Heavenly Messages

Philippe de Champaigne’s The Dream of Saint Joseph painted around 1636 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Gospel for today’s mass (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23) was the story of Joseph’s warning by an angel in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus.  It reminded me of several Bible stories where people were forewarned or given messages from God through a dream.  Have you ever had a dream like that?

I know people dream every night.  Each morning I wake up and usually have no memory of my dreams.  If I do have a recollection it is usually a very “foggy” memory and forgotten not long after awakening.  But…. sometimes I have a dream that is so vivid in my mind, it is as if it actually happened.  Upon awakening, I have such clarity as to the events and message of the dream that I just know it was more than a dream.  On these rare occasions, I believe with all my heart that the dream was a heavenly message and usually it is meant to be shared.

This is an example of a “heavenly message” dream.

Here in Cajun country, there are certain people who are known as “traiteurs” or treaters.  The practice of treating was more common when I was a child.  This type of “folk medicine” primarily involved the use of holy water and prayers.  I knew a traiteur personally, my mother’s sister; we called her Me-Me.  Me-Me treated people for headaches, high fever and sunstroke.  I can remember being prayed over by Me-Me as a child, and I did bring my daughter to her to be treated for sunstroke once.  Me-Me passed away several years ago.  She loved her Catholic faith and prayed her rosary almost constantly.  Her six children were all grown with kids and grandkids of their own when Me-Me passed away.  Unfortunately, her family was divided.  All her prayers and rosaries could not heal the broken bonds….it was a great sorrow for her to bear.

One night Me-Me came to me in a dream.  In this dream I was a child and playing in the home where Me-Me and her husband raised their children.  All her children were adults and sitting in her living room.  I understood that they were trying to pray a family rosary together; however Me-Me was not in the room and her children sent me to find her and hurry her up. I remember them quarreling and they did not seem happy to be in the room together.  I found her in the bedroom getting dressed.  I walked over to a window and looked outside; it was getting dark out.  I heard Me-Me tell me, “You tell them to not wait for me, they need to say the rosary without me.”  It began to storm outside.  I turned and looked at Me-Me.  Very sternly she spoke to me, “A STORM IS COMING!  YOU PRAY YOUR ROSARY EVERY DAY!”

The dream ended.  I awoke still feeling like the little child in the dream, frightened and filled with wonder.  I felt that the dream had two purposes.  I needed to get a message to Me-Me’s children that she wanted them to pray, and pray together.  I also knew that I was being warned of a “storm”.  I do not believe Me-Me was talking about the weather.  I believe she was warning me that everyone needs to pray every day because of a coming crisis that is going to affect this country; maybe even the entire world.

Since the birth of my youngest child (who is now 21), I have had a few “heavenly messages”.  I always take them very seriously as I see them as a blessing and a gift from above.  God is the Father of all of us.  He communicates with us all.  He uses dreams, signs, people, angels…whatever is available.  We only have to open our hearts and minds to His love and guidance.  We must have faith.  He never stops loving us, never gives up on us, and He is never silent.  Listen to Him.

Sweet Dreams!

C’est Bon,

Love,

Sherry

Jesus Saves

The following is a witness to the miraculous power of Jesus Christ through faith and prayer.  Mr. Yearwood’s journey was shared with me by my good friend, Brenda.  I share it now with you.

My Healing Journey Guided by the Hand of God

Peter 3:20 “The few people in the boat, eight in all, were saved by the water, which was a symbol pointing to baptism, which now saves you.  It is not the washing off of bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good conscience.  It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone to heaven and is at the right side of God, ruling over all angels and heavenly authorities and powers.”

The angel told Mary, (Lk 1:37), “For there is nothing that God cannot do.”

Job 42:2 ” Job – I know Lord, that You are all-powerful; that You can do everything You want.  You ask how I dare question Your wisdom when I am so very ignorant. I talked about things I did not understand, about marvels too great for me to know. You told me to listen while You spoke and to try to answer Your questions, In the past I knew only what others had told me, but now I have seen You with my own eyes, So I am ashamed of all I have said and repent in dust and ashes…..The Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than He had blessed the first…And then he died at a very great age.”

Amen.

C’est Bon,

Love,

Sherry

 

 

 

 

 

 

A man who always did what was right

St Joseph with the Infant Jesus (c. 1635), at the Hermitage, in St. Petersburg. Oil on canvas, 126 x 101 cm. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Matthew 1:19 describes St. Joseph as “Joseph was a man who always did what was right..”

What a beautiful description of the man chosen by God to be the head of the household of His family, the guardian of God’s own Son.

Although St. Joseph speaks no words in the Bible, we are given much information about this holy and blessed man.  We know he came from the tribe of David. We know it was the father’s duty to name the child. Joseph was instructed by an angel to take Mary as his wife and name the child Jesus, (God Saves).   We know that upon awaking from his dream with the angel, Joseph immediately surrendered his life over to God’s will and took Mary into his home.  Joseph was the first man to lay down his life for the mission of bringing Jesus to the whole world.  The marriage of Mary and Joseph was a holy union of hearts.  Their pure love for each other created the marriage sacrament whereby today marriages in Church are sanctified by the Spirit.

I can only imagine the astonishment this man must have felt.  He knew first hand the awesome mystery of Mary’s motherhood.  As he witnessed the child growing in her womb, he must have felt great pride and love, but also fear of the challenges they must face.  His mission was to serve and protect this mother and son.  Even for the holy family, the path was not an easy one.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  The King came into this world in a small stable and was laid in a manger.  St. Joseph kneeling at Mary’s side during the birth was the first man to kneel before Christ the Lord.  Assisting with the delivery, he would have been the first the hold the Child Jesus.  I imagine he looked up to heaven thanking God for the precious Child.  Looking up he would have witnessed the star and wondered at the light that shone down on his family.  Later he also marveled at the shepherds who gathered to pay homage as they explained to Joseph they were led by angels and then the wise men who were led by that guiding star.

The next time an angel appeared to Joseph, the message was one of a warning.  Joseph was warned that Herod wanted to kill the baby Jesus and was told to escape with his family to Egypt.  That must have been a terrifying experience!  The Lord God must have trusted Joseph tremendously to entrust His only Son to Joseph’s care.  Joseph must have trusted the Lord tremendously to have listened and obeyed.

Joseph fulfilled his mission.  He kept the family safe, returning to reside in Nazareth when the angel informed him it was now safe to return.  We know that Jesus was obedient to his parents.  Jesus loved, obeyed and honored Joseph and Mary, his parents.  When Jesus was a man, St. Joseph passed away.  I believe Jesus was there at St. Joseph’s side as he left this world.  One man’s mission was complete; another Man’s mission was just beginning.  Jesus in a way owed His very existence and ability to complete His mission to that wonderful man, Joseph, who “always did what was right.”

St. Joseph is a great model for how we should love our Lord.  St. Joseph’s gift of self allowed the fulfillment of God’s greatest gift to us!

This Christmas Eve, walk out into the night with your family and look for the Christmas star.  Remember the holy family and the sacrifice of St. Joseph; thank him for serving and caring for Our Lord, Jesus.

C’est Bon,

Love,

Sherry

The Great Shepherd

English: Nativity scene (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Growing up, I loved gazing at the nativity scene my mom would set up under the Christmas tree.  My mind would imagine how special that holy night would have been for Mary and Joseph and those lucky shepherds who responded to the angels.  The Son of God born in a stable in Bethlehem.  What a gift to mankind!

I was watching “Mother Angelica Classics” on EWTN the other night.  Mother brought back those memories for me as she asked the question, “what are you giving Christ for Christmas?”.  You would think that since Jesus is the reason for the season,  He would be foremost on everyone’s mind during this advent season.  Unfortunately, I believe there is very little thought given to Jesus this time of year, and even less on what to give Him for Christmas.  People are so busy buying, wrapping, planning, partying….

Jesus told Nancy Fowler in Conyers, Ga, “My children do not realize what I do for them.  My children do not understand that I am truly alive…My children do not look for Me. My children do not think of Me. My children do not speak about Me.  My children do not live for Me, with Me, and in Me.  Where are you little ones?  You are scattered. You are lost. I am the Great Shepherd and I have come for you. Why do you hide? Why do you speak in secrecy? Do you not know I see all things? I know all things.  I am Jesus. I am the living Jesus. The Father is in Me and I am in My Father. I am Jesus, Son of the Living God.”

He was the lamb of God; the Great Sacrifice, who gave Himself over to His Father’s will for our salvation.  He is now our Great Shepherd, calling us, leading us to follow Him and His Father’s will.  Christmas is a time for all mankind to pay homage to this great mystery of God’s incarnation and give back in Jesus’ name.

There are always signs of hope.  I watched a news report today of someone going around leaving huge tips to waiters and waitresses all in the name of Jesus.  The church I attend is giving extra confession times this advent and I hear there are long lines of people asking Jesus for forgiveness. And over the weekend I lit the advent wreath at home with my two grandchildren as they sang “Silent Night” and my four-year-old grandson recited the “Blessing before Meals” when I asked for a prayer.

What can we give Jesus for Christmas?  He only wants our heart.  His heart was given to us before time.  We need only give Him our heart and He will fill them with gifts of peace, grace, and love.

There is no greater graces then those obtained at Holy Mass.  Please, go sit with Jesus and in the silence of your heart, you will hear Him.  Don’t be one of those Christians who attend mass at Christmas time only; go often.  He is your Shepherd.  Give Him your heart, your time, and your love.  Let Him lead you to His Father.

First Letter of Peter 1:17 “You call him Father, when you pray to God, who judges all people by the same standard according to what each one has done, so then, spend the rest of your lives here on earth in reverence of Him. For you know what was paid to set you free from the worthless manner of life handed down by your ancestors, it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw.”

What will you give Christ this Christmas?

C’est Bon,

Love,

Sherry

Light of my life

Advent (Photo credit: Lawrence OP)

The season of advent is a most glorious season!  With each passing week, one more candle is lit.  One more beacon of light shining bright.  For as we advance in advent, we grow nearer to the coming of Jesus Christ, The Light of the world.  The closer we are to Jesus, the more Light is in our life.

In today’s world we are surrounded by artificial lights.  There are traffic lights, computer and gadget lights, siren lights, room lighting, Christmas tree lights, the list goes on and on…

We know the significance of the green light, the red light, blue light, and so on.  In fact, my grandson is in pre-K and their behavior system is based on the traffic light.  Good behavior means a green light, slightly bad behavior is a yellow light and down right bad is a red light.  My grandson’s first red light was followed by his punishment at home of putting away new birthday toys until he brought home a green light.  My daughter said the following morning, upon awakening,  he raced to his backpack to pull out his behavior folder to check if the “light had changed”!

We spend so much time worrying about these artificial lights and so little time with the one True Light.

Our Lady of Kibeho gave this message: “There are many lights in the world to follow, but there is only one true Light, that of God.  Live with your faith throughout your life.  Don’t wear it like a coat that you put on and off, since this won’t save you when you die.  The one who turns to God in this world, and lives according to God’s will, can, through Divine Mercy, shorten and even avoid his time in purgatory.  I have come to prepare the way for Him for your own good and you do not want to accept, you do not want to understand.  There is so little time remaining, yet you still allow yourselves to be distracted by earthly goods and desires, which will soon pass away.  I see so many of my children going astray, and so I come to plead with them, and to show them the correct way.”

Jesus came to this world through our mother, Mary.  She was filled with the Holy Spirit and God’s grace and gave birth to our Lord.  She nurtured Him, fed Him, bathed Him, loved Him.  She prepared Him for His mission with her motherly love and devotion to God’s will.  Today Mary is preparing us.  Once again our Lord, Jesus, is preparing to enter into this world and rule His kingdom.  Mary is guiding us to accept God’s will for us and follow her son.

Take time this advent season to put away the distractions.  Turn off the TV.  Put the cell phone and games away.  Gather with your family and light the advent wreath.  Sing a song of praise to God.  Read scriptures.  Pray together.  Spend time with the one True Light.  He will give you light in return.  His light is one of Peace and Love.

C’est Bon

Love,

Sherry

Medicine heals the body…Nurses heal the soul

Medicine heals the body…Nurses heal the soul.