Tag: Inspiration

Being Loved

Where is Your Star

Smitten With Goodness

There’s a reason we are to aim for the stars. Perhaps not in the way our culture expresses this aspiration. But like the wise man (magi or kings), who traveled a great distance, following a star, to find baby Jesus after he was born, what distance will you travel this year to know your belovedness?  

We plan time for daily prayer, reading scripture, slowing down enough to catch our breath to notice God but the daily stress and chaos of life always suck us into the vortex. When you find yourself in this mess, do you go it alone like our culture ingrains in us or like the wisemen do you stop and look to the stars and seek Him? 

We have a choice and this is the spiritual battle. We can be distracted by things of this world, even the good things. 

What star do look for? Am I focused on God’s will for my life, or am I  distracted by lesser “stars” of media, status, and material goods? In what ways can I better acknowledge Jesus as my King, our God, and our Savior in the coming year?

If we follow our North Star of Christ, we can rest in the chaos knowing we are loved. When we seek Him, we find Him. We find God, truth and the beauty of our faith.

Inspiration

What Fruit Do You Sow?

Smitten With Goodness

As we reflect at the start of the new year, what is reflected through your life? Are you surrounded by friendship? Are you surrounded by love and God’s goodness?

Do you want more friendship and love? If so, are you planting those seeds through service or are you always looking at life through a lens of “what’s in it for me?” Or do we look with urgency how we can glorify God with our life. We are known by the fruit of our life.

“A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.”— St. Basil the Great

Inspiration

Open Hearts

Smitten With Goodness

With the new year, have you taken time to reflect about how you are doing mentally and spiritually? Is your mind resting in the space of thanksgiving and gratitude of what is placed before you. Or are you anxious about what is missing from your life? Is your spirit focused on growing in holiness and imitating Christ or do you spend more time focused on building your material world?

What if today were your last and you find yourself standing before our Lord giving an account of how well you loved him and others. How would you measure up compared to Christs love for you? Let’s seek an open heart of love with reckless abandon!

An Act of Love:

Lord God, I love you above all things 
and I love my neighbor for your sake 
because you are the highest, infinite and perfect
good, worthy of all my love. 
In this love I intend to live and die. 
Amen.

Inspiration

A New Perspective

Smitten With Goodness

With the start of another new year, we can use the calendar to help us with new resolve. So many times are attitudes affect our vision of how we see the world. We can believe the right things and do the right things, but we must have love at the foundation of everything.

Mary can be our role model for a new loving perspective. She achieved so much by her silent presence along with her son at many of the moments of his life, his birth, his first miracle at Cana and his death on the cross. She is for a model of silent contemplation as she ponders with great faith and devotion the mystery that unfolded before her in the life of her Son.

What perspective do you bring into this new year? Will you work tirelessly to seek God in everything? Will you strive for your faith to be visible through your actions? Do you plan to tell your family and friends you love them? How often will you tell God you love him? Will you give God thanks for your many blessings? Will you be bold in your faith? How do you plan to grow interiorly? Will you trust God’s plan and know you are exactly where you need to be? Will you endure the suffering you experience well? Will God come first in your life?

Ponder these things in your heart for a new loving perspective for 2025! Let’s be smitten with Gods goodness.

Inspiration

A New Year

Smitten With Goodness

What is it about new beginnings and a fresh start that makes us feel hopeful? Its like the feeling of blue skies and endless light. The turn of the clock to the new year provides this perspective.

Have you made an examination of your past year. What is God asking of you in this new year to give him glory? By growing in love, we give the greater glory. In this new year let’s stretch, grow in humility and learn to love as God does. Let’s commit in 2025 to open our eyes to return Gods relentless love.

Teach Us To Pray

Guidance and Light

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

As we enter the season of Advent, a time of anticipation and reflection, we turn to Jesus for guidance and light. In the midst of darkness, we seek the illumination of His word, asking for humility and wisdom to follow His path. We feel His presence in our lives and the world, grateful for the Savior who is to come. With hearts full of hope, gratitude and trust, we look forward to the joy that awaits, confident that He will lead us through the unknown paths of each day.

Continue reading “Guidance and Light” →
Teach Us To Pray

Prayer for Our Leaders

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

Let us pray for President-elect Trump, as well as all leaders in public life, that they may rise to meet the responsibilities entrusted to them as they serve our country and those whom they represent. Let us ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother, the patroness of our nation, that she guide to uphold the common good of all and promote the dignity of the human person, especially the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn, the poor, the stranger, the elderly and infirm, and migrants.

Teach Us To Pray

Happy All Hallows’ Eve

Smitten With Goodness
Season of thanksgiving in prayer

All Hallows’ Eve, commonly known as Halloween, has deep roots in Catholic tradition. The term “Halloween” is derived from “All Hallows’ Eve,” which is the vigil of All Saints’ Day, celebrated tomorrow. This day is dedicated to honoring all the saints in heaven, both known and unknown.

Continue reading “Happy All Hallows’ Eve” →
Teach Us To Pray

Our Petitions

Smitten With Goodness
Season of asking in prayer

Let us humbly approach our heavenly Father and ask that he hear and answer our prayers of petition:         

That the Church may live in a manner worthy of God’s call, striving always to preserve the unity of the Body of Christ…….We pray to the Lord.

For world leaders: that their efforts may bring about greater unity and peace among nations…….We pray to the Lord.

For our farmers, ranchers and all who provide food for our tables: that they may know of our gratitude and experience God’s blessings…….We pray to the Lord. 

For this faith community: that the Spirit may give us the grace to be vessels of God’s all-embracing love and hope, especially to those who are neglected and most in need……..We pray to the Lord.

For the sick and the suffering: that they may turn to Jesus, the divine physician, for comfort and healing…….We pray to the Lord. 

For our own intentions that we hold in silence .……We pray to the Lord.     

For our deceased loved ones: that they may enjoy eternal rest in God’s heavenly Kingdom…….We pray to the Lord.                                                                                                   

Father, you have taught us to bring all our needs to you. As you answer our prayers, fill us with the joy of being disciples of your Son Jesus Christ, who is Lord forever and ever.

Amen