Uniformity with God's Will

"Who knows? Perhaps if God had given us greater talent, better health, a more personable appearance, we might have lost our souls! Great talent and knowledge have cause many to be puffed up with the idea of their own importance and, in their pride, they have despised others. How easily those who have these gifts fall into grave danger to their salvation! How many on account of physical beauty or robust health have plunged headlong into a life of debauchery! How many, on the contrary, who, by reason of poverty, infirmity or physical deformity, have become saints and have saved their souls, who, given health, wealth, or physical attractiveness had else lost their souls! Let us then be content with what God has given us. But one this is necessary, and it is not beauty, not health, not talent. It is the salvation of immortal souls." (Page 18)

This past week I was recommended this short book by St. Alphonsus de Liguori. I couldn't be more happy with the words from this book. It truly is only 30 pages and I know it's one book that you can manage to finish. He writes in a way that speaks to your heart and convicts all your previous thoughts and prayers. Instead of accepting God wills in our lives, are we asking to uniform our lives with Christ. Are you happy even with the suffering to say, that if this will of the Father, Lord give me more pain?

I know I am not in the state of mind to pray in such a fashion. I am caught up in the comfort of this world that I am truly afraid to ask what His will is. Because we can be doing all the good in the world, but if its not the will of the Father, than we are not pleasing Him. Now that is something to think about. "Reflect that all the sins of your past wicked life happened because you wandered from the path of God's will." (Page 16) "A single venial sin is more displeasing to God than all the good works we can perform." (Page 28).

I could go on and on quoting more from this book, but you MUST read it yourself. The best $2.50 in a book you will ever invest in. The will of our Father and ours should go together like a wink and smile. [what can I say, I have been listening to lots of jazz lately]

Definition of Love

So I was driving around the city like I usual do going from place to place when at a Lutheran Church I read this...

"Love is forgetting about oneself in service of another."

In a world where the world love is used to frequent and lost it's meaning, here's a great definition for you to ponder. I know for a fact that I use it myself quite often [but I mean it when I say it]/ My friends know that I usually end with a "I love you" in every phone conversation. Hey I say, if we are made in the image and likeness of God shouldn't we also love with the likeness of God. I say Yes, so go ponder a little.

I am totally Martha & not proud of it

It's Sunday and I headed to mass with my mother. I heard the Gospel reading and I cannot help, but smile. How many times have we heard the story of Martha and Mary? To be honest I have lost track. Here it is one more time...

Gospel - Lk 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me.”
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”

This Sunday however the visiting priest said something very direct. "If you feel sorry for Martha, you don't have a good spiritual life." Wow, it hit home for me this week. I thought I was enjoying my routine at home, I go to mass, holy hour, sometimes go to Panera with some ladies from Church, make a little phone calls, drive around from appointment to appointment and prepare dinner for my parents from their long hours from work. Yes, I will admit it, I do feel sorry for Martha, she gets stuck "doing" all the work. I am jealous of Mary sometimes even because that would be the life to sit and listen to our Lord. Mary is "being."

Comes back to the point that I will always struggle with. We are not human "doings" we are human "beings." I don't know if I will ever come to learn this concept. If we are not making ever aspect of our life a prayer than we will always feel like Martha. Even the simple tasks like water the plants or taking out the trash should be a form a prayer. Thanking God we have things to throw away and fragrance and beauty of flowers to water. Or are you thinking like me and saying that it's too hot to step outside and I don't want to carry around smelly bags. So thank you for the prayers because I can always use more graces.

St. Martha's feast day is July 29th, next sunday, so this week ask for her intercession to learn to be.

Lord, help me to be in your presence in all that do and listen to what you are asking me to do.

Luke 2:19

Don't you hate it when Catholics start quoting Bible verses? Seriously you are like, man I don't know what Luke 2:19 can't you just tell me.... well it's a good one and you will soon have it memorized by the end of the post. "Mary kept all things, pondering them in her heart."

Last week on Thursday I had the great privilege of going to breakfast with a few women from my parish. It was wonderful to sit there and watch them. What can I say I am people watcher. Ever once in a while I would put my two cents in. The conversation somehow turned to prayer. One lady said, you know I don't pray to change the result, I pray so I can have a peace of mind. It's so true, God knows, we pray for His will, so why pray for a change, pray to able to accept God's will, pray to have a peace in knowing we are His children and He loves us.

I said, "the bad thing about prayer, is you have to keep at it because if you take a break and start praying again you soon realize you aren't praying anymore you are rather day dreaming." The all agreed. How can you not. It happens to all of us. I know for a fact it has been a real struggle to get my prayer in. I am present, but my mind and heart are not in there for some reason. Mary had it down. She kept all things in her heart, you know she was really good at pray. She had to be. For goodness sakes she bore the Son of God, our Savior.

After breakfast I got in the car and a song from this new cd I was given started. Mother Mary by The Remnant Band. They are a Catholic band from Texas and its refreshing to hear songs about our rich faith. The lyrics just blew me away..

I know it's hard sometimes to pray
Just can't think of the words you want to say
You're down on your knees; there aint't no doubt
But I know a girl who can help me out....

I ask my Mother Mary / to help me out

The song continued...I knew at that very instant, our Mother Mary wanted me to come close to her, so I can learn how to pray to her son again. She has her arms open, and I cannot say it enough, she is the first follower of Christ, how can we not follow her. Luke 2:19. How many times we do ponder things, but do we ponder them in our heart or do we ponder them out of selfishness, envy, greed, jealous? I know I am guilty of them all. We need to do more of this, to be honest, I have the sudden huge to stop typing and go pray from my heart.

So today is the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. For all those brown scapular lovers out there, it's your day. It's a perfect day for you to ask the intercession of Mary. Ponder from the heart.

Birth-control pills poison everyone?

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56623

I am not sure what your personally thoughts are on this subject, but everything we do truly affects everything around us.

Don't be a Crtiic, but read

I cannot but help and laugh that yesterday 07.07.07, our Father Pope Benedict XVI published a letter to all bishops proclaiming the renewal of the Tridentine Mass. If you have not read the letter I recommend you do so, its entitled "Summorum Pontificum"

Go to the source instead of trying to figure the Pope out. Don't be afraid of change, it actually won't affect the individual parish as much as you think.

Know you are in my prayers and please pray for me as well.
-----
07/10/07 - Pope makes headlines again --> Pope: Jesus formed 'only one church'

Week Six: Fragrance in Song

Yes, you didn't misread the title, fragrance. I have a few comfort smells of my own that remind me a good memory. It might be the smell of Cuban food that reminds me a my grandmother, the smell of roses that reminds me to slow down in life, or even the smell of fresh cut grass that comes to mind the baseball park and a hot dog. We each have our own memories when it comes to fragrances. There is this one in particular that truly reminds me of hope. Not just any hope, but in the true sense that when we with an immeasurable desire, trust and believe in our Lord there is where hope lies. Our Lord will truly never forsake us.

Throughout summer training I was capivated by this fragrance here and there and I wanted to stand still so the moment wouldn't pass. But like all things in life we are called for greatness not comfort.

There are two songs that we sang during training the last two days at our daily mass. The Summons and Our Hearts will Rise.

In the second verse of "The Summons" -

Will you leave yourself behind

If I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
And never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
Should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer
In you and you in me?

In the first verse of "Our Hearts will Rise" -
Eye has not seen no ear has heard
no heart conceived the hope prepared for us
Now we see dimly, but one day clearly
face to face we shall behold our God.

It might not seem like anything when you read the words, but the fragrance of our Lord was there and I know I will risk all for Him knowing that one day clearly I shall behold our God. Are you willing to do the same daily?

Fireworks fail to Spiritual Multiply

[I know this entry doesn't follow the pattern, but you have to trust me its a good one.]

At FOCUS staff training you live in community. We are priviledged to get to know and live with a group of 7-8 of young men or women. Each group is celebrated in a college named by a patron saint. This year I was in the college of St. Catherine of Siena. But this is beside the point. Each week you gather together as men and women and discuss a topic of choice. This week we gathered as FOCUS women to discuss honor.

Yes that is right, honor. In a society today where honor is seen as a weakness. The word honor comes from the root honesty. It was a beautiful presentation on how we need to have honor in our lives not just with the women around us, but with ourselves as well. If we do not honor ourselves we cannot honor someone else. Honor comes from within like so many other virtues. We need to listen to and be attentive to the needs and anticipate these needs before the other even though they need it. [does that makes sense]

After this wonderful evening, the men of FOCUS had driven their cars to the top of the Abbey and were ready to honor us as women and escort us to the firework show. It was a simple yet beautiful gesture.

During the firework show another missionary and I were joking around how fireworks failed to spiritual multiply. How? Ever seen those fireworks that are so brought and they disperse a few sparks like 4 or 5. But that spark vanishes in the darkness. That spark does not ignite another soul. We are called to be more than fireworks. We are called to be inextinguishable matches. Like fireworks we are called to disperse make more sparks, but we are called to teach those sparks to ignite other sparks and make inextinguishable lights to all the nations. If only life could be that simple.

Honor each other so we can learn and teach to be inextinguishable matches to all the nations.