Road to Emmaus

While there are many, many wonderful scriptural readings for Easter season, one in particular has become my favorite - it is today's Gospel reading. Why has this become one of my favorite? This article is the reason why. Enjoy. I have nothing else to say as this says it all.


God has blessed me this day to have a brief amount of time before my students return to school to help set up for tonight's FFA chapter banquet. Blessed be the Lord Our God. Blessed be Jesus, our Risen Savior and Redeemer. Count your blessings. Continue to celebrate through this Octave of Easter and pray the Divine Mercy Novena. 

Happiness is not...

... getting what you want. It is wanting what you have. - a story told on K-Love last week.

How often do we find a voice in our mind saying, "I want this" or "it sure would be nice to have that"... whether that voice is referring to a coat, a sweater, shoes, a car, a career, a vehicle, family, friends, or even a vocation. Yup, even a vocation. 

Face it. There is a letter, a message, a desire, a purpose, a mission written upon your heart by Our Dear Heavenly Father and you will find peace, joy, and happiness when you fully embrace that mission. 

"One mission in life is greater than a hundred opportunities."                                                                                                      (Sisters of Life pamphlet) 

How do we find out what that mission is? How do we learn how to read the letter on our heart, or listen to the promptings of grace and the Holy Spirit? It is only by growing in relationship with Christ, by whom and through whom we come to know God the Father. If you must ask Mamma Mary to take your hand and guide you to her Son, that is more than okay. After all, He came to us through Mary. Should we not choose to return to Him in the same way - through the same person?

Spend some time with Jesus. Spend some time with Mary, meditating and reflecting upon the life, suffering and death of Christ, Our Risen Lord and Redeemer.

Just a few short ramblings on a late Monday evening, the Second day of the Octave of Easter. Peace and joy to you in the Risen Christ!

P.S. The closer to God you get, the more you you become. Awe-spiration. Alleluia!!!

I Feel Like Peter

"Simon Peter said to him, 'Master, where are you going?'
Jesus answered him,
'Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later.'
Peter said to him,
'Master, why can I not follow you now? 
I will lay down my life for you.' " John 13:36-37

Between yesterday and today, I feel like Peter. I just posted a wonderful blog on Sunday about being willing to do God's will. Yet, "every difficulty stops me; I yield to the first temptation of boredom and disgust; and human respect often prevents me from carrying out the inspirations of grace." (Imitation of Mary)

Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times.”

Lord, help me not to deny you this week, but to deny myself all that keeps me from you. 

The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

Howdy. It's been a little while, but sometimes you can just feel the Holy Spirit prompting you to share. While I'm not always this docile, I think He's got some good things to say this evening.

The last two Sundays, I've been able to spend some quality with my extended family. We had a bridal shower for my sister-in-law to-be and then today, on Palm Sunday, we celebrated 150 years of the Sacrament of Matrimony between my grandparents (55 years) and two of my great aunts & uncles (50 & 45 years). Imagine how much more epic this event would have been had it not fallen during Lent this year... still, a solemnity is a solemnity.

Numerous times I was asked, do you like teaching, do you like where you are at, are you staying for next year? Despite the various blog posts I've made pointing out my struggles to survive, I've since reached a turning point and have more fully embraced where I am and what I am doing. I answered the above questions with a yes, but often seeking to explain my answer a little more. Some times I would expand, other times I left it at a basic answer.

A turning point... overall I'm just more optimistic about spending my days in a high school classroom, building relationships and setting a positive example for students. While there are still days I don't really have a clue what I should be teaching in the next 47 minute class period, I fret and worry less and do/teach more. Beyond the facilitation of knowledge, I have come to see a need for God in this place. It is kind of like going on a mission. It's not just "kind of like" though, I really believe God has called me to be where I am and do what I am doing at this point in time in my life. I could not see that for the first three months, but now I do.

From the Imitation of Mary

... Never let yourself be dismayed, then, as you carry out His commands, however difficult they may be. Hope in Him and He will help you. ...

...Whatever be the situation in which we find ourselves, our salvation depends on fidelity to grace. ...

...No, your state is not of itself a barrier to holiness. For it is not the place nor the occupations that sanctifies a man; it is the man who must sanctify the place and the occupation. ...

... Sanctify what you do in your present state by referring it all to God, and you will not have cause to complain that your duties are a source of distraction. ...

To expand on my basic answer, the joy I am experiencing in this situation and occupation is not because what I do every day is easy. My strength and my joy come from knowing and loving that I am doing God's will. I am not perfect at it, but I'm not trying to be. (..do not regard equality with God something to be grasped at... Phil 2:6) Only God is perfect. When I falter, I admit that I need God all the more. "The joy of the Lord is my strength" Neh 8:1 And surely Our Heavenly Father delights in assisting His children when in need.  Aww-spiration

I close with this prayer from Thursday's daily Regnum Christi e-mail.

You have spoken, Lord,
in the silence of my night
and your word has engraved your will in my heart.
Because you spoke,
there is a will in you that I know:
It is the will of your commands.

I want to fulfill that will, Lord.
I want to believe according to your doctrine.
To hope according to your promises.
To love and live according to your guidance and laws.

God's Time

God is the slowest person I know who is always on time. 


~ Dave (anonymous)

Grow in Grace

Your faithfulness in your present assignment is what qualifies you in God's eyes for your future one.  So don't get discouraged or impatient - just stay faithful!  God knows where to find you!

God knows, even though you don't, how important the lessons you're learning right now are to your future and His plan.

Because when you can succeed here you can succeed anywhere.  It's here that you learn to love the unlovable, and fulfill God's purposes too.  It's here you "grow in grace."