The path of Reparation

Posted on February 4, 2018 by veilofveronica

The endurance of darkness is preparation for great light. -Saint John of the Cross

A few weeks back I went to the mall for the first time in a long while, as the mall has never really been my thing. I was struck by the starkness of sin that has so overtaken the secular world, so much so, that I would venture to say most people don’t even recognize it. As I sat in the middle of our monuments to sex, beauty, materialism and status and I looked at the souls around me, God whispered, “these are my people, they can be converted, pray for them.” I came home and I did just that, I prayed for them.

Within a couple of days I also saw poison arrows of legalism being shot at people over the internet, as if to say, God’s Love cannot venture beyond a box of rules and He will stop loving you if you don’t fit neatly inside this box. God whispered, “these are my people, they can be converted, pray for them.” And I did just that, I prayed for them.

My heart felt overwhelmed and sad. God whispered, “the road is narrow.”

I pondered this statement about the narrow road as I have many times before. It seems to me people are falling off to the left and to the right. There appears to me to be three paths. The one to the right lives principally by rules and laws but shows no compassion or love of neighbor. They are fixated on being “right” at all costs instead of being loving. The path to the left has no rules or laws and claims to love but has fallen prey to a false mercy that has no truth and is morally relative. Both of these paths lead to perdition.

The narrow road in the middle is the path of Christ and it leads to resurrection but not before laying on the cross. It holds fast not to political ideologies or cultural headwinds of perceived correctness, it holds fast to truth in love.

This path, this third way, is the path of reparation. This is the path of true love. This path is where a soul stops thinking of only himself or herself. They stop thinking of being right at all costs or feeling good at all costs. This soul recognizes that true love doesn’t depend on feelings. This soul thinks of the other and the well-being of the other. This soul wants heaven for others regardless of the cost to themselves in this world.

For me personally the journey to this recognition has been long. You cannot take this journey without first receiving the healing that God wants to give you. This requires letting go of hurts and getting to the root causes of your own personal sin, especially the repetitive ones. If you scrupulously follow rules and look down on others, you are attached to the sin of Pride and are like the Pharisees. If you accept whatever feels good, this being especially prevalent sexually today, you fall prey to many sins like lust and power, and you may find yourself like Herodias asking for the head of John the Baptist. This is why self examination and confession are so key in living a life of virtue.

The soul that self examines, repents and confesses can rest securely in God’s love for them, knowing that even in each failure they have, the God of the Universe still intimately loves them. They keep the lines of communication open with God and they repent and confess when necessary. God lifts them up to live a Sacramental Life. A Eucharistic Life of thanksgiving and sacrifice.

I had a conversation with God the other day about all the sin that is so starkly displayed in the world today and how overwhelming it is. He whispered only one word to me, “Reparation.” I have to be honest here and tell you that this is a word that I used to strongly dislike. When I used to read about Saints that performed mortification I thought they were crazy. And again, if you aren’t resting securely in God’s love for you and you’re performing mortification to follow a rule, I actually think it could be damaging, that’s why healing is so key on your journey with God. But over time, these Saints have become less and less crazy to me and have become, well, how should I say it? More Saintly. This is because I finally recognized what Reparation was. It is the acceptance of undeserved suffering and offering it for another. Isn’t that what Christ did? Isn’t that how we can be like him? Won’t this help us receive him?

I find that you don’t have to go looking for suffering to offer up, though you certainly can. But one way or the other suffering finds you. It is here in these everyday sufferings that we can change the world. Instead of thinking only of ourselves and complaining we can offer it up and unite it to the cross. We can suffer well, in thanksgiving.

This is something I have very much struggled with. But I had a moment with God this week. I wasn’t even sure what was happening to me. You see I am pretty sure I have the flu. And I was laying on my couch with awful tightness in my chest, coughing, fever, body aches and weakness. And the strangest thing happened. I experienced being grateful for it. It’s like God was showing me all these times in my past when I suffered tremendously and the suffering changed my trajectory and led me to where I am today. Without the suffering I would not have the family I have today, I would have chosen differently. And it was as if I could definitively see HIS PLAN IS BETTER. Then I thought if He used my suffering to make my own life better, how much could he use it to make others lives better. Every cough, every ache offered for another. If He can use it to help stop one person from falling into an abyss then the suffering is worth it. Like a man on a cross taking away the sins of others.

I have always understood we should be grateful in all things, but I usually complain anyway, and lament my situation. Today I want to rest in the gratitude and pray that in the future to come I consistently recognize this no matter how I feel.

So in these times when I see people inside the church lead people astray with false love not bound to truth or with overzealous legalism, or I see people outside the church attacking her, remember the narrow road. It is a road of true love that follows rules as a response to love and offers reparation. Use your suffering to pray for other souls who need it. That’s what Christ did and in doing so you will have Him in you.

I believe the devil knows his time is short and because of this he is manifesting more and more. Sin has become more transparent. Things will get worse before they get better. So offer up your sufferings because it helps build God’s Kingdom. And know things will get better because Christ has already won the Victory.

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Unclean Spirits, Repentance and True Conversion

Posted on February 2, 2018 by veilofveronica

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“He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.  He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.  If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”  So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.  They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” – Mark 6:7-13

By: Ashley Blackburn and Susan Skinner

When Jesus sent the 12 apostles out two by two, he did two things; He gave them authority over the unclean spirits and he commissioned them to “preach repentance.”  Jesus goes on to tell the apostles that when they were not welcomed by a household that they were to shake the dust from their sandals and then move on to another household.  But if they were welcomed they were to stay there.

This gospel is reflecting on something Jesus did for these specific men, but as we know the bible is the Living Word of God, and so we are to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us what this story means for us today.  I believe that Jesus is speaking here about conversion.  Not only is he commissioning us to stand up for the gospel and be unafraid to speak the light of truth in the darkness of the world, but he is also giving us insight as to the movement of the Holy Spirit in the conviction of souls.

First of all, in order to preach repentance, we must know the truth that was revealed to us in the event of Jesus Christ.  Truth is in Jesus and it is for us.  We can be secure in it when we follow the teachings of the Scriptures and the Magisterium.  The Apostles knew truth because they knew Jesus, this includes Saint Paul to whom Jesus revealed himself. They were armored with, “the belt of truth around [their] waist and… the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14).  We too must armor ourselves in this way in order to resist the danger of giving into the sin of others and creating a morally relative world where the devil thrives.  WE MUST PRAY prayers of protection.  We must, through prayer and the power of Christ, drive out unclean spirits of those who are willing to listen, who want a better life.  We particularly have this authority over family members.  As a mother, I can pray over my children and my husband.  This doesn’t mean we are exorcists, as that is reserved for Priests alone,  it simply means we are asking God to deliver our loved ones from any evil that could be influencing them.   We can never underestimate the power of prayer, and we should not forget this.  All action we take must flow forth, first and foremost, from prayer to assure we are doing God’s will.  The most efficacious prayer of all is the Mass, and we also have adoration, the Rosary, and many other devotions.  

When we are seeking the will of God and are open to allowing the truth to penetrate our hearts and change our person, we will walk closely with the Holy Spirit; drawing strength and courage from the breath of life.  This union with the Spirit is not one that we gain in one moment and then possess for the rest of our lives, but is a continual dance between heaven and earth.  The Holy Spirit in all reality cannot be contained.  What we must strive to do is to remain open to receiving this Spirit through consistent prayer and the Sacraments. When we are drawing from this wellspring of the Spirit, we will then be able to go out to the world and share this gift that we have received with others. The Holy Spirit inspires us to bring the good news to the world through our intercessory prayers for others, through our words, and through our actions.  

It is only then, after preparing our hearts for this commissioning from Jesus and armoring ourselves with the truth, that we are ready to head out into the world to preach repentance for the conversion of hearts. When we walk among the people, we must always walk in truth with charity and mercy.  Before sending out the Apostles, Jesus prepared them for the two responses that they would get; people would either welcome them or reject them.  In our efforts too, we must be aware of these same two responses. We will no doubt come across those who are not ready to hear the truth.  Oftentimes these men and women have a deeply rooted sin or un-forgiveness that is deafening them from hearing the Word of God revealed to them.  Jesus tells the Apostles to shake the dust from their sandals and move on because he knows that the Spirit cannot enter someone who is unwilling or unable to receive it. In the gospels we hear of Jesus forgiving sins, healing, and driving out demons in people who were coming to him for help; those who were open to his gifts of healing, forgiveness and deliverance.  Jesus only acted in those who believed in his message and who were ready to receive the spirit. Many people followed Jesus during his ministry and many people were healed.  The Pharisees also followed Jesus, listening to his proclamation of the Kingdom, his call to repentance, and watching him perform many miracles along the way.  But due to their hardness of heart, the Pharisees remained unchanged and unforgiven. Jesus, who is all merciful and loving, would have no doubt healed them if only they would have repented and asked for his healing. It is souls such as these, who we will also come across, who are living with a hardened heart, who will reject or be unable to hear the message of truth being proclaimed to them.  

But our mission doesn’t end there.  We are called to reach out to people and meet them where they are, but we are not called to leave them there or help them to rationalize why they are in their particular situation.  We must pray for the Holy Spirit to continually work in people’s lives.  When we venture into situations where extreme sin abounds, we must know that where there is grave sin, there is actually evil there.  As Pope Paul VI said in General Audience in 1972 about evil; “evil is not merely an absence of something, but an active force, a living, spiritual being that is perverted and perverts others.”  This is precisely why Jesus commanded the Apostles to drive out unclean spirits.  It is Satan who is our enemy, the person we are ministering to is not.  When we understand this, we are able to look at others through the eyes of compassion and know how to pray for them.  

We must be specific in our prayers. Asking the Holy Spirit to convict their hearts and lead them back to Jesus and the truth through the full recognition and sorrow for their sins. The only way in which repentance can take place is within souls who are open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in their lives, for if we reject the Holy Spirit (typically out of fear of what it will “cost” us), we reject conversion.  It seems silly to think that a soul would reject the Holy Spirit, but when we take a closer look at what accepting the Spirit actually means for our lives, we will quickly see how fear and doubt can quickly set in.  When the Spirit shines a light on our soul, illuminating the uncleanliness that has been living in the darkest crevices of our soul, we can experience feelings of shame, hurt, fear, anxiety, distrust and more.  If we let these feelings overtake us, we will get stuck there and do anything we can to hide our sin again in the darkness. But when we are capable and ready to take that next step toward conversion, that commitment to “sin no more” (John 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:34), we will remain on the journey that Christ is calling us to.

It can be very hard to take that next step toward conversion.  Often times the sins being revealed to us through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, whether it is being done privately in prayer or through conversation with someone who is proclaiming the truth, are the ones that require a radical change in our lives.  This change would not only affect our own lives, but many times it would also affect others as well.  The Spirit is calling us to only take that next step on the journey, but with the promise that we will be guided along the way.  We must turn to God and ask for his Grace to carry us through.  The ultimate goal is to eventually live differently, but in the moment of conviction, it would do us well to stop before we react, to ponder things in our heart, much like our Blessed Mother did, and to lift up our cares and concerns to the Lord, letting him guide us in his gentleness and kindness.

In the moment, the soul is oftentimes faced with a very tough decision. Will I continue to live as I was living with this new understanding of the truth that has been either spoken in my heart or spoken by another? Or will I bravely and boldly allow the Spirit to reside in my soul, to continue to illuminate my darkness, and for Jesus to come in and heal me in this place?  When we choose the former – to slide back into business as usual – we are actually rejecting the Holy Spirit.  We are telling the Spirit that it is not welcome in our soul, preferring to place our sin back in the darkness where it can be hidden away.  Then, as if on cue, we instantly move toward the justification of our sin.  We tell God and everyone else why this sin is ok for us based upon our unique circumstances.  This is actually blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  For when we are rejecting what the Spirit has revealed to us, we are in essence saying that the Holy Spirit was wrong.  If we go to our death with this conviction that the Holy Spirit is wrong, we separate ourselves eternally from God, and this is the unforgivable sin.

But God does not want to let us go to our death rejecting the Spirit.  If we are open, this is never the end of the story, for God does not leave us in this.  Through the mercy of God the Father and through the sacrificial love of the Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will again and again try to penetrate our soul.  The Blessed Trinity will never give up on us and will continue to work toward our conversion.  This is the promise of our Heavenly Father.  The Father who loves us, who sees us as who we were when he created us, and who will have the potential to become.  We must never forget that we are all beloved sons and daughters of a GOOD Father.

Conversely, when we choose to repent and change our ways, we no doubt will face a tough road ahead, full of persecution and other hardships.  But with all persecution and suffering, an equal amount of Grace is given.  St. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” St. Paul is a witness for us on conversion.  After viciously attacking the Church for years, the light of Christ illuminated his soul and he was convicted of his sins (persecuting the Church).  Paul chose conversion.  He chose to listen to the Spirit and to follow the will of God, even if that meant it was going to lead him to places he would never have imagined.  Paul teaches us that we can endure all things, because the Grace of God accompanies us when we choose to follow the will of God, despite all odds.

If you are struggling with family member who is steeped in sin, make sure you yourself are armed with truth, that you have confessed your own sins to a Priest. Remember that you are there to listen and to proclaim the truth.  Leave the convicting to the Holy Spirit!  It was St. Bernadette who was quoted to have said, “My job is to inform, not to convince.”  Browbeating a loved one that you are “right” and they are “sinners” will not work.  Be grounded in the truth, speak it with love and gentleness, and leave the conviction to the Paraclete.  Then you can pray, “Holy Spirit, convict them so strongly that you interrupt their day and bring them to their knees so that they repent right now.”  Then expect the Holy Spirit to act, because that’s what He does.  Lives can be changed, and hope abounds because God has already won the Victory.  

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Right to Life – Respect Life

Posted on January 22, 2018 by veilofveronica

Sarah (2)

“The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4

As we approach the 45th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I thought it appropriate to post a piece my friend, Mathilde Mellon wrote.  Mathilde runs a non-profit called Mulier Care.  She is on the front lines helping abortion minded women choose life by caring for them and their child.

By: Mathilde Mellon

We were in the car on the way back from a client’s house.  My son was eight years old.   We had been in the client’s house for about an hour having tea and I had helped assemble a crib and teach the young girl to swaddle her child.

He was very quiet.  We drove for a ways, as we were quite a distance from our house.  Finally, he asked: “How does an 11 year old girl get pregnant when she is not married?”  And so it began.  This is how it is on the front lines of the pro-life movement.

How did we get here, and what do we do if we are not on the front lines?

We, as parents, teachers, Catechists, pastors, and responsible Catholics, have a responsibility to begin the conversation about the sanctity of life and the dignity of women at the very moment we speak to young people about morality and sexuality.  The decline in the morality of our young people and of the use of contraception, of pornography and ultimately of abortion is precisely due to the breakdown of the family and of the lack of clear communication about sanctity of life. What role do we play?

Respect for life begins at home.  The first life we need to respect is the life of Christ. How do we do that?  We go to Mass.  Not attending Mass draws us further away from Christ and weakens our relationship with God.  It communicates to our children that the celebration of the Eucharist in unimportant and no longer needs to be the center of our lives.  Not attending Mass cheapens the sacrifice God made for us, and demonstrates a lack of respect for the life of Christ.  Pope Francis recently reminded Christians that we go to Mass on Sunday to meet the resurrected Lord – or better still – “to let ourselves be welcomed by Him, to hear His word, eat at His table, and by his grace fulfill our mission as members of the Mystical Body of the Church.”     As part of the Mystical Body of Christ, we are bound by love to respect life.  Respect life.  Respect Christ on earth.

We should respect our own lives.  Overindulging in alcohol, food, unhealthy living and those habits which are contrary to Christian values demonstrates a lack of respect for our own bodies and for our lives in general.  The example we set for our children is one they will imitate for the rest of their lives.  The respect we give ourselves should mimic the love that Christ has for us.  If our children do not see us reflect the love of Christ in our actions toward ourselves, they will not learn the love that Christ has for them.  Respect life.  Respect our own life.

We need to respect the family unit.  We draw away from this family as we give more time to distraction.  When we allow technology, social media, outside influences and other distractions to draw us away from the family, we break up the life of the family.  Is it any surprise that our families suffer from high rates of adultery and divorce?  Saint John Paul II outlines in his Evangelium Vitae: “The family has a special role to play throughout the life of its members, from birth to death.  It is truly the ‘sanctuary of life: the place in which life – the gift of God – can be properly welcomed and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop accordance with what constitutes authentic human growth.’  Consequently the role of the family in building a culture of life is decisive and irreplaceable.”  Respect life.  Respect the family unit.

We need to respect our clergy.  We have become a judgmental flock.  Sometimes we are critical of our Pontiff and of our good shepherds.  Instead of praying for our priests, we pick apart their shortcomings and focus on their actions instead of their ability to bring Christ’s love to us.  We should encourage, support, and love our spiritual leaders.  They have given their lives for the Church and are working to save our souls.  They are human and deserve our respect. As Paul wrote, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.” (2 Thes 3:1-2) Respect life.  Respect our Church leaders.

We must respect each other.   Our Catechism says: “Respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that ‘everyone should look upon his neighbor (without any exception) as ‘another self,’ above all bearing in mind his life and the means necessary for living it with dignity. No legislation could by itself do away with the fears, prejudices, and attitudes of pride and selfishness which obstruct the establishment of truly fraternal societies. Such behavior will cease only through the charity that finds in every man a ‘neighbor,’ a brother.”  We are all part of the Mystical Body of Christ with Jesus as the head.  Should we cut off a member of this Body?  Should we treat one part of this Body with disrespect?  Respect life.  Respect the lives of others.

We must not be silent on the issues of life.  We must be vocal in our homes, in our schools and in our churches. Again, Saint John Paul II tells us that the “Service of the Gospel of life is thus an immense and complex task…no single person or group has a monopoly on the defense and promotion of life.”

We are all called to bear witness to the meaning of genuine love, to the gift of self and the acceptance of others, to parenthood or to the family, to every interpersonal relationship and to the community of the Mystical Body of Christ.  We are asked to recognize the dignity of the personhood and the dignity of human life, and to labor to that defense and to the proclamation of the gospel of life.  As Saint John Paul II so poignantly states in Mulieris Dignitatem, as part of the Church, we “assume a common responsibility for the destiny of humanity.” Respect life.  Proclaim the respect for life.

If you would like to make a donation to Mulier Care you can visit their website at http://www.muliercare.org/

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The Three Witnesses, The Initiation Sacraments and Sacramental Life

Posted on January 14, 2018 by veilofveronica

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Simone Martini – Crucifixtion – Orsini Altarpiece 1333

“This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth.  So there are three that testify, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord.” 1 John 5:6-8

This piece was written by Susan Skinner and Ashley Blackburn.

As I, Susan, spoke to the Protestant Minister the other day about purgatory, it became abundantly clear to me that there is a gaping hole in the lives of some Christians because of the lack of belief in the full Sacramental Life.  This is not to say that each individual person is fully culpable in this lack of knowledge, but there is a sadness that comes over me from this hole that it left.  In our effort to eradicate suffering, we have ignored how we can cooperate with what Christ has done for us.  It’s a glossing over of the Cross, and jumping straight to Resurrection.  But you cannot have Resurrection without the Cross.

Let me try to explain further.  The Kingdom of God has three Cardinal virtues.  They are Faith, Hope and Love.  When we look at the Sacraments of the Catholic Church we can see these virtues in action, particularly in the three Initiation Sacraments.  Though all three Sacraments require Faith, Hope and Love, each has a Cardinal Virtue that stands out the most.  It is through these Sacraments that the kingdom of God is sustained and is how we should interpret living in the Kingdom of God.

First, the very first of the Initiation Sacraments is Baptism.  At Baptism we are infused with the Most Holy Trinity and sanctifying grace floods our soul breaking the bond of original sin and any personal sin we have.  We become transformed from death into life and into the supernatural world of God’s Kingdom.  Faith hope and love are flooded into our souls through Baptism but I want to focus on the fact that this Sacrament is grounded in HOPE, expressed through cleansing water, and marked by the Holy Spirit.  This is the Sacrament where you actually become a part of God’s Kingdom and are freed from the darkness of the Pagan world.  You are indelibly marked.  Almost all Christians believe in this Sacrament.  Though in more recent years, I would argue the devil is even trying to stop that by saying it isn’t necessary.  That’s a dangerous game to play, because it is the mark of Baptism that enters you in covenant with God and frees you from original sin.  This is also why the Catholic Church baptizes infants.  There is a recognition that this is the most important thing a parent can do for a child.  They bring their child into covenant with God.  The Jews understood this so well, that’s why circumcision was at 8 days.  We make all kinds of decisions for our children, telling them what to eat and what to wear.  Freeing them from death into life, flooding them with sanctifying grace and marking them in God’s greatest covenant through Jesus Christ is the most imperative decision of their life and they should not be left out of God’s kingdom.  This Sacrament requires Hope because it is the hope that there is something greater than ourselves and that heaven is real.  It is with great hope that almost all Christians accept this Sacrament, and it is here that we find unity.  For this reason it is actually also a Sacrament of Mercy.   When we are marked with God’s kingdom, we have been accepted into the covenant, we are sanctified into the supernatural world.  God will do everything in His power to bring us to Salvation.  What a mercy that is.

The second Initiation Sacrament is Confirmation.  Confirmation is the Sacrament where Faith, grounded in the Truth of the Holy Spirit, stands out.  Many denominations do not believe this to be a separate Sacrament from Baptism.  After Jesus’ Ascension the Apostles were afraid.  They were hiding in the upper room.  It wasn’t until the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them that their faith was boosted and they were able to go out and proclaim the truth to all nations.  They were not only given the courage to testify to the Truth, but they were also given the words and the understanding of what to say.  These words and their profound understanding of the truth was something they did not have prior to being filled with the Spirit.  When we see a Catholic take their confirmation seriously, we see a future Saint.  How many of us are hiding, for fear of offending another?  How many of us do not want to “rock the boat” and say nothing of our love for Christ to the world?  How many of us do not feel it important to deepen our faith, both in understanding and in relationship with Jesus through prayer and the reading of Holy Scripture?  It is through the Sacrament of Confirmation that we are given the courage and the understanding to put our faith into action, but only when we are open to cooperating with the gifts of the Sacrament.  The apostles were not given the gift of the Holy Spirit without their free consent and their desire to receive the gift.  We see them praying for 9 days in the upper room. Evidence of their desire to receive the gift God was wanting to give them.  The Sacrament of Confirmation is the gift of complete confidence and realization of what we were marked with at our Baptism. We see this so clearly in the Apostles after Pentecost.

“Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1 

Finally, the third Initiation Sacrament is Eucharist.  This is where the Sacrament of Love stands out.  The greatest of all the Cardinal virtues.  True Love requires the blood sacrifice and the sacrifice Christ made on the Cross is the ultimate witness to Love. During his public ministry, Jesus taught us how to Love our neighbor, but then he led us deeper by showing us how to participate in self-sacrificial love.  When we receive Him in the Eucharist, we receive the eternal sacrifice of Christ’s love for us that was demonstrated on the cross.  While speaking to the apostles, immediately after Jesus foretells what will happen to him at Calvary, scripture tells us Jesus said;

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Luke 9:23-24 

Here we see Jesus teaching the apostles, as well as us, that in order to truly follow him, we must DO something.  He could have left this part out and only foretold His death.  But we see him take his self-sacrificial act of his passion and death and give us a participation in it.  We are not only saved by Jesus’s one act of Love over 2000 years ago, but we are also saved by how we participate in that act.  We have to be willing to sacrifice ourselves.  This is something that is truly lacking in our society today.  Sacrifice of yourself requires thinking of the other.  It requires forgiveness of the other.  It requires examining how we sin.  This is also the reason the Sacrament of Confession is so important.  We see true love when we see one sacrifice for another.  A mother sacrifices for her child.  A father sacrifices for his family.  A soldier sacrifices for his fellow men. Somewhere along the way, in our effort to eradicate our suffering because of our limited understanding, we started to believe that Jesus did it for us and we have no participation in it.  We stopped sacrificing for one another.  It became, save ME at all costs, no matter the effect on the other.  But Jesus urged the apostles to “deny themselves and take up their cross” in order to follow Him. This implies not only that we must be sacrificial Christians through the act of denying ourselves, but also that we will have crosses in our lives and these crosses are to be accepted as we follow Jesus.  True Love’s sacrifice actually brings Thanksgiving, which is what Eucharist means.  When we don’t accept sacrifice, we become bitter and angry at our fellow man.  Our society is missing true love.  The Eucharistic Sacrifice.

In order to live the Sacramental life, we must fully understand what these three Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist are, as well as what they are for us through our full participation in them.  The Kingdom of God is sustained and kept alive by Christians who are living the Sacramental life. The three Cardinal virtues, Faith, Hope and Love, are given to us through Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, and the Church has given us these Sacraments in order to help us live these virtues more fully.  This makes us co-redeemers in the Kingdom of God.

In the end of my conversation with the Protestant Minister, she proclaimed that it didn’t matter what church you belong to, you just have to have faith.  But it does matter.  There is one fullness of truth.  It lies in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church where the Sacramental life is proclaimed and should be lived.  If society doesn’t accept this and start living this life, the Kingdom of God begins to crumble, because we have not accepted the fullness of truth.  We have not proclaimed the Kingdom of God at hand.  So it may take an act of God, like a Triumph of the Immaculate Heart, to reclaim the Kingdom of God.

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A message of how to Trust

Posted on January 13, 2018 by veilofveronica

our_lady_of_the_snows-lg

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

 

My friend Ashley Blackburn and I wrote this meditation on how to Trust.  It’s a bit of a reworking of an earlier journal entry.  We wrote it as if Mary is speaking to you.  Personally.

 

My children,

I am here to speak to you about letting go.  As I told Juan Deigo,

Listen and let it penetrate your heart…do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain.  Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? In the embrace of my arms? Is there anything else you need?

All of these feelings and emotions that you feel, I have felt.  I am human like you.  But I urge you to trust.  The Father loves you, He desires what is best for you, He holds you in the palm of His hand and nothing can penetrate His grip. But you must accept His loving care for you because He does not force it upon you. In cooperation with His Will, He asks us to trust in Him- allowing Him to work miracles in your life.

In any of your Great trials I am here to lead you to my Son.  It is my greatest joy to bring souls to Him and place them into His loving arms. Because I know how much he desires for you to receive His love… to truly receive His unconditional love.

Through my sorrows it has been revealed to the world how to trust in God.

As Simeon revealed to us in the temple, when Jesus was a mere infant, that a sword would pierce my heart, I continued to keep my eyes on my precious baby that God had given us. I couldn’t give in to fear and worry, wondering what he meant and when the suffering would come. No, I had to fix my eyes on Jesus and give my heart to the Lord, trusting that He would provide me a sufficient amount of grace to endure whatever was to come.

We were refugees who had to flee our home land and go to a foreign place knowing no one, not even speaking the language.  How I longed to bring our new baby boy back to Nazareth in order to meet our family and friends, so we could start our life together as a family. But God was once again asking me to trust in Him. He was leading us and guiding us on this journey, although uncertain and unknown at the time. And we were not disapointed, God provided.  Knowing my baby Son’s life was in danger, God was our protector. And in the fullness of time His loving care for us was revealed.

When my Son was lost and in the Temple, Joseph and I searched for him with great anxiety, but I did not let it shake my trust in God.  I did not let those feelings overtake me and make me lose sight of the Father’s love for me.  Although we feared that we may have lost Jesus forever, we continued searching and found Him “in His Fathers House”.  What joy we experienced in that moment when our eyes finally met His and we knew he was safe.

As I walked the way of the Cross with Him, seeing my own Son bloodied and beaten, suffering, my emotions were full.  Where were the other apostles? only John was there to witness these horrific events. How could these men be so brutal? My Son was innocent. But somehow I remained faithful to the Lord and tried my best to console my Son.

When I met Jesus at Calvary as they nailed Him to the Cross, I could see the angst in His eyes and feel the pain of His wounds. My heart aches as I watched Him suffer. There was nothing I could do. Nothing I could say. It was out of my control. But I trusted. Even in this moment Our Heavenly Father was present. Although I couldn’t see it at the time… a resurrection was coming.

 Standing at the foot of the Cross as he told John to take me into his home, I knew He was nearing His final breath. He breathed his last and then He died, my Son… my innocent Son, the Son of God, my Savior. The unspeakable had just happened and I could no longer carry the load of emotions i was bearing on my shoulders. In my agony, I handed it over to God, fully trusting in Him.

When I received My Son’s lifeless body in my arms and held Him remembering his birth and seeing his death, I trusted. I wanted to stay in this moment forever, never letting go of Him. But I knew I had to move on. He was gone and I would miss Him so much. I turned my gaze toward Heaven and begged the Father to give me the strength to go on. And although the strength was not given immediately upon my request, I was able to take the next step in hopeful anticipation.

I remembered the prophecy of Simeon, that a sword would pierce my soul, as I saw them wrap up and prepare my Sons pierced body for burial. What care they took in doing this. What Love they demonstrated as they honored the beauty and sanctity of human life. A moment of peace rushed through me as I lifted my heart to thank the Lord.

I did not try to control my situation.

You may feel right now as if you are walking toward Calvary, carrying many sorrows and burdens. I know what that feels like.

Oh the sorrow, I felt! But Simeon had foretold that my Son was a light to reveal God to all the nations, so even as I laid Him in the tomb, even in my intense sorrow, I trusted.  I trusted because I saw LOVE HIMSELF in my Son and I like John, rested in the bosom of the Father.  The Father knew me, and I Him.  The Father know’s you too, Do you know the Father?  Talk to him in your prayer.   True Love really does conquer all.  Love more than a mere feeling love is a choice.  Choose to love.  When we sacrifice for the sake of love, we come to know truth.  The truth of my son.  And in knowing truth and living love your sorrow will give way to Joy.

How can I tell you all this, because I know God’s plan was better.  It brought Resurrection.  God’s dreams for you are bigger than your own.  In the upper room, I did not get upset with my Son’s Apostles for abandoning Him at the Cross.  Instead I prayed for them, knowing that the Father holds all in His hands.  Whoever has upset you or wronged you, whatever offenses you have held onto, forgive them, let them go.  Give the control to God.  When you do this you will see the Holy Spirit come upon you as He came upon us in the upper room where the church was birthed.

Remember to trust even if it feels like there is reason not to.  Don’t let your feelings be used by the evil one.   One of the lies Satan is whispering in our ears is that we are in control, we can do it ourselves, we have no need for a Savior.  But I am your Mother, and I tell you to let go and give it to the Father.  The Father in heaven truly wants to prosper you and not harm you.  Whatever suffering bogs you down, hand it over.  Whatever sin is keeping you in chains, I ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you in this moment so you can confess it and be free.  Just as my Son came to you through me, it is through me, that I bring you to Him, always interceding because I love you.

Right here, right now, in this place, I ask the Holy Spirit, my spouse, to pour himself over you so that you will know now, that whatever you are going through, or whatever may come in the days, weeks, months and years ahead, you can walk in total Trust.  With my Son, your yoke will be easy and your burden light.  You have HIM.  Marked by your baptism, sealed with the Spirit at Confirmation, secured in your willful consent.  Your heart beating with His, beating with mine. His Sacred.  Mine Immaculate. Yours Beloved. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

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The Path of Perfection

Posted on January 9, 2018 by veilofveronica

Carracci-Purgatory

Carracci – Purgatory

“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1030

This morning I had a discussion online with a Protestant Minister.  She identified herself as a Priest, and she was admonishing my friend for praying for his deceased mother (on the Anniversary of his mother’s death, I might add).  She said his mother was dead and prayers won’t help her.  My heart sank as I know the biggest mercy God allowed for us was Purgatory, and the biggest heartache is all those in Purgatory who have no one to pray for them.

She prodded me to tell her where in the bible was the verse on Purgatory.   Since I know the Protestants have removed the deuterocanonical books of the bible,  I didn’t quote 2 Maccabees 12:46, which says, “Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin.”  I instead decided to quote from Matthew for her.

Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”  He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good.  If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness;  honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 19:16-19

Here, the man wants to know how to get to heaven.  Jesus simply tells him to keep the commandments.  Have you ever wondered, what would have happened if the man just walked away?  He would have left with the certainty that he would gain eternal life.

But the man prodded more;

The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack? Matthew 19:20

Jesus didn’t answer back and say, “nothing, that’s it, you’re good.  Have a nice day.”

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21

The verse goes on to tell us; “When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” Matthew 19:22

Now ask yourself this question, if that man had died right then and there, what was his assurance of Salvation?  It appears there are two paths.  One of following the law in love, and one of total perfection.

If he had died, still attached to the sinful desire of his many possessions, do you think he was going to hell?  Jesus had already appeared to tell him that he was doing good and could gain eternal salvation, so why the second part? Why, the “if you wish to be perfect?” 

Because we will either be perfected in this life or the next.  Jesus tells us forgiveness can be had in the next life.

“And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”  Matthew 12:32

In Matthew Chapter 5, we see Jesus explain the path of perfection this way;

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? and if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48

So few people, except the Saints, ever strive to live the perfection Jesus describes here in this life.  Because perfection in this life requires a lot of sacrifice and suffering because of the desires of this world.  But we would do well to remember that the Church Suffering are the Souls in Purgatory.  One way or another we will be perfected.  Nothing imperfect can enter the Presence of God.

I told the Protestant Minister that we are all part of the Communion of Saints.  We have a duty to pray for one another.  And that Purgatory was a place of perfection where we could pray for those in the Church suffering to be perfected.  That it’s a process of purification, more than it’s a place.  The Protestant Minister could not accept this.  She continued on the path of Salvation by faith alone and that works cannot get us to heaven.  I pointed out that God asks for our cooperation.

See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.  James 2:24

I said that we are saved by his grace, but we are judged by our works.  For every “no” we say when God asks us to do something, we will be judged for it.  For everything He asks us to unattach ourselves from that we don’t, we will be judged for it.  We will be perfected.  This is not a punishment, this is the greatest mercy ever gifted.  Being perfected in God so we can enter in to His full glory.  What a grace that he gave us a way to perfection.

But we can strive for that perfection here in this life.  It is what Saint Paul spoke of when he said;

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church… Colossians 1:24

We cooperate with God.  In this way, we too share in redemption.

In the end, the Protestant Minister and I had to agree to disagree.  Though she did agree that nothing imperfect could enter heaven.  This disconnect comes with our cooperation in the plan of Salvation.  She doesn’t think we need it, other than faith alone.  The problem with this is even the devil has faith.  I mean, his very existence depends on God still allowing it, the devil knows God is real.  The devil believes in Jesus, but he certainly didn’t cooperate with Him.   This kind of thinking, where we don’t have to cooperate leads to acceptance of all kinds of sin because if God has covered all of it, and we don’t have to cooperate in the plan, then why worry about sinning? And I think much of this boils down to a misunderstanding of the Sacramental life.  Most Protestant theology only accepts the grace of Baptism, but many reject Confirmation and Eucharist.  It leaves a giant hole.  In a future post this point will be outlined, as to why the Sacramental life is so important.

In the meantime, pray for the Suffering Souls in Purgatory!

“Eternal Father,
I offer You the most precious blood
of thy Divine Son, Jesus,
in union with the Masses said
throughout the world today,
for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory,
for sinners everywhere,
for sinners in the universal Church,
for those in my own home,
and in my family. Amen.”

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Meditation on the Sorrows of Mary

Posted on January 5, 2018 by veilofveronica

seven-sorrows-virgin-mary

To St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373), Our Lady directly reveals the amazing graces granted by her Son for all those who daily pray seven Hail Mary’s while meditating on her seven dolors and tears:

1. “I will grant peace to their families.”

2. “They will be enlightened about the Divine Mysteries.”

3. “I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.”

4. “I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.”

5. “I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.”

6. “I will visibly help them at the moment of their death—they will see the face of their mother.”

7. “I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.”

 

Part of an excerpt from my journal January 5, 2018 **

Beloved Child,

All of these feelings you feel, I have felt.  I am human like you.  But I never let my feelings be used by Satan to give into the temptation to not trust God.  I always trusted.  That is the key.  I knew the Father loved me so there was no question but to trust Him.

Great trials lay ahead for God’s faithful.  But I am here because God wills it.  Through my sorrow you can see how to trust.

I was a refugee who had to flee my land and go to a foreign place knowing no one but Joseph, not even speaking the language.  But I trusted and God provided.  Knowing my baby Son’s life was in danger, but God was our protector so in the fullness of time He would be revealed.

When my Son was lost, I felt those feelings of anxiety, but I did not let it shake my trust in God.

Even walking the Way of the Cross, meeting Him at Calvary, standing at the foot of the Cross, and receiving His body in my arms.  I remembered the prophecy of Simeon, that a sword would pierce my soul, as I saw it pierce my Son’s side on the cross.

Oh the sorrow! But Simeon had foretold that my Son was a light to reveal God to all the nations, so even as I laid Him in the tomb, even in my intense sorrow, I trusted.  I trusted because I saw LOVE HIMSELF in my Son.  And I knew that love conquers all.  Love is a feeling and a choice.  Trust LOVE.  Love and Truth go hand in hand.

In the days, weeks, months and years ahead, you will face fierce tribulation.  Without my Son, it would seem unbearable.  But you have HIM.  Marked by your baptism, sealed with the Spirit at Confirmation, secured in your willful consent.  Your heart beating with His, beating with mine.  Sacred.  Immaculate. Beloved.

Remember to trust even if it feels like there is reason not to.  Don’t let your feelings be used by the devil.  The Father in heaven truly wants to prosper you and not harm you.  True Freedom rests in trusting…..

 

Be not afraid.

Isaiah 40:31

  • The Immaculata – Your Mother

 

** Author’s note

I write what pops in my head as letters from God (and sometimes Mary if I am speaking to her.) I wrote this as a reflection of what I thought Mary was saying to me.  I was taught to journal this way by my Spiritual Director. He said as long as it doesn’t stray from Scripture and the magisterium of the Church, I can write what pops in my head while I am praying.

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Purity and the Domestic Church

Posted on January 5, 2018 by veilofveronica

angel-cliff-children2

This piece I wrote was originally written on August 11, 2016 and posted over at the Next Right Step.  Though parts of it I had actually written to my own local school on March 17, 2016.  I wrote the article because of my own personal journey and in response to the Vatican Sex Education Program, which I understand is now being revised due to concerns. The Next Right Step site is closing down this Sunday, so I am re-posting it here so I have record of it.

It’s funny, looking back now, to know parts were written on the Feast of Saint Patrick and I finished it for the Next Right Step on the Feast Day of my two Namesakes, which I didn’t know back then.  It was only this year that I realized Saint Susana and Saint Claire had the same Feast Day of August 11, and I was actually led to that revelation by Saint Philomena who kept popping up in prayer (and my friends prayers), and who also shares that Feast Day.  I was also at the time in the middle of my own battle about sex education locally.  It was the biggest test of my faith I have ever undergone, having to fight the powers that be in my own community, and having anxiety going to Mass because of all the judgment.  But in the end, knowing my Savior in the Eucharist and His love for me at every Mass overwhelmed the anxiety I felt in being judged by others.  And I believe this is also because the Communion of Saints, Patrick, Susana, Claire, and Philomena were walking with me and my family, interceding and praying for us, even though I didn’t know it at the time.  Though the situation did not turn out as I had would have wanted, recent developments in the media have let me know God is watching, and the exploitation of females needs to stop, which was my main concern with the battle we fought.  Trying to teach my son to respect the dignity of women and not exploit it, for his own soul and the soul of any woman he comes across.And I know God is good all the time.  And it is in forgiveness that my family is healed.

Here is my post from back then;

Purity and the Domestic Church

By Susan Skinner

Charlie asked me to write up a piece on the Vatican Sex Education program.  He told me that I had some genuine expertise in this area.  I do not feel that I do.  In fact I feel wholly inept, except in one area and that one area is Motherhood.   As the Mother of  three  young children my husband and I are daily battling a culture that brings lust, sex, and “hook ups” into the world of my children every day.  My 14 year old can’t go to the Mall without seeing a half-naked Victoria’s Secret model, or a man in his underwear at Abercrombie and Fitch.  Let’s not even get into the social media where I struggle every day to maintain parental control.  I have to talk to my kids every day about these images we see all around us.  I have also seen friend’s marriages ruined by the readily available pornography.  It sometimes feels the wolf is at the door but through prayer and catechesis with my family, we are keeping the wolf at bay.

The respite in my life has always been my church.  The church has always been clear on matters of sexuality and morality.  The rights of the parents, in the eyes of the church, has always been inalienable.

“At the same time I feel it important to reiterate that the overall education of children is a “most serious duty” and at the same time a “primary right” of parents.   This is not just a task or a burden, but an essential and inalienable right that parents are called to defend and of which no one may claim to deprive them.” Paragraph 84,  Pope Francis – Amoris Laetitia

I was so thankful to have this guiding light for my family through these tumultuous times we live in.  The church’s rules are not to suck the fun out of life, but are a guide that can lead to great and joyful living.  When we love God with our whole heart, our response is to keep His commandments.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15 

My husband and I chose Catholic Schools for our children in an effort to help catechize them.  We sacrifice and pay large tuition in order to be able to do so.  We did this because we felt safe, and we trusted that what is being taught aligns with our Catholic values at home.  While some experiences with the Catholic school system have been great, I have unfortunately also personally found out not every school is aligned with our values.  And it is a heart ache to have to battle the Catholic Institutions when they should be a refuge from the world.  Still I keep my eyes on Christ.

Further disheartening was seeing the sex education curriculum that came out of the Pontifical Council on the Family.  If I had time to, I could dissect each part of this curriculum.  I could tell you why it’s inappropriate to show a woman’s chest with XXX on top of it, or why bringing a biology teacher into a mixed class to teach anatomy (see link above), is inappropriate, but it begs the question, whose right is it to teach our children on matters of sexuality regardless of the content?  If the church really wanted to help teach the children about sex education why wouldn’t the curriculum be formulated for the parents to teach their own children with the school in a secondary supportive role?  We are being asked it seems, by our own church members, to abdicate our rights.  The family is the domestic church.  This is where we should start if we want to help people.

I was heartsick when I first saw this sexual education curriculum.  What have we done?  Long gone are the days when a parent could expect that their child would discover the beauty of sexual union on their wedding night.  The culture bombards them with sex and pornography.  Sex is portrayed everywhere divorced from its Sacramental purpose, and devoid of truth and beauty.    Children don’t even know what a mortal sin is, and this new curriculum doesn’t appear to want to mention it.  Instead of responding with truth and beauty this curriculum embraces the culture and provides graphic photos that I already have to address every day and they bring it in under the guise of providing “information.”

My Spiritual Director once told me the litmus test for anything we do… anything we teach, read, watch, is – if the Blessed Mother were standing in the room with you, could you show her what you were doing without feeling shame?  I believe it would be hard to look at the Blessed Mother and tell her as a church, we have infringed on parental rights, and we are showing pictures of teenagers grind dancing because we know it’s in the culture.

Why are we caving into the culture?  The message of the Gospel should not be watered down.  If there is anything at all in this curriculum (which I believe there is), that could lead even one child into mortal sin, then the church has failed in Catholic Education.  The salvation of souls is our goal, and our educators are at risk of their own souls if they lead a child to sin.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”  Matthew 18:6 

We have invited the culture into the classroom.  A culture which teaches depravity and mediocrity.  I am here to tell you that the only way to change the culture is to aim for the ideal.  No one would ever said that when St. Francis set out to reform the church that he was realistic in his goal.  He sought God’s ideal.  The same goes for Mother Teresa.  We have lost our sense of the wondrous works that God can provide if we only aim for them.  We have also lost our sense of modesty, a tragedy to me since we have Saints like Agnes and Maria Goretti who went to their deaths defending it.

Our children are dying.  They are literally dying due to a culture that feeds them death, and they are spiritually dying because their souls are not being fed truth.  We need to feed them truth and beauty.  We need to show them that our church offers a better way of living that leads to peace and joy in our souls.  Many of our children have all the material wealth they could possibly want, and yet, they still feel alone, they get addicted, they see the sin offering of the culture and more and more often, they choose that path.

We have the answer, and yet the best we can do as a church, is seemingly put out a curriculum that invites the culture in, and takes away the role of the parent.  God help us all, and we wonder why our world is in the state it’s in.

So to all the parents out there, I urge you, do not abdicate your rights.  Do not let the school system take what is yours.  If you do, you will likely not get those rights back anytime soon.  Do not be afraid. Teach your children truth and beauty.  And to the educators out there, partner with the parents, don’t dictate to them, otherwise you are no better than the mandate to the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Lastly, pray the Rosary every day.  The Blessed Mother can cover us and our children over with her Mantle.  We can change the culture, but we must live the Gospel. We have nothing to fear because the gates of hell shall not prevail, and our God is a God of great love.

We can teach our children better.

If any of parents out there have come across a Catholic Institution that is violating Doctrine and you need assistance in getting it corrected, please contact the St. Joseph Foundation Canon Law.  They are an invaluable resource.  They are funded by donations, so please also consider making a donation to this invaluable organization.

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Prophecy and Prayer

Posted on January 3, 2018 by veilofveronica

war in heaven

“Only after the Last Judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children.”
–St. John Vianney

I shared in my January 1 post my journal entry from December 18, 2017.  A conversation I had with some people and one of the readers here in the comments has prompted me to write further on the subject.  The December 18 journal entry I wrote came after praying and reflecting on the Star of Bethlehem.  And it was like God said, “you missed it, just like Herod who had to ask the wise men about the signs in the sky.”

“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him….Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.” Matthew 2:1-3 and 7

This year people were looking leading up to the day of the September 23 alignment but when nothing happened of significance on the earth on that actual day in our short sightedness we just moved on.  If the Magi had just looked at the star and not continued to follow it afterwards they would have missed the King.   But because wise men were wise they continued following and it wasn’t a single moment, but an unfolding “in the fullness of time.”

The Psalms state: The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

I have repeatedly written in my journal “look to the skies”.   God has already written the story and he reveals it to us with His creation because he is outside of time, as he showed me on New Year’s Day.  Our Prayer’s are like a solar flare, changing the way things are.

solar flare

God has revealed many things in His creation.  He also revealed the Passion with signs in the sky.

 “It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.” Luke 23:44-45

But still, only those who had eyes to see recognized it, and they had to proclaim that to the people that they had seen what had been prophesied.

“Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.  These people are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel …..

And I will work wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below: blood, fire, and a cloud of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and splendid day of the Lord, and it shall be that everyone shall be saved who calls on the name of the Lord.” Acts 2: 14-16 and 19-24

God has written this story throughout time, from the beginning of all Creation and he announces things in His creation.  Why would we think He would stop now? In 2015, we had a star of Bethlehem moment in the sky.  From where I was watching it, a literal great storm was on the horizon.  Interestingly the Star of Bethlehem moment in 2015 came immediately after the Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage here in America.

When I look at when Jesus came to earth, Israel was not so strong, it had been diminished from the once great nation it had been because they did not listen to God.  America is part of this picture with all the ways we have turned away from God, but the larger picture is actually the church.  The church is splintered, heresy spreads, acceptance of immorality and sin, in the name of mercy. etc.  It has even infiltrated the Catholic Church.  So he sends His mother to reveal “in the fullness of time” how we should live in the Divine Will as she does.  She will heal the church Family.  She is Our Lady Healer of Families.  Because Mothers always work to build the family home.  That’s WHAT MOTHER’S DO.   We saw this in the sky on September 23, 2017.

 Satan has been busy the last century.  But God will fight for us.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  – John 10:10

During the early 20th and 21st centuries, the thief stole our fertility, convincing the Protestant Churches in 1930 after the Lambeth Conference to accept artificial contraception.  The thief came to kill, convincing America in 1973 to kill our children through abortion.  The thief came to destroy, destroying families, and he started with divorce,  no-fault divorce in 1970, and it culminated in 2015 with marriage re-defined.

There is one last piece of destruction that Satan wants to impose on us.  That is the destruction of the Priesthood.  There are two ways God gives us life, one through woman in bearing children, and the other is Divine Life in the Eucharist.  He convinced woman to kill her children.  Now he must attack the Priesthood.  It is the one thing standing in his way.  The Catholic Church has defended all of these things and been stalwart in defense of human dignity.  The attack will grow fierce, velocity speeding up, but we need not fear, because our Mother is here.  Announced in the skies.  And on the evening of January 1, as I looked at the Brilliant Supermoon, the moon that reflects the sun, and represents Mary reflecting Jesus, I could feel the love Our Mother has for us as she draws us ever closer to her Son.

So what should we do?  We should do what Mary did.  Let go and let God and be a power house of prayer as Mary was and still is, always interceding for us.  Go to confession and confess your sins.  Forgive those who have offended you.  Pray for you to have a right relationship with God.  Pray for the Church.  Pray for the Pope.  Pray for the Holy See.  Pray most especially for Priests who do not proclaim truth in love.  Instead of getting angry, instead of adding to the vitriol, just pray.  And let God fill us with the Holy Spirit so much so that you can see the fire of His Divine Will erupt forth like a Solar Flare.

 

 

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Letting Go and Letting God – Reflecting on Theotokos

Posted on January 2, 2018 by veilofveronica

Theotokos-Helper-in-Childbirth-icon-005634__41585.1492625932.500.659

What happened to Mary turns our attention to Jesus Christ, the only Mediator of salvation, and helps us to see life as a loving plan with which we must cooperate responsibly. Mary is not only a model of the call, but also of the response. Indeed, she said “yes” to God at the beginning and at every successive moment of her life, fully complying with his will, even when she found it obscure and hard to accept. – Pope Saint John Paul II

My Friend Ashley wrote this beautiful reflection yesterday on the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God.

Theotokos

by: Ashley Blackburn

We honor Mary on this Solemnity, who is the Mother of God. Mary has been elevated precisely because she gave all of herself to God, who in return gave all of himself to her. Full of Grace, she received to the fullest. Not because she was loved by God anymore than any one of us, but because she loved God more fully, thus opening her heart more fully to receiving His grace.
In all of Sacred Scripture, we never hear of Mary exercising her control over a situation, but we do hear over and over of her waiting, trusting and pondering in her heart. At the Annunciation we see her allowing the Holy Spirit to act, receiving from God the gift of the Savior. Immediately following she doesn’t fret at Joseph’s initial response to her news of being pregnant, she instead waits and allows the Angel to convince Joseph in a dream of the good news in which God was asking the two of them to participate in. At the Nativity the events surrounding the birth of Jesus made things very tough on the Holy Family, but it is in these events that we see Mary give up control of making the situation better. She instead allows God to act through it. And the result of her trust in the Divine Will of God brought about this beautiful story of the birth of Christ that can be seen now as a glorious chain of events, revealing how God works in all things.
Later on we see Mary freely let go of her son as he set out on his public ministry after the Wedding at Cana. What it meant for Mary that Jesus perform this first public miracle, is that he would be gone from her side forever. Instead of holding on to her Son, she let go, knowing the world was in need of a Savior too.
At the foot of the cross, the ultimate sacrifice, Mary was there to witness it all. She journeyed alongside her son, never once trying to control or change the outcome. She instead handed it all over to God, trusting, praying and contemplating all that she was witnessing and experiencing.
Lastly, after the resurrection, there is little to nothing documented of what Mary did, other than that she was present in the Upper Room. But it is through this omission of action that we are left pondering perhaps one of her greatest lessons for us, which is what she didn’t do. Mary didn’t condemn the apostles, Jesus’ closest friends, for not being there at the foot of the cross when he needed them the most. She instead interceded for them in the Upper Room leading up to the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Here we see her once again placing it all in God’s hands, trusting in his providence and allowing the Holy Spirit to freely act.
So what does this mean for us today? Well, one of the lies Satan is whispering in our ears is that we are in control, we can do it ourselves, we have no need for a Savior. In all circumstances and for all mankind, we would do well to give of ourselves more fully to God. This does not mean that we all are being called to sell everything and go be missionaries, or that we are all being called to the religious life. But what it does mean is that in whatever place we find ourselves God is calling us to give up control, to trust in His plan, to listen to his voice through prayer and then go and do what He is asking of each one of us.
When we look at the life of Mary, the first Apostle, we learn how to allow God to work more fully in our lives. Some may dismiss her on the basis that she was born without original sin. How could we ever live up to that or imitate her if she was sinless? But what we forget is that God in his infinite mercy gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation, in which we are wiped clean of our sins over and over again. Knowing us and loving us, even in our sinfulness, He allows us to return time and time again to receive His healing touch and we are truly made clean.
So let us “be not afraid” of living a life of holiness. Let us trust in God’s plan for us. Let us listen in the silence as He whispers His Divine Will for us deep into our hearts. Let us step out of the darkness, receiving God’s forgiveness over and over again in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And let us set out bravely onto the path that God is asking us to walk as we give ourselves over to His divine plan.
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