Reclaiming Our Children

Adoring the Cross

 

Because prayer at the foot of the Cross deepens the vision of ones sinfulness as well as faith in the love of God. Your evil was conquered and erased by virtue of the redemptive sacrifice of Christ. Through the power of the One whose love for you has no limits you were redeemed. In adoring the Cross you will realize this ever more fully. (In the Arms of Mary, SC Beila)

  “Through the power of the One whose love for you has no limits, you were redeemed”

A love without limits. That is hard for us to imagine because our human love is often filled with a bunch of limits.

• I will love you if …
• I don’t love you anymore because…
• How can I love you when …
• If you do this it is over

How many of us had those limits manifested to us before we chose abortion?

• If you love me you will abort
• If you do not abort I will leave
• If you do not abort you cannot finish school/keep your job etc etc

Our human love seems to have more to do with getting for ourselves than giving of ourselves.

 

I used to hate the cross. It scared me. I felt guilty for putting Jesus there and it reminded me of all I was not and my total sinfulness. I was completely focused on self instead of all He was and his sinlessness and mercy for me.

It also seemed completely impossible for me to meet what I thought were the expectations of Christ. I was too weak, to fearful, too sinful, too needy and ignorant of how to even begin to live the life I felt He was asking of me. I always felt like I had to be a certain place before I went to Him, I never realized that it was by going to Him that I could eventually, please God, reach that place.

 While a part of me longed for relationship with Him, I had no inkling of this love He offered. A love that willingly died on the cross. A living love, not 2000 years ago, right here, right now.

 Christ’s love challenges us to grow, to step away from self”. The paradox of our faith, by giving ourselves up, we get fulfillment. It is hard to digest.

Most of us aborted because of “self” whether it was pure self interest or self preservation it still was about self. That can be hard for us to admit.

 But it is in entering into all the feelings and doubts and fears that caused me to abort, not alone, but with Christ , that I will find peace and fulfillment.

 I have been thinking lately abut how much suffering there is in the world. We run around too busy for most things. We have forgotten how to relax and rest in the Lord. So many people have so many crosses, unemployment, addiction, illness, and so many people feel so alone and abandoned. They are so busy looking to fill self they forget that they get filled by emptying self, by being there for others. We are so afraid to suffer with others, afraid that it will touch our supposed neat little worlds.

 We are all adverse to suffering. Even in our healing we want it here and now. We look for a quick fix, as if there could possibly be one. Just think of how awful it would be to be able to take the life of our children and get over it right away. What kind of a person would we be? I have always said I am glad my abortion bothered me..I would not want to take the life of my child and be ok with that. That is scarier to me than what I have gone through.

 

How can He forgive after He suffered so much and died for my sins? Fact is, we are already forgiven precisely because he died for our sins. On the cross we see Pain, ultimate pain and ultimate love in the same place. It is a paradox we are reminded of by many saints.

 
“The Cross is the way to Paradise, but only when it is borne willingly. “

--------St. Paul of the Cross

“In uniting yourself to God's will, you take on new life and gather great courage, willingly embracing the cross and kissing His hand even when it chastises you, a hand that reaches out to you in love and has no other intention but your greater spiritual well-being. “

--------St. Paul of the Cross

Carrying Your Cross

Our monthly "gathering" this week was focused on carrying our cross with Christ. It is a great topic to ponder in the season of Lent..

Our human nature rebels at the cross. We want to throw it down. The fact remains however, that with or without Christ, we all have crosses to carry.

Our sufferings, even our suffering as a result of abortion, provide a great opportunity for us look at ourselves honestly and recognize we cannot do anything without Gods grace. When we allow Christ to carry our crosses with us, we share in His love, and the embrace is an occasion for us to learn and grow in His understanding and peace. We need to trust in His love for us beyond all things. even abortion.

There is beauty in the Cross, and deep love. As we move into the Lenten season let us use our sin of  abortion as a source to obtain grace and growth as we carry our brokeness with Christ who is always with us showing us the way to His forgiveness, healing and peace.

Good Friday Stations

Good Friday is just one week away...here are 2 great opportunities to do the Stations that will really leave an impact on you if you are in NY

The CFR's do the Stations through the streets of NY from Harlem to the South Bronx:

http://www.franciscanfriars.com/gallery/way_of_the_cross.htm (you can even catch me in the still pictures)

 

 

 

And then there is the "Way of the Cross" across the Brooklyn Bridge...http://www.wocbrooklynbridge.com/

 ..because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.....

 

A Look at ourselves Lent

There are some very tough reading coming up in the next week. Readings that challenge us to look at ourselves and our human weaknesses.

Many of the apostles experienced these weakness during the passion of Christ. Fear, anxiety, humiliation, shame, lack of trust, guilt...the same things we struggle with today.

As we watch the roles of the apostles and of Jesus unfold in the next week, let us pray for the strength to overcome that which keeps us from Him.

(I will be away this weekend doing an "Entering Canaan" retreat with the Sisters of Life http://www.sistersoflife.org/ec.html . Please keep it in your prayers.)

lent

This is by far my favorite time of year. The season of Lent. The time of God's great love and mercy for ME!

Amazing isn't it? That someone who thought herself unforgivable because of an abortion, would now know in her heart that He would have made this sacrifice even if I were the only person on earth. I know this to be true.

There is a beautiful Eucharistic prayer in our church that goes like this "We are to show to those in need His goodness to ourselves." For me, this is what this work is all about.To spread the love, mercy and forgiveness of God, because I know He would have done the same thing for each of you if you were the only person alive.

Bask in the mystery of Christ's passion, resurrection and ascension....the act of redemption for each one of us....

Back to Life

Here is the prayer intention for today..

Prayer Guide

Day 10 - GODLY GOVERNANCE

Today, pray about the hearings taking place at the Supreme Court this week concerning Obamacare - the largest expansion of abortion since 1973, when Roe v. Wade was decided. Pray that Obamacare would be stuck down, and truth and justice would prevail.

 

Also if you have not been able to see the live streams you can check out the videos here:

http://backtolifemovement.com/

The truth will set you free...Lent

“Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.”

I don’t think there is anyone who truly acknowledges their abortion for what it is and does not become a “slave” to the sin. Many women speak of never being able to get it out of their minds. It follows them around each day. Every baby they see, every pregnant woman, every little reminder of the child they aborted enslaves them to feelings of remorse, grief and regret.

Our society has been overcome with false gods...from money, to material possessions, to sexual gratification, the pursuing of all this moves us away from God , as each thing becomes more important than living in His will. As I work with young girls who are post abortive, I often feel that they did not have a chance as they are inundated with the pursuit of these gods from every angle, TV, music, advertising…it is almost as though they are brought up in the spell of secularism, some of them having no one to teach them the truth. It is very sad.

Still, we are called to preach the truth no matter how we are perceived by the world. This does not mean walking around speaking of your abortion experience with everyone, but there are certainly ways to speak the truth without doing that. Jesus tells us “The truth will set you free”. It may not be easy and you may not be the most popular person around for doing so, but it is so important in this time of so many attacks against the sanctity of life…may we each get the courage to speak the truth in a world filled with lies and false promises. It will set us free.

Courage & freedom through faith lent

In my talks,  often speak of how shy I was before my healing.I make a joke of it, but it is completely true; I was afraid to order MacDonald’s. That is how timid I was. Now, God has me speaking of my worse sin often in front of thousands of people…talk about the power of the Holy Spirit.

 I have come to disassociate myself with my talks because I truly believe they are about HIM, and what He has done in my life, not about me and what I have done. The miracle of my healing has given me the great gift of courage through my faith. Something I am so grateful for and of which I would not be able to do this work without. It has also given me great freedom, because my trust is in Him not in me. Before every talk I ask Him to kick me out of the way and give me the words He would have me say.

 Does this mean there is never any anxiety or fear? Of course not, but these are the times where I allow it to be about me instead of Him. Times when my human nature is fighting to take over and either get me to quit or get me to fumble. Sometimes, I am tormented for days before a talk and it is only my faith in Him that allows me to proceed.

Yes, there is fear at times, but I move forward in spite of the fear because I know it is His will for me. I may have to drag myself to the place I am speaking fighting myself all the way, but the important thing is, I go, in spite of all I am feeling.

 I am sure that a part of Jesus wanted to run the other way many times during His ministry, especially on the way to Golgatha, but He also knew the goodness and love of the Lord and what He willed for Him and trusted in that goodness.

 Tonight, I will be speaking at a parish in my home town. There will be many there who know me and including some of my family. I would be lying if I did not say I am nervous, but like many times before I will drag myself along like the limping sheep in the Gospel. I will pray to kick myself out of the way and trust that He will provide what it is I am meant to say. I will ask for Our Lady’s intercession as always, and I will speak to the truth of abortion, its destruction of the unborn and its damage to countless others, and then I will watch the grace of God work, as He touches hearts and minds with His Mercy.

Annunciation Lent

"Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word (will)"

It is hard to do things according to God's "will". It seems to fly against our very nature.
Our culture promotes many things that are offensive to God and I think that we become so accustom to some of the things we do not even recognize how offensive they are.We need to always be on alert.

Unlike Mary who said "yes" to God with no hesitation, I find myself in a battle with myself many times when He asks something of me. Especially if it has to do with stepping out of my comfort zone and opening myself up to self sacrifice. But isn't that what He asks of us...the same thing He did...self sacrifice. Dying to self for the love of others.

Even in my healing, I remember being resistant to the many helps he put in my way. I did not want to go for counseling, to learn post abortion's impact, I struggled each time I went to see my spiritual director. I was afraid to look at myself. Afraid to find out how bad I thought I was.

The funny thing is, once I conquer my will I was always so glad that I followed His instead of mine!

We all  said "no" to God when it came to our unborn children. Unlike Mary we rejected the gift of life that God gave us. Let us not reject His promptings in our life now, as entrust our healing to His care. Like Mary whose "yes" resounded always to Jesus.

A Cry...

Been a while since I mentioned "A Cry without a Voice"...one of my favorite memorials...here is a picture of my friend Rebecca Porter from Operation Outcry who hosts the displays...my son Joshua's shoes have been hangin' with her for years. The other picture is of a young man reading the tags on the shoes with the uborn babies names and a message...

Check out "A Cry" http://www.acrywithoutavoice.com/

If you have not already, add your child to the memorial...