This I know

The other day I had a conversation with a priest. He made this comment to me, "You really love Jesus don't you?" Of course I said yes.
I do, but sadly, some times I don't act like it and sometimes I don't feel like it.

But this I know!
Jesus loves me.

I have this little theme in life and its called perseverance. It's very biblically based. I actually started writing a book about perseverance a few years ago. I had started from the beginning of the New Testament and was looking for every instance of perseverance. I made a few comments on each passage. I managed to get through Matthew and Mark and was into Luke. Maybe some day I'll begin to persevere on writing my book again. Do you think you'd read it? Here are some of the passages I found:

My first passage was Matthew 4:1-2: "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwords He was hungry." Wow, Jesus really persevered in his fast!

I found this one: Matthew 8:21-22 "Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy seven times." Wow, you really gotta persevere in forgiving...... A LOT. That's love!

Oh and in Mark 15:3-4 there's this one, "The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilot questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer that Pilot was amazed."
Jesus sure persevered in silence, maybe I could learn something from that. Maybe I could actually amaze somebody by being quiet some day. It's a thought.

And then in Luke 8:43-44 and 48: "And a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years, who had spent her whole livelihood on doctors and was unable to be cured by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the tassel on his cloak. Immediately her bleeding stopped. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you, go in peace." Ah....her long suffering was not in vain....her perseverance had meaning. Notice it didn't say she was healed, which indeed the implication is she was, but it said she was saved.

If our long sufferings aren't healed certainly our long faithfulness will save us. Stay faithful and you will be saved.


Persevere in Faith....Because This I Know.....Jesus Loves You Too!!

The Beginning of School Should Remind Us to Start Saying Some Special Prayers for Our Children!

I am the president of the Confraternity of Christian Mothers at my church and we meet once a month. Our regular meetings begin with Mass followed by a special set of prayers and then a breakfast and talk by a guest speaker.

Our July speaker was Shane Kennett, mother of seminarian Cole Kennett. Shane was a fabulous speaker and I think I can speak for all the women present at her talk, we hung on every word! Shane had so much wisdom to pass along and she was a convicted woman! Regretfully I didn't take notes at the meeting but I did e-mail her later to refresh me on the intentions she always says for her 4 children and I'd like to pass them on to you. This is such a good time of the year, with the start of school right around the corner, to start praying in a special way for our children.

Here is what Shane sent to me about our morning and what she prays for her children:

"It was quite a morning...so great to see all of you and your smiling faces. The three things I petition for while my kids are students are:

1. They have one really good friend and that they are a really good friend.
2. Someone at school fans the flame of their faith and they fan the fire of someone elses faith.
3. They discover what their gifts are so they can glorifying God with their gifts.

I also pray that they have a deep desire for Jesus, that they are evangelizers, that their faith is firmly planted and that they pass this faith down from generation to generation. I ask that if they ever leave the church or sin mortally that God changes their hearts. I ask that God helps us put them through college and on the path that He wants and where He wants. And finally I ask God to pick out really virtuous individuals for them to marry someday (if they do marry) or help them to discern what their vocation in life is. I ask God that if they do marry, that these inviduals will either be good Catholics or be willing to become Catholic. Oh, Jackie, there is so much to pray for."

God Bless you and may your school year start with prayer!