On Putting Our Trust in God When Evil Words are Spoken against us...

Taken from the Imitation of Christ;Book 3;Ch.46:


Christ: My child, stand firm and trust in Me. What are words but only wind? They fly through the air but hurt not a stone on the ground.

If you are innocent, then you will gladly suffer such words for the love of God. If, on the other hand, you are guilty, determine willingly to make amends. It is a small matter for you to put up with a few words uttered in haste when you are yet unable to bear hard blows.

It is because you are still worldly and are eager to please others that you take such little things to heart. When you resent being corrected for your faults and seek shelter in excuses, it is because you are afraid of being despised. Search your soul carefully and you will discover that the world is still strong in you, as well as that impossible desire to please others.

For when you dread to be abased and humiliated for faults, it is clear that you are not truly humble, nor dead to the world, nor is the world crucified to you. Just listen to My word and you will not mind if ten thousand people speak against you.

Even if all the evils which the worst human malice can invent, were said against you, what harm can they possibly do to you if you pay no attention to them? They cannot take so much as one hair from your head.

But if you do not keep your eyes fixed on God, nor keep Him in your heart, then you will be easily upset by the slightest rebuke. Those who trust in Me and rely not on their own judgement will fear no human. For I am the Judge and the Discerner of all secrets.

I know how everything is done and I know both the one who inflicts the injury and the one whom it affects. Nothing happens without My permission and the power so to act, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed(Luke 2:35).

I will judge both the guilty and the innocent but I will test them both beforehand.

Human judgement is often erroneous. My judgement is true; it shall stand and will never be overthrown. To many it remains hidden; and only to a few is it made manifest;yet it never errs nor can it err, though to the universe it may appear wrong.
So when you need to make a decision, always come to Me and do not rely on your own judgement.

Righteous persons are never dismayed by anything I permit to happen to them. Although they be wrongly accused it will not worry them much;niether will they be overjoyed if they be reasonably acquitted. They know that I am the searcher of all hearts.(Rev 2:23), Who judge not according to outward appearances nor by the way things look to humans, but by what I esteem praiseworthy.


I Will Not Remember

When Heaven Stands before me
And I am home at last,
I will not remember
The worries of the past;
I will not be aware of all
The trials of this life,
The many times I shed some tears,
The trouble and the strife,
For I will have before me
All the glories spread above.
The meaning of it all will be
Quite softened by His love.

Bonnie L. Nelson


May God bless, reward, and have mercy on us all!

The Advantage of not having everything our own way...

Taken from The Imitation of Christ:

It is good that everything is not to our own liking; for adversity makes people look into their hearts in order to realize that they are exiles and must not put their hope in any worldly thing.

It is good for us to run into opposition and have others think badly of us, even when our intentions are good. For these things help to humble us and rid us of pride. Then we seek God more earnestly, Who alone knows our inner most self, when outwardly we are ignored and discredited by others.

Therefore people should rely so entirely on God that they have no need for human consolations when adversity comes. When people of good disposition are afflicted or tempted or distracted by evil thoughts, then they understand the need they have of God and that without Him they can do nothing.

Then too they grieve, while they sigh and pray because of the miseries they endure. They grow weary of this life and long for death in order to be with Christ their Lord. It will also be clear to them that there is neither perfect peace or security in this world.

From St. Therese:

"On each fresh occasion of combat when the devil desires to challenge me, I conduct myself valiantly, knowing that to fight a duel is an unworthy act. I turn my back on the adversary without ever looking him in the face. Then I am ready to run to Jesus and tell Him I am ready to shed every drop of blood in testimony of my belief that there is a heaven."

Failure is not Fatal and Success is not Final...

God has graciously breathed new life into my spiritual life! Praised be God in all and for all! And now I can see and appreciate the dryness and valleys of my life with greater awe for our Lord! My retreat was wonderous and miraculous all in one and no words will ever describe it! I can only leave you with this: Failure is not Fatal;and Success is not Final.

In other words, we all fall and we all succeed in one thing or another but we and the world are ever-changing. The only Constant in life is God and His love for us. So this is why we all must continue to keep our eyes, hearts, souls, and love fixed on the Eternal. We must keep moving and not remain idle where our enemies may find us sleeping! In the words of Fr. Thomas Dubay, "We must not follow the Commanments to merely become eligible for heaven, but to excel on our way to heaven and in Union with God." What does this mean? It means I must not just go through the motions, but to really seek heaven as someone may seek for a lost treasure! This is the whole meaning and extent of our lives; to come back into full union and communion with our Creator! To long to be alone and sit in silence with our beloved and listen to the inner most secrets of His heart. This is love and longing as God wants us! Thank you Jesus for all You give us and all You take away! Now take my will and make it yours, forevermore my Lord! Only You know the depths of my heart and my mind, my strengths, my weaknesses are all for Your Glory! Mold them into what you made me to be, a Saint to Praise You in heaven!

Farewell for a few days...

Hello All~

If anyone reads this post, I'll be leaving for retreat tomorrow just for the weekend.
Please pray for me as I will be praying for all of you and your intentions.
May God continue to bless us all and our Country.

Amen.

To thank, to pray, and to persevere...

Today I'd like to thank you Lord for the pain I feel today.
I'd also like to thank you Lord for the joy I feel in pain.
It's strange for me to say this, because I always run from pain.
But today dear Lord, you allowed the light to penetrate my soul if only for an instance!
What relief to know it is still there!
The darkness is back, but to know that only a second of your light can give me the courage and strength to fight on!
You are so good Lord! You truly know our limits! And St. Teresa of Avila was so correct in saying:"From moment to moment, one can bear much"
Oh what words of truth! I never realized their truth until now!
Because in my ignorance I forgot that we truly are in God's hands and He is in control! The only thing we control are our choices!

So help me precious Angel, my Guardian so dear to make the blessed choices Christ wishes me to make! Help me make them for nothing but love of Him alone! How precious He is to me, and to know that He really does see the pain, the darkness and the lonliness we endure, they are all for a greater purpose, for this we can be sure!

So Lord, take my pain and comfort all those who are sick.
Take my darkness, and give light to those who need it.
Take my everything Lord and do with it what You will!
My trust in you is ever present even in my doubts!
So take it dear Lord and make it something better
Something that is worthy to lay at Your holy feet.
For I know I could never be a great saint,
but I want to please You as much as I was made to!
Take my heart Lord and make it whole in Your love
in Your suffering, in Your passion, in Your Eucharist,
in all your people.
Help us all to make each corner of our own world a better place for having been there.
And never let us brush aside any inspirations you may give us!
For all this I ask Lord,
and thank You as if I've already received.
I love You Lord, help me to persevere to the end!

Spiritually, I resemble a Prune!

Okay God,

What does this mean? I struggle to do the very smallest thing out of love for You! Does this mean my love is so little that I cannot feel it anymore? I do not feel love anymore but I choose to love out of love for You and because it is the right thing to do! Why such dryness Lord? I do not want Consolations but ask to feel a little of the burning love I once felt!

Where has it gone? Why is it gone? Have I done something wrong? Speak for your servant listens Lord! Come back into my heart Lord! I welcome You as if You are already there resting in my heart! I will continue to search for you Lord! Never leave my side!

Oct. 1st, St. Therese's Feast Day! Our Little Flower!

MOTTO OF THE LITTLE FLOWER

From St. John of the Cross

“Love is repaid by Love alone”


A Poem for St. Therese

God's little flower so beautiful and bright!
You were a feast for God's eyes at first sunlight
For you bloomed were God planted you
This proved that your roots were strong and true
For little flowers are just as important as the rose
For these gain humility much faster
And Heaven's ladder is open for the humble first
For the first must be the last and only little ones may pass
Gold molded you in the school of love and suffering
The two together could never be apart
For if one is missing
there truly is no love in the heart
God planted your seed with love
And you bloomed when suffering was sent from above
You became too brilliant to stay in the earth
So that's when God plucked you
And now you hold your place on His hearth.
Where He can gaze upon you each day
And you enjoy watching Your Master
plant new seedlings each day!

Happy Feast Day St. Therese! Pray for us!

The Sweet Joy of Suffering and Love!

It seems strange but the more little crosses I bear throughout the day, the more I realize just how much our Lord is there to help us if only we stop and ask! How many times do we try to take things on ourselves!? How can anyone expect to control the universe around them nevertheless their own life?

Surrender everything to our Lord and let Him turn those thorns into roses. The beauty and fragrance of the rose cannot be enjoyed without the ugliness and sting of the thorn. The more one suffers well the more one will thank our Lord for the opportunities to suffer well!

Only in this way will our hearts be able to make more room to love our Lord! Think about other instances of suffering and love. The pain and suffering a mother feels bringing her child into the world, The pain and torture our Lord went through on the cross, The pain and heartache marriages can cause, The pain of suffering our Lord sends, but in the end the Love always grows!

It's as if pain,suffering and love form a template for a spiritual masterpiece! How good our God is!

I also want to publicly thank my dear Patron, St. Padre Pio for his wonderful intercession as always and to ask for his perpetual prayers for us all!
Also, Happy Feast Day to St.Therese tomorrow, please pray for us! You are my bookends in this life as is my Guardian Angel towards my Lord! Never cease praying for us!