John 3:17

Padre Pio's Guardian Angel Prayer

Angel of God, my guardian - to whom the goodness of the heavenly Father entrusts me - enlighten, protect, and guide me now and forever.

No Greater Love

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17 ESV)

God the Father loves us so immensely that He sent Jesus to earth so that we could learn from His example of love and forgiveness how to love and forgive ourselves and others and enter into full union with Him in heaven upon our death.  Jesus came and offered the gift of salvation to all.  His love and mercy are so great that He chose to die and rise again so that we who are sinners could hope to enter with Him into eternal glory.  That is truly unfathomable.  God, giving Himself completely for us, for the  healing of our souls, for our eternal joy.  What hope!  What love!  What sacrifice!  There is no greater love.

God's Love

“I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” (Ezekiel 34:16 ESV)

This scripture quote gives me such hope.  It speaks of the commitment God has to love and care for His children no matter the state of their soul. He is committed to loving them back into His grace.

I have strayed in the past.  I am not proud of that, but I do realize God never let me go, He pursued me and won.  And I know that God will pursue with love any of His children who are lost or far away from Him.  Don’t give up on yourself, your family or loved ones because every prayer or sacrifice you offer is another chance for God’s grace to break through and turn hearts, minds, and souls back to Him.  God the Father is relentless in His pursuit of His children.  He does not want even one to be lost and His love and mercy are always there for every one of us.

I am so grateful that the Lord has bound up my hurts and blessed me with deep and profound healing in my heart, mind, and soul.  He has blessed me and healed me of many of my hurts.  Jesus is all-powerful and can heal anything I surrender to Him, especially when receiving Him in Holy Communion.  He is the Healer.  And, He is so merciful and loving when I come to Him in Reconciliation.  

When I am at my weakest God is strongest.  He pours out His Spirit upon me and fills me with courage and strength.  God the Father carries me in His arms with tender love when I cannot carry myself.  God never lets me go.  He is faithful and true.  His love is always there for me to embrace and  rest in.  I am so grateful.

St. Catherine of Sienna

In the light of faith I am strong, constant, and persevering.

-St. Catherine of Sienna

Taste of new book in May 2013 - A Healing Rosary

Here’s a look at the Introduction and a sample mystery in my new e-book, A Healing Rosary, which will be available on Amazon in May 2013. 

Introduction

Our Lord desires for each one of us to know Him intimately in His Triune form.  He wants to bring us to the joy and peace of wholeness in Himself, His Holy Spirit and Our loving Father.  Our Lord wishes to pour into our hearts true love for Him, trust in Our Father’s will for us, and the wisdom and fire of His Holy Spirit so we can walk more confidently in faith with Him.   

One simple way to begin allowing the Lord more fully into our hearts, minds, and spirits is to pray the Rosary.  As we meditate on each mystery, we become more fully aware of how Our Lord lived His life and sought to please His Father in all that He did.  What a marvelous example of faith and trust.    

Through the Rosary Our Lord becomes more real to us, more human.  As we meditate on both His humanity and divinity we grow in our understanding of how He wishes to lead us through His Holy Spirit to a deep and childlike relationship with His Father, Our Father. 

The Rosary also gives us a wonderful example of trust and faith in Our Lady.  It is inspiring and helpful to meditate on how she allowed Our Lord to fully manifest Himself in her life.  She humbly embraced all that God asked of her and through her example we can learn how to trust and walk a more complete faith walk.

Sample Mystery: 

The Wedding at Cana

On the third day there was a weddingin Canain Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.  When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”  And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me?  My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,each holding twenty to thirty gallons.  Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.”  So they filled them to the brim.  Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it.  And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”  Jesus did this as the beginning of his signsin Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him. (John 2:1-11 NAB) 

Pray the Our Father.

There is no virtue traditionally associated with this mystery, but might I suggest trust in God? 

The Psalmist wrote, “I trust in the Lord, my soul trusts in his word.” (Psalm 130:5)  Trusting the Lord is having complete confidence in Him, in His word, in His promises.  It is relying and depending on God’s love, mercy and grace to provide for all of our needs.  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:7) 

Reflection: 

Trusting the Lord with all our plans, our hopes, and our dreams can be difficult.  We can believe in our minds that He cares for us and desires for us to know Him, love Him and serve Him so we can spend eternity with Him in heaven.  But believing with our heart and soul, completely, with utter conviction, that’s the hard part.  We know that He has promised us eternal life if we love Him above all and love our neighbor as ourselves.  “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself…do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:27-28)

Trusting is just not easy.  It means letting go of our best laid plans, control over how our life is going to be, and letting God choose what will happen and when, believing that He always has our highest and best interest at heart.  “In God I trust without fear.” (Psalm 56:5) 

Sometimes it feels like we are falling, falling, falling and we are afraid no one will be there to catch us.  But the truth is, God is there and will catch us.  He will not only catch us but also hold us close to His heart and protect us, even from ourselves.  “Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you”(1 Peter 5:7) and, “trust in the kindness of God forever and ever.” (Psalm 52:10)

Remember, trust is a gift and a grace.  It grows with use.  So put it to good use for there is no one we can trust in more than God.  “Guard this rich trust with the help of the holy Spirit that dwells within us.” (2 Timothy 1:14) 

Visualization:

Imagine yourself standing in your living room and it fills with blinding light.  Suddenly before you is Jesus of Mercy.  His hands are extended towards you and He says, “Steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.”(Psalm 32:10)  You want to trust Him with everything, but so many in your life have let you down.  You decide to take a leap of faith and say, “Jesus, I trust in You.”  As you say this you begin to share with Him your hopes, your dreams, your plans.  Jesus listens carefully to all you have to say and says,“May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.” (Jude 1:2)  He blesses you and you feel His peace permeating you, filling you to overflowing.  You can feel a new sense of trust as the rays of His mercy and love penetrate your whole being.  You look at Him and say, “You are my God, and I will give thanks to you.” (Psalm 118:28)  “Thank you, Jesus, I do trust in You.”

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:6-7) 

Pray the Hail Mary 10 times, the Glory Be, then the Decade Prayer.

Joshua 1:9

God is with You

“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)

I really needed to hear this today.  I have been discouraged lately because I see myself so far away from who I am called to be as a Christian.  But this scripture gives me courage and hope.  I forgot that no matter where I am or what I am doing God is with me blessing me and filling me with His love.  I realize that I need not be afraid as I am being transformed into a better person because I am being carried in the loving arms of God.  I am so grateful that His heart is always pouring out love and mercy upon me and that His Spirit is always leading me to a closer relationship with Him.  Thank you God for the encouragement.  I needed it.

Love

“Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”  (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Am I patient with my family and friends?  Am I kind when I am upset or wronged by others?  Do I look for approval from others and for them to praise what I am doing?  Am I easily angered?  Do I remember the wrongs others have done to me or those I love?  Do I always rejoice in truth?  Do I protect myself and my loved ones from harm?  Do I really trust in God?  Do I hope for the best in difficult or stressful situations?  Do I persevere when the going gets tough?

Not necessarily.  I am impatient.  I can be unkind and flip.  I seek the approval and praise of others a lot.  I anger far too easily.  I know I do not let go of hurts done to me and my loved ones right away.  At times the truth can be really hard for me.  I can be the one who hurts my loved ones instead of protecting them.  I don’t always trust in God.  Sometimes I do not see how good can come of a situation and lose hope.  And I find it really, really hard at times to persevere when things are rough.

But loving is what I am called to.  To love, really, truly love.  Clearly, I have a great deal of work to do in my call to love.  I am far from being as loving as God would like me to be.  But I know with the help and grace of the Holy Spirit I can little by little become a more loving child of God.  I just need to hang in there and focus daily on letting God’s love change me and flow through me.  I’m beginning to think that learning to love may take my whole lifetime.

John 3:30

He Must Increase

God must increase and we must decrease.  It is not for our own glory that we love and honor God, but for His.  When God moves in our lives and it is acknowledged by others and we are praised our immediate response should be it’s not me it’s God’s doing.  The attention should be deflected away from us and placed where it belongs, on God.  This is easier said than done.  It is hard to let someone else be praised when we do something good or well.  But the truth is, there is nothing we can do outside of God.  If we wish to do anything with God we must become minute so that God is seen and glorified.  It’s never about us.  It’s always about God.  It’s always about His will, His love being manifest in the world.  So let’s become so small and insignificant that through us God’s love is seen in action and like John’s our joy may be complete.

Philippians 4:5

Judging

“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3 NRSV)

It is so hard to not judge ourselves or others.  I know I am guilty of focusing on other people’s faults before acknowledging my own.  That is just unloving and unkind.  Who am I to judge someone else?  No one.  It is not my place to consider other’s shortcomings.  But it is my place to recognize my own faults and seek to be changed into a more loving child of God. 

Jesus does not judge.  Jesus accepts everyone as they are and loves them no matter what, and so should I.  Jesus came to draw souls to His Father through love and forgiveness.  And, I need to follow His example and be a blessing to others.  

Bought at a Price

“You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:20 NIV)

We were all bought at a very high price - Jesus’ life for the forgiveness of our sins.  Jesus has not only called us but purchased us at the highest price - the price of His blood, His life for our salvation.  We who are unworthy were paid for with the ultimate sacrifice.  He died so that we sinners might have eternal life in unison with Him in heaven.  He opened the doors to eternal joy for us.

Our bodies and our souls are not our own, they are God’s and are on loan to us while we live in this world.  It is our job to take care of our bodies and souls so that when we leave this life we can be united with God forever in heaven.

That is no easy task.  Temptations abound, but the ability to turn back to God is there even to the last billionth of a second before death.  That does not mean a direct entrance into heaven, but that heaven is a possibility for us.  

God’s love and mercy are far greater than our sinfulness.  Jesus died for every sin we would ever commit.  That does not give us free reign to commit sin. Instead, we are called to to be responsible and do our best to avoid sin and change our behaviors so that we do not commit sins habitually.  

We deserve condemnation, but Jesus offered Himself so that we would be delivered from sin.  We do not receive what we deserve rather we receive the greatest gift of all - salvation.  Jesus has redeemed us.

Let us always remember to Whom we belong.  Let us always remember Who has paid the price for us.  Let us always be aware of the depth and breadth of God’s love for us.  

"Heaven is filled with converted sinners of all kinds, and there is room for more."

St. John Cafasso

"Learn the heart of God from the word of God."

Pope St. Gregory

"You don't have to be worthy, you just have to be willing."

 St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Betrayed Confidences

"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret." (Proverbs 11:13 NIV)

This little tidbit of wisdom is so true.   I doubt there are very many people in this world who haven't had someone betray a confidence.  When that happens, it hurts the one betrayed and can damage or destroy that relationship.  In the midst of the betrayal it's hard to forgive the betrayer and learn to trust again.  One of the great lessons learned in being betrayed is to be the trustworthy person who keeps a secret.  Because you know the problems caused by being betrayed you seek to be a trustworthy confidant for others.

What we all need to remember is that there is one person who will always listen, always care, always love, and always keep a confidence - God.  He listens lovingly, blesses constantly, and sends His Spirit to bring peace and calm.   God wants to be your confidant in all matters good, bad or indifferent.  You can truly trust Him with everything and know that His love for you remains forever.  So give Him everything and trust that He always has your best interest at heart.

        Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

"Prayer is the oxygen of the soul."

-St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Pray and Trust

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6 NIV)

It is not easy to remain free from anxiety.  It arises within so quickly that it can catch us off guard and overwhelm.  Anxiety is a sure sign that we are not trusting in God’s care for us or His plan for our lives.

Peace and trust are the direct result of prayer, of presenting every situation, every care, and every worry to God with thanksgiving and then like a child resting in His embrace. 

Prayer is simply entering into dialogue with God.  It is a loving give and take between God and us.  We speak and He listens.  He speaks and we listen.  

We may not always understand or recognize God’s answer to our prayers, but He answers every one as a loving Father.  His wisdom is beyond our understanding and His ways are loving and full of His tender care.  Safety and surety can be found in Him.

If our hearts and minds are listening, with a grateful disposition, we will be open and ready to receive God’s answers to our prayers.  We may not see the answer clearly, we may not understand God’s response, but we will be ready to move in the power of His Spirit with trust and peace.  So let us pray continually, listen always, and give thanks to Our God Who loves us beyond all comprehension.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit with all Your gifts and graces.  Bless my every thought, word, and action.  Amen.

Reckless words

I don’t know about you, but there have been many times in my life when I have unintentionally hurt others with my words.  It may have been a grieving friend; a confused or upset child; an angry or hurt co-worker; someone interfering in my life; my parents or spouse.  Without really thinking through what I was going to say I’ve blurted out words that I did not intend as upsetting or wounding but they were.   And that hurt has at times caused strain in those relationships.  And, that was certainly not my intent.

If I had taken a moment while listening to ask the Holy Spirit to bless my ears so I would hear what He wanted me to hear and respond in the way He wanted me to respond I may have avoided hurting those I care for.  I know this, but it is so easy to get caught up in the moment and forget to ask for wisdom and guidance.

There’s a short prayer my mom taught me as a child.  It has always been a blessing to me when I pray it.  It’s very simply:

Come Holy Spirit with all Your gifts and graces.  Bless my every thought, word, and action.  Amen.

I pray that it becomes a prayer of blessing for you as well. 

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18)

Prayer for the Mentally Ill

Heavenly Father, so many of Your children are afflicted with mental illness.  We ask You to be with them each day as a loving Father, holding them close to Your heart and blessing them with Your tender love.

Lord, Jesus, touch those afflicted with mental illness with Your healing love.  Give them the courage and strength to face their illness through the power of Your Holy Spirit.   Bestow upon them the grace to bear their cross in a way that brings honor and glory to Our Father.  If it is Your Divine Will, heal them of their affliction.

St. Benedict Joseph Labre, patron saint of the mentally ill, intercede before the throne of God on behalf of all those who suffer in mind and heart.  Present them lovingly to God and ask Him to bless each one with peace.

In Jesus' Name we pray.  Amen.

Bless and Curse

"With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse." (Psalm 62:4 NIV)

Reading this verse brings very specific memories to mind.  I hate to admit this but sometimes after having spent an hour or so in Mass and having received Jesus in Holy Communion I go out into the parking lot to leave.  It's jammed with people walking and with others trying to pull their cars out.  And instead of being patient and loving I think unkind things in my heart.  How terrible is that?  I just sang hymns, said prayers, communed with the King of Kings and in my heart I am being mean.  

In the parking lot, my thoughts should be like Christ's - loving, kind and nonjudgmental.  This is especially true after having just received the greatest gift I can ever receive outside of salvation, Jesus in Holy Eucharist.  My focus should be on the Lord of Lords Who is dwelling within me not on the actions of others.  My heart and mind should be so filled with joy that nothing is upsetting or disturbing.

The good news is that God does not want us to dwell on our mistakes and sins, but rather confess them and allow our hearts to be blessed with His grace and His healing love.  He does not condemn us, but rather He urges us to acknowledge the areas in our lives that need to be transformed and offers us the courage and strength to change.  He wants us to walk in unison with Him deeply immersed in His love.

I am ever so grateful for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  For through it I receive healing, forgiveness, and a restoration of grace so that I can go forth and attempt to live my life in a Christlike manner.  Without this great sacrament I would wallow in guilt and shame and do little or nothing that pleases or blesses the Lord.  Thank God we have this great gift available to us.

Bless Them

Heavenly Father, we humbly come before You asking You to bless those affected by the bombings in Boston.  Send Your Son to comfort, heal, and bless them in their time of need.  Pour forth Your Holy Spirit upon them to strengthen, encourage, and fill them with the graces they need at this time.  We thank You and praise You for all that You are doing for these children of Yours.  Amen.

Written by Ann Fitch

Thank You, Lord

Thank You, Lord, for all the ways You are moving in my life.  May I know when to share with others how You have abundantly blessed me.  May Your glorious Name always be on my lips.  Thank You, Jesus.  Amen.

Praise

So often when wonderful things happen I forget to praise the One who orchestrated it all.  I praise and thank people so quickly, but forget to thank and praise the Lord immediately.  I need to focus more on praising and thanking the Lord and sharing how He is blessing me in small and great ways. I just have to trust that I will know in my heart when it is appropriate to share how God is moving in my life and in the lives of those I love.  Because when I share God's greatness and glorify Him with my words I know His joy will fill me.

"We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds." (Psalm 75:1 NIV)

Give

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I believe we are all called to give liberally of our time, our talents, our love, and our money without expecting anything in return.  When we give, we are to give as if God is giving through us to Himself in others.  We are to give as God gives, completely and without reservation.  We are to give joyfully without complaint.

Giving should not always be done in times of abundance but also when times are lean.  I think that when we give generously out of love God can bless us more fully and powerfully because we are open to receiving the graces and gifts He wishes to bestow on us.  When we give out of love our hearts and minds have peace and we will be richly blessed.  So, let’s give completely with love.

“Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.”  (Deuteronomy 15:10 NRSV)

Help Me Change

Lord Jesus, I want to change my habits so they glorify You and Our Father.  Send me Your Spirit to lead me and guide me to be more loving and life-giving to others.  May my words and actions be a reflection of Your love.  Thank You for the grace and strength to change.  Forgive me when I fall and help me forgive myself as You have forgiven me.  Thank You, Lord.  Amen.

Bad Habits

"But now you must get rid of all such things - anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive language from your lips." (Colossians 3:8 NRSV)

Oh boy, this is a really tough scripture.  I know that I have wanted to hurt others just as they have hurt me or those I love.  I have said things that have hurt other people's reputations.  I have flown into a quick, nasty rage and acted in an ugly, hurtful way.  I have allowed anger to escalate inside me to the point that it comes out as unkind, critical or judgmental behavior.  And at times all sorts of abusive and filthy language can come from my lips far too quickly.

I am not proud of these behaviors but I know I have to be gut honest if I want to change and become more loving.  I can admit that I am ashamed of my behaviors when they are not kind or loving and I don't like the way I sin so easily.  But I need to openly confess what I do wrong, accept responsibility for my bad choices, ask for forgiveness and then forgive myself as God has forgiven me so that I can accept the graces God is bestowing on me so that I can truly change my behavior.

I want to be loving.  I want to be patient.  I want to be compassionate and understanding.  I want to be calm and speak words that are life-giving and helpful.  I believe that with God's grace I can be all these things but change will not be easy.  Satan will present me with ample opportunities to stumble especially now that I am actively working on becoming more loving.  I know I will need to be patient with myself and when in the midst of temptation pray and seek direction from the Holy Spirit.  It will be a hard road but with God all things are possible.  I will change.

Pardon Prayer from Fatima

O My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love You!  And I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust, and do not love You.

I love this simple, little prayer.  I try to trust as best I can, but I fall short at times.  So I find myself both trying to trust and seeking forgiveness for not trusting at the same time.  Crazy, huh?

Consecration to the Sacred Heart

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I consecrate to You my mind, my words, my body, my heart, and my soul in order that your will be done through me this day.

This simple prayer helps me to focus on God's will for me each day.  I hope it blesses you.

Temples of the Holy Spirit

My body is no longer just mine.  It has been consecrated to God through Baptism and Confirmation.  I have chosen to allow the Holy Spirit to live and move in me.  But, I don't always treat my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.  I do not exercise enough, I do not eat properly, I do not do everything I can to keep my body healthy and strong.  And, I do not always care for my heart and soul as I should because I sin and I am broken by sin.  But I know that my body was purchased for a price by Jesus on the cross.  He shed His Precious Blood for my sake and He washes me clean through the sacrament of Reconciliation.  I need to treat my body with the dignity and respect it deserves because God's Holy Spirit lives within me.

It is God's presence within us that we need to acknowledge.  Our hands are God's hands touching, blessing, and healing others.  Our eyes are God's eyes gazing with love on others.  Our feet are God's feet carrying us to do His will each day.  Our hearts are God's heart loving those around us.  And, our words are at times the Holy Spirit's words blessing and edifying others.  Our bodies are truly temples of the Holy Spirit.  Let's consecrate them to God and do all we can not to defile them.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?  For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 4:4 NRSV)

Spiritual Gifts

Okay, I have to admit at times I am afraid of using the gifts God has given me.  I fear rejection by others.  I fear people judging me or making fun of me.  I even fear that I won’t use the right gift at the right time.  What’s the common thread here?  Fear, plain and simple.  Maybe my fears are just Satan trying to keep me from letting God’s gifts be manifest in my life because he knows when God is actively using me he cannot. 

I know that the Holy Spirit determines what gifts will become active, within whom, when, and for what purpose.  It is my job to be open and willing to embrace each of the gifts so that God’s love can flow freely from within me out to others.   I know that all His gifts are for my edification and the edification of others.  And, I know that spiritual gifts are a blessing I should be grateful for.  I realize that when I utilize the gifts God has given me as He wishes I am going to have peace and joy.  But I still hesitate to let God use me.  I have a hard time trusting that I will get it right.  I’m afraid I will do something wrong and hurt myself or others.  I trust God I don’t trust myself.

I suppose I need to get out of God’s way and just let Him move in my life.  What I think or what others do or say shouldn’t matter.  It’s really all about letting God do His work in me and through me for His honor and glory.  So I guess I will listen carefully and prayerfully use the gifts God is calling me to use when I believe He wants me to use them.

“Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts.” (1 Corinthians 14:1 NRSV)