I have gone through seasons in my life when I struggled in my relationship with Mary. There were many times when she seemed distant or unrelatable, and I did nothing to foster a connection with her. Mary and Marriage? I remember a particular season of struggle which began after a religious discernment retreat I attended. During this retreat, much to my surprise, I received a strong message that I was not being called to the religious life, but was in fact called to the vocation of marriage. And somehow, I let this change of discernment greatly affect my relationship with Mary. I suddenly thought that Mary played less of a role in my life and vocation than before. I thought Mary bore more relevance to women who are virgins. I knew she was important in the life of all Christians, and that she is the Mother of all the faithful, but somehow women in religious life seemed more important to her. The consecrated women in my life, or those discerning religious life, always seemed to have a deeper devotion to Our Lady. That made sense to me. After all, Mary gave her everything to God in her fiat. And the modern way in which women radically give their all to God seems to be through the religious life. Also—and this was a big also—Mary lived as a virgin for all her days. Therefore, Mary must serve as more of a model and example for women who are called to virginity for the sake of the Kingdom, right? I somehow “lose” some aspect of devotion to her because my life as a future married woman will not be like her life, right? Wrong. Very wrong. Virgin and Wife Mary was a married woman. Mary was joined to Joseph, and the two were husband and wife. Now we must remember, the marriage between Mary and Joseph did not look like most marriages of today. This is due to the fact that Mary and Joseph never engaged in the marital act, as was most fitting in God’s plan and most fitting for the Mother and foster-father of Jesus. The Catholic Church has always held the perpetual virginity of Mary: Mary remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in carrying him, a virgin in nursing him at her breast, always a virgin. // CCC 510 Mary was ever-virgin. But she was also married. We must not let her perpetual virginity cloud the fact that while she remained truly a virgin, she remained truly a wife. She was the wife of Joseph, who had received the call from God to marry Mary even after he heard the news of Mary’s conception of Jesus. … An angel of the Lord appeared to him [Joseph] in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit… When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife… // Matthew 1:20, 24 Mary is both virgin and wife. She alone is in a unique situation to serve as a model and example for women within all vocations. Mary and the Married Woman I believe we need to re-awaken our understanding of the marriage of Joseph and Mary. I’m afraid that we sometimes accidentally paint their marriage and their relationship as stale and boring. But in reality, the marriage of Joseph and Mary serves as an example to all those who are married. This is not because their marriage was devoid of romance and attraction. Joseph and Mary loved each other. They loved each other with a deep, affectionate, self-sacrificial, spousal love. Their marriage was not dry, but full of life! They felt toward each other how any young and in-love married couple would have felt. They abstained from sexual relations, but they shared a deep and intimate connection in other ways. And so my assumptions about Mary as being more relevant to the life of a sister or a nun were wrong. Yes, Mary can relate to them in a unique way. But Mary also understands the heart of a married woman. She understands what it is like to be a wife and a mother. She has so much to teach us about how to love men, and how to trust and give of ourselves. In his Consecration to Saint Joseph, Fr. Donald Calloway beautifully expresses the inner workings of Mary’s heart in this regard: When Mary met St. Joseph, she knew that God had chosen him to be her loving (and beloved) husband. Trusting in God’s plan, she fell in love with St. Joseph and gave him her Heart. Mary’s body was reserved for God, but she had the freedom to give her Heart to St. Joseph, the only man worthy of her, the only man perfectly reflecting the pure love of God. Mary was in love with Saint Joseph. We don’t normally think of her this way. But I think if we give her the chance to reveal herself to us, in her true identity as a wife, she can help repair the many damages and wounds present within the family today. The Best Example Mary was a married woman. So if you are married or feel called to marriage, don’t be like me and make that an obstacle between you and her. Instead, ask her to show you how to love. Ask her to show you how to be a good wife. We get to learn from the best.   [bctt tweet="Mary and the Married Woman #BISblog //" via="no"]   Mary Grace “Gracie” Tillman is a fulltime student and fulltime extrovert. If you don’t find her with her friends, odds are she’s lost on a backroad with her music turned all the way up. She loves sports, writing, one-on-ones over coffee, and all things related to Divine Mercy. She strives to life live every day to the fullest and be a joyful disciple of Jesus.

As a speech therapist working in a rehabilitation hospital, I change a lot of adult diapers. Most of my patients are adjusting to a new life with disabilities. One day they're self-sufficient, perhaps even working full time. Then comes the incident (a stroke, a car crash, a fall, a heart attack, lack of oxygen, etc.). Now they're dependent on others even to go to the bathroom. And if they're on my caseload, they also have difficulty communicating, remembering, thinking, and/or swallowing. It's a rough transition. Some of my patients make a pretty good recovery, regaining their independence step by step. Others will never be truly self-sufficient again and will always rely on the support of caregivers. Never a Burden Among my patients who are aware of their new disabilities, a common worry expressed to me is this: "I don't want to be a burden to my family." It’s a legitimate concern! None of us wants to feel that we cause more trouble than help for the ones we love. The response I am tempted to give is this: "You've earned their care. You took care of your family long enough; now it's your turn." And while that may be true for some patients, there's a problem with this response. Listen carefully: "You've earned this." Can love and respect ever be earned? It's easy to overlook the problems with conditional love and respect when the conditions are met. But despite the messages we absorb from society, we cannot earn love, respect, or dignity. Our dignity is innate and cannot be augmented or diminished by our abilities. Our dignity comes from the One who made us. Conditions, Conditions, Conditions I believe I should be able to keep our apartment immaculately clean. I believe I should gain weight to achieve the perfect BMI. I believe I should be able to function on 7 hours of sleep. I believe I should never ever make mistakes at work. I believe I should never offend anyone with my writing. The list goes on and on and on. Do you feel the pressure, too? Our society is obsessed with optimization. We are taught we must always be working to maximize our positive impact. Fill in this sentence: I believe I should ______________. Fill it in as many times as you need to. I encourage you to stop reading for a moment and write down a list of your expectations for yourself. Now check off all of the expectations you meet. Now crumple up your list and throw it in the garbage. Your dignity is not dependent on any of those conditions. Not a single one. Dignity is Innate Our abilities do not define our dignity. One of my favorite authors, Katherine Wolf, suffered a stroke at age 26. She is severely disabled to this day. She often writes about transitioning into a life with disabilities. In the book Hope Heals, Wolf wrote: "I slowly began to understand that I had survived a brain bleed and that I was this 'slow-motion miracle girl.' [...] I also eventually learned I could no longer walk, eat, hear out of my right ear, see one image at a time, speak clearly, or use my right arm or hand. [...] The whole miracle thing really stung because the 'miracle' had left me unable to live normally." But Wolf's story does not end there. Later in Hope Heals, Wolf wrote about a beautiful message the Lord spoke to her heart: "Katherine, you are not a mistake. I DON'T MAKE MISTAKES. [...] Remember that you were fearfully and wonderfully made in your mother's womb, and that is when the AVM formed in your brain." Every time I read Psalm 139, I think of Wolf's words. We are temples of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing we can do (or fail to do) that changes our dignity one way or another. A newly conceived single-celled child is just as dignified as a 100-year-old grandmother with dementia. A person on death row is just as dignified as a Nobel laureate. A person with Down syndrome is just as dignified as a famous poet. You are as dignified as a person experiencing homelessness and the Queen of England. Katherine Wolf's dignity did not change with her stroke. And neither does our dignity change. If we succeed or fail, if we are able or unable to accomplish something—our dignity does not change. This is radical. Abilities Change But Our Dignity Does Not In American society, we are taught that certain aspects of our experience are part of our identity. Patience, pro-activeness, eloquence, efficiency, strength, intelligence—to name a few. What about when these traits are stripped away? When the brain is affected by an injury or disease, our personalities are often affected directly. Patience may give way to impulsivity. Pro-activeness may give way to reduced initiative. Eloquence may give way to aphasia (difficulty using or understanding language). Efficiency may give way to impaired problem solving. Strength may give way to weakness. IQ can drop. I'm not sure why American society conditions us to believe that we will retain our self-sufficiency throughout our lives. It seems absurd to me that our grandparents are expected to live with complete physical and financial independence. According to the CDC, two in five adults over age 65 have some sort of disability. The two most common types of disabilities, according to the same source, are mobility and cognition (read: intelligence). For most patients, rehabilitation works well, but not always the way patients expect. Sometimes, rehabilitation is about working around the disability, compensating for new deficits with help from strategies, devices, and other people. This may seem bleak, but remember: the dignity of the person is not affected by any of these new disabilities. You are Worthy of Love If I've learned anything from my work as a speech therapist, it is this: our dignity is not defined by our abilities. We are all worthy of love, respect, and care. Our dignity does not change, no matter what diagnoses or disabilities we may encounter. So now when my patients tell me that they don't want to be a burden to their families, I try to give a more compassionate message. I try not to tell them that they've earned this care and love. Because love is not earned. This new message is hard to swallow, but it's so important to hear: "You are not defined by your self-sufficiency. You are worthy of love and care no matter what. Your abilities may have changed, but your dignity has not." Honestly, even though I don't have a disability at this point in my life, sometimes I need to hear that message too. Don't you?   [bctt tweet="Dignity Beyond Our Abilities #BISblog //" via="no"]   Kiki Hayden is a freelance writer and bilingual Speech Therapist living in Texas. She is a Byzantine Catholic. Check out how God has changed her life through speech therapy here.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. // Psalm 95:7-8 Love this print from Remilla Ty from today's readings. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Remember, Members, you get this for free! Log in and download! Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

No matter where you live on the globe, winter brings with it a certain chill. For a time, this coolness can be calming and restful, inviting you to slow down, settle under a soft throw, and drink a toasty beverage. But as the months go on and the cold remains, the initial reaction to the reprieve of our hot months is often replaced by disdain and even some depression about the isolation and extra work the icy months can bring. It is easy to let the cold on the outside leak into our own hearts, making us a bit grumpy or even bitter and closed off to the world around us. Scripture Verses to Pray When You’re Cold Whether you simply need a little spiritual pick-me-up or a major change of pace to help cope, I’ve always found it helpful to reflect on the way God revealed Himself to the world in Scripture. With God, everything is deliberate. It’s no coincidence throughout Salvation History, He consistently and constantly revealed His presence to His people as fire. For example… The Burning Bush In Moses’ first encounter with God, he happens upon a burning bush, which though ablaze is not being consumed. God speaks, and in this moment reveals a truth to Moses about His own identity and value—something Moses probably struggled with having grown up as a Hebrew within the Egyptian courts where he was not fully accepted by either race. God tells Moses to whom he belongs, and He gives Moses the purpose and direction his life had been missing. What does this tell us? God’s fiery presence provides warmth, truth, and love to our hearts that have experienced the harsh and bitter coldness of others. // And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and lo, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. -Exodus 3:2 //And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” -Exodus 3:6 // Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” -Exodus 3:10 // He said, “But I will be with you….” -Exodus 3:12 Pillar of Fire In the Pentateuch, God leads the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land with a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. Scripture tells us this pillar (which represents God’s very presence) never left His people. This pillar not only directs and guides them, it also provides protection from the threat of their enemies. Often our own coldness can come from a lack of direction in our lives, or from the hatred and vitriol of others. No matter what darkness we may be experiencing, God’s presence remains with his faithful ones and protects them from their foes. // In the daytime he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light. -Psalm 78:14 // And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. -Exodus 13:21-22 // Then the angel of God who went before the host of Israel moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness; and the night passed without one coming near the other all night. -Exodus 14:19-20   Fire in God’s Dwelling Place God also gifted His people with a visual of His presence dwelling among them even when they were settled. Whether it was within the Tabernacle or the Temple, God made sure His people knew He was physically present among them. // On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony; and at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. So it was continually; the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel encamped. At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they encamped; as long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. -Numbers 9:15-18 // When Solomon had ended his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. When all the children of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the earth on the pavement, and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever.” -2 Chronicles 7:1-3 Elijah and Fire God continued to reveal His presence as fire into the ages of division and Exile. When Elijah wanted to prove the reality and power of God to the pagans and idolizing Israelites, he entered a duel with the priests of Baal, prayed for a sign, and God sent down fire from Heaven to completely consume the sacrifice being offered. In addition, when Elijah’s mission on earth had been completed, he was taken to Heaven in a flaming chariot, carried away by God’s presence after a long and grueling experience with the harsh, cold hearts of the Isrealites and her enemies. // And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Eli′jah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that thou, O Lord, art God, and that thou hast turned their hearts back.” Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” -1 Kings 18:36-39 // And as they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Eli′jah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Eli′sha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. -2 Kings 2: 11-12 Fire in the New Testament When the Holy Spirit descends upon the Church at Pentecost, all Jesus’ followers are filled with His presence and tongues of fire appear above their heads. This is an indication of the new, living Temple in which God’s presence now dwells. In light of our Baptism and Confirmation, our hearts and the hearts of all the faithful are now the dwelling places of God. And just as the Apostles were filled with courage and able to face unspeakable challenges and be understood by others, this same fire burns within each of our souls. This fiery theme extends throughout the wholeness of the New Testament, all the way to Revelation, where Christ’s heavenly body is described as blazing. // When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. -Acts 2:1-4 // John answered them all, “I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. -Luke 3:16 // Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden girdle round his breast; his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters; in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. -Revelation 1:12-16 If You Need the Visual Don’t be disheartened or disappointed in yourself if you’re struggling with coldness in your heart. Scripture warns against the cold, but it doesn’t outright condemn it. In fact, it is the lukewarm who are condemned (see Revelation 3:15-16). This is because the lukewarm are comfortable. When cold, this extreme discomfort results in receptivity of fire and warmth when it is encountered. Whether it is your body or your soul which is feeling chilly, take the time to meditate upon these passages of Scripture about the warmth and light of God’s presence. Drive to Church and gaze upon the candle illuminated beside the Tabernacle. Light a candle at the devotional corner of your parish and ask God’s presence to overwhelm the coldness you feel consuming you. Even lighting a candle or a match at home could have this same effect, provided it is a moment of prayer when your heart is surged and present with God. What Scripture verses do you turn to when feeling spiritually cold?   [bctt tweet="Scripture Verses to Pray When You're Cold #BISblog //" via="no"] 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

At the beginning of this new year, at the dawn of our time together in this year's Prayer Pledge, we contemplated this quote about the Rosary from Blessed Bartolo Longo:

Saint Josemaria Escriva said: "The Holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results."

I have been a faithful Catholic since I was baptized as an infant and, as difficult as it might be to believe, prior to my invitation to travel to Lourdes, France, I had never heard of Our Lady of Lourdes. I never knew that the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Bernadette in 1858, identifying herself as the Immaculate Conception, and revealing a spring of healing water that has led millions of pilgrims to travel to France praying to be healed.

Lent is but a few weeks away, and you might be starting to wonder, "What am I going to do for Lent?!" This question proves to be stressful for many of us, as we begin to fret about "doing Lent the right way" or becoming distracted by what others are doing. This is not the purpose of the Lenten journey. As we know, Lent is all about going into the desert with Jesus, to fast and pray alongside Him, to face our temptations wielding the Word of God, to be purified by the Holy Spirit, and to prepare to celebrate the most sacred Mysteries of our Faith. It's about riding ourselves of anything that keeps us from Jesus so that He can more fully possess our hearts. It's about offering our whole hearts to Him in love and thanksgiving. The Best Way to Figure Out What the Do for Lent Since that is our foundation for discerning what to "do" for Lent, the best way to go about deciding is to ask Jesus. Ask Him what He desires for your Lent. He knows your heart more deeply than anyone else—even yourself. He knows what will most benefit your soul and draw you closer to Himself this season. So start by asking Him. And If You Need More Ideas ... Once you've talked with the Lord about your Lent, feel free to gather some other ideas for inspiration. To help get your discernment juices flowing, we have a few unique ideas about what to give up for Lent: Apologizing for things that aren't your fault The snooze button Swearing Scrolling before bed Audio while exercising Streaming (music, Netflix, etc.) Your car Worrying (or immediately countering worry with a surrendered prayer) Kissing (for you dating folks!) Snacking Self-deprecation Staying in your pajamas all day Texting and driving Your mattress Scrolling when you wake up Audio in your car Makeup Not making your bed Alcohol Front facing camera Thinking judgmental thoughts Buying coffee Tell Us About Your Lent? What are you giving up and taking up this Lent? Let us know below so we can pray for you and encourage you!   [bctt tweet="How to Figure Out What to Do for Lent #BISblog #bislent //" via="no"]

I can still recall the first time I made my Saint Louis de Montfort Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. In the summer of 2008, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the ministry I worked for invited me to travel to Lourdes, France in the hopes I would be miraculously healed in the bathes of Lourdes.

As a former youth minister, I have witnessed thousands of teenagers receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. So when I became a college campus minister, I wasn’t expecting anything out of the norm on Easter Vigil when over twenty college students entered the Church. Uproarious joy, clapping, and hymns were audible after each catechumen was baptized.

About twelve years ago, I lost my vision for a week’s time. I wasn’t completely blind, more like a “Claritin†unclear commercial. At first, I was scared, then a peace rushed through my soul as I recalled Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.â€

In imaginative prayer, I often return to an undocumented moment in Jesus’ life: Jesus visiting Mary after His Resurrection.

Clive Staples Lewis, popularly known as C.S. Lewis, was not only an incredibly influential writer during his lifetime, but has continued to draw thousands of readers over the years. He was born in Ireland in 1898 and grew up surrounded by book lovers. One of his favorite authors was Beatrix Potter. He later tutored at Oxford where he was part of a small discussion group called “The Inklings” with J.R.R. Tolkien. A C.S. Lewis Booklist He wrote dozens of books during his lifetime, spanning the course of three decades. Here are some of his most well known works: The Screwtape Letters (1942) The Screwtape Letters is a classic when it comes to fighting off the whispers and lies that the devil so consistently and stealthily breathes into our ears. It is written in the form of letters between the high ranking demon, Screwtape, and his nephew and tempter-in-training, Wormwood. Throughout the correspondence Screwtape is coaching Wormwood on how to gain the soul of a new Christian. The way he is instructed to tempt the young man is simple, yet effective. Bring fully into the consciousness of your patient that particular lift of his mother’s eyebrows which he learned to dislike in the nursery, and let him think how much he dislikes it. Let him assume that she knows how annoying it is and does it to annoy...and of course, never let him suspect that he has tone and looks which similarly annoy her. Fun Fact: Lewis dedicated this book to his friend J.R.R. Tolkein. The Great Divorce (1945 ) This book is an allegorical tale in which the writer is aboard a bus on a journey from Purgatory to Heaven. He makes this journey as a transparent being, a “ghost”, yet his surroundings are all solid. So solid that he is unable to bear the weight of a leaf or walk among the sharp blades of grass. He won’t be able to engage with creation until he accepts the paradise that God designed. It isn’t that the ghost had a negative assumption of what a leaf or a blade of grass is like, it’s just that it was a mere shadow of how it is in Heaven. Our earthly reality makes it impossible for us to really fathom what Heaven is like. If the ghost prefers his idea of what his surroundings are like, and refuses to try to comprehend God’s reality, he can choose to return to the “grey town” where he began. However, if he chooses to go back, what started out as Purgatory, will become his decided hell. Some ghosts prefer returning to this place because there they are in control of their own lives. As Lewis wrote: There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened. Chronicles of Narnia (1950-1956) Lewis wrote and published The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe in 1950. Little did he know that he would continue writing to make it a seven book fantasy novel series. The story takes place in the land of Narnia where there is magic, mythical creatures, and talking animals. The protagonists are human children from earth who traveled to Narnia through a magic wardrobe. Here they follow the direction of Aslan the lion, who describes Narnia as “always winter and never Christmas.” With Aslan’s help, the children courageously fight to keep Narnia from falling permanently into the evil plans of the white witch who froze the land into a one-hundred years winter. Of all Lewis’ books, The Chronicles of Narnia has sold the most copies. Fun Fact: Lewis dedicated The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe to his godchild Lucy Pevensie who he based one of the characters after. In the front of the book he wrote her a letter, saying: I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. Mere Christianity (1952) In this book, Lewis so powerfully explains how the foundation of all Christian faiths can bring unity among us. Even the Wall Street Journal wrote about Mere Christianity: “It is not surprising that Lewis’s time-proven views are still flourishing while most other mid-20th-century works are nearly neglected.” He tackled a variety of topics including moral law, our disposition toward sin, and the Trinity. He did this keeping in mind that it needed to be easy to understand for the general reader, rather than highly philosophical. He wrote: If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. Fun Fact: The four books in Mere Christianity were broadcast on a BBC radio series during World War II. This series of 15-minute talks by C.S. Lewis was titled, “Right and Wrong: A Clue to the Meaning of the Universe.” You can tune into one of the 15-minute talks here. The Four Loves (1960) As I mentioned in a previous post about books on divine and human love, this book is the source of one of my favorite quotations, “To love at all is to be vulnerable.” Lewis shares great wisdom on the different categories of love as well as how they play out in our everyday life, writing about them with their Greek names. Affection storge: This is the cozy, comfortable kind of love that we experience in familiar and fond places whether that be the home we grew up in, our place of worship, or our college community. Friendship philia: Lewis calls this kind of love the most fully human. It is the kind of love we share with another when we find something in common. Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one'. Romantic eros: This love gives us a glimpse of what being in the presence of Eternal Love will be like. It is the kind of love that dies to self and anticipates the needs of the other. It is an image of God’s love for the world. Charity agape: This is where we ought to live, for the Beloved and as the beloved. We learn to have charity through the other three loves, but we are created to know and love God Himself. Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose. If love is to be a blessing, not a misery, it must be for the only Beloved who will never pass away. A Grief Observed (1961) After just four years of marriage, Lewis’ wife, Joy, died from cancer. This book was written after her death, and is a must read for anyone suffering the loss of a loved one. In this book Lewis will mourn with you: “I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief.” He will question God with you: “Can I meet her again if I learn to love you so much that I don’t care whether I meet her or not?” He will also find comfort with you, despite the unknown: “When I lay these questions before God I get no answer. But rather a special sort of ‘No answer.’ It is like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate, gaze. As though He shook His head, but not in refusal or in waiving the question. Like, “Peace, child; you don’t understand.” By the end of his book, Lewis didn’t find all the answers. But he did find consolation in knowing his wife died with a spiritual peace. This is what I love about Lewis. His humility and honesty. He isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions, and even when he doesn’t fully understand the answer, his faith persists. Whether you are looking for a fantasy novel, a book to pray and meditate with, or one with a more philosophical angle, the writing of C.S. Lewis is a great place to find what you are looking for! Have you ever read the work of C.S. Lewis? Which one of his books is your favorite?   [bctt tweet="BIS Reads // A C.S. Lewis Booklist #BISblog //" via="no"]   This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much for supporting the ministry of Blessed is She!

Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. // Mark 1:7-8 Love this print from Mariana Pimiento of Big Apple Catholic. Let His word dwell in us richly, sisters. Remember, Members, you get this for free! Log in and download! Download your F R E E wallpapers right here --->>> Phone wallpaper Desktop wallpaper

In a small living room, my mom and dad’s closest friends from their “Marriage Encounter†days back in the '80s gathered to pray a Rosary like they had every Monday night for years. But this night, it was different.

Traditionally, Saturdays are dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. As we conclude our meditations on the Fruits of the Sorrowful Mysteries, we can ask Our Lady of Sorrows for the grace to give ourselves—mind, will, and heart—to God.

The saints have said that at the end of our lives, we will be judged on how we have loved, especially how we have loved the most underprivileged among us. The Lord allowed Himself to be nailed to the Cross, to be humiliated and abused beyond our imagining.