The road pointed out to you

is not a long one;

you do not have to cross the seas

or pierce the clouds

or climb mountains

to meet your God.

Enter into your own soul

and you will find him.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

via WordofGodEveryday.com

Mary, give me your heart:

so beautiful,

so pure,

so immaculate;

your heart so full of love and humility

that I may be able to receive Jesus

in the Bread of Life

and love Him as you love Him

and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor.

Blesssed Mother Teresa

via Women of Grace Daily Grace Lines

“I’ve heard people say that forgiveness is for wimps. Well, I say then that they must never have tried it. Forgiveness is hard work. It demands diligent self-discipline, constant corralling of our basest instincts, custody of the tongue, and a steadfast refusal not to get caught up int he mean-spiritedness of our times.

- Marietta Jaegger-Lane, mother of a murdered child

via Women of Grace Daily Grace Lines

image credit

Around the house: It’s me and the boy. I finished doing the bills (which should have been done yesterday, but…weren’t, and I had a delightful reason why, too!) and nothing says “procrastinate folding and let the dishes sit a bit longer” like doing a weekend daybook, wouldn’t you agree?

In my thoughts: I have Mary on my mind. I’m struggling in an extra-special way today, and though I’m doing my best to put a good face on Advent, I’m sort of failing, and, well, Mary’s in my thoughts.

In my plans: Ah yes, my plans. They seem to be upended by a series of circumstances that could have me laughing or crying. I’m holding on to the reality that I can choose my response.

In thanksgiving: For work. For family. For chocolate.

In my prayers: Those who grieve, those who hurt, those who struggle with forgiveness.

Nose inserted: I’m juggling two books, though I have hopes of finishing one of them today: Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues, by Robert J. Spitzer, and Fatima for Today: The Urgent Marian Message of Hope, by Fr. Andrew Apostoli.

Recent reads: Michael O’Brien’s The Father’s Tale. I’m planning to write a review yet this week about it. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year (though it is, admittedly, VERY long).

Links I like:

• Advent History: The Nativity Fast – Now here’s something I didn’t know about the history of Advent. What would it be like, I wonder, to go through a Nativity Fast of 40 days, a “Lent” before Christmas?
• Feel the joy! – This picture of Mary and Elizabeth is one of my favorites. I almost made it the background on my desktop, it moved me so much. I love the Visitation, and this image is now the one I’ll be using and reflecting on when I’m praying.
• Mary’s Last Words – This column considers the depth and meaning in Mary’s last recorded words in Scripture, “Do whatever he tells you.” There was a lot I hadn’t considered before and, as usual with Dr. Ted Sri, a thorough examination of Scripture in a way that, I think, will change my prayer and approach to it. Amazing stuff.
• Gay, Catholic, and Doing Fine – I just came across this link this week, though it’s from a while back. Who says you can’t be gay and Christian? My experience (in other matters) has been very similar as what’s recorded here. Our pastor has worked with Courage, and I was shocked–SHOCKED!–when, as a new Catholic, I found out that the Catholic Church has an apostolate to help those who have homosexual tendencies. I consider this a must-read.

A favorite thing: Bare baby feet.

Food for thought: “Particularly in our faith, we do not stand alone; we are links in the great chain of believers. Nobody can believe unless he is supported by the faith of others, and conversely, through my faith, I help to strengthen others in their faith.” Benedict XVI

Worth a thousand words: The Birthday Boy

We all need Mary’s help and comfort to face the trials and challenges of daily life; we need to feel that she is our mother and sister in the concrete situations of our lives. And so, that we too may one day be able to share in her same destiny, let us imitate her now in her meek following of Christ and her generous service to the brethren. This is the only way to have a foretaste, already on our earthy pilgrimage, of the joy and peace which those who reach the immortal destination of Paradise life to the full.

Pope Benedict XVI
Angelus Address
Castel Gandolfo
August 15, 2007
Via BenedictEveryday.com

Because I needed this:

We may well believe that the most sacred Virgin Our Lady received so much pleasure in carrying her little Jesus in her arms, that delight beguiled weariness, or at least made it agreeable; for if a branch of agnus castus can solace and unweary travellers, what solace did not the glorious Mother receive in carrying the immaculate Lamb of God?

- St. Francis de Sales

I also needed Karen’s little thought underneath:

With Mary as my guide, may I always let “delight beguile the weariness” that may accompany my vocation.

So instead of noticing, with every single moment, how much I’m feeling wearing, burdened, tired, and, well, icky, I’m going to try to notice the sunshine and the bright smiles, the precious moments and the song of the birds, the glitter of daily joy and the hilarity of life in the present moment.

Or something like that.

God speaks in the silence of the heart.

Listening is the beginning of prayer.

- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

For me, that silence of the heart often begins right after I throw up my hands and yell “FINE!” with an attitude worthy of the most belligerent Old Testament prophets.

No sooner have I thrown my little tantrum than I find myself out of breath and a bit silent.

The key, for me, is to learn to reach this silence of heart without the need to throw up my hands. And maybe that’s what this Lent was about.

Kinda hard telling, but it can be no accident that the word this year is listening, can it?

At times there is a sort of fear of silence, of recollection, of thinking of one’s own actions, of the profound meaning of one’s life. All too often people prefer to live only the fleeting moment, deceiving themselves that it will bring lasting happiness; they prefer to live superficially, without thinking, because it seems easier; they are afraid to seek the Truth or perhaps afraid that the Truth will find us, will take hold of us and change our life. Creatures must be silent, leaving space for the silence in which God can speak.

And then there was the reminder of the three things St. Louis de Montfort asked of Our Lady (via my Mary Vitamin the other day):

The only grace I beg Thee, for me, is that every moment of the day, and every moment of my life, I may say, “Amen, so be it, to all that Thou art doing in Heaven. Amen, so be it, to all Thou didst do while on earth. Amen, so be it, to all Thou art doing in my soul,” so that Thou alone mayest fully glorify JESUS in me for time and eternity. Amen.

Somehow, these spoke to me of my yearly resolve to listen. There’s a lot of noise that needs to be cut out before I can listen to what’s really important, and then there’s the whole determining-what’s-important side of things.

Silence is a place to start, and it’s where I try to start my days.

And how can I not think of Mary and look to her as an example of listening?

How do these quotes inspire you?

From God we receive at every moment all that is necessary for us in the natural and supernatural order. It is fitting that we would give all that we have received in offering to God, so that in our lives there would be no ‘but.’ Every reservation and attachment to anything or anyone is a hindrance.

Saint Maximillian Kolbe, Will to Love

via today’s Mary Vitamin

A quote worth sharing (and re-sharing)

I have shared this quote here before, and I’m sure this won’t be the last time. I put it in my email signature long ago, intending to change it, and I never have. Because, well, because it rings so true, over and over.

“Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.”

- St. Francis de Sales

A new podcast

It’s been a while since I’ve raved about Julie Davis, the lovely hostess at Forgotten Classics, blog mistress at Happy Catholic, and the one I credit for hooking me into the fun of blogging. Never one to let an opportunity pass her by, she has teamed with Scott from SFFaudio to combine their love of fiction with a Catholic perspective in a new podcast, “A Good Story is Hard to Find.”

Let’s just say that A Good Story is Hard to Find is going to be leaping to the top of my playlist with every episode. Especially if they keep it as great as they did in the first episode. (They almost talked me into reading two ZOMBIE books, despite the fact that I’ve vowed to purchase/borrow no books for at least six months.)

Something extra

Every week (or so), I take my Catholic Vitamins. It can be no accident that this week’s vitamin, “L”, is “listening.”

I am trying to listen this year.

You should too. It’s a great show in general, and this one, in particular, really spoke to my one-word resolution this year.