Healing Journey

My healing journey began in earnest with the diagnosis of a serious incurable disease, Multiple Sclerosis. Accustomed to being self-reliant, I had long managed chronic illnesses and risk factors, but this was different. I couldn’t do anything about it. I was ill and in pain and had been told that it was progressing.

It was a devastating diagnosis.

The diagnosis coincided with the awareness that I deeply wanted a relationship with God. I had begun to engage the spiritual process and knew that I needed to surrender my personal will to a God-aligned will.

“There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen

On Bishop Dana Duryea’s advice, I began to receive regular healings at healing circles, private sessions with Padre Paul Funfsinn, meditations with the Entities of Light, etc. I had no idea what to expect.

Initially, all my healings brought up resistance to knowing and loving God: my rough edges of egoity,
fear, effort, and self-reliance. I felt deeply and painfully separated from God and that this was killing me, perhaps literally. What was being revealed was what needed to be healed. It was a very difficult period. After months of this I finally asked for help. Padre Paul said I needed to have some discipline to reach out to God. He recommended I read the Bible. Almost immediately, I began to feel a sense of presence. I began to notice that after every healing I felt a little happier. My thinking about God began to change.

The sense of presence grew and with it the beginnings of inner peace.

A turning point came at a West of Heaven event about seven months after I began this journey. A powerful healing released whatever had come between me and God. A second healing brought a
beautiful loving energy into my heart and all around me. I knew that I had a relationship with God. Padre Paul called it a baptism of Spirit. Everything began to change.

Healing started to come a little bit at time, small improvements in symptoms, emotions, thinking. At a healing circle, Bishop Dana shared his own healing journey, saying that healing takes place in small
steps. In addition to spiritual, mental, and emotional healings, I also had begun to heal physically. A little less pain, a little less fatigue and malaise. Bigger steps came at the four-day retreats. I was given the gift of forgiveness which made it possible for me to forgive myself. An improvement in neck pain. A release from my state of illness, boredom, and apathy. I woke up happy for the first time in years. Bishop Dana talked about how healing begins with a relationship; I love you God, I need you God, thank you God. My relationship with God deepened. I began to enjoy life again. My creativity returned. I became capable of receptivity.

“We must seek God first and then find health and prosperity through Him.”
Paramahansa Yogananda

Reading Yogananda's reference to Matthew 6:33, I felt that he was telling me there is just one thing for me to do. I took this literally and began to spend more time with scripture and in meditation. It became clear that my one priority is my relationship with God. I felt that I was being drawn in.

Healing continued a little at a time. When I looked back a year, I could see what had changed. I had less pain, more energy, I felt less ill. An 80% reduction in jaw pain. A lessening of numbness in my feet. A reduction in shoulder pain. But the real healing was in my relationship with God. Little by little my life was remade. Through grace, I began to change my habits, reigning in distractions and reordering my life to make room for God. Things began to shift. Prayer became my focus. I developed a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Faith emerged and became a certainty. I felt grateful. I began to feel loved.

I discovered that healing can happen in many ways. Anywhere, any time. When you are at a healing
event or when you are at not. Hands on or not. While praying, but also when reading, watching a movie, taking a shower. When you least expect it. A piece at a time. Slowly, looking back year over year. It can also happen instantaneously, but this is rare.

As I grow, as my relationship with God deepens, the healing process is speeding up. In the last year I
have received some remarkable healings. Feeling returned to my feet, which had been numb for nearly 18 years. My relationship with my parents has healed. I feel only love for them now after 70 years of pain. I no longer have insomnia after nearly 25 years.

It has been four years since this healing journey began. I have healed a great deal and my health
continues to improve. I still don’t know what to expect, but what is constant now is God’s love and
healing on every level. As my commitment to God strengthens, the love I feel for Him - and my
confidence in His love - increases daily. Ultimately, I realize, the only thing I really need to heal is my
separation from God. This body will never be immortal, but God is.

By Karen R.

Divine Providence

DIVINE PROVIDENCE
(God’s Presence in the Universe)


What exactly is Divine Providence? Those words may evoke a special meaning depending on a
person’s culture and spiritual training. In Rabbinic and Christian teachings, it can be thought of as God’s dominion and control over all of creation, and God’s foresight and care over its future. But this principle is hardly understandable from a practical perspective. What does it actually mean to us in our daily lives? And to blur this understanding even further, the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine suggest that Divine Providence is evidenced by the limited number of miracles that intervene in the natural order. The regrettable consequence of these teachings is that they obscure the true nature of our relationship with the Divine. Is it in fact limited, selective and static, or is it personal and intimate?
We know that scriptures of all religions bear testimony to the intercession of God and Divine
Beings in the lives of saints, prophets, mystics, masters and even ordinary people. In the Bhagavad Gita God Krishna engages in a personal dialog with Arjuna. The Old and New Testament are replete with stories that describe God’s communion with us directly, and through the words and actions of His angels and divine messengers. What is true in all of these encounters is the attunement or alignment of the receiver to the divine messenger. It is what Eckhart Tolle might refer to as the “state of presence” that is required for us to truly experience our oneness with God.
But what about our encounter with God? When do we get to talk with God as did Arjuna, or
Moses or Jesus? Is that intimate encounter relegated to saints and divine masters? The simple answer is a resounding no. Anyone who desires to have a personal and intimate encounter with God must
participate in that experience through prayer and meditation that aligns our “state of presence” with
the universal truth that God does not hide from us, and that we are worthy of God’s love. It is
impossible for God to hide from us because we are one in His creation. The Divine Mother does not
selectively and randomly dispense Her love, wisdom and mercy on us. God is abundantly present to us and Her love and compassion are non-conditional.

By: Robert & Rita R.

Turning Over a New Leaf

You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.

As I was pondering the theme of this month’s tele call, turn over a new leaf, I came across this statement. It struck me because for so much of my life I have been re-reading the same chapter, endlessly. I distinctly remember when one of our retreat themes was Changing Our Narrative and we began to dive deeply into what we call our story. Since then this idea seems to keep appearing, reminding me of my work.

As attached as I was to my story, colorful and heart tugging as it was, I realized at some point along the way that I just had to let go. I had to turn the page. I had to stop re-reading the same chapter, over and over again, if I truly wanted a different outcome.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote: Do not call to mind the former things; or ponder things of the past. Behold I will do something new, now it will spring forth. Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

That last sentence really got me. A path forward, even in the wilderness. And a river where this is none, the river we sing about so often. We often feel so lost, not sure of the path before us. Trust that God is making a path in your wilderness and will provide streams from heaven in your wasteland. Step out on faith, let go, turn the page. Start reading the next chapter, the one God has written for you.

By Monk George L.

Celebrate Life!

From the beginning, Creator declared Life a celebration.

In Genesis: 1:31 we hear:  “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Everything that God created whether it was humans, birds, trees, fish, the sky, dirt, bugs, and more, was declared ‘tov’ –– the Hebrew word for “joy unspeakable”, “beautiful”, or “working the way it was created to.”

In the Sufi tradition within the hadith, the Creator said: "I was a hidden treasure and I wanted to be known, so I created the world."  And in the Hindu creation story, the Primeval One wished to experience a loving and playful relationship with itself.  In other words, Spirit intended that we experience our inherent goodness and the goodness that lies all around us.

How often do we attune to the vibration of God’s original creation –– the Joy that exists within the blueprint of Life?

When we connect to Life with our hearts wide open, we can experience this sacredness wherever we are. We just need to pay attention to the subtle invitations God lays out for us. And then step in.

Perhaps it’s by walking outside of our office for a brief moment to smell the fragrance of a flower blooming, or by taking an extra minute to smile at a stranger in the supermarket, or simply to be more present with a colleague or acquaintance who we usually tend to avoid.

Within every Being there is an alive Presence waiting to be recognized for the Light that it is. When we allow ourselves to slow down and see beyond the surface of things, we let God reveal its hidden treasure. The Source of All is always inviting us back home to reconnect with itself in the here and now.

In Psalm 46:10, it states:  “Be still and know that I am God.”  We can use this passage as a Divine call to celebrate this precious Life in all of its forms, which can only be discovered in this very breath. 

We invite you to join us on Thursday, July 18th as we share stories and messages of God’s abundant promise for each of us and offer prayers for you, your loved ones, and your communities.

By: Renee P., Ryan R., & Mary Kay S.

Novena to the Holy Spirit

To celebrate Pentecost on June 9th, which is the descent of the Holy Spirit on the "We" the Church, we are going to pray the Holy Spirit Novena! It is a powerful and moving novena that is meant to help us open ourselves up to the third person of the Holy Trinity. Even though we pray this novena as a preparation for the feast of Pentecost, you can also pray a novena to the Holy Spirit any time that you want. So, let us pray with great confidence and trust in our God who is all Good and Loving. Here are the novena prayers for the Novena to the Holy Spirit that we will be praying together for Pentecost!

 Novena to the Holy Spirit Prayers

 Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 1 

Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit ~Charity

 Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Charity within us. The great charity of all the the host of Saints is only made possible by your power, Oh Divine Spirit. Increase in me, the virtue of charity that I may love as God loves with the selflessness of the Saints. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 2 

Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit ~ Joy 

Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Joy within us. All of the Saints are marked with an uncompromisable Joy in times of trial, difficulty and pain. Give us, Oh Holy Spirit, the Joy that surpasses all understanding that we may live as a witness to Your love and fidelity! Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 3 

Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit ~Peace 

Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Peace within us. The Saints were tempted, attacked and accused by the devil who is the destroyer of peace. When we are accused by the devil, come to our aid as our Advocate and give us Peace that lasts through all trials! Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 4 

Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit ~Patience 

Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Patience within us. Oh Holy Spirit, you give lavishly to those who ask. Please give us the patience of the Saints who are now with you in heaven. Help us to endure everything with an eternal patience that is only possible with your help. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 5 

Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit~ Kindness 

Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Kindness within us. Jesus approached sinners with immense kindness. Holy Paraclete, please treat us humble sinners with the same kindness and give us the ability to treat all others with that kindness as well. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 6

 Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit ~Faithfulness 

Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Faithfulness within us. You, oh Lord, are ever faithful. You are faithful until the end. Though we are weak and distracted, please give us the grace to be faithful to You as you are to us! Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 7 

Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit ~Gentleness 

Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Gentleness within us. Despite the gravity of our sins, oh Lord you treat us with Gentleness. Dear Holy Spirit, give us your power to treat all in our lives with the Gentleness of the Saints. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 8

 Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit ~Self-Control 

Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Your gift of Self-Control within us. Your Martyrs had the overwhelming self-control to go joyfully to a painful death without shrinking from the opportunity to join You in heaven. Give us this self-control to have command over our emotions and desires that we may serve You more fully. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 9 

Join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit ~Goodness 

Let us bow down in humility at the power and grandeur of the Holy Spirit. Let us worship the Holy Trinity and give glory today to the Paraclete, our Advocate. Oh Holy Spirit, by Your power, Christ was raised from the dead to save us all. By Your grace, miracles are performed in Jesus’ name. By Your love, we are protected from evil. And so, we ask with humility and a beggar’s heart for Goodness within us. We want to be like your Saints in heaven. Holy Spirit, renew us by your power with your Goodness that we may bring the Good News to the world. Amen. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ Our Lord, Amen. 

This Holy Spirit Novena was written for PrayMoreNovenas.com and it is based on the Fruits of the Holy Spirit and a desire for sainthood. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that someone can become a Saint. We can not save ourselves and it is only by the grace of God that we are saved. So, we must rely completely on the power of the Holy Spirit and the death of Our Lord Jesus. That is the essence of this novena. The Pentecost novena is really THE original novena. The disciples waited in unity and prayer for the Holy Spirit for nine days after Jesus’ ascension to heaven. Jesus asked them to pray constantly in the upper room until the descent of the Holy Spirit. “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” – Act

For the Love of God

The bible and stories of the saints are filled with exclamations of the love of God, of being in love with God. As I read them, I always wondered what it felt like to be in love with God; it was unfathomable to me. It hadn’t been that long since I considered myself to be an atheist. Though I had begun to know God’s Presence, I couldn’t even conceive of what God was, let alone what it felt like to be in love with “him”. 

 

One day, I asked please show me what it feels like. A powerful and beautiful emotion came over me, a joyousness expanding into ecstasy, an open-hearted connectedness with everything, feeling intensely alive and in awe of the beauty around me. I was surprised to find that it was an old familiar feeling; how I feel out in nature, my peak nature experience. I realized that I’ve known this feeling all my life as I’ve always had a passionate love for nature. If this is what it feels like to be in love with God, then I’ve always been in love with God. I was never really the atheist I used to think I was. 

 

It was as if a heavy dark curtain had parted. Suddenly the path before me was open in a new way, full of light, full of love, full of grace and inherent beauty. My reality was changed. God, Creator, the Universe, however you might want to characterize the Divine, had become tangible for me in a way I never could have imagined; utterly real and recognizable, and though I never grasped it, something I’ve always known!

By Karen R.

The Divine Heart

I just finished a nine-week seminar called The Process. There were eight of us who worked weekly with therapists both together and individually understanding the depth of our inner child. I perceived my beginnings in this lifetime and also the origin of my parent’s inner child, as an infant missing the emotional dynamics of attention, love, and unity. This created something unique in me which I needed to understand, find forgiveness with and set myself free of. We held the emotional pain in front of us until it broke us wide open. After the sadness and anger were focused on and released I felt my new heart.

In the past my heart was there and my spiritual arrogance was also there. I desire a pure heart. “Seek first the kingdom“. It’s in the devotion to God that I feel the transformation take place. I feel the presence around me like a prayer for safe arrival coming back to a place I’ve been before and I’ve always known to be my home. We are warned against desire; wanting and being attached to things of this world. When I am in true desire there is only immense gratitude for what has been given and the desire to give it in return. Our heart knows that life is sacred.

In the book The Keys of Jeshua there is a chapter on Restoring the Temple. They describe the miracles Jesus performed showing higher causes over physical conditions. He exposed the fact that all elements and laws of the universe can be found within the human constitution. Jesus was the architect who re-drew human design and potential for a restored temple. “Man’s doorway is the sacred heart”, it is the great “I am”, it is divine grace. This is our place of wholeness Jesus is directing us to embody. This presence is most magnified when we share our rapture with others. Our heart only knows unity. Padre opens his arms wide and calls in the Holy Spirit. It is the container we experience during retreats.

There is a deep beauty within the CLM community and its path. After spending many years at FSD a door opened I was aching to go through. Thank you Padre for embracing the ways Ron Roth laid down and preparing the ground for the new which empower all of us.

By Monk Thomas H.

The Blessed Mother

Come join Padre Paul and Virginia Chapin-Sheff as we celebrate our Blessed
Mother on Thursday, May 9 leading into Mother’s Day weekend. On this special
night we will pray together to honor the “Holy Mary, who gave birth to the
eternal light, most resplendent star of heaven, who shines more brightly than the
sun, source of true wisdom, and most blessed among all the Blessed”. We will tell
stories of her intercession, her appearance around the world, her messages of
LOVE and Tenderness. Her son, Yeshua, will be also praised for the Blessed
Mother always leads us to her Son, the Light of the World.
If you feel that you have a LOVE for the Blessed Mother, or are one of her
apostles of Light and Love, or are just fascinated or interested in hearing more of
Her, then join us for this hour of Praise and Glory for her intercession in our lives
and her unwavering love for ALL her children from all cultures and traditions
around the world. This is an inspiring way to center our faith and devotion,
together, as One and to celebrate Her kindness, wisdom, mercy, and intercession.
Blessed be the Most Holy Mother of us ALL.

By Rev. Virginia Chapin-Sheff

Lent: Preparation of the Blessed Coming of Easter

Lent is the 40 days of self chosen challengers and sacrifices leading up to the Joy and Blessings of Holy Week and Easter. When I was growing up, Lent for me usually meant giving up something I liked, such as candy, watching some TV or going out and enjoying a good time with my friends. As I matured physically and mentally Lent took a different turn / meaning for me. I became a member of Celebrating Life Ministries and a new meaning of life was shown to me. I realized that another purpose in life is the offering of ourselves up for the good of others. Besides praying for others, the kindest thing to do is offer someone a compliment or reach out and perform a good deed, without expecting anything in return. The joy and satisfaction you will experience is twofold. This change of view, not thinking of oneself but of others is summed up with the Greek word metanoia, “it implies making a decision to turn around, to face a new direction”.

From the cook book Lent Lunches: Reflections on the Weekday Readings for Lent and Easter Week, retired Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarcyzk explains it this way: “The word metanoia connotes a change of mind and heart, altering one’s mind-set toward whole new ways of thinking and acting. This involves taking a look at where we are and trying to see where we ought to be. It involves testing our values and discerning how they stack up against the values that Jesus offers his followers.” 

The 40 days of Lent gives us a chance to go through transformational changes in our lives leading up to the Easter Resurrection. During the Lent season, take time to reflect, as Jesus did, wandering the wilderness of the desert, facing temptation of Satan, loneliness and sacrifice. These 40 days should be your true path toward spiritual transformation.

Lent, the spring season, should be viewed as the start of a new beginning and growth in our lives. For starters, look at personal changes and enriching ones environment and life through prayer, meditation and spiritual services toward others. Like plants, everything takes time and patiences to grow and mature. Our culture has become a pressured / rushed society with minimal satisfaction. We must learn to have patience in order for us to mature as the Divine has planned. We should not be critical of others whose work and achievements do not meet our expectations. Most individuals have different rates of development. As we mature, our physical and spiritual development achieves a unique quality that only we can identify with. We also become leaders and teachers of others. Through our CLM affiliation, the teachings and devotion of our faith matures to a life of service toward others and the world around us. The changes we experience and reinforce in our lives, during Lent, is a time of preparation for the work the Divine has planned for us. We must reflect on our faith, search our present day ways, and use Lent as a door to a new beginning. The rewards are endless.

Happy Easter, Blessings,

Brother Frank C.

Accepting Change in the World Around Us

Change is difficult for most people to accept since we are moved out of our perceived comfort zone. I think, for some, this can be an illusion since variations can move us in a positive direction.

We have had several changes in residences the past few years, with one more to come. Our choice is to see the best in this, hopefully, our last move. Acknowledging a change is also acknowledging the possible mistake that may have led to the necessity to change as we elect to forgive others who may have been a part of the change. Thus we then fully embrace the change and all its accoutrements. 

As we mature in our faith, many of us choose how we worship. We can recite prayers without much thought, or we can pray intentionally for the strength to embrace what is occurring around us. With that belief, any modifications that we perceive as disruptions to our life style become easer to accept.

Pray places us in a more secure comfort zone, where we acknowledge that we are protected in the midst of any chaos we believe is nearby. Pray is action; an action that says God is in control. Prayer allows us to accept change and grow from this aberration in our schedule.

As we are truly citizens in this world, change will be a part of our lives. It is our perception of it, as terrible or good, that may lead to faulty thinking.

I believe there is a certain amount of comfort is choosing to embrace change. It becomes our teacher, leading us to accept what is or find a resolution. As we seek a resolution, we can accept the state as is or advocate to find alternatives.

Thus, I believe there are many ways to embrace the Divine and one should feel free to change their expression of faith as they grow in their Divinity. That election to grow as Divine beings is acknowledging that we do change as we mature in our faith. I know that I do not want to feel ‘stuck’ in a certain mode of worship. Growth is thus stunted. The more I am willing and flexible to say OK to change, the deeper my faith becomes and my spirituality is enriched.

CLM is a growing organization leading to profound changes in many of us. Due to  my embracing CLM, my perception of God has grown and for me this is enriching. My acceptance and acknowledgements of God does change as I mature in my belief system. Thus accepting and expecting change in my world is a motivation to know that I can love my Creator in a multitude of ways.

Love and blessings,

Rev. Dr. Barbara Christina

Gifts of the Heart, Part 3

The other week as I was reflecting on what to write for this article, I heard a voice inviting me to take a walk. I took my iphone and started listening to music to calm my mind.

As I was strolling along the path, I was looking all around me at the trees, the birds, the colors in the sky and asking God: “What do you want me to notice?  What message am I missing?”

After a few minutes, I heard a subtle voice whisper: “If you want to enter the Sacred Chamber of your Heart, listen closely.” 

In that moment, I heard these words: “Gentle woman, quiet light, morning star so strong and bright. Peaceful dove, teach us wisdom, teach us love.”  My attention had been so focused outside of me, that I forgot I was listening to a song on my iphone called “Hail Mary; Gentle Woman” by Jon Niven. 

I started crying. Even in my confusion, the Divine Mother knew the exact timing I would be ready to surrender and listen. Really listen and hear a beautiful voice already serenading me home.

I could hear her saying “Come with me, Ryan. I’ll take you to the Christ within you. That place where there is no pain. Let me hold that pain and give you peace.” 

It was a beautiful reminder for me that when it comes to the matters of the heart, the true gifts lie within. And the grace of the Mother, that Presence of the Divine that holds everything in its tender embrace, is much closer than we think.

In the midst of our pain, how often is God serenading us to come home to our heart?  To let God’s Sacred Heart heal our human one. God always promises a way to peace. Are we listening?

As Jesus said in the scriptures: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

I invite you to join Rev. Barbara Rose and I for the upcoming Teleconference on Monday, Feb 4th as we share stories of the Divine Presence in our lives and offer prayers for you, your loved ones, and your communities. We invite you to share in the The Gifts of an Eternal Heart that has no limitation, no fear, and is a wellspring of grace freely given.

By Ryan R.