Blessings to you all!
I have created some study questions for the books in a series written by Anne, a layperson. The books are very rich and at times difficult to navigate. I hope the ideas I have shared here will help you get even more out of your prayerful reading of her work.
18 February 2015
Volume Two Study Questions
Volume Two
Introduction
Have you considered how daily or more frequent Mass could be
an impetus to furthering your Faith?
If “living in exile [brought] many beautiful opportunities to align with
Christ’s will” for Anne, how could we mimic those conditions in the hopes that
we would have a similar experience?
August 17, 2003
Jesus talks of three descriptors of the Eucharist; as “a
depth of heart”, as “a veil [of] of the tabernacle”, and as “My miraculous form
of the Consecrated host”; could
contemplating these things give new depth to your experience of Adoration?
He addresses the feelings of difficulty/want/hardship; the
pain of hurt from being treating badly; the pain of hunger from lack of money; the
pain of isolation from being different; which of these speaks most directly to
you and why?
Jesus also wants to
“teach us the things that souls of past times did not learn until they came to
heaven”: to what do you think he might be alluding?
Through Anne, Jesus speaks of a very close personal
partnership to fight evil in our world; when do you feel most close to and
strengthened by Him? Are we winning the
battle?
August 18, 2003
Jesus encourages us to go more frequently to Adoration; many
ills can be cured by this simple act.
Take whatever is heavy on your heart to your next visit to the Lord and
be amazed by the result.
Caution yourselves and your children about the lure of
“power” in our world; the media, the internet, movies, books—many refer to
powers above those that we know as human.
There is great risk in opening these doors to our souls by embarking on
belief or devotion to powers that are not truly divine.
Believe in your hearts that Jesus’ love for you is real,
concrete, not disposable, not to be rejected.
Open your hearts to the Holy Spirit so that it might reside in your
souls until the moment the true love of Jesus ignites it.
August 19, 2003
“Love is quiet and steady…. can be relied upon.… does not
diminish in the face of temptation”; examine the genuine opportunities for love
in your lives. Say aloud the words of forgiveness and recognize whether this
opens the doors for additional love in your heart or family.
Welcome Jesus as the Guest in your heart; by doing so you
acknowledge that He will be no trouble,
He will make himself at home, He will seek to help you; He will leave “a surplus of forgiveness in you to lavish
upon those who have hurt you”. Does this image allow you to go even further in
forgiving those in your life who have caused you pain?
August 20. 2003
Jesus is committed to family unity, even in today’s world;
are you?
Many are overextended for outside activities, overbusy with
other obligations; re-examine your
priorities and find a way to expedite prayer to the top of the list.
What we have been led to believe about the family is
untrue; unity, identity, and the
re-establishment of our inheritance is possible. Praying anything from the Lord’s Prayer to
the Rosary regularly will bring strength to your whole family.
August 21, 2003
Of all the things that swirl around in our heads, not one is a concern of Jesus at home in
his Tabernacle; instead His every thought, worry, and directive relates to us
and us alone. When you think of Him,
even better, visit in Adoration, can you calm your thoughts and worries to just
soak Him in?
If we only let silence fall, we will feel the constancy of
His gaze; the forgiveness He always offers and His yearning for simply, our
love.
This selfless love of Christ is the Truth; “with a heavenly breath, I will blow away the
residue of sin so your soul proceeds in joy and newness”. What obstacles are in the way of giving in
to this love and letting your soul move forward in this way?
August 22, 2003
Both the body and the soul of the world are very sick; what are some of the most obvious ways you
feel our world needs healing?
The very word “balm”
conjures up the feeling of soothing and progression toward health; the Lord is
calling us to rest in Him and thereby be granted all we need to attend to the
needs of other souls. It seems a very
powerful combination to return to Him, accept His boundless love, and share His
Gospel. Which of these is the most difficult for you to initiate?
Your inheritance, your place in Jesus’ Sacred heart has been
reserved for you and only you. Are you
more swayed by the beauty of the perfect fit and the safety of this place or by
the idea that by returning, you will alleviate significant pain and suffering
that Jesus suffers in your absence?
August 25, 2003
Jesus wants us to understand the importance of every single
day; He is eager to pull us strongly
away from the lure of the world, especially when we feel our decisions are
minor. If you look closely, can you see
the work of evil in seemingly small ways that you stray from the path?
Jesus speaks through Anne of the work He has in store for
us. Saying yes results in immediate
love, peace, safety, and the experience of days united to Him. Is this the first time you have been
introduced to the idea that your acts of obedience and love (“work”) saves
souls? How does it change your concept
of “the Body of Christ”?
August 26, 2003
What does obedience mean to you? Does it seem like a weak or a strong
trait? The interplay between obedience
and power in this section bears further scrutiny.
It puts Jesus’ life in a new light to consider it a string
of faithful obediences to the Father; he
urges us to set aside our fear, our perceived mistakes, and the discord of the
world to start anew—simply by being obedient to our Mother Church.
Is there one or more ways you could be more obedient to the
Church? In hearing some of Pope Francis’ teachings and discourses, doesn’t he
make obedience seem simple?
August 27, 2003
Jesus is so eager for us to make our destination
Heaven! Not only is it beautiful, but it
is absent of pain and instead filled with the fellowship of loved ones and
Saints. Further, it is a place where our
knowledge and understanding will become gloriously expansive, even to the point
of joy, wonder, and participation in the
movement of the Universe.
Hearing and obeying the call to holiness and practicing the
virtues; these things lead to fluency in
the language of heaven. Which virtues
can you develop that will enrich you in this language? [Prudence, Justice,
Temperance, Fortitude, Faith, Hope and Love] or [Chastity, Temperance, Charity,
Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and
Humility] There are writings that suggest
these seven virtues protect Christians
from the opposing seven deadly sins.
Review what you know of the Book of Revelation; Jesus
assures us that He is coming in a way that may be fearsome or clamorous if we
are not prepared. Again, he asks we take
small steps toward His Kingdom, now and with courage.
August 28. 2003
I AM WITH
YOU. Liken it to the shadow that
matches your steps in the sunlight or the heartbeat you feel in your body or
the breath that moves through you with life; the Lord wants us to know he is
truly present with each and every one of us.
He is waiting for us to begin to share our selves, down to
the most minute experience or question, with Him. No circumstance, situation, or sin can
separate us unless we try to get through it alone. “Say Lord Help me; you will not be disappointed”
Focus. Concentrate. Attend.
Feel that it is real.
Access it continually. Delight in the
habit.
August 28, 2003
Jesus wants to exert a pull so strong that souls will be
drawn into His Sacred Heart and never leave.
He wishes that from this place of secure belonging, we will begin to see
through his eyes and share our daily struggles.
The things that take root in the dark, feed on fear, silence
our protestations, and bloom as confusion do not come from Him. Bear them like a cross to the Lord and He
will take them from you again and again.
Endeavor to experience the freedom of patiently giving to
God each and every trial over the course of just one day. Share your thoughts if you have practiced
this before.
Desire to serve Him is the seed from which goodness and
wisdom grow; this fruit heals and renews.
It is but a taste of our inheritance.
August 28, 2003
The Holy Sacrament of Marriage is the basis of families;
take strength from knowing that the Lord supports all your earthly efforts
toward this end. Children are to be
protected always, but please do not explain away excuses for not honoring your
earthly spouse.
Spouses, leave behind childish ways, and instead focus on
leading each other ever heavenward.
What does it mean for you to parent with all three
qualities; love, patience, and responsibility?
August 29, 2003
Know this; you are already forgiven!
Through Anne, the Lord implores us to break the cycles of
destruction, of sin, of despair. He is
well aware, indeed watches, as we choose wrongly, stumble, fall. He is pleading for you to simply repent.
Choose now, rightly, for as we have learned, practice
becomes habit.
The Lord has the most pure and unrequited love for you that
you can imagine; He alone is aware of
the sum of your intricacies, your unique qualities, your gifts. To continue pursuits of earthly interests, of
worldly pursuits, of self destruction is all subtraction from that sum.
Stop any behavior that is separating yourself from Him; it
causes Him heartache that you too can recognize.
Bring your uncertaincies to Him in the tabernacle.
Change your ways so that the Lord can use you instead for
the salvation of souls.
August 29, 2003
“Together we will be certain that your speech profits
heaven.”
Words, indeed the naming of a thing, throughout history have
brought power. When have you been made aware of the power of your words? Was it for good or for ill?
Today, often, our speech is completely disconnected from
voice or expression. Text messages,
emails, chats, posts….all fail to convey the meaning behind our words. Should we not then be even more exacting with
our choice of words, the inflection, the context, the tone of what we speak?
To have gained unity
with Jesus, and not have that reflected in all aspects of our
communication, is a great loss.
He speaks Truth. He
speaks with great kindness. He corrects
with gentleness. He holds back with love.
August 29, 2003
Humility comforts Him.
Humility consoles Him. He remains
our Teacher above all things. How does
Jesus have the qualities of your favorite teachers?
Scripture is a timeless avenue to better understand God’s
humanity and compare our imperfections.
Recognizing what we need to change is the process of becoming holy;
could you commit to reading Scripture every day to better understand God’s ways
when He walked the earth?
Peace is to be found on the path with Jesus, far from comparison
to others, distant from human design.
Will you be transformed from the one watching Jesus from a
safe distance into the one who detaches from the world and joins other
followers to help bear his Cross?
September 1, 2003
Silently, but with great constancy, Jesus directs even
seemingly insignificant and mundane facets of our lives. Being open to this and allowing subtle shifts
to take place result in transformation of one’s soul. Are there projects or accomplishments that
you can identify in your life that required many small steps? How much would love and patience underlying
those steps have made a difference?
“My protection is so great that My children could have an infinite amount of
faith in Me and still more would be justified”; even while saying this, Jesus
urges us not to become ensnared by thinking we must tackle “big things”.
When faced with pain or suffering of any degree, we often
ask why. Jesus clarifies today that this
is a symptom of distance from Him. He
urges us to rest in His Sacred Heart where, once inside, He intends to firmly
shelter us. Find a piece of art or
Scripture that burns the image of His Sacred Heart into your memory.
September 1, 2003
Don’t rush so much;
Jesus doesn’t like being taken for the ride! If we want Him to be at home in our souls, we
must conduct ourselves in a way that reflects the precious cargo. The whisperings that would guide, uplift, or
comfort us from within can easily get lost in the noise that carries on
without.
“A small prayer, a sentence in your heart, is enough to
ignite the faith and trust in your soul, which returns calmness to you”; meditate
on how reminiscent this is of a candle with a steadily burning flame.
Loneliness and despair are equated with lack of God’s
presence in the world. Jesus assures us
that as this slowly changes, we will see the differences in the souls around
us, especially through eye contact. When
you do service for those less blessed or even interact with others at the store
or at Mass, do you make an effort to really see the person?
September 1, 2003
Go to Adoration and imagine Jesus there, praising you for
your efforts; hear His assurances that
those things with which you have struggled and habits which have been broken
have created a shift in the foundation of your soul. Do not let this unbalance you, instead allow
the grace of His presence to cement these good changes.
Think about the conditions under which you have felt the
greatest peace; can you put that into
the context that Jesus provides here?
This “peace which comes from Heaven” is a sign that the soul
is directing the body, with Jesus at the helm of the soul. His Dominion over us is in alignment with
“how man was intended to live”; can you
begin to think of the crosses you bear as practice
and obstacles in your path as opportunities?
September 2, 2003
Jesus endorses power naps for your soul! Stop frequently, close your eyes and welcome
real peace into your heart by imagining
Him soothing all your cares.
Jesus doesn’t want us to fear Death. How can you reconcile the heaviness in your
heart when you think about this transition with His dismissal of it as a “distraction”?
To “practice” peace is a difficult concept, but Jesus
assures us there is an endless store; are there ways we can measure our
progress by being more aware of how we view our brothers and sisters?
September 2, 2003
Love and sacrifice are interchangeable in Heaven. We acquire earthly possessions by making
choices about what we want, working, saving, and planning for it. The currency of Heaven are the virtues. Which of them will be the hardest for you to
acquire?
Re-read this sentence: “Be assured that if you follow Me,
all that occurs in your life will be for the advancement of your soul and the
virtues I wish your soul to house”. Our
heavenly resume need not include “references” from any worldly friends not
rooted in God!
September 2, 2003
It is possible that the world has become even more impure
since this message was written; where do
you see the greatest danger today?
Immodesty of dress? Impurity of speech? Poisonous entertainment? Or the tainted thoughts that arise from all
of the above?
When you examine your conscience in these things, recall
that through the gift of Reconciliation “My memory is short when it comes to My
servants”. There are different formats
for examination of conscience that are finely tuned to the temptations of
today’s world; seek out a version that
will speak to you or your children.
September 3, 2003
We can always find a way to not only love our neighbor, but
to do it better. Ponder on what your
role to feed the hungry, whether of body or spirit, is in our world. How can your experience of fasting during
Lent give you new appreciation of true hunger?
It is all too easy to dismiss those whom we don’t like; we can purge the bitter residue this leaves
in our hearts if we pray for mercy on those people and then dispense
forgiveness freely. Try rising to the
invitation and truly spending a whole day in prayer for the person you
appreciate least.
September 3, 2003
Intend comes from the Latin “to stretch toward or aim at”: Jesus
is asking us to start from a pure heart and derive our action from there. If we do not end up where we thought we
might, He urges us to return to Him for consolation and sometimes
redirection. Always the teacher, He
encourages us to start looking at our motivations in decision-making.
Again, a reminder that our crosses are opportunities to
grow; He does not require that we bear them
mutely, but urges that we dialogue with Him about our perceived burdens. When Jesus says “Talk to me and listen to
others” , how does that prevent us from falling into sins of the tongue?
Finally, Jesus turns our perspective outward, wanting us to
literally experience His vision by seeing things through His eyes. What image might remind you to look at the
world this way?
September 3, 2003
As the Divine Healer, Jesus insists we allow Him to soften
and free our hearts; the bitterness and
distress of this World bar us from being the best servants, so we must let them
go. Sometimes characteristics like
stubbornness, confidence, having strong opinions, or determination can go
awry; how can you let a gentler approach
begin to characterize your actions?
Hastening toward a relationship with the Lord and sharing
with Him our feelings of success or failure will allow Him to show us a clearer
perspective of our path; Heavenly scrutiny falls more upon our efforts than
upon the results.
Descriptions of heart ache, longing, desire ---these have
often been misused in the context of our world.
Can you realign them with Heavenly meaning?
September 4, 2003
Jesus wants to busy Himself in your soul; are there marks on yours where you wish He
would start? Praying is sharing access
to all one’s experiences and allowing
Him to assist in ordering them aright.
If you try, you may be able to think of a specific or recent
time when pride (or some other sin) has contributed to the downward spiral of
disappointment, bitterness, hardening of heart.
This can block Jesus’ love and light from finding its way to the
surface.
Seeking God’s will and in doing so, converting all the hurts
and grief to some sort of benefit, is within His power. Ask Him for relief from suffering and “Together
we will ensure that no further blocks fall upon your tender heart”.
September 4, 2003
Jesus invites us to rely upon Him as we do our closest
friends; there is nothing too small to share
with Him. Being confident in this rock,
this truth, and putting prayer in your life as a priority will allow you to
stay united with God. Look at (video
Jamie Has about putting big rocks in the jar first)
“Serve me always, regardless of how you feel”; can you start today to return to Him often,
even when you feel least holy? Remember
that the Saints labored, but still showed determination.
September 4, 2003
Jesus, in His power, deserves love, loyalty, and
respect; He is protective, but not
unjustly wrathful; He is all-knowing and His plan reflects this.
We should be calm, peaceful, and always seek His heart in
our relationships; He is always the answer, especially when we are faced with
struggle, rejection, fear. “it is the
truly strong who are wise enough to be gentle.
So treat your brothers and sisters gently, particularly those who are
not united to Me”. Does this emphasis on
gentleness change how you might go about evangelization?
Instead of lingering in doubt about your future, go and focus
on His Passion. Start with the first
Station of the Cross, when Jesus was condemned to death. Meditate on remaining united to God when
others run, consider the exile from
Heaven as being a testing time, plan accepting God’s design for your life and doing
His work.
September 5, 2003
It is jesus’ hope that above all we are prepared, because
the time of His Kingdom is near. He has
given us the formula for that holy work throughout these messages delivered by
Anne.
“In your quiet,
calm holiness, with eyes that reflect all of My kindness, be influential”
“Our standards are high but you are able and again, together, we succeed.”
“Please give glory
to our Father in Heaven for His countless mercies during this time.”
“Fear nothing.”
“Come to Me often and
discuss every concern, every joy, and every decision with Me.”
“I will open the
path before you.”
“Truly you carry
Me, your Jesus, your Savior, with
you, My child.”
September 5, 2003
Mary tells us to be joyful,
Jesus has given us all we need. She
encourages us to run to her if we feel we are straying from the path. She gives us hope by revealing that Heaven
and earth are joined as never before, allowing our Blessed Mother and the
angels proximity to watch over us and those we love.
September 5, 2003
Mary encourages us to persevere; how do you think the
spiritual pride she warns of can be avoided?
If we offer up our free will and our time here on earth, we
will be granted all we need to equip us as Soldiers of Heaven; “I anoint you as
such and you work only for goodness.” In this time of so many hostile images of
soldiers and militants, how can we envision this wholly different kind of army?
Mary reminds us she is ever-present; we must be
ever-faithful
Mary reminds us of Her blessings; we must be loyal to her
Son.
Mary reminds us of Her protection: we must seek her
guidance often.
Mary reminds us we have been chosen for Heaven; we must
trust that evil will not prevail.
Consider praying a Hail Mary at some specific time during
the day of which you can easily remind yourself, perhaps after meals, perhaps
at every stop light, perhaps when you are on hold on the telephone; make this a
habit.
Volume One Study Questions
Volume One
Introduction
Dreams, illnesses, pilgrimages; have any of these human
experiences ever been conduits to the Lord for you personally or someone close
to you? How can we make ourselves more
open to the possibility of this?
Saying “yes” to the Lord sometimes is more recognizable by
the “no” that we are actually saying to the world; have you been aware of these yes/no junctures
in your life?
Thoughts on
Spirituality – Reread this sentence
“I did not come to you because you were worthy. I won’t leave you because you
are not.” Is there a cross, scapular, or medal you
could wear throughout Lent to remind you of your worthiness of unfailing love
of Jesus?
When Anne feels she’s failed, Jesus reminds her that this is
not a fall, but practice. Repetition is
the basis of practice and through practice comes learning. Where do you feel you are falling,
practicing, and learning?
Anne has a habit she (and Jesus) would like her to break:
are there habits or distractions that sully either your body or your mind that
perhaps Jesus is waiting to help you tackle?
Saturday –
Do you wait long enough to allow the Lord to comfort you?
We see that, as Anne’s relationship with Jesus grows, she overcomes
the tediousness and sometimes even pain of practicing, she moves beyond the
feeling of just wanting the difficult part to be finished. She thankfully arrives at thinking outside
herself. Do you ever feel so wrapped in
God’s love that you want to draw others there inside with you?
Praise God –
“Worthy sentiments, without action, lack power”
Jesus asks us to focus on others’ strengths as opposed to
their flaws. He uses it all to move us
forward.
How much different could the Stations of the Cross be if
only Simon of Cyrene had helped willingly instead of grudgingly? How willing are you to suffer for others, if
it means some small share of healing for them?
Thoughts on
Spirituality 2-
Are you part of the masses or part of the remnant? Which of Faustina’s groups; those upon the
crosses, those carrying their crosses willingly, or those dragging their
crosses along and complaining?
Have there been times when your love for Jesus has been so
great that it overflowed into love and desire to help save others? How can you bring that to your life more
often?
What sufferings can you identify and bring to lay at the
foot of the cross? There are many who
are suffering; can you pray for those who have no one to pray for them and so
unite all suffering as an offering to God?
Take heart in Jesus’ many exhortations that He is taking us
with Him; He never leaves us to suffer without him. When we suffer, we win graces for others and
we grow in love. Consider that when you
have received graces in your life, some brother or sister in the body of Christ
has suffered on your behalf. How can we
come to understand this more fully?
The Blessed Mother told Anne to pray for the gifts of the
Spirit. Do you think often of these
seven gifts? [Discuss Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge,
Piety, and Fear of the Lord]
What does Anne tell us about the souls of the depraved and
of temptation? Could efforts to
evangelize, no matter how small, create a crack into which Jesus’ love could
pour?
Anne is clear, and Jesus is clear with her on many
occasions, that sacrifices must be made and much energy must be spent on family
formation. How can you accomplish one
improvement in the area during Lent?
Could it become a change that would last?
Thoughts on
Spirituality 3 –
Jesus reiterates that suffering is inevitable, but
ultimately benefits souls other than our own: does this change how you feel
about your “crosses”?
What are some ways we allow our bodies to have dominion over
us? How can we strengthen our intellect
to overcome these trials, especially if we know they are coming?
The women we see as examples in the Bible are calm, firm,
and overall, courageous; how can women
build these qualities and how can men help them?
Anne says that during periods of aridity, we must remember
that God is always there. In fact, all the way back through time there have
been legions of souls who offer support to those who fall, even Christ when he
fell so many times during his Passion.
What ways could we tap in to this continuous current ?
Christ and the Saints have been able to separate themselves from
the world although they lived in the world;
why would they abhor affection and run from adulation?
Anne feels acute failure at times and Jesus consoles by
saying ”I cannot get in front of you and your free will. Next time, go into another room and give Me a
moment to place peace in your heart.” Is
there a place, literal or figurative, that you can cultivate to give Jesus such
a space in your heart?
Thoughts on
Spirituality – 4
How can we take steps to “find our heart recollected”? What are your challenges to this stillness
every day?
Jesus tells us through Anne to take baby steps; “In the
smallest details of your day, seek My
will.”
“Suffer willingly”
“Ask Me for courage and courage will be
yours”
“Work for Me first.”
Mary encourages us through Anne to listen for her Son’s
voice and allow her to lead us on the path;
she assures us that the even the intention of holiness makes the
everyday divine. Where are the places or
times during your day when you can be more mindful?
Mary also says “Alas, they look everywhere but to
heaven. It was never this way to such a
degree in the world. People are ashamed
to ask God for help…” When people today
are troubled, where do they tend to look instead of heaven?
Through Anne, Jesus exhorts us to immerse ourselves in His
Passion. He reveals that Love is
sacrifice. How do you find this true in
your life?
Especially during Lent, how can we take to heart the message
of her last paragraph, to start a day that might be full of sickness and pain,
”but with a light spirit”? What are some
of the striking things about our world and how we can change it that Jesus conveys through Anne in the final
pages?
Thoughts on
Spirituality 5 –
How can I make my body or my soul more obedient?
The Blessed Mother says “we are slaves to your prayers”; how
many times a day should we try and tap in to that devotion?
Trusting God in little things will lead to a habit of doing
so in greater things; has there been a time recently when it would have been
just as well to trust God in some little thing?
Entrusting our hearts to Mary instead of the world will warm
them and cause them to overflow; find
others that have opened their hearts and she will lead everyone together to her
Son.
Listen for Jesus
and then look to one another. Do you believe in this way we can change
future generations?
Mary, the Angels and the Saints are standing by; what could
stop one from at the very least starting down the path that God has in store?
Our time is not God’s time.
The sickness of our current times demand full conversion; take just one
day to continuously put your trust in Jesus and by the end of the day, it will
reside in you.
Our Mother Mary is always there to gently guide us back to
the path; call upon her when your feel your eyes may stray from the destination.
“The times you feel discouraged and unable to serve are the
times you are depending upon yourself”; consider prayer like eating and
drinking, the Gospels as a place to rest.
Take care of your souls like you take care of your body.
Mary intercedes for us when we are struggling;”It is in the
process of becoming that the world is burned from you and heaven takes over”. We know the Saints endured much and were not
unfairly judged. Have there been times
that our attitude about difficulties have ultimately helped or hindered the
final outcome?
Thoughts on
Spirituality 6-
Of all the blessings you have been given, do you feel some
duty towards God? He wants only for you to prayerfully consider your spiritual
practices, then be determined and disciplined about following through, no
matter how it feels at any given time.
Pray always and you will find joy in your duty.
Jesus speaks through Anne of His great concern for our
children; He does not want us to worry
but to strive to live a simple life and pray. How can we identify the obstacles
to this goal and extinguish them?
“Often, the evil one will attempt to keep you tied to past
sins by reminding you of them and trying to persuade you that sinners cannot be
true chosen souls. How ridiculous a
notion!” Next time you go to the
sacrament of Reconciliation remember Mary’s words here, both reminding us that
holiness is a process and that she desperately wants us to feel joy.
Seeking the opinions of others, over discussing your life,
making noise for the sake of noise—all such things require energy that could be
spent in prayer and destroy the quiet that the Holy Spirit seeks. Today, we have instantaneous access to news,
minute by minute posts, ongoing text strings.
Where can you cut away some of this distraction to leave an opening for
the Lord?
Begin and end with peace.
Life is only complex when we are removed from God and, in
fact, life is only disposable when we are removed from God. We can recognize and defend against the
confusion of the world. We can come to know
God very simply through his words in the Bible.
How would you convince others that abortion equates with murder?
Mary cries out for the unborn children! She has faith in our generation being open to
God changing our world and abolishing this and other crimes. Do you believe this could happen?
Jesus’ Sacred Heart beats stronger as the evil in the world
grows weaker. Many are controlled by the
world and its habits but as more turn to Him, they gather more followers. Gain strength by watching, helping,
accepting, but above all, loving one another.
Who are some of those bright souls who can help you come back to God and
gain your inheritance?
Every soul is worthy of our prayer: be at peace and guide
your children to peace as well. There is
no flaw or mistake too great that Mary would not intervene on your behalf. Are there Marian devotions that speak to your
heart? Look for one that does or pray
the rosary.
Do not ask to understand, but obey. Jesus says through Anne “Your liberty will be
complete and your slavery to this world will end”; St. Joseph is a model of
trust and obedience; how could you appeal to him in prayer?
Realize that a soul likely suffered for your
conversion; reflect on the Crucifix to
be reminded of your final redemption.
Memorize a prayer that brings to mind the Passion.
Anima Christi :
Soul of Christ, Sanctify me.
Body of Christ, Save me.
Blood of Christ, Inebriate me.
Passion of Christ, Strengthen me.
O good Jesus hear me,
Within Thy wounds hide me,
Separated from You let me never be,
From the evil one
protect me,
At the hour of my death call me,
And close to You bid me,
That with your saints and angels I may be,
Praising You forever and ever, Amen.
Litany of the
Precious Blood:
Response: Lamb of
God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us!
Blood
of Christ, Only Begotten Son of the eternal Father, save us.
Blood
of Christ, incarnate Word of God, save us.
Blood of Christ, of the new and
eternal covenant, save us.
Blood of Christ, poured out on
the cross, save us.
Blood of Christ, price of our
salvation, save us.
Blood of Christ, shed anew in
the martyrs, save us.
Thoughts on
Spirituality 7 –
Compromise with the world is no longer possible; through
Anne Jesus asks for our pledge of Allegiance to God alone. Can you become like a soldier here in the
world where God placed you?
Persevere and pray.
Do not fear; there is Divine Providence set out for us and
no task before us is too great.
Look to Heaven.
Jesus wishes to draw us back to the light; all that is
necessary is repentance, humility, seeking of his grace, and each follower
doing their part. The Saints never tired
of saving souls. Do you feel you were
put here for a reason?
Prayer à
ObedienceàHolinessà Revelation; sanctify your life by merely saying yes.
So many souls are lost; we have an obligation to be Christ in all we do and say. “Leave
nothing undone that could bring a soul to me. Let those of the world scoff at
you if they dare. The inhabitants of
Heaven commend you”. Learn more about
the angels who are made joyful by our efforts here on earth.
Protect the Lord’s name in all its forms; remember not to
profane His name with the same lips that sing His praises at Mass.
Thoughts on
Spirituality 8 –
Be vigilant; pray the rosary and be thus protected.
Stay the course; now that you have chosen, move forward with
constancy and determination, not letting your feelings rule you from one day to
the next.
Let prayer be your weapon; imbue it in every menial thing
you do.
Faith is a gift and a practice; go to the Lord’s house and
worship him with prayer as He has commanded.
Mary desires that you bravely take her hand; she is
appealing to you to let her change your life.
Let your vigilance be steadfast, in sanctifying the great
and the small decisions. Ask for the
Blessed Mother’s guidance in discernment.
“The darkness has lost its time now and I will have the
world in My way”; do you believe that Pope Francis will coalesce the followers
of Christ into a body that can do good for our sick world?
Make haste; your “yes” will unleash all manner of graces.
Pray to Jesus, ask Mary to intercede; there is no problem
they have not encountered. “Move slowly and you will not misstep.”
Return now and you will never regret; He has claimed your
for His own. Over and over again.
Pray for the fallen and enable Mary, our Mother, to minister
to their souls. Can you think of friends
or family whom you could call by name?
Bloom where you are planted, preferably outside the radiant
lure of the television and the empty soil of diversion.
“Giving must be pure and if you use your time on earth
properly, giving and learning about heavenly things, I will teach you to love,
and prepare you for the pure grade of love you are destined to experience in
the next world”; there are many ways our world has distorted love. Have you seen this?
Our children are capable of learning about pure love if we
guide them in the right paths; are there ways you could change how you are
taking care of this seed?
Duty and unquestioning loyalty; swiftly children, say yes to
the Lord!
“It was never intended that mankind live apart from his God”;
make God the compass of your life. Your
true love of yourself as God’s chosen will lead you to forget about yourself in
service to others.
Our Blessed Mother, who had the gift of a heavenly
perspective even when she was in the world is calling us to let go of worldly
things. Especially those things that
cause us to compare ourselves to others, creating envy, a deadly sin. What do you think the difference is between
jealousy and envy?
Make Jesus an integral part of your Holy Family. Look to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and
Joseph and emulate their love for one another.
There are beautiful pieces of art which depict this from every age.
Thoughts on
Spirituality 9 –
Take the first step; pray with Jesus in conversation. “The fruits will come later, out of your line
of vision”
The side of the Light must ready themselves for Spiritual
Warfare; the outcome has been secured.
God put us all in the place we are in for a reason. Now he requires only our obedience for the
victory that “will restore the world to goodness and spiritual safety”. Send up a prayer of thanksgiving for our
children!
Mary is “the Woman Clothed in the Sun” and is forever
hovering near to help us in restoring the world to Light. Each has been put in place and “must be
brave, be calm, and be prepared to do our part, with the emphasis on service to
God and His divine plan.” Do you pray
for God in His time to reveal your part of the plan?
Each day begin anew in contemplation of what is to come and
whether it is God’s will. Be silent.
Pray not only for those who have too little but for those
who have too much; indeed the former already have their eyes trained on heaven
while the latter empty, flat, blank, cold.
We must trust that God will care for us and provide for us, and we in
turn must simply care for souls. He will
provide all the love necessary; just turn to the Gospels. Do you give from your treasure or just from
your excess?
Through Anne, Mary exults with joy at the World to come;
“Children of the Light, play your part in confidence…your Mother is nearby.”
Do not be afraid to make sacrifices at the last
barrier—worldly possessions. They are baubles of the enemy and undermine our
efforts to serve God.
Everyone is invited to share the Good News like the most
beautiful of banquets. Jesus seeks to
prepare us and awaits only a word from us to engage us fully in His plan.
Be holy, brave -- and quiet -- in the knowledge that the
work is about to begin. When you feel
fear, do not hesitate to flee unto Mary, and her Immaculate Heart.
Throughout the ages, there have been times such as
these. We are called to a level of
advanced holiness. The time is soon when
Jesus will reveal His plan. Ask for help
and remain hopeful now; is there a person who could be your spiritual director?
Make an appropriate home for the Holy Spirit in you and then
pray fervently for the gifts with which it is associated.
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