Jesus, I Trust in You

Happy Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday!!

In a time when we could all use great comfort and consolation - we have the celebration of Easter and today - the Feast of Divine Mercy.  This Feast, which occurs the Sunday after Easter Sunday, was asked for by Jesus, Himself to St. Faustina Kowalska. 

You can read up on the Divine Mercy devotion, image, feast, revelation to St. Faustina etc on the Marian Fathers website (they are MUCH better at explaining this than me!).

I LOVE this day of the year because I've prepared by praying the Divine Mercy Novena for all souls (it started on Good Friday) and have prepared my own soul as directed (see the website!).  My heart is filled with such great JOY and Light as my trust is reaffirmed in Christ.  He truly is good and takes care of me.  He is the reason why I can make it through stressful times - completing my Masters, handling anxiety/health challenges, the ever changing realities in my job and this extended time of 'physical distancing'.  With my personality, I'm actually a natural physical distancer (haha) - but the isolation the past few weeks has definitely been a challenge.

Two thoughts I want to leave you with today - they are words from Jesus to St. Faustina (and to all of us, approved by the Church).

'The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is - trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive.  Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts.  - Diary of St. Faustina #1578

"Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust.  If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity.  The torrents of grace inundate humble souls.  The proud remain always in poverty and misery, because My grace turns away from them to humble souls". Diary of St. Faustina #1602


A simple prayer - JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU with a believing heart (not perfect, but believing!) will not be ignored.  Remember this when you feel overwhelmed or start to doubt God's love for us when you see all the suffering around the world right now.

On my second album, I have a theme of mercy in my songs (click on the links to listen for FREE) - especially Jesus, I Trust in You and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. 

It's Lent. Again!

Relationship, Spiritual Growth Mindset and a Pure Heart on the Journey

Every Friday in the Liturgy of the Hours and throughout Lent, we as the Church knock on God’s door with the words of Psalm 51:

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.           

At one time in my journey these words used to rub me the wrong way – I resisted the thought of being guilty and doing things that offended God that would require some type of cleansing. Maybe a result of living in a relativist culture that sees guilt as irrelevant because ‘anything can be right if you believe it to be’ or maybe just because of the “pride of youth”.  Over time and with more life experience I have come to realize that as good as we think we are, with our imperfect human nature – there are bound to be times when we purposely choose our way over God’s way – which is what the Church calls sin.  When we choose something imperfect, less than full goodness and perfection – it’s an offense to our relationship with God because He is all good and all loving. Being perfect as God is perfect is such a high bar to reach (Jesus asked us to aim for that in Matthew 5:48) – but is worth the effort of trying.  Really!?  Well, that’s where a Spiritual Growth Mindset comes in.  As we navigate the ‘not yet’ without giving up…the journey brings us strategies and teaches us so much. By the time we arrive at our final destination – our eternal home – we will have done our best (with God’s grace) to become the child of God we were given the potential to be.

Going back to my resistant younger self – what happened that helped me embrace my fallen nature and admit I need and want God’s kindness and mercy? Looking back, I can see that God used different people and circumstances to really cement the core belief of God’s unconditional love for me.  He doesn’t just love me (and you!) in spite of our brokenness and sin, He loves and holds all aspects of ourselves. Even the parts that hurt Him and that he calls us to change. Like children needing secure attachments and ‘bottom hands’ to hold them in life – I found my secure attachment in Christ – the one who never leaves me, never stops loving me…even when I mess up.  It’s that relationship that helps me see the reality of who I am, ALL aspects, and it’s that loving relationship that makes it possible for me to bare my brokenness to Him and ask for His kindness and mercy to “blot out my offenses”. His love gives me confidence to start anew with a pure heart that can hopefully see Him more and more…thus deepening my relationship with Him and those I serve.

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit. (Psalm 51:3) 

This Lent I continue to knock on God’s door for purity of heart and for grace to fill the gaps in myself that keep me from being the generous, loving and merciful person I am called to be. I pray for a strengthening of my spiritual growth mindset as I travel this journey and run into both joys and difficulties. What about you?  What are you knocking on God’s door for during this Lenten season?

Have you ever wondered at the different types of love?

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, "Love wills the good of the other".  And within our life experience we know of many types of love where we'd do anything, no matter the cost, that's in the best interest of the ones we love. Some would say there are 4 types of love (eros, agape, filial, storge) and I agree but I feel like there are many facets within each type.  And these facets are like beautiful parts of a gem - unique depending on the person I share it with and how the light of love shines through.  That is what is behind my lyrics from "Take Time to Wonder":

"Have you ever wondered at the different types of love, unique like diamonds and pearls?
Have you ever wondered at the love shown on the Cross? God drawing us back to Him, no matter what the cost?" Listen here  

We also know that God IS love. He is the Source of all Love and Light.  For the good of ALL of us, for our eternal happiness and fulfillment, "...He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life". John 3:16

Spending most of my career as an elementary school teacher - Valentine's Day has always been a special time of celebrating friendship and taking the opportunity to offer a little extra kindness to one another.  Plus the sugar, poems, games and excitement are always fun too :)  As Christians and people of good will - we are called to share God's love with the world, all types and facets with those around us. Like I would encourage my young students to see Valentine's as a celebration of more than romantic love, I encourage you to ponder the different facets of love you enjoy in your life now and show your gratitude.  It never hurts to share a little of your heart and be kind, right?

Happy Valentines to all who have touched my heart - especially my family, friends who feel like family and all I have been blessed to both love and be loved by (including students and colleagues!). 

"If you've touched my heart, you have a place to stay".  From my song "You Have A Place" Listen here 

Embracing the New Year and One Another

Merry Christmas (yes, it's still Christmas...we're on Day 8!) and Happy New Year! Today we begin a new decade with a year of new possibilities. Come Holy Spirit and direct our lives and hearts on this journey towards eternity!

Today (January 1, 2020) is also a holy day honouring Mary, the Holy Mother of God. I am always deeply touched when imagining the deep love, care and trust of Mother Mary as she held her infant son, the Son of God. This year I was moved by Pope Francis' Christmas Eve homily where he shared an old legend about a poor shepherd who felt he was extremely poor and felt embarrassed that he had nothing to give to the Christ child when he ran from the fields to see Him whom the Angel announced.

"Seeing that shepherd with empty hands, she [Mary] asked him to draw near. And she put the baby Jesus in his arms. That shepherd, in accepting him, became aware of having received what he did not deserve, of holding in his arms the greatest gift of all time. He looked at his hands, those hands that seemed to him always empty; they had become the cradle of God. He felt himself loved and, overcoming his embarrassment, began to show Jesus to the others, for he could not keep for himself the gift of gifts". 

We too can become the cradle of God - in our hearts when we adore and contemplate Him but also in our actions  when we joyfully share He who abides within us, with others.  Jesus came for ALL of humankind and loves each one of us dearly.

One of the ways we can love others is to lift them up in prayer.  I absolutely love this quote below:

Prayers are God-filled words in which our love and God’s love are joined. That love embraces the people for whom we are praying, and love always changes people and situations. This doesn’t mean that we will always get what we want, but Jesus does promise that we will get what we need." — Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM

While reflecting on the beauty and love of the Baby Jesus through the eyes of His mom, let us embrace our loved ones and the possibilities of the upcoming year in prayer - believing with all our hearts that love truly changes people and situations and all will work out for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

Please enjoy this adaptation of a Polish Carol I wrote - my brother Daniel and sister Caitlin are singing along with me. One of my favourite lines is: "In all humility do I rest my head upon your crib and gaze upon you precious King in the radiance of your love".

I send love to and embrace all who are reading this right now in prayer. Peace and blessings to you throughout 2020!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrQTTjQaWWE&list=PLDB4570AA62140964&index=2&t=0s

Fourth Sunday of Advent - Come Emmanuel!

Fourth Sunday of Advent - Come Emmanuel!

Did you know Emmanuel means 'God with us'?  My last song in this 4 part Advent series is called 'Emmanuel' by Steve Angrisano. This is one of my favorites based on the well-known ancient hymn text of "O Come O Come Emmanuel".

May these final days of preparation for the Christmas season of 2019 bring you re-JOY-cing with Heaven and Earth at the birth of our Saviour - God in flesh... God with us for all time, until the end of time.  May we all know the gifts of Love, Light, Beauty, Hope and Joy today and always.

Is your heart ready for His coming?  I can't wait :)  

https://youtu.be/uetnbPo0yLs

Third Sunday of Advent - Come O JOY

Third Sunday of Advent - Come O JOY and Hope for Humankind!

The hymn today is called Maranatha by Gerard Chiusano, and today we light the pink (or rose) candle marking the third Sunday during this time of waiting. We are called to be joyful heralds of what is to come!

  The lyric that stuck with me the most is 'hope for human kind'.  It reminds me of how God's divine work throughout history and still today is for ALL. How do I herald the joy and peace of God's coming kingdom to others?  How can I speak HOPE and peace into the lives of others who are stressed and feeling the burden of their life circumstances?

https://youtu.be/978kouPDjSM 

Second Sunday of Advent - Come Light and Beauty

Second Sunday of Advent - Come Light and Beauty!

*If you're receiving these posts through email - please click on the blog link to see the video*

The hymn today, "The King Shall Come" by Trevor Thomson reminds us that Advent not only points us to the coming of Christ historically and in our hearts  on Christmas Day 2019...but also to the coming He promised at the end of time. At this time of year when we experience the most darkness (sunset at 4:30pm!) how beautiful is it to see Christmas lights everywhere and to be reminded of that glorious day that awaits when our King finally comes. 

Light and beauty are harbingers of God's grace and love - where do you see His light and beauty around you right now?

"The King shall come when morning dawns and light and beauty brings"