Solemnidad la Inmaculada Concepción de la Santísima Virgen María Lectionary: 689 Lee las lecturas en el sitio de USCCB. Primera lectura Gn 3, 9-15. 20 Después de que el hombre y la mujer comieron del fruto del árbol prohibido, el Señor Dios llamó al hombre y le preguntó: “¿Dónde estás?” Éste le respondió: “Oí tus pasos en el jardín; tuve miedo, porque estoy desnudo, y me escondí”. Entonces le dijo Dios: “¿Y quién te ha dicho que estabas desnudo? ¿Has comido acaso del árbol del que te prohibí comer?” Respondió Adán: “La mujer que me diste por compañera me ofreció del fruto del árbol y comí”. El Señor Dios dijo a la mujer: “¿Por qué has hecho esto?” Repuso la mujer: “La serpiente me engañó y comí”. Entonces dijo el Señor Dios a la serpiente: “Porque has hecho esto, serás maldita entre todos los animales y entre todas las bestias salvajes. Te arrastrarás sobre tu vientre y comerás polvo todos los días de tu vida. Pondré enemistad entre ti y la mujer, entre tu descendencia y la suya; y su descendencia te aplastará la cabeza, mientras tú tratarás de morder su talón”. El hombre le puso a su mujer el nombre de “Eva”, porque ella fue la madre de todos los vivientes. Salmo Responsorial Sal 97, 1. 2-3ab. 3bc-4 R. (1a) Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas. Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas: Su diestra y su santo brazo le han dado la victoria. R. Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas. El Señor ha dado a conocer su victoria y ha revelado a las naciones su justicia. Una vez más ha demostrado Dios su amor y su lealtad hacia Israel. R. Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas. La tierra entera ha contemplado la victoria de nuestro Dios. Que todos los pueblos y naciones aclamen con júbilo al Señor. R. Cantemos al Señor un canto nuevo, pues ha hecho maravillas. Segunda lectura Ef 1, 3-6. 11-12 Bendito sea Dios, Padre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, que nos ha bendecido en él con toda clase de bienes espirituales y celestiales. Él nos eligió en Cristo, antes de crear el mundo, para que fuéramos santos e irreprochables a sus ojos, por el amor, y determinó, porque así lo quiso, que, por medio de Jesucristo, fuéramos sus hijos, para que alabemos y glorifiquemos la gracia con que nos ha favorecido por medio de su Hijo amado. Con Cristo somos herederos también nosotros. Para esto estábamos destinados, por decisión del que lo hace todo según su voluntad: para que fuéramos una alabanza continua de su gloria, nosotros, los que ya antes esperábamos en Cristo. Aclamación Antes del Evangelio R. Aleluya, aleluya. Dios te salve, María, llena de gracia, el Señor está contigo, bendita tú entre las mujeres. R. Aleluya. Evangelio Lc 1,26-38 En aquel tiempo, el ángel Gabriel fue enviado por Dios a una ciudad de Galilea, llamada Nazaret, a una virgen desposada con un varón de la estirpe de David, llamado José. La virgen se llamaba María. Entró el ángel a donde ella estaba y le dijo: “Alégrate, llena de gracia, el Señor está contigo”. Al oír estas palabras, ella se preocupó mucho y se preguntaba qué querría decir semejante saludo. El ángel le dijo: “No temas, María, porque has hallado gracia ante Dios. Vas a concebir y a dar a luz un hijo y le pondrás por nombre Jesús. Él será grande y será llamado Hijo del Altísimo; el Señor Dios le dará el trono de David, su padre, y él reinará sobre la casa de Jacob por los siglos y su reinado no tendrá fin”. María le dijo entonces al ángel: “¿Cómo podrá ser esto, puesto que yo permanezco virgen?” El ángel le contestó: “El Espíritu Santo descenderá sobre ti y el poder del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra. Por eso, el Santo, que va a nacer de ti, será llamado Hijo de Dios. Ahí tienes a tu parienta Isabel, que a pesar de su vejez, ha concebido un hijo y ya va en el sexto mes la que llamaban estéril, porque no hay nada imposible para Dios”. María contestó: “Yo soy la esclava del Señor; cúmplase en mí lo que me has dicho”. Y el ángel se retiró de su presencia. Qué gran diferencia hay entre contestar con un «sí» o con un «no» a la llamada de Dios. Me duele recordar las veces que he sentido la llamada de Dios en mi alma pero la tentación de intentar mantener un control ha sido más fuerte que mi confianza en hacer lo que Dios me pedía. La verdad es que sin la gracia de Dios soy muy débil y mi deseo de quedarme en mi zona de confort se apodera de mí y gana. No siempre pude oír la llamada de Dios con la claridad que ahora tengo. Primero estaba mi trabajo, después mi lista de quehaceres, mis hijos, mi esposo, mi familia, mis amistades, mis intereses personales y por último quedaba mi vida espiritual, si es que sobraba tiempo. Así es, hermana, le daba mis sobras a Dios mientras Él me lo daba todo. Como se podrán imaginar, no es posible vivir una vida sólida, en paz y plena sin Dios. Al pasar el tiempo después de sufrir años de sequedad interior, poco a poco le fui diciendo que sí a la llamada de Dios. Me sentía cansada, llevaba mucho tiempo sufriendo en silencio una soledad que me causaba mucho sufrimiento. Venía de recoger a mi hijo mayor de la escuela cuando de repente me sentí llamada a ir a la iglesia. Ya llevaba unos meses en el área donde vivía pero aún no había hecho el esfuerzo por ir. Como mis hijos estaban conmigo pensé que sería mejor regresar directo a la casa y seguir con la rutina del día. Pero la llamada que sentí se hizo más fuerte que no pude ignorarla. Se me ocurrieron muchos motivos por lo cual no era un buen momento. Y aunque mi resistencia fue grande, cedí de mala gana a manejar hacía la iglesia. Al llegar, encontré la Iglesia vacía y no sabía qué esperar. Sintiéndome guida, encontré el camino hacía la rectoría. En la entrada estaba un señor y le pregunté si me podía ayudar a hacer una cita para hablar con un sacerdote. Me contestó que él era el pastor de la iglesia y que justo antes que yo entrara, le habían cancelado su cita de esa hora y estaba disponible para hablar conmigo. Hermana, mi conversación con el padre fue transformativa y gracias a ella empezó mi retorno a la iglesia, mi reconversión y mi sanación interior. Mi «sí» no fue bien dado, ni fue libre de duda ni confusión, pero ese «sí» le bastó a Dios para conducirme hacia Él. Desde ese momento, he tratado de estar más alerta a escuchar la llamada de Dios en mi alma. Cuando dejo que Él me conduzca, los frutos son vastos y cuando me resisto, sufro el aislamiento de separarme de Él. Aprovechemos esta Solemnidad de la Inmaculada Concepción de la Santísima Virgen María para pedirle a nuestra madre celestial que interceda por nosotras. Que a través de su intercesión, Dios nos conceda un corazón más como el de ella y que nos dé la gracia que necesitamos para contestar con un «sí» a la llamada que nos está haciendo Dios en nuestra vida. ¿Cuál es la llamada que Dios te está haciendo? “Yo soy la esclava del Señor; cúmplase en mí lo que me has dicho”. (Lc 1,38) Brenda Pineda reside en el sur de California con sus 3 hijos y su esposo. Es una Health y Life coach certificada. Actualmente por obra del Espíritu Santo trabaja para su Iglesia Parroquial. Sus pasiones incluyen el desarrollo personal y espiritual, la salud holística, y ayudar a los demás a encontrarse con ellos mismos y con Dios. Aparte de pasar tiempo de calidad con su familia (su lenguaje de amor), su pasatiempo favorito es compartir lo que Dios está obrando en la vida con una buena amiga mientras disfrutan una tazita de té.

When I became a part of the Blessed is She writers' community, I was struck by the way in which our leaders would begin our prayer time. "Come, Holy Spirit," they would pray. A bit of silence would follow and then again another invitation: "Come, Holy Spirit." In the silence of those quiet invitations, I would take a deep breath and invite the Holy Spirit into my own life and heart as well. As a child it hadn't quite sunk in that I could have a relationship with this third Person of the Trinity. It was a gift to be reminded that He was there for me too, in a communion of love with the Father and the Son. It's easy to think on this Feast of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit can't be present to us in the same way that He was for the Apostles (see John 20:19-23). Yet He is! Today's Gospel Sequence professes that He is our refreshment, our coolness, our dew, our renewal. He gives life to our work and light to our times of darkness. If you were to write your own Sequence today, what would your heart like to say to the Holy Spirit? What would be your words of praise, your heart's deepest request? Come Holy Spirit Who frees me from worry. Who loves me as I am and gives me hope for the future. Come Holy Spirit Who knows my story through and through, and gives me a new vision. Come Holy Spirit, giver of all good things and filler of the cup of my heart. Come Holy Spirit, make my heart big, for Your sake. Amen. [bctt tweet="He is our refreshment, our coolness, our dew, our renewal. // Karen Schultz" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Where does the Holy Spirit need to come into your heart today? Rest in this beautiful Sequence. Karen Schultz hails from the Land of 10,000 lakes, where she is often found in or near one of them. As a doula, lactation educator, and FertilityCare Practitioner, she finds joy in helping women to embrace the gift of their bodies. Downtime is found in quiet adoration chapels, farmers markets and gardens, listening to bluegrass music, and embracing the diversity of Minnesota’s seasons. She is a contributing author to our Works of Mercy Study: Misericordia. You can find out more about her here.

"There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written" (John 21:25). Part of my desire to know is sheer curiosity. The Gospels are filled with such incredible miracles, fascinating parables, and brutal moments of sacrificial love. But also in my heart, maybe I'm hoping I'll hear of Jesus delivering just one more BANG sermon, just one more tender touch to a woman in need, just one more revelation of private prayer with the Father. Maybe, even though I've poured over the Gospels time and time again, would my affirmation-seeking heart be satisfied by just one more? If I'm not filled up by four Gospels and the much ink spilled of Jesus' words, sister, I'm probably not going to be filled up by more. It's my half-hearted trust that Jesus couldn't have died for me because I'm well, unworthy. I'm looking for that extra assurance. Yes, I'm unworthy, and so are you. Yes, I'll betray Him, and so will you. And yet He invites us to follow Him. The invitation to Love is just that, the thing we can never deserve. [bctt tweet="The Gospels are filled with such incredible miracles, fascinating parables, and brutal moments of sacrificial love. // @WholeParenting" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Pray deep with a short piece of Scripture, sister. Take it inside the chambers of your heart cordoned off. Let Him in there, too. Nell O'Leary is a recovering lawyer-turned-writer and speaker who loves sewing baby goods while tending to her husband and four kiddos in the great city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She serves as Managing Editor for Blessed is She and can down a hot cocoa in no time flat. Find out more about her here. She is the editor of our Blessed Conversations Series and guide for the Gift of You course.

I wonder what Jesus’ voice sounded like when He asked Simon Peter: “Do you love me?” With gentleness and tenderness, Jesus encounters Simon Peter. It’s sheer love. There is no condemnation. This is Jesus’ mysterious work of restoration. He restores Simon Peter’s three-fold denial from Good Friday with a relationship of love. From this relationship, Simon Peter remembers his identity as the rock on whom Jesus has chosen to build His Church. From this identity, Simon Peter receives his mission to feed the flock entrusted to his care. Sister, this is how Jesus wants to do the mysterious work of restoration in our own hearts. Jesus desires complete union with our souls! From this relationship we will know our identity before Him. And when we know our identity, we will receive our mission. Jesus desires a docile, surrendered heart that is ready to follow Him. Yes, He may lead us somewhere where we might not want to go, but His cross always leads to life! I never thought that I would resign from a teaching job I loved to join a convent. Nor did I think I would leave that convent after six years of formation. With the gentle guidance of spiritual directors throughout the last decade, I have experienced clarity in prayer along my winding path to holiness. No matter where I am living, what I am wearing, or how people perceive my story, I know with confidence that Jesus is with me. And He is enough for me. From this personal relationship with Jesus, He sees my heart. In the truth of my identity, I have my mission. I trust Him and am grateful for His mysterious work of restoration in my life. Sister, today I invite you to set aside a little more time for prayer. Invite the Holy Trinity to restore your heart. May each of us have the grace to be docile to the will of the Father in our uniquely beautiful identify and mission. [bctt tweet="Jesus wants to do the mysterious work of restoration in our own hearts. // Rose Coleman" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Pray this new Saint's mission of life prayer today. Rose Coleman is a contemplative in action who delights in all things beautiful. Her adventurous heart has traveled many places—from circumnavigating the globe on a ship during college to some years in the convent as a religious sister. Exuberant from her childhood, she is an elementary school teacher who learns so much from her students. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up and the author of our Blessed Conversations: Ways to Pray study found here. You can find out more about her here.

It had been about a year since I moved into my city and I was still hopping around from parish to parish looking for a place to call home. One parish was becoming a favorite, and I started to feel more comfortable each time I attended Mass there. On one occasion, I went to the parish and sat down in a pew diagonally behind a woman. As I knelt down, she turned and looked at me. I smiled. She scowled. She then grabbed her purse and with a huff, marched out of the pew and across the aisle. My head spun in confusion. Did that just happen? Why did she leave? Did I do something? Even though I knew I wasn’t sitting very close behind her, was I still too close? I wracked my brain for an answer. Coming up short, I turned to find the woman so that I could offer up a smile and maybe mend any nonverbal communication that may have been broken. But when we locked eyes across the aisle, she once again delivered an angry glare letting me know that I was not welcome at that church. Jesus makes clear in today’s Gospel that we are one, just as the Father is in Him and He is in the Father. And not only are we one, but Jesus desires for all of us to be one with Him and the Father in Heaven. This calls for unity not gate-keeping, welcome not hostility, love not fear. We know that perfect love drives out all fear (1 John 4:18) and Jesus generously gives us not just any love, but the immense love in which the Father loves Him: the Holy Spirit. Love is the power of the Holy Trinity at work in us towards our neighbor. It is the “greatest social commandment” (Catechism of the Catholic Church sections 1889, 2196). Let us work efficaciously toward seeing every person as another Christ with whom we are one. [bctt tweet="Jesus desires for all of us to be one with Him and the Father in Heaven. // @chikasworld" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Join us in praying this prayer for racial healing. Chika Anyanwu is a Catholic evangelist based in Southern California and is also the author of My Encounter: How I Met Jesus In Prayer. She has a deep love for Jesus, loves her beautiful Nigerian family, and is a firm believer that if coffee is good, there’s no need for cream or sugar. Find out more here.

My grandmother never cared for my mother, and this tension was something our whole family felt keenly. She was even sometimes quite mean to my mother. The details are unimportant. In truth, my grandma had a very difficult life. My grandfather died young, leaving my grandmother to raise six children under thirteen on her own. My father told me that to pay for his father’s funeral, they borrowed a neighbor’s pony and gave pony rides around the block—a nickel a piece. It was a different—and very difficult world for my grandmother. In her last years, her capacities began to dwindle, leaving her vulnerable, confused, and sometimes afraid. One day, she called. My mother listened quietly a while and then said, “It’s okay, Grandma, we’ll be there as soon as we can.” The next thing I knew, we were making the trek to her home several hours away. When we arrived, she was clearly in need of attention. She was sheepish and unsure. My mother spoke gently, reassuring her that everything would be okay. Stepping into the living room we were met with a foul odor, the source of which we soon discovered was used diapers that had not been discarded properly and were strewn about, even on the kitchen counter. My mother set me to cleaning up while she drew my grandmother a bath. I will never forget watching her help my grandmother step into the water and tenderly bathe the woman who had been so unkind, offering a holy, hidden anointing of forgiveness and charity. She would help her dress and comb her hair, and later we would take her to the grocery store where grandma would point to an item and meekly ask, “Could I have one of those?” and my mother would reach up and grab three from the shelf. “Of course, Grandma,” she would say, “we’ll get you anything you need.” Even as a child, I was deeply moved. I couldn’t have articulated it then, but now I understand, I was seeing a kind of consecration in truth unfolding before me. To consecrate means "to make holy, sacred." The word alights multiple times in our readings today. Jesus consecrated Himself for my mother that she might be consecrated in truth, even in a home that hated her. In return, she consecrated my grandmother. And all that had been lost to cruelty had been miraculously made sacred ground. Grandma, requiescat in pace. [bctt tweet="I was seeing a kind of consecration in truth unfolding before me. // Liz Kelly" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion In your kindness, let us pray today for those who have been mistreated by family members. Liz Kelly is a jazz singer who fell in love with Jesus. She writes, teaches, offers spiritual direction and retreats with a special interest in helping women to flourish in their faith. She’s written six books, including the award-winning Jesus Approaches, the Jesus Approaches Take Home Retreat, and the Your Heart, His Home Prayer Companion. And she still sings jazz, but mainly in the tub and while washing dishes. Find out more about her here.

It was just a little talk. A small deal, really. But my usual confidence wavered as my words floated into the audience—an audience filled with highly-respected individuals who knew me well and knew their faith better. What good could my message do them? The second it was over I grabbed my notes and made a beeline for the car, replaying every word with an interior cringe. As the weeks passed by, the Lord gently revealed that every one of my fears and self-criticisms was based in doing His work for my glory. I’d spent years craving reassurance and clinging to every shred of feedback, basing whether I could do God’s work—and be good at it—entirely on what others might say. But if I truly sought to do His glory, the outcome didn’t matter. The reality is that God’s work never depends upon our particular ability or performance. It depends only upon the obedience and love with which we do His will. The Lord can do His work perfectly well (often far better) without us. Yet He delights in sharing His work with us. He delights in teaching us to use our gifts for His glory through our every fumbling fiat. The Lord continues to gently call me out of my comfort zone. He’s teaching me that whether I write the most graceful turn of phrase or give the most stirring speech—or whether I crash and burn by human standards—when I do my best to seek His glory above all, He fills in the gaps. He bears the fruit. Always. Christ Himself reminds us today that our greatest mission on this Earth is to glorify the Father. The Lord didn’t measure His mission in light of human “success,” with numbers of healings or conversions or the eloquence of His Sermon on the Mount. Rather, Christ captures His entire mission—and by extension, ours—with one simple prayer to the Father: "give Glory to Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify You" (John 17:1). Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. [bctt tweet="He delights in sharing His work with us. // @megan_hjelmstad" username="blessedisshe__"] Lord, in every little feat and blunder may we point with confidence back to You. Megan Hjelmstad is a wife and mom 24/7 and an Army Reservist in her “spare” time. She is the Stories Manager for the Blessed is She Instagram account. She’s a bibliophile, tea drinker, sleep lover, and avid admirer of Colorado’s great outdoors. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up. When the writing bug hits, you can find out more about her here.

Life is not short on trouble. Our Lord knew that. The Church knows that. And we know that. My life thus far has generally been pretty free from tragedy, but it only takes one Hail, Holy Queen, one Our Father, and one Hail Mary to remind myself that this life is a valley of tears, and that I'm in need of a Savior. It's an eerie reminder when the days are sunny and serene . . . this is not forever, this is not your Home. But there is nothing more intimate and consoling than the words of Christ in the Gospel today, "In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world" (John 16:33). No matter how sad the story is, the victory is won. Today, in a million little ways, you and I will struggle. We may not be facing anything dire (or we may!) but we will certainly slip, and fall, and feel the bitter sting of defeat—spiritual, physical, emotional, or otherwise. But take courage—not only are you not alone, but the trouble you now face has already been overcome, and by the God of all things Who calls you beloved. If the victory is His, it is yours, also. Take courage. [bctt tweet="I'm in need of a Savior. // @blythefike" username="blessedisshe__"] Ask for an increase in courage, and if you have a kiddo aged 8-12, pick up a copy of our children's devotional book with a whole chapter on it. Blythe Fike is the wife of Kirby and mother of 8 smallish kids. She loves the quiet life in small town SoCal. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up. You can find out more about her here.

The moisture seemed to be permanently suspended in the air that summer in Houston, Texas. My husband and I were away from home as he completed a summer internship. I was newly pregnant, several months after the loss of our first baby to a miscarriage. The only thing more stifling than the humidity was my anxiety. It crippled me. I sought professional help for my mental health, which was a true blessing I continue to be grateful for to this day. However nothing felt more healing to me than the time I spent visiting Jesus in the local adoration chapel. “Behold, I am with you always . . .” (Matthew 28:20). This is more than just a nice sentiment we hear in today’s Gospel, sister. This is reality. Every time I visit an adoration chapel, I am amazed that Jesus is there, patiently awaiting my arrival. When we spend time in Adoration, we are truly in the presence of Jesus—Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. When we adore Him, we come to know Him more intimately. It is in moments like this that we receive the very knowledge Saint Paul speaks so eloquently of in today’s second reading (Ephesians 1:17-23). In moments like this we come to know Christ as our hope. We experience firsthand His glory, rich beyond words. Sister, may I invite you to stop by an adoration chapel this week? Would you spend a holy hour with Jesus? If you don’t have an hour, the Lord will be delighted by any time you can give Him there. I guarantee you will be blessed by His presence. Jesus did not promise to be with us always only to be left alone in chapels around the world. He desires so deeply to spend time with you. To love you. The Lord longs for a deeper, closer, more intimate relationship with you, that when we pass from this life, our souls might ascend to spend eternity with Him. [bctt tweet="We experience firsthand His glory, rich beyond words. // @inendlesssong" username="blessedisshe__"] Grab a copy of this book by a French mystic and take it with you to Adoration. It's amazing. Elise Howe is a wife, mother, vocal artist, teacher, and writer. A lover of authentic beauty, Elise is most joyful when creating with the inspiration of the Divine Artist. A born-and-raised Midwestern gal, she happily resides in Michigan after several years "living the dream" in New York City. Elise has a heart for ministry, dark chocolate (but not too dark) and coffee with a generous amount of cream + sugar. She is a contributing author to our Works of Mercy Study: Misericordia. Find out more about her here.

"Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete" (John 16:24). If I'm being honest, this verse is one I really struggled with before I knew the Lord and His heart. Okay, God. I've asked You for [insert whatever it is you've been chatting with Him about], and I'm still waiting. Or You just flat out said no. Why are You ignoring me? Why have You abandoned me and the desires of my heart? Are You even listening to me? Do You even care? All thoughts and questions I've asked Him before. All heartfelt, deeply felt convictions for me in my faith journey. "For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world" (John 16:27-28). It wasn't until I began to really, truly know God as my Father, friend, fiercest protector and shield, that I began to really, truly understand His will for me. His heart for me. His desires for me. All of those seemingly unanswered or ignored prayers—He's been leading me all along. Sometimes with a "not right now." Sometimes with a "trust Me." Sometimes with a "I have something far greater for you in store." Sometimes with a "I will bring hope from this sorrow and tragedy." Always with a heart for my greater good and His greater glory. "Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." In friendship with the Lord, my prayers have changed. And my joy continues to be more complete more and more each day because of it. Sweet Father, help me to live this day with your heart. Bring those who need to experience Your light and Your love to my attention today. Remind me today that my life is interruptible. Draw me close to You through my experiences today, whether they elicit joy or sorrow. Here I am, Lord, with open hands to receive whatever it is You so desire to place in them today. My joy is made complete in trusting that You truly are for me. [bctt tweet="It wasn't until I began to really, truly know God as my Father, friend, fiercest protector and shield, that I began to really, truly understand His will for me. // Shalini Blubaugh" username="blessedisshe__"] Keep praying this prayer with us today, sister. Shalini Blubaugh is a Minnesota transplant living in Denver, Colorado with her sweet husband, Matt, their brand new gal pal, Callan, and quite large GSD pup, Sully. She is a health coach and loves pizza, because #balance. Shalini graduated from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, served with NET Ministries, and went on to attend Law School. She graduated with her J.D. and happily leaves all things Law behind! Some of her favorites include travel, re-connecting with old friends and making new ones, the ways in which God so beautifully brings all things full circle in His time, and a good, loud thunderstorm. Find out more about her here.

The sun shone between the branches of the evergreen trees as I slid my feet forward one by one, pulling with my ski poles. The stillness of the winter morning, the beauty of the scenery, and a remembrance of the illness I overcame to get to this point filled my heart with grateful joy. A year before I would not have had the strength to cross country ski out in these woods due to Lyme disease. My ankles would have complained loudly sending a painful twinge resonating up my whole leg. Yet, I was skiing pain free in the glorious sunshine of late winter. In the Gospel today Jesus talks about how a woman forgets the anguish of childbirth when her child has been born, and that we will grieve now but later rejoice (see John 16:20-22). He does not mean that we will forget that we have suffered. Certainly, I remember and love a good birth story. He means that the pain is worth it for the sake of the joy. The pain we endured in union with Him will turn to joy. In His Resurrected Body, Christ bears the scars of His passion. He bears a remembrance of what He suffered because we are worth it. Because of His Resurrection and because of His Joy, His scars become something to rejoice in. Sister, I, too, bear scars. I bear physical scars from a chronic illness and across my whole stomach from four full-term pregnancies. I bear emotional scars that He has healed with His gentle love. We all bear scars. But sister, our scars are His scars. His scars are our scars. Whatever scars you bear, whatever suffering you are going through in this season of joy, remember the words of Our Savior, "You will grieve, but your grief will become joy" (John 16:20). Our Suffering Savior has risen, but He is perfectly aware of our state of suffering. Offer your suffering to Him for the sake of the Joy to come. “And no one will take your joy away from you” (John 16:22). [bctt tweet="The pain we endured in union with Him will turn to joy. // Susanna Spencer" username="blessedisshe__"] Let us pray through John 16 again. Susanna Spencer is the Theological Editor for Blessed is She who studied theology and philosophy in her earlier life. She happily cares for her three adorable little girls, toddler boy, and her dear husband in Saint Paul when not writing and editing. She loves beautiful liturgies, cooking delicious meals, baking amazing sweets, reading good books, raising her children, casually following baseball, and talking to her philosopher husband. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up and Theological Editor of the Catechism Studies, the Mystery Studies, and the Works of Mercy study. You can find out more about her here.

Imagine if Saint Paul used social media. "Hey friends! It's Friday Introductions on Thursday, because I'm hosting a tent DIY workshop tomorrow. All are welcome! I'll even tell you about that time the Lord knocked me off my horse. I love to tell stories about the Lord, so you'll probably hear more than one. Here's a bit about me: + Paul, Apostle of Lord + tentmaker by trade + was once blinded when God knocked me off my horse + letter-writer in my spare time + also: currently working to spread the Word to the Gentiles What's your story?" The popular social media "Friday introductions" brings me so much joy. My favorite introductions reveal something vulnerable or unique about the person—something that helps me make a connection and know that person in a new way. I cannot stop thinking about Saint Paul as a tentmaker. This detail escaped my attention for years and now I'm floored by what it reveals to me. Besides being a passionate evangelist, Saint Paul was a normal person like you and me who worked with his hands. As a tentmaker, he probably practiced perfect stitches and appreciated a quality material. He knew people, and he knew the needs of people who used tents. Saint Paul's conversion didn't mean the end of tent-making. In today's reading from Acts (see Acts 18:2-4), his trade became a point of common ground from which to build community with other believers. Common ground is a building block for building community. As a woman who moves frequently, I feel the need for community and common ground deep in my being. When I learn that an acquaintance also runs, or quilts, or enjoys homemade kimchi like I do, I feel connected. Even the most trivial bit of common ground helps form and deepen relationships. And those relationships go deeper. Paul didn’t stop with a friendly visit and small talk while working. He evangelized. I’m inspired to ask the Holy Spirit to anoint my relationships and the time I spend with people. He can use any detail as an open door for me to share the Word with someone else. Or maybe when I share my heart, the Spirit can move in that vulnerable space and someone will mentor me. I’ll be looking for common ground, where the Spirit can move and grow beautiful friendships, where we build each other up in the Lord. Let's be on the lookout together, sister. [bctt tweet="Even the most trivial bit of common ground helps form and deepen relationships. // Gina Fensterer" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Are you looking for deeper woman friendships? Consider starting a Blessed is She community group. Gina Fensterer finds daily life to be perfect for practicing virtue and sometimes blogs about raising up saints (she has six children). She loves the Jesus prayer, long runs, and coffee at any time of day. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up. You can find out more about her here.

When I first started driving, I was pretty "directionally challenged." Before cell phones and Google Maps were commonplace, I had to learn how to find my way around with printed out turn-by-turn directions from Map Quest. I tried using physical books with maps but they ended up with me feeling stressed out and frustrated. If I missed my exit, I would very quickly get lost. There was more than one (or five!) occasions where I called my Dad from a gas station pay phone trying to explain where I went wrong. We all need road maps, sign posts in life, to help us know where we are going, both in our daily lives but also in our spiritual and emotional lives. Today's Gospel account reminds me how much the Holy Spirit is our road map. Think of a heavenly version of Google Maps! Jesus tells His disciples when the Holy Spirit comes, we will be guided to all truth. The Holy Spirit leads us to truth, the fullness of truth. One of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to help us know the truth about our Faith and ourselves. The Holy Spirit will never contradict Jesus or the Father because they are all on the same team. There are times we may wrestle or struggle with questions about our Faith or how to handle certain pastoral situations. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and lead you. What is true in this teaching or situation? How shall I respond? What would You have me do here? What is the next step I am to take? We all need maps to help us get safely to our destination. Let us ask and rely on the Holy Spirit to be our spiritual road map as we navigate life. [bctt tweet="The Holy Spirit is our road map. // @amoderngrace" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion A spiritual library that is orthodox and in line with Church teaching is so helpful for discernment. See our blog post of suggested reading here. Patty Breen is a full-time lay minister who finds joy in running, strong cups of coffee, and all things Ignatian spirituality. A Midwestern gal from the mitten state, she is constantly learning to find grace in all things. She is passionate about ministry, writing, a great lipstick color, and smiling is her favorite. Find out more about her here.

Saints Paul and Silas lived a life of praise. They never lost hope. Even in the midst of a dire situation, their love of Christ raised them from their troubles. They praised God in their troubles, because they loved the Lord despite their circumstances. They were able to preach to the jailer because they loved the jailer, despite his role in their situation. As Christians, we are not supposed to pick and choose when we love God, nor should we pick and choose who is or is not worthy of our love here on earth. Each of us has the opportunity to be the face of Christ, not only to those who we love deeply, but also to those we do not know. We are called to a deeper love—one that does not expect reciprocity. It is a love that if offered freely and openly, on bad days and good, can convert hearts. This is a love towards strangers and neighbors and coworkers and family. Those we love deeply and those we do not know. As we grow in our faith and become able to praise Him even in our darkest moments, we reflect the light of Christ to others. Living the faith is the best way to share the faith, and sharing the faith can save souls. So let us proclaim the Good News, in our words and in our deeds, in good times and bad, and who knows how many lives we can save. Is it easy? No. We all have our own troubles, but we get to invite the Lord into our challenges and failures and flaws. Are you spiritually imprisoned now, held emotionally or spiritually captive by your circumstances? Offer the Lord your love and praise anyway, and expect with the greatest hope that He will loosen your chains. [bctt tweet="As Christians, we are not supposed to pick and choose when we love God, nor should we pick and choose who is or is not worthy of our love here on earth. // Dr. MaryRuth Hackett" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Read more about this time in Saints Paul and Silas' journey here in Acts 16. Dr. MaryRuth Hackett is the host of the podcast Parenting Smarts. She loves historical fiction, dark chocolate, watching her children play soccer, a good cup of coffee (decaf please) and the quiet of the early morning. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and has a passion for helping parents understand the way their children grow and develop. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up. You can find out more about her here.

I love the image of the first female small group in the New Testament reading, Acts 16:11-15. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home" (Acts 16:15). Instead of visiting a synagogue, Saint Paul goes to a place of prayer along the river in Thyatira, near Philippi. There he encounters Lydia, one of my favorite women in the New Testament, gathered with a group of women praying together, possibly sharing a Sabbath meal. This gathering conjures to mind the Blessed Brunches I hold at my home where we share a meal and our hearts. When Saint Paul arrives, he opens the hearts of the women, and they "pay attention to what Paul was saying" (Acts 16:14). Lydia not only opened her heart that morning, but she also opened her home. Lydia is very much like you and me, sister. She had a career and enough wealth to have her own home and invite Paul, Silas, and Timothy. Because no men are mentioned in her baptism and conversion of her household, some commentators suggest that she could have been either widowed, divorced, or single. She worshipped God and was respected by her community, so much so that the Church in Philippi formed. She is a female leader in the early Church who goes unnoticed by many, but not me. She served humbly, passionately, and boldly. I can’t help but wonder if she was a martyr for her faith, or if she just watched fellow disciples of Christ, including Saint Paul, endure horrible fates for their unyielding belief in Christ. Sisters, there is much we can learn from Lydia. For starters, we need to gather women around us using technology and the internet in the shelter-in-place times and worshipping God in our homes. Listen and pay attention to the testimony of the Saints and of those you welcome into the inner rooms of your soul. Finally, prevail in opening the doors of your heart to your brothers and sisters in Christ. By doing so, you might just be entertaining the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. [bctt tweet="Prevail in opening the doors of your heart to your brothers and sisters in Christ. // @SoCalTriciaT" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Would you like to meet virtually as a group? A quick rundown on how-to. Tricia Tembreull is a California girl with a boundless passion for life. After two decades of ministering to teens and youth ministers as a trainer, ministry mentor, and speaker in Catholic youth ministry, Tricia now serves as Campus Minister at USC Caruso Catholic Center. She loves adventure and seeks it everywhere she goes. As an avid foodie, she enjoys testing new recipes out on friends and family, gathering them around the table to encounter Christ in one another and be drawn to the satisfying unity we crave in the Eucharist. You can find out more about her here.

Shortly after the birth of my third baby, my body and self image were taking a huge confidence hit. I stared fixedly into the mirror with my milk-stained, three-day-old shirt and my sleep-deprived eye bags that could carry a week's worth of clothing, and I was absolutely fixated on my hair. Maybe it was exhaustion, maybe it was hormones, but for some reason, I was convinced that I needed to change my part to the other side of my head. Okay, I was definitely losing it. I brushed, I combed, I coaxed, but nothing I did would make my hair do what I wanted it to do. I tried to clip it down but this annoying cowlick made the back of my hair stick straight up. And I sobbed in the bathroom over a pile of hair ties, clips, and serums. Then a little voice in my head told me to just let it go. It is no use fighting your hair's "natural state," just let it go, Daughter. So I huffed and threw the brush back into the drawer, I took a shower, and parted my hair the same old way I always do and started laughing hysterically at what could have possibly possessed me to try a new hairstyle. In those little moments, God reminds us of the truth. "[A]nd he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17). Even in the most hilarious ways. Maybe you've experienced this in a big way or a little one, but the Spirit is moving in your life, sister. Start paying attention in little ways. Listen to Him. [bctt tweet="God reminds us of the truth. // @Substance_Soul" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Sink deep into a Hail Mary today, asking Our Mother to help you listen. Dr. Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife to Paul, mom to three little ones, and practices dentistry at a public health community center for low income families in the Bay Area, California. She (unashamedly) thinks ice cream is its own food group, does not leave the house without wearing sparkly earrings, and is an enthusiastic proponent of the Oxford comma. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up. Find out more about her here.

I know a handful of "recovering people pleasers," and sometimes I call myself the same thing. I don't think it's a terrible thing to admit—I think it's honest. We want people to like us—we want to feel seen and valued and loved. So when Jesus tells us that the world may hate us, I'm uncomfortable and I want to ask Him, "Can't we do something about that? What do they want??" Ultimately, they want Jesus, but they may not know it yet. We all long for Him and for the union of being with Him. So until they're ready for Him in all His glory, what can we do? How can we respond to the hatred? We have to respond with love, of course, but we also need to respond by better rooting ourselves in the identity of being beloved. When we know who we are, we can show others Who we're all about and help them discover their identity as His beloved, too. I've met a few women in my life who I can tell, without a shadow of a doubt, know they are beloved by God. They know they are His daughters. They feel stronger because of it. They feel joy because of it. And it's also beyond emotions—they have a confidence in Him that is not shaken. And when I encounter these women, I'm changed. I walk away wanting to know more about Our Father, wanting to know more about what He has to say about me—to me. Maybe when we're faced with hatred, the way we should handle it is by running towards the Face of Love itself. Over time, maybe we'll grow in that same confidence and in that same identity that shouts, "I'm beloved and so are you." [bctt tweet="When we know who we are, we can show others Who we're all about and help them discover their identity as His beloved, too. // @praymorenovenas" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion Are you familiar with Saint Therese of Lisieux's devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus? Annie Deddens is a writer and producer. She runs a prayer ministry with her husband, called Pray More Novenas. She has a heart for the sick & suffering, and she writes about living with greater faith (hope & love, too) in this imperfect world as a Catholic wife. You can find out more about her here.