The Words You Choose

Choose your words carefully
It really does matter, for you see
What you say reflects a lot
About the type of person you want to be.

God gave you a brain to fill with thoughts
About friendship, love, and care;
But He never intended your tongue
To hurt others with anger and despair.

You may think who will care
If I tear someone down to size?
They deserve it.  Their evil and
Their cruelty you despise.

But that person you just ripped apart
Happens to be God's child,
And God's Will for us includes remarks
Which are tolerant and mild.

There was a crowd of people once
Who just got carried away.
They just kept screaming a few little words,
Crucify Him today.

Well who would have thought those screaming words
Could cause such a terrible riot?
But the politicians of the day kept listening
Until eventually they bought it.

For they said this man is evil,
An enemy to all.
They took a whip and beat Him
Until all He could do was fall.

He fell three times while carrying the cross.
It was heavier than anyone could see.
Because it was loaded down with words of hate
Words that were said by you and me.

So you see it makes a difference
The words you choose each day.
They can bring a person up-
Or take their life away.

-Susan

Life is a game, play it. (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

  I grew up in a family that loves sports.  Year round, us kids were always involved in some sport.  My Dad was a very good baseball player.  Whenever my Dad was at one of our games, we all knew to put a little extra hustle in our step, dive on the ground to field the ball, and to sacrifice your body to make the play.  We all wanted to make Dad proud.
  Its kind of funny, that when it comes to sports, people understand how committed you need to be in order to be good.  You have to be dedicated to the team, be willing to put hours of practice time in every week, and sacrifice your plans for the good of the team.  This got me thinking again......what if we all went out for God's team?  What if we all decided that spending just one hour practicing our faith wasn't enough if we really wanted to be good. What if after our team gatherings at church, we all went home and kept practicing everything we learned?   What if we took a strong defensive stand against injustice, poverty, and discrimination?  And our offensive plays involved really getting involved and passing the ball around to everyone so we didn't rely on one star player to do it all? Everyone knows that teamwork and a good attitude is essential to winning.
  I think being on God's team would be quite rewarding.  What actions do you think He would consider to be a foul?  Do you think God would keep score? Or maybe it wouldn't matter if you win or lose, but how you played the game?  What would you think if while coaching God said, "No pain, no gain".  Would it scare you?  And what would "the Mercy Rule" mean to God?  Well I understand God's putting a team together, will I be seeing you there at practice?

-Susan

Mary, Queen of the Rosary, pray for us.

In continuing to honor Mary in the month of October, I thought I would share these inspired words by Archbishop Fulton Sheen:

  "The Rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next.  The power of the Rosary is beyond description."

Peace Be With You

  Sandra Bullock starred in the movie "Miss Congeniality" back in 2001.  In the movie she is an undercover agent in a Miss USA beauty pageant.  She is instructed that every winning candidate wants the same thing--world peace.  World peace is definitely something we should all desire.  But what exactly is peace?  The definition of peace is "freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility."  Is that really all it is?  In the book "Standing In A Miracle",  the peace of God is described as "a perfect joy" and a freedom to choose to love, to serve, and to live simply and with humility.  God's peace is offered to each of us and we find this peace through prayer.  As we pray, we encounter God's peace through His loving presence.  God's desires become our desires.  We begin to recognize the blessings He has placed in our lives.  Through prayer we learn to trust God in every circumstance and to see Him in the neighbors and strangers we meet each day. The peace of God is not some unattainable goal.  Prayer is something each one of us can do.  We call God's name and He comes. It's really quite beautiful.   
   "What is the one most important thing our society needs?"  Perhaps instead of answering, "World peace", we should answer, "World prayer".  Then we would not only have world peace, but the joy of living in God's peace.

-Susan

Changes May Come

  Change is in the air.  The days are shorter.  Mornings are crisp from the overnight lows. The early trees are beginning their fall

wardrobe of color. Summer beach towels have been traded for book-filled backpacks. Fall has now casually stepped toward the center stage of our days.  In some ways, Fall is the celebration of the previous year's growth. We have spent the year planting and nurturing seeds and now is the time to enjoy the harvest.  Be sure to thank the Lord for this year's crop of blessings. 

  Also, take some time in the next few weeks, appreciating all the changes and nuances of fall. Sometimes in order for there to be new growth for the next year, change may be a very necessary part of our lives. We may be very comfortable being a green leaf gently swaying in the summer breeze, and then suddenly we are faced with challenges and a new season in our lives. Sometimes the Lord challenges us to change in order to grow closer to Him. One minute we may find ourselves exhilarated by colorful opportunities and the next we may be asked to leave behind our every day comforts, die to our own dreams and desires, so that we may again blossom with Christ in the new Spring.  Leaving behind our tree of security is always a bit scary, but trust that the Holy Spirit's loving presence will provide the wind to propel you forward.  Season after season, the Comforter guides us closer to the light of the Son. Pray that you may be open to the changes the Lord has prepared for you.

-Susan

Prayer by St. Faustina

October 5th is the feast day of St. Faustina.  I would like to share one of my favorite prayers found in her diary.  Let us all join together in prayer so that we may have the strength to put the Will of God before our own.

-Susan

Sorrowful Mysteries

Rosary Meditation on the Sorrowful Mysteries

1.  Agony in the Garden

While Jesus is praying the guards come to arrest Jesus. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss.  Judas does not understand who Jesus really is. Judas is distracted with the lure of money and fitting in. It is easy to hate Judas in this scene, but can we honestly say we have never been tempted by money and popularity?   Think about it.  Do you think you have ever betrayed Jesus for the love of money?

2.  Scourging at Pillar

When Jesus speaks with Pilate He says those who listen to the truth will here my voice?  Pilate couldn't understand this because he did not value truth. Do you value truth?  How often do you lie in a week?  Who's voice are we listening to when we don't choose to tell the truth?

3.  Crowning of the Thorns

Jesus stands in front of an angry crowd with a Crown of thorns ripping into His scalp.  His body has been scourged.  And the crowd yells crucify Him, crucify Him.  Why couldn't the crowd recognize that Jesus was the Christ?  Have you ever went along with popular opinion just because it was easier than standing up for what is right?  Has Jesus ever stood in front of you and you failed to recognize who was asking you to do the right thing?

4.  Carrying of the Cross

Mary lovingly gazed into Jesus' eyes when He fell, Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry the cross, and Veronica wiped the face of our Lord with a cloth.  These acts must have been extremely important to Jesus or they would not have been told over and over for the past two thousand years..  Jesus asks us to respond with mercy and compassion when we see each other hurting-even if it is the smallest of acts.

5.  Crucifixion

The crucifixion is one of the most difficult things to understand, especially for those closest to Jesus. How could this possibly be the Plan, how could this be God's Will?  Mary, John, Mary Magdalene, and a few other Holy Woman stay with Jesus until the end.  It must have been horribly painful to watch Jesus be crucified and scary to think the same could happen to His followers.  John was the youngest of the disciples, I'm sure he was very afraid.  He didn't run away like the rest of the apostles, he remained faithful to Jesus.  I think that's a good lesson for all of us.  We don't always understand Gods Will, we have no control over God's Will.  The only thing we have control over is our response to God's Will.  Will you still say "yes" to God no matter what it will cost you?

-Susan