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Yesterday on our radio program, Women of Grace® Live, I recommended two resources for Lent _-- In Conversation with God, Volume 2 by Francis Fernandez; and Divine Intimacy by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene, OCD. Today, I followed my own advice and prayerfully read the selections for Ash Wednesday. Both were excellent. But it was one line in Section 2 of In Conversation with God that grabbed me.

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“Those who sow in sorrow, will reap with shouts of joy.” Psalm 126:5 1997, 1998, 1999—three years that broke my heart. The loss of my loved ones during that time devastated me. Looking for answers to the ultimate questions, I found my heart turning back to God in re-conversion. I sought Him through a women’s group at my church. My steps were tentative but see now that God was with me. The women’s group reconnected me to Jesus yet there was a disturbance in my spirit. The group was gracious and spiritual but I longed for something more authentic and in alignment with the teaching of the Catholic Church. The Holy Spirit prompted me—actually gently pushed me—into the way I should go. Through His inspiration and the words of a friend I began a group called FIAT which sought to be truly Catholic and Marian. I searched for resources that were in alignment with Catholic teaching—Bible studies, inspirational books, lives of the saints, encyclicals. These works were inspired and beautiful but our little group lacked direction and a consistent vision.

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This morning, my somewhat precocious six year old granddaughter and I had a conversation over breakfast: “Grandma,” she said gazing out of the kitchen window in our Florida home. “Yes, Julia?” said I. “Pretty soon Easter will be here because it is Spring outside.” “Yes, you are right. Ash Wednesday is this week and that begins the season of Lent.” “Oh,” said Julia. “I began Lent already. Remember when you told me not to climb on the chair? Well, I stopped and I haven’t done it again.” “Julia, that is wonderful! I am proud of you!” I replied with enthusiasm (always ready to reinforce obedience!). “I have been thinking about how I will spend Lent this year, too.” “Grandma, I know what you can do!”  “Really, Julia? What is that?” I said hesitantly not sure I wanted to hear the answer. “You could donate things.” “That’s true, Julia, I sure could,” I responded already ticking off the items in the garage that I’d just love to get rid of but realizing it would be a pleasure and not a sacrifice. “You could give away some of my toys,” said Julia deep into the idea by now. “They’re your toys, Honey. You should give them away.”  “Okay. I’m so good I’ll do that too!” and with that she finished her milk and bounded away.

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I had the privilege of spending the weekend of February 11 in Appleton, Wisconsin at the The Dignity and Vocation of Women conference held at St. Pius X Church. It was an awesome event! Organized by Jody Lueck, over 100 women gathered together for this inaugural event. The Feminine Genius Women’s Conference is sure to have a long and lasting history if this first gathering is the standard of things to come. For me personally it was yet another reminder of the great work God is about in the hearts and minds of His daughters. He is indeed pouring out graces for restoration, renewal, and revitalization. This was not lost on the women who attended. An attitude of receptivity marked their demeanor as well as that of the women who presented and the special guests who were invited.  I was delighted to see Mercedes Wilson (Families of the Americas) whose work I so greatly admire and whom I hadn’t seen in several years. And I was so pleased to meet Jeannie Hanneman (Elizabeth Ministry International), Judith Leonard (Diocese of Wichita), Vicki Thorn (Project Rachel), Margaret Hartshorn (Hearbeat, International), and Rosemary Sullivan (Exec. Dir. National Conference of  Diocesan Vocation Directors). What powerful women in the Lord! Following is an article written in The Compass News, the diocesan newspaper of Green Bay:

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Typically, we are very careful about sending out requests like this one unless they come from reliable sources.  This one has been confirmed by a friend of Women of Grace® and she writes the following: 

"Hi Johnnette, Please unite in prayer for Stephen Maszczak who is a 7 year old boy that has been diagnosed a High Grade Diffuse Pontine Glioma which is a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer and is in much need of prayers for a miracle.  If you could please share with your global prayer community it would be greatly appreciated. 

 

I do know the family and they are also very good friends of Fr. Bill Halbing, who visited Stephen in the hospital last week and can verify it all.

Pete Maszczak, who is Stephen's grandfather, is the leader of the Refuge Music Ministry that I am a member of; and we play at the Charismatic Conferences and Tent Revivals in NJ.  I am sure you have met him over the years and remember us.  We are all devastated about this and are praying for a miracle.  On top of everything else, we also lost one of our members Tricia DiMeglio, who was Stephen's aunt and is shown in this picture, back in November. She died suddenly of a seizure. Please keep everyone in prayer. This little boy is just so precious, and it's hard to believe that he could be "taken" from us at so young an age. This website provides all the details  but basically what the doctors are saying is that this beautiful little boy only has two months to live. We believe in the miracle healing power of Our Lord Jesus Christ and are asking for everyone to storm Heaven in prayer for a miracle. Thanks so very much and blessings for your ministry.  

Blessings always,

Mary Anne"

Friends, my heart aches for this family.  I ask that you do pray for this precious little boy, Stephen, that if it is God's will, he may be healed.  If they should be asked to continue to bear this cross, I ask that the Lord would provide them with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavens that it might be embraced with the peace and joy that is beyond our understanding.

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Fr. Ed and his special guest, Fr. Tom Looney, Provincial Superior of the Eastern Province of Congregation of the Holy Cross, gave us a intriguing behind the scenes look at the Order of Holy Cross and the life of the recently canonized St. Andre Bessette of Montreal.   If you missed their discussion, you can listen at our podcast link below.  St. André Bessette, pray for us! Thursday's Women of Grace Live Radio Program

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Fr. Ed shared this beautiful quote by Ron Quinlan on the Catholic Exchange website during today's Women of Grace live radio program.  It beautifully illustrates God's deep and abiding love for us.  Happy St. Valentine's Day! 

My Beloved Child, Yes, you are my beloved child.  I know this is hard for you to believe.  You see all your mistakes and failures, all the times you lost your temper, all the times you’ve hurt people, all the times you stayed away from me.  You look at yourself and see your failures. I look at you and see your beauty.  I see the love you’ve given to those you encountered in your life.  I see the times you tried to love others, all the times you’ve given of yourself.  I see a beautiful person struggling to become the person you were created to be. There is a beauty and love deep inside of you.  Right now you may not see it but someday the whole world will look at you and see this rare beauty, someone very special and unique, a gift to the world — for you are my gift and my beloved child. So often you’ve been afraid of me.  You run and try to hide, hoping that I won’t notice your mistakes.  So many hours you spend, doing everything you can to stay busy, too busy to think, to busy talk to me.  You run away from me but I long for your company.  I long to shower you with my love, to pour my blessings upon you.  I yearn to comfort and console you, to be there for you in your pain.  My desire is to take care of you.  My passion is for you to come to me, seeking me, to know and love me — for that is why I made you. I want you to know that I know everything you ever done — and I love you with a passion so intense that human words can not describe it.  Your past is forgiven and forgotten.  I remember nothing you have confessed.  I passionately desire to forgive you everything.  All you have to do is repent and confess. So come to me; come so that I may pour my blessings upon you.  There is so much I want to give you.  I want to do so much for you.  I want you to know my peace.  I want to set you free from the guilt that robs you of your joy; from the fear that plagues you; from the worry and anxiety that is tearing you apart.  I want you to know my joy, to know my freedom, to be secure in my love. Come, now! There is nothing you have to change or do, no improvements you have to make before you come to me.  Come as you are.  I love you exactly as you are.  Just, come!

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Do you struggle with worry?  I know I do on occasion.  Life for the Christian is a daily exercise in surrender to Divine Providence and Venerable Solanus Casey knew this all to well.  Recently, I have found the following quote from Venerable Casey to be most helpful.  It is a wonderful reflection to use during your prayer time this week, especially if you are struggling with worry.  "Worry is a weakness from which very few of us are entirely free.  We must be on guard against this most insidious enemy of peace of soul.  Instead let us foster confidence in God, and thank Him ahead of time for whatever he chooses to send us. If we only try to show the Dear Lord a good will and ask Him for resignation to the crosses He sends or permits to come our way, we may be sure that sooner or later they will turn out to have been just so many blessings in disguise." Venerable Solanus Casey, pray for us. Related Resources: Saints of the States with Dan Lynch The Heart of a Saint: Ten Ways to Grow Closer to God

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During the first session of the Women of Grace study, I tell the women that my mother named me appropriately, Martha because I’m “a doer!”  But one day I heard a voice in the inner recesses of my heart say, “Martha, Martha, Come and sit with Mary at my feet.” The next thing I knew, I found myself participating in a Women of Grace study at a nearby parish!!

 

I fell in love with the study and realized I had a long, long way to go on my spiritual journey. The rain of graces from the study poured, not only upon my self, but upon my family as well.  My husband and I began praying the rosary together and the following Fall, Tony was right beside me as a daily communicant!!  My burning desire, my mission, was to create an opportunity for women from all walks of life to embark upon this journey of discovery and transformation.

 

The week that I was to begin facilitating my first Women of Grace group at my parish, negative thoughts plagued me like, “What are you doing?  You can’t facilitate this program! You don’t know enough! What if you are asked a question, and you do not know the answer?!”  I held my ground and didn’t allow the evil one to discourage me.

 

Throughout the bible we see how the Lord “qualifies the unqualified.” That was me but through my fiat, my “yes”, three Women of Grace studies were implemented at my parish; one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening.  At one point, we had five studies running at various times throughout the week.  Over three hundred women have had the opportunity to go through this life-changing program and it is now being offered in five other surrounding parishes.

 

Our Lady impregnated my soul with a holy zeal for Women of Grace.  As a facilitator, a profound gift is given!!  The Holy Spirit allows me to witness His abundant fruit sprouting in the hearts of the women he has entrusted to me.  Just one example was when I saw a woman’s face transformed after she returned to the Sacrament of Reconciliation after forty years!!

 

For those considering becoming a facilitator, I can not express the importance of spending time in prayer.  It is prayer which allows the Holy Spirit to work in and through you.

 

As this New Year unfolds, may Our Lady and her spouse, the Holy Spirit, prepare your hearts with a double portion of fortitude to birth Jesus to the world!

 

 

 

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These are certainly unprecedented times.  One only need to watch the evening news to see that the world seems to be quickly spiraling out of control.  That is why the March for Life is an event of such great hope.  It is the powerful witness of hundreds of thousands of pro-life individuals from varying faith backgrounds marching together to give a voice to the voiceless unborn children and their parents who have been wounded by abortion. Those who March are the white (as opposed to red) martyrs of this generation.  Though they may not be called to shed their blood, they are called to walk in a spirit of self-sacrifice and like the martyrs, draw upon the virtue of fortitude.  It is fortitude which propels the soul to act in spite of fear or discomfort.  It is fortitude that gives the soldier the strength to enter into the battle.  It is fortitude which enables one to lay down their life for a friend.   As St. Therese of Lisieux reminds us: it doesn’t’ matter if we have courage – as long as we act like we do. So on this January 22nd, which marks the 38th anniversary of the March for Life and the devastating Roe vs. Wade decision, we call upon God to bestow upon those who will march, a double portion of His strength and fortitude.  We are in solidarity with you, our dear brothers and sisters in Christ and are grateful for the hope that you bring into this very fallen world.

"O Lord God of hosts, You said in your Gospel , 'I am not come to bring peace but the sword'; provide me with desire to fight for Your glory, but I beseech You, strengthen my courage.  Then with holy King David I can exclaim: 'You alone are my shield, O God; it is You who prepare my hands for war.' "O my Jesus, I will fight for You as long as I live, and love will be my sword.  My weakness should never discourage me; when in the morning I feel no courage or strength for the practice of virtue, I must look upon this state as a grace, for You teach me that it is the very moment to put the axe to the root of the tree, counting only on Your help." "What merit would there be in fighting only when I feel courage?  What does it matter even if I have none, provide that I act as if I had? "                                       (St. Therese of Lisieaux quote from Divine Intimacy, page 839)

Addition resources: Preparing for the March for Life by CatholicVote.org. March for Life official website and schedule of events EWTN  March for Life programming

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