Reclaiming Our Children

You are she who is not, and I AM HE WHO IS.

"[To St. Catherine of Siena Jesus says]: Do you know, daughter, who you are and who I am? If you know these two things you have beatitude in your grasp. You are she who is not, and I AM HE WHO IS. Let your soul but become penetrated with this truth, and the Enemy can never lead you astray; you will never be caught in any snare of his, nor ever transgress any commandment of mine; you will have set your feet on the royal road which leads to the fullness of grace, and truth, and light."

(The Two Pillars, pg. 81)

Weekend retreat

Linda Cochrane author of the post abortion bible study "Forgiven and Set Free" is holding a weekend retreat from June 5-8 at The Agape Center in Homes NY

A time for teaching, healing and testimony...

Anyone with questions or interested in attending can contact Rosalie Taney
1-203-775-0210 or 1-800 203-4673

The Canaanite Woman

“To us proud as we are, the response of Jesus could have closed us totally to Him. We would have been disposed to defend our honor at all costs. The Canaanite woman reacted in a completely different way. She does not claim her rights, but in profound humility, she decided to act with an unlimited trust that flows from an authentic recognition of her nothingness and helplessness.

O woman, great is your faith!” These words of Jesus express His admiration for this attitude. Because of this, He fulfills the petition of the Canaanite woman…you should neither lose heart nor be discouraged by the apparent absence of God’s response to your supplication. While recognizing before God the truth about yourself, don’t stop begging Him.

If God refuses…He does so for your own salvation; He wants your faith to be at a point of folly and unlimited trust.” (In the Arms of Mary-pg 98-99)

Ok…a show if hands…

How many of you believe Jesus loves you?

How many of you trust Jesus?

So, what do you have to worry about?

The truth is, we all trust up to a certain point. When we are down and out and our way does not work, we trust because we are desperate. It is then that we finally see ourselves in truth and become humble. After a while, our pride seeps in again and we start to believe we are the ones working things out and we begin once again to trust more in ourselves then Him. Especially if we are not getting what we want or what we think is best for us! I think our entire lives are spent in constantly finding out we have taken over again and handing ourselves back to Him. It is just so easy for our pride to take over without us even recognizing it. How many times have you found yourself thinking “here I am again...I cannot believe I did this or that again” I know I do all the time.

The Canaanite woman begged Jesus for her daughters healing… He rejects her, or so it seems, and worse yet He called her a dog! He confronts her with her nothingness. We would probably not react that way. Chances are, we would get insulted and try to defend ourselves, But, she does not let her pride get in the way. She knows she cannot heal her daughter…she believes He is the Messiah and accepts her nothingness

she acknowledges she is like a dog but reminds Him”even a dog eats the scraps from the masters table!”

She appealed to his goodness

She not only trusted Him to do what she wanted and believed He could do, she challenged Him!

She made it impossible for Him to say no to her and still be who He was! Goodness & mercy itself!

We could almost say, she called his bluff!

 

What was it that caused her to have such faith? Was it that she had seen other healings?

Was she just so desperate for her daughters healing and felt she had nothing to loose?

We don’t really know, but I do know what caused me to beg.

I was desperate and immersed in my misery- I felt I had nothing to loose because I was miserable

I think our abortions fit into thecategory of “that which we most despise in our lives”

I have often said God took my worse sin and used it to bring me to Himself

Misery is Christ knocking at the door of our hearts

I begged because I knew I could not do it..I had tried everything.I persisted because without God I had no hope left. I literally wanted to die

I was in so much pain, and .I knew He was my last chance.

I certainly fell over and over again...I had no clue about Jesus or his love. I was learning for the 1^st time..going on what others told me.

My life was in darkness..I remember a poem I wrote when I was just beginning to get glimpses of Jesus: It was titled “Im Searching in the dark to find you Lord”

3/86

 

I’m searching the dark to find you Lord,

Where are you?

I know you’re there.

The Church tells me…

Friends tell me…

You must be there.

 

I’m searching in the dark to find you Lord.

Where are you?

You must be there.

I felt you Lord.

One time for days.

It was wonderful. They were right.

 

I’m searching in the dark to find you Lord.

Where are you?

I know you’re there.

I can’t find you Lord.

My heart is hard.

Please help me to find you Lord…I’m lost.

 

I’m praying in the dark to find your Lord.

Where are you?

I know you’re there.

Ah, my heart has opened.

There you are, right beside me.

I couldn’t feel you without your love.

 

I’m praying in the light to stay with you Lord.

Here you are.

With me,

In me.

Please help me to stay with you

So other can find you in me, and them,

As I found you in them, and myself…

 

I pray to accept the good and what I see as the bad, with gratitude knowing I can never be “good enough” but that I do not have to be because I believe with my whole heart In our God who comes down to us in His great love and gives us His all

Jesus I trust in You!

 

 

 

Litany of Humility

I love prayers for humility...seems to be the key to truly living a life of holiness...unfortunately, I struggle with humility. It is not something to be grasped at..it is a gift.

In order to heal from abortion, we need to get over the fact that we in fact, gave in to this terrible deed. We need to see ourselves in truth.

Here are a few of my favorites: "Humility..once you think you have it you've lost it.'

"Humility is the fertile soil upon which the Divine Sower plants His seed"

and of course the litany...

Litany of Humility

 Written by Cardinal Merry del Val. He was accustomed to recite this prayer daily after the celebration of Holy Mass.

O Jesus meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,
Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I,
That others may be esteemed more than I,
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. Amen

An abortion experience

a Man shares his experience...his denial and his grief over a past abortion

http://pop.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewf-5nkKWfk

Abortion Man

I do not know what is sadder...that someone made this or that it is not really that far fetched...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKF8E9n1qkA

hat tip to Jill Staneks blog http://www.jillstanek.com/

men's Days

I am happy to say our next men's day, May 3rd,  has five participants so far.

It is difficult to get post abortive men to come out and address abortion, yet it affects many of them profoundly too. Even those who may not be post abortive themselves but are married to someone who is finds the days helpful.

Please keep these men in your prayers as they step forward to address the unique issues they face as post abortive fathers.

the Union Leader

I began reading this with skepticism but actually turned out pleasantly surprised...

http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Kathleen+Parker%3a+Pope+Benedict+remains+rightly+out+of+step+with+modernity&articleId=824ac826-895b-4596-b7fb-77884b7665aa

Pope at the UN

OK, so it was an amazing day! We went into the city early not knowing what was ahead of us as far as security went. In the end, we hung out for 2 hours before gaining entrance, but it was fine.

All the seminarians from Dunwoodie were in the same section as we were, so it was fun to catch up with some of the .Br Jeremiah. CFR, and Br Columba, CFR had both worked with us for a few years in the post abortion ministry before entering seminary, so it was great to catch up and hear how they were doing. We will be so blessed to have them as priests, along with the others who are currently studying.

I just got a new camera which I took with me..foolishly I did not practice before setting out. Not only are my pix a little blurry, but the card only allowed me to take 5 pictures!!!! I had to end up erasing other things so I would have room for the Pope!

The CFR's actually organized prayer services in the city last night where they then processed to the house of the Vatican Nuncio where the Pope was staying. He actually came out and greeted them...very exciting...

Today I will be at the youth rally at the seminary, with a new card (700 pictures) and I hope steadier hands!

They're clickable!

United Nations

Well, it is 6:30 am here in NY and I am off to see the Pope. I am very excited!

Hopefully I will be close enough to get some pictures...we'll see. At any rate it should be quite an experience!