Month Six – Fortitude in loving myself infused with God’s love produces goodness.
Today is Pentecost, one of my favorite celebrations in the Church. This is the Paschal Mystery brought to completion, where by the power of the Holy Spirit we are united with God’s Only Begotten Son. This is the same Spirit, as the Church came to birth, opened all peoples to the knowledge of God and brought together the many languages of the earth in the profession of the one faith. It’s pretty cool to think that for those of us who believe, we have this fire of divine love within.
Month Five. Fortitude to love myself, expands my hope and kindness
Looking for God’s Goodness in contemplation and prayer. The Narrow Gate of Contemplation
Who mentors you on how to live life? Research shows that we are influenced by those we surround ourselves with. As I was called to love, I’m realizing how important it is that I, the vine cling to love, the branch of Christ. If I’m to know pure love, I must be attached to love. This is the spiritual journey of becoming. The narrow gate of contemplation is a path to transformation, allowing me the gift of loving my whole self and bringing gentleness into the world.
Month Five. Fortitude to love myself expands my hope and kindness.
We can win the spiritual battle of envy with kindness. Do you struggle with envy at times like I do? I’m convinced it is part of our human condition but we can prevail if we walk the gentle path of kindness. Kindness or wishing the best for others helps me overcome my sin of envy. As I learn to love myself, I become more accepting of myself, allowing me to be more accepting of others without bias or spite. God blesses each of us in different ways and it is through these gifts that He fulfills His purpose in the world.
Month Five. Fortitude to love myself, expands my hope and kindness.
The further I journey down the spiritual path of transformation, I have a clearer line of sight to meaning and to my value, purpose and identity. God is always true to His word, when I seek I find. This is the gentle path of transformation.
Month Five. Fortitude to love myself, expands my hope and kindness.
Today is the Feast of the Visitation that commemorates the Virgin Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth when May was pregnant with Jesus and when Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist, which was a truly joyful and unique event. We see Mary responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to set out on a mission of charity. She shows us what it means to love our neighbor and that we aren’t meant to go it alone.
Month Five. Fortitude to love myself, expands my hope and kindness.
On what is the whole of your life built? Is your foundation currently strong? Do you follow a blueprint to build or maintain a solid foundation? As I walk the spiritual path, I’m learning the importance of applying Jesus’ teachings. As we see in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:21, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse.”
Month Five. Fortitude to love myself, expands my hope and kindness.
Where along your path today have you seen the gentle face of grace? For starters, I’ve been given another day of life to touch others and to live as my best self. Living life to its fullest is marked by loving well and this is my resurrection story.
Month Five. Fortitude to love myself expands my hope and kindness.
Looking for God’s Goodness in contemplation and prayer. Creating Space
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.
Victor Frankel
Recently Brene Brown talked about the need for creating space. It was helpful for me to see the quote above as a formula which could look like S( )R. I, along with Brene, didn’t grow up with the understanding or even awareness of this space. Brene says, “ I grew up with the R starting before the S was even done. Something happened, someone did or said something, and I’d come out swinging or fearing or worrying or apologizing. No space. No choosing a response. Hell, not even the parentheses. Just responding in a way that led to more stacked stimuli and responses. There was very little growth and very little freedom.”