Family Occasions, Speaking Heart to Heart

  November 28, 2023 Goodreads Hi!  How is each and every one?  Isn’t it providential?  We are in the last days of November, the first and second days of which we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints and All Souls.  With the Holy Father we lived the rest of the month praying, offering and fasting for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and the Church militant in the countries at war. Last Thursday was Thanksgiving Day in many parts of the world. Last Sunday was the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King of Heaven and Earth. At breakfast Today, may I invite you to a day of thanksgiving for the 41 st Anniversary of the Erection of Opus Dei as a Personal Prelature?  The entrance antiphon of the Thanksgiving Mass this morning was: ‘ Let us together sing and make music to the Lord in our hearts, always thanking God the Father for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’. The communion antiphon was:  ‘ I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart,...

  November 21, 2023           overcoming self: hiding behind sin                    Hi!  How is each and every one? Wow! I just realized November is the month of suffrages for our deceased relatives and friends and for all the Holy Souls in purgatory. At the same the last Thursday of the month has been designated as Thanksgiving Day.  And yet every moment should truly be a moment of thanksgiving.  St. Josemaria suggests “Make it a habit to raise your heart to God, in acts of thanksgiving, many times a day.”   “Thank Him for everything, because everything is good.” St. Paul says, in everything God works for good with those who love him (Rom 8:28), which St. Josemaria condensed into the aspiration omnia in bonum !   Everything is good; everything is for the good.   Both gratitude for what is good, and the hope that God will draw good out of what seems bad....

  November 14, 2023 The Priest: Purgation, Illumination, Union   Hi!   How is each and every one? I am totally flabbergasted although I should not be because indeed God is the God of surprises!   If we just let Him He will surprise us every moment of the day.   But in order to appreciate His surprises you and I need to be aware of His presence beside us and around us every moment of every single day. Last Saturday was the definitive day of a series of three days of planning and communicating. With six persons communicating and coordinating the plans and with the good Lord witnessing everything, things just fell into place in such a way that left each and every one open-mouthed.   Only He can work out the things the way it turned out last Saturday. I am pretty sure many specific things also happen to you at the end of which you are left open mouthed. The only thing I could say after all my curious wonderings is God is so good and truly provides, choosi...

  November 7, 2023 The Collector Hi!   How is each and every one?   That was indeed, a long holiday but still interrupted week, wasn’t it? Sure we managed to keep our loved ones in mind, prayer and offerings and we plan to carry on until the end of the month in loving memory of our beloved family members, relatives and friends. May you and I also remember to be united to the person and intentions of the Holy Father and to pray for him always. I thought it good to continue doing so as the good God is always around, by our side, taking care of each and every one. I am sure you are as excited as I am to know more about the other attitudes toward desire.   Let’s continue considering the other two attitudes toward desire ( From Broken Gods , Hope, Healing, and the Seven Longings of the Human Heart, Gregory K. Popcak, Ph. D. Ch 2). Hopefully you and I discover our personal attitude and work on whatever is a better attitude toward the desires of the human heart. Th...