hope is greater

A little while back, I wrote a post about the limitations of the English language, particularly for the word love. How is it possible that this rich verb can be used to describe the most beautiful union between man and women, while at the same time describing affection for a pair of shoes?!

It recently dawned on me, that the same goes for the word hope. This was the word I received for the new year, and the Lord keeps revealing to me how necessary hope is for the world- especially in these confusing times.

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It’s funny though, how often we use this word for everyday, simple experiences.”I hope it doesn’t rain today”, “I hope we make it on time”, I hope she likes the gift”… you get the idea!

Yet in reality, hope is so much more than these simple desires we ascribe to it. Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church writes about hope:

The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man; it takes up the hopes that inspire men’s activities and purifies them so as to order them to the Kingdom of heaven; it keeps man from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment; it opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude. Buoyed up by hope, he is preserved from selfishness and led to the happiness that flows from charity.

CCC #1818

Isn’t that beautiful!? Hope is like the compass that points us to our heavenly home! It’s the antidote against discouragement, depression, despair. Hope leads us to happiness, opens our hearts, and reminds us that we are journeying towards Christ himself.

It is my prayer, that you, wherever you are, and whatever you might be going through, are renewed and strengthened by this promise of authentic hope. Let us all fix our eyes above the current situation, and hope in what is to come, and in He who is the source of our hope.

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healing love.

O Spirit of God,

On us descend,

So that we might see,

The hearts to mend.

Those broken and lost,

Or crippled with fear.

The lonely and hurt,

O let them hear:

That God is alive,

His Word stands true.

His power to heal,

Is meant for you.

Full freedom from chains,

Authentic peace.

A place to call home,

Will never cease.

Let Christians proclaim,

This healing love.

A message of hope,

Sent from above.

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dancing before the King

Do you ever feel like God is being a little too quiet in your life? Despite your prayer times, participation in the sacramental life and various missions… it just seems like you can’t hear His voice anymore?

I’ve been feeling like this over the past few weeks, and it was starting to get really discouraging. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit reminded me of something this past Friday during adoration:

God does not hesitate to use others to communicate His love and presence with us.

We attended an adoration evening on Friday, and we came late so we sat in the very last pew! Due to our seating, I could see the whole church and in particular a little girl with gorgeous blond hair near the front.

As the choir started to sing, this little girl stood up in her pew and started to sway back and forth to the music. There was something so peaceful and innocent about her movements and her presence before the Lord.

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Immediately, I was touched to tears as I watched this young girl, so powerfully free, dance before her King. At one point, her sister tugged on her jacket to sit down, and she just pulled away and kept on swaying.

I knew exactly in that moment, that God was calling me to be free like this little girl. To find my comfort, my peace and my joy in Christ alone. To be so wrapped in His love, that I could even dance before Him.

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This little girl modelled what radical and pure love for Christ looks like. It’s unafraid, it’s bold, it’s present, it’s pure and it’s contagious.

So, even though I didn’t hear God in my morning prayer or the mass readings, I sure heard Him speaking through His precious child, who beautifully danced before her King and her Lord.

powerful intercessor

Hi!

Welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping in!

Today is just a short story about the power of prayer. I think sometimes we forget how powerful prayer is, and all the gifts our Heavenly Father wants to bestow on us through prayer.

A few weeks ago, I was driving home with a friend after a nice night out. We were chatting a little bit about Mary and our relationship with our Heavenly Mama. We both shared some of our joys and struggles with this relationship, and even questioned if we could pray with Mary too much? Was this taking away from our time with Jesus?

As we hit the freeway, our conversation was abruptly stopped because my friend’s little three month old baby started to cry. Now the thing is… this baby doesn’t soothe herself in the carseat. No. The carseat is the one place that makes her grumpy, upset and unconsolable (understandable… those seats have almost zero padding). Even worse, we were a long way from home.

My first thought was “this is going to be a horrible ride home”, because the baby was getting progressively louder and louder. Not to mention that my friend has, in the past, had to stop on the side of the road multiple times to soothe her little peanut. Perhaps worst of all, it was so sad to hear her crying with almost no way of helping her.

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But then, something happened. I had to think of our conversation about Mary. Out of the blue I just said, “why don’t we pray a Hail Mary?”. Literally as soon as we started praying the words together, the sweet little baby in the back started to calm down. It was incredible. No soother. No mama. No milk. Just the words, ” Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with Thee…”

I looked at my friend, she looked at me and said, “ I think were going to have to pray the whole rosary!”. And that’s what we did. We said the whole rosary together, and the baby didn’t make a sound. In fact, she was soothed to sleep by the sweet words and intercession of her Heavenly Mother.

Words don’t do justice to the beauty of that moment. Just physically seeing the power of prayer answered in our midst. Seeing how Mary wants to, and delights in, answering our prayers. Not for her own benefit. But for the love of her Son.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe once said, ” Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did” . This couldn’t be more true. Loving Mary, asking for her intercession, seeking her aid in times of trouble is exactly what Jesus wants! He knows that everything we entrust to her, is taken to Him.

Mary Mother of God- Pray for us!

right now.

So last Sunday, we were watching the mass with Fr. Mike Schmitz and he said something in the homily that has stayed with me all week. He said ( I’m paraphrasing here) we can’t encounter God in the past or the future, only in the present.

Obvious? Maybe. Profound? Definitely. If we actually believe this, it has the power to change our attitude, our perspective and our life!

How many of us are guilty for playing on repeat the mistakes of the past, or the way things should have gone? Or how about the worries of the future? How much time is wasted thinking about what might happen, what could be, or the perfect scenario?

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What Father Mike is encouraging us to do, is to radically trust in the power of God working in the present moment! Isn’t that freeing?! Just think: actually letting go and surrendering all that happened in your past, and all that you worry and fear for in the future. Just living moment to moment with your Heavenly Father.

Lord Jesus,

You see each one of us right now. You know our hearts, and our thoughts. You see the burdens we carry from the past and the fears that we hold for the future. We surrender all of these moments, worries, anxieties and hopes to you. We want to live in the freedom that you have won for us on the Cross. We want to live with you right now! Come Jesus into our hearts and meet us in this exact moment. Show us how to live a life that is truly present to you and your people. Send your Spirit to guide, inspire and enlighten us. We love and thank you.

Amen.

in the wind.

Your in the wind,

the flame, the light.

Holy Spirit,

Our souls ignite.

Set us ablaze,

With your own love,

Decend on us,

O Holy Dove.

More than ever,

We choose anew.

In these dark times,

To trust in you.

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the Lord’s Day

O living hope,

True source of peace,

You show us that,

Love does not cease.

Raised from the tomb,

We came to see;

The power of,

Your victory.

O Perfect Love,

Burn in our heart,

That we may never,

Drift apart.

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Star of the Sea; Hail Mary

Fingers move from bead to bead,

Prayers like incense rise.

Mother Mary hear our prayer,

Listen to our sighs.

Implore your Son to hear us,

Comfort and provide.

For you will not forsake us,

True and faithful guide.

Teach us to trust in Jesus,

Just as you have done.

Fix our eyes upon on the Cross

Where victory was won.

yes to trust.

It’s really nice to have a solemnity in the middle of Lent! Especially this Lent. I don’t know about you, but I’m finding it hard to fast and keep up my Lenten observances with all this covid chaos. The temptation to eat away my sorrows with chocolate is strong …

Today is the solemnity of the Annunciation of our Lord, and I think this solemnity is exactly what we need to hear right now. Why? Because Mary can teach us something about our current situation.

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  trying to transfer my artistic ideas into reality…. #trying

Mary, received the incredible and UNEXPECTED message that she was to conceive Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. She didn’t request this, she didn’t plan for this, and she surely didn’t know how things would turn out.

Fast forward to today. World leaders are up in arms, countries on lock down, hospitals overloaded, families in isolation, people are dying, infection rates are sky rocketing, and many are anxious and fearful. We didn’t expect this. And we definitely didn’t plan for this…

Perhaps accepting our current situation like Mary, is exactly what we need to be doing! To take on this attitude of the handmaid of the Lord. Of course, Mary’s situation is lightyears away from a comparison to Covid-19- but it’s about finding the right approach to a complicated, and unplanned time, like Mary. She trusted in the Lord, with a trust so pure and loving.

I pray that we, like Mary, can use this time of uncertainty, to trust in the Lord more deeply! To surrender our fears and anxieties to He who came into the world, to redeem his beloved people.

the voice of God

Today I was really inspired by the many uplifting Christian posts I found while pursuing the WordPress “blogosphere”. I was looking through several different faith related categories, and the content was so positive, relatable, genuine and honest. It was refreshing and I praise the Lord that so many people are sharing about their faith life, and walk with Christ. It’s beautiful to read.

These bloggers reminded me of a post that I’ve been meaning to write for awhile but just never got around to. How do we hear the voice of God? How do you know that God is speaking, moving, acting and initiating in your life?  I’ve engaged in this topic with friends before, because I find it fascinating. I mean, if we all have a unique and personal relationship with God, he’s going to speak to us in different ways, right?!

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Since he created us, He also knows the best means of communication to use with us. For example, I often feel God moving in my life through tears. I used to resent this gift because I thought it was embarrassing, or looked weak. However, I’ve grown to appreciate the tears because they are a tangible sign that God is speaking to me. It’s a sign that my heart is melting at the presence of my Lord and Saviour. Sometimes it’s song lyrics that will bring me to tears, a kind gesture of a person or a beautiful prayer in mass.

Another way I hear the Lord is through His words. Not audibly, but in the silence my heart during adoration, or when reading Sacred Scripture. These are beautifully intimate moments with the Lord that I like to record in a journal to meditate more deeply on!

I would love to hear how you hear the voice of God? What does it sound like/feel like to hear the voice of God in your life?

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