Zooey Deschanel Might Be On To Something

Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh’ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let someone steal your tenderness. Don’t allow the coldness and fear of others to tarnish your perfectly vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to truly be affected by things. Whether it’s a song, a stranger, a mountain, a raindrop, a teakettle, an article, a sentence, a footstep, feel it all – look around you. All of this is for you. Take it and have gratitude. Give it and feel love.
— Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel: the new “It” girl, the quirky TV and movie actress… and the love of my brother’s life.  She may not be the perfect Christian role model or have everything right but she does have a point here.

We, as women, are tender, open and sensitive.  Praise God for that! That is part of being a woman and it is beautiful, it is not a defect.  The world might be telling you to man up and stop being so complicated, but God created us this way.  In Genesis 1:27 God tells us we were created in His image and likeness and that is why we must not hide our emotions and our tenderness - because they are of God.

Zooey might not have realized it, but she was on to something much deeper: women resemble God’s own heart.  She is not only telling us about our feminine hearts, but also about God’s.  God’s heart is also tender and open and sensitive.

Since we resemble God’s heart, He understands us exactly, even though we might not even understand our own selves. In the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge it says, “God knows what takes your breath away and what makes your heart beat faster.”  God uses this knowledge to chase our hearts and to come to a deeper relationship with us.  While a song or a stranger might have an affect on us, He is affected by a glance from us, or a moment of prayer with Him.  God longs for us to look to Him, to sit at His feet and recognize how He is pursuing us everyday.  In John 19:28 Jesus says “I thirst.”  Yes He thirsts for you. When a man is in love, he pursues a woman. God is totally and completely in love with you, expect to be pursued!

What happens throughout your day did not happen by chance or coincidence, it was God pursuing your very heart.  When your favorite song was played, that was God longing to see you smile.  That stranger that needed help was God challenging you to become the person you were created to be.  That mountain you saw was God showing you His beauty and His strength.  That raindrop was a symbol of God’s divine mercy washing away all of your sins.  That teakettle is God’s warmth and love.  That article or sentence that moved you is God wanting you to learn more about Him.  And that footstep you saw is God walking right beside you through everything.  All of this is for you.  Allow the Lord to romance and affirm you in these ways because He wants to!

Whether He puts these things in your life to challenge you or make you smile or to teach you something, it was meant for you and He did it on purpose.  It is then our job to do our part and recognize these beautiful signs.  Soak them in and rejoice in the Lord.  We are often very attentive to how guys talk to us and pursue us but we are not very attentive to how God pursues us. Have gratitude in all things especially the small things.  Feel His love all around you and give Him love back.  Just as we are affected, God is affected by our love.  

God made you exactly how He wanted you to be, so allow yourself to be tender and be open and be sensitive.  Rejoice in your femininity and rejoice in the ways God is showering His love on you and to your individual feminine heart.  Pray for the disposition to see how God is pursuing you everyday.  To truly know that someone desires your heart is the greatest joy.  

“Open your hearts, Love is on its way!” –Jude 1:2

In Him,
Olivia

BeLoved: Master of Our Own Mystery

Hi Ladies! Don’t forget about the great evening we have planned for YOU this Saturday!

Bring your journals!

Peace to your beautiful hearts,
     -Sr. Elizabeth, TOR

Femininity, Full of Grace

Gals, I am taking a class on Theology of the Body right now and let me tell you… Woman. Blows. My. Mind. Femininity is gorgeous.  I’ll try to make this significantly less long winded than my previous blogs. Sigh. It will be quite the task.

Ok. Let me start off with the following statement: “We don’t understand what it’s truly like to be human.”

WHAT?!

 

I know! My professor told us that today, and I, being very poorly versed in philosophy, sat there and thought to myself “Oh boy. Here we go. More philosophicalness that I am just never going to be able to grasp.” But not so.

We don’t understand what it’s like to be human because the fullness of humanity – what it was intended to be from “the beginning” – is without sin. Adam and Eve were the first to sin. So when God created them, masculine and feminine, he made them without any of the stains of sin. Then we messed up and fell, and sin entered the world, and everything got significantly murkier.

Boo.

BUT THERE’S HOPE! Femininity was not lost long ago with Eve! We still have it. We just have to hone in on it. We have to find it within ourselves and within other women. It’s there; I promise.

Sisters, we are so blessed to have a Redeemer! We are so blessed to have a New Adam and a New Eve! We have a model for how to be truly feminine as Eve was before the fall, and that model can be found in a glorious creature – a mother. THE mother. Momma Mary.  

It’s so simple. God’s such a genius.

Let’s break it down:

She was created without sin, just as Adam and Eve were created.

She was made in the image and likeness of God, just like Adam and Eve, and just like every other human being. JPII says that we image God not through solitude, but through union with one another, and in that union we mirror the Lord. When men and women give themselves fully to one another – a sincere gift of self – they model, or image, God in the Most Holy Trinity. The Father exchanges Love with the Son, the Son with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit with the Father. It’s a never ending exchange of Love and gift of self (because you know, God is Love). So from this Love comes forth Life. Life! Now when a man and woman come together in union with one another and exchange their love for each other and give a total gift of self, they too are capable of creating life. When a priest or religious gives their life to the Lord they are giving a free and total gift of self, a gift of love, and from that comes forth life too! Spiritual life! This is how we mirror the Lord in this gift of ourselves. When we become a gift of selfless love we receive and create life.

Mary’s soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. Our souls should magnify and proclaim the greatness of the Lord too! That’s what we were made for: praising God; union with God; union with one another in order to bring glory to the Lord. Remember that whole thing about man not being made for solitude? We are made for union. And when we become what we were made for, we glorify Christ.

Mary’s union with God is pretty doggone spectacular. She says yes to the Lord without any doubt or hesitation. Her yes, her total gift of herself, her unconditional love and the Father’s love for her is an ammmmmmazing combo. From it comes forth Life! The Life that was a light to all men, who were shadowed in the darkness of sin. That Life? That Light? It has saved all men. WHOA. Mary’s cooperation and sincere gift of herself gave Christ (Life!) to us!

I’d like to pause here and just let that sink in.

Mary brought Christ to us while she was on earth. Now she’s in heaven. So why wouldn’t she bring Christ to us still today? Mary loves us all as a mother loves her child – unconditionally. And just like a mother takes care of her child, so too does she; just as a mother wants what’s best for her child, so too does Mary; and just as a mother never forgets her child, so she will never forget us (you all know how I feel about my man Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, so let’s quote him):  “A child may forget a mother, but a mother never forgets a child. She is not only the Mother of Jesus; she is also the Mother of all whom He redeemed.” Oh. Hey.

And just for kicks (and because I can’t deny that he’s kind of a big deal…) the Lord of the Universe says this: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you." - Isa 49:15 Yeah. You can put money on that one. If the Big Guy’s momma won’t forget about you, neither will he. Cha-ching!

By asking Mary for help in all our daily tasks we can know that we have the loving and caring support of a wonderful mother, and that she will always bring us aid. Think about the Memorare: “Remember, oh most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided…”  And not only do we have her as a mother who is interceding for us, but we have her as a model of holiness and true femininity. In modeling Mary we model the way man was originally created, in the beginning. Mary was immaculately conceived – full of grace. She was created without the stain of sin, just as Adam and Eve were. By modeling Mary we too can reflect the Son (HA! Theological pun. Nice.) and truly live our lives in the image and likeness of God, in a truly feminine way – the way he intended all along. How beautiful is that?

Mary is always there for us. She’s interceding for us like caaaaraaaaazy up in heaven. She is loving on us all the time. When we experience sorrow or joy, she too experiences those feelings with us. Next time you are feeling sad or lonely, lost or confused, or perhaps you are looking for someone to share in your joy – look to Mary, and she will celebrate with you. She’ll even bring along this really great guy she knows (who coincidentally would be absolutely perfect for you) to celebrate. A great man and a bestie? Dare I say it…

Not only do I personally recommending sharing your life with Momma, but as I said before, we should also model her. She’s both mother and virgin, so she’s a model for any woman, whatever her vocation may be. She is loving and obedient, good and holy, supportive and steadfast, and so much more! She’s pretty flippin’ awesome. And one more thing… the Church has her say about Mary too: "And so they turn their eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues." - Lumen Gentium #65

   (Portrait: “Mary’s Heart” by Liz Lemon Swindle)

Mary’s heart belongs to Jesus. So should ours. She will always lead you to the Lord. She will always bring you closer to him. She will help you transform your own heart to Christ if you ask her to. She lives for the Lord and does anything he asks (“Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord” (kinda her thing)). Why on earth would she ever steer you wrong? Like Mary Poppins “She’s practically perfect in every way.”

Totus Tuus Maria,

Ashley

A Voice for the Voiceless

Prayer for Life in Honor of Blessed Mother Teresa  by Frank Pavone

Father of Life,

You always defend the poor and oppressed.

In Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, You raised up

a voice for the voiceless and a friend to the poorest of the poor, the unborn child. She brought women away from the despair of abortion clinics

To the hope of a loving community that cared for her and her child.

 She spoke the truth to men and women of power, asking them how we could tell people not to kill one another while allowing a mother to kill her own child.

 Father, as we honor this humble and faithful woman,we ask you to give us the grace to follow her example. May we be bold in word and generous in action to love and serve the unborn and to awaken our world to know, as Mother Teresa said,that the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion. Fill us with love, bring us peace, and let us share your life forever. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
http://www.priestsforlife.org/store/default.aspx

                                                                Blessed Mother Teresa, pray for us,

                                                                                   -Chloe

Rediscovering the Word, Part I

     In this Year of Faith, our Holy Father has exhorted us to once again open the door of our hearts to the faith by delving into the Word of God and what Mother Church, in her God-given wisdom, has taught us about Him. Especially as women, we are called to become, “impregnated with the spirit of the Gospel” (Paul VI, Second Vatican Council) so as to bear Jesus Christ to the world in our day, in our time. Now.

    As we faithfully devote ourselves to this renewal, we will discover much we don't know, but we will also encounter much that is very familiar to us. A new unveiling of certain aspects of the faith is truly a magnificent grace from God, but as I continue my own studies, I realize more and more that we cannot allow the familiar concepts to slip into anything less magnificent. But we have perhaps heard some things so often that we have simply forgotten their very profound and encouraging messages. These truths are sometimes delivered in the simplest of packages: a single word. This semester I wish to pass on my rediscovery of the Word of God through the rediscovery of individual words I had mistakenly begun to overlook.

   

     Sometimes it's easy to feel like we've made a hot mess out of our day, or even experience high levels of anxiety because we have no idea where we are going in life (in both cases, I speak from frequent personal experience!). As we move into the second week of classes, are these thoughts creeping into your head and interrupting your sleep (however much you get in the first place)? What's important is to realize that these universal moments of exasperation are temptations towards doubt in God's goodness and care for each one of us. Temptations that must be put to rest—and allow you to get some z's as well!

   

    How many times have you heard someone drop the phrase “It was Divine Providence”? I don't know about you, but I began to automatically translate this phrase as, “It worked out the way it was apparently supposed to” or “Things turned out better than I expected.” But these “translations” don't exactly hit the nail on the head. What is the root word of providence? Provide! If you look up the word provident in a simple dictionary, you'll find, “providing for future needs or events.” So when our faith refers to Divine Providence, it is not merely saying, “God showed up and sorted everything out,” but that God is always present in our lives and even one step ahead of us. So if you're feeling queasy about your stacking reading assignments or the first term paper coming up sooner than you would have expected (and wanted), or even about navigating through life in general...relax. Look up and realize that you are never alone. Your Abba (Papa, Daddy) is holding your hand and guiding you one step at a time, and being the perfect Daddy, he'll never let you down. (Never, ever, ever. Like, ever).

    The Lord is constantly at work crafting your life into a masterpiece. I know it's really hard to believe it sometimes, and downright impossible to see it, but this is where trust comes into your faith life. Trust your Papa. He will see you through. And one day, he'll show you the end result, the work of art.

“The Plan of the Master Weaver”

author unknown

Our lives are but fine weavings

That God and we prepare,

Each life becomes a fabric planned

And fashioned in His care.

We may not always see just how

The weavings intertwine,

But we must trust the Master's hand

And follow his design.

For He can view the pattern

Upon the upper side,

While we must look from underneath

And trust in Him to guide...

Sometimes a strand of sorrow

Is added to His plan,

And though it's difficult for us,

We still must understand

That it's He who fills the shuttle,

It's He who knows what's best,

So we must weave in patience

And leave to Him the rest...

Not til the loom is silent

And the shuttle ceases to fly

Shall God unroll the canvas

And explain the reason why—

The dark threads are as needed

in the Weaver's skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                In Him,
                                                                                                                                Stephanie

New Year's Resolutions

The Soul of a Woman

This beautiful image was designed by a Sister in my Religious Community.  Isn’t she incredibly talented? When she showed this to me and I read who the quote was by (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as St. Edith Stein), I asked her permission to share it with all of you.  May its beauty, both in word and art, touch you and inspire you as profoundly as it did me. 

                                                                                          Peace to your beautiful hearts!

                                                                                                        Sr. Elizabeth, TOR