Peter 2:2-3
"Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation;for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord."
This scripture reading is beautiful. Just think if all people longed for pure spiritual milk given by our Lord like a newborn baby cries out for milk. This world would be in such a better place. If you are reading this blog, more than likely you already have gotten a taste of the pure spiritual milk given by our Lord. Once you get a taste of it, you long for it and want more. For the taste is perfection and there is nothing else like it in the world. We still thirst after a nice glass of wine, we still thirst after the taste of our Starbucks latte, we still thirst after we drink a big coca cola from Sonic with crushed iced, we still thirst after we get a taste of our dream home, we still thirst after we buy those shoes we've been saving for, we still thirst after we drive that new car......and the list goes on....we are NEVER satisfied. We can be satisified for a moment while we are in prayer and we are tasting the kindess of our Lord. However, we will never be fully satisified until we meet Jesus face to face.
If our children see us thirsting for prayer time, thirsting for Jesus' presence as we take them to Eucharistic adoration, thirsting for the Holy Spirit as we close our eyes and pray during Mass, thirsting for Heaven as we light a prayer candle next to a picture of the Blessed Mother and Jesus in our homes...we can teach them how to thirst for the right thing in this life. Let them see you thirst and there will be no better teaching moment than this for our children. For they will witness a longing in your heart and your eyes for Jesus and they will long for this pure spiritual milk. If we teach our children to yearn for the kindess of the Lord, they will see that the other things of the world will not satisfy them.
The more we get a taste of this drink of Heaven, the more we will want to be in daily prayer and the more we will want to pray throughout the day. We become more on fire with the Holy Spirit and will spread the good news through our actions and smiles to others. As mothers, we can start changing this world one sip at a time.
So moms, don't forget to drink your milk today! It will help your husband, children and neighbor get to Heaven....now that is some powerful milk. Priceless if you ask me!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
SEEKING HEAVEN'S WISDOM....not this so-called "wise world".
Gospel Reading today Mark 10:32-45
"...whoever would be great among you must be your servant,and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45
Here it is....one of my all time favorite verses in regards to motherhood. We have it just as plain as day in the gospels, that Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. Do you hear that world? Have you forgotten? Are you just not listening? In this very self-serving society, we have lost sight of the heart of Christianity.....to serve others. We live in a world where everyone wants to be the greatest, not the servant. We feel empowered and important when we are served.....we are looked upon as a success if we are being served. This is nothing but horse manure and I am going to say it over and over again, that this world that we live in is so ignorant (and I am guilty of this ignorance). Nobody is searching for the true wisdom of Heaven. Instead, we are searching for the wisdom of this world that is fleeting. This is a dead end road, but our society is blind and doesn't see all of the flashing signals warning us to turn around and look for the straight and narrow path to Heaven.
Life is meant to be simple, but we complicate it. Life is meant to be free and loving, but we become slaves to it. Life is meant to serve others, but we want to be served in it. As mothers, we are the last of the dying breed of servants in this world. The moment we give birth, we are given that pure and loving servants heart from Heaven. But look what happens to so many mothers, the world gets a hold of them and turns their hearts cold. They turn to the wisdom of the world and not to the wisdom of Heaven. They decide to be served instead of serve their family with all of their heart and strength. They turn to the noisy, complicated society instead of the quiet, simplicity of the home. So what is it today, ladies? Are you going to listen to the wisdom of the world or the wisdom of scripture? Are you seeking to be served or are you going to walk in Christ's foot steps and seek to serve?
This world is fleeting....don't listen to it. Listen to your heart where the Holy Spirit dwells. Yearn to be great in Heaven's eyes, not in this ignorant world's eyes. And all of the sudden, you will receive abundant graces and joy from Heaven and the world is going to wonder how you can be so happy as a servant. There is only one answer....the powerful wisdom of Heaven.
Blessings to you this Wednesday!
"...whoever would be great among you must be your servant,and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45
Here it is....one of my all time favorite verses in regards to motherhood. We have it just as plain as day in the gospels, that Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. Do you hear that world? Have you forgotten? Are you just not listening? In this very self-serving society, we have lost sight of the heart of Christianity.....to serve others. We live in a world where everyone wants to be the greatest, not the servant. We feel empowered and important when we are served.....we are looked upon as a success if we are being served. This is nothing but horse manure and I am going to say it over and over again, that this world that we live in is so ignorant (and I am guilty of this ignorance). Nobody is searching for the true wisdom of Heaven. Instead, we are searching for the wisdom of this world that is fleeting. This is a dead end road, but our society is blind and doesn't see all of the flashing signals warning us to turn around and look for the straight and narrow path to Heaven.
Life is meant to be simple, but we complicate it. Life is meant to be free and loving, but we become slaves to it. Life is meant to serve others, but we want to be served in it. As mothers, we are the last of the dying breed of servants in this world. The moment we give birth, we are given that pure and loving servants heart from Heaven. But look what happens to so many mothers, the world gets a hold of them and turns their hearts cold. They turn to the wisdom of the world and not to the wisdom of Heaven. They decide to be served instead of serve their family with all of their heart and strength. They turn to the noisy, complicated society instead of the quiet, simplicity of the home. So what is it today, ladies? Are you going to listen to the wisdom of the world or the wisdom of scripture? Are you seeking to be served or are you going to walk in Christ's foot steps and seek to serve?
This world is fleeting....don't listen to it. Listen to your heart where the Holy Spirit dwells. Yearn to be great in Heaven's eyes, not in this ignorant world's eyes. And all of the sudden, you will receive abundant graces and joy from Heaven and the world is going to wonder how you can be so happy as a servant. There is only one answer....the powerful wisdom of Heaven.
Blessings to you this Wednesday!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Mothers.....on the front line to Heaven!
Gospel Reading today Mark 10:28-31
"Peter began to say to him, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first." Mark 10:28-31
I am at my sister's house this morning for a gathering of the "Medjugorje Girls"....my sister along with two other friends are going on a pilgramage to a village called Medjugorgje where amazing grace and peace resides. Our Lady has been giving messages to six visionaries for over twenty years. Although we don't know each other real well, we have two things in common....motherhood and our Catholic Faith. The gospel reading gives us comfort about leaving our family on this pilgramage. We are told in today's gospel that if we leave house, husbands and children for the sake of the gospel to follow Jesus, we will receive hundredfold. We are truly on a journey between our souls and Heaven. I am so excited to see what God has in store for us girls and the messages from the Holy Spirit that will be on our heart when we return back to our families.
I am also reminded in the gospel that those who are last will be first. Sometimes at the heart of the home, we might feel last in today's society. As women are told in order to have self worth, you need to find it elsewhere besides in the home. But those who are last will be first and I truly believe giving our lives to our families is a direct stairway to Heaven. Those who think of others and put other first will be on the front lines of Eternity.
These are my hurried thoughts throughout the day....
Blessings to you this Tuesday!
"Peter began to say to him, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first." Mark 10:28-31
I am at my sister's house this morning for a gathering of the "Medjugorje Girls"....my sister along with two other friends are going on a pilgramage to a village called Medjugorgje where amazing grace and peace resides. Our Lady has been giving messages to six visionaries for over twenty years. Although we don't know each other real well, we have two things in common....motherhood and our Catholic Faith. The gospel reading gives us comfort about leaving our family on this pilgramage. We are told in today's gospel that if we leave house, husbands and children for the sake of the gospel to follow Jesus, we will receive hundredfold. We are truly on a journey between our souls and Heaven. I am so excited to see what God has in store for us girls and the messages from the Holy Spirit that will be on our heart when we return back to our families.
I am also reminded in the gospel that those who are last will be first. Sometimes at the heart of the home, we might feel last in today's society. As women are told in order to have self worth, you need to find it elsewhere besides in the home. But those who are last will be first and I truly believe giving our lives to our families is a direct stairway to Heaven. Those who think of others and put other first will be on the front lines of Eternity.
These are my hurried thoughts throughout the day....
Blessings to you this Tuesday!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Saddle Up, Moms!
"For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would hearken to his voice!" Psalm 95:7
Today I am going to write a reflection from Psalms, which is read today at masses around the world. I am very homesick, right now, for the place where I grew up. A beautiful farm and ranch in the Panhandle of Texas where the wide open spaces dance with tall green grass and golden wheat fiels. Where the sunsets cover the entire sky with hues of pink, orange, and blue and where the smell of crisp air is as fresh as one can find in this world. Where the wind blows gently at your back and you can feel the presence of my ancestors next to you as you walk on a dirt road and think of the old ways of the past. A place where dreams became reality for a young couple and a baby daughter that came on a covered wagon to a two room house, which is now the homeplace where great great grandchildren run and play and where my brother rises early to feed the horses. When I become homesick for this amazing place, it is a yearning deep in my bones. A yearning that no one can understand other than the ones who come from land held dear and passed down from generation to generation. This heavenly place will always be "home" to me and I believe is my heaven someday.
So ofcourse, the Psalm about pastures caught my heart and I had to write about it. When we work cattle on the ranch, there are the calves or cows that make a run for the fence or get lost from the heard. The cowboys slap there legs and hollar to keep the heard moving and to keep them intact. I picture all of us the same....as sheep scattered in the pasture. God is trying to keep us intact to follow His will by His voice. But there are the sheep that make a run for the fence or get lost from the heard. As cowboys (and cowgirls :)) never leave a baby calf or mama cow behind, so does our Father never leave one of His sheep behind. He goes and looks for it and helps the sheep get back into the heard headed for Heaven's gates.
As mothers, we are God Shepherd's or Cowgirls for that matter, gathering His flock and leading them to Heaven's Gates. We never leave one of our baby calves behind....just as our Father never leaves us behind. Like Cowboys, we can't get lazy on our horse. WE have to constantly keep a moving and slapping our legs and hollaring at the heard to get back on track. We have to rise early and saddle up for the day. Motherhood is hard work,no doubt, but work that feels good at the end of the day. Our bones get tired, our minds get frazzled but this means you are working endlessly to keep your heard heading in the right direction. True-blue, hard-working mothers are tough. They don't whine and cry about their job as the heart of the home, but strap on their holster and keep things in order with a smile on their face. Those who lay down their life for their family are the toughest around. No Pain, No Gain, Ladies! Life is not suppose to be easy, but with God as our Shepherd, we have nothing to fear!
Blessings to you this Monday!
Today I am going to write a reflection from Psalms, which is read today at masses around the world. I am very homesick, right now, for the place where I grew up. A beautiful farm and ranch in the Panhandle of Texas where the wide open spaces dance with tall green grass and golden wheat fiels. Where the sunsets cover the entire sky with hues of pink, orange, and blue and where the smell of crisp air is as fresh as one can find in this world. Where the wind blows gently at your back and you can feel the presence of my ancestors next to you as you walk on a dirt road and think of the old ways of the past. A place where dreams became reality for a young couple and a baby daughter that came on a covered wagon to a two room house, which is now the homeplace where great great grandchildren run and play and where my brother rises early to feed the horses. When I become homesick for this amazing place, it is a yearning deep in my bones. A yearning that no one can understand other than the ones who come from land held dear and passed down from generation to generation. This heavenly place will always be "home" to me and I believe is my heaven someday.
So ofcourse, the Psalm about pastures caught my heart and I had to write about it. When we work cattle on the ranch, there are the calves or cows that make a run for the fence or get lost from the heard. The cowboys slap there legs and hollar to keep the heard moving and to keep them intact. I picture all of us the same....as sheep scattered in the pasture. God is trying to keep us intact to follow His will by His voice. But there are the sheep that make a run for the fence or get lost from the heard. As cowboys (and cowgirls :)) never leave a baby calf or mama cow behind, so does our Father never leave one of His sheep behind. He goes and looks for it and helps the sheep get back into the heard headed for Heaven's gates.
As mothers, we are God Shepherd's or Cowgirls for that matter, gathering His flock and leading them to Heaven's Gates. We never leave one of our baby calves behind....just as our Father never leaves us behind. Like Cowboys, we can't get lazy on our horse. WE have to constantly keep a moving and slapping our legs and hollaring at the heard to get back on track. We have to rise early and saddle up for the day. Motherhood is hard work,no doubt, but work that feels good at the end of the day. Our bones get tired, our minds get frazzled but this means you are working endlessly to keep your heard heading in the right direction. True-blue, hard-working mothers are tough. They don't whine and cry about their job as the heart of the home, but strap on their holster and keep things in order with a smile on their face. Those who lay down their life for their family are the toughest around. No Pain, No Gain, Ladies! Life is not suppose to be easy, but with God as our Shepherd, we have nothing to fear!
Blessings to you this Monday!
Friday, May 21, 2010
OUR GREAT SHEPHERD....shepherding us in Motherhood
Gospel Reading today John 21:15-19
"He said to him, "Feed my lambs." John 21:15 "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." John 21:16 "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. John 21:17
Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.... These are the words of Jesus to Simon Peter. Jesus is truly our Good Shepherd, constantly leading & helping us to tend His flock. As mothers, we have been given this great task of feeding his little lambs (our children), tending to His sheep (our families) and feeding His Sheep (our husband and community). These are the greatest tasks that lie before you, anything else, such as your hobbies or interests, are just a bonus. If we are tending to our families the best we can and then tending to our community with our faith and example, then we are truly living out God's Kingdom at hand. The other day when I had to be a tough love kind of mom and do some old fashioned discipline with my (almost) five year old son, I looked at him and told him how much I loved him and that my job is to make sure he is to do good and obey his mother and father. My job is out of complete love for him and I have to make sure that he follows the light. This is tending to God's flock. As hard as parenting is and how hard it is to block out all of the loud foolish advice we get from the world on how to discpline, we have to tend to these little lambs as best as we can. We have to go to the heart of the matter and trust our intuition on how to handle the situation. I heard on Catholic Talk radio the other day, that if we are in daily prayer, we will be guided on how to best discipline our children. Stop listening to the noisy world of books and others on how to best discipline your children. Instead listen to your soul and the little voice of our Good Shepherd. He will help guide your flock and help your family blossom into a beautiful flower. We have to remember we have our Lord Jesus guiding us and shepherding us everyday. We are not alone in this great task of mothering....all we have to do is call upon our Good Shepherd.
So today, remember that you have the help of the very one who formed your children in your womb. If he doesn't know what is best for your children, I don't know who will! Listen for His gentle voice. Let His hands guide your hands. Let His heart guide your heart. Then you will be at complete Peace of being the heart of the home and the hand which disciplines your child.
Blessings to you this Friday!
"He said to him, "Feed my lambs." John 21:15 "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." John 21:16 "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. John 21:17
Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.... These are the words of Jesus to Simon Peter. Jesus is truly our Good Shepherd, constantly leading & helping us to tend His flock. As mothers, we have been given this great task of feeding his little lambs (our children), tending to His sheep (our families) and feeding His Sheep (our husband and community). These are the greatest tasks that lie before you, anything else, such as your hobbies or interests, are just a bonus. If we are tending to our families the best we can and then tending to our community with our faith and example, then we are truly living out God's Kingdom at hand. The other day when I had to be a tough love kind of mom and do some old fashioned discipline with my (almost) five year old son, I looked at him and told him how much I loved him and that my job is to make sure he is to do good and obey his mother and father. My job is out of complete love for him and I have to make sure that he follows the light. This is tending to God's flock. As hard as parenting is and how hard it is to block out all of the loud foolish advice we get from the world on how to discpline, we have to tend to these little lambs as best as we can. We have to go to the heart of the matter and trust our intuition on how to handle the situation. I heard on Catholic Talk radio the other day, that if we are in daily prayer, we will be guided on how to best discipline our children. Stop listening to the noisy world of books and others on how to best discipline your children. Instead listen to your soul and the little voice of our Good Shepherd. He will help guide your flock and help your family blossom into a beautiful flower. We have to remember we have our Lord Jesus guiding us and shepherding us everyday. We are not alone in this great task of mothering....all we have to do is call upon our Good Shepherd.
So today, remember that you have the help of the very one who formed your children in your womb. If he doesn't know what is best for your children, I don't know who will! Listen for His gentle voice. Let His hands guide your hands. Let His heart guide your heart. Then you will be at complete Peace of being the heart of the home and the hand which disciplines your child.
Blessings to you this Friday!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRT DWELLING WITHIN US!
Gospel Reading today:
"I pray that they will all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you." John 17:21
Yesterday, my three children and I were all at "each other's throats"! They were driving me nuts and I probably was driving them nuts. As I was looking in the mirror, yesterday morning, trying to brush my hair, all three were at my feet crying for something different. (This was after several sibling fights, pushes and screams.) I was looking at myself praying that I would not lose it. I was asking God for mortification of my senses. As I was being whipped by cries and whines, I ask God to help me not to turn to anger. These are the excruciating moments of motherhood that nobody (especially our husbands) do not understand. These are the moments where under my breath I say, "I just want to give up" and I won't repeat the other phrase I say under my breath from time to time. There are some days when this happens that I really can not believe that this is my daily life. Daily living of someone constantly nagging me for something. Literally, for sixteen hours yesterday (minus a twenty minute rest time), I had a little soul under the age of five asking me for something. This will make any body in their right mind in a bad mood!
So yesterday afternoon I was having a beer with my husband while the kids played at Central Market, and he made the comment how grouchy I had been all day. I asked him if I was allowed to have one grouchy day every once in awhile. He said, "when you are stressed, the whole family is stressed." This is proof of the saying, "When Mama's not happy, ain't nobody happy!". I read today's gospel and thought about yesterday. We have the Holy Spirit constantly dwelling in our soul. That same Holy Spirit that descended upon the apostles resides in us! In recognizing that, everything looks differently. Had I pondered on that yesterday, I might have asked for Joy from the Lord, as I was in dire need of some joy. I could have turned this bumby ship around but instead we kept heading into the storm. This is a great reminder for us mothers to call constantly upon the Lord all through the day. For we are the heart of the home, and if we do not abide in God and He abide in us, we will not perform our best in this duty of Motherhood. If I had turned to little forms of prayer throughout the day yesterday, I would have been given a Holy Spirit driven Attitude Adjustment! If we abide in the Lord, we will be given stregnth to get through the moments of Sanctification. The beauty through all of this, is through hard days, we grow in our faith. I have a new outlook for this day all because of yesterday. Thankfully, we are given a clean slate everyday from our Father to start fresh. In motherhood, especially, this is a glorious thing! Remember today, with whatever you are going through, that the Holy Spirit rests in you. With that thought, you can conquer anything! The same One who rose Christ from the dead is at work in you! All of this is the exact reason Motherhood is our ticket to Heaven....for it makes us fall to our knees in prayer and strengthens our faith! Where we would our souls be if we hadn't experienced Motherhood?
Blessings to you this Thursday!
"I pray that they will all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you." John 17:21
Yesterday, my three children and I were all at "each other's throats"! They were driving me nuts and I probably was driving them nuts. As I was looking in the mirror, yesterday morning, trying to brush my hair, all three were at my feet crying for something different. (This was after several sibling fights, pushes and screams.) I was looking at myself praying that I would not lose it. I was asking God for mortification of my senses. As I was being whipped by cries and whines, I ask God to help me not to turn to anger. These are the excruciating moments of motherhood that nobody (especially our husbands) do not understand. These are the moments where under my breath I say, "I just want to give up" and I won't repeat the other phrase I say under my breath from time to time. There are some days when this happens that I really can not believe that this is my daily life. Daily living of someone constantly nagging me for something. Literally, for sixteen hours yesterday (minus a twenty minute rest time), I had a little soul under the age of five asking me for something. This will make any body in their right mind in a bad mood!
So yesterday afternoon I was having a beer with my husband while the kids played at Central Market, and he made the comment how grouchy I had been all day. I asked him if I was allowed to have one grouchy day every once in awhile. He said, "when you are stressed, the whole family is stressed." This is proof of the saying, "When Mama's not happy, ain't nobody happy!". I read today's gospel and thought about yesterday. We have the Holy Spirit constantly dwelling in our soul. That same Holy Spirit that descended upon the apostles resides in us! In recognizing that, everything looks differently. Had I pondered on that yesterday, I might have asked for Joy from the Lord, as I was in dire need of some joy. I could have turned this bumby ship around but instead we kept heading into the storm. This is a great reminder for us mothers to call constantly upon the Lord all through the day. For we are the heart of the home, and if we do not abide in God and He abide in us, we will not perform our best in this duty of Motherhood. If I had turned to little forms of prayer throughout the day yesterday, I would have been given a Holy Spirit driven Attitude Adjustment! If we abide in the Lord, we will be given stregnth to get through the moments of Sanctification. The beauty through all of this, is through hard days, we grow in our faith. I have a new outlook for this day all because of yesterday. Thankfully, we are given a clean slate everyday from our Father to start fresh. In motherhood, especially, this is a glorious thing! Remember today, with whatever you are going through, that the Holy Spirit rests in you. With that thought, you can conquer anything! The same One who rose Christ from the dead is at work in you! All of this is the exact reason Motherhood is our ticket to Heaven....for it makes us fall to our knees in prayer and strengthens our faith! Where we would our souls be if we hadn't experienced Motherhood?
Blessings to you this Thursday!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Don't Run and Hide, Mothers!
Gospel reading today John 17:11-19
"....the world dispised them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil One. Dedicate them to yourself by means of truth; your word is truth." John 17:14-17
The closer I become to Jesus the more I want to run away from this world. But as much as we want to run away, we can't. For we are to be the light of Jesus. We are to bring Him to this dark world who is consumed with worldy desires and materialism. People are getting further and further away from the truth, which is the word of God. Throughout the gospels, it is clear what we are suppose to do with our lives here on earth. We are to turn away from the ways of the world and follow Jesus. It is so hard to do this because we are ridiculed and judged. However, after time, our light will shine and become warm to the ones in the cold. They will be drawn to the light and yearn for what makes you joyful in your mundane daily duties and simplistic living. We are told over and over that the things of this world will not sustain us. As everyone is chasing materialism....the bigger home the better, the bigger diamond the more power, the nicer car the more respect, etc....this is all foolishness. These are all lies.
This is why we can't run and hide from the world. We are called to be disciples for Christ. He is calling us to stand up for truth and live for the things of Eternity. To be out and about proclaiming the Good News through your devotion to your faith and family. Actions speak louder than words. Being kind to a stranger, serving as a Eucharistic minister, taking a kind and loving thank you note to your child's teacher...these are all proclaiming the Good News by spreading light to others. By being in prayer everyday, this can transform you to the truth and the light. By seeing the work you do as a mother as holy, will help Heaven to start descending upon you. To serve your family joyfully will help you to distingish what is from God and what isn't. To speak to your children lovingly in public (which I need to be better at) will spread God's love to your neighbor down the aisle of the grocery store. So this is a reminder to not to be afraid of this dark world. Don't put a shade over your light and hide away from this world. Stand tall, get out and about and spread God's light to others. THis is what we are called to do as modern day disciples. Teaching our children to be the light for others is also a wonderful way of teaching them to be disciples at an early age.
Blessings to you this Wednesday!
"....the world dispised them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil One. Dedicate them to yourself by means of truth; your word is truth." John 17:14-17
The closer I become to Jesus the more I want to run away from this world. But as much as we want to run away, we can't. For we are to be the light of Jesus. We are to bring Him to this dark world who is consumed with worldy desires and materialism. People are getting further and further away from the truth, which is the word of God. Throughout the gospels, it is clear what we are suppose to do with our lives here on earth. We are to turn away from the ways of the world and follow Jesus. It is so hard to do this because we are ridiculed and judged. However, after time, our light will shine and become warm to the ones in the cold. They will be drawn to the light and yearn for what makes you joyful in your mundane daily duties and simplistic living. We are told over and over that the things of this world will not sustain us. As everyone is chasing materialism....the bigger home the better, the bigger diamond the more power, the nicer car the more respect, etc....this is all foolishness. These are all lies.
This is why we can't run and hide from the world. We are called to be disciples for Christ. He is calling us to stand up for truth and live for the things of Eternity. To be out and about proclaiming the Good News through your devotion to your faith and family. Actions speak louder than words. Being kind to a stranger, serving as a Eucharistic minister, taking a kind and loving thank you note to your child's teacher...these are all proclaiming the Good News by spreading light to others. By being in prayer everyday, this can transform you to the truth and the light. By seeing the work you do as a mother as holy, will help Heaven to start descending upon you. To serve your family joyfully will help you to distingish what is from God and what isn't. To speak to your children lovingly in public (which I need to be better at) will spread God's love to your neighbor down the aisle of the grocery store. So this is a reminder to not to be afraid of this dark world. Don't put a shade over your light and hide away from this world. Stand tall, get out and about and spread God's light to others. THis is what we are called to do as modern day disciples. Teaching our children to be the light for others is also a wonderful way of teaching them to be disciples at an early age.
Blessings to you this Wednesday!
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