Community Chat

[gloriajean]

To be successful in the projects you undertake today, you must believe in
yourself and your abilities even if you are walking on new ground. Lord,
guide me in my endeavors and open my mind to new solutions if things
aren't going as I have planned.


Scripture for the day:

"Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in
your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you
I wait all day long." ~Psalm 25:4-5

Meditation for the day:

There is much beauty in a God-guided life. There is wonder in the
feeling of being led by God. We can try to realize God's bounty and
goodness more and more. God is planning for us. God's ways are
wonderful. They are beyond our knowledge. But God's leading can
enter our consciousness more and more, and bring us ever more peace
and joy. Our lives are being blessed by God. We can count all
material things as loss if they prevent us from winning our way to the
consciousness of
God's guidance.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may earn the rewards of God's power and peace. I pray
that I may develop my awareness of being led by God.

Hello my friends! Today was a long day for me - we went to the 7:30 Mass
because Linus and Lori left to go to a Twin's game in MPLS, and took the
train, so I had Ollie all day - but the blessing was that he was a good boy,
and so was Sammy - they finally are getting along better now - Praise the
Lord! Lori was here for supper - just left a little while ago. I'm tired
and don't have much to say tonight - so I'll get on with the thread for you
with prayers for all your intentions and many thanks for your prayers for
us.

I SHALL RETURN


When the great explorer Shackleton was on his quest for the South Pole, he
was at one time driven back, and was compelled to leave some of his men on
Elephant Island, though he promised that he would return for them.

But when he endeavored to get back, he found a sea of ice between him and
the island. What should he do? He had promised, and he must keep his word.

He tried to reach them, but failed. He tried again and again, but without
success. Beyond the ice were his trusting companions, who had every
confidence in him. They had only a few supplies with them. At that time of
the year it seemed folly to hope for any favorable change in the weather,
and he was told that there was absolutely no hope of getting his little
boat, the Yalcho, through the great ice barrier to Elephant Island.

He could not be inactive. He must reach his men; so at the risk of losing
his boat and the lives of his crew, he pushed in nearer to the island; and
unexpectedly there came an opening in the ice. He hurried in, rescued his
men, and in an hour was back again with all on board. Had they been delayed
only a few minutes more, their frail vessel would have been destroyed by the
crashing of the ice as it closed in.

When they were sure they were beyond danger and the nervous tension was
over, Shackleton said to one of the rescued companions, Well, you were
packed and ready, weren't you?

Yes, came back the reply, We never lost hope. We believed you would come for
us, even though circumstances were unfavorable. You had promised, and we
expected you; so each morning we rolled up our sleeping bags and packed all
our equipment, that we might be ready. And now they were all safe and
homeward bound, happy that they had been prepared daily.

PRECIOUSNESS OF SILENCE

"Lord, set a guard over my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips." Ps 141:3

"But Jesus was silent." Mt 26:63

The Silence is Meekness.
When you do not defend yourself against offenses;
When you do not claim your rights;
When you let God defend you;
The Silence is Meekness.

The Silence is Mercy.
When you do not reveal the faults of your brothers to others;
When you readily forgive without inquiring into the past;
When you do not judge, but pray in your heart;
The Silence is Mercy.

The Silence is Patience.
When you accept suffering not with grumbling but joyfully;
When you do not look for human consolations;
When you do not become too anxious, but wait in patience for the seed to
germinate;
The Silence is Patience.

The Silence is Humility.
When there is no competition;
When you consider the other person to be better than yourself;
When you let your brothers emerge, grow and mature;
When you joyfully abandon all to the Lord;
When your actions may be misinterpreted;
When you leave to others the glory of the enterprise;
The Silence is Humility.

The Silence is Faith.
When you keep quiet because you know that the Lord will act;
When you renounce the voice of the world to remain in the presence of the
Lord;
When you do not labour yourself to be understood;
because it is enough for you to know that the Lord understands you;
The Silence is Faith.

The Silence is Adoration.
When you embrace the cross without asking "Why?";
The Silence is Adoration.

"But Jesus was silent."

From the Missionaries of Charity Prayer Book

Irish Litany of Mary

Great Mary
Greatest of Marys
Greatest of Women
Mother of Eternal Glory
Mother of the Golden Light
Honor of the Sky
Temple of the Divinity
Fountain of the Gardens
Serene as the Moon
Bright as the Sun
Garden Enclosed
Temple of the Living God
Light of Nazareth
Beauty of the World
Queen of Life
Ladder of Heaven
Mother of God
Pray for us

The Purpose of Pain

In the apple-growing state of Maine in America, I was visiting a farmer
friend and saw an apple tree so loaded down with fruit that the branches had
to be propped up to keep them from breaking under the weight of apples.

When I remarked about the fruitfulness of the tree, my friend said to me,
"Go over and look at that tree's trunk down near the bottom."

There I saw that the tree had been badly wounded by a big gash across its
side. The farmer explained, "That is something we have learned about apple
trees. When the growing tree tends to run to wood and leaves and not to
fruit, we stop it by wounding it, by cutting into its bark. And we don't
know why, but almost always the result is that the tree turns its energies
to producing fruit."

Could that be a parable for some of us human apple trees in the human
orchard?

NO MORE WITH ME
Author Unknown


"Im sorry. Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said
as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I'll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind
an older person I've gotten impatient and upset. I've huffed and
zoomed around them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere. Perhaps
I'm more aware of it now because I see myself there one day soon.
Today I saw myself in this old man's shoes and it caused me to slow down,
stop and ask for his forgiveness.

He was about five or six people ahead of me. I was in a hurry and saw
him as an obstacle. I've seen people get off the end of an escalator
and stop dead in their tracks, gather their things and suddenly
there's a pile up of angry
people behind them. You can't stop an escalator full of people behind
you. Like the Energizer bunny, they keep on goin'.

This man was well aware of the challenge. He tried desperately to step
aside. Fumbling with his small packages, struggling to gain his
footing, you could see how troubling this was for him. "I'm sorry.
Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said as he
struggled to get off the escalator.

I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. It was like I was watching
my future. I felt sorry for him. I felt sick to my stomach because
this man was apologizing to everyone, when we should have been helping
him and calming
his fears.

One by one, people zipped around him. I heard a few angry comments
whispered as one lady passed by him.

I saw me.

By the time I got to him he was just about steady on his feet.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there was more," he said.

"No, sir. No more with me," I said. This really hit me hard. I
realized right then how sad it was that the world was in such a hurry.
That, of course, included me. But...no more with me. Count me out.

This wonderful man paid his dues. For whatever time he had spent on
this earth, he most likely walked many rough roads and too many
important miles. Now he should be apologizing for moving slower?

My heart ached as I looked into his eyes. I wished that I could see
what he had seen all those years. His face weathered from life itself,
was creased and wrinkled. The small soft pockets under his eyes and
the gentle lines
that curved up and around them told me he had many happy moments, too.
Those were traces left behind from laughter and a smiling, happy man.

"My friend, can I help you with those things?" I asked.

Hesitant at first, he finally said, "Well, yes, thank you!"

I placed my hand under his left arm and walked with him a safe
distance away from the rush of people.

"So what are you shopping for, sir?"

"Oh, just a little something for my neighbor. She's a young mother
raising kids on her own. She's always so nice to me. I thought a box
of candy for Mother's Day..." he said, stopping suddenly as he
searched his inside pocket of his sport coat.

"Do you need something?" I asked.

"Oh, no. Here. I think I have it right here. I always carry them with
me," he said. Then pulling out a hand full of papers he shuffled
through them and handed me a business card that read:

"John A. Pomicter
Friend to all...enemy to no one!
I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!"

"That's for you," he said. "Thanks for stopping to help an old man."

"My friend, you helped me. I discovered that I was unhappy with the
world and I was part of the problem. Now I'll be part of the solution.
No more with me!"

"Then this was meant to be," he said smiling.

"You know God sends me gifts every day and always at least one special
person. You were my gift for today! Let's go get some chocolates, my
friend."


Strength and Courage
It takes strength to be certain,
It takes courage to have doubts.

It takes strength to fit in,
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to share a friend's pain,
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide your own pain,
It takes courage to show it and deal with it.

It takes strength to stand guard,
It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer,
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to endure abuses,
It takes courage to stop them.

It takes strength to stand alone,
It takes courage to lean on a friend.

It takes strength to love,
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive,
It takes courage to live.

May you find strength and courage
in everything you do,
And may your life be filled with
Friendship and Love!