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Joy from the Monastery |
Thoughts from Sister Patricia
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Quote for the Day:
Is prayer your steering wheel
or your spare tire?
Corrie Ten Boom
Quote from the book, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Power of Prayer"
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Don't you just love that quote above? I think I should spend the whole day just thinking about that. Is prayer taking you places or only getting you out of places? Hmmm. Very fun.
So, moving on with this subject - I am on the second chapter of "Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To," by Anthony DeStefano. They don't tell you on the back cover of the book.. that this is a SCARY book. It's like, "Oh no, just what I thought! Those ten answers are like "No way am I going to pray those. Are you kidding. How do I get off of this bus?"
The first chapter was okay. It was about asking God to show you his presence. Not with a lightening bolt or a sledge hammer but just opening your eyes to see God's presence. Good chapter. I liked it. I could handle it.
So we moved on to chapter two. It is called, "Why Should I Get Involved?" Hmmm? That should make one a bit nervous - and I was a bit.. but not serious. I started reading. My blood pressure started to rise. I started wrinkling up my forehead and sort of squirmed a bit in my chair. I thought about closing the book and pretending I had never started the chapter but I had this feeling that God was watching me. I was being put on the line.....
Truthfully, I haven't finished the chapter yet. I mean its been a busy day! I've had a lot of things to do. You know. Stuff. Lots of stuff to do. I may read a few more paragraphs. Because, well you have to kind a go slow into this. You don't want to start climbing up the mountain and realize you should of brought along oxygen.
Okay, so look this is what the chapter is about. It's about asking God to "Let you help someone in need."
That's it. Just a few simple words. Help someone in need. You can do that, can't you? What's so scary about that, huh?
Well, I will tell you what is scary about that. We're talking about invading my Comfort Zone! What if helping someone in need - means getting out of my Easy Chair? It's like - can't we just read about this? Can we pray about this?
I knew God was watching me on this one. I mean I could practically feel him laughing as I read those words and my eyes started to bulge out. I knew He really wanted me to pray that way. So I sort of did. It was something like this.
"God, look, you know I am a wimp. I would really like to help someone in need. But I'm like really afraid of what it might cost me. I'm like feeling let's don't go into this too deep, Okay? I will go ahead and pray this... but can we be a little easy here? How about just someone in a "little" need to start off with?
I prayed that this morning. The day went along pretty well. No earthquake. No Flood. No Lightening bolt. Just a normal day. I'm a little nervous about tomorrow.. but I think we will make it okay. I may even get enough nerve to pray that prayer again. Not sure, will keep you posted.
Love and Prayers,
Sr. Patricia
P.S. I know I got the link wrong on the Presales page yesterday. I know that a few of you who tried it out - ended up on a site by Walt Disney called "101 Dalmatians." Because "their" link is 101.com not 101prayer.com - Just a little bit of quick typing there. If you didn't figure it out.. here is the real link. 101prayer.com.
And - last night I taped my radio program, "Faith, Hope and Action." And I sort of cheated. I didn't have a guest. I just had myself and I talked about the book. I read Jerry Usher's Foreword and Bishop William Skystad's Introduction and shared a few stories. If you have tons of time.. like 27 minutes and 30 seconds - you can take a listen. Sr. Patricia - Faith, Hope and Action
Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia
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Saint of the day
Reverend Fun
Motivational
Meditation
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Rejoice in Me
by Msgr. David E. Rosage
Master of the Universe
Psalm 63:3-4
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
Gazing on the Lord has a great transforming power. We stand in awe and wonder as we gaze on the Lord's might and glory. He is the Creator of the heavens and the world about us. His power fashioned the mountain ranges and controls the mighty oceans. He has power over life and death.
Yet in his great love he stoops down to us. His kindness embraces us, encourages us, energizes us. His kindness fills our hearts with joy. Our lips glorify his name.
With St. Peter we can say: "Master, how good it is for us to be here." (Lk 9:33)
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Healthy Eating from Barbara George
Elder Care Diet Tips
Your resource for hints on nutrition and health;
a place to learn and a place to share!
Visit Barb's Blog to leave comments and find more great tips.
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A Smile from Home - Danielle Bean
Today's Thought
Visit Danielle's Blog to see
pictures and links to go with this text.
Catholic Spotlight
You can listen to me in a podcast interview with Chris Cash at Catholic Spotlight. I spoke with him earlier this week about Mother’s Day, Mom to Mom, Day to Day and Faith & Family magazine. Go listen!
Cathollic Spotlight
http://www.catholicspotlight.com/
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Greetings from London with Sister Janet Fearns, FMDM
Pause for Prayer
Visit Janet's Blog to see pictures to go with this text.
On a personal note…
Mayoral musings
Today, London elects its new mayor.
Last night, as I hurried past the Houses of Parliament, through the heavy rain, one of the two men walking towards me, was one of the mayoral candidates. On this occasion, he was not electioneering and was merely deep in conversation with his companion. He appeared exhausted, bedraggled and very human. He had no umbrella and was merely becoming increasingly wet.
Recently, a friend who is ‘in the know’ remarked in a conversation that “Gordon Brown is a thoroughly decent person” but that “it’s not fair because the media does not give him a chance.”
Regardless of Party politics and policies, what is it about our society that automatically puts up someone in public life as one to be pilloried? Somehow there is a tendency to criticise, sometimes cruelly, sometimes unjustly, politicians and celebrities in a way that we would never dare with those who are in our immediate circle. It is almost as though, once an individual ‘goes public’, they lose their humanity and their right to a good name or to personal privacy. If, on the other hand, we are denied the right to criticise, then somebody, somewhere, is acting against ‘our right to free speech’.
When does our exercise of ‘free speech’ become merely a gross lack of charity?
Why do we sometimes allow the media to direct our thinking and acting, so that we, albeit unconsciously, assume their bias as our own without stopping to evaluate the reality of the situation? We speak of a ‘media bandwagon’, see the damage it does, and yet, somehow, fail to push that same media to use its power for good.
In a few minutes time, I will join the large number of people at the polling station. In one sense, it is free and fair. There has been an enormous effort made to portray each candidate in a balanced fashion, such that most voters can list all the good and the bad points of each candidate. I do not intend staying up tonight in order to hear the election results: they will, no doubt, be exhaustively covered by all the media tomorrow morning.
Yet, as I go to cast my own vote, my thoughts are turning back towards one very wet, very tired, mayoral candidate who, whatever his chances, has exhausted himself in the election process. The media did not portray a human being like the rest of us, trying his best to persuade the voting public. He will be covered in glory should he win, although his will be an unenviable responsibility, but, should he lose, who will be there to ease the disappointment and to inspire him to ‘keep on going’?
When does our exercise of ‘free speech’ become merely a gross lack of charity?
God bless,
Sr. Janet
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Spiritual Blessings from Father Rory Pitstick
A Virtual Retreat
Reflections following the Daily Liturgical cycle
Visit Fr. Rory's Blog
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Friday
Acts 18: 9-18
Ps 46(47): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7
Jn 16: 20-23
Daily Readings
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May 2 Fri: Athanasius, bp, dr M
From today's readings:
“Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.... God is king of all the earth.... I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you....”
Good Reason for Great Courage
In contrast to Athens, the city of Corinth gave Paul an overall warm welcome, which is why he stayed there for a year and a half before returning to Antioch and thus ending his second missionary journey. During his stay, he wrote his letters to the Thessalonians, which are generally recognized as the oldest parts of the New Testament. Later, on his third missionary journey, Paul would also write profound epistles to the Corinthians themselves.
The Lord’s words to Paul at Corinth are words for us as well:
“Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you....” Christ’s comforting, joy inspiring presence is the cause of our courage!
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