tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-164325062024-03-07T04:13:57.173-05:00Gods Wonderful LoveMarie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.comBlogger1072125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-28103788500495908002008-05-11T04:21:00.004-04:002008-12-09T23:05:34.993-05:00Pentecost<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBckgjMK1SW7PLdQMTuAXePMMiCX29ZjSY-j33JG0evHRVCgacKumi3G9cihc-J19xXcQXHzADrgR89hY0gEA8WDIoJr24qnwfFYz6w-PCH3gny_GtJyIHdOGMm4krcsguy3Mruw/s1600-h/pentecost29.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199039690748573378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBckgjMK1SW7PLdQMTuAXePMMiCX29ZjSY-j33JG0evHRVCgacKumi3G9cihc-J19xXcQXHzADrgR89hY0gEA8WDIoJr24qnwfFYz6w-PCH3gny_GtJyIHdOGMm4krcsguy3Mruw/s320/pentecost29.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">On the evening of that first day of the week,<br />when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,<br />for fear of the Jews,<br />Jesus came and stood in their midst<br />and said to them, “Peace be with you.”<br />When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.<br />The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.<br />Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.<br />As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”<br />And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,<br />“Receive the Holy Spirit.<br />Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,<br />and whose sins you retain are retained.”</span></strong><br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 20:19-23 (NAB)</span></em><br /><br />Prayer<br /><br />Dear Father you sent them Jesus and Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit to continue the work of love and forgiveness. You sent them tongues of fire to teach them so they too can teach others. May we also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, to learn to grow and to love and forgive our neighbors. May our hearts burn with the desire to forgive the smallest of transgressions as the Father forgives us. May we live in peace and love and live the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you. <br /><br />(from the archives)Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-36681753218786666532008-05-10T06:26:00.003-04:002008-05-10T07:19:44.461-04:00Follow Jesus<strong><span style="color:#000099;">Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved,<br />the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper<br />and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?”<br />When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”<br />Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?<br />What concern is it of yours?<br />You follow me.”<br />So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die,<br />just “What if I want him to remain until I come?<br />What concern is it of yours?”<br /><br />It is this disciple who testifies to these things<br />and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.<br />There are also many other things that Jesus did,<br />but if these were to be described individually,<br />I do not think the whole world would contain the books<br />that would be written.</span></strong><br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 21:20-25 (NAB</span></em>)<br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father there are many things your son has done that we will never know of because they were so many. You allowed what is important to be kept safe. Is it this then that we are to understand about our fellow disciples that it is Jesus' concern over them not ours. Yet all too often we are concerned about their business without truly loving them as Jesus loves them and cares for them. May we leave all our concerns of others in your Son's capable hands because he knows their hearts more than we do. May our love for God and others be our only concern.Doesn't this remind us of how we too can concern ourselves of what is none of our business. Like when we hear people wanting to know the business of others in our environment at home, work, even at Church. Asking about others often does not include their wellbeing but rather a means of causing harm, such as gossip. We should be more concerned about who we follow such as Jesus rather than what the evil one tempts us to follow.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-62284900670512890802008-05-09T06:47:00.003-04:002008-12-09T23:05:35.224-05:00Tending The Sheep<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SCQse35AnvI/AAAAAAAAASQ/P5dj2ORQTIA/s1600-h/j2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198328778803158770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SCQse35AnvI/AAAAAAAAASQ/P5dj2ORQTIA/s320/j2.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,<br />he said to Simon Peter,<br />“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”<br />Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”<br />Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”<br />He then said to Simon Peter a second time,<br />“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”<br />Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”<br />He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”<br />He said to him the third time,<br />“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”<br />Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,<br />“Do you love me?” and he said to him,<br />“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”<br />Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.<br />Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,<br />you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;<br />but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,<br />and someone else will dress you<br />and lead you where you do not want to go.”<br />He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.<br />And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”<br /></span></strong><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 21:15-19</span></em><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father how true these words are. There are many circumstances in life when we are often led where we don't want to go. The elderly come to mind in this instance. They are led to homes that are no longer theirs or they are led on a path that leaves them struggling after a lifetime of hard work. On the other hand we also lead children on the wrong path with wrongful living. O dear God, we don't always have our sensibilites as we age. We make decisions that are often selfish because we don't want to take the time to love and care for those who are too young or too old to care for themselves. But it is you we are to follow and when we do that, those choices often are made with you in our heart and love for others. Many times as we grow older and cannot take care of ourselves in the way we would like to, it's difficult to let go of independence and rely on others. For many it is fear to be led to a place that leaves them alone with strangers while family cease to be a source of comfort. Following you enables them to have strength and to conquer the fear of being abandoned. Peter knew that Jesus would not abandon him, nor should we fear this as well.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-14404774615490565172008-05-08T06:57:00.004-04:002008-12-09T23:05:35.480-05:00Eyes To Heaven<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SCLhdqNVu3I/AAAAAAAAASI/wrtrCsNl250/s1600-h/33ZZBCAR1MKLNCAZYIY19CATW5C40CAZNDRL1CACIAZQ9CAP7ERFYCA8STPGOCAY01MY4CAYXM0TVCAL3OKYBCA4IWZIACAMCM2RGCA32YZ2SCAXOB9E6CA35NEB4CACV599QCACGTY40CAMN48ZRCAW6YGUY.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197964819601668978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SCLhdqNVu3I/AAAAAAAAASI/wrtrCsNl250/s320/33ZZBCAR1MKLNCAZYIY19CATW5C40CAZNDRL1CACIAZQ9CAP7ERFYCA8STPGOCAY01MY4CAYXM0TVCAL3OKYBCA4IWZIACAMCM2RGCA32YZ2SCAXOB9E6CA35NEB4CACV599QCACGTY40CAMN48ZRCAW6YGUY.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:<br />“I pray not only for these,<br />but also for those who will believe in me through their word,<br />so that they may all be one,<br />as you, Father, are in me and I in you,<br />that they also may be in us,<br />that the world may believe that you sent me.<br />And I have given them the glory you gave me,<br />so that they may be one, as we are one,<br />I in them and you in me,<br />that they may be brought to perfection as one,<br />that the world may know that you sent me,<br />and that you loved them even as you loved me.<br />Father, they are your gift to me.<br />I wish that where I am they also may be with me,<br />that they may see my glory that you gave me,<br />because you loved me before the foundation of the world.<br />Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,<br />but I know you, and they know that you sent me.<br />I made known to them your name and I will make it known,<br />that the love with which you loved me<br />may be in them and I in them.”</span></strong><br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 17:20-26 (NAB)<br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father these many prayers Jesus prayed on our behalf and for you reveals so much love. It really is all about love isn't it. When all else failed it was love that spoke the loudest. It's something we all crave in our lives. The simplicity of being loved for who we are. That's how you want to be loved by us, isn't it. With simple hearts that don't put on airs. A love that encompasses everyone, not just a select few. That's why you gave us Jesus, to show us the depths of love we try so hard to understand. For those who are callous toward others often see the beauty of love in the words, in the actions and the hearts of those who are united to you. Being truly in love makes us glow and when we are deeply in love with you it shines brightly. Jesus shone like that because he loved you so much that you gave us to him to take care of for you. Your gift to him, we are then Jesus' treasure. Who would have thought that we are treasures to the Divine Family. </span></em>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-37583298755479107272008-05-07T07:55:00.002-04:002008-05-07T08:53:38.436-04:00A Beautiful Prayer<span style="color:#000099;"><strong>Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying:<br />“Holy Father, keep them in your name<br />that you have given me,<br />so that they may be one just as we are one.<br />When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me,<br />and I guarded them, and none of them was lost<br />except the son of destruction,<br />in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled.<br />But now I am coming to you.<br />I speak this in the world<br />so that they may share my joy completely.<br />I gave them your word, and the world hated them,<br />because they do not belong to the world<br />any more than I belong to the world.<br />I do not ask that you take them out of the world<br />but that you keep them from the Evil One.<br />They do not belong to the world<br />any more than I belong to the world.<br />Consecrate them in the truth.<br />Your word is truth.<br />As you sent me into the world,<br />so I sent them into the world.<br />And I consecrate myself for them,<br />so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”</strong> </span><br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 17:11b-19 (NAB)<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;">Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father we have read so many accounts on behalf of your love for us. Today we have a prayer of deep love for us and for you. A prayer of consecration by your Son. It is the beauty of Jesus' protection in this prayer against the evil one that speaks just as loudly. Who in this world has not been touched by Jesus' prayers and deliverance from sin in their need to repent. How often do we call out Jesus' name when we feel out of control with our lives. Not at peace. Jesus brings us peace, he frees us from evil, he restores truth in our lives. Many have stopped believing in this truth and began believing in the world. Does that truth reveal the depths of how much we rely on the world rather than Jesus when we no longer use the sacrament of penance. It is there where we find freedom from sin and evil, it is there where we begin our journey back to Jesus and to you dear Father. Let our hearts open to the love of God and his son Jesus, let us be cleaned of sin and find the consecration that belongs to our hearts.</span></em>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-32698681566552810602008-05-05T06:51:00.003-04:002008-05-05T07:29:40.001-04:00A Huge Question<strong><span style="color:#000099;">The disciples said to Jesus,<br />“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.<br />Now we realize that you know everything<br />and that you do not need to have anyone question you.<br />Because of this we believe that you came from God.”<br />Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?<br />Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived<br />when each of you will be scattered to his own home<br />and you will leave me alone.<br />But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.<br />I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.<br />In the world you will have trouble,<br />but take courage, I have conquered the world.”<br /></span></strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>John 16:29-33 (NAB)<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#000000;">Prayer Reflection<br /><br />The disciples said to Jesus,“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you.<br />Because of this we believe that you came from God.”Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? Imagine how much we ask this very thing each day of Jesus. We question whether or not he is from God, we question the truth of his words, we even question his miracles. Yet in all this time he has truly conquered the world with his love for us. And on the flip side of this we also had the same growth in evil as well. All because Jesus came to vanquish sin. To end the many questions that arise from the doubts that sin causes. Most of time when we go to Mass we hear his word, but how often we truly leave him alone when we are there. Are we focused upon him or are we focused on other matters. Or have we let routine close our hearts. Like when we are on a job we have done for the umpteenth time and say to ourselves how we could do it with our eyes closed. The routine in work has lost its zest. But as we work we fail to try to keep it alive and interesting. Same with faith, in a sense we go to Mass, our thought should be on the anticipation of the banquet feast and dinning along with Jesus. The anticipation of being in his presence when the word is read and the meal prepared. A splendid moment where we keep him alive in our day and he is no longer alone, left outside of our hearts.</span>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-64020799083199168242008-05-04T06:43:00.002-04:002008-05-04T08:15:30.477-04:00Prayer<strong><span style="color:#000066;">Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,<br />“Father, the hour has come.<br />Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,<br />just as you gave him authority over all people,<br />so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.<br />Now this is eternal life,<br />that they should know you, the only true God,<br />and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.<br />I glorified you on earth<br />by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.<br />Now glorify me, Father, with you,<br />with the glory that I had with you before the world began.<br /><br />“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.<br />They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,<br />and they have kept your word.<br />Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,<br />because the words you gave to me I have given to them,<br />and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,<br />and they have believed that you sent me.<br />I pray for them.<br />I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,<br />because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours<br />and everything of yours is mine,<br />and I have been glorified in them.<br />And now I will no longer be in the world,<br />but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.<br /></span></strong><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 17:1-11 (NAB)</span></em><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father Jesus gave us a beautiful example of his conversation with you in a prayer. He says what he does for you and states what you do for him. In harmony with your Will he has been. He is taking leave of the apostles to be at your side watching over us. To be with us always when they pray over and consecrate the Bread. Where we know the truth of how truly glorious his rising was. He is Risen! It is for us to always believe in his presence, that not only is he sitting at your right hand, but that he is always right beside us. Heaven is a realm that is pure and clear a place where there are no shadows. That's why Jesus seeks us to be with him and you for all time and eternity.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-1641694567827543732008-05-03T07:08:00.001-04:002008-05-03T07:10:31.164-04:00<span style="color:#333399;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles</span></strong><br /></span><br /><strong><span style="color:#000066;">Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life.<br />No one comes to the Father except through me.<br />If you know me, then you will also know my Father.<br />From now on you do know him and have seen him.”<br />Philip said to him,<br />“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”<br />Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time<br />and you still do not know me, Philip?<br />Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.<br />How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?<br />Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?<br />The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.<br />The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.<br />Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,<br />or else, believe because of the works themselves.<br />Amen, amen, I say to you,<br />whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,<br />and will do greater ones than these,<br />because I am going to the Father.<br />And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,<br />so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.<br />If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it</span></strong>.”<br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 14:6-14<br /></span></em><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father your Son is revealed to us as "The Way, the Truth, and the Life," by his own words. How many times he has said that you and he are one. And how often he mentions to us to go through him and believe. Because if we see Him we see you and when we know Jesus we also know you. Today, I ask in faith, in Jesus name, for the conversion of hardened hearts. I pray for a renewal of faith in the World. May today be a day where many know the love of your heart. Amen<br /><br />(from the archives)Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-16934995909457457662008-05-02T07:43:00.000-04:002008-05-02T07:45:17.673-04:00Birthing A ThoughtJesus said to his disciples:<br />“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices;<br />you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.<br />When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;<br />but when she has given birth to a child,<br />she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy<br />that a child has been born into the world.<br />So you also are now in anguish.<br />But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,<br />and no one will take your joy away from you.<br />On that day you will not question me about anything.<br />Amen, amen, I say to you,<br />whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”<br />John 16:20-23 (NAB)<br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father we have the technology today that makes childbirthing easier for the mother, without the pain. Imagining all those who have gone before us, have birthed their child naturally. Jesus tells us about the joy a mother has when a child is born. He gave us a normal procedure in the life of a human being when they undergo a change such as the example he gave. Woman most of all can relate to it. How much they endure until the time they birth the child, the elation, not just for the fact that they are now relieved of anguish, pain and suffering, but they now can see the life that was within them. In a sense when we sin we lose part of the holiness that belongs to us, the part where we have Jesus within. As we too grow in faith and at times when we fail, we experience the pain a mother feels when her child is in distress. But as we reconcile our hearts to a loving God and let Jesus be part of our lives we see the beauty and joy of having him part of us as a mother does when the child in the womb is sleeping peacefully. For men it must be hard to imagine this, but as we have read Jesus words, it wasn't hard for him to know this truth. The joy of having him in our lives is a blessing, even he speaks to mens hearts and reveals his presence to them as if they too are about to give birth. When he is truly part of our hearts no one can take him away and I mean no one. Throughout the many years it has been tried with the Saints and Martyrs and look how they have survived.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-2730686046984541152008-05-01T06:58:00.006-04:002008-12-09T23:05:35.751-05:00Forever and Always<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBml5d4gxbI/AAAAAAAAASA/GmzXNYzqKH8/s1600-h/untitled.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195366051841361330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBml5d4gxbI/AAAAAAAAASA/GmzXNYzqKH8/s320/untitled.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#000066;">The Ascension of the Lord</span><br /></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">The eleven disciples went to Galilee,<br />to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.<br />When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.<br />Then Jesus approached and said to them,<br />“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.<br />Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,<br />baptizing them in the name of the Father,<br />and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,<br />teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.<br />And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age</span></strong>.”<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>Matthew 28:16-20 (NAB)<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#000000;">Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father even after these many years we can say that Jesus is still with us as are you. We receive him in the Eucharist where the truth speaks loudly of his presence. Even remarkable is the fact that we have done as he asks and baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Praise God we listened and did what was commanded of us. At least in this regard we have done good. But the part of knowing that he truly is with us for always, always touches the deepest part our lives. We have grown since the time of the disciples in more ways than one. Our faith had become a central means to the belief in what Jesus suffered for us. It is the belief that he is present with us at our Masses, in our Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, in the Tabernacles but most especially in those we meet each day. He will be with us until the end of time, just like when we declare that vow to those we love in our letters, Forever and Always he will always be. That is the beauty of the Divine. </span>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-9574666601621938392008-04-29T08:03:00.003-04:002008-04-29T08:31:30.321-04:00The Truth<strong><span style="color:#000099;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“Now I am going to the one who sent me,<br />and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’<br />But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.<br />But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.<br />For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.<br />But if I go, I will send him to you.<br />And when he comes he will convict the world<br />in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:<br />sin, because they do not believe in me;<br />righteousness, because I am going to the Father<br />and you will no longer see me;<br />condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”<br /></span></strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>John 16:5-11 (NAB)<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#000066;">Prayer Reflection<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#000066;">Dear Father how easy it is to understand what Jesus is talking about. Those who have had personal encounters with him know of the beauty of his presence, and also the grief that fills their hearts when his presence is not felt. It is their faith that sustains them in those moments of loss. But he does something truly special he sends us the Advocate. We have him in spiritual and we have him as the one chosen to lead the flock. Where truth conquers. If the ruler of this world is condemned at the time of Jesus, who then is the ruler if it isn't man. Because he had just only appointed Peter as head of the Church in his stead. But we battle the unforseen, the foe that delights in sin. The Advocate opposes everytime, don't we see it ourselves when out of the depths of our being we know when we have done wrong and do it anyway. In those moments of clarity haven't we understood that we have lost by choosing to do wrong and the Advocate of righteousness was guiding us to keep us on the right path. In today's world we have lost the sense of following right conscience, we block it out and we have become part of the world that is condemned.</span><br /></span><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-33308003638793075562008-04-28T06:38:00.005-04:002008-12-09T23:05:35.931-05:00Looking To Heaven<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBWrvt4gxaI/AAAAAAAAAR4/f5CmBTqyiXs/s1600-h/capt_ef4ad22a0fbe43cbb7e1264e3f852a77_us_pope_ppc105.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194246581500560802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBWrvt4gxaI/AAAAAAAAAR4/f5CmBTqyiXs/s320/capt_ef4ad22a0fbe43cbb7e1264e3f852a77_us_pope_ppc105.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,<br />the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,<br />he will testify to me.<br />And you also testify,<br />because you have been with me from the beginning.<br /><br />“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.<br />They will expel you from the synagogues;<br />in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you<br />will think he is offering worship to God.<br />They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.<br />I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”</span></strong><br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 15:26-16:4a (NAB)</span></em><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />The above picture came to mind when I read this mornings Gospel. Even though the picture is about the Cardinals pointing to the ceiling in the Cathedral. One could say the same in regard to this reading, look up to heaven that is where the Spirit of Truth comes from. We could also look upon our Pope as an Advocate sent from the Father. He speaks on behalf of Jesus and defends his cause, he is an advocat of peace. He is a person who pleads for or in behalf of another, he is an intercessor to God for us. The Holy Spirit works through him from the Father. Our Church suffers persecution and many are ousted from their misdeeds, and it reflects upon the Advocate who leads us in Truth. Many of us try to kill the Church because we are unhappy with ourselves rather than deal with our sinfulness and fix our brokeness. We are called to forgive, but grudges continue to mar the Church. In a sense the Church suffers from us not forgiving her for the errors that have nothing to do with us but only with those it was involved in. The Spirit of Truth speaks to us through the Advocate. Are we listening?Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-41317018239647209792008-04-27T07:07:00.003-04:002008-04-27T08:15:57.858-04:00Ten Plus Two<strong><span style="color:#000099;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.<br />And I will ask the Father,<br />and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,<br />the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,<br />because it neither sees nor knows him.<br />But you know him, because he remains with you,<br />and will be in you.<br />I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.<br />In a little while the world will no longer see me,<br />but you will see me, because I live and you will live.<br />On that day you will realize that I am in my Father<br />and you are in me and I in you.<br />Whoever has my commandments and observes them<br />is the one who loves me.<br />And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,<br />and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”<br /></span></strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>John 14:15-21 (NAB)<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#000066;">Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father we all would love to have the Advocate as part of us, better known as the Holy Spirit. In this regard he is the Spirit of Truth. We all seem to put this aside many times because our human nature cannot handle this type of Truth. Thinking on how we deal with others each day, do we employ honesty and truth. Do we see God and Jesus in each other? Do we love God first and our neighbor? So many questions, yet simple answers. The two commandments Jesus gave us. It's all about love, when we truly love the way these two commandments speak, we will have the Spirit of Truth and see Jesus when he reveals himself to us.</span>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-22791626734519142712008-04-26T06:43:00.005-04:002008-12-09T23:05:36.305-05:00His Suffering<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBMJ7N4gxYI/AAAAAAAAARo/xW--ugXDdmA/s1600-h/st01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193505708231935362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBMJ7N4gxYI/AAAAAAAAARo/xW--ugXDdmA/s320/st01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.<br />If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;<br />but because you do not belong to the world,<br />and I have chosen you out of the world,<br />the world hates you.<br />Remember the word I spoke to you,<br />‘No slave is greater than his master.’<br />If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.<br />If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.<br />And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,<br />because they do not know the one who sent me.”<br /></span></strong><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 15:18-21 (NAB)</span></em><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father the Bible gives us exactly what Jesus stated, that he would be hated and persecuted. In the account of the ordeal he suffered in what we had recently gone through ourselves in the season of Lent. Holy week brings to us the truth of these words Jesus spoke. He did it for love of us, to save us because he wanted to do it for you dear Father. As Christians we too suffer in many ways, not as profoundly as Jesus did, but in lesser degrees. Mind you, Jesus did the ultimate suffering for us, so we would be able to endure for love of him. Our persecution at the hands of unbelievers, and even Christians themselves can never give us the true meaning of what Jesus went through. It is in keeping His Word bound to our hearts that we find the source of love. The picture below of the Sacrifice of the Mass with the Angels and Saints speak loudly of today's reading and the sacrifice given up for us. But we also have to remember he asks two specific things of us to love God first and love our neighbor. How hard is that, just think if we honestly loved God first, there would be no hatred nor persecution.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L5eVP8RTIE5SjYlamYLYAL-JaTywNpTSvFjGFoy9PY-5OUomEtRgMVRrPTCSIB2eQaRZsHaAEHwIXK-lFyVfKU5-daan5Ts1CUW4Yu3G-qF_9guSfNCOD9V_LDvnEwnBmGlwew/s1600-h/25TheHolySacrificeoftheMass.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193506193563239826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L5eVP8RTIE5SjYlamYLYAL-JaTywNpTSvFjGFoy9PY-5OUomEtRgMVRrPTCSIB2eQaRZsHaAEHwIXK-lFyVfKU5-daan5Ts1CUW4Yu3G-qF_9guSfNCOD9V_LDvnEwnBmGlwew/s320/25TheHolySacrificeoftheMass.gif" border="0" /></a>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-28731436684504871232008-04-24T21:04:00.001-04:002008-04-25T07:50:12.168-04:00The Hands of Hope<strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000066;">Feast of Saint Mark, evangelist</span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:<br />“Go into the whole world<br />and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.<br />Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;<br />whoever does not believe will be condemned.<br />These signs will accompany those who believe:<br />in my name they will drive out demons,<br />they will speak new languages.<br />They will pick up serpents with their hands,<br />and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.<br />They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”<br /><br />Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,<br />was taken up into heaven<br />and took his seat at the right hand of God.<br />But they went forth and preached everywhere,<br />while the Lord worked with them<br />and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.<br /></span></strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>Mark 16:15-20<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#000000;">Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father your Son Jesus whom we love gave the disciples the Word to go out and proclaim the Gospel to every nation. It has been accomplished to the degree that it is around the world. Granted there are many places that still do not know of your Word, but after two thousand years plus, the disciples ministry has flourished. They do so much for your flock dear Father, many use their hands to bring healing to others by helping them when they are unable to do so themselves, as well as laying hands on those entering the Priestly Order. We are all called to be the hands of hope for others, giving signs of our belief. It is through those who believe that Jesus works through them. Faith and belief are the keys, how strong is ours that we are signs for others to see.</span>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-81680066428759715402008-04-24T07:06:00.008-04:002008-12-09T23:05:37.022-05:00Remain In His Love<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBBqKN4gxUI/AAAAAAAAARI/RKfTzEjyN9M/s1600-h/Heart2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192767094116107586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBBqKN4gxUI/AAAAAAAAARI/RKfTzEjyN9M/s320/Heart2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBBp-94gxTI/AAAAAAAAARA/rlAB7Fj0ZRI/s1600-h/G0FOZCA0V6SPSCA1VSMIGCA0HJLYXCANBXFY6CAJY3YJHCA4TBRGMCAP8Z44JCAWIV9IVCA40I4UBCA0RP470CA3NPC1NCADZ2MYHCAM0P5CBCANPDHK5CAV6MYNSCA404NBZCAX5P0MICA1S3XIECALWUE9L.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192766900842579250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBBp-94gxTI/AAAAAAAAARA/rlAB7Fj0ZRI/s320/G0FOZCA0V6SPSCA1VSMIGCA0HJLYXCANBXFY6CAJY3YJHCA4TBRGMCAP8Z44JCAWIV9IVCA40I4UBCA0RP470CA3NPC1NCADZ2MYHCAM0P5CBCANPDHK5CAV6MYNSCA404NBZCAX5P0MICA1S3XIECALWUE9L.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.<br />Remain in my love.<br />If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,<br />just as I have kept my Father’s commandments<br />and remain in his love.<br /><br />“I have told you this so that<br />my joy might be in you and<br />your joy might be complete.”<br /></span></strong><span style="color:#990000;"><em>John 15:9-11 (NAB)<br /><br /></em></span><span style="color:#000000;">Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father we all know the happiness of being in love. The joy that we have is truly something special. It's quite a blessing to have love in our lives. It's even more so when we have it in you. Love is the greatest commandment and one that we break constantly. We break the hearts of those we say we love when we fall away and seek love elsewhere, not just in the physical sense but from our hearts. Many a times we declare undying love to them, only to end up not long after ending that love. Yet you dear Father love us unconditionaly, you don't do the fickle thing that we do. We've lost the sense of loyalty in each other, but you are loyal, steadfast and true. Why is it then that the one thing that Jesus asks of us to do is the hardest one of all. To love you as Jesus loves you and to love Jesus as you love him.<br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBBrE94gxWI/AAAAAAAAARY/kLsAf6RZUN8/s1600-h/R56F5CAXL0540CA484YDCCAZT0L6VCAY7BNCSCAL70KDTCAXZIJH3CAIKUICGCA0542OWCA6JE8UFCAEUQGASCA01K7Q3CAJBS0SSCASJVO6GCAXS8VZICAL2P5MPCA6SSBTJCAN3HGQ4CAS3541PCASNO3QA.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192768103433422178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SBBrE94gxWI/AAAAAAAAARY/kLsAf6RZUN8/s320/R56F5CAXL0540CA484YDCCAZT0L6VCAY7BNCSCAL70KDTCAXZIJH3CAIKUICGCA0542OWCA6JE8UFCAEUQGASCA01K7Q3CAJBS0SSCASJVO6GCAXS8VZICAL2P5MPCA6SSBTJCAN3HGQ4CAS3541PCASNO3QA.jpg" border="0" /></a>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-25459623279911797702008-04-23T07:21:00.006-04:002008-12-09T23:05:37.604-05:00Pruning<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SA8qZ94gxSI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/XHGKfGU2mPE/s1600-h/Dsc00372_s.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192415520978158882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SA8qZ94gxSI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/XHGKfGU2mPE/s320/Dsc00372_s.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.<br />He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,<br />and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.<br />You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.<br />Remain in me, as I remain in you.<br />Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own<br />unless it remains on the vine,<br />so neither can you unless you remain in me.<br />I am the vine, you are the branches.<br />Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,<br />because without me you can do nothing.<br />Anyone who does not remain in me<br />will be thrown out like a branch and wither;<br />people will gather them and throw them into a fire<br />and they will be burned.<br />If you remain in me and my words remain in you,<br />ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.<br />By this is my Father glorified,<br />that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”</span></strong><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>John 15:1-8 (NAB)<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SA8hWt4gxQI/AAAAAAAAAQo/ryt-wPi8LCg/s1600-h/dechaunac%2520flower%2520cluster%25201.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192405569538934018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SA8hWt4gxQI/AAAAAAAAAQo/ryt-wPi8LCg/s320/dechaunac%2520flower%2520cluster%25201.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></em></span><span style="color:#000000;">Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father Jesus gave us a visual image of pruning the dead branches as an example of how you constantly prune us. When we live by your Word we notice in our lives the truth of this example. How often in my own life I have noticed your hand pruning out the areas that are not productive to your will. Just as Jesus gave us this example, we too find in our lives many examples of this reading. When we sin and don't reconcile we find our lives like the dead branches. Don't we feel at times as if we need to go to confession to seek absolution from our sins. It's part of the pruning process of clearing away the dead parts of us that hinder growth. It is essential to our growth as part of the vine to prune our behaviors, morals and yes even our faith. In that we too can be dead and need to prune it to restore the luster of faith in our hearts blocked by overgrowing vines and sins that we fail to let go of. Dear Father when we pay attention to your Word we will find how much your hand has been shaping us and come to see the truth of your love. And soon we will discover new growth bear fruit in our lives.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SA8hid4gxRI/AAAAAAAAAQw/W9Gm8-sF3V0/s1600-h/dechaunaclatejuly3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192405771402396946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SA8hid4gxRI/AAAAAAAAAQw/W9Gm8-sF3V0/s320/dechaunaclatejuly3.jpg" border="0" /></a>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-24939617077900394812008-04-22T06:29:00.003-04:002008-04-22T07:43:24.423-04:00Peace<strong><span style="color:#000066;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.<br />Not as the world gives do I give it to you.<br />Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.<br />You heard me tell you,<br />‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’<br />If you loved me,<br />you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;<br />for the Father is greater than I.<br />And now I have told you this before it happens,<br />so that when it happens you may believe.<br />I will no longer speak much with you,<br />for the ruler of the world is coming.<br />He has no power over me,<br />but the world must know that I love the Father<br />and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”<br /></span></strong><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 14:27-31a</span></em><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you," the very words Jesus spoke tells us it is only through him that we will find peace in our hearts. It is not what this world has to offer but what Jesus can only give. We all struggle in our lives to some extent, but where is it that we find true peace. I know where it is for me and that is placing my trust and love in Jesus, a place where I will always find his presence in the Eucharist. The peace that can only come from him. The truth of these words that Jesus spoke in how we feel many times unfulfilled by what the world offers, only shows how honest these words of Jesus are. Ever notice how peaceful we become when we are united to him. Our troubles seem small and insignificant in those moments. That's when we have been given his peace as he had said. Dearest Father it is right to say then that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life after all.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-22370542330579937732008-04-21T06:26:00.003-04:002008-04-21T07:14:55.522-04:00Those Loving Commandments<strong><span style="color:#000099;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“Whoever has my commandments and observes them<br />is the one who loves me.<br />Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,<br />and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”<br />Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,<br />“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us<br />and not to the world?”<br />Jesus answered and said to him,<br />“Whoever loves me will keep my word,<br />and my Father will love him,<br />and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.<br />Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;<br />yet the word you hear is not mine<br />but that of the Father who sent me.<br /><br />“I have told you this while I am with you.<br />The Advocate, the Holy Spirit<br />whom the Father will send in my name<br />he will teach you everything<br />and remind you of all that I told you.”<br /></span></strong><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 14:21-26 (NAB)<br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;">Dear Father now that is the truth! Jesus gave us so much to listen to and keep in our hearts in regards to you beloved Father. The commandments Jesus gave are to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Anyone who has these in their heart also loves Jesus because if we love you dear Father we also love your son, because you are one. But why is it when we say we are Christians who love God, fail to love our neighbor. If a stranger who was alone came up to us to talk, do we keep our distance because they are not with our group. I witnessed this myself around others and saw how when a person asks a question of another and the rudeness in their not wanting to simply answer. We fail so very often in our day to day dealings with others and we think we are Christians, followers of Christ. God loves us inspite of our failings and forgives us on a constant basis. Those simple gestures speak volumes of how truly much we have followed the commandments Jesus gave us. Some of those very simple gestures tell how much we don't love as we should.</span></em>Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-33223920787078553332008-04-19T06:01:00.003-04:002008-04-19T06:29:59.546-04:00There is TruthThere is an article over at <a href="http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/archives/008858.php"><strong><span style="color:#990000;">The Curt Jester</span></strong></a><span style="color:#000000;">,</span> that speaks about the music that unfortunately has not been delightful. It makes a person wonder how many times the mute button has been pushed on the remote control.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-37142013522379812272008-04-18T06:29:00.003-04:002008-12-09T23:05:37.839-05:00Pointing The Way<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SAh_MAvYECI/AAAAAAAAAQg/7yf3zDageDs/s1600-h/iamtheway_small.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190538414878363682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_i8A9lgrM1wA/SAh_MAvYECI/AAAAAAAAAQg/7yf3zDageDs/s320/iamtheway_small.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="color:#000066;">Jesus said to his disciples:<br />“Do not let your hearts be troubled.<br />You have faith in God; have faith also in me.<br />In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.<br />If there were not,<br />would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?<br />And if I go and prepare a place for you,<br />I will come back again and take you to myself,<br />so that where I am you also may be.<br />Where I am going you know the way.”<br />Thomas said to him,<br />“Master, we do not know where you are going;<br />how can we know the way?”<br />Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.<br />No one comes to the Father except through me.”<br /></span></strong><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 14:1-6 (NAB)</span></em><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father a scene comes to mind about working. While taking care of what has to be done on the job, a fellow worker comes by and says, "that's not the way to go, here let me show you." From this a person is guided in a job, shown how to go. We have the same when we go to school, we're shown the path that can lead to success. There are so many things that can lead us, ranging from books that teach us how to build, garden, sew, cook, you name it and you might find it. We have leaders that try to lead us on the right path. The scenarios could go on and on as a case in point. The Gospel is the right path to follow for all our daily living needs. But if you want to get to know God, then following the path that brings us to Jesus will most certainly get us to God. Dear Father it is such a wonderful way to get to you through your Son. He is the go between and a delightful way. There are so many things in this life that point the way to happiness, but none can beat Jesus on the list he is the way, the truth and the life.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-82818587025309781502008-04-17T06:59:00.003-04:002008-04-17T07:37:01.843-04:00Who is standing in for Jesus<span style="color:#000066;"><strong>When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them:<br />“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master<br />nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.<br />If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.<br />I am not speaking of all of you.<br />I know those whom I have chosen.<br />But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,<br /></strong><em>The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me</em><strong>.<br />From now on I am telling you before it happens,<br />so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.<br />Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send<br />receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”<br /></strong></span><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 13:16-20 (NAB)</span></em><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father Jesus had a tough time when he found betrayal in one of the ones that were chosen. He knew what was to come and he told them so they would believe. He does that with us too, he gives us snippets of things to show us the Truth of your Word. I was captured by the words Jesus spoke in this Gospel message, "The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me." Don't we do this to Jesus too when we receive communion and go out the doors from his sanctuary and gossip with our neighbors. Or commit sins and fail to reconcile ourselves in the sacrament of Penance. In this sense aren't we doing the same as the one who betrayed Jesus. It's amazing that in our Parishes we have Priest who took on the role to live in imitation of Christ, but many have failed to receive the ones Jesus sends us, they leave and turn their backs on the Church when the Truth is spoken through them. Thinking about the many people who leave parishes because they clash with their pastors, did they understand this Gospel and the last words spoken. Probably not and they also failed to receive Jesus in those moments.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-87561481529686041032008-04-16T06:34:00.002-04:002008-04-16T07:07:59.294-04:00The Word<strong><span style="color:#000066;">Jesus cried out and said,<br />“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me<br />but also in the one who sent me,<br />and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.<br />I came into the world as light,<br />so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.<br />And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them,<br />I do not condemn him,<br />for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.<br />Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words<br />has something to judge him: the word that I spoke,<br />it will condemn him on the last day,<br />because I did not speak on my own,<br />but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.<br />And I know that his commandment is eternal life.<br />So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”</span></strong><br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">John 12:44-50 (NAB)</span></em><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father we often forget this truth at least part of it. We remember that Jesus comes to save lives, and the rest of what he says we soon toss aside. No matter what we do at the end we will be judged for it all. Many of us forget this and go about our day and say things that we shouldn't. Jesus asks us to believe in him and when we do we see the one who sent Him. That is beautiful in itself. Look how often our belief in family and friends, don't we see in their faces the joy in their heart for us because we believe in them. It's not just that either, when we are closed we don't see the way we should. When we are angry or just not as faithfilled as we should be what do we see when we look at another human being. Do we see the similarities of their parents in them as we look at them or are we blind by our self-centered ways. Jesus says when we believe in Him we will see the Father in Him because they are one. That's not hard to believe either. But the best part is believing in his presence in the Eucharist where we will always see him on a daily basis in the flesh and blood of the Mass.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-27892669922330755452008-04-15T10:37:00.002-04:002008-04-15T10:50:57.665-04:00Making A Claim<strong><span style="color:#000066;">The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.<br />It was winter.<br />And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.<br />So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,<br />“How long are you going to keep us in suspense?<br />If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”<br />Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.<br />The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.<br />But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.<br />My sheep hear my voice;<br />I know them, and they follow me.<br />I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.<br />No one can take them out of my hand.<br />My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,<br />and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.<br />The Father and I are one.”</span></strong><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>John 10:22-30 (NAB)</em></span><br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father no matter how much we strive to have you as part of us, we all try hard to be the ones who can claim to be your sheep whether we are lost or not. Oh God, how easy it is for us to follow the voice of the world and so hard to hear the voice of your Son. But your Son knows his sheep and they know him. How do we know this? Easily, by the love we have for Him and you . How wanting to follow your Word is foremost in our lives. It is loving you first and our neighbor as ourselves that prove we believe. The devil can try very hard to shake those who follow you loose from your heart, but he will not succeed when they are steadfast and loyal and believe in all that you stand for, love in the first degree. Love conquers and in that regard know that Jesus and you are one. I can make claim to this truth, how about you?Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16432506.post-76528710823083538232008-04-14T06:12:00.003-04:002008-04-14T06:53:59.742-04:00Do You Hear What I HearJesus said:<br />“I am the good shepherd.<br />A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.<br />A hired man, who is not a shepherd<br />and whose sheep are not his own,<br />sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,<br />and the wolf catches and scatters them.<br />This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.<br />I am the good shepherd,<br />and I know mine and mine know me,<br />just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;<br />and I will lay down my life for the sheep.<br />I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.<br />These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,<br />and there will be one flock, one shepherd.<br />This is why the Father loves me,<br />because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.<br />No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.<br />I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.<br />This command I have received from my Father.”<br />John 10:11-18 (NAB)<br /><br />Prayer Reflection<br /><br />Dear Father there is much truth to these words spoken by Jesus. It speaks of us in our time as well as two thousand years ago. Yesterday's reading touched upon the gate and listening, today we find how much love Jesus has for us. He gave up his life! The act of love for you dear Father and love for us. Don't we say this to those we love also, that we would die for them. And there are many that would, we have martyrs that did exactly the same, gave their life for Jesus and for us as well. It's possible they were put to the test and answered correctly. Would any of us be able to answer this as well, or is our love superficial. After all, we all say we are God's children and that we all love Jesus, but when he calls us, do we really hear his voice and truly know him. How well do we listen to the Word of God being spoken at our Masses or is our thoughts off on what has to get done when we go home or of the many other things that preoccupy our minds from this world. Is our love more for this world then rather than Jesus and you dear Father? Jesus' love is so great to come in search of those who belong and lost their way. We are one big family why aren't we also helping each other find their way back too.Marie Cecilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038456269137125594noreply@blogger.com0