Cathedral of the Holy Cross

 

   While vacationing with my family in Boston, we had the chance to attend Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. It was a stunning cathedral, a masterpiece of architecture and art. The impressive stained glass windows, each depicting a different biblical story, bathed the cathedral in a kaleidoscope of colors. What caught my eye before Mass began was the gold angels in front of the ornate white altar. A crucifix in the center of the altar reflected the radiance of God's love. Statues of the saints, each a work of art in its own right, were scattered throughout the cathedral. This cathedral was magnificent, but that wasn't what took my breath away. 

 The art was beautiful, but more importantly, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging and reminding me that the angels, saints, and Mary celebrate the Mass with us.  Even though I know this is true, I can sometimes take it for granted. Looking at the gold angels above me, I was filled with awe, wondering how many angels were present during the Mass. This reality was nothing short of a miracle. I could experience heaven's glories by opening a church door and entering Mass. God's generosity and love are more than I ever deserve.

 Celebrating Mass with my children by my side always fills me with joy. Feeling the presence of my heavenly family beside me lifts my happiness to new heights. I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with gratitude and thank God for this moment. This is the family vacation of my dreams!

-Susan

You Will Be happy

 

  One of my favorite movie lines came to mind today. The main character is about to get married and asks his best man for advice on marriage. The best man responds, "You'll be happy; you just won't know it." That simple truth always makes me smile. We often overlook the small, joyful moments, wishing for a fairy tale life full of endless fun and happiness. Rather than focusing on everyday blessings, we tend to judge our lives based on our worst moments and what we lack.

  God is always working in our lives. Jesus reminds us of this during His Sermon on the Mount and His teachings on the Beatitudes. Even when life is tough, God is close to us, drawing us nearer to Him. Can we truly be happy despite our pain? Jesus tells us, "Yes." Even on our worst days, we can receive the Eucharist, and the Holy Spirit always dwells with us. Our cup isn't half full; it's overflowing with divine graces. We are blessed beyond understanding!

  This week, do yourself a favor and try to remember all the blessings in your life. Our lives are better than any fairy tale. They are filled with God's love and Divine Presence! My advice is to remember that you are blessed, even when you don't feel it. If you spend your life united to God, you will be happy, and you will know it!

-Susan

I'll Take That To Go

  

    Jack pulled up to the window and rolled down his window. “Welcome to Heavenly Treats. Can I take your order?” asked the polite voice through the speaker.

“Yes, please, I’ll take the large cup of blessings, one order of forgiveness, and a side of charity.”

“What type of forgiveness would you like?” asked the voice.

“Oh, just give me a variety. I’m sharing it with my coworkers.”

“Would you like to supersize your cup of blessings?”

“No, thank you. I’m trying to sacrifice this week.”

“OK, pull up to the first side altar window, and we’ll prepare it for you.”

 Clearly, this is not how we develop faith. We can’t demand God bless us (even though God freely offers this). Forgiveness should be given genuinely and intentionally, reflecting on our actions and the desire to rebuild our relationship with God. 
 Growing in faith requires time, commitment, patience, love, and trust. Some days are easier than others, and it involves prayer, reflection.  We need to discern God's call and then respond. We can’t just pick up some faith; we must dedicate our lives to honestly examining the truth of the gospels. We can’t just stop by church to meet our needs; we should bring the church to those in need. It will take effort, but as they say, “If you enjoy what you are doing, it doesn’t feel like work.”
 Please come by the Church this week. Ask Jesus to bless and forgive you.  Spend time with Jesus and ask Him to reveal His heart to you. Stay as long as you can, then take Jesus by the hand and share Him with the world.  It’s okay to take Jesus to go.

-Susan

Drive Safely

 

    During a recent family road trip, I took the first shift driving so my kids could sleep. A few hours later, my son volunteered to take his turn behind the wheel, and I was glad to let him. It wasn’t long before I nodded off in the backseat, but I wasn’t asleep for long.

  "Hey Mom, I think you should wake up now.”

  I opened my eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “I think I’m going to get pulled over pretty soon. There’s a cop behind me.”

  “Were you speeding?” Of course, I already knew the answer. I breathed a heavy sigh. “How much were you going over?”

  My son, who has mastered the art of giving his mother elusive answers, replied, “Enough.”

  I quickly saw him make the sign of the cross. I was about to comment that’s not how that works, but I kept quiet. We sat silently for a few miles until we saw the cop turn off at a different exit. My son got lucky.

  As we continued to drive, I thought about my son making the sign of the cross. While our faith is not a “get out of jail free card,” I’m glad he thought to turn to God after making a mistake. Turning to God doesn’t get us out of the consequences for our actions, but God’s grace helps us navigate those consequences. Fortunately, we are never alone. God is always there to help us. We only need to open our hearts to Him and ask for His forgiveness.

  Whichever road you choose this summer, I hope it draws you closer to God. Hopefully, the sign of the cross will be the only hand gesture you turn to while driving.

-Susan