Praying in tongues

Spirit Daily - Daily spiritual news from around the world: "'There is a particular power over evil when praying in tongues, simply because it is praise of God,' says the cleric. 'Praise was rejected by the devil and his angels, and now that Christ has rescued humanity from the power of Satan, the praise of God can act like 'a two-edged sword to deal out vengeance' to the enemies of God (Psalm 149). (A priest) points to praise as the very power that tongues has over evil.'"

Is Medjugorje Real?

Mother Of All Peoples - Is Medjugorje Real? Facts and First-hand Accounts

Medjugorje Graces

Medjugorje Graces: Message to visionary Mirjana on July 2nd, 2008:
"With equal goodness and generosity behave towards the souls whom you meet. May your love convert them."

This is POWERFUL stuff and so timely for me personally. The thing that I still struggle with is when to speak up and when to remain quiet. We may think that 'loving others' means that we are to go along with all that we see all around us...but that's not necessarily the 'loving' thing to do. If you saw someone that you care for very deeply...perhaps your own child...headed in a very dangerous direction, you would most likely say something. But then again you need to know your audience and what they are ready to hear also. Earlier in this message Our Lady says "With motherly love I desire to encourage you to love your neighbor. May my Son be the source of that love." Perhaps that is the key...if all we do and say comes from the Source of all love Himself, then we should be fine.

Arise...

Cardinal Seán’s Blog » Blog Archive » ARISE Together in Christ: "
We need to arise, to come alive in Christ; to a new sense of discipleship, of being called to by God, empowered by the Spirit. “Arise in Christ' is a spiritual renewal prepared particularly for our Archdiocese.

Early in the development stages Cardinal Seán appointed Mrs. MaryAnn McLaughlin of the Office for Worship and Spiritual Life as director of the Arise effort and me as the Episcopal Liaison."

--Bishop Dooher

Praying for the program and for MaryAnn in particular...as anyone that has lived their Cursillo in the Boston area knows...she is AWESOME and will do a great job.

Holy Experience: Brave Strokes

Holy Experience: Brave Strokes

Van Gogh's Prayer, written to his brother:

I want to be bound to Christ with unbreakable bonds and to feel these bonds...

To live in and for Christ, to be one of the poor of His kingdom,

steeped in leaven filled with His spirit, impelled by His love...

To become one who finds repose in Him alone,

who desires nothing but Him on earth.



Lingering with Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Lifting voice in response to Scripture: Father, if I desire nothing but You, what is there to really fear? You go with us, calling us to come to sing the song You meant for us, on the canvas You've given.

Please pray for a personal intention, that the Lord lift me from my fear.


Living Scripture: Where is God calling me to take courage today?

St. Jose Maria Part2

St. Jose Maria Escriva

Prayer When in a Bad Mood

"Prayer When in a Bad Mood
Heavenly Father, I awoke this morning in a bad mood, and I have been unable to shake it so far. Everything bothers me and everyone rubs me the wrong way.
I just cannot seem to get my true bearings. Help me to think of your salvation---
your countless gifts and overwhelming love for me.
Let me relax and forget life's cares by placing myself wholly into your hands. Grant that this mood will soon pass and I will be able to bask in your love and communicate it to others. Amen.
__._,_.___"

I got this in an e-mail and thought it was priceless.

LEARNING CHRIST

LEARNING CHRIST


Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life, in disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied. Let me put myself aside, to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches, so that I may be the only one to suffer from them. Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may make me patient, not irritable. That it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow, haughty and overbearing. May no one be less good for having come within my influence. No one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble for having been a fellow traveler in our journey toward Eternal Life. As I go my rounds from one distraction to another, let me whisper from time to time, a word of love to Thee. May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity. AMEN!

--author unknown

Light with Love

"June 20
Everything Becomes Light with Love

ven those fasts and night watches that seem burdensome and are taken on so as not to disturb one's health are turned into spiritual pleasure--provided they are accepted with prayer, psalmody, and reading and meditiation on the law of God.
The labor of those who love is in no way burdensome; in fact, it even gives pleasure. What matters is what is loved. When we do what we love, either we do not notice the work or the work itself is loved.
-- Holy Widowhood, 21, 26

Prayer. Lord, all that I am I am with your mercy.
-- Sermon 16A, 6

The Augustinians - St. Thomas of Villanova Province"

Putting Prayer into Action

Intecessors of the Lamb - 10-25-04 Putting Prayer into Action

Actions will always tell us if a person is a person of prayer because the Word is going to go into action within them. As a young sister, I was reading a lot about love, love of God, and love of neighbor. I thought, "Yes, we have to really carry this love out in our actions." I thought I was. I said, "There's no one in the whole world who loves you as much as I do, and no one ever will. I just love You so much. I wonder how much I really do love You, Father. I wish there was a measuring stick of some kind. There must be some way to measure how much I love you." See all the self-love there? Then I read Catherine of Siena. She had asked the Father the same questions and the Father answered her, "There is a measuring stick, Catherine." She said, "What is it?" Of course, here I am all eyes reading this. He said, "Catherine, the one you love the least is how much you love Me." That just shocked me! I looked around the cloister to see which sister I loved the least. It didn't take me very long to find her, and I thought, "I'll show You how much I love You." So I went into action. I got a little book and put every sister's name in it. We had about 50 sisters in our little community. Everyday I would check off those sisters who I had visited with and loved during recreation time at noon. Then I'd make sure that I saw another one at night. It took me a whole month to get around to the entire community, one-on-one and really loving them. I particularly spent a great deal of time and prayer for this one sister whom I liked the least and ended up loving her the most! She became my dearest, dearest friend. That's what I mean about action.

Excerpt from Contemplative Prayer series, "Pondering the Word," Omaha, NE, 1984.

To Eternity and Beyond...

USCCB - (NAB) - June 19, 2008:

"Then Elisha, filled with the twofold portion of his spirit,
wrought many marvels by his mere word.
During his lifetime he feared no one,
nor was any man able to intimidate his will.
Nothing was beyond his power;
beneath him flesh was brought back into life.
In life he performed wonders,
and after death, marvelous deeds."

We are in training now for where we want to end up. We can look at the lives of the saints and see that their power of 'intercession' and good works (by the grace of God) began way before they entered Heaven. So...let's get rolling...there is work to be done! As Buzz Lightyear likes to say..."To Eternity and Beyond!"(LOL)

WHEN you fast...

USCCB - (NAB) - June 18, 2008: "“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”"

A Prayer for Discernment

A Prayer for Discernment

You have led me to desire your will and often your will seems beyond
me, but you O God are my friend and I know that you are with me always. In your
presence,calm my fear. Grant me the desire to be still in your presence, to
gaze on you and to feel your gaze. Grant me eyes to see you in your creation,
and to recognize in humanity the image and likeness of your Son. Grant me
ears that are attentive to your Word. May I respond with love to your call. Grant
me the desire to reach out and embrace all people with your love, to be
your hands in the world. Grant me the courage to echo in my life the Yes of Mary
and the passionate fidelity of Elijah your prophet. May I seek your will in
all things.
May I live my faith in you and be a sign of hope for the world.

Fasting by Bro. Ignatius Mary

How to Think Properly About Fasting by Bro. Ignatius Mary
Now what about devotional fasts? What if we do feel called to perform some devotional fast?

The devotional fast called for by our Lady—the bread and water fast on Wednesdays and Fridays—is also purely voluntary in nature. If one feels called to do it, then one should do it, as long as it is remembered that this fast, and all other devotional fasts, are purely voluntary and thus is not required to be a good Catholic.

Since we in this country are not use to going without, it is also suggested that we not beat ourselves up if we canot live up to such dramatic fasts and bread and water. For those interested in the more severe fasts it is suggested that one start with a less severe fast and work their way up to the more severe forms (see the note about St. Benedict at the end of this essay).

For example, since the definition of a fast according to the Church is one full meal in the day plus, if one needs, two snacks not to equal the amount of a full meal, and no snacking in between, one could start by doing this sort of fast on Wednesday and Friday. And then work up to one meal and no snacks, then just the two snacks and no meal, then just one snack, and finally only the bread and water.

To help in fulfilling the bread and water fast, one can buy some of the tastier Italian, French or other European breads, for example, and perhaps still put butter on it at first. The water could be flavored with lemon.

Intecession

Intecessors of the Lamb - Teachings:
"Intercession is another dimension of healing. It is a tremendous method and a tremendous stage of healing. It is amazing that, when we begin to forget about ourselves, which is what we do in intercession, God does not! Perhaps it is because when we are in the state of total self-forgetfulness we are totally in a state of poverty. We have let ourselves go at that moment. It is then that God comes in and really heals. The more we can come into this beautiful state of grace, the more powerful our intercession will become for others. We can bring to God all those people that He wants to bless and to heal. It pleases God so much when we do this - particularly when we can bring before Him those who we know really do not care for us. Jesus said that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. He said I want you to do this so that you may be children of the Heavenly Father. That is really beautiful. It is in Matthew 5:44 "

Love your enemies

USCCB - (NAB) - June 17, 2008:
"But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust."

When we notice 'bad behavior' in others, it should be a call to prayer and an opportunity to be Jesus to them and not a provocation to like behavior from us.

super natural reactions

Jezebels : A Catholic Reflection:

"Often, our next reaction to the Jezebels in our world is what we call 'defense.' We reason that if some people are going to be so vicious, we must protect and defend ourselves. However, Elijah's reaction to Jezebel was not defense, but prophecy (see 1 Kgs 21:17ff) and discipleship. He finally defeated Jezebel and Ahab by making Elisha his disciple and by anointing Hazael and Jehu through Elisha and his disciples (1 Kgs 19:15-17).

In summary, when we see mean and vicious people, our reaction should be repentance, prophecy, and discipleship.

PRAYER: Father, give me supernatural reactions and not just natural ones.

PROMISE: 'What I say to you is: offer no resistance to injury. When a person strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer him the other.' –Mt 5:39"

obedience

"June 16, 2008
Obedience

'The Devil doesn't fear austerity but holy obedience.'
St. Francis de Sales

For Reflection:
Why would the Devil be fearful of obedience? How much fear am I willing to cause him today?"

The Jesus Prayer

"The Jesus Prayer

O my Divine Savior, transform me into yourself.
May my hands be the hands of Jesus.
May my tongue be the tongue of Jesus,
Grant that every faculty of my body may serve only to glorify you.
Above all, transform my soul and all its powers,
that my memory, my will and my affections
may be the memory, the will and the affections of Jesus.
I pray you to destroy in me all that is not you.
Grant that I may live but in you and for you,
and that I may truly say with St. Paul:
'I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me' (Gal 2:20).
__._,_.___"