When we grow in devotion to the Eucharist, our ability to recognize the Lord’s will in every moment allows new life to spring up in our own lives.

When we are in a time of spiritual dryness and exhaustion, our everyday acts are invitations to love. Let us do them all for the Kingdom!

The Holy Family is a shining beacon of hope, the model we long for in this world. When we are tempted to despair, they are the remedy.

On the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, here are two helpful tips for praying the Rosary that will keep this prayer alive in our hearts.

In the early morning light, I ponder the beauty of a quiet house at rest: the sweet sounds of sleeping children stirring gently, the low hum of slow, deep breaths. I reach for the small Crucifix by our bedside. The edges of the wood are slightly worn from all the years it has been in our family. Before I rise I kiss the Crucifix. I ask for strength for the day. I ask for blessings. I ask for peace. It is a simple prayer, but with it, I am reminded of my place. God calls me His daughter. I am loved, known, and seen. I am not alone. I am not without my Beloved Jesus, not even for a moment. Every ache, every smile, every task is all His. All humbly offered at His feet, and I watch with joy as He makes it all holy. I am reminded that every drop of His Most Precious Blood was shed for love of me, and love of all those I love. I can rejoice on this day because I have encountered the Lord. I invite you to contemplate the hemorrhaging woman in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 8. Contemplate the encounter with Christ that healed her, saved her, and set her free. She had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years, cast aside and forgotten by the community, no longer seen or spoken to by those around her— surrounded by people but feeling deeply alone, as no one met her gaze anymore. Sorrow had overwhelmed her heart as hope began to fade, because doctor after doctor couldn’t heal her. Then she hears of Jesus, and she comes up behind Him, afraid of being seen, burdened by years of shame and loneliness. She reaches out and touches the hem of His garment, and she is immediately healed of her affliction. But Jesus gives us abundance and does not only heal our physical bodies— he heals our very souls. He asks who touched Him. When she realizes that she could no longer hide, that she cannot hide from the Lord, she comes trembling before Him. He meets her gaze. He looks at her and for the first time she feels seen. He calls her daughter. She belongs. She is loved. “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 8:48). Dear sister, I encourage you to seek an encounter with the Lord today. You are His daughter, and the flames of His Heart will consume your every sorrow and transform you. Reach out to Him and be healed. Let His gaze fall upon you and find rest. Be reminded of your place as the daughter of the King of the Universe. Seek an encounter with the Lord today. #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET {formbuilder:MTAxMDA1} Let Us Pray Jesus, You are the healer. I give You everything. For Discussion What is a simple way you can start the day with the Lord? Where do you desire healing?  Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 8 #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

There is a beautiful photograph of the Sisters of Carmel standing before a large wooden Crucifix, each of them holding a single candlestick burning brightly in the dark room. Their faces are obscured by their veils, and underneath the photo it says, “A certain freedom of soul is felt upon walking through the courtyard gate of the Carmelite monastery. Peace reigns here. When you pass through the doors of the monastery, you enter a world apart. The noise and values of the world have no place here.” Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity was called to this life of prayer and silence. Ablaze with the love of Christ, she entered a hidden place to intercede for the world. Her time was spent in silence and prayer. The tender voice of her Beloved spoke and she listened. In her spiritual writings she said, “O Word eternal, Word of my God, I want to spend my life in listening to You . . . May our life flow into His . . . There let us become silent that we may listen to Him who has so much to tell us . . . that we may hear everything that is being sung in His soul.” Jesus waits for us, dear sister. Every moment of our lives is an invitation to encounter His love for us. Even the seemingly mundane moments are an opportunity to unite our hearts with His Sacred Heart, which burns with passion for our souls, for our very being. We may not be called to the cloister where silence prevails, but the profound peace and union with the Lord found there is also offered to us. We can make a “little Bethany” in our own hearts. We can meet the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and allow Him to gently pull back the veil revealing every part of our souls. He knows you intimately, and in His tenderness He waits for your invitation. He longs for your trust in His love and His immeasurable mercy. Surrender your time to Him, and watch Him provide for your every need. Allow Him to sanctify every hour, every minute, every second of your day. In times of silence and in times of great noise, ask for the grace to quiet your soul and find peace in His holy Presence.  O Word eternal, Word of my God, I want to spend my life in listening to You... // Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET {formbuilder:MTAxMDA1} Let Us Pray Jesus, I surrender every hour to You. Sanctify my day and dwell in my heart.  For Discussion How can you make your heart “a little Bethany” for the Lord? What are some “noises and values” of the world that the Lord is asking you to let go of? Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 7 #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

I watched my little boy run through the tall grass in our backyard. He laughed as he scooped up a fistful of dirt in his tiny hand, full of wonder, captivated and curious about everything around him, joyful and free … and blissfully unaware of the fear that crept into my heart. A fear that wrapped itself around my mind like tangled thorns, threatening to stifle the beauty of this moment. We were awaiting medical results for a lump we found on his leg. His doctor assured us that it was probably nothing, but anxiety is a cruel and demanding adversary. I was consumed with worry and ashamed at what I perceived as a lack of faith. My heart longed for peace, but I felt like I was drowning in my distress, sputtering and struggling for breath. I went to the adoration chapel and knelt quietly as tears ran down my cheeks. In this place, where God gazes at me with infinite love, I prayed the only prayer that came to mind: “Jesus, I trust You.” A deep cry from the depths of my heart. As I prayed, a woman walked in carrying a large image of Divine Mercy. At that moment, I knew the Lord was with me. His wounded hands revealed His heart, a heart that was poured out and emptied for me. I was being held within the rays of His Divine Mercy. Jesus knew my every worry. Jesus knew me entirely. He saw my pain and revealed to me His constant Presence. I am never without His tender embrace. I am never without His love. He is faithful. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3). This is a promise from our Savior. He is the lover of our souls. Every burden, every weary sigh, every tear, every cry from the depths of our hearts is seen and heard. We are fully known by Him. Love abounds. Jesus is the lover of our souls. Every burden, every weary sigh, every tear, every cry from the depths of our hearts is seen and heard. We are fully known by Him. #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET {formbuilder:MTAxMDA1} Let Us Pray Jesus, I trust in Your love. I trust in Your promises. You are faithful. For Discussion What are some hidden hurts that you can surrender to the Divine Mercy of Jesus? What does it mean to be loved with an “everlasting love?” Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 6 #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

Snow covers the garden that surrounds the stone walls of Carmel. Within the walls, beyond the iron grille that separates the sisters from the outside world, Elizabeth is in agony. Her stomach twists with searing pain, and she is unable to eat or drink. Weakened by her disease, in deep spiritual and physical torment, Elizabeth places a pen to a thin sheet of paper and begins to write. These writings would include prayers of adoration for her beloved Spouse, and retreats to encourage all those she loved to seek Him. Amid her profound suffering, Elizabeth abided in love, and united all her anguish with Christ Crucified. Her heart was inflamed with love. And while only a few drops of water could touch her tongue, she was joyfully serene, fed by the immeasurable nourishment of Jesus— fully receptive to His holy will and immersed in the love that He lavished upon her. Her ear was listening to His voice. Her mouth proclaimed His goodness. Her heart united to His, her life became a living prayer. Everything was for Jesus. Elizabeth had a mystical experience of divine love. This was evident long before her entrance into Carmel, long before her final breaths led her closer to the One she called, “All Love.” There is a story of Elizabeth as a young girl at a dance party. It was said that her face radiated the love of God so immensely that the young men present remarked to one another, “She is not for us; look at her expression. Elizabeth sees God.” May our prayers echo Elizabeth’s when she wrote, “May my life be a continual prayer, a long act of love. May nothing distract me from You, neither noise nor diversions . . . I submit with all my heart for love of You.”  Amid her profound suffering, Elizabeth abided in love, and united all her anguish with Christ Crucified. #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET {formbuilder:MTAxMDA1} Let Us Pray Jesus, everything I have is Yours.  For Discussion How can you find peace in uniting your sufferings with His? What “noise” is distracting you from deeper intimacy with Jesus? Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 5 #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

I knelt slowly within the dimly lit church. Incense rose from the altar to the ceiling, filling the air with a smoky haze. Holy silence as we all watched the priest carry the golden monstrance, glinting in the candlelight, the loving gaze of Jesus penetrating my heart as He came before me. The immense power of being in His Presence removed every fear, every worry, everything that was not of Him from my soul. I was expecting my seventh child, and as I looked at the Lord, I thought of Elizabeth and Our Lady. As my baby girl moved, I thought of Saint John the Baptist as he leapt in the womb of his mother. I thought of Elizabeth’s praise rising like the smoke of incense as she proclaimed that Christ, God in the flesh, dwelt within Mary. My heart swelled with joy, delightedly lost in wonder that Jesus not only comes to me, but dwells in me. Graces unfold in my soul, hidden and sacred, as His divine heart makes a place to abide. He knows me fully and I am astounded. We are all invited to this encounter. “The heart is the dwelling place where I am, where I live; according to the Semitic or Biblical expression, the heart is the place ‘to which I withdraw’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church § 2563). It is within this hidden place of our hearts, a place of silence and deep peace, that the Lord speaks to us. This is the place where Jesus calls us to plunge into rivers of grace and allow them to flow through us, as they sanctify our souls. I encourage you to seek a time of silence in your day: a time to withdraw and place yourself in the Lord’s embrace, if only for a moment. We often feel that we do not have enough time within the day to retreat, to rest our hearts and unite them to His most Sacred Heart. To drink from the cup of living water He tenderly brings to our lips in order to sustain us. Have confidence, dear sister, that the God of the Universe will multiply your time. Pray that the Lord will make your heart a sanctuary for His Holy Presence. He knows you. He loves you. He remains with you.  Pray that the Lord will make your heart a sanctuary for His Holy Presence. #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET {formbuilder:MTAxMDA1} Let Us Pray Jesus, make my heart a sanctuary where Your abundant graces may unfold. For Discussion When can you find a moment of holy pause?  What is the interior disposition of your heart when you’re in silence? Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 4 #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

On July 18, 1880, the lively cry of a newborn rang out on a military base camp in Avor, France. Elizabeth Catez entered the world, as Chaplain Chaboisseau celebrated Mass for the intentions of her parents, Captain Joseph Catez and his wife Marie. Elizabeth was baptized four days later, on the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalen. Surrounded by the sounds of military trumpets, soldiers, and horses, little Elizabeth fell deeply in love with Jesus, expressing her affections by blowing kisses toward the Crucifix at the foot of the altar. Elizabeth had fierce, dark eyes and a fiery temper. Letters written by her mother and her younger sister Marguerite, describe her as short-tempered and prone to “terrible rages.” At one point, her mother considered sending her to a “house of corrections.” However, it was clear that Elizabeth’s fervor could be used for good. When her father died suddenly, the family moved to a home near the countryside. As Elizabeth gazed out of her window, she saw a stone building enclosed by gardens: she saw Carmel. On the night of her First Holy Communion, tears streaking her face, she said, “I am not hungry; Jesus has fed me.” Then she walked to see the Mother Prioress of Carmel who told her that Elizabeth means, “House of God.” The Lord dwelt within her. The sweet whispers of monastic life began to draw her in. Her deepest desire was to consecrate her life to her beloved Jesus, but her mother forbade it. Elizabeth offered this sorrow to the Lord and accepted His holy will above all else. She wrote, “I offer You the cell of my heart; may it be Your little Bethany.” She radiated a supernatural peace, and eventually, yet with deep anguish, her mother relented and Elizabeth entered the iron gates of Carmel. Enclosed with her Beloved, she was eager to live a life of prayer and austerity. Shortly after her entrance into Carmel, Elizabeth became ill with Addison’s disease. Her suffering was profound, and during this time her love for Jesus grew, beautifully radiating from her soul to those around her. She died on November 9, 1906. Her last spoken words were, “I am going to Light, to Love, to Life!” Dear sister, may we seek to be fed by the One who is Light, Love, and Life. I am going to Light, to Love, to Life! // Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET {formbuilder:MTAxMDA1} Let Us Pray Jesus, may Your Sacred Heart mend mine. Amen! For Discussion How do you prepare a dwelling place for the Lord in your heart? When can you pause and adore the Lord’s presence in your soul during your daily life? Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 3 #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

There is a small garden surrounding the Adoration chapel by my home. All is quiet there, except for the gentle trickling of water from a nearby fountain. Amid the ever-present noise of my ordinary life, I am often called there. His extraordinary love meets us in ordinary places. The prophet Jeremiah was called during a time of great turmoil in the kingdom of Judah. A time of uncertainty and suffering. A time of noise and confusion. However, the book of Jeremiah reveals to us the truth of God’s love and faithfulness: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jeremiah 31:3). The Lord loves us and seeks us in every moment. I feel this truth each time I walk through the garden and arrive at the doors of the chapel. As I welcome the silence, I contemplate that there in the monstrance is the Savior of the World, and that He waits for me. He waits for me in this holy space and before Him I find peace. When I am before Him, every thirst within my soul will be quenched. His love will be lavished upon me. The King of Kings, the God of the Universe is with me. This is the intimacy of the Lord. Always so close. He provides eternal nourishment that can heal, transform, and renew places in my heart that I have long abandoned—places where He has remained, gently restoring me to an indescribable beauty, because He is the Divine Physician. In His gaze, in this great exchange of love and the outpouring of my heart into His, I simply pray, “Jesus, may Your Sacred Heart mend mine.” I believe this is what Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity was referring to when she said, “Make my soul . . . Your cherished dwelling place, Your home of rest. Let me never leave You there alone, but keep me there all absorbed in You, in living faith, adoring You.” Saint Elizabeth kept the Lord in the chapel of her heart, faithfully loving Him and remaining with Him, as He remained with her.  Make my soul . . . Your cherished dwelling place, Your home of rest. // Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET {formbuilder:MTAxMDA1} Let Us Pray Jesus, may Your Sacred Heart mend mine. Amen! For Discussion How do you prepare a dwelling place for the Lord in your heart? When can you pause and adore the Lord’s presence in your soul during your daily life? Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 2 #BISblog #prayerpledge // -->> CLICK TO TWEET

I walked along the edge of the water, approaching the park bench with trepidation. The sun reflected off the lake and covered the top of the water in bright bursts of light. The day was warm and lovely. However, amid the beauty my dear friend sat, hunched on the bench, shoulders shaking as she sobbed uncontrollably. Her eyes were swollen and bleary. Her face etched with anguish. She was experiencing deep suffering in her marriage. Remembering the Holy Spirit As I sat beside her, she placed her trembling hand in mine. Her words spilled out and her tears flowed. I felt myself trying to catch everything she was saying. Trying to think of a way to respond that would ease her burden. Trying to hold this sorrow-filled conversation in my inadequate hands. Doubt and apprehension seeped into my heart. I was worried I would say the wrong thing. Worried that my lack of wisdom would further wound her heart. However, the warmth from the summer breeze reminded me of the presence of the Holy Spirit. It reminded me of the great Helper, who blessed the Apostles with tongues of fire. By the power of the Holy Spirit they went forth and proclaimed the Gospel with their hearts enflamed with His gifts. This is the same Spirit that we meet as the healing waters of Baptism flow over our heads. The same Spirit that is nourished within us when we receive the Eucharist. The same Spirit that we are sealed with at our Confirmation. Asking for His Gifts The gifts of the Holy Spirit—wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord—are supernatural graces that are available to us. In that moment, I needed to be reminded of the power of the Holy Spirit. I needed the reminder to ask Him to sanctify my words, to sanctify that conversation, and to bless my tongue with His holy fire so that I would say what He desired. I needed to ask Him to bless and move in my every thought and pray by His power my words would be a healing balm to my friend. The Holy Spirit, the mighty Comforter, was with us. How would our conversations go if we intentionally invited the Holy Spirit to guide us? If we asked for a generous outpouring of His gifts before we spoke? Imagine how arguments, misunderstandings, and all the challenging conversations that we encounter in daily life would be transformed and anointed. Not Relying on Our Own Strength We can feel a deep sense of worry, confusion, or frustration when we must discuss something difficult or painful. In our overwhelm, our words might be laced with anger, or escape us completely as we find ourselves sinking into the abyss of uncertainty. Uncertainty about how to approach a conversation in a way that is loving and charitable. Uncertainty about how to comfort someone who is hurting. Uncertainty about how to share our own hearts, especially when we are deeply longing to do so. Praying for an increase in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and opening our hearts to be receptive to His movements and promptings will bless our conversations. A Daily Practice How do we do this in a practical sense? Stay close to the Sacraments. The Sacraments shower us with grace, which allows these gifts to grow deep roots in the rich soil of our souls. Think of the sweet, life-giving breath of Jesus entering your soul and enkindling the Spirit within you. Each time you receive His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity your soul is set ablaze with His love. Each time you approach the Sacrament of Penance, and His healing mercy floods your repentant heart, your soul is set ablaze with His love. I also encourage you to cultivate silence in your daily life. I know this is challenging in our very noisy world. Noise seems to intrude whether we desire it or not. Our lives feel full and busy. We may have little ones to tend to, work to finish, meetings to attend, and people to serve. I share this same struggle. Give yourself grace, and even if you are setting aside only a few minutes of silence at a time initially, trust in what Jesus can do with that time. Stepping away from the noise and entering prayerful silence gives us the chance to recognize the movements of the Holy Spirit. Silence allows us to see all the beautiful ways that gifts of the Holy Spirit are pouring into our souls and gives us the space to nurture them with prayer. We become more attentive listeners, and we can have conversations that are pleasing to the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to sanctify your day. Ask Him to sanctify your words and your thoughts. Ask for the fire of His love to be on your tongue as you speak. Ask Him to be present in every conversation and to help you speak in a way that glorifies God. Turn to the Spirit, sisters. Turn with your whole heart. Our Lord is a generous giver. He desires to make you holy. He desires to give you the graces you need to become a saint. Come, Holy Spirit. Have you ever seen the help of the Holy Spirit in the midst of a difficult conversation?   [bctt tweet="How to Bring the Gifts of the Holy Spirit into Hard Conversations #BISblog //" via="no"]

I peered across the playground, shielding my eyes from the blazing Arizona sun. Laughter emerged from a group of children as they ran playfully through the warm sand. Sweat trickled down my neck as I stood awkwardly and ran my hands through my wild dark-brown curls. I was in third grade. Tall for my age, with knobby knees, and gangly limbs. It was my first day of school. My first day in a town that was vastly different from the ones I had known before. I did not know a single person, other than the kind principal, who smiled at me behind her bright red reading glasses, and led me to the edge of the playground. Searching for Someone After she briskly walked away, her heels clicking melodiously on the cement, I remained frozen in place searching for something, anything, that seemed familiar. Searching for a face that would bring comfort. Searching for a friend. Desperately praying for someone to come and talk to me. Someone to take my hand and lead me into the joy I was witnessing all around me. Someone to point me in the right direction. Someone to teach me the ropes and introduce me to this new place. When I had nearly given up, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned to see a small girl with a wide smile holding a plastic pink jump-rope. She would come to be my dearest friend during a time when forming friendships would prove quite difficult. I am forever thankful that she sought me out. Forever thankful that the Lord placed it in her little heart to befriend the girl who looked lost and alone. Surprise Saintly Friends As I have grown older, I have been blessed to see how the Lord brings into our life exactly the friend we need. God does this in an especially beautiful way with the Saints. Our heavenly friends accompany us on this earthly journey, interceding for us and encouraging us through their stories. Helping us to see God’s glory in our own stories. Ordinary people who said yes to the extraordinary grace lavished upon them by Christ in His great unfathomable mercy. People who had faults, sufferings, and triumphs, and joys. People who were priests, religious, mothers, fathers, and children. People who were poor, rich, and everything in between. Saints, who when we search through their stories, we will find bits and pieces of our own. Places of grace where God has loved us and redeemed us. Sometimes they seek us, and other times we stumble upon them in unexpected ways. It was in one of those unforeseen moments that I came to know Blessed Victoire Rasoamanarivo. Blessed Victoire Rasoamanarivo She was born in Madagascar and was baptized a Catholic when she was fifteen, even though her family opposed it. Blessed Victoire encouraged and protected her fellow Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ during a time when the Church was being persecuted. Through her courageous gift of self, she kept schools and churches open and brought back missionaries who had been forced to leave. Amid tremendous suffering and uncertainty, Blessed Victoire remained faithful, spending hours in prayer each day and boldly proclaiming the Faith to those who needed to be inspired. Her heart was fixed on Christ. Through unimaginable pain and rejection, she remained rooted in prayer. The Best Prayer Partner I was in awe as I read her story. My heart was immediately moved by her dedication to prayer because I was in a place where I had no desire to pray. I was fatigued after a long year of suffering. Prayer felt forced and empty. I was becoming increasingly discouraged and burdened, as I searched desperately for something, anything that would bring me back to a place of peace. When I learned of her, she was like a new friend, lightly tapping me on the shoulder, and leading me back into joy. She was the friend I needed. I’ll admit, while fascinated with her life it took me a while to get to know her. I was much like the third-grade version of myself, standing awkwardly off to the side, just waiting. Captivated by her story, but unsure how I could relate to her. Unsure where the place of grace would be, until one day as I was having difficulty praying, I remembered how she spent hours in prayer and I asked for her intercession. Peace flooded my heart, and I felt inspired. The weariness that had settled into my heart began to lift. Phone a Friend Like You If you are struggling with prayer, I encourage you to become friends with Blessed Victoire. Ask for her intercession. Our heavenly friends desire to see us rejoicing with the Lord, desire to see us grow in holiness, desire to meet us and show us how to navigate this life. And I have found that they come to our aid in the most beautiful ways. Go to them. Allow them to be like a friend who gently takes your hand and leads you in the right direction, closer and closer to Jesus.   To learn more about Blessed Victoire and 11 other holy women from different continents and walks of life, check out Misericordia! [elementor-template id="546630"] [bctt tweet="Blessed Victoire + Surprise Saintly Friendships #BISblog //" via="no"]