Looking for God’s Goodness in contemplation and prayer. The Litany of the Holy Spirit.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter and Helper to be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth. . . . You know this Spirit, for it abides with you and will be in you. —John 14:16–17
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Five. Sacred Love. Looking for God’s Goodness and Weekly Reflection Summary.”Today we celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart in the Catholic Church. I recently read that this feast is a Divine Corrective. Just as we might view the birth of Jesus as the arrival of God’s love and light into a world grown cold and dark through sin, so we might view the growth of the devotion to the Sacred Heart as a response to the world grown cold. When we live in disconnection from God, we become confused and demoralized. In a world that is constantly pulling us away, we need a constant reminder of God’s love and mercy and a positive view of our own sacredness.
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Five. Sacred Love. Divine Corrective.”The human heart has long been a symbol of love. At one time, it was viewed as the source of all human activity—intellectual and emotional. It has also metaphorically symbolized the center of things, such as the heart of a relationship or the heart of a city. It could also represent the character of a person, such as describing someone as having a good heart.
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Five. Sacred Love. Take Heart.”Through intentional breathing, I can subtly affect both my heart rhythm and my interior life. Such gentle guidance constitutes a form of asceticism whereby I can calm the disorders of my heart and create the opportunity to receive God’s love. Another way to put it is that meditation and prayer must be integrated into the constant call of Jesus Christ to experience healing and transformation in a way that frees me to love God and neighbor. If I practice some esoteric spirituality while continuing to commit mortal sins, I’m living in an illusion and not following the will of God.
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Five. Sacred Love. Noticing.”Do you have all the crazy voices in your head vying for attention? Certainly, I’m not the only one who has a hard time discerning what is the sacred loving voice whispering words of love.
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Five. Sacred Love. Voice Within.”What will you wear today? For many years I was focused on presenting the image I wanted people to see. Keeping up with the latest fashions, driving a luxury car or spending my time and energy on having a Martha Stewart home filled a lot of my time. These things helped me feel affluent and successful, convincing myself I had “arrived” and could check off another box and life goal. But Sacred Love knocked on the door of my heart, drawing me toward wisdom to learn that there is more.
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Five. Sacred Love. Fashionable Wisdom.”Today in the church we honor the sacred body of Jesus Christ. Corpus Domini, which literally translates to “body and blood of Christ” is also called the Feast of Corpus Christi. For many years, I did not realize the gift we have in the Eucharist. In seeking to understand love, God drew me into “communion” with His sacred love through this life-giving miracle. When I taste and see the goodness of the Lord, the power of this message flows throughout my veins. When I feast at the table of sacred love, the flames of the spirit dwelling within me grow.
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Five. Sacred Love. It’s Part of Me.”Looking for God’s Goodness in contemplation and prayer. Three Ways to View the Sunset. Father Richard describes how a simple experience such as viewing a sunset can be an opportunity for contemplative “third-eye” seeing:
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Four. Connected. Looking for God’s Goodness and Weekly Reflection Summary.”What stops you from having complete and absolute confidence in God’s endless goodness? Have the doors of your heart been locked over time? What is it that makes us stop cold in the path of conversion and commitment?
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Four. Connected. Total Confidence.”I was fortunate to have the Golden Rule as one of my life guideposts. Treating others how I want to be treated is part of my rule of life. But there is a fine line I can cross when I’m not constantly seeking awareness and knowing myself.
Continue reading “Week Twenty-Four. Connected. A Soft Heart.”
Smitten With Goodness 