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Delivered Monday through Friday!
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May 12,
2008
Wind Beneath My Wings
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Joy from the Monastery |
Thoughts from Sister Patricia
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Holy Spirit
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Quote for the Day:
I will abandon myself fully to the Holy Spirit, allowing myself
to be led wherever and whenever the Holy Spirit wants, accompanying
the Spirit, for my part, with effective and strong resolutions and
serious discernment. The Holy Spirit descends upon us with great
gentleness, never with a racket.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Quote from the book, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Power of Prayer"
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Mother's Day has been very nice so far. I had my mom over for dinner and she seemed to have enjoyed herself very much. On the way back she wanted to know just where she was going to be staying. Seems every time she goes out with me she ends up in a new place to stay! Hmmmm. Then she said she must be getting old because it didn't use to bother her to go to new places. Which is true. And poor mom has been uprooted quite a bit in the last few years... as we find one new place for her to live after another as her dementia progresses. I sure hope this will be the last place for her.. It is so nice.
I have to tell you something sort of funny. I mean actually I find it VERY funny but I don't know if you will. It has to do with my 1000 free book give away. If you remember I told you I heard this small voice when I was in Chapel one day that said.. "Why not give away a 1000 books?" Well, that sounded like an exciting idea - and I discussed it with the sisters and they were fine with that so I had the "okay" to proceed. Then I heard another small voice (and this is the funny part.. because this small voice I am not sure was from God or just by cautious nature) that said, "Gosh, since you are giving away free books ... why not ask those who get one to help promote the book... sort of make it a "condition" for getting a free book?
That sounds logical doesn't it? Good business reasoning and all that. So that's what I did - announcing the Free book Publicity Squad idea. And I easily got 1000 great volunteers.. BUT then.. today I was reading in this book, "Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To" (mentioned this one last week.. but I am going slow with this one..because like I said.. It's sort of scary. I mean its Very, Very, Good.. Just sort of scary for us wimp types.) that Prayer Number Three (or chapter Three) called, "WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?" with the subtitle of "God, Outdo Me in Generosity" is all about Giving. Not with an eye for return exactly .. but giving because no matter how much you try.. God will ALWAYS outdo your generosity. And the thought came to me.... "Hmmmm.... I think you sort of fudged, Sr. Patricia!" I think that first small voice which said "Give" meant with No Strings Attached!"
Well, I don't know. Because I sort of feel the second nudge was okay, and it did feel like it was another Holy Spirit nudge... but sometimes you just don't know.. so anyway I think I better cover my bases because I don't want to be chickening out on God here - which I tend to do quite easily!
So...."If" that second nudge was more of ME than the Holy Spirit than I want to doubly state that you should only promote the book IF you like the book and IF you want to.. but I think I better make it clear... if it doesn't seem like "Your Cup of Tea" to do.. than just enjoy the book and forget it! God will handle the rest.
When I was driving back from taking my mom home this afternoon, I was sort of talking to God about this whole thing and this image came to mind of myself in the boat with the apostles. I see Jesus walking on the water and I brave, courageous soul, say to Jesus. "Lord, I want to walk on the water too!" and Jesus says, "Come!" and Sr. Patricia says, "Uh. let me just put out one little foot on this water stuff and see if it holds me first."
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Motivational
Meditation
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Ten Minute Meditation
Sister Patricia
Imagine that you are in a beautiful garden on a warm, sunny day. The birds are singing, a bee is buzzing from flower to flower, and a small stream nearby is bubbling a gurgling melody. In this garden are two chairs, both empty. You walk over and sit in one. In a little while, you know that Jesus will be coming and sitting in the other one.
You have never met Jesus in this garden before.
This is your Prayer Garden—a place just for you and Jesus to meet and spend time together. You don’t know exactly what this first meeting will be like. While you are waiting, think about what questions you might have for Him.
After a few minutes, when Jesus comes and sits in the chair next to you, ask Him your questions. Know that the answers may not come right away, but it is important that you take time to ask Jesus the questions.
Prayer when time is completed:
Thank you Jesus
for coming
to share with me.
I look forward
to spending
more mini minutes
with you.
Amen
1 of 20 of Sr. Patricia's Meditations
From the book 101 Inspirational Stories of the Power of Prayer
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Rejoice in Me
by Msgr. David E. Rosage
Safe in God's Keeping
Ps 3:6
When I lie down in sleep,
I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
We have no need for sleeping pills or tranquilizers, nor will we experience insomnia, when we know that God surrounds us with his loving protection.
Peaceful sleep is God's gift to us. During sleep our tired body and mind recuperate to begin a new day renewed and refreshed. When we awaken, our first thought shoud be an act of thanksgiving by offering God our whole day in return for his loving care.
The sacred writer reminds us:
"The fear of the Lord is an aid to life:
one eats and sleeps with being visited
by misfortune."
Proverbs 19:23
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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…
Bus stop conversation
A conversation overheard at a bus stop earlier on today, between a young girl, Ashley, aged about 16, and a couple with a baby, went like this:
Girl: How is your little sister?
Ashley: She is 11 now and she is already smoking.
Girl: 11 and already smoking?
Ashley (laughing): Yes. She went out with some friends last night and only came home at 2 o’clock this morning.
Pause for a few moments and some inconsequential chat.
Girl: Every time I hear of you, you have been fighting again.
Ashley: Oh yes, it happens all the time.
Girl: What has happened to your hair? It used to look different.
Ashley (pulling her hair to one side): Look at what it looks like underneath.
Girl: It is missing!
Ashley: Yeah. I was in a fight with a boy and he grabbed a whole clump and pulled it out.
Girl: Wow!
Ashley: Yeah. We were over there (pointing)…. a group of us. We started to fight and he knocked me to the ground and kicked me in the face. My face was all swollen. It was out here (indicating an improbably massive degree of swelling).
Girl: So what did you do?
Ashley: It was okay. One of my friends caught him and pulled him to the ground. I stood on his face because he had trodden on mine…
That was the moment at which the bus arrived, so I heard no more.
Compare this conversation with another that I had recently with a young woman who, with the help of her partner, had found my lost purse containing about £60 which actually was not my money. After a complicated process of locating me, they returned the purse and its contents intact. When I rang her to express my gratitude, she seemed surprised. “But that was the way we were brought up by our parents,” she said. “I know what it is like to lose a purse and so I am just glad that we were able to return it to you.”
Parents would seem to have very different values to pass on to their children. In all probability, most people would prefer to have a daughter or son known for their honesty rather than an ability to stay out at night or to kick someone in the face.
Perhaps some youngsters have not had a chance in life. It is one thing to have a pocket full of money for drink and cigarettes and an entirely different matter to have, perhaps, little money, but an abundance of a love that knows how, on occasion, to be tough.
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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Monday
Jas 1: 1-11
Ps 118(119): 67.
68. 71. 72. 75. 76
Mk 8: 11-13
Daily Readings
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May 12 Mon: Ordinary Weekday (Sixth Week in Ordinary Time)
From today's readings:
“Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.... Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live... The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from Him a sign from Heaven to test Him....”
Greetings from St. James!
Yesterday’s solemnity of Pentecost signaled the end of the festive Easter season, so a marked shift now appears in the selection of daily scripture readings as the “ordinary time” liturgical season is resumed. Ready for a change? Read St. James! In his letter, James writes to Christians of all ages about some of the most fundamental practical questions that arise in living out a daily whole-hearted commitment to Christian faith.
What to do when faced with difficulties and trials? “Consider it all joy!” What?! Isn’t it our troubles that shatter our contentment - how then can we see problems as joy? Because “the testing of your faith produces perseverance!” And what a blessing that is, to rejoice in faith that has weathered all trials, and been strengthened instead of compromised.
An anemic, untested faith will always be a source of concern and preoccupation, like a newly designed fighter plane that hasn’t been test flown yet - no matter how maneuverable in theory, the question still remains: how will it hold up in adverse conditions? But after testing, there is proof of perseverance - the plane (and faith!) can be relied upon to hold up under future trials - consider it all joy!
Coincidentally, today also marks the beginning preparation for a changed focus in my own priestly ministry. This coming July, after ten years as pastor, I will be leaving Our Lady of the Valley parish in Okanogan, WA and moving to Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregan, where, in fulfillment of a long-held dream, I will be teaching scripture and serving as one of the formation directors on staff. So, today I am driving to Mt. Angel for a short orientation session, and, my thoughts turn to those words of St. James, “Consider it all joy....!” For, even though the decade in Okanogan has emphatically been full of many blessings, there has also lately been various trials which, while I would not have chosen them voluntarily, have nevertheless helped me, by the grace of God, to personally experience St. James’ joyful assertion that “the testing of faith produces steadfastness!”
If I can still be of service to Immaculate Heart Retreat Center and the readers of this “virtual retreat” column, my hope and plan is that I will be able to continue these daily reflections from new home at Mt. Angel - I’ll be looking into the feasibility of that as I learn more at this orientation about my new responsibilities. So, remember me in your prayers, and pray also for priestly vocations!
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