striving to radiate Him always
I created a list of 32 things to do before I turned 33. It served as a great reminder of my heart’s desires. Praise God, I completed over 80% of the items on my list.
This year’s list is simple and focused on finding Jesus in those that are placed before me.
All for Jesus through Mary!
"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." ~ Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
I coordinated a home study for my April Little Flowers meeting. I had a recollection on First Saturday and was not available for the LF meeting. Moms and I decided to forgo any rescheduling efforts due to Lent.
I provided each family with digital copies of this month’s lesson. Below are links to the handouts. I left it up to the mom’s to create their own craft and lesson for the virtue of truthfulness.
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St. Bridget of Sweden
Traditional ~ October 8 – New ~ July 23
Bridget was born in Sweden of noble and pious parents, and led a most holy life. While she was yet unborn, her mother was saved from shipwreck for her sake. At ten years of age, Bridget heard a sermon on the Passion of our Lord; and the next night she saw Jesus on the cross, covered with fresh blood, and speaking to her about his Passion. Thenceforward meditation on that subject affected her to such a degree, that she could never think of our Lord’s sufferings without tears.
She was given in marriage to Ulfo prince of Nericia; and won him, by example and persuasion, to a life of piety. She devoted herself with maternal love to the education of her children. She was most zealous in serving the poor, especially the sick; and set apart a house for their reception, where she would often wash and kiss their feet. Together with her husband, she went on pilgrimage to Compostella, to visit the tomb of the apostle St. James. On their return journey, Ulfo fell dangerously ill at Arras; but St. Dionysius, appearing to Bridget at night, foretold the restoration of her husband’s health, and other future events.
Ulfo became a Cistercian monk, but died soon afterwards. Whereupon Bridget, having heard the voice of Christ calling her in a dream, embraced a more austere manner of life. Many secrets were then revealed to her by God. She founded the monastery of Vadstena under the rule of our Savior, which was given her by our Lord himself. At his command, she went to Rome, where she kindled the love of God in very many hearts. She made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem; but on her return to Rome she was attacked by fever, and suffered severely from sickness during a whole year. On the day she had foretold, she passed to heaven, laden with merits. Her body was translated to her monastery of Vadstena; and becoming illustrious for miracles, she was enrolled among the saints by Boniface IX.
Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.
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“Habits are grey, while heads are coifed in black with a white linen crown and five ruby-red spots. These are to remind us of Christ’s crown of thorns and his five wounds, which Birgitta witnessed as a child.” ~ The Bidgettine sisters of Vadstena’s
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Patron: Europe; Sweden; widows.
Symbols: Pilgrim’s staff, bottle and wallet; open book and dove; crosier, lute and chain; taper; heart charged with cross; book; head and cross; pilgrim’s staff; shell.
Often Portrayed As: Abbess in Bridgettine robes with a cross on her forehead, and holding a book and pilgrim’s staff; nun enthroned, with Christ above her and hell below, while she gives books to the emperor and kings; nun giving a book to Saint Augustine; nun in ecstasy before the crucifix with instruments of the Passion nearby; nun reading, holding a cross, with builders in the background; nun with a cross on her brow witnessing the Birth of Christ (one of her visions); nun with shells (a sign of pilgrimage), sewn on her habit; nun writing with a pilgrim’s equipage nearby; nun writing with an angel hovering over her shoulder, often whispering in her ear; nun writing with Christ and the Virgin appearing before her; small child at the Scourging of Christ (one of her visions). ~ Catholic Culture
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You must be on your guard against this desire to please, for it might easily lead you into various kinds of untruthfulness in your speech and actions. ~ Father Lasance Catholic Girls Guide
…St. Augustine had an equal horror of slander; so great indeed was his aversion to it that he caused this inscription to be placed above his dinner table: “There is no room at this table lor
those who intend to speak evil of their neighbors.” Upon one occasion certain guests forgot to observe this rule of the house, and began to discuss some absent persons in too free a manner. The saint promptly remarked: “Either this inscription must be taken down, or else you must put an end to such conversation; if you do not heed my admonition I shall have to leave the room!” ~ Father Lasance Catholic Girls Guide
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Handouts: (in order)
Resources:
SAINT
VIRTUE
St. Bridget of Sweden, ora pro nobis
Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
Lætare Sunday
DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / ROSE or PURPLE
Lent is half over, and Easter is enticingly near. This Sunday is a foretaste of Easter joy. Knowing the ebb and flow on intensity even in our best efforts, God deals with us tenderly in rhythms of consolation and desolation. So today, the thoughts of freedom and joy come in the middle of Lent. But the joy does more than cushion our failing energies and needle our lagging spirits. It is a positive, meaningful joy, born of our fruitful life in Christ and of our sweet freedom as His purchased children. The Eucharistic banquet of heavenly Bread, foreshadowed by the multiplied loaves and fishes and become now the Bread of Life for the whole Christian world, adds to our Lætare joy the quiet gladness of every festive meal.
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![[IMG_6546.jpg]](https://joyfilledfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_6546-239x300.jpg)
This Sunday, called, from the first word of the Introit, Lætare Sunday, is one of the most solemn of the year. The Church interrupts her Lenten mournfulness; the chants of the Mass speak of nothing but joy and consolation; the Organ, which has been silent during the preceding three Sundays, now gives forth its melodious voice; the Deacon resumes his Dalmatic, and the Subdeacon his Tunic; and instead of purple, Rose-coloured Vestments are allowed to be used. These same rites were practised in Advent, on the third Sunday, called Gaudete. The Church’s motive for introducing this expression of joy in to-day’s Liturgy, is to encourage her Children to persevere fervently to the end of this holy Season. The real Mid-Lent was last Thursday, as we have already observed; but the Church, fearing lest the joy might lead to some infringement on the spirit of penance, has deferred her own notice of it to this Sunday, when she not only permits, but even bids, her children to rejoice! ~ The Liturgical Year, by Dom Prosper Guéranger
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Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen OCD (Divine Intimacy)
O Jesus, true Bread of eternal life, appease my hunger.
1. Today there is a pause of holy joy and spiritual comfort which the Church, like a good mother, gives us in the middle of the Lenten austerity so that we may renew our strength. "Rejoice, O Jerusalem", the Introit of today’s Mass sings, "and all you who love her, leap with joy and be filled with the abundance of her delights". What are these delights? The Gospel (Jn 6, 1-15) answers the question by the narrative of the multiplication of the loaves, the great miracle by which Jesus meant to prepare the people for the announcement of a much more startling miracle, the institution of the Holy Eucharist, in which He, the Master, would become our Bread, the "living Bread which came down from Heaven" (ibid 6,41) to nourish our souls. This is the cause of our joy, the source of our delight. Jesus is the Bread of life, always at our disposal to appease our hunger.
Although Jesus appreciates spiritual values much better than we, He does not forget or despise the material necessities of life. Today’s Gospel shows Him surrounded by the crowd which had followed Him to hear His teachings. Jesus thinks of their hunger, and to provide for it, performs one of His most outstanding miracles. With His blessing, five loaves of bread and two fishes suffice to feed five thousand people, with twelve basketfuls left over.
Jesus knows that when a person is tormented by hunger or material needs, he is unable to apply himself to the things of the spirit. Charity likewise requires of us this understanding of the bodily necessities of others, a practical understanding which translates itself into efficacious action. "If a brother or sister be naked and want daily food, and one of you say to them, ‘Go in peace’ …yet give them not these things that are necessary for the body, what shill it profit?" (Jas 2, 15.16).
The Apostles had suggested to the Master that He dismiss the crowd "that whey buy themselves victuals" (Mt 14,15). Jesus did not agree but provided for them Himself. We, too, must strive, as far as we are able, to show ourselves solicitous for the needs of others.
2. Before performing this miracle, Jesus asked Philip, "Whence shall we buy bread wherewith to feed these people?" And the Evangelist observes, "He said that to try him, for He knew what He was about to do." There is no difficulty in our lives for which God does not know the solution. From all eternity He has foreseen it and has the remedy in each case, no matter how complicated the situation may be. However, sometimes in difficult circumstances He seems to leave us alone as if the outcome were to depend on us, but He does this only to test us. He wants us to measure our strength against the difficulty – which makes us more aware of our weakness and insufficiency – and He wants us also to exercise our faith and our confidence in Him. The Lord never really abandons us unless we forsake Him first. He only hides Himself and covers His actions with a dark veil. This is the time to believe, to believe firmly, and to wait with humble patience and complete confidence.
The Apostles tell Jesus that a young boy has five loaves and two fishes, that this is very little, in fact, nothing at all for feeding five thousand men. But the Lord asks for this nothing and uses it to accomplish a great miracle. It is always thus: the all-powerful God, who can do everything and create from nothing, when dealing with His free creatures, will not act without their help. Man can do but very little; yet God wants, asks for, and requires this little as a condition of His intervention. Only the Lord can make us saints, as only He could multiply the small supplies of the young boy; still he asks for our help. Like the boy in the Gospel, we too must give Him everything in our power; we must offer Him each day our good resolutions, renewed faithfully and lovingly, and He will bring about a great miracle for us also, the miracle of our sanctification.
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who, on the Cross, with Your arms extended for the redemption of all men, drank the chalice of unspeakable sorrows, deign to help me today. Poor am I, but I come to You who are rich; in my wretchedness I present myself to You, the All-merciful. Ah! Grant that I may not leave You, empty and deceived. I come to You hungry; do not let me go away fasting. Weak, I approach You; do not turn me away unstrengthened! And, if I sigh with hunger, grant me the grace to be nourished" (St Augustine).
Yes, I hunger for You, true Bread, living Bread, Bread of life. You know what my hunger is – hunger of the soul, hunger of the body – and You will to provide for the one as well as for the other. By Your teaching, by Your Body and Blood, You strengthen my spirit; You strengthen it abundantly, withholding nothing, except what I myself keep by the coldness of my love, the smallness of my heart. You have set a rich and abundant table for me, beyond anything imaginable, which I have only to approach in order to be fed. You not only welcome me, but You Yourself become my food and drink when You give Yourself wholly to me, wholly in Your divinity, wholly in Your humanity.
In Your infinite goodness, You have even set a table for my body, and Your Providence feeds it, clothes it, and maintains it in life like the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. You know my needs, my pains, my preoccupation with the past, the present, and the future; and You provide for everything with a paternal love. O Lord, why do I not confide in You, why do I not cast all my cares on You, my life to You, the life of my body, my earthly life with all its needs and labours, as well as the life of my soul with all its necessities, its pains, its hunger for the infinite. Only You can fill up the emptiness in my heart, only You can make me happy. You alone can bring about my ideal of sanctity – union with You.
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Now the Pasch the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. (John VI. 4.)
If we would sing a joyful Alleluia with the Church on the festival of Easter, we must fulfill her desire, and prepare ourselves to celebrate it worthily. Therefore, we should shun improper, clamorous meetings, and retire often to pray in solitude, especially to meditate on the bitter sufferings of our Saviour, for when man is alone, God speaks to his heart. (Osee. II. 14.) We should carefully examine our conscience, and consider how we stand before God, for upon this day shall be the expiation for you, and the cleansing from all your sins: you shall be cleansed before the Lord; for it is a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict your souls, that is, by fasting, watching, and praying. (Lev. XVI. 30-31.) From this Sunday until Easter we should fast more strictly, give more alms to the poor if we are able, or if poor ourselves, bear our poverty more patiently, offering it to Christ in union with His poverty, His hunger, thirst, &c. ; we should make a sincere and contrite confession, and purify our heart from the old leaven of iniquity, that we may keep the Easter meal with Christ in the unleavened bread of purity and truth. (I Cor. V. 7. 8.) For this end we should incite ourselves to holy desires, rise from sin, which is the death of the soul. ~ Rev. Fr. Leonard Goffine’s, The Church’s Year: FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT (LAETARE)
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Lent – Fourth Sunday: Introit from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.
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JOY
I created this blog three years ago during the Lenten Season, with the support of dad (my love/husband). It’s mission is to serve as our family journal and a way for us to share our JOY, one post at a time.
Here are our GFG. Papi (3), Sparkles (7), Rose (16), Dragonfly (10 months), and Sweetie (5).
To me Jesus is the Life I want to live, the Light I want to reflect, the Way to the Father, the Love I want to express, the JOY I want to share, the Peace I want to sow around me. Jesus is my everything. ~ Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
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It’s true! I desire to be a fool, a Fool for Christ.
I have been searching for the ideal picture, plaque….of the Last Supper. I desired something in my price range and not too large. I have limited wall space in my kitchen. I’ve been searching the thrift stores and yard sales.
I saw a gorgeous painting of the Last Supper at Costco, last Thursday. A traveling vendor was showcasing canvas artwork. She had beautiful images of the Immaculate Heart and Sacred Heart. I wish I could recall the vendor’s name. The Last Supper image was too big and definitely out of my price range, $170. Still, I was inspired.
I found a lovely image online when I got home. I still can’t recall where I found it. I’m almost positive that it came from one of the sources below. I’ll be sure to update my source once I find it.
I printed the image and decoupaged it to a tile. I used this technique minus the top coats. I did not want my image to bleed and I wasn’t concerned about sealing the ink-jet image.
Then I hot glued the tile into the roster frame.
Presto, my FREE image of the Last Supper.
Sweetie and Sparkles started their soccer season. They play for the same coach but on separate teams. Their first games were on March 12, after the Nun Run.
This was Sweetie’s first game, ever! She was a bit nervous at the start of the game. She plays on a co-ed team and holds her own. She plays with strength and sheer determination. Gotta love her wristband.
Sparkles was eager to join Coach E for a second year. He is great with the kids and respects our family priorities. Sparkles is the complete opposite of Sweetie (in many ways). In terms of soccer, she plays with grace and a smile. She loves to use her head. She’s been working on scoring with headers. She perfects every move I show her. Sparkles didn’t play with her wristband because it was too big for her tiny self.
Dragonfly was happy to be outdoors. Papi was exhausted from his 1 mile run/walk. Nana put him to bed while Papa kept company with Sparkles. Rose relaxed since her game was canceled. Dad enjoyed his seeds while he nursed his aching feet from the 10k. I was still pumped about running with Team ALL FOR!
Just for fun! This is me at the end of my soccer career. I hung up my dreams to serve my family. Deo gratias!
I was feeling guilty for not having posted before pics for my Lenten cleaning. I struggle with doing it all. My home is usually the first to go. I try to do a quick clean in between nursing, homeschooling, cooking…but my home seldom stays this clean for longer than a few minutes, and it almost never gets this clean for regular company, only special guests.
It’s one of my many crosses. I strive to do better each day but often come up short. I’m thankful that I have a husband who always lends a hand and lifts me up to try again.
Here it is, my late night act of humility…..
It was part of our Lenten program, to have a Father over for dinner and to entertain friends that we have not seen in some time. We hadn’t planned to have them all in the same visit.
One priest turned into two priests plus Sweetie’s Godfamily with five children.
Needless to say, we had a surge in our Lenten cleaning.
The pressure was on. We had less than a week’s notice. And if that weren’t enough, Rose, my #1 helper was miserably ill.
Praise God, we were able to persevere. With a couple of all nighters and a scurry in the eleventh hour, the house was ready for our special guests.
We are just about 50% done with our entire Lenten cleaning.
Here’s a peek at some of our progress, minus the before pictures. Let’s just say, I’m still working on humility. : )
entryway & hallway
holy room
schoolroom 
family room
kitchen
high school schoolroom, craft room & office 
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You can see more about our Lenten cleaning program resources here.
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I have also been watching some great Women of Grace episodes on the topic of organization. I listed the links below.
Women of Grace Shows on Organization:
Possessed by the Mess: Clean Up and Clean Out with guest Dale O’Leary – Some time ago we aired a program called “Saver, Collector, Hoarder – Which One Are You?” The viewer response was overwhelming and we just knew it was important to revisit this topic in more detail. Our guest is going to tell us why saving is not a virtue, and why, in fact, it could be detrimental to your soul. But she is also going to give us a four step spiritual approach to cleaning up and cleaning out.
Getting Organized and Staying that Way – Getting organized is one thing. Staying that way is quite another. How do we put our homes in right order and maintain a predictable environment for our family – one that yields security, hominess, comfort, and peace? Today’s guest has the answers for us. She is a professional organizer who has helped many people find the way to the joy that comes from a well-ordered home.
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Here is an examination of Conscience for home cleaning, created by Dale O’Leary.
Possessed by the Mess
Getting the Heart Ready to Unload the House
Step 1: Examination of Conscience
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Whenever you begin any good work you should first of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord to bring it to perfection. ~ St. Benedict
Hi! I'm Lena, mama of JOYfilledfamily.
We are a traditional Catholic family striving to live for Jesus Christ in everything we do. We pray to completely surrender our will to His and to become His servants. Our mission of this blog is to share our JOY.
This blog serves as a journal of us making good memories, living the liturgical year, and our spiritual journey.