Christ asks us... To love the lord our God with all our strength, with all our heart, with all our mind and to love our neighbor as our self. And who is our neighbor? He who is in need.
We can all feel as if we have been accused unjustly. Maybe it is a reminder to lay your head on Jesus' shoulder. He knows how you feel. Wasn't He accused unjustly? From St Faustina's Diary..... 289 My happiest moments are when I am alone with my Lord. During these moments I experience the greatness of God and my own misery. Once, Jesus said to me, Do not be surprised that you are sometimes unjustly accused. I myself first drank this cup of undeserved suffering for love of you.
Maybe my fault for pulling the thread off track and completely confusing the issues here but I hope my post wasn't misunderstood. I wasn't accusing anyone of anything, really I wasn't. Sometimes, in my eagerness, to put a point across I come across too strongly. I'm sorry if you feel that way, really if I am, it wasn't meant. I differ with my husband every day, pretty much, and I love him with all my heart and soul He's not a catholic, doesn't believe in mysticism, and yet seems to have very strong opinions on the papacy. You wouldn't believe the lively exchange of views we've had over the past few weeks. So please, no one should be offended on my account.
OH NO! Not at all. I am so sorry you thought I was talking about you. I wasn't talking about anyone. I am so busy this weekend with friends coming for dinner, and haven't the time to go ao the internet, but your post came up on my emails and I just had to reply. Again, no, it had NOTHING to do with you or anyone. But isn't it funny, when we hear a reading or father's homily, how often do you think they are talking directly to 'me'. I often do. This is good because it hits our own conscience. With what I post about St Faustina, I'm trying to go through her book, and the next message that takes my eyes, I post. That piece was #289. You will find the next one will probably be around #300. God Bless you Freedom, you obviously have a good heart.
The love St Faustina showed for Jesus is amazing. I wonder who this particular soul was that she saw about to commit a mortal sin? Was it a stanger, a family member or someone within the church? St Faustina reminds us that God is very generous and does not deny His grace to 'anyone'. From St Faustina's Diary....... 291 On a certain occasion, I saw a person about to commit a mortal sin. I asked the Lord to send me the greatest torments so that that soul could be saved. Then I suddenly felt the terrible pain of a crown of thorns on my head. It lasted for quite a long time, but that person remained in the Lord's grace. 0 my Jesus, how very easy it is to become holy; all that is needed is a bit of good will. If Jesus sees this little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries to give himself to the soul, and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor falls-absolutely nothing. Jesus is anxious to help that soul, and if it is faithful to this grace from God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness possible for a creature here on earth. God is very generous and does not deny His grace to anyone. Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him. Faithfulness to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit-that is the shortest route.
Jimmy and Freedom, To back up and put my two cents in on Medjugorje...on your video at the 24:00 spot: DITTO!!! I could not have said it better myself! "It is there that lukewarmness finally turns to a fire! Some, and perhaps Jane is one of those, may already have a great fire and so going to Medjugorje or other places may seem full of graces but not as jarringly amazing as it is to others, like me. God (or Mary) sent us to Medjugorje, and I was able to go twice in the same year! The money "happened", the opportunities were miracles in themselves. Long stories told elsewhere on this forum a long time ago. The experiences, I would not trade for anything in this world. The conversion in me, it is still happening. Every day it continues, but Medjugorje started it...I mean the landslide of it. The way I describe it is that you can breathe the holiness in all around you. Going to confession there, is like no other. It is there that many people, for the first time, understand the "celebration" of the Mass. The priests there do it right, and explain it so well. Priests that go there get renewed, I have seen that, and they often stay a month or more if they can. Hearing stories of miracles, seeing people who these miracles have happened to, being served a meal to you by a visionary (we stayed at Mirjana's house) climbing mountains with your 80 year old mother, and having a ball doing it! My avatar picture is the sun in Medjugorje, at station 13 on Cross Mountain, taken with my camera - what God gave me as a gift that day - shutterbug that I am. Go, go, go. Must you go? Of course not, but if you want to go, pray about it and God will find a way to get you there. Then bring others there by your stories and actions. Mary wants us to tell others, and bring souls to her. Blessed are they who have not seen, sure, but so many of us are too weak, and we need to see something. Go there. You will see. Freedom, there is a travel agent close to St. James Church, next to the gift shop in the building adjacent to the adoration chapel - at the end of an interior hallway. Medjugorje Tours & Travel is their name. They helped us a lot when we decided to leave our group stay longer and visit Mostar and Dubrovnik, and they helped us find another hotel for those extra days. ALSO they can help you with a guide. If any way possible, get a tour or in a group guided by Miki Musa. The travel agency can help with that too. He is the absulute best there is. He does all of Mirjana's guest's tours, and you will find him in the front of all her apparations - keeping her safe and directing everyone around the blue cross. I hope this helps! Enjoy your time in Maryland! Bring back lots of blessed rosaries - (buy them at Charlies - or anywhere, but Charlies is an old shop by the church and he gave me a bunch of free stuff - lol. Tell him that a friend of Joyce Lightner sent you). You will be amazed how many people you will want to give them to when you get back.
Hello Momscalling. I really don't know why I didn't have 'a great fire' in going to Medj. I wanted to. I actually felt cheated that I didn't. I didn't have a great experience during confession there. I went to the out door confession and there was a lot of noise coming out of the speakers at the time. So for hearing Father was very difficult, and probably him hearing me was difficult too. But in being fair. I loved walking up that step hill to the cross. Sorry, I can't think what that hill is called. I did get a nudge in doing it. I climbed it at about 5am. I was the first one up the top for the day, and I thought it was magical as I arrived up the top just as the sun was rising. Doing this early and alone gave me the silence I loved. During my decent, I noticed there are some people who don't appreciate the silence and would talk duing their climb. I sometimes climb the hills near my own home to be alone with the Lord and pray the Rosary to Our Lady. I can get the same sensation in doing this. In fact I love doing this. No phone distractions or people arriving at my door. I loved the statue of Our Lady in the church in Medjugorje. I thought it was one of the most beautiful statues. Anyway, I just wanted to share that. Yes. I'm sure many can gain a spiritual presence. JUST STAY AWAY FROM THE SHOPS.
This is a very great insight into the heart of God. ...And now imagine Jesus, with the very same Grace toward a soul that wasn't just about to commit a mortal sin, but had already commited many. Shortcomings for sure....Falls, all the way down...(even one who represents your personal enemy by way of those sins). Through His intial promptings (or chastisements out of love), Christ can bring the sinner to Repentance, and by responding to His Grace, the sinner can receive sanctifying Grace and actual Graces to do what Faustina says is very easy: Become Holy.... ...by trusting completely in His Mercy, in humility and thanksgiving, approaching the Tribunal of Mercy (frequent confession) and the Throne of Grace/Font of Mercy (frequent Eucharist), offering every thought, action, prayer, and even weakness at His feet - First in reparation for those sins, but also in petition for timely help in the conversion, salvation, and temporal welfare of all souls within the sphere of that sinner (those closest first). For what purpose does that sinner finally convert? To be saved from hell? Maybe initially, but simultaneous to that realization is the more powerful conviction that the purpose of existence is not to experience the joy of ones own salvation in eternity alone, but to love others for the sake of the salvation of their souls, and to experience that joy together in eternity. The realization that holiness itself is the perfection of self-giving love, in union with Christ. And its purpose is Merciful love, lived daily for those who are in specific need of that perfected love, which can only manifest with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the renewed heart of that sinner. That love can then be lived out in the three degress of exercising mercy: by deed, by word, and by prayer (with daily Rosary, and daily prayer to the Holy Spirit as a foundation).
Thankyou MomsCalling for your helpful suggestions. I am going to write them down and take them with us. Actually, I was talking about Mejugorje this morning with a fellow parishioner. He asked me to ask Mary to call him too, he was saying he'd never felt an inclination to go to Medjugorje although he'd been to many others. I am desperately hoping for a spiritual experience for my children. Although willing they tell me they don't understand what it means to pray, and frustratingly I know what they mean but I'm don't know how to help them. I keep thinking Mary asks that we're like little children, and with in mind I keep thinking it be easy for them and easier than it is for me - who always makes things far too complicated. I'm struck by the fact my son asks to say the rosary every night, always when I feel it's far too late. He's 7, he doesn't even know why but he does say something about it gives him longer to talk to God (as opposed to The Lords payer, One Hail Mary and their Guardian Angel prayer). Obviously it offers them reassurance but I don't understand any further than that. Maybe Mary is sending me a message through them? I mean Medjugorje was never a reality in my mind until I decided to take the children, and I felt that very strongly they needed to come too. Actually there is so much going on in my head at the moment it's giving me headache
My family's pilgrimage to Medjugorje back in 1987 included very few consolations: no miracle of the sun, no rosary beads turned gold, a disagreement with my wife, a burned retina, but...The witness of faith, love and prayer demonstrated by the locals remained. Add to that the miraculous healing of my eye on the last day in the village. Finally, we were graced with the most precious gift of all- daily family devotions ever since. Consolations matter little in the end. It is the fruit of our pilgrimage to honor Mary that has endured. Praise God! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
Well said Mario! More often than not I see the mundane. I cannot say that i haven't seen miracles... Sometimes it's a miracle to get up and keep trying! Your right though the graces are family devotion and they far outweigh what our miracle expectations are.
Freedom, I just came across this and I thought you might enjoy reading this. I hope you have a blessed trip and I'll keep you and and your family in my prayers. http://spiritualjournies.wordpress....s-and-gifts-from-heaven-my-personal-testimony
Freedom, I don't want to hinder your headache. No need to answer this question. It's just meant to be a question for thought. If you are thinking of going somewhere to help your children. Have you considered Lourdes? Lourdes is no question of doubt authentic, it is simply amazing and extremely good for the children to witness the sick and handicap being wheeled to the miraculous water. They could watched the movie "Song of Bernadette" before they went to give them an understanding of the story. When In Lourdes, you can go to the home where Bernadette lived. The grotto where The Mother of God appeared is breath taking.
Now, back on the subject. ST FAUSTINA. JESUS DIVINE MERCY. What a great message. Jesus often spoke against fear. Fear does not come from God. Satan puts fear into us. I ashamedly stocked 'food', because MDM told us to. I now wonder how this would look in God's eyes if I were to die with my cupboards overflowing with food. I don't like fear at all. I like to put my faith in Jesus 100%. Although we know this is extremely hard to do. Even Peter began to sink when walking on the water to Jesus. But the more I say "Jesus, I trust in You." The stronger I become, and the less fear I have. "Jesus, I trust in You." From St Faustina's Diary.... 292 +When a soul loves God sincerely, it ought not fear anything in the spiritual life. Let it subject itself to the action of grace, and let it not impose any restraints on itself in communing with the Lord.
So true. When I am walking with God in grace my fears and anxieties are so much less. When I don't feel that I am my anxieties and fears are through the roof. I fear...what if I die right now? where would I go?..Kind of funny..well maybe not funny but when I get a chest pain of any sort for example and worried I am not walking in grace...right away I am ready to run to God in repentance. Why can't I live every moment like as if I just found out I have a terminal illness? Because we are all terminally ill. But somehow even though I try to consciously live like that I just don't. If I found out I was terminally ill, my life would change dramatically toward God so why don't I just do it now? Human nature I guess.
So true. If we lived like we had only days left, wouldn't we call out to Jesus? Wouldn't we pray like there was no tomorrow? This is why it is really a grace to suffer before dying. Because through suffering we know our days are numbered, and we recognise our mortality, then even alot of atheist end up calling to Jesus. You have to be saint like to live like there is no tomorrow and pray every prayer like it is your last.
If we all knew what God was truly like we would run to Him with arms wide open not allowing anything to distract us. We wouldn't even allow this forum to distract us.
