Happy new year, friend! As we still soak in the Christmas season while looking at the year ahead, we are thrilled to be stepping into 2023 with you, in prayer.
Awaken Love
Each of us desires to love and to be loved. We are created by Love, for Love.
Jesus invites each of us into an ever-deepening relationship with Him. Since God is love, our desire for love is only fulfilled in union with Him. This is the path of sanctity.
During this Prayer Pledge, we will reflect on the “unitive way” to which all the faithful are called. God is our deepest and final Love, and the more we are united to Him on earth, the more ready we will be for the greatest intimacy with Him in Heaven.
As long as we pursue “lesser loves” as the ultimate love, we will be disappointed. But once we realize and live as though God is the only fulfillment of that desire which we all possess, we can start living in His embrace now.
To help us on this road toward divine intimacy, we will journey with four female mystics who experienced this kind of Love and allow their example and intercession to encourage toward a deeper communion with Our Blessed Lord:
- Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity
- Saint Teresa of Calcutta
- Saint Gemma Galgani
- Saint Catherine of Siena
What to Expect this Month
Beginning tomorrow, four Blessed is She Blog Writers will walk us through the four full weeks of January. Each week will flow as follows:
- Monday // We will pray with the anchoring Scripture verse for the week, which will pertain to divine intimacy
- Tuesday // We will meet the mystic of the week
- Wednesday // We will look at what the Church says about the Lord as Lover through the Catechism and other Church documents
- Thursday // The writer will share a story from the life of the mystic that offers us a glimpse into their relationship with God
- Friday // The writer will share a story from their own life about a time they experienced this kind of love of God
- Saturday // Through the words of the mystic, we will look at the practicals of this union and four “requirements” for it
- Sunday // We will end the week with rest with the Beloved and contemplation on a Gospel passage in which Jesus reveals Himself as Love
I’ll be back with you for the last two days to wrap it up and send us all forth… in love.
Prayer Partners
Finally, each day concludes with questions for consideration in your own heart and for discussion with your prayer partner. You and your prayer partner can chat about the questions or that day’s reflection in person, over the phone, or in text/email/Messenger/Voxer. We also encourage you to pray with and for one another during these 31 days and beyond!
Other Ways to Participate
If you’d like to join in the joy of the Prayer Pledge in other ways, we would love for you to share your thoughts, reflections, or prayers on social media using the hashtag #prayerpledge.
Additionally, every night during the Prayer Pledge, one member of Blessed is She will go live in the BIS app (around 9 p.m. eastern most nights) for a brief time of sharing and prayer with our community there. We’d love for you to hang out with us there!
We are Invited into Love
Please know that we are praying for you as you receive the invitation to divine intimacy in 2023. We are by your side!
God is love, and the more we desire Him, the more we will understand what, and Who, love truly is. So let’s be eager to awaken love this year. Let us lay aside doubts, fears, or uncertainties and rest with the One Who made us in love!
Let Us Pray
God, You are Love. And all our desire for love finds its fulfillment in You. Help us to accept and internalize this truth so that we will turn away from rivals to Your love and embrace the intimacy to which You call us. Help us to let down our guard with You, entrusting ourselves to Your merciful love. Amen!
For Discussion
On the first day of this new year, are you feeling optimistic about love in general, or has your heart been hurt in love in human relationships?
What feelings arise when you consider the language about divine intimacy with God? Hope? Confusion? Fear? Tenderness? Guardedness? Unworthiness? Longing? Where do you think those feelings rise from?
Awaken Love: The 2023 Prayer Pledge // Day 1 #BISblog // -->> CLICK TO TWEET
Olivia Spears lives in Kentucky, where sweet tea and bourbon flow like milk and honey. She holds degrees in Theology and Catechetics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and works from home while enjoying her children and husband. She curates relevant and inspiring content for Catholic women as Blog Manager. She is the narrator of Set a Fire, And Hay Became Holy, and All She Had as well as a contributing author for Rise Up. Find out more about her here.
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