Do You Really Want To Get Well?

 

(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

There is a vital lesson to learn from the paralytic in John's Gospel.

When we fail to listen to, and answer the specific question, God places in our hearts, we may lose the opportunity to receive a great and undeserved gift. Listen here.

Monday Musings - Our Lady of Guadalupe

[I have shared this post several times over the years. Bear with me one more time.]

While my wife and I were cleaning out our attic and basement several years ago, we discovered a long lost treasure - photographs from a trip that my eldest daughter and I had taken to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City more than twenty-five years ago.

At the time of that visit, the original Church built at the request of the Blessed Mother, was deemed unsafe to enter. A new modern structure – much larger had been erected nearby.

I remember pausing in awe and wonder watching pilgrims walking on their knees across the plaza leading to the Cathedral, some of whom I was later told had been walking in that manner for miles. I regret now not having photographically captured the inspiring witness of those devoted souls.  

Worth Revisiting - Remembering Our Lady of Guadalupe

Thank you Elizabeth Riordan at Theology Is A Verb for hosting Worth Revisiting each week. It is a privilege to share our work with you and your followers. 

Remembering Our Lady of Guadalupe

(Originally posted on December 12, 2014)

Last year on the Memorial of our Lady of Guadalupe, I wrote of the blessed visit my daughter and I had made to the site of this great Marian apparition so many years earlier. You can read that post here.

Today I want to share a brief message she delivered to St. Juan Diego - a message meant for our ears as well:

"I, who am your Mother, stand before you. You remain always under the shelter of my protection. Be aware of how fortunate you are to have access to my motherly care at all times."

Our Lady of Guadalupe, ever at our side,  pray for us!

Monday Musings - A Glance Instead of Words

Monday Musings - Podcast - Do You Really Want To Get Well?

(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

There is a vital lesson to learn from the paralytic in John's Gospel.

When we fail to listen to, and answer the specific question, God places in our hearts, we may lose the opportunity to receive a great and undeserved gift. Listen here.

Revisiting Wednesday - Scurry to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament

Thank you, Allison Gingras and Elizabeth Riordan, for inviting an ever-expanding group of Catholic bloggers to re-post their favorite articles on “Worth Revisiting” Wednesdays.

Do yourself a favor- go there now (and every Wednesday) and let these authors bless and challenge you in Faith journey.

During the rest of each week. visit Allison at  Reconciled To You and Elizabeth at Theology Is A Verb.  You will be pleased with what they share.

 Here is what I am sharing this week:


Scurry to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament

(Originally posted February 10, 2015)

Bet you have had a similar experience. You are reading a passage from Scripture – one that you have read many times in the past. Suddenly from the page leaps an insight that had heretofore escaped your grasp.

I had just such an experience early Monday morning when I filled in for an Adorer who was stranded some distance from our Chapel due to a significant snow storm.

Let me set forth the familiar words of Mark’s Gospel (Mk 6:53-56) that prompts this post and reflection:

“After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.”

(From the Revised Standard Version, emphasis added)

(Basilica at Notre Dame)

The great tragedy of our times is the fact that so few Catholics believe that Jesus is really, truly and substantially present here with us in the Most Blessed Sacrament, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity – the same Jesus the people in Mark’s Gospel immediately recognized and approached with expectant faith.

Worth Revisiting Wednesday - Abortion and Adoration

(Photo©Michael Seagriff)

Thanks to the generosity and encouragement of Allison Gingras and Elizabeth Riordan, an interesting group of Catholic bloggers take the time each week to re-post their favorite articles on “It’s Worth Revisiting” Wednesday.

Do yourself a favor- go there now (and every Wednesday) and let these authors bless and challenge you in your Faith journey.

During the rest of each week. visit Allison at  Reconciled To You and Elizabeth at Theology Is A Verb.  You will be pleased with what they share.

Here is what I am sharing this week:

Abortion and Adoration

(Originally posted January  25, 2013)

As we continue fighting to protect life from the moment of conception to natural death, I thought today – a day when tens of thousands will be publicly standing up for life and protesting the horror and slaughter of millions of innocent lives in this nation facilitated by the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973  - would be an appropriate time to share one woman’s example of God’s healing touch to those who come into His Presence.

Several years ago, a dear friend, who has tirelessly labored for more than two decades to promote Eucharistic Adoration, gave me a copy of the journal entry set forth below with permission to share it widely.

You are certainly not required to believe this woman's story. I suspect more than a few will. What no one should ever doubt, however, is that our Lord continues to physically and spiritually heal countless souls who either humble themselves and spend time in His Eucharistic Presence, or who have asked others who do to intercede on their behalf.

Maybe others reading this post, who have spent time at Adoration and whom God has healed, will share their experiences here as well.

Oh! that we would come to understand the value and power of adoring and worshipping our Lord, here physically present with us!

                                 MY ADORATION TESTIMONY - MARCH 2009

I am sharing my story in hopes of preventing maybe one less baby to be killed…I had an abortion. It was at least 19 years ago. I cannot recall the date. I have buried the time, but the act never forgotten. Even though I did confess my horrible deed to a priest face to face absolving me of my sin... the question: “Is this a sin that can ever be truly absolved?” has haunted me subconsciously and consciously.

Reflection on Today’s Gospel – Do You Really Want To Get Well?

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Did you notice in today’s Gospel (John 5:1-16) that the paralytic did not answer Jesus’ question: “Do you want to get well?” Instead, he complained and whined about the injustice of not having anyone to put him into the healing waters of the pool once they were “stirred up”.

In not answering the specific question posed to him, this paralyzed man was much like many of us. One of the most difficult things I could get my clients to understand when I practiced law was the necessity to just answer the specific question they were asked. It is shocking how few of them and us actually do that. We are all over the place, either because we didn’t listen carefully enough to what was asked or because we want to avoid answering that question at all costs – to do so might make us uncomfortable or suggest changes we should, but are unwilling, to make in our lives.

Abortion and Adoration

As we continue fighting to protect life from the moment of conception to natural death, I thought today – a day when tens of thousands will be publicly standing up for life and protesting the horror and slaughter of millions of innocent lives in this nation facilitated by the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973  - would be an appropriate time to share one woman’s example of God’s healing touch to those who come into His Presence.

Several years ago, a dear friend, who has tirelessly labored for more than two decades to promote Eucharistic Adoration, gave me a copy of the journal entry set forth below with permission to share it widely.

You are certainly not required to believe this woman's story. I suspect more than a few will. What no one you should ever doubt, however, is that our Lord continues to physically and spiritually heal countless souls who either humble themselves and spend time in His Eucharistic Presence, or who have asked others who do to intercede on their behalf.

Maybe others reading this post, who have spent time at Adoration and whom God has healed, will share their experiences here as well.

Oh! that we would come to understand the value and power of adoring and worshipping our Lord, here physically present with us!

                   MY ADORATION TESTIMONY - MARCH 2009

I am sharing my story in hopes of preventing maybe one less baby to be killed…I had an abortion. It was at least 19 years ago. I cannot recall the date. I have buried the time, but the act never forgotten. Even though I did confess my horrible deed to a priest face to face absolving me of my sin... the question: “Is this a sin that can ever be truly absolved?” has haunted me subconsciously and consciously.

My adoration story answers this question and was a true miracle. I have only shared one on one with a few when I felt the nudge from GOD. I am ready to present my story here [in a the journal at an Adoration Chapel the writer visited] again in hopes that whoever reads this will share my story and hopefully a life (lives) will be saved - not only the baby, but the mother too.

My husband is an adorer. In July of 2006 we were busy with projects, him especially. He goes to adoration late during the week and I selfishly offered to attend his hour for him ... wanting him to rest to get one of our projects completed. I had gone to Adoration for him a couple of times before but admittedly never got much out of it. So I went. I had the hour to myself.

There were rows of chairs at the time in Adoration Chapel. I sat in the back row chomping on gum. I shrugged my shoulders and said right out loud, "GOD you know who I am. I want our project done. I can't fool you." I suddenly felt that chomping my gum was very disrespectful. I pulled paper out of my purse and wrapped it up placing it back in my purse. I decided to repeat my Daily Prayers and approached the Monstrance and knelt down. I began by thanking GOD for dying on the cross for me and all, [for] Mary enduring all she endured and just feeling unworthy ... I then witnessed a ring form on the perimeter of the Eucharist. It started to glow. There was motion as if materializing - fighting to come through. The Eucharist actually started beating. I felt as if a beating heart. A baby's face was revealed… my baby's face!

At first [he] just looked in wonder at me blinking his eyes. He then began to cry. His face scrunched up. He was very angry. I broke into tears telling GOD how sorry I was for giving him up. It did not stop. I kept repeating over and over how sorry I was and what did GOD want from me. My baby kept crying. Once in awhile he would stop and actually make a sucking motion then would cry again. At one point 1 gathered myself and began to question what I was seeing. I stood up went to the right of the room. I went to the left of the room. I knelt low. I tippy-toed high. The image persisted. Now knowing this was the real deal I broke down again. The whole hour was my baby crying, me crying telling GOD I was sorry and [asking] what does HE want from me.

The next adorer came in. I gathered myself leaving with the image even there. I got in my car and began crying again. I shouted "LORD, GOD WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"

As clear as if I am here sharing with you I heard "YOU NEVER TOLD YOUR BABY YOU WERE SORRY"... Of course! You can summarize the rest. . . I said I was sorry.

The following week I insisted on doing my husband's hour alone. To my surprise - same scenario- the shadow ring. the materialization - my baby's face - but smiling back at me.

Then I was blessed with seeing Jesus for the next six months and occasionally since. I have been a faithful Adorer ever since and would not miss a week for the world because Jesus gave me more than that. HE gave me my life. I believe with all my heart and soul that I was atoned. Truly atoned right here in this Adoration Chapel.

I can never thank dearest BF enough for starting this [Adoration Chapel] and all of you for keeping it going.

                  A VERY BLESSED ADORER

(Source of baby image: e-women health care.com)

Stop What You Are Doing!

Run to your local theater and see OCTOBER BABY as soon as you are able! Bring as many of your family and friends with you as possible!

This film completes the incomplete public discussion of abortion and the dignity of all human life. The frank beauty and power of its message will anger some but change countless lives. It will cause many to look at this issue with different eyes - the eyes of a woman who survived a botched abortion, the eyes of the nurse who saved her life, the eyes of an aborted child whose life was so abruptly and needlessly ended, the eyes of adoptive parents, the eyes of a birth mother, and the eyes of Christ.

In between the tears, you will the see the power of faith, forgiveness, healing, and love. The awesome power of God's love for all Whom He has created will be evident to everyone. Reason and Truth will reign supreme. 

No one who views this film with an open mind and loving heart can continue to be ambivalent about the value of all human life and the obligation to protect such life from the moment of conception.

Don't you dare leave the theater until the credits have completely come to an end!

Oh, what great use God has made of the talents of the men, women and groups behind this movie!

Cinema is the battleground upon which the Truth can be shared and through which hearts, minds and lives can be changed.

Bravo! Praise God!