No Such Thing As Soul Mates

"In the beginning of creation God made them male and female, and because of this, man has to leave father and mother and be joined to this wife, and the two shall become one body. So they are no longer two but one body. Therefore let no one separate what God has joined." - Mark 10:6-9

I really hate it when people use the term "soul mate." To me, it means that two people match each other perfectly, never argue, and are always considerate and caring with each other. Unfortunately, this doesn't exist. Real love is about unconditional love that accepts the ugly as openly as it accepts the good. Soul mates don't exist because human beings have to put real effort into relationships, giving of ourselves completely in order to forget about self and attend to the needs of another. Many marriages fail because people become consumed with being happy and being understood by their partner, when Christ taught us that happiness comes from serving and understanding the other. Jesus is the perfect example of this type of love. He never asked if we loved Him in return, He never asked us to pay Him more attention, He never asked us to change anything or to do more for Him, instead, He gave up everything to the point of death, putting Himself last and the needs of His beloved first. Jesus showed His love with blood, sweat, and tears, not with I love you's and butterflies in His stomach. He was killed and He still loves us, He was betrayed and He still loves us. He gives and gives and gives and recieves very little back, but He still loves us and isn't going anywhere.

My parents have been married for 28 years. What I've learned from them is that a real relationship is a lot of work; it doesn't come easy at all. They didn't teach me this with words, but I've seen them as they sacrifice themselves for the other, going that extra mile after a long day, and forgiving and accepting the other through disagreements. Sometimes things don't get resolved, but they remain dedicated to the other. I believe that in order to do this, we must have Jesus in our lives to learn from Him about choosing forgiveness and mercy over what's in it for ourselves, and in this way, we can move from a selfish love to an unconditional, life-long love.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You showed us what it really means to love, to deny what we want in order to serve the one we love. Give me strength in order to see that the purest happiness is to see the one we love happy. Allow me to follow Your example always. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Taking Us By The Hand

"Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him and the boy stood up." - Mark 9:27

I've been going through a dry spell with God lately. I just keep feeling like I don't do enough for Him, I'm not good enough and don't deserve Him. I'm too much of a sinner. I told a friend of mine yesterday that when I feel like this, I usually try harder to pray more and more and end up getting angry with myself because I become distracted and lose interest in praying altogether. But this morning, I read this verse from the gospel according to Mark and it really spoke to me. I realized that I am trying to do too much - doing too much for God is good, but I was missing something very important… God. I was depending on myself rather than on God to do the work, as if I was so powerful and didn't need Him. Jesus lifted this boy up with His hands and that's the only way I can get out of this dry spell, by praying with patience and waiting for Jesus to pick me up. I can fuss about this all day, but until He picks me up, I'm not going anywhere.

The big idea here is that we really need to learn to become solely dependent on God and learn to get rid of our self-reliance. Every time God wills it, He gives us the grace to accomplish something new, and no matter how hard we try, unless Jesus gives us His hand, we just aren't capable of doing it on our own. As of today, I am at peace about myself because I'll just rely on Him instead of beating myself up about things, and I'll rely on Him to bring me forward when I'm ready.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, please give me Your hand. I am a small little thing before You, a horrible sinner that would fade away if You ever left me. I recognize that You are the Lord of my life and I count on Your Divine Providence for everything. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Fear

"Then Jesus said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? Do you still have no faith?'" - Mark 4:40

Some times we need trials to tell us where we are with God. I write to you everyday about faith but even I can falter. I was scared about something today and contacted a friend of mine for advice. Her first question was, "do you believe in God?" She knew the answer to that question but asked so that I would realize my mistake in worrying and not entrusting God with my fears. She said the same thing to me that Jesus said to His apostles when they were out at sea during a storm. And the fact is that she is a 100% right in asking me this. If I have faith, that faith is proven true both in the big things and in the small things. Fear and faith cannot exist in the same person. There are things that can really worry us but the outcome is always positive if we put our trust in God.I believe God can understand our fears. Afterall, He sent His only son to become human and live among us with the same joys, worries, and sorrows we experience. Fear exists and can creep into us but we should always try to keep it away from our minds before it seeps into our hearts. In my case, the Lord put my friend in my path to snap me out of it. I know better and my faith is better than that. I hope you also take steps to encourage someone else's faith and not let them walk in fear.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for allowing fear to enter my heart and mind before I fully put my trust in You today. Thank You for the people You put in my path to lead me back to Your truth. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Meaning, Not Tradition

"Jesus answered, 'You go no further than appearances. How well Isaiah prophesied of you when he wrote: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless, for what they teach are only human rules. You even put aside the commandment of God to hold fast to human tradition.'" - Mark 7:6-8

We can be so fake at times. During the regular church year, masses aren't full at all, but during Christmas and Easter, the church is full from wall to wall. When actors and musicians win an award, the first person they thank is God, yet why don't we know more about their faith? It's time for all of us to respond to the call of God in a genuine way and begin to live a different life, walk with the dignity and integrity of Jesus. Saying we are Christians and that we believe in God is only the beginning. Attending church on Sunday does not make you a true follower, rearranging priorities does. Traditions are only the shells the represent meaning. They go over our heads unless we respond to the voice of God and delve into that meaning. That's why church might be boring, or prayer is boring, because people fail to make the time to discover the richness and fullness of a life in God. So many of us only follow tradition and think we are just and good people because of it. Just and good people are the ones the seek to take Jesus' message to heart and live it, not only keeping it on the outside as a custom.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me to exercise my faith in You. Don't let me fall into the traps of conforming to society and not follow You with my entire life. Let my zeal for You guide me in all things so I show You my actions and not just tradition. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Faith That Moves Mountains

"Jesus replied, 'Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, if you say to this mountain: Get up and throw yourself into the sea, and have no doubt in your heart but believe that what you say will happen, it will be done for you.'" - Mark 11:22-23

God worked a miracle through my dad today. For those of you that don't know him, my dad is a deacon and a preacher in the Catholic Charismatic Renovation. He left for a business trip to Miami yesterday and was called in today to visit a woman in the hospital. The woman was pretty much a vegetable as she had been in a coma for a while. When my dad went in and called upon the Name of Jesus Christ to heal her, the woman awoke from her coma immediately.

Some of you may ask why you don't see these things or why God doesn't answer even the smallest petitions you ask of Him. The answer is that you do not have faith, or, as Jesus commands, you doubt instead of believe whole heartedly. But where do you get faith? How do you start believing and stop doubting? Saint Paul says in Romans 10:17 that faith comes from hearing the message of Jesus Christ. If you want faith that can move mountains, you NEED to listen to the message of Christ. Not once a week, but continually throughout the day. My dad has faith that can move mountains and awaken people from comas. Why? Because since my father started walking on the path of the Lord, there has not been one day that has passed that he is not up early in the morning to put himself in God's presence to pray and read the bible. He is not only in church once a week, but every day. He fills himself with the Word of God because he has learned that it gives life. Sometimes my boyfriend says that all my dad wants to do is pray and only God interests him - glory be to God because this is the reason God does what He does through my father.

But my father is only one man and God has so many more gifts to give and miracles to work through people like you and me. God gives abundantly to those who seek Him so why can't you be the one performing amazing deeds in the Lord's Name? Fill yourself with the Lord's presence. Dedicate your life to Him when you wake up each morning. Read the bible and listen to the Word that gives life. The glory of God is yours for the taking, but you have to do your part.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the amazing gift of faith and for the miracles You work through this faith. Please help me prioritize my time so that I can put You first and fill myself with Your message. I want faith that can move mountains Lord, and need Your strength to get me there. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Coins in the Treasury Box

"Jesus sat down opposite the Temple treasury and watched the people dropping money into the treasury box; and many rich people put in large offerings. But a poor widow also came and dropped in two small coins. Then Jesus called His disciples and said to them, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all those who gave offerings. For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave from her poverty and put in everything she had, her very living.'" - Mark 12:41-44

To me, this story isn't just about tithing, it's about how much each of us gives back to God. A rich person could give a lot of money to the church, just like some of us can afford to go to church once a week, but when looking at interior motives, what are we really giving to God? Are we just living up to our obligations, or are we really giving because we believe and know the importance of spending time in worshiping the Living God? Those rich people giving offerings were keeping up the appearance but their dedication wasn't true, yet the widow was humble and gave so much of herself so that her few coins meant so much more to Jesus than what the rich men put in. So must be our prayer life and dedication to God. If all you can spare in a day are 15 minutes of free time and you give it to the Lord, you will be blessed…but if you spend 15 praying and the rest of the day watching tv, chatting online, or playing video games, then don't expect the same blessings from God. He knows your heart and when you truly want to look for Him, not when you're just doing what you need to do to get by. Remember that as individuals Jesus has said that we will each be measured by the same ruler by which we measure.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I'm sorry for the times I've short changed You when I could have given so much more. You deserve so much more from me, please help me grow in dedication to You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Spiritual Illness

"While Jesus was preaching the Word to them, some people brought a paralyzed man to Him. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, He said to the paralytic, 'My Son, your sins are forgiven.'" - Mark 2:2&5

Needless to say, the paralytic got up and started walking, but did you know that without a real relationship with Jesus, you are also sick? One of the major effects of the first sin of Adam and Eve was mortal death; we weren't supposed to die until that fall from grace. The well-being of our souls is intricately attached to the very health of our bodies. In the case of the paralytic, the sin took a physical hold of him, but in many cases, it's a mental hold. Many people live with grudges, anger, depression, hate - all of these are mental and emotional diseases that do have a proven connection to stress which leads to heart problems or major anxiety. Jealousy, envy, pride leads us to argue with a loved one and we refuse to apologize, spending years not talking to that person. Or many times the shame and consequences that come with committing a certain sin causes us to isolate ourselves from others. Is this what you really want your life to be? You need to go to the foot of the cross and realize that it is there that Jesus Christ has defeated sin; leave your own sins there at His feet. You no longer have to carry that dead weight around, release it for the Lord has already paid the price for you. If the weight of a sin, the guilt, the anxiety, the shame, the hurt, the pain, causes you to grieve, stay up at night, remember the paralytic and approach Jesus. He will forgive you of your sins and release the hold it has on your soul and your body. Imagine how liberating it is to no longer hold on to something that has brought you so much grief! Seek healing for your soul and for your body.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for being the healer of our souls and our bodies. Help us to recognize the sins that are making us ill so that we can make amends and be reconciled to You. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Listen If You Have Ears

"And Jesus added, '"Listen then, if you have ears.'" - Mark 4:9

Many times before or after Jesus would teach a lesson through parables, he would say "listen then, if you have ears." Of course we all have ears, but what Jesus means is not a listen where you just take in the noise, but a deeper comprehension of what you are listening to and then allow that message to take root. I'm involved in the Pastoral Formation Institute at my church which develops me for ministry in two years and the first course I'm taking is called Redemptive Listening. You would be amazed at how much selfishness there is in listening to others. Naturally, we tend to listen to others and try to relate it back to ourselves, or interrupt the person with comments. All this needs to be stripped away. The reason why Jesus was able to do so much good for people was because He knew how to listen. True listening involves putting yourself, your life, your own interpretation of what someone is telling you to the side, and instead looking at them in the eyes, taking in all they're saying, taking account of their body language, their gestures, their facial expressions, and putting yourself in their shoes with genuine compassion. Only then will you ever be able to understand and help someone else.

I know we all have our own problems and need to vent instead of taking in someone else's issues, but it really is in giving that we receive. We are Jesus' hands and feet…and also ears and shoulders to cry on for others. If we take care of His people, He will make sure someone else takes care of us!

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to open my ears and hearts to others. I want to serve Your sheep with the same compassion You have for them. Open my ears Lord and show me who You need me to listen to today and the next. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Just Believe

"Do not fear, just believe." - Mark 5:36

Easier said than done, right? It doesn't have to be. I love it when Jesus commands us to not do something that is so ingrained in our nature to show us that He is so much bigger. Here He tells us not to fear, and let me tell you, I'm scared of everything! I can spend all morning being worried and afraid of all the things that can possibly go wrong! But if He orders us not to be afraid, it's because we really shouldn't be. It's as clear as Thou Shall Not Steal…you can just not be scared. Instantly, it's like Jesus took us off a tight rope and set our feet firmly on the ground. So if He has taken away all the insecurity and instead commands us to believe, He has taken away the negative from our lives and replaced it with blessings.

"To fear" and "to believe" are both words that require action - we must follow His command and do away with the fear that holds us back and choose to believe in the goodness that awaits us in Jesus. You really need to close your physical eyes that show you all your obstacles and instead open your eyes of faith.

Today's Prayer:
My God, thank You for being so good and letting me know that I should never fear for You take care of me. Help me to close my eyes and just trust in Your promises! In Your Name we pray, Amen.

The Cure

"Since she had heard about Jesus, this woman came up behind Him and touched His cloak thinking, 'If I just touch His clothing, I shall get well.'" - Mark 6:27-28

The woman in this passage is very much like you and me. She suffered for about 12 yrs from a disease that would cause her to bleed, and after having spent years and money with doctors, she only got worse. Instead of trying to find another solution, she turned to Jesus. She heard about Him and His works and as sick and weak as she was, she pressed on to reach Him. Jesus at this time was very popular and there were thousands following Him, pressing from all corners just to be next to Him, but choosing to believe in what she heard about Jesus, she had it set in her mind that all she needed to do was just touch His clothing and she did just that! Immediately Jesus felt the power leave Him and asked who touched Him and the woman came forward. Jesus told her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace and be free of this illness."

Right now, you maybe have a disease that needs curing. It might not be a physical condition, but something else - a problem in your family, sorrow from issues in a relationship, depression, feeling stuck in your life or not having enough money to pay your bills. This woman turned to Jesus because she chose to believe in Him when she heard about Him. You have heard about Him and if you want healing in your life, you need to get up and push forward to where He is! As sick as she was, she pushed forward because she believed and kept thinking to herself that all she needed was just to touch Him. You need to keep yourself positive and take her as an example. This woman suffered for 12 long years but it wasn't until she decided to look for Jesus that her cure came. Just keep pushing forward through the crowds, through your problems, to find Jesus and be healed. In His answer He first says "your faith has saved you," meaning just that - its your faith that gives you new hope and new life. The second part was "be free of this illness" meaning that if the illness had not gone away, she was saved anyway. Its having your mind, your soul, your hopes set on Jesus that save you and give you peace. Just having heard of Jesus means nothing until you choose to get up from your problems and push forward until you finally break through to where He is. There you will find your cure.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the cure to all of my sorrows and all of my troubles. In Your love I find healing and strength. Help me to get up to follow you always. In Your Name we pray, Amen.