Author: diocesan-gainesville

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One common tendency we all have is curiosity.  We easily become curious about almost everything, desiring to know.  Magazines, news articles, shows, daily gossip sessions, etc., all have as their aim the satisfaction of our curiosity.  This curiosity must turn into a desire to know God and all He speaks to us.  But, with that said, we must also know that we cannot know.  The wisdom and Will of God are so far beyond our limited minds and hearts that we will never be able to understand their mystery.  Life is a mystery.  Struggle and hardship are mysteries.  Love is a mystery.  And yet, as we humbly face the countless mysteries of life, we also face the incomprehensible mystery of God.  Interestingly, knowing that we do not know, and understanding that we cannot understand, present us with the great mystery of God.  In the face of this incomprehensible Mystery, we are in the presence of God.  This is a gift!  This silencing of our understanding before the mystery of God enables us to face life in faith.  Faith is a way of knowing without fully comprehending.  It’s a gift enabling us to walk through life in darkness, yet with clarity and certainty (See Diary #651).

Do you find that you do not understand God or His ways?  Do you look at your life and wonder, “Why this?” or “Why that?”  or “Where is God in all of this?”  God and His ways are a mystery.  But, as a mystery, you are invited to enter in with the darkness of faith.  This will only make sense if you let the Holy Spirit penetrate your thoughts and teach you in a new way.  Your “understanding” of the Mind and Will of God will not so much be like other forms of knowledge; rather, your knowledge will be new, certain, clear, deep, and yet mysterious at the same time.  Allow yourself to be taught by faith and you will be able to face any and every mystery and hardship that you encounter in life.

Lord, oh Incomprehensible Mystery!  I stand before You in awe and in darkness.  Yet in the darkness of my understanding, I reaffirm my faith and trust in You.  As I face the mystery of my life and, even more so, the mystery of Your life, I allow You to consume me with the gift of faith.  Help me to believe without seeing and to know without understanding.  Most importantly, I desire and choose to give my life to You, oh Incomprehensible Mystery, and I choose You above all else.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Habemus Papam! A Prayer for Pope Leo XIV

May 12 –

Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs

Saint Pancras, Martyr

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Is it better to do great works, or small sacrifices?  It’s easy to conclude that some great work for God is far better than any small sacrifice.  But is it?  That all depends upon the Will of God.  Sometimes we take on some “great work” for God but, in the end, it’s not part of His plan.  A work is great only when it is done because God inspired it and remains the one leading it.  Conversely, if God inspires a very small sacrifice on your part and you accept it and live it, then you can be assured that this small sacrifice will do more good for the salvation of souls than any other sacrifice you could ever dream up on your own.  In fact, trying to force the Will of God to conform to your own will, inevitably, does more damage for the Kingdom of God than good, even if your idea seems holy (See Diary #639).

What is it that God is inspiring you to do?  How are you called to serve His holy Will?  Look for His inspiration in the smallest of things.  It may be a kind word spoken to another, or a small hidden sacrifice that only you are aware of.  And if He is calling you to do something “great” that others will notice, do not be afraid of this, but do not be overly proud of it either.  Do all things, great or small, in accord with the Will of God and you will find that all things you do are truly great!

Lord, I believe that greatness is found only in Your holy Will.  Help me to set aside my own ideas and agendas so that I may seek only that which is in Your perfect Heart.  Help me to humbly embrace every small sacrifice You ask of me, and to have courage to do those things which seem to be beyond my ability.  May I listen to You and respond generously to whatever You say.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Habemus Papam! A Prayer for Pope Leo XIV

Easter Season Prayers

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There is little doubt that each one of us will encounter, from time to time, the sin of another.  It could be in their words, actions or the omission of what they ought to do.  Sin hurts and requires correction.  Very often, when we are sinned against, we tend to get angry.  But the anger we have is not always “holy anger” and is not, therefore, always from God.  We can easily allow our wounded pride to be the source of a harsh, or even subtle, correction of another.  This, then, becomes our sin.  But sin must be confronted and God will, at times, call us to correct others.  Our correction may even be severe.  But when it comes from the holiness of God, inspiring and guiding us, our correction of the other will not wound them, it will be an act of Mercy.  They may need severity, and God may inspire us to be severe, but we must always be careful that what we offer ultimately flows from the Mercy of God (See Diary #633).

Reflect upon any moments of contention that you have encountered lately.  Were words spoken, or actions done that were based more on unhealthy emotion than on love?  Examine how you react when hurt by another.  Do you look at them with Mercy and seek to offer the Mercy of God, even if it must come, in that moment, in the form of a holy rebuke?  Do not be afraid to let God use you to offer this form of Mercy.  It may be hard to distinguish from the sin of anger, but we must strive to offer this Mercy for the good of those we are called to love.

Lord, I offer myself to You so that You can use me as an instrument of Your Divine Mercy.  When I am sinned against, help me to forgive immediately.  But help me, also, to know how best to address the sins of others.  Help me to know how to offer correction in love for their good.  Give me courage and wisdom, dear Lord, and use me as You will.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Habemus Papam! A Prayer for Pope Leo XIV

May 10 – Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i, Priest

Saint John of Ávila, Priest and Doctor of the Church

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“Do not be afraid; just have faith” (Mark 5:36).  These four words, “Do not be afraid,” are spoken countless times throughout the Scripture.  We should pay attention to them.  Fear can paralyze us and lead us into many forms of foolish thinking and acting.  The person who acts out of fear truly acts like a fool.  That may seem harsh at first, but it’s not if you understand what it means.  It simply means that a person acting out of fear cannot act rationally.  Fear does great damage to a person’s ability to stay calm, remain focused and think clearly.  That’s why the Scriptures speak so directly regarding this important spiritual point.  Fear must give way to faith and trust in God (See Diary #626-627).

What is it that causes you the most anxiety, worry and fear?  It’s a struggle we all deal with.  There is no shame in admitting it.  So what is it?  Identify that which overwhelms you the most and you will identify that which God wants you to surrender in trust the most.  Go to the heart of the struggle.  Sincerely place that worry and fear into the Hands of God and trust.  Trust that God is All-Powerful and capable of handling every situation.  He may not change things the way you think they should be changed, but He will lift your burden and enable you to move forward without the fear that can easily paralyze and confuse you.  Do not let fear dominate your life.  Trust in God and let that trust transform you.

Jesus, I do want to trust You and to entrust all my many burdens to You.  I especially turn to You with (pause and state that which causes the most fear and anxiety).  Please enter into this burden and lift it by Your gentle hand, replacing it with peace and great inner calm. Jesus, I trust in You.

Prayer for the Pope & Conclave

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Have you encountered the sweetness of Jesus?  He, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, come to you in the secret depths of your soul.  There, in this hidden place, they desire to communicate with you.  Their communication is beyond words and concepts.  It’s a communication of profound love that leaves the soul at peace and with a delight of the greatest sweetness.  Their encounter with you is not an emotion; it’s a spiritual union (See Diary #622).

How deep is your relationship with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit?  Is it something more intellectual?  Is it based only on the fact that you believe in them, for the most part?  Or is it something that goes much deeper?  The goal must be to come to know God in a real and tangible way.  But that knowledge of Him must also be personal.  It must become a relationship that is lived and that sustains you in all things.  If the Blessed Trinity lives within you, and if you allow yourself to embrace that relationship wholeheartedly, then you will discover an inner sweetness that overwhelms any suffering or hardship you endure.  The sweetness of that love will carry you, day in and day out, to the glories of Heaven.

Lord, I long to know You, to love You and to become one with You.  I desire to have You live within my soul, refreshing me with the sweetness of Your presence.  Take my life, sweet Jesus, and unite me with Your perfect Heart of love.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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You are called to love God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength.  But how do you do this?  What does an active loving of God look like in our lives?  Ultimately, we love God through holy obedience.  We must obey His Divine Will above all else.  Perhaps that seems like a strange concept, that love of God is best expressed in holy obedience.  But it is.  It’s expressed in holy obedience because of one simple fact: The Will of God is perfect, perfect for us, exactly what we need, it’s what we were made for, and we must enter into perfect submission to His Will.  In the end, the only way we will understand this form and depth of love is by living it (See Diary #616).

How well do you do with the practice of holy obedience?  When you think about this, does it inspire you, or turn you off?  Holy obedience can be a difficult virtue to embrace and live wholeheartedly.  It can be difficult to accept and to embrace as good.  Look at your inner reaction to the idea of striving to obey God in all things.  If you can rid yourself of any resistance to this practice, you will find great joy in loving God in this perfect way.

Lord, I want to obey You in all things.  I thank You that Your law is perfect and, when embraced, completely refreshes my soul.  Help me to always love You in this holy way so as to make Your Will my own.  In this act, I imitate Your perfect obedience to the Will of the Father.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Prayer for the Pope & Conclave

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Do you have fear in your life?  It’s important to know that some fear is quite unhealthy, stemming from a form of pride, while another form of fear is quite healthy, resulting from your profound love of God.  The “holy fear” is filial fear, which is the fear of a child of God.  This particular form of fear is present when your love of God is so deep that you fear doing anything that would harm your relationship with Him.  It’s not that you are afraid of God, rather, you have a holy desire to avoid all sin.  This form of holy fear must also enter into every relationship of love you have for others.  You should deeply desire to avoid all that harms each and every relationship you have been blessed to receive.  This is a gift of God’s abundant Mercy (See Diary #610).

Consider your love of God.  Is it strong enough to produce the healthy desire in your heart to avoid all that might hurt that relationship?  This holy fear must become a driving force to develop a profoundly personal relationship with our Lord.  Consider, also, your relationship with others.  Do you have a healthy desire to eliminate anything that is an obstacle to your wholehearted love of them?  Seek this gift of God’s Mercy and the Lord will draw you closer to Himself and to others.

Lord, I do love You and I desire to surrender to You everything in my life that keeps me from loving You with my whole heart.  Give me a holy fear so that I may draw closer to You and learn to love others as You love them.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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Do you know that our Lord chooses certain people for a specific mission of suffering?  He picks certain people, who are few in number, to more fully resemble His innocent suffering here on Earth.  These holy souls suffer in many and varied ways.  They are the continuation of the innocent suffering of Jesus Himself.  They have a very specific mission on Earth and it is a mission requiring the greatest sacrifice imaginable.  The good news, for these chosen few, is that the crown of glory that awaits them in Heaven makes every act of suffering here on Earth worth it.  Through their suffering, completely embraced in joy, and offered to the Father through the Son, they make up that which is “lacking in the sufferings of Christ” as St. Paul explains to us (Colossians 1:24).  Though this unique vocation is only given to a few in a profound way, we are all called to share in Christ’s sufferings so as to also share in His glorification (See Diary #604).

What do you do with your daily sufferings?  Do you “offer it up?”  This invitation from Jesus, to unite our sufferings with His, is a true calling that has more potential for grace than anything else.  It’s what makes us most like Him.  It is the greatest sacrifice we can offer and the most powerful prayer we can pray.  Think about the sufferings you encounter in your life.  No matter what they are, do not run from them.  Try to embrace them and offer them up, joyfully, to our Lord. 

Heavenly Father, I give to You, this day, all my joys, works and sufferings.  I especially offer You the sufferings I endure.  I offer You all the small and great ways in which I experience suffering, hardship and pain in my life.  May these become a sacrifice of love, offered in union with the one and perfect sacrifice of Jesus, Your Son.  Transform this offering and make it a source of grace in this world.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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Do you want to see The Divine Mercy of God pour forth upon the world in an abundant way?  Hopefully and presumably the answer to that question is an easy, “Yes.”  It’s important to know that, in some ways, you are responsible for whether or not that happens.  Specifically, Jesus has chosen to make His abundance of Mercy flow forth as a direct result of your intercession for others.  It’s true.  Your personal choice to pray for others has a direct result on Jesus offering them special graces.  This is a grace offered others in addition to the many other graces He offers in other ways.  Do your part and others will be blessed in abundance.  Ignore your part, and they will not receive the specific grace you could have won for them through your prayers (See Diary #599).

Reflect, today, upon the person or people God has entrusted to your intercession.  This is no small responsibility.  God has chosen you for this task.  And through your prayers, others will be blessed.  Who is it that God wants to bless through your prayers?  Make a concrete decision to pray for them and trust that the Lord’s Mercy will be bestowed as a direct result.

Lord, I pray that You will show me who You wish me to pray for.  Place on my heart this desire.  Help me to be faithful in my intercession and to trust in the power of that prayer.  Here and now I offer (think of a person) to You.  And I especially offer this person to the Immaculate Heart of Your Mother for her perfect prayers.  Mother Mary, pray for us.  Jesus, I trust in You.

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I Can Enter Your Life if You Let Me
Spiritual Reflections

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Who, in their right mind, would want to be humiliated?  What would you do if you were humiliated?  Most people would be tempted to seek ways to avoid humiliation. Some would become deeply hurt as a result.  Others would become angry and defensive.  And though the source of one’s humiliation may not be fair, it’s important to understand that humiliations can become an invitation to the deepest depths of God’s grace and Mercy.  Humiliation has the potential to produce humility when embraced properly.  Though anger and hurt may also result, humility must be the goal.  What matters most is that we shed any pride, anger or hurt that we experience and allow ourselves to enter into the depths of humility.  This necessary quality will enable us to rely solely upon God, seek consolation and peace only from Him, and allow Him and His holy Will to be the one and only source of our joy in life.  Nothing could be better for the soul than the humility that comes from humiliations (See Diary #593).

What is it that humbles you the most?  What wounds your pride and causes you to be angry or defensive?  What do you stew over and think about obsessively?  If something comes to mind, then this may be something very specific that the Lord wishes to turn into a source of grace and Mercy.  Everything, be it sin, injustice, hurt, etc., has the potential to be turned into grace by our Lord.  He truly is that All-Powerful.  Identify that which wounds your pride the most and try to look at it from a new perspective, letting the Lord turn it into a source of grace.

Lord, my pride is wounded so many times.  There are so many experiences I have that do not sit well with me.  Help me to allow all those things that are out of my control to become transformed by You and Your grace so that they may no longer weigh me down, causing hurt and anger.  Take these humiliations, dear Lord, and transform my heart through them so that, in my humility, I may come to know You more intimately and surrender to You more fully.  Jesus, I trust in You.

May 3 – Saints Philip and James, Apostles

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