Catholic Fire

“Our Lord has shown me the way that leads to love – it is the only way that leads to love – it is the way of childlike trust and surrender; the way a child that sleeps is afraid of nothing in its father’s arms.” -- St. Therese of Lisieux "We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can - namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us." – St. Teresa of Avila “Just surrender it to God!” I heard my wise friend saying as I recounted to her the events of the past week. “I am!” I retorted. “I am going to pray for you”, she replied. I like to think that I am immune to letting my feelings get out of control. I am an intelligent, rational human being after all, almost Spock-like at times. Of course, I know what I am supposed to do spiritually when things become chaotic and are totally out of my control in this life. The very first thing to do is to pray – to share my intimate feelings with God. After all, He knows me inside and out, and loves me uncond...

Do you ever feel like “OK, God, I can deal with what I have on my plate right now, but please don’t give me any more? I’m stretched to my limits.” This is the way I was feeling this past week with a number of pressing work activities from both of my businesses scheduled and our budget having gone a little askew due to some unexpected, but necessary expenses. Then, Friday, when we were looking forward to getting my husband’s paycheck and perhaps celebrating with an inexpensive meal out to relax from all the stresses of the past week, the call came while I was just beginning my weekly errands. “Your husband’s been in an accident at work. The ambulance is taking him to the emergency room.” Since the hospital he was taken to is located in a part of the city that I am completely unfamiliar with, I had no idea of how to get there. I asked someone for directions, but you have to understand that I am directionally challenged and even when I get directions from others, I still have a tendency t...

"Whether you have much or have little, the Lord requires everything."