Illuminated By Joy

 J.M.J.  Hello, my friends!  Do you ever keep track of quote-worthy lines in books you read? I've had a notebook since I was 12 where I've recorded "Important Things to Remember from ...". It's an easy way to sort of reread books from my past spiritual reading (and see how my handwriting has changed!). One of my favorite books is Story of a Soul: Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux , so I thought I'd share some of my favorite quotes from her writing. I also highly recommend it to everyone, no matter your stage in life!  (credit) *Emphasis is my addition* "He wants me to love Him because He has forgiven me, not much, but everything. He did not wait for me to love Him with a great love, like Magdalene's, but made me see that He had loved me first, with an infinite providence, so that now I may love Him in return even unto folly" (57-58).  " 'The world is but a ship, and not thy home' " (61).  "...Our Lord does not come fr

 Hey everyone! I've been listening to the Bible in a Year podcast a lot lately. In the process, I listened to so many books that gave profound advice, but that hardly anyone knows about. It just made me want to spread this wisdom to everyone.  So, I thought I would share a few quotes from one of these books, called Sirach (Ecclesiasticus if you read the Dhouay-Rheims Version) with you all to reflect on. It is a deuterocannonical book, or one of the books that Catholic Bibles have, but non-Catholic Bibles don't. The format is basically a father giving advice to his son. So many of the teachings are rules we should all live by, including some really good social precepts. I pray that as you read these, you will hunger for more great Wisdom from our Heavenly Father.  I used the Dhouay Rheims Version because it is in the public domain, but included the citation for the New American Bible as well. "Advise not with fools, for they cannot love but such things please them. "Be

 J.M.J.  A most blessed (belated) feast of St. Joseph the Worker!  St. Joseph is one of my family's patron saints. A big statue in our living room reminds us daily that he is praying for us daily. Every night after our family rosary, we pray the Litany of St. Joseph asking for his protection, guidance, and our daily needs. We have also consecrated ourselves to him and I am positive that through his prayers, we have been given so much from God!  I enjoy reading stories of answered prayers, so today I present my own St. Joseph answered prayer story.  Three years ago, I was months away from graduating high school. I knew God wanted me to go to college but I also knew I would be responsible for paying my entire tuition. This meant I didn't just want a job to have a responsibility but I NEEDED a job to pay for school. My only job experience was occasional babysitting, and the only childcare job opening was for a summer program leader that I had been rejected twice. How would I ever

J.M.J. A most blessed and holy Eastertide to all my dear friends! Christ is truly risen! Let us rejoice! In all the busyness of the world, I wanted to share a way of prayer that has a special place in my heart. It's hard not to get caught up in the ways of the world, especially now that Easter is "over" in the secular world. For us Catholics though, celebrating Christ's resurrection has just begun!  Now, on to the topic of prayer :  My favorite type of prayer is mental prayer in the presence of the Eucharist, either in a quiet church or in a Eucharistic Adoration chapel. There's Something so beautiful about being in a small chapel with Our Lord, all alone. Just me and Our Lord. And being only a foot away from the monstrance...words do not explain the beauty.. (credit) My teenage self, however, would tell you different. I used to absolutely hate silence. (Yes, this is coming from a girl about to live the rest of her life in silence with only 45 minutes a day for fr

J.M.J. *This post is part of Grim's lovely Remember, O Thou Man Lenten link up here .  (credit) "The same everlasting Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings." -St. Francis de Sales St. Francis de Sales is one of those saints who found me. I was struggling in life and God sent him my way through his beautiful spiritual readings and wonderful quotes. (If you've never read "Introduction to the Devout Life", you MUST!) He is a great friend of mine, even so much that I decorated my graduation cap with one of his quotes. :) Let's just say, I can always count on him to guide me ever closer to our loving Father!  In the last few weeks, the temptation to give up my Lenten resolutions has been so real...how I am ready to give up right now amidst struggles. A rough day of tea

 J.M.J. "Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris."  These are the words we hear before every Ash Wednesday Mass. As we approach the priest who signs our foreheads with ashes, we are reminded of death. Death. Why is it pushed aside so often? Why is everyone so sad after a death? Our happiness is not of the world or of worldly things; we are here only to prepare for our earthly death so we may one day live our eternal life in Heaven. I am reminded of this by one of my favorite Bible verses: "I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). Life is not easy. It is full of sufferings to guide us to love the Lord with our whole heart, soul, and mind so that one day we may go home to Him. Often, it is the small sufferings that God sends us each day that are our greatest trials. In times of sickness and hardships, let us offer it up in union with Jesus! As St. Gemm