tumblr faithposting: february 2022

Devotion to the side wound of Christ, touchingly evidenced in my local Basilica.

(When I saw this I WEPT.)

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Nothing is unexpected to God; He knows and guides all things.
I cannot control anything, but God is in control of the universe itself.
Do not be anxious! Trust Him! Pray when you are worried; do not despair. He will bring all things to a perfect end according to His Good Will... and nothing can stop or hinder His purposes.

Take profound comfort in that.



Lord, I trust You. Forgive my worrying and obsessing. I surrender everything into Your loving, wise, and prudent care. Lead me in Your grace to seek only You, and desire only You. Amen.

"If I say hard things, it is not because I do not love you. I write as I do, because I desire your salvation. He is your best friend who tells you the most truth. Truth must be spoken, however condemning it might be."
-J.C. Ryle

Remember this-- true love, and a true friend, will always tell you the truth, or they themselves cannot be considered true. Truth does not lie, or hide, or omit, or alter, or pander, or hate, or disparage. Since truth is of God, and God is love, the two are inherently interconnected.
Yes, the truth may be condemning, but then you are in a position to recieve mercy, and to change your now terribly aware heart, which has been so brought into the light-- the light of Truth, which cannot help but illuminate all it touches.
Speak the truth, always-- but remember, if not spoken with love, even basic facts are tainted. True honesty is pure and clear, and seeks only to accomplish what is equally so.
Look at the Gospels. Christ, the Truth Himself, spoke truly to all-- but it was indeed a condemning truth to many! Yet it was always spoken with love, love for those misguided and lost souls, love that shone its light on them to lead the way back home. Christ, Who is God, desires that all men be saved... yet, if they reject the truth, they cannot be, of their own choice.
In today's culture, it is difficult to speak the truth without facing great opposition, even hostility. Do not fear. Truth must be spoken, for the sake of truth-- for the sake of love; the sake of God.

 

 

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) dir. Aditya Chopra

This is so pure and sweet; it gives me real joy to see such dialogue in a film.
This is marriage, as God intended it-- this unexpected yet beautiful falling in love with one another, over and over again. After all, every day, you learn more about their heart and mind and soul, you become more familiar with their words and moods and actions… every day, there is something new to deepen and enrich your love. That is marriage. Yes, even with the tough times and rough edges, that is marriage, that is love, outlasting and seeing beyond it all– because those difficulties are not inherent, they are not permanent; what lasts is eternal and inviolable– your hearts and souls, your love, your marriage covenant. And that is how God loves each and every one of us, too. You are called to be a sacred, living icon of that divine ardor to the world. Rejoice in that. Fireworks!


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When you cannot sleep from sickness, and keep having nightmares... remember that God knows every sparrow’s fall– He holds You in His hands despite all nightmares that shake you, despite all sickness that torments you. God cares for you, most deeply and truly, especially in your illness– and right now, you share, however briefly and minutely, in the Cross of Christ. There is hidden blessing in this; embrace it with prayer, give Him your pain and fear and distress. He carries it with you. It will not last forever, take heart. There is sweet mercy even now. With Christ, there is a resurrection after every cross.

I say a prayer every night in the form if an old hymn, as I find it deeply beautiful, and it goes like this:

“Before the fading of light, we pray you, O Creator of the universe, with your accustomed mercy, to be [our] protector and guardian.
May our hearts dream of you; may they perceive you in sleep. And, with the approach of light, may they always celebrate your glory.
Grant us a wholesome life; restore our ardour. May your brilliance light up the over-powering darkness of the night.
Grant this, Almighty Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ, Who reigns with you for ever with the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

I hope you find some comfort in it, too. 🙏❤