September 22nd First Reading

In case you weren't able to catch the first reading, here's a link.

This reading was just absolutely fabulous and perfect for me at this time in my life. At the moment, I am about 2 days from completing my full consecration to Our Lady. I am going to be a slave of Jesus through Mary. God has had a funny way of dropping in and saying, "This is EXACTLY what I want you to be doing," while I've been completing this process these last few weeks. The readings from the True Devotion to Christ for the day, or the Gospel readings included, would match perfectly what I felt and experienced throughout the day. Truly, this has been such a blessing for me. After a summer of little structured prayer (I can't say it enough, that was no bueno!), this has been just fabulous. And intense.

Which leads me to today. Now, it has a little more background than that, because there's a few parts of my life that I've been working on discerning that has felt like a tug-of-war. Each opposite seems like it would be the best for me, so I don't know one way or the other which one God is calling me towards. It has lead me to focus more on the daily vocation of love of God and therefore others which has been helping me through it. So tonight, at the FOCUS Mass, suddenly this first reading popped up. The first thing that struck me was the opening, "Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Add nothing to his words, lest He reprove you, and you will be exposed as a deceiver." Woah. Talk about powerful. I'm sure there's all different kinds of directions you could go with that alone. The thought of the Word of the Lord as a shield though rather appealed to me. In Him we find our strength; He is sufficient. Then the next part that struck me: "Give me neither poverty nor riches." It goes on to point out that in fullness, one may see no need to have God, while in emptiness, one may steal and become even more base. That's amazing! God knows us so much better than ourselves and knows our extremes. He, though, is the narrow Way. This whole time I was thinking of how powerful Scripture is and how it lights our way towards where God calls us...and, as God would have it, the responsorial psalm was: Your Word is a lamp unto my feet. Good gosh, Lord, I get the message!

This actually sparked my next thought. If you look back at my blog entry about Mary's feet, I mentioned something to the effect that Mary follows God exactly how He called her. If the Word is the lamp unto the feet, then Mary followed the Word (Jesus) perfectly! What better way is there to follow Christ then to follow Mary?! The Word made Flesh acted as a light unto Mary's feet and a shield to Mary, who took refuge in Him. God is calling us to imitate Mary in order to experience this! In this way, we can become Christ's through Mary. And that is the whole message of the consecration to Our Lady.

All of this I can hardly contain within me. What Good News! Truly, this makes me more and more excited for my consecration on the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. I pray that I may learn more and more how to become a better handmaid of the Handmaid. And I pray for you also, dear readers!

St. Rosalia

3 Things I Learned About St. Rosalia:

1. She was from a noble family that descended from Charlemagne and renounced worldly goods at a young age.

2. For most of her life she practiced mortifications and prayer in a cave by herself, away from the vanities of the world.

3. Her body was discovered during the pontificate of Pope Urban VIII.