A Truly Happy New Year

It's hard to believe we are about to begin a New Year. The year 2009 went by in a flash, filled with blessings and sorrows alike. As for myself, the blessings of this year are countless, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention (the one I am most grateful for) the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen (ok, I suppose I'm a bit partial). That is an obvious blessing, but we should also remember the "little" blessings, which sometimes end up being bigger than we realize.

Even our hardships can end up being blessings if we trust in God, which brings me to the sorrows of this year: Loved ones passed away, jobs were lost and illnesses were born, to name a few. As we reflect on this year, we remember words of consolation, kindnesses given and prayers offered, all of which were inspired by God. It is He who comforts us in our sorrow, reaches out His hand and holds us in His arms as though we were His only child.

As we begin 2010, let this be the year of true happiness. Let this be the year we give our heart fully to God, who waits patiently for us to come back to Him.

His Mercy Endures Forever!

I know I've written in a previous post that no sin is greater than God's mercy. However, I know by experience that we often need a reminder. This coming Sunday we have the chance to receive not only full forgiveness of all our sins, but also the removal of all temporal punishment due to the sins. In other words, while we truly receive pardon from Christ through the priest in the confessional for our sins, we still need to repent for each sin no matter how small. That repentance can be done in this earthly life, but if this has not taken place, God, in his mercy, allows us to repent and be purified in Purgatory. (If you happen not to believe in Purgatory, offer a prayer for a holy soul and ask them to come to your aide in return. You just may be amazed.)


Divine Mercy Sunday - the Sunday after Easter - is a gift that ought to be embraced and taken complete advantage of. This gift is a promise given to us from Jesus that He will make our souls as pure as they were the day we were baptized as His children, provided we do what He asks. We, of course, need to be in a state of grace and receive communion worthily on the Divine Mercy Feast, therefore, the Sacrament of confession is necessary. At the moment we receive Jesus in holy communion, we must give Him our utmost trust that He can and will graciously purify us as He did the moment we were baptized. We also must love Him with our whole heart, mind, body and spirit and trust in His immense love for us. Jesus also asked that His image be venerated on this day. (The image is found on this blog on the top right)

Don't miss this opportunity of a lifetime to attain eternal happiness in heaven with our loving, merciful Father. Jesus, I trust in you!

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"!