Week Two // Veni Creator Spiritus Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made. O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above. Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of God's hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue. Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o'erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply. Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside. Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest. Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen. Week Two Intention We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our families. Week Two // Day Two O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above. When I read this second verse of “Veni Creator Spiritus,” the image of Saint Mary—the sister of Martha and Lazarus—anointing Jesus’ Feet in the Gospel of John comes to mind (John 12:1-8). Mary, in pure and holy love for Jesus, is moved to anoint Jesus’ feet with costly ointment. She humbly and lovingly wipes His Feet with her hair, and the room becomes filled with the sweet fragrance of pure nard. St. Mary was filled with the fire of God’s love and because of that, was able to transform her passionate love of Jesus into action, into a work of charity. When we spend time with the Holy Spirit and when we set aside time to call upon His name and breathe in His presence, we begin to develop a relationship with our Great Comforter. As we build a relationship, our trust in the Third Person of the Trinity grows and is solidified. Our hearts become filled with love, a blazing fire of love, and we are able to turn our passions into action. The Holy Spirit always brings life. He breathes life into our holy desires and prompts us to take action, to live our life of faith in charity. Fill the world with the beautiful aroma of the Holy Spirit. When we trust the Holy Spirit, we are able to work miracles in His name. We begin to breathe life into others and spread His sweet, healing fragrance. We are able to fall to the ground at the feet of our neighbor in need, and serve them in humility and love. Implement the one thing that you wrote down yesterday with your prayer partner that will make your soul more at peace. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you strength and courage to carry out what He is asking you to do. At the end of the day, reflect on how implementing this made you feel. Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners Read John 12:1-8 together. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to each of you the person in your life He is asking you to bring His comfort and His sweet and gentle fragrance. Say a prayer from your heart for this person. [bctt tweet="O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above. #BISblog #prayerpledge //" username="findphilothea"]

I’ve got exactly nine minutes until I should be pulling out of my driveway. One minute less than 10 to pump, change into work clothes, do my hair, throw on some makeup, brush my teeth, and pour cereal into a toddler cup so I can scarf it down as I navigate morning traffic. Lunch is already packed. Thank goodness I managed to do that while making sure my crawling toddler was quiet enough to keep his 3-year-old sister in bed for at least a few more minutes. Perfection These days, it seems like I’m always searching for more than I have. More time, more energy, more greatness. All I want to do is throw adult responsibilities aside to do one thing. I want to write a submission post for one of my favorite blogs. On one hand, I can’t wait to get it over with. But equally, I’d rather not submit a page full of word vomit just for the sake of checking it off my ridiculously long to-list. However, and whenever it happens, something inside me says it must be perfect. Focus, perfectionist-driven momma. Maybe I should just sit down, crank it out, and settle for good enough. Doesn’t Jesus remind us that we’re a work in progress anyway? Flawlessly exquisite words aren’t necessary, especially since they’ll resonate differently with every mom out there. I take a seat and start to type. I find myself only a few sentences in as I reflect on one of my favorite books from the New Testament. Wisdom from St. Paul Paul’s letter to the Philippians is filled with heartfelt truth and inspiration. When I’m full of doubt and in need of edification, I seemingly always find myself in that portion of my Bible, as evidenced by the underlines, scribbled notes in the margin, and asterisks next to the text. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.   I stop and mentally melt into that text for a moment. Mommas, maybe our good in every action is actually great. To whom are we comparing ourselves? Are we acting out of purity and with Christlike intentions? One thing is for sure: our children don’t know the difference between good and great. So why am I struggling for perfection? Why can’t I seem to comprehend that the Lord is helping to transform my entire being through every action? Philippians 1:12-14 I want you to know, brothers, that my situation has turned out rather to advance the gospel, so that my imprisonment has become well known in Christ throughout the whole praetorium and to all the rest, and so that the majority of the brothers, having taken encouragement in the Lord from my imprisonment, dare more than ever to proclaim the word fearlessly.   Who am I trying to impress? If you think I’d answer “Jesus” to that question, then I’ve got you fooled. While it’s not the case, it should be. If I’m going to strive, worry, and toil so much in nearly all my actions, then it might as well be to knock the socks off of Jesus Christ, the only One whose judgement matters. If I keep attempting to impress those around me then I’m going to come to abhor the life that I have that’s unbelievably lovely. Intent is key. Philippians 1:15-18 Of course, some preach Christ from envy and rivalry, others from good will. The latter act out of love, aware that I am here for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not from pure motives, thinking they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment. What difference does it make, as long as in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed? And in that I rejoice.   Thankfully, there’s incredible news for all of us as Christian mommas. Jesus loves us for who we (really) are. He knows our hearts and can predict every single thing we do in each moment of the day, whether we deem them #momfails or #momwins. So whether we win or lose on a daily basis, if we peek at the motives within the depths of our souls, we can be sure that one day, our imperfections will be wash away and we’ll dwell in Heaven eternally. Philippians 1:21 For me life is Christ, and death is gain.   That being said, my nine minutes are up and it’s time to leave the dishes, stop the soundtrack of the Medela breast pump, and thrust any negativity to the wind as I barrel out the door. So, momma friend, seize the day. Because for all we know our days on early are limited before we’re united (prayer hands) with the Lord, Jesus Christ. How are you going to focus on being a great mom in the Lord's eyes today? [bctt tweet="Being a Great Mom in Jesus' Eyes #BISblog //" via="no"] Shannon Olinski is an Arizona native, wife, mommy of two, event planner, and journalist. She graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Arizona in 2012 and earned a master's in higher education shortly after. Shannon married her husband in 2014 and loves seeing the way the Lord blesses her family each day. In addition to working full-time for an organization that serves K-12 teachers, she teaches Pure Barre. A few days a week she's up before the sun to lead these classes because, in her opinion, there's almost nowhere else she feels she's able to be a witness of Christ’s love through relationship-building and encouraging women. When she’s not working, you can find her eating ice cream, having dance parties with her family, and listening to podcasts about healthy living.

Week Two // Veni Creator Spiritus Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made. O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above. Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of God's hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue. Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o'erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply. Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside. Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest. Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen. Week Two Intention We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our families. Week Two // Day One Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts, which Thou hast made. The Church proclaims the Holy Spirit as the “Giver of Life.” Just as the Son of God is conceived through the Holy Spirit’s mysterious intervention (Luke 1:35), so too, life is given to us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit continues breathing life into us any time that we invite Him to enter into our heart, the heart that He helped form and create. Pope St. John Paul II taught that the Holy Spirit “is the eternal source of every gift that comes from God.” The Holy Spirit always gifts us with peace. He is ever ready to outpour love upon us. Every gift—even (and especially!) the ultimate gift of the Incarnation—comes from the love of the Spirit. Let the Holy Spirit lavish you with His gifts and breathe life into you. This week, let us work towards trusting the Holy Spirit. We can begin to trust Him by spending time with Him. When we place our trust in the Holy Spirit, we are better able to communicate our needs, desires, dreams, wants, and yearnings to Him. Sisters, the Holy Spirit desires your beauty. The Holy Spirit seeks a resting place within your heart. We must trust that He will never hurt us; we must trust that He is here to help us. The Holy Spirit will bring us freedom, joy, and life when we place our trust in Him. We may often find ourselves tired, overwhelmed, and troubled. During those times, let us call upon the Holy Spirit, the Spirit who always brings hope and love. The Holy Spirit gives us life and life in abundance (John 10:10). The Holy Spirit offers a pure and safe love—a love that we can fully rest in. He yearns to reside in our heart. He wants to overshadow us with His love, just as He did Mother Mary. Rest in His love. Take three minutes today to rest in silence with the Holy Spirit. Do not feel like you have to speak. Just simply tell the Holy Spirit that you want to be with Him for the next three minutes. Invite Him to dwell in your heart, and let Him breathe life into you. Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners What is one thing you can do today that will help make your soul more at peace? Is it turning off your phone for the rest of the day? Is it saying a morning offering? Is it asking forgiveness from a friend? Share with your prayer partner what that one thing is. [bctt tweet="Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts, which Thou hast made. #BISblog #prayerpledge //" username="findphilothea"]

Did you know that Catholics officially celebrate Christmas through the beginning of January? The feast day which marks the end of this season is the Epiphany, which takes place on January 6. In fact, the early Christians celebrated Epiphany long before the celebration of Christmas was formalized on December 25 in the fourth century. The History of Epiphany Epiphany comes from the Greek word epiphaneia which means “appearance” or “manifestation.” Historically, this feast day celebrated not only the revelation to the Magi, but also Jesus’ baptism and the miracle at the wedding at Cana. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that: The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world. The great feast of Epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the wise men (magi) from the East, together with the baptism in the Jordan and the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee. -CCC 528 Insights from Pope Benedict XVI In one of his homilies on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord, Pope Benedict XVI started out by saying: Epiphany, the ‘manifestation’ of Our Lord Jesus Christ, is a many facetted mystery...The Eastern tradition...gives priority to the moment of Jesus’ Baptism in the River Jordan when he manifested himself as the Only-Begotten Son...John’s Gospel, however, also invites us to consider as an ‘epiphany’ the Wedding at Cana, during which, by changing the water into wine, Jesus ‘manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him’ (Jn 2:11).   At the wedding at Cana, Mary believed that Jesus could multiply the wine. This points to the Last Supper when Jesus turns the wine into His most Precious Blood. The Gifts Given to Jesus Matthew 2:10-11 reads that the Magi “were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Gold was the customary gift for royalty. The giving of this gift shows that the magi understood that Jesus was King of all. In Old Testament times, frankincense was considered to be very precious. It was used both medicinally and in the worship of God, as it was used to make incense. Though always mentioned last, at the time of Jesus’ birth, myrrh was prized more than gold. It was used to relieve pain. It was also as an embalming agent, symbolizing suffering, death, and life after death. This gift was prophetic for the great suffering and death that Jesus would endure. Cultural Celebrations In various countries like Italy, the nations of Latin America, and Spain, some families choose to give their children gifts on Epiphany rather than Christmas. You may also recognize the Polish tradition of using blessed chalk to mark the main entryway to your home. I’ve been in homes where either on January 1st or the Feast of the Epiphany, someone will write with chalk the first two numbers of the year followed by either “K+M+B” or “C+M+B” and then the last two numbers of the year. The CMB combination stands for the latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” meaning “Christ blesses this house.” The KMB version is after the three magi, Kaspar or (Caspar), Melchior, and Balthazar. Others celebrate Epiphany with “Majorcan Roscon” or a King’s Cake. Every year, where I work, there is an office which buys a beautiful sweet bread to celebrate Dia de los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings Day. This colorfully green and red pastry has mini plastic Baby Jesus baked into the cake. In Mexican culture, the person who finds the Baby Jesus is responsible for hosting a dinner or providing tamales and atole to their guests. At our office, it just means you have to bring in a snack on February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. In the Christian world, this feast traditionally marks the last day of Christmas. What This Feast Calls Us To ...what should we say, dear brothers and sisters...who are every day witnesses and ministers of the ‘epiphany’ of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist? The Church celebrates all the mysteries of the Lord in this most holy and most humble Sacrament in which he both reveals and conceals his glory. ‘Adoro te devote, latens Deitas’ in adoration, thus we pray. -Pope Benedict XVI   Benedict continues to talk about how Dante describes God as “the Love which moves the sun and the other stars.” The galaxy and the universe are governed by God, not by an unknown force. In this we can rejoice. We can rejoice because we live in a creation which is held in the protection of God our Father, a God of Love. Let us, with the magi, be “overjoyed” by what the star represents. Let's soak in the mystery and never fail to give God the adoration that is His due. Also consider what you can do—yourself or in your family—to celebrate Epiphany. Let us believe with the same confidence that Mary had when she entrusted Jesus with her request at the Wedding at Cana. Do you have any special traditions surrounding the Feast of the Epiphany? [bctt tweet="Witnesses of the Epiphany #BISblog //" via="no"]

Week One // Prayer to the Holy Spirit by St. Augustine Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy. Week One Intention We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit within our own souls. Week One // Day Five Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy. Amen! I love how the concluding lines of St. Augustine’s prayer conclude with a sense of trust. There is an added word that jostles the rhythm of the prayer that no other stanza of the prayer includes. The word “then.” This word is defined as “at that time,” “soon after that,” and “as a necessary consequence.” We have made our requests of the Holy Spirit, and here is where we surrender it. Here is where we lay it all out before the Holy Spirit, and entrust to Him our entire being. This is exciting! This is where we trust that “as a necessary consequence” of our prayers, we will indeed be guarded and led on in greater holiness. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to accompany us, to light our way, to guide us, and to guard us. We read in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22: But the one who gives us security with you in Christ and who anointed us is God; He has also put his seal upon us and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.   Here we learn that the Holy Spirit is given to us as our foundation for living the Christian life. And He isn’t just there in the beginning. His presence becomes stronger and stronger in our lives. When I flip the pages of my Bible to the Bible Dictionary in the back of the book, I read that "Amen" is a Hebrew word meaning “certainly” and “truly.” It was used to give approval to something someone said, a blessing or a prayer, etc. It is as if to say, “So be it.” When we pray this prayer of St. Augustine, let’s pray it with true belief. Just as you are asking the Holy Spirit to guard you today, ask yourself how you can help be a guardian to another. This could mean having a greater observance of a sibling or friend. Invest time in paying closer attention to those in your life who you hold dear. Does it seem like they might need some time to open up about a struggle in their life? A coffee date or quality time with you could be just what they need. What do you want to see in your life as a result of inviting the Holy Spirit to come into your life in such a radical way? Name it! And proclaim your confident and hopeful “Amen!" Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners Ask your prayer partner in what ways they desire to be guarded in their life. Of course, guarding ourselves too much emotionally can be unhealthy, but protection is a good and healthy thing. Ask your friend if there is anything that you can do to help provide that protection in their life. Assure them that you believe that the Holy Spirit will hear your prayer, because you believe, and you are saying, "Amen! So be it!" [bctt tweet="Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen! #BISblog #prayerpledge //" via="no"]

Week One // Prayer to the Holy Spirit by St. Augustine Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy. Week One Intention We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit within our own souls. Week One // Day Four Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Strengthen means to become stronger. By virtue of our Baptism, we are made strong by having received the Holy Spirit. This strength is nourished in the everyday by things like prayer, reading Scripture, and receiving the Eucharist. Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, grace abounds and the movement of the Holy Spirit intensifies, thus calling us to action. The Catechism reminds us that, “by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed” (CCC 1285). By this point, I have no doubt that the Holy Spirit has been strengthening you and strengthening me. We are breathing with Him, acting with Him, and being drawn by Him. Every moment that we call upon Him, He continues to increase in our life. Yes, we are already strong, but we are also tasked with defending the Faith. This is why we must pray that He increases our love, so that we are sensitive enough to notice when it is time to defend what is holy, yet also have the courage to boldly act. Take a few moments to reflect and ponder your last three days, on your journey with the Holy Spirit. Before today, have you noticed Him strengthening you? How has this taken shape in your life? Have you noticed a growth in your ability to act virtuously? Has this growth in virtue put you in a position where you felt the need to defend the Faith? Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners Ask your prayer partner if they have experienced a time when they felt called to defend the Faith. Were they able to speak up? Why or why not? Together, try to think of at least one way you can practically live out the call to “defend all that is holy.” [bctt tweet="Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. #BISblog #prayerpledge //" via="no"]

Raise your hand if you’ve ever made New Year’s resolutions. You’ve got your hand raised, don’t you? Me too. It doesn’t seem to matter which stage of life a woman is experiencing, there always seems to be more that we can do. More ways to help others. More ways to “improve” ourselves. More commitments we can make, habits to perfect, and hobbies to try. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret. This year? I ain’t doin’ it. Just Say No Nope! Ladies, I am just too swamped at this point in my life to add one more blessed thing to the list of stuff I need to do. My brain and my calendar are already full to bursting with requirements on my time and energy. So it only makes sense that resolving to do more and add to the crazy is a huge turn off for me. Not to mention that I am so bad at keeping these resolutions! Year after year, I disappoint myself when all of my good intentions get thrown out the window by about mid-February. My heart can’t take it anymore! So, how about we agree to free up a little of that self-induced stress and disappointment? How about we resolve to UN-RESOLVE? I know, I know. I can hear you. “But Beth, isn’t that a resolution in and of itself?” Touche’. The difference between a resolution and an UN-resolution, though, is intention. When you resolve to do something, you are essentially adding to your mental/emotional/physical/etc. load. But when you UN-resolve, you are releasing or diminishing part of the load that you carry every day. A resolution usually starts off as an “I will” statement and involves some sort of action on your part, right? I will lose 10 pounds. I will pray a Rosary every day. I will spend more time reading. I will...I will...I will… And while all of these things are excellent goals and would probably be greatly beneficial, there are seasons in our lives where adding one more thing to our to-do lists feels incredibly daunting. An UN-resolution, on the other hand, might start off as an “I won’t” statement, making it more of a mindset than anything else. Of course, if you’re anything like me, these battles against my stubborn and hardheaded mindset are the most difficult. The ones that require the most (dare I say it?) resolve to win. But in winning them, we free ourselves from ourselves. We find the space we need to really become who God wants us to be. Making Un-Resolutions So, sisters, what are some areas where we can make UN-resolutions this year? Body I’m going to be super vulnerable here and say this is probably my most difficult area. I’ve spent years actively loathing this ever-changing body God gave me. Every diet, every exercise fad...I’ve tried it. Every negative thought...I’ve had it. I’ve been bigger, I’ve been smaller, and, frankly, it doesn’t matter. Who I am as a person made in the image and likeness of God has not changed just because my body looks different. Being kind to this body is really hard for me. And, I’d bet you have felt the same. So this year, let’s choose an UN-resolution or two and cut ourselves some slack, yes? I won’t use negative self-talk against my body. I won’t beat myself up if I don’t stick perfectly to my diet. I won’t look at foods as good or bad, but simply as fuel to keep me going. I won’t look at exercise as punishment, but as a way to keep my body in good working order. I won’t harm my body by putting things into it that are detrimental to my health. Soul It would seem like adding more and more ways to enhance our fatih life could only be a good thing, right? But how often do we get caught up in the cycle of doing everything we think we are supposed to do and then realize that we are doing none of it well? Maybe, for some of us, our soul-life needs to be looked at from a new point of view. Instead of doing all the things, maybe we shift focus a bit? I won’t take it out on myself if my kids misbehave in Mass. I won’t use my children as an excuse to stay away from time with the Lord. I won’t avoid the confessional like the plague. I won’t believe that small amounts of time spent in prayer are insignificant. I won’t compare the prayer lives of other women to my own. Mind This one’s a doozy, isn’t it? So let’s dive right in. My favorite saint-friend St. Mother Theodore Guerin once wrote: We are not called upon to do all the good that is possible, but only that which we can do.   Amazing, isn’t it, how something a nun wrote in a letter over 160 years ago can still be so relevant today? How many of us feel completely tapped out by the demands that we allow the world to place on us? I know I do! So let’s take a little time at the start of this brand new year to clear some of our mental clutter. Maybe we can all take hint from Mother Theodore. I won’t immediately answer "yes" to every request made of me. I won’t allow myself to think that saying "no" to an opportunity or request equates to failure. I won’t compare my “behind the scenes” life to someone else’s social media “highlight reel.” I won’t dismiss my own feelings. I won’t give into the temptation to think that doing less means that I am worth less. Making Room I was straightening up our family room the other day when I noticed that the old toy box where we keep blankets was overflowing so much that it wouldn’t shut. Fuzzy blankets, afghans, and fleece throws were falling out all over the place! I knew we hadn’t added any new blankets. And I knew that, if properly folded, everything should fit inside quite neatly. So I took a few moments to clear things out. I went through the blankets and decided which ones needed washed. I folded and stacked the ones that were left. Wouldn’t you know it, that lid closed perfectly! So it goes with our mindset and our outlook at the start of the New Year. We don’t always need to add things to make a situation better. Sometimes, all it takes to improve our lives is to give them a good clearing out. It’s in the clearing out that we make room for growth. [bctt tweet="We don’t always need to add things to make a situation better. Sometimes, all it takes to improve our lives is to give them a good clearing out. It’s in the clearing out that we make room for growth. #BISblog //" via="no"] As you enter this new year, what are some areas of your life that could use some UN-resolution? Is there a mindset that needs to be shifted a bit? What physical, soulful, or mental space could you clear out to make room for growth? [bctt tweet="Making Un-Resolutions for the New Year #BISblog //" via="no"]

Week One // Prayer to the Holy Spirit by St. Augustine Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy. Week One Intention We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit within our own souls. Week One // Day Three Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. I love how beautifully the words of this prayer build upon the words that proceed it. First, we are quieting our souls. Then, we are opening our hearts wide to the Holy Spirit so that we can be vessels of Christ’s love. We must continue asking the Holy Spirit to move us so that He can lead us further in His direction. Next, we invite the Holy Spirit to draw our hearts, to allure us. I do not doubt that after two days of breathing with the Holy Spirit and inviting Him into your conversation with others, that He has begun to more deeply draw your heart. When I am more conscious of the Holy Spirit acting in my life, I can’t help but smile at all of the moments when He chooses to show Himself. A beautiful sunset on a drive into the city, the twinkle of my husband’s eyes, and a kind word from a waitress or barista are all ways in which I have experienced the Holy Spirit making an appearance in my life. It’s like He is gently, sometimes jovially, saying, “Look at Me! Did you notice that I was there when you asked? When you needed me?” The more attentive we are to the Holy Spirit, the more evident His movement will be in our lives. Today, ask the Holy Spirit to draw your heart. Read the words of Hosea 2:16: Therefore, I will allure her now; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak persuasively to her.   His allurement will draw you in to a deeper love for what is holy. Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners Text your prayer partner Hosea 2:16 today and encourage one another to keep your senses in tune to the way the Spirit makes Himself known to you. Then, at the end of the day, ask them how they saw the Holy Spirit alluring them. [bctt tweet="Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. #BISblog #prayerpledge //" via="no"]

Week One // Prayer to the Holy Spirit by St. Augustine Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy. Week One Intention We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit within our own souls. Week One // Day Two Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Now that we have practiced the habit of breathing with and being open to the Holy Spirit, we have properly disposed ourselves to His action in our lives. If I do not free up my mind and heart for the Holy Spirit to reign, then I am not in a good position to invite Him to act in my life. And if I am in an unrestful state and I invite Him to act, I may not be in a place to move. To act means to move. So in a sense, today’s prayer is a two-part prayer. We first must invite Him to act in us, and then, we need to be ready, or at least willing, to move. This is the toughest part of the prayer for me, because in order to step into an act of holiness, I have to be intentional, receptive, and bold. For me, this sometimes takes place in conversations with loved ones. They may say something that I do not know how to respond to, or if I do, I may feel uncomfortable with saying the words on my heart. In this case, I have to pause and intentionally pray to the Holy Spirit that He enters into our conversation and provides me with the right words to say. I then have to be receptive to His direction. I have to say, “Okay, I hear You, and I will obey You.” Then. The boldness. Whatever I feel called to do or say, I must actually act upon. I cannot let His words sit stale in the air. His words need to move. Emboldened by the Spirit, my work too, can then be holy. Today, friends, be bold! Psalm 138:3 says, “On the day I cried out, you answered; you strengthen my spirit.” The Holy Spirit is accompanying you. Be convicted of His presence and move forward with boldness, “...since we have such hope, we act very boldly" (2 Corinthians 3:12). Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners Today, ask your prayer partner what challenges they faced. Were they able to intentionally invite the Holy Spirit to be with them, to lead them, and to help them act with confidence? If so, how did they notice this prayer making a difference in their day and, specifically, in their situation? [bctt tweet="Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. #BISblog #prayerpledge //" via="no"]

Happy new year, sisters, and welcome to 2019! I hope that this idle Tuesday serves as a day of peace. Whether it is savored early in the morning over coffee, seized during naps, or in the cacoon of a quiet armchair still illuminated by Christmas lights, find a moment for yourself to take a deep breath and stand on the cusp of this new year. Resolutions aside, there can be such a wonderful feeling of possibility that comes with turning the first page of a calendar. What do you hope to try this year? What invitation is awaiting your "yes" or "no"? How do you hope to grow in the next twelve months? The Blessed is She Planner + the Fruits of the Holy Spirit Speaking of calendars, if you’re looking for one, the 2019 Blessed is She liturgical planners are debuting on kitchen tables, offices, and in purses across the country this week. I wanted to offer a little sneak peek inside (get yours here—I like the mini). The planners have been beautifully paired with the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit in hopes that each month might serve as an invitation to grow more deeply in that particular fruit. At the request of one thoughtful sister, we’ve put together a booklist for 2019 that mirrors the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit as outlined in the BIS liturgical planner. You might use this to supplement or add to your spiritual reading moving forward. Feel free to implement with a book club or Bible study group as well! Fruits of the Spirit Book List As you will notice, some of these suggestions are really hefty theological reading. Others tend more toward the practical application—or even what this virtue is not. I’ve tried to be really intentional about sharing a good variety of voices that represent lay, religious, ordained, and ecumenical men and women (not all books are explicitly Catholic) in recognition of the spectrum of vocations and life experiences represented by this growing community of women. I hope that this provides at least a jumping off point, but I think this would make for a great Facebook group discussion, too. What books would you add? January // Charity Justice and Charity, Fulton Sheen The Poor Belong to Us: Catholic Charities and American Welfare, Dorothy M. Brown and Elizabeth McKeowen God is Love (Deus Caritas Est), Pope Benedict XVI The Way of Trust and Love, Fr. Jacques Phillipe February // Joy The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Living, St. Mother Teresa The Joy of Discipleship, Pope Francis Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough, Kay Warren The Pursuit of Happiness God's Way: Living the Beatitudes, Servais Pinekaers, OP March // Peace On the Other Side of Fear: How I Found Peace, Hallie Lord Way to Inner Peace, Fulton Sheen The Peace Promise, John Kuypers Searching for and Maintaining Peace, Fr. Jacques Philippe April // Patience A Golden Book of the Three Tabernacles: Poverty, Humility and Patience, Thomas A. Kempis Patience and Humility: A Handbook for Christians, Fr. William Ullathorne Love is Patient, But I'm Not, Christopher West The Power of Patience: How This Old-Fashioned Virtue Can Improve Your Life, M.J. Ryan May // Kindness The Hidden Power of Kindness: A Practical Handbook for Souls Who Dare to Transform the World, One Deed at a Time, Fr. Lawrence Lovasik On the Exceeding Worth of Kindness, Reverend J. Guibert, S.S. Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life, Henri J.M. Nouwen Love Kindness: Discover the Power of a Forgotten Christian Virtue, Barry H. Corey June // Goodness You Crown the Year With Your Goodness: Sermons Throughout the Liturgical Year, Hans Urs von Balthasar Gracious Goodness: Living Each Day in the Gifts of the Spirit, Melanie Svoboda Taste and See: Experiencing the Goodness of God with Our Five Senses, Ginny Kubitz Moyer A Man of the Beatitudes, Luciana Frassati July // Generosity Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nouwen Courageous Generosity: A Bible Study for Women on Heroic Sacrifice, Stacy Mitch Happy Are You Poor, Fr. Thomas DuBay Not of This World: A Guide to Catholic Minimalism, Sterling Jaquith August // Gentleness Invite the Holy Spirit into Your Life: Growing in Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control, Deanna G. Bartalini The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown Contemplate the Gentleness of God, C. Dumont Gentleness, Robert Strand September // Faithfulness Come, Be My Light, St. Teresa of Calcutta The Duty of Delight, Dorothy Day The Reed of God, Caryll Houselander Chiara Corbella Petrillo: A Witness to Joy, Simone Troisi October // Modesty A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue, Wendy Shalit Humility: Wellspring of Virtue, Dietrich von Hildebrand The Other Side of Beauty, Leah Darrow Dressing with Dignity, Colleen Hammond November // Self-Control Leisure as the Basis of Culture, Josef Pieper Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits—to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life, Gretchen Rubin Momnipotent, Danielle Bean Story of a Soul, St. Therese of Lisieux December // Chastity The Thrill of the Chaste (Catholic Edition): Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On, Dawn Eden Back to Virtue, Peter Kreeft The Courage to Be Chaste, Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel C.F.R. Theology of the Body for Beginners, Christopher West Reading, Learning, and Loving in the New Year I cannot imagine what the past year has meant for you or what the new year will bring. And yet, this is as good a new beginning as any. Being a native of the cold north, I continue to hold onto this notion of the new year as this wonderful, windy, wild place—which are many of the same adjectives I find myself using to describe the Holy Spirit. Here’s to a new year full of life, inspiration, wisdom, virtue, community, and sisterhood. Come, Holy Spirit! What spiritual books are you reading this year? Will you pick up anything from this list? Let's share ideas in the comments! [bctt tweet="Fruits of the Spirit Book List for 2019 #BISblog //" via="no"]

Welcome to the 2019 Prayer Pledge! We're so happy you're joining us. Check out this post for more details on the Prayer Pledge and to sign up to receive each day's reflections in your inbox. Let's jump in to Week One! Week One // Prayer to the Holy Spirit by St. Augustine Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy. Week One Intention We pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit within our own souls. Week One // Day One Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Merriam Webster has many definitions for the word "breathe." This includes the basic understanding of drawing air into our lungs and exhaling. But a few others to note are the definitions: to live to pause and rest before continuing to feel free of restraint Of course our breath is what sustains our life, but I rarely stop to reflect on the fact that breathing necessitates pausing and resting. Not only this, but when we breathe mindfully, it encourages our body to be at peace, to relax and let go of control. When my husband senses that I am overwhelmed or stressed he reminds me to breathe, and breathes deeply with me. At first, it felt silly to me to breathe deeply into my stomach and slowly, ever so slowly, let that breath out. Every time I do it, the end result is calmness and a greater sense of peace. I am freed of restraint. Today, I invite the Holy Spirit to breathe in me, so that He may purify my thoughts. I know that when I invite Him to come He will transform my mind and soul and direct them towards Christ. In this transformation, more space will be created for the Lord to reign and less room for my own desire to control and dominate. My encouragement for you today is that you will be more aware of your breath. And every so often, make your breath a prayer. Inhale, “Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,” and exhale, “that my thoughts may all be holy.” Amen. Prayer + Discussion for Prayer Partners Consider sending your prayer partner a quick text today, reminding them to breathe with the Holy Spirit today. He is breathing with us, and when He does, we live more fully alive, and we live more freely. At the end of the day, follow-up with them and ask them if they noticed any difference in their day. Did their soul seem more at rest or their mind at ease? And if you haven't found a prayer partner yet, it's not too late! Reach out to someone today! [bctt tweet="Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. #BISblog #prayerpledge //" via="no"]

A friend of mine thinks if someone has a dream, they would do whatever it takes to make it happen. That perspective made me tired. Or maybe I am tired and more likely to pursue sleeping dreams than the do-whatever-it-takes kind. While I would give anything for the people in my life, I can’t say the same for my pursuits. The Cost of Pursuit I don’t lack ambition or commitment, either. If anything, I am guilty of skepticism for thinking this mentality is part of the happily-ever-after notion of dreams hawked by Hollywood movie makers. But I am not really that cynical. I love people who are passionate about their goals. I admire the tenacity it takes to get to the proverbial "there," to arrive, to live the dream. My favorite is an underdog, a comeback story, and an against-the-odds fight. I am just not sure I want to be one. Somewhere between the dream and the reality is the cost of pursuit. Whether in commerce or in life, we all have a price we are willing to pay to get what we want. Not all of us are willing to personify Rocky Balboa for the sake of our dreams no matter how much we admire a steely resolve to persevere and a cool moniker like “Italian Stallion.” Jesus Paid the Price I don’t know if Jesus had a dream, yet He paid the ultimate price for our redemption, which from a Faith perspective makes the reality of Heaven possible for humanity. Dying on the Cross is the epitome of doing whatever it takes. The cost was high, but the payoff of having His children with Him in Heaven was worth it because He loves us. It’s astounding. Jesus was the consummate underdog ministering to tax collectors, fishermen, and prostitutes only to become the King of Kings. He became the comeback story of all time when He rose from the dead. The redemption of mankind is undoubtedly the biggest against-the-odds fight in the history of humanity. I can’t think of anyone more inspiring, more willing to do whatever it takes, than Jesus. And love made it possible. Jesus commanded us to love one another. He didn’t dream it. It’s not a proposition but a passion He placed in our hearts. [bctt tweet="Dying on the Cross is the epitome of doing whatever it takes. The cost was high, but the payoff of having His children with Him in Heaven was worth it because He loves us. #BISblog //" via="no"] Chasing the Dream, the Eternal Dream Maybe I am lost in the semantics of the word dream, the imagery it conjures of a thousand self-help books selling the idea as the end-all, be-all, the pinnacle, summit, and apex of complete self-actualization. But I just can’t get into it. We are created to love and serve God. That’s not a dream, and in no way is that meant to dash anybody else’s dreams. It’s just a perspective on the proper order of things. My Dreams... My dreams matter to me, but I am not willing to do whatever it takes to make them happen. I wish a great many things for my own life, for the people I love, and for humanity. I believe in pursuing talents and purpose and living authentically. But only for love am I willing to do whatever it takes. I would rather follow the truth of Love than the dare of a dream. The cost is inevitably high, but the reward of Heaven is beyond the wildest of dreams. How about you? What are your thoughts on pursuing dreams no matter the cost? [bctt tweet="Chasing Dreams: Whatever It Takes? #BISblog //" via="no"] Lara Patangan is a freelance writer and mother of two boys. She is currently working on publishing her first book about her mid-life mission to do works of mercy. You can find out more about her here.

I will never forget the moment I first heard about secondary infertility. It was earlier this summer when I was lying next to my two-year-old son, Peter, during his nap. I was looking at my Instagram messages, and read one from a woman asking for prayers. She wrote that she had secondary infertility and no treatment was helping her. My heart began pounding, and my mind began tracing back to the pain of the past two years: the heaviness of trying to conceive, yearning to conceive, yet being unable to conceive. I knew I had just read the name of the diagnosis I was experiencing, one that I later found out affects more than 3 million women in the United States alone. The Diagnosis Secondary infertility is defined as being unable to become pregnant, or to carry a full term pregnancy, following the birth of one or more children. You can read more about it here and what you can do about it here. I don’t remember learning about secondary infertility in nursing school. If I had, like most, I passed by it without a thought. Yet after months of physical tests and exams, it became my diagnosis. For a few weeks, it was a diagnosis that totally and painfully consumed my heart, mind, and soul. Through God’s miraculous grace, and in particular His gift of the Holy Family, I have found peace and joy. The Pain of Secondary Infertility Ever since I was young, I always dreamt of having a big family. I have five siblings, and they are counted among my greatest joys. I became pregnant with my son just two months after marrying my husband Mike. The thought of possibly being infertile was the last thing on my mind. When I found out from my doctor that I was experiencing secondary infertility, my entire being filled with sorrow and anger. Why was this happening to me? I felt foolish for all the pregnancy tests I had purchased over the past two years. I felt like I had wasted time each day wondering when I would be pregnant, keeping a room open for a nursery, and daydreaming about Peter as an older brother. The diagnosis sounded cold and harsh. I told God that I knew it is completely in His power to allow me to become pregnant. It is a good and beautiful thing that I want to become pregnant. So why, why God, wasn’t it happening? The Miraculous Peace of the Holy Family It took me a few months to share with others what I was experiencing. Yet I began to see how important it was to share. Vulnerability always brings connection and healing, to both the speaker and the listener. I spoke with a friend about my diagnosis and the sorrow I was feeling. Her response was beautiful: “The Holy Family is a small, yet powerful family of three. Look to them for peace.” As soon as she spoke these words I immediately felt the beginning of healing taking place within my heart. [bctt tweet="The Holy Family is a small, yet powerful family of three. Look to them for peace. #BISblog //" username="findphilothea"] The Joy I Found In Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Healing continued as I reflected on the lives of each person within the Holy Family. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph—a small family, yet one full of love for God and for one another. God calls me to imitate them in their love for Him and love of my own family. I am called to rejoice in gratitude for the gifts right in front of me, the gifts of my husband and son. I am called to live abundantly and flourish in the present moment, where grace is found. Incredible joy fills my life as I continue to reflect each day on the Holy Family, on their lives and their love for one another. A family of three, like my family, ready and open to do the Father’s will. I think of Mary, not only a physical mother to Jesus, but also a spiritual mother to many and ask her to intercede for me when I feel weak. I call upon Carpenter Joseph to help chisel away at this cross for me with his tools of mercy and love, a cross that his Son lovingly placed in my life and is asking me to carry it just as lovingly as it was given to me. And I ask the Child Jesus to walk with me and to fill my own heart with the same joy that He and Mother Mary experienced when they first gazed in wonder at each other Christmas night. A Constant Struggle Even still, even now, I struggle. Each day I know I must call upon the help of the Holy Family. The reality of my diagnosis hits my heart unexpectedly. It showed me my need to trust in God’s merciful love and plan for my life. Just a few weeks ago I wrote this post on my Instagram page: Secondary infertility is a constant struggle of telling myself I’m okay and at peace if I don’t have any more children one day, then up crying in the middle of the night because I want so many more the next. A struggle between trying not to feel guilty that I want more children when I already have a child and many are unable to have one. Soaking up every single second with my son because I know it may be the last time I experience any of it again. Praising God that I can enter into His suffering in this little way, and trusting that He will bring His glory, because He always does. [bctt tweet="Secondary infertility is a constant struggle of being at peace if I don’t have any more children one day, then crying in the middle of the night because I want so many more the next. #BISblog //" username="findphilothea"] The Holy Family is with You Sisters, know that if you are experiencing infertility, if you are struggling to conceive, or if you are single and yearning to be married and have children...the Holy Family is with you. My heart is with you. I am praying for you. Be at peace and never give up hope, fully trusting in God’s promise that, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45) We are praying for you as you bear this cross. Christ is with you! [bctt tweet="Secondary Infertility: Finding Peace through the Holy Family #BISblog //" username="findphilothea"]

Last spring, my husband and I invested in a new backyard. Once a meadow of unruly weeds and improperly pruned trees, our yard was transformed into our personal paradise. It has brought joy to our family and increased our living space. During the summer and fall I would pray outside in the cool shade of the morning, and my husband and I would regularly catch up over a drink while the hummingbirds fed off the flowers at dusk. This past year has been the first that I’ve been diligent and consistent in my care for my yard. I’ve kept on top of my garden’s weeds—something I never did regularly before our yard’s transformation. St. Therese and Gardening St. Therese of Lisieux often attached garden imagery to her spiritual journey. To stay motivated while tending my garden, I decided to attach a spiritual task to my weeding. I considered every weed I pulled a spiritual weed that I was yanking from the garden of my soul. These weeds represented sins, vices, nagging temptations, and bad habits, as well as the insidious thoughts that would plague my mind when I was anxious, tired, or insecure. Since gardening is a new practice for me, what might seem obvious to green-thumbs has been revelatory for me, particularly during this last season of Advent. Getting to the Roots First, there will never be a weed-less garden where there is sunlight, water, and soil. The only way to manage is to devote regular care to the earth. Weeding should be done slowly, gently, and intentionally. If I just grabbed weeds and yanked willy-nilly, I only got the tops; beneath the soil, the roots remained, and the weeds eventually returned. Instead, I had to firmly grasp the weed, get my fingers deep into the soil, and slowly pull to make sure the root came up as well. One surprise I encountered while weeding was that while a swath of ground looked to be covered with weeds, when I sifted my hands through the mess, it was not many weeds I needed to pull, but only one. By finding the source of the spread of weeds and yanking that one root out, I cleared out a wide area of the soil. Among the Flowers However, my favorite discovery about weeding was that by getting on my knees and into the dirt, I could inhale the sweet fragrance of my flowers better. I intimately recognized how each individual plant was beautiful, fragrant, and pleasing. My garden is filled with lavender, salvia, gardenias, roses, camellias, and Esperanza Sunrise. When I was in the thick of my garden, I couldn’t help but notice the beauty of each rose blossom and the potent, luxuriant scent of the salvia. I was close enough to lean over and sniff the white gardenia flowers, and my nostrils were blessed with the perfume. I became familiar with each plant’s leaves and the way they splayed out or crept up the back wall. The Garden of My Soul The correlation between my garden and my soul is not subtle, and this connection resonated with me in a unique way during this last Advent season. Advent gave me the opportunity to clear out my spiritual garden in preparation for Christmas. But I can’t just wait for Advent every year—my soul must be consistently nurtured and cared for so that life can bloom year-round. When clearing out the weeds of my soul, I need to slow down, get dirty, and take time to find the roots of my sins and vices. By hurrying through or neglecting my spiritual life, I miss the opportunity to allow God’s penetrating fingers to dig into my soul and eliminate the roots of what plague me. [bctt tweet="When clearing out the weeds of my soul, I need to slow down, get dirty, and take time to find the roots of my sins and vices. #BISblog //" via="no"] Dig Deeper I need to allow the necessary time to go deeper than my surface level sins: for example, sharpness with my loved ones, gossip, overspending, or envious thoughts. Instead I must get to the root of my spiritual weeds and acknowledge that I may be insecure in my relationship and intimacy with God, may be neglecting quality prayer time, or may be nurturing my ego rather than a spirit of service or simplicity in my life. Identifying the roots of my sinful behavior ensures I can eliminate them. And often, multiple sins in my life have the same root. Taking the time to recognize where the root and source of my spiritual weaknesses stem from can lead to a more substantial clearing of my soul. Finally, by setting aside time to clear out my spiritual weeds, I am better able to recognize the gifts, strengths, and charisms that God has granted me. Sometimes it makes me uncomfortable to recognize that I have many traits that are beautiful in the Divine Gardener’s eyes, just as each garden has plants with unique fragrances, colors, blossoms, and leaves. Reflecting God's Beauty Gardens reflect God’s beauty, vitality, and fruitfulness—and I need to as well. When I allow myself the time to do the dirty work of weeding my garden, I am blessed with an up-close and intimate view of how God has graced me and made me lovely. And once I acknowledge the fragrant blooms of my soul, I can in turn gather them into a bouquet and present them to Our Lord Jesus through loving service, especially during the Christmas season. As the Magi prepared and journeyed to bring their gifts before the Christ Child, so can I present my bouquet at the base of the manger. What spiritual weeding have you been able to do this Advent and Christmas season? What beautiful qualities about yourself have you discovered in the process that can be made into a beautiful gift before the manger? [bctt tweet="Weeding the Garden of My Soul #BISblog //" via="no"] Jacqueline Hollcraft lives in central California with her husband and seven vibrant children. She is a lecturer at California State University Stanislaus, and she is a co-editor and contributor for The Daughters of Mary Blog. In her free time, she enjoys serving with her husband in their parish’s hospital ministry, hiking (especially in Yosemite), craft beer, and reading or watching murder mysteries.

One of my favorite times of the year is Christmas and New Year’s. The celebration of a new year is rich with hope and new possibilities. There is a sense of anticipation and excitement for me as I look ahead to a new year. New Year's Eve Traditions I Grew Up With In my family of origin, we celebrated New Year’s Eve in different ways over the years. When we were really little, my parents took my siblings and I to my aunt and uncle’s house. We had a New Year’s Eve party, complete with noisemakers, party hats, and yummy treats! We often fell asleep before midnight but always had fun playing games or watching movies together. When I was in junior high and high school, our parish had a special holy hour of Eucharistic Adoration from 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. We closed the old year in prayer, and rang in a new one with Jesus. Looking back I do not think I always appreciated this prayerful way of ringing in the New Year. A Fun and Holy New Year's Eve It can sometimes be frustrating for young adults trying to authentically live their Faith in the world. All too often, New Year’s Eve parties are about partying or drinking too much. I think it can be helpful to have a variety of ideas to have a fun and holy New Year’s celebration...without drinking to excess. If you are unsure on what your plans for New Year’s Eve will look like, here are a few ideas to get you thinking. Vigil Mass for Mary Mother of God + a Dinner Party We know that January 1st is a Holy Day of Obligation: the feast of Mary, Mother of God. Many parishes have an early vigil Mass. Go to Mass and then host a dinner party with your close friends. Maybe have the food be cuisine from lots of different countries and cultures around the globe. Or make the evening a costume party! Have prizes for things like the most original or funniest costume. If you want to add some flair, have a simple photo booth with some basic props. Look at Pinterest to give you some ideas! Have a Christmas Movie Marathon! Remember it is still the celebration of Christmas even after December 25th! So why not have a reason to watch some of your favorite Christmas movies. Vote ahead of time on what movies will be featured at the marathon. Make it extra festive with Christmas cookies or a homemade hot chocolate bar. There is something so homey and cozy to me about holiday and Christmas movies. Spend extra time enjoying all your favorites as you ring in 2022! Make a Visit to Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration I think the New Year is a great way to look back over the past year and reflect on it with the Lord. Why not make a visit with Jesus and just review the past year with Him? What were the biggest blessings or struggles? How did He stretch you? Where have you grown the most? Thank the Lord for all that the past year brought you, and offer Him all that will come in 2022. Find Something Fun to Do in Your Own Hometown You don’t need to have these grand, expansive plans to ring in 2022. Look for simple, fun things to do in your own hometown. You might be surprised to find out what is going on! Maybe there’s a winter festival in your community. Or maybe your town has speciality movies playing. Or maybe the local community center or your church has something you could participate in. Research your hometown and see if there are any local activities going on you can check out. Do Something to Bless Other People I had a friend in college who, on New Year’s Eve, handed out blessings bags to the homeless in her local community. She spent time blessing the lives of other people as a way to celebrate and give back to other people. Maybe you can write letters to ten people who have blessed you this past year and share how they were a gift in your life. Maybe you and a group of friends can serve at a local soup kitchen or community outreach center on December 31st or January 1st. Or maybe you can visit a local senior center, especially when those folks often do not have many visitors around the holidays. Use your time to bless the lives of other people. How Do You Really Want the Year to End? Yes, have fun however you celebrate and ring in 2022. But consider the following... Are there ways you can have both a fun and holy New Year’s Eve? Could you do something to bless or serve other people? [bctt tweet="How to Have a Fun and Holy New Year's Eve #BISblog //" username="amoderngrace"] Patty Breen is a regular contributor to the BIS blog and a devotion writer. She 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 to divorced Catholics and women whose relationships have been impacted by sexual addiction. You can find out more about her here.

Here you ask of me nothing else than to be content that I am your Child and your Friend… You have called me here to be repeatedly born in light, in knowledge, in unknowing, in faith, in awareness, in gratitude, in poverty, in presence, and in praise. -Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander It seems fitting that I’m writing this post as I ride the Long Island Railroad to my internship in Queens—the same train Thomas Merton took when he would travel from Manhattan to Douglaston to visit his grandparents. The 8 a.m. sunshine is slicing through the windows, making the train car glow like a “golden basilica,” as Merton once wrote of the sun shining outside his monastery in Kentucky. I’ve been living in New York City this semester as part of a journalism program through my college. It’s been absolutely incredible. But one thing I didn’t expect about my time here was how spiritual it would be. I’ve been wrestling with big questions about my future, myself, and my role as a Christian. Thomas Merton and His Unexpected Journey Thomas Merton has been mentoring me through his writings, on the same island where he began to ask these very questions as a student at Columbia. He converted to Catholicism at Corpus Christi Catholic Church on the Upper West Side while in college. Afterward, he dabbled with the Franciscans and the priesthood. He thought he knew exactly what his calling was. At age 27, however, he wound up at a Trappist Monastery in the hills of Kentucky, living a deeply contemplative life of prayer and solitude—a calling he did not expect but that God “loved him in to.” This year marks the 50th anniversary of his death on December 10th, 1968. The spiritual questions and themes of home and belonging, being, and neighborly love (of which Merton writes a lot) have been central to my formation as a Christian and in discovering who I am. With the guidance and friendship of Merton, and the overwhelming grace of God, I feel myself maturing in faith and growing deeper in love with Jesus as I come to know more about myself and the realities of our world. Home and Belonging I was not sure where I was going, and I could not see what I would do when I got to New York. But you saw further and clearer than I, and you opened the seas before my ship, whose track lead me across the waters to a place I had never dreamed of, and which you were even then preparing for me to be my rescue and my shelter and my home. -Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain I have always had an intense longing to be home, although I know home isn’t necessarily a place or anywhere on earth. I long for home as somewhere with God. Until I am with Him, I am restless. I’m still learning to rest and be home in God and in myself. Belonging is a constant becoming and journey more than it is a finish line. I’m reminded of Luke 9:58: Every fox has a den, every bird has a nest, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head. So Christ makes His home in us, and when we embrace that homemaking, we too are home. Being The secret of my identity is hidden in the love and mercy of God. Ultimately the only way that I can be myself is to become identified with Him in Whom is hidden the reason and fulfillment of my existence. -Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Doug Hertler, an NYC tour guide and actor who wrote a one-man show/retreat program called “Merton and Me: A Living Trinity.” Doug is passionate about tapping into the “deep spiritual reservoir” that exists within each of us. “Merton forced me to confront the question that I had no answer for,” Doug said to me over the phone. “And that question was: Who am I?” I’ve been thinking a lot about that, too. I negate myself, and therefore negate life, when I do not confront the question of myself and the reality of my death. And to confront myself is ultimately to confront God—God in me, a broken human. Merton calls this Le Point Vierge: the part of the soul that longs for God. Our deepest self longs and searches for God. Neighborly Love It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race, though it is a race dedicated to many absurdities and one which makes many terrible mistakes: yet, with all that, God Himself gloried in becoming a member of the human race. A member of the human race! -Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander Soren Kierkegaard, the 19th century Danish philosopher and Christian, called neighborly love the “highest love” above friendship love and romantic love. This is because it calls us to completely give of ourselves, like the Good Samaritan did. Merton wrote extensively on issues of racial injustice, violence, and war during the mid 20th century. Today, there are countless life and justice issues that we must face as followers of Christ. The glory of God is written in everyone. It is our responsibility to love in action. We must do what we can to uphold the dignity of all human life. For when we encounter the other, we encounter God. How do we say, "Here I am," to our neighbors and love them like Jesus? You have made us together, you have made us one and many, you have placed me here in the midst as a witness, as awareness, and as joy. Here I am. -Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander Ultimately, my existence in this grand, heart-capturing city means nothing if I don’t love the people in it. Never Stop the Search for God Sit finis libri, non finis quaerendi: Here ends the book, but not the searching. -the final line in The Seven Storey Mountain Jesus, I will never stop searching for You. There is beauty in the unknowing. I am humbled to be here before You, asking these questions and being vulnerable, knowing that You love me no matter what. This is (for Julian of Norwich)… the heart of theology: not solving the contradiction, but remaining in the midst of it, in peace, knowing that it is fully solved, but that the solution is secret, and will never be guessed until it is revealed. The ‘wise heart’ remains in hope and in contradiction, in sorrow and in joy, fixed on the secret and the ‘great deed’ which alone gives Christian life its true scope and dimensions! The wise heart lives in Christ. - Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander Jesus, let me be salt in this city. Let my heart forever live in You and be drawn to You. As the deer longs, so I long. [bctt tweet="New York City through the Eyes of Thomas Merton #BISblog //" via="no"] Written by Cassidy Klein. Find out more about her here. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking through one of these links, Blessed is She will receive a small percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this ministry by using our affiliate links!

The phrase “liturgically correct” is one of my favorites in the English language. I like how it looks, how it sounds, and what it means; that is, roughly, “in line with the Church.” I strive to live a life and cultivate a home that is liturgically correct, but it’s still kind of a new thing to me. To be honest, I didn’t know what living liturgically meant until I was an adult. Growing up, we had Advent calendars, but they tracked time from December 1 to 25, no matter the year. One had a cute little mouse hopping from day to day under an image of Santa Claus. Another had small ornaments that attached with Velcro to a quilted tree. The idea of preparation and anticipation was there, but it didn’t go as deeply as I’ve come to learn it can. The Catholic All Year Compendium You don’t have to be Catholic to find it ludicrous to have Halloween candy on shelves in August and Christmas decorations up November 1. A lot of folks are sick of ubiquitous bunnies and elves before the relevant holiday rolls around. And there’s good reason for that. Scripture tells us there is a season for everything—a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). There are times to rejoice, but they are best understood and enjoyed when they follow times of fasting and repenting. Likewise, fasting and repenting are best suffered through within the context of hope in what’s to come. Diving into Centuries of Tradition The Catholic Church has a ridiculously rich tradition of feasts, fasts, prayers, and more, much of which isn’t currently part of popular culture. I, for one, would love to see liturgical living stage a comeback. But where to start? I’d say with Blessed is She devotion writer, Kendra Tierney’s, recently released book, The Catholic All Year Compendium: Liturgical Living for Real Life. Those last two words—“real life”—are the key to the beauty of this book. It is so incredibly well researched, but it doesn’t read like a treatise. Instead, it’s one family’s journey of digging into the Faith, uncovering traditions—including the all-important reasons they exist—and incorporating them into contemporary life. If you were wondering if living liturgically is possible today, the answer is right here. And it is a big, fat YES. A Life Meant to Be Shared Humans, for the most part, thrive in community. Liturgical living encourages that. Even when we are in our separate homes, we are all on the same page as to when we’re fasting and when we’re feasting. In doing so, we become more aware of being part of something larger than ourselves—this one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Church is not a building, it’s people. It’s living. It’s life. The rhythm of the seasons in the Church’s year provides ample opportunity to get together, too. Sometimes we need to be alone in our inner rooms. But other times, we need to eat together, decorate together, remember and be inspired together. We were created to love and to be loved. In a time when more and more people are lonely and searching, liturgical living shows itself as the primary response to the deepest needs of our souls. [bctt tweet="Humans thrive in community. Liturgical living encourages that. Even when we are in our separate homes, we are all on the same page as to when we’re fasting and when we’re feasting. #BISblog //" via="no"] The Great Catholic Bookshelf At the time of this writing, this book has only been out for a few weeks. But I’m convinced that until the traditions of the Church are popular knowledge, this book needs to be on every Catholic family’s shelf. A lot of other people feel this way too—the first printing sold out before the book was officially released! It’s clear, then, that liturgical living is something our hearts long for, like the hind longs for running water. We live in bodies, in the world. But the physicality of our lives is not something separate from God; rather it’s a means of connecting with Him. Our homes, our meals, our celebrations can, and I would argue, should be imbued with the reality of the Incarnation, of God’s mercy and grace, so that every Catholic home is a place where God’s love is real and tangible. [bctt tweet="Our homes, our meals, our celebrations should be imbued with the reality of the Incarnation...so that every Catholic home is a place where God’s love is real and tangible. #BISblog //" via="no"] Being the Change Venerable Fulton Sheen said: Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops and your religious act like religious. Staying close to Truth with a capital T and loving and living the Church’s traditions are, I think, a large part of what’s going to get us through the dark time we’re in right now. We, the people, are the Church, and the way we live each day has power. We can build up the Church or we can tear it down. Major changes need to be made at a certain level, and that is important. But important, too, is how we each manage the time we’re given on this earth. Important, too, is what we choose to celebrate and how our rejoicing is manifested. Important, too, is acknowledging the history of our Faith that goes back to Christ Himself and is still alive today. Liturgical Living Looks Different for Everyone For some of us, that’s going to mean cookies shaped like Our Lady of Guadalupe. For others, it’s going to mean visiting graveyards in the days following Halloween. God is reaching out to each of us in His own way, in a way relevant to the way He made us. How beautiful, how good, how true! Liturgical living happens in the single life, consecrated life, married life, no matter your vocation. Grab a copy of The Catholic All Year Compendium and discover what that means for you. Have you picked up this awesome resource yet?! [bctt tweet="The Catholic All Year Compendium Review #BISblog //" via="no"] Lindsay Schlegel is a daughter of God who seeks to encourage, inspire, and lift up the contemporary woman to be all she was created to be. She's the author of Don't Forget to Say Thank You: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God, as well as shorter nonfiction and fiction pieces, both online and in print. With joy, she speaks about recognizing God's voice and living the truth therein. Lindsay lives in New Jersey with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband and their kids. You can find out more about her here. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase by clicking through one of these links, Blessed is She will receive a small percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this ministry by using our affiliate links!