Tag Archives: growth

The Jesus Prayer

“𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨.”⁣⁣-1 Thessalonians 5:17⁣⁣⁣⁣This ancient edict of Paul, to pray continuously throughout our lives, seems at first, daunting. “The Prayer” or the “Jesus Prayer” was the Church’s answer to this command.⁣⁣⁣⁣Most commonly practiced in the Eastern Orthodox circles of Christianity, the Jesus Prayer is a simple invocation that’s repeated throughout one’s day:⁣⁣⁣⁣“𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭,Continue reading “The Jesus Prayer”

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

“In God’s dimension, so to speak, you find a being who is three Persons while remaining one Being, just as a cube is six squares while remaining one cube. Of course we cannot fully conceive a Being like that: just as, if we were so made that we perceived only two dimensions in space we could never properly imagine a cube. But we can get a sort of faint notion of it. And when we do, we are then, for the first time in our lives, getting some positive idea, however faint, of something super-personal – something more than a person. It is something we could never have guessed, and yet, once we have been told, one almost feels one ought to have been able to guess it because it fits in so well with all the things we know already.” (Harper Collins version, p161-162)

How Catholic Devotion to Mary Leads Us Closer Christ

In Luke’s Gospel, Mary says “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior” (Luke 1:46-47 RSVCE). Mary does not take away from Christ. Coming to know Mary magnifies our love for Christ. As Dr. Taylor Marshall, a former Protestant, says, “the more things that are involved in participating in Christ, the more the love, mercy, and grace of Christ is magnified” (Dr. Marshall, source linked below).

Catholic Mindfulness

What is one thing we can do right now to put mindfulness into practice?

For a Catholic who is trying to figure out what this has to do with their interior life, I usually tell people – when you go to Mass or you go to Adoration, before praying, start off spending five minutes just being present in your body, and just feel with your senses your own breath. Pay attention to what’s actually happening right now in this moment. That will prepare you to be present with God’s Body – the Eucharist – or whatever is specifically happening in the prayer.

We often just try to go right into our prayers, as life goes on in the background of our mind. But we can stop that process by refocusing on the senses in the present moment.

My Testimony – God Is With You Always

My point is this: God meets us at our lowest points. He does not abandon us. He is not with us just in the good moments. He is with us when we feel broken. He is with us when we feel hopeless. Sometimes our “worst” moments are the best times to encounter God in our lives. The important thing is to be aware. You must be aware and constantly looking for how God is working in your life. He is not just in the miracles. He is not just in the grand moments of life. He is with you always.