Is it just me, or is living in the present REALLY challenging? I catch myself on a daily basis thinking/planning/worrying about the future, when I need to be focusing on today and all the beautiful opportunities today holds.
Almighty God, teach me to be vulnerable, to trust in You, and surrender to Your will.
If you think about it, what greater joy is there than knowing God is in control? He is Love in all its forms - peace, kindness, joy, fulfillment, generosity. Me...well, let's just say I don't have the fullness of Love all the time. If anyone (other than myself) is directing my life, God is my number 1 pick. While his decisions may not be the easiest to follow, the outcomes are always focused on Love...what better outcome is there than the self-sacrificing Love that Mary and Jesus shared with us as humans?
When I was younger, my greatest fear was sacrificial pain, but now I understand that pain on a deeper level. Sacrifice and Love (God) are one in the same. God sacrificed his Son out of Love. Mary sacrificed her Son out of Love for God. The pain of sacrifice transforms shallow earthly love into a heavenly Love that is unquenchable and boundless. Even though the satisfaction of earthly love may fade, our ultimate goal is to continue to seek the Heavenly Love from which we all originated.
Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding and my will. All that I am and cherish You have given me. I surrender it all to to be guided by Your will. Your love and your grace are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more.
~St. Ignatius of Loyola
Almighty God, teach me to be vulnerable, to trust in You, and surrender to Your will.
If you think about it, what greater joy is there than knowing God is in control? He is Love in all its forms - peace, kindness, joy, fulfillment, generosity. Me...well, let's just say I don't have the fullness of Love all the time. If anyone (other than myself) is directing my life, God is my number 1 pick. While his decisions may not be the easiest to follow, the outcomes are always focused on Love...what better outcome is there than the self-sacrificing Love that Mary and Jesus shared with us as humans?
When I was younger, my greatest fear was sacrificial pain, but now I understand that pain on a deeper level. Sacrifice and Love (God) are one in the same. God sacrificed his Son out of Love. Mary sacrificed her Son out of Love for God. The pain of sacrifice transforms shallow earthly love into a heavenly Love that is unquenchable and boundless. Even though the satisfaction of earthly love may fade, our ultimate goal is to continue to seek the Heavenly Love from which we all originated.
Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding and my will. All that I am and cherish You have given me. I surrender it all to to be guided by Your will. Your love and your grace are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more.
~St. Ignatius of Loyola
Maddie - I loved catching up on your blog! And, this post was so touching to me, as I just did a presentation in class this week on St. Ignatius. He had a fascinating life. I have a great book on him if you'd ever like to read more. I am grateful to have you in my life, and so proud to watch all that you are continuing to learn, about yourself, about your faith, and about God's plan. Praying for you today and always!
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