This is what I want to say tonight:
This afternoon while I was praying in church before Mass I was reflecting on the times we are living in and all the crazy things that are happening in the world: earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, immorality, perversions of every kind, disregard for fellow human beings, unbelief in the reality of sin, the disregard for God, a sense of entitlement, rampant abuses of self and others, and so much more....
I was thinking of the book a read a few months ago on chastisements and wondering if that is what is happening now and wondering, as a friend said, the chastisements are a manifestation of God's anger at humanity for our sinfulness. While I was pondering this, Jesus seemed to say to me that what is happening is not a result of his anger. He loves us. He is allowing this because, as a loving Father, he is using it to discipline his children. These situations are starting to force people to think about their lives and the state of the world. They are meant as a " wake up call". Some will wake up while some will continue sleeping. God loves us. Because the weeds co-exists with the wheat, even though the lessons may be for those who are weeds, the wheat feel it too because the weeds and the wheat are all mixed together. What is meant for one (weeds) affects the other (wheat).
So, in essence, while, if this is a time of chastisements, they will pass once they accomplish their goal: to give a wake up call and bring humanity ( God's children ) back in line. In the end, these rough times will have been a blessing in disguise for those who listen, pray, and work at transforming their lives.
Aug 27, 2011
Aug 19, 2011
A rose is a rose is a ROSE from Heaven
Have you heard how sometimes people are graced with the scent of Heavenly roses? Well, tonight I want to share that I have experienced that grace from time to time.
Why do I bring it up now? Well, that is becuase late this afternoon I was in my little Catholic Church praying the rosary, and out of the blue, the scent of roses filled my nostrils. It was unmistakably roses.
I will share with you two other times this happened to me. One time, years ago, I was alone in my car driving in Vermont. It was winter. Snow was everywhere. Summer was only a distant memory. All the car windows were closed. I had the radio on. I wasn't thinking of anything "religious" per se and was listening to the radio. After some time I started talking to Jesus. All of a sudden the car filled with the wonderful aroma of roses. Again, unmistakably, they were roses. It was incredible. I opened the car window just to double check that perhaps there was some sort of rose smell outside, but it was just clean Vermont winter air. Closed the windows again, and .... roses !
I will share with you another story. I was in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. It was the first night there. Many of us were in the parish church just prior to the time of Mary's apparition. I was sitting part way back in the church, on the right side. There was a break in the pews and so I had maybe five or six feet in front of me (that is how I remember it anyway). Everyone was praying the rosary. I didn't have a kneeler in front of me due to the space between the pews. I closed my eyes and prayed. A little bit into the prayer time it felt as if someone pushed my head down and right into a huge bouquet of roses. It startled me so much that I opened my eyes to see if that had actually happened, but nothing was in front of me. I sat there and continued to experience the fragrance. This fragrance happened exactly at the time that the apparation of Mary was happening up in the tower ( we were in the church, like I said ).
I think the fragrance of roses must be a consolation from God. The roses I smelled this evening lasted for maybe three minutes or so. I was inside the church. No roses present. Windows were closed as the AC was on so it is not like a whiff of it could come in from a rose bush outside.
I had a rough week at work and it is Friday. ..... Maybe Mary or Jesus thought I deserved a little reminder that they were close to me. I've experienced this scent at various times throughout my life, but it is not like it happens all the time and it is not like I wish it upon myself or psychosomatically think it is real. When it happens, it comes out of no where and I am certainly not thinking "oh I wish I could smell roses right now". It always takes me by surprise.
Why did I share that tonight ? I dunno.... felt like it I guess....... have a good night. I always wonder though.....does this fragrance mean that Mary is there or is it St. Therese? Maybe both?
Why do I bring it up now? Well, that is becuase late this afternoon I was in my little Catholic Church praying the rosary, and out of the blue, the scent of roses filled my nostrils. It was unmistakably roses.
I will share with you two other times this happened to me. One time, years ago, I was alone in my car driving in Vermont. It was winter. Snow was everywhere. Summer was only a distant memory. All the car windows were closed. I had the radio on. I wasn't thinking of anything "religious" per se and was listening to the radio. After some time I started talking to Jesus. All of a sudden the car filled with the wonderful aroma of roses. Again, unmistakably, they were roses. It was incredible. I opened the car window just to double check that perhaps there was some sort of rose smell outside, but it was just clean Vermont winter air. Closed the windows again, and .... roses !
I will share with you another story. I was in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. It was the first night there. Many of us were in the parish church just prior to the time of Mary's apparition. I was sitting part way back in the church, on the right side. There was a break in the pews and so I had maybe five or six feet in front of me (that is how I remember it anyway). Everyone was praying the rosary. I didn't have a kneeler in front of me due to the space between the pews. I closed my eyes and prayed. A little bit into the prayer time it felt as if someone pushed my head down and right into a huge bouquet of roses. It startled me so much that I opened my eyes to see if that had actually happened, but nothing was in front of me. I sat there and continued to experience the fragrance. This fragrance happened exactly at the time that the apparation of Mary was happening up in the tower ( we were in the church, like I said ).
I think the fragrance of roses must be a consolation from God. The roses I smelled this evening lasted for maybe three minutes or so. I was inside the church. No roses present. Windows were closed as the AC was on so it is not like a whiff of it could come in from a rose bush outside.
I had a rough week at work and it is Friday. ..... Maybe Mary or Jesus thought I deserved a little reminder that they were close to me. I've experienced this scent at various times throughout my life, but it is not like it happens all the time and it is not like I wish it upon myself or psychosomatically think it is real. When it happens, it comes out of no where and I am certainly not thinking "oh I wish I could smell roses right now". It always takes me by surprise.
Why did I share that tonight ? I dunno.... felt like it I guess....... have a good night. I always wonder though.....does this fragrance mean that Mary is there or is it St. Therese? Maybe both?
Aug 3, 2011
Ready or not, here it comes
I was watching EWTN the other day and there was a statement made that the time we are living in has the most Christian persecution than any other time in history.
That made me think:
Am I ready to be persecuted? Am I not already being persecuted? The ways may be subtle, but yes, I am already being persecuted for my faith. I think all Catholic Christians worth their salt are being persecuted.
It is nice that there is a small, but swelling movement in the church where people are being encouraged to be more proud and open about our faith: saying grace in restaurants, speaking up when others use Jesus' name in vain, telling people we will not do certain activities on Sundays, and in increasing our family prayer time, and more. Even priests are getting a little more bold and that is nice to see too because that encourages the rest of us, after all, they are our leaders and models. If they are proud and open about their faith it will trickle down to us.
There is more persecution coming .... more struggles and challenges to our faith. More people will be coming forward and try to squash us.
And again I ask myself....are we ready? Are we ready for even more persecution? My feeling is that we must really be "prayed up" for the future because it is coming, and in ever more not so subtle ways.
How can we become ready if we are not now ready? Here are my thoughts and ideas. You can do with them what you will:
1. Beef up your time in prayer.
2. Go to Mass more often.
3. Do more spiritual reading.
4. Hang out with people and talk about your faith.
5. Read the Bible daily and pray with it (Ignatian style works well).
6. Go to Reconciliation more often.
7. Wear blessed objects or keep them in your pocket.
8. Pray the rosary.
9. Watch EWTN - lots of great information there.
10.Stick up for our faith when it is being bashed.
11.Get more silence in your life so you can think about what is important.
12.Ask for the saints' intercession.
13.Pray outside of Mass in small prayer and faith sharing groups.
14.Attend Catholic events in your diocese - missions, talks, conferences, trainings.
15.Simplyfy your life.
16.Make contacts with others to build a network of support in your community, parish, diocese.
17.Pray the chaplet of divine mercy.
18.Seek to be a saint and try harder every day to be who you are called to be.
19.Think about creating a plan of how you will respond when your faith is attacked or you are put down because of your faith. Work it out in your mind so when it happens you will be ready to respond.
20.Fast.
These are my thoughts tonight. Please think about them.
That made me think:
Am I ready to be persecuted? Am I not already being persecuted? The ways may be subtle, but yes, I am already being persecuted for my faith. I think all Catholic Christians worth their salt are being persecuted.
It is nice that there is a small, but swelling movement in the church where people are being encouraged to be more proud and open about our faith: saying grace in restaurants, speaking up when others use Jesus' name in vain, telling people we will not do certain activities on Sundays, and in increasing our family prayer time, and more. Even priests are getting a little more bold and that is nice to see too because that encourages the rest of us, after all, they are our leaders and models. If they are proud and open about their faith it will trickle down to us.
There is more persecution coming .... more struggles and challenges to our faith. More people will be coming forward and try to squash us.
And again I ask myself....are we ready? Are we ready for even more persecution? My feeling is that we must really be "prayed up" for the future because it is coming, and in ever more not so subtle ways.
How can we become ready if we are not now ready? Here are my thoughts and ideas. You can do with them what you will:
1. Beef up your time in prayer.
2. Go to Mass more often.
3. Do more spiritual reading.
4. Hang out with people and talk about your faith.
5. Read the Bible daily and pray with it (Ignatian style works well).
6. Go to Reconciliation more often.
7. Wear blessed objects or keep them in your pocket.
8. Pray the rosary.
9. Watch EWTN - lots of great information there.
10.Stick up for our faith when it is being bashed.
11.Get more silence in your life so you can think about what is important.
12.Ask for the saints' intercession.
13.Pray outside of Mass in small prayer and faith sharing groups.
14.Attend Catholic events in your diocese - missions, talks, conferences, trainings.
15.Simplyfy your life.
16.Make contacts with others to build a network of support in your community, parish, diocese.
17.Pray the chaplet of divine mercy.
18.Seek to be a saint and try harder every day to be who you are called to be.
19.Think about creating a plan of how you will respond when your faith is attacked or you are put down because of your faith. Work it out in your mind so when it happens you will be ready to respond.
20.Fast.
These are my thoughts tonight. Please think about them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)