The final part of a four part series based on a study session with St Bernard and the Four Degrees of Love.
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Where is God waiting for YOU?
Where is God connecting the dots of your life? I am finding my faith and writing are starting to intersect with drawing and painting! Comment with your answer!
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The Four Degrees of Love: Part 3
As this is a continuation of a study group we did on the the article from Soul Shepherding entitled (and linked here) Four Degrees of Love (Bernard of Clairvaux) I recommend you take a look at my previous two posts for parts one and two. I tried to keep these brief and rich so that … Continue reading The Four Degrees of Love: Part 3
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Stop Abiding at the Altar of Disappointment
If you want the world to be better, stop abiding at the altar of disappointment.
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The Four Degrees of Love: Part 2
Only a humbled heart can experience gratitude because gratitude it directed to something outside of our own doing.
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The Four Loves: A Four-Part Reflection
Love is such a simple word but has so many meanings. The degrees to which we are loved and we love is not so simple. Let's take it one degree at a time.
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Strengthened By Brokeness
I recently hit a bit of darkness in my spiritual life when I went through several important changes in the late spring/early summer. They were all challenging to say the least, but God is faithful and He led me one step at a time through those dark woods. My friend, "Dred" who is training to … Continue reading Strengthened By Brokeness
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Annoyance is a Luxury
In a culture of comfort we can follow the example of St Junipero in fortitude for mission.
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Three Chords 🎵 and the Truth; Friend of Franciscan Uses Music to Heal
What do a musician, St Francis and a Native American have in common? It takes three chords and the truth to tell this story.
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Recycling For Dummies
Recycling our minds to make the most of the moment we are living.
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Baby Fiats
Baby Fiats are little moments of the day when we can say yes to God. We reflect this week on the fiat of Mary to understand how we can imitate her.
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Our Hope is in God Alone — The Simple Catholic
A friend's reminder that we need not fear.
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“Reclaiming Love” and the Neglected Part of Ourselves
Here is a book that is based on the teachings of Pope John Paul the Great and Theology of the Body. Fr Martin takes these teachings to a practical level and delves into the WHOLE human and how we love.
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Grammy Gabs
Lots of people say Grammy (my mom) is like Mary Poppins, or Auntie Mame, but to her daughters she is more like the guy running the roller coaster ride at the park who loves to say "Buckle up!" and watch as your face takes on a look that lands somewhere between terror and excitement, with … Continue reading Grammy Gabs
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Con-Soul
Con (with ) Soul (Invaluable individual spirit)...walking with someone without trying to "fix" them. That is to console...
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I Showed Up
This week's prayer group called us to focus on those who have been entrusted to our care, and the case of a selfless young woman.
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A Pandemic Love Letter
By meg God is restoring something in you during these days of change...what is it? I decided to write a love letter to God, thanking Him for these challenging times. I will review it in six months and see what I am leaning about my relationship with God, myself and others. Dear Heavenly Father; these … Continue reading A Pandemic Love Letter
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The Vice of Acedia and Our Use of the Media, Part 1 – SpiritualDirection.com
SPIRITUALDIRECTION- explores Catholic spiritual direction advice and how a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human being based on the wisdom's of the Bible, Church and the saints and angels. — Read on spiritualdirection.com/2020/02/24/the-vice-of-acedia-and-our-use-of-the-media-part-1
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Mr Tom’s Gift of Transportation
Sitting at the booth next to me at the annual Christmas Bazaar, we engaged in warm and friendly chatter. He and she had grandchildren that were in my kids' grades and the kids were all friends. I would see them when I worked in the parish office at the front desk, as they were active … Continue reading Mr Tom’s Gift of Transportation
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One Word of Hope
Sometimes it only takes a word of hope to help someone else. And sometimes, an image of hope and love can speak a thousand...
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These Words From Mother Teresa Will Give You Hope
By Kristine Bruce, founder of "Praying for Our Prodigals" When thinking about my kids who are away from the church, my “prodigals”, I so want to wake them up to the urgency of getting back into the fold of faith. I know many parents feel this pressing desire. I often feel so burdened not only … Continue reading These Words From Mother Teresa Will Give You Hope
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Three Worthy Reactions from the Man in the Tree
Zacchaeus, which means "clean, pure" in Hebrew, may not have seemed to be aptly named to those who knew him. He was a small man with big greed; like most tax collectors during the time of Christ, he was most likely despised for extorting money from people thereby making himself a wealthy man. Choosing physical … Continue reading Three Worthy Reactions from the Man in the Tree
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A Moral Litmus Test
Why would someone take the hard way around in life? Why would anyone scrape through brambles and climb hills where there is little path and a narrow gate, when there is a wide, paved open road before them? One would assume that the right thing to do is take the easy road. Often a rule … Continue reading A Moral Litmus Test
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Three Stages to the Christian Life
...the spiritual journey for the Catholic-Christian is composed of three steps being the interior, religious, and spiritual.
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2019 Draft Picks From a Late August Dream Team
2019 Draft Picks From a Late August Dream Team https://thesimplecatholic.blog/2019/08/08/2019-draft-picks-from-a-late-august-dream-team/ — Read on thesimplecatholic.blog/2019/08/08/2019-draft-picks-from-a-late-august-dream-team/ Thanks @thesimplecatholic.blog for the fun collaboration!
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Bedtime Stories
When my children were little, we would have what was called a "Book Picnic". Sometimes we would read together in an elaborate "fort" made from kitchen chairs, couch cushions and blankets. Sometimes we would pile all the blankets and pillows on the floor and lay on our tummies together reading our favorite books. My personal … Continue reading Bedtime Stories
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Real Body, Real Blood.
Scientific Evidence of the Body and Blood of Christ.
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Don’t Speak Your Fear
This week's "soul lesson" is brought to you by many revelations through person experiences and conversations over the past week. I encapsulate what I believe I am supposed to have learned.
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The Measure of Love
"The measure of love is to love without measure..." The latest "soul lesson" for me can be encapsulated best by these cute measuring spoons received as the parting gift at a friend's bridal shower, aptly called "The Measure of Love". I have heard both St Augustine of Hippo and St Francis of Assisi credited with … Continue reading The Measure of Love
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Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
"Doubting Thomas." Aren't we all at some point a "Doubting Thomas?" I am sure that the beautiful things St Thomas did while accompanying Jesus in his ministry as an apostle would much outshine the one part of scripture that seems to have pigeon-holed him into being just a doubter, but I believe this Sunday's gospel … Continue reading Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
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Dad’s Easter Blessing
Easter this year was the most perfect, glorious day. Our plan was church followed by a lovely meal and precious moments before our almost-college grad and his sweetheart were headed back to school. A stubborn eye infection, nasty medicine, and a migraine kept the joy at bay for me. Nauseated, I … Continue reading Dad’s Easter Blessing
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A Day in the Warmth of the Son
The first of spring's warm and sunny days are everyone's joy. They remind us that the sun did not abandon us, but was quietly accompanying us through the long winter days, shrouded by a haze that required our trust in knowing it would come back out again. When our trust is rewarded by those first … Continue reading A Day in the Warmth of the Son
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A Happy Death
This past week we celebrated the Feast Day of St Joseph. St Joseph, is considered to be a great intercessor for Christians, especially in the area of a "happy death". I wanted to deepen my relationship with St Joseph this year, so I attempted to do the 9-day Novena and ask for his help on … Continue reading A Happy Death
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Fighting For the Wrong Side
Life in "Music City" is amazing. There is so much music, art and joy here in Nashville. One of my favorite things about "Music City" that you won't hear about on the radio (except for maybe K-LOVE because it's here too) is that there are so many huge beautiful churches everywhere. Especially as you head … Continue reading Fighting For the Wrong Side
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The Man On The Plane
A few weeks ago during mass, Deacon told us the story of growing up with influences who lead him to look down upon and be repulsed by homeless people. He used to feel that they were a "tax" on society and should be working, not relying on people for money. One day while walking down … Continue reading The Man On The Plane
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Beam me down, Scotty
In the old Star Trek series, "Scotty" was the engineer in charge of the ship. He was the man you went to when you wanted to be zapped down onto the planet where your energy source was hidden (that was usually spewing molten lava or had aliens with bad make-up) or the neighboring ship with … Continue reading Beam me down, Scotty
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The Ridiculous
Listening to a radio talk show this morning, one of our friends heard a caller relate the story of her son who is in college. When he had chosen to study the Swahili language, she questioned him. Why? He had no specific answer at the time, but four years later, God would chose to use … Continue reading The Ridiculous
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Vanity of Vanities
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! (Ecc 1) I used to think these words were Shakespeare's, and even then, their truth rattled my ears. Now knowing that these words are from the book of Ecclesiastes, they are even more sobering. Indicating perhaps meaningless time and effort we waste in our lives on that … Continue reading Vanity of Vanities
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Put Out Into The Deep Water
This weekend's gospel teaches us about the abundant blessings that await us in the "deep water", a timely indication of the need for deep prayer, especially just having finished our silent retreat which was themed around hope. Traditionally, we use the first Encounter With Christ meeting after our retreat to talk about the beautiful things … Continue reading Put Out Into The Deep Water
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A Perfectly Placed Stranger
The Case of the Perfectly Placed Stranger Staying in a hotel during a large event, a woman felt as though the Holy Spirit was prompting her to go down to the lobby. She didn't know why, but being the obedient and humble person that she is, she decided to abide this marked feeling. She went … Continue reading A Perfectly Placed Stranger
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Prayer Vs Meditation
As we prepare to enter into silence for the weekend on our annual Spiritual Exercises--a powerful spiritual experience for everyone who attends--we begin to peel away at the thick layers of our daily lives that have been dipped in the glue of social media and applied in layers around our hearts like a paper mache. … Continue reading Prayer Vs Meditation
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Do Whatever He Tells You
"Do whatever he tells you" stamped on a silver cuff bracelet was a meaningful gift from one my beautiful sisters last year for my birthday. The inexhaustible meaning of this line from The Wedding at Cana, continually leads me like a star toward my quest for guidance on how to live my faith. Although, due to … Continue reading Do Whatever He Tells You
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The Star Precedes
Traveling home for the holidays has always been a debate in our family. On the one hand, we can't imagine not being with loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, and family members during the holidays. On the other hand, everyone ends up feeling disappointed because it wasn't enough time together, or it was hurried, etc. Every year … Continue reading The Star Precedes
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Make Haste Not Bustle
Looking up "haste" on thesarus.com , ("extreme speed, hurry") I noticed an almost perfectly divided list of 43 synonyms that have nearly as many negative connotations as positive. I was thinking about "haste" as I reflected on this upcoming gospel reading for the fourth Sunday in Advent, and I have to ask myself the question, … Continue reading Make Haste Not Bustle
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Spiritual Muscle Memory
As a dancer, my daughter spends hours each day developing what is called "muscle memory". Her muscles are being trained to engage together for a specific reactive form that becomes a skill which plays out on a stage as art. Requiring thousands of hours of strengthening particular muscles so they create the perfect ballet form … Continue reading Spiritual Muscle Memory
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Tender Embers
A devastating wildfire and a fig tree don't seem to have much in common from the outset, but in this week's Encounter With Christ, the Holy Spirit connected the scourge of wildfire with the hope of human tenderness, likened to the branches of the fig tree. The watchful warning of a consuming wildfire speaks to … Continue reading Tender Embers
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Beautifully Broken
Knocking at her door, was a neighbor from a few doors down. She hadn't spoken with him in a while, but he came by to invite her family to a benefit dinner for "Legacy Mission Village". Down the street lived a couple who had fled Rwanda years earlier and settled nearby to make a new … Continue reading Beautifully Broken
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Master, Guest or Servant?
Luke 14:15-24 ’Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. In today's gospel, a man prepared a great banquet and sent his servants out to gather the attendees. With a multitude of practical excuses, they declined. Enraged by the lackluster response, the master of the house again sends … Continue reading Master, Guest or Servant?
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The Thinning Veil
Christ is truly present when two or more are gathered in his name, and we certainly qualified this week as a long awaited reunion took place for several of us. All things come together to glorify God. The difficult but amazing coincidence of several of our members in the past few weeks were no different. … Continue reading The Thinning Veil
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These Belong To You
I once read a beautiful story about a woman who was very attractive. She received many compliments during her days. Graciously, she took each compliment and imagined it was a lovely rose. She envisioned putting each complimenting "flower" to her nose, luxuriating in its sweet scent. Next, she added the "flower" to a "bouquet" of … Continue reading These Belong To You
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The Dry Erase Board
Preparing for a presentation this week, I uncovered an old dry erase board in the garage. I thought if I could get it clean, I could use it for a screen for our power point presentation, as there was no blank area of wall or place in the meeting room on which to project. It was … Continue reading The Dry Erase Board
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Membership
Getting ready to head back to school, LB wanted to get a few items to replenish his apartment before senior year begins. "Let's go to the warehouse club...I have coupons!" With that we were off, deliberating through the long isles of bulk grocery and home items, only to find at check out that our coupons … Continue reading Membership
The Domestic Church of Bosco 