by Thea Parsons
We are celebrating the life of Saint Jacinta Marto, a young Saint with more humility and heroic virtue than many of us reading this email! Without question, she accepted the call of God through Our Blessed Mother to suffer...to suffer for the conversion of sinners! To pray for those who have no one to pray for them, the lowly. How blessed are we by this young Saint?! By her courage?! May she intercede on our behalf, that we may exercise the same obedience she did with her brother and cousin, that we may be as courageous and steadfast in our, 'yes,' when we are called, and in our prayer, and suffering!
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February 21
Feast of St. Peter Damien, Bishop and Doctor (1007 - 1072)
"In serenity, look forward to the joy that follows sadness. Hope leads you to that joy and love enkindles your zeal."
-St. Peter Damien
For Reflection:
The letter to the Hebrews tells us that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (11:1). How does this help me live out the advice of St. Peter Damien?
(Quote from Graceful Living)
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Eastern meditation apps might be all the rage, but when it comes to helping Catholics get the most of out of Lent, sitting in an empty void is not the way to go. If you really want an authentic Lenten experience, America’s number one Catholic prayer app,
Hallow, has just what you’re looking for.
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February 20
"He did not say: You will not be troubled; you will not be tempted; you will not be distressed. But He said: You will not be overcome."
-St. Julian of Norwich
For Reflection:
Dear Lord, So often I feel all but swallowed up by the events of every day life--not to mention those difficult moments of struggle, confusion, and doubt. It is Your grace and Your grace alone that gets me through these moments. Help me to remember that in the midst of every circumstance, You are there. In the midst of every reversal, You are there. In my deepest pain, in my worst distress, in my greatest temptation, You are there. Help me to hold on to this truth, and in You I will overcome. Amen.
(Quote from Graceful Living)
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While searching for a parish for her son who is in the military, MB was happy to find a parish near his military base. However, while browsing through the parish's most recent bulletin, she noticed a recommendation by the pastor about a presentation on centering prayer given by a Trappist monk named Fr. William Menninger. MB asks: "Does the Catholic Church condone this 'prayer'? I wonder if [the pastor] has investigated this action before recommending it to his flock? . . . At any rate, I will not recommend this parish to my son."
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Even though all of us were created by God to do Him some definite service in this world, the reason why some of us find it so difficult to discern what that service is supposed to be is because we have a tendency to over-complicate the discernment process. Maybe this Lenten season is the time to get rid of that bad habit.
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February 19
"For I will only your well-being, and whatever I give, I give it so that you may reach the goal for which I created you."
-Our Lord to St. Catherine of Siena
For Reflection:
It is easy to see God's hand in the good things of our lives, but it is often a struggle to see it in the difficult. How do these words of Our Lord to St. Catherine of Siena give me deeper insight? In what way does this help me to reexamine past events or a current situation?
(Quote from Graceful Living)
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We have had several questions recently about the Sedona Method and if it’s okay for Catholics to use it. Few may want to do so after learning about its origins.
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February 18
"The love of talk distracts all the powers of our soul from God and fills them with earthly objects and impressions like a vessel of water which cannot be clear and settled while you are continually stirring the earthly particles
from the bottom."
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
For Reflection:
The powers of the soul are will, reason, and emotion. How can the "love of talk" draw these away from God? To what extent have I seen this to be true in myself? What practical strategies can I use to purge myself of this tendency?
(Quote from Graceful Living)
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February 17
Feast of the Seven Founders of the Order of Servites
"In the beginning Our Lady was the chief architect of this new order which was founded on the humility of its members, built up by their mutual love, and preserved by their poverty."
-Legenda de Origine of the Order of Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary
For Reflection:
Is the Blessed Mother the "architect" of my hopes and dreams, my plans and my way of life? How can I entrust everything to her?
(Quote from Graceful Living)
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