Let us run to Jesus, Heart of Love, Heart full of tenderness. Let us ask Jesus to give us the riches of His pure love—to breathe only for love, to live only for love. -St. Gemma Galgani I first “met” St. Gemma Galgani when I was fourteen years old and had reached the point in Confirmation class when we were told to choose a patron saint. My mom left her book of saints on my bed so I could read it. But—and I can’t remember if it was from any type of conviction or simply laziness—I never made it past the first page. The beautiful, dark-haired girl in the photograph gracing the cover became my patron saint: St. Gemma. Helping Me Find My Way Home For years, she lingered in the background of my heart while I drifted away from the Church in high school, finding my way back the summer before my senior year, just in time to send in my application to a Catholic university I had insisted I didn’t want to attend. And as I journeyed “Home,” I often thought of St. Gemma. I didn’t know anything about her other than that she was a canonized Saint, she was Italian, and she was beautiful. Who was this young woman—who I’m confident was interceding for me for all those years—even though I had never bothered to get to know her? My Spiritual Companion As I fully embraced my Catholic Faith and the Communion of Saints we are blessed to be surrounded by, I admittedly “clicked” with other Saints a lot more. St. Gemma was…too perfect. There are accounts of her wisdom and holiness from the time she was two years old, and her spiritual director shares in The Life of St. Gemma Galgani that “she would have passed through any torment rather than deliberately consent to even the merest shadow of venial sin.” Talk about hard to relate to! It wasn’t until I dove into the aforementioned biography that I learned just how much work, dedication, time, and even (read: especially) physical sacrifice led her to this level of holiness. She put in the work, battled aspects of her own personality that contradicted the faith God specifically called her to, and accepted cross after cross in hopes of becoming more deeply united with the Crucified Jesus. Learning from St. Gemma Galgani Even though my vocation (marriage and motherhood) couldn’t be more different than hers (an almost hermit-like single life), here are just a few of the things I’ve learned from her about loving Jesus and growing in holiness. 1. Naming and writing down habits we want to cultivate is powerful. After making her First Communion, St. Gemma wrote down five spiritual resolutions and committed to living them out—and she did, all throughout her life. While she certainly added more practices to her devotions as she grew up, these five habits, from “[receiving] Holy Communion each time as if it were to be the last” to “[endeavoring] to keep always in the presence of God” formed the core of her spiritual life. 2. Virtues must be actively pursued and practiced. Much of her biography is dedicated to unpacking the virtues St. Gemma mastered, most notably obedience, humility, purity, and simplicity. Her spiritual director reveals that despite how near-perfectly she lived out these virtues, they were a constant struggle for her. Having gazed upon the wounds of Jesus in His Passion during her frequent ecstasies, and even sharing in them through the stigmata, she was deeply sensitive to her sinfulness and took every possible measure to avoid the near occasion of sin. She even prayed, with her spiritual director’s approval, that she might never find pleasure from such an earthly satisfaction as food! Her perspective is summed up well in this quote: I wish to be all and only of Jesus, and what is there to love on this earth now that I possess Jesus? World, creatures, all you are no longer for me, nor am I for you, and so I cannot love you and will not love you more. 3. We don’t need the perfect situation or setting to pursue holiness. St. Gemma deeply desired religious life. When she was miraculously healed from a case of meningitis that nearly took her life, everyone (herself included) thought the reason for her recovery was so that she could enter the convent. However, for one reason after another, and despite the sisters’ love and admiration for her, she was ultimately turned away. She was heartbroken. But when she returned home, she quickly incorporated the lessons and habits from her time with the sisters on retreat into her life with her relatives and siblings. She trusted in God completely, and accepted that her plan, as wonderful and noble as it was, was simply not His plan. It may have been easier for St. Gemma to live out her unique, private, mystical life from within cloistered walls. But striving to live that way in the midst of people who didn’t understand her undoubtedly contributed to her holiness and humility. 4. We do not need to live at the mercy of our senses. How often do we make decisions based on our senses? I’m not going to kneel during Holy Hour because my knees hurt. I want to head home as soon as Mass is over because I’m hungry. I’d venture to guess that our senses, my own very much included, guide more of our lives than we may realize. St. Gemma became such a master of her senses that she could essentially turn them off, entering instantly into communion with God. Her spiritual director revealed: If she wished to commune with Heaven, in an instant, her imagination was silenced and ceased its wanderings; her memory became powerless to remember any created thing as food for thought or expression; the importunate movements of her heart stopped still; and even her physical pains were no longer a trouble or distraction. While I can only pray to grow even remotely close to this level of detachment, I can train myself to become more aware of what earthly desires and distractions are keeping me from a deeper relationship with God. 5. We learn to love Jesus through the Cross. If there is one thing to know about St. Gemma, it is that her greatest love was Jesus Crucified. From an early age, she pleaded with her mother and teachers to explain the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary to her, and she constantly meditated on the Passion of Jesus. In 1899, she received the stigmata for the first time. It lasted from Thursday evening until Friday afternoon and returned each week until the last three years of her life, when her confessor forbade her to accept it anymore. Along with the five wounds of Christ, St. Gemma also experienced each of the sufferings of the Passion: sweating of blood, the scourging, the crown of thorns, and the physical trauma that Jesus experienced carrying the Cross. While most of us will never experience the intimacy with the Passion of Jesus that St. Gemma did, we can draw closer to Christ Crucified, especially with Good Friday still fresh in our minds and hearts. We can meditate on the Sorrowful Mysteries frequently and devotedly. We can carry the crosses God gives us and accept suffering with humility and gratitude for the opportunity to unite ourselves more with Jesus. And, since that is so much easier said than done, we can plead to St. Gemma, she who so willingly and beautifully suffered in both body and soul, for her intercession. Happy Feast of St. Gemma Galgani! Sisters, have a blessed feast day of St. Gemma today! If you're interested, I'm sharing a few simple ideas for commemorating this day here. St. Gemma Galgani, pray for us! *Quotes in this post are from The Life of St. Gemma Galgani by her spiritual director, Venerable Fr. Germanus, C.P. [bctt tweet="Learning to Love Jesus with St. Gemma Galgani #BISblog //"] 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!

Many of us have had the moment, the year, or the retreat when we just felt it. Felt Him. It might have been an amazing Bible study, devout friend, retreat, or strong upbringing. Most of us have experienced a time or season in our conversion when we were consumed, overwhelmed even, by how deep and infinite His love is for us. These touches with His grace are a true gift. When we are held by Him in hard times, see Him work miracles, hear Him speak to us so clearly, or feel Him guide us, we are inspired to go forth, to take off our bushel, and to let our light shine. During most of our life, though, this isn’t what faith looks like. Most of the time, our faith doesn’t feel on fire. A Lukewarm Life Lukewarm is defined as being “moderately warm.” Occasionally during bath times, my daughters will tell me that the water is “too hot, too cold, or not warm enough." Finding a safe temperature is easy. Finding the perfect temperature? Not so easy. After these touches of grace, we are convinced that there is nothing Satan can do to blow out our flame. There is no way, after experiencing a Love so great, that we can grow tepid. The farther we get away from these moments, the longer our ashes have to cool, we often become convinced that we were just caught up in a faith whirlwind. It couldn’t have been that real. I like my coffee lukewarm. If I drink it fresh out of the pot, it’s too startling for my tongue to handle. I have to give it a good ten minutes until I can even attempt the second sip and, even then, I proceed with caution. Sometimes I give up and dump it if it grows too cold. Is letting our faith simmer to a more comfortable, dulled-down version really all there is to this journey? So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth (Revelation 3:16). [bctt tweet="Finding a safe temperature is easy. Finding the perfect temperature? Not so easy. #BISblog //"] Avoiding A Lukewarm Faith Another definition of lukewarm is “lacking conviction or half-hearted.” How do we prevent our faith, our relationship with God, from becoming lukewarm? Our God is a God of infinite mercy and infinite love, but He gives us the choice. We can choose Him or fall away from Him. How do we keep the fire alive? 1. Make sure we're building on good soil. Tinder. Every good campfire starts with good tinder. Tinder catches fire easily, but burns fast. Sometimes we get swept up in an experience or what our friends are doing rather than in Love. God’s love is always true, good, and beautiful. If our faith experience lacks one of these, our fire will burn out. 2. Build the foundation. Kindling. After the tinder burns (i.e. the retreat ends or we move away from college), we need something with continued substance to keep our flame burning. We should continue to do the things that make us come alive, the things that made us feel His love in the first place. By doing these things, we continue to be drawn to Him. 3. Feed the fire. Fuel wood. These are the big logs, the fuel wood, that keeps our fire hot and burning. We should continue to pray, receive the Sacraments, and be a part of our local church community. These are the cornerstones of our Faith and the best way to choose Him when we’re not feeling Him. For Everything There’s A Season Every relationship goes through seasons. My relationship with my one-year-old is different than my relationship with my six-year-old. The baby’s gorgeous eyelashes and cuddles make me so happy, but her poopy diapers and tantrums don't make me happy. The older child’s strong will and daily fight to watch more TV is not my favorite, but seeing her love her sisters and work hard at everything she does brings me joy. I love them both the same, they’re just in different seasons of parenting. Our relationship with God is similar. Every season He may speak to us differently, work differently, care for us differently. But His love remains the same. We just have to let Him love us. [bctt tweet="Every season He may speak to us differently... But His love remains the same. #BISblog //"] If your fire never began, try reading Scripture, prayer, a study, or a retreat. If your fire dwindled after a move, apathy, or a bad experience, try to reconnect. If your fire burned out from shame, hypocrisy, or condescension, try to forgive others and yourself. If your fire is feeling lukewarm, do the things you know will relight it again. It’s never too late to begin again, sisters. How have you recharged your faith when you felt it growing lukewarm? [bctt tweet="What to Do When Your Faith is Lukewarm #BISblog //"] Ashley Stevens is a Catholic convert, collegiate athlete, wife, and mother of three beautiful girls. While serving as a FOCUS Missionary shortly after getting engaged, she was T-boned by a Mack truck and nearly lost her life. She lived to tell the tale and her ministry encourages those whose life isn’t going according to plan. Find out more about her here.

The Annunciation is a marvel to me. As it should be, I suppose. You see, unlike so many women who hoot and holler with joy at the news of a pregnancy, I have received my own "mini annunciations" with tremendous trepidation. The Annunciation and Trust Within Pregnancy It has literally taken days for me to wrap my head around the news of each of my pregnancies. Not because I am not excited. Certainly not because I don’t appreciate the wonder of new life. But because at that point, I come to the very raw acceptance that whatever comes next, I will see it through to the end. The one unknown I’m confident in is that I am not the author of this story. Those pink lines signal that, on some level, I am ready to hand over control and accept whatever comes with this new life. And if I’m honest, that is where my confidence has teetered—at the very moment my heart has most desired safety, security, and stability. Will the baby be healthy? Will he or she make it full term? Will there be complications? Will the world be kind to him or her? How might his or her needs alter the course of life as I know it? Enter teenage Mary. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." I’d like to imagine that my questions stem, in some way, from the wisdom in the exchange between Mary and Gabriel. These are the kinds of questions one who’s heard Mary’s story asks with an awareness that one little "yes" at a time has the potential to turn our world on its head. I believe this world-shifting perspective is so often the nourishment we need for our (occasionally short-sighted) journeys. And yet, in that promise of provision and nourishment lies the promise that these little fiats will also lead to piercing, poking, and prodding of the very heart from which this love comes. Be It Done to Me So, on one hand, I appreciate Mary’s "yes" as a courageous example of trust when my own confidence has failed me. Particularly given the scandalous nature of her circumstances, the angel’s assurance that her child would indeed be different, and a hope that her betrothed would understand, she had every reason to be concerned. And yet, she wasn’t. Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." On the other hand, I picture John Collier’s depiction of the Annunciation. Young Mary is on her front porch after school doing homework, wearing saddle shoes and looking about as surprised as I have felt myself by the news of new life (only, with a great deal more reason to be). Maybe this head-scratching announcement is how you’ve come to know annunciations, too. Maybe you had given up hope for a baby, or expected your child-bearing years were over, or found yourself pregnant with no husband, or thought you timed it differently…And yet, this unexpected calling is inviting you to bear something new to the world. Giving Our Fiats Mary has long been called the Theotokos which means "God-bearer." I love this name for Mary. She models perfectly what it looks like to bear Christ to the world. She is an inspiration to us who are looking for ways to bring Christ to a weary and worn world. Without question, Mary’s call as Jesus’ mother was unique and unrepeatable, but her witness as a Christian—and particularly as a woman—has a deeper invitation to each of us. We are invited to be bearers of Christ in all the ways in which we are in the world. We bring to birth the works of our souls, whether they be books, art, babies, lesson plans, garden patches, vocations, songs, or city planning. All of these have the capacity to convey Christ to the farthest imaginable corners. By its very nature, the Annunciation models at least two important truths. First, we may not feel equipped for the task before us to which we have been invited. Second, despite this reality, our little yeses to Christ are borne into the world in unimaginable ways. What have been some unexpected annunciations in your life? What happened when you gave your "yes"? [bctt tweet="The Annunciation: One "Yes" at a Time #BISblog //"]

At the end of time, the human race will be judged according to its works of mercy. Oh, if only I would see the Savior in each human being! Then I certainly would have been constantly compelled to serve others with love and goodness. Blessed Mother, intercede this grace for your child! -Sr. Emilie Engel Reflect God still loves the world through you and me today. St. Teresa of Calcutta Listen For musical inspiration for your restful Sunday, listen to our BIS Rests playlist. [bctt tweet="BIS Rests: Love + Mercy #BISblog #BISrests //"] Curated by Cassie Everts. You can find out more about her here.

It has been just over six years since I made a pilgrimage to Krakow, Poland to visit the Shrine of the Divine Mercy. I was able to pray in the Chapel where St. Faustina is buried and venerate the original miraculous image of Merciful Jesus (the popular Divine Mercy image). Because it was the Feast of Divine Mercy, the tram from the city center to the Shrine was free, proving the strength of the Catholic Faith in Poland. Meeting Divine Mercy At the time of this pilgrimage, I did not have a great devotion to Divine Mercy nor the great Church mystic St. Faustina. What this pilgrimage did do was provide grace. It planted the seeds for me to be open to reading the Diary of St. Faustina four years later, when my older brother bought it for me, challenging me to read it during Lent. St. Faustina kept this diary at Jesus’ request, as well as at the order of her two confessors. In her diary, she goes in to the details of her deep spiritual life and her intimate relationship with God. Refreshingly, she also speaks of her human weaknesses and worldly challenges. With a book of over seven-hundred pages, I was hesitant to begin and I was not expecting it to capture my attention. But what I noticed is that with each diary entry, I was hungry for a spiritual treasure from St. Faustian’s words. In my reading, Jesus burrowed me more deeply into His blazing and Sacred Heart of love. A couple of months after starting the Diary, I finished the book on Divine Mercy Sunday itself, celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. The Message of Divine Mercy Jesus appeared to Sister Faustina in her convent cell on February 22, 1931. He asked her to paint His image just as she saw Him in the vision. This is where the image of the Merciful Jesus, or Divine Mercy, comes from. He spoke to her: Paint an image according to the pattern you see: with the signature: ‘Jesus, I trust in You’. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel and [then] throughout the world. -Diary 47 In this image of Divine Mercy, there are two rays coming out of Jesus’ Heart, one red and one pale. These rays represent the Sacraments. The blood reminds us of Jesus’ Passion and the Eucharist while the water recalls our Baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Trust in His Mercy The message of Divine Mercy is complete trust in God, despite the discouragement we may feel after falling in sin. Jesus spoke to St. Faustina: My daughter, write about My mercy… souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight in Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. -Diary 1146 Jesus cannot punish even the greatest sinner, so long as we implore His ocean of mercy. His mercy is inscrutable! Divine Mercy and New Life St. Faustina died of tuberculosis in Krakow on October 5, 1938 at just thirty-three years old. She was canonized sixty-two years later on April 30, 2000 when Pope St. John Paul II instituted her feast day as a feast for the whole Church. With the grace of the Sacraments, we can heed Pope St. John Paul II’s message given in Krakow in 2002 that: The message of Divine Mercy is able to fill hearts with hope and to become the spark of a new civilization: the civilization of love. We are the civilization that he is talking about. We are to be an example, a “spark” of the fire of love Jesus wants to share with the world. Will you make an appeal to His compassion? With the Easter graces we are living in, let us take to heart Jesus words to St. Faustina: At three o’clock implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. -Diary 1320 How do you celebrate the feast of Divine Mercy? [bctt tweet="Divine Mercy and the "Spark" of the Sacred Heart #BISblog //"] 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!

Throughout the Gospels, there seems to be a growing awareness, astonishment, and even discouragement in the disciples about how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God: When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?” -Matthew 19:25ff I’m the mother of four young adult children—more recently a grandma—and I’ve been working in youth and women’s ministry for the past 32 years. I’ve had some similar conversations with Jesus about the seemingly impossible mission, especially in the current culture, of raising confident, healthy girls who know and love Him. But every time I read Jesus’ response to his disciples (and to us), I am reminded of an essential truth: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Jesus’ words remind me that there are no foolproof methods for raising children, but that our confidence and trust is in the Lord alone. There is, however, wisdom that has helped me as a mom and mentor of young girls. God’s Heart for Our Daughters Often when we are amid struggles with our daughters, especially as they get older, we need new eyes to see some important realities about who they are and what they are facing. As much as we love our daughters, God’s love for His daughters is unconditional, unfading, and unrelenting. Whether they are succeeding or struggling, obedient or combative, He looks at them with the eyes of perfect love and sees everything that is good in them because He created them in His image and likeness. During times of conflict and difficulty with my daughters I have often prayed, “Lord help me to see what you see, and to love what you love.” I distinctly remember some of the scarier “first times” when my eldest child ventured out on her own: preschool, walking home from the bus stop alone, driving as a teen, making the trek back from college, and spending a semester abroad. All I could think about was getting her home safe and sound. Our heavenly Father has one central goal: to get His beloved daughters safely home to Heaven to live with Him for eternity. Nothing else is more important and God will use everything in their lives and ours to accomplish that purpose. It’s easy to lose sight of this overarching goal, especially in the frantic pace of life that places so much emphasis on success. [bctt tweet="God’s love for His daughters is unconditional, unfading, and unrelenting. #BISblog //"] Investing in Our Daughters It’s important to ask ourselves: do we invest our time, money, and energy in things that will mostly help our daughters be smarter, more talented, popular, and successful, or do we value and support the activities, environments, and relationships that can help them get to Heaven? It helps to check our own motivations so we can think clearly about what’s best for our daughters—not just for this year, or this school or activity, but most importantly, for all of eternity. Am I afraid to say no to her or correct her because I don’t want to deal with the conflict or the drama? Is it more important for her to respect me or to like me? Am I trying to live vicariously through her activities and achievements? Am I envious of her and view her as my competitor? Do I place too much importance on her successes (or failures) because of how they reflect on me? Do my own insecurities or fears cause me to take her negative attitudes or the conflicts between us way too personally? Or am I able to maintain the proper emotional distance that allows me to keep loving her even when it’s difficult? What’s Going on Inside Her Mind and Heart? Every woman, young or old, desperately desires to know that she is loved and valued, beautiful, and wanted. She wants to know that she is good enough. In a culture that is predominantly image-driven, our daughters’ identities and self-perceptions are easily shaped by what or who they see in false images that are doctored, in celebrity lifestyles that are unattainable, and in peer relationships that are shallow, fickle, and even cruel. Obviously, keeping our girls away from the internet, social media, and various apps is a very helpful defensive strategy. But we can go on the offensive with them at an early age. My five-year-old granddaughter hears from her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, that she is a beautiful, beloved daughter of God. She hears that she is loving and strong, and that she is enough. Battling for Our Daughters' Hearts, Minds, and Souls The battle for our daughters’ time, attention, and money is a spiritual battle for their hearts, minds, and souls. At an increasingly younger age, our daughters hear and often believe the whispers of lies and self-accusations. “I’m ugly, fat, stupid, disgusting. I'm too tall, too short, too loud, too quiet. I’m unlovable, unworthy, invisible, and alone. I’m not smart enough, popular enough, holy enough, funny enough, rich enough, or good enough. I am invisible. No one really cares about me. It wouldn’t matter if I lived or died…” Although shocking and disheartening, as adults we need to help them identify that these lies come from the pit of hell. We should teach them how to fight for themselves and for one other. The intensification of the battle is evident in the confusion about identity, in bullying, in eating disorders, in the hook-up culture, in cutting, in depression, and in suicide. If we don't take the time and effort to intentionally form and shape our girls’ self-image, someone else will. [bctt tweet="If we don't take the time and effort to form our girls’ self-image, someone else will. #BISblog //"] Walking in Freedom One of the most beautiful things in my motherhood and ministry is watching young girls encounter God’s love for them, grow in confidence, and live more authentically. These girls care less about impressing others and more about honoring the Lord. They seek forgiveness and learn how to forgive others. They use their words to bless and not to curse. Their friendships with other girls are supportive and empowering. They find ways to share God’s love and serve more willingly and selflessly. Like all of us adult women who are also on the path of deeper conversion and discipleship, this doesn’t happen overnight. But I know that it is possible. I personally know many, many girls and young adult women who have encountered this Love. They now live confidently, courageously, and freely as daughters of God. The Long Game Our mission as parents is a marathon, not a sprint, and we can’t grow weary or give up the fight. We cannot protect our kids from everything, but we also can’t stop parenting when they need it the most. We must clearly, consistently, and lovingly set boundaries and give guidelines. There's wisdom in saying no when it’s necessary, and yes when it’s possible. [bctt tweet="Our mission as parents is a marathon and we can’t grow weary or give up the fight. #BISblog //"] We can’t naïvely overlook important issues like dating, media, phones, electronics, modesty, self-harm, and others. We need to help them navigate the dangers of our culture with practical wisdom and confidence. It is exhausting, and often frightening and frustrating. But they are worth it! In this extraordinary time in the history of the world and the Church, Jesus wants to raise up warriors and saints. As parents, we have been given the privilege and responsibility to help Jesus in this endeavor. Let’s not be afraid or lose heart, even when our daughters seem resistant or indifferent. Let’s entrust them to His Fatherly care and truly believe that "with God all things are possible.” Do you have daughters? What are your struggles when it comes to instilling freedom and confidence in Christ as opposed to false security in the opinion of the culture? [bctt tweet="Helping Our Daughters Be Free and Confident #BISblog //"] Debra Herbeck, a Jewish convert to the Church, has worked extensively in youth and women’s ministry. She has directed Pine Hills Girls Camp for the past 32 years, is the founder and Director of the Be Love Revolution, and also helps lead a ministry called i.d.916. She has written a number of books that can be found here. Debra and her husband Peter live in Ann Arbor, Michigan and are the parents of four children and five adorable grandchildren. THE PERFECT BOOK FOR KIDS Rise Up will open up beautiful conversations with your children about the virtues. . This will bring beautiful fruit to your prayer life and to your children's prayer lives. GET RISE UP

In February, my husband and I were given the opportunity to watch an early screening of the movie Paul, Apostle of Christ. Upon entering the theater, we were immediately delighted by the amount of clergy and religious in the seats. We were also slightly intimidated by the Sony security guards stationed at the exits! The hype surrounding this movie was understated, so I was curious about what kind of experience this movie provides. With an all-star lineup of actors (James Faulkner, Jim Caviezel, Joanne Whalley, John Lynch, and Olivier Martinez), I was anxious to discover how Sacred Scripture (2 Timothy) is portrayed on the big screen at the hands of these individuals. The Message of Paul, Apostle of Christ From the beginning, it was clear that the movie had one goal: inviting the present day Church to see herself in the lives of the early Church. When reading the New Testament, many of us tend to romanticize this particular part of Scripture. We see honor and glory, bravery and strength, all of which while are very present. But this one-dimensional view can sometimes hinder our ability to see the raw humanity of the early Church. In today’s society, it is so easy to succumb to the fear-based culture that surrounds us. Fear of the unknown, fear of change, fear of living boldly, fear of making our Faith known to those around us. The early Church lived with all the same fears, possibly even more intensely since the footprints of our Savior were not yet brushed away and the scent of His divinity still lingered in the air. Paul, Apostle of Christ calls us to look within our own hearts and see that, even though much time has passed, the same doubts and fears as well as the same fire and conviction of the early Church still remains within us. What Part of Paul's Life is Portrayed? The film starts with Luke making his way through Rome in the night. Nero’s wrath against the Christians is everywhere. Roman guards question anyone who looks suspicious and martyred Christians are displayed as a threat of what will happen if others are caught. Luke returns to Rome because Paul is imprisoned by Nero after being accused of starting the great fire that the emperor had actually set himself. Luke is trying to reach Paul so that he may procure one last letter from him. Paul and Luke The relationship depicted between Paul and Luke in Paul, Apostle of Christ is very well done. Their priestly brotherhood is so evident and strong. Luke tells Paul how he struggling in his faith and what he is having a hard time understanding. Paul discusses these things with Luke with compassion and helps Luke often come to the answer on his own. In many parishes, you have an “older” priest and a “younger” priest. This is the relationship with Luke and Paul. Priests can joke around and disagree almost within the same breath, but always come back to the brotherhood that binds them. Paul and His Past While Luke makes visits to Paul, we see that Paul is facing his impending martyrdom. We see this great Apostle struggle with the sins of his past. Paul knows he has been forgiven by his Creator, but it appears he hasn’t completely forgiven himself. How often are we like Paul, letting our past creep into haunt us and steal our joy? How often are we like Luke, sometimes doubting what it is we hold so dear? Priscilla and Aquila We also follow Priscilla and Aquila, a husband and wife team who set up a safe-haven for Christians. They hide behind a gate, providing food and safety for Christians who lost homes in the fire. They create a home for many of the city’s orphans who lost their parents to Nero’s persecution. Within this little hideaway, tensions rise. A handful of Christians want to go out into the streets and fight. Blood for blood. Aquila reminds them of the way of Christ and tries to convince them that turning to violence will only result in more lives lost. Though fearful themselves, Priscilla and Aquila acknowledge that their time in Rome is almost up. They must either find a way to escape or be martyred. How often are we like the character of Aquila, faced with decisions that impact more than just ourselves and having to discern how God wants us to move forward? How often are we like Priscilla, watching so many of our brothers and sisters hurting and suffering while we are desperate to physically ease their pain and show them the love of God? Mauritius Paul is being kept in Rome’s worst prison. The prison is run by a man named Mauritius. He is intimidating and prides himself on how well he runs his prison. Everyone in the audience holds their breath when Mauritius discovers that Luke has been visiting Paul in prison. Surprisingly, Mauritius allows it to continue, expressing his doubts that the old man (Paul) is as dangerous as Nero thinks. Meanwhile, we learn that Mauritius has some problems of his own. His daughter has been sick for a long time and is approaching death. The Roman doctors have tried everything. Mauritius’ wife blames him for their daughter’s lack of improvement due to a lack of piety and sacrifices toward the gods. While watching this unfold, I wanted to yell at Mauritius, “Luke is a physician!” But alas, that never works, and we know that the keeper of the prison must come to this realization on his own. Mauritius has several encounters with Paul and Luke, showing that a conversion might be on the horizon. Mauritius is so close to an “answered prayer.” How many times are we like Mauritius, desperate for answers and healing when exactly what need is right in front of us? My Final Take on Paul, Apostle of Christ Overall, I enjoyed the movie. Adapting Scripture to film is never an simple task and it can easily fall short. However, this movie did a fair job of creatively expanding upon the verse, “Luke is the only one with me” (2 Timothy 4:11). This film was a beautifully artistic look at the early Church and her struggles. Paul, Apostle of Christ captures the fragility of human hope and the strength of the Lord that burns within all of us. Can I Take My Child to See Paul, Apostle of Christ? This movie is rated PG-13 for “violent content and disturbing images.” If you have young children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, sisters or brothers, etc. be mindful of this rating. You know the young hearts of your loved ones best, but I would not recommend letting any children under age 10 view this film. If you are taking older kids, preteens, and even teenagers, use this time to discuss with them (both before and after), the weight and glory of martyrdom. This helps them be prepared when they see something intense in the movie, and will allow them to focus more deeply on the sacrifices made by the early Church. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all. - 2 Timothy 4:22 Have you seen this movie? What did you think of it? I highly recommend that you make time to go see this movie during the Easter season! [bctt tweet="Paul, Apostle of Christ #BISblog //"] Susana Starbuck is wife of a youth minister and mother to four littles five and under. She lives in Phoenix, AZ and enjoys reading a good book, posting her highlight reel on Instagram, and drinking wine. You can connect with 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!

“Chips? Salad? Would you like dressing on that?” It took me twenty-four years before I volunteered for the first time at a breakfast program. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy volunteering. Yet as I got older, I found myself hoarding my free time, especially on the weekends. In high school, when twenty service hours were required, I volunteered over 300 hours at my local library. Even in college, I was able to commit to the occasional volunteer opportunity. "Too Busy" to Volunteer As time went on, I volunteered less and less. Fast forward to a post-college life, working every weekday. Weekends were my time. I could sleep in, eating brunch or binge on my favorite shows (This is Us, anyone?). As good as those options were, I felt a tugging on my heart. Living my life purely for me wasn’t fulfilling. Isaiah 58:10 says: If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. I finally accepted an opportunity to give a couple hours of my time on a Saturday morning. As I jumped back and forth between dishing out chips and salad, I found myself realizing that this activity was not only giving me joy, but I could see the joy and thankfulness in the people I was serving. For me, it was a couple hours prepping food and serving it. For those being served a meal when they might have gone without, it was a sincere gift of time. In Pope Francis’ address on The Jubilee of Volunteer Workers, he said: You express one of the most noble desires of the human heart, making a suffering person feel loved. In the different contexts of need of so many people, your presence is the hand of Christ held out to all, and reaching all. Simple Ways to Start Volunteering Volunteering blesses in so many different ways, both those who serve and those being served. It is a true giving of self in time and effort, and is truly worth the commitment. Here are some suggestions on ways to get involved in volunteering. 1. Find a cause you are passionate about. This is easily the most important step. Whether your passion is helping the homeless, the homebound, the elderly, at a youth group, or at an animal shelter, finding the right cause can motivate you to greatness and will help you stay committed. Look for volunteering opportunities in your parish bulletin or on the parish website. You can also visit the location or website of a local animal shelter. Try searching your city’s website. Libraries and park services are usually looking for volunteers, especially in the spring and summer months. Ask friends where they volunteer! Chances are they could use an extra pair of hands. 2. Investigate opportunities that match your schedule. Now that you’ve found a cause, find out how you can integrate the activity into your schedule. Try a different prospects and get outside of your comfort zone before settling into a new routine! Set reasonable expectations for yourself. Don’t stretch yourself too thin, especially at first. If you’re worried that you don’t have enough time to devote to a cause on a weekly basis, try a monthly commitment, or even volunteer as an on-call sub. 3. Dig in and commit. Here’s the big one. Sign up for a time. Put your name on the list. Write it down in your planner. Commit to giving the time and making it happen. Pope Francis reminds us: Be always happy and full of joy in the service you give, but never presume to think that you are superior to others. Instead, let your work of mercy be a humble and eloquent continuation of Jesus’ presence who continues to bend down to our level to take care of the ones who suffer. For love ‘builds up’ (1 Corinthians 8:1), day after day helping our communities to be signs of fraternal communion. I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on how you might get involved. It’s easy to find an excuse for why there isn’t enough time in your week, so challenge yourself to find a time and make it happen. Don’t wait. Get involved. You’ll be glad you did. Do you volunteer anywhere? What do you love most about it? [bctt tweet="Why You Shouldn't Wait to Volunteer #BISblog //"] Annie Koppes is a California native currently living in the Sunflower State. She works for a radio station, and recording commercials are her favorite part of her job. She loves the color yellow, exploring new cities, iced coffee, and reading. Chick-fil-A is her all-time favorite restaurant and her devotion to it borders on obsession.

When God created mankind, He gave us five senses. Our senses help us to understand and interact with the physical world around us. Being made in God’s image and likeness, we are not merely material beings. We also have a soul, a spiritual reality. What amazes me is how God continues to use my own understanding of the world around me to help me comprehend deeper spiritual realities. For instance, a couple of years ago I was going through a difficult season. I remember standing in the shower, crying, asking God why He wouldn’t just send me the grace to help me fix the problem. Instantly, a memory of Ireland from my college semester abroad flooded my consciousness. What God Can Do with Rain I thought about the week I spent exploring the Emerald Isle. It was cold. Everything was wet. It was cloudy and windy and it rained every single day. Some days it would sprinkle off and on, some days it would be misty, and somedays the rain poured steadily. However, when the rain stopped, the clouds split, and the sun came out... the beauty of Ireland was magnificent. The grass was so green and the colors of the flowers were so vibrant that they took my breath away. God reminded me what He could do with “rain.” He takes things that are unpleasant to the senses and transforms them into things so splendid that one’s senses are overwhelmed with wonder, awe, and gratitude. He never, ever, leaves us in the rain forever. God Uses Rain to Make Things Beautiful Can you imagine how infuriating this must be for Satan? God takes what the devil meant for evil and uses it to bring about good. I mean, look at what we are celebrating as a Church right now! Death came about because of sin. Satan intended for it to be what would keep us from God forever. Instead, Christ came, died, and rose from the dead, forever transforming what Satan has intended to be a tool for mankind’s demise. [bctt tweet="God takes what the devil meant for evil and uses it to bring about good. #BISblog //"] Now, because of God, death can lead to resurrection, which means life’s spiritual struggles can lead to our greatest joys! Just as “April showers bring May flowers,” God can transform the ugliest times of our lives into the most beautiful of creations. He uses those things to “water” us and help us grow, making us into someone that others find breathtaking. Unfortunately, this does not happen at the drop of a hat. I always want my spiritual woes to go away as quickly as my physical aches and pains are relieved by a tablet of aspirin. The thing is, aspirin treats a symptom, not the source of my ailment. God doesn’t want to give me temporary relief… He wants to heal me. True healing takes time. Ask anyone recovering from surgery. God also wants me to grow. It takes the human body almost two decades to reach peak maturity. Why do I think my spiritual growth should happen any faster? [bctt tweet="God can transform the ugliest times of our lives into the most beautiful of creations. #BISblog //"] Spiritual Showers Bring Spiritual Flowers The rains of spring always remind me of this truth, and this year is no different. Though I know all these truths, the struggle can still be somewhat depressing. Thus, I try to face my spiritual “rains” the same way I deal with nasty weather. 1. Wear Boots and a Rain Jacket My rain jacket gets the majority of its use during spring. I carry it with me daily. If it’s raining when I wake up, I leave for work in my rainboots. I do what I can to protect myself from the negative effects of rain. Being prepared and putting on my waterproof gear reminds me of some advice from St. Paul: Put on the whole armor of God… that you may be able to withstand in the evil day... (Ephesians 6: 11, 13) He even outlines what the “armor of God” is: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, the Holy Spirit, and prayer. These things prepare us to face the enemy. While St. Paul calls it "armor," I call it "rain gear." If I’m going through a stormy season of life, I cling to my “rain gear.” I focus on these virtues and graces when I wake up in the morning, hoping they stay fresh in my mind all day. 2. Grab an Umbrella Similar to the rain gear mentioned above, an umbrella can be used to help us stay warm and dry during a rainstorm. Though it doesn’t protect us from all the rain, it certainly protects us from a good chunk of it. In the same way, the Blessed Mother is my spiritual umbrella. There are many Marian prayers within our faith tradition which humbly request the Heavenly Queen to reach down and wrap us within her mantle (her outer garment, the ancient equivalent of a coat). I love this image of a Mother wrapping her child within her own garment, keeping the child warm, safe, and comforted. As my spiritual umbrella, my Heavenly Mother does the same thing. This image helps my soul when it is aching. 3. Drink a Warm Beverage On those brisk spring days when the wind nips, I always rely on a warm beverage to warm my belly and my bloodstream. When I can’t handle the chill of a spiritual storm, I also seek out something warm to consume. I actually meditate on Jesus’ words from the Cross: “I thirst” (John 19:28). He was thirsting for redemption, thirsting for love. I can relate. Often, I grab a literal warm beverage and read through Psalm 22, the one Christ proclaimed from the Cross. He felt abandoned. He felt alone. However, He knew that He wasn’t, and that psalm (which ends in redemption and glory) was an act of faith. In the midst of my spiritual storms, I use it the same way, reminding myself that my struggles will also have a glorious end. 4. Stay Home Sometimes, the storm is really, really bad, and you have to stay home. Sometimes, we are spiritually beat, and we feel as though we have nothing left to give. In those cases, remember that it is okay to rest and/or indulge. St. Thomas Aquinas once said: Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath, and a glass of wine. He understood that humans are both material and spiritual, and that the state of one part of us often affects the other. When you are going through spiritual storms, do not forget to take care of yourself physically! Sometimes this means getting exercise, sometimes it means taking a nap. This does not make you weak… it makes you human. [bctt tweet="Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath, and a glass of wine. -St. Thomas Aquinas #BISblog //"] 5. Remember the Sun Just because it’s cloudy and raining outside does not mean that the sun has stopped shining. The sun is always shining, even when we can’t see it because the clouds are in the way. In your own spiritual difficulty, remember that the Son is still “shining.” He never stops pouring out His grace into your life. The “clouds” might make it harder to perceive, but God is never not there, and you will “feel” His presence once again, just as the sun returns after the rain. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. (Psalm 107:28-30) How do you cope during times of spiritual difficulties? [bctt tweet="Spiritual Showers Bring Spiritual Flowers #BISblog //"]

O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. -St. John Chrysostom, Easter Homily Reflect There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us, and does not now bear with us. And on the far side of every cross we find the newness of life in the Holy Spirit, that new life which will reach its fulfillment in the resurrection. This is our faith. This is our witness before the world. Pope St. John Paul II Listen For musical inspiration for your restful Sunday, listen to our BIS Rests playlist. I recommend praying with “Christ is Risen” by Matt Maher. [bctt tweet="BIS Rests: Rise + Witness #BISblog #BISrests //"] Curated by Olivia Spears. You can find out more about her here.

I speak now of the Life After, which I can imagine, and not the AfterLife, which I cannot, although He spoke of it many times. I look up at Him now, utterly broken, utterly weathered, and remember His pure skin, unblemished, coalesced with mine, when I was only a child myself. I look up at Him now, as I have always looked up to Him, my son, my son, my beloved son. It is not a tree from which He hangs, as they will later say. He sags now lifelessly from blunt coarse logs, tied together with colonial compliance and boorish disconcern. My husband would be ashamed at such violent construction, if he were here. He is not here. What shall I do now? What shall I do? What shall I do now, in the Life After? How do I stand and walk from this site? Where are my legs, if His are broken? My dear sister is shaking my arm, “Mary, Mary,” she calls from a seeming distance. “We must rise.” I look down upon Him now. They have brought Him down, and I did not notice. He lies on the barren soil utterly soulless, as if forsaken, skin as ashen as sin. I look down on Him now and I reach out to brush away the matted lock on His forehead. But I cannot; the thorns are coalesced into his skin. I cannot reach Him, my beloved son. “Mary, you must rise,” she repeats. Yes. I must rise. I must rise, I know. I must rise into the Life After. I do not know about this AfterLife of which He spoke. He told me there will be no brokenness there, in the AfterLife. All of this brokenness, all of this suffering, must be borne here, in the Life After. It is for this He was born. It is for this I was so born as well. It is for this we are born, for suffering borne. But I must rise. Tomorrow I will bake bread. For the others will be hungry. [bctt tweet="The Life After: A Poem for Holy Saturday #BISblog //"] Eileen McKeagney is a wife, mother, Catholic high school English teacher, daughter, sister, and lifelong writer. She lives in San Juan Capistrano, CA with her husband, who hails from Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, and their three children. As a literature teacher, she gets to teach love stories, each and every day. In her spare time, Eileen is a minivan chauffeur for her children, makes a mean jar of homemade preserves in the summertime, and occasionally writes poetry and prose. Read more of her original work and learn more about her here.

For many of us, Good Friday is a day to get through. No meat, plus fasting, plus something about two small meals and one larger meal, usually equals low energy, crabbiness, and trouble concentrating on tasks at work or at home. Fasting and The Gift of Good Friday Call me crazy, but Good Friday is actually my favorite day out of the entire Church year. Yes, the fasting can make the day difficult, but if you think about it, Good Friday is an amazing gift. We get an entire day to contemplate the very great price of our salvation–Jesus’ suffering and death on the Cross. And we get to involve not just our head and our heart, but our physical bodies as well in that holy contemplation. Understanding the Church’s teachings about fasting and penance and the prayers and liturgies of the day can make Good Friday feel like less of a day to get through, and more like the gift that it is. It could even become your favorite day of the Church year. What’s the deal with fasting? According to the 1983 Code of Canon Law “abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ” (Canon 1251). That means that in addition to abstaining from meat, as we do every Friday throughout Lent, we are also called to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The United States Council of Catholic Bishops defines fasting as eating “one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal." You can drink liquids between meals, but no solid food should be consumed. Who is required to fast? People ages 14 and up are required and abstain from meat, and people ages 18-59 are required to fast (see Canon Law 1252). Are there any exceptions? Yes. According the United States Council of Catholic Bishops, those who are physically or mentally ill, those with chronic illnesses, like diabetes, and pregnant or nursing women are exempt. What do I do if I’m not able to fast? This is my third time being pregnant during Lent. If I were to attempt fasting while pregnant I would end up passing out. But even though I’m not fasting, I try to keep a spirit of penance in my meals. I abstain from meat, and avoid other foods that I especially enjoy, namely, sweets and coffee. I also choose to fast from TV, social media, and other things that could distract me from the meaning of the day. Why Fasting Matters Now that we know the “rules” for fasting, we need to understand the spiritual significance of fasting. Canon 1252 talks about the importance of being “educated in an authentic sense of penance.” Penance is an act or outward sign that helps us turn away from sin and back to God. Our fasting and abstinence is a tangible way for us to express our sorrow for the sins we have commited. Every time we feel a pang of hunger on Good Friday we are reminded to say with our bodies, along with our hearts, “Lord, I am sorry for my sin that lead You to the Cross. With this act of penance, I am offering myself to You.” [bctt tweet="With this act of penance, I am offering myself to You. #BISblog //"] How do I carry on with daily life while fasting? I think we all know that it can be really difficult to go about daily life on an empty stomach. That’s why on Good Friday I try not to carry on with daily life. As much as possible, I try to save the day for prayer, reflection, and penance. I don’t socialize on Good Friday, and when I was working outside the home, I tried to take the day off. I don’t schedule appointments on Good Friday and my kids don’t go to school. The way I see it is, if Jesus hung on the Cross and died for me, surely I can take one day off from my regular programming to remember and honor His death. Yet, if you are unable to set aside your whole day, you can still unite your heart to Jesus’ Passion through offering your hunger pangs. He labored long and hard the day He died, and if we have to, we can as well. So what do I do all day? It can be tempting on Good Friday to just crawl under the covers and sleep our way to Holy Saturday. But there are a lot of things you could do in the way of prayer and penance on Good Friday. Chances are, your local parish already offers many of them. Most churches offer Stations of the Cross on Good Friday, usually at 3:00 pm, which is the hour of Jesus’ death. Some parishes offer Confession. Pro-life groups often hold prayer vigils on Good Friday to pray for an end to abortion. Working on light preparations for Easter is an entirely appropriate activity for Good Friday. Of course, having time of quiet prayer and reflection at home is always a good idea. The Good Friday service at your parish is the perfect way to end the day. It is a beautiful and solemn liturgy. When we take the time to walk to Calvary with Jesus and stand under His Cross, it only makes Easter Sunday all the more glorious. The Beauty of the Good Friday Liturgy If you attend your parish’s Good Friday service, you will notice it’s pretty different than your standard Sunday Mass. First of all, it’s not a Mass! Good Friday is the only day in the entire year that the Liturgy of the Eucharist is not celebrated. Communion is still distributed, but it is from the hosts consecrated on Holy Thursday. The Liturgy of the Eucharist, which the Church throughout the world celebrates every other day of the year, is a proclamation of Christ’s victory over death. The lack of that liturgy on Good Friday reminds us of the immense agony and humiliation that Jesus went through to bring about that victory. You may notice other unusual things at your church on Good Friday. The altar is stripped bare, there are no plants, flowers, or candles, and depending on the church you go to, and there is little to no music. Why? All of these things are symbols of joy and festivity. On Good Friday, we are in mourning for the death of our Lord. The Gospel You may also notice that the Gospel reading is really long. It’s two entire chapters from the Gospel of St. John! Resist the urge to fidget or glaze over. Pay attention, there is crowd participation. What words do you hear yourself saying? “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” It is unnerving to play the part of the angry mob, demanding Jesus’ death. In my head I think, “Lord I would never crucify You.” But saying those words out loud reminds me that is was in fact my sins that took Jesus to the Cross. The Solemn Intercessions and The Veneration of the Cross The Solemn Intercessions and The Veneration of the Cross are two other elements of the Good Friday liturgy that you won’t find any other day. The Intercessions are a beautiful reminder that Jesus’ death was for the entire world. They entail more kneeling than usual. When my knees start to hurt from hitting the kneeler so many times I think of Jesus, falling to the ground under the weight of a heavy cross. During the Veneration of the Cross, we can kneel before or even kiss the crucifix as a way to say thank you to Jesus. Good Good Friday What an amazing gift, that Jesus would suffer and die for us. And what an amazing gift that we can take an entire day and honor His suffering and death. It is a solemn day, it is a heavy day, but it is also a day of incredible love. This love endures beatings and lashings, insults and humiliations, a crown of thorns, a heavy cross, and nails being driven through flesh. As we move through Good Friday, let us reflect on this love over and over, and repeat a simple prayer to ourselves: You did this, Lord, out of love for me. Thank you, Jesus, I love you. [bctt tweet="Fasting and the Gift of Good Friday #BISblog //"] Anna Coyne is a Minnesota native, wife, mother, and convert to the Catholic faith. When not chasing after her two young children, she is probably making pour-over coffee, knitting, gardening, playing the piano, or sipping on a glass of red wine. Find out more about her here.

In another lifetime, I spent a summer working in Yellowstone National Park. I lived with a park ranger, wore a wide-brimmed hat, a khaki button-up shirt with green forest service-issued jeans, and hiking boots. I was the one who got to drive a park service station wagon and collected the change from the visitor map purchase stations at first light. Otherwise, I worked with the Junior Ranger program at the visitor center. But I was exposed to all sorts of naturalist talks and events going on throughout the park. In Need of Fire It was the summer of 2001 and Yellowstone was on fire. Huge hillsides were charred from recent damage. I even remember driving by a wedding party having their pictures taken in a meadow, while in the background, blazes licked the sky. There was a steady presence of firefighters in all restaurants and roads, working to keep visitors safe. We had all learned to co-exist with the fire. The most pervading and bewildering lesson I learned from those who worked in the park was that, overall, fire is important. It's wild, dangerous, even frightening, but the heat is necessary. Take the lodgepole pine, for instance. Without the surging heat of a wildfire, its cones cannot open to disperse their seeds held tightly inside the cone, protected from predators. I wonder if this isn’t among the best illustrations of the Lenten experience—things held tightly to ourselves produce life only when circumstances allow for us to loosen our grip on them. We need Lent like lodgepoles need fire. An Emptying Last month, I was at Super Bowl party with our family friends. Because football is not my thing, I was talking with a friend of a friend whose job (among three other folks in the country) is to survey regions where wildfires have burned and assess the likelihood of/damage caused by mudslides. He was sharing pictures on his phone of some of the yards and local landmarks after his most recent job on the west coast. The scene was unrecognizable: boulders bigger than SUVs rolled through family homes, yards and amenities, submerged, surrounded by thick, brown, sludge. If this story literally hits close to home, my heart goes out to you. Gathered armchair analysts collectively sighed: Where do these folks begin? I can’t help but feel the response is a lot like the gathered faithful after a Lenten season where perhaps some of our own hearts, practices, even our sanctuaries are feeling a bit unrecognizable. Having moved through the drought, maybe even fire, we exist in the immediate floodplain, in danger of being flooded by the quick and abundant shed of grace that is about to gush forth. The Fire and Water of Holy Thursday Today, of course, is Holy Thursday. The water begins its trickle tonight. It is the day we remember Jesus’ gesture of humility toward His disciples in the washing of their soiled, dusty feet. In churches around the world, Catholics will bring forth the basins, and towels, roll up their sleeves and remember the posture of servanthood in a literal way. If there is a more spiritually-potent part of the year, I don’t know it. The culmination of our meaningful or mediocre Lenten experiences come to a head in these next days. Not that our preparation (or lack thereof) will alter the meaning which God will make in our hearts this season if we are open to it, only that our preparations have begun for the first, meandering waters of the flood into our dry and barren souls. What does this look like? Maybe you begin the evening by breaking bread at a traditional Seder meal, as our Jewish brothers and sisters do, celebrating our shared heritage and marking the beginning of Passover. It may be physically washing the body of a child, an aged patient, or ill relative. It might look like cleaning the toilet after the stomach flu has ravaged your household. Maybe you finally let someone into that place of hurt you’ve been holding onto, and through tears, experience relief, compassion, or forgiveness. Maybe Holy week will culminate with a Baptism—your own, someone you’ve sponsored, a familiar face in your parish—glowing with new and abundant life. Just like the topographical aftermath of a fire, tumultuous things follow extreme conditions. Opening Our Hearts on Holy Thursday Our hearts are in that precious, ripe, liminal time in which they are pulled between the harshness of what has been and the promise of what is coming. The word Lent, with its harsh and sometimes even dreaded connotations, appropriately means "springtime." What better metaphor for the re-imagining of life than by animating it with water? Regardless of where you live, if you have ever watched time-lapse photography of this change taking place, you know what I mean. The life force of springtime takes hold in our hearts in the sloshing of buckets, callused feet, the starchiness of towels, and our participation in this pouring out of water and of self. How will you let the fire of God's love open your heart through the remainder of Holy Week? [bctt tweet="Lodgepoles: On Holy Thursday #BISblog //"]

When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall Him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them. When He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Again He asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word which He had spoken, “Of those whom Thou gavest me, I lost not one.” - John 18:1-9 Abandonment Holy Wednesday, the Wednesday of Holy Week, is traditionally known to be the day that Judas made the decision to betray Jesus. This decision led to a series of events culminating in Jesus’ crucifixion and death. Being fully divine, He knew everything that was going to happen to Him. Being fully human, Jesus experienced the full extent of His suffering and the desolation of being completely abandoned by the human race. Saints to Turn to During Times of Betrayal There are times that we may experience abandonment and the pain of being betrayed. Here are three saints to turn to during these times of betrayal. These saints teach us exactly what Christ taught us when He was betrayed: to seek love, forgiveness, and mercy during times of extreme pain. Saint John of the Cross This great Spanish saint and Doctor of The Church served Christ as a Carmelite priest. He was a dear friend of St. Teresa of Avila, who asked him to help her reform the Carmelite Order. St. John became a great champion of her project, something that he felt called to do to bring greater glory to God. Many within the Carmelite order were opposed to reform. One evening, St. John was seized and imprisoned by a group of his fellow Carmelites. He was imprisoned in a small cell where his brothers beat him, starved him, insulted him, and isolated him for nine months. During this time of betrayal, St. John of the Cross had complete confidence in God. Even when he couldn’t feel Christ’s presence, he chose to believe in the reality of His presence. Christ assures us that He is with us always, that He will never leave us (Matthew 28:20). This was St. John’s hope and his joy. It was during his imprisonment that St. John of the Cross composed some of his most beautiful poems. His imprisonment writings are filled with serenity and patience. Instead of running away from Christ, St. John ran to Him. St. John transformed his loneliness, pain, and suffering into a pure, beautiful offering to Christ, the Suffering Servant. St. John of the Cross, teach me to transform my pain and loneliness into a beautiful offering of love. Please help me to know that Christ is with me, even when I don’t feel His presence. Send me the grace to trust Christ completely when those closest to me betray me. Saint (King) David David was no stranger to betrayal. After being initially favored by King Saul, Saul’s heart was hardened as he suspected David was trying to usurp his throne. David was faithful to God the Father and Saul’s life was delivered into David’s hands. Yet David showed mercy to Saul. After becoming king, David was again betrayed by his own son, Absalom. David eventually returned from exile to rule as king until his death. There are many Psalms we can turn to in times of betrayal. Psalm 22 is a perfect example, as Jesus Himself quoted the beginning lines when He was on the Cross. This psalm is a psalm of David, and prophesies the way in which Christ died. What is most interesting is that this psalm is actually a todah, or a “sacrifice of thanksgiving.” The psalm starts out with lamentation, and gives way to thanksgiving and praise to God. The psalmist moves from a “heart like wax” to proclaiming “may your hearts live forever!” This is hardly a dismal psalm–it is one of rejoicing! It is one of trust in the Lord. In the end we see that David, though he was betrayed, trusted in the Lord. For this he was rewarded, and Jesus reminds us on the Cross to trust fully in the Lord by quoting Psalm 22. Jesus Himself is the todah, the “sacrifice of thanksgiving,” the Eucharist. Let us fully trust in the Lord and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, even in times of trial and betrayal. [bctt tweet="Let us fully trust in the Lord and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, even in times of trial and betrayal. #BISblog //"] St. David, teach me to trust in the Lord when I feel betrayed. Help me to always offer praise to God, to be thankful for every gift that He gives me, especially during difficult times of trial. Help me unite my suffering with Christ on the Cross as a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God the Father. Saint Peter St. Peter was the leader of the disciples, the first pope of the Church, and an incredible man who died with complete humility, crucified upside down. Even in the midst of all of these wonderful things, Peter denied Jesus when He needed him the most. Including Peter may come as a surprise since he is the one who denied Christ three times. But this is precisely why he is on this list. Peter’s denial is an integral part of the Passion narrative. And selfishness can be seen as an integral part of human nature. However, this selfishness and the ability to betray others does not define an individual. It is important to recall St. Peter when we have been betrayed. To remember that those who have betrayed us are human, and that their betrayal does not define who they are. As we have seen in the example of St. Peter, each of us has the ability to betray or deny another person, but we also have the ability to accomplish great things for Christ. Jesus forgave Peter and gave Peter the opportunity to show his love for Jesus three times, in direct opposition to the three times that Peter denied Him. Peter’s proclamation of love freed him of his hurt and allowed him to accomplish many great things for Christ. Let us recognize that we must be Christ to those who have betrayed us. We must be willing to forgive, and we must be willing to be vulnerable enough to those who have betrayed us. We must be willing to give them the opportunity to show their love for us, for as many times that they have hurt or betrayed us. [bctt tweet="We must be Christ to those who have betrayed us. #BISblog //"] St. Peter, teach me to have compassion and mercy on those who have hurt me. Help me to be as Christ was to you, ever willing to give a second chance to my betrayers. Give me the strength and courage to forgive, and to recognize the potential for good in every person. Help me to do great things for Christ, to give the greater glory to God. What brings you spiritual consolation during times of betrayal? Feel free to share with us in the comments! [bctt tweet="3 Saints to Turn to During Times of Betrayal #BISblog //"]

Sisters, please tell me I am not the only one who has, admittedly more than once in my life, lost a palm from Palm Sunday. Some time in between folding it into a cross after Mass (like my mom always did) and remembering to actually do something with it, I have completely forgotten where I put it, only to find it in the back of my desk drawer or the glove compartment of my car a few weeks (months?) later. It’s no way to treat a sacramental* and it doesn’t do anything for me spiritually when I can’t see it on a regular basis, let alone remember where it is. This year, I want to do something different. Remembering the Meaning Behind the Palm Sunday Palm This year, every time I see the palm, I want to call to mind the words of the Palm Sunday Gospel: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:9-10) This year, I want to be continually reminded of the role my sins played in crucifying my Lord—that I am no better than the Jews who greeted Jesus with rejoicing and then turned around and called out for Barabbas to be freed. This year, I want to let the sight of the palm stop me in my tracks and inspire me to rest in the truth that Jesus conquered death, that He opened the gates of heaven, and that He wants me to spend eternity with Him. How to Display Palm Sunday Palms Around Your Home How blessed are we to be a part of a Church that gives us tangible opportunities to be reminded of all of those things and more through something as simple as a palm branch? Let’s keep them out of our glove compartments this year—instead, here are a few ideas of places to display a palm in a meaningful and respectful way. 1. Tuck it behind a crucifix or a piece of religious art. While these items hanging on your wall already remind you of our Faith, adding a palm can serve two additional purposes. One, it will make the wall look different and draw your eyes to it, leading you to gaze upon the cross or an image that resonates with you more often. Two, the presence of greenery reminds us that our faith is something that is alive—it’s not something limited to the days of the Bible or to the time of a conversion. God is always at work in our lives and in our hearts. 2. Add it to your Easter centerpiece. I love the idea of keeping home décor simple and minimal during Lent and then pulling out all of the stops for Easter Sunday: painted eggs, spring colors, and of course, plenty of fresh flowers. A palm or two would make a meaningful and beautiful accent to a vase filled with lilies, tulips, or whatever flowers you choose to arrange for your joyful Easter table. Once you’re no longer using the centerpiece, be sure to carefully dry the palm and then choose one of the other options for displaying it. 3. Place it in your Bible. A palm folded in half serves as a perfect bookmark for a page in your Bible that you want to refer back to again and again throughout the year. Not sure where to put it? You can’t go wrong with the Canticle of Mary (Luke 1:46-55), the Sermon the Mount (Matthew 5), or Jesus’ Passion (John 18-19), to name a few. 4. Add it to your gallery wall. In an effort to incorporate more religious art into our home that also seamlessly fit with our décor, my husband and I added a gallery wall to our living room last year. Much to our delight, it is now one of the most frequently complimented details in our home! My favorite nugget of advice for someone hoping to create their own? Include a mix of flat photographs/artwork and three-dimensional objects. For example, along with a handful of our favorite framed pieces, ours features a crucifix, a holy water font, and a Rosary. Whether you fold your palm into a cross and add it to your display or simply attach it as is, the unique addition is sure to add deeper meaning to the wall (and look beautiful to boot). 5. Display it in a narrow vase. If you have a long palm, you may need to fold it in half first. Let it serve as a reminder to pray without ceasing and place it somewhere you’ll see it often. If you have a specific family prayer table or feast table, that is a wonderful option, but if not, opt for a spot where you could use the reminder to pray—perhaps on a kitchen windowsill where you’ll see it when doing dishes, on your bedside table, or on a (high!) shelf outside of your children’s bedrooms or playroom. What to Do With Your Palm Sunday Palms Before Palm Sunday of next year, you can either return the palms to your church (they’re often burned for the ashes used on Ash Wednesday) or burn or bury them to return them to the earth in a dignified way. I pray that by then, we will have experienced some sweet and unexpected graces as a result of being reminded of today’s feast day throughout the year! How have you displayed palms in your home? *“… sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy.” -CCC 1667 [bctt tweet="Ideas for Displaying Palm Sunday Palms Around Your Home #BISblog //"]

There he hangs—pale figure pinned against the wood.God grant that I may love Him as a I really know I should. I draw a little closer to share that love DivineAnd almost hear Him whisper, "Ah, foolish child of Mine! If I should now embrace youMy hands would stain you red. And if I leaned to whisper,the thorns would pierce your head." And then I knew in silence that love demands a price,'twas then I learned that suffering is but the kiss of Christ. -Caryll Houselander, "Kiss of Christ" Reflect The Church greets the Lord in the Holy Eucharist as the one who is coming now, the one who has entered into her midst. At the same time, she greets him as the one who continues to come, the one who leads us toward his coming. As pilgrims, we go up to him; as a pilgrim he comes to us and takes us up with him in his "ascent" to the Cross and Resurrection, to the definitive Jerusalem that is already growing in the midst of this world in the communion that unites us with his body. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: Part Two Holy Week: from the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection Listen For musical inspiration for your restful Sunday, listen to our BIS Rests playlist.   [bctt tweet="BIS Rests: Thorns + Kisses #BISblog #BISrests //"] Curated by Christy Isinger. You can find out more about her here. This post contains an affiliate link, which means Blessed is She will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through our link. Thank you!

Tomorrow, we enter into the holiest week of the Church’s year. If you experienced God’s love and mercy in a new and powerful way this Lent, Holy Week may be something you’re looking forward to. But maybe you struggled to stick to your resolutions or didn’t make really sound ones in the first place. Then, seeing “Palm Sunday,” “Holy Thursday,” and so on in your calendar may feel daunting. Or perhaps life threw you some curveballs lately, and you don’t really know what to think about your relationship with Christ. Celebrating Holy Week No matter where you’ve been, Holy Week can be a fruitful and hopeful time for your spirit. Consider the Apostles during that first Holy Week: Jesus told them what was going to happen, but they couldn’t fathom His predictions coming to fruition. It seemed too farfetched, too unbelievable, too impossible. And yet we know that all things are possible in Christ—even rising from the dead! The Church lives and breathes, in large part, on tradition. You may have practices that you turn to in this season each year that continue to be fruitful and life-giving. But even if you do, I echo my own pastor’s challenge from the Sunday before Lent began: make this Holy Week different from any you’ve experienced before. Open your heart a little wider. Create a little more space for God to move in your life. Let His grace call the shots and, inspired by our Blessed Mother’s fiat, say "yes" to wherever He may lead you this week. Ideas for Holy Week To get you started, here are some ideas to live each day of this Holy Week with intention. Remember, even in darkness, even in despair, Christ makes all things new. Palm Sunday Before you plan your meals for this week, take stock of your pantry. What food do you already have? Canned soup? Tuna? Rice, quinoa, couscous? Look in your freezer as well. Frozen vegetables? Meat? Microwave dinners? Too often, we take what we have right in front of us for granted. This week, be nourished by the sustenance God has already provided for you. Use the money you had budgeted for groceries to provide meals for someone (an individual or an organization) who is in greater need. Holy Monday Go to Confession. Many parishes have additional hours during which the Sacrament is offered this week (and if you’re not comfortable with a priest you know, normally there are some new faces present!). To prepare, work through an Examination of Conscience. Often resources are available near the confessional, but you can also find versions online (like this one from Blessed is She) or simply work your way through the Ten Commandments. How have you abided by or broken each one since your last Confession? Once you do receive the Sacrament, begin incorporating a nightly Examination of Conscience into your prayers to better prepare for next time. Holy Tuesday Replace your typical evening activities with a viewing of The Passion of the Christ. Invite your BIS sisters to bring over a journal and join you. After the film, take a few moments to write about the scenes that moved you. If you’ve seen the movie before, what struck you differently this time? What might God be telling you through this reflection? Share your thoughts and pray together for increased hope and trust this week. Holy Wednesday Wed your prayer time to creativity and color your reflections. A number of adult coloring books are available that incorporate religious images and phrases, some specifically for Lent. Brew a pot of tea and invite the women you’ve met in your local BIS sisterhood to bring their pencils, pastels, and paints over. Try Coloring Lent: An Adult Coloring Book for the Journey to Resurrection, The Mysteries of the Rosary: An Adult Coloring Book, or The Stations of the Cross: Catholic Coloring Book Devotional. Holy Thursday Participate in your diocese’s Chrism Mass, which takes place either on Holy Thursday morning or an evening earlier in the week. The priests of the diocese gather with the bishop for this Mass, where three oils that will be used in sacraments throughout the year—the oil of catechumens, the oil of the infirm, and holy chrism—are blessed. In the evening, plan to attend Holy Thursday Mass as well. Here, witness the washing of feet and the consecration of the Eucharist (which won’t happen anywhere tomorrow!). Good Friday In addition to the traditional Good Friday service, pray the Stations of the Cross either with a group or on your own. St. John Paul II prayed the Stations every Friday! Experience these fourteen moments on Christ’s road to Cavalry in a new way with Soul Core, a method that integrates body and soul in a “a gentle path to grow in virtue and interior peace.” Today is also the day to start the Divine Mercy Novena, so that it finishes on Divine Mercy Sunday (the Sunday following Easter Sunday). Sign up with Pray More Novenas to get the prayers delivered to your inbox each morning. Holy Saturday Attend your parish’s Easter Vigil. This Mass is a special opportunity to pray with and for those candidates entering the Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The Mass begins with a darkened church, a tangible sign that Christ is “the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). The time of waiting has passed. Now we rejoice! Easter Sunday He is Risen, alleluia! Easter is such a big deal that the Church celebrates it for eight days! Make the octave of Easter special by continuing to incorporate prayer into each day. Put 3 p.m. next Sunday on your calendar, too, as it’s prime time to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet. Look for a local parish that may incorporate adoration into a sung chaplet—you’ll never look at 3 p.m. the same way again. The revelations St. Faustina Kowalska received from Jesus in the early twentieth century assure us that God wants us to pray for His mercy, to be merciful to others, and to totally trust in His son. As Lent comes to a close, hopefully you have experienced these truths in a new and resonating way. Now, we are called the same way the first disciples were at Pentecost: go out and spread the good news! How do you celebrate Holy Week? Are you incorporating any new forms of prayer or celebration this year? Let us know in the comments below! [bctt tweet="Making Holy Week New #BISblog //"] 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.