Sunday Wisdom

In today’s readings, we are reminded of God’s abundant love for us and that Jesus will never abandon us. By offering us the beatitudes Jesus envisions our everyday life transformed into something new. He challenges us to care for the poor and be aware of injustice. He wants us to think about his promise of love to us and how we can extend that same love and mercy to our neighbors. He wants us to step out of our complacency and change the world.

This is a life of hope where our rewards will be great in heaven. But, we cannot do it alone. We cannot rely only on our human strength, we need the Holy Spirit so we will have the courage to move forward in holy boldness. We have to first strengthen our relationship with Jesus and then we will be filled and able to extend unconditional love and generosity to others.

So today, read through the eight Beatitudes and focus on how Jesus is teaching all of us the virtues and values in life that will result in blessings and rewards.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

The main characters in each of today’s readings, Isaiah, Paul and Peter, all have a sacred encounter with the Lord. Praise God there is something captivating by His holy presence. When we truly encounter our Lord, something miraculous happens, Jesus cuts straight to our heart and offers us all sacred hope.

In the midst of our everyday, ordinary lives, we are a mixture of good and bad. Sometimes our faith is fervent and pure, other times, not so much. And sometimes in the midst of God’s holiness, we can only focus on our unworthiness, but the good news is that God is not going anywhere. Of course God’s holiness should stop us in our tracks and fill us with awe, but it can also bring us hope.

The Lord is always walking with us. He is always in our boat, even when we turn away from him or try to run from his love. He is always willing to cut straight to our heart and remove any doubt and/or fear. The real question is how will we respond to His love and mercy.

Will we respond with love, mercy and thanksgiving, or will we reject His sacred grace? We are all unworthy, but the good news is that when we stand before the Lord empty and little, with open and humble hearts, he can fill us with the grace of His love, mercy and sacred hope.

So don’t let your feelings of unworthiness keep you from Jesus. Go to him, empty and little. I promise you he will fill you and bless you with more goodness than you could ever imagine.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

In our world today success seems to be the primary goal. We set goal for ourselves and when we fail to attain them, wonder what is wrong with us. And yet we hear in today’s readings the only real goal is love. The questions we should be asking ourselves is how well do we love and are we loved by others?

After all loving and being loved is the only accomplishment we can take with us to our life in heaven. Sure working and being successful at our job is good, but love is the greater good.  Good news we can do both!.

The Presence of God’s eternal love is something Mother Teresa knew well. Her example of ordinary and extraordinary acts of kindness changed the world. How can we be that light for others?  How can our ordinary acts of kindness change the lives of those we will meet today?

To live in real love is to think of others first. It is to live in the present, not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Living in real love is not easy, but it is rewarding because love without sacrificing is empty love .However, in order to live in real love we have to love by God’s standard and not our own and that can be hard.  

Jesus is our supreme example of how to continue to move forward in love despite opposition and rejection. Sure sometimes we fail to recognize Jesus in our lives, but He is there, always with us, always protecting us. Our lives are for but a moment, so take some time in prayer today and allow Jesus to rekindle your fire of love for others.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

In today’s gospel Jesus performs his first miracle which begins His public ministry and in doing so he teaches us and his disciples a lesson in great love and also magnifies powerful love of Mary our Mother.

Mary in her great love and gentleness tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”  Mary is concerned about the young couple and those at the wedding feast, not herself or her son.  She shows her great love and concern for the needs of this young couple, just as she does for all of our needs, big and small. Jesus’ great love and obedience for his mother led him into ministry.  This is why we can confidently call on our Mother Mary to intercede for us. To Jesus, through Mary!

Mary certainly gets the attention of the servants who have just filled six stone jars with water.  I wonder who all of their lives were changed that day? Did you know that the number six signifies imperfections?  Interesting how Jesus not only turns ordinary water into extraordinary wine and makes perfect those six stone jars.  He not only transforms the water, but he transforms the jars. They turn from an ordinary instrument of daily work into a spring of joy. 

Throughout marriage while sacrificing for one another our jars can become empty.  We could allow them to become as hard as stone or we can allow Jesus to enter our hearts in order to bring love and forgiveness to one another. This will transform our jars and we will be filled with joy.

Mary is gently whispering to you, “Do whatever He tells you, Do whatever He asks you.”  What is Jesus asking you to do?  Will you empty yourself for Jesus and allow Him to turn your water into wine? 

With the help of our Lord, ordinary tasks can become extraordinary. I pray that Jesus will fill you with His powerful love and mercy so that you can spread joy to those around you. Be blessed by friends!

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

The Baptism of Jesus is a celebration of the Father’s love and the beginning of the Jesus’ public ministry. The Father is filled with joy with His Son’s obedience, humility and trust.  With this great love and joy the Father announces from heaven that he is pleased with his beloved Son. “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22).

With so much that has happened in this world, the uncertainty and daily struggles often allow us to give in to fear and then doubt creeps in. I get it, but trust me it does not have to define you because your identity as part of God’s family can fill you with that unexpected joy of unconditional love.  God wants to continually fill you with the Holy Spirit so that you are strengthened and encouraged to fulfill the work God has planned for you.

The Holy Spirit is present at Jesus’ baptism just as the Spirit was present at your baptism. So go ahead, recommit your baptismal promise, ask for a renewed Spirit and then listen as God reminds you that you His beloved child and He will never abandon you.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

What a joy it is to celebrate the birth of our Lord.  The readings for this Christmas encourage us to develop a heart of gratitude and inspire us to share the joy of the mystery of a child born from Mary with others. 

Whenever we receive a gift, it is precious and we rejoice because it is a sign that someone loves us and cares for us. God so loved the world, (that is all of us,  you, me, everyone) that he gave his only Begotten Son to us, which is a huge gift, right?  If you have children then you totally understand the magnitude of giving up one of your children for the good of all.  God’s tremendous love for us shows how much he cares us and is a light in our darkness.

The darkness of wintertime and the feast of this season reminds us of our brokenness, our sins and our need to be redeemed.  Into the darkness and messiness of our lives, God comes to dwell among us and brings light into our midst.

May the Light of Christ bless us all and fill our homes this Christmas Season.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

As we continue to open our hearts throughout this Advent Season, let our Joy be bigger than our Fear so that our response is to follow the example of obedience and service established by Jesus and His mother. It was Mary’s willingness to accept GOD’s plan that brought so much Joy into the world. Her kindness and service to Elizabeth reveals how very much Mary is aware of GOD’s presence in her life.

 So these coming weeks, as we focus on the Lord Jesus’ presence with us, let us open our heart to be called to bring the Lord Jesus to others. Who in your life needs to be visited, who could benefit from a kind word or a gentle smile?

Our caring and compassionate deeds do make a positive impact on others and is a simply way to remind our friends, family, neighbors, even strangers that they are valued and blessed by GOD. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

During this Advent Season we continue to hear from John the Baptist and his message is simple, conversion.  It is a loud and boastful call for us to evaluate what is important in our lives and perhaps, change our direction.  What is it that keeps us from living authentic lives, the life Christ has called us to live?

This gospel is also a call for evangelization.  How well do I share my faith with others?  Of course not everyone will listen, but my friends the love of Christ and His Mercy is so powerful, I do not want you to miss out on living a life of being loved unconditionally by our Savior.

So, this Advent Season I pray we can all lay down our brokenness and our burdens and put on the face of Christ, so that we can be empty and little allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us and bless us with the fire of His love.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

In today’s gospel John the Baptist prepares the way of the Lord, thus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy. Advent is a time of coming to Christ and it announces to us all that -We matter to God!  God will never abandon us.  God is constantly calling us back to him with hearts and hands and voices. We must trust that God’s words are true and let go of all our worries and concerns by continually seeking God’s will in our lives.

The Season of Advent offers us an opportunity to welcome the Holy Spirit and to open our hearts to a journey of love.
Advent is a faith journey into which we are all invited.  So we have to ask ourselves……..How strong is my faith?  What causes me to doubt? 

Advent takes us to an all new level, an attitude adjustment if you will.  And with this new adjustment comes a change of heart, one that believes and announces Christ’s forgiveness, allowing us all to live our life’s journey more open to God’s grace.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae

Are there people in your life who are so important that if they reached out, you would drop everything?  Is Jesus on that list? 

In today’s gospel, we have a story where people were dropping everything to follow Jesus.  The Pharisees felt threatened and so they slowly build a case against Our Lord and he was arrested and brought to Pilate.

Jesus speaks to Pilate about the truth. He even says, ”Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”  When we allow Jesus to enter our hearts, we begin to hear His voice and so He becomes the King of our thoughts, words and actions.  We allow ourselves to surrender to love and live in true honesty, forgiveness and humility.  We take a real look inside and see the truth of our own human weaknesses and unite in a deeper relationship with Christ the King.

He encourages us to build true relationships with others. We find the courage to tell the truth no matter what and so we put Jesus on our list of important people and become Warriors of His Truth. There is no better person to connect with than Our Lord.  So whatever you are facing now in your life, the joys, the struggles, the anxieties or the calm, remember that Our Lord is calling all of us to follow Him more closely.

God Bless You All!

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time, be blessed, Renae