Prayer for the Conversion of Friends and Family

Got this from a friend in Ohio this morning....

Conversion Prayer for Family and Friends

Heavenly Father, Saint Alban was converted by a priest whom he sheltered from persecutions and rescued by changing clothes with him. As the patron saint of converts, I ask him to pray with me for all the people I know who have not yet converted. O Lord, remove from their lives all the crutches they've been leaning on when they should be turning to You. When people reach their bottom, help them to see that they have nowhere else to turn, so that they look upwards to You and realize it's You they need. Send angels and people into their lives who will deliver them into Your arms. Saint Alban, pray for us.
Amen.

Dear Lord, You took on our human nature, to suffer and die, to win salvation for all of us. Look graciously on those who have drifted away from You and the Faith. Grant them the grace, O Lord, to see how much you love and care for them, so that they may return to Your fold. Grant us the grace, O Lord, to refrain from criticizing them, but by prayer and kindness, lead them back to You, and the Church You established for our guidance and care.

O Victorious Lady, Thou who has ever such powerful influence with Thy Divine Son, in conquering the hardest of hearts, intercede for those for whom we pray, That their hearts may be softened by the rays of Divine Grace, they may return to the unity of the true Faith, through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Our Lady of the Rosary pray for them

Our Lady of Victory, Our Mother, intercede for our prayers, and encourage your children to come back to Jesus.
Amen.

Fruit from the tree

And one more thing before this day ends.

There is fruit. Beautiful fruit of prayer. My sister phoned me to let me know that our mutual prayers for A are bearing fruit. The most wonderful thing is that she recognizes that the good things that are happening to her heart and her position are due to the prayer of her mother and aunt.

Yes. Prayer. But especially God's most merciful love and fondness for this beautiful child of God. May she continue to be a blessing to her mother, and especially, one day, praise Him with all her heart and joyful smiles.

And another piece of fruit is that G's family were all together, working as brothers and sisters, in peace for the sake of their mother, helping her move. This would have been impossible years ago. So I stand in thanksgiving to our Lord, and hereby on paper and with my heart, thank God for opening the hearts of these people. One step closer to forgiveness.

Lord, please, in the hearts of the 49 I pray for, open their stony hearts, and continue to let your light penetrate the darkness and reveal yourself.

AMEN. PAX.

Our Lady and Feast of the Assumption

I was born on the feast of Our Lady of Carmel.
40 years ago I was married at the Immaculate Conception 24 hours after the Feast of the Assumption.
My patroness of the Five Smooth Stones is Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Her mother, Saint Anne is my patron saint.

It never really occurred to me, until today, what a connection I have to Our Lady.

Just interesting.

Today I went to Mass at the church where I was married 40 years ago. I thought I went alone.
My husband was busy watching tv and didn't really want to go anyway.

So, as I sat down in the pew, I was a little sad. Jesus spoke to me. I inwardly felt his love and concern for me, and felt a blanket of love. I was definitely not alone, and realized the greatest love of my love did come to Mass with me.

My family was there as well. I was not alone in the seat. My Blessed Mother was there, with all her love and kindly gaze on me. My brothers were on the altar. All of them, The apostles St. Matthew, St. John, St. Peter....

I was not alone. As I looked to my left, I saw the statue of Saint Anne, and was so glad to know that no matter how alone I appear to be in this journey some time, I am most certainly not. And yes, I know that that was just a piece of nicely carved wood to my left, but in reality, all the angels and saints do join us at Mass.

And at the Holy Holy Holy, they were most certainly there. I asked for their blessing on my marriage, and my vocation.

An inward consolation, Jesus told me my primary vocation is to love Him with my whole heart, and then to share that love, even with my silence when necessary. And that he loves me. He really loves me.

Silence when necessary. It's interesting. Popularly said, Preach the gospel, and when necessary use words. It feels like today, it's my silence that preaches. And not a stony, angry silence. Just a silence that communes more with the unseen than the seen today.

In communion with all the angels and saints on this wonderful day, I ran to Saint Anne and asked her to pray especially for the women at Sancta Maria house and a "little butterfly" who is struggling with addiction, depression and despair. My lovely Saint Anne is one of my best friends in heaven.

After Mass, as well, I realized the last time I attended Mass with my earthly father, was 40 years ago today. I pray with all my heart that he was there today, praying for all of our family together in hope that one day we will by choice, sit at a pew together ... the seen and the unseen, in communion with all the brothers and sisters, and our Mother in Heaven.

Amen.

40 years ago today.

40 years ago today I ate dinner with my parents at their home.
It was a hot day, and after supper I walked down the street, turned right onto Macadam Road and looked at Dianne's house, then the house beside her, the Thornes, the Smiths, and then down to the Muellers. As I walked I realized it was probably going to be the last time I walked this street.
These were the streets that taught me how to love, how to cherish friendships, how to forgive. I was hurt on these streets. I had scraped knees, hurt feelings, shameful moments, angry moments with friends. Embarrassing moments with my parents.
I also laughed so hard that I didn't think I could stop. I read comic books, collected tadpoles and frogs. Built tree-forts. Rode bikes. Defended my sisters from the bad guys. Took ride in cars with boys.
Some of the friends that I made on those streets I'm still friends with today. I can drive to their house, and I know it would be like yesterday.
There's a lot of blessings that I can write about.
Forty years is a long time to love.

Happy Anniversary, honey.

From last Sunday's second reading...

Romans 9:1-5

This is the truth and I am speaking in Christ, without pretence, as my conscience testifies for me in the Holy Spirit;
² there is great sorrow and unremitting agony in my heart:
³ I could pray that I myself might be accursed and cut off from Christ, if this could benefit the brothers who are my own flesh and blood.
⁴ They are Israelites; it was they who were adopted as children, the glory was theirs and the covenants; to them were given the Law and the worship of God and the promises.
⁵ To them belong the fathers and out of them, so far as physical descent is concerned, came Christ who is above all, God, blessed for ever. Amen.


Paul speaks to me about his sadness, that his brothers and sisters, his own flesh and blood do not know the wonderful relationship that they can have with Christ. They were adopted as children, the glory was theirs. They were given these gifts from childhood, and yet reject them.

He goes to the extent of praying that he become cut off from Christ, if that could benefit his brothers.

This is a huge statement, because his relationship with Christ is all. So much so that he was willing to go to death, death by sword rather than deny him.

Paul's sadness actually brings me in closer communion with him, as I begin to understand that the journey of five smooth stones is not always going to appear to be fruitful. Perseverence will be the key.

Although I have not been journal-ling here,  I have been journey-ing, praying for you, my brothers and sisters that you may come to know Him and Love Him who is searching for you every day. I prayed for you yesterday and the day before, entreating our Lady of Guadalupe to join me. This week I've been especially aware of at least 10 children who did not make it to earth, but are in heaven, interceding for you. A child of my mother's womb, who was miscarried between my sister Di and I, and a brother of Gary's, who was born near my birthday, and 8 others who pray with me at each Mass.

Since I last wrote, little fruits have happened. I am aware, deeply aware, however, that one day, my prayers will be more united with the ten who did not see the light of day. I will be joining them, hand in hand, as we pray for you. Life is just a short blink of an eye. Eternity is ... well... eternity. There are so many waiting for you, and praying for you, with hope in their hearts.

Today I ask St. Paul to pray for me, that I may run the race, that I do not weary, and that with the help of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, you may one day join me, while I still breathe, to pray for our brothers and sisters.

The children who pray for us

So beautiful. J. reminded me of two more children in heaven praying for us. Her own little one, who left us (too early for us, but right for God) is interceding, as well as D's little Anna. In the silence of my heart, I saw our relatives with them, praying for us. I include them now, in my Mass at the Sanctus.

Sharing with J. of the marching orders was scary and exciting at the same time. Only with the prompting of the Holy Spirit can I have the courage to share what I know is God's will.

How do I know it's God's will? Because He loves us, and desires us all to be united with Him! It's not about me, it's not about any kind of miraculous things that may and will happen. It's about the end-game. It's about every person in this family seeing our Lord face to face with JOY not fear, with Love not anger, with Understanding, not confusion. That is His will.

Our only part, you who reads this, is to continue to pray with all our heart that God's will be done in every one of their lives. Pray for their good. Pray for peace and joy in the hearts. Even when you are having a crappy day, and the world seems to be against you. Even when you have anger in your heart. Put it all aside for the time of a prayer to ask God to bless them. And if you go to Mass (where the centre of all the power from Christ comes forth through the Eucharist) bring them all with you. Ask Jesus, if it be His will, to bless each and every one that you are praying for with the fruit of this Eucharistic union.

If you haven't been to Mass for a long time, especially the sacrament of Penance (Confession) think about it. That's where you get your heavenly armor - the strength to spiritually handle almost anything. I don't enter any battle without making sure I have my armor on.

If you just can't do that right now, know that I'm praying for you, your relatives and loved ones in heaven and purgatory are praying for you as well, and that nothing is impossible with God.

I love you.

The feast of the Holy Trinity June 15, 2014

Today's feast of the Holy Trinity, is also the Feast of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, and Father's Day.

The church was full to the rafters today with many of our Portuguese parishoners as they had a procession all around the church.

Yesterday I spent the day with Lucy, praying for our family, praying for you. It was lovely. Poor Lucy's memory extends over the last half hour before she starts again, but her long term memory is wonderful. She is living the sacrament of the present time.

Today at Mass, it was brought to mind the children who might have been with us, but aren't. I saw them hand in hand with Ellie, sharing the Mass with us. I pray that they could hear me, as I asked them to join in prayer for all the people in our family. I welcomed them with love. I look forward to seeing them in heaven one day.

At the Sanctus I ask all of our relatives in heaven and purgatory to pray for all of us on earth, for healing and reconciliation. Today I asked those children who, for one reason or another, did not share life with us, to pray for us as well.

Pray for us, Our Lady of Guadalupe, that we be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we will be made worthy of the Promises of Christ.

It's been an amazing couple of weeks. In my last entry, I wrote how Erica Gibello opened our eyes to the marching orders, and how it's not just me praying anymore. I'm united with my sister now.
Praise God. I know that our united prayers, together with all the ancestors in heaven and purgatory, who are also praying with us, will truly set a path of restoration and recovery for every member in our family... if they choose to accept it.

That's the frustrating thing sometimes. That "free will" thing that God has given us. When we open our will and align it with God's, we truly have peace, but it's hard to do that sometimes. Sin and past hurts and shame block our receptivity. So, it's up to intercessors, especially our relatives in heaven and in purgatory, to storm the gates of heaven and ask for help, but at the same time, trust that each and every one of the 49 members of the family will come to know the reality of God's love for us.

There are chinks in the wall, when I have a chance to see them. Little things, like an openness to prayer. Little things, like walking into my mom's apartment and she's watching a Christian television show. (that's not so little, really!) And seeing the crucifix outside of the shirt on some loved ones, bearing witness, perhaps without being aware of it. Another chink, is having one sister stare for over two minutes at the baptism picture of another sister. Lord, we are praying! Hear our prayer.

The ninth day of my novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots I received three job offers on the same day. I have taken one of the offers and I am praying hard that I am a good and worthy employee and a witness to God in everything I do, even if I don't necessarily say "God this, and God that". I believe that this must be God's will, for one reason or another, especially because of the call which happened at such an opportune time.

I will be missing my morning Mass! I am looking for opportunities to spend time with the Lord nonetheless. Wednesday night, first Fridays, and weekends. Time in prayer, of course. Praying for you in the novenas and rosaries.

And every step towards the Eucharist. I hear the "call" in so many of the homilies, and so many different things that are said to me, that I know that these marching orders to pray for you are real and definitely God's will. Even though I don't talk to you, or see you on a regular basis, know that you are continually in my prayers, and I trust that God is working in your life, whether or not I know about it. I'm just an instrument of intercession. When He wants me to know something, he'll let me know!

Last Saturday was the Vigil of Pentecost. I was blessed to be there with my sister S. It was a very peaceful time of prayer and praise and worship. Two priests were there to pray over people and to me it was like heaven. I kept on seeing people that I knew from the past, or another conference, or retreat, RCIA etc. etc. It must be like that in heaven, bumping into people who love Jesus too.

God spoke clearly to me at one point. He told me that I was his "fool for Christ" And yes, truly I was and continue to be his fool. When I had my conversion, so many people had thought I had gone crazy. My parents, my friends, my husband, my family. I could not stop being a fool for Him, regardless of the concern or distain that people had for my new found love. It was... what it was.

Then God told me, (on Saturday) that S. was his "Joy of the Lord". And she is. Even in her pain, she has Joy. It's a wonderful gift.

Then Gold told me that my other sister would be "the strength of His arm." Wow. I wonder what that will be? I wonder what that means? Only time will tell.  I stood there in awe that those words were said to me.  And dear sister, know this. If you are reading this because I told you to read this — you are the Strength of His Arm. This was in the first week of June, 2014. WOW.

Coincidences

S and I spent two days (24 hours) with an interesting woman. Her name is Erika Gibello.
Google her. I'm almost too exhausted to explain. It's 8:47 on a Saturday night and I don't know if I need my bed and a comfortable fetal position or to run to the nearest blessed sacrament and spent the night with Jesus.
Yesterday was relatively gentle and quiet. In fact, my prideful self told me this woman, (whose life reads like a good spy novel) didn't have anything new to tell me.

She did mention praying to the Virgin and reliance on her intercessory help. Good. Because that's exactly what I am doing right now. Praying for you every day. Our Lady Undoer of Knots, and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Erika said to look for signs that our Lady is listening and responding to our prayer. Good. Because I like signs. I like to see God's life all around me.

9pm came fast. It was all over, and S and I were driving to her place deciding whether or not to go the next day. Maybe not. Maybe we could to to Granville Island. Maybe we could just have fun.

We were hungry to we decided to stop for sushi.

Girl sat us down at a table in a busy techno music filled room with Warhol art and giant seafood paper mache dripping from the ceiling. In this crazy hipster atmosphere, at 10pm at night, we sat down for a few little rolls at a table that had a candle with

Our Lady of Guadalupe. Every table had Our Lady of Guadalupe shining candles on it.

Okay. That's a sign. Maybe we should go tomorrow.

After a wonderful morning walk we arrived a little late (better late than never) I was tired, and almost was falling alseep for the first session, until Erika mentioned that
your involvement with the occult will open doors to evil that will stretch throughout your family for three generations.

 
Oh. Oh. Okay. The Lord has been asking me to pray for 15 years. Yes. I was restored and redeemed by the blood of Jesus through the hands of a little New York nun on September 12, 1997 after years and years and years of openess to a new age lifestyle and acceptance. So it turns out that my mission is one of repentence and personal renouncing and prayer.

Deep repentance. I woke up. This little old lady, who had travelled the world with the Catholic Church's #2 exorcist, and had been involved in deliverence ministry from every country from Hong Kong, to Goa, to Europe, to Nigeria. Pretty much anywhere that Jesus shows up, and evil shows up, they showed up. This is bottom line the woman who has been there, done that. Her husband is a renowned artist. She is a pharmacist by trade, born in Austria, well spoken and intelligent. And a no-nonsense type of prayer warrior. I don't even think she's impressed too much by the rosary! It's getting to the point kind of prayer that she is the type of spirituality of I was gathering.

But wow. After the first break, I could not write fast enough for the information I was getting from  her. I cannot write it here. I have it in my notebook. Needless to say, the next couple of days are going to be interesting in the prayer front.  I am going to welcome a few more intercessors to my fold. They are in heaven, and I don't know their names yet, but I will. None of this makes sense, I know. Not to you. But in time, God willing. In fact, in heaven it makes a whole lot of sense. And I welcome my new intercessors to my fold. I love you, I am grateful for you, and I welcome you to every aspect of my life, as if you were living here. You were willed to live, and now you live with Jesus. Thank you Jesus.

I had my prayer. My prayer for you. Erika laid hands on me, after reading my prayer and smiling. She began to pray in a language I didn't understand. It might have been tongues (I think so) then moved on. Then looking back at me, as if she got an extra message (and I believe she did) she returned to me, and laid hands on me again and it was if a spark of spiritual energy broke through her and laid me flat.

There were several other things that happened. Prayer that ended at the perfect time, Jesus revealing himself in the 5th mystery of the Joyful mysteries with my sister about D. Finding love in the 5th mystery of the Rosary near Joyce and Kingsway. Recognizing that Jesus is in charge of this whole praying for the family at the perfect time and the perfect place.

These last 24 hours gave me hope, but also made me very aware of the difficulties that surround this particular ministry. We have to pray deeply for forgiveness, and repentance before the real healing can begin. There is much generational darkness, wounds that have not healed and the presence of evil that was opened through an openess to the dark arts.

Much to pray about. It's a good thing we are the church militant.

Steps towards the altar

This week has been bittersweet.
I said goodbye to my class, with a lovely dinner party at our house.
Of course I will be seeing some or most of them from time to time at Mass.

During daily Mass, praying for my family, It came to me. Every step towards Jesus in the Eucharist can represent one person. G and L, D and B, every brother and sister, or brother-in-law and sister in law, every intention with every step. I can bring them all with me to Jesus.

The 9am Mass has the rosary recited before it. So beautiful.

So I sit and wait, sit and pray,  plant the tomato plants, and hope that God will reveal a little more to me this week!

Marching Orders

Over the last six or seven years in my journey of Faith as a Catholic, I have been blessed to be a part of RCIA at my parish. As a facilitator, I waited every September for people to "just show up". These people always came from diverse backgrounds, religions and reasons to attend. The purpose of RCIA is to instruct, inform and journey with people on their way to the Catholic Church family. On Easter Vigil, in the case of an unbaptized person, they receive three sacraments, baptism, confirmation and the reception of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

It's been frustrating at times, wonderful at times, and miraculous most of the time. You start off the year with a group of people who know nothing of each other. Sometimes an ex-gang member will be looking across the table at a lawyer or doctor. A Buddhist looking across the table to a Jehovah Witness. 

It's the diversity that always makes things interesting, because at the end of this time, at Holy Saturday, these people are family and church to each other. They truly care about each other, and love each other.

The binding factor? Not me. It's Jesus. The Love of Christ compels them in a way that is mysterious, miraculous and beautiful. If you are reading this (and why are you reading this?) you may be coming from a secular standpoint and have all kinds of conclusions. I'm not writing this to convert you. In fact, this is not even a public post, really. It's here because one day if my computer dies, or I'm away from it, (preferably on a beautiful island or trattoria somewhere) I can continue to post.

If you are reading this because I instructed you to read this, then hallelujah! This means that my prayers, for however long we've been praying, have been answered. I praise and thank God for you, and I'm so glad that he's heard my prayers, because really it was His idea for me to do this in the first place.

Confused? Sure, that's okay. So was I. Here we will start. With a bit of confusion. Sit with me as we go back back back in time...

It's September 12, 1997. One week before Mother Teresa of Calcutta dies. I'm minding my own business and living my own life. I am raising kids, busy as a production manager for a publishing company, and in no way whatsoever ... religious.

It all changed on September 12, 1997. I will not go into details here. If I've asked you to read this, then you can ask me what happened. Suffice it to say, I never looked back. I only knew one thing about God. He loved me. He really loved me.

A few months before September 12, 1997 I had a mystical experience. Something that is rare, unpredictable and didn't make sense to me. I was driving home from work, in rush hour on Kingsway, heading towards 8th Ave to end up on the Pattullo Bridge. I saw Jesus.

Crazy? Yeah. Right at our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, in the garden strip between the church and Kingsway, there was what I thought was a man dressed perfectly as Jesus, looking like Jesus, starting at me as I was at the stop light. The light was red. I stared at him and he smiled at me. I shook my head. This didn't make sense. There was no one around him. Were they making a movie? Was this some kind of stunt? His smile compelled me. It wasn't that I didn't believe in Jesus, I just didn't believe that Jesus would be looking at me and smiling at me like he knew some sort of secret. I did not know at that time at all that the Christ I saw looked exactly like the Christ in the Divine Mercy. I didn't even know what the Divine Mercy was. I barely knew who Christ was. But, when I saw the image of the Divine Mercy for the first time I was floored. There He was, again!

The light turned green after what seemed like an eternity and I carried on, really shaken by what I saw. (I haven't shared this with more than a handful of people)

That experience led me to the Experience. September 12, 1997.

The experience of September 12 1997 led me to Christ in the Catholic Church. 

Christ led me to understand the nature and importance of forgiveness. FORGIVENESS.
Forgiveness was to become a theme in my life as I was called to forgive again and again and again and again and again and again.... I'm still forgiving.

In forgiving, I am truly free. This freedom allows me to carry on my life with no regrets, much less anger, and more open-ness to Christ's purpose in my life.

His purpose in my life since 1998 has been to pray for my family. At every Mass.

That's why you are reading this. I've been praying for you since 1998. At ALMOST every Mass. I have to be honest, some Masses I've attended since them have called me to pray for a recently deceased friend, or my Father, or some other urgent need. But for the most part, you have been in my prayers. You and your loved ones. The whole family.

Sometimes by name I have pleaded with Christ for you to know Him, Love Him and journey with Him. Again.

You might have had an amazing relationship with him in the past, but lost that love. I do not in any way presume to know what your relationship has been. I only know that Christ has compelled me to pray for you, specifically.

 SERVICE AND SEEING CHRIST IN OTHERS

Christ compelled me to service that would transform my heart and to understand what you went through all these years. When I walked the street with Agape, I would see woman after woman who in her brokeness would share with me the horrors of her childhood. My heart broke as we prayed together. So many women, so many stories. My sisters were every woman I met. My prayers for them were also my prayers for you. Heal them O Lord, from their painful memories. Go into the deepest parts of their hearts and reside their O Christ and sit with them in their pain. You were there O Lord when these horrible things happened and changed their innocence into the most painful thing a child can experience.

I know pain as a child. Physical pain. But this kind of pain spreads itself to all aspects, I've come to know it damages you spiritually, physically, emotionally. But God heals all of those parts. Sometimes as a miracle, right away, sometimes like a wave of water that washes over the sore parts, healing slowly, but still healing.

Christ led me from the streets into the closet, where I learned how to pray in a different way. The Bible, with its Psalms cried out in pain to God, for help, for refuge, for safety. I saw every face that was wounded in every prayer. I saw your face there too, and prayed for you in that quiet place.

The Lord let me to His own and I became a Eucharistic Minister, where I learned to love him even more. Holding him tenderly as I gave him to his Loved ones, I was so honored to be with him in this special way.

And then RCIA. It was a homecoming in a way, being with the people I loved so much who brought me into the church as a wonderful family. I also saw the people entering, who in their wonder and hope and worry sometimes would take those first few steps to knowing Christ and his Church.

After 10 years of being in RCIA, the Lord began to prompt me to something much deeper.

I had already been praying for you since my baptism in 1998 on Holy Saturday. Praying every week. Many times being frustrated, because although you and I never talked or even had anything to do with each other, I only hoped the Lord was working in your life. There was no "sign" that the healing I prayed for was happening at all.

The Lord wanted you to be healed. How? In the message that He gave me to your mother, so many years before I became a Catholic. TEN YEARS before 1998, in 1988, I heard the Lord, audibly, to tell your mother these words....

Forgive.... and you shall be healed.

Tell Her! is what the Lord was calling me to say. I argued with the Lord for hours. Not knowing what THIS VOICE WAS CONSTANTLY saying to me, over and over again. 

Finally, crying, I told your mother. "This voice is telling me to tell you this. Forgive and you shall be healed" Now I can sleep, because this voice told me I would sleep once I told you that.

In 1998. Ten years later, I'm praying for the healing of our family. Our horribly broken family. And now, in 2014. I'm still praying. There's been a few gentle nudges here and there of some healing, but for the most part, no sign of life on the healing front.

The nudging from the Lord in the beginning of 2014 was becoming insistent. I loved being part of RCIA. I loved the guys who helped me. I didn't want to stop. But I've been here before with the Lord. His nudges will continue until I finally become more obedient and docile to the Holy Spirit. More on that, maybe later.

the five smooth stones

I was looking forward to going to the Westminster Abbey for a three day retreat. I was bringing with me one question. Should I really leave my missionary work as an RCIA facilitator? I was almost complete in my formation as a faciliator, and loved this so much. But nagging in the back of my head was the need to truly be hands and feet when it came to you. I pray, yes, pray every week. But how much love do I really have? The Lord desires you to come to his heart, and he desires me to pray for you. But was there something more.

This is where the five smooth stones were formed. At Westminster Abbey.

Goliath

Father Jun Reyes from IC was our spiritual retreat master. He spoke on many things. One thing specifically was this, in a nutshell.

For forty days the Israeli army, under Saul, had been at a standstill against the Philistines, with Goliath taunting them every day. No one had made a move. 

David was living with his father Jesse, still tending the sheep. Many of his brothers had gone to fight with Saul, and had sent a message to send food and supplies. David, small of stature, loving and obedient set out to the battlefield with the items. When he saw what was going on, he said that he would slay the Goliath. Saul tried to throw some heavy armor on him but he rejected it, because of its heaviness and lack of trust in God, who would defeat Goliath, with the small help of David and five smooth stones.

Don't we all have Goliath's in our life? Depression, lack of trust, anger, maybe an inability to pay our bills, hurt, unforgiveness. By accepting the world's solution, like Saul's armor, we repress the work of God in our lives. It's like we are refusing the miracle of the five smooth stones.

This became clear to me. I saw the Goliath. The anger, unforgiveness and resentment in our family has become a wall between each of us and God. I had to become David. I had to be willing to throw off the world, which says things like "forget about them, they don't even give a shit about you. It doesn't matter about them, carry on with your life. Why waste time and trouble... etc. etc. etc.

And I have to say that was tempting, except for the prompting of the Lord.

Did you know we're all called to be saints? And saints don't give up, especially in situations like this. It's not about me, you understand, it's about God's purpose for you. I'm nothing more than a silly donkey that carries prayers to Him. I'm a stubborn little donkey.  Sometimes I get lost, sometimes my front feet drop down in anger and frustration, but the Lord is my Shepherd, and he prods me forward, because he loves you, even when I have trouble doing that.

I only have to remember your pain, and my pain and how forgiveness has broken through the strongholds of the evil one to the light of Christ and my legs lift and I walk again.

 

I saw the five smooth stones. 

The first stone was simply communion with Christ. Bringing you to Mass with me as much as possible. Daily. Praying for the men in our family in the Precious Blood. Praying for all of us in His Body. Daily Mass only strengthens my resolve more

The second stone was prayer. Even this blog is a prayer. I try to pray the Rosary as much as possible, and now bought an amazing book last week, MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS! This will be amazing. I will continue to write about this as we go on.

The third stone was service. Service of love to you. Anything I can do to show you how much God loves you in one way or another. It's all up to Him. He's going to create the opportunities. All I have to do is obey and respond to the opportunities. I'll write about the opportunities as they come along, like being able to help you by taking Mom home from the hospital. Like being able to pray with her and share GOd's love for our family with her.

The fourth stone is amazing, because if you're reading this right now, you are now part of the fourth stone. Pray with me. Share with me this journey of prayer for our brothers in sisters still broken. That is God's purpose for you right now. Walk with me for the redemption of our brothers and sisters still hurting. I know that you're still healing as you read this and there's still pain. But something that just happened (and remember this is May 9, 2014 that I'm writing this) and I was compelled to tell you to read this. It might be 2024 for all I know. But I trust God. Pray for our family. Go to Mass. Pray for the healing of our family by name.

The fifth stone is the most amazing. That's the stone that kills Goliath.

God is good. All the time.

The beginning of the journey

 

five smooth stones

A journal of prayer, spiritual warfare, love and redemption.