"sent His Son as expiation for our sins." I John 4:7-10

Pat came home from the mission last night filled with the Truth!  "He really gave it to us straight that Satan is alive and that he is influencing us in ways that we don't even know."  "He told parents that we need to get our children to confession monthly or even weekly.  He said that only 3% of Catholics use the sacrament of reconcilliation, and that it is the most underutilized sacrament!"  Pat and I both are so glad that the two retreats we are actively involved in use so powerfully the sacrament of reconcilliation.  We have both seen such powerful changes in people, and they all are having to do with coming to this sacrament for the first time ever or after a very long time away!  I have a brother, who made TEC 13 years ago and made his first ever confession.  He was so transformed and filled with the Spirit - meeting his loving and forgiving Savior up close and personal for the first time... He was higher than a kite for months!  Imagine carrying such a heavy load of sin after years of living away from Faith and the Church... then coming face to face with Christ in the confessional through the priest... laying all those burdens at His feet and "seeing" with the eyes of our heart the unconditional forgiveness Jesus has for us.   I can still hear my 8 year old grandson, Simon, in his sweet clear voice say this while we were praying together before bed.  He recently had his first ever reconcilliation as he is now in 2nd grade in Catholic School here in town!  He has since been greatly aware of his need to keep "washed clean" to be always close to Jesus!
"My God,


I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.

In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,

I have sinned against you

whom I should love above all things.

I firmly intend, with your help,

to do penance, to sin no more,

and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.

Our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.

In His Name, my God, have mercy.
Amen. "

Simon is leading the way for his younger siblings - “If you are not living for Jesus, you are living for Satan.” was a quote from Deacon Ralph last over the last few nights!  Simon just cried and cried after he realized the day after he had gone to his first confession that he had sinned by getting mad and pushing away his younger brother..."I've sinned, I've sinned, I am not washed clean!"  Lord, how we need to keep that clear vision on YOU, and how we need to keep all that keeps us apart from you out of our lives!  Pat was sharing with our daughter, Nancy, about last night and how Deacon shared that in Christ alone we have great JOY in our lives.  "It reminded me of Hallel and her community and how they are always so joyful and happy.  They have taken all those distractions out of their lives - TV, reading, what we are to wear or how we look, so many things that take our time and attention are just not there for them to concern themselves with .  Plus they have daily mass, prayers and the time in front of Jesus in adoration... Wow, it is understandable to see how they can be so close to their spouse, Jesus Christ!"

Lord, today in the Gospel you feed the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish!  Sitting there on the hillside in groups of 50-100 in the green grass.... seeing the doubt filling the faces of the disciples as they tell us to sit and be fed... looking up to see Jesus lift the loaves to heaven and break them and break them over and over and over... then we are given a piece of bread and fish as the disciples handed it out to us.  We eat and are filled with food after a long day of watching with great awe as he healed me, and all those that were "sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them."  Jesus, you heal me over and over in the confessional, and at mass, and my times on my knees in your presence in the monstrance in Adoration!  I yearn to be YOURS and to walk away from all the distractions of LIFE, and LOVE, and LIGHT!  The miraculous meal from your LOVE for us - "His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd."  Mark 6 - the Gospel today

Lord, I love you, and need you, and want to serve YOU with all that I have!  Jesus, I trust in you.  Amen and Halleluia

Bless-bless, Barb

"We are asked to see beyond the visible world with our eyes, but with Christ's vision, and he is light.  We must see with Christ's eyes, hear with Christ's ears, heal with Christ's hands, speak with Christ's words, live with Christ's life.  Above all we must love with Christ's heart. 

 Only love can give life.

Only Christ's love can redeem and forgive and illumine.  Only Christ's love can waken the world from apathy to wonder.

Only Christ's love can quicken the world with new life.  Love is given only in man's gift to himself.  There is no other way.

Christ had only himself.  He has given to us, that we may love the world with his love and that the world may live."  Caryll Houselander (1954)