Flesh of my flesh

"So husbands should love their wives as their own bodies." Ephesians 5:28

This is echoing the words of the first lover, Adam, upon seeing his bride Eve: "This as last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" (Gen 2:23)!  The love of one who has not been separated from his God by sin.  The love of one who is fully integrated, body and soul.

God is never selfish

God is Love.  This means that He is never selfish-- it would be a contradiction of His very essence.  Whatever you are going through, it is for you, not Him. 

Diamonds

Do not accept a ton of coal when you can have a handful of diamonds.

Where is my God?

Life is nothing
it seems
till the breath of air
carresses my cheek
reminding me of Love Eternal.

Where is my God?
His face is hid
I feel no life nor love from within.

Without?

My Lord is never without.
He lives within
so deep
that I cannot find Him.
But He will lead me to this place
where my wounds and fears tie me
and set me free
and I will be with Him once more.

Afflictions of the Soul

We don't walk to God with the feet of our body,
nor with wings;
but we go to him by the afflictions of our soul.
--St Augustine

Transforming power of God

You doubt that God’s grace can transform you and give you new life? Meditate on the Luminous mysteries.  God transformed the human flesh that it may contain Himself, in the form of His Son, Jesus.  Jesus transformed water into wine.  Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God on earth, promising to give us new hearts that we will not lust nor give in to anger but truly love.  Jesus is transformed into the beatific vision, and we see Moses and Elijah transformed, in heaven.  Jesus transformed bread and wine into His body and blood that He may be united with us in the flesh for all time.  Believe!

Virtue of itself is useless

Little soul, do not let virtue become an end in itself. Virtue is nothing more than the means to gain Christ, Who is everything! Keep your eyes on Christ! You are upset you have fallen? Trust that He is helping you to grow closer to Him. Return your love of virtue to its proper place: behind Christ. Christ alone is our end. Abandon your thought that you can gain Him of your own accord; abandon your soul to Him.

Only You Lord

There is a story that while St. Thomas Aquinas was praying, Christ came and asked him what he would have; He would give him anything he desired. Thomas Aquinas said "Only You Lord."

This is how you must live. No matter what you are struggling with, or what virtue or grace you are asking for, you must remember that ultimately what you desire is Him. The only purpose of virtue is to get to Christ. Trust that He wants you to reach Him! In His time, following His way, you will be united with Him. It will involve trials and sufferings; keep your eyes on the prize and remember that you are struggling to gain virtue soley in order to gain Christ.

Know what you know

"Never let what you fear intrude on what you know.” –Native American saying

Never let your anxiety shut out your knowledge that God is Love.  Let your knowledge that God is Love shut out your anxiety.

1,000 things by 1%

You can't improve 1 by 1000%, but you can improve 1,000 by 1%.

Work on all virtues, and focus on small gains.  Very soon you will have gained a great depth of holiness!! If you focus on only one virtue and try to conquer it and perfect it before moving onto the others… your soul will be destroyed quite quickly.

Keep a prayer journal

Not only to record the things that God reveals to you, but also to record what you ask for.  In a month, or a year, go back and MARVEL at how God has answered them!!!!

True beauty frees from lust

"When beauty is recovered as purity and goodness, the person rejects pornography because there is no longer an attraction to it. The force of true beauty is great and can, even if slowly and imperfectly, replace the corrupt understanding of beauty," John Paul II,  Letter to Artists, no.16.

Men, you say you struggle with lust, but what you really struggle with is an understanding of beauty.  Discover true Beauty, and you will be freed from your lustful addictions.

Devil in the doghouse

It is quite laughable what the devil is reduced to when you trust in Jesus! Oh the little petty things he will do, out of anger that he is so reduced! Laugh at him, for his pride cannot take it, and he will run back to his pit.

Presence within

Be aware of God’s presence within you.  Do not look for Him outside of you! He is waiting in the chambers of your heart.

Pursue Truth

Your life is lived in pursuit of Truth.  Your conversations, too, must not search for right and wrong, but TRUTH.  In this way, you can speak with others and no matter their opinion or experiences recognize truth and pursue it with them.  Your relationships will be deep and harmonious rather than contentious and wrought with dissention. Everyone has equal value and contribution because their experiences are all fact and truth, and contain the Truth.

To he who has, more will be given

"To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” –Mark 4: 25

You have been given much for your faithfulness to the Lord.  You have sought Him, and you have found Him.  He has showered you with graces and blessings! Now you are closing up your petals, for fear of losing what you have gained.  Open! Fear not! For He has promised that to the one who has, more will be given.  He will not remove His favor from you, but you must remain open in order to receive it! Whatever trials you may encounter are an increase, not a decrease in grace.

God’s will brings humility

The will of God will always bring you humility.  If you think you know what God is asking you to do, but you detect your pride being fed by it, then think again! 

Recall the Annunciation.  Mary is troubled by the angel’s praise and ponders what this could mean.  She asks for better understanding, humbling herself before the angel.  Then, she again is humbled as she proclaims herself the handmaid of the Lord and accepts the Lord’s will. Her Magnificat that she sings to Elizabeth is a song of humility before the Lord and the greatness He has given and asked of her.

You can tell a tree by its fruits… if your path is not bringing you the fruit of humility, you can be certain that it is wrong!

Devotions

Any devotion or action that invokes pride or irritability rather than love has no merit or worth.  Only love gives merit to your actions, no matter what they may be!

Care for one another, but trust in God

You must do all you can to care for one another, but do not let this become obsessive or controlling.  Do what you can, and trust in God that He can and will do the rest.

Preventitive check-ups

Just as you go to a doctor not only in the emergency room, but for preventitive check-ups and treatments, so you should go to Jesus, the Divine Physician.

Pray for healing

Do not simply pray for deliverance of your sins, vices, temptations.  Pray for healing.  Ask to be healed of your impurity, of your resentment, of your anxiety.  Christ desires to heal you, for He desires that you may love, and all these things stifle your ability to love.

Precious blood

Invoke the blood of Christ to wash away any evil thoughts or temptations.  Ask Christ to cover you with His precious blood and protect you from all evil.  Nothing can get through it.

Deliverance

If a demon is taunting you or tempting you, you must cast him out through the power of Christ. 

Spirit of _____, in the name of Jesus Christ and Mary his mother, depart from me.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I renounce thee spirit of _____, and I command you to leave me.

Jesus I trust in You!

These are possibly the most powerful five words you can ever utter.  By declaring your trust in Jesus, you can defeat all demons, be forgiven your sins, be delivered of temptation, fear, anger! 

Still your waters

In still waters, a particle will gently but quickly descend to the bottom depths.  In turbulent waters, it is thrown about and mixed with the other debris and spat out on shore. For anything God is telling you to reach your heart, you must still the waters of your soul.  The same is true for your husband or anyone else to give their love to you. Let God be the rock in which the waters of your soul rest, and it will find the tranquility and stability to be still.

Do what you can do; then trust the Lord

You are worrying.  Stop!  Ask yourself, what can I do about this situation? When can I do it?  Do what you can when you can, and leave the rest to God.

Doubt

You doubt that God loves you? Be still and know that He is God.  Until you are willing to listen, you will not know His love.  He is telling you of His love and faithfulness every moment, but you do not pause long enough to listen and let it sink into your heart. 

You doubt that your spouse loves you? Have you listened? Have you heard what he has told you? Have you paused long enough, and quieted your soul enough, that you can know his response? That’s what I thought.  BE STILL!

It depends on woman

"Who can despise these people, who have women like this among them? Surely not a man of them had better be left alive, for if we let them go they will be able to ensnare the whole world!" –Judith 10:19

When Judith arrives in the enemy camp, her beauty, holiness and femininity draw this statement from them. Truly, the state of a people can be determined by the women of their kin. The whole world will depend upon what woman will choose to be.

Wisdom is in the heart

King Solomon was the wisest man in the history of humanity.  But note that when he prayed to God asking for the wisdom to rule His people, God told him “I give you a heart so wise and understanding…” –1 Kings 3:12  God does not give him intelligence, nor knowledge, but a heart that can understand.  If you wish to be wise and holy, you must seek wisdom where it resides: in the heart.

Love is born

"Love is born of ardent prayer, be therefore first of all a soul of prayer.” –St. Peter Eynard

Love is born of knowledge.  You cannot love what you do not know.  The more you know, the more you understand, the more you will love.  If you wish to love God, pray.  Speak with Him, spend time with Him, discover Him! The more you know the more you will fall in love.  The same is true of your spouse.  If you wish to love him more, you must spend time in his presence and seek deeper and deeper understanding. 

Emptying and filling

For your love to be an eternal exchange, you must be emptying yourself while your lover is filling you, and you must fill your lover while he is emptying himself filling you.  In this way neither of your treasures is lost and each of you is full always.  This giving and receiving must be mutual and simultaneous, or you will find yourselves exhausted!  If you are not receiving until you have completely given, then you will be empty! Then you cannot give to your lover, who now full gives completely but can receive nothing because you have nothing to give; now he is empty.  No wonder you have so much strife in your relationship! Learn to give and receive at the same time.  This requires, as always, communication and trust. 

In-laws

"Honor your father-in-law and mother-in-law; they are now your parents.” Tobit 10:12

Such is the parting wisdom of Raguel to his daughter Sarah.  And you would do well to accept it! If you and your spouse are one, then you are he and he is you.  Your parents are each other’s parents now.

Every action with Love

Performing every action with love requires you to be in the present moment at all times, for God Himself is Love, and He is found only in the present moment.

Men who weep

"Raguel sprang up and kissed him, shedding tears of joy. But when he heard that Tobit has lost his eyesight, he was grieved and wept aloud…He continued to weep in the arms of his kinsman Tobiah.” Tobit 7:6-7

How rich and deep were the souls of holy men of the past! See how they weep with joy, with sorrow, are quick to express their affections. Where have they gone? Truly, a man of strength and deep love for God would weep in these occaisions of celebration and true sorrow. Men, do not confuse the weak petty emotions of tepid souls today with the deep, rich, strong movements in fervent souls. Grow close to God, and do not fear the latter, for it is good and holy.

Love allows choice

You may think that your obsession with putting virtue in another, in controlling their environment, in keeping them from doing the wrong thing, is loving them.  You fool! Love must go hand in hand with freedom, or it is not love.  Love allows the other the choice to love, because if it is not a choice, then it is not love.

God’s gift to woman

Note that God has written on the woman’s heart a deep longing to be found beautiful, to be delighted in! Praise our Lord that He has then created in man one who will delight in her!  Men, do not forget that your struggles with visual stimulation are a fight for that which is good and pure.  That same thing which can draw you to sin is meant to draw you to your wife and fulfill the deep longing in her heart.  Do not fail her! Give yourself to God that He might rightly order His creation.

You have the power to heal souls

God has given you the power to heal souls.  This power is prayer.  This power is love.  Do not neglect it! You will be made to answer for these talents when He returns.  The world will never be lost so long as we exercise His power to heal.

Praise in times of trial

The book of Tobit reveals the secret to holiness and deliverance: praise and confidence in times of trials.  No matter how sad, how beaten you are,  praise to your God and have confidence in His goodness and sovereignty.  Tobit and Sarah were each so grieved as to consider life not worth living, yet even then they turned to God with confidence, submitting to His will.  At the moment they prayed they were heard by God, who sent an angel from His court to heal them even before they had left their places of prayer (Tobit 3).

God’s time

Everything—joy, pain, sorrow, healing, rejoicing—happens on God’s time. Let go, slay your pride, and be patient for His timing.  Await His redemption.

Love all priests

Priests need to be loved in order to give good gifts to their bride, the Church.  If he is not loved by you, not received by you, then it is impossible for him to make a total, selfless, pure gift of himself.  Just as a husband cannot love his wife purely unless she receives him purely and is open to his gift, so a priest cannot minister to his congregation unless she receives him and is open to him. 

Pray for your priests, love all priests, especially those who struggle! It is only through an unconditional, loyal, faithful, holy love that that they will find the strength and motivation to fight the good fight for God and the Church.

If you want a better pastor, pray for the one you have!

Service, never power

As soon as power enters discussion of Christianity, your devil sensor should go wild.  Being a Christian has nothing to do with power, especially when you are a minister.  It should never be a discussion of roles and power, or trying to gain equal power, but rather of who dies to themself more.

Phrase the question

Whoever phrases the question wins the argument, because they have defined the vocabulary, the attitude, the angle, the timing… Remember this always, but most especially in temptation.  Do not answer the devil’s question, because then the conversation is on his terms, and you will lose! Turn to your Lord and ask Him to give you the proper question to ask yourself in the situation.  Always let God phrase your questions, for then He will always win!

Sisterhood

What an important vocation is that of the religious sister! The consecrated virgin, bride of Christ! It is in her that we all see manifest our relationship to the Lord.  It is through her that we witness true womanhood.  Her role in catechesis, in prayer, in service and care! 

When a priest sees a sister, he sees her purity and selfless gift to the Lord and is motivated to get his act together.  The husband is reminded of the beauty and precious treasure that is his wife, the wife is reminded of her call to be open and receptive and selfless for her husband.  To all she is living the very archetype of humanity’s relationship with God: she is in every sense His bride.

Wafer to God

You believe in the Eucharist.  You believe that God has transformed that tiny wafer into Himself.  Then how can you doubt that God can transform you into Himself?  You are already in His image!

Move on

Move on from your hurt.  If the guilty one has confessed and made things right with God, then you can be certain that he is transformed.  You know that this is true, for you yourself have seen that he is a holy man of God! Be at peace, and know that he has been given new life, to love and live according to the greatness of God.

Believe in God’s power to transform

You must have faith little soul that God’s grace is transforming.  Otherwise, how will you ever pick yourself up? How will you ever forgive another and move past your hurts?  Remember the transfiguration and the resurrection.  Believe in God’s power to give new life.

Desire for perfection

Your desire for perfection, love, loyalty, faithfulness… these you must satisfy by seeking your Lord. If you seek to satiate these desires through your earthly spouse, you will crush him/her, because what you seek is the greatness of God.  Pursue your heavenly bridegroom, and be satisfied.

Your profession

"Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary?” –Mark 6:3

Notice that Jesus is known by his work.  So are you.  Do not neglect your profession.

Pass over

Thoughts of unforgiveness and resentment must be passed over and turned over to God just as you would a distraction in prayer.  If you revile the thoughts, they will become engrained and never leave you.  Simply let them pass you by, without emotion.

Keep holy the sabbath

Make sure to keep holy the sabbath as a day for the Lord. It is meant to be a day of rest, a day of surrendering all worries to Him who is the only One who can take them away! Take this day to practice trusting in the Lord and His goodness. Do not fritter it away with busy-ness!

The stork

Interesting that the popular myth for children is a white stork bringing children to their parents.  For it is the Holy Spirit, often depicted as a white bird, which breathes life into the union of man and wife.

Virtues

Charity is supernatural justice.

Faith is supernatural prudence.

Love is supernatural temperance and fortitude.

Temperance

"Temperance does not imply narrowness, but greatness of soul.” –St Josemaria Escriva 

Temperance is not about saying no to one thing.  It is about saying yes to everything.  If you do not limit yourself, you will be all consumed with a few things, thereby acquiring narrowness.  If you are temperate, you will have room for all things good and acquire a great soul.  

Patience

If you wish to gain patience, do not pray for it! For surely the Lord will give you plenty of trials for patience.  Pray instead for wisdom, that you may understand, and then you will become patient.

Possess your soul

"By your patience you will gain possession of your souls.” – Luke 21:19

You must gain possession of your soul that you may give it to the Lord, for you cannot give what you do not have.  The way to possess your soul is to gain the virtue of patience.

Diligence = love

The word diligence comes from the Latin diligere, to love. Therefore, the way to become diligent and gain the virtue of perseverence is to love your Lord deeply.

Holy generosity

Holy generosity does not consist in merely giving, but giving yourself.  It is only this type of generosity, born of a pure heart of love, which can bring Christ to the world.  He did not merely give healing, bread, teaching… He gave His entire self.

Last time was the last time

"When fighting temptation, the last time has to be the one before!” –St Josemaria Escriva

How often the devil convinces us to give in to temptation by conjoling us with “this will be the last time.  Just one more cookie, one more look…” No! Answer him strongly, the last time was the last time.

Dumb devil

The devil will try to keep you from communicating.  Do not let him! Persist in speaking from your heart.  Do not be fooled into believing that it is better to say nothing, most especially in your intimate relationships!  The dumb devil builds thick, impenetrable walls between you.  You must always be sincere and honest, for then you will always live in Truth and avoid the dramas of misunderstanding.

Be sincere

"Humility’s consequence is sincerity.” –St Josemaria Escriva

Sincerity means being free of deceit, hypocrisy or duplicity. The only way then to sincerity is humility, that complete renunciation of self in which honesty and forthrightness reside.

Believe that the Lord will give you your answer

1 Samuel 16

God told Samuel to go and anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king. How easy it would have been for Samuel, as Jesse presented his sons, to assume that he must pick one of the young men before him. But Samuel listened closely to God, and rejected each one brought before him because God told him “not that one.” What trust this required, when to anyone looking on, it would appear that these were his only options for anointing a king!  Rather than getting flustered trying to figure out which of the sons he had wrongly refused the kingship, Samuel trusted in His God’s ability to tell him who to anoint, and asked if there were another son.  His trust is rewarded with the youngest son coming in from the fields, the one whom God wished to anoint. 

Learn from Samuel.  Do not assume that all the options are before you! Believe that if God has said no to them, that indeed they are not to be taken and yet another must exist.  Ask for this option to be shown to you.

The lowly lifted up

"[The Lord] cast down the mighty from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.” Luke 1:52

If you have been lifted to a place of honor, remember that only the lowly are lifted by God.  You are there not because you are lofty but because you are lowly.

David’s shieldbearer

What great confidence, trust in the Lord, and humility must have resided in the heart of David’s shieldbearer!  That he would go with David to fight Goliath, without question, and never demand notice upon victory!

Love

Only your acts of love will count in the end.  Edit out all acts that were not loving.  How short did your life just become?

Luminous confidence

You must love and trust in your God and spouse with a luminous confidence, that not only they, but all those around you, will blossom in its presence.

Think of His life

You are discerning.  I am glad to see that you are praying to God and asking Him for His light and guidance.  But do not forget that His word is Jesus.  Look at the life and actions of God the Son, and you may find those answers you so admirably seek!

When he keeps his eyes for me

Woman, if only you could experience your man keeping his eyes for only you, despite another’s immodest dress! What indescribable depths of love and trust and sense of your own worth resound in your heart!

Man, if only you knew, you would never again look at another woman with lust.

Work with God

If you are working on a project with a group of people, and then they, without consulting you, drop you from the project, complete it and publish it, how do you feel? How much more so is God affected by you dropping Him from your life?

Correct your faults

If you think that what you do is “just my personality,” consider: is this a trait that could have been found in Jesus? For He too was human and had a human personality.  If the answer is no, then it is not your personality but vice.  Ask Him to remove it. People do not see Christ in you through your faults!

Be identified with Christ

Peter denied Jesus three times, but note that he was identified as being with Christ! That in itself is a beautiful sign of his desire to follow Jesus.  He failed in love, in self-sacrifice, but at least he loved to the point where he would be called upon!  And Christ invokes love to redeem and reconcile him to Himself, teaching him that is is love that will give him the strength in the future to follow more faithfully. Be identified with Christ.  You will fail at following Christ in perfect love, but at least you will be called upon, and some day you, like Peter, will be crucified for love of Him.

Become Christlike that you may be one

Two human souls are incommunicable. Yet, Christ has set for man and woman the goal of perfect union with each other and God. In striving to bring each other toward perfect divine union with God, each becomes more and more like Christ.  The deeper husband and wife know Christ, and the better they fulfill their vocations to transform each other into another Christ, the more perfect their knowledge, understanding, and therefore union.

Married marvel

When the husband marvels at his wife and relishes her beauty, it is Jesus Himself who is delighting in His priceless treasure that He placed within her body-soul. 

You do not understand much

You have worries? Fears? Questions? You do not understand much.  This is normal.  Accept that you are not God.  Trust in Jesus.

Tainted gifts

God does not give tainted gifts.  Not in your job, not in your spouse, not in your friends, and not in you.  He will give you nothing less than beautiful.

Make up your mind

The problem is not that you cannot follow through with your decision.  The problem is that you are not willing to decide and take a stand.  You know that once you do, you will follow it, and you will not experience that momentary pleasure again. Make up your mind! Once and for all, with finality, decide to follow the Lord.  Choose to abandon your sins.  Choose Love!

Tell Jesus you love Him

"Lose that fear of calling the Lord by His name Jesus- and of of telling Him that you love Him.” –St Josemaria Escriva

Do not tire of telling your Jesus that you love Him. For He will never have heard it enough!

Do not fear your beauty

Woman, do not fear your beauty.  It is given to you that you may be the salvation of your husband and the world.  Out of love for your husband you must embrace your beauty and let it shine upon him.  Empty yourself and give yourself entirely to him.  Receive his love and his delight. Be not afraid.

Look into the eyes of the Lord

Jesus is standing in front of you.  Does this make you shrink? Avert your eyes? Cower? He lays His hands on you, healing you of whatever you give to Him.  Let Him wash it away with the Spirit.  Let Him draw you up to Himself, look into your eyes with all-knowing Love.  Surrender yourself to Him.

Believe that you have value

Do not reject the incredible gifts of God because you feel unworthy.  You have infinite value, and God wishes to lavish you with His love.  You have had trouble forgiving your spouse or your friend? Perhaps it is because you do not believe that you deserve to have such wonderful people in your life, and so you keep them tarnished with sin in order to feel that you may have them.  How selfish! Surrender to the Lord, look into His eyes and believe that you are worthy of His gifts.  He created you with infinite value.

Am I not more to you than sons?

"Her husband Elkanah used to ask her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat? Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” – 1 Samuel 1:1-8

Hannah has not been blessed with the gift of children from God, and so she mourns and weeps.  But her husband asks an important question, “Am I not more to you than ten sons?” Truly, she has been blessed with the love of her husband, her vocation, her path to sanctification.  Children are a beautiful blessing to be desired and prayed for, but not to the extent that all else is lost.  They are not objects to be gained and possessed, but rather beautiful, priceless gifts from the Lord.  Already she has been blessed with the most priceless gift of all: her husband, who is given to her for her sanctification.

The tree of life

"Then the Angel showed me the river of the life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of its street.  On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the tree serve as medicine for the nations.” –Revelations 22:1-2

So are man and wife: He, the life-giving river flowing from the altar of sacrifice, she the tree of life, each month fertile and bearing fruit.

Give your yes

It is not frequent that you know exactly what God is asking of you.  This does not matter.  What matters is that you give your unequivocal yes anyway, and leave it up to Him to decide whether or not to let you consciously know His plans to do His work through you.

Your hope deposit

You must fulfill the hope deposited in you by God.  Find out what it consists of, and bring it forth to the world.  Those around you are seeking that hope that is hidden within you!

Partnership to heaven

Marriage, at its most basic level, is a partnership, a pact, to attain heaven.

When God forgives

When God forgives, it is not that He forgets, for then that event would no longer exist, causing chaos in time and space.  A piece of us, our past, the world, would disappear.  Instead, He removes the action or event from us and no longer associates it with us, thereby giving us a new life and clean slate.  He removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.

This is how it is when you forgive another.  It is not that you will completely forget what they have done, nor that forgiving them means they did not do it.  However it will no longer be a part of them.  They will be your spouse, your friend, your sister, but they are no longer the person who performed that action. You experience them as new people, separate from their sins of the past.

Transparency

Transparency in your relationship allows you to help each other avoid occaisions of sin.  You can provide encouragement, advice and unconditional love for each other if you fall, that each of you may follow God and believe in His infinite mercy and love.  Transparency builds a foundation of total trust in the other, upon which the deepest of loves can stand.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a process.  Do not be discouraged when an old hurt comes to mind and you struggle with it again.  See it as an opportunity to choose again to forgive the person, and offer it all to God.  Gradually as you forgive again and again, each time it is is a different piece, a different part.  Take it one bite at a time.

Covenant of the heart

In the Old Testament, we see God making covenants with increasingly large groups.  First a couple, then a family, then a tribe, then a nation.  With Jesus, we see the covenant offered to all humanity.  This means that the covenant is with each and every individual, and it comes full circle in being so expansive and total that it becomes the most personal.  Jesus came to change hearts.  To heal us. This can only be done on an individual basis, and this is what we see in the New Testament, a God who comes to each person for a personal encounter in which they are changed and brought into His covenant.

This was the change with Christ’s incarnation: that God would have an individual relationship with each person.

Wisdom of the Trinity

God has revealed Himself to you in the Trinity, that you may relate to Him in all of His persons.  He is to be our provider, protector, counselor, lover, friend, father… But in our experience, these cannot all be one person.  These loves and relationships are different.

In God the Father, you may find your Father.  Your faithful protector and teacher.

In God the Son you find your lover, your bridegroom, your friend.

In God the Holy Spirit you find your advisor, your counselor, your motivation.

Look at your relationship with God.  Which pieces are you missing? You must have all of these relationships in order to know and love God fully.

Healing

Look upon Jesus in the Passion.  See your sins—each wound, each lash, each pebble under His foot.  This is what sin has done to your soul.  Your soul cries out in pain.  Let Him heal you.  Let him take your sins from you.

Pain intensifies joy

Remember that your pain intensifies your joy, for only through pain may you grow strong enough to bear the joy that God plans for you in marriage!

If only I were a goose…

An old lady looked out her window at the geese outside in the blizzard. If only I could get them into the barn, they could be warm and safe! she thought.  So she bundled up and went outside to try to herd them.  They scattered and flew a few paces away, a few took flight over the trees.  If only I were a goose! Then I could tell them that the barn is warm and a safe haven from the storm!  Suddenly she understood the Incarnation.  Our God tried to bring us to His shelter in the storm of the world, but we would not listen because we did not understand.  He became man, that He could be one of us, that we would understand and come into His protection.

Doubt

Zaccariah heard the good news and doubted.  Mary heard the good news and believed, even though she did not understand. 

Pray that you may be like Mary! That you may believe with all your heart and soul and mind and body that His promises are true! Then you will conceive divine life within you.

A husband needs a wife

A husband needs a wife.  Not just a mother for his children, but a wife, a spouse who will bring him to heaven, who will be his resting place, who will attend to him and love him. 

Likewise, a wife needs a husband.  Not just a provider, but a husband, her path to heaven, to be her fortress and rock and protector, who will attend her and love her.

All day you are giving giving giving—make sure that at the end of the day you have reserved a part of yourself to be a gift to your spouse.  You must have something left! Your vocation should be your top priority in the world, because it is your path to God, who is Alpha and Omega.

Trust each other

If you cannot trust your spouse, then you are heading for a cliff.  You must choose to trust him/her.  You must trust God to guide each of you and trust in His ability to heal anything.  You cannot control the other, because they have been given free will by God, and given that free will so that they can choose to love.  To love them means to allow them the freedom to choose to love you. 

Your vocation is your spouse

Your vocation is your spouse.  It is your spouse who is your path to heaven.  Your priorities should be 1. God  2. Spouse  3. Children.  God created lovers, not baby-producers.  A part of being lovers, and of imaging God through our sexuality, is of course celebrating the fruitful creativity of your love.  You are called to love your children and raise them to be men and women of God, but the purpose is that they may find their own vocation, their own path to God.  Loving your children more than your spouse, or sacrificing your spouse’s needs for those of your children is wrong.  Your vocation is to get your spouse to heaven, and to allow them to bring you to heaven. 

You can see, in today’s career woman, the end result of this.  Women of the past have put their children above their spouse, but then find themselves lacking meaning and purpose and true fulfillment, especially apparent when the children leave the home.  Over time women realized this, but rather than correcting themselves and putting their focus and attention back on their vocation, they chose to pursue careers.  Now they have placed themselves over all three things which are meant to be top priorities, and are emptier than ever.  They have found themselves in the situation of ambitious men who have failed to keep God, their wives and the fruits of that love the center of their attention.

If you love God, you will love your spouse. 

If you love your spouse, you will love your children. 

If you love your children, you will love your neighbors.

This cannot be inverted.

Growing desire

"The more God wishes to bestow on us, the more does He make us desire.” –St John of the Cross

So you have a deep desire for virtue and God? Good! Do not let this sensitivity to sin cause you to despair of your goodness.  God would not put such deep desires in your heart if He was not calling you to sainthood!

Believe and you will be overwhelmed

"When you hearken to the voice of the Lord, your God, all these blessings will come upon you and over whelm you.” –Deuteronomy 28:2

God is Love, He wishes for you to receive His love.  If you open, if you believe, if you say yes, then you will gain an infinite lover and be overwhelmed by His blessings! Receive your Lord, do not shrink from this love! Be not afraid! Know that you have infinite value, given you by your God, and He wishes to shower you with infinite love.

It is your choice

"When God, in the beginning, created man, He made him subject to his own free choice.  If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do His will.  There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.  Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.” –Sirach 15:14-17

It is your choice whether you drink of the waters of eternal life, or burn in the eternal fires of hell.  God has created you because He desires for you to be caught up in His eternal exchange of love and to experience His Goodness and Joy, but love to be love is always freely given and received.  You can choose not to. 

Fear not

"I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ Fear not O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the Lord…I the God of Israel will not forsake them.” –Isaiah 41:13-20

Hear the voice of God: Fear not.  You need not fear, for truly you are weak and you are nothing.  But the Lord your God will never forsake you!

Entertain me

The problem with computer games, video games, TV and movies, is that it teaches you to be passive.  It trains you think “entertain me.”  That equals a lustful sexuality. 

Only through engaging in activities which require you to be actively giving and playing your part, that require creativity and your human spirit will train you to love purely. 

Importance of co-ed discussion

It is so important for there to be co-ed discussion of purity and modesty.  There must be a deep respect and understanding between the sexes in this area, or both attempts will be lost causes.  And what great motivation we can have for each other! For men to have to discuss and admit their struggles both increases their motivation to fight for purity, and motivates the women to help them, especially by attending to modesty.  For women to have to discuss and admit and examen their struggles would increase the motivation on both sides to aid and protect each other rather than use each other.

How important for men to know the biology of the woman’s body, which tells so much of her soul! How important for women to know the biology of the man’s body, which tells so much of his soul!

Both the father and mother will need to help their sons and daughters in their struggles.  One should never feel like they have no place talking to their child of the opposite sex, or these problems will never be solved.  The devil loves to keep things secret and untouchable, because then he is free to do as he likes!

Manners

Manners are not inconvenient social customs for the high brow.  Manners are reflective of the fact that we are not animals and uphold our dignity as human persons with innate, immeasurable worth. Manners respect the dignity of the other persons around us, conscious of our actions’ effects on others. Manners allow us to practice self-restraint, and are a training ground for the self-sacrificial love necessary for purity and true love.

The perfect quirks

Each soul has its quirks; these do not mature into beauty until the man is received by the right woman, and the woman is pursued by the right man.  Then, it is the unconditional love which brings these unique characteristics to blossom into the truly unique crowning jewels of the soul.  Indeed, these quirks are a gift from God that you will not marry the wrong person!

Near is the day of the Lord

"Near is the day, near is the day of the Lord.” –Ezekiel 30:3

Take hope, little soul, from this promise: Near is the day of the Lord.

Desert of Love

"There has been a lot said about the desert of love! Love seeks the desert because the desert is where man is handed over to God, stripped bare of his country, his friends, his fields, his home.  In the desert, a person neither possesses what he loves, nor is he possessed by those who love him; he is totally submitted to God in an immense and intimate encounter.” –Servant of God Madeleine Delbrêl  (dec 8)

Love does not possess.  It is completely free.  The Lover is the Beloved’s and the Beloved the Lover’s not because one possesses the other, but because they have freely chosen to give themselves to each other. This is an eternal choice, made at every moment, freely. 

According to your faith

"Let it be done for you according to your faith.” –Matthew 9:20

Your prayers have not been answered you say.  Ah, but you see, the good Lord has answered them according to your faith.  Have faith, and your prayers will be answered.  Your faith will give you the heart to hear and see the answer!

Full of grace

God of all, You created Mary without sin and filled her with grace because it was necessary for her role in Your plan of salvation.  So too, You have given me gifts and graces that are necessary for me to fulfill my role.  Grant that I, like Mary, may receive these gifts with love and openness and fulfill your plans for me.

Your love and the Eucharist

Guard your love’s purity as you would the Eucharist.  With alacrity you would charge to its rescue from desecration!  With reverence do you adore and unite with it! Such should it be with your love.

Place your trust in him

"God will not allow those who have placed all their trust in Him to be put to shame.” –St. Faustina (diary)

Trust in your God.  He is Love.  Trust in Him and you will never be put to shame.

Love in the things that don’t matter

To have a deeply passionate and holy marriage, you must love the other and sacrifice yourself even in the things that “don’t matter.”  Hang up your coat like she asked.  Don’t buy pink towels.  Don’t play rock music in the car if he likes classical.  These are the little pricks of life, the splinters that get under the skin.  Your job as lover and beloved is to remove as many of these splinters as possible from the other’s life.  If it “doesn’t matter” then what’s your excuse for not doing it?

His place of rest

Woman: your husband is your fortress and your shelter.  He provides for you, guards you and loves you.  But you are his place of rest.  You must fulfill this role, or his walls will crumble.

Freedom and self-surrender

"Freedom and self-surrender are not contradictory.  They sustain one another.  Freedom can only be given up for love; I cannot conceive of any other reason for surrendering it… When people give themselves freely, at every moment of their self-surrender, freedom renews their love; to be renewed that way is to be always young, generous, capable of high ideals and great sacrifices.” –St. Josemaria Escriva Friends of God 45

Pure love is always given freely, without compulsion.  This freedom keeps a fresh air in the relationship, invigorating it with generosity, ideals, and the strength and desire to sacrifice for the other.  With this, a marriage will never become stale.

Love is not content with duty

"Love is not content with a routine fulfillment of duty.  Love is incompatible with boredom or apathy.  To love means to renew our dedication every day, with loving deeds of service.” –St. Josemaria Escriva Friends of God 44

True love demands commitment to ignite into passion.  It a choice for a lifetime, but also a choice every day and every moment. Fulfilling a duty is a choice to do that which is obliged; loving is a choice to do and give all.  This can never be boring, and cannot exist without intensity!

Sense of Humor

There is one weapon of incredible strength that you must use against lust: humor.  This is not a humor that trivializes it, but rather that laughs at the devil’s attempts to tempt you.  It can make light of the incredibly deep pull to the flesh (our instinctual draw to sexuality is second only to self-preservation!) and keep it in perspective, allowing you and your beloved to remain in love and pure.

Invest your virginity

Remember the parable of the talents: invest your virginity in purity, and it will return ten fold.  Then God will give so much more to you in marriage! Do not, out of fear, bury it through repression! For then you will not be trustworthy in the great responsibility of marriage.

Like a buried treasure

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” Matthew 13:44-46

Such is  your vocation.  When you find it, you will give up everything in order to gain it.