Category: Faith

Hunger

We all hunger for Love. It is the way we have been created. In this time of year, the stores are filled with layers of many shades of red and pink. This has always brought a smile to my heart as there is a unique beauty in gift giving. Valentine’s Day is approaching and the flowers, the bright red displays and cards are placed so prominently to catch all the eyes of husbands and those in relationships. All in anticipation of prompting people to give gifts to their beloved. But what is Love? Love is more than just a day to give candy and flowers. It is more than butterflies or a passionate kiss. In all ways and in time love can be many things…love can be the comfort of a friend who is faithful. Love can be the warmth of a Mothers embrace…

When reflecting upon Love, it is so much more than the sexually charged cultural images or shallow self seeking messages so intensely and graphically portrayed on many  popular TV shows. It is more than all the material gifts many buy one day a year, some out of a sheer sense of obligation not from true sincerity.

Love is many things. There are many types of love. Different Types of Love have been classified and the most culturally popular is Erotic Love, “Eros”…which is named after the Greek god of love and fertility. …then there is,

“Philia” or Affectionate Love. …

“Storge” or Familiar Love. …

“Ludus” or Playful Love. …

“Mania” or Obsessive Love. …

“Pragma” or Enduring Love. …

“Philautia” or Self Love. …

“Agape” or Selfless Love.

Love has many forms and with such has varying degrees of depth and beauty within them all. Most have known the beauty of a mothers love…“STORGE” or familiar Love. Then there’s the dearness and special love one feels for a friend, “PHILIA”, but ultimately love in its most purest form is a love that reflects light. A love that overcomes darkness. A love that triumphs over the struggles of our human weaknesses…Not just for a moment but for all days. A love that is not subject to the whim of a feeling. A Love that from its very foundation gives selflessly and demonstrates its truth in action. …A love that gives, a love that chooses the beloved’s needs time and time again over oneself. A love like this, a love that empties itself, a love that emulates Christ’s love for us. A love like that, now that is a most difficult struggle but the beauty lies in the struggle. The dying to oneself for love of another. Who doesn’t want to be loved like that? A love that is selfless, an Agape love. That is truly the love we hunger for in the depths of our hearts. This is why the other forms of Love draw us for a moment in time. The other types of Love can satisfy although often are fleeting and never quench like Agape.

It is this yearning, this hunger within our hearts, that must be filled by God himself. Only he can fill that void. Only when we know him and his love intimately…only then are we capable of loving others as God designed us to love originally before the fall…To love selflessly. When by merits not of our own but rather by graces received from walking in his light. By opening our hearts to God and being filled with his Love for us and persevering on the path he wills for our lives…only then are we truly capable of loving others unconditionally.

Have you hungered for love? I encourage you to find a quite place, pray and sit in silence. Open the door of your heart to Jesus. He will speak to your heart.  Allow him to fill you with a Love the world in all its false promises can never offer you. A love he thirsts to give you. Only in his Love will you rest and be truly satisfied. Be filled by his love so that you may be capable of reflecting an Agape love…a true and unconditional love, be that kind of love to others. That is what we all truly Long for.







The Days Pass…

IMG_5455.JPGMy heart needs to write… it is an outlet, often times pain is the fuel that gives me cause to write. It’s as if heartache is a propellant to inspire and to give me words…from ashes comes beauty. I know from pain comes wisdom, perspective and even out of it comes hope.  Hope for that which is real, true and lasting. This world fosters such a shallowness in relationships today, how so many it seems are self centered and confused. Loyalty seems to be a thing of the past or maybe just for old souls… I’ve not understood nor wanted to feel the days pass that magnify how easily dear friends can become strangers. I’ve experienced losses of those whom I cherished and coldness of hearts that has given me pause to desire to lose hope at times…. hope in all types of relationships and a desire to fall into isolation. As solitude seems to be a safe place, a place of peace, a place where ones heart is not vulnerable to the flaws of humanity which inflict pain upon one another.

In all moments but especially in moments like these, I pray, I ponder and I trust God. He created us to love and be loved. So with courage I hope and continue to Love. As I read and reflect on all that will draw my mind and heart closer to God. I understand more intensely the closer he draws me to him the closer I get to my destiny. It is prayer that is the source of breath in my days…sustaining my soul. As My heart grows in prayer, I understand that it is only in seeking that we will find answers and only in Forgiveness, peace and only in God everlasting Love. I trust that God’s plan for my life will prevail. And even though at times I do not understand all the circumstances that we face in life or the relationships that fade away… I trust God has a purpose for it all.

Maybe you’ve been in a place or time in your life that those you thought you truly knew, those dearest to you that you have a place for, forever in your mind and heart…And in an instant they are gone. My hope is you know you are never alone and God has a purpose for every circumstance in your life.

For everyone he removes from your life trust in his abundant Love that he only wants your happiness and for you to have the best….Out of pain, see hope and in prayer know you’ll find comfort, peace and the immense love he desires to give you each day.

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I’ll be Weak…

In this world there are many broken relationships, broken families, and psychologically many people just tune out. Tune out of the pain, turn to indifference, bury themselves in work and become numb or even worse become bitter and hateful. The unfortunate truth about hate is it multiplies, if we allow it.  However, there is a counter that can defeat hate from spreading, and that is Love.

I am in awe of how Truth is never subject to time but rather is above time. Truth is profound, striking and beautiful and our hearts are drawn to it. The Lord has written the truth upon your heart because he is Truth, and given you the free will to freely embrace him, his love or reject it. Truth whether fifty years ago or today is the same and cannot be denied. We cannot deny how God loves. For example, after watching another episode of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, (I’m really starting to Love this guy!) he made this point “the only way to stop hate is to diminish it by absorbing it into Love and Forgiveness.”

Only Love and forgiveness can truly absorb hate and stop the cycle of pain or evil. He went on to ask, “Where does Love that absorbs hate and destroys it with forgiveness come from? Evolution?” In the reality of this world and regards to his question when one thinks in basic evolutionary terms, survival of any species isn’t founded on weakness. I use the word “weakness” with a new perspective for it. Archbishop Sheen stated the following Truth in life: “He who Loves The Most is always the weakest.” these words resonated in my mind so intensely and grabbed my attention in a way that I stopped what I was doing and stood still in my kitchen as I was cooking.  I thought of how my heart has loved  many dear friends and at times I have felt great pain due to this. In my life, as I can only speak for myself and recalling those beautiful souls that I have been blessed to learn, to see their imperfections, to know, to share time with and create memories, to appreciate their humanity and their weaknesses… those souls that I love, well for me… Love doesn’t die nor does it end. I have often pondered on what it would be like not to love others as I do…to be strong, to not Love those who have hurt me or rejected me in this life, but alas my heart only loves. It is, as it has seemed to me many times a weakness but I understand it is how God made me.

And in light of what Archbishop  Fulton Sheen pointed out it gives me comfort. He stated that “He Who Loves the Least is the Strongest” and I can attest, as I am sure you can to those people that have hurt you in this life, it is because they were “Strong”. So strong. Their strength allows them to love the least. Allows them to walk away…It amazed me further when The archbishop put into perspective and stated this fundamental truth about Love…”Whenever we Love we give power, Whenever there’s Love, there’s almost a surrender.” As he described and used an example of a mother and child and how a mother Loves her child so immensely she is made weak. She wakes in the middle of the night at the sound of a cry, she is afraid to leave her child, she truly loves and there is a surrender to her child out of this love.

The beautiful summit to this episode ended with the question of where did a selfless Love like this, a Love that surrenders oneself to absorb pain and hatred come from? We know it is not an evolutionary development…”Somewhere there had to be someone who loved so much that he was helpless….So helpless that nails could be pinned against his hands and feet….and this is where such Love comes from, it is from heaven, it is from God.”

To love is to be brought low in weakness…where there is vulnerability, where we surrender. Oh, but what a beautiful source of Light and Hope  is found in that vulnerability. What a gift it is to Love. May we emulate the Love Christ has shown us and pray for those who because of their brokenness and wounds have chosen to be strong and run from love.

I will close with my most recent and favorite quote that I reflect on daily. I feel it ties in nicely to today’s blog.  It is a quote that I stumbled upon a week or two ago.

“Where there is no Love put love, and you will draw Love out.” St. John of The Cross

 

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The Race

Have you ever used the phrase the “rat race”? The description of the masses in a somewhat dreary, passionless existence is what comes to mind when I think about this phrase.

In this life we are bound to time, there are those who are trapped in the past, those who only live for fleeting pleasures in the present moment and yet we are all a product of the linear story of our lives. Past. Present. Future.

I recall watching a episode of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen where he went on to describe and define the term “rat race”.

He drew a clock on a chalkboard and spoke of those who live only for the moment, and those he described as Rebels, “against ideals and against the past.” “The now moment, the instant never explains anything, it’s like looking through a key hole…”As he quickly emphasized the now moment is in relation to the future, it is time that is our obstacle to real happiness. He described the “rat racers” as those who live just for this second with no meaning in life, with no goals, no plans, those afraid of commitment, those who are bored…the unhappy.

  • He noted how in time you can only experience happiness in successive moments. Time is the enemy of happiness because it DEMANDS we take our pleasure successively. True happiness is rooted in the eternal. As he marked on the chalkboard and depicted a clock. He went on to point out the circular shape of the clock and how rats will just go around in circles all the time in a cage in a meaningless existence, with a random “now” moment here and there. Running over and over when confined in a circle. He correlated how most watches are circular and we think life is just a constant recurrence of “inconsequential moments”…the human race can often be similar to the rats in the monotony of just repeating the same routine day in and day out. However he pointed out that, life is vertical not a circle and each day we add to this ascending summit our end. “There comes a time when God draws a line and the things you did are added up….we have a hurdle here Pain, sickness and death.”In the line or story of your life we all have wants… “And we want love… and a day must come when the last embrace is passed from friend to friend, and there is nothing perfect that ends.”

This statement…”There is nothing perfect that ends.” Resonates with my heart as there are those who have come into my life who I have such a unconditional love for that I know that this type of Love has no end, not even death can destroy it.

It is amazing to ponder on how even after you are no longer on this earth that the people you loved and who truly love you, that beautiful bond, your memory and all the beautiful moments are held and immortalized in those hearts dearest to you in this life until you may be reunited again.

You and I want truth, “it is in our deepest nature to know”…what really exists, what is real?…In this life, in the joys and pains, as you and I move forward each day a little bit closer to that last day, the end, that summit of our lives…may we keep our heart, mind and soul pointing to God the whole way through. Only in our creator are we completed. “we want pure light, pure truth, pure love and this is the definition of God.”

So with all these things in mind, I wanted to share with you a line that rang in my heart as I read today’s bible readings:

“persevere in running the race that lies before uswhile keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus…”

Hebrews 12:1-4


Why

There are so many times in my life, I have asked God why? I have had many struggles as each one of us do in life. I have seen people come into and leave my life and I always question God why?

In those moments when you hunger to know why God wills or allows certain circumstances in your life, just remember he knows what tomorrow holds.

I’d like to share this quote that I came across in a journal and it has helped to give me perspective. Reminds me also of a dear friend and mentor Diane, who has a saying; “It’s all about perspective.” She’s right, so throughout your life I hope you will be able to consider all things from many perspectives. It helps to reveal lessons, truths and also provides hope.

The quote that struck me was this:

“In His wisdom God does not show us all that lies ahead. So we enter a new year to live it day by day. What is past is past. Today we start anew, and what we do today will make our life for tomorrow….each day let us follow more faithfully, more courageously, more daringly the lead of our great Captain who bids us follow him.-William Thomson Hanzsche”

In times of our lives especially when we long to know, why? Know God has a purpose for everything and everyone in your life. Through prayer trust in him, and never lose courage. He will always provide you with the strength you need to overcome any struggle or problems in your life. May we also pray fervently for our friends all the days of our lives and with great hope may we be graced with the same blessing and gift of prayers.

“and what we do today will make our life for tomorrow.”

Virtue

At the Catholic Women’s Conference this past weekend in San Antonio, TX there were many wonderful and inspiring speakers. I am thankful to the pilgrim center of hope a non-profit organization founded by a beautiful couple who have dedicated their lives to Christ and serving his church and his people. I encourage you to visit their website at: http://www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org

Last year was the first conference I attended and the confirmations I received at that particular conference gave me hope and strength in the dignity of women. It’s amazing how close to three thousand women can be attending and yet I feel like some talks were specifically just for me. Even this year, I experienced that same intimate connection with the messages of some of the talks. The message this year that spoke to my heart is in the virtue of women.

Our God is so loving and so intimate he is always speaking to our hearts. It is through silence and prayer that I have received many answers and then there are signal graces. You may be wondering what is that? Signal graces are signs from God that are very personal and have meaning to you in a very unique way. For example, I have my dear spiritual companion and adopted Mother Madolyn and last year during our trip for the Catholic women’s conference I shared with her the song “It is well with my soul” by Bethel Music. This song had given me a very special comfort during times of my personal struggles. As I played her this beautiful song from my cell phone, the beautiful melody began to fill the air and captured in my memory forever is that moment as we sat in our hotel room with the beautiful views of San Antonio’s down town skyline. We just soaked in the moment. A beautiful moment between a mother and a daughter.

I ponder on how good God is. How he is always with us. Now when I hear that song it brings to mind my dear and beloved Madolyn. I feel that is a signal grace or sign at times she is thinking of me and I know she is praying for me. Those are the moments in my life that bring my heart such comfort. I have had so many signal graces in other relationships in my life especially one that is so dear to me. Yet I still find myself doubting and not trusting God. I struggle with this and I know he knows I am trying.

Among the many speakers was a young woman named Sarah Swafford she is a speaker and an author and her website is : http://www.emotionalvirtue.com, she has different nicknames, A.K.A. “Mama Swaff”, “Swaff Mama” and is just a doll!  She shared how our true beauty is not physical and is in our virtue. She revealed that she had polled men to ask them what was the most attractive thing about a woman. Their answers may surprise you. They answered, “Holiness”, or “The striving to be holy”. It wasn’t about losing ten pounds or having great hair. It was about the beauty of the heart and all that we as women have been gifted with by our creator, our kindness, our gentleness… So even in moments when you don’t feel virtuous, in moments where you feel you have failed in temptation, struggled with vice in this world, know you are not alone. We are all sinners and as disappointed as I feel with myself at times I remember this quote by Saint Teresa of Calcutta: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

So I remind myself,  remember you are striving… and today is a new day. Today is all we have. My prayer for you is that you grow in your spiritual journey with the Lord, our Mama Mary and all our beautiful saints. Call on them in your moments of trial, despair or weakness and NEVER stop striving.

Let us begin, and let us pray for one another for strength on this journey.

With great Love,

Amanda

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Mercy

This is a special year. When Pope Francis declared this year as the Extraordinary Holy year of Mercy, and announced it a jubilee year! I knew it was unprecedented as usually The Catholic church has called jubilee years every 25 or 50 years since the year 1300.

This year is known as an extraordinary jubilee year of Mercy since it has only been 16 years since the last jubilee year in 2000. The Pope being the spiritual shepherd of the universal church only knows why, why now?

I am sure in his heart, he truly desires all catholics both practicing their faith and in name only to embrace this “extraordinary jubilee”,  along with all our evangelical brothers and sisters in Christ to be more aware now than ever, that we have a merciful God! Our God is so good! We can never mess up so badly, that we are not worthy of his mercy.

God’s love for you is infinite and his mercy is boundless. Look at the cross…giving is part of God’s whole system.  He gave his only begotten son for you! This Good Friday, let us recall that great sacrifice and contemplate on how much he loves. How the Lord loves you!

Lightning Storm and the Cross

Last week on Catholic radio, as I listened to my Ave Maria Radio app a radio host discussed how God wants us to show his mercy. The shows topic was enthronement of the image of Divine Mercy. God gives us three ways to show mercy for our neighbor. He calls each of us to show his mercy in Love, with our deeds, words and prayers. How simple, yet how beautiful.  Let us show mercy and make an effort to show love in these three areas with the people in our lives. After all that is what mercy really is, it is Love.

This world needs mercy now more than ever before. Let us always have confidence in our God, in his mercy, and know that no matter how many times we fail. He will never fail us, and his mercy is always available to us, all the days of our lives. What a good God we have!  My prayers are for you to have a blessed and transforming Holy Week, may you be an instrument of God’s mercy and hope to those in your life. What deeds will you do? How can your words show mercy? Whom will you pray for?

Ephesians 2: 4-5

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

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Ephesians 3:12

“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

Luke 6:38

“Give and it shall be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”