Cornelia (Corrie) Ten Boom was born on April 15, 1892 in Haarlem, Netherlands, the youngest of four children. Her father was a watchmaker and their family lived in a home they called the Beje. Her family was not wealthy, but Corrie didn’t know otherwise, because her mother was always packing baskets of food for Corrie and her sisters to deliver to other families in need. During World War II this Dutch family hid hundreds of Jews from the Nazis, before being eventually betrayed and imprisoned. The book The Hiding Place tells their story. Alert: there are spoilers in this post. A Family of Faith Raised in a devout, Calvinist family, Corrie noticed that her father, Casper, was a man of no prejudice. She entrusted her big life questions to him, including her fear of death. Her father responded to her fears by asking her, “When you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket”? Corrie answered, “Why, just before we get on the train.” Her father replied, “Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run out ahead of Him.” Corrie’s mother, Cornelia, whom she was named after, was a very thoughtful and generous woman. One day when Corrie was saddened by the thought of people who were unable to leave their rooms due to poor health and fragility her mother said to her, “Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings, Corrie. It’s something we make inside ourselves.” This advice would become very important to her, as her own physical surroundings would soon become bleak. The Hiding Place During World War II, the Ten Boom family had invented a warning system to protect Jews from surprise and spontaneous raids. The family came to meet a “Mr. Smit” who was one of Europe’s most famous architects. He came to their home and installed a false brick wall in Corrie’s bedroom to create a hiding room. The family went to great lengths to protect both the young and old, no matter the risk. This included crying babies and elderly women with unrelenting coughs. But no matter who they were, all who entered the Beje for protection had to learn the seventy-second drill for hiding. Mr. Smit taught them how to pay attention to every detail, not leaving a trace of their whereabouts. This included turning mattresses over in order to keep the German Sicherheitsdientst (Security Service) from finding warm spots on the bed. Betrayal and Bugs A fellow Dutchman eventually betrayed the Ten Boom family for concealing Jews. While most of the family was separated, Corrie and her sister Betsie remained together. They lived in two work camps before being transferred to Ravensbruck, the women’s extermination camp. During this train ride, women were cramped so tightly together that when a woman fainted, her body remained upright. When they arrived at their barrack, Corrie was relieved to find an empty space of hay where she could sit down, only to find the straw crawling with lice. Eventually she had no choice but to spread out her blanket on the rustling, infested straw and sit on top of them. Her and Betsie’s skin became so devoured by the bugs that the sisters even found refuge in the icy waters of the showers which were mandated upon arrival. God’s Provision By a miracle, Corrie escaped being searched when she entered the camp, allowing her to sneak in her Bible. This became an immeasurable comfort for countless women in the camp. Betsie often read from the Scriptures, preaching to the other woman in the barracks verses like the ones found in Romans chapter eight: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Scripture reminded them to think of Jesus hanging naked on the cross as they had their weekly medical inspection. Even on the coldest of days they were unable to cross their arms, ordered to leave their hands at their sides as the guards smiled and gawked at them. Betsie would urge others to be patient with all, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and “in all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Even for the fleas. Due to rare observance in their barracks, there soon came to be regular religious services. Betsie and Corrie would read their Bible in Dutch and translate it aloud in German. They would then hear the words being translated into French, Polish, Russian, and Czech. They later learned the reason for low surveillance: the guards were afraid of the fleas! It was then that Corrie remembered Betsie’s prayer of thanks to God for all creatures, even the bugs which Corrie found no use for. “Look at Jesus Only” Because Betsie suffered from anemia, her health quickly deteriorated in Ravensbruck. When not working quickly enough, Betsie was struck with a belt on her chest and her neck. When she saw Corrie staring at her she told her not to look at it, but to “look at Jesus only.” While Corrie prayed daily to have the opportunity to show God’s love to her fellow prisoners, Betsie prayed daily to have the chance to show God’s love to their persecutors. Before dying of malnutrition, she told Corrie that they “must tell people what we have learned here. We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still. They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here.” She died just weeks before Corrie was released. His Will is Our Hiding Place At fifty-two years old, Corrie was released right before the New Year of 1945. Corrie rolled over and over in her head the “what if” Betsie had lived just a bit longer. But then she could hear her sister saying. “There are no ‘ifs” in God’s kingdom. His timing is perfect. His will is our hiding place.” Corrie wasted no time on starting the home that she and Betsie had talked about in the camps. A place where people could come to heal from their experiences during the war. She dedicated the rest of her life as an evangelist, telling her story of living in concentration camps and preaching on forgiveness. She traveled to every single continent except Antarctica and never accepted payment. Just a place to sleep and a meal. When Corrie returned to Ravensbruck in 1959 she learned that she had been released by accident. A clerk had mistakenly recorded her number in a list of those meant to be freed. Her name was on the list of those to be executed! In Corrie’s words, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” What unknowns in your life are you being asked to entrust to Jesus?   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // The Hiding Place #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She! HIS WORD CHANGES LIVES God is speaking to you through His Word. In this personal study, you will learn to hear God's voice by reading slowly and praying deeply. BEGIN THE JOURNEY

I was a bit skeptical when learning about a girl who is just 10 years old and on the way to canonization, but then I remembered about others who were canonized Saints at young ages. For example, there are siblings Jacinta and Francisco Marto who saw the vision of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal. Both are canonized Saints who died at the ages of 10 and 11, respectively. Then there is Saint Maria Goretti who was violently martyred at age 11 after resisting and then forgiving her attacker and murderer. I recently just learned of another young Saint-on-the-way in Elizabeth Kelly’s book, Love Like a Saint: Cultivating Virtue with Holy Women. Her name is Anne de Guigne and she was declared venerable on March 3, 1990 by Pope Saint John Paul II. “The Little Tyrant” Anne was born to a wealthy family on April 25th, 1911 in their beautiful home in Savoy, France which overlooked the pristine Lake of Annency. Her family wintered in Cannes on the French Riviera. Her parents were not only well educated, but also well-learned in the Faith. The firstborn of four children, she was not thrilled with the addition of her first sibling. While on her way to sainthood now, she didn’t always exemplify holiness. As a toddler she was known to be bossy (as the oldest child can tend to be) and mischievous, even attempting to rub sand into her little brother’s eyes. In addition to her nickname of "Nenette," she also was sometimes called “the little tyrant.” The Little Nurse A pivotal point in Anne’s life and demeanor came during World War I. While Anne’s father had retired from military service when he was married, he joined again at the start of the war. After suffering many injuries, he had to return home to convalesce. Four-year-old Anne would then act as his little nurse, caring for him in whatever way she could find. Each time her father recovered, he always returned to the service. He was killed in battle after his fourth return back to the war. In Love Like A Saint, Liz Kelly includes a quotation by Anne’s biographer who wrote: She set to work first of all to comfort her mother in every way she could. All day long she tried to be thoughtful and to remember the things she had been told to do-and tried to make the others remember too… If she herself had started on the way of perfection, she meant to carry them all along with her. Sanctity Through Obedience Just weeks after her father’s death, Anne’s prayer life grew deeply and noticeably. She had a deep awareness of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist and loved talking with him while visiting the Blessed Sacrament. She gained such a thorough knowledge of catechesis that her formators recommended that she receive her First Communion at age six. The local bishop gave his approval, but only after having seen her pass a lengthy interview full of questions regarding the Faith and testing her preparedness. After gaining his consent, she prepared even further during her communion retreat where the motto was, “Obedience is the sanctity of children.” Little Anne took this motto to heart. After her communion day she wrote: My Jesus, I love You, and to please You, I resolve to obey You always. Her life’s goal was to be obedient in everything, just as Jesus was obedient to His Father. She wanted to prevent anything that would wound the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Loving Through Sacrifice She practiced virtue by being quick to forgive her siblings when they made mistakes, finishing her siblings prayers when they fell asleep, and encouraging them to make their own sacrifices to Jesus. In her words: We have many joys on earth, but they don’t last; the one that lasts is to have made a sacrifice. When Anne was eight years old she began suffering from a weak spine and constant headaches. Her pain was so great that she was unable to focus on schoolwork. Two years later she was diagnosed with meningitis, an infection of the fluid which surrounds both the brain and spinal cord, often causing swelling. The pain could be so intense that it sometimes disfigured her face. During the final weeks of her life, her lungs became so deteriorated that she struggled to breathe, yet Anne considered each additional suffering as an opportunity to offer it up for the souls who needed her prayers the most. She said: We ourselves have to love the Lord even more, for those who do not love Him. She trusted Jesus had a plan for her suffering. A Young Saint for Those Who are Stubborn She passed away on January 14, 1922 at just ten years old. Shortly after she died, her little brother ran around the house and started creating relics by touching religious objects to her hands. For me, stubbornness is not easy to overcome. This is why I find Anne to be a very fitting intercessor. If a young child has the grace and open heart to put others before herself, then surely I, an adult, should be quick to do the same and adhere to the Scripture: Be doers of the word and not only hearers. // James 1:22 How does Venerable Anne prompt you to be a doer?   [bctt tweet="Venerable Anne de Guigne // The Power of Obedience #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

Looking back at past Lents, I can recall doing Whole30, giving up alcohol, giving up sweets, and then there were a couple of years when I didn't up food at all due to pregnancy and breastfeeding. Lenten Penances and Practices ... and Pivots Pregnancy and breastfeeding are two conditions in which the Church provides an exemption from fasting, but it also excuses “the physically or mentally ill”. If you are reading this and suffer from conditions like diabetes or disordered eating, fasting from food this Lent would be unwise. The Church is looking out for you, and she cares about your health. Ultimately, as Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said in his 2009 Lenten Message, the penitential practices of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting are intended “to prepare us to better celebrate Easter and thus experience God’s power.” Lent isn’t about white knuckling your way through a difficult forty days. Lent is “directed to eating the ‘true food,’ which is to do the Father’s will,” just as it says in the Gospel of John 4:34. There are scriptural roots for fasting and even an ancient liturgical hymn speaks to Lenten fasting with the words: Utamur ergo parcius, / verbis cibis et potibus, / somno, iocis et arctius / perstemus in custodia Let us use sparingly words, food and drink, sleep and amusements. May we be more alert in the custody of our senses. Let’s talk about how we can grow in self-control of our senses, and we’ll start by focusing just on “words” and “amusements”. Use Sparingly Words Fast From Complaining During undergrad my roommate and I fasted from complaining. This would have been so much easier if we weren’t spending the Lenten season in the frigidly cold Midwest! While there were some early morning walks to class that made this Lenten practice challenging, it also altered our mindset. Over time, it almost felt less cold outside because we weren’t spending so much time talking about it. When we did feel cold, it was an opportunity to offer it up and also say a prayer of gratitude for the blessing of the shelter of a warm and heated house. Fast From Gossip Sometimes people fast from sugar and caffeine for Lent in the hopes of making a “lifestyle change” which would continue even after the Easter season. Fasting from gossip would be a game-changer if it could carry on beyond just 40 days. You’ve probably heard the saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” But what if you used this opportunity of fasting from gossip to give others the benefit of the doubt, and maybe even find a reason to help restore their good reputation and build them back up? Fast From Interrupting I am definitely writing directly to myself here. There are too many times when I find myself interjecting my voice as my husband is speaking. It’s not so much a malicious attempt to cut him off as it is impatience to have my own thoughts and voice heard. I know that if I work more intentionally to pause before cutting in I will probably learn more from hearing his complete thoughts, and in addition, be more faithful to my wedding vows by honoring him. Use Sparingly Amusements Fast From Social Media This is probably one of the most common Lenten practices that I witness my peers practicing. And for good reason! In Pope Francis’ Message For The 48th World Communications Day he said, “It is not enough to be passersby on the digital highways, simply ‘connected’; connections need to grow into true encounters. We cannot live apart, closed in on ourselves.” What I love about his message is that, while recognizing the pitfalls that we allow ourselves to fall into through social media use, social media can also provide an opportunity for evangelization. But it must be rightly ordered. A 40-day fast from social media could be a helpful way to re-examine why and how we use social media as well as how we might choose to re-enter into this public-sphere. Fast From T.V. Watching a favorite T.V. show together is one of the ways that my husband and I love to relax and spend time together at the end of the day. Even if you aren’t prone to binge-watching television, giving up an episode or two a week can be a sacrifice. Fortunately, there are other ways to fill up this time, even if it might take some more mental energy. Instead of collapsing onto the couch with remote in hand and eyes glued to the flashing lights of a screen, consider using this time to read, write a letter, pray and journal, or call a friend. Yes, it admittedly takes a little more work, but the payoff is much more rewarding. Fast From Secular Music/Podcasts/Radio Shows It can be almost impulsive to reach for my favorite form of audio when I get into my car. After all, a drive provides just the right amount of time to get through a short podcast, a chapter of an audiobook, or an upbeat song for which to raise the volume. Driving in silence feels almost monastic. This is probably why some of the people I respect the most say that they use their commute time for prayer and contemplation. In the words of Saint Teresa of Calcutta: The beginning of prayer is silence. If we really want to pray we must first learn to listen, for in the silence of the heart God speaks…we cannot speak unless we have listened, unless we have made that connection with God in the silence of our heart. How is Jesus asking you to connect with Him this Lent?  [bctt tweet="Fasting Ideas for Those Who Shouldn't Fast from Food #BISblog //" via="no"]

February is upon us. The month of heart-shaped candies printed with the classic texts reading “call me,” “soul mate,” and “sweet love.” Throughout my life, Valentine’s Day has stirred up a variety of emotions in me. Some years it has inspired me to plan a wine and dessert night with my girlfriends, other years it provoked loneliness as I compared my single-self to my dating friends, and now I look at it as an excuse for my husband and I to splurge at our favorite restaurant. Regardless of how you are feeling about this year’s holiday, there are so many different kinds of relationships to celebrate: grandparents, siblings, spouse, children, friends, and of course, God and our neighbor. Saint Quotes about Love Here are a few quotations to inspire some good-natured feelings towards February fourteenth. Love for Grandparents While he may not be a Saint, I so appreciate Pope Francis’ respect and admiration for grandparents. Both he and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI have placed an emphasis on how important the role of being a grandparent is, both for their own family, and for the generations to come. “How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society! How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogues, especially within the context of the family.” // Pope Francis “Children’s children are the crown of the elderly, and the glory of children is their parentage.” // Solomon in the Book of Proverbs Love Within the Home At least for me, sometimes it can be hardest to be patient, humble, and merciful to those who are closest to me. Those in my immediate family know me best, and in knowing me best, they also have seen my worst and have chosen to love me anyway. I also know it can be a temptation to take those closest to you for granted. These words from the Saints help me refocus on selflessness and gratitude. “Wash the plate not because it is dirty nor because you are told to wash it, but because you love the person who will use it next.” // Saint Teresa of Calcutta “You know well enough that our Lord does not look so much on the greatness of our actions nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.” // Saint Therese of Lisieux “The charity which burned in the household at Nazareth should be an inspiration for every family. All the Christian virtues should flourish in the family, unity should thrive, and the example of its virtuous living should shine brightly.” // Saint John XXIII Motherhood: Physically and Spiritually The Saints have a lot to say when it comes to motherhood, both spiritually or physically. In Claire Dwyer’s book, This Present Paradise, she writes about how Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity praised the Lord through her simple, daily responsibilities. While we often look for signs, “more likely our path is made of breadcrumbs and fingerprints, pointing the way to heaven in smudges of peanut butter. It’s the little things.” These quotations are a reminder that even in our most hidden moments, we can bring great glory to God. “Our body is a cenacle, a monstrance: through its crystal the world should see God.” // Saint Gianna Molla “Women’s bodies, heavy with children, dragged down by children, are a weight like a cross to be carried about. From morning until night they are preoccupied with cares, but it is care for others, for the duties God has given them… The point I want to make is that a woman can achieve the highest spirituality and union with God through her house and children.” // Servant of God Dorothy Day “Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle.” // Saint Josemaria Escriva "Every woman in the world was made to be a mother either physically or spiritually. Here we are not talking of physical motherhood, we are speaking of spiritual motherhood. A women in professional life is happy when she has the occasion to be feminine. The man is the guardian of nature, but the woman is the custodian of life. Therefore in whatever she does, she must have some occasion to be kind and merciful to others.” // Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen Spousal Love Just this past December, Pope Francis wrote a letter specifically to married couples. He encourages couples to live out their “vocation with enthusiasm.” To be joyful. When one’s vocation is lived out well, this is a witness of hope to the world. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man” (CCC 1604). “Love that leads to marriage is a gift from God and a great act of faith toward other human beings.” // Saint John Paul II “We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become.” // Saint Clare of Assisi “When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of her. The higher her virtue, the more noble her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women.” // Venerable Fulton Sheen “As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her.” // Saint Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians Love Between Friends Friendship is a gift. Here is what the Saints have to say about it, starting all the way back in the fourth century. “God sends us friends to be our firm support in the whirlpool of struggle. In the company of friends we will find strength to attain our sublime ideal.” // Saint Maximilian Kolbe “You only love your friend truly, when you love God in your friend, either because He is in him, or in order that He may be in him. That is true love and respect. There is no true friendship unless you weld it between souls that cling together by the charity poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.” // Saint Augustine “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship” // Saint Thomas Aquinas Love for God Saint Bernard of Clairvaux speaks of the four degrees of love. I sometimes still struggle with moving beyond the second degree, which is loving God for your own good and because of your dependence on Him. I am working to be more constantly in the third degree of loving God for His own sake! These Saints remind me to keep striving for this, by reminding me how much God has given to me through His Son. “When a great suffering or some very little suffering is offered to us, oh, let us think very quickly that ‘this is our Hour’ the hour when we are going to prove our love for Him who has ‘loved us exceedingly.’” // Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity “Pure love…knows that only one thing is needed to please God: to do even the smallest things out of great love - love, and always love.” // Saint Faustina “What has He done for me? He has loved me and given me His whole self. What shall I do for Him? I shall love Him and give myself to Him without reserve.” // Saint Ignatius of Loyola “Our Savior’s passion raises men and women from the depths, lifts them up from the earth, and sets them in the heights.” // Saint Maximus of Turin Love for Neighbor In the Gospel of Matthew we are presented with the second commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). The next verse goes on to say that the entire law and prophets depend on the first two commandments (the first being to love the Lord). Here, the Saints tell us how. “We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love.” // Saint Vincent de Paul “If we wish to serve God and love our neighbor well, we must manifest our joy in the service we render to Him and them. Let us open wide our hearts. It is joy which invites us. Press forward and fear nothing.” // Saint Katherine Drexel “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has the eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” // Saint Augustine “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.” // Saint Paul in his Letter to the Hebrews No matter your state in life, I hope you find strength and consolation through these words of wisdom which have been passed on to us. They are certainly better words to cling to than the candy heart words reading “puppy love” and “be true,” but if you happen to find one that says “you rock,” then go ahead and soak it up! What are some of your favorite Saint quotes about love? Share them in the comments below!   [bctt tweet="Saint Quotes about Love #BISblog //" via="no"]

Until this year, I had never heard of the “Sunday of the Word of God.” I suppose I can give myself a bit of a break since it was only established a couple of years ago in 2020. But this year, I plan to be prepared for what we are celebrating. By papal decree, Pope Francis established the third Sunday in Ordinary Time as a day set aside especially for “the celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God.” His hope is that, as Christians, we take up our baptismal call to profess our Faith, and specifically do so by using the gift and tool of Holy Scripture. The Institution of the Sunday of the Word of God I don’t think it is a coincidence that Pope Francis issued his Apostolic Letter Aperuit Illis on the Memorial of Saint Jerome. This letter instituting the Sunday of the Word of God was given on the 1,600th anniversary of Jerome’s death. Jerome is a Saint known for translating the Old Testament from Hebrew into Latin, as well as for his quotation: Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. Opened Minds to Understanding Francis opened his letter by quoting Luke 24:25 when Jesus was with the disciples and “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Jesus helped them to understand the Paschal Mystery and He did so with the promise that they would be accompanied by the help and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Francis wrote: Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the word of God can enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world. Through relationship with God, through His word, we experience the words of love He speaks to his Bride, the Church. Sitting with Him in this way better equips us to bring His Truth out into the world. Church Unity Another goal of Pope Francis is that this Sunday will complement the Church’s desire to strengthen the bond with our Jewish brothers and sisters and move towards greater Christian unity. He writes, “The Bible is the book of the Lord’s people, who, in listening to it, move from dispersion and division towards unity.” Through the Holy Spirit, Scripture has the power to unite us. The Body of Christ In Pope Paul VI's Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation titled Dei Verbum, he emphasized how the Church venerates the divine Scriptures and Jesus’ Body simultaneously, “since, especially in the sacred liturgy, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life from the table both of God’s word and of Christ’s body.” When we come together at the table of the Lord, we are reminded of the community we are journeying along with, that we are all part of the Body of Christ. How to Celebrate If you are hoping to dive deeper into putting the Word before the World this year, here are a few ideas! In Your Prayer Time Lectio Divina // Just ten minutes is enough time to soak in God’s Word through lectio divina. You can start with a Scripture passage of your choosing. The four steps include: reading meditation prayer contemplation Spend a few minutes paying attention to what stands out to you in your first reading of the passage. Read through the passage again, slower this time, meditating on what Jesus is speaking to you through Scripture. Then, spend a few minutes asking Jesus how He wants you to use what He has shown you, offer a prayer of thanksgiving, and finally, just bask in His love, perhaps journaling what Jesus shared with you. While Driving, Cleaning, or Cooking Bible In A Year Podcast // There isn’t a rule saying that you have to start the Bible In A Year Podcast on the first of the new year. These twenty to twenty-five minute episodes are led by Father Mike Schmitz. He provides commentary, a reflection, and prayer for each of the three hundred and sixty-five episodes. Sprinkled Throughout Your Day Decorate With Scripture // My mom was always taping up Scriptures she had written on index cards all around our house, whether it be right above the clock in our kitchen or on our bathroom mirror. Now I follow in her footsteps with my favorite words of encouragement stuck to my family’s refrigerator or our own bathroom mirror. Placing Scripture around your home is a great way to immerse yourself in God’s Word! Salvation and Tradition The Bible is not meant to be a large volume of books collecting dust on our bookshelves or in the nightstand of a hotel room. The primary goal of the Bible is our salvation. The Lord has provided the Holy Spirit to help keep the truths of His Word intact, and sacred Tradition has preserved it. Pope Francis wrote: ...before becoming a written text, the word of God was handed down orally and kept alive by the faith of a people who, in the midst of many others, acknowledged it as their own history and the source of their identity. Do you consider God’s Word to be the source of your identity?   [bctt tweet="Awakening Understanding // Word of God Sunday #BISblog // " via="no"]

Omnipotent. I remember learning this word while studying vocabulary, and the example used was that of an “all-powerful†God. I love this word! Partially because it brings back memories of one of my favorite school subjects, but also because it has such an authoritative tone.

The idea of “living in the moment†sounds blissful, right? Yet sometimes it can be so very hard to do.  I am self-admittedly impatient. This posed a challenge for me when it came to my husband and I planning to start our family.

Years ago, shortly after my grandfather died, I asked my grandma how she was doing and what it was like to wake up everyday without him. She amazed me with a response I didn't expect, and she spoke so simply and matter-of-fact.

I was going for an afternoon walk with a friend when she was telling me about a conversation she had with her spiritual director. The Priest had asked her, “Out of the three theological virtues (faith, hope, and love) which virtue do you feel the weakest in?â€

“Nothing was missing, not even the snow!” These are the words from Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, spoken on the day when she received the Carmelite habit. Where did this love of snow come from? Perhaps it is because I was a little winter flower, and the first adornment with which my eyes beheld nature clothed was its white mantle. I had always wished that on the day I received the Habit, nature would be adorned in white just like me. Therese was born on January 2, 1873 and is sometimes referred to as Saint Thérèse of the Little Flower. Deep in this season of winter, I thought it would be a good time to take a look into her autobiography, Story of a Soul, to better understand why. Jesus’ Garden Saint Thérèse often used flowers and gardens as imagery for the spiritual life. She writes about how we are each a flower in Jesus’ garden. In order to flourish, a garden must have someone to tend to it, to take care of it. Flowers do not all grow at the same speed, nor to the same height. Yet the speed of growth and the size of a flower are not what matter most. A garden is planted to be enjoyed, not for the sake of utility. Thérèse reminds us that Jesus enjoys us. He isn’t asking us to measure up to those we see at our right or at our left. He simply asks us to accept His will. Jesus deigned to teach me this mystery. He set before me the book of nature; I understood how all the flowers He has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the Lily do not take away the perfume of the little violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wild flowers. And so it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden. He willed to create great souls comparable to Lilies and roses, but He has created smaller ones and these must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God’s glances when He looks down at his feet. Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be. Winters of Trial Thérèse was born into a beautiful, loving family. Her parents and sisters were devoted to her and even she admits to being very spoiled. Yet despite a charming childhood, she did endure much suffering as well. She reflected on her mother’s passing, writing: Everything truly smiled upon me on this earth: I found flowers under each of my steps and my happy disposition contributed much to making life pleasant, but a new period was about to commence for my soul... Just as the flowers of spring begin to grow under the snow and to expand in the first rays of the sun, so the little flower whose memories I am writing had to pass through the winter of trial. When writing about the absence of her spiritual director, who only communicated to her with one letter each year (to her twelve) she says, The little flower transplanted to Mount Carmel was to expand under the shadow of the cross. Despite both the big and small sufferings which came her way, she chose to embrace them rather than just endure them. She understood that redemption was found through great suffering. It was almost as if suffering was her love language to the Lord, and in loving Him in this way, her soul was expanding. Yes, my Beloved, this is how my life will be consumed. I have no other means of proving my love for you other than that of strewing flowers, that is, not allowing one little sacrifice to escape, not one look, one word, profiting by all the smallest things and doing them through love. I desire to suffer for love and even to rejoice through love; and in this way I shall strew flowers before Your throne. I shall not come upon one without unpetalling it for You. While I am strewing my flowers, I shall sing, for could one cry while doing such a joyous action? I shall sing even when I must gather my flowers in the midst of thorns, and my song will be all the more melodious in proportions to the length and sharpness of the thorns. Throwing Flowers There is a line by Thérèse which I just love to imagine! She writes about her love for feast days. As a child, she especially loved those which honored the Blessed Sacrament with a Eucharistic Procession. I love her childlike wonder and joy! What a joy it was for me to throw flowers beneath the feet of God! Before allowing them to fall to the ground, I threw them as high as I could and I was never so happy as when I saw my roses touch the monstrance. She also recognizes Jesus’ pursuit of her, never failing to allure her through what He knows will bring her heart great joy. You know, dear Mother, how much I love flowers; when making myself a prisoner at the age of fifteen, I gave up forever the pleasure of running through fields decked out in their springtime treasures. Well, never in my life did I possess so many flowers as after my entrance into Carmel. It is the custom for fiances to often give their fiancees bouquets and Jesus didn’t forget it. He sent me in great abundance sheaves of cornflowers, huge daisies, poppies, etc., all the flowers that delighted me the most. There was even a little flower called a corncockle that I had never found since our stay at Lisieux; I wanted very much to see it again, that flower of my childhood which I had picked in the fields of Alencon. And at Carmel it came to smile at me again and show me that in the smallest things as well as the greatest, God gives the hundredfold in this life to those souls who leave everything for love of Him. As a child, my mother taught me to look out for how God is showing up in my life. How beautiful it is to be aware of how Jesus desires to delight us and smile upon us. For my mother, it is seeing a red cardinal. For me, it is a rainbow stretching across the sky. 🌹 Pray with the Little Flower The St. Therese of Lisieux Rosary Beautifully made to last through years of prayer, and a meaningful gift for a confirmation, birthday, or any friend who loves the Little Flower or Our Lady. Shop the Rosary → How does Jesus smile upon you?

A couple of years ago, I went to the funeral of a five-month-old baby boy. He passed away after fighting against the life threatening birth defects of Trisomy 18. That night I wept. Especially after listening to a worship song about joy coming in the morning. “What a lie,†I thought.

Hope in the Lives of the Saints // Saint Gianna Beretta Molla Saint Gianna Molla had four children in six years. Because of this, I naively assumed that when it came to having children, she and her husband had no struggles. It wasn’t until getting to know her more in the book Saint Gianna Beretta Molla: A Woman’s Life that I learned that she had to pray for patience and hope when it came to her fertility. While she and her husband Pietro did conceive within the first year of their marriage, she had hoped that they would be blessed with their first child much more quickly than they were. When they did conceive, their first three children came in the first four years of their marriage. Up until recently I did not know that she had suffered two miscarriages in the two years between the birth of her first three children and the birth of her fourth and last child. During her last pregnancy, a fibroid tumor was found growing in her uterus, putting both her and her baby’s lives at risk. While doctors recommended abortion, she courageously chose to continue her pregnancy and undergo surgery to remove the fibroid while pregnant: a procedure which meant greater complications for Gianna but would not endanger the life of her child. A few days before her baby was born she said to her husband, “If you must decide between me and the child, do not hesitate: choose the child—I insist on it.” Her daughter survived, but one week after her birth, Gianna died from a painful inflammatory condition. Today, this daughter is Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla. Saint Gianna's daughter also speaks of hope, encouraging women to ask for Saint Gianna’s intercession. She also says that her intercession is powerful for those who struggle with infertility. When Gianna Emanuela receives prayer requests for those hoping to conceive she says to them, “If your desire is in accord with God’s will, surely my Mom will listen to your prayers... Nothing is impossible with God.”   [bctt tweet="Nothing is impossible with God. #prayerpledge //" via="no"]   Let Us Pray Jesus, thank You for gifting us with the witness of the Saints who held hope in You. Thank You for Saint Gianna and how she shows us the beauty of sacrificial love. May we, too, be eager to lay down our lives for the sake of others. Amen! For Discussion What do you want to ask of God today? Have you ever thought of hope being connected to courage? Ponder that truth and how it relates to your own life.     [bctt tweet="They That Hope: The 2022 Prayer Pledge // Day 17 #BISblog #prayerpledge //" via="no"]

The prophet Jeremiah lived around 650-570 BC and is known as “the weeping prophet.†As the author of three heavy books of the Bible (Kings, Jeremiah, and Lamentations), his message is not always an easy one. 

As I approached the steps of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, I saw white and blue fabric billowing in the wind, fabric from the habits of the Sisters of Life. My family was there to witness the final vows of our good friend Sister Magnificat Rose. She was about to make her vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and a fourth vow particular to the order, “to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life.” What Does a Normal Day Look Like for a Sister of Life? The Sisters of Life were founded in New York in 1991 by Cardinal John O’Connor and their missions are dedicated to respecting and honoring life from conception to natural death. I interviewed my friend about the beautiful ways in which they live this out! Blessed is She // What does a typical morning look like for a Sister of Life? Have you always been a morning person, or have you learned to become one? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // I will start by saying I have never really been a morning person! But God gives you the grace for whatever He asks of you! Most days of the week we start our day at 5:00 a.m. with prayer and Mass in the chapel which really allows us to dedicate the very first part of our day to the Lord. We fast from the time we wake up until breakfast at 7:30 a.m. What is really beautiful about this time is that all of the sisters in our community are united together in prayer. All of our works for the day flow out of our prayer. What many people find to be interesting about our life is that we try to live our mornings in silence (as our apostolate allows). Doing our work quietly helps us to cultivate deeper prayer and to have a contemplative outlook (seeing God in everything) throughout the whole of the day. Blessed is She // What does your afternoon look like and what do you and the other sisters do in their personal time? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // In the afternoon we have midday prayer and lunch together. We share all of our meals together as sisters, which is a great blessing and really forms unity. After lunch we have a bit of personal recreation time. The purpose of this is really to be “re-created.” Some sisters will do spiritual reading during this time, go for a walk or exercise, spend time together, do water-coloring, play music, or even take care of our own personal things like laundry. After that the rest of the afternoon is devoted to our apostolic work. Depending on the ministry a sister serves in, she could be meeting with pregnant women in need, planning a retreat, cooking, etc. Some of our apostolic missions include: serving vulnerable pregnant women in need, hosting retreats, evangelizing on the dignity of the human person, serving women who have suffered after abortion, and outreach on college campuses. Whatever one’s apostolic mission, our unifying charism really forms and colors the meaning of even the littlest tasks. So even for our sisters who are at the retreat house who might be cleaning or in the kitchen and not directly serving pregnant women, all of our life is offered on behalf of life. Peeling carrots in the kitchen can even be offered for someone who’s really struggling with the meaning of their life. It doesn’t really matter so much what you’re doing, but rather finding meaning through our vows and our charism. Blessed is She // What are some of your favorite aspects of your apostolic work? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // I love celebrating people! Throwing birthday parties for the women we serve brings a lot of meaning to me because often they haven’t experienced people rejoicing in their life. They receive so deeply and it is really powerful. I also love entering into conversations with the women that we serve and getting to listen to their fears and their dreams. It is also a joy to meet with college students: listening to them, encouraging them, and giving them the space to more deeply discover who they are and what God is inviting them into. Blessed is She // What does a typical evening look like, and what kinds of recreation do you and your sisters enjoy? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // The prayer schedule might look a little different in each house, but typically we’ll have our Holy Hour, Rosary, and evening prayer followed by dinner. During dinner we will either listen to a talk or a sister will read from a book. This allows us to not only be nourished by our food, but also spiritually. After dishes we usually have community recreation. We really enjoy playing games together, playing music, creating art and crafting, going for walks, or just sitting together to share our joys and sorrows. Blessed is She // What is something surprising about your life that not many people are aware of? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // I think what surprises people is the aspect of silence we live out in the morning. It is just so counter-cultural. Yet it really helps us to recognize how the Lord is at work throughout our day. I also think people are surprised to learn that we delight in the normal human joys of having fun together whether this be playing a game or a sport together. Blessed is She // With Jesus as your Spouse, how do you experience Him continuing to pursue and allure you? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // I really cherish our time of Examen at the end of the day. It’s a time to look back over the day with the Lord. To ask Jesus, “What did You see today? How have You revealed yourself to me in my work?” It’s a time to see His light in different parts of the day and to see how He has personally loved me, even in the smallest moments through ways that only He would know how to love me. It could be a little flower showing up, or experiencing great joy during a conversation which I was originally intimidated by. I so often experience His faithfulness, constant patience, and mercy, and sometimes it’s just in the small, little whispers. Blessed is She // What is it like being part of a family with over one-hundred sisters? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // I didn’t grow up in a big family, but I would imagine people in a big family would be able to relate to it. It’s so, so awesome because with the Lord, there is always more. You have the sisters who you might be closer to because you have lived with them, and those particular friendships within the community are really beautiful. And then, when we come together as a whole community, the experience is even more rich! What we share is really bonding, and it gives you that confidence to know that even if you get missions in the future with sisters you don’t know as well, you’re not afraid of it. You may suffer the grief of leaving the sisters you know, but there is also a confidence in getting to know new sisters. Of course, life is real and there are difficulties and miscommunications—it takes work to learn and get to know another person, their personality, and work style—but no matter what culture or background a sister is coming from, there’s something deeper uniting us. Blessed is She // What is your advice for other women who are in discernment and questioning whether their call is to marriage or religious life? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // I would say to take courage and have peace. The Lord knows what He is about. He has a beautiful plan and His timing of unfolding that plan is perfect. Keep your eyes on Him and be real with Him about your desires, struggles, and questions. Also, be sure to open your heart to hearing whatever He wants to speak to you, because He is the one who knows your heart better than anybody else, and His plans are better than anything you could dream up! Blessed is She // Can you tell me about your name, Sister Magnificat Rose of the Joy of Jesus and the Little Way? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // The “Magnificat” part of my name came from praying with Mary’s prayer. I see it as an invitation to offer my life as a song back to God and to praise Him in all things, united with Our Lady. The “Rose” is in honor of my confirmation Saint Therese of Lisieux. It is also the flower that our Founder, Cardinal John O’ Connor, would wear on his jacket in honor of the unborn. The “Little Way” is from Saint Therese’s teaching on spiritual childhood and reminds me to depend on the Lord and to allow Him to carry me. The “Joy of Jesus” comes from the Last Supper Discourse where Jesus says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). I long to be united to Jesus’ joy in His Father and His joy in bringing souls to His Father. Blessed is She // Is there anything else you want to share? Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. // I just want to remind readers that the Lord is for you and loves you! What other questions would you add for Sister?!   [bctt tweet="A Day in the Life of a Sister of Life #BISblog // " via="no"]

I joined the party almost a decade late, but Call the Midwife is a BBC TV Series that you can begin now without feeling behind. The show is based on Jennifer Worth’s best-selling memoirs, a woman who wrote about her real life work in midwifery and serving families in London’s East End town of Poplar during the 1950s. The Real Life History of Call the Midwife Poplar was heavily bombed during World War II and many were left without food or shelter. Throughout each episode you will catch glimpses of what life was like for the nurses, midwives, and nuns who provided care for all those living in the impoverished district of Poplar. Worth was motivated to write her memoirs out of her desire to share the legacy of the community she served. Thanks to her diligent record keeping, every episode in the first three seasons is based on real events! Worth’s character appears as the main protagonist of the first three seasons as Nurse Jenny Lee. While the show depicts the Anglican Nuns as belonging to the Order of St. Raymond Nonnatus and living in Nonnatus House along with the midwives, the real Sisters were the Anglican Religious Sisters of Saint John the Divine. The St. Frideswide's Mission House where these sisters lived can still be standing on Poplar’s Lodore Street. A place they called home since being called to in 1880. Key Characters in Call the Midwife There are many characters to love in CTMW, but here are a few who play key roles. Nurse Jenny Lee Nurse Jenny Lee is the narrator of the series, and she plays the real-life Jennifer Worth. She moved to Poplar with the hopes of forgetting the married man with whom she fell in love. Sister Julienne Sister Julienne is a middle-aged woman with a deep faith and serves as the leading Sister of Nonnatus House. She is steadfast, practical, and respectful, always assuming the best of people. Her wisdom and peaceful demeanor hold the convent together. Dr. Turner Dr. Turner is a widower, a father, and Poplar’s main doctor. He holds a strong and respectful relationship with the midwives and nurses of Nonnatus House. Fred The show is made so much brighter by Fred’s joyful character! He is the Nonnatus House handyman and also works as a Civil Defence Volunteer. He’s always ready to lend a hand! Memorable Moments While I find each episode of CTMW captivating, this doesn’t make every episode easy to watch. The Risk of Love There are episodes when babies are stillborn and mothers die in childbirth. In one episode a husband and father loses both his newborn child and his wife. As Nurse Jenny Lee grapples with this tragedy, her peer, Nurse Cynthia tries to bring her comfort saying: You have to be brave to be in love, knowing that your heart may get broken at some point along the way....We mustn't let fear stop us. This quotation reminds me of what C.S. Lewis talks about in his book The Four Loves: To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one. Later on in the season, Nurse Lee will experience her own devastating loss. One of the nuns at Nonnatus House will come to her aid with the words of wisdom: You will feel better than this, maybe not yet, but you will. You just keep living until you are alive again. These words don’t erase the pain, nor the continuity of the pain, but they do offer the comfort of an honest friend, as well as a way forward. Selflessness + Generosity In another episode, there are young children who were abandoned by their mother and have been brought to Nonnatus House to be both fed and bathed. Three of the siblings are covered with fleas and lice, and the suggestion is made to shave their heads. At the sound of this the always glamorous and fashion-forward Nurse Trixie Franklin hurries to their defense saying: There is nothing the matter with these children’s heads that a bit of time and attention can’t cure. We have plenty of the former and the latter costs nothing. I was struck by this comment because the midwives and nuns of Nonnatus House are constantly busy. They are running from home to home on medical calls (sometimes in the middle of the night), working in the clinic, or simply trying to get some rest at the end of the day. Yet they always seem to find more room in their heart to love and more time to offer. Another example of this is an episode when Nurse Barbara willingly makes more work for herself by offering to bring expressed breast milk from a mother to her baby who was in the NICU which was a bike-ride away. A Shift In Agenda While I wholeheartedly recommend Call the Midwife to friends and family (it’s become a show I love watching with both my mom and mother-in-law!), I do have to say that I noticed a significant shift in the content of the show after the end of season 3, and am currently towards the end of watching season 4. Political agendas become much more apparent including graphically-portrayed controversial topics such as homosexual relationships, contraception, and abortion (with one abortion appearing in season 2, episode 5). With this in mind, I would say that if you continue watching past the third season you will still find moments of laughter and love, but there is also a lot more in the show that may challenge a Christian worldview, so my recommendations for this series stand mainly with seasons 1-3. Words of Wisdom Call the Midwife isn’t just a television show about women having babies and nurses coming to their aid. The episodes also depict both the richness and the struggles of love—romantic love and the kind of love needed when living in community. It shows the very real and relatable joys and challenges involved with friendship, faith, family, and motherhood. The characters in this series are single, newly married, widowers, celibate... the list goes on. Whatever stage of life you find yourself in, I do not doubt there is an episode with an uplifting message you can apply to your life. In the words of Jennifer Worth: We stumble on cracks, are faced with imperfection, bonds tested and tightened. And our landscapes shift in sunshine and in shade. There is light. There is. Look for it. Where do you find light in your life?   [bctt tweet="BIS Reviews // Call the Midwife #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

I love book recommendations, and now that I am a mom, I always appreciate hearing about fun suggestions for my own daughter. If there's a teen in your life, this book list is for you—whether you are looking for books for your own children, godchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews, or just friends in general. Fiction Novels for Catholic Teens Below you will find book options covering a wide array of genres including a few classics, some history, as well as more contemporary options. Let’s dive right in! Classics The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis I remember one of my class assignments being to write my own final chapter and conclusion to this classic tale by C.S. Lewis. This story begins with the narrator finding himself in a dreary town where he climbs aboard a bus which is headed towards Heaven. Surprisingly, many of the passengers request to get off before arriving. The plotline will have you reflecting on good and evil. In Lewis’ words, “If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven.” This book really puts attachment to earthly things into perspective! The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien This is Tolkien’s first book in his three-volume series The Lord of the Rings. As you read you’ll enter Middle-earth, home to charming hobbits like The Hobbit’s hero, Bilbo Baggins. This mythic fairy-tale begins with Bilbo’s “eleventy-first” birthday party, and with his age, he is ready to entrust the dangerous and powerful Dark Lord’s One Ring to his young cousin Frodo Baggins. In their village of the Shire, Frodo accepts the daunting task to adventure across Middle-earth in order to destroy the Ring and the evil plans of the Dark Lord. Adventure Novels on the Rosary Champions of the Rosary by Laurie Schmitt This book is written by a homeschooling mother of nine! In this story based on real-life events you will meet three siblings who are taught the catechism by Sr. Adele Brise. These three siblings along with their older brother are witnesses of the 1871 Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin. A fire which brought devastation to over two-thousand square miles and killed over a thousand people. What will become of the chapel where these children were taught? Will they find a way to escape the fire? Lepanto’s Lady by Laurie Schmitt Each year on October 7th, the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the day of a historic battle dating back to the 16th century Battle of Lepanto, won by Italy and Spain’s Holy League. A victory attributed to the Blessed Mother and the power of the Rosary. Inside the pages of this book, based on real-life events of the battle, you will meet a young girl named Rosa from the coastal town of Amalfi. Rosa is searching for her father who has been taken by enemies. Will she be able to avoid danger as she attempts to save her father? Historical Perspective The Spear by Louis de Wohl This Catholic author worked in astrology with MI5 during World II and over a dozen of his pre-war novels became the inspiration for movies. This novel is about the crucifixion through the eyes of Longinus, the man who speared Jesus’ side to make sure that he was dead. As Boston Herald wrote, “It tells from a new and fascinating angle the age-old story of the men and women who were sublimely affected by knowing the Messiah, Jesus Christ.” Louis de Wohl considered this book the most important work of his entire literary career. A Woman In The Trees by Theoni Bell Like Champions of the Rosary, it is so fun to know there is more than one novel about the Marian apparition site in my home-state of Wisconsin! The protagonist of this book is a curious and explorative pioneer girl who lives on the American frontier. With tragedies including her family, the Civil War, and the country’s most devastating wildfire all a part of this book, she must learn to journey through life though both the love it provides and the loss it brings. In Kendra Tierney’s review of the book (the author of the Catholic All Year Compendium) she wrote, “It’s a unique look at the lives of nineteenth century American Catholic immigrants, interwoven with the story behind the only approved U.S. Marian apparition. I look forward to making it part of our homeschool reading list.” Contemporary Anyone But Him by Theresa Linden Caitlyn Summer was a “good girl”, and she imagined herself marrying a selfless and holy husband. Yet somehow she ended up marrying the bad boy, the same boy who pressured one of her best friends to get an abortion after getting her pregnant in high school. Suffering from amnesia, Caitlyn can’t seem to remember the past three years of her life, nor why she married the man she is now with. While she is tempted to leave him and get a fresh start on life, her husband’s brother (and her first love) is there to offer hope by helping her recover her memory and seek out answers. This question looks for the answer to the question, who changed, was it Caitlyn, or was it her husband? A Single Bead by Stephanie Engelman In this book, sixteen-year-old Katelyn discovers a Rosary bead which belonged to her grandmother’s Rosary, and it bears her own initials. A Rosary which was lost in the plane crash which took her grandmother’s life and began the onset of her mother’s severe depression. In conversation with a stranger, Katelyn is told that a similar bead saved the life of this stranger’s friend. Thus begins a journey sprinkled with hope, mystical events, and the outpouring of grace. A Series Will Wilder Series by Raymond Arroyo The protagonist of this three book series is a conniving and somewhat stubborn twelve year old boy. In the first book, The Relic of Perilous Falls, Will has a sacred relic which is thought to have protected the town of Perilous Falls for almost one-hundred years. It is up to Will to fight the enemy when danger arises. In book two, The Lost Staff of Wonders Will, is back again to keep Perilous Falls from the ancient evil demon named Amon. When the Staff of Moses disappears from the town’s museum, blame shifts to Will who is on mission to protect his innocence and put an end to the thief’s terrors. In the final book, The Amulet of Power, Will longs to join his school’s football team. After receiving what was told to be a locket of Samson’s hair, he thinks he might just have what it takes to make the team. That is, until darkness and evil returns to Perilous Falls and yet again, it is Will’s responsibility to catch the demon. Will a touchdown goal be scored by Will in the meantime? You’ll have to read on to find out! Short Stories Treasures: Visible & Invisible by 8 Catholic Teen Books Authors This book includes eight short stories. A few including a young girl who is searching for a mysterious treasure which holds the key to fulfilling a nun’s dying wish. Another about William, a boy who sees his weekend job as a gift, but knows his family is in need of a big miracle. The others include elements of unearthed treasure, visits from Heaven, mobsters, and a precious relic. Looking for More Reads? For more book recommendations I suggest A Mother’s List of Books by Theresa Fagan. I was given a copy of it by a stranger in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City this summer, right before witnessing the final vows of the Sisters of Life! I’ve been told it’s a “golden ticket” as far as book resources go and after reviewing it myself, I do agree! What are your favorite fiction novels for Catholic teens?   [bctt tweet="Fiction Novels for Catholic Teens #BISblog //" via="no"]

If there are any avid golfers in your life, you may have heard of the seaside town of St. Andrews on the coast of Scotland. Did you know that this iconic 15th century golf course, known to be the “Home of Golf,” is in some part thanks to St. Andrew’s Archbishop, John Hamilton? While the King of Scotland banned the sport in the mid 1400’s, claiming that it pulled young men away from practicing archery, the sport was reinstated by a later king in the early 1500s. Two years later, Hamilton established a charter stating that all of the the locals of St. Andrew should also be allowed to play the links. Caddies and Cathedrals So why all of this about the game of golf? Well for starters, because this town on the east coast of Scotland is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle, and was long ago a pilgrimage site to venerate his relics. The town began growing near St. Andrew’s Cathedral, a place which used to be the religious center of Scotland as well as being one of Europe’s largest buildings. Today however, you will find the Cathedral in ruins. It was built in 1158 but during the Scottish Reformation of the 15th century it was destroyed, the leftover rubble becoming a resource for new town buildings. If you stood there today you would still be able to see the cathedral foundation as well as the church’s twin spires, a round portal, part of the nave, and priory wall. The Saltire of Scotland Scotland’s national flag has a blue background with a white saltire (diagonal cross) which stretches to the corners of the flag. This image is known as the Cross of Saint Andrew, Scotland’s patron saint. Saint Andrew was martyred in Patras, Greece in 60 A.D. When he knew he would be martyred by crucifixion he asked to be crucified on an X-shaped cross because he felt unworthy of being crucified the same way that Jesus had been crucified. Legend says that his last words were: Cross, sanctified by the body of Christ. Good Cross, long desired always, I loved you and wished to embrace you. Welcome me and bring me to my master. There is a Scottish legend that King Angus of Scotland saw a white saltire across the blue sky during a battle in the 800’s and won victory through the intercession of Saint Andrew. This symbol was later used as part of a government seal in 1286. Nearly one hundred years later, the Scottish Parliament ordered that badges with the Cross of Saint Andrew should be worn by its soldiers. In the 17th century both Scotland and England were ruled by the same monarch. It was then that the flags of both countries were combined to form the “Union Jack”: a flag combining the blue and white saltire of Saint Andrew for the country of Scotland, and the red and white Cross of Saint George for England. While this remains the flag of the United Kingdom, Scotland still flies its traditional blue and white flag. First of the Apostles Saint Andrew was one of the first Apostles to be called by Jesus. In the Gospel of Mark, we read about how Jesus saw Simon and his brother, Andrew, fishing in the Sea of Galilee. Jesus said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men’. Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. // Mark 1:17-18 Before being a follower of Christ Himself, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. He was clearly a man searching for the Messiah. He was also one of the three invited whom Jesus invited to join him on the Mount of Olives, a place where Jesus spoke to them about the end times: The Coming Persecution (Mark 13:13) // “You will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.” The Great Tribulation (Mark 13: 22-23) // “False messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders in order to mislead, if that were possible, the elect. Be watchful! I have told it all to you beforehand.” The Need for Watchfulness (Mark 13: 32-33) // “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” While we may not know the “day or hour” we can rest confidently in the words of this Apostle in John 1:41 that “we have found the Messiah.” Even before the Apostle Andrew had set his eyes on Jesus, he was seeking after Him intently. Now, in this season of Advent, we can look to Saint Andrew as our model as we await in anticipation of Jesus’ birth this Christmas. A Patron for Finding the Messiah While there may not be much to see of Saint Andrew’s Cathedral today, his relics can still be venerated throughout Europe in Patras, Greece, the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and Edinburgh, Scotland, to name a few. If you are not a golfer, you can ask for his intercession next time you’re fishing, as he is the patron Saint of the sport! After all, he had his nets in the water when Jesus, the Messiah he was looking for, first called out to him. In what ways have you “found the Messiah” in your day-to-day life? What do you ask of Him this Advent season?   [bctt tweet="Saint Andrew's Town by the Sea #BISblog //" via="no"]