On this Feast Day of St. John of the Cross (December 14), let us reflect on one of his writings, “Advent Poem.” Each of us is called to be pregnant with Love, with Light, with Mercy that we give birth to in our neighborhood: “each of us is the midwife of God.” 
 
If you want, the Virgin will come walking down the road 
pregnant with the Holy and say, 
“I need shelter for the night. 
Please take me inside your heart, my time is so close.” 
Then, under the roof of your soul, 
you will witness the sublime intimacy, 
the divine, the Christ, taking birth forever, 
as she grasps your hand for help, 
for each of us is the midwife of God, each of us. 
Yes, there, under the dome of your being, 
does creation come into existence eternally, 
through your womb, dear pilgrim, 
the sacred womb of your soul, 
as God grasps our arms for help: 
for each of us is His beloved servant never far. 
If you want, the virgin will come walking down the street, 
pregnant with Light, and sing! 

TAGS: Reflection

Week 1: 
Lord Jesus, we wait in joyful hope for you. Come into our hearts so that when the time comes, we will be prepared to join you in everlasting joy.  Amen. 
 
Week 2: 
Father in heaven, during this second week of Advent, help us see clearly the times when we have sinned. Accept our sorrow for having pulled away from you, and give us firm resolve to stay close to you.  Amen. 
 
Week 3: 
Help us, Lord, not to dampen the joy of others. Remind us this week to rejoice always and to pray without ceasing.  Amen. 
 
Week 4: 
Holy Spirit, inspire us to live every day as if Christmas were just a week away.  Amen. 

SOURCE: https://thecatholicspirit.com 

TAG: Prayer

"What? No parking here? Oh, I didn't think that pertained to me." 

Excuses. We all use them to wiggle out of situations, or defend something we know we should or should not have done. 

But excuses aren't truth, and only truth is from God. 

Defend your actions with truth, not with excuses, as "the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). Excuses will only defile you. 

Spirit of Truth, guide me at those times when I want to put myself above the truth. Let the truth prevail. Amen. 

TAGS: Prayer, Reflection

Merciful Father, 

On this All Souls' Day, and during the entire month of November, we are called to remember those who have died, 
Particularly those who have died in the past year, 
And pray for their joyful reunion with you, their loving creator. 
As your son taught us to call the stranger 
neighbor, our fallen are many-- 

Names we will never know, 
Voices we have never heard, 
In lands we may never visit, 
Yet brothers and sisters all. 
And so we pray. 

For victims of war, caught in the crossfires of 
conflicts we could not quell, 
for soldiers and civilians, 
adults and children, we pray … 
Grant eternal rest, O Lord. 

For those migrants who have died seeking a 
haven where they hoped to find safety 
and opportunity for themselves and for their families, we pray … 
Grant eternal rest, O Lord. 

For victims of hunger, denied their share in the 
bounty you have placed before us, we pray … 
Grant eternal rest, O Lord. 

For victims of AIDS, Malaria, Ebola, COVID and other infectious diseases, 
who died before adequate care could reach them, we pray … 
Grant eternal rest, O Lord. 

For those refugees seeking asylum from war, 
who died in a land that was not their home, we pray … 
Grant eternal rest, O Lord. 

For victims of emergencies and calamities everywhere, 
who died amid chaos and confusion, we pray … 
Grant eternal rest, O Lord. 

Lord, as you command, we reach out to the fallen. 
We call on you on behalf of those we could not reach this year. 
You raised your son from the dead 
that all may share in his joyful resurrection. 

In Jesus' name, we pray.  Amen. 

SOURCE: https://www.crs.org/resource-center/all-souls-day-prayer 

TAGS: Prayer

"Do not abandon me in time of trouble, in the midst of storms and dangers." - Sirach 51:10 

They say the pandemic is easing and the COVID threat is decreasing. They say that the inflationary pressure on the economy is reducing. They say that Ukraine is regaining ground in the conflict with Russia. They say that the number of mass shootings is improved over the past years. They say the US southern border is secure. They say that a rising number of Americans believe that the US is on the right track. 

You feel great with all of this good news. Or at least you should. After all, that's what "they say." 

But how should, or do, you feel? Do you feel like crying out, "God, where are you?" Do you feel like God has abandoned us? Do you feel like God doesn't care? 

When the priest was asked about how to stop the mass shootings in the US and throughout the world, his reply was, "It's a simple but difficult question ... God help us." 

Let us turn over all of our simple questions to a God who never abandons us in time of trouble, or in the midst of storms and dangers. 

And let us pray: God, help us. Amen. 

TAGS: Inspiration, Prayer

They stop in the Adoration Chapel where Jesus is waiting for them in the Blessed Sacrament. They are joyous; they are sad. They bow; they kneel. They smile; they cry. They come from all walks of life; dressed in all sorts of attire. They are all ages, all genders, all sizes. They stay for a few minutes or for a few hours. 

Some are too ashamed to even enter into His presence, and choose instead to kneel in the hall before the open door. 

Each of them has a need: to talk,  to share, to dump, to heal. Each of them has a want: counseling, advice, direction, forgiveness. 

The young woman comes in seeking blessings for her school day. The young man comes in seeking companionship as he heads off to college. The adult woman comes in seeking relief for her grieving of the turmoil in her native country. The adult male comes in seeking forgiveness for his errant ways. The priest comes in seeking guidance in his ministry. 

It is a mixed population with varied histories, but all one faith. 

Each of them is looking and searching and finding ... Jesus, their friend. 

TAGS: Reflection

The address on the mailbox was "923", the Feast Day of St. Padre Pio. 

The mailbox must always be full with letters, notes and cards. People sending their thanksgivings, prayers and supplications to St. Pio. 

He reads them all, you know, because he had the gift of looking into souls and scrutinizing consciences. As he explained it, "Through Jesus, I see and hear all -- I see your soul just as you see yourself in a mirror." 

Write to him; speak to him. He will intercede for you. While your letter may never be delivered, your concern will be "read" nonetheless. 

St. Padre Pio, pray for us. 

TAGS: Reflection

Fear looks down, 
Worry looks around, 
Faith looks to Him. 

Where do you find yourself? With so much happening in our lives, our country, and our world of late, it's hard to keep a solid perspective. 

Am I fearful and feeling down because there is so much out of my control? 

Do I worry when around me is so much chaos and uncertainty? 

Or do I have faith in God that everything is in His power and trust that He will make all things new? 

God can fill us with joy. Joy comes when we take our eyes off our circumstances and remind ourselves of God’s eternal goodness. Jesus said we were to look at the beauty of birds and flowers and see how they are looked after… they do not worry! (Matthew 6:25-34) 

When we have fear and worry, we focus upon the problem, but when we look to God in faith, He can lift us above our circumstances and give us hope and an inner joy, even in the bleakest of times. 

Fear looks down, 
Worry looks around, 
Faith looks to Him. 

Find yourself in Him. 

TAGS: Inspiration 

 Photo by todd kent on Unsplash

Can you hear the singing of the angels? 
Can you hear the plucking of the harps? 
A chorus of heavenly beings to join us on our way. 

We have no need to fear, 
For harm is pushed out of the way. 
The angels guard us daily and lead us not astray. 

Our eyes when we are blinded; 
Our ears when we can't hear. 
The angels protect us from danger and catch us when we fall. 

We cannot see or touch them, 
We sense their omnipresence. 
We know they are ever near us and carry our breath to God. 

Thank you, God, for our angels. Amen. 

TAGS: Prayer, Reflection

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind." - James 1:5-6 

Jesus, am I good? 

"You are very good. Everything I made was good, and I made you." 

Jesus, do you love me? 

"I love you so much that I died for you." 

Jesus, will you be there tomorrow? 

"I will be with you always, until the end of time." 

TAGS: Reflection