Evangelize

Has it ever occurred to you that life is not worth living? Were there times when you wished if only there was a second chance?

It was the offertory time of one fine Sunday morning Mass. I pulled out my wallet from my pocket to distribute our offering among the children so they can contribute into the collection box. While the each of the elder boys received $1 coins, little Lucina got a $10 bill. She looked happily at the bill that she had received. She then looked over at what her big brothers got. To her “disappointment,” she realised that both of her brothers had golden metallic coins while she received a mere “paper”! She turned towards me and her expression clearly depicted: “Why this discrimination Dad?” I immediately swapped her bill with the coin of one of the boys and this made her happy.

The “Real” Value

Often enough the way we handle something largely depends on the value we assign to it. Ironically, many of us do not know the real value of the most important possession we have: the gift of life! Even worse, we don’t care about it! As a result, the way we handle our lives is not the way it ought to be!

But, how do I know the “real” value of my life? Who can tell me that? What difference can it make?

Well, I think it is something that can’t be taught, but has to be learned by spending much time and effort! We can very well imagine the result, had I tried to “convince” little Lucina, that the value of a $10 bill is greater than a $1 coin, so as to not swap it! She was not yet ready to understand that. In the same way, it is futile to “teach” the value of life to someone who is not yet ready to accept it.

What difference it can make when we start understanding the real value of our life? Well, it makes all the difference! Our perspective, attitude and priorities will all change! There will be a paradigm shift and our life will no longer be the same!

Since the priorities are very different for a person who has a better understanding of the value of his life, the way he lives will significantly differ from other people. The decisions he make, based on his priorities, might seem idiotic to others.

Deciding Factor

Recently, Israel Folau, a prominent Australian professional rugby player and a devout Christian, was sacked from rugby union, because he refused to withdraw his faith related Instagram post. The decision to keep his post had cost him his career and a great deal of money, but Israel Folau considered that his faith is more valuable than his career and money.

What prevents people from seeking the true value of life? I believe the primary issue is the lack of openness. To examine this, let Lucina be attributed a bit of analysing capabilities.

When her brother happily accepted the “paper” instead of the coin, she could think in two ways:

 My brother is brainless to accept a “paper” instead of his gold-colored coin.
 Why has my brother happily swapped his beautiful coin with a mere “paper”? Does this “paper” have more
value than I thought of?

In the first approach, she has already decided that her brother’s decision is an idiotic one. She places her level of intelligence above her brother’s. This is a major block for learning.

In the second case, she recognizes her brother’s intelligence and accepts that her knowledge is not complete. She is open to learning.

In the same way, when a person does something that can’t be explained within our present capacity, the best way of approach is to move forward, give due respect to his decision and be open to analyze in a different angle rather than label him as “Stupid.” Regardless of the final conclusion, this approach guarantees your growth in knowledge and wisdom.

What should be my approach? How much value do I give to my life? Is the way I live my life a reflection of its true value?

Activity

Let us find a calm place and close our eyes. Imagine that you have only a few more days in life. Try to rewind your whole life. Are you happy with it or do you really wish if only you had a second chance?

Now, open your eyes and see that you do have a second chance! How are you going to spend it?

God has made each of us as a first-class original; do not die a second-grade copy! —John Mason

Life today is fast. It is so fast, that human beings are finding it very hard to keep up! We have lost our sense of self and have become to feel like a cog in a wheel, just going round and round and we cannot stop. This results in the deterioration of our mental and physical health, and we turn to medication to prop us up and, somehow, help us to cope.

Our health sectors have noticed this, and offer us advice on what we should do to keep it together. We need to keep physically active. Join a fitness club, go to a gym or take a brisk walk. Maybe we don’t have time because of all the demands on our lives. Mindfulness is a relatively new solution to a demanding lifestyle. To live in the moment. That can help us.

Has anyone mentioned saying The Rosary? This powerful prayer, that takes about 20 minutes to say, is the most powerful prayer there is. It can offer everything that ‘Mindfulness’ offers, and more. It is a meditative prayer where you can connect with the Mother of God. Mary, through the Mysteries of the Rosary, lets us know that she went through all the human joys and sufferings that we experience in this life, so she knows and understands what each and every one of us is going through. If you pray the Rosary, you are making a deep connection with the Mother of Jesus. You can leave your worries and anxieties in her hands. You are not alone. Our Lady will take your worries and request her Son to ease your burden and give you the strength to deal with your problems.

We all strive for emotional and mental well-being, good health, stability and happiness within our lives. Pray the Rosary and put your trust in Mary, the mother of Jesus, and she will intercede for us. Good days will automatically happen.

Learning to Forgive After Assault and Betrayal …

A False Definition

We hear a lot about the importance of forgiveness, both in scripture and homilies, but what does forgiveness really mean? Is it simply a pardoning of offenses, never to be thought of again, or is it something that goes much deeper, bringing healing to the heart of an individual? Forgiveness is an essential component of Christianity and affirms the inherent dignity of the person. When true forgiveness occurs, deep wounds are healed and our relationship with Christ is restored. However, when forgiveness is something that is forced, or not done through the love of God and others, no one benefits, and a deep injury can result in that interferes with ones’ ability to relate to God as a loving Father.

I am a survivor of serious crime and betrayal. When I was young, I was sexually assaulted by someone whom I should have been able to trust, but instead my trust was violated in the worst way possible. To make matters worse, another individual close to me knew of the assaults, and failed to intervene and protect me. I was left alone, abandoned, shamed to the core, completely stripped of my inherent dignity as a beloved child of God, feeling unworthy of being loved by God and others.

Instead of being consoled, my perpetrators used a false definition of forgiveness in order to further control and humiliate me, thus ensuring my silence for many years. I was taught that forgiveness meant accepting their errant behavior, forgiving them in the name of Jesus, while they continued their destructive and sinful behavioral patterns, with absolutely no accountability
to God or society. Furthermore, God would forgive them for what they had done, without any repentance or atonement on their behalf. I felt alone and afraid, and could not forgive under this definition of forgiveness-all the while feeling more and more estranged from God because of it. I withdrew into myself, building walls to prevent further injury.

Life’s Tumult

Despite all the pain and chaos in my life, I was still searching for God, but felt completely abandoned by Him. How could a loving God condone such horrendous actions and expect me to forgive and reconcile with my perpetrators, while they remained completely unrepentant and faced no consequences for their actions? Several years later, I finally did bring forth criminal charges, but I received little support for doing so, and the charges were soon dropped for many reasons. While I desired a relationship with God, I was not sure that I wanted anything to do with Him as I blamed Him for allowing such deep pain and suffering to occur.

As the years moved on, I went in and out of counseling and ended up marrying very young for the wrong reasons. It was a marriage that was troubled from the start, and would be annulled many years later. When I went to Church, all I felt was numb and empty inside. It was not until several years later when I entered into a sacramental marriage that was dedicated to upholding the truths of the Faith that I slowly began to let the walls I had built come down. I genuinely wanted to be closer to God, but had no idea of how to let Him into my heart.

Hidden Grudge

While I had dropped all contacts with my perpetrators out of concern for both my own and my family’s well- being, I remained afraid of them. I was very concerned that if I forgave them, it would mean I would have to reconcile with them, thus potentially leading to further injury. There was also absolutely no way I was going to allow them to come anywhere near my family after what
they had done to me.

It took many years to understand the true meaning of forgiveness, and that it did not always lead to reconciliation, especially when personal safety was a legitimate concern. I used my anger as a protective barrier from them. They had not come to repentance, and I felt failed by both the judicial system and many other well-meaning Christians who were pressuring me to forgive and reconcile with them, despite what had happened.

This reinforced the deep feelings of shame and unworthiness within me, which no amount of counselling could remove. What I did not realize, however, was that my fear, anxiety, and anger were keeping me bound to them. I longed to feel God’s love but was unable to do so. By keeping up those barriers to forgiveness I was not free as I really longed to be. The pain went deep and prevented me from becoming the person God created me to be.

A Great Revelation

It was during Lent I became determined to work on forgiveness. Most of the clergy I had talked to assured me that forgiveness did not always lead to reconciliation and that God was not asking me to place myself and my family in danger. Finding the right spiritual director, opened the doors to finally understanding what true forgiveness meant.

Soon afterward, when I was praying the Stations of the Cross while on a spiritual retreat, I had a deep the realization that it is through Jesus’ Cross and Passion that we are set free from sin-both from our sins and the sins which others have done to us. When I finally understood how much Jesus genuinely cared about what I had suffered, and that He wanted to heal the deep wounds within me, I broke down and wept.

While I had been praying the Stations of the Cross for many years, I had never related to them on a personal level. This time, along with the help of our Blessed Mother, they took on a completely new meaning for me. I had sincerely opened my heart to want to forgive my perpetrators, but at the same time, needed to feel both safe and loved, which are fundamental human needs, and Jesus understood this. He lovingly took me into His arms and showed me that while forgiveness does not always mean reconciliation with those who remain unrepentant, it does release us from the bondage of sin. Hope entered in, and for the first time, I finally started feeling true freedom, a freedom that only God Himself can give.

Forgiving and Letting Go

It continues to be difficult at times to overcome the definition of forgiveness I learned at a young age. I have also learned that it is a process that takes a long time, especially when there has been serious injury. It has been through prayer, Eucharistic Adoration; counseling and spiritual direction that I have learned what true forgiveness really is- along with what it is not.

I have directly witnessed the bitterness and unhappiness that comes when there is no forgiveness and that motivates me to forgive. Despite a continued lack of repentance from my perpetrators, I have learned to turn towards God to help me with the deep feelings of pain and betrayal I feel, and to ask for His help in forgiving and letting go so I can move forward and become the person He created me to be.

While often reconciliation is unlikely or inadvisable until true repentance and atonement occurs, especially in cases of serious offenses which endanger human dignity, forgiveness is something that truly sets us free and heals the deep wounds within. Through learning to forgive, I have finally allowed myself to feel God’s love for me, and to relate to Him as a loving Father. Sin, whether it is our own or others, always separates us from God, and when we fail to forgive, we are not able to feel the healing light of His love. Through my sufferings, I have learned that false forgiveness which is forced and does not uphold the inherent dignity of the person, leads people into darkness and away from God’s love and truth, while true forgiveness that comes from the heart brings forth light, healing and peace.

True forgiveness is a grace that is given to us by God for those who are sincerely open to it. Through forgiveness, we let go of past injury and allow the love of God to heal us from them. Forgiveness sets us free from the painful effects of sin so that we are open to our Heavenly Father’s love. Forgiveness heals and restores while affirming the inherent dignity of the person. It is a beautiful gift that brings about healing, peace, and restoration to all who seek it.

Heavenly Father I thank you for the gift of forgiveness. Today I forgive all those who have hurt me knowingly or unknowingly, even those who have no repentance for hurting me deeply. I understand that it is by forgiveness your touch of healing can truly free me from all that imprisons me. Amen.

Did you know that God created you for a reason? Let Nancy Salerno inspire you to find the real purpose of life as she shares the journey of her life and the greatest gift God gave her.

“For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” —Psalm 139:13-14

The First Seeds

As a young girl, I was very thin and small. When children were chosen for playground games, such as soccer or basketball, I was always the last one chosen. Rejection is always hard to take. It always bothered me and made me feel bad, so I would often go and play by myself. Feelings of worthlessness took root in my heart.

My dad did not have any boys, so I filled that role. Although he taught me how to fish and hunt, I knew that not having a son really bothered him. He always wanted a boy and being the firstborn, I felt that I let him down in some way. So, in spite of the wonderful memories of great times, we enjoyed together, I never felt that I was worthy of his love. Even though I was a great student, I lacked a sense of purpose and direction.

So, when I went to college, I was very lost. I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. I dreamt of working for the UN in international relations, but without a deep seated belief in myself, I was wandering aimlessly. Surprisingly, I met my husband in college, which became a turning point in my life.

I will never forget that New Year’s Eve. As Mark and I descended in an elevator from a party, I could see a light over his head and heard a voice saying, ‘This is the man you are going to marry’. I denied it and the voice said ‘yes!’ As the elevator opened, the light disappeared. Later on, I understood that there wouldn’t be a better husband or a loving father to my children than Mark.

Expecting the Unexpected

As a newly married couple, we never talked much about kids and, to be honest with you, I had actually never liked them. I thought children were a nuisance. Later, I thought maybe one perfect child would be okay. After a very early miscarriage, we were over the moon about my second pregnancy. Everything was going well until I suddenly began to cry when we were leaving the hospital after a blood test. I couldn’t get over the thought that there was something wrong with the baby. A couple of weeks later, the doctor called me in for an immediate ultrasound scan.

The doctor was very quiet as he performed the scan, then took a long pause before he told us, “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that your baby is alive, but the bad news is you were having twins and one of them died.” Because I was at risk of losing my other baby, the specialist put me on complete bed rest.

In 1996, on a very cold February morning, Nicholas James Salerno came into this world. He was a beautiful baby, with lots of black hair. The minute I held him in my arms, whatever motherly instincts I lacked before, stormed in a hundredfold. I felt like a lioness. Looking straight into his eyes, I promised him, “Nothing will ever harm you my boy”. We were ecstatic. All that waiting was at an end, and we thought the nightmare was over.

However, by the time I took him to the doctor for the six month check-up, we had several concerns. The doctor flatly said, “Well, he probably has cerebral palsy”. I was so angry at God, but Mark and I were so shocked we barely discussed it… All our energies were poured into making things right for our son. We were not going to wallow in our grief. Our son fought to be in this world and deserved everything that life has to offer. We got him every available treatment and took our beautiful baby everywhere so he could reach his potential.

Grief into Depression

Nick was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia, which means he doesn’t have any control over his arms, legs or any of the muscles in his body, including his throat. Although he cannot speak with his mouth, he has the most beautiful big, brown eyes which are windows to his soul. Doctors believe that this major disability was caused by a lack of oxygen when his twin died. Because I felt that I had somehow caused this. I fell into periods of deep depression.

I remember taking him to see a family member perform the lead role at the theatre one day. We were all excited to see him, especially Nicholas. During the performance, Nicholas laughed uproariously at all the funny scenes. Many people stared and whispered about him while they shook their heads. One couple moved further away. Since Nicholas was in the front row, he didn’t notice, but I saw it all. I was deeply disturbed seeing them refer to Nicholas in such a mean spirited way. Over the next few days, I felt abandoned and forlorn.

The Light and the Voice

Then, one day as I knelt on the cold, tiled, bathroom floor to take off the braces that Nick wears on his feet; I suddenly felt this warm ray beaming down on my head, over my hands and onto his feet.

There was no light, but I felt it blazing right through me while a distinct voice was whispering, “The feet of Jesus, the feet of Jesus. He is the messenger of Jesus— you are the caretaker of Jesus’ messenger.” At that moment, I realized why God created me. I remembered Psalm 139 and finally understood my life’s purpose as the caretaker of Jesus’ messenger. Being Nick’s mom is the great privilege God bestowed when he trusted me to take care of this boy who would change the world.

Sometime later, Nicholas was asked by St. Anne’s Catholic Parish to play Jesus on the cross. When they asked him I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me. How is that going to work?” But when Nicholas played this role he was unbelievable. As they placed him on the cross with his arms outstretched, his legs crossed and his head hanging down, he precisely emulated the crucifix in our Church. Nick’s depiction of Jesus dying on the cross moved both men and women to tears. It was indeed a miracle.

A Vision beyond Death

Although most people had regarded him as broken, without a voice, he portrayed Christ so eloquently that I felt Mary’s sorrow as she gazed upon her crucified Son. Her great love for Him glowed in my heart. That year, Nick’s portrayal of Jesus was chosen by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee as one of the ten most inspirational stories of 2014. His delight in the achievement warmed me with motherly pride!

Some time ago, I experienced a glorious vision of heaven. As I rested on a marble bench, resplendent in a lovely, white dress, I beheld Nicholas joyfully dashing towards me, walking on his own without a wheelchair. He looked so handsome, strong and joyful as he sat down beside me. At last, I heard his own sweet voice sharing his thoughts with me, thanking me for all the things I
got right and gently chiding me for those I got wrong. Everything that I had missed in his life was restored as I finally heard Nick speak those tender words, “I love you, Mom.” I no longer fear death now because I can’t wait for that day to come.

I found God in my 50’s so it’s never too late. Psalm 139 says I was created in my mother’s womb for a reason. I truly believe that my main purpose in life is to be Nicholas’s mother. He was born with a mission to challenge us all to be more like Christ. I was chosen to share his journey to spread the message that God finds worth in each of us.

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Article is based on the testimony shared by Nancy Salerno in the Shalom World program “Triumph”. To watch the episode visit: https://www.shalomworldtv.org/videos/index/1105

Q : I want to have a closer relationship with God, and I know that I need to pray if I want to get close to Him. But, I find prayer so boring! How can I make prayer more interesting?

Answer: First, let us look at a common misconception of prayer. Prayer is NOT just reciting words. Many people think the only way you can pray is by saying “Our Fathers” and “Hail Marys.” While these pre-written prayers can help us to pray with others and they can give us a lot to meditate on, merely reciting words is not what prayer is about! Saint Therese of Lisieux defined prayer as, “an outburst from the heart; it is a simple glance darted upwards to Heaven; it is a cry of gratitude and of love in the midst of trial as in the midst of joy!” What a far cry from a dry, boring experience! It is a living relationship with the God who is madly in love with you. In order to grow in any relationship, one should speak from the heart. Share with God your joys and sorrows. Thank Him for His blessings, ask for the grace to carry out His will. Tell Him of the good things and unburden your sorrows onto Him. Most of all, tell Him of your love for Him and let Him tell you of His love for you. We can converse with Jesus as if we were speaking with a close friend. Yes, it is possible for us to have that kind of conversational intimacy with God! Once we have spoken to God we must listen to Him. He often speaks in silence by guiding your thoughts, feelings, memories, and desires. At times He will place a thought in your mind that seems to be a genuine inspiration from the Holy Spirit—a word, phrase or image that will either console you or challenge you. Sometimes He will fill you with a desire to repent of a sin or to grow in a certain virtue. At times He will bring a memory or an image to your mind, speaking through that. He also speaks through other means. In fact, He has written a love letter to you—it is called the Bible! If we want to know what is on God’s heart, read His word! He sometimes speaks through other spiritual books—I recommend “Introduction to the Devout Life” by Saint Francis de Sales, “Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a Kempis or any lives of the saints. God has also spoken to me clearly through music—listening to Christian music has often been a powerful time of prayer! Nature has revealed God’s loving Heart to me as has the rosary, which helps us look at the life of Christ through the eyes of Mary. Of course, the best way to pray is at the Mass, where we hear His words in scripture and receive His body in the eucharist. A wise priest once told me, “Pray as you can, not as you can’t!” There are so many ways to pray—all we need to do is pick one that we can stick with and meet the Lord there!

Stop Fretting Over What You Can’t Do. Instead, Focus on What God Can Do.

Last December, I was in India traveling by train. I got a sleeper-class ticket which secured me a seat for the four-hour journey. Not very long after the train began to move, the ticket examiner came and checked my ticket. He then headed to an elderly man who was sitting right beside me. This man had an economy class ticket and was not supposed to sit in the sleeper class. The ticket examiner asked him to go to the economy class. Knowing that the economy coach was usually full and that he might have to stand throughout the journey, the the man requested the ticket examiner to allow him to sit where he already was; but to no avail, the ticket examiner insisted him to shift to the economy coach. The man stood up and reluctantly walked to the economy class.

After the man had disappeared, a disturbing thought came to my mind: “Why didn’t I offer the extra payment for him?” The extra payment required for that man to continue in the sleeper-class seat was very much affordable for me. I did not do what I could have done at that moment! Throughout the journey this thought kept pricking my heart. However, toward the end of the journey, I heard a soft voice of consolation deep inside my heart! Listen, the hundreds of good deeds you have done so far need not be the proof of the presence of the LORD in you; but, if a good deed that you did not do brings tears to your eyes, it is a sign that the Carpenter (Jesus) has started His work in you.

It was not the first time I had this kind of experience. I have fallen short many times in similar situations because of my inability to act quickly. However, when I took those failings to the Lord during my quiet time with Him, I was given some insights. Intentions of the Heart God always looks at our heart. Rather than what we do, God is more concerned about the intention of our heart. He does not expect us to be perfect in our deeds but to be truthful. God wants us to do all things with love. Anything that does not come out of love is not acceptable to Him. Saint Paul makes this point very clear in his letter to the Corinthians. “If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).
This explains why Jesus disregarded large sums of money from rich people but appreciated the two small copper coins from a widow (Mark 12:43). Take the case of Mother Teresa. She had done everything with great love and passion. She was able to see Christ in everyone she served. Instead of trying to do great things, she tried to do small things with great love. This is what makes her very special. Worldly recognition can be deceiving. People always look at the result, but God sees much more! A doctor, who coincidently discovered a lifesaving medicine and saved the life of his enemy while trying to poison him, may be recognized with a Nobel prize by the world, but is a murderer in the eyes of God! A doctor who took a risk during his failed attempt to save his patient may end up behind bars but might be well rewarded by God! We need to ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to lead us in the right path. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalms 139: 23-24).

Let Go & Let God

God loves everyone. Our shortcomings do not prevent Him from blessing His children. We are all instruments in His hands, and He has an infinite number of alternatives when we have failed to fulfill our duty. In the above incident, it is not difficult for Him to arrange a seat for the man in the economic class. What we can do is to give our worries to Him and accept the fact that He is always in charge. On a similar note, in my workplace, I often feel guilty when someone leaves the company before I get a chance to effectively share my faith. I feel like my prayers for the person went unanswered. But that is not true. No prayer ever goes unanswered. God, in His infinite wisdom, has the perfect way to do things in His perfect time. Evangelization is His business! We just need to cooperate!! It is important to trust Him always and know that He can make good things out of our shortcomings. In fact, He already knew we were going to fall short. Dear Lord, we surrender all those shortcomings and failures in life completely into Your hands. We trust that You know more about our life and You will get us through it all. Take control, O God that we may never feel dejected or lonely, but always find true solace and peace in you. Amen.

See To It That You Are Not Deceived!

A Living Miracle

It strikes me as ironic, that in this age of science and technology, traditional Catholic views are regarded as being old fashioned, out of date and out of touch with modern life, but instead, people are turning to witchcraft and magic for answers. It seems to me, that these are much more a superstitious activity than believing in Jesus. If you are looking for facts, we know for a fact that Jesus lived, and we believe he is the Son of God.

However, this is not a new phenomenon. Take the case of the Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem in Portugal. A woman had doubts about her husband’s fidelity, so she consulted a sorcerer to perform some kind of magic and make her husband fall in love with her again. She paid a big price, a sacred consecrated Host. The irony of this tale is that this Sacred Host is still performing miracles to this day. Nobody remembers the name of the sorcerer or the woman for that matter, but the Host remains and is still attracting thousands of people to Santarem even after 800 years.

The Choice is Yours

People turn to witchcraft for a myriad of reasons, but the one thing they all have in common is that they want to decide the outcome of a situation. They want to make things happen their way.

These people forget one very important little piece of detail. The only person who can change the course of their future is their creator, God. Our creator, who flung the stars in the sky, created time itself is the only one who knows what the future holds and how life pans out. God created the past, the present and the future. He sent his only Son Jesus to carry out burdens and save our souls, because of His love for us.

Jesus is our Savior. He came to bring us the good news. Why don’t we trust Him? He told us that God loves us. He also told us that He is the Way, the truth and the life and the only way to reach the Father is through Him. Why don’t we follow him?

We all have been given free will to make choices. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, we know that the choices we make will be for the right reasons. Jesus will guide us.

Just before he ascended into Heaven, he told his disciples, who were distraught at the thought of his leaving, that he would never leave us. He would send the Holy Spirit. How comforting is this? We are never alone, and we will be guided through all our necessities and difficulties…if we choose to place our trust in Jesus.

If a situation arises in our lives that throw us from our comfort zone, we should immediately turn to Jesus, our Saviour. He conquered death, surely he can help us in all our anxieties and necessities.

Deception of Occult

Life today is very complex. There are demands striking each one of us from all angles. Social Media decides what we are to think, the media dictates what we are to believe and society is controlled. If we believe and think something other than mainstream, we are deemed to be old fashioned, conservative and non- progressive.

Some vulnerable people, who may not want to be viewed in this light, will look for answers elsewhere. They will consult the occult or dabble in witchcraft. Do they get answers? Do they feel loved? Do they get security? Do they feel a connection with God who created them? I think not. I think they are hoodwinked into a false world that only creates mental anguish.

Saint Padre Pio has tens of thousands of miracles associated with him. In his novena he uses the words of Jesus “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you”, “Truly I say to you if you ask anything of the Father in My name, He will give it to you” and “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away”. Encouraged by these words, uttered from the mouth of Jesus when he came to this world to save us, we should put our faith and trust in Him for everything.

We should make that choice today and it will be the best decision of our life!

Did You Know That Your Sickness Can Become a Greater Blessing?

Be encouraged by the inspiring testimony of Colleen and John Willard as they share their life story of miraculous healing, which took place at Medjugorje in 2003.

The story begins in January of 2001. John and Colleen Willard were living a good Catholic life with their three sons, in the suburbs of Chicago. It was then when Colleen developed a back pain for which she had to consult a doctor.

John: The doctor said Colleen had a herniated disc, which was causing pain down her left leg and foot. She needed surgery and the operation was successful. But six weeks later, I found her in intense pain—in her entire body. We rushed her to the emergency room and spent the next 10 days in the hospital. They did every test you can think of but they could not figure out from where the pain was coming. On the 10th day, the doctor came into the room and was going through all the paperwork. On one page she stopped abruptly, looked over the top of her glasses and said, “By the way, did you know that you have a brain tumor?”

Colleen: It was as if something hit me like a brick …

John: We immediately tried to get admission into the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. There was a lot of paperwork to do. Somehow all these were done in a smooth way …

Colleen: I was wrapped in 24-hour pain. Our family room now was a hospital bed and the livelihood in our family was totally down the hill because “Mom was sick all the time.” I had metabolic bone disease, adrenal insufficiency, severe osteomalacia, lymphedema, and pulmonary disease, while the 24-hour pain was extreme. Very quickly I was put on the highest doses of narcotics— nearly 8o times more addictive than heroin—but it still was not alleviating the pain. For me, the most important thing was to find out about my brain tumor. I knew from the neurosurgeons in Chicago that it was one thing that I was not going to be able to live with at all.

Sadly, we learned the tumor was inoperable. Located in the center of the brain, the tumor was in an area that tells your heart to beat, lungs to breathe and where the motor system of the entire body is. Moreover, it was wrapped around a major blood vessel. It was too risky to even do a biopsy. When we came home that day, I had to be lifted and put in the hospital bed as I was very tired. I remember asking my little son to bring the crucifix and hang it at the foot of my hospital bed. Born and raised in a Catholic home, I had looked at many crosses in my life. Unlike any other, this time I looked at Jesus and said to Him, “I know that You haven’t given this to me as a punishment. You must see something in me that I do not—I put my faith in You.” Then I asked my son to open the Bible and read it to me. My son opened to the writings of Saint Paul where He talks about “How carrying the cross is a joy” and I prayed, “Lord, there must be joy in carrying this cross. This is scripture; there are no lies in there.” I realized I needed to do one thing: to offer all my pain, sorrow and everything else up to Jesus and unite it to Him. I began to pray the rosary 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I got my house in order, wrote notes to my children and got all the things done that one does when one knows life is ending. The next day, our Blessed mother sent someone home who had been taking pilgrims to Medjugorje. She told us about her upcoming trip. At this point my voice was raspy and low. One night when John came home I asked him, “Would you like to take me to Medjugorje?” The desire to go was very strong.

John: I knew I was going to hear that voice for the rest of my life and so I said, “Sure, we will go to Medjugorje,” but I knew we would not be able to go because we did not have enough money.

Colleen: I answered the phone to talk with a man from the Knights of Columbus. Our Lady opened had up all the connections; the man on the phone had enough money to pay for two airline tickets and $200 left for souvenirs.
I said to John, “Guess what?! Our lady is calling us to Medjugorje!”
We had no idea what to expect at Medjugorje … we were going there to pray but the first day … (Colleen looks at John.)

John: The first day we were supposed to go to the hill of apparitions. There was some confusion and we were led to a talk by Vicka the visionary.

Colleen: In the meantime, John took me in a wheelchair. There were nearly 350 people gathered in a porch-like area in Vicka’s home. She was telling the story of how Our Lady took her to see heaven, hell and purgatory. I had heard from the testimony of Vicka that the Blessed Mother held her hands. I said a prayer quietly, in my own heart: If only I could see the visionary then it would be like seeing you, dear Blessed Mother because you took her to heaven. My prayer got greedier and I said to Our Lady, if only I could touch the hands you held then it would be like
holding yours. All of a sudden I heard the words through the microphone “moment, momento” and I didn’t know what it meant. The next thing I saw was the crowd separating just like how Moses divided the sea and Vicka was walking toward me, smiling at me, as if I was a long- lost friend. She only said two words to me: “Praise God.” I simply admitted that I had not come for myself but for all those who had asked me to pray for them, for those who I said I would pray for, even those I had not seen since I was a baby. I pleaded to her, “Please, would you ask our Lady to answer the desires of their heart?” and she said, “Yes, I will.” Suddenly, she made a sign of the cross on my forehead; the minute she put her hand on my head, I could no longer hear any outward sound, nor sense any movement or anyone around me. There was intense heat, unlike anything I had ever felt. It was like heated coils going all through the inside of my head. However, that was secondary to the presence of God.

John: After that, we went for the 10:00 am holy mass and were sitting at the back of the church.

Colleen: And right before the consecration of the Holy Eucharist, before the bread was turned into the body of Christ and wine into the blood of Christ, I heard the most the beautiful voice of Our Lady—it was so clear and audible.
“Now will you give your whole heart and your whole soul to my Son?” I said “Yes.”
“And will you give your whole heart and your whole soul to Our Father?” she asked and there was such an emphasis on the word “Your.” I said, “Yes, I will.”
“And will you give your whole heart and whole soul to my spouse the Holy Spirit?” Again, I said, “Yes, I will.”
Then she said, “Now, my daughter, you are my daughter.”
When I opened my eyes, a priest was standing, in front of me with the Holy Eucharist. The minute The eucharistic host was placed on my tongue, I experienced the same thing that had happened to me when Vicka had prayed for me; I could not hear a sound or anything around me; everything became silent and then I realized Our Lady was asking me to give everything to Jesus. At the moment when the Eucharistic host was placed on my tongue, all the heat that had been with me when Vicka had prayed over me was leaving and, with it, all the 24-hour pain …

John: And all the pain she felt … the 24-hour pain had left her completely by then …

Colleen: It left as soon as I received the Holy Communion. Later that evening I got out of the wheelchair for the first time. I remember the first two words I wanted to say and those were, “Praise God!” I had back my voice back as well. I was able to swallow, eat and be touched; I was able to stand on my own without assistance. When we got back and met the doctors, including the pulmonary specialist who said, “There’s no way that your oxygen level has can go from where it was at to where it is at now—without divine intervention.” And we went to Mayo clinic … (Colleen beaming at John now.)

John: It was the same … The doctors were in a sort of precarious position because they were the ones who diagnosed Colleen’s condition. None of the things she had were reversible. Suddenly they had to explain what happened and it was beautiful. (Smiling)

Colleen: We cried along with doctors. The blood work came back normal, with no more adrenaline insufficiency, but what I was waiting to find out was about the brain tumor. It was then that the neurosurgeon came, put his arms around me and said, “Mrs. Willard, you are the third miracle I have seen from Medjugorje …”
I felt Jesus telling me, “You were not healed because your illness was greater than anyone else’s. You were healed for your family, the community and the entire world.” That is why we are sharing this testimony with you. We hope your heart will be drawn closer to the love of God and the Blessed mother’s intercession will be there always in your life. We would like to close this testimony with two words that Vicka said to us; we pray that the world resounds with these words—“Praise God!”

Have You Asked God for More? Take heart, He isn’t too Busy for You!

Is God’s Gift Limited?

The Holy Spirit can send forth different spiritual gifts to different people. These include: laughing with joy in the Spirit, resting in the Spirit, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, prophesying, and even crying uncontrollably. All of these are very beautiful.

I never asked the Holy Spirit for gifts because I didn’t want to seem ungrateful for gifts I already have. I also
don’t want to compare myself with what others are receiving. For example, if a tailor friend of mine was busy at work with many customers’ orders, I might come back another time. I wouldn’t want to impose my needs on him while he’s super busy. That would be rude.

Well, that’s how I imagined my communication with God up until this past Saturday.

I attended a Shalom Revival retreat, which consisted of deliverance and healing by the Holy Spirit (https://shalommedia.org/revival/). I had a powerful experience, and it gave me an opportunity to reflect. What resounded in me was this question: Why do you limit Me?

I went on this retreat because I do need healing. Don’t we all? And because this process is somewhat fresh, I asked God to show me something tangible, proving that He is with me on this healing journey.

And He did.

Before that encounter, the priest at Revival read John 16:16-24. What stuck with me were verses 23-24:

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”

As mentioned earlier, I didn’t like the thought of asking more from God. Why would I ask Him for more? Who am I to ask when He already gives so much? The priest continued saying, “Ask the Spirit for more. Tell Him you want more.” I thought, “More? I should be happy with what I have.”

But God longs to see us rooted in Him, in overflowing joy. He wants His children to be happy and feel loved. If
we don’t feel that, we need to tell Him. He wants our joy to be complete.

So, if my tailor friend is super busy, I should still ask for what I need to be done. My clothes won’t repair itself
on its own and I’m not a tailor. Besides, my tailor friend wants to help. He enjoys this craft.

Once the deed is done, it’s great to like the outcome, but it would be best to show the most gratitude towards my tailor friend. God is like a tailor friend, but better. He is never too busy for us. He isn’t limited in His love. He wants to help. He enjoys loving us; He delights in us.
And when the Lord bestows gifts upon us, we should not continuously seek and praise the gifts, but rather the Giver.

God might not grant us every prayer request made known to Him because, well, as God He can see the bigger picture. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

However, we need to give God the room to work. I wasn’t giving Him room to work. My prayers consisted of thanksgiving and “whenever You’re available, please come to my aid. But know that I’m grateful for everything you have given me, nonetheless.”

Now I realize I should continue praying with thanksgiving but in times of need say, “I allow you to come to my aid at this very moment and rescue me from the pit. I know You can.”

If I believe God can do all things, I need to place all my trust in Him and let Him work in my life when and how He wants. I shouldn’t worry about bothering or annoying Him. He knows my heart. In fact, He wants my heart and He wants to grant the desires residing in there.

In St. Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle, she discusses why the Holy Spirit bestows gifts on people.

“Sometimes, Our Lord acts thus, solely for the sake of showing His power…God does not bestow these favors on certain souls because they are more holy than others who do not receive them, but to manifest His greatness as in the case of St. Paul and St. Mary Magdalene, and that we may glorify Him in His creatures…God gives even greater proofs of His love… He desires that no limits be set to His work. Therefore, never discredit them because
you are not thus led yourselves”

God is God. Do we believe that?

Dear Lord, I seek your help today. I especially invite you into the specific areas of my heart that hold pain and suffering. I give everything into Your hands; hold me close to you and never let me go. I trust that I am under your loving care and I will hold back nothing from you.
Amen.

You Will Not Have Your Mission Until You Have Your Conviction

Discover Your Mission

Have you heard about the story of a wedding feast in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke? The story goes on like this: “The Kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He sent out his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, but they were unwilling to come…” They made excuses like going to see a field, trying out new oxen and just getting married.

Can you see yourself being invited for this feast? When I consider this, I see how blessed I have been with the fire of the Holy Spirit. I go often to this awesome prayer meeting. I attend mass, where we enter heaven and get fed at a feast. So I am not the one saying “no” to the banquet. Maybe I am one of the messengers, but am I really a faithful messenger? Do I go out with conviction?

Some time ago, an eighth-grader in my CCD class asked me, “Mr. Manicone, what is your mission? How did God let you know what it is?” He caught me off guard for a second. Then I explained, “The Lord made it known to me and remolded me back to the man He meant me to be.” I even shared a dream and a vision with them, but the question kept coming back in my mind.

After a lot of wrestling, I finally came to this conclusion. My mission is about going out—acting, caring, and doing. And a great fact became clear to me, “You will not have your mission until you have your conviction.”

Do I have a real conviction? I have to take a look at what I have conviction about: Drinking my morning coffee? My prayers? Do I share the blessings of the prayer group meetings and the Holy Spirit? I recently heard of my friend trying to get a notice about a charismatic retreat in parish bulletins and no one would allow it. Am I full of conviction to try to get such notices shared? Have you realized, we are losing the battle with many today who have a complacent spirit—a “cannot do” spirit. This is sadly, a great weapon of Satan.

Ready to Take the Risk?

Recently while I was taking a walk back home, I happened to notice a big leaf falling. I ran forward and actually caught it. This happened right after I had prayed about what the Lord was saying to me. A few days later, I realized the point. I went right back to the spot and, as the leaves fell, I reached out but I could not catch any. Then finally I saw a tiny leaf dancing around. I watched the leaf darting so much that I really doubted if I could catch it. Then it drifted right into my hand.

I looked down at it. It was so beaten, eaten up, ripped apart and now dead brown in color after giving all its life. This leaf had lived out its purpose—its conviction. It was living to glorify God the best it could. There are many poor people in this world, underprivileged and abandoned. Just like these little leaves, their lives are falling, ripped apart, and eaten up by the world. We really need to reach out to them before they hit the ground and die alone.

When my dentist friend told me that she is going to serve a mission in Haiti, I thought, “How can you risk your successful life and your children’s lives?” But then I realized that she loves the Lord more than herself and her family. The poor in Haiti need someone, so she will go to them for a manageable time. We should not let the poor leaves in our path fall to the ground, beaten and alone.

What is the great fruit of conviction? It energizes other believers—supercharges them. When I am around a person who has a real conviction, he or she cheers me on. I cheer him or her on as well whenever I see him or her glorifying the Lord.

Never Give Up!

While I was growing up, I hated every word my Mom told me about helping people. Now I treasure every word she spoke then. Somehow I did hear those messages. I saw her speaking to strangers and friends as she suffered for years with cancer. She would say with all her heart, “You must come to know Jesus!” Yes—that is where conviction comes from.

I feel that the seeds of true conviction must be sown right from the early years of life. So do not ever give up on the young. No matter how they appear, they really are hungry for the gift of knowing God. If they look like they are not paying attention, do not give up. I teach CCD and the kids are catching fire. I do not have a lot of knowledge but I do have a conviction. So let us all pray that Jesus deepens the gift of conviction in us. Let us go out with a deep and strong conviction and radiate the light of Christ to those around us.

God is Never Too Busy to Listen; Don’t Be Too Busy to Talk to Him.

First Venture

Once during a sermon, a priest narrated an incident that happened while he was a deacon at a small parish in the countryside. It was the feast of the Immaculate Conception and this meant a grand celebration for the parishioners. The young and vibrant deacon was fully in charge of the event, and he was going about making all the arrangements.

Soon he was so absorbed with the hustle and bustle that he barely had time for personal prayer. That evening, right before the procession, he went to his room to freshen up. Just as he was removing his cassock, he sprained his arm. Awkwardly, he could not bring down his arm, not even in a position to get some help. His mind raced with the long list of “things to do” before the ceremony. Unfortunately, all he could do now was lie on the bed with his arms still raised above his head, as if frozen halfway in the action of removing his cassock.

As he lay on the bed helplessly, tears rolled down his cheeks. It was his first venture being vested the responsibility of a church feast. His head flooded with all the things that could go wrong and fear began to seep in. In his heart resounded the words that our Savior said on the Cross: “My God … Why have You forsaken me?” The deacon got an answer that day. It was simple to the core: “You were too busy for me.”

Perfectly well

He realized how easily he fell into the trap of being too busy. Surrendering everything into God’s hands, he finally began to pray to God, asking Him to take control. After a while, the deacon was able to get up and, although his sprained arms were aching, he managed to get dressed and go to the church. To his amazement, everything went perfectly well. He felt foolish thinking the ceremony would turn pell-mell without his supervision. The deacon, now a gifted priest, recounts this incident saying, “If you are too busy for God, then you are going nowhere!”

Oftentimes, when life seems too hectic and we are carrying the burden of deadlines for projects, surmounting bills to pay and curtailed by job downsizing, we simply feel overstressed. The clock keeps ticking and we scurry to get “bigger and better” things. Satan knows very well how to keep us running in circles to beat the time and make it to the top. How easily we are dissuaded from the real purpose of our life.

A Way to Imitate

Jesus Himself shows us the way to find the real purpose of our life. During His ministry, no matter how great a crowd followed Him and pressed Him for healings, Jesus withdrew into the desert or to the top of mountains to pray to his Heavenly Father. We are called to imitate Him and draw close to God in prayer even in the midst of all our busyness. For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest, you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But when we refuse and flee like horses and ride upon swift reeds, soon will the day come when we look back and see how great our loss is!”

There is a striking incident on busyness in the Bible itself. The story of Martha and Mary from chapter 10 of the Gospel of Luke tells how Martha welcomes Jesus into their home but hurries to prepare the meal. Her sister Mary simply sits at the feet of Jesus and hears the wisdom of Christ. The overwhelmed Martha complains to Jesus asking Him, “Do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?” Jesus answers her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

What Do You Choose?

Martha was indeed doing her duty of preparing the meal and serving the guests. Still Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part. Why? Martha was too consumed with physical needs, while Mary chose to listen to the Word of God present before her in person as Jesus Christ. Today Jesus speaks these same reverberating words to us. Would you choose the better part, which is to listen to Jesus? How do we listen to Jesus? It is no wonder that Jesus speaks to us today but we are so engulfed in frivolous trappings and empty, sensual pleasures of the world. Little do we realize that the world is passing by, our bodies degrading every day and we miss “the only one thing” in life?

Jesus invites you into His friendship. Martha, Mary and Lazarus were His dear friends. Jesus takes one more step to beckon us into a close relationship with Him. The act of trusting Him by simply sitting at His feet and listening to Him is the true beginning of a beautiful relationship with Him.

Listening to Jesus

Even in the grim night when a son comes home calling out to his mom, it does not take even a second for the mother to recognize her son’s voice. In the same way, we need to get familiar with the voice of God, which is open to us through the Word of God. Spending time listening to Jesus by reading the Word makes us familiar with His voice and rejuvenates our spirit to do God’s will. Then when we are stranded in life we can hear the voice clearly saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Jesus looks upon us every moment, yet we seldom look up to Him. He speaks to us today but, sadly, our ears are deafened by social media, news, music, and whatnot. His words of wisdom get drowned in the multitude of distractions in which we are immersed.

There is a famous passage from Saint Augustine’s “Confessions” where he states “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” We tend to miss the bigger picture that God is always trying to draw our attention to Our hearts were made for Him who created us!

A Dream about You

We are too busy fulfilling the desires of the heart that we seldom remember God or turn to Him for help. While He looks over us, we are too busy in the rat race of this world that we do not give God a chance. Do we ever realize that God has a dream about each one of us and we are all sent on a mission in this life on earth? God’s dream about you is bigger and better and it does not end with death. Rather, it turns into an everlasting love that leads to eternal life in heaven.

Jesus longs to tell you today, “Do not be afraid!” He is right beside you to help you, as in Jeremiah: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Now is the time to turn back to God. He longingly waits for your return. Will you sit with Jesus today and say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant listens …”? Surely the Lord will fight for you and you have only to keep still.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, I am sorry for being too busy with the cares and needs of life. Your grace is all I need. Lord, I humbly sit at Your feet to listen to Your voice. Let my heart always seek to listen to Your inspiration, in every moment of my life. Amen.