For so many, myself included, Mary is my spiritual mother. She guides and assists me. Jesus, while on the Cross, gave Mary to all of us as our mother. When I turn to her, she brings me close to her and I am comforted. She also helps me to spend time with Jesus, Our Savior and her Son. May we always find the family of faith we need to gain peace, hope, and joy!
Do you cry tears of joy and wonder for our God? Is you heart moved with great emotion when you spend time with Jesus? If not, why not? Search deep into your heart, mind and soul to determine what is keeping you away from tears of joy! Ask God to guide you as you determine why. Know that He will teach you all you need to know. If it is sin, just ask for forgiveness. It is your’s for the asking! If it is distraction, Jesus will help you find peace to refocus. All is yours for the asking and effort. Do not delay!
When you love Jesus Christ, expect to experience spiritual warfare. The world and the evil one do not want you close to Jesus Christ and His Ways. So many temptations and distractions can pull you way from resting in His Love. Be strong. Pray. Be with spiritual friends and mentors. Stay close to your faith and the Church. This will guide you in your journey.
We all have feelings. However, we cannot let them deter us from loving our God. Bring your feeligns to Jesus and lay them at His feet. Persevere in your devotions through sadness, anxiety, distractions, and listlessness. You likely know they are not from God. But, they can prevent you from prayer. They are just feelings. As humans, you will have plenty of feelings. Bring them always to Jesus so He can help you process them and move foward in your journey to holinesss.
Jesus was willing to suffer greatly to show us how much God loves us. Are we willing to suffer like Jesus? In what ways are we being called to sacrifice to help others. Suffering just to suffer is not our calling. However, we are called to give of ourselves in love to others even if it brings us suffering. Jesus demonstrated this. He was willing to suffer excruciating pain and to be shunned by the religious and political leaders of His day to show us the way to love. Are we willing to lose it all for our love of God and others? Jesus was. Seek to love as Jesus calls you to love.
Are we able to give ourselves completely to Jesus? Something may be standing in your way. It can be our attachments. It can be a stubborn resistance to prayer. It may be other distractions and attractions that hold us back. Prayerfully reflect on what it is. Set yourself upon the task of removing the barriers to your most complete life of love and devotion. You are preparing your soul for eternity. Give your all to be ready to be received into Eternal Glory with God and the saints and angels. Let nothing stand in your way of being with God!
The saints and mystics often experienced dryness during prayer. Expect no less during periods of your prayer. Continue despite this silence on behalf of God. God chooses when God will provide consolations. It is not up to us to decide when God shows us His Sweet Presence. God is still Present whether we feel it or not. This is our practice of faith while at prayer. Stay committed to your prayer time.
Do you feel down and dejected? Do your sins overwhelm you? Run to Jesus! He offers you His comfort and Divine Mercy! His life, death and resurrection show how much He loves you and me. He gives His Greatest Graces to those who sins are greatest. Divine Mercy is available to all who approach Jesus Christ. Do not believe you are unworthy – because all are worthy in the eyes of Jesus!
Simeon proclaimed that the Savior had arrived when Jesus was presented in the temple. Jesus is all we need – if we let Him be so in our lives! Can you bring Him in close to let Him love you deeply? When will we let Jesus be our Savior, Companion and Lord of our lives! We must let go of all of our false gods and let God’s Son be our one and only Savior!
Are you free from fear? If not, you are not truly free. Fear binds us and captures our hears. The only remedy for fear is Love. Jesus Christ came to show us true love and to banish fear from our minds, hearts, and souls. A soul in fear is not truly free. The Bible is filled with the saying, “do not be afraid.” Jesus used it frequently. He knew that it was fear that kept us from being ourselves, being loved and knowing we are loved, and loving others. Do not be afraid!