THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF MARY

Today the barren Anna claps her hands for joy, the earth radiates with light, kings sing their happiness, priests enjoy every blessing, the entire universe rejoices, for she who is queen and the Father's immaculate bride buds forth from the stem of Jesse. (adapted from Byzantine Daily Worship) ~ Saint of the Day ~

Today, we celebrate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. No pregnancy...or birth...is an accident. Rather, pregnancy and birth are miracles...revelations of God's unfolding plan for the world.

Each child...even from before the moment he/she begins growing in the mother's womb...is precious to our Heavenly Father. Each child...each of us...has a special place in God's plan.

Mary knew this...and, God's plan for her was extraordinary.

Mary's faith in God...proven with a simple "yes"...brought Salvation into the world.

Just like us, Mary had free-will to answer "yes"...or..."no" to God's plan for her. Her faith and devotion to our Heavenly Father, led her to willingly say "yes" to His plan for her and us...for...the whole world!

Eternity beckoned...and..Mary's belief helped set us all free!

God has a plan for YOU...and me!

Through prayer and quietude we can discern our place...our part...in God's plan.

With free-will, we can answer "Yes!"...or..."No!"

Eternity beckons...what is YOUR answer?

What is mine?



God entered history through a family in order to make family life holy and show us how to live in our homes. ~ Love in the Little Things ~

HE WILL MAKE A WAY

FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD

At His Transfiguration, Christ showed His disciples the splendor of His beauty, to which He will shape and color those who are His: "He will reform our lowness configured to the body of His glory" (Philippians 3:21) ~St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae~

The homily I heard today was about "mountaintop experiences." The disciples certainly had a "mountaintop experience" on Mount Tabor...when Jesus was transfigured...right in front of their eyes.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” ~Mark 9:7~

While we were not present on Mount Tabor, with open hearts...we too, can recognize our own personal "mountaintop experiences"...those times, when God reaches through the firmament to grant us a glimpse of His Transcendent Glory...His Almighty Power.

Creation, in all it's wonder...from the coos of a newborn...the waves on the water...a beautiful sky at sunrise or sunset...a puppy's sighs...to a new bloom in the garden...reveal to me glimpses of God's Transcendent Glory.

These are MY "mountaintop experiences."

What are YOURS?

Free your heart...your mind...and...your soul, to recognize and savor the glimpses of God's Transcendent Glory all around YOU!

And, may our "mountaintop experiences" strengthen us to know...who it is...we are called to be...and...how it is...that God ultimately reveals Himself...in the fullness of His love.

A MOTHER'S PRAYER

My husband and I, and even a good family friend, are worried about my older son. He has been through a great deal this past year and a half.

His world...as he knew it...was blown apart...as if by a dirty bomb.

The scales have been ripped from his eyes, and two women, whom he had adored, have shown him a different...darker...more hurtful...side of their personalities...the side, I had managed to protect him from...for much of his meager twenty-three years.

He has lost all respect for these elders, and he is questioning...everything...at the moment...his heritage...his genealogy...and yes, even...or more precisely...especially...God.

It breaks my heart.

This is a young man to whom I would go to discuss philosophy and faith...a young man who talked about the priesthood...went on vocation retreats...and even pilgrimage to Medjugorje for discernment.

That is no more.

The harshness that can sometimes be found in extended familial relationships...is weighing him down at twenty-three.

Each day, I place him...as I place my entire family...in God's Hands.

I pray, that God's justice and righteousness will cut through the insanity of the situation that is wearing my son down, and show him that God IS real...IS listening...and...IS able...to soften even the most hardened of hearts.

And, even as I pray for solace for my son, still I say:

"Thy will...NOT my will...be done!"

LOVE LETTERS

Dear Heavenly Father,

There is such peace in knowing that You see what is truly in our hearts and souls.

Thank you for always loving us, even as some have abandoned us based merely on appearance.

Happily, You always stand with us; sending Your Son, Jesus Christ to shower us in the truth, even while others sometimes buffet us with misplaced anger and lies.

Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to give us courage as we speak the truth ~ boldly and passionately ~ always and everywhere.

Lovingly, You send good friends to replace bad family relationships.

We are grateful, Lord, for the joy and the sorrow, one to learn how to rejoice, the other to learn compassion.

Thank you for everything, Father, the good, the bad, and the horrible, all of it makes us who we are; and always, with Your Grace, helps us to grow closer to You.

Heavenly Father, I place in Your loving hands everything I am, have, and may become, use me however, wherever, and whenever You may need me to do Your Will...today, tomorrow, and forever.

Love,
Your Child


AND SO...

What Would Be In YOUR Love Letter To Our Father???

"FATHER, FORGIVE THEM THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO"

Wow!

On the Feast of Pentecost, a feast dedicated to the gifts of the Holy Spirit sent to the First Apostles from the risen and ascended Christ, gifts that include wisdom, understanding, and right judgment, a child of God, serving as an usher in his Lutheran church, was gunned down in cold blood!

GUNNED DOWN IN COLD BLOOD!!!!

Read that sentence again, slowly and purposefully:

A CHILD OF GOD WAS GUNNED DOWN IN COLD BLOOD!!!

And, this was done in a place meant to be one of peace, fellowship, and community...HIS CHURCH.

There is NO excuse for this...NO valid explanation...NO rationale.

Another child of God, today decided he was not satisfied with simply being a CHILD of God...he too, wanted to BE God.

And, the result now is that two families, the faith community, the Wichita, Kansas community, the Pro-Choice community, the Pro-Life community, and our entire country have been thrown into devastation and turmoil.

There is much blame to go around for ALL. Many tears will and should be shed by ALL over this unspeakable act.

I have written in this space before that "We will NEVER win the fight against abortion if our motives and our methods are not PURE."

WHEN WILL WE LEARN??