HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT- IT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH!

In the midst of a great loneliness, this spiritual anguish was made worse by the disturbing thoughts of constant doubts against faith. With all my strength, I tried to safeguard the spiritual balance, which was already greatly reduced. In my weakness, my confused thoughts convinced me that everything was evil. This insecurity kept growing and causing waves in my soul. (Elizabeth)(January 1, 1965)

Today’s Readings: Brothers and sisters:
That I, Paul, might not become too elated,
because of the abundance of the revelations,
a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. 
Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we have many thorns in the flesh- physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pain and disturbances that rock our sense of peace! Sometimes, Lord, You lift the burdens and sometimes, the answer is no because it is Your Grace that will get us through, Your Perfect Power working in our weaknesses! Lord Your Grace is always more than enough- help us to abandon ourselves to Your Loving Providence at all times!

JUSTICE AND PEACE SHALL KISS

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Saturday of The Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Justice and Peace Shall Kiss

Perhaps the Evil One, disguised as an angel of light, wanted to disturb the peace which I had gained at such a great cost. (Elizabeth) (Diary Page 16)

Today’s Readings: Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven. (Psalm 85)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today we meditate in this tumultuous times, about how far we have wandered from You. It seems as though evil is having it’s day. And yet, in the first reading- we see the promise of restoration from the Book of Amos– I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel;
they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities. Lord, if we but turn to You, You have promised that You will hear us and You will heal our land. Lord, we all need not only justice but kindness and peace in these times. Let us spend time as Your people on our knees praying for the restoration of our nation and the world as Our Lady has asked us again and again!. Thank You Lord for the gifts You have bestowed on us- please bless us and keep us!

IN NEED OF A PHYSICIAN

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Friday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

In Need of a Physician

“Many, many times, I experienced the
repentance that the Lord’s mercy brought forth in my soul. I want to repent for my sins like no
one ever has repented until now.” (Elizabeth) (First Sunday of January 1964)

Today’s Readings: He heard this and said,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, today we read about the conversion of Matthew and how he left everything to follow You! He brought his friends to dinner- the tax collectors and the sinners. They were to say the least not the righteous- but then who is without Your Grace? Lord, pour Your Mercy into our souls- may our repentance spur us to bring those we love to Your House so that they may too know Your Tender Mercy for them. Lord may we like the Good Samaritan pick them up and dress their wounds if needed until they are ready to come to You under their own power! (Luke 10)

PARALYZED NO MORE

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Thursday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Fourth of July

Paralyzed No More

I am the sole Donor of blood in the whole world. Permeate yourself with My love, My almighty
love. Meditate on that now in the light of My holy brightness. Can’t you feel this Precious
Blood? My Precious Blood warms up and sets into motion the frozen, paralyzed energy of your
souls.” (Jesus) (January 16, 1964)

Today’s Reading: Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins”–
he then said to the paralytic,
“Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” (Matthew 9)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we thank You for Your Word today and this Gospel Reading! Lord, we are all like this man in many ways. Yes, we may all struggle with physical infirmities in our lives but that is not the true paralysis. As a rehabilitation nurse I have been blessed to know many who may be broken in body but not in spirit. But the real paralysis Lord is the presence of sin in our lives- that is where we need healing! Lord call us to repentance and to the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that our frozen, paralyzed souls will be warmed and healed by Your Precious Blood! May we be truly free this Independence Day because when the Lord sets you free you are free indeed! (John 8:36).

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN

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Feast of Saint Thomas

Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen

“Even now, adorable Jesus, I cannot grasp this miracle.’ (Elizabeth) (April 9, 1966)

Today’s Readings: Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, if we are honest, we will admit we; even we who call ourselves faithful, have had our moments of doubt when it is hard to believe. It could be moments of grief or it could just be the weariness of life or fear as we get older. Lord, You do not turn away from us in those moments. Just as with St. Thomas You come to us and You admonish us to not be unbelieving but to believe. Lord, help us to know that we know that we know that You are there whether we “see” You or not! There is much we will not grasp this side of Heaven but may we be those who have not seen and have believed even when it is dark and difficult.

WHY ARE YOU TERRIFIED

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Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

Why Are You Terrified

Jesus: “Tell Me, little sister, why do you consider yourself alone since I am the One leading you? Have no fear, I will not let go of you. Come, let us go together and let there be no other moment when you would feel alone.” (Jesus) (January 15, 1966)

Today’s Gospel: They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us!  We are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?”
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm. (Matthew 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, we all know there is much to be anxious or even terrified about these days. To the question You asked the Apostles we may feel like saying are You kidding Lord- have You seen the news? But the truth is, You not have only seen the news, You hold the future and for You being outside of time, You already know what happens. No need for You to follow some 24/7 news cycle. So really why are we so terrified- why is our faith so small when You are so big! Bigger than anything that may be happening in our world today and You are still in control! So let us have no fear- You will never let us go even when the waves, the winds, and the sea threaten to drown us. Let us have faith and trust that You will rebuke the winds and the sea even if it just in our own souls and with You there will be great calm always if we keep our eyes fixed on You!

THE TIME IS NOW

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Monday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

The Time is Now

Time is short, little sister, and never returns. What you do not accept at a given moment will never again become available to you, because I think that you would not receive it willingly. (Jesus) (July 24, 1963)

Today’s Readings: Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” (Matthew 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, You call us but it seems we always have some reason or excuse why we can’t do what You are asking right here, right now. I will follow You Lord more closely when these kids grow up, or when I retire, or when I settle down and start a family, or when the circumstances are right whatever those perceived circumstances may be. But Lord, You are asking us in our busy lives at every age to follow You now in the busyness and the noise. You ask us to pray each day and study the Word so that we can hear what You are asking of us in each moment of our day. Time is short and never returns- let us be attuned at all times to the inspirations You send us every day and respond in love and acceptance.

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

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Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

It is Well with My Soul

“Your living faith in Me keeps your soul in a continual freshness and makes you ready to receive abundant graces. Hence, My little one, do not serve anyone but Me.” (Jesus) (August 1, 1963 )

Today’s Readings: She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” (Mark 5)

Prayer Meditation- Lord in today’s Gospel we have healing and an amazing sense of how much You really care for us and love us and want us well! In the story inside the story  today we have a poor woman who has been afflicted with something that was impossible to cure and yet she did not give up hope! Just one touch of Grace and her whole situation turned around! Lord, so many of us have afflictions big and small and not all of us will be cured in an instant- but Lord may we have that living faith that keeps our souls in continual freshness and ready to receive abundant graces! Because of You Lord Jesus it is well with our souls!

FINISHING THE RACE

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Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Finishing the Race

“Don’t forget, your principal missionary work will always be your own family. I could not entrust you with that before, because I did not want you to stop halfway. Your family is the point of departure for your mission. This work is not yet finished. Be interested principally in priestly vocations.” (Jesus) (August 28, 1962 )

Today’s Readings: I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. (2 Timothy 4)

Prayer Meditation- Lord today as we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we are reminded that no matter how much time we may have, our work is not yet finished! You do not want us to stop halfway- You have placed us in families, in workplaces, in communities- many mission fields without leaving home! Lord help us at the end of our time on Earth to pray with St. Paul and state that we have competed well and let us pray with St. Peter that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16) as You welcome us home!

YOU CAN MAKE ME CLEAN

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Memorial of Saint Irenaeus

You Can Make Me Clean

Jesus: “You see, such is the soul that recollects before My altar but which, for years, has not kept itself clean. It does not look within, it comes into My presence out of habit. It also comes before Me with a layer of dust as thick as a finger on its soul.” (Jesus) (December 22, 1963)

Today’s Readings: When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I will do it.  Be made clean.” (Matthew 8)

Prayer Meditation- Lord, I have always found this healing in today’s Gospel so touching. The humility of the leper who comes with trust and confidence in his absolute poverty and Your beautiful answer- You will us to be clean- to be healed and to be whole. I think that is an easy thing to forget sometimes in our everyday lives. And perhaps it is that we come to You maybe in Adoration or at Mass out of habit and maybe we don’t even notice the build up of dust in our souls from which You very much want us to be delivered. Lord, especially in these times it is time to look within- to ask You what needs to be cleaned-up in our souls and to come to You with humble trust confident that it is Your Will for us to be cleaned and healed in this life. This is the abundant life You have promised each one of us (John 10:10).