Sunday Snippets - January 1

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Happy New Year!
Here are my contributions for this week:
1. God Still Does the Impossible
2. The Inn of God's Heart
3. The Catholic Mass

Sabbath Moments - Beautiful Moments

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.
1. Listening to Gregorian chant is always a sabbath moment for me. Such a beautiful moment, praying and singing to my Lord.
2. Watching sunsets every evening is such a beautiful moment as well. This time of year, the sunsets coincide with my trip home from work. I look forward to going home and having these moments at the same time!
3. Reading about prayer as I prepare to write another article for my series on prayer has really helped my prayer life! I cannot resist saying that God has "duped" me again!
Happy New Year to all!

Thankful for Blessings- Music, Medics and More!

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. Have an attitude of gratitude! Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Also check out her other blog, her website and her newly published book! Thanks for this meme, Judy!
1. I am so thankful for my stepchildren and their families. We enjoyed celebrating Christmas with them this past weekend. So much fun and talking and laughing and just being together. Thank you, Lord.
2. I am so thankful for my sons and their families. I missed them a lot this past weekend, but they will be here this weekend to celebrate Christmas with us! Thank you, Lord.
3. I am so thankful for the cooler weather that has finally come our way! It is not exactly cold but I have hope! Thank you, Lord.
4. I am so thankful for music. I am watching the Kennedy Center Honors while I write this and I am a big fan of Neil Diamond who is among those being honored tonight. His music brings me back to my teens! A long time ago! Thank you, Lord.
5. I am so thankful that my husband is OK. He got sick at midnight Mass and wouldn't you know? There were nurses and paramedics and a doctor there attending Mass! What a relief to have them there. A God-incidence! He is doing fine (low blood sugar). Thank you, Lord.
What were some of your blessings this week?

The Inn of God's Heart

She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:4-7

Fr. Ron Rolheiser writes a beautiful reflection for Christmas. He suggests that there is a different way to look at the phrase that there was “no room in the inn.”
Jesus was born in anonymity.
Jesus came uninvited into a world in which there was no room for him.
Jesus was born out of place and his place is with others who are out of place. His place is with others who do not belong, who are rejected and go unnoticed.
Jesus is present in the world with those of us for whom there is no room.
Have you ever felt unnoticed? Anonymous? Invisible?
Have you ever felt lonely in a crowded room?
Have you ever felt misunderstood, unappreciated?
Have you ever felt like no one listens to you? No one cares?
Have you ever felt out of place?
There is no room in the inn for us either.
The Good News? Jesus came for us.
Jesus came for us who are lonely and misunderstood and unnoticed and rejected.
Jesus came for us who find no room at the inn.
Jesus took on human flesh for us, to love us and save us and to let us know that he notices us. Every day. Every moment.
Every moment we are noticed and loved and understood.
Every moment we find room in the inn.
We find room in the inn of God’s heart.
Loving Father, thank you for sending your Son to reveal Your love to us. Thank you for sending your Son to bring us home to your heart. Amen.

Merry Christmas!!

Thankful for Christmas Blessings

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. Let us have an attitude of gratitude! Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Also check out her other blog, her website and her newly published book! Thanks for this meme, Judy!
I am grateful -
1. For the sunset I saw on my way home from work yesterday.  I love sunsets!
2. That my husband is retired and has the time to do most of the preparations for Christmas. And he does it joyfully! And he made chocolate chip cookies!!
3. For my family. I am looking forward to spending time with everyone! Our Christmas is getting spread out over 2 weeks with our large family.
4. That our evenings are cool. I enjoy having our windows and sliding doors open. Our days are way too warm for December, if you ask me (but no one does :)!
5. For the gift of Jesus, who makes all things new.

I wish all a blessed Christmas.

The Catholic Mass

God Still Does the Impossible

“For nothing will be impossible for God.” Luke 1:37

The angel Gabriel speaks these words to Mary. Nothing is impossible for God, he tells her.
Nothing.
We know this but we do not always remember it. We tend to limit God a lot. We say or hear things like:
God will not heal me.
God will never forgive me for this.
God does not hear my prayers.
God cannot possibly love me the way I am.
We do not always have the faith that Mary had. We do not always believe in the impossible happening.
But God does the impossible every day.
If someone had once told me that I would write a book and tell the world my darkest secret (about being an incest survivor), I would have said impossible. My book was published 3 years ago.
If someone had once told me that I would marry a man whose love and respect would help me believe someday that I am worthy of being loved, I would have said impossible. I met just such a man and we have been married for over 32 years.
If someone had once told me that I would convert to the Catholic faith and it would change my life, I would have said impossible. I have been Catholic now for over 22 years and yes, it has changed my life.
Miracles still happen.
God still does the impossible.
Do we ever look at all the “impossibles” in our lives that God has made possible?
Do we believe and trust like Mary did?
Do we say with Mary - “May it be done to me according to your word.”
Lord, I thank you and I praise you for all you have done for me. I thank you for all the impossible things that you have made possible. Increase my faith, Lord. Help me to grow in trust of you. Help me to surrender all to you. Like Mary did. Amen.

Sunday Snippets - December 18

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Here are my contributions for this week:
1. Bringing Our Hearts Into Prayer - first part of a series on prayer
2. Testify to the Light

Sabbath Moments - Peace and Quiet

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.

1. One evening, I was home alone, sitting in my favorite chair. Windows were open and I felt a refreshing cool breeze. Candles were lit and Christmas music playing, and I sat in silence, listening. I felt so at peace.
2. Missed an advent Taize service that we wanted to go to. So I listen to one on my ipod. I love the music.
3. Our satellite dish went out on one of my days off. No internet. No TV. I had nothing else to do but sit and read and write and pray in silence. Sigh. Don’t tell my hubby, but I wish the satellite would go out more often! :)
4. Eucharistic Adoration. I don't think I need to say any more than that.
One more week of Advent! God bless!

Thankful for Blessings- Social Media and More

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude! Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Also check out her website and her newly published book! Thanks for this meme, Judy!
I am grateful for -
1. My oldest son and his family. He and his wife are celebrating their anniversary today. I am so grateful that I had a chance to talk to him today, too.
2. Social Media. We miss our oldest son and family since they moved but we are keeping in touch. Social Media helps! I needed an address for someone today and got it in 5 minutes. I see updated pictures of my grandson almost every day. Used correctly and with respect, social media can help us long distance families and friends feel closer. And also, we can evangelize and share our love for God on blogs like this one like we are doing with this meme!
3. A beautiful moon. I just looked outside as I am writing this and there is a beautiful moon tonight. Thank you, Lord.
4. The Sacrament of Reconciliation. To be able to experience God's love and mercy in this sacrament is such a blessing.
5. My mother. For the support and love she gives me everyday, even though she lives hundreds of miles away (through daily emails. See # 2 above! :)

Bringing Our Hearts into Prayer

Romans 8:26 - In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.

Prayer. I love to pray.
I love to talk about it. And I love to write about it.
So I have decided to write a few posts about prayer.
Not so much to teach as to share.
Not so much to discuss different prayers or different kinds of prayers as to talk about prayer in general.
Prayer as relationship. Prayer as our life with God.
I am not what you might call an expert on prayer. Or at least, I am not the “theological-degrees-after-my-name” kind of expert.
But I have learned a lot by praying. I have read the saints. I have read scripture. I have learned from people with those theological degrees after their names. And I have read many books.
And of course, I am always learning from the Holy Spirit.

My favorite book about prayer has to be Toward God, the Ancient Wisdom of Western Prayer, written by Father Michael Casey. In this book, he writes one of my favorite quotes about prayer - “Prayer cannot be measured on a scale of success and failure because it is God’s work and God always succeeds.”
We so often worry about our prayer. Is it working? Am I doing it right? What kind of prayer should I pray?
What about distractions? What if I cannot think of the right words?
My spiritual director often told me that 90% of prayer is just showing up.
If prayer is God’s work and God always succeeds, then we do not need to worry about whether or not we are doing it right. We just need to surrender to it. Submit to it.
Show up.
Sounds simple. It is. And yet it isn’t. It isn’t because it often means letting go and trusting. And it means that we need to stop overthinking prayer and making it too complicated.
We need to get out of our heads and into our hearts.
Fr. Casey writes that prayer “is less a question of bringing prayer into our hearts than of bringing our hearts into prayer.”

This is the direction I would like to take with these posts. I do not know how often or how many posts I will write. I will leave it up to the Holy Spirit.
I hope you will make this journey with me.

Testify to the Light

“A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” – John 1:6-7

John the Baptist was called to be a witness for Jesus. He gave witness to Jesus, the Light of the world. He testified by his life and his words.
John did not pretend to be the Messiah. He did not try to call people to himself. He was always pointing the way to Jesus.
We too are called to be witnesses to Jesus.
We too are sent from God to testify to the Light.
And how do we do that?
We tell our story.
We tell how we have come to know Jesus and what He has done for us.
We tell how He has changed our lives.
We share our faith.
John was called to testify. John was called to be a witness.
And so are we.
We are not the light. Jesus is the light. Like John, we point the way.
Point the way to Love incarnate.
Dear Jesus, help me to be a witness to your presence in my life. Help me to be a witness to your Light and your Love. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Light our world. Amen.

Sunday Snippets - December 11

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Here are my contributions for this week:
1. Making Paths Straight
2. Sabbath Moments - Celebrating Friendship 

Sabbath Moments - Celebrating Friendship

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.
1. Went to Advent Penance Service yesterday. What a blessing! Reconciliation is such a beautiful sacrament. I almost didn't go. I was so tired. But I knew I would regret not going so I went. It was so uplifting, my fatigue just disappeared.
A time of communion with fellow parishioners as we celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation and know we are loved and forgiven.
2. Had brunch with some old friends of ours. We used to camp together in a Catholic camping group we had started. In fact, that is how we met. They are moving to the other side of the country and we will miss them terribly. They are such beautiful people. Only God knows when we will see them again, but they will remain in our hearts forever. A time of communion with long time friends as we share a meal together and celebrate our friendship.

Thankful for Blessings- Advent Blessings

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude! Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Also check out her website and her newly published book! Thanks for this meme, Judy!
I am grateful for -
1. Advent - what a beautiful blessed time of year. A time to give, a time to prepare for the Lord, a time to pray and focus on Jesus.
2. My job - I often take it for granted but I am really blessed to have this job of parish secretary. Just please, do not ask me when midnight Mass is!?! (lol)
3. My hubby - who is working very hard, getting ready for Christmas, baking, shopping, writing homilies, and spoiling me.
4. St. Elizabeth  - she is the patron saint chosen by Karinann for my blog this year. When I think of St. Elizabeth, I think of the Visitation and Mary's Magnificat. And St. Elizabeth's own statement of faith when she calls Mary "the mother of my Lord."
5. Christmas music. Among my favorites is Handel's Messiah. Here is a You Tube version of "For Unto Us A Child is Born."

Making Paths Straight

"A voice of one crying out in the desert:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight his paths.’”

John [the] Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mk 1:3-4)

There is a lot going on during advent.

There is the busy stuff as we prepare for Christmas. The gift buying, the decorating, the wrapping, the hustle and the bustle.

But there is the spiritual stuff too. At least we hope there is. We Christians try to keep Christ in Christmas the best we can.

There is the Advent Giving tree so we can give to those less fortunate.

There are the prayer services and the advent wreath and the daily reflections and Masses and other devotions. One Catholic church near me is doing a Taize service which I am interested in attending.

What we often forget is that advent is also a time of penance. Our parish has a penance service, which I always try to attend. It is a joyful celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

This year, as in past years, I will struggle to do less busy things and do more preparing for the Lord. More making paths straight. More repenting.

I never totally succeed. But maybe the success is in the trying. The struggles. Maybe each year I succeed just a little more in letting go of the busy-ness of advent. And holding onto what makes this season so important. 

Jesus.

Dear Lord, help me to stop all the busy running around and sit with you. Help me to prepare for your coming into my heart, into my world. I am sorry for the times I get too busy to notice you. Help me stay on a straight path to you. Amen.

Sunday Snippets - December 4

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Here are my contributions for this week:
1. Watch for the Lord
2. Thankful for Blessings - Lights for Our Journey

Sabbath Moments - Moments of Beauty

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.
1. Eucharistic Adoration is always so peaceful and restful. I feel blessed just being there with the Lord. If you go to Adoration, you know what I mean. Words are not enough.
2. I love candles all year round but I really "go to town" during advent and Christmas seasons. The flickering light is beautiful, the fragrance is beautiful, the sense of peace is beautiful. It is a beauty that goes to the heart. And it is so restful. John Keats wrote - "Beauty is truth and truth beauty." 
And we know who Truth is.
And didn't he also write - "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."
3. Reading and praying with my advent devotionals has been enjoyable and inspiring. I have been doing lectio divina with the daily scriptures as well. What a peaceful time with the Lord.