Don't "Spare" Ourselves

 I once heard someone say that when it comes to being a Christian, the question isn't "Are you saved?" but "Are you spent?" How are we spending ourselves, our time, effort, talents and energy (not to mention material goods)? We need to spend it loving God and our neighbor, especially those neighbors who are "the least" in the eyes of the world. 1 John 4:19-21 reminds us: "We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also." But, we don't have to go so far as hate; all we have to do is neglect our brothers and sisters in need. Let's be mindful of them and spend ourselves for them.

Deserving a Second Feast

Interesting how May, the month of Mary, begins with the feast of St. Joseph the worker (his second feast day, the other is March 19). He was a man trained from boyhood in his trade and in his faith. He has no words in the Gospel, but his actions speak volumes. He loved God so much that he was open to God's messages and intervention. He loved Mary so much that he was "unwilling to expose her" to shame and to the law, but willingly accepted the ridicule that his own community must have heaped upon him, based on the culture of the time. No outsider looking in would have had the slightest idea about their real experience.; and if Joseph and Mary had tried to tell others about it, they would have been thought insane.  He began their divine adventure with complete trust in God our Father, and dedicated himself to his extraordinary wife and divine foster Child, providing for them with the work of his hands.

St. Joseph, pray for us, help us to love God and our families, and help us to truly live our vocation for the glory of God!

Our Most Important Relationship

Because God is good, he loves to bless us.  Yet his deepest longing is for a relationship with us...take time to commune with him, to grow closer to him, and to get to know him...  "But it is good for me to draw near to God:  I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works."  (Psalm 73:28)

50 Days of Easter!

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”
― St. Pope John Paul II

He is Risen, because He loves us immensely.  May He give you joy today.  

Trust

I don't know about you, but it seems that I've always had a problem trusting, and especially the people closest to me--probably due to something that happened during my childhood.  And, I realized recently that I also sometimes have problems trusting God.  At times I don't understand what's happening or why it's happening, and I forget that God is really the one in control.  Nothing escapes His will, and because He is our Father, it's all for our good...no matter how bad it seems.  He is Love--infinite Love, infinite Wisdom, infinite Mercy.  I know this, but what do I say?  "Yes, Lord...Yes, but please, not that!"

Did Mary say, "Yes, but..."?  No.  She said, "Let it be done to me..."  Her human nature didn't stand in her way, like it does mine.  I pray for the grace to be able to say that, too, and mean it with all my heart, to surrender completely and unconditionally, saying "Yes," and not even thinking, "but..."  We can trust the One who laid down His life for us.  I pray for this grace for you, too, dear reader.

God's abundant blessings and graces upon you.

5 Minutes of Quiet Time?

Jesus needs neither books nor Doctors of Divinity in order to instruct souls; He, the Doctor of Doctors, He teaches without noise of words.
-- St. Therese of Lisieux

Dear Jesus, help me to spend some quiet time with you today, so that you can teach me in the silence of my heart and mind. Amen.

Your Soul

“I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would no longer be enamelled with lovely hues. And so it is in the world of souls, Our lord's living garden.” -- St. Therese of Lisieux, the "Little Flower"

Your soul is beautiful and unique, dear reader. Let it bloom!