Monday Memo on Tuesday...

"Love for the Cross has always been the distinctive sign of chosen souls." St. Padre Pio

Consecrated to the Father

"Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth." Jn 17:17-19

In this Gospel reading Jesus is asking the Father to remain with us - with those of us who will be his followers here on this earth. He gives himself, he consecrates himself to the Father for our sake. He wants us to know truth. He wants us to know Love.

Jesus wants us to be one with the Holy Trinity. He consecrated himself to the Father, and in that he consecrates us to the Father as well. We must choose to consecrate ourselves - to give ourselves, our lives to the Father, and allow Jesus to work and move in our lives. When we give our lives to Christ, when we choose to be set apart because of our faith - we are then blessed to live in the glory of God's Love.

I was reflecting on this the other day, and was convicted to consecrate myself, once again to God, in my heart, in my quiet personal prayer, to proclaim Jesus as Lord of my life. I have done the Marian Consecration three or four times now, but for the first time since making that consecration - I felt convicted on my own accord, in my own timing to truly give myself to God. It was a really neat experience to simply be convicted to give my life to Christ again - so that I may be able to carry him into my daily tasks, in the work place, in the home, and wherever I may go.

Here's the little prayer I wrote during this time of prayer and reflection:

 Father, I consecrate myself to you. I give myself to you. Do with me what you will. I am yours. Make me a humble servant of your love. Amen.

I want to encourage you to continue to seek God each day, in some seek him so that he may flood your heart with his peace, fill it with his joy, and overflow with his love. In his time, he will convict you to give yourself entirely to him, but we must simply continue to seek him each day, and know that even in all our imperfections and flaws, he loves us still!

A Reflection on Communion

For the last four months I have been to attend mass daily, except for Saturdays (mainly because I was too lazy to get up...) and this has been such a beautiful blessing - to receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord and Savior every day. I saw a transformation in myself, in my love, in my joy, and much needed healing. However, life has now picked up again, and last week I wasn't able to make it mass everyday. I actually went 4 full days without receiving the Eucharist. Come Sunday morning mass, I was so excited to receive Jesus. And upon receiving the Eucharist, I was so filled with joy. I could truly say my heart was exalting in the love of the Lord, in which I had been immersed. 

It is so important to receive the Lord as often as possible, which I knew. But now I have experienced the effects, and felt a difference in my heart - a true, deeper longing for Christ when not able to receive him. Brothers and sisters, I encourage you to seek Christ as much as you can in the Eucharist. Seek his love, his mercy, his kindness, gentleness, and healing power. He is the end all, be all, he is everything. Make him your everything. Allow yourself to fall so in love with the Lord, you cannot go a day without seeking him. 

Monday Memo: Mama T

"We may spend time in chapel- but have you seen with the eyes of your soul how He looks at you with love? Do you really know the living Jesus- not from books but from being with Him in your heart? Have you heard the loving words He speaks to you? Ask for the grace; He is longing to give it. Until you can hear Jesus in the silence of your own heart, you will never be able to hear Him saying "I thirst" in the hearts of the poor."
-Mother Teresa