If you go down to the woods today……🌲☀️

‘I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived’.     (Henry David Thoreau)

‘He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end’. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Time out☀️

‘Advent is like springtime in nature when everything is renewed and so is fresh and healthy. Advent is meant to do the same for us’. (St. Teresa of Calcutta)

Rest and renewal in the bosom of my fine family, in these glorious brand new Advent days. This morning, strolling to Holy Mass, thanking Father God for His bountiful blessings, into my heart popped: ‘Pay no attention to how many follow you. Pay all attention to Whom you are following’. No need to elaborate!!

                          ‘Keep our eyes upon Jesus. Look full on His beautiful Face’. (Hymn)

Friendly greeting with pleasant elderly gentleman holding his newly purchased Daily Mirror newspaper but alas no prayer in my coat pocket. All of them in my rucksack. Perhaps we will meet again tomorrow morning, please God. (Prayers in pocket from now on!)

When Father told us that as always Monday morning Holy Mass is offered for our dear ‘Holy Souls’, my grateful heart skipped a beat! I had already planned to pray especially this morning for the gentle soul of Shane McGowan rip. 

Busy little town this and yet only twelve of us at Holy Mass. (I counted). Got to thinking though that Jesus started off with just twelve!! They sure made a difference and with God’s Holy help we will too. I heard a priest say once: ‘Holy Mass every Sunday by obligation. Holy Mass every day by invitation’.

Every Monday morning too, tea and buns in Sacristy after Holy Mass. I was graciously invited and enjoyed every minute. One guy who took my prayer, will copy it for anyone and everyone he meets. Others happily accepted it too. 

If folk could only witness for themselves how utterly joyful, hilarious and interesting one Priest (in Persona Christi) and twelve Church-goers, enjoying tea and chat in a Sacristy, away from the limelight and the madding crowd, truly are!

‘I will go anywhere and do anything in order to communicate the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him’. (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini)

‘The language of the Gospels, the style used by our Lord leads us more directly to contemplation than the technical language of the surest and loftiest theology’. (Garrigou-Lagrange).

Let go☀️🙏🏻

‘He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, let go of yourself, lose yourself on the Cross, and you will find yourself entirely’. (St. Catherine of Siena)

For no particular reason (or so I thought) I took a different route to Church this morning and thoroughly enjoyed two amazing encounters. First one, lady all the way from Ghana. Gladly accepting my prayer she enquired: ‘Are you a preacher?’. I couldn’t help laughing as I told her that in fact I make sure to say every time I share my prayer: ‘I am sharing not preaching!’. Beautiful lady on her own healing journey, walking with Jesus coz He knows the way!! Her own route, different also to the one she normally takes. Divine appointment!

Second, tall handsome Ukrainian gentleman. He used to pray one time but not anymore. He has no need of it. ‘There are other ways of achieving happiness in life’, he told me. We talked awhile from our respective standpoints and just when I had no idea what to say next, wonderful Holy Spirit to the rescue: ‘You yourself may not need prayer in your life, Sir’, I suggested, ‘But your Homeland Ukraine most certainly does’. He nodded in agreement, we both shook hands and parted company. Every problem is a ‘Prayer’ problem!!

In Church, wonderful warm encounter with French couple. Touring Ireland in their Camper Van, happy and delighted to be in our Church. As they joyfully accepted my prayer, gentleman uttered: ‘You can pray it with the rain’, referring to the fact that my powerful prayer is laminated and rain always at the ready here!!

Quick lunch in Centra Cafe before dashing to St. Anne’s for Holy Rosary with my precious folk. Dear friend Patricia picked me up enroute and dropped me right to the door of St. Anne’s. Joseph, who for the longest time would only nod (no words), now asks every single time: ‘When are you coming here again’ as I’m about to take my leave of that sacred sacrosanct space. No words by me, to articulate how that makes my heart feel.

Upon returning home, a friend dropped by with items of clothing for anyone in need. Within minutes, if not seconds, text to my phone re newcomers to our town who could use a thing or two. Synchronicity. Amazing, as always, how Father God fits everything together for good!! Astonishment!! Deep gratitude consuming every fibre of my being.

I love how one guy put it, as he spoke of one lady who takes more than the others do, even though all of them are in the same boat: ‘She is blocking her future blessings’. He himself in need too but considering everyone else before his own needs, every single time. Smart man! He or she who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.

In the midst of all the above I am lovingly gifted glorious ‘white as snow’ snug coat from the heart of a dear lady. ‘Wear it on Christmas day’, was all she said!

                                ‘The Lord has turned all our sunsets into sunrise’. (St. Clement’)

                                          ‘Bread, Peace and Paradise’. (St. Luigi Orione)

Christ, our King🌟🙏🏻

Jesus is the joy of every human heart.

‘Our true worth does not consist in what human beings think of us. What we really are consists in what God knows us to be’. (St. John Berchmans)

I read the above first thing this morning and oh so timely! Last night a young lady accepted my prayer (three prayers for her children too) and I am almost certain she then went and giggled with her pals about the whole encounter. In fact I am sure of it.

Returning home feeling a tad stupid and humiliated, I told my best friend Jesus: ‘Well, prayer-sharing is something I do’. Without delay, in my deepest heart I heard: ‘It is not something you do. It is WHAT you do’. Right then, perfect peace descended and thank God I slept soundly.

Writing it down is making something beautiful out of something painful. Works every time.

‘Do something beautiful for God’. (Saint Mother Teresa)

Wonderful sharing with Ukrainian couple in Church this morning. Our topic ‘forgiveness’. I shared St. Mother Teresa’s words: ‘In the final analysis it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway’. Young man holding up my prayer uttered: ‘That is good to contemplate’. Only prayer changes hearts. Forgiveness is a powerful gift to give and receive.

In Church too, after Holy Mass, some of our African friends sang ‘O happy day’ in their own inimitable style. Impromptu. Acapella. With a little practice they will sing at Holy Mass one morning very soon please God. Definitely something beautiful for God!

Today is the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the universe. With beautiful Jesus, our elder brother as my model and guide, I rise, dust myself off and walk tall in the Gladsome Light of Christ, right on until the road ends.

‘Go forward in my strength and in the Spirit of Adventure’. (Jesus/God calling)

‘That’s the path to peace: being real with Jesus and pouring it all out at His feet. When we empty ourselves before Him, we make space to receive what Jesus wants to give us: new eyes to see and Grace to transform our tension into peace’. (Claire McGarry)

Good morning Jim 🐈☀️

Lord Jesus, I give You my hands to do Your work.

 I give You my feet to go Your way. I give You my eyes to see as You see. 

I give you my tongue to speak Your words.

 I give You my mind to think as You think. 

I give You my spirit so that You may pray in me. 

I give you myself so that You may grow in me.

 So that it is You, Lord Jesus who lives and works and prays in me.

 Amen

Many hands make light work☀️

‘Today I call you to be my extended hands in this world that puts God in last place. You, little children, put God in first place in your life. God will bless you and give you strength to bear wittness to Him, the God of love and peace’. (Our Lady Medugorje/Feb.25, 2005)

Li and I would mostly meet in Church when she dropped by to light Holy candles. Our chats always warm and interesting. Wonderful knitter of amazing sweaters and one day she told me: ‘I will knit you a sweater soon’. No money she insisted!!

Months passed and just one day before my October trip to Medugorje last year, Li appeared in Church again and quickly invited me to go with her to the Health Store where her knitwear was on display, and select for me any sweater of my liking. No fanfare, just ‘I hope you enjoy it’, as I tried to thank her in my bubbling-over joy. I love my amazing sweater!

One whole year has gone by since then and never once did I lay eyes on Li, until today, that is. Out of the blue as I strolled past the Health Store, wonderful Holy Spirit prompt to enquire of her whereabouts from Susan (proprietor). Amazingly, in all my pondering, the notion of asking Susan never once crossed my mind before today!

Turns out Li has only just returned to Ireland having endured gruelling back surgeries in her own country. She has suffered much, God love her. As I gifted her my humble Medugorje Mother Mary Rosary beads, I asked: ‘Are you still knitting’, to which she replied: ‘Yes, I knit for one hour and I sleep for one hour. All day long’. Holding up her two gifted hands, wrapped now in Mother Mary’s beads, she exclaimed joyfully: ‘I thank God so much for these hands’.

God’s timing is always perfect. Had I met Li any other time in the past year, I would not have gone searching for her today and she would not now be holding Mother Mary’s comforting Rosary beads in her gifted generous hands. Once again our Dear Mother Mary on the lookout for her struggling child.

Dear Mary who holds a ‘lived-out’ PhD in mental pain and suffering, rang later from her cozy Care-Home. In the midst of cooking my dinner, I reminded Mary how blessed she is to have all meals readily handed to her all the time. Mary’s reply lifted my heart to Heaven above: ‘I have enough to do with my hands, carrying my cross’. 

Thankyou Father God for our precious hands. They carry our cross and lots of other stuff too.

‘The mere thought of practicing constant devotion to this Mother of ours brings comfort in every misfortune, in every temptation, in every tribulation. Mary is the only ladder allowing us to climb to eternal happiness…..’. (St. Gabriel of our Lady of Sorrows)

‘Does God have a set way of prayer, a way that He expects each of us to follow? I doubt it. I believe some people - lots of people - pray through the witness of their lives, through the work they do, the friendships they have, the love they offer people and receive from people. Since when are ‘words’ the only acceptable form of prayer’? (Dorothy Day)

Killarney ❤️

Give me life, O Lord, and I will do Your will. Amen

This morning, Killarney bus was held up by more than one hour (detour due to minor crash) rendering my longed for stopover brief and hurried. I love Killarney. I dropped books to Train Station waiting room, and as always tucked inside each one, laminated copy of St. Teresa of Avila’s unadorned comforting prayer. Gift for travellers.

Quick dash to Dunnes Stores for cozy pyjamas and fluffy socks. Ultra helpful cheerful cashier amazed and thrilled on being offered my powerful prayer. Gentle cashier in Friary shop too. Receiving a prayer from random grandmother in these times definitely a tad strange! but warmly received.

Lady signing Mass card not at all impressed when I suggested to her that I do not like ‘Xmas’, (keeping Christ out of Christmas) so she grumpily deleted it. I remained politely pleasant. St. Augustine’s quote hopped into my heart: ‘Truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself’.

Dylan sat next to me on bus journey back home. When I asked if he knew of  ‘Dylan Thomas’ he informed me that yes, his mother, English teacher, named him after the same Dylan Thomas!! This Dylan was glad to accept my prayer.

Ukrainian lady in tears asked if she may have one of my prayers again. She received it already but has no idea where it might be. Oftentimes, folk request a second one when the time is right and the need arises.

Best wine till last!! Guy scantily clad, stood in the downpour outside pub, smoking his cigarette. Haggard, beaten down. I had walked by him, slow to intrude, but of course Holy Spirit prompt nudged my heart. ‘Yerra I will’, he said taking my prayer and shoving it into his pocket. ‘I am sharing not preaching’, I told him lightly and with that, his sunshine smile most magnificent, lit up his pallid countenance like a thousand suns. Complete transformation!

Definitely I encountered beautiful Jesus outside a pub in rainy Killarney today. No doubt whatever!! Immense richness of God’s goodness. 

‘Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’.                  (Matt 25:40)

Shortest stay ever in my beloved Killarney but chock-full of all things bright and beautiful. This weekend I was meant to be visiting with family but Father God had another plan and as always His plan is perfect.

‘To love like Jesus: that is what makes us shine, makes us do works of love’. (Pope Francis)

‘It is an amazing experience to feel the grace of God reach out through us to people in so many different ways’. (Fr. John Bartunek)

Pause, ponder and praise God.☀️🙏🏻

 

Delightful encounter in Church with unforgettable family this morning. I gifted all five of them my powerful prayer and Medugorje Mother Mary Rosary beads. Little Angelina (9 years of age) opened her purse, took from it three Rosary beads and smiling uttered: ‘You gave me two gifts, would you like one of my Rosary beads’.

Awestruck, my eyes were drawn to this one and little Angelina insisted I have it, her Mom too. To receive any Rosary beads is my great joy but this unique one and from the heart of an innocent child….well there are just no words!!

‘It touched the tombs of Monsignor Flaherty and St. Philomena’, sweet Angelina told me proudly. I told her my second name is Philomena! Miraculous Medal and St. Benedict Medal attached to Jesus Holy Cross. Never before have I beheld one like it.

This afternoon I prayed 3PM Live-streamed Holy Rosary on Angelina’s beautiful beads with a grateful heart, Angelina and her beautiful family right there with us in spirit. They will be with me too every single time I pray Holy Rosary on my beautiful beads, received lovingly from the heart of a little child.

The finest return to God is a grateful heart.

                          ‘Beauty is the heart’s encounter with the living God’. (Bill Donaghy)

‘To pray the Holy Rosary is to hand over our burdens to the merciful hearts of Christ and His Mother’. (St.Pope John Paul)

                      Just learned right now that this is ‘Pardon Crucifix Rosary beads’.❤️

                                                                         Powerful Prayer.🙏🏻