M
MarieVeronica
Guest
A gentle witness to my own encounter with Jesus Christ.
1.) I was a “Cradle Catholic”. I fell away for 10 years. They were the most miserable and empty years of my life. I began to realize this… only after my return to the Church, which was brought about unexpectedly… through a loving encounter (not a vision… an unsolicited encounter) with Our Lord’s Mother.
2.) I have learned, Jesus lovingly hears my every prayer. He knows that I have an arthritic back and an irregular heart, and He doesn’t require me to kneel when I’m in pain or tired. His patience with me, is endless. He hears my prayers, no matter what my posture. And He accepts my efforts… however imperfect, for one simple reason. He loves me. How do I know this? Because He died for me.
3.) Our faith is a treasury of prayers and family (the Saints). Are my prayers always answered… in the way that I want them to be answered? No. But that’s ok. I almost expect that my prayers won’t be answered the way I want. I’m a work in progress. God is busy molding me, into His Son’s image. My Father knows what is best for my spiritual growth. Sacred Scripture tells us:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8)
4.) I see a glimpse of Heaven at every Mass I attend. A miracle occurs each time the priest pronounces the words of consecration. We are surrounded by multitudes of unseen Angels, present at each Mass. The devil and his minions dare not approach at this most sacred event. I can almost hear the gates of hell slam shut.
5.) I don’t have to see Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, to know that He is there. I feel His Presence with the eyes and the heart of faith. But for anyone doubting, this link might be helpful.
therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/a3.html
6.) Jesus is my constant Companion in Suffering. He never leaves me. I want to follow Him. To do so, His instructions are clear.
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
In His Infinite Wisdom… He allows me to suffer, like He did… so that one day, the Father will see the likeness of Jesus, in me. He suffered for me, before I was born. I wasn’t physically present at the foot of the Cross… when He suffered for me. Do I have the right to expect His physical Presence when I’m suffering? No. But IS He present when I suffer? YES. Even physically, in the Eucharist. He owes me nothing… and yet, He gave me His all.
7.) The Cross of my Lord is my greatest comfort. Through It, my sins were forgiven. He fulfills His promise to remain with us, till the end of time. In His great humility… He hides Himself under the appearance of Bread and Wine. And gives us spiritual nourishment. The fullness of life… will be mine, once I have “fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). I realize that my own cross is not a “test”… but a proof of His love. He has found me worthy to be like Him, through suffering. What merit can there possibly be in the eye’s of our Father… if I live a life of complete happiness, comfort and ease here on earth… when His own Son suffered so greatly for me?
8.) Our Lady and the Saints are my dearest, most cherished friends. And more than that. They are my models. Through their lives, I see hope for myself. For with the exception of Our Lady (Who was conceived without sin)… every one of the saints were like me… sinners. Sinners who kept on trying to become Saints. We are all potential saints!
9.) I have learned that the Love of Jesus for us… is completely generous. Would you or I be willing to die for the sins of mankind? Think about it. If God came down now… and said to you… “Will you die for the sins of mankind?” What would any of us do? Run and hide, most likely. But Jesus did not. On the eve of His Passion, He showed both His Humanity and His Love for us… when He prayed… “Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will but Thine be done”. (Luke 22:42-43).
10.) I have learned that Jesus is with me always. I know this, simply because of the wreckage of my past life. And the memory of my sins. I should have melted into despair. But here I am. Standing tall, as His Child. He has granted me the strength to do things… I never would have imagined… just one short year ago. How did this come about? The unmerited Gift of Faith. Which is His gift to all of us. But we must cultivate it… through prayer.
I’m so sorry for anyone out there, who has suffered without Christ. That is so sad. But, I believe that to be a personal choice we make. We can either suffer with Him, or we can shut Him out. All I can say is (through my own personal experience)… that He is there, when we suffer. Perhaps, I have felt His Presence so intimately because my sins are so great. He has been very merciful with me. But, He is merciful with all.
Lean on Him. He’s been there, before us. But… given the gift of Free Will… Our Lord will never force Himself on us. We must open our hearts to Him… through visits to the Blessed Sacrament… and prayer. It may take some time, but the cultivation of faith is the natural result of this. There is a reason that the Bible is called “Sacred Scripture”. Jesus IS the Word, made Flesh. He IS the Word of God. Infinite Wisdom is open to all… who will hear Him. The Bible isn’t simply a compilation of pretty stories. The Bible is the Word of God.
There is only One Jesus. He is not the “Jesus I know”. He is the Jesus Who knows me… and Who loves me. Nothing can change that. Not even if I were to lose faith… would that fact change. He loves me. He loves you. Period. If we trust in Him, His Love will take over in our lives. I am living proof. Do not be afraid, and do not despair. No matter what has happened in our lives, He is always waiting with open arms… to forgive and welcome us “Home”. May God bless.
1.) I was a “Cradle Catholic”. I fell away for 10 years. They were the most miserable and empty years of my life. I began to realize this… only after my return to the Church, which was brought about unexpectedly… through a loving encounter (not a vision… an unsolicited encounter) with Our Lord’s Mother.
2.) I have learned, Jesus lovingly hears my every prayer. He knows that I have an arthritic back and an irregular heart, and He doesn’t require me to kneel when I’m in pain or tired. His patience with me, is endless. He hears my prayers, no matter what my posture. And He accepts my efforts… however imperfect, for one simple reason. He loves me. How do I know this? Because He died for me.
3.) Our faith is a treasury of prayers and family (the Saints). Are my prayers always answered… in the way that I want them to be answered? No. But that’s ok. I almost expect that my prayers won’t be answered the way I want. I’m a work in progress. God is busy molding me, into His Son’s image. My Father knows what is best for my spiritual growth. Sacred Scripture tells us:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8)
4.) I see a glimpse of Heaven at every Mass I attend. A miracle occurs each time the priest pronounces the words of consecration. We are surrounded by multitudes of unseen Angels, present at each Mass. The devil and his minions dare not approach at this most sacred event. I can almost hear the gates of hell slam shut.
5.) I don’t have to see Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, to know that He is there. I feel His Presence with the eyes and the heart of faith. But for anyone doubting, this link might be helpful.
therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/a3.html
6.) Jesus is my constant Companion in Suffering. He never leaves me. I want to follow Him. To do so, His instructions are clear.
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
In His Infinite Wisdom… He allows me to suffer, like He did… so that one day, the Father will see the likeness of Jesus, in me. He suffered for me, before I was born. I wasn’t physically present at the foot of the Cross… when He suffered for me. Do I have the right to expect His physical Presence when I’m suffering? No. But IS He present when I suffer? YES. Even physically, in the Eucharist. He owes me nothing… and yet, He gave me His all.
7.) The Cross of my Lord is my greatest comfort. Through It, my sins were forgiven. He fulfills His promise to remain with us, till the end of time. In His great humility… He hides Himself under the appearance of Bread and Wine. And gives us spiritual nourishment. The fullness of life… will be mine, once I have “fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). I realize that my own cross is not a “test”… but a proof of His love. He has found me worthy to be like Him, through suffering. What merit can there possibly be in the eye’s of our Father… if I live a life of complete happiness, comfort and ease here on earth… when His own Son suffered so greatly for me?
8.) Our Lady and the Saints are my dearest, most cherished friends. And more than that. They are my models. Through their lives, I see hope for myself. For with the exception of Our Lady (Who was conceived without sin)… every one of the saints were like me… sinners. Sinners who kept on trying to become Saints. We are all potential saints!
9.) I have learned that the Love of Jesus for us… is completely generous. Would you or I be willing to die for the sins of mankind? Think about it. If God came down now… and said to you… “Will you die for the sins of mankind?” What would any of us do? Run and hide, most likely. But Jesus did not. On the eve of His Passion, He showed both His Humanity and His Love for us… when He prayed… “Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will but Thine be done”. (Luke 22:42-43).
10.) I have learned that Jesus is with me always. I know this, simply because of the wreckage of my past life. And the memory of my sins. I should have melted into despair. But here I am. Standing tall, as His Child. He has granted me the strength to do things… I never would have imagined… just one short year ago. How did this come about? The unmerited Gift of Faith. Which is His gift to all of us. But we must cultivate it… through prayer.
I’m so sorry for anyone out there, who has suffered without Christ. That is so sad. But, I believe that to be a personal choice we make. We can either suffer with Him, or we can shut Him out. All I can say is (through my own personal experience)… that He is there, when we suffer. Perhaps, I have felt His Presence so intimately because my sins are so great. He has been very merciful with me. But, He is merciful with all.
Lean on Him. He’s been there, before us. But… given the gift of Free Will… Our Lord will never force Himself on us. We must open our hearts to Him… through visits to the Blessed Sacrament… and prayer. It may take some time, but the cultivation of faith is the natural result of this. There is a reason that the Bible is called “Sacred Scripture”. Jesus IS the Word, made Flesh. He IS the Word of God. Infinite Wisdom is open to all… who will hear Him. The Bible isn’t simply a compilation of pretty stories. The Bible is the Word of God.
There is only One Jesus. He is not the “Jesus I know”. He is the Jesus Who knows me… and Who loves me. Nothing can change that. Not even if I were to lose faith… would that fact change. He loves me. He loves you. Period. If we trust in Him, His Love will take over in our lives. I am living proof. Do not be afraid, and do not despair. No matter what has happened in our lives, He is always waiting with open arms… to forgive and welcome us “Home”. May God bless.
