Author: Nikki Dionisio

2 Corinthians 12:10

Desire of the Heart

“My God, my heart wants You alone. If you do not find this heart completely unworthy of You, here it is. I give it to You and dedicate it entirely to You. The desire I feel is the effect of Your grace You have obtained from me.”

There is a yearning in my heart for something Greater, Someone Greater. God’s love never fails, it never burdens, and it never dies. His love is an invitation to happiness. Within the desires of our own hearts, only God can satisfy our needs. It is so easy to fall into the wrong places searching for this love, blinded by the truth, and ignorant from the lies. Nothing in this world can please our hearts eternally than the graces of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We can only receive this love if we are willing to receive it. We must be ready to make sacrifices and place our trust in God. Not only does God want us to love Him faithfully, He calls us to come home to be with Him.

Instil a promise of devotion in His heart, so that we may learn to love Him fully as we declare His love in our lives and in our souls.

Benedictus Deus in Saecula

Trust in God

“My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of adversity. Cling to him, do not leave him, that you may prosper in your last days. Accept whatever happens to you; in periods of humiliation be patient. For in fire gold is tested, and the chosen, in the crucible of humiliation. Trust in God, and he will help you; make your ways straight and hope in him. You that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy, do not stray lest you fall. You that fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost. You that fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.” – Sirach 2:1-9
Our Lord never ceases to fail us. Through the challenges we may face within the mission, God never fails. He calls each and everyone of us to listen and have an open heart to whatever He has planned. We need to trust in Him and trust that within this battle we face we can only conquer the victory with Christ Himself, for the battle is not ours to be won but God’s. Sometimes we get easily distracted by what we want in our own lives. Over-thinking, overanalyzing, and simply being ignorant of our surroundings. In this year of faith, may God provide us with the strength and humility to be witnesses to His plan and willingly obey His command.
Deo Gratias.

Coming Home

The Lord has surrounded me with many blessings.
These blessings include the people I encounter on a day-to-day basis at school.
Yesterday, one of my classmates at school had the courage to ask me if I was Catholic. I told her that I am and so I asked her the same question. She told me that she is a Catholic as well, and because of pressure from her parents she attended a Catholic elementary and high school and was also “forced” to attend church and practice the faith regularly. But now that she’s living far from home, she told me that she hasn’t gone to mass or confession in a really long time. She also mentioned how she’s been looking around for a church nearby for her to attend regular Sunday masses. I told her that St. Jude’s Parish was just a 5-minute walk up the street and as I kept talking to her, I could tell by her eyes and the way she spoke that she wanted to cry. She told me how she misses going to church and feels like something is missing in her life. It turns out that the last time she went to confession was in high school. I advised her to go as soon as possible, and she agreed with me. She felt as if she really needed to go. I told her that I would love to join her in mass one day. I shared how I love going to weekday masses because of the peace I feel. The sincerity of her question really opened the doors for her and allowed her to open up about her faith and how she’s been struggling. Her story was humbling to hear and a great witness to God’s plan in her life.

After reflecting on our conversation I was able to see how amazing God’s love and mercy works. He yearns for our hearts and He yearns for us to come back Home to Him. With the conversation I had with my classmate it allowed me to see God’s light within her, yearning for something Greater rather than the temporary pleasures of the world. This year of faith we are all called to evangelize, save souls, and bring them Home. My heart is humbled and her story made me realized the beauty within God’s forgiving and faithful love.

“Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him” – 2 Corinthians 2:8

Deo Gratias.