God beckons our heart☀️🙏🏻

‘Where Love is in charge, all is well’. (St. Faustina)

I love visiting Nursing Homes. I love chatting with the residents. Otherworldly! Peace, serenity, contentment and joy in abundance.

Sharing my prayer of course. Laughter. Priceless wisdom flowing freely and joyfully absorbed.

One dear lady happily accepting my prayer, tells me that she hardly ever prays. She left home at an early age, she and her Mom clashed a lot. She adored her Dad. ‘I will pray this prayer’, she told me but I hope it doesn’t make me feel guilty’. ‘Of course not’, I reply. ‘Guilt is useless. Throw it over your shoulder’.

She did just that!!

Prayer changes everything. Innately we know!! Without prayer our souls dehydrate and die.

Dear lady’s worried words still linger. (FEAR - Face Everything And Recover).

‘Prayer gives us an interior knowing. That knowing is a touching of the Divine, where Gods is communicating’. (Frances Hogan)

Out of my bed earlier than usual this morning. Allowing Ruairi sleep on (well deserved!) while I spend valuable time with my glorious little grandson. Having slept poorly last night I had fully intended catching a nap at some point. Then, I read the following in Magnificat. I love Carlyle Houselander;

“Let your prayer be simply your offering of yourself to do God’s will, to rest and relax in Him, and to offer everything you do as a prayer; for example, if you have a little sleep, offer that”. 

Tiredness gone!! Wonderful Holy Spirit!!

Just now I meet with Cass who has suffered much of late. ‘I awoke this morning at 4AM’, she told me. ‘From now on I will stress no more about lack of sleep. Instead I spend my time in prayer’. More wisdom from one who knows!!

‘But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you’. (John 14:26)

Speak Lord for Thy servant hears☀️🙏🏻

Two guys in a van, workmen, young. One got out and began walking some yards ahead of me. Thinking to myself; ‘perhaps I will share my prayer with them’ when, at that exact moment, the guy walking ahead of me, in the rain, turns around asking; ‘Did you call me?’

Wow!! ‘I did not’, I told him, ‘but here’s a beautiful morning prayer if you would like one’. Happily he accepted, one for guy in van too.

Walking on, I could plainly hear him tell other guy how sure and certain he was that I had called him. Then, loudly he declares; ‘It is our lucky day’.

How many prayers were in my pocket within easy reach? Yes exactly two!!

Amazingly beautiful!! Articulating what just occurred akin to building clouds from blocks!! Too precious to be lost though!!

‘Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down; and if He calls you, you shall say, “Speak Lord, for Thy servant hears’. (1Samuel;3:9)

Today, 3rd February, another young guy in a van accepted my prayer, somewhat shocked with the words; “Oh, thanks very much. I am actually trying to get back into it. (Prayer). This is no mistake”.

Every day I witness young folk desiring something more in their lives. Meaning! Purpose! Joy!

Know God, Know peace. No God, No peace.

Every moment is God’s time☀️🙏🏻

‘The whole drama of life is about cultivating the supernatural life’. (Fr. Andre)

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or the plants of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the Hand of God has done this? In His Hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind”. (Job 12:7-10)

               ‘Let us make use of the fleeting moments. They will not return’. ( St. Marianne Cope)

Agape Love☀️🙏🏻

‘What are the twelve apostles being called for? What actually is Jesus’ will for them? Two reasons are named: to be with Him and to be sent out’. ((Pope Benedict XVI)

Many years ago when I was a young and grateful mother of one little boy, I oftentimes wished there was a ‘nice old lady’ with a child’s cot somewhere to be found. She would take us in for a few days, rest and renewal, after which we would return home once again to our normal life. She would ask no questions. Dreaming more than wishing of course. Leaving would have been easy, returning home unthinkable having absconded.

Thing is, nowadays, I get to be that ‘old lady’ (hopefully nice!) I wished for back then. Utterly fascinating!! I ask no question too. Providing a safe space for folk is easy for me to do. I know exactly what they need!!

Wonderful Father God takes all of our wishes and like freshly cut flowers places them on His beautiful Heart bringing all things to fruition in His own day and time. 

I am becoming what I needed through God’s glorious grace!! What a gift. To be with Jesus and be sent out!

Holy Spirit fill me and use me for the greater glory of God. Amen

‘The One who began a good work in you, will continue to complete it’. (Phil 1:6)

‘We have no choice. If there’s a problem we fix it!!’ Love lady’s honest reply when asked if she and her room-mate get along. Practical wisdom from one who knows.

‘I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace. I would like full vessels of Charity. I would like rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all’. (St. Brigid of Ireland).

God’s Gems☀️🙏🏻

To the unaware eye they were simply a kindly carer and young special-needs lady strolling along. Got me thinking though!! Yes, Carer lady’s learning extremely vital but Special-needs lady’s wisdom vital too. Win/win. Everyone shares something. Everyone is being cared for in some shape or form. All of us have something to share.

I shared my powerful prayer. ‘Thankyou, I will enjoy this’, Carer lady’s reply. 

As I walk on ahead I could hear them both praying my prayer together, aloud, as they walked. Of course I could not resist turning around and smiling. Early morning gem from God’s beautiful heart to all of our hearts.

After Holy Mass, Jay shared Scripture verse as she does every morning. Today Psalm 90:17. Apt!!

‘Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us. Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it’. 

Today too I encountered a lady who surprisingly shed much needed light on an exceedingly upsetting event which occurred over two years ago, casting dark shadows over many of my waking hours. Oh how much I desperately needed her wisdom back then and since, as I sought answers, clues even, but to no avail. Today, all this time later, certainly I am hugely relieved but stronger by far having gleaned myriad gems on my uphill struggle from darkness to light!! What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger!!

Thankyou from my deepest heart, dear wonderful Lord of my life.

     ‘Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer nor withhold His love from me’. (Psalm 66:20)

                                    

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City stroll☀️🙏🏻

Loved Priest’s homily in Cork city Church;

Bats somehow found their way into a Church one time, and the young Pastor just could not get rid of them. He tried absolutely everything. Eventually, in sheer desperation, he consulted an older Priest asking his advice on the menacing matter. ‘Simple’, elderly Priest replied. ‘Baptise them and you will never see them again’.

Telling tale!! I get to assist Father oftentimes during Christenings in our Church. Yes! Baptise them and you will never see them again! (Not always but often.)

Mid-morning, just one homeless guy sitting on cold pavement. Emaciated, crutches at his side. Gentle humble guy. My powerful prayer, (which he read before placing in an inside pocket), widow’s mite, large hot latte, and enough to ensure a hostel for the day and night. What a gift to my heart. He may or may not use God’s money for a hostel but that is not my concern. 

To quote Marcus Aurelius;

“It is another’s fault if he be ungrateful, but it is mine if I do not give. To find one thankful man, I will oblige a great many that are not so”.

They freely share, (crows too and many other different little birds), they squabble, they live side by side. They teach me!,

Jim 🐈 takes his meal on the other side. What he doesn’t know don’t trouble him!

‘If you wish to go to extremes, let it be in sweetness, patience, humility, and Charity’. 

(St. Philip Neri)

 

No clarity! Trust!☀️🙏🏻

‘Those who love me I also love, and those who seek me find me’. (Proverbs 8:17)

Young man asked Mother Teresa; ‘Please Mother can you pray I receive clarity’. Mother Teresa laughed and kindly told him; ‘My dear man I have never received clarity. I will pray that you trust’.

One year ago in a place where someone was in deep pain. Whole family in deep turmoil. I asked Jesus if I should go to the person. Jesus did not answer me. Not one word. After a short while I began to walk saying all the while; ‘You are not saying no’, ‘You are not saying no’, over and over again. 

My visit was welcomed and the family told me recently that things began to change for the better on that day.

Jesus did not say no and He would have stopped me before I reached my destination if it was wrong. I look back now and marvel. Not my doing, all His!! 

No clarity!! Trust!!

May Christ be ALL, and I be nothing. His glory shines in vessels weak. May Christ be ALL and I be nothing. This is my hope, not I but Christ in me. This is my hope, not I but Christ in me’. (Christ be ALL/Grace Worship)