Sacred Heart of Jesus, I Believe in Your Love for Me

If you would live entirely for Him, and reach the perfection which He desires of you, you must sacrifice yourself unreservedly with all that depends on you.  You must no longer will anything but by the will of this loving Heart, and no longer love anything but by Its affections.  You must act only by Its light; never undertake anything without first asking for Its counsel and help; give It all the glory thereof; return It thanks, both for failure and for success in your undertakings, and without worrying be equally satisfied with all; for, provided that this divine Heart is pleased, loved and glorified, nothing else matters.

Saint Margaret Mary

Life and Writings, II

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God is Stronger!

The Church, defined in Vatican Council II as the People of God, was the topic of Pope Francis' catechesis during the 12 June 2013 General Audience. His Holiness explained the concept of the People of God through a series of questions: “What does it mean to be the People of God? How does one become a member of this people? What is its law, its mission, and its goal?”

Our Holy Father said, “We must ask the Lord to help us understand this law of love. How beautiful it is to love one another as true brothers and sisters. Let's do this today. Maybe we all have the people we like and [those we] dislike. Perhaps many of us are a little upset with someone. So let's say to the Lord: 'Lord, I am angry with this person or that one. I will pray to you for him and for her.' Praying for those we are angry with is a good step in this law of love. Shall we do it? Let's do it today!”

“This people's mission,” the Pope said, “is to bring God's hope and salvation to the world: to be a sign of the love of God who calls all to friendship with him … It is enough to open a newspaper to see that the presence of evil is around us, that the Devil is at work. But I want to say out loud: God is stronger! … Let's all say it together … God is stronger! And I want to add that reality, which at times is dark and marked by evil, can change if we first bring to it the light of the Gospel, above all with our lives. If, in a stadium … on a dark night, one person lights a light, it can barely be seen. But, if over 70,000 spectators each light their own light, then the stadium lights up. Let us make our lives the light of Christ. Together we will bring the light of the Gospel to all of reality.”

For the complete text, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-we-are-all-invited-to-be-members-of-the-peopl

http://www.news.va/en/news/general-audience-the-church-the-people-of-god-shou

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Each and every day the Lord gives us countless opportunities to live our baptismal call as the “People of God,” the Church.  Some of the possibilities presented to us are easier to carry out than others.  Many of you have very generously been praying for my mother and all of my family as she deals with increasing complications to a speedy recovery from surgery.  Your great faith and love, I believe, makes this prayer an “easy” task for you; and my family is grateful for your kindness. 

 

Pope Francis calls our attention to times when it is not so easy to pray for another, especially someone who may have caused us pain or with whom we are not at peace.  This can be a real challenge (from my own personal experience)!  But we need to try to do what the Lord asks of us—to pray for those who have hurt us—because the love of God is stronger than any evil we experience.

Let’s prayerfully encourage each other to be a sign of God’s love, especially when it is not easy by human standards.  How many of us can shine with the light of Christ in order to set the world ablaze with the brilliance which flows from His Sacred Heart?  We can all do it with the grace of God!

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Heart of Jesus

 

Sacred Heart of Jesus I Commit this Day to You

 

Merciful Heart of Jesus, today, in return for Your great love for me, I renew the covenant of love I made with You on the day of my Baptism and which You renew each time You offer Yourself to the Father in the Eucharist.  I consecrate myself, family, and all my undertakings to Your loving Heart.  I offer to bring the message of love and mercy that emanates from Your Sacred Heart to all who will listen.  “Send forth Your Holy Spirit and You shall renew the face of the earth!”

 

I ask this through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your Mother.

 

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Early childhood memories include an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on a wall in our home (as well as in the homes of grandparents and other relatives).  Attending the Parish and School of Saint Margaret Mary also assured familiarity with the Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and First Friday devotions.  My personal devotion to the Sacred Heart grew strong in later years, and so it was a great joy to experience with my dear husband the “City of the Heart of Jesus”, Paray-le-Monial, France.  There is a profound simplicity and spirit in the village, where Jesus revealed His Heart full of love to Sister Margaret Mary, that impels you to also spread His message.  You can feel the peace, love and mercy emanating from the Heart of our Lord, which is made tangible by the dedicated chaplains and lay volunteers who welcome, guide and pray with you.  Most of all, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, you are renewed in faith, hope and love.

My fervent prayer is that you may more deeply feel the Sacred Heart of Jesus embracing you and granting you every good gift as you draw near to Him in every tabernacle of the world.

“Be ever ready to receive Me, for I shall always be ready to give Myself to thee.”

 – Sacred Heart of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary

 

For more information about the Sanctuary of Paray-le-Monial, please visit:

http://www.sanctuaires-paray.com/spip.php?page=sommaire&id_rubrique=2&lang=en



Mural Detail, Chapel of the Visitation

 

 

Basilica

 



Floral heart in garden of Paray-le-Monial

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Blessed John Paul II established that on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus the Church will observe the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. Each and every one of the faithful is encouraged to pray for our priests today, this very moment, in celebration of the Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the rosary, so that the 7th June 2013 will be an even greater celebration of the priesthood of Jesus Christ worldwide.

 

For more information, please visit:

http://www.worldpriestday.com/

 

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Opportunities for Visitation

In your relations with one another, clothe yourselves with humility, because God “is stern with the arrogant but to the humble he shows kindness.”  Bow humbly under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time he may lift you high.  Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:5b-7

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Eternal Father,

You inspired the Virgin Mary, mother of your Son,
to visit Elizabeth and assist her in her need.
Keep us open to the working of your Spirit,
and with Mary may we praise you for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

From the Liturgy of the Hours

 

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View of Ain Karem from the Church of the Visitation

 

Today we celebrate the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The familiar story found in Luke’s Gospel Chapter 1 Verses 39-56 tells how Blessed Mother Mary set out in haste and traveled to the hill country to visit the expectant Elizabeth, and the words of praise to God which ensued as they greeted each other.  It is easy to place ourselves into this scene as two women reach out in faith, hope and love.  The Lord gives us opportunities to do the same every day of our lives.  What is most important is that we see God in each person we greet, share Christ’s love and peace, and be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to “travel” - sometimes beyond our comfort zone - in order to be a faith-filled presence to another.

 

On my first trip to the village of Ain Karem, I had the privilege to “visit” the Saint Vincent Home for Children with Special Needs.  It was founded in 1964, as a non-profit institution by the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, and works in coordination with the Israeli Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.  The staff members are Jewish, Arab, Muslim and Christian lay people working and living together with four religious sisters. They are physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, caregivers, a dietician and a speech therapist. In addition, there is the office, kitchen, laundry and garden staff. Also, volunteers from around the world generously help and support their amazing work. 

 

Saint Vincent Ain Karem cares for 60 Jewish and Arab children. They range from one year old to their early twenties, and they come from all parts of Israel. They are children with special needs: this means that their motor skills (sitting, walking, eating, control of movements…) as well as their cognitive skills (talking, recognizing people and objects, understanding situations…) have been delayed or is very slow. For most of the children, the disabilities are the consequence of brain damage (before or after birth), others present with genetic problems, and there are some for whom the cause is unknown.

 

The children are lovingly cared for. Each child’s disability is taken into account. The caregivers feel that they receive from the children even more than they give. This is not easy to understand, it really has to be experienced, and once it is, this feeling remains with you for the rest of your life. Seeing that a child is free of pain or discomfort and that he/she can develop to his/her full potential is an immense reward.

 

It is a blessing to experience how the sisters and staff care for these special children of God in a joy-filled, peaceful setting.  At the end of our visit we gathered in the sisters’ chapel to pray with them and give thanks to God for the great things still being done in this village in the hill country.  I will always believe that I received so much more than I was able to give through this humbling visit.

 

For more information on Saint Vincent Ain Karem, please visit:

http://svaka.org/

 

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Mosaic detail of olive branch, floor of the Church of the Visitation, Ain Karem

 

For more reflections on the Visitation, please visit:

http://theapostoliclady.blogspot.com/2012_05_01_archive.html

 

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Newness, Harmony and Mission

His Holiness Pope Francis, in his homily for the Feast of Pentecost, said, “I would like to reflect on three words linked to the working of the Holy Spirit: newness, harmony and mission.

1. Newness always makes us a bit fearful, because we feel more secure if we have everything under control, if we are the ones who build, programme and plan our lives in accordance with our own ideas, our own comfort, our own preferences. This is also the case when it comes to God. Often we follow him, we accept him, but only up to a certain point. It is hard to abandon ourselves to him with complete trust, allowing the Holy Spirit to be the soul and guide of our lives in our every decision…. The newness which God brings into our life is something that actually brings fulfilment, that gives true joy, true serenity, because God loves us and desires only our good. Let us ask ourselves: Are we open to “God’s surprises”? Or are we closed and fearful before the newness of the Holy Spirit? Do we have the courage to strike out along the new paths which God’s newness sets before us, or do we resist…?

2. A second thought: the Holy Spirit would appear to create disorder in the Church, since he brings the diversity of charisms and gifts; yet all this, by his working, is a great source of wealth, for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of unity, which does not mean uniformity, but which leads everything back to harmony. In the Church, it is the Holy Spirit who creates harmony…. Having a sense of the Church is something fundamental for every Christian, every community and every movement. It is the Church which brings Christ to me, and me to Christ…. So let us ask ourselves: Am I open to the harmony of the Holy Spirit, overcoming every form of exclusivity? Do I let myself be guided by him, living in the Church and with the Church?

3. A final point. The older theologians used to say that the soul is a kind of sailboat, the Holy Spirit is the wind which fills its sails and drives it forward, and the gusts of wind are the gifts of the Spirit. Lacking his impulse and his grace, we do not go forward….  The Holy Spirit is the soul of mission….  The Holy Spirit is the supreme gift of the risen Christ to his apostles, yet he wants that gift to reach everyone. As we heard in the Gospel, Jesus says: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to remain with you forever” (John 14:16). It is the Paraclete Spirit, the “Comforter”, who grants us the courage to take to the streets of the world, bringing the Gospel! The Holy Spirit makes us look to the horizon and drive us to the very outskirts of existence in order to proclaim life in Jesus Christ. Let us ask ourselves: do we tend to stay closed in on ourselves, on our group, or do we let the Holy Spirit open us to mission?

Today’s liturgy is a great prayer which the Church, in union with Jesus, raises up to the Father, asking him to renew the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. May each of us, and every group and movement, in the harmony of the Church, cry out to the Father and implore this gift. Today too, as at her origins, the Church, in union with Mary, cries out: “Veni, Sancte Spiritus! Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love!” Amen.”

For the complete English translation, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-pentecost-newness-harmony-and-mission

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Our Holy Father has given us much to reflect upon as we celebrate a fresh outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit this Pentecost! 

Each and every day may we rejoice in the “newness” which God gives to us for our own good and the good of the world.  Let’s try to be aware of and trust in the movement of the Holy Spirit so that we may be open to the creation of “harmony” that is God’s plan for the Church.  May we strive to grow in faith, hope and love, so that we can share these gifts with others and, with hearts on fire, live our “mission” to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Blessed Mother Mary is at our side, ready to help us say "yes" to challenges to our comfort-level as well as grace-filled opportunities to abandon ourselves to God's will. 

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Pray That I May Do God's Will

Dear Friends in Christ,

I was informed that I have been selected by the National Council of Catholic Women Nominating Committee to run for the position of President-Elect serving a two-year term, 2013 - 2015. 

 

I offer my God-given gifts to "unite Catholic women of the USA, to develop their spiritual growth and leadership potential, and to motivate and assist them to act upon current issues in the Church and society" (NCCW Bylaws II.I(a)).

 

Empowered by the Holy Spirit and guided by Our Mother of Good Counsel, may we grow in faith, share with others our hope, and be witnesses of Jesus' love as an apostolate of the laity.   Together, with the grace of God, we can secure the future of NCCW as a vital service to women and the Church.

Please pray that I may always do God's will.  Thank you for your support and encouragement.  God bless you!

In Christ Jesus,
Karen

Blessed Mother Mary Helps Us

 

“Mary is a mother and a mother worries above all about the health of her children … What does this mean that the Madonna safeguards our health? I am thinking mainly of three aspects: … she helps us to grow, she helps us to face life, and she helps us to be free.

 

Mary Helps Us to Grow

…A mother takes care that her children grow always more, that they grow strong and capable of taking on responsibility, of committing themselves in their lives, and of holding high ideals. … This is exactly what the Madonna does in us. She helps us to grow humanely and in faith, to be strong and not to yield to the temptation of being superficial persons and Christians, but to live responsibly, always reaching higher.

 

Mary Helps Us to Face Life

... A mother helps her children to look realistically at life's problems and to not get lost in them but to tackle them with courage; not to be weak and to know how to overcome them with the healthy balance that a mother “feels” between the limits of safety and the areas of risk.... Mary lived many difficult times in her life, from the birth of Jesus ... until Calvary. And like a good mother she is close to us so that we never lose courage in the face of life's adversities, in the face of our own weakness, in the face of our sins. She gives us strength, pointing us to the path of her Son….

 

Mary Helps Us to Be Free

One last aspect … a good mother also helps to make important decisions with freedom. ... But what does freedom mean? Certainly not doing whatever you want ... Freedom is given to us so that we might know how to make good choices in life! Like a good mother, Mary teaches us to be, like her, capable of making ... important decisions…. And she helps us to make definitive choices with that full freedom with which she answered 'yes' to God’s plan for her life.”

 

…Long live the Madonna. She is our Mother. Let us entrust ourselves to her so that she might safeguard us like a good mother. I pray for you but I ask that you pray for me because I need it. Three 'Hail Marys' for me….”

 

His Holiness Pope Francis

Homily, Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Rome

4 May 2013

 

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-liberian-basilica-mary-helps-us-face-life

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-mary-give-us-the-grace-to-be-signs-an

 

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Let’s pray three “Hail Marys” for Pope Francis, as he asked us to do.  Let’s also pray three “Hail Marys” for each other so that we may grow in faith and strength, be courageous in the face of the adversities of life, and experience the true freedom of doing God’s will.

Our Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us to Jesus your Son!

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