Catholics Come Home, Divine Mercy, and Yoda

Advent gets so busy but I love all the preparations for Christmas--the choir practice, the putting up of decorations bit by bit (with help from Benny Boo), lighting a new candle each week, and this week we also had the opportunity to listen to Tom Peterson (again). We heard him in Greenville a couple of years ago. Here are my notes for that--scroll down a bit to see). This time, we exchanged books! So fun! He's an advertising executive and told me that the best way to get the word out about Bound is by getting speaking gigs. So...if any of you want to invite me to speak to your group about my conversion story or Bound or writing, I'm all ears!!! I'm good at teaching--it's in my bones!!!

I'm reading Catholics Come Home now and really enjoying all the stories. The whole point of the new evangelization is to bring home the baptized given that the majority are unchurched. Tom suggests so many practical ways: Invite people to Mass. Pray for them. Pray to the Holy Ghost (the most underused Person of the Holy Trinity). He said that when he started going to daily Mass, life got easier. Skipping Mass meant he was working on his own.

And so, I invite you to take a look at this website: https://www.catholicscomehome.org/ and check out the 1-min advertisement!!! It's good!!! 

Tom said that the most common thing he hears is: "I need to get right with God." So go to confession! It's the most underused Sacrament yet the most freeing. From personal experience I can tell you that it can be very embarrassing to confess the same stupid sins month after month (after all, the priest can recognize your voice) and sometimes I imagine it can be scary too, because you know you will have to change, and you don't want to, but the beauty is that you receive the graces to mend your ways. At the risk of being prideful, there are habitual sins I no longer commit. It is truly amazing how the Lord reforms you. I am so grateful when I hear the words, "I absolve you..." There is no question that I've been forgiven and it brings so much healing. This is the primary purpose of the Church--to lead people heavenward.   

O Magnum Mysterium (Victoria)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dn7HgiT2QY

This quote by George Orwell stuck with me: When you live in a time of deceit, telling the truth becomes revolutionary. Right now, I see so much confusion amongst the young about who they are and why they are here, it is painful. I want so very much to enfold them and let them know they are a beloved child of God, but if they've never known real love, they settle for the counterfeit. And so I pray to have the right words to share and the right way to love.

I also made my consecration to Divine Mercy. Holy smokes!!! I can't tell you how powerful it's been. If the Monfort consecration to Jesus through Mary was about Mary leading us to Christ, then the Divine Mercy is about drinking from the font of that love and mercy that poured out when the Sacred Heart of our dear Lord Jesus was pierced. I have received so many graces during this preparation and have shed many tears as well because no quantum leap in spirituality is without cost. I thank all the wonderful students at Ave Maria who gave me this book--33 Days to Merciful Love--as a token of their appreciation for our hospitality. They chose the perfect gift. They had no idea how much more in love I am with the Little Flower and her Little Way and what a wonderful companion she's been this Advent. And lookie what I found in the thrift store! A little piece of slate to remind me what I must always do--Trust God, for He is good and His mercy endures forever!

Last but not least, I also won this Yoda with a little book of Yoda-isms! And one of Michael's colleague stole Bound from another colleague! I love seeing someone engrossed in a story of mine. Books really do break the time-space barrier...