michael Gaitley

Encourage One Another

 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 

Jesus was a great encourager! 

Dynamic Catholic recognizes that and asks the question, 

"How would Jesus praise or encourage you in your life at this time?"

In other words, recognize the things that Jesus wants to encourage you to keep doing.

It's a choice to be positive and to see the good that God sees in us.

Sometimes we are too caught up in seeing the things we aren't good at. 

 However, He wants to encourage us and build us up. 

We are called to encourage others and to build each other up as Jesus did. 

Together we can build up His Kingdom.

Who do you know that needs encouragement?

Maybe it's yourself?

Jesus wants to encourage you and to inspire you to encourage others! 

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Phil 4:8

https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/best-advent-ever/all-reflections/a-wave-of-positivity.html?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=best%20advent%20ever&utm_content=day%2011%20header%20banner

Humble Heart

Today I have been restless.

I have tried doing too many things at once and my "to-do" list is still not complete.  

In Matthew's Gospel, we read: 

"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest."

Dynamic Catholic Best Advent Ever, gave me something to think about.

 "Where do you find rest?" 

I listened to those words this morning but still found myself busy. 

The few things I checked off of my list did not leave me rested. 

That's when I realized I need rest for my soul. 

"I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves." 

God does not want us to be restless.

Who else is going to give you rest? 

Feed your soul.

Rest in He who who is humble of heart. 

"A humble soul does not trust itself, but places all its confidence in God." St. Faustina   

https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/best-advent-ever/all-reflections/soul-food-and-soul-rest.html?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=best%20advent%20ever&utm_content=day%2010%20header%20banner

The Immaculate Conception

On December 8th, we celebrate the Solemnity of The Immaculate Conception.

Mary, our Mother, conceived without sin.

She is our perfect Mother. 

Immaculate. 

"Let yourself be led by the Immaculate." St. Maximilian 

Mary was Jesus's first disciple. Jesus knew He could trust His mother. 

 We, too, should trust the Mother of God, The Immaculate Conception. 

If you don't have a relationship with Mary or don't know how to begin your relationship with Mary, look at it this way...

My best friend is my mom. I turn to her for just about everything. The Immaculate Conception is our Mother! We can and should turn to her for everything too! 

"Different prayers and formulas are good and beautiful, but the essential thing is the simple relationship of a child to its mother, this sense of our need for this mother, the conviction that without her we can do nothing." St. Maximilian Kolbe 

One of my favorite Marian Books is 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr. Michael E. Gaitley. I quote him often in my blogs. I have reread this book every year for the past four years and each time I grow deeper in love with The Immaculate Conception.

I invite you to grow in your relationship with our Mother. 

"If you ever feel distressed during your day, call upon Our Lady. Just say this simple prayer, "Mary, mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now." I must admit, this prayer has never failed me." St. Mother Teresa 

Mary, The Immaculate Conception, pray for us! 

Little Child

 "Go through life like a little child, always trusting, always full of simplicity and humility, content with everything, happy in every circumstance." St. Faustina 

I think Christmas brings out the child in all of us. 

It's a season of giving and of joy.

It's the best time of the year! 

People are merry and optimistic. 

Oh to be like a little child again...

Not just during the Christmas season but everyday. 

Meaning to have childlike faith. 

The way of trust and love. 

As adults we hesitate to trust. 

We think we can do everything on our own but we cannot. 

We have to become like little children and depend on the Lord for everything. 

We have to recognize our smallness in order to see His greatness. 

A baby, a child, was born in a stable to save the world.

We are His whole world. 

"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." J.R.R. Tolkien 

Permission

"God wants to reach out to others through your hands. He want to speak to others through your lips, and God wants others to look into your eyes and see Him... Give God permission." John Cardinal O'Connor 

Give God permission to reign in your heart. 

Not because He needs permission but because He is a gentlemen and wants our permission. 

Will you give Him permission? 

Prayer of Permission:

Lord, I give you permission to be guided by your hands. 

Help me to reach out to those in need. 

Help me lift others up when they are down. 

I ask that when I stumble, you take my hand and guide me. 

Lord, I give you permission to put a guard over my mouth. 

I ask that you anoint my lips to speak words that will build up your Kingdom.

Lord, I give you permission to reign in my heart so that others will see You in me. 

Amen. 

His Goodness

 "To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement." St. Augustine 

Today was a beautiful day! 

I spent time with Jesus at Adoration. 

I opened myself to receive His graces. 

 I looked for the beauty around me.

Tonight's sunset was gorgeous! 

I am so blessed to live on the prairie.

The snow, trees and mountains remind me of my blessings.  

We cannot compete with God's goodness. 

 We can only embrace and marvel at it. 

God's goodness is overwhelming and powerful. 

Just look around you! 

The people we love, the laughter we share, the places we call home. 

Nothing compares to His goodness. 

Hope is Always the Stronger

"We must fight our battle between fear and hope in the knowledge that hope is always the stronger; because he who comes to our help is almighty." St. Francis de Sales 

We need His help. 

I need His help.

Today I felt like I could do nothing right. 

I felt very flustered today.

However, this quote reminded me to have hope, not only in myself but in Him.

God desires to come to our help. 

Once we recognize that, we just have to ask Him. 

Almighty Father, help us to choose hope over fear. 

He has hope in us. Will we not hope in Him? 

Hope in a loving, merciful, compassionate and understanding God?

Hope is always the stronger. 

"Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, achieves the impossible." unknown 

Hungry

Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish so the people would not go hungry. 

His words in Matthew's Gospel speak to us today. 

 "I do not want to send them away hungry."

We are a hungry people. 

Jesus knows this. 

He wants to satisfy our hunger. 

The world's empty promises leave us unfulfilled.

We will only be satisfied through Him. 

Recognize your hunger and feed your soul. 

Best nourishment for your soul is Jesus. 

Read about Him, sit in the quiet with Him and pray with Him. 

Jesus does not want you to go away hungry. 

"The soul hungers for God, and nothing but God can satiate it." St. John Vianney 

Giving Tuesday

"To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice." Confucius  

What are you not doing? 

What is stopping you from doing the right thing?  

Today is Giving Tuesday. 

We all have something to give. 

The gift of time, the gift of laughter, the gift of a smile...

These are gifts freely given to us, to share with the world. 

Why wouldn't we want to share them? 

No more excuses. 

Give God your heart.

Trust Him to give you what you need. 

Open your heart to receive his gifts and graces. 

"Love someone for the purpose of giving, and not for the purpose of receiving." 

Strong and Courageous Trusting God in an Unsure World