Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Are you a night worrier? My mother has never had any trouble falling asleep at night. But once in a while, if she’s unlucky enough to wake up during the night, that’s it for sleeping. She calls them “racing thoughts.” Turning, churning, and tumbling in her mind at a pace that won’t stop. What is it about the middle of the night that things always seem so dire? We awake with a feeling of dread. A worry that seemed small during the day seems to blow up in the dark of our bedroom. Taking on a menacing shape. Like that monster from our childhood, threatening to creep out and grab us in our sleep. Larger problems seem insurmountable, even hopeless.         Read more

As Catholics, we make a lot of Mary’s fiat. Her “yes” to God. And rightfully so: we get how that “yes” gave us a chance at salvation. Unfortunately, in seeking to imitate Mary, we have almost crushed ourselves with consequences of a life filled with our own “yes” responses and have, ultimately, been saying “no” to God without often realizing it. Somehow we have translated Mary’s “yes” to mean that we ought to say “yes” to everything that comes our way—to every idea that pops into our head and to every opportunity to do something good; we’ve mistakenly believed that our lives are meant to be filled with fiats when, in truth, these fiats have often taken us away from God. They have filled our lives with obligations and busy-ness that may not actually be God’s will for us. I’m at the age where all my friends and acquaintances are caregivers of one sort or another. They are grandparents doing everything they can to help pick up the slack and they are volunteers at a variet...

   I am compelled to write about a deep paradigm shift that Is happening inside me that is in the realm of the experiences described in “The Cloud of Unknowing”  because I am completely  clueless about this inner work.  All of God's work is happening under my  radar. until something triggers tears which seem to pop up from no where. No room for pride here. It is all about Him and He is probably keeping me in the dark because I would just get in the way. Just typing these words brings tears to my eyes once again. I am not exactly sure what is going on in my spirit and soul but I do know that a huge shift is happening. When I stop for a moment , my shoulders sag as  warmth floods my heart AND my body. I am aware of God’s presence. All I understand cognitively is that God is at work within me and I could break down and weep in gratitude for answered prayers. I have longed for such intimacy for   decades, not days or weeks or even a few years...