Divine Mercy calls us to the Father

Divine Mercy flows out like rays from the heart of our Lord Jesus shines on the whole world in full agreement to Our Mother's intersession. She has draw me into the arms of His eternal Love. The same arms His Mother Mary witnessed once stretched out upon the cross for the sins of the whole world.
This picture speaks volumes to me, because the first time I came across it was over seven years ago online attached to some one's profile. My life was full of darkness then, and self-righteous deception. Oh, I thought, I had life figured out, and I didn't need to be apart of a Church to be told otherwise, because I thought, I knew things the average person setting in the pew didn't have a clue about. Woe is me a man undone! Pride sure goes before a fall. How true, because I fell hard and tried to end my life though immorality and drugs. My heart was hardening at a fast pace with anger, hatred, and bitterness toward myself, family, and friends. I started having sleepless nights fearing for my life, knowing I was living in hypocrisy, and to die in that state I would face extreme torment. Each morning after being in and out of restless sleep, I would put everything I had into my work. I was a workaholic believing that the increase of wealth would take away my pain and loneliness. I could prove to the world by its standards, I was living the good life. Greed and materialism had a big hold on my life goals. Life was all about pleasing myself and worshiping the creation.

The picture came to my attention one day after I saw one
like it on a prayer card that could be purchased
from a Catholic website. Suddenly the picture caught my
attention, so I ordered about a dozen cards not knowing
at the time a prayer written on the back of it would be
used to help me cry out for Divine Mercy. Once the cards
arrived in the mail I started praying the Divine Mercy
chaplet. In the January of 2006 I started returning to the
Charismatic Episcopal Church where I had left off on my
journey in Christ over 8 years ago. I heard the Lord direct
me to thank many brothers and sisters who been praying
for me over the years.

Yet, I continued praying the Divine Mercy chaplet and
hearing the Lord direct me to study the Church Fathers
and Saints though out the ages. Reading their letters
and documented teaching I began to question the type
of Church I was in. I was hearing about their life
stories of faith grounded in the Catholic Church where
courage to face even death was not an obstacle for
being a Christian.
I had to ask myself the following questions:
Why don't I embrace the Virgin Mary as my Mother
like these saints have throughout the ages?
Was not Mary who listened to Gabriel announcing that
she would conceive of the Holy Spirit and bring
forth a Son who's name is "Jesus"?
Was not Mary who carried Jesus nine months in
her womb while being reticulated for immoral
relations with a man prior to marriage?
Do you see how Mary never abandoned Jesus
even all the way to the cross? Did she not fully embrace
Divine Mercy through out her whole life?
All my stubborned arguments failed me after answering
those questions. Now my heart responds with a continual
"Yes Lord" as He responds back in asking;" Will you pray
daily the chaplet?" I accepted with celebrated joy to
embrace His request.

The Divine Mercy chaplet was birthed out of devotion to
Mary In 1931 by Sister Faustina who received the
devotion through hearing His voice and seeing visions of
the image of Jesus. " On the 22nd of February,
1931,she had a vision of Jesus while she
was in Plock, Poland. Jesus appeared to
her and said,"paint an image according
tothe pattern you see with the signature:
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU.
I promise that the soul that will venerate
this image will not perish. I also promise
victory over (its) enemies already here on
earth, especially at the hour of death.
I Myself will defend it as My own glory"
(Diary 47,48)."
My heart began to change more and more everyday
as conviction of conscience to love and put away
judgmental attitudes towards people in the world
and the Church. In October of 2006 I called Sacred
Heart Catholic Parish to ask what steps I needed to
take to become a practicing Christian Roman Catholic?
I was told about their class for adults interested in
learning more about the Catholic Church with no
pressure in joining. I agreed to take the class and was
quickly surrounded by other people hungry to embrace
our Lord Jesus in the historical roots of the Catholic faith.

The hunger to embrace devotion to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus seen through the eyes of Mary and all the Saints
throughout history has opened up my heart as a flood
gate to receive Divine Mercy without fear.
My hostile view of God to hold back mercy was ending.
The covering like a veil over my heart is suddenly taken
away by His Mercy, so I sense His heart for others.
The stubbornness of heart effecting my relationships like
a wall separating heaven from earth soon vanished like
an unreal deception. Thank you Lord for giving me this
continual devotion of praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

You are opening my heart to bring healing like a specialist
doing major open heart surgery. When the Holy Spirit
exposed my heart, I cried out to the Lord for His mercy
and He heard the cry of my heart and I began to hear
His voice. Thank God for the witness of Saints in heaven
who interact with us as we ask for their continual prayers
on our behalf, as described in Revelation 19 and the
Church Fathers. This mercy encouraged a
transformation of heart knowing my Father in heaven
encourages me to interact by asking intersession from
Virgin Mary, our Mother and all the Saints in Heaven.
I'm free to pray with all the Saints on earth and in
heaven, what a wonderful joy it is to be in this Holy Family.

Thank you Eternal Father,
for calling me into a new life
of virtue and chastity sharing
in Your Loving Kindness through
the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
I bow my heart in amazement
and wonder with all your children
on earth and in heaven birthed into
Your Divine Mercy.
Now to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
I give you praise, glory, and dominion
with the Virgin Mary our Mother,
Saint Ambrose Bishop of Milan,
Saint Francis of Assisi,
and all the Saints and Martyrs
in intersession with your Divine Mercy
for the whole world.
AMEN

The Adventure of Daily Office Reading

The reading of the office is important for the Church
gives us direction on which scriptures to read on a daily
basis. She is like a movie director for the reading keeps
the whole Church on point to produce the same universal
message of scripture for the time of year.

The Church year is staged into different seasons like
different scenes in a movie, these themes display the
redemptive work of God the author of history.
The year of grace 2007 started with Advent.
This season starts on the eve of December 1st and runs
up to the nativity of the Lord Jesus. The ever celebrated
Christmas season begins that evening of December 24th
and runs to the Baptism of the Lord according to the
Church year. Then the season of Ordinary Time, which
runs before the forty days of Lent a time of fasting and
soul searching unto repentance. Lent prepares the
Church for the most important feast of celebration called
the Triduum. The Triduum is the three most important
days of the year for all Christains. This begins on Holy
Thursday the celebration of the last supper Jesus had
with His Disciples before His Death on the cross, note
this is also the celebration of Passover. Then Good Friday
we celebrate the stations of the cross to His death at 3pm.
Then Holy Saturday that evening is the"Easter Vigil" the
celebration begins with Baptism, Confirmation, and First
Communion for the Elect being birthed into the Church.

This day the year of 2007 April 7th marks my Birthday
into the Universal Holy Church. The evening begins our
Easter celebration and runs all night into the next day
Easter Sunday. Now that is what I call real celebration
WOW! What a party, the real celebration of the
Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!
After those big feast days brings the season of Easter
Time which takes us right up to the day of Pentecost.
Fifty days after the Resurrection is the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit upon the Church. Then the rest of the year is
Ordinary time again taking us through the summer right
back to the next year beginning in Advent. The cycle of
the Holy Spirit making real the fullness of Salvation in
the Church on the earth in history till the end of time.

Important !
Click on the Icon below to access todays Office readings.

My Journey Home

My journey home to Mother Church has been a long and dangerous road. Now after being fully received into the Catholic Church I find a wrangling about political agendas going on between the conservative vs. the liberal camps of thought. Both sides try to display their points of view with experiential argumentation, which raises a big red flag in my face. WOW! Many people are still on a journey trying to find the true Church and may have one foot in the door and ready to leave what they thought was the Church. Is anyone listening to the heart of the Lord Christ in all this? I chose to leave behind all the protestant accusations toward the Roman Catholic Church that had filled my heart with poisonous lies. The self made man approach to Christianity once had a hold on me causing a distorted view in thinking through Scripture alone based on conjecture rather then tradition. The tradition passed down from the Apostles. Holy Church is brought into being by the Father of the universe Himself through Jesus to bring Love to establish Holy relationships based on His Kingship.

"He confirms what has been already said, by the parable of the rich man who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom; and shows that when the Son delivers up the kingdom to the Father, we must not regard the fact that the Father is said to put all things in subjection under Him, in a disparaging way. Here we are the kingdom of Christ, and in Christ's kingdom. Hereafter we shall be in the kingdom of God, where the Trinity will reign together." Exposition of the Christian Faith; St. Amborse of Milan

Saint Ambrose uses the words "in a disparaging way" pointing towards Christ suffering, and crucifixion on the cross. This obedient heart toward the Father found in Jesus brought Him to the place to lay down His Life. We are all now called into this same obedience of Christ in us His Church.
A kingdom would not be a kingdom without establish order to relationships on earth as it is in heaven. I am learning that the Roman Catholic Church is truly a reflection of that order in heaven through Jesus Christ Himself. She is the only recipient of apostolic secession passed down through Peter by our Lord Jesus Christ.

My embrace of our Mother Mary and all the Saints who are all apart of this Holy Communion called “Holy Church” have encouraged my heart. Now with all these passed down blessings, I am receiving a faith to embrace the cross shared by all the saints and martyrs by letting go of my selfish arguments that separated me from the fullness found in Holy Church passed down through the ages.

Let us not forget that the Church Fathers around the throne (are in the very presence of the “I Am”) have an active voice with their mark on history in all that is taking place now. I am saying this in all due respect and thanks to God our Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ as He prayed for Unity in His Church on earth. This same One-ness He shares with the Father is His desire for us here and now! Note the Gospel according to John chapter 17 specifically verse 11.

“ And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.” NAB

As a Neophyte, I come into this Blessed communion in need of the Divine Mercy!

His mercy that Mary our Holy Mother witnessed at the cross has captivated my heart and soul to trust in Jesus from the heart not just head knowledge. A real transformation is taking place in my life, and a new found respect for my fellow man, because of the real presence found in the Holy Eucharist. This is the mystery Pope John Paul II spoke about which keeps Holy Church Universally held together by Jesus authority at the right hand of the Father. In his letter called “ The mystery and worship of the Eucharist” to all the Bishops of the Church, the Great Pope John Paul II writes; “It is directed, in the Holy Spirit, to the incarnated Son, in the economy of salvation, especially at that moment of supreme dedication and total abandonment of Himself to which the words uttered in the Upper Room refer: “This is the cup of my blood shed for you….” The liturgical acclamation: “We proclaim your death, Lord Jesus” takes us back to that moment; and with the proclamation of His resurrection we embrace in the same act of veneration Christ risen and glorified “at the right hand of the Father,” as also the expectation of His “coming in glory.” Yet it is the voluntary emptying of Himself, accepted by the Father and glorified with the resurrection, which, sacramentally celebrated together with the resurrection, brings us to adore the Redeemer who “became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (11 footnote Phil.2:8) Vatican Translation Copyright @ 1980, Daughters of St. Paul

We are totally admonished by the Holy Spirit to receive His Divine Mercy that flows from the heart of Jesus in full obedience to the Father. This Divine Mercy was first made know in the "yes" of our Mother, the Virgin Mary in full obedience, consummating the Promise of the Father by the Holy Spirit spoken of the Prophets through out the ages. May this same"yes" be made consummated in our hearts, so the formation of Christ in us manifest obedience to the Father. May we all make glad the Father's heart by total dependency upon His Son made know in our lives by the Holy Spirit. May we continue the proclamation that Jesus spoke while on earth , and is still speaking through His Church; "Behold the Kingdom is at hand!". Thank you Father for bringing me home through your Son Jesus by the continued work of the Holy Spirit's grace.

In need of His mercy and grace, much prayers in agreement with Jesus concerning His Church.

Agreement with the Holy Spirit

Eternal Father, I come to You in the Most Holy name;

You’re Son, our Savior “Jesus”.

In agreement with the promptings of

the Holy Spirit,

I ask for continued self-emptying of my life for Your purposes on earth as it is in heaven.

May Your Son, Jesus have complete authority over my thoughts, desires, and will.

Continue Your work of Divine Mercy and Grace in my life;

through baptism into Your Son’s

death, burial, and resurrection.

Keep me in obedience to His command of receiving Life found in the body and blood of Jesus through the Holy Eucharist.

May I also have the privilege to

share in His suffering.

Give to me a heart united with the Holy Spirit for Your Church.

Use me to be the servant of Your "Loving Kindness". May You receive all the glory for the "Life", "You", are now giving me.

AMEN.