Gabriel's Message

December 25th is just four days away! 

In the hustle and bustle of "getting ready for Christmas" it is easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas. 

Even though there is much to do before Christmas, I can take time to pause and pray.

Today advice was given from Dynamic Catholic Best Christmas Ever, to pray a Hail Mary before acting or speaking. 

Hail Mary 

Full of Grace

The Lord is with you

Blessed are you 

Among Women

Blessed is the fruit 

Of your womb, Jesus

Holy Mary,  Mother of God 

Pray for us sinners

Now and at the hour of our death 

Amen. 

The Angel Gabriel gave Mary this message. 

I want to share that same message with you today. 

Gloria! The Lord is with you!  

This is my new favorite song this Advent! 

Let there be Peace

Christmas is almost here!  

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent! 

The fourth candle symbolizes peace. 

I mentioned in my Retreat blog that I was given the gift of peace.

After my retreat I thought the gift of peace would run out. 

To my surprise it hasn't. 

I admit that life is not always peaceful. 

Especially this time of year... 

All the distractions that keep me from focusing on the real meaning of Christmas. 

So what do I mean by, "I was given the gift of peace"? 

I mean that I was given the gift to desire God's peace. 

I notice when I am not aware of God's peace.

And it is in those moments that I need His peace the most. 

On retreat the grace of peace filled my heart. 

His grace continues to fill my heart.

My prayer for you this last week of Advent is to let there be peace in your heart. 

Peace begins with you, me and a desire for God's grace. 

Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

Luke 2:14 

You and me, we are the favored. 

Blessed Retreat

I recently had an amazing experience of going on my first ever retreat with the Sisters of Life in Colorado! 

I don't know if I will be able to express the fullness of my heart's joy from this retreat in this blog, but I am going to try!  

The retreat began on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple.  

I thought this blog was fitting to share today on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. 

Our Blessed Mother was very present to me while I was on retreat. 

I have received so many graces from this retreat! 

I began the retreat by asking for the gift of peace.

The Lord not only gave me the gift of peace but also the gift of joy! 

Part of that joy was the gift of being with Sr. Jordan on retreat! 

Together we enjoyed walking by the beautiful lakes and admiring the mountains. 

Joy radiated from each of the sisters. Their joy was contagious!

I am grateful for the sisters and the outpouring of their love.

I loved beginning my day with Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass each morning.

Since my retreat I have had a deep desire for Jesus in the Eucharist. 

 I have chosen to wake up earlier, to attend Mass and receive Jesus as often as I can.   

"Jesus has a deeper and personal longing to have you for Himself. Let Him do it... Just put yourself in front of the tabernacle. Don't let anything disturb you. Hear your own name and "I Thirst." St. Mother Teresa 

"I Thirst" was the theme for this retreat. 

The quiet and stillness gave me the opportunity for prayer, meditation and journaling. 

One morning the Gospel was about the widow offering her two coins in the temple. 

The widow who offered her poverty reminded me of the Immaculate Conception. 

Mary was chosen and immaculately conceived. She is full of grace.

Like the widow, Mary held nothing back, she gave all she had to the Lord. 

I too can offer what I have. 

"Love until it hurts. Real love is always painful and hurts: then it is real and pure." St. Mother Teresa  

Mary's love is real and pure because of her Immaculate Conception. 

The Immaculate Conception makes room for the Savior of the World. 

One of the sisters shared that God loves it when we give Him praise and He loves to reward us! 

We can praise God by giving Him thanks! 

The reason I am sharing this song is because my sister Maddie sang this at Adoration one of the nights I was on retreat. 

My sister gave me her whole heart in song and with guitar. It was the absolute best! 

I will always remember her gift!  

Gratitude in all things. 

Mary is the best example of gratitude.

There is no one better than Mary who sings this prayer of thanks and praise. 

The Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. 

Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us!

Grieving Hearts

My heart goes out to the families and friends of the four students who recently lost their lives at the University of Idaho. 

Words cannot take away the pain.

Sympathy cannot undo what happened. 

Sorrow and loss remain.

Grief begins.

The emptiness lingers. 

There is a hole in each grieving heart.

And deep in that empty hole, Jesus is there.

Even when we don't feel His presence.

He is there.

"There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us, and does not now bear with us." St. Pope John Paul II     

Jesus is weeping with you.   

He is saying, "You are not alone."

Allow Him to sit with you and grieve with you. 

He is our hope.

 

Prayer for times of Grieving

Lord Jesus Christ, You suffered the loss

of Your beloved foster-father, St. Joseph;

You wept at the death of Your friend Lazarus; 

and from Your Cross You beheld the grief of Your Mother, Mary.

Look upon me in my grief, and touch my wounded heart.

Welcome all my deceased loved ones into Your kingdom,

and help me to surrender them to Your merciful love.

Grant me peace in the midst of distress, courage in the

midst of loss, and hope in the midst of sorrow. 

Fill me with the strength I need just to make it through another day.

Help me to remember that You will never abandon me,

that You will never forget me, and that You will see me

through this time of suffering and trial.

I offer You my tears, and I give You my

wounded heart; receive them gently. 

Amen.

30th Birthday

 I debated on writing a blog today. 

Today would have been my sister Jennifer’s 30th birthday. 

I can’t help but think of what life would be like if Jenny was here. 

It wouldn’t be easy or fair to wish for such things. Yet, sometimes I do. 

I started reading a book titled, Chiara Corbella Petrilllo A Witness to Joy. 

I started this book yesterday and what I read today confirmed my decision to blog. 

Chiara and her husband Enrico were newlyweds when they found out they were expecting a baby. 

"With the passing of time she began to feel strange: "as if this child was not mine, as if it was not for me."" 

Enrico was having a cyst removed when Chiara went to her second ultrasound appointment. 

The baby girl was moving but something was wrong. The baby was diagnosed with anencephaly. Baby Maria did not have a skull. The doctor wished he had seen the ultrasound sooner to abort the pregnancy. 

Chiara knew and saw her baby moving and abortion was not an option. 

She left the appointment and cried in her mother's arms. 

Chiara didn't know how she was going to tell her husband the heartbreaking news. 

Chiara cried out to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. 

"She saw herself in the Virgin Mary, in her same situation: A special pregnancy, a Son who would die before her eyes, the weight of telling Joseph, who did not yet know anything."  

The Lord had a plan although, she could not ask to understand what that plan was. 

"She and Enrico had so wanted to be parents in a group home. They had asked God to accept their desire of caring for mistreated and unloved children. "And now the Lord has responded to us," Chiara wrote. "He has given us a truly noble task; the care of a marvelous creature that many others would have hated and thrown away, left forgotten in a waste basket in some hospital."" 

Chiara was sad for the life of her child.  

She had to trust God and allow herself to be guided like Mary.

"This baby was not for them. The two embraced and cried together." 

"I had considered the possibility of accepting an unhealthy baby, but not that of accompanying a baby to Heaven." Enrico 

That's where I stopped reading as tears filled my eyes.

I thought of my mom, dad and Jennifer. 

Thank you Mom and Dad for accompanying Jenny on earth into heaven. 

Thank you for loving Jeniffer and showing us how to love her too. 

Today we sent balloons to heaven to celebrate Jennifer Rose's 30th birthday. 

Balloons were sent from Cottonwood, Idaho - Bismarck, North Dakota - Aurora, Colorado and New York, New York. All different time zones wishing Jennifer our love and gratitude for her life.

The baby may not have been for Chiara and Enrico but the baby was a gift that opened their hearts . 

Jenny, please continue to help us open our hearts. 

Happy birthday, sis! 

Below is a bonus picture of me and Jenny 

Shore Lodge

I spent this past weekend with my cousins in McCall, Idaho.

Back in August, on my birthday, Mike, Courtney and Atticus surprised me with a reservation for Shore Lodge. 

This was my first Shore Lodge experience.

I was "shore" to love it! 

Last Friday before checking in we went shopping and to lunch at My Father's Place. 

There was a little bit of snow on the ground and that made it all the more magical. 

McCall is beautiful this time of year. '

We enjoyed dinner at one of the restaurants in the Lodge. 

We loved the heated pool, hot tubs and view of the lake!  

So did Atticus! 

Atticus also had fun climbing on my luggage suitcase and jumping off again and again. 

There was a big bonfire outside by the pool area to roast s'mores. 

Since it's practically almost Christmas... We watched, 

A Christmas Story.

One of my favorite Christmas movies of all time. 

Are you shocked? 

My parents had booked a massage for me to enjoy as part of my birthday present. 

It was amazing and very relaxing. 

The day of my massage also happened to be Blessed Chiara Luce Badano's Feast Day. 

It was a trip I am "shore" to remember with people I love. 

Greatness

Today I am celebrating my godson Daniel's 8th Birthday and St. Pope John Paul II's feast day! 

Daniel is one of the greatest gifts God has given me. 

I love being this sweet boy's godmother! 

This year is going to be an exciting year for him! 

Daniel is in the second grade which means he will be receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion in the Spring. 

I have no doubt that God is going to do great things in this young man's life! 

Happy birthday, Daniel! 

I was only ten years old when Pope John Paul II died. 

I remember my mom crying.

At that age I didn't really understand who we were mourning.  

However, later I understood that we mourn those we love. 

St. Pope John Paul II made a mark in this world and in my heart. 

St. Pope John Paul II loved unconditionally. 

His earthly presence in my life was short but his heavenly presence is eternal. 

It wasn't the end but rather the beginning of a beautiful life greatly lived.

"The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being." Pope John Paul the Great 

Pope John Paul the Great, pray for us! 

Thank You

I just want to say thank you to everyone for praying for me during my heart appointments yesterday.

The outpouring of love and prayers is what made yesterday go so smoothly.

I had peace in my heart.

Mom and I drove to Spokane and began with blood work. I didn't even feel the poke. 

Following the blood work was my echocardiogram and my appointment with my cardiologist. 

Both went very well.

Everything was stable. 

No tears.

Only gratitude for the gift of prayer and for my team of prayers! 

I am always uncertain about what to expect at these appointments. 

Will it be good news or bad?

I never know until after the fact. 

It's been an act of trust. 

Sometimes the reports are great and other times they're not.

Thank you, Jesus, yesterday's report was good news! 

Thank you to all of you who stopped to pray for me. 

Thank you for reaching out.

Thank you for the Facebook comments, messages and text messages. 

Thank you for rejoicing with me! 

My heart is filled with gratitude.

All I can say is thank you!  

"Remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm and look forward to the future with confidence." St. Pope John Paul II 

 

Remember the Good

 I love my Praying from the Heart journal.

 Every 20 days there is a day dedicated to giving thanks. 

I sometimes struggle with this though. 

Giving thanks to God, no problem. 

My problem is prioritizing the good.

Last night my bible study group read from scripture and each of us shared what stood out to each other. 

I randomly chose the Gospel of Luke 18:18-23. 

The part that stood out to me was,

A certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? Luke 18:18

That question, "Why do you call me good?" reminded me to name the goodness of God. Just like in my prayer journal.

Today at Adoration I opened my Bible and read from Matthew. 4:18-22.

Jesus calls his disciples to follow him. 

We are his disciples too. 

What does it take to follow him?

Practice seeking the good. 

Sometimes it is hard to follow this path but remember Jesus is walking with us. 

He is saying, Come follow Me with your whole heart. 

Instead of focusing on the bad, focus on the good.  

Remember there is a lot of goodness around us if we look for it. 

Even this morning at Mass the homily was about recognizing the good! 

And now, I can't stop thinking about Your goodness! 

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us! 

Jesus, I trust in You

 Jesus, I trust in You.

Trust is another word for surrender. 

 Surrendering is hard to do.

These words are not easy to pray. 

Yet, they are powerful words to practice praying.

Unfortunately, I am a nervous person. I struggle with anxiety. 

However, praying these words have been an act of surrender in my life.

When I would rather be in control... Jesus, I trust in You. 

When I am anxious from the fear of surrendering... Jesus, I trust in You.

"Please take care of everything." Surrender Novena Prayer 

St. Faustina's prayer is a reminder to depend on Jesus instead of myself.   

He will take care of everything. 

He knows my heart better than I know my heart. 

Jesus, I trust in You.

“When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls” (Diary, 1074). 

St. Faustina, pray for us! 

 

World Heart Day

Today is the Feast of the Archangels! 

It is also "World Heart Day"! 

It is not a coincidence that both celebrations are celebrated today.

The heart is an important part of the body. 

The archangels are an important part of the Heart of God. 

We, the Body of the Church, need heart support from the archangels. 

The Archangels intercede for us and for the good of our hearts. 

We need the archangels' intercession in our lives.

Without them, our hearts would be out of rhythm. 

The archangels never skip a beat.  

St. Michael, we ask you to defend us in battle. Please protect us from the evil one and stand guard over each of our hearts. 

St. Gabriel, we ask you to console our hearts with the words, "Do not be afraid!" Please speak to our hearts,"Take Heart!" 

 St. Raphael, we ask that you bring the gift of healing. Lift our broken hearts to the One who heals and loves us. 

Today is special for me for double reasons. 

 St. Gabriel, my patron saint and heart day because of well...my heart. 

It hasn't been an easy journey with my heart but I know God and His angels are with me. 

God has a plan for my heart and He has a plan for your heart too.  

 O Lord God, please place me where you want me to be, introduce me to the people you want me to meet, and otherwise direct my actions so that I may always be available to you—and others—as a vessel of your grace. Amen. 

Prayer to St. Raphael

Consecration Day

Seven years ago one of my best friends gave me the book, 33 Days to Morning Glory. 

Little did I know that this book would change my heart forever.

 I have reread this book seven times.

Each time I read it, my heart grows closer to Mary and she brings me closer to her Son.

"A new way of life in Christ. The act of consecrating oneself to Jesus through Mary marks the beginning of a gloriously new day, a new dawn, a brand new morning in one's spiritual journey."  

Today, on this Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, I celebrate my Consecration day!

"Marian Consecration basically means giving Mary our full permission (or as much permission as we can) to complete her motherly task in us, which is to form us into other Christs. Thus, by consecrating ourselves to Mary, each of us is saying to her: 

Mary, I want to be a saint. I know that you also want me to be a saint and that it's your God-given mission to form me into one. So, Mary, at this moment, on this day, I freely choose to give you my full permission to do your work in me, with your Spouse, the Holy Spirit." 

In other words, I am entrusting my heart to the Heart of Mary.

Her heart was pierced and filled with sorrow. 

I chose this day because of the sorrow that filled her heart. 

I chose it because it united me to her. 

Yet, she rejoiced in God her Savior.

In God her Son. 

Entrusting my heart through consecration has been the best decision of my life. 

It's eternal. 

It's beautiful.

The gift that keeps on giving.

   Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us! 

Seventh Year of making this Consecration    

Daily Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Mary, my Mother, I give myself totally to you as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all that I am and have, whatever most pleases you. Let me be a fit instrument in your Immaculate and merciful hands for bringing the greatest possible glory to God.. AMEN

The Holy Name of Mary

Today we celebrate the Holy Name of Mary! 

“The devils not only fear but tremble at the very sound of her sacred name. As men fall prostrate with fear if a thunderbolt falls near them, so do the demons if they hear the name of Mary. The evil spirits greatly fear the Queen of Heaven, and flee at the sound of her name, as if from fire. At the very sound of the word Mary, they are cast down as if by thunder." -Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, The Glories of Mary]The demons tremble at the name of Mary

The head of the dragon is crushed by this humble handmaid of the Lord! 

Satan must hate this day dedicated to Mary. 

A day dedicated to her holy name! 

There is great power in the holy name of Mary!

Though exorcisms may sometimes fail, the name of Mary will never fail.

Jesus has given us his Mother and all we have to do is call upon her name. 

Begin and end each day with Mary's name on your lips.   

"The name of Mary is the key of the gates of heaven." St. Ephrem

 Dear children, 

I invite you for your individual conversion. 

This time is for you! 

Without you God's plan cannot be realized. 

Dear children grow day by day closer to God through prayer. 

I give you the weapon against your Goliath. Here are your little stones:

1. Prayer with the heart: Rosary

2. Eucharist 

3. Holy Bible 

4. Fasting 

5. Monthly confession 

Medugorje 

And simply, the name of Mary. 

Please take time to watch the beautiful video below. 

I Thirst for You

Mother Teresa is a model of holiness. 

A woman of grace.

A saint. 

An example of love. 

Her words speak to my heart. 

I hope her words speak to your heart too. 

I THIRST FOR YOU.

"It is true. I stand at the door of your heart, day and night. Even when you are not listening, even when you doubt it could be Me, I am there: waiting for even the smallest signal of your response, even the smallest suggestion of an invitation that will permit Me to enter.

I want you to know that each time you invite Me, I do come always, without fail. Silent and invisible I come, yet with a power and a love most infinite, bringing the many gifts of My Spirit. I come with My mercy, with My desire to forgive and heal you, with a love for you that goes beyond your comprehension.

A love in each detail, so grand like the love I have received from My Father“I have loved all of you as the Father has loved me…” John 15:10

I come longing to console you and give you strength, to lift you up and bind all your wounds. I bring you My light, to dispel your darkness and all your doubts. I come with My power, that allows me to carry you: with My grace, to touch your heart and transform your life. I come with My peace, to calm your soul.

I know you like the palm of my hand. I know everything about you. Even the hairs of your head I have counted. Nothing in your life is unimportant to Me. I have followed you through the years and I have always loved you even when you have strayed. I know every one of your problems. I know your needs and your worries and yes, I know all your sins.

But I tell you again that I love you, not for what you have or ceased to do, I love you for you, for the beauty and the dignity My Father gave you by creating you in His own image. It is a dignity you have often forgotten, a beauty you have tarnished by sin. But I love you as you are, and I have shed My Blood to rescue you. If you only ask Me with faith, My grace will touch all that needs changing in your life: I will give you the strength to free yourself from sin and from all its destructive power.

I know what is in your heart, I know your loneliness and all your wounds, the rejections, the judgments, the humiliations, I carried it all before you. And I carried it all for you, so you could share My strength and My victory. I know, above all, your need for love, how much you are thirsting for love and tenderness. Yet, how many times have you desired to satisfy your thirst in vain, seeking that love with selfishness, trying to fill the void within you with passing pleasures, with the even greater emptiness of sin. Do you thirst for love?

“Come to Me all you who thirst … ” (John 7:37).I will satisfy you and fill you.

Do you thirst to be loved?

I love you more than you can imagine … to the point of dying on a cross for you.

I THIRST FOR YOU. Yes, that is the only way to even begin to describe My love for you.

I THIRST FOR YOU. I thirst to love you and to be loved by you. So precious are you to Me that I THIRST FOR YOU. Come to Me, and I will fill your heart and heal your wounds. I will make you a new creation and give you peace even in your trials.

I THIRST FOR YOU.

You must never doubt My mercy, My desire to forgive, My longing to bless you and live My life in you, and that I accept you no matter what you have done.

I THIRST FOR YOU.

If you feel of little value before the eyes of the world, it doesn’t matter. There is no one that interests me

in the whole world than you.

I THIRST FOR YOU.

Open up to Me, come to Me, thirst for Me, give me your life. I will prove to you how important you are for My Heart.

Don’t you realize that My Father already has a perfect plan to transform your life, beginning from this moment? Trust in Me. Ask Me every day to enter and take charge of your life and I will. I promise you before My Father in Heaven that I will work miracles in your life. Why would I do this?

Because I THIRST FOR YOU.

All I ask of you is that you entrust yourself to Me completely. I will do all the rest. From this moment, now, I behold the place My Father has prepared for you in My Kingdom. Remember that you are a pilgrim in this life traveling back home. Sin can never satisfy you, or bring the peace you seek. All that you have sought outside of Me has only left you more empty, so do not tie yourself to the things of this world; above all, do not run from Me when you fall.

Come to Me without delay because, when you give Me your sins, you give Me the joy of being your Savior.

There is nothing I cannot forgive and heal; so come now, and unburden your soul.

No matter how far you have strayed without a destination, no matter how often you have forgotten Me,

no matter how many crosses you bear in this life; I want you to always remember, one thing that will never change.

I THIRST FOR YOU – just you, as you are.

You don’t need to change to believe in My love, for it will be your confidence in that love that will make you change. You forget Me, and yet I am seeking you every moment of the day – standing before the doors of your heart and calling.

Do you find this difficult to believe? If so, look at the Cross, look at My Heart that was pierced for you.

Have you not understood My Cross? Then listen again to the words I spoke there, for they tell you clearly why I endured all this for you:

“….I THIRST” (John 19: 28)

YES, I THIRST FOR YOU.

As the rest of the psalm, I was praying says of Me: “… I waited uselessly for compassion, I waited

for someone to console me and I did not find it.” (Psalm 69: 20).

All your life I have been desiring your love. I’ve never ceased searching for your love and longing to be loved by you in return. You have tried many things in your goal to be happy. Why not try opening up for Me your heart, right now, more than you ever have before?

When you finally open the doors of your heart and you finally come close enough, you will then hear Me say again and again, not in mere human words but in spirit: “No matter what you have done, I love you for your own sake. Come to Me with your misery and your sins, with your problems and needs, and with all your desire to be loved.

I stand at the door of your heart and call…

Open to Me, for I THIRST FOR YOU… “

“Jesus is God, therefore His Love and His Thirst are infinite. He, the Creator of the universe, asked for the love of his creatures. He has thirst for our love … These words: “I THIRST” … Do they echo in our soul?

Mother Teresa's response to Jesus' thirst:

"Tell Jesus, "I will be the one." I will comfort, encourage and love Him. ...Be with Jesus. He prayed and prayed, and then He went to look for consolation, but there was none. ... I always write that sentence, "I looked for one to comfort Me, but I found no one." Then I write, "Be the one." So now you be that one, Try to be the one to share with Him, to comfort Him, to console Him. So let us ask Our Lady to help us understand." 

Erin K. McAtee 

Stay with Me Lord

It's the first day of school for my brother Max and the first day after Maddie moved out of the house.

My sister Nicole left for college a few weeks ago and Sr. Jordan Rose lives in New York. 

As sad as it is to watch everyone leave, I couldn't be happier for my siblings.

This summer has been fun and I loved our family time together.

I am surprised at how peaceful I am feeling on this "first" day. 

Though I know I am always going to miss them. 

 This is the beginning of another chapter in our lives. 

Everyone has a story to share. 

Those who leave and those who stay. 

Everyone is on a journey. 

 "Everywhere in this world we notice action…departure and return; going away and coming back.; separation and reunion. The separation always looks forward to union, which is creative." - St. Maximilian Kolbe 

Prayer of St. Pio of Pietrelcina after Holy Communion

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.

Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak

and I need Your strength,

that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life,

and without You, I am without fervor.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light,

and without You, I am in darkness.

Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice

and follow You.

Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You

very much, and always be in Your company.

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.

Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is,

I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of love.

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes;

death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength,

so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You.

It is getting late and death approaches,

I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows.

O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!

Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all it’s dangers. I need You.

Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread,

so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness,

the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.

Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You,

if not by communion, at least by grace and love.

Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it,

but the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You!

Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.

With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth

and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity. Amen

Baptism Day

I was seven days old when I was baptized on August 25th, 1995. 

My godparents are Rose Forsmann Harman and Dean Nuxoll.  

Thank you to my mom and dad for revealing the gift of Baptism to me at such a young age. 

I am so grateful for the Sacrament of Baptism.

"A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by God to give grace." 

-Baltimore Catechism

The Baltimore Catechism was part of our homeschool curriculum. 

Good morning, Baltimore. 

I remember thinking as a kid, "I am never going to remember this stuff." 

And yet, here I am today, remembering what I learned in grade school and realizing why.

The Sacrament of Baptism not only removes original sin but gives grace.

If it weren't for the sacraments, we would miss out on the gift of grace.

Here is what I mean by "grace" and "gift" : 

"Years ago, I was presenting to a group comprised mostly of Southern Baptist seniors. We were talking about Philippians and the distinction between Law and Gospel, but the people in the class were very interested in the Lutheran teaching about Baptism. “Don’t you Lutherans baptize babies?” “Yes, indeed,” I answered. “How can you do that if they haven’t made a decision for Christ?” “We think of Baptism differently,” I responded. “The Baptist faith and message teaches that Baptism is our first act of obedience, that it is our work, our action. We Lutherans understand that Baptism is God’s work, His gift of forgiveness to us. Just about the only thing babies are good at is receiving gifts.” To impress the point, I asked, “How many of you are grandparents?” The entire room raised their hands. “Okay, what would you say if I told you not to give gifts to your grandchildren? Their first Christmas: no gifts. Their first birthday: no gifts. In fact, I don’t want you to give them any gifts until they reach the age where they can ask for gifts and truly appreciate them.” A dear old grandmother sitting in the back said, with a shaky voice, “Point made!” Baptism is God’s gift to us. In Baptism, God delivers His promised forgiveness, the very same forgiveness won by Jesus in His death. By the death and resurrection of Jesus, and by His institution, Baptism saves."

Has American Christianity Failed by Bryan Wolfmueller

Happy Birthday St. Faustina! 

"Thank You, O God, for Holy Baptism

Which engrafted me into Your family,

A gift great beyond all thought or expression

Which transforms my soul (37)." Diary of St. Faustina 

http://www.baltimore-catechism.com/lesson14.htm

 

Me and my Godfather 

First Communion with my Godmother 

High Hopes

Where do I begin? 

Huge thank you to all of my family for the best 27th birthday! 

I am so grateful for, and still in awe of, the 92 family members that came to help me celebrate!

Special thanks to my parents for my life and for hosting my birthday party!

August 18th was the hottest day of the week last week but thank goodness for sno-cones! Thanks aunt Jen and uncle John!   

Thank you, Mike, for providing Moonshine Music entertainment! 

I laughed so hard that night! 

 Courtney, thank you for making special, beautiful, gluten-free cupcakes and for celebrating with me until the very end of the night!  

Good music and great people!   

Karaoke and dancing in the moonlight! 

I loved when my goddaughter sang the song, "High Hopes". 

Someone asked me what is on my bucket list...

I was lame and couldn't think of anything on my bucket list. Then Faye sang that song and now I

 have high hopes for 27! Thanks, Faye! 

Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday!

I feel so loved!  

My twenty-seventh year is off to a great start! 

Heart on Fire

Today I found my Mass journal while I was looking for my Magnificat devotional. 

I forgot the journal even existed but I decided to bring it with me to Mass because I couldn't find my lost devotional.  

Obviously I am not very organized. 

I read this quote on the back cover of the journal:  

 "God show me one way in this Mass I can become a better version of myself this week." -Dynamic Catholic Mass Journal 

Not multiple ways, one way. 

From the Gospel of Luke 12:49, 

 I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!

Jesus wants to set my heart on fire.  

I do not know how but I know that He will. 

He is the way, the truth and the life. 

Jesus shine your light and enkindle us with the fire of your love. 

"Prayer is powerful beyond limits when we turn to the Immaculata who is queen of God's heart." - St. Maximilian Kolbe

Erin K. McAtee 

Artist, Printmaker and Educator

erinkmcatee.com

@erin.k.mcatee

Show Up

We all have those friends who will just "show up" when we need them.

For some people showing up is easy and for others it's hard. 

However, this blog is not about the right person showing up
at the right time to surprise anyone. 

By the way I do not like surprises. 

Surprise!  

This blog is about showing up before God with our hearts in our hands. 

The phrase, "Show up" means to arrive or to be made visible.  

Make our hearts visible, Lord. 

The world needs people to show up.

The only way to arrive is by showing up and giving it to God. 

"When you are tired, show up. 

When you do not have time, show up.

When you feel like prayer is dry, show up.

Show up saying, "Here I am, Lord," and take a deep breath.

Read the Bible, utilize meditation books, pray the Rosary -- whatever aids you in your daily conversation with God. Do not get lost in the weeds when it comes to prayer. 

Simply show up." 

Lisa Cotter - Reveal the Gift: Living the Feminine Genius 

 St. Teresa Benedicta. pray for us! 

Drawing by Erin K. McAtee 

 

Closeness with Jesus

 Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo's story spoke to my heart. 

Chiara suffered great loss yet looked at her suffering as a gain.

"Still, more importantly than saying yes to her sufferings, she also said yes to the graces she received.  She asked for "the grace to live grace" or the grace to receive grace." Lisa Cotter, Reveal the Gift - The Feminine Genius

She had one foot on earth and one foot in heaven; meaning she lived her life on earth for Heaven. 

I am encouraged by her "yes" one step at a time.  

"If you think of life as a race, every step sidewards and backwards, every pause, will seem like it doesn't belong, like a waste of time. Every step is part of life, and there is life in every step." Matthew Kelly, Life is Messy  

I was feeling burdened when I read her story but the scripture verse "my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:30) stood out to me three different times in one day. 

The third time was part of her story. 

On Chiara's final day on earth, her husband (Enrico) asked Chiara, "Is this yoke, this cross, really sweet as Jesus said?" 

"Chiara turned her attention from the tabernacle to her husband and smiled. Weakly she replied, "Yes, Enrico, it is very sweet." 

I have this written in my journal, 

"The yoke means closeness with Jesus." -unknown

For those carrying heavy burdens, befriend Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo. 

 "Receive the grace to say yes to small things, both trials and blessings. Put aside your worry about big things; focus on the little." Lisa Cotter, Reveal the Gift - The Feminine Genius

Reveal the Gift

 I want to begin this blog with gratitude.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to me after reading my Heart Update blog.

What I shared was surprising to everyone.

Even surprising to myself. 

I shared my real heart with the world.

Why?  

I didn't want to be that vulnerable. 

I didn't want to be real like the velveteen rabbit. 

I didn't want to be real about choosing neither the MRI or the defibrillator. 

To quote Yosemite Sam from Looney Tunes, "I hate that rabbit." 

What was the reason for being real?

God's timing would reveal the gift. 

Let me explain:

 I am reading, "Reveal the Gift - Living The Feminine Genius" with my Bible Study Group. 

The topic that stood out to me this past week was "Receptive."

However, receptivity is difficult for me.

I would rather give than receive.

It's not a lack of gratitude that makes receiving challenging but a desire to give. 

Friday in Adoration I thought,

"What if Jesus is asking me to be receptive?"

Receptive to His gifts of joy, peace, compliments, sympathy, love, prayers and even the gift of this present moment.

But to receive these gifts I need grace.  

"Here is the interesting thing: when most people hear of Chiara accepting everything from the Lord, they assume that she was accepting from God only trials and heartbreaks. Their minds immediately go to her sufferings. In doing so, they fail to recognize that in addition to trials, God also gave her his grace. He gave her his free and undeserved help to carry her through her trials with peace and even joy. The reason Chiara was receptive to her crosses was because she was receptive to his grace." Reveal the Gift - Living The Feminine Genius

After my scheduled date for the MRI was behind me, I felt a sigh of relief. 

As ridiculous as that sounds, I am no longer thinking about what could have been. 

"Don't worry about big things, focus on the little things." -Servant of God, Chiara Corbella Petrillo 

"Saying "yes" one step at a time. 

"Yes" to suffering and grace." Reveal the Gift - Servant of God, Chiara Corbella Petrillo 

"Yes" to being real.

"Yes" to Receive love and support with a receptive heart.  

Thank you for the outpouring of love and prayers! 

"Suffering prepares our hearts to receive the love of God. Suffering prepares our hearts to hope." Restore the glory podcast  

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 8:3-5

Image by Michael Fenton