Taking The Next Step

 

  Due to northern wildfires, the unhealthy air quality turned my fun, outdoor summer days with my grandchildren into "we have to stay in the house" days. We were forced to come up with different ways to have fun. One of our activities was a scavenger-hunt clue game. It was a game I always enjoyed playing with my children when they were young. My daughter, Theresa, began writing the clues, and the fun followed. My granddaughters had to solve each clue, which led them to the next. It was fun to watch them figure out the answers. What seemed obvious at times left them bewildered and needing more insight.

  I was thinking about this later on, and noticed some similarities between this game and a life of prayer.  Please keep in mind, that I am not suggesting that God is playing games with us.  Nothing could be further from the truth. What I am suggesting, though, is that through prayer, God leads us where we need to go.  If we listen to His voice, God gently guides us from one day to the next.  It's not always easy, though.  Sometimes we just don't pick up on God's clues. We may have to go back and spend even more time in prayer to discern where God is leading us- especially if we are being led to carry a cross. Often our hearts are heavy, and our heads are down when carrying a cross, making it difficult to see where we are being led. During these times, complete trust in God is needed.

  Unfortunately, wildfires touch everyone's lives. They can be completely unexpected and beyond our control. Keep in mind, though, that God is in control.  He will never abandon us. He loves us, and with each prayer, He will guide us away from pain and danger and into His world of love and peace. Never stop praying.  Prayer purifies us and fills us with His Spirit. And if you're too tired to say another prayer or take another step, just say four small words.  Holy Spirit, help me. Let His breath fill your lungs, enlighten your mind, and clear your vision. Praying in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is the best way to discover The Way.

-Susan

God's Awesome Generosity

 

  Today, my youngest granddaughter will be baptized!  I'm so excited! She will be cleansed of all sin, become a child of God, a member of the Church, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!  What an incredible day! Could our Lord be any more generous?  Well, the answer to this is yes! This is just the beginning.  The graces my granddaughter will receive today and in the sacraments to come are incredible!

  Unfortunately, I sometimes can take God's generosity for granted. But when big events occur,  I believe it's important to reflect on God's goodness. Jesus came to usher in the Kingdom of God so that we could all benefit.  The Kingdom is more than a physical place that one can visit. Through the Church, the Kingdom extends to the ends of the earth and resides in the hearts of the baptized. Once baptized, God chooses to dwell within us through the Holy Spirit.  God's love is perfect, and He is always with us! In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we are loved beyond measure! After being showered with all His love, how could our hearts not fall in love with God too?!

  God, you are an awesome God! Thank you for loving me so much! Each day, open my eyes to your Presence, and open my heart to love you more. Let your Kingdom grow deep roots in my soul, and let your living water produce a bountiful harvest within me to share with the world.

-Susan

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

 

 

   Have you ever been on a long hike, and suddenly, the path opens up to a magnificent lake?  Standing next to a lake can be a beautiful experience.  You can be awestruck at its size, the calmness of the water, the birds flying over it, or the wildlife growing all around it. This lake is like the Holy Trinity, a vast and beautiful mystery. Standing near the water is wonderful, but entering the lake takes your experience to a new level. Now, the water surrounds you completely.  You are no longer admiring the lake; you can feel, taste, and hear the water as you immerse yourself deeper. And your perspective completely changes. 

 On today's feast day of the Most Holy Trinity, don't just admire the beauty and mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Dive right in. Immerse yourself in the love of the Holy Trinity.  Let the depths of God's love reveal a truth you cannot understand from the shoreline, and allow the Holy Trinity to enlighten and change you.  Live fully in the awe-inspiring beauty of the Holy Trinity. You can indeed feel God's love by simply standing near Him, but let His love draw you in deeper, for the mysteries beneath the surface are life-changing.  Swim deeply with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and experience how They move together with you. 

  And although you will never reach the bottom of the lake, just trying will be the thrill of a lifetime.   Once you enter the waters, you will never want to leave. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and dive right in to embark on this joyous journey of spiritual growth!

-Susan

I Love You , Holy Spirit!

 

  Today, we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles! What an incredible moment that must have been. Even though it was extraordinary, I hope today isn't the only day you celebrate the Presence of the Holy Spirit. I often hear people say, "I forget to pray to the Holy Spirit, or I would rather just pray to Jesus." I love praying to Jesus, too, but let me share some thoughts on why you shouldn't forget about the Holy Spirit. He is much more than just a Pentecost or Confirmation idea. The Holy Spirit is not a separate entity from Jesus; rather, He is part of the Trinity, the three persons in one God. Each person of the Trinity —the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit —has a unique role in our lives.

  The Holy Spirit is God. He is the divine Presence within us. God is not out there somewhere; He is so close that He touches our thoughts, dwells in our hearts, and opens our eyes to all the glories of God and the needs of our neighbors. The Holy Spirit amplifies the Word of God so that our ears hear and our thoughts extend beyond ourselves. The Holy Spirit helps us contemplate God and teaches us how to love one another. More than that, the Holy Spirit assists us in becoming holy. He empowers us to overcome our weaknesses, grow in faith, and become more like Christ.

  We cannot see the Holy Spirit, but we feel Him moving within us. Similarly, we cannot see the Kingdom, yet it exists, and the Spirit calls us to live in this Kingdom and embrace the love that pours from its foundation. The Holy Spirit is the invisible movement of God within us. There is no one closer to us than the Holy Spirit. He hears our every sigh, encourages all our dreams, and strengthens us to carry our crosses. Pray that this powerful fire of God burns brightly within you and that the embers of His fire draw others close to experience His Love through you.

-Susan

  

Linger With Me

 

  While praying the rosary this week, I felt the pull to linger on the Transfiguration a little longer. Of course, the Transfiguration is a significant moment for Jesus, Peter, James, and John. It is a moment when the apostles come face to face with Jesus' divinity. They witness the Presence of the Holy Spirit and God as a bright cloud and then audibly hear the voice of God speak directly to them.  Wow!

  The apostles experienced the Divine with their senses. But how do we experience God’s Divine Presence? The Holy Spirit has been dwelling within us since our baptism.  Do you allow yourself to fully embrace this truth?  Have you truly taken the time to consider how incredibly unique and miraculous this reality is?  The Transfiguration was a miraculous moment in time, and since Pentecost and our own Baptisms, we have been living miraculous lives!  And if this was not enough, we touch the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ every time we receive the Holy Eucharist! What a privilege! Wow!

  I need to address a question that came to mind while praying.  Do I believe God is who He has revealed himself to be?  Do I believe He is truly present in me and my life, or am I like so many in the crowds that followed Jesus shouting, “Give us another miracle so we can believe!”

-Susan

The Beauty of the Holy Trinity

 

 Some people don't love mystery and intrigue. They want everything to fit inside a labeled box with clearly defined definitions and perimeters. The Holy Trinity is a mystery that goes far beyond our understanding, and I'm okay with that. I will spend my life chasing the mystery of the Holy Trinity, knowing I will never learn all there is to know, but just enthralled with every little new clue revealed to me!

 I enjoy hiking with my family, especially in the mountains. When you are walking, the world's natural beauty is all around you. It's peaceful and quiet. You know your surroundings because you don't want to take the wrong path mistakenly. Even if you are tired or hot, you just keep going because you know this path will be incredible in the end! Whether it is a mountaintop view of the world or a breathtaking waterfall, the trail's future is more than your senses can take in.

 This is how I see the Holy Trinity. It is a beautiful, mysterious adventure. Even though I cannot comprehend the Trinity nor the path He will lead me down, I can feel the beauty of His Love all around me. Whether I am conversing with God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit, I speak with a God who is Love itself. And no matter how tired I am, I thirst for Him. Of course, I am just a small child with little thoughts, and I'm okay with that because when the time is right, God will reveal His magnificence so that I can comprehend how mighty He truly is. So, for now, I will follow all God's clues allowing this quest to shape my future for tomorrow and all eternity!

-Susan

 

Praise the Holy Trinity

 

 I wish I could say I fully understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity, but it is way beyond my thoughts.  Although I can’t comprehend, I feel incredibly blessed to have this living mystery in my life. It is amazing to me that when I was only an infant, God began sharing His divine life with me through the holy waters of Baptism.  Day by day, year by year He has been calling me to draw closer.  Even when I held back, God never did. He continued to share every part of Himself with me-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

 This week try to discover something new about the Holy Trinity.  Ask Mary to guide you in this journey.  The mysteries of the Rosary can reveal so many different insights of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.   Even though we may not be able to completely grasp the meaning of the Trinity, we can grasp our Rosary beads and try to see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through Mary's eyes. No one knows the Trinity better than Mary, who is His handmaiden, mother and spouse. Let us ask Mary to help us praise the Holy Trinity.


-Susan

Holy Trinity

  Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Trinity. Every time we pray we begin with our belief in the Holy Trinity—"In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." The sign of the cross is easy to do, but wrapping your head around the mystery of the Holy Trinity is not. To be honest, I’m ok with not being able to comprehend the depth of this mystery, because just scratching the surface of this relationship of love is so incredible to me. I don’t have to understand it completely, I just want to be completely a part of it. 

  St. Thomas tells us that the “Holy Spirit, Himself is Love.” The Holy Spirit is the love the Father and Son share for each other.  The Trinity is the most powerful example of love, and  is often symbolized as a triangle. (The triangle is structurally the strongest geometrical shape.)  It is this amazing, powerful love that God shares with each of us. It's okay that we don’t completely comprehend three persons in One God, we merely need to be open to placing ourselves in the midst of this triangle of love. We then need to love others the way God does. As we invite others to experience God's love, we build the Kingdom. 

  I like to imagine that each of us is a triangle in the Kingdom.  Each of us is surrounded by the love of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  We are bonded one to another in this Kingdom of Love. A Kingdom so strong, no power of evil could destroy it. The Kingdom is not waiting until the end of time to be built, it is only waiting for you to begin each day of your life “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

-Susan

Celebrating the Holy Spirit!

It's time to Break the Glass

  I have been thinking  about this passage a lot lately.  I have been wondering if I really live as though the power of Christ dwells in me.  Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle that blocks the power of the Holy Spirit is ......me.  I make up excuses....if only I had more time....more resources.....more talent....more opportunity-- I could do so much more.  I have discovered that I am much better at making excuses than I am in exploring the living, powerful, mysterious Presence of the One who dwells in me.  I feel that I have only scratched the surface, but it is time to break the glass and allow God's Spirit to do more in my life.  I no longer wished to be controlled by what I perceive to be my limitations.  God lives in me,  and I need to stop limiting His power by my weaknesses.  I need to hand my small thoughts and actions to God and let His powerful Spirit take over.  Dwelling with the Spirit is so much more than I ever realized!

-Susan