Have you heard of the Eucharistic Miracle approved in Poland? What does it have to do with our day in time? What does it tell us about God's mercy? This is just what we discussed last week during a special Women of Grace Live radio program with our staff journalist, Sue Brinkmann, OCDS, to talk about a Eucharistic Miracle in Poland that was recently declared by the Catholic Church to be authentic.
Anthony and SimonA friend recently shared that he had read this Catholic Exchange article about my husband that was written by Heidi Hess Saxton following my husband's death in 2007. There is rarely a week that goes by that I am not asked to pray for a grieving mother or loved one who has lost someone dear to them. I am posting this article today for you to share with a friend or family member, parishioner or client, health care professional or co-worker, anyone you know about, who may need some words of encouragement. May it bless you and may it bless them. Thank you, Tony, for calling this article to my attention. It blessed me. You are a good man.
Richard Zeidler, my “Uncle Dick”Ten years ago I went for a walk with Alice von Hildebrand. The lovely Catholic philosopher and theologian had come into Phoenix to give a talk on God’s love, and desiring to enjoy the weather and the views around Camelback mountain, she found me a willing companion. Our conversation turned to my uncle, who had recently died after a terribly painful battle with stomach cancer. I had described his life to her, and then she stopped me, looked into my eyes, and said in her beautiful accent, “You’ve got to write that.” Firmly. And I knew I should, not just because when Alice von Hildebrand tells you to do something, you probably should, but also because deep down I knew it was true. So…it took me nine years, but here goes, and intentionally in time for the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1st.
On a recent Women of Grace Live radio program, we discussed the quote below, which came from one of my previous blog posts. It generated a spirit-filled conversation about overcoming fear when we are moving forward in what we believe to be God's will for our lives. I am re-posting the blog below as well as the link to the radio program below. I hope that it provides you inspiration today if you are experiencing fear.
May God bless you abundantly this Lent.
This morning, my somewhat precocious six year old granddaughter and I had a conversation over breakfast:
“Grandma,” she said gazing out of the kitchen window in our Florida home.
“Yes, Julia?” said I.
“Pretty soon Easter will be here because it is Spring outside.”
“Yes, you are right. Ash Wednesday is this week and that begins the season of Lent.”
We are sharing the urgent prayer request below from EWTN's Facebook page:
Urgent prayer request from Sister Monica, Daughter of Charity in Paris: "Members of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in Syria were kidnapped, along with their wives and children. The children were isolated and put into cages. Adults who do not deny their faith will be decapitated, and their children burned alive in the cages. Let us remain fervently united in prayer, and have as our intention the welfare of all brothers and sisters in our Christian faith who are being held hostage. Mother Mary, please console them, and protect them all from harm! O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." EWTN Prayer Warriors, please share this with everyone you know.
Through the course of this week, we have discovered that New Year resolutions, rooted in Christ and prayerfully chosen, can lead us along the path to holiness. Today we come to the last two resolutions for the New Year using the acronym, R-E-S-O-L-V-E-D.
Already the acronym “R-E-S-O-L-V-E-D” has given us much to ponder regarding New Year Resolutions and the spiritual life. We have discovered that a recommitment to Jesus Christ coupled with a daily examination of conscience, fortified by surrender and obedience ,does much to lead us on the path to holiness.
The word “Resolved” has provided us with an opportunity to fashion our new year’s resolutions around an acronym that helps us make progress on the path of holiness.Yesterday, we looked at the importance of Recommitment to Jesus Christ and two types of Examinations of Conscience. Each of these enable us to take a confident step forward on our spiritual journey. Today we will see, however, that without the wisdom provided by the S and the O, we will never reach the depths of union to which God beckons us.
