Our Walk with Mary Mackillop, a Life Lived With Christ.

My children were fighting in the car on Friday afternoon but what else is new they always fight straight away after I pick them up and get them both into the car but as we pulled up at home I reminded them both that God is watching, he knows all, sees all and hears all. Despite all that, God is present with us always through our fear, anxieties and in times of trouble and I guess we can have faith and hope that he walks with us, encouraging, guiding and assisting us in all areas of our lives. May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

I love going into the Brisbane City, in fact it has been a while since I have been due to Covid-19 I really haven't had a chance. When I go in I always make an effort to walk down to see the Mary Mackillop shrine and the John Elliott's statue of Mary which is a statue of a woman walking, a woman striding forth to do God's will, to answer the cry of the poor. I love this quote, "Let others seek the more remarkable places, but let St. Joseph's true children remember their mission and seek first the poorest, most neglected parts of God's vineyard." There are many ways we can help the poor, we can donate, inform ourselves, raise awareness, fundraise, social media or get political but one thing I have taken away from my UNI Course is we all need someone to talk to, someone who will listen and understand and someone who wants to be around us and near us. Be present, available and in tune to a person's needs because there is a lot of poverty in the world. May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

Some wise words that we learn from Jesus and Saint Mary Mackillop, "Thy will be done." Not our will but God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

One of the things I love about Mary Mackillop is her way of responding to unfair and unjust treatment that she received. I know personally I am outraged when people can be so unfair and unjust especially those who are followers of Christ, leaders and unworthy priests. But there comes a time when you don't want to be angry, bitter or fight people like that anymore because to be honest I don't want to destroy what I believe and certainly I do not wish to doubt God and his existence. I was reading something recently about values and beliefs, this question I see a lot in my UNI subjects what are our values and beliefs? Anyway, when we spend time with the same people, community, or any group we kind of cling or pick up on another person's values and beliefs and our values and beliefs are thrown out the window and we forget what values and beliefs we originally arrive with and I found that interesting. Mary is a beautiful and wonderful example of faith, love and forgiveness when she is met with human poverty of the Church especially from high places. I was thinking about this recently like Mary she sees through all the pain and all the hurt and can see a loving Father, now, I can see through all the hate, boasting, lies and disrespect, a loving Father with arms wide open ready to embrace all his children, all his creation. May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

On the 21st August 1867, Mary Mackillop became Sister Mary of the Cross. I forget all the time that life is not a fairytale and living happily ever after in this life is not at all possible and some might disagree and if you have the answer please what is your secret? I think we all need to consider how our sufferings and trials are used by God for the good of others, for our own good and for his glory. I would say if we are to take our discipleship seriously and were really striving to follow Jesus then when we grow closer to Christ, the more the cross will be present in our life and we can freely except all trials and all our suffering as way of life. May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

I have always thought of Saint Mary Mackillop a saint of reconciliation. Earlier this year, I had a falling out with I guess you can call this person an enemy I think I am perceived as an enemy in their eyes or maybe my competition. Now, we were urged to forgive each other and I knew deep down forgiving them didn't mean they would change, grow or learn from their mistakes, behavior or attitude and forgiving them was the first step, and this is something we decide to do on our own and in our own time. But the second step is reconciliation and this step is usually avoided so punishment, hatred, consequences, pain and past mistakes are still there and constantly reminding us of all that happened however I earnestly prayed to God to bring us together in reconciliation because I couldn't fight anymore, I was done fighting and being the person who disagrees I am not their judge, God is and they will have to stand in front of God one day and answer to everything and so will I, I am not perfect, I try so hard to do what is right by everyone and myself but sometimes I mess up and get it wrong. So I am choosing love, love your enemy. May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

Written and created by My Mother Rose.
 

Signs

“Even when alone be cheerful, remembering always that you are in the sight of angels.” St Therese of Lisieux

Do you ever ask for a sign? John 6:24-35 What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Two weeks ago, I watched the movie signs with Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, and I thought to myself, “what if we do receive signs and we don’t recognize it or we don’t realize a sign when we feel it, see it or hear it?” Then I thought of all the angels and saints, the Holy Spirit or any Spirit who can spiritually communicate with any of us and those signs we sometimes get such as numbers 111, 222, 333, or feathers, coins, animals like butterflies or birds and the list goes on for example feeling warmth, a tingling sensation, a gentle breeze, flickering lights, clouds and lovely scents, music and I have to add babies and usually my children or any child.

Possibly you don’t ask for a sign, but God is giving you one anyway, is this the sign you have been hoping for, longing for and if so, how strong is your faith and your trust?  So, what are the signs we receive from God? God uses nature, he communicates often in dreams, God will use his words from the bible, gospel, scripture, and he sends messengers, angels or someone into the world and we have one great example of who was sent into the world, Jesus! Jesus who is the bread from heaven and we call this bread manna which can be grounded into flour and turned into bread, and it is also known has heavenly food, food that feeds us and gives us spiritual nourishment.

Now, I believe in signs I believe there is a presence in our mix and maybe I am just crazy, tired, stressed but what I have felt is so strong that it makes me want to run a million miles away, it makes me nervous  because I am not worthy or good enough to be in the same presence of this enormous spiritual figure and what I believe I know of this presence is that it only wants me to encounter the ultimate love a love that is so powerful but why am I so afraid? I have waited a long time to be loved and here it is trying to cling to me, trying to embrace the imperfect human and creature I am. All I can hear is “do not be afraid for I am with you always.” As Saint Padre Pio and Saint Francis de Sales says, angels are constantly in our presence and are constant companions of our journey and even though they maybe mute and not seen they are witnesses of our everyday lives so behold them frequently in spirit. Every time we are at mass we are with the angels, we join in prayer and with our spirits, we lift them up to the Lord and give thanks and if you think about this is our agreement to the Father in heaven who is the bread of life, we say this with our lips and believe and think with our hearts that God is constantly with us, loving us, guiding us and assisting us. Remember, Jesus walked where angels trod, He is the Son of God.

Psalm 91:10-11 Upon you no evil shall fall, no plague approach where you dwell. For you has he commanded his angels, to keep you in all your ways.

P.S. Keep watch, listen and feel those signs from God, he always delivers us out of any trouble or evil ways.   

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

 

    

Day Fifteen of True Love With God.

 

Marked

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose. 

Day Fourteen of True Love With God.

 

Beloved

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day Thirteen of True Love With God.

 Known

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day Twelve of True Love With God.

 Adopted

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose 

 

Day Eleven of True Love With God.

 Set Free

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

God's Provisions.

 

‘God provides he comes through for each of us.’

I went to Adoration and while I was in there by myself I stood up in front of the tabernacle and my eyes were drawn to the fish, makes sense fish represent a time for silence, a time for preparation. While I was staring at the fish, I could not help but think about the Gospel reading and the small boy with five barley loaves and two fish and how Jesus gave thanks and provided enough loaves and fish for everyone and there was enough for leftovers and for them to fill twelve hampers. After that thought, I turned to look at the window behind me and written on the window it says ‘I am the bread of life’ meaning what we consume is a source of spiritual nourishment and a symbol of God’s continuous provision for our lives.  

I love fish and chips we usually eat it most Friday’s or I might make salmon casserole which is delicious and even though these meals are so good do they really satisfy our hunger? Do these meals make us feel good about ourselves? I would have to say sometimes but I really believe what we are hearing this weekend in the Gospel is about how hungry we are to be with God or how hungry we are for God’s provisions in life we are human after all and we all have needs and concerns with family, work, finances, social and private life and here is the thing at times when we feel as though we are not fed or we feel his absence and distance which is created by us, we can feel less satisfied, loved or as though what we contribute is not generous enough or worthy. Here is the Good News, we are all called to the supper of the lamb, we are all called to live in one Body, one Spirit and into the one hope because after all there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, through all and within all Ephesians 4:1-6. Lately, I have felt lost, confused and as though I really have no place in a parish or in a church and so if I have no place does that mean I have no place in the Kingdom of Heaven or any part in the Body of Christ? I feel this way because I really have had a rough journey it hasn’t been easy and I really do not understand how people can be so dishonest, hypocritical, unkind, impolite and insincere and why it is so hard for some to remember and understand that we are all hungry for God’s provisions and I asked this question while I was in Adoration and standing in front of Jesus and I heard the verse Isaiah 29:13 ‘The LORD has said: Because this people approach me only in words, honors me only with lip-service while its heart is far from me and my religion, as far as it is concerned, is nothing but human commandment, a lesson memorized.’

A couple of weeks ago, I heard in a homily we might experience rejection when we preach the word of God and this might be true, but I believe the worst rejection comes from those who say they believe in Jesus not so much from non-believers or non-Christians rather from other believers, leaders, priests, followers of Christ or in other words Disciples of Jesus Christ. When I talk about God to someone who may not know or understand or believe in God, they do not reject him as such they most likely would love to have a debate or a real discussion on the subject. Here is the thing and some words that I hope can feed your hunger right now and fill your heart with the same hope we all hold onto, in Luke 10:16 it says, ‘Anyone who listens to you listens to me; anyone who rejects you rejects me, and those who reject me reject the one who sent me.’ and Galatians 3:28 it says, ‘and there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus.’ God loves us, knows us, protects, provides for us, and needs us as much as we need him, I think he needs us more or he wants us to need him more. I think this week we challenge ourselves to see God’s provision even if it is not what we are hungry for, it is something better and greater, remember he is close to us all especially those who call on him, call on him from the heart.

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day Ten of True Love With God.

 Accepted

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose

Day Nine of True Love with God.

 

Justified

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day Eight of True Love With God.

 Preapproved

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

Written and created by My Mother Rose

Day Seven of True Love with God.

A Star 

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day Six of True Love With God

 Held

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Mission

Affirmations are when we act or express through speech or in writing what we are affirming to be true, you could say it is like making a statement or a declaration. This week as we listen to the readings and Gospel, we are first affirming that we are present in that moment our ears are opened to hear a message from God. ‘I am here Lord to listen and learn from you.’ Secondly, I wanted to say this I was wrong, and I need to apologize after reading so much about Mary Magdalene I have come away with knowledge and understanding the importance of adoration and the meaning of contemplating Jesus, especially in the Blessed Sacrament, in stillness and in silence. If we think about it when we are in the presence of Christ that is when we are being instructed or sent out on a mission and when we go out and even if we have been successful or not, we always come back to the presence of Jesus Christ to listen for more instructions, more wisdom and knowledge to undertake another important mission.

What is your mission? What is God calling you to do? Are you listening to his instructions and directions?

For example, my mission is to love God, Jesus, myself, and others with all my mind, heart, soul, and strength. It is also a mission and a blessing to express my faith and hope with you all and that God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit. Ephesians 1:17-18.

I think in today’s world how lucky and blessed we are to be able to depend upon the presence and existence of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we all know Jesus lives on and is dwelt among us and that is important to remember when we are instructed and called to go out and proclaim the Word of God or to heal the sick we don’t have to be afraid or disheartened he is with us always. But to consider a time when Jesus was alive and he sent out the twelve disciples all they had was his words, his teachings and guidance and possibly they felt his presence. I think of that quote or saying that goes something like this. ‘No matter where you are, I will always be with you in spirit.’ I say to my children pointing towards their heart, ‘I will always be right in here.’ Meaning, the wisdom and love I bestow upon them will be there always. 

I want to leave you with this thought, we are not on a mission to please God, to please man or woman which can drive anybody into exhaustion or frustration but rather our mission is to journey with God, we are all called for this mission and journey. God walks with us and is amongst us and if only we took the time to listen and I cannot stress how important it is to sit, breathe and listen to God who whispers silently into our hearts, souls, and minds. Our missions are not supposed to be complicated; our missions are to bring hope, joy, love, compassion and faith into our own lives and the lives of others we are not expected to do the impossible but to do what is necessary in our own time. There is no set time, God is patient and bears with us, now if only you would listen to St. Peter who suggests, be sure, then, you are never spiteful, or deceitful, or hypocritical, or envious and critical of each other 1 Peter 2:1-4.  We are chosen and precious to God, sometimes when we are angry, annoyed because our mission is not going the way we want it to go we forget it is not only our mission it is a mission from God, but a God who wants to be with us and maybe when we feel this way we return to God in adoration and contemplation. Remember love is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes. Love does not come to an end 1 Corinthians 13:7. He is ready to instruct are you ready to listen and go?

May God bless you all on this mission and journey, Women of Faith and Hope.

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day Five of True Love With God.

 Forgiven

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day Four of True Love With God.

 

Renewed

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day Three of True Love With God

 Beautiful

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose

Day Two of True Love With God

 Rescued

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Day One of True Love with God.

 

Loved 

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Learning to love myself in 28 Days.

 

Ephesians 2:10 We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.

'I love you but I need to learn to love myself, like a bird it has to learn to fly before it leaves the nest.'

Welcome Women of Faith and Hope to 28 Days of True Love with God. I will share words from God that help us to understand and help us to know how loved, beautiful, transformed, chosen and radiant we are over the months of August and September.

I feel as though it is important that we continue to grow in love whether that is from the Mary Magdalene Novena which I truly believe has opened the flood gates of love, love that has flown straight into our hearts, our lives, and the lives of others because for a while now I have felt strongly and convinced that God is asking me to love others as myself but to also self-love and I know there are ways to self-love without feeling guilty. You see, God loves us, and we accept his love by accepting who we are and who we are meant to be. The bible does indicate that self-love is ok, we are to care for ourselves, we are to respect ourselves and we should really have a sense of self-worth. I really like this quote by St. Gianna Beretta Molla “The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for what he is sending us every day in his goodness,” if you remember I shared a little about her last year in “Mothers who are Saints.” I have to say before we go on this journey for 28 days that I am most grateful for my children, my family, friends, Women of Faith and Hope and strangers I meet on a train, bus, sitting on a seat outside the shops, or while I am waiting to pick my children up from school.

I know my sins, I know the things I have said and done am I sorry, yes, but no distance or silence is going to make any pain I have caused go away. Believe me if I could I would go back and make better choices or include God in those decisions but I can’t go back and change the past, I can learn from the past and I can try and grow in faith, hope and love and be the best version of myself for myself, my children and my family, friends, Women of Faith and Hope and those who I hurt so much. That is why my hope for the next 28 days is that we grow and become more confident, we can take a step back and realize what makes us happy in our life? What do we like about ourselves and what has changed? Also have we set new goals for the year ahead or are we planning on living moment by moment? I believe we can start by saying our first goal is to love who God says we are and truly believe it with all our hearts and really we could say this journey is to recognize a love we have for ourselves as well as a love we may have for others.

“Love God, love Jesus, love yourself, now you’re able to love others.” Author Unknown.

May God Bless Always, Women of Faith and Hope.

Written and created by My Mother Rose.