Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Yours. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus! Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine, so to shine as to be a light to others; the light, O Jesus, will be all from You; none of it will be mine: it will be You shining on others through me. Let me thus praise You in the way You love best: by shining on those around me. Let me preach You without preaching, not by words, but by my example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what I do, the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You
Amen
St. Rose of Lima, pray for us.
St. Faustina, pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
I don’t know what it is about Mama Mary that continues to draw me towards her. I believe it was just in these recent years in where I was really able to acknowledge, and accept the fact that, she indeed is my mother. Who, just like any mother, caring and loving towards their own child, loves and cares for me just as much. And not just with any type of love but, with an intense and deep unconditional love. She is a mother that knows her children very well. Inside and out. Her love can comfort and speak to the weakest of hearts.
Never have I been affirmed of her love and intercessions until the Western True North MV Shout this past May. Aside from other subtle affirmations, a note that I had received from a fellow missionary had affirmed me all the more. With my journey this past year and for the journey up ahead, I definitely know for sure that I have and will always be taken care of.
Mama Mary, so gentle, so graceful, so pure and ever so beautiful. Thank you for listening to my inmost thoughts and desires. For bringing joy to my heart and for comforting me most of all during times of sorrow. Thank you for holding me in your arms. And for continually revealing to me of the Lord’s love through your most Immaculate Heart. My Sweet Jesus, thank you for the desires of my heart. Through Your most Sacred Heart, may I continue to surrender all of my hearts desires so that they may be aligned with Your will.
Not as I want, but according to Your will, oh God, let it be done unto me.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Dearest Mother, teach me to abandon myself entirely and completely, with utmost faith, to your Son’s most Sacred Heart.
My sweet Jesus, lead and guide my sinful heart. Purify and transform it in union with your Mother’s most Immaculate Heart.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
I woke up this morning with Audrey Assad’s song, Restless playing as my alarm clock. As I went about my day the song lyrics kept replaying in my head.
Today, I was reminded of how important it is to rest. I had many plans for myself today. As I looked ahead on my day, I could not help but be so exhausted. I just wanted to rest and spend time with the Lord.
I did only one out of all that I had planned. As I reflected on how I failed to do all of my plans today, I realized that it was not such a bad thing. Rest is good! The Lord revealed to me that, in order to really internalize and recollect all of the recent happenings, I had needed to take some time for myself. Not just by myself but, with Him most especially.
The mission to love definitely does not stop, but it also does not mean that we cannot take a rest once in a while.
Today was a simple day. I rested with the Lord and reflected on all of the beautiful and wonderful things He has done for me.
Lord, thank you for the simple ways in which You continue to show Your love for me.
I used to be a daddy’s girl. Or I guess, I still am, when I want to be at least. Growing up in my adolescent years, I have always been protected and taken care of very well by my dad. My dad is overly-protective, reserved, and can be very scary, especially when he gets angry. What dad doesn’t right? He is the type of dad that would call every hour asking where I was and what time I would be home. He is the type of dad that would not sleep at night until I had gotten home. Looking back at all of those years, I can clearly see that he loved me and cared for me. But why was it that, I could not see it at that time?
Although I claim myself to be a daddy’s girl, my relationship with my dad has never really been an open one. You see, my dad has bipolar disorder. And his mood swings tend to change all the time. He could be very joyful at some point and then very sad or angry the next. Because of his illness, I could never really joke around with him. I was afraid and very cautious of how I approached him. Especially, the times where I would ask permission to go somewhere. I would always try to catch him when he was in a good mood.
He actually was not diagnosed until late 2011 to early 2012. But because of knowing my dad’s attitude from an early age, my brothers and I just knew we had to keep in mind what we said and what we did when we were around him. And at some point, while growing up, I eventually started rebelling. Sometimes I would leave the house without telling him. And at other times, I would not ask for permission but rather, just tell him where I was going.
We have never really had any heart to hearts. And we have never actually prayed together. Sure we have said, I love you to each other but, that was when I was very young. The closest we have ever gotten to saying I love you now a days is through text. Never face to face or even on the phone. I have never really been the type to be open to him and vice versa. So in truth, we’re not close at all.
Not living with my dad has been very difficult. Not having a father figure in the house has definitely caused me to think twice about everything I do. From how I am to help raise my younger brothers to, how I am with my spending. Knowing that, there is no other adult in the house that can take care of us and help provide for us. Every family has issues right? My family issues just happened to get worse throughout the years and eventually, the only thing left to do was for my parents to separate.
So, as you can see. My relationship with my dad already seems hopeless enough, seeing is that, we live away from each other. It would take a miracle for our relationship to grow. Well actually, the Lord is really all that is needed. And maybe prayers here and there. Please pray for my family and I :).
During the Western MV shout, we were reflecting during one of the sessions which so happened to be about family. And basically, we had this activity and called our family afterwards. Praise God because, fortunately enough, my dad woke up from his nap and picked up the phone. Usually I would need to call him several times before he actually picks up. And most of the time, he just doesn’t pick up at all. Having gone to ICON and having not seen and talk to him for weeks, and maybe even a month now, I realized I had missed him a lot. I was so thankful that I was finally able to talk to him. With our greetings and checking up on each other, our conversation lasted for two mins. And in the end, he said happy birthday and I love you. This was the first time in a long time where, I actually felt the sincerity in his voice. I was brought to tears and became very overwhelmed.
Because of my stubborn and rebellious ways, I was not able to see clearly just how much my dad had loved me. The Lord revealed to me that, even with my stubborn and rebellious ways, my dad still loves me. And regardless of the issues in my family and the distance apart from each other, my dad will continue to love me no matter what. His love for me is constant just as the Father’s love for me is constant. Never faltering and never fading.
Lord, increase my capacity to love so that I may forgive with a gracious and accepting heart.
Mama Mary, intercede for me. Purify my hearts every desire so that they may be aligned with the Father’s will. By uniting myself with your most Immaculate heart, may I love more deeply like your Son.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
There are times where I get this overwhelming burst of emotion after thinking too much about a particular thing. After thinking too hard about it, I start to get saddened by what it is, or what its current situation is, and eventually, I move on to thinking about another thing to take my mind off of it. I find myself in a constant whirlwind of emotions that repeat and never stop. My mind wanders too often into the things that I know my mind should not be in. Without me realizing, my thoughts, emotions and feelings start to get the best of me. Eventually, I start to worry, panic, and think of the many ways in where I can “fix” or make things better than how they currently are.
Almost all the time, I have many things that run through my mind. Especially before sleeping. My mind is filled with many thoughts, emotions and worries. Aside from having my personal prayer time, one of the other ways in where I keep myself grounded so that I do not act upon my feelings and emotions is to listen to non-secular songs. For as long as I can remember, I have had a playlist of reflection songs from Audrey Assad, Starfield, Casting Crowns, and Liveloud. Just to name a few. I keep this playlist going throughout my day/night or I repeat a particular song throughout the night that has spoken to my heart.
My choice of song most of the time goes something like this,
Speak To Me Lord – Anton Brosas
Take me to Your Holy place A place to hear Your voice Quiet my heart, make straight my path Restore my soul, O Lord
I place my trust in You I place my trust in You Speak to me Lord, I pray to hear Your call Speak to me Lord, as I worship and adore
Take me to Your Holy place A place to know Your voice Let Your love fall down on me And Your spirit bring me peace
I place my trust in You I place my trust in You
Speak to me Lord, I pray to hear Your call Speak to me Lord, as I worship and adore
My Lord and my God I surrender myself to You My Lord and my God I surrender myself to You (X2)
Speak to me Lord, I pray to hear Your call Speak to me Lord, as I worship and adore (repeat)
*A very beautiful prayer from an inspiring brother.
I woke up yesterday morning still having many things on my mind. I felt as though the Lord was doing all that He could to get into my thoughts and more so, into my heart. He was knocking but I was not answering. I could hear Him knocking but, being the stubborn person I usually am, I choose to not allow Him to come in. Knowing that if I did, He would occupy every thought in my mind. Making me forget all of my worries and all of the important things I have been thinking of.
Although I do trust in the Lord, there are many times in where I get weak and eventually start doubting myself, and most especially, the Lord. Very ironic with my song choice. The time that I ask for the Lord to speak to me is the time I choose to ignore Him. Its the time I choose to be ignorant and prideful. Thinking that, I have everything under control. This is one of the times in where I really have to humble myself and ask the Lord for an increase in faith, hope and trust. It’s during these times in where, I am continually reminded that, I am nothing and that the Lord is everything. The song continually reminds me of the posture I should have when I come before the Lord.
A posture of full surrender, total faith, hope and trust.
Lord,help me to fully surrender myself to your love. As I come before your throne, I ask for your loving grace and mercy to humble this sinful heart of mine. Increase in me the capacity to love so that I may grow in Holiness towards you.
Mama Mary, intercede for me. Purify my hearts every desire so that they may be aligned with the Father’s will.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.