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Archive for Spiritual
Ash Wednesday – Little Black Mark on Your Head Today
Posted in Catholic, Christ, Christian, Church, Culture, Faith, Holy Spirit, In a nutshell, Lent with tags Ash Wednesday, ashes, Catholic, Culture, Lent, Religion, Spiritual, Video on February 22, 2012 by JoannaFlower of God
Posted in My Journal with tags Christian, flower, God, Religion, Spiritual on April 30, 2011 by JoannaI want to be the Lord’s flower,
Perfect in every way.
God has favored even the lowly weed with beauty.
Look on me, the ragged tare,
To fashion a blossom
According to Your way.
©2011 Joann Nelander All rights reserved
I’m Spiritual, Not Religious
Posted in Christian, Church with tags Body of Christ, Christ, christianity, Church, Religion and Spirituality, religious, Spiritual on January 2, 2011 by Joanna“I’m spiritual, not religious.”
I’ve heard this so often from the most sincere people. They seem to wear it as a badge for having accomplished some sort of rite of passage.
What is your translation for:
“I’m spiritual, not religious.”
Here’s mine:
“I want the comforts of Christianity, without the challenges.”
Becoming like Jesus Christ – a challenge that lasts a lifetime, it certainly takes committment and direction from something more substantive than one’s gut. Reflecting further: Christ without a Body, why bother with the Cross.
I agree Church is work, and messy at times, just like a family, but Jesus thought we were up to this challenge with a little help from the Others in His Family, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Actually, Christians get two Mothers, Mary and the Church. The Church isn’t optional. It is the Body of Christ.
All You Have Given Me
Posted in My Journal, Spiritual with tags Catholic Church, Catholicism, christianity, cross, Denominations, Eucharist, My Journal, paradise, Poverty, Religion and Spirituality, Sacraments, Spiritual on August 24, 2010 by JoannaI love You, Lord. You embrace me in our communion of Eucharist. I believe in Your love for the sinner. I am that sinner. You come to me. I am empty and poor, yet You make my poverty Your paradise. Here I bring to You all You have given me.
Behold Your streaming waters tumbling over my rocky ground. Your light penetrates my depths; the caverns of my heart yield their darkness to You, O Holy Sun! Sit here beside me in silence, as praise becomes an uncontainable river within me. Flow from my humble abode to water Your thirsting world without. Delight, O Lord, at the crashing thunder as majestic waves rise before You in a crescendo of thanksgiving, finally pounding down upon the shore of my unworthiness. They ebb and flow and gather strength as I remember Your Mercies. All You have given me, I give now with gratitude.
Eagles dance in the air above our heads, grasping as claws hold fast, spinning in wedded bliss; their flight a symbol of our holy love.
Joann Nelander
Love Take Me Captive
Posted in My Journal, Spiritual with tags Beloved, bride, captivity, espoused, innocence, Love Divine, My Journal, Spiritual on May 16, 2010 by Joanna
O Captain of my heart
On Love’s Tree
You penetrate the Lie.
You, victorious in Death,
Descend, piercing the Earth
To ransom Adam’s seed.
Scale my stony ramparts;
Pull down vanity’s tower;
Besiege the Gates of Hell.
Trumpet Your holy rage.
As with thundering steed and burnished sword,
Capture and hold fast my soul.
Call “Beloved” Your desolate one;
Call “Espoused” she who mourns
Her innocence’s demise.
Circle me about with Promise.
Covenant me in Blood Sacrifice.
Ascend on high with wedded bride..
O, Love Divine, make me Thine!
by Joann Nelander
The Precious and Life-giving Cross of Christ
Posted in Spiritual, The Cross, Tradition with tags cross, life-giving, sermon, Spiritual, St.Theodore, The Cross, Tradition, Tree of Paradise on April 16, 2010 by JoannaFrom a sermon by Saint Theodore the Studite
The Precious and Life-giving Cross of ChristHow precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light. This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return.
This was the tree on which Christ, like a king on a chariot, destroyed the devil, the Lord of death, and freed the human race from his tyranny. This was the tree upon which the Lord, like a brave warrior wounded in his hands, feet and side, healed the wounds of sin that the evil serpent had inflicted on our nature. A tree once caused our death, but now a tree brings life. Once deceived by a tree, we have now repelled the cunning serpent by a tree. What an astonishing transformation! That death should become life, that decay should become immortality, that shame should become glory! Well might the holy Apostle exclaim: Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world! The supreme wisdom that flowered on the cross has shown the folly of worldly wisdom’s pride. The knowledge of all good, which is the fruit of the cross, has cut away the shoots of wickedness. Read more »
Time of Mercy Before “Day of Justice”
Posted in Catholic, Christ, Christian, Just Thinking Out Loud, Religion, Spiritual, St. Faustina with tags Catholic, Christ, Christian, Divine Mercy, Jesus, Just Thinking Out Loud, Kowalska, Last Days, predictions, prophecy, Reflections, Religion, saint, Spiritual, St. Faustina on April 13, 2010 by JoannaPerhaps, we are always to think of ourselves as living in “the Last Days”? After-all, the Christians of the very first century expected that the return of Jesus was imminent. As each arch-enemy to the Faith lifted his fist, there were those who saw Jesus’ Second Coming just over the horizon. The end didn’t come immediately, but purification came to prepare the way into the future, and with the future the promise of the Day of the Lord. Again and again, the Cross has led the way and with the Victorious Cross looms on the horizon in the East the promised Return.
What are we to make of these days? The Church gives us a new Saint in Sr. Faustina Kowalska, who spoke of “the Last Days,” because the Lord, Himself, put the words on her lips.
St. Faustina wrote in DIVINE MERCY IN MY SOUL The Diary of Sister M. Faustina Kowalska :
(Jesus to Sr. Faustina)
“Write this: before I come as the Just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy. Before the day of Justice arrives, there will be given to people a sign in the Heaven of this sort:
All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be a great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the Cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day. “
St. Faustina wrote at the behest of Jesus. He called her, “My Secretary”.
“…In the old covenant I sent prophets wielding thunderbolts to my people. Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind but I desire to heal it pressing it to My merciful heart…” (Diary 1588)
“Your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about my mercy. For the benefit of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me. I, therefore want you to devote all your free moments to writing.” (Diary 1693)
“…You are the secretary of My mercy. I have chosen you for that office in this life and the next life” (Diary 1605)
“…I demand that you devote all your free moments to writing about My goodness and mercy. It is your office and your assignment throughout your life to continue to make known to souls the great mercy I have for them and to exhort them to trust in My bottomless mercy” (Diary 1567)
“My daughter; tell souls that I am giving them My mercy as a defense. I, Myself, am fighting for them and am bearing the just anger of My Father.” (Diary 1516)
In Times of Darkness – The Cross
Posted in Christ, Christian, Prayer, Spiritual with tags Christ, Christian, cross, Divine Mercy, heaven, light, mercy, petition, Prayer, Spiritual, St. Faustina, Thoughts from the Quiet on April 13, 2010 by JoannaA Prayer for the World
Lord Jesus, let flow from Your precious wounds opened in Your Crucifixion and Death on the Cross, a fresh torrent of Love and Mercy upon the world. Like stars lighting up the sky as did the Star of Bethlehem, let Your Light proceed from the nail holes in that eternal Wood on which you hung. Planted Now in Heaven, may that Tree bear fruit ever sweet and fresh to the world for whose Sin You willingly died. Amen.
Words of Jesus to St. Faustina
“All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be a great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the Cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day.”
The Spiritual Passover
Posted in Catholic, Christ, Christian, Religion, Spiritual, Tradition with tags Catholic, Christ, Christian, Easter, homily, Passover, Peace Place, Pseudo-Chrysostom, reflection, Religion, Spiritual, Tradition on April 12, 2010 by JoannaFrom an ancient Easter homily by Pseudo-Chrysostom
The spiritual Passover
The Passover we celebrate brings salvation to the whole human race beginning with the first man, who together with all the others is saved and given life.
In an imperfect and transitory way, the types and images of the past prefigured the perfect and eternal reality which has now been revealed. The presence of what is represented makes the symbol obsolete: when the king appears in person no one pays reverence to his statue.
How far the symbol falls short of the reality is seen from the fact that the symbolic Passover celebrated the brief life of the firstborn of the Jews, whereas the real Passover celebrates the eternal life of all mankind. It is a small gain to escape death for a short time, only to die soon afterward; it is a very different thing to escape death altogether as we do through the sacrifice of Christ, our Passover.
Correctly understood, its very name shows why this is our greatest feast. It is called the Passover because, when he was striking down the firstborn, the destroying angel passed over the houses of the Hebrews, but it is even more true to say that he passes over us, for he does so once and for all when we are raised up by Christ to eternal life.
If we think only of the true Passover and ask why it is that the time of the Passover and the salvation of the firstborn is taken to be the beginning of the year, the answer must surely be that the sacrifice of the true Passover is for us the beginning of eternal life. Because it revolves in cycles and never comes to an end, the year is a symbol of eternity.
Christ, the sacrifice that was offered up for us, is the father of the world to come. He puts an end to our former life, and through the regenerating waters of baptism in which we imitate his death and resurrection, he gives us the beginning of a new life. The knowledge that Christ is the Passover lamb who was sacrificed for us should make us regard the moment of his immolation as the beginning of our own lives. As far as we are concerned, Christ’s immolation on our behalf takes place when we become aware of this grace and understand the life conferred on us by this sacrifice. Having once understood it, we should enter upon this new life with all eagerness and never return to the old one, which is now at an end. As Scripture says: We have died to sin—how then can we continue to live in it?
Where You There When They Crucified My Lord
Posted in American, Art, Spiritual, The Cross, Video with tags African, American, Art, Black Music, folk, Gospel, Marion Williams, Music, Spiritual, The Cross, Video on March 26, 2010 by JoannaMarion Williams sings Where You There When They Crucified My Lord.
Congress Thinks He Does Not See
Posted in American, Anti-abortion, Christian with tags American, Anti-abortion, Christian, Defending Life, Obama, Politics, Spiritual on March 23, 2010 by JoannaWill God forget? Will lives lost to abortion be as forgotten to God as they are in the halls and votes of Congress? Do they even now cry out from beneath the altar? (see Revelation 6:9-11)
Psalm 10
Lord, why do you stand afar off
and hide yourself in times of distress?
The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked:
he is caught in the schemes that others have made.For the wicked man boasts of his heart’s desires;
the covetous blasphemes and spurns the Lord.
In his pride the wicked says: “He will not punish.
There is no God.” Such are his thoughts.His path is ever untroubled;
your judgment is far from his mind.
His enemies regard him with contempt.
He thinks: “Never shall I falter;
misfortune shall never be my lot.”His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression,
mischief and deceit under his tongue.
He lies in wait among the reeds;
the innocent he murders in secret.His eyes are on the watch for the helpless man.
He lurks in hiding like a lion in his lair;
he lurks in hiding to seize the poor;
he seizes the poor man and drags him away.He crouches, preparing to spring,
and the helpless fall beneath his strength.
He thinks in his heart: “God forgets,
he hides his face, he does not see.”
Doug Powers» Health Care Quote of the Day
Posted in American, Obama, Politics with tags American, Obama, Politics, Spiritual, Video on March 23, 2010 by JoannaDoug Powers writes:
Joe Biden introduced President Obama today at a get-together that was hopefully more of a mass political funeral visitation than a health care bill signing ceremony, but in any case, Biden proved he’s still in “stand-up comic” mode when he reminded Americans that further debt and loss of freedom will make everybody richer:
In his opening remarks, Vice President Joe Biden noted that the Roman poet Virgil wrote that “health is wealth” — and that the signed law would make “Americans a lot more wealthy.”
Just as a reminder for Biden, the poet Virgil also wrote, “His sickness increases from the remedies applied to cure it,” and “Curst greed of gold, what crimes thy tyrant power has caused.” As Biden introduced Obama at the bill signing, an open mic caught Joe telling the president, “This is a big f-ing deal.” For a second there I thought Chuck stood up.
A Week’s Journey
Posted in Spiritual with tags anxiety, awe, communing.prayer, dialogue, healing, presence, Reflections, Spiritual on March 22, 2010 by JoannaFrom a new WordPress blog
A reflection by Sr. La Donna Pinkelman:
Anxious, heavy-hearted, thirsting, yearning,
Expecting, wanting to be open, tired, uptight,
Fearful, yet hopeful, searching for a deep walk
With God, with myself.
Probing, getting in touch, drained,
Excited, amazed, awed, presence of the deepest kind,
constantly with me, dialoguing, communing,
Unlocking, emptying, freeing, healing.
Body, mind, spirit, touching, embracing, loving and
Being loved, with inward amazement,
New life penetrating, releasing, accepting,
My God, You deeply entered my life,
Renewed and cleansed and gifted me.
With new eyes, body, and heart, I praise and glorify,
Thank and acknowledge You, my companion, friend, spouse;
My life’s energy and source, continue to abide with me
As I journey with You; following Your lead,
Receiving Your healing, living Your life
As You send it to me in joy and in peace.
by Sister La Donna Pinkelman, OSF Sylvania, Ohio
Solemnity of St. Joseph – Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Posted in Art, Spiritual, St. Joseph with tags Art, Child, father, Jesus, Lent, solemnity, Spiritual, spouse, St. Bernadine, St. Joseph, Timeless Treasures on March 19, 2010 by Joanna
Mt. 1:16, 18-21,24a
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
From a sermon by Saint Bernadine of Siena, priest
The faithful foster-father and guardian
There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand.
This general rule is especially verified in the case of Saint Joseph, the foster-father of our Lord and the husband of the Queen of our world, enthroned above the angels. He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Josephs wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: Good and faithful servant enter into the joy of your Lord.
What then is Josephs position in the whole Church of Christ? Is he not a man chosen and set apart? Through him and, yes, under him, Christ was fittingly and honorably introduced into the world. Holy Church in its entirety is indebted to the Virgin Mother because through her it was judged worthy to receive Christ. But after her we undoubtedly owe special gratitude and reverence to Saint Joseph.
In him the Old Testament finds its fitting close. He brought the noble line of patriarchs and prophets to its promised fulfillment. What the divine goodness had offered as a promise to them, he held in his arms.
Obviously, Christ does not now deny to Joseph that intimacy, reverence and very high honor which he gave him on earth, as a son to his father. Rather we must say that in heaven Christ completes and perfects all that he gave at Nazareth.
Now we can see how the last summoning words of the Lord appropriately apply to Saint Joseph: Enter into the joy of your Lord. In fact, although the joy of eternal happiness enters into the soul of a man, the Lord preferred to say to Joseph: Enter into joy. His intention was that the words should have a hidden spiritual meaning for us. They convey not only that this holy man possesses an inward joy, but also that it surrounds him and engulfs him like an infinite abyss.
Remember us, Saint Joseph, and plead for us to your foster-child Ask your most holy bride, the Virgin Mary, to look kindly upon us, since she is the mother of him who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns eternally. Amen.
Morning Meditation
Posted in Christian, Faith, Spiritual with tags Christian, Faith, meditation, Music Video, Praise, Spiritual, worship on March 13, 2010 by JoannaRun Nuns Run!
Posted in Church, Spiritual, Video with tags Arizona, Catholic, Church, fundraiser, monastery, nuns, Spiritual, Video on March 13, 2010 by JoannaChecking in with the Anchoress I find this.
Nuns on the run!
Build, build build!
The Anchoress:
This monastery looks like it will be a true spiritual oasis, when completed. I think you’ll really enjoy checking it out, and if you have something or someone you want to memorialize, there are lots of opportunities, there.
It’s a great life!!
Office of Readings – St. Gregory of Nazianzen
Posted in Catholic, Christian, Lenten Reading, Spiritual with tags beatitudes, Catholic, Christian, Lenten Reading, mercy, Office of Readings, Spiritual, St. gregory of Nazianzen on March 13, 2010 by JoannaFrom a sermon by Saint Gregory of Nazianzen, bishop
Serve Christ in the poorBlessed are the merciful, because they shall obtain mercy, says the Scripture. Mercy is not the least of the beatitudes. Again: Blessed is he who is considerate to the needy and the poor. Once more: Generous is the man who is merciful and lends. In another place: All day the just man is merciful and lends. Let us lay hold of this blessing, let us earn the name of being considerate, let us be generous.
Not even night should interrupt you in your duty of mercy. Do not say: Come back and I will give you something tomorrow. There should be no delay between your intention and your good deed. Generosity is the one thing that cannot admit of delay.
Share your bread with the hungry, and bring the needy and the homeless into your house, with a joyful and eager heart. He who does acts of mercy should do so with cheerfulness. The grace of a good deed is doubled when it is done with promptness and speed. What is given with a bad grace or against one’s will is distasteful and far from praiseworthy.
When we perform an act of kindness we should rejoice and not be sad about it. If you undo the shackles and the thongs, says Isaiah, that is, if you do away with miserliness and counting the cost, with hesitation and grumbling, what will be the result? Something great and wonderful! What a marvellous reward there will be: Your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will rise up quickly. Who would not aspire to light and healing.
If you think that I have something to say, servants of Christ, his brethren and co-heirs, let us visit Christ whenever we may; let us care for him, feed him, clothe him, welcome him, honor him, not only at a meal, as some have done, or by anointing him, as Mary did, or only by lending him a tomb, like Joseph of Arimathaea, or by arranging for his burial, like Nicodemus, who loved Christ half-heartedly, or by giving him gold, frankincense and myrrh, like the Magi before all these others.
The Lord of all asks for mercy, not sacrifice, and mercy is greater than myriads of fattened lambs. Let us then show him mercy in the persons of the poor and those who today are lying on the ground, so that when we come to leave this world they may receive us into everlasting dwelling places, in Christ our Lord himself, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
