Resolving To Live My Faith More in 2011

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I have finally fallen apart at the seams.  No need to go into all of the details, but things have just got to change and there's no time than the present (which happens to be January, 2011) to begin again.

I know that I cannot live a second of my life without God and know that I need to pray more fervently and constantly for the intimacy with Him that I seek and need.  It just seems to me that as things worsen around the world, in this country, in my family with my father failing more each day, and my work environment stress increasing each day with the sad state budget problems, that it is just as true now as it has always been:  I cannot live without God's love, Providence, forgiveness, and protection in every beating moment of my life.

For this I re-committ myself to Him now and forever.

Blessings in this new year.


2011 image above source: Ramakanta Sahoo

ASH WEDNESDAY, The Beginning of Our Lenten Journey

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Today Catholics and many other Christians embark on the Lenten season when we go within ourselves to do penance and engage in activities that promote our spiritual transformation in order to draw closer to our Lord and prepare for Easter. It is time to purify ourselves through sacrifice and good works. During Lent, I try harder to keep Christ stronger in my mind and heart, by remembering what He sacrificed so unselfishly, so lovingly for my redemption, salvation, and eternal life in Heaven. I keep in mind the time that Jesus went into the desert Himself and that I need to experience my own desert and grow closer to Him through what I do during this 40-day journey.

Catholics receive ashes on our foreheads while the priest repeats the words that remind us that we will ultimately return to dust (Genesis 3:19). We are simply nothing without God!

Ways for Catholics to Live a Holy Lenten Season Life

• Fast from judging others; Feast on the Christ dwelling in them.
• Fast from emphasis on differences; Feast on the unity of life.
• Fast from apparent darkness; Feast on the reality of light.
• Fast from thoughts of illness; Feast on the healing power of God.
• Fast from words that pollute; Feast on phrases that purify.
• Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.
• Fast from anger; Feast on patience.
• Fast from pessimism; Feast on optimism.
• Fast from worry; Feast on divine order.
• Fast from complaining; Feast on appreciation.
• Fast from negatives; Feast on affirmatives.
• Fast from unrelenting pressures; Feast on unceasing prayer.
• Fast from hostility; Feast on non-resistance.
• Fast from bitterness; Feast on forgiveness.
• Fast from self-concern; Feast on compassion for others.
• Fast from personal anxiety; Feast on eternal truth.
• Fast from discouragement; Feast on hope.
• Fast from facts that depress; Feast on verities that uplift.
• Fast from lethargy; Feast on enthusiasm.
• Fast from thoughts that weaken; Feast on promises that inspire.
• Fast from shadows of sorrow; Feast on the sunlight of serenity.
• Fast from idle gossip; Feast on purposeful silence.
• Fast from problems that overwhelm; Feast on prayer that strengthens.

-William Arthur Ward (American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994.)

Catholics Believe in Fasting During Lent

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Dear Friends in Christ,

Many people simply cannot understand the whole concept and behavior of fasting. They think, "Why in the world would anyone want to deprive themselves of food, or at least a decreased amount of food during one's day"? During the Lenten period, Catholics imitate Christ's own fasting for forty days in the desert and His resistance to the temptations of Satan that He encountered in the desert. When we humbly imitate Christ in our own self-denial, we purify our hearts, and our heavenly Father is pleased with us. Our souls receive spiritual benefits when we refrain from a variety of food, drink, and other negative temptations.

When Catholics fast during Lent, we do so as a willing penance for our offenses against God. We go beyond simply asking for forgiveness in our prayers or through the Sacrament of Penance. If we feel that little hunger pain by eating twice a day instead of three (or more) times a day. . . we can offer up that discomfort and share in Christ's suffering, thus helping our souls a little bit more as well.
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The glory of these forty days

We celebrate with songs of praise;

For Christ, by whom all things were made,

Himself fasted and has prayed.

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Alone and fasting Moses saw

The loving God who gave the law;

And to Elijah, fasting, came

The steeds and chariots of flame.

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Then grant that we like them be true,

Consumed in fast and prayer with you;

Our spirits strengthen with your grace,

And give us joy to see Your face.

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Hymn, The Magnificat, February 27, 2009, p. 371

Today, Lord, grant me Thy grace to fast in a way that is pleasing to You.

Blessings,
~ bella

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Denying Ourselves During Lent: Personal Sacrifices and Fasting

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Holy Card image re-printed with loving permission from "Holy Cards for Your Inspiration"

http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com/

"If anyone wishes to come after me,

he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

What profit is there for one to gain the whole world

yet lose or forfeit himself?"

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Luke 9:22 - 25

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Thankful this Thursday for Persecution and Suffering

Holy Card image re-printed with permission from "Holy Cards for Your Inspiration" blog

http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com/

Hello my dear friends in Christ,

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You are probably thinking, "What is she, nuts?" To be thankful for being persecuted for living for Christ? Yes, that's right . . . today was a day from h--l with a very, very difficult student threatening me to do something dishonest and unethical for him regarding one of my classes that I teach. I've never received a threat letter before in my life and so I forwarded it to my Dean and Associate Dean and asked for their assistance in handling the matter.

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On my commute home, I once again needed to hear some inspiration! So I plugged in my Father Corapi CD on the Consecration of Jesus through Mary. I didn't know which of the 3 discs I was going to listen to. . . I just grabbed one. Low and behold it was the same message that I listened to last week . . . I guess I need to hear this repeatedly for it to sink into my long-term memory! Once again it was a reminder of the Beatitudes: Blessed are those who suffer for Christ! He said the way to Jesus is through the CROSS, since He too suffered due to sin.

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Father continued to say that if someone is causing you and me suffering in our lives, that we should PRAISE GOD . . . it means that the devil is trying hard to bring us down as we grow in our Faith! Father said you must be doing something right and standing for what is right, when this happens to you. I need to be reminded of this so often.

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So gee, thanks to this young adult student of life!! And even more PRAISE to God! It thrills me that my journey is heading more towards where I truly want to be!

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Are you being persecuted in some way by some thing or someone? If so, Father Corapi's advice will be very helpful to you during your trial.

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Well, I'm off to get some sleep for the evening; lots of work awaits me tomorrow -- grading all those tests that I gave Tuesday through today. Phew!

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Blessings,

~ bella

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Mortifications: Using Little Daily Chores to Prepare Our Souls

(Holy Card re-print permission granted from "Holy Cards for Your Inspiration"
http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com )

"Whistle While You Work"

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Using Little Daily Chores for Mortifications

to Help Prepare My Soul

Hello dear amici (friends),

Today is Saturday and I focused on beginning my day with morning prayer and meditation on the day's Scripture readings. I also kept my resolution to not waste my day away on the computer and Internet. As a result of this vow, I followed my devotion time with my weekend household chores and I was lead (without accident) to yesterday's devotion in "In Conversation With God", for Friday, Week 26 in Ordinary Time.

In his writing, Francis Fernandez discusses "mortification" which prepares our souls to "listen to the Lord and to follow His Will". We weed out those negative things in our souls: our laziness, egotism, envy . . . you know, all those vices! Fernandez says that anyone who desires to live their Catholic faith SERIOUSLY, needs to get rid of our old nature (Col 3:9) . . . those bad 'inclinations that we have inherited from Adam'. We can do this through "moritification", which "rejuvenates the soul" and helps the soul to be better prepared to RECEIVE SUPERNATURAL GIFTS!!!

Now, I think that is pretty AWESOME, don't you? "Voluntary mortifications" involve our voluntarily and CONSCIOUSLY carrying out our duties, because THIS IS WHERE WE FIND GOD'S WILL for us each day. And when we engage in these little daily duties, we need to do so with LOVE, HIGH STANDARDS, and HARD WORK. Sort of like the Disney song, "Whistle While You Work" in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!

Fernandez continues to let me know that 'mortification' of my soul can also include things such as having 'order' in my life, being punctual, taking care of the small details, performing well any of the most INSIGNIFICANT things in my life, even it hurts (p. 150). He says that we need to resist the temptation of comfort (you know that saying, "Don't get too comfortable!"). We need to PERSEVERE in our daily work with JOY and enthusiasm!

We can be cheerful.

We can offer our fatigue up to the Lord.

We can stop complaining (about anything!) and use whatever causes our complaint to lead us closer to God.

We can also call upon our precious, loving Guardian Angel to help us overcome our weariness, to convert everything we do into "acts of love, contrition, and mortification . . . and gather a bouquet at the end of each day, which we can offer to God!"

So with that discussion, this morning I quickly changed the bed's linens, washed the old linens with the rest of the laundry, folded and put away the clean laundry, cleaned the dirty stove top, washed the dishes, and generally picked up the little messes around the house.

How about you? Did you find yourself complaining today? If so, try to use each little thing that you see as a drudgery and convert them into 'mortifications' for your soul and for our Lord and Heavenly Father.

Ciao for now and Blessings until the next time,

~ Bella

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