Dealing with Gnats

     “Confession heals. Confession justifies. Confession grants pardon from sin. All hope consists in confession. In confession is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly. Do not doubt. Do not hesitate. Never despair of the mercy of God.”                                                                 St. Isadore of Seville



     What a tremendous gift we have as Catholics in the Sacrament of Reconciliation! It is such a healing balm for the wounds of our souls. At times we can take it for granted and forget the transforming effect it has upon us.

The Mysterious Wisdom of God

     “Many things happen that God does not will. But He still permits them, in His wisdom, and they remain a stumbling block or scandal to our minds. God asks us to do all we can to eliminate evil. But despite our efforts, there is always a whole set of circumstances which we can do nothing about, which are not necessarily willed by God but nevertheless are permitted by Him, and which God invites us to consent to trustingly and peacefully even when they make us suffer and cause us problems. We are not being asked to consent to evil, but to consent to the mysterious wisdom of God who permits evil. Our consent is not a compromise with evil but the expression of our trust that God is stronger than evil. This is a form of obedience that is very painful but very fruitful.”     Fr. Jacques Phillipe


     Living life in our fallen world is at times, both difficult and challenging with the relationship between God and us. We are called to trust and believe that somehow God can use this tough situation not only for our good, but for our sanctification. In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, penned long ago: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God” (Rm. 8 vs 28). So why is it that we question and doubt God’s love for us when trials come our way? Why is it that these happenings remain a stumbling block or a scandal to our minds? Why can we not believe that God can and will bring some good from each trial?

Returning Love for Love

     “The designs of His Heart are from age to age, to rescue their souls from death, and to keep them alive in time of famine.”
                    Entrance antiphon for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus


     In France in 1673, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, revealing to her His great love for mankind and asking for reparation for those who reject His love. “See this Heart that has loved men so much and has spared itself nothing until it has exhausted itself and consumed itself in order to show them its love. I receive in return scarcely anything but ingratitude because of their irreverence and sacrileges, and because of the coldness and disdain they show towards Me in this sacrament of love. But what hurts Me more is that it is hearts who are consecrated to me who treat Me thus. This is why I ask you that on the first Friday after the octave of the Most Holy Sacrament a special feast may be dedicated to the honor of My Heart by receiving Communion on that day and making reparation with some act of atonement” (Jesus to St. Margaret Mary).

Keeping Company with the Angels

     “When you awake in the night, transport yourself quickly in spirit before the Tabernacle, saying: Behold, my God, I come to adore You, to praise, thank, and love You, and to keep You company with all the Angels.”                                                    St. John Vianney



     What a beautiful devotion St. John has proposed to us! Waking during the night, can be annoying – especially when you are weary and tired! We toss and turn and try our best to get back to sleep. When sleep evades us, it becomes a problem. By adopting St. John’s practice and putting it into play, we change a negative situation into a moment of grace!

Keep Focused

     “Man was created for a certain end. This end is to praise, to reverence and to serve the Lord his God and by this means to arrive at eternal salvation. All other beings and objects that surround us on the earth were created for the benefit of man and to be useful to him, as means to his final end; hence his obligation to use, or to abstain from the use of, these creatures, according as they bring him nearer to that end, or tend to separate him from it.”                                                           St. Ignatius of Loyola


     Keeping focus on the real truth for which we were created -- to praise, reverence and serve the Lord to arrive at our eternal salvation -- should be the motivational factor for everything we do. It should be our map of life and compass to guide us on our journey. This map carefully points out both aids and obstacles along the way. Some obstacles should be avoided at all costs so we do not lose our way, while others challenge and strengthen us as a means to reach our destination.