Archangels

Today is the Feast of the Holy Archangels.

Kathryn, my mother's painting

The Gospel reading of the day reminds us to "become as little children."  The priest at Mass today said this means we go to God each day with open hands saying, "Papa, what do you have for me today?"

He continued to share that this feast is all about humility. God lowered and humbled himself in his descent to earth. This is what made many of the angels rebel.

No one is more humble than a child. I am so blessed by little 4 year-old Annie at church who runs to me each Sunday with open arms to tell me she loves me. Her face looks like a cherub. I am struck deeply by her innocence.

Thank God for his angelic heavenly protection for all his children.

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

The Poor

Yesterday was the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, priest. Here is some of his advice:

" If a needy person requires medicine or other help during prayer time, do whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer the deed to God as your prayer. Do not become upset or feel guilty because you interrupted your prayer to serve the poor. God is not neglected if you leave him for such service. One of God's works is merely interrupted so that another can be carried out. So when you leave prayer to serve some poor person, remember that this very service is performed for God."  1

What strikes me most is the line, "do whatever has to be done with peace of mind." And so as charity beckons us we are to move with sweetness not bitterness, positivity not negativity, flexibility not rigidity, gentleness not harshness, trust not fear, faith not doubt.

I was told by a wise person recently that this saint is very powerful in obtaining an answer to our prayers. He was a true servant of the poor. Let us ask for his intercession:

Dear St. Vincent de Paul, you learned to walk the higher road, and understood the miseries of earthly creatures like ourselves. We pray for the grace to move in charity and in the power of the Spirit. Help us to overcome all religious spirits and to possess a truly spiritual disposition. We desire the peace of mind of which you speak so when the poor need us, whether it be our children, spouses, friends or other loved ones, obtain for us we beg thee, the grace to respond to their need for help, with peace of mind and heart, offering all for the greater glory of God. We thank thee. Amen.

1. Excerpt from the writings of St. Vincent de Paul (Epist. 2546)

Peace of Heart

"Once we have accepted that all things are in the hand of God, and that the great events of history, like the smallest details of our own lives, are willed or permitted by Him, we begin to experience an unassailable peace of heart.  'In everything,' says Saint Paul, 'God works for good with those who love Him' (Rom 8:28). Worry has never advanced the kingdom of heaven. Worry has never made anyone holy. Panic, fretting, and anxiety are not fruits of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost produces confidence in God, trust in His mercy, abandonment to His designs, surrender to His will and, always, peace."     Father Mark Kirby, O.S.B.

To see the complete post entitled "In the Hand of His Providence" by Father Mark go to:

http://vultus.stblogs.org/2011/09/in-the-hand-of-his-providence.html

Lady of Sorrows

Today I remembered Our Lady of Sorrows and the special graces she showered to help me discern the direction for Women of Peace. Here's an excerpt from the history page of this blog:

Listening carefully with the ear of my heart, praying for obedience and a brave heart to follow the Spirit's lead, strong instructions came concretely clear--"hold the first Women of Peace workshop on Sept. 15, 2001 on the Solemnity of Our Lady of Sorrows at the Convent of Our Sorrowful Mothers."

So I did just that! And sorrowful mothers we (retreatants) were that day. Only four days after 9/11, we were never more full of anxiety. The whole nation was grieved by the horrific violence and tragedy we had just witnessed days before. As the presenter of the Women of Peace workshop, I could hardly speak at times with so many broken hearts in the room. The divinely orchestrated moments of that poignant day were indelibly impressed on my heart forever.

In our grief and confusion we received consolation and clarity. As our minds listened to those timely messages, we received life in greater measure and truth that truly set us free...

Now here we are ten years later remembering our nation's sorrow over 9/11. Surely, Our Lady of Compassion still has a sword of sorrow piercing her heart for all the grave offenses that continue against the Sacred Heart of her son, Jesus, our Lord.

There is an incisive description of her seven sorrows on the following blog site: http://vultus.stblogs.org/2011/09/the-seven-sorrows-of-the-mothe.html

Let us ask for her intercession. Our Lady of Sorrows and of great compassion, pray for us.

Sowing Peace

" To live by love
 is to go through life
sowing peace and joy
in hearts."  St. Therese of Lisieux, The Little Flower

What are ten practical ways to sow these seeds?:

• Call others by name
• Listen carefully
• Be gentle in speech
• Encourage others
• Do kind deeds
• Recognize people's birthdays
• Celebrate others' achievements
• Reassure others of God's unfailing love and goodness
• Reconcile quickly
• Be a hope bearer

Peace and joy to you this day!

Rooted in Him

" So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord,
walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him
and established in the faith as you were taught,
abounding in thanksgiving.

See to it that no one captivate you
with an empty, seductive philosophy
according to human tradition,
according to the elemental powers of the world
and not according to Christ.
For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily,
and you share in this fullness in him,
who is the head of every principality and power." Col 2: 6- 9

This strong exhortation from St. Paul to the Colossians reminds us that we need to stay true to the faith. Many people however today are pulling away from what they were taught and wavering in their faith for various reasons. All of us can be tempted to do that.

Perhaps it's what we've chosen to think--our own adopted philosophy of life, or our particular needs, and at times illnesses cause us to withdraw from God's love doubting that He's still with us as He promised. Whatever it may be, we need to be mindful of the factors influencing our relationship with the Lord.

Pope Benedict XVI asserts that "the seduction of a materialistic culture of individualism" is causing people to be self-centered. According to a news report by Fiona Govan in Madrid, he addressed pilgrims gathered there recently at World Youth Day telling them to avoid “the fashion of individualism” and not to keep their faith private but to participate in church life and share the faith.

“We cannot follow Jesus on our own,” the 84-year old pontiff said. “So do not keep Christ to yourselves! Share with others the joy of your faith.”

Because of individualism he says we need a re-evangelization of the Christian world, not just evangelization of non-believers.

Let us guard against this error in the world, strive to be other-centered and share our faith freely. And in all things be "abounding in thanksgiving." The antidote to modern individualism, Benedict says, is the Eucharist--which means thanksgiving. Thus will we find the fullness of peace within ourselves and go forth in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Nativity of Mary

Rejoicing today on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is the day we remember Mary's birth.

She is a perfect role model for those of us interested in becoming women of peace in our hearts and in this world. She was a disciple--a person who exquisitely listened to God and to her son, Jesus.

What other qualities can we glean from her life?

• She was open to the will of God
• She praised Him for what He called her to do and be
• She found joy for the mission

Let us say with the psalmist today, "With delight I rejoice in the Lord!" Ps  13 : 6

Filipinos Ready to Pray 1 Million Rosaries

Spirit Daily has this article online today:

MANILA, Philippines, Aug. 31, 2011 (Zenit.org).- The Family Rosary Crusade in the Philippines is spearheading a campaign to get 1 million Filipinos to pray 1 million rosaries in 200 days for all nations in the world.

Dubbed "A million roses for the world: Filipinos at Prayer: Peace for All Nations," the campaign aims to rally Filipinos to offer one rosary each day for a particular country in the world in 200 days. The nationwide activity will begin Oct. 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and end May 31, 2012, Feast of Our Lady of All Nations.

Bishop Nereo Odchimar, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, lauded the campaign, saying that with 1 million peace-loving Filipinos praying together, "we can claim peace for the world from the hands of the good Lord and his mother."

Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, director of the Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education, which partners with the Family Rosary Crusade, also encouraged the faithful to join a similar rosary campaign for schools nationwide dubbed "1.1 on 11/11."

This initiative will bring students of Catholic schools, colleges and universities to pray simultaneously 1 million and 100 rosaries at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 2011. "This campaign aims to teach our youth that prayer can change the world and people who pray can change the destinies of peoples," the archbishop said. "Indeed there can be no world peace without prayer."