In This Room

Heaven Is Closer Than You Think

  Have you ever wondered how far away heaven is?  It is closer than you may think.  Reach out your hand and call Mary's name and she will bring you as close to her Son as you allow.  My dear Mother, I pray that all your children will call your name and have the joy of gazing upon your face, as you place their hand in the hand of Jesus.

-Susan

Voice of Grace

  God freely lavishes us with His love in the form of grace.  As the Spirit of God moves across the earth, I like to think of the voice of grace as that gentle whisper that reminds us how much we are loved.  It is the softest of whispers that tugs at our heart and thoughts, and reminds us who we were meant to be--His loving children. We were meant to resemble the Father.  With the grace of God we can move mountains. With God's grace we can nourish our small seeds into giant trees of faith. Listen for the voice of grace today, feel the warmth of God's breathe, and respond with love and faithfulness.

-Susan

Peace Please

  When I was about 10 years old, I had a nightly ritual.  I would say my prayers and then I would look out my bedroom window at the lake and the night sky, and then I would sing very softly to Jesus.  Every night I would sing "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.  Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be, with God as our Father, brothers all are we.  Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony....."
  I don't know why I ever stopped that ritual, but I think tonight will be a good time to sing that song again.  I would like to invite all of you to pray the song with me.  This world desperately needs to pray for peace..

-Susan

Share Your Faith

  For thousands of years the faith has been passed down from generation to generation.  Without faith, children can get stuck in the web of lies the world passes down from one generation to the next.  Please don't miss the opportunity to share your love for God with children.  Teach them your favorite prayer or share a moment you felt God's Presence.  This generation has all the modern conveniences, but maybe what they really need, is to hear a two thousand old story about how "God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life."  

-Susan

Teach Me

 One of the most common titles Jesus was referred to in the Gospels is "teacher".  I was thinking about this I took a walk through the park.  Of course Jesus was a great teacher, in fact He taught as "One with authority and not as their scribes."  I don't think anyone would argue that fact today, because we know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.  I wonder, though, if people still see Jesus as a great teacher.  When was the last time you asked Jesus to teach you something?  Jesus wasn't just a great teacher of the past.  Jesus still has so much to teach us.
  I thought the following line could be added to our daily prayers:  Jesus, teach me Your ways.  Then when you review your day, search for those moments Jesus has touched your life.  Jesus is a great teacher, but the real question is "Have you been a great student?"  Good thing for us, Jesus is always willing to let us re-do a lesson and correct our mistakes.  

-Susan

Celebrating Mom

  On May 13th, Theresa and I joined the Archdiocese of Detroit in a special celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Fatima.  The mass was led by Archbishop Allen Vigneron, who consecrated the entire archdiocese to Mary!  Father Chris Alar from the Shrine of Divine Mercy gave a wonderful homily connecting the events of Fatima with the the Divine Mercy message and the role of St. John Paul II's life.
  After mass we processed with the Our Lady of Fatima statue through the streets of Detroit called "Greektown".  It was amazing!  People everywhere stepped out of the shops and restaurants to see

the procession.  There was such an energy as we processed.  I felt such joy as we sang Marian songs and people were waving handkerchiefs and yelling "Ave Maria!"  It was as if for a few moments, time stopped, and the city was sending Mary their love.  I felt so blessed to be a part of this special day!
  How perfect that the 100th Anniversary of Fatima landed on Mother's Day weekend.  Mother's Day is a time we reflect on the love and influences of our mother's.  Today, I will be

thanking God for both my mothers.  Both my Mom and Mary are enjoying the splendors of heaven.  I asked Jesus to give them both kiss from me and tell them how much I love them!  Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mother's of the world!

-Susan

All Aboard!

  I'm one of those people who likes to think about the moment I will approach the pearly gates.  I wonder what the conversation with Jesus will be like.  I wonder if I will look back on my life and be proud, or if there will be too many moments I could have done better.  I can kid myself now and say I have my priorities straight, but I wonder...will Jesus see it the same way?  
  My journey as a disciple has seen a lot of highs and a lot of lows.   Many times the train has stopped unexpectedly and I am asked to travel down a different route.  I have found that the best way to travel through life is with a Rosary in my hand.  As I hold Mary's hand she gently instructs and guides me.  I have so much to learn, and she is an amazing teacher.  I'm counting on Mary to be standing next to me as I step towards the pearly gates.  I want to be standing there, hand in hand with Mary, because I know that will definitely make Jesus smile.
  Well it looks like the train is about to take off again.  I'm going to be praying the Rosary, and I want you to know that the seat next to me is vacant. I hope you come join us. 

-Susan

We Are Never Alone

  Prayers are not magical.  You can't just vanish your problems by saying the right prayer.  Prayer is an intimate conversation with a very loving God.  Sometimes our problems can weigh so heavily on our minds that it is difficult to see anything beyond that.  Through prayer, we give God the chance to remind us who we really are.  We allow God to calm our fears, heal our perspective, and wipe away our tears.  
    Sometimes there is no way around our problems, and as painful as it may be, we have to continue walking  through our storms.  During these difficult moments  we may feel confused, overwhelmed and wonder why?  Why does life have to be so painful sometimes?  We can't understand, and we struggle to make sense of our pain.  
   What we may not realize, however, is that while we are still  contemplating the "why?", God has heard our cry and is already there.  Softly God whispers to us, "Hush, my child, I will never leave you to face this alone.  I will hold you in my arms until you are strong enough to be on your own again. We'll get through this together.  I will never leave your side.  Let my love help you."
   We are finite, but our prayers have unlimited possibilities. When we pray we open ourselves up to God and allow His to love to change and guide us. Prayer is placing ourselves in the presence of the One we love, knowing that whether we speak words or not, all of our heart's longings have been heard.  Prayer is not magical, but it is definitely miraculous.

-Susan

First Holy Communion

  Today, at my parish, the second grade class will be making their First Holy Communion.  I thought it might be fun to think about our own First Communion. Can you remember how you felt?  (I was so excited!)  There are moments in our lives that change us forever.  This is one of those moments. Think for a minute how different your life would be if you were not incredibly blessed with the body and blood of Jesus.  I really can't imagine my life without the gift of the Eucharist.  I think I would be lost. I'm sure I will spend the rest of my life and all my days in Eternity thanking Jesus for loving me so much in the Eucharist!

-Susan

Join With Mary This May

  I can't believe it is May already.  May is the month dedicated to our beautiful mother, Mary.  The above quote is part of the April message from Medjugorje.  I love it!  We often underestimate how God's love can transform us-if we let it.  People are often looking to change themselves by being trendy, intellectual, or edgy.  But that's not who we are.  We are love, created by Love.  We will never fully understand ourselves until we search and discover the powerful Presence of God within our very being.  Paradise does exist.  It is found in a heart that trusts and loves God completely.  Mary found Paradise and she is calling each of us to join her.

-Susan