Martyrdom of Witness to Truth

In The Silence

I have just returned from a Silent Retreat.  What a blessing it is to have silence. It is a little uncomfortable at first, but as the silence settles in and your prayer begins it takes on a new dimension which includes  listening.  Listening for Jesus to touch your heart, to stir your soul to inflame the smoldering embers that may have settled.  The silence is the stoking to stir the fire and yes I discovered that silence works.  It is nothing that the Church hasn't taught us since Jesus walked on earth, but sometimes it takes an invitation to discover the richness of silence and not just for an hour, but in this case, 72 hours. 
I also discovered that nearing the end, I didn't want it to end. 
The Beauty of Silence..it has been taught for thousands of years, and I finally caught up.

Questions of Brother Michel...

Tomorrow is the anniversary of 9/11.  I ask anyone who reads this to please take time out of your day and pray, especially the Rosary as Our Blessed Mother asked us to at Fatima.  Pray the Rosary for Peace and for all Christians who are persecuted in Christ's name. 
May all who have lost their lives in these times of terror and hate be remembered in prayer for the souls of the departed.  Those who were faithful especially need our prayers, for all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. AMEN

The following excerpt was taken from the book: The Mass of Brother Michel, written by Michael Kent

Here after Mass, was now his chief joy. His time, not required elsewhere, he spent in the chapel, reluctant to leave, impatient to return. Here Love spoke to him, poured Its riches upon him, demanded his love, and received it in return. In this interchange the need for words had long since passed: his soul plunged into silence, as a diver into a deep sea, rising to the surface slowly, slowly, after a prolonged submersion so profound that all activity was stilled and even breath ceased. "Oh, mon pere," he cried to Father Andre, "I did not know that prayer could be such joy, I did not think that one could find such happiness on earth! Why do not more know of it? Why do so few pray?"

Open Wide The Door

While kneeling in Mass this morning waiting for my turn to enter the aisle to process for Communion I looked at the Tabernacle, as I always do.  But today, I saw this vessel which holds Our Holy Lord quite differently. It was empty, doors WIDE OPEN, the faithful walking toward Him.  Jesus was saying "Come, Come and Receive I have opened my arms for you, look at the crucifix, I now open my doors for you, Come! With this image I was energized, for as I was thinking this I heard all the doors of all the Tabernacles in the world opening up LOUDLY, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, at every second of every minute all over, never stopping, never ceasing. It happens every day, no matter what.
No matter what evil  visits us and is around us there is the continual WHOOSH!, of the Tabernacle doors opening wide that we may bring it all to Him and He will give us life and light to survive the trials, decisions, persecutions and doubt that we may be living with. 
So next time, you are in a quiet (or noisy) place, close your eyes and feel the wind from the Tabernacle and know that a door is always opening with His love waiting to be received in The Holy Eucharist.
May the Lord Protect All Who Are Living In Fear .....

Martyrs of the Mountain

May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace Amen. 

We as Catholics have to be bold in our truth. This is a time for testing. Let us all continue to pray for all those being killed and persecuted in so many horrific ways because of their faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ. Do not take our freedoms for granted for if we do not speak out and stand strong and behave as our faith teaches, we may be the ones fleeing to the mountaintop.

Nazarene

Please pray for The Christians in The Middle East. Genocide is happening before our very eyes.

Martyrdom is happening before our very eyes. 

John 1:5. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out."

RED SHOES

This past week The Church honored "The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus", "The Immaculate Heart of Mary", Saint Peter and Saint Paul and the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church.

The fire of the love of Christ's heart, the blood that poured from the wound in His side were the beginnings of the martyrs red.  The Immaculate Heart of Mary was pierced with a sword and what would be the color of her pain?   Saint Peter martyred for spreading the Kingdom of God and guide the church as was his task, shed his blood.  Saint Paul martyred for spreading the Gospel far and wide, who once persecuted Christ, shed his blood. The blood of the First Martyrs were the seed along with the Apostles who together nutured the earth with their fertile lives to spread the good news of our Church to all ends of the earth.

Praise be To God, these Holy and Courageous Men and Women and those who are counted among them in our modern days. Let us pray to them for courage to defend our Holy Catholic Church.

Let us pray for Pope Francis to guide us in truth and maybe one day he will again wear the red shoes of the martyrs.