Communion and Confirmation items Available!

We have quite a few beautiful items available at both the website and the ebay store! Check them out today and get your shopping done early!

We also have lovely items for St. Patrick's day. Give a gift of the green to your loved one.

Here are some examples of what is available. Just click on the logo cross on the right to access the website. The ebay store link is: https://www.ebay.com/str/gloryglorygifts. Happy shopping from the comfort of your couch or anywhere!

$31.50, 6 piece gift set for boy

$31.50, 6 piece gift set for girl

$13.99, 5 piece set

$13.99 5 piece set for girl

$67.99, Sterling Silver with Red enamel, gift boxed

$99.99, Sterling Silver & red enamel Holy Spirit center & crucifix, red crystal

$44.99, Sterling Silver medal & Celtic cross, Swarovski crystal bracelet

$39.99, Gold over Sterling Silver Claddaugh Cross with crystal accents. Gift Box

What Are You Doing for Lent?

St. Josemaria Escriva said, "Lent should suggest to us these basic questions: Am I advancing in my faithfulness to Christ, in my desire for holiness, in a generous apostolate in my daily life, in my ordinary work among my colleagues? … What better way to begin than Lent? Let’s renew our faith, hope and love."

I've decided that I'm tuning out and dropping off of a few social media sites this Lent. It is doing absolutely nothing for my soul, nor my temper, and sometimes I find myself getting into the stupidest arguments. Life is too short to be spent arguing with people on social media, that I don't know nor will ever meet, over inane things. Let me just interject something here though, I am giving up perusing my own personal Facebook and Twitter accounts, but I will still be updating the Glory Glory Gifts Facebook and The Word of God Bible Study Pages daily. Also, what I am mainly doing as far as preparation for Easter is between me and God. That's how your own personal prep should be ~ between you and God and nobody else.

Ash Wednesday is this week and just a reminder for you it is a day of abstinence from meat for those 14 years or older (and items made with meat) on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all the Fridays of Lent. Every person between the age of 18 and 59 (beginning of 60th year) must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. If you are unable to fast for health reasons there are quite a lot of other things you can fast from, i.e. gaming, social media, treats like a trip to Starbucks for the latte of the month, movies, t.v. shows, dinners out,  or any other thing that you find that you have a hard time divorcing yourself from. The point of fasting is to share in the suffering of Christ on the cross, but it has another side to it as well. The money usually spent on those little extras that you are giving up should be given to the poor. 

Just as I love Advent, I love Lent too because I add to my daily routine of prayers and readings and it makes me feel so much closer to my Lord and my love. 

In addition to the fasting and alms giving that you will be doing say extra prayers daily too.  You can get daily reflections for Lent from many on-line sites. Say the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily. Go to Confession. Contemplate the Stations of the Cross, every day. Go to Mass daily and on the Sundays of Lent. Receive Communion. Give to the poor. Feed the hungry. Be kind to people that you meet in person and on the roads. Instead of checking on your elderly or disabled neighbors invite them into your home or surprise them with a meal or two. Just be kind and gentle with people or, in other words, be Jesus’ hands, heart and embodiment here on earth. As you feel the suffering from your fasting, unite it with Christ crucified. Find quiet time every day to spend with him in prayer and contemplation. Read the Bible every Day. The Gospels of Mark and Luke combined have 40 chapters, so that's a chapter a day. Matthew (my favorite at the moment) has 28 chapters, which gives you time to read and contemplate at a more leisurely pace. The Gospel of John has 21 chapters so you can even squeeze in a few of the Pauline epistles. The point is, just read the Bible every day. It's a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the life of Jesus and to remind you of the sacrifice that he made. BTW, Acts of the Apostles has 28 chapters.

Have a very blessed and beautiful Lenten season. I am looking forward to growing in faith and love this year and hope that you will join me in this beautiful season as we prepare for Easter and Our Lord's glorious resurrection.

Peace and love to you.

Mare

Our Lady of Sorrows and the Hole in Her Heart

Last Sunday I was in the adoration chapel, as I normally am for my two hours, and while I was saying the Chaplet of the Seven Dolores, to Our Lady of Sorrows I received an interior locution and was prompted to write it down. It was for specific people that I know, but, I believe the message is so important for so many others that I'm sharing it too. I am not the author of this; it was told to me and I wrote it down, but I did tweak it here and there, like adding the Bible quote, which was provided to me immediately after the locution. God bless all those that grieve the loss of a child with strength.

Just as you have lost your child,

so too has our Blessed Mother.

Just as you experienced your child’s suffering before their death,

so too did our Blessed Mother experience the pain of feeling her own child’s suffering.

Ask our Mother to guide you through

the years, months, days, hours, the minutes, that pass.

 Mary, knows your pain.

Our Mother lived your pain and has walked the same path as you.

Just as her child suffered and died to fulfill his destiny,

so too has yours.

Just as Christ Jesus said, It is accomplished,

so too did your child before they closed their eyes.

It is not up to us to understand the reason why.

“We have been predestined according to the purpose of Him….” Ephesians 1:11

Only God in His eternal and omnipotent knowledge has all the answers.

In His grace and generous love, He has given us His Mother

to turn to and to emulate.

His Mother is the one in whom we should place our trust,

as she is our Mother as well.

It is only by opening up our hearts to her, that we find solace and strength

to fulfill our own lives, as God intended.

Mary, too, had a hole in her heart.

Turn to her and ask her not to fill the hole in your heart,

but to help it keep beating for she has shed your tears

but she also knows your strengths,

because she needed the same strength to persevere.

She will help you to face each moment of this life

and will give you the faith and courage to go on.

Our Lady of Sorrows,

Pray for us.

Mother’s Day, 5/12/2019,1:30 PM

Happy Divine Mercy Sunday, April 28, 2019~

Happy Divine Mercy Feast Day! Check your parish for celebrations and confessions starting at 3:00 PM today. Have a blessed and beautiful day!

The Church of Holy Child, Staten Island, will have a celebratory gathering with song, The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and prayers beginning at 3:00 PM in the forum. You will then move into the church at 3:30 for Confessions, readings from St. Faustina's Diary, testimonials, veneration of the Blessed Sacrament, adoration of the image of Jesus, the Divine Mercy and Mass at 5:30 PM.

Join us for this special Feast Day and God bless you.

"The Feast of Mercy emerged from my very depths of tenderness. It is my desire that it solemnly be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the fount of My Mercy." Jesus

 "I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet." Diary 699  

Jesus' Divine Mercy

Original oil painting by Ron Gatto, Holy Child Divine Mercy Chapel

If you follow my personal Twitter account or our Facebook page you will know that I have been sharing the Divine Mercy Novena, but what exactly is it and how did it come to be?

St. Maria Faustina Kowalska was a young nun, in the convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland during the 1930s. Sr. Faustina had a rudimentary education and because of that she was given tasks in the kitchen and gardens of the convent and was even a porter. She came from a poor family that struggled during WWI, however, her family was rich in faith. Though Sr. Faustina was a gentle, pure, soul with an outwardly calm appearance, she was a deep well of faith and devotion to Our Lord and she was bestowed with many graces until her death in 1938.

If you are a Christian you are already aware of the saving mercy of Christ, but, oftentimes people need to be reminded of His graces. Our Lord and Savior needs to be present in our own lives, every day, so that we can bring others to His mercy but especially those that are in most dire need or dying.
The message of mercy is that God loves us, every one of us, no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins. We must call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others.

Throughout the years of 1931-1938 Sr. Faustina received extraordinary revelations from and visions of Jesus, hidden stigmata, participation in the Passion of the Lord, the gift of bilocation, the reading of human souls, the gift of prophecy, and the rare gift of mystical engagement and marriage.  Jesus instructed her to write down everything that she saw and was told. She did just that and the writings are known today as the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy in My Soul. Jesus gave Sr. Faustina a mission to bring souls to Him and to spread the devotion so that others may bring souls to Him as well. The prayers that he gave her were to deepen not only her faith, but others as well. With regard to the Chaplet, He told her,  

"My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all. " Jesus Diary 118 

 “At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony…I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.” Jesus (Diary, 1320; also, cf. Diary, 1572)

“Souls who spread the honor of My mercy…at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior.” Jesus (Diary, 1075)

“When they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as a just Judge but as a merciful Savior.” Jesus (Diary, 1541)

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is said daily at 3:00 P.M., which is the hour of mercy and can be said often during the day and night and especially for those dying.

1. Make the Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. Optional Opening Prayers

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
(Repeat three times)
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You!

3. Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.

4. Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

5. The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

6. The Eternal Father

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

7. On the 10 Small Beads of Each Decade

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

8. Repeat for the remaining decades

Saying the "Eternal Father" (6) on the "Our Father" bead and then 10 "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion" (7) on the following "Hail Mary" beads.

9. Conclude with Holy God (Repeat three times)

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

10. Optional Closing Prayer

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

"I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory." Jesus, Diary 48

"Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My Mercy."  Diary 300

"My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners…[I]t is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy. For them I dwell in the tabernacle as King of Mercy." (Diary, 367)

"The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at the base of My footstool." Diary 723

"Let all mankind recognize My unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice." Diary 848

"Souls perish in spite of My bitter Passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is, the Feast of My Mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity." Diary 965

The Feast Day of Mercy is tomorrow, April 28, 2019. Check your parish, and those around you, for Mass times, Confession and  celebratory gatherings to venerate the image and pray the Chaplet.

"I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet." Diary 699  

"The Feast of Mercy emerged from my very depths of tenderness. It is my desire that it solemnly be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the fount of My Mercy." Jesus

"He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice." Jesus Diary 1146 

"My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners. If only they could understand that I am the best of Fathers to them and that it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy." Jesus Diary 367

"These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy." Jesus Diary 299

"My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all." Jesus Diary 1182

"The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at the base of My footstool." Jesus Diary 723

"[Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy." Jesus Diary 1146

"I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy. " Jesus Diary 1109

"I desire trust from My creatures. Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins than there are grains of sand in the world, all would be drowned in the immeasurable depths of My mercy." Jesus Diary 1059

" I demand the worship of My mercy through the solemn celebration of the Feast and through the veneration of the image which is painted. By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls. It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works." Jesus Diary 742

"Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls." Jesus Diary 1074

"Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shield through their entire lives as a tender mother her infant, and at the hour of death I will not be a Judge for them, but the Merciful Savior. At that last hour, a soul has nothing with which to defend itself except My mercy. Happy is the soul that during its lifetime immersed itself in the Fountain of Mercy, because justice will have no hold on it. Jesus" Diary 1075

The Divine Mercy Novena is said on the 9 days leading up to the Feast Day. We have already completed the Novena for this year but I urge you to go to PrayMoreNovenas.com and sign up to receive all novenas so that you are ready for next year! The Novena begins on Good Friday and ends on the Saturday following Easter Sunday.

The Image and Jesus, I trust in You:
"In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord  Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing,  the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You." Faustina

Some time later, Our Lord again spoke to her:

"The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls. These  two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at
that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross....Fortunate is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him."Jesus.

As it has been stated above, the image is to be venerated while praying the Chaplet, saying the Novena, and on the Feast Day. Jesus, I trust in You, is an affirmation that should be prayed often. It can also be said at the hour of mercy, 3:00 P.M., in lieu of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with the intention that the Chaplet will be said at another time during the day.

I urge you to read the Diary of St. Faustina and immerse yourself in the mercy of Jesus by saying the daily prayers, the Novena and attending the celebration of the Feast Day at your parish. I also encourage you to not only pray for others to be brought to Him but to also spread the message of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Surely, our world needs more prayers and conversions of heart to our Glorious Lord and Savior.

Have a beautiful Feast Day of Divine Mercy and a blessed Easter season.

Peace and Love,
Mare  



 

I AM in Jesus and Jesus IS in Me ~ The Dream, The Reality

YOU are in Jesus, and Jesus IS in you too!

It all fell into place a few months ago and is now crystal clear to me. It was all tied up with a pretty bow on top and gifted to me while I was doing one of my hours at the adoration chapel. Let me explain...

Back in 2015 I had an incredible dream that was so vivid that it stayed with me for days, well, I can still feel it now if I stop writing and think about it. When I wrote it down, which was immediately upon waking, and several times throughout the day added to, the details were as clear as if they were standing right in front of me. It was a Jesus dream. Now, I have had quite a few dreams about Him over the years, I had one just a few days ago, but some of them are just so amazing and vivid that I have shared them. (You can find one called, "A Solitary Man" on here by doing a search. That one is from many years ago.) Most of them are private revelations and for a long time I thought that this Jesus is in me dream was one as well, but it isn't. It ties in directly with my Eucharist pictures that were taken on Christmas, 2011, and the Bible. Let me explain how. (('ll share the dream after the post.)

Often my fellow adorers have experiences in the chapel where they receive interior locutions, feel someone's hand on them (when they are alone), hear singing (in an empty church), smell incense or roses and actually see faces and other forms in the Eucharist. In my own Eucharist photos there are faces in each.

Now what I'm about to talk about sounds like the ramblings of a new ager,  but I promise you, it isn't. It can all be found in the Bible.

"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10.

2 Corinthians 13:5, the apostle Paul asks the Corinthian believers a question: “Or do you not realize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?”

“Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.”—2 Corinthians 4:6-7

“My children, with whom I travail again in birth until Christ is formed in you.”—Galatians 4:19 

 ^"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." Philippians 1:20

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27

 Of course, God is in us spiritually when we accept Him, but don't you think it changes the conversation when you contemplate that he may be literally in us? Just as our earthly Father is in us, so too is God the creator?

Do you remember when I wrote about the silver cord? Quick refresh, my Mom mentioned that she could see it when she was on her death bed. She said that this beautiful cord connected me to her and to all living things on earth and to God. That too, is mentioned in the Bible.

"Remember him - before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7)

 Why do people see faces in the Eucharist? They have been seen for centuries after all and in the last century, or so, photographed. A few of them follow the post, as well as my own. So, why do people see faces? Because Jesus Christ IS PRESENT in the Eucharist. That's why. I don't know why people see other faces. Maybe they need prayers. What  I do KNOW that it isn't the work of Satan because he cannot possibly dwell within Christ. What I can surmise, though, is that If Christ dwells within our bodies, and we are with Him as well, that is why he knows us intrinsically. We are connected. We are all one body IN Christ just as the Bible says. It isn't just some spiritual presence. It is a literal one too.  Our body IS a temple of God in us.

Just to be clear here, I'm not elevating all of us to God status. I'm merely stating that God dwells in us and, as such, we really need to be aware of that in all of our daily lives and step up our game. We need to become more Christ like. As disciples of His here on earth we have to be His hands, His heart, His tongue, His love  ~ to every living creature on earth.

Sunday's reading was a beautiful one that you will recognize.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 

It isn't just for the bride and groom on their Wedding day though. It is a passage for ALL of us, that goes hand in hand with the Commandment that Jesus gave us,

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34

It's the User's Guide in how to love people, written by God, and for us to follow each and every day. Personally, I think it is the hardest thing in the world to do but if we truly have God in us we have to strive to do exactly as He expects us to do. I'm going to have to plaster this onto my chest. This way, I can refer to it the next time I want to write something nasty about someone on Twitter, or yell at the cashier that's taking too long, or angry honk at the car in front of me that hasn't moved in the millisecond after the light turned green. That is precisely the love that God is talking about ~ patient, kind, not easily angered, it doesn't delight in evil. 

If God is in me, as I believe that He is, then I have the utmost capacity to love unconditionally just as He does. We all have the capacity.

Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if we all did just that? GOD IS IN every single human on the planet, whether you recognize it or not or whether they do. Let us all strive to be the embodiment of Christ on earth.

Peace, Joy & Love,

Mare

 The dream and journal excerpts. Please excuse the additional comments. It is, after all, my personal journal. 

"The Jesus is in me and I am in Jesus dream 1/10/15 (This is what I wrote in my journal upon waking up at 6:39 a.m. and twice later in the day) .

I just had the craziest dream. I don’t even know how to explain it except to say that I was in Jesus and Jesus was in me.  It was so overwhelming that I didn’t know how to act. We were walking and a person ran up to us and was asking about the size of a nail that should be used on something. He had a nail in his hand that was long and thin like those sold as reminders of the crucifixion. It was as long as the length of his hand. We looked down at it in his hands but then raised our head and kept our eyes focused ahead and kept walking toward a building; not acknowledging the man as he still spoke to us. The roads we were walking on were a lighter color but muddy. It was a light golden mustard color.

I met up with my brother, and he could see that I had been transformed. He recognized me even though I was a man. He knew that I was in Jesus and Jesus was in me. He was like a blind man that could now see and understand. He and some other people followed us into a building filled with about 50 people. There was turmoil inside me. I could feel Jesus’ majesty and the weight of my own sins as well as my own humanity. I was trying to act like him and I could feel him flowing through me but at the same time I felt inadequate and words, powerful words, that he would have spoken did not flow smoothly from my lips.

We saw a man in the crowd. We went over to him and put our hands on his face on either side.  They were strong, man hands that gripped the man’s face; workman’s hands, rough yet gentle and soft at the same time. Our eyes locked with the man’s and at first he looked at us with fear and a full knowledge of what he had done. Jesus knew his sins but I didn’t.  I did know, though, that he had been a faithful man through his entire life and that something pretty major recently put a dark mark on his soul. Through my quivering voice, Jesus commanded the man to make straight his way. At first the man was frightened, the fear evident in his eyes, but then his body relaxed and he laid on the floor on his back, still looking up at us. The man had been sitting in a metal folding chair in the midst of the crowd.  When we had walked into the building and room we knew that he was the chaff amongst the wheat and we walked directly to him. I do remember saying the initial words to him (make straight his way) but then Jesus started to speak directly to him, grasping his face in his hands, and speaking with authority but love at the same time. When we had grabbed his face the man withered to the floor. The conversation had shifted to between them and I was not privy to it but I watched the man’s eyes and expression throughout.  Jesus forgave him then. While they were conversing, though, I watched as Jesus held his face securely. It was like he wanted to shake some sense into him. Perhaps he was exercising a demon? The man then wept. Instead of looking sad, though, while crying, he looked at us with gratitude and peace. The people around us watched in surprise and awe and spoke in hushed tones.

We then went outside the building in the muddy area (where we had met the man with the nail) and the saved man lay down in in front of us again. He was on his back with his head raised and was looking up at us. He was reaching his hands up to us in a gesture of longing. Jesus commanded that the angels arise and they rose from the mud and were created of earth. I remember looking at them and thinking no, that’s not right – they are taller. Instantaneously they shot up another 2 feet from 8 foot to 10. Jesus said to them take this man to my father’s house and I knew that Jesus forgave him of all his sins and that he was now on his way to paradise.

I don’t even know how to describe this dream. It was like being 2 people in one body. A tall lanky man with flowing hair and a woman; having a perfect soul and that of a sinner; feeling all powerful and feeling inadequate. Whatever the meaning of this dream is, I don’t know but it was freaking intense. As I write this I am wondering if it is a wake up call that something big may be coming or if it was a gift just for me. IDK I could feel the power and strength of the angels as he created them. I felt the same intense security and peace when they were with me after my mom died.

Wow this was a really intense dream. I’m like in a fog at the moment, yet wide awake, and can’t believe I wrote all these pages. Jesus, my Lord, I love you with my whole heart and soul but dude what was this?

2:39 pm now – It is exactly 8 hours since I wrote this and it is still very vivid in my head and in my mind’s eye. I actually went back to sleep for 3 more hours after I wrote this. This dream definitely is a message dream or visitation. So freaking intense.

More details:

We were in a contemporary setting though Jesus was wearing a long, tan, tunic of wool. It was one piece, with a hood or cowl on the back but no cinch at the waist. Wow the details are still pouring out of me. I remember looking down at the tunic toward our feet, which were in sandals secured by woven, coarse, brown cords. The feet were a man’s feet. Even though we were walking in a muddy area, the feet and cords were clean. I looked down because I could feel the tunic brushing against the hairs on my leg as we walked away from the man with the nail.

The angels had closed wings on their backs but the tips reached down to brush the ground. I woke up when the angels and the man disappeared. I was blown away that Jesus created angels right before my eyes with the soil of the earth. They had human features though they were perfect and beautiful faces. Some had long hair (past their shoulders, but I could not tell if they were males or females, but all were stunningly beautiful. They were all the golden mustard color.

This is insane! It is now 5:39 pm and I can still see all the details of the dream. That is not uncommon with these types of dreams but I still feel the presence of angels with me. BTW, it is exactly 11 hours ago that I woke up and wrote it down initially.

Did I say intense??

1/11/15 When I was thinking about it again today something occurred to me that hadn’t when I woke up with the dream. As intense as it was when I woke up, I was very comfortable and totally relaxed. Normally with a crazy dream I will wake up with a palpitation or a bit racy and anxious. I didn’t with this one, which was a beautiful thing.

Afterthoughts: written on Divine Mercy Sunday – 4/12/15

Why did I have this dream? Well, a week after I had it I fell on the black ice in front of my house (while running to the adoration chapel). I broke my hand and developed a bleed in my brain that, for a few months, took away my senses and my balance. After the physical things started to heal the emotional ones of depression and anger took hold. Initially I thought that maybe the dream was to help me get through the months of recovery. I was very angry with God for leaving me here and because of my anger I had a very difficult time praying. Thankfully that has passed. Now I think that it is a sign of God’s goodness and forgiveness and that is why I decided to share it with you today. God loves us and this Divine Mercy Sunday is His gift to us. May we all share his mercy with those that have fallen away from the church and with the non-believers. It is up to us to teach the chaplet to others and to spread devotion. WE are his voice on this earth.

Sienna, Italy

Kannur, India

India

Staten Island

I've Been Thinking.... About Prayer

A few weeks ago, while I was sitting at Mass I felt like a book wedged between two bookends; two very different bookends, at that. Sitting on one side of me was a family of about 8 (I didn't actually do a head count) and on the other side was a family of 4. 
I must admit both sets of kids were very well-behaved which was nice. (I know I'm starting to sound like a cranky pants with this but it will come in handy further down in the post., I promise). I also want to point out that I didn't sit and stare at all of these people it was just something I observed intermittently throughout the service. The Dad with the larger fam pointed out where we were throughout the Mass, told the kids what pages the hymns were on and really worked at keeping the kids involved and interested in what was going on. The family of 4? Well, they looked like they were being held hostage with no means of escape and with no end in sight. I even snuck a peek at them while saying the Our Father. The Mother was yawning and looking at her watch. The others were equally uninvolved.  Now, I would love to say that I was the attentive parent that taught my son well, but sadly I was the watch monitor to my right during his formative years. Sometimes I did feel like it was a chore bore to get to Mass and trust me, I was raised very well by my parents, I was expected to participate in the Mass as a child,  and was even in the choirs.

Here's the thing, though, Mass is the ultimate form of prayer. It is the ultimate in praise. I can pretty much surmise that if attending Mass weekly is not important to you, if praying at said Mass isn't as well, then there is a woefully shallow chance that you will say daily prayers either. I'm not even going to mention the Bible. That's probably collecting dust on a bookshelf somewhere.  I've been there. I know. Now? I'm one of those people that are like an ex-smoker that will get in your face about smoking or someone who has just found the next great diet and tells everyone how to eat. For me now it's about rattling cages and getting people to open up their eyes to how and for what they are praying.

If you have a home, furniture, heating/a/c, water, electric, a car and a vast wardrobe you have more than Jesus had in life or especially during His ministry days. He had the clothes on his back and the sandals on His feet. That's it. It occurred to me that the homeless, those that do not know where their next meal is coming from, are living a life pretty close to that of Jesus. He even mentions it in the Bible,  "As they were walking along the road someone said to Jesus, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus replied, foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has no place to lay his head." Luke 9:58. If I contemplate that it makes me feel very foolish to ask Jesus for anything but I know that should I ask Him for help with say putting food on my table or keeping a roof over my head that He will respond. God knows what we need before we know it and it will be provided be it through our own work or that of another.

Pray with an open heart and without strings, i.e. God, if you let the [insert team name here] win, I will go to Mass this Sunday. Have a daily dialogue with Him. Thank Him for every good thing that you have in life, your health, your home, warmth, food, family. Ask Him for help getting the things that can help you to live a good life here like a job, another job, so that you can not only support yourself and your loved ones but those that are less fortunate than you are as well. Humbly ask him for healing of mind, body or soul for yourself or your loved ones. If it is His will, I assure you He will answer your prayers. If you are meant to live a life of wealth, you will do exactly that. No need to pray to win the lotto.

Pray for your loved ones, your neighbors, your friends. Pray for people that are suffering from health problems or natural disasters. Pray for those that are persecuted and those that have not heard the message of Jesus. Pray for your enemies, your frenemies and even terrorists that they have a conversion of heart. Say morning, afternoon and evening prayers. Say Novenas. Pray the Rosary. Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 P.M. Pray before meals, and after. There are so many things to pray for and that's why it is so important to do it every day. That's why attending Mass is so important too. At Mass we do pray for so many as well as praising God. Trust me when I say that anyone that attends Mass regularly, and participates in it, and prays daily is so much more balanced and accepting of their cross in life than any other person you will encounter. The Holy Trinity is the way, the truth and the light and without them, and a personal relationship with them through daily dialogue, life is pretty dark. Pray for grace. Pray for an increased faith and prayer life. Pray for your own redemption and for others. Pray for peace.

Thank God for every thing in your life, even the little seemingly inconsequential things. I thanked Him just this morning because I was able to print shipping labels on a temperamental printer. (I just thanked Him again because I thought I had erased this blog post. whew.)

I wish that I could turn back time to when my son was young. That is the best time to teach children about prayer and all of the Sacraments, but especially the Mass. I've said it in prior posts, faith has to be nurtured throughout life but the seeds have to be planted by the parent. Wishing won't make it happen; actions will. If you are like I was I implore you to immerse yourself in the Mass next time you go. If your child sees that you are interested, they too will be. They want to emulate you but teach them about how important God is. He answers in His time, not yours, make sure you impart that as well. This way, when He does not answer the prayers right away they don't ask Satan for things. It sounds odd to say that, I know, but that is what the pop star Rhianna supposedly told her followers to do. (SMH).

There is so much evil in the world we have to be secure in our faith and relationship with God the Father, God the son Jesus and God the Holy Spirit to withstand it. Prayer is your armor to do just that. Teach yourself to do it well and teach the children.

Have a blessed and beautiful week.

Mare

His Divine Mercy

I found this prose today while cleaning out my office. Though a bit rough, it captures my emotions from that day, which were all over the place. It was written on March 2, 2014.

"I was so inspired in the chapel today, so overwhelmed with emotion, that I grabbed my pen and paper. I love the oil painting in there by Ron Gatto and was inspired to write this." Ron owns the copyright on this image but has allowed me to share it.

His Divine Mercy

Lord, your rays of divine mercy engulf my soul.
I feel your forgiveness and unconditional love with each pulse of my heart.
Lord, if I could, I would wash your feet with my tears and let them fall as softly as a morning mist on a meadow
even though they be oceans of tears of regret for not always living my life in your light.
Oh Lord, that I could wipe the sweat from your brow and anoint your wounds with a soothing salve. It was, after all, my sins and those of others that caused your stripes.
I yearn to loosen myself from this world so that I may glorify you and give you thanks and praise
as I should each and every moment of this earthly existence.
Without the temptations of this world, how focused and insular my prayers and thoughts would be.
Make me worthy, Lord, to be with you for all eternity.
I am your humble servant who longs to see your face.
For this I pray,
Amen.

The cross before me, the world behind me. ~

An Important Message from Jesus

Jesus said to his disciples:
"To you who hear I say, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.

"Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."

~ Luke 6:27-38

Not So Fair Weather Friends?

Jesus Walks on the Water

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
²⁹ “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” ~ Matthew 14:22-33

A few thoughts have been swirling in my pretty little head since I heard this reading the other day. Sheesh, how many times have I been Peter?  I would like to think that Jesus sustains me when the winds of turmoil, stress and suffering bang against the sides of my "boat"? Sometimes, though, I do think why me God? What did I do, that was so horribly wrong, that I deserve this? In this reading Peter is lifted and sustained by Jesus. He has faith in Jesus at the moment, which is a beautiful one at that.  When Peter becomes freaked out by the winds and the storm he lets go of that faith and starts to sink, which is exactly what we all do when we let go of our faith during the turbulent times. Don't you think so too? Everyone has times of turmoil and despair. Sadly some people do turn away from God when the going gets rough. I think it is part of the human condition to find fault and blame when something goes amiss in our lives. Why not blame God? He is an easy scapegoat after all. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is to have faith and to trust in God's plan. He does have a plan for each and every one of us; remember He knew us before He formed us in the womb. He knows us intricately and loves us and can and will uplift us in the bad and good times of our life. Trust Him. Reach out to Him. Just as Jesus reached His hand out to Peter, so shall He reach it out to you and lift you from the waters before you drown. 

The reading also reminded me of the weeks and months following 9/11/01, when the churches were filled with those looking for healing and probably answers as well. To be honest, I was numb at that time and many times I just went and sat in the pew and contemplated the passage printed above the altar that read, "Be still." It was the only part of the passage that was visible from where I sat. (The entire passage is "Be still, and know that I am God.")  Aside from being with my family, waiting for news of family members and friends, God's house was the only other place that I wanted to be. It seems I was not the only one that felt that way given the scores of people I would meet there.

There has to be a balance though. By all means seek God during the tumultuous times, but also remember to thank God for every blessing that He has given you as well. Try to make it a habit to think of your daily blessings before you head to bed at night and say thank you.

The last paragraph makes me think of my favorite Apostle, Thomas. Those that were in the boat saw the miracles of Jesus occur right before their eyes. Thomas too, had to be convinced that Jesus was risen. We read of the signs and wonders in the Bible with awe but haven't experienced Him the way that they all did, yet we believe in Him and that is the very definition of faith. Jesus said, "
Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Well Alleluia!

Joy, Peace and Love to you all. Have a good week.

Mare

The Twitterverse

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah" by Jules-Joseph-Augustin Laurens. DEA / G. DAGLI ORTI / Getty Images

Gospel Reading for today, 7/17/18:  Mt 11:20-24

"Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
since they had not repented.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum:

Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the nether world.
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day.
But I tell you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

I don't know what it is.....
Maybe it is because I have faced my own mortality too many times in my life?
Maybe it is because I have way, way, too much time on my hands?
Maybe, just maybe, it is because I now tend to listen and hear and see things and just soak them in and file them away in the back of my brain and don't respond to them. You would think that in this day and age of social media that the last option would be a true testament of enormous willpower. I'm here to tell you that it isn't. Some remarks are just too nasty, ignorant or downright evil to even bother to respond to. Why get yourself in an uproar with someone that you will never meet in person. You aren't going to change their mind anyway. Right?....

What is it that I'm noticing? It is how mean and nasty everyone seems to be becoming. What I have found by sitting back and observing is just how torn our society is today and how lacking it is in direction on how to be a good Christian and avoid the pitfalls of, well, just about everything that is out there. Normally, I don't dip my toes into any political discussions because, let's face it, I talk about religion and Jesus ALL the time. I can't alienate all of my friends and family by adding politics in there too so those opinions I keep to myself.

What is becoming glaringly obvious to me now is that these are perilous times we are living in, and time is of the essence for evangelization and bringing people to Christ. Social media is a perfect way to reach them. People, especially non-Christians, need to be pulled out of despair and  taught about the saving power of Jesus. Christians  need to be boosted up by the boot strings, well more like combat boots, so that their faith remains rock solid. Sadly, more and more people seem to be focused on what others are doing and saying and not spending enough time on what they themselves are saying and doing. (I include myself in that equation btw). Be aware of what is going on in the world, but be even more cognizant of the state of your own soul. When you die and face judgment, Christ isn't going to ask you what you thought of Trump's presidency, nor if you liked Hillary better. He is going to ask you what YOU have done and said about others and what YOU accomplished in your life. YOU will be accountable for everything that you uttered, or typed. I have to remind myself of that all the time.

I have found a few priests, on Twitter, that are steeped in theology (and they are pretty funny too). They lift my spirits and my soul and I highly recommend them to anyone who is seeking some solid guidance and a few laughs each day. Of note are, Fr. Harrison Ayre @christian_state and the other is Fr.Goyo @FrGoyo. We all need to just take a breath and relax for a minute so do yourself a favor and follow these gentlemen. For me, it is nice to have an anchor of faith, kindness and a chuckle or two and I think that you will find them beneficial to your life as well. They are a breath of fresh air in a stagnating society.

Peace, Love and God bless you all.

Mare

BTW ~ as for the nasty Nellies you encounter out there? Pray for them.

Going to the Chapel......

-->

Last Sunday, when I was walking home from church, there was a family with young children walking beside me. The Mother asked the boy, who looked to be about 7, how he liked going to church. He said, “well, we went there once before.” The Mother responded, “yes, but today we went for real. “ It made me sad to hear the brief conversation. Of course, it may have been continued out of my earshot, but I don’t think that it was.  I really, truly, hope that the last time they were there wasn’t for his Christening and that now he is preparing for his First Communion, but sadly that is the case with many families.

The reality is that many families do just that and I personally think that they are not only short-changing their children but that they are also short-changing themselves. They christen their children and then don’t come back to church again until it is time for the child to receive First Communion, which is perplexing to me, but I won’t get into that. Faith building and religious instruction should be from birth, through life. Not just when you need it to make a sacrament.

Original work of art by Jean Keaton

When I went to grade school we were not only taught the Catechism but we also went to Confession and Mass on the first Fridays of the month. We started each school day with a prayer (and the Pledge of Allegiance) and a blessing. I was a good little girl, for the most part, and even taught religious instruction when I was in the 7^th and 8^th grades, to the 1st graders. Even though I knew all of the teachings of the church, I still struggled with them when I got older and had to re-educate myself on my faith, which I did when I was in my late 30’s. It wasn’t until then that my eyes were opened and I began to truly live my faith and understand the doctrines that I had learned from such an early age.  The thing is, though, that I had a very good basis and understanding of the faith and even I struggled. Is it possible to provide a good, solid, religious instruction to your child if they go to a public school and only attend religious instruction once a week? Of course it is.

I will admit, I did a terrible job of it, but I did at least get Tom to church every week and to religious instruction until he was about 12. His first 6 years of life were steeped in it too from us living with my parents and from our full-time baby sitters, Betty and Bob (God bless them both). He didn’t get confirmed but that blame lies squarely on my shoulders. I could make a whole bunch of excuses about it from my Mom dying, to our Pastor telling him that he didn’t have to come to church to pray for his Grandma, but the fact is I didn’t want to drag him there because we did have a battle royal every Sunday after that Pastor made that stupid remark. I caved because I freaking hated screaming and yelling and then sitting in church boiling over; that was just ridiculous. So on Sunday mornings, Tom would pop out of bed and go to our friend’s house up the street where, as he put it, everyone slept late and ate bagels for breakfast and I went to church to fulfill my obligation and nothing more. Even though I was lacking in my parenting skills when it came to religious instruction I do know quite a few families that now have adult children that continue in their parent’s footsteps, which is refreshing to see in this day and age.  Even Tom has made his peace with God and visits the chapel with me once in a while.

I guess what I am trying to say is two things. It’s never too late to find Jesus in the scriptures and to embrace Him. I’ve written about my own reversion to Him through the Rosary on here. Prayer will lead you to Him; reading the Bible will too. Ask for His help and guidance. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes, ears and heart to the scriptures as He is the one that increases our faith and hope.

Glory be to the Father who created me.

Glory be to the Son who redeemed me.

Glory be to the Holy Spirit who sanctifies me.

Read the Catechism regardless if you are a Catholic or not. Either way it will strengthen you in faith, hope and charity and thus, prepare you to teach your children well. Share it with your children. The other point I'm trying to make is to make your faith a huge part of your family life from the womb to the tomb. Pray with your children. Read the Bible with your children. Attend Mass and services regularly with your children, as a family. Receive the Sacraments as a family. Do the same with your grandchildren, if you are able. Let go of the material things in this world, which are fleeting and immaterial in the long run, and embrace the spiritual.  Your child needs to know that not only are you always there for him/her, God is ALWAYS there for them too. As Jesus taught us in the parables of the mustard seed and the fruits of the vine, faith in God is something that needs to be planted, but it also needs to be nurtured to grow throughout life. Not only the child, but the adult needs to continue to change and grow with the ever changing tides of life and a strong faith will give them the tools to make it through all those periods of life. Never stop nurturing that faith, through continuous learning and prayer, and your faith will never fail you when it is needed most. That's why it is so important to nurture our children during the formative years. Otherwise, just like the untended grapes on a vine, that faith will wither up and cease to exist.

As a grown up I know that when I was younger that I rarely listened to others' opinions and suggestions, but I do hope that in some small way my own shortcomings may help someone else. One of my only regrets is that I did lose my connection with God in my younger years and didn't bother to provide a substantial faithful upbringing for my own child. My own experience has taught me that my relationship with God and my family has gotten me through many horrible things in my life and it has made me stronger. I do now see that my faith was always strong, even if I didn't think it at the time. It was because of the positive upbringing and strength of conviction of my formative years.   It is true that a family that prays together stays together. Remember that the next time you go to church “for real.”

Peace * Love

Mare