The two 3 year olds with this animals all lined up. They sure have been enjoying their time together!
The first reading and Gospel today speak of "woe and oppression" which brings us to the feet of Jesus/God's mercy. The defeat of Israel in I Samuel to the Philistines today, and the leper begging to be cleansed in Mark 1:40-45. Without his leprosy he would have never attracted the attention, pity, healing by Jesus... Do you think he could thank God for his illness, and for his life to be transformed by his healing encounter? Yes. I believe so from my personal experiences with encounters with Jesus and his answer to our pleas. Yet, I long to remain in need and humble... fearing that I might turn to selfishness and pride in self if things would go too well for me.
How contrary is it looking at the standards, desires, wishes, hopes and dreams that are promoted by the world? How hard we must fight to embrace our Most Cherished Cross that brings to us the humiliations, hurts, hardships, pain and suffering which come with following him and through these keep our gaze on The LIGHT! We do find Jesus in deserted places - in the desert and the rocky mountainsides.. when we are in the lush valleys and the easy times of life we can almost forget that we need him and think that we can accomplish all our pursuits on our own. It is so hard to battle self-sufficiency in this world. We think that we need to acquire all of it for ourselves so that we need ask nothing of another...
Love What Matters
"Today I went to Dunkin' Donuts and saw a clearly homeless guy sitting on the side of the road and picking up change. Eventually I saw him stroll into Dunkin, as he was counting his change to buy something I began to get super annoying and talked to him over and over again even when he didn't really want to talk. Since he had maybe $1 in change I bought him a coffee and bagel and asked him to sit down with me. He told me a lot about how people are usually very mean to him because he's homeless, how drugs turned him into the person he hated, he lost his mom to cancer, he never knew his dad and he just wants to be someone his mom would be proud of (along with another hours worth of conversation.)
This lovely mans name was Chris and Chris was one of the most honest & sincere people I've ever met. After realizing I really need to get back to class Chris asked me to wait so he can write something down for me. Handing me a crumpled up receipt he apologized for having shaky hand writing, smiled, and left. I opened his note and this was it. 'I wanted to kill myself today, because of u I now do not. Thank u, beautiful person.' "
Photo courtesy of Casey Fischer
this was shared today on FB and it speaks so much of our sharing all we have been given - your Mercy with others and changing this world one person at a time. May we carry this through first and foremost in our domestic Church/family. Prayer is our love language with you, O Jesus, through your wonderful loving Mother, Mary the Mother of God. Hear us and answer our pleas this day. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
This lovely mans name was Chris and Chris was one of the most honest & sincere people I've ever met. After realizing I really need to get back to class Chris asked me to wait so he can write something down for me. Handing me a crumpled up receipt he apologized for having shaky hand writing, smiled, and left. I opened his note and this was it. 'I wanted to kill myself today, because of u I now do not. Thank u, beautiful person.' "
Photo courtesy of Casey Fischer
this was shared today on FB and it speaks so much of our sharing all we have been given - your Mercy with others and changing this world one person at a time. May we carry this through first and foremost in our domestic Church/family. Prayer is our love language with you, O Jesus, through your wonderful loving Mother, Mary the Mother of God. Hear us and answer our pleas this day. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Yes, dissolved is a good word for how I long to be all used up by Jesus, and for him to be in charge and for me to accept his control of my life!
Can you imagine how this touched me to the core as a new Catholic? The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A'Kempis was so important to me and I groaned over it's Truth!
http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/the-amazing-story-of-13-becoming.html
Reminds me of the Litany of Humility that The Missionaries of Charity pray for each week! Yikes!
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