Persistent in Faith!

James1:3-4, you understand that your faith is only put to the test to make you patient, but patience too is to have its practical results so that you will become fully developed, complete, with nothing missing.

In the early hours of this morning, I heard the word ‘persistence.’ Persistence is a great quality because it helps to achieve long term goals, persistence, patience, perseverance and perspiration are important qualities to accomplish our goal in life. Taking the first step through the new opened door, the new gift of life, we must be persistent in faith and persistent which drive us with hope.  Entering through the new door will not to be easy but ‘Happy the man or woman who stands firm when trials come. He has proved himself, and will win the prize of life, the crown that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12,’Hebrews 12:2, Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to  perfection; for the sake of the joy which was still in the future, he endured the cross, disregarding the shamefulness of it and from now on has taken his place at the right of God’s throne. Think of the way he stood such opposition from sinners and then you will not give up for want of courage. In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of death.

The door behind is closing slowly but It’s time to see what is front of me, My faith is strong, stronger than it has ever been before, moving forward through the new opened door, I see new hope, new light, new love and a new world.

May God Bless Always

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

New Life

Our New Lives In Christ!

Well, this week, I made a huge decision and I had to close a door to my past but by closing that door, I have opened a new door to my future, I have cried and cried, I have taken a deep breath and have taken my first step through the door to my new life. I was stuck in old ways, that weren’t going to open new doors or create opportunities. So there, I was knocking at a door, where I was never recognized as an equal, respected for the Woman or Mother I am in Faith and Hope or the diverse culture I could bring, I was never given the time to be understood or respected spiritually, I was told it was my time to come back and be actively involved, yet no one was willing to engage or create opportunities to move forward into the future. I came to realize, some doors are better not walking through because they lead to nowhere and this is not pride or arrogance, it’s simply because for too long, I stood at the door knocking and while I was too focused on the closed door, new ones where being opened to me. You see, our teacher, God can open new doors, but we must be willing to enter ourselves, God has only our best interest at heart, so when a door closes or a new door is opened, it must mean God is saving us.

This week in the readings and Gospel, we are taking a hard look at ourselves as Faithful Christians, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people, who have been called out of the darkness and been brought to new life in the light. Alleluia!

Is your life an imitation of Jesus Christ? Do you accept your cross? If you do accept your cross, are you recognized as a holy person or are you accepting other’s as a holy person? If you accept your cross, are you not accepting new life? If you accept your cross, are you not willing to accept that one of your brothers or sisters in Christ might be sent by God?

To accept our cross, we are not only following Jesus Christ, we become Jesus Christ, we imitate Jesus, by living our new life, emptying ourselves to assume the condition of a slave, we accept this life humbly and yet to even accepting death, death on the cross.  If we accept our cross, then our tongues should acclaim; Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Who am I though? If I have accepted my cross, does that mean I need to lower myself and my expectations? Yes, it does, He comes, so we may have life and to live it to the full and if our lives in Christ means anything to you and if love can persuade at all or the spirit that we have in common or any tenderness and sympathy, then let us be united, let us combine, come together to serve God, serve his people, working together, side by side, as equals, recognizing each other’s strengths, gifts that can bring change, make a difference for the better, for the greater good.

Women of Faith and Hope, may we be welcoming to all who cross our path, or enters on our journey. May we accept one another, just as Christ accepts us James 2:34 and let us thank God for making Women of Faith and Hope and the world in the unique way he did, even though we are different, we are the same and are equal in Christ Jesus. No matter what, love God and have love for one another and in service, serve God and his people.

May God Bless Always Women of Faith and Hope,

Written and created by My Mother Rose.

Welcome!

Women of Faith and Hope, day 5 of our journey, adventure.

A Mother's Pure Heart!

“Like mother, like Child.”

“Pure Women must mother the race. The hands of pure women must instruct our young, the hearts of pure women must set the rhythm and tempo for that creative Love out of which flows the future of the race.”

Matthew 5:8 Happy the pure in heart they shall see God.

First, I want to draw your attention to The Scourging, the second sorrowful mystery:

I prayed the Sorrowful mysteries and the second sorrowful mystery, I cried and cried. The fruit of the mystery is purity, as I prayed for the fruit of purity, there he was standing on the stairs, watching as Pilate released Barabbas, wishing to satisfy the crowd. Then he was taken to be scourged, his body covered with scars, bruised and bloody. Then he was delivered to be crucified on the cross, with nails in his hands, feet and a crown of thorns on his head.

I know the ways of the world; I also know the ways of the Lord. As I grow stronger, learn more, gain knowledge and understanding, my heart hurts. Do your hearts not burn within, when you hear the word of God, scripture. Psalm 50:8-9, Indeed you love truth in the heart, then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom. O purify me, then I shall be clean, O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow. Being a mother is the most rewarding job, since the payment is pure love, as parents, women, men, devoted Catholics, Christians, or we walk this life in faith and hope, if we aspire to the grace of God, we must be pure, with a heart as innocent as children. Sometimes, I hold my children, while they settle and drift off to sleep, when I look down at my children, watching as their eyes gently close, I think, how lucky are they, to be so pure and innocent. Strangers to the ways of the world and as a Woman and Mother of Faith and Hope, it’s my chance and opportunity to teach, to share, to be an example of the ways of the Lord, Mary and  The Immaculate Heart of Mary, the immaculate heart, which will be our refuge, the way, a heart that will guide us to God. “My job is to inform not convince.” St Bernadette Soubirous.

The other night, I watched, The Star, about the donkey who knew that he was destined to pull or walk up front of the royal carriage and the donkey was right, he carried Mary our Mother to the stable, so she could give birth to the baby Jesus. I have watched it so many times but the thing I noticed, after pausing, was her eyes, sometimes the heart of a woman or man can be seen in their eyes, you see their pain, their scared, their suffering, their anxieties, their love, their lost souls, their lost memories, their confusion, their strength, their obedience, their exhaustion, I could keep going.

So, I have some questions;

Do you think it was easy for Mary to see her son being scourged, nailed to the cross and lifted up high?

Did you know the sword in the heart of Mary represents the pain of the virgin in witnessing the suffering of her son, Jesus?

As a mother, I ask myself every day, what if that was my son, my daughter? What would that do to my heart?

My heart has been pierced by a sword, not quite to the extent like Mary, but I know that it was pierced in a hurtful, rejectful and excluding way.  Women of Faith and Hope, I believe in and trust in Jesus, it’s up to us to be teachers, and to teach the young the true meaning and values of the Gospel by preparing a life for a God who is right and just, a God of mercy.  

“From the immaculate Mary was born the immaculate Christ.”

1 Timothy 1:5 The only purpose of this instruction is that there should be love, coming out of a pure heart, a clear, conscience and a sincere faith.

May God Bless Always

Written and Created by My Mother Rose.

Sin!

‘Ignorance is not innocence, but sin.’

John 8:33-36, They answered, ‘We are descended from Abraham and we have never been the slaves of anyone; what do you mean, “You will never be made free.” Jesus replied: ‘I tell you most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave. Now the slave’s place in the house is not assured, but the son’s place is assured. So, if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Writing about Sin is quite uncomfortable, but it’s something that needs to be written and shared.

Who and what saves us from sin? Jesus will save us, remember God, gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost. John 3:16, and to all who accept him believe in the name of him, are given power to be children of God’s. John 1:12. We can overcomplicate sin, if we allow it to be complicated. Sin is a matter of individual choice. I want to share the following quote:

            “First we practice sin, then defend it, then boast of it.”

                                                 Author Unknown

Let us be honest, we have all practiced sin or been a slave to sin, but thanks be to God, we have submitted to the creed we were all taught. Romans 6:18, You may have been freed from the slavery of sin, but only to become ‘slaves’ of righteousness.

For example: Have you ever met someone and known, that they were the one, even though you are married with children? Did it feel like they were meant to be your best friend? Or maybe it was only supposed to be a committed reckless, love, passionate, intimate love affair. Were your hearts on fire for each other, that you both were tempted? If we are tempted and give into it, then it becomes sin. What stops us from giving in? Is it clearing our throat, a shake of the head to say no, is it fear, feeling vulnerable, our morals, our relationship with God? James1:14-15, Everyone who is tempted is attracted and seduced by his own wrong desire. Then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it too has a child, and the child is death.

In life or if you live a Christian life, temptation comes through three ways: The world, the flesh, and the Devil.

For so long I defended my sin and I was boasting how it wasn’t my fault and placed all the blame on the other person. It wasn’t until the end of last year, I was honest and stopped being defensive and took on some of the blame and admitted that my heart was as much involved as the other person’s. At times, I don’t feel free from it because it’s a memory that lives in my mind as well as my heart. What helps though is distance and silence not ignorance though, only silence and peace remain between us and our mission to work for God and with God.

Micah 7:19 Once more have pity on us, tread down our faults, to the bottom of the sea throw all our sins.

That is why in this week’s readings and Gospel, Jesus is really making  statements: I will deliver the souls of the needy, from the hands of evil men, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift, do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Basically saying; declare that you are for me, denounce! denounce! and come back to me with all your soul.

How do we become free from sin? First, ask Jesus to come into your life, to forgive you and to set you free. Secondly, love God more than your sin. If I had to choose between God and my temptation, I would always choose God and focus on good work that must be done. Thirdly, read the word of God, the power of God’s words awakens our minds, hearts and souls.  

Women of Faith and Hope remember our souls that can be fierce, our hearts that are brave and our minds that are strong. Let us not be afraid of the fire, instead Women of Faith and Hope, let us simply become fire and be bright flames for all to see.

‘First, we practice righteousness, then we defend the righteous and boast of God’s saving Grace.’

Written by Katie Robinson

Written and created by My Mother Rose.