Relics of St. Therese in England update.

The relics of St Therese of Liseux are to visit England this year. Although she was a cloistered Carmelite, she had the desire to become a missionary. England is a country in need of missionaries to re-evangelise it! I pray her missionary spirit will rouse the English people to deeper faith.
Here is a link to the places the reliquary containing her incorrupt remains will visit:
Click Here for venues and dates.

Mother most Blessed.

The Annunciation, often portrays Mary holding a book of the scriptures which she has been studying. This attitude conveys her heart and mind are immersed in God. "Before conceiving the Lord in her body, she had already conceived him in her soul." (Saint Augustine)

Father Ermies Ronchi says of Mary:
"Mary is the virgin with an open heart who shows that God cannot be merited, only Welcomed." (Attaining holiness is not a point - scoring exercise! - like Mary we must recognise that we are God's beloved creatures, and the best we can do is allow him to act within us.)
Father Ronchi describes her as the place where "Human and Divine meet, she is the knot which ties time and eternity together....the purpose of her life is to "Magnify the Lord" through a higher plan that is not her own.
He says that "In Mary, the small and the infinite meet in the everyday events of life."

Mary seems so very ordinary, that she can be overlooked. I once heard it said of her: "She was not up to much, though a very nice girl I'm sure..."
As I see it, this lack of recognition may be due to her silence in the Gospels. This "lack of physical presence" is often interpreted as spiritual insignificance.
However, it is her economy of words that reflect her deep contemplation, her "silence" reveals self control and a deep interior life.
We can see these qualities in the Gospel of Luke; When Jesus was conceived in Mary by the holy Spirit.
She immediately set off at once to her cousin's house.
She went quickly to tell of her joy to Elizabeth, and with the intention of helping Elizabeth who was "Now in her sixth month."
The model of Mary visiting Elizabeth, illustrates the visitation of God to His people, and Mary carries him there in her womb.
Filled with God, his grace overflows from Mary to others; John the Baptist sensing the presence of the hidden Messiah;leaps in Elizabeth's womb.
As Mary once did, we too are to carry the joy of God to others.

Pope Benedict XVI says of Mary ; "She was not afraid that God might be a "rival" in our life ...that with his greatness he would encroach upon our freedom.
She knew that if God is great, we too are great. Our lives are not oppressed, but raised and expanded: it is precisely then that it becomes great in the splendour of God."

Our image of Mary may have become dulled because we have not fully considered her contribution in our own salvation.
The beauty of her character, once exalted in the Christian faith has become disfigured and unattractive to a culture which does not value her kind of sacrifice.
If we chip away at Mary, we chip away at the value of motherhood.
To do that eventually leads to a destabilisation of the family unit.
Mothers are the "glue" in a family, and Mary wants us to "stick with Jesus..."

It is said that even those under the most dreadful tortures will cry out in their last moments for their mother. Jesus too, on his journey to the cross, met his Mother along the way.
He understands our human need to reach out for the compassion of a mother; and thus he gave Mary to us, so that we may do the same in our own struggles. All the more so if our own mothers have been less than we desired them to be.
This is not to adore her, but to find comfort in her - because she is the mother who is Most Blessed.


There is no need to fear acknowledging Mary, there is no fault in acknowledging her sacred mother hood.
Honoring Mary as Blessed, is a given by the Holy Spirit in the following scriptures. Through her cousin Elizabeth, under the authority of the Holy Spirit; she is called "most blessed, and the mother of her Lord."

LUKE 1: verses 41 - 42
"Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

And in LUKE 1: verses 42 - 44
She gave a loud cry and said:" Of all women you are the most blessed,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Why should I be honoured with a visit
from the mother of my Lord?

And then in "LUKE 1: verses 48 - 50 Mary proclaims the Magnificat:

"Yes, from now onwards,
ALL GENERATIONS WILL CALL ME BLESSED.
For the Almighty has done great things for me."

" We can praise Mary, we can venerate Mary for she is "blessed". She is blessed for
ever..she is blessed because she is united to God.
On the eve of his Passion, taking leave of his disciples, the Lord said:"In my Father's house there are many rooms...I go to prepare a place for you."
Mary, by saying " I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to your word", Mary prepared God's dwelling here on earth; with her body and soul, she became his dwelling place and thereby opened the earth to heaven."

(reflections on Mary- Pope Benedict XVI)
PHOTOS: 1. Mary studying scripture. (c) gnets art 2008 2. and 3. Before and after restored statue. jlewis 09.

Sacred Time...

I have at long last began to read Saint Faustina's diary. My Friends copy cost £17.99 which was prohibitive for me. Just recently providence found me the pocket version - just £3.99! !Alleluia!
Here is a small excerpt from it: (entry no 62)

"O life so dull and monotonous, how many treasures you contain!
When I look at everything with the eyes of faith, no two hours are alike, and the dullness and monotony disappear.
The grace which is given me in this hour will not be repeated in the next.
It may be given me again, but it will not be the same grace.
Time goes on, never to return again. Whatever is enclosed in it will never change; it seals with a seal for eternity."

I once heard it expressed that "time is a sacrament". It is certainly a sacred thing - but we tend to take it for granted that there will be another tomorrow, another year...so we put off those things that should be done until later.
I am not speaking of us never taking time to relax - as a mum whose nerves can be easily jangled and often are by tantrumming twins, it is vital I get an hour or so each day to smell the roses. It makes me a better, less stressed mum.
If we ask God to let us know ourselves, so that we better know Him, he will educate us. When we get a sense of our own limitations we become less hard on ourselves, and we can share even our winding down time with God.
Each day I ask God to sort out the day for me. I just try my best, to do my best; and when stuff doesn't get done - I accept it as His will. I often find thanks to Him, that what had been a major concern for me in the morning, has a different perspective by evening.
Thirty days and counting...
My Canadian Friend says that when America sneezes, England gets a cold. So naturally I am interested in America's moves.
Just now I am hoping those who want to keep the integrity of their beliefs (Christian or otherwise!)will make their objections known regarding the President's latest proposal.
He is allowing just thirty days for people to do this.
Those who object to certain medical procedures contrary to their conscience or religious beliefs will not be allowed to refuse to do so.
Perhaps it is my Englishness, but I cannot see the "freedom" in that.
Surely this is a dictatorial approach, rather than a democratic one which allows (as I understand) a person to think for them selves?
I never quite figured out where the phrase "Time is of the essence" came from. I do know it has something to do with acting promptly.

"Time goes on, never to return again. Whatever is enclosed in it will never change; it seals with a seal for eternity..."

Photo: "Life everlasting" composite. (C)Gnettes art