You Feel Like Home To Me

"For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." – 2 Corinthians 5:1

Isn't it wonderful that no matter where you are in this world God is always with you? Especially since the Catholic Church is universal, we can be united with Jesus in communion wherever we go. He remains constantly with us no matter how far we travel! Even when we are in an unfamiliar place, far from home, His presence is forever unchanging.

As I recall, being in Indiana over the summer, something amazing happened! After visiting a professor at the University Notre Dame I stepped onto the campus and had no idea where I was. I had been dropped off on the side of campus to meet with this professor and was trying to make my way back to a familiar area. Even though I've been to Notre Dame several times, I still don't know the entire layout of the campus. So basically I was lost.

Nevertheless, I just decided to walk aimlessly along a random path and enjoy the beauty of the day. It was really sunny and the trees were swaying so gently in the wind. The campus was gorgeous...of course... it's Notre Dame, Our Lady's school. However, I really didn't know where I was going or what I would find. But sure enough I came across the Basilica and the Main Building in the center of campus. 

My first thought was, "I wonder if I can go in the church now? I hope it's open to visitors!" As I checked a sign in the front of the Basilica I found a listing of the Mass times. I saw that Mass was being held at 11:00am. Immediately I double checked my phone and it said 11:07am. 

"Perfect! I can go to daily Mass now, how wonderful!" I thought. I slowly opened the doors not to arouse anyone from prayer. As I quietly made my way into the church I was overwhelmed with its beauty! (Seriously, if you've never been inside the Sacred Heart Basilica at Notre Dame this is something you must experience at least once in your lifetime, especially if you're a Catholic.) Starting to walk inside the nave of the church I realized Mass was not going on. Assuming that they were a little late I sat in the pews for a few minutes. However, I kept seeing tourists and cleaning people perusing about the Basilica. 

Finally, I asked a lady working there where Mass was being held. She said it was in the crypt underneath the Basilica. I had heard of the crypt, but I had never gone there before. Eventually I made my way down and entered in the middle of the priest's homily. From there I took a seat and participated in the rest of the Mass.

How amazing!? I wasn't even looking for Jesus and He just put Himself right in front of me. He brought me to Mass that day when I didn't even know when or where it was. God literally put me in the right place at the right time. Although I was 15 minutes late, I still enjoyed the Mass and all it had to offer. Believe me, having Jesus with me for the rest of the day was such a blessing.

After that, the rest of my trip was just as amazing! One of my parish priests from home came to Notre Dame to celebrate Mass the Sunday I happened to be up there. He included my intentions during the Mass inside the Basilica. It was a wonderful service and I'm so happy he was there with me.

Just reflecting on this event makes me think about how God always draws you closer to Him even when you may be unaware of it. He is doing things right now, in your life, to help you reach the Kingdom of Heaven each and every day. No matter where you are, He will always make a path for you to seek Him. Although He clears this path for us, it is ultimately up to us to accept it and to choose Him with our free will.

Even when we are physically far away in an unfamiliar place, like I was, He will get you to where you need to be. With an open heart, He will assist you in your journey and help you to find your home in Him. And looking back, that's what it felt like...home. Once I found where the Mass was I felt like I was home. He is home to me.

When I realized that I was home with Him I didn't feel so lost anymore. I left the church that day feeling reassured about God's plan for my life. Although I still don't know how and why certain things happen, I do know God is constantly making an effort to show me the right path. He is also continuously working in your life to help you find your home in Him...our one and eternal home.

Just the other day I heard a song by a new country singer, Sarah Darling, called "Home to Me." It's a beautiful song that really touched my heart. It is lively, upbeat, and fun to listen to. Although the song is referring to a relationship between a man and a woman I can see how it can relate to our personal relationship with God. Because God is everywhere and He is our heart's dwelling place it makes perfect sense when she says, "Anywhere, anyplace I go...you feel like home to me." She also describes her love by stating, "I found the center of the universe." In all of those respects, the song has a great message and really makes you think about finding your home, your enteral home, from a Christian perspective.

Thanks for reading my blog! You are in my prayers. God bless and enjoy the song.

          

Medjugorje Visionary Marija Visits Notre Dame

"And Mary said, 'My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has has done great things for me—holy is His name.'" 
- Luke 1:46-49

On November 15th the Medjugorje visionary, Marija Pavlovic-Lunetti, came to the University of Notre Dame for one of her daily apparitions. She came to witness to those living in South Bend, IN about the Medjugorje messages coming from Our Lady. My cousin, Lauren, attends the University of Notre Dame and she was fortunate to be able to go to this event with my aunt. Mary TV also streamed a live video feed online. (Click here to read Cathy Nolan's reflection of this event from Mary TV's perspective.) This was such a blessing! Because of this broadcast my family and I were present for the apparition as well, via the internet.

During the apparition you could see the peace of Our Lady's presence come upon Marija while she was in ecstasy. It must be so wonderful to see the beauty of the Blessed Mother everyday! What a gift! I cannot even imagine.

After the vision, Marija gave her testimony to all who gathered there. I was surprised to hear her speaking in English. Since I have done a lot of research about Medjugorje I know that this particular visionary never studied the English language. It was absolutely amazing to hear her witness in our own native tongue. When I went to Medjugorje in 2010 my family and I stayed with the visionary Ivan. Even though he knew how to speak English, he would always use a translator while giving a testimony since he was more comfortable speaking in Croatian. I am so glad Marija choose to speak in English this time. It was much easier for us to relate to her by hearing the witness given in our language.

While Marija spoke she reflected upon the reasons of why Our Lady is coming. Is is very apparent that our society today is corrupted in sin and in great need of the Blessed Mother's presence. At the event Marija relayed the message of God which came from the Blessed Mother, stating, "I am God, the Resurrection. I am the God who was crucified and died. But I am resurrected! I am with you and I died for you. But I give you freedom. In this freedom you have a choice. Good or bad. I call you for goodness." The Blessed Mother also added, "I call you for new life. It's your choice. It's your choice to say yes or no." 

It is so sad that numerous people across the globe have stopped following Christ. They have given up on Him and are looking to the world for their satisfaction. Some people even claim to be "spiritual" but not "religious." Spirituality can be very dangerous if it is not within a religious context, such as Christianity. This usually means they are following New Age trends or satanic influences. Those involved in these cults and/or do not believe in God are in grave danger. What they do not realize is that they are putting their own soul at risk of losing the opportunity of enteral life. That is why Our Lady is coming for them. She is coming to give them hope. She is coming to give all of us hope and the grace of conversion.

Marija's testimony rang with truth and conviction. Like she said, we need to give our "YES" to God. We need to accept Him into our lives to strengthen our faith day by day. Only in this way can we inherit His holy kingdom. Paradise is waiting for us! All of us! If people seriously knew this who would ever say no to happily ever after? But, as Marija testified, it is our choice. It is our choice to accept or reject. By rejecting Christ we have essentially rejected eternal life. But if we accept Him into our life and our hearts we accept His glorious kingdom. During this "Year of Faith" let us give our entire "YES" to God. Let us glorify the Lord like Mary did with her "YES" to becoming the mother of Jesus. For she has truly given us the greatest example in accepting the Will of the Father.

         

Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth

"A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars." - Revelation 12:1

Hello dear friends in Christ! Today we celebrate the feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is a wonderful commemoration because it is with this event Mary was crowned as the Queen of Heaven and Earth by God the Father, as His beloved daughter, by God the Son (Jesus) as His dearest mother, and by God the Holy Spirit as His chosen spouse. She, who is human like us, rose to enteral glory in Heaven---being both regal and humble, merciful and powerful, human and divine. Her purity and holiness was exalted at this moment. She became not just the mother of Jesus, but also a mother to all humanity and the entire universe! Mary's intercession is the most powerful of all because she pleads our cause as the most perfect adorer of the Holy Trinity.

Earlier today (August 22, 2012), Pope Benedict XVI said, "Mary is a Queen in service to God and humanity; she is Queen of love, who lives the gift of self to God in order to enter into the plan of salvation for mankind." Click here to read more from the Catholic News Agency on the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In the video below Scott Hahn, Catholic author and theology professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville, shares his insight of Mary's Queenship and glory. Join me in honoring the Blessed Mother and this triumphant occasion with a novena for the intentions of Queen of Heaven and Earth.

Novena to the Blessed Mother, Queen of Heaven and Earth:

I greet you, ever-blessed Virgin, Mother of God, refuge of sinners, and Queen of the Universe. Most loving Mother, attracted by your beauty, sweetness, and tender compassion, I confidently turn to you, and beg of you to obtain for me of your dear Son the favor I request in this novena: (mention your request). Obtain for me also, Queen of Heaven and Earth, the most lively contrition for my many sins and the grace to imitate closely those virtues which you practiced so faithfully, especially humility, purity, and obedience. Above all, I beg you to be my mother and protectress, to receive me into the number of your devoted children, and to guide me from your high throne of glory. Do not reject my petitions, Mother of Mercy! Have pity on me, and do not abandon me during life or at the moment of death. Accept this offering, sweet Queen of Heaven and Earth, and obtain for me from your dear Son, Jesus Christ, the favors I ask through your intercession in this novena. Obtain for me also a generous, constant love of God, perfect submission to His Holy Will, the true spirit of a Christian, and the grace of final perseverance. Amen. 

Heaven Is For Real: Out Of This World — Literally!

"Jesus said, 'Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these'." - Matthew 19:14

Yesterday I finished reading the book Heaven is For Real. This book is amazing! I highly recommend it. It is a about a little boy's remarkable true story of his trip to heaven and back. Colton, the little boy, became extremely ill during a family trip. His parents, Todd and Sonja, rushed him to their local hospital on the way home. I do not want to give too much away but, as you already know by the title of the book, Colton had a near death experience at a very young age.

Little Colton gives detailed accounts of his trip to heaven in bits and pieces over the course of several years. He remembers almost everything, even to this day. But as a child it was probably harder for him to describe certain things. So as he grew up he was able to share more and more things with his parents about his amazing encounter with Jesus and other holy people. He even got to meet deceased family members that he never met on earth before.

I literally grabbed this book and could not put it down! I read most of it in the course of a day. Even though it is not a Catholic book it is still a very good Christian book. Todd, the father, is a pastor of a small church in Imperial, Nebraska. He writes very well and can relate a lot of the events to scripture passages from the Bible. If you haven't read this book go get it now! I'm telling you, you won't be disappointed. It is a very easy read for teens and adults. It definitely illustrates the power of God in an incredible way!

Also, if you are looking for other great Catholic/Christian books I recommend No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy by Father Donald Calloway, How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul by Jason and Crystalina Evert, Queen of the Cosmos and The Visions of the Children by Janice Connell, and many more by the authors Matthew Kelly and Scott Hahn. All of these books will open your eyes to a new light in faith. But most importantly, as Colton describes with his testimony, God wants us to know that heaven is for real...and that is what we need to strive for. I hope this book and the others I suggested will help you on your spiritual journey. Take care and God bless!

In Your Time

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." 
- Ecclesiastes 3:1

Recently I saw a movie with my family this past weekend called "In Time" starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried. It came out last year and I really wanted to see it in theaters, but I finally got to see it now. It was an enjoyable action-packed movie. But if you know the story, time is literally money. It is the currency of the era.  Everyone is in a hurry to make ends meet so they don't run out of time---because if they do, they'll die.

It seems to remind me of what can happen in today's society. People often rush too much to enjoy life. They are only looking forward to a better time, in the future, that may never come. Eventually they let life slip away. They are so set in their own ways that God has no chance to step in and correct their path. Of course God wants to help, because His timing is perfect! But the question is, will we let Him? Will we let His time come to pass instead of our own?

In chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes it says:

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."

God's time directly correlates to trusting Him with patience. Sometimes I try to think how God works...and then I realize that I cannot possibly comprehend His greatness. God is so amazing and so perfect! He has the perfect timing in His plan for each of us. That is why it is so important that we don't mess with it. Forcing our own will with hasty decisions can alter the path that God wants us to take. If we keep His timing and His Will in our prayers we will eventually know what He wants from us. Somehow, someway, God will let us know what His plan is for us. It is not like it's a big secret that He is trying to keep from you. Our Lord wants you to know the plan He has for you. But again, it is placing your trust in Him so that His plan will happen in His time.

God has a map for our lives with His time. It is not predestination because we are given the choice to follow Him or not. If we follow Him we will never get lost. But sometimes we get distracted down the road. I remember last month my friends and I were driving from Tampa to St. Petersburg. It is about an hour away so we used a GPS to get there since we didn't know the way. However, the GPS failed as we were on the highway. While all this was happening I was on the phone with a friend in the backseat and my other friends were talking and singing with the music. Suddenly we realized the GPS wasn't working as we approached a fork in the road. We didn't know which way to take, but luckily my friend Michelle turned left and it was the right way. But then we came to another split. We turned left again hoping we would be lucky a second time. However we ended up going the wrong way, so we had to backtrack. This is just a simple example of how being distracted in life and making a fast decision can literally take you down the wrong path, leading you away from God's perfect plan.

In simple words, let God be the watch of your destiny. He will always show you the right time at the right moment. Let God be the compass of your heart. He will point you in the right direction, always. So whenever you can't find your way, rely on God to help guide you in prayer. He will, always.

Song "Your Time" by upcoming Catholic music artist Sarah Kroger. Lyric video made by my friend Therese.

And He Will Raise You Up On The Last Day

"Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord." - James 5:14

Yesterday, with my mother and sister, we visited my grandmother for her birthday. We have had many wonderful birthdays with her in the past -- so many beautiful memories, full of festive balloons and chocolate cake covered in chocolate icing. However, this was not one of those birthdays. But it was a very blessed one for her. Since my grandmother started to get cancer 3 years ago she has suffered a lot. After going through so much treatment in the hospitals and rehab it is now time for her to begin a new life with God. On her birthday we visited her in hospice.

The amazing thing was as soon as we got there, not too long after, we just happened to see our pastor from church walk by the door of her room. I was so surprised, so I just decided to come out and greet him. When I saw him I realized that he was with another priest from our parish too. Both came into my grandmother's room and talked with us for a while. Then they both prayed over her and one of the priest's gave her the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. This was such a joyous moment! My grandmother was definitely in need of these prayers and this special sacrament. I am so happy for her, that on her birthday she was blessed with so many abundant graces. It was truly a divine act of God -- that two of our parish priests just happened to be at the same hospice house and we saw them walk right past her room, just in time.

I know very shortly my grandmother will be welcomed into Jesus' arms. It is just so very hard to let go, but I truly want what is best for her... and being here on earth is not giving her the quality of life she needs. So I pray that we can accept God's Will, when the time comes. I just thank Him for giving her all of these great birthday blessings and how wonderful she has been as a grandmother to me and my sister. My grandmother taught me how to paint and draw from such an early age. I cannot thank her enough for this. She has greatly influenced my life and she will be greatly missed. However, I know in my heart this is not the end. ...No, no. ...It is only the beginning.