A CALL TO HOLINESS

Peter James is here! Praise God!

2010-10-27T11:18:00.000-04:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-15T08:51:00.002-05:00

Dear friends and sisters in Christ!

I hope Christ's love has filled your heart this Valentine's day! With Lent starting this Wednesday and preparing for our meeting Tuesday, it was a gift to see how Jesus Christ our Lord is our true and only Valentine, that His life is the best love story we could possibly find in the whole world. For He freely chose to endure the sufferings he faced during His passion for all of our broken, imperfect souls. I feel so unworthily blessed and lucky to have someone that loved me and still loves me this way! What else can I ask... My selfish, ego centered self says.."for my husband to love me this way ;-)"... But how can I even ask this if I myself can't love they way Jesus loves? Not my husband , not my beautiful children not my special friends. I read the famous reading from Corinthians...

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 13:2 And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 13:3 If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast,¹ but do not have love, I receive no benefit.

13:4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. 13:5 It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. 13:6 It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. 13:7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

13:8 Love never ends..."

I am so far away from loving this way as you can see from the bold things I need to work on constantly. But looking again at my crucifix and the beautiful story of love that unfolds from there, all I can say is: " Please Dear Lord teach me to love the way you did, give me the courage to love your way..." HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Eucharistic Congress 2009!

2009-05-17T16:56:00.004-04:00

Mark your calendars today for the Eucharistic Congress on June 12-13 2009!
We are blessed to host here in Georgia the 14th Eucharistic Congress at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park. Just as people gathered to hear and learn from our Lord's teachings, to witness His healing and His miracles, 2000 years later as many as 30,000 faithful gather during this event to do the same. His teachings are still being proclaimed among the turmoils of today's world. And now more than ever, we need His healing, His miracles. And what a better place to find all of this, than in the miracle of His Real Presence in the Eucharist. Come and join us, and let yourself be renewed by His everlasting love and mercy.

This event is free and requires no tickets, be sure to bring your whole family, there is a place for everyone! For more information visit the following link: http://www.archatl.com/congress/

Happy Mother's Day Mary, Mother of our Redeemer!

2009-05-10T14:15:00.002-04:00

Dear Blessed Mother,

Thank you for your "yes" to our Heavenly Father. For teaching us what trust, humility and love is all about. We come to you not only for your protection and intercession, but also for your guidance on how to become better wives and mothers.

"To Jesus through Mary" . Teach us how to love Him and serve Him just like you did.

Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee,
blessed are you amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary Mother of God
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death,
Amen

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T14:13:00.000-04:00

For all mothers, specially those more dear to my heart!

Prayer for Mothers(1 Samuel 1:19-20, 24 & 2:1)
Loving God, as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children, so You watch over Your Church. Bless my mother and all mothers that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect. I thank You for my mother and all mothers for their faithful presence in my life and in our lives. Grant her and them the grace to enjoy the good things of this life and strength to endure the disappointments and sorrow of this life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Thank you Simon

2009-03-11T13:44:00.003-04:00

Last year I felt my cross got to heavy and my mind too cloudy to think. My chest felt tight to the point I couldn't breath. My fast paced life was halted, my thoughts left in blank. I couldn't take one more step and it seemed all I did was cry. I was too proud to ask for help, too insecure , too afraid. I buried myself in despair, in anxiety... it almost felt like hell. And our Savior Jesus Christ, He still found me there.

He reminded me of His passion , of the way of His cross. Of His Divine Mercy and His Everlasting Love. And He sent you, my Simon of Cirene to help me carry my cross. You became His hands and His feet, His voice, His compassion, His healing touch. And my cross became less heavy and my sorrow full of love.

I learned about the power of co-redemption, of uniting my suffering to His for the sake of others. I learned about counting my blessings and finding miracles all over. I learned about His Divine Providence and finding joy in my life and I learned it through the Christ in YOU guiding me with His light.

Today as He blesses me with one more year of life, I wish for nothing more than to serve Him, become His feet and His hands. Become one of His servants just like you did, just like you are.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for responding to His call and bringing peace, joy and healing into mine.

May the Dear Lord bless Luke...

2009-03-03T16:25:00.003-05:00

Happy birth day dear son! Today you turn five! Thank you for the blessings you have brought to my life and for the challenges that are helping me grow closer to God. May God's love continue to reign in your heart and may you continue to grow in love and servive to Our heavenly Father.
Te amo mucho, Mamita

Answering the Call...

2009-02-24T20:37:00.006-05:00

May 2008...March 2009 You will think answering a call wouldn't take this long! But for a perfectionist, control freak person like me, it did. When I realized God's call for me was that of being a wife and mother, like with everything else, I decided to give it my all. All my efforts, energy, plan A B...Z! You name it. Shortly, after only just five years of marriage and two beautiful children, I was completely exhausted, physically, mentally and spiritually. I had driven myself into such a chronic state of anxiety that I was experiencing panic attacks every day. I was going to daily mass at the time and I remember one day severely overwhelmed, trying to make it through communion without passing out, when I completely broke down in tears and asked God "Please help me! I don't know where to go to from here, I don't know what to do!"

I remained "broken" since that day and even though things got worst physically, spiritually that desperate prayer opened a door of healing for my soul. I started reading a book I had on our Little Flower, St. Therese, and shortly afterwards one from St. Francis de Sales. I felt as I had just started therapy with our Divine Master and every minute of reading kept echoing the same thing..."Come to me, just as you are, broken...I will provide the rest" The concept of Divine Providence took a new meaning for me as soon as I was able to accept my true nature. That of nothingness, of total dependence on God. I had nothing to offer Him for this amazing call he had bestowed upon me...nothing but my will on wanting to do it. And you know what? That was exactly what He wanted. Every other expectation I had created myself and I was on a race to prove the world and myself, I could do it all. Even though I was practicing frequent reception of the sacraments and having an active prayer life, I had given my Sweet Jesus permission just to watch, not to lead me or to act in me...HUGE MISTAKE!

Now as I mother my children and take care of my home and keep working on the promise I made to my husband in helping each other in our walk to heaven, I start my day lifting up my heart and soul to my Heavenly Father and keep Him with me through the day close enough that I can see His hand and not mine directing our every word, action and thought. And even though I am still "broken" I have never felt so at peace. I know Who's in charge of my broken pieces and that as long as my heart keeps its doors opens, my Dear Pysician will continue my healing.

Dear Blessed Mother;
Help us be more like you. May our constant need of control, pride and lack of trust don't harden our hearts to the point that we can't see who we really are and our total dependence in your Divine Son's Providence. May we be able to start our days answering the call just as you did: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word."

The holiness behind parenting

2008-05-14T16:07:00.000-04:00

When I started the journey of parenting, just a couple of years ago, a good friend of mine shared a book that became very special to me. The tittle of the book was Raise Happy Children , Raise them Saints by Mary Ann Budnik. The tittle itself just blew my mind and like every new Mom, I just couldn't wait on devouring this book until finding the magic formula to raise my children the best way possible. The series of books were truly amazing and as all of you experienced moms know, there was not such a thing as a magic formula, but I did find something that changed my view on parenting for ever.

Instead of taking every well known saint and offering a detailed character study on them and their unique qualities, they did several case studies on the life of their parents. Never before I sat and read about the life of the parents of our most well known saints and their struggles, fears and joys in parenting. For them parenting was not just another ordinary thing to juggle among their busy lives but the most extraordinary thing to do with their lives. And the outcome, oh well , we know the rest of the story, remarkable individuals whose endless fountain of love, loyalty and service to our Lord not only gain them the tittle of saint but what is best of all, a place in heaven. We are ALL called to be saints, but those that embrace children through the vocation of marriage are called, through the grace of God, to FORM them.

Now as I look into the eyes of my little ones , I can't feel anything else but gratitude and appreciation at the holy task our Lord has entrusted me through parenting.
God bless !