Sometimes the brokenness is outside of us. Perhaps it is brokenness in a marriage as in the case of Rita of Cascia, who became a saint; or the brokenness in a government, as in the life of our own Foundress, Mother Luisita, who is now a Venerable of our Church, soon to be a Saint.
Mother Luisita possessed one particular gift that has intrigued me for years – her ability to get beyond the bitter sorrows of this life so she would be able to “see with God’s eyes.”
Have you ever been faced with a clear choice between good and evil? Or maybe between good and less good?
Dear Friends, for this week, it seems most appropriate to have our dear Holy Father, Pope St. John Paul II continue to accompany us. As our father, he speaks these words to you today.
Even when there isn’t any perceptible sound around you, you can hear it. Sometimes it’s clear, sometimes it’s not. It can sound like background chatter in a dull and steady sort of way, or it can stream out in strong spurts and the cacophony of sound can overpower you. Sometimes it is very quiet. You can sense it more than you can actually hear it.
St. Thérèse’s feast day is right around the corner. For those who do not know her, she is a saint of our times. Often, we think of saints as people who lived a long time ago. People who received extraordinary graces. People who are “holy”, which can’t possibly be relatable to me. Wrong. St. Thérèse would be the first person to tell you that you’re wrong!
Most people who know of St. Therese, “The Little Flower,” are acquainted with the popular image of a young Carmelite nun, standing bathed in a heavenly light, with a serene smile, holding a crucifix surrounded by cascading roses.
In an instant, the world can change. In a short period of time, we received word of a dear friend needing unexpected heart surgery, a baby being born, a friend going into a coma, a couple separating, a new job starting, a world view changing, experiencing new avenues of self-knowledge.