Ecstasy

Sunday 28th, February 1858: the ecstasy: 

"Over one thousand people were present at the ecstasy. Bernadette prayed, kissed the ground and moved on her knees as a sign of penance. She was then taken to the house of Judge Ribes who threatened to put her in prison."

 https://www.lourdes-france.org/en/apparitions/

Today being February 28th, I thought this blog was worth sharing! 

Growing up I felt embarrassed for St. Bernadette as she kissed the ground doing penance.

I didn't understand the penance. 

“To drink of the water of the spring, to wash in it and eat the herb that grew there”, as an act of penance.

Yet, I admired her humility and obedience. 

I still do.

The next day the muddy water Bernadette was asked to dig from the ground began flowing clear water. 

Bernadette's ecstasy inspires me to do what Mary asks. 

Mary will only do what her Son wants. 

Both St. Bernadette and the Immaculate Conception, did not allow anything to distract them from their focus.

The focus of doing what God asks. 

I ask that my focus be only on Jesus! 

To respond with ecstasy! 

Open to the Healing Presence of Jesus and Mary

"Jesus came on earth to be my model. I will follow the example of Jesus and walk generously in his steps. Divine Heart of my Jesus, grant that I may love you always more and more. O Mary, receive my heart as an expiatory victim for my offenses. O Mother come to my help, give me the grace of dying to myself, so that I no longer live, but in Jesus and for Jesus. O Mother, for love of you I sacrifice all creatures so that my heart may belong entirely to you and to my Jesus. O my Jesus, I want to follow and imitate you. My Jesus, make me love you. Love me, then crucify me as much as you will. Jesus, my God, I love you above all things. Gentle Jesus, do not be my judge but my Savior. Love triumphs, love is joyful. One who loves the Sacred Heart of Jesus rejoices. O my dear Jesus, the desires of my heart rise to you alone. Jesus, full of grief, who are also the refuge of all grief-stricken souls, your love teaches me that from your desolations I must draw all the strength I need." - St. Bernadette 

Love Story

We all know the story from The Wedding Feast at Cana...

The wine ran out and Mary asked her Son, Jesus, to perform a miracle.

Jesus told his mother, "My time has not yet come". 

He then did as she asked. 

Mary told the servants at the wedding,"Do whatever he tells you." 

Jesus turned water into wine!

The best wine!

The first of his public miracles! 

All because Jesus loved his mother and did as she asked.

Mary is our Mother too. She tells us today, 

"Do whatever he tells you."

This story of the Wedding Feast at Cana is a love story.

A love story between a Mother and Son.

A love story so generous that we benefit from that miracle today!

Today is my parents 32nd anniversary!

It all began with a 'yes' just like the Wedding at Cana Miracle!

 To have and to hold,

 From this day forward, 

For better or worse, 

For richer, for poorer, 

In sickness and in health,

To love and to honor all the days of my life.

Love Stories aren't fairy tales.

Love Stories are promises made 

to do whatever Jesus asks.

That's what makes my parents love story the best.

They understand true love. 

 Their love story has made an impact on this world. 

A huge impact on my heart and understanding of what love is. 

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! 

St. Bernadette

Today is the Feast of St. Bernadette! 

 I have always admired St. Bernadette. 

Even before we went to Lourdes, I loved her story! 

A lady in white appeared to a simple girl gathering fire wood. 

St. Bernadette visited the lady everyday to pray the rosary.

She was faithful though ridiculed for telling the truth of who she saw and heard. 

"My job is to inform, not to convince." St. Bernadette

The lady in white revealed her name to St. Bernadette. 

"I am the Immaculate Conception."

St. Bernadette didn't know what that title meant. 

Immaculate Conception meaning, Mary was conceived without sin.

The spring St. Bernadette was asked to dig became a source of healing water. 

Because St. Bernadette did not know what that title meant, many began to believe St. Bernadette. 

 

Later St. Bernadette was diagnosed with tuberculosis but declared, "The spring is not for me."

I was confirmed right before we went to Lourdes.

I didn't realize at the time of our pilgrimage that I too would later pray those same words.

"The spring is not for me." 

God knew I needed St. Bernadette as an intercessor. 

"Let us pray for each other that our Lord may give us the grace that we need to become saints." St. Bernadette 

"Watch over me, Father, that everything I do may be with the intention of pleasing Jesus." St. Bernadette 

Statue of St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France 

 

J O Y

Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy.” (James 1:2)

Jesus, Others, Yourself. 

I learned that acronym in my weekly Walking with Purpose Bible Study.

Jesus, Others, Yourself. 

Am I choosing joy? 

Is Jesus the center of my heart? 

This question reminded me of the Fr. Mike Schmitz video I watched this past Sunday.

"I am a pretty good person. I'm not as bad as I could be."

I hadn't realized I do this until I watched this.  

 "But the truth is you're probably not as good as you should be." 

Realizing this made me aware of my wants verses God's wants. 

Do I want to just say I am a good person or do I want to actually try to be a good person?  

Without excuses this time, is God the center of my life?  

Am I putting myself or others first? 

"Loving always entails an act of self-denial, "losing ourselves," and it is precisely this that makes us happy." Pope Benedict XVI 

I want what you want God. I want to put others before myself. I want to choose J O Y.

"You will never be happy if your happiness depends on getting solely what you want. Change the focus. Get a new center. Will what God wills, and your joy no man shall take from you." Venerable Fulton Sheen

Happy Valentine's Day

 Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Where your treasure lies, there will you find your heart. Matthew 6:21

Tonight a Valentine Celebration is being hosted at our Church. 

Will you be our Valentine? 

Everyone is invited! 

There will be praise and worship music and a social to follow celebrating the gift of love.

God's love.

We are all loved! 

That is what we are celebrating today on Valentine's day.

Although sometimes we forget how He loves us. 

He loves each of us individually.

He created each of our hearts uniquely. 

Each of us has a hole inside of our hearts that only God can fill. 

He wants to fill our hearts with His love.

He wants to fill us on a daily basis. 

He wants to love us intimately.   

He wants us to share our hearts with Him.

To share our desires and our sorrows.  

Be real with Him. 

Let Him tell you how he loves you.

"I love you, Lord, and the only grace I ask is to love you eternally...My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love you, I want my heart to repeat it to you as often as I draw breath." The Curé of Ars, Saint John Mary Vianney

Our Lady of Lourdes

Today we are celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes! 

I started my day with giving thanks at Mass on this Feast.

I celebrated with a tea from our local coffee shop, The Habit. 

It's a great day for a great day!

However, to be quite honest, this feast day was hard to celebrate for many years.

 This feast day use to remind me that I didn't receive the miracle I wanted.

The physical healing I wanted. 

For my new blog followers:

In 2010 my family and I pilgrimaged to Lourdes, France. I was seeking healing and wanted an instant miracle: to be completely healed from Kearns Sayre Syndrome.

I wanted my eyes to be healed, my heart to be healed and my energy to be made new. 

For many years I carried the burden of feeling like I had to be healed.

Our Lady of Lourdes has now removed from my heart the burden of having to be healed.  

In the bath at Lourdes, I didn't receive the instant healing I wanted. 

None of the things I wanted to happen, happened the way I wanted them to.

It has taken me years to realize that a different kind of healing happened at Lourdes. 

A healing that is still in process.

It all began at Lourdes, France with our Lady of Lourdes.

This is where the healing begins.

With Mary, who brings us to her Son.

Let's close with this novena prayer:

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes

O Holy Virgin, in the midst of your days of glory, do not forget the sorrows of this earth. Cast a merciful glance upon those who are suffering, struggling against difficulties, with their lips constantly pressed against life's bitter cup. Have pity on those who love each other and are separated. Have pity on our rebellious hearts. Have pity on our weak faith. Have pity on those we love. Have pity on those who weep, on those who pray, on those who fear. Grant hope and peace to all. Amen. 

-Abbe Perreyve 

Desire

"It is as if love without the cross remains merely our love; the Savior's love, the love of Jesus, is a love that suffers and it is through this love of Jesus, is a love that suffers and it is through this suffering that he achieved our redemption. The heart planted with a cross is a heart that goes further than accepting suffering simply as it comes, it goes further than accepting that suffering, that poverty, humility, and obedience involve. It reaches even to that point where suffering is desired. When one can suffer and love one can do much, one can do as much as anybody can do in this world." Venerable Madeline Delbrel  

Suffering is desired. That stood out to me.

How do I desire suffering?

I desire suffering by first desiring love. 

Love which hung on a cross. 

With love there is suffering.

But through suffering we learn to love. 

We begin to desire both love and suffering. 

 "Welcoming Jesus in suffering, the suffering here and now, the suffering of the world; this is what Chiara Luce offers as a truth within the reach of every person, a new way of looking at the world. Chiara Luce persevered in discovering this truth, in going deeper into her choice, because life in union with Jesus forsaken is always new." 15 Days of Prayer with Chiara Luce Badano  

February is a month of love. It is the month of the Holy Family.

There is no greater love or suffering than their suffering and love.  

We can pray for the Holy Family's intercession to guide our desires for suffering and love. 

 Most Chaste Heart of St. Joseph, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Heart of Jesus,

pray for us!

HBD Drew

 Today is my godson Drew's 6th birthday!

I can't believe how quickly time has gone by! 

For those of you who know Drew, you will appreciate this blog.

For starters, once Drew found out that people call me Gabs, he decided I should call him Drewbs.  

I love this sweet boy so much! 

He is hilarious! He makes me laugh! 

He has a real depth. He is very wise and understanding. 

His heart radiates pure joy! 

His blue eyes twinkle when he smiles!

Drew is always ready for adventure!  

Here are some Drewb's quotes that have made me smile:

Drew: "Are there toasters in heaven? Because you know in Heaven all you can eat is bread!" 

He told his mom one day,  "Mom, I love you more than a burnt chicken nugget!" He then added, "And I really like burnt chicken nuggets!" 

 I asked Drew what his favorite color is and he answered blue. He in return asked me my favorite color and I said, I like blue as well. After a moment of silence, Drew looks up at the clouds in the sky and comments, "Nobody likes the color white." (Favorite quote!) 

 Drew stories are the best stories! 

This sweet boy makes my heart burst with love! 

I know great things are ahead for this six year old! 

Adventure is out there and Drew is going to find it. 

He is already making the world a better place! 

Love you, kiddo!

St. Andrew and St. Thomas, pray for us!

Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

 Today is the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

It is also the day that Mary was told by the prophet Simeon, that her heart would be pierced by a sword. (Luke 2:35)

The Immaculate Heart of Mary was given to us.

Mary is not only the Mother of God but our Mother too. 

"As the messianic mission of her son grew clearer to her eyes and spirit, Mary herself as a mother became ever more open to that new dimension of motherhood which was to constitute her "part" beside her Son." -33 Days to Morning Glory, Fr. Michael Gaitley  

The Blessed Mother is with us on this journey.

Her Immaculate Heart is pierced for our sorrows.

Her Immaculate Heart is holding us in our suffering.

Today I am beginning a novena to our Lady of Lourdes. 

This novena will end nine days from now, on February 11th, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Please join me by bringing your intentions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Mother.

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes

O Holy Virgin, in the midst of your days of glory, do not forget the sorrows of this earth. Cast a merciful glance upon those who are suffering, struggling against difficulties, with their lips constantly pressed against life's bitter cup. Have pity on those who love each other and are separated. Have pity on our rebellious hearts. Have pity on our weak faith. Have pity on those we love. Have pity on those who weep, on those who pray, on those who fear. Grant hope and peace to all. Amen. 

-Abbe Perreyve 

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us! 

 The Immaculate Heart of Mary