God Chose Us In Him by b.Mark

Posted on May 19, 2020 by

“God chose us in him *
before the world began
to be holy *
and blameless in his sight.”
Ephesians 1:3

  • Let’s rejoice in God for He takes us in His loving arms whispering to us that we are His children and that He wants us to share in His pure love with Him. We are called to be as holy as we can possibly become to share in that pure love. You may believe it’s to overwhelming for yourself, that there’s no way you could muster that, that your not good enough. Well, I got a secret, none of us can live up to this. That’s why we have our brother Christ Jesus showing us how as He gives us the grace to climb that mountain. What we’re striving for is not only to spend eternity with Him but to build a relationship with Him. Remember He said, “the kingdom of Heaven is within you” He wants us to share in that pure love now. If the great Saints, who were just human beings like you and I could reach the heights of Heaven, we can too. How did they do it? They opened their heart to grace and the Holy Spirit. Christ knocks on the door but it is we who must open that door. We must let God know we want to enter into relationship with Him. We must want to act as He did for “faith without works is dead” What He shows us is for us to show compassion toward others; to show respect for all of Gods children; to care for the less fortunate; to visit the sick. He shows us only good things. Basically, to care for others before we care for ourselves. If we have anger in our heart, to forgive and ask for healing in our broken heart. We also grow in relationship with God through prayer. We can recite the Liturgy of the Hours each day, we can pray the Holy Rosary and meditate on the life of Christ, we can recite the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me.” We can even spend time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on YouTube if we can’t find a Church that has it in your neighborhood. Hopefully, when this pandemic ends we can start going back to Church and receive the Holy Eucharist at Mass once again. Prayer is conversation and communion. When an elderly couple grows old together they use less and less words for they are just happy to be content in each other’s presence. It is the same with our relationship with our loving God. It leads to communion and with Gods grace we can begin this journey today. Have a blessed week.

Your brother in Christ Jesus,
bMark
Hermits of the Holy Cross

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Eve Meets Our Blessed Mother

Posted on March 29, 2020 by

In this beautiful image, we see Eve sad and down trodden, the serpent, the epitome of evil, is wrapped around her leg signifying the human family is still chained to the trappings of this world. As Eve clings to the apple with her right hand, her face has an expression of great sorrow. Mary, our Blessed Mother comes to Eve with a sweet smile, She raises her right hand and places it on Eve’s face to comfort her. Our Blessed Mother standing on the head of the serpent as Genesis 2:15 shows us, signifying through Her and Her Son satan has been defeated. Our Blessed Mother, through Her “yes” to becoming God’s vessel, Christ Jesus redeems the world.

Rich in symbolism, there is yet another layer of meaning that may be glimpsed through the actions of our Lady in this image. It has long been known that in the Christian mystical writings of the Saints, the actions of the left and the right hands of God are often mystical signs that point to a richness of meaning even beyond the image itself. 
As the mother of our Savior places her Right hand upon the face of Eve, could she be inferring that the power of the Right hand of God was flowing through her at that very moment, conveying to Eve a taste of the redemption of all humankind by her Son, Jesus the Christ? And that this singular grace would be made possible one day through Mary’s own personal cooperation with that grace, which would come to be known only much later as Mary’s Fiat?  
Mary then takes the left hand of Eve and places it on her belly. The left hand of God is often used in the Scriptures to signify the blessings and mercies of God. It is interesting to note that the left hand is placed upon the belly of Mary where the Christ child resides. Could it be that Eve was being given to understand, through the infused knowledge of the power of God’s left hand, the future miracle of grace that would one day even forgive her own sin, which caused the suffering of so many of God’s children until the miraculous redemption of humankind that would begin with the miracle residing in the womb of the Blessed Mother Mary?  
St. John Paul II tells us, that “our suffering is supernatural because it is rooted in the divine mystery of Redemption of the world”. Mary, our Blessed Mother comes to us Her children, bringing Eve our first mother, and us hope and to guide us to Her Son, Christ Jesus. “Suffering is also deeply human because in it we discover ourselves in our humanity, our dignity, and in our mission,” says St. John Paul. Mary reassures us that it is through Christ Jesus that we have been fully redeemed, and for us to cling to hope in these trying times. Christ Jesus and our Blessed Mother will always be right by our side when we welcome them into our life. Have a most blessed week
Written by: Theresa & Mark
Hermits of the Holy Cross
Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Please Pray for the Hermits of the Holy Cross

Posted on March 23, 2020 by

As we are asked to remain in our homes at this time, would you please say this prayer for us Hermits as we pray for you and for your family. Let’s take care of one another spiritually through prayer and the offering up of our daily suffering to the most Sacred Heart of Christ Jesus. Peace be in your heart and your mind. Thank you and God bless you.

Your brother in Christ Jesus, b.Mark

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Light In The Darkness

Posted on March 20, 2020 by

Dear Family,

During this time of uncertainty, let’s hand our lives over to our Blessed Mother. She will keep us body and soul under the mantle of Her love. She will protect us and bring us closer to Her Son, Christ Jesus. We are all learning how to deal with this brand new reality. We are called to do everything we can to help not spread this virus around. We may not be use to being alone, especially staying distant from loved ones and good friends. We are all in this together even while practicing “social distancing”. We aren’t perfect, so please be patient with yourself and with others. Use social media to keep in touch with one another. Remember, we are not spiritually alone as well. Call upon your Guardian Angel. We sometimes don’t think of them that often, but they are with us and will never leave our side. Ask them to intercede for you. Share your troubles with them. They are Gods messengers for us. We have the Saints. They too are on our side. Let’s pray for their intercession in our lives. I personally pray for the intercession of my loved ones that have passed before us. They need our intercession as well. They can pray for us as we make our way to the Sacred Heart of Christ Jesus. I want to reiterate once again we are not alone during this difficult time. Christ Jesus tells us “not to be afraid. He is with us until the end of time walking beside us. Remember too, we the Hermits of the Holy Cross are here for you, praying for all of you. Please keep us in your prayers. Don’t be afraid to email us with your intercessory prayers and special intentions. You can find our email address on the About Page of this, our website. God bless you and keep you safe. We love you.

Your sisters and brother Hermits,

b.Mark

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Praying The Stations for the Suffering

Posted on March 12, 2020 by

I was recently made aware of this small but inspiring booklet perfect for the Fridays of Lent.  It is called, “Praying the Stations of the Cross for the Suffering, Ill and Disabled”. The meditations on each Station and then the connection made to how all who suffer chronic or terminal illness might feel when in those same situations brings to life the reality of God suffering with us in His Christ, Jesus, our Lord and Savior, amply reflected in each of these Stations. Also applicable for the sufferings of those who love them and their caregivers.

And in these present days, one might even apply these Stations to those with the Coronavirus and their families.

This booklet is available for $3.00 or even less, depending on where you buy it on the internet. May God bless you through its devout use

+Theresa – HHC!

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged | 1 Comment

Eucharistic Adoration – Responding To A Great Need

Posted on March 2, 2020 by

OIPEUCHARISTIC ADORATION – For over a Century and a Half, the good Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration kept faithfully to the promise of their Foundress; to practice Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 24 hours a day, which means to also practice through the night hours.  Only recently did they have to alter that promise as they themselves could no longer continue with it.

But they did Not abandon it. No; instead they invited Prayer Partners and Others to take up the practice themselves.  Prayer Partners were each asked to choose a single hour in the Night to worship the Eucharist and co-ordinate with other Prayer Partners to see that no hour of the Night was left without someone in prayerful adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.

Like the Sisters, I believe that this Practice of Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament needs to be a part of Every Christian’s Life again.  And so I invite you all to visit this Live Feed of Perpetual Adoration on line and spend some time in prayer there every day.

Thank You and God Be With You!

Theresa – HHC

LINK to the LIVE FEED below,,,,

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=perpetual+adoration+live&view=detail&mid=8D9217D12BF9654489C28D9217D12BF9654489C2&FORM=VIRE

For Information on the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration or to read about their recent decision to change the form of their commitment, see below…..

https://www.fspa.org/   FRANCISCAN SISTERS OF PERPETUAL ADORATION

“We started adoration in 1878 after Mother Antonia Herb’s promise to begin the 24/7 practice came to fruition,” Sister Eileen said. “In 1997, prayer partners were invited to help continue the promise, primarily taking daytime hours while sisters living at St. Rose Convent continued the night hours. As demographics continued changing in the early 2000s, we began studying the future of the practice and growing in our understanding of how we can move forward tending to the spirit of perpetual adoration while recognizing it becoming necessary to discontinue night hours.”

The sisters and prayer partners now prepare to enter into the next phase of perpetual adoration. “We’re inviting all Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, our current partners in mission and future partners, to pray and live in adoration from any location at any time,” Sister Eileen said.

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Complaining or Easing Another’s Burden

Posted on March 1, 2020 by

First Sunday of LENT: This morning as I reflected on the depth of my Faith to my commitment to offer all of my personal sufferings, physical, mental and spiritual, to God for all the sufferings souls in our world, it occurred to me to examine the WHY of my Blog Posts. Some of them may seem dark and may leave the Reader perplexed as to how to respond. Perhaps this is a good time to discuss this with all of you.

If I speak of an especially dark period of Faith I might be experiencing, it is not intended as either complaining or trying to display some false humility to elicit pity in any way. I do hope I have not conveyed such. If I have, may God forgive me. And may You forgive me.

No, what I intend in speaking so is to open my heart to the pain of whomever reads my posts. I hope that through my posts, someone may resonate with the feelings I share and find relief for their own wounded and hidden depths as they journey. It is not easy to discuss our darkness’s. Often, we think we should not feel these darkness’s if we are really spiritual. It is much easier to teach lessons about how we “should” do this or that or how we “should” behave or feel when tried in life’s most difficult and challenging ways. To me, this only serves to keep our dark places hidden from ourselves.

If you see yourself in any of my or any of our posts or need prayer to get through some difficult spiritual or physical challenge in your Own lives, please write us and share your pain. To bare one another’s burdens is the Gospel message. It is not complaining. It is becoming vulnerable of heart that Grace may have a wide open place to enter into.

Blessings and God’s Peace to ALL,

Theresa

 

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

An Open Invitation by bro.Mark

Posted on February 27, 2020 by

The Lenten Season is an open invitation by God to grow closer to the Sacred Heart of Christ Jesus. As Jesus was thrust into the desert for 40 days and forty nights, God calls you and I to enter into the desert of our heart, seeking emptiness, allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and guide us, and to learn how to place others first. The word sin has really gotten a bum wrap here in America. The word Sin in the original Greek means, “to miss the mark” I picture a bow and arrow with the target a couple hundred feet away. The aim is to shoot our arrow to hit the bullseye. The target we strive to focus on in the spiritual life is our love relationship with God. God seeks only relationship. The Father as His children, Christ Jesus as our brother, and to be the spouse of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we “miss the mark” when we stray from this relationship, settling for a more tangible limited love instead. The foundation to all our longing within our heart and soul is based in love. Unfortunately, at times this love is more limited and transient. I invite you this Lenten Season to examine your heart and see what it might be that keeps you from “hitting the mark” and cultivating your love relationship with God. The Lenten Season is a season to explore and restore. Allow this time to embrace you. It is a special time to listen for that “still small voice” the prophet Elias sought out in the desert of silence. Put aside the many distractions that keep you from hitting the mark, the Sacred Heart of Christ. It sounds impossible, but with Gods grace all things are possible. And as St. Padre Pío use to say, “Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry”, God’s door is always open. Have a very blessed Lent. If you are in need of intercessory prayer please email the Hermits of the Holy Cross with your intentions. We are here for you and we love you. Our email address can be found on our website.

Peace and Goodness,

Your brother in Christ Jesus,

Mark

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Long Silence

Posted on February 9, 2020 by

Indeed… It has been a long silence. Not an intentional silence, but rather a silence imposed by a series of circumstances which began on October 1st, and set off a most unfortunate chain of events which greatly impacted my health and well-being. It is not that I am un-acquainted with how the Lord works through what I all too humanly termed, “unfortunate“ events”. In fact, at this point in the journey, events such as these are often necessary for the soul’s growth, in that they compel one to go deeper into the heart of Jesus, abandoning the previous comfort zone one had unconsciously settled into and falling yet again into the darkness of the unknown where God alone abides… Here, The “I” is small and powerless to either advance or retreat. Here, the Spirit within is a silent witness to the carryings-on, complaints, fears and angers of the ego against itself, its world and all of its “unjust” sufferings. I laugh as I say these words knowing them to be true, but still feeling the sting of reality in a body, with the ego ever trying to pretend to learn life‘s lessons while all the while knowing it is only grace that can impart the silent wisdom necessary for the true conversion of the soul.

For today, I ask the grace of humility and surrender and the will to say with all the sincerity of my heart, “Thy will be done“! If YOU find yourself struggling today or suffering deeply or watching someone you love suffer, Know and be assured that I, and All of Us Hermits of the Holy Cross, are praying for YOU! May God impart His wisdom and grace to You. And may you have faith that although you see no answers for yourself and fear that it will be impossible to ever find your way out of this maze of suffering ever again, remember the words of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, “what is impossible for man is not impossible for God“.

God Bless You ALL – THERESA 🙏✝️

 

 

 

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Canticle of the Sun

Posted on February 2, 2020 by

Posted in Hermits of the Holy Cross | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment