Wisdom of a Saint

Don't permit your misery or defeats to depress you. Rather let them be steps by which you descend the deep mine where we find the precious gem of holy humility. -- St. Paola Frassinetti

It is right to give Him thanks and praise

There have been countless times in my life when I'm confronted with someone who wonders why they need to attend mass on Sunday or any other day for that matter to speak or have a relationship with God. The reasons for not attending mass are endless: I pray at home; I'm too tired and need that day to rest; I have to work, etc. I have to actually thank God for these reminders to pray for their souls. My words are unconvincing to them, I can only offer my prayers and sacrifices in hope of their conversion.

The main reason to attend mass at least on Sunday is that God commands it of us. He commands it not as a punishment to bore us for an hour each week or to make us get out of bed earlier, but He gives us the Mass as a gift because He knows that we cannot live without the grace we receive from assisting at the Holy Mass. We also need the encouragement, reminders and admonishments from our faithful priests. It is for the good of our soul. Without the Mass, our souls begin to wither away from all that is good and perhaps stray into evil. Some people do not believe such could be the case as they are kind to their fellow citizen. Kindness is good, yes, but do we have patience and love for our neighbor? Without these virtues, kindness will only go so far.

God is with us at every moment in our lives - never leaving us for even a second, whether we realize it or not. Every one of us is blessed in one way or another, even in difficult times. If we all sat and listed all the blessings we've received in our lives, the list would be endless. That being said, I should think that one hour of our entire week is well worth giving thanks and praise to our Creator for all the blessings He has so graciously bestowed on all of us.

Remember the Holy Souls

This month we especially remember the poor souls in Purgatory. It is so important that we pray for these souls, as some have no one to pray for them. Imagine being locked in a dark room all alone knowing only someone on the outside could get you out. So it is with the souls in Purgatory; they can only be released with our prayers and sacrifices.

When you're having a bad day, offer it for them. Whether it be a small annoyance or a great suffering, all can be offered for their rest. When we do this, these souls in turn aid us by praying for our good interests. Their power to help us is immeasurable.

One day, we could be a soul in Purgatory and if we are generous to the souls there now, I have a hunch that we will be repaid one hundredfold.

The Lord is my Shepherd

Does it seem like something is missing in your life? How often do we try to fill in that void with material things, yet they never seem to satisfy. We must realize the only source of true joy is Christ in your heart. Even on my worst day, I have hope and joy because I know that Jesus is with me and guiding me and will not lead me astray if only I trust Him completely.

Stop looking for that imperfect love and learn the truest love of all - not the love of self as the song would say - but the love of the one who died for you, the one who forgives you over and over again. God loves us in a way we cannot comprehend and wants us to love Him back. Seek nothing but Him and that void will be no more.

Pray the Rosary!

How are you feeling these days? There sure is a lot to be worried about. Besides the normal precautionary measures, we have a great gift given to us by our Blessed Mother: The Rosary. The power of the Holy Rosary is beyond our imagination. I can attest to that fact for it has brought myself and others many graces.

Think of the story of David and Goliath. Goliath was huge and could easily overpower David. It was the power of a mere slingshot that defeated Goliath. I believe that slingshot represents the Rosary. A small, yet very powerful weapon that can overpower the greatest evil.

It can seem overwhelming at times - having to say all of those prayers; how can we find the time? Well, you see, God is never outdone in generosity (a favorite quote of our pastor). The more time we give Him, the more He gives us in return. Don't believe me? See for yourselves. This is the perfect time to begin on this day of Our Lady of the Rosary in this month of the Holy Rosary.

Nothing can bring more peace than meditating on the lives of Jesus and Mary. Give it a "shot"!

Words to Live By

St. Therese: "Why should we defend ourselves when we are misunderstood and misjudged? Let us leave that aside. Let us not say anything. It is so sweet to let others judge us in any way they like. O blessed silence, which gives so much peace to the soul!"

A Prayer to St. Therese

O Little Flower of Jesus, ever consoling troubled souls with heavenly graces, in your unfailing intercession I place my trust. From the Heart of Our Blessed Savior petition these blessing of which I stand in greatest need (mention here). Shower upon me your promised roses of virtue and grace, dear Saint Therese, so that swiftly advancing in sanctity and in perfect love of neighbor, I may someday receive the crown of eternal life. Amen.

A Grateful Heart

How many times do we find ourselves envying others? "Sara" has such a great life or "Tommy" has it made. When we do this, we are adding a drop of poison to our souls and insult our Creator. If we are sure that we have done God's will to the best of our ability, then who are we to wish for anything different. If we have not been faithful to His laws, we still have a chance to turn our lives around.

Envy will take the soul to a place it does not belong. Once those doors are opened, the devil comes marching in whispering words of hatred and despair, convincing us that we are worthless and that others don't deserve what that have. Don't drink the poison. You can't imagine all the crosses that others have to silently bear.

Remember the old phrase, "count your blessings". This is so important. Everyone has something to be thankful for. Focus on those blessings and thank God for them. Thank Him for the sufferings as well because He has either given or allowed them for the good of our soul. Don't look for the reasons, just know that you are being guided by a loving God who could not have made you any more perfect than He already has. By perfect, I mean that God does not create anything or anyone in error.

God even uses our weaknesses for good. Think about it. What usually happens when catastrophe hits? The first response seems to be to pray! Also, when we see sickly children, our hearts burn with love for them and we want to help them. In the same way, our Lord loves us all the more when we are sick, whether it be mentally, physically or spiritually. He wishes to heal us if we desire it. Just like a doctor cannot cure an illness if we do not receive his prescription, God cannot heal us if we don't accept his commands.

So, take a look at yourself; you won't need a mirror. Look deep into your soul. Are you thankful? Are you at peace? Thank God for the beauty that He created and that beauty is you.

A Note from Me

Thank you for following "That's the Spirit". Please bear with me in posting as my schedule is quite full. Although I must say your comments encourage me to post more often, so keep them coming! Also, any comments on how this site can be improved or changed are welcome. Many blessings to you all +

We Remember

Seven years ago today our country suffered a huge loss of our friends, family members and co-workers. The heart of our nation was broken. The compassion, hard work and charity that followed was tremendous. We were truly united children of God. Not even a decade has passed and the hatred and carelessness among us is just as great as it was before that sorrowful day.


As I continue to age, the fragility of life becomes more clear. We don't know when we will be called to eternity; there is no guarantee. Imagine how many regrets so many of the families of the victims of that fateful day must have -- if only I said or did... The fact is that we cannot turn back the hands of time, but there is still time to make up for past regrets. Among the tears, pray for their souls! It's the best gift you could ever give them. Even if they are already in heaven, your prayer will not be wasted for it will be applied to another soul in need.


We all remember where we were that morning when we saw the planes crash into the Twin Towers, watching them collapse with numbness going through our bodies. The heartache we felt when we saw those who out of desparation jumped to their deaths was unbearable. Don't forget where your heart was in those moments. Bless those who curse you, love those that hate you and remember these words: Despise the sin, but love the sinner. Please don't get me wrong, when I say love the sinner, I mean to pray for them to have a change of heart. We are to work together unto good! This goal is unattainable if even we Christians cannot get along.


On this seventh anniversary, let us remember in prayer the souls that left this earth as well as those they left behind. We remember our own families and friends who have gone before us. We renew our vow to be kind to all those we meet and to live our life in gratitude to our Lord who placed each of us exactly where we were meant to be on that eleventh day of September, 2001.

Knock Knock

Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart, but you must open the door to let Him enter. He's calling out to us to be the salt of the earth, even to be saints. I used to think the saints were born saints who could perform miracles or set up orphanages or charitable hospitals. However, most of them became saints by their own free will with the aid of God's grace. Perhaps you think it impossible for a God so good to call you who is most unqualified. Remember these words (that I must give due credit to Fr. Anthony of my parish ;) ) - God does not call the Qualified; He qualifies the called!

Most of us are not called to become canonized saints as compared to Ss. Therese, Anthony or Augustine. Instead, we're called to be faithful to our current state in life, whether that be Mother, Doctor, Priest, Teacher or Plumber. How can we do this? First and foremost, we must pray. Ask God to make known to you His will in even the smallest task. Then, we must abide by it at every moment. It can be difficult and you will fail many, many times. It's truly a life-long process. Conquer your vices, one at a time. I know one of my vices is anger. I was stunned to learn that for St. Francis DeSales, it took him several years to control his anger. Little by little, I can feel it slowly withering away.

Maybe you think you want no part of sanctity, after all the sinners are much more fun. Really? Is it fun to be captive inside your own body? Things may seem fun in the moment, but when reality sets in, not only are you not having fun, you are filled with regret. Don't let anyone tell you that you shouldn't feel guilty for your sins. God gave us the gifts of wisdom, understanding and knowledge at our baptism, so that we would know better and receive the Sacrament of Penance. When we do receive that sacrament, we must let go of the guilt for God has forgiven us not on human terms but in His divinity releasing us from our sins. That is freedom at its best.

Finally, choose a saint and get to know them. Learn how they became saints and what stood in their way. Pray to them and ask them for their aid. You are being called, now if only you'll answer.

Tribute to Mary

A lady so pure born on this day
she chose life for her child in a most humble way

A perfect example to all here below
Her heart filled with joy; a pleasure to know

Her joy is contagious; her smile filled with love
She guides and protects us from the heavens above

Her promise to us if we so embrace
Stay close to your Mother who sends her Son’s grace

My gift to Sweet Mary as we celebrate Her birth
To make known her Son on this God-given earth.

Whatsoever you do...

We al l know this line: Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto Me. Jesus instructed us that the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor. Mother Theresa once said that the greatest starvation in the world was that of a lack of love. While it's easy to love those who love us (most of the time :) ), it's a bit of a challenge to love those that do not love us. It's a challenge we must face nonetheless.

When I was in school, two of my teachers had very different views on love. One proclaimed that love was a feeling, while the other shouted that love was a choice. At that young age, it seemed the obvious answer was that love had to be a feeling. Only later did I realize that true love is a choice made by the free will. True love chooses sacrifice of self for the good of the other. The truest love is the desire of the other to gain heaven, even if it means we must deny ourselves in the process.

Have you ever heard the term "Kill them with kindness." Let's put a little spin on that intention by choosing to put out the flames of anger, bitterness or sadness with an effort to bring some light to our neighbor. Sometimes all it takes is a little word or even a gentle smile. A smile could shatter a hardened heart into pieces. To again quote Mother Theresa, she said there is no greater gift than a smile for the smile is the beginning of love. You may be surprised one day to find that one little gesture of yours was the very thing your neighbor needed in his journey to eternal life.

Come to me...And I will give you rest

I wish to write a little about suffering. You might think I know nothing about this topic considering my abundant blessings. I assure you, suffering is no stranger to me. We all have them, some greater than others. Some are hard to understand and terribly painful. To those of you in pain, confusion and heartache, I offer you my heart, my prayers and mostly my sufferings that they may alleviate some of your pain. I beg of you to open your heart to a loving God who desperately wants to hold you in His arms and comfort you like only He could.

If you feel alone, unwanted, unloved, look at a crucifix - if you don't have one, find a picture online. Know that Jesus suffered out of love for you so that He could share eternity with you. He didn't have to go through the pain, but He chose to - so that when we are heavily burdened, we might unite our heart to His and find the solace we are looking for. The pain is not lessened, but it becomes easier to bear.

I often think of our Blessed Mother. She not only lost her son, but witnessed Him being severely tortured knowing there was nothing she could do. I believe her pain intensifies when she sees her children on earth refusing the mercy her Son offers to each and every one of us, for He might have died in vain!

None of us can change the past, but all of us can change the future. Change begins with a glance at the suffering Christ. Cry out to Him: Lord, Save Me! He'll be there in an instant.

Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it; He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends, He may throw me among strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me. Still, He knows what He is about! He loves to see the trust makes us persist in knocking unceasingly. -- John Henry Cardinal Newman

Saintly Thoughts to Ponder

If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs for you, and that He certainly intends to make you a saint. And if you wish to become a great saint, entreat Him yourself to give you much opportunity for suffering; for there is no wood better to kindle the fire of holy love than the wood of the cross, which Christ used for His own great sacrifice of boundless charity. Saint Ignatius Loyola

Pray Well ~ Pray Often ~ Pray Much

When is the last time you talked to God? Have you lost hope after it seems your prayer has not been answered?

Suppose your son or daughter, niece or nephew asked you for a special gift that you thought they deserved but you wanted to wait until just the right time to present it. How would you feel if the child demanded the gift immediately and stomped away because her demand was not fulfilled? I know that if that were me, I'd be insulted and devastated. If I gave the gift now, there would be no gratitude on the part of the child and the gift might be wasted. So, I'd hold it until the child humbled himself and asked for forgiveness.

Now imagine how God feels when we give up praying because we do not receive what we are asking for in our own timeframe. My guess is that He'd also be insulted and devastated. Why devastated? Because He loves us and wants us to be happy, but He also wants us to persevere in prayer.

There are times when certain situations seem to have no hope in sight. It is at the very peak of those moments that we should pray all the more because your prayers become louder and clearer until finally comes the answer. More times than not, the answer is even greater than we hoped for. Take St. Monica, for instance (whose feast we celebrate today). She prayed unceasingly for her son who was wicked in his ways. Not only did her son have a conversion of heart, but he became the great St. Augustine and is a Doctor of the Church. God had stored up all her prayers for Augustine waiting only for him to open his heart to which they flooded in making him a great saint. Imagine if she had given up hope!

I inspire you to start right now. Start simple. One Hail Mary said well is worth more than a rosary said poorly. Ask God to teach you how to pray. Talk to Him. Tell Him your worries, your needs and even your wants. Tell Him how you felt when someone hurt your feelings. He'll, no doubt, bring you comfort. Pray for others, especially in these days of confusion and temptation. Don't forget to thank Him for all of the blessings He's given you and that you praise, adore and love Him. I can't promise you an easy life, but I can promise a rosier view of life. My prayer for you is to one day hear these words: 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come, share your master's joy.'

Flower in the Field

In my younger years, I dreamt of being someone short of famous, whether it be an Olympian gymnast, a broadway singer or a professional dancer. Every once in a while I'd think, "If only I had done this or that, life could have been smooth sailing". But would it really? While there is nothing wrong with those professions should God will them, I think that it was not God's will for me. I might have missed His call to be His devoted child. And worse, I could have become so vain and lost my soul completely.

Instead, He chose me to be a small ordinary flower in the field, performing small acts with great love using the example of His Beloved Little Flower, Therese of Lisieux. (To many of you, Therese needs no introduction. In case you don't know her, make a point of getting yourself acquainted. )

Winning a gold medal sure could have been grand, but nothing is more grand than the treasure of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Venite Adoremus

What would you do if you heard Jesus was nearby just waiting for you to come see Him? Most likely, many of us would flock to Him. Well, if you don't already know, Jesus is nearby and He desperately longs to see each one of us. He's there in the tabernacle, hopefully in the center of the church. He's in a chapel exposed, so that we may praise Him, speak to Him, love Him and that He may speak to and love us in return.

There are some who can't understand how Jesus can truly be present in a small common substance. I won't quote the bible because they've heard it before and always rebut with explanations that seem logical. I will just say this. I know that Jesus is present in the Eucharist by the peace that has captured my soul, by the love that I feel for each person I meet and the fact that I truly know Him and not just "of" Him and choose to serve Him. None of these things would exist save for the very existence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist that He gives as a free gift to me. That is something that can't be replaced with logic.

So, Come Adore Him, not just at Christmas, but every day for even a moment. You will, no doubt, bring joy to your heart and even more to His.

My Guardian Dear

I think most of us are aware of our personal Guardian Angels, but how often do we call on them? They're there at every moment guiding us and waiting to be called upon. Be sure to call your Angel any time you feel threatened, nervous or just plain scared.

The Angel does more than just protect and guide. If you happen to need a nudge to get out of bed in the morning, ask your Angel the night before, and you can be sure you'll be up in no time. Worried about that job interview? Ask your Angel to be with you to keep you calm and collected. You might not get the job, but you can be sure you gave it your best shot.

One of my favorite things to ask my Angel - as inspired by St. Pio - is to be a messenger. Some time ago, I was walking over to a hair salon with the intention of getting a drastic cut. I prayed to my Angel to go to the stylist's Angel to find a suitable cut for me. Imagine my delight when I was introduced to the stylist whose name was Angel! Both Angels delivered as the cut was fantastic!

We should begin each day with the beautiful prayer to our beloved Angel. Angel of God, My Guardian Dear, to whom God's love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

Be Not Afraid

Have you or anyone you know been away from confession? What is holding you back? Maybe you've had a bad experience in the confessional. Maybe you're just so afraid to confess a certain sin. Maybe it's been 10, 20 or even 30 or more years and you forget. Perhaps you think, at this point, your sins can't be forgiven. Or worst of all, you might think you're a good person and have nothing to confess. While you may very well be a great person, we are all human and we always fall. The key is to get back up and start anew.

If you had a bad experience in the past, don't punish your soul in spite of it. Find a good parish with a confessor you are comfortable with and receive the wondrous gift of true forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance. If you think you just can't be forgiven for some reason, know that nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus asked his Father to pardon the very people that were spitting upon him, mocking him and hammering nails into his flesh, ultimately killing the Son of God!

And finally, never, ever be afraid. The worst that can happen by going can't compare with the worst that can happen if you don't.

More than a Feeling

Being a "cradle Catholic" is something I cherish. I remember my high school teacher saying how much she "enjoyed" going to Mass. Sure, I'd sometimes get the chills while singing, but it wasn't until my "awakening" that I could fully "enjoy" the Mass. Nobody tells me that I am a "good" person just for being me. It's not a fun social setting. There are no bubbles about for the children to pop. While I'm fortunate to belong to a parish with holy priests that tell us what we need to hear (notice I didn't say "want"), this is not the main reason I enjoy the Mass.

It took me most of my life to realize that I had to give a little to get a lot. I started paying attention to the words I was saying and hearing, I'd meditate on the Last Supper, the Passion and finally the Crucifixion. Imagine Mary holding her lifeless son, the same son that she loved from the moment he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And here am I, an unworthy sinner, about to consume the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Son! What a gift!

So, you see, there's more to it than just a feeling. It's food for the soul. You just can't get that anywhere but the Catholic Mass.

Cead Mile Failte

Thanks for visiting my blog :) I've been inspired to write....something, somewhere, somehow; so, here I go (an amateur, mind you). Hopefully, this is the beginning of many posts being read by one or two of you.