Friday, October 22, 2021

"Evil is at Hand"

Reading I Rom 7:18-25a

Brothers and sisters:
I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh.
The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not.
For I do not do the good I want,
but I do the evil I do not want.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells in me.
So, then, I discover the principle
that when I want to do right, evil is at hand.
For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self,
but I see in my members another principle
at war with the law of my mind,
taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Miserable one that I am!
Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The moral life tells us to choose good and avoid evil. This passage from scripture tells us that we are aware of this but because evil is at hand to upend the good we are willing to do, we must take into ourselves the law of God, fight against the evil presented within our minds by trusting on the Lord to deliver us from ourselves. Terri

Saturday, October 02, 2021

My Guardian Angel Stories


Today is the Feast of the Guardian Angels so I would like to honor my messenger and helper, consoler, and fighter for me, by recording the Guardian Angel stories I remember.

The first time that I remember feeling protected from harm by God and my Guardian Angel is when I was about 17. I did not have my Driver's License, yet. I was in Chula Vista, California visiting my Aunt and two cousins. I went with my younger cousin by about four years, Lesa, to a house of a friend of hers. This house had a circle gravel drive. They had an open air motorized go cart. I had ridden in go carts before because our neighbor Troy at home in Independence had a small motorized go cart.

The go-cart in California required you to break with your left foot. The steering wheel shaft was between your two feet so you could not move one foot from gas to break. Well, I took a turn at driving the go cart, but did not get very far when I was going to fast and could not go around and around in the circle drive, which was the plan because I could not break with my left foot.

The next thing I remember is going through trees and just as I came to the curb and a street the go-cart stopped. One wheel in the street and the other three wheels still in the trees. Just in time, as a van was bearing down to hit me. The thing is, I never braked. I could not. I did not have the ability. I was not a strong teenager, either. It really shook me up. I cried and cried, coming so close to death and I told the adults I did not break but they did not say anything or console me in anyway. I can only attribute the breaking to my Guardian Angel. Thank you God.

Years later living in Overland Park I was sitting at a stop light going East on 119th street right before the Alt. 69 hwy. bridge. I pressed on the gas to go without paying attention. I heard a voice, "Look up!" I should not have stepped on the gas because I was about to rear end the car in front of me. I slammed on the breaks. That is the first and only time I have heard such a direct outside voice in my head before. It was not audible, just not of my thoughts. It was a simple save from my angel as there would not have been any injury most likely from such a slow start but for some reason I was warned. Our angels do not only save us from life-destroying harm.

Another simple save, that would not have killed me was when I was working downtown at the KC Star for KansasCity.com. I was in our little kitchen area. I had on brown heels with the heel in the center of the heel of the show rather than at the end. It was skinny, although, less than two inches. They were not easy to walk in. I slipped in the shoes and went down flat on my whole body and face, but did not get hurt at all. As I was going down I saw a white flutter. I believe it was my Guardian Angel that I saw on the way down and that my helper saved me from harm, gently lowering me, although, I fell flat.

Another time I fell but was not harmed, was when I was at my brother Patrick's house in Jefferson City. It was Christmas morning, 2008. My guest room was in the attic bedroom. It was very nice up there but the six stairs to get to the second floor landing were narrow and steep and there was not a railing. I also had on furry slipper socks. Well, I fell forward and missed three steps and landed on the hardwood floor landing without breaking a hip and not being in any pain except I did break the small bone in my right ankle. But, I had saw the falling but then did not feel it as I landed on the landing. Although, I broke my ankle, it could have been so much worse. I believe Guardian Angels keep us from worse harm. 

There are many other close calls and stories of protection. There are stories of peace and help with wisdom. As I remember them I will record them here from now on. Peace in Christ.



Sunday, February 28, 2021

Be You

Today, through social media, there are so many Catholic lay persons who share their gift of talent with their gift of time by posting, blogging, and writing wonderful content on the spiritual life for other's edification. Sometimes I feel, "Why can't I do more of that?" I usually just re-post and share what other's write.

We have to remember that those who are prolific in their writing and sharing have been given the grace of time and talent, perhaps, in a larger dose and with their Fiat they respond and their work for God's Kingdom is noticed and often used by others with the help of  a docile mind and heart to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit. 

If one wants to do more, one must ask for the graces to help build up the kingdom and you may be prompted to do work for God that is very different from the prominent works of Catholic bloggers and writers. Be you. 

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