A Little Holiness to Go Around

My Papa, as a special project for the soul, wanted me to write a blogpost with a few little snippets of our Catholic faith, or my little musings which I have thought about recently (which I probably will lengthen to whole book, I have so much to tell), since Pope John Paul has been canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday. I am not very good at writing what we would call a “Bible Blogpost”, so I am just going to base this post on a few simple phrases that saints have written for our disposal and reading. I was reading the letters of Elizabeth of the Trinity and found one phrase that is so simple and yet so meaningful to our dear Lord Jesus. This was the beginning to a very lovely letter to her sister from the Carmel. “May Jesus hold us firmly in his love.” How beautiful...May Jesus hold us firmly in his Love...May Jesus hold us firmly in his love. Would anyone think that Jesus was a firm man with not a speck of softness in his heart? Of course not! Many people, including I, thought that maybe this could mean Jesus is a firm hearted character like Gandalf the Grey in the Lord of the Rings, but no! Jesus is to hold us tightly in his love, never letting us go. Isn’t that beautiful? God loves us so much even thru the misery and treachery of being crucified by our sins. How lovely it is to know you are loved. How often people do not know and forget that God up there in Heaven watches them saying, “I love you my daughter,” or, “I love you my son.” So even thru a bad day, always remember that God loves you more than anything else. Why else would he have not made you, huh? Remember that big storm we had this winter, OR being drifted in snow for about 4 days? God sent us that storm to show how he loved us, even if some of his children didn’t enjoy it as much as some, what with all the cars being ditched, but just think; God loved us so much he sent us some snow. And then he melted it, for us! How good he is! I went to the Opera yesterday with some of my dear friends and saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I was thinking that God is responsible for the actors talent and voice. It wasn’t thru the voice teachers that they got to be on stage in front of hundreds of people. No! It was thru God that they received a place of high degree in singing. Also when I looked down in the orchestra pit, I thought, God made these musicians wonderful with the instruments they use. Its not because of the music teachers, its because of God who inspired them, lit a flame in their hearts that flickered out, “Oh, I want to play the trombone!” or, “How the violin will work for me!” God gave us all our talents and we should be proud of them, even if ones only talent is mowing the lawn, or making paper snowflakes the best, it is thru God that you become who you are right now. Another topic...St. Gemma Galgani said: “It is now night. Tomorrow morning is approaching, and then Jesus will possess me, and I will possess Jesus!” Holy Communion for the Saints was a bigger deal than it is now for some. It is not only the dress, the rosary, the veil, the suit. Just think, Jesus is coming to you because he wants you, he loves you, and he cares for you. On my First Holy Communion I was thinking about the beautiful presents I would receive when we came to the church steps as I received on my birthday. But when I got inside the church with all the flowers and incense, I grew scared, as I realized that Jesus was coming to me and I hadn’t paid too much attention. I then turned around and stood tall, I was going to receive my Lord! Why, wasn’t my communion banner on the right hand side of the alter to remind me? The simple outline of the dove, the wine, and the loaf of bread. I was then truly a warrior for Christ and now as I receive Holy Communion at Mass, I still remember the joyous tingle of excitement when the Host first touched my tongue. Now I’m older and I can watch my other siblings receive, one received on Christmas, the other is going to receive on Mother’s Day, and every time I can relive my first Communion again, as the Host first touches my tongue I can breathe and think, “I just received my Lord! He loves me, and I love him! “Our soul can find in the Blessed Sacrament the joys and consolations it desires.”-St. Teresa of Avila

picture from http://madisoncatholicyouth.com/category/jpii/