Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Thursday, January 23, 2014

The good ship Life



Today's Magnificat meditation:

What worse harm can hell and devils do to me than hinder my loving God for whom all creatures continually yearn? Let man press onward with all his might through every one of his life's happenings; let him make no great matter of what occurs to him, whether sweet or bitter. Let it all flow away behind you; meddle with it no more for it has ceased to concern you; follow God with all your best reason. Thus one may attend to every external duty without externizing himself; thus does God remain present to his mind amid a multiplicity of affairs, while he remains safe from the effects of that multiplicity. That happy state comes only from refusing to fasten one's spirit to anything whatsoever except God alone. Go not forward or backwards or sideways; take no account of pleasure or profit, men's favor or their disfavor, but simply and solely consider God.

If you should unwittingly fail in this, and some motive that is not God should for a moment control you, rise up again very quickly with an act of your reason; turn the good ship into the right course with the rudder of holy discretion. If God's servitor begins his work with an upright intention, and so continues it, then no matter what feeling of multiplicity he may experience, it will not essentially hurt him; it will not be enough to mislead him.

Father John Tauler, OP


Read and repeat, as necessary.



"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27






May I ask a prayer of you today? My 97-year-old grandma fell a few weeks ago, and broke her nose. Her nose is actually healing, but she might have injured her brain in the fall, as since then (she went from the hospital to a rehab facility, even though she has lived independently all her life until the fall), she is confused and sleeping a lot. Now she has developed pneumonia. I know 97 years is a long life, but I pray she doesn't suffer any more. She is confused about where she is, and for the first time in her life, to my knowledge, not contented.

13 comments:

  1. Your grandmother will be in my prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I will add your grandmother to our evening rosary intentions.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I will definitely pray for your grandma. Poor honey! It couldn't have been fun to break her nose. :(

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mary and Jenny, and you for your prayers.

    Margaret, she was a mess, sadly. Couldn't get up because of the blood on the floor, and then bruised from forehead to chin. No. Not fun at all. And that loss of dignity from all of it was just hurt on top of hurt. Thank you for your prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thinking of you and your precious grandma. Prayers and hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Barbara, I am praying for your poor Grandma. I am so sorry.
    And thank you for the Magnificat entry. Much to think about there.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have added your grandmother to my prayer list, Barbara. I'm so sorry to hear this. My 85 year old FIL suffers greatly from Alhzeimer's and to see how quickly he went from a very capable man to just lying in bed so terribly confused or sleeping all the time is heartbreaking. We wish he would not have to suffer anymore. I feel guilty at times for thinking so.

    On a different note, I've been meaning to find your blog when I saw a delicious snicker doodle bar recipe on Jamie Jo's blog. She linked it to your blog. Not only were the bars delicious (my kids had me make two batches in one weekend), but I believe your are the talented Barbara that made a beautiful scapular for my homeschool moms' night out (it was the door prize).

    Wonderful to make the connection.

    God bless,
    Patty

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm so sorry your grandmother is doing poorly, Barbara. She is in my prayers. She must be quite a lady - independent at 97! God bless her.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks, Christine. You're so kid.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you for your prayers, Kirsten. And thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Patty,
    Yes! That was my scapular. I'm glad we connected here.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Kimberlee,
    I think the loss of independence has been the hardest for her. And she is back in the hospital today because her oxygen levels were so low, and she was so confused. Poor, poor dear.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, I'll be praying...she is getting ready, that slipping in and out of heaven...I read that somewhere, after my grandma died. Makes the confusion a little sweeter. (I hope)

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!