Embrace with Submission: Submit with Faith

      “The divine activity permeates the whole universe, it pervades every creature; wherever they are it is there; it goes before them, with them, and it follows them; all they have to do is to let the waves bear on them. Would to God that...all men could know how very easy it would be for them to arrive at a high degree of sanctity. They would only have to fulfill the simple duties of Christianity and of their state in life; to embrace with submission the crosses belonging to that state, and to submit with faith and love to the designs of Providence in all those things that have to be done or suffered without going out of their way to seek occasions for themselves…This is the spirituality of all ages and of every state. No state of life can, assuredly, be sanctified in a more exalted manner, nor in a more wonderful and easy way than by the simple use of the means that God, the sovereign director of souls, given them to do or to suffer at each moment."                                                                                                                                             Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade            

     As I read this quote of Fr. de Caussade, from Abandonment to Divine Providence, I take pause…take a deep breathe, and think, you say this is easy? Maybe I misread--oh--not easy, but very easy!

Be Not Afraid!

      “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.” Psalm 62:5

     As I gazed upon that scripture verse, hanging on the wall of my bedroom, I longed for that to be true. I knew I was so very far away from finding my rest and hope in Him alone.

Time Together -- Our Precious Gift

      Although the pilgrimage was wonderful, it felt great to be home! I couldn’t wait to talk with Sarah and make plans for our visit.

     She sounded so good on the phone and wanted to know every detail of our trip…most especially the ‘special’ moments.  Our conversation then shifted: when was I coming to visit? I really wanted to leave right then and there, hop in the car and go to give her a big hug and kiss. But unfortunately, I had developed a bit of a cold the last few days of the trip and wanted to be perfectly well before spending time with Sarah. That would mean I’d have to wait and not leave right away.

Walk His Walk

     “Once you go, you will never be the same!”

     How could any trip have such an impact on one’s life? But this was not an ordinary vacation. I was going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

God's Gift of Peace

     While on retreat, after soaking in the realization of God’s love for me, I remembered the scripture my director had suggested I bring to prayer: “For I know well the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope. When you call Me, when you go to pray to Me, I will listen to you. When you look for Me, you will find Me. Yes, when you seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me with you, says the Lord and I will change your lot”
(Jer 29:11-13).

     I wanted so much to hold onto the truth of God’s constant, never changing love for me. I did not want to allow life’s disappointments or my unmet expectations, to be the measuring stick with which I determined God’s love.

Pondering life through the heart of Mary

     “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”

     As I meditated on those words, I felt stunned! I was familiar with St. Luke’s scripture passage about the Child Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem, not to mention the fact that I had prayed that mystery of the rosary and meditated on it hundreds of times. Maybe that was it! Because of my familiarity with this passage, I did not expect to learn anything new about it…about Our Lady…about myself.