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Come, Holy Spirit!
(C)Mary TV
May 22, 2019
St. Rita of Cascia
Dear Family of Mary!
Sometime in October 1984
"I would like to guide you spiritually, but I would not know how to help you, if you are not open. It suffices for you to think, for example, where you were with your thoughts yesterday during Mass. When you go to Mass, your trip from home to church should be a time of preparation for Mass. You should also receive Holy Communion with an open and pure heart; purity of heart and openness. Do not leave the church without an appropriate act of thanksgiving. I can help you only if you are accessible to my suggestions; I cannot help you if you are not open. The most important in spiritual life is to ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes, then peace will be established. When that occurs, everything changes around you. Things will change."
In this message Our Lady gives some very practical advice for our spiritual life.
We need to be open to Our Lady's advice: "I would like to guide you spiritually, but I would not know how to help you, if you are not open." She has been sent by the Father to help us find our way into the safe haven of God's Heart. Do we truly understand the magnitude of this gift? Jesus' Mother is with us to help us go to heaven.
We need to examine our daily habits to see what we truly are giving ourselves to: "It suffices for you to think, for example, where you were with your thoughts yesterday during Mass." I must admit that I have a battle each day at Mass. My thoughts are not the best. I notice other people. I wonder why this person is missing today. I like the new jacket the lady in front of me is wearing. I yawn and realize how tired I am. I get distracted by the cute kids on the left. Then I daydream about my grandchildren...well you can see that I can waste a lot of time at Mass, not praying!!!! For me it is a daily struggle to control my thoughts. How open am I to the graces of Holy Mass?
We need to be more intentional about our participation at Mass: "When you go to Mass, your trip from home to church should be a time of preparation for Mass." If I did that I am sure I wouldn't daydream so much at Mass.
We also need to try to receive Jesus with a pure and holy heart: "You should also receive Holy Communion with an open and pure heart; purity of heart and openness. Do not leave the church without an appropriate act of thanksgiving." Approaching Holy Communion with wonder and awe, with love and thanksgiving is the most awesome experience!! Once we actually do this, we will never return to the ho-hum communions of the past!
Again, Our Lady reminds us we need to be open: "I can help you only if you are accessible to my suggestions; I cannot help you if you are not open." Openness to Our Lady is key to all that follows. As we mentioned before, our hearts must not be turned inward on ourselves. Openness is key to following Our Lady and to loving the Lord!
Finally she hits us with the zinger! "The most important in spiritual life is to ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes, then peace will be established. When that occurs, everything changes around you. Things will change." Things will change!! We will be astounded at how things will change if we accept the Holy Spirit. The Spirit brings us the Kingdom, the life of Heaven itself here on earth. Things will change!!
Do I try my best to be open to the Lord? Do I try to prepare for Mass, receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament with the awe and wonder that He truly engenders? Do I ask for the Holy Spirit to come to me every day? Am I open to God and to Our Lady? May we all open our hearts to the Holy Spirit as never before so that we will be changed, and things will change around us for the good!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
© Mary TV 2019
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