Great quote from the YouCat (Youth Catechism), which offers the teachings of the Catholic Church in a more youth friendly way. It discusses the power of getting on your knees. This is one of the aspects of Catholicism I had the hardest time with, but it brings so much grace when you give in and give it a try. Just kneel! You’ll love how you feel!

From the YouCat:

Why should we adore God?

Every person who understands that he is God’s creature will humbly recognize the Almighty and adore him. Christian adoration, however, sees not only the greatness, omnipotence, and holiness of God. It also kneels before the divine Love that became man in Jesus Christ.

Someone who really adores God kneels down before him or prostrates himself on the ground. This gives expression to the truth about the relation between man and God: He is great and we are little. At the same time, man is never greater than when he freely and devoutly kneels down before God. The unbeliever who is seeking God and is beginning to pray can find God in this way. (YOUCAT question 485)

Courtesy of the Oblates of Divine Mercy

At mass a few weeks ago, we had a guest speaker who leads an organization that helps women heal after an abortion. She quoted from the Diary of St. Faustina, to whom Jesus appeared and spoke of his infinite love and “divine mercy.” This is where the image of divine mercy (with prisms of light radiating from Jesus’ heart) originates, as well as the Church’s Feast of Divine Mercy, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, etc. This quote really stuck with me, and it’s an image I keep bringing to mind again and again as I gaze upon Jesus on the cross.

From Jesus: “Tell aching mankind to snuggle close to My merciful Heart, and I will fill it -with peace. Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls.” — Diary of St. Faustina, p. 1074.

The word “snuggle” is what gets me! The idea of “snuggling” close to Jesus’ merciful heart really touches me and has opened the floodgates of love for our Lord. I encourage you to meditate on it today and see how it speaks to you. Let me know!

“How delightful must the life of that Christian be whose desires are so regulated that his chief happiness is in denying himself, and pleasing God! How sure a means of obtaining a happy eternity!” — “Imitation of Christ,” Book I, Chapter 25, as written in “True Devotion to Mary” by St. Louis de Monfort

I love this quote, which I came across in my readings in preparation for Total Consecration to Mary, because I think it wonderfully sums up the philosophy of life of my confirmation saint, St. Therese of Lisieux. She made “little sacrifices” every day for God and was so ecstatic to do so. Something to strive toward…

“Oh Lord! All our ills come from not fixing our eyes on Thee: if we looked at nothing else but where we are going we should soon arrive, but we fall a thousand times and stumble and go astray because we do not keep our gaze bent on Him Who is the ‘Way.'” — St. Teresa of Avila, “The Way of Perfection”

This is a message I’ve been hearing personally a lot lately: to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. It’s funny, this came out in the prayer I posted last week before I read this and before I’ve been hearing it on the radio, on TV and in homilies. God works in amazing ways if you just listen!