The Power of Prayer

Tonite I went to a talk on the power of prayer given by a Jesuit priest in San Antonio. He focused mainly on the Holy Rosary and various Chaplets. He began by asking us "what are the first words God speaks in the Bible?"

The answer is, "Let there be LIGHT."

The priest used that as an anthem of sorts, a victory chant, A COMMAND...he said that each individual on this earth has a very unique and powerful gift, in that we can speak to Our God and He listens to our cries for help. He said that God has blessed us with the "power of prayer" and prayer can be our weapon against satan, as well as our hope in this world of darkness. He said that God continues to COMMAND, "LET THERE BE LIGHT!" AND WE MUST RESPOND. Each prayer lights up some dark corner of our world. Together, we, the Church Militant, can destroy the darkness, the hopelessness, the despair the world suffers from. WE can CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER...just with PRAYER!

He went through the history of the Rosary, as well as various chaplets. The one that I found most intriguing was the one imploring the Archangel Michael's help, as well as all the choirs of angels!

Later, I will posts in full all the chaplets this good priest shared with our community tonite.

In the meantime, I am going to use my time in prayer, and I won't be on as much as I have been in the past. PLEASE POST ANY PRAYER PETITIONS YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO PRAY FOR. If any are of sensitive subjects, you may private message me, and I will keep all matters confidential...

Tonite was a blessing. I was only invited to this event last nite...I had no idea of this...I know now that Our Lady was calling me to come, and as always, She leads us to Her Divine Son. I have been feeling very low these few weeks, because two of my favorite people are in danger of falling into sin with one another. I have been crying out to Our Lord for quick assistance in this matter, begging Our Lady for her powerful intercession. Tonite, I realize that we have many "weapons" and armor. We are called to pray for one another. I HAVE FAITH...I BELIEVE THAT OUR LORD WILL HEAR MY CRIES FOR HELP. Our prayers are powerful!! And together, we can change men's hearts and save souls!!!

BELIEVE!!!

God bless!

Remembering 9/11

I had not even been in the convent for one month. My postulant class had to go to campus that morning, I didn't. So, I took advantage of my "free" time to do extra duties around the Motherhouse and to go to adoration with the Novices. When adoration was over, I was met in the stairwell by Sr. Mary. She whispered something to me, which was odd, because we were in silence...I had to listen harder...she whispered a little louder..."I said, we are under attack, Sister!" And I wasn't sure what she meant, but I saw the terror in her face...and I knew something terrible was happening to our beloved country. She then directed me upstairs to the Novitiate community room, and there I saw some of the Novices who had just left the chapel, and the Superiors with their eyes glued to the tv sets, and some were crying...

The Mother General wouldn't have known this was happening had it not been for the retired Sisters in the infirmary. They had called down a few minutes after the attacks occurred, because they couldn't find "The Price is Right" and instead, as one little old sister put it, "The same thing is playing on all the channels..." As soon as Mother became aware of what was happening, she had the television sets in the community rooms turned on so all Sisters could watch...

When my postulant class came home, we all went back into the chapel for a special call to prayer. I remember feeling very numb, and thinking that it was somewhat providential that this would be happening just weeks after entering the convent. I remember my conversation with the Lord...and after praying for the souls of those who were dead and dying, their families, and for my own (because we didn't know if the acts of terror would continue...and where next?) I prayed for the nation and the world and Holy Mother Church...I was determined to be a reflection of Jesus Christ in this world, knowing that the darkness that held the world in captivity could only be conquered by the Love of God...it all begins with us, individually...and collectively as the Body of Christ on earth...if we Catholics do not live up to our faith as we should...the world can very well... be lost...

that was 9 years ago...and I feel like I have done nothing to contribute to making this world a holier place...it's an ongoing struggle...and everytime this anniversary comes around...I renew my determination to make it a better year for all those in my life, my family, my coworkers, my parish...and to all those God deems to enter into my path, whether they be Muslim, or Jew, or Protestant, or Atheist...

...and I thank God, I know it's not too late...

Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

Today, we rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, who prevailed over tribulation and rose to life in order to conquer death!

"Let all men know that grace comes after tribulation."

The above quote comes from St. Rose of Lima, O.P. The Lord Jesus appeared to her and told her that suffering is essential, in order to rise to greater heights of grace.

How often do we see in nature, the devastation that is left after turbulent storms? And yet, the earth is left somehow renewed, re-quenched, refurbished...like new?

For us humans, we have two choices. We can either allow the storms in our lives to make us stronger...or destroy us...

Let us contemplate on the Mystery of the Resurrection today. Let us recognize that the sufferings Christ endured were temporary. He triumphed over death! He has risen! We will follow in Our Master's footsteps! Let us endure our sufferings for they will lead us to everlasting life...!

My losses are not lost

I've been pretty depressed since the year began, and since my best friend axed me out of her life...

I don't have many friends. I do on paper, but not in real life. I am pretty much a loner, and I don't allow myself to get close to anyone. I've been speaking to a couple of guys, wondering if I should be romantically involved...perhaps date again...but none of them seem to stand out to me. There is only one Guy that I am interested in...and that Guy is Jesus Christ.

Romance is one thing, but friendship is different. Even God says so. All throughout the Bible, there are references on how important friendship is. God calls it a "treasure." Even Jesus had a best friend in St. John, His beloved apostle. For me, friendship comes from the heart. I tend to love my friends very deeply, incorporating them into every aspect of my life. It's only once in a while, a friend comes along that has such an effect on me, that I feel I can not deal with my own life without that person's support. I find myself surviving...despite the agony of loss...

I am not sure sometimes whether I am going forward, backward, up or down. Sometimes I see my whole life flash before my eyes, and it's nothing exciting...and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere...

A few days ago, I left work feeling overwhelmed with the stress of my job. I find it to be never-ending and never-satisfying. I drove to the Catholic Student Center on campus, parked in the handicapped parking, and fumbled out of my car. I limped my way into the Chapel, and to my suprise...there were four figures all in white kneeling in the front pews of the Chapel...

...my Dominican Sisters were here praying! They were praying the Divine Office, also known as the Liturgy of the Hours. This ancient prayer has been prayed for thousands of years, and is so universally shared, that those who pray it on this hemisphere are sharing in the same exact prayers being prayed on the other side of the world. It's a truly Catholic prayer, with it's chants and rhythms and structure. Heavenly in every sense...

Shortly after the hours, the Sisters began praying the Holy Rosary, meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries...the Passion and suffering and death of Our Lord. My heart, meditating on the great Love Our Savior has for me, was filled with peace and joy...and I haven't felt this way in a long time...

I began speaking to God about how this was very reminiscent of my time with these beautiful Sisters in the convent. I used to pray the Divine office with them, and pray the Holy Rosary. So, it was a blessing to be able to partake in these with them again. Who would have ever told me I would be doing this again with them? Here, in my hometown? God is good!

I asked God, "Why can't I return to them? I loved that life. Why can't I have my friend back? I just keep losing people, God! I have lost them forever."

Mass began, and I lifted up my heavy heart to the Lord...

The Gospel was about the Last Supper, how Jesus knew his betrayer. I wondered, how Jesus felt about Judas? Here was a guy who had spent two years following our Lord, listening to His words, eating with Him, drinking with Him, sharing the jokes, the bad times, the struggles and the victories. Here was a FRIEND, in the true sense of the word, ready to betray Him now...

...I can relate...and I felt a sharp pain in my heart...I have spent agonizing months, feeling abandoned and alone...and scared for my life...

Jesus was feeling all these things, I am sure...for as He was totally Divine, He was also totally human...and in His humanity, I am certain, His agony came at the loss of His friends...

But how did Jesus respond? Was He bitter at Judas? During the Last Supper, Jesus also revealed that Peter was going to deny Him three times. Was Jesus bitter when Peter kept insisting that he would never deny Him?

When Judas betrayed Jesus, he kissed Him on the cheek. Our Lord responded, "You betray your FRIEND with a kiss?" Our Lord never shut the door of friendship to Judas, despite his betrayal. It was Judas who made a very sad choice, in despairing and not relying on Our Lord's friendship. Judas felt he could never be forgiven. And so, in his rejection of the mercy of Jesus, he went off and hung himself.

Peter denied our Lord three times. The Bible states, that a cock crowed, reminding Peter that Our Lord had prophesied that Peter would abandon Him and deny he even knew Who He was! Peter wept bitterly, and ran out into the night. It was after the Resurrection that Our Lord came to Peter and asked him three times, "Peter do you love me?" Our Lord asked him three times in order to "erase" Peter's three denials. He gave Peter a chance...

What is my response to my best friend's total rejection? Have I been bitter? Have I lost sight of the mercy of God? Have I responded with the same love that Jesus showed?

What is my response to Our Lord, in His will for my life?

Father Eilers' homily focused on how weak we Christians can be, and how often we fail Jesus. But, there is always hope...in that we can rise up out of our sinfulness, and reach out to Jesus, knowing full well, that OUR LORD WILL NEVER LEAVE US alone...

...we can be absolutely confident that Our Lord Jesus will never refuse us, never reject us, never hold our failures against us if we choose His Salvation, His Friendship...

At that moment, I felt God telling me that my losses are not lost. I felt Him reminding me, that these Sisters are here...for me! That He brought them here to be closer to me...! I felt God reminding me that He holds everyone in the Palm of His Hand, so I shouldn't be missing my best friend. When I come before the Presence of our God, these people become present to me in a supernatural way...through Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist... I may not have them in my life...but I have them in God. What I feel I have lost...is not lost after all.

Fr. Eilers told us that we should just strive to please Jesus every day of our lives. We should live one day at a time, living righteously in God, living the best we can live. In choosing God every single day, we step closer to Paradise. We had to make the right decisions every day, not to sin, not to fall, not to hurt Our Lord, but be confident that even when we do, we can always come back.

...It was then that I felt God reminding me, that what I cannot have in this world, I will have in the next. I cannot be with my Dominicans here on earth, but I will see them in Paradise. I cannot possess the friendship I once treasured, but I will in the next.

Today is Good Friday. Looking at the Crucifixion, I recognize how Jesus lost everything in this world...He was abandoned...rejected....unloved....yet...His losses were our gain...

Losses are not lost when you live your life in light of Eternity...

New Year's Resolution 2010

“Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”Mt. 25:30

Okay, you may find it odd that I'm already blogging about New Year's and we have Christmas just days away! But I have this on my mind, and I thought I would share it with you.

Well, in a few weeks time, we will be saying goodbye to the first decade of the Millenium and enter into the second. (Maybe not technically, but that's the way I see it!)

This New Year’s has me thinking about my own mortality. (And no, it isn't because of all that ridiculous hype about 2012!) Call me morbid, but Bobby and I used to tell each other back in the days of our youth that we couldn’t possibly live past our 30’s….and here I am on the verge of becoming 39! I can’t believe I’ve lasted this long…LORD, after all I’ve been through…who would’ve told me my heart could take it all and still survive? But I know it’s ‘cos You are keeping me alive…for today…and I won’t think about tomorrow…that’s what I’m supposed to do, right?

Savior, please take my hand
I work so hard, I live so fast
This life begins, and then it ends
And I do the best that I can, but I don't know how long I'll last

I think You want me to be joyful…so…I’ve decided my one resolution is to be joyful for love of You…keep things positive…no matter what happens…I’m gonna be happy…this will be a tough resolution to keep, ‘cos You know me, Jesus. You know how I am…this will be an offering of great proportion…and only You can measure it…

…I don’t know how much longer You will keep me here, I mean, who does know? But there’s something that I want before I go…I want to be able to look back on my life and say that I really, really loved…not just with mere words or on the surface…but to really love as I should have loved…

I don’t want to look back on my life and regret not doing all I could have possibly done…I just don’t want to live the rest of my days going through the motions…

And Lord, give me courage, because …the reality is…I’m often afraid of the many things you know about! All of those things scare me to death! And I feel like I’m falling apart sometimes…and I don’t want to go through that again…

Yet, the very grace I ask for is the very thing that brings me so much pain…

I try to be so tough
But I'm just not strong enough
I can't do this alone, God I need You to hold on to me

I try to be good enough
But I'm nothing without Your love
Savior, please keep saving me

I don’t know…Jesus…sometimes I feel that no one else can possibly fathom what I’ve been through, and all that I’ve seen…all that You have given me, I ponder in my heart…but to share it is not possible…and I feel so alone sometimes…

…when things get like that, Lord, come to my assistance! Make haste to help me! It is in that time that the temptations come…and oh…how I need YOU!

Savior, please help me stand
I fall so hard, I fade so fast
Will You begin right where I end
And be the God of all I am because You're all I have

I just want my life to mean something…I just want my life to be for You…for Your Glory…and for however long You want me here…Lord, I’m Yours…

lyrics to "Savior Please" by Josh Wilson

LIVESTRONG

http://austin09.livestrong.org/dominicansoul

I am participating in the LIVESTRONG Challenge in Austin, Texas on October 24th to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation. In the spring of 2008, my cousin David lost his battle with gastric carcinoma. He was only 47 years old. David worked as a male nurse in the health industry. He himself cared for those with cancer, and for all patients in need of daily care. It was a great shock to him and his family when he was diagnosed in the Fall of 2007. His cancer was ruthless. It began to spread very quickly. Tumors formed in his digestive tract, making it very difficult for his body to go through the digestive process. I saw David on his sick bed one afternoon. I was shocked at the trauma the cancer was causing to his body. David had been a very fit, strong, muscular young man, and very handsome to behold. But at this moment, he looked like a total stranger. His face was emaciated, and his frame was very thin. His breathing was difficult and he found himself in great pain. His cancer had become terminal. David didn't win his battle. He died in less than 5 months after his first diagnosis. He left behind two sons, and a family that loved him. This year, it is estimated that 12 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with cancer, that 1.3 million of those will be Americans, and that more than 560,000 Americans will die due to this disease. Throughout the world, numbers suggest that as many as 8 million people will die after their cancer diagnosis. It does not have to be a death sentence. Although there is no cure, progress has been made and it is vital that we continue to work, to fight, toward beating this disease. It is time that we make a commitment to close the gap between what we know and what we do. If you have been affected by cancer, or you care about this cause, please consider donating toward my fundraising goal. You can donate online at http://austin09.livestrong.org/dominicansoul. You may also make a contribution via check. Please visit my site and print a copy of the Offline Donation Form (a link to the form is located directly under the thermometer on my page) and mail your check and donation form to the address on the form. Thank you in advance for your support. Together, we can make a difference in the fight against cancer. Sincerely,

Pray for me

To all who come by and read this blog, whether by accident, or because you know it's here...

please pray for me...