We all like to be in control — especially mothers, I think. We even try to control the action of the Holy Spirit in our own lives and in the lives of our children because we don’t always see events through the eyes of faith. Of course, most of us would deny trying to box in…… Continue reading A Beautiful Work of the Holy Spirit
Tag: Holy Spirit
Are Most Christians Clueless About Their True Identity?
A good friend, Martha, from Madonna House, “happened” to sit beside a self-proclaimed witch on an old bus heading towards the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Noticing Martha’s large cross identifying her as a member of the Lay Apostolate, the witch cynically remarked that most Christians were stupid because they were completely clueless…… Continue reading Are Most Christians Clueless About Their True Identity?
Yearning For the Fire of God
Sometimes God will even imbue a secular musician’s lyrics with His Spirit. This April, a palpable Presence of God swept like waves through an adoring crowd as Country and Western composer, Garth Brooks, belted out the lyrics to the song, “Standing Outside the Fire”. Twenty thousand people leapt to their feet, singing and waving their lighted…… Continue reading Yearning For the Fire of God
Are We Writing Like Worker Ants or Children of God?
The secular world desperately needs to hear the perspective of Catholics on pressing issues, especially on the sanctity of human life. However most religious authors write in a small niche, read mainly by fellow Catholics and perhaps a few other critics we would secretly love to block. An amusing analogy came to me the other…… Continue reading Are We Writing Like Worker Ants or Children of God?
Saturated With the Spirit: Images of Pentecost
When the Holy Spirit inspires artists to create art with, through and in Him, their creations touch our inner selves. They are not only beautiful but also imbued with a mystical essence which gives them spiritual power. When light shines through stained glass windows, they can lift our souls up from our own narrow miserable…… Continue reading Saturated With the Spirit: Images of Pentecost
Soar Like an Eagle
“Perfect as the wing of a bird may be, it will never enable the bird to fly if unsupported by the air -Ivan Pavlov Similarly, we can try to perfect ourselves by our own efforts but we will never be able to fly in the Spirit, no matter how holy we seem, without the wind of…… Continue reading Soar Like an Eagle
The Catholic Prayer of Silence
The words prayer and contemplation intimidate many people but the reality is that prayer is simple, so simple that it eludes many adults, Relax. Be Quiet. Breathe in Deeply. Enjoy the silence. Connect and listen. Sometimes we need to simply cease our activity, live in the moment and breathe. This is reality. When the Spirit…… Continue reading The Catholic Prayer of Silence
Ave Maris Stella Illustrated with Icons
Ave Maris Stella Hail, O Star of the ocean God’s own Mother blest, ever sinless Virgin, gate of heav’nly rest. Taking that sweet Ave, which from Gabriel came, peace confirm within us, changing Eve’s name. Break the sinners’ fetters, …… Continue reading Ave Maris Stella Illustrated with Icons
Small Success Thursday: Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo, it is already the third week in Advent, time to rejoice with the angels as we prepare to celebrate His birth in our hearts. I love good, inspired art, everything from stained glass, icons, the old masters and modern Christian painters. When an artist paints in and with the Holy Spirit,…… Continue reading Small Success Thursday: Gloria in Excelsis Deo
This Christmas: LET Your Children Come to Him
But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14 These words are especially poignant at Christmas time. Yes, we must teach our kids about God and prayer but often we try to control their relationship to…… Continue reading This Christmas: LET Your Children Come to Him
Advent Prayers of the Heart, For the Heart
ADVENT PRAYER God of power and mercy, open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy, so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when…… Continue reading Advent Prayers of the Heart, For the Heart
Shattered and Renewed
I want to live in CHRIST, COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED. I DO NOT WANT TO SIMPLY PLAY CHRISTIAN GAMES.
Pushed to My Limits
First of all Jen, it is not Thanksgiving in Canada; we celebrated 6 weeks ago, so I am free to write. I write short stories for ReadWave. After four of my stories were posted on a parenting theme page, the editor asked me if I could write about moments when mothering pushed me to my limits,…… Continue reading Pushed to My Limits
Spirituality: Child’s Play
A relationship to the living God is child’s play. Children are open to the Spirit in a simple and natural way; their spirituality is not only taught, it rises from within them as they listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in their own hearts.St. Paul assures us that all men have the basic laws…… Continue reading Spirituality: Child’s Play
Light Shining
Because we live on earth, in “earthen vessels”, God finds interesting ways to reach our spirits through our senses. That’s why our Sacramental Church use incense, bells, candles, stained glass, icons, statues, holy pictures and holy water, touching our sense of smell, sight, hearing and touch. It is a way of waking up our slumbering…… Continue reading Light Shining
Time’s slave
I live in time. I am a slave to time. I see my life in God as a progression, a journey. This attitude is tainted even more by the human tendency to turn everything into a contest, a competition. In my sinfulness, I want to climb the ladder to perfection, to be the best. Although…… Continue reading Time’s slave
Criticism of Pope Francis? Seriously?
This post is written in response to an article (The Head-Slapping Criticism of Pope Francis) written by Stacy Trasancos in the Catholic Free Press. In it she reminds the Body of Christ to stop publicly slapping the Head of the Church. The criticism coming from the self-identified “loyal opposition” Catholics in the media who feel obliged to fraternally…… Continue reading Criticism of Pope Francis? Seriously?
St. Padre Pio Looks Amazing
It was Padre Pio da Pietrelcina’s feast day, yesterday, September 23. 40 years after his death, Padre Pio looks like this. A Capuchin priest from San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, Padre Pio bore the wounds of Christ for fifty years. Among his other gifts were perfume, bilocation, prophecy, conversion, reading of souls, and miraculous cures. People…… Continue reading St. Padre Pio Looks Amazing
Sabbath Moments: Come Out of the Cave
Awareness of God Welcome to Sabbath Moments, hosted from Thoughts on Grace. Join us if you will. A few thoughts on living in the truth. I need to live in reality. I refuse to play games, wear masks and costumes to fit into a false persona which I have crafted in my own mind. T The worst possible fate for me would be…… Continue reading Sabbath Moments: Come Out of the Cave
Lawn Chair Catechism: Openness
Session 8: The Third Threshold: Openness When I speak with someone who is curious about the faith, I realize my revelations about the spiritual life in the Mystical Body of Christ are like speaking about a foreign country. Psychologically speaking, a person needs to hear a completely new concept at least three times before it…… Continue reading Lawn Chair Catechism: Openness
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