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The Weakness of Worry

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

Do you struggle with worry? I know I do on occasion. Life for the Christian is a daily exercise in surrender to Divine Providence and Venerable Solanus Casey knew this all to well. Recently, I have found the following quote from Venerable Casey to be most helpful. It is a wonderful reflection to use during your prayer time this week, especially if you are struggling with worry.

“Worry is a weakness from which very few of us are entirely free. We must be on guard against this most insidious enemy of peace of soul. Instead let us foster confidence in God, and thank Him ahead of time for whatever he chooses to send us.

If we only try to show the Dear Lord a good will and ask Him for resignation to the crosses He sends or permits to come our way, we may be sure that sooner or later they will turn out to have been just so many blessings in disguise.”

Venerable Solanus Casey, pray for us.

Related Resources:

Saints of the States with Dan Lynch

The Heart of a Saint: Ten Ways to Grow Closer to God

Here’s to You Mrs. Seton

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

Seton

“The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly to do it because it is his will.” St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

As a Catholic revert, it was with great joy and surprise that I was introduced to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. I, like many, at the beginning of my faith journey, viewed sainthood as something that was only attainable to priests and religious who dedicated their entire lives to prayer, fasting, and extreme penances. In other words, it wasn’t for a lay person like myself. Mrs. Seton taught me differently.

Read the rest…

Are You Ready For LENT?

Posted on February 6, 2010 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

Lent is upon us. I’m wondering if you have asked yourself how you will make your Lenten preparation for Easter? It’s a good question to ask.

Life being what it is, I have often found it beneficial to come up with a plan and a strategy to help me enter more deeply into the Lenten season.

In years past, I have planned and strategized how to “give up” —

Certain foods or treats — don’t buy them;

Activities and recreations — don’t go to them;

Habits and behaviors — don’t do them.

One year I even gave up going to the mall — don’t drive by it.

That was my longest Lent ever!

Along with the exclusions, I have often added a few inclusions: more time in prayer, study, and adoration; additional acts of charity; exchanging a bad habit with a good one. Read the rest…

Divine Mercy — Gift for Our Times

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

“My daughter, be diligent in writing down every sentence I tell you concerning My mercy, because this is meant for a great number of souls who will profit from it.”

So said Our Lord Jesus Christ to Sister M. Faustina Kowalska, a religious sister of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. And so began one of the most influential spiritual movements of our day and time — Divine Mercy.

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A Poet’s Prayer

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

Today is the Feast of the Guardian Angels.

Throughout history many poets have found the angels to be a topic of great inspiration and insight. My final post in this short study on the angels features just such a poem. It is written by J. Corson Miller, an American poet who was born in 1883. The time of his death is unknown.

However, we do know that J. Corson Miller was a devout Catholic of whom one critic wrote, “Imagination, passion, facility of musical and expressive word and phrase, lyrical tone — these natural endowments are augmented by education, vision and Catholic faith.”

Interestingly and not without note, Miller pledged his life to Our Lady and promised to be her “consecrated knight in deed and song.” Many of his poems were written about her and to her.

As you read Miller’s poem, Hymn to the Guardian Angel, look for his profoundly Catholic worldview, his knowledge of the faith, and the imagination and passion he employs to communicate it.

Read the rest…

St. Therese of Lisieux and Her Guardian Angel

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

Today is the Feast Day of St. Therese of Lisieux, one of my favorite saints since childhood.

Since today is her special day and this week of my blog is dedicated to the angels, I am posting a poem St. Therese wrote to her guardian angel.

May it inspire you to seek the intercession of St. Therese and also that of your guardian angel!

Read the rest…

The Angelic Function and Mission

Posted on September 30, 2009 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

Today’s post continues our short study on the angels, a perfect week to consider these marvelous and holy creatures of God as we celebrate two feast days in their honor. We will be looking at their function and mission. I encourage you to read my earlier two posts on the angels if you haven’t done so already.

St. Thomas Aquinas, called the Angelic Doctor because of his theological and philosophical study of the angels, tells us that the hosts of heaven are divided into three hierarchies of angels with three choirs in each hierarchy. The angel’s hierarchy and choir are directly related to his function and his divine office.

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Characteristics of the Angels

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

Happy Feast of the Archangels! Yesterday’s post began a short study on the angels. We discussed who the angels are and who the angels are not. Today we are going to take a look at the characteristics of the angels.

Angels are marked by a number of characteristics that are specific to the angelic. First, no two angels are alike. Each of them is a separate and distinct creation, his own species if you will, and each one of them reflects a separate and distinct attribute of God’s divine perfection — His love, His strength, His goodness. Taken all together, the angels represent the Immensity of God (St. Michael and the Angels, pg. 12). Read the rest…

Who Are The Angels?

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Johnnette Benkovic Williams

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Archangels (September 29) and Friday is the Feast of the Guardian Angels (October 2). Because of the importance of the angels in God’s plan of salvation, their specific intercession for us and the rampant confusion in our day and time regarding them, my blog will offer a short study on the angels for the next couple of days. Each post will close with a suggestion or practical strategy for you to employ. May these posts be a source of clarity and inspiration for you.