I will follow Him

I think we all follow something or someone..

Dorothy followed the yellow brick road.  The magi followed the star.  Wall street junkies follow the stock market.  Some people follow blogs…the list goes on and on.

As Christians we are called to follow Christ Jesus.  It is a road that is hard and rocky.  To truly follow His ways and not the ways of man means ridicule, discrimination, and even today, death.

Today at mass, the gospel reading spoke of Jesus’ Baptism.  One may ask why Jesus, our Savior, needed to be Baptized.  The answer is He did not.  In order to fulfill the Will of God, Jesus did seek John for Baptism.  It was during this Baptism that the waters of the Jordan became sanctified and became the first “holy water”.  How could John Baptize our Lord without first being Baptized himself?  John was sanctified by Jesus when Mary visited Elizabeth.  John leapt in the womb when receiving his sanctifying grace.

Jesus’ Baptism was the beginning of His ministry.  His mission was to love and to show us how to love.  He asked that we give up our worldly influences and give ourselves to Him for our salvation.  He asked that we follow Him.

The reason to follow Him….because He loved us first.  He loved us so much that He gave all of Himself for our salvation.  With one drop of blood, Jesus’ mission for our salvation was complete.  Why did He give Himself up to torture and humiliation and total loss of blood then?  The answer is simple: He gave all of His blood because He had it to give.  He loved us that much.

Message given to Nancy Fowler in Conyers, Georgia, January 13, 1992:

Mary: “Tell my children, they have been marked with the sign of the cross.  The cross is on your forehead. (Father Jorge later added that we are marked at Baptism)  Nancy asked if the cross was of white light. “Yes, it is a cross of white light. You name your children and we name ours.”

“Dear children of America, be children of light.  Walk away from sin.  Please children, many of you are in danger of losing Heaven forever.  There is no greater suffering than the loss of God.  Prepare yourselves for eternal happiness.  Come follow my Son’s light.  Banish all darkness from your souls.  Keep the laws of God.  You cannot love God without keeping His commandments.  I bless you.  I am praying for you to come to the light.  As my Son went to the water for His Baptism, I ask you to return to the light of your Baptism.”

I am today making a commitment to follow Him.

He loves me.

C’est Bon

Love,

Sherry

 

He is the Resurrection!

 

Message to Nancy Fowler of Conyers, Ga, April 13, 1993 from Mary:

“My dear children of America and children of the whole world, rejoice in the Risen Lord!  Believe in the Resurrection whole heartedly!

You are called to be BELIEVING people of God.  Pray every day to have the grace of greater faith.  Please children, my son Jesus is LIVING and you fail to see His Living Presence everywhere.

Come to Him and receive new Life.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. HE IS THE RESURRECTION!

My Easter message to each of you is to come to my Son and stay close to Him.  Pray more dear children.  Only in Him do you receive your strength that will sustain you in troubled times.”

Easter has not ended….it has just begun!

Happy Easter Season!

C’est Bon

Love,

Sherry

 

A piece of your heart

Message from Jesus to Nancy Fowler, December 10, 1990

“Nancy, please tell My children about love.  My children are all mixed up. The evil one has deceived them about love. he gives them a false love and impure love.  Like a loving father, I want to warn you and protect you.. Tell the people I have the greatest gift to them…I will spell the gift for you: L-O-V-E and M-E-R-C-Y.  If you don’t take the gift and unwrap it, then how will you have the gift?

I am the greatest gift giver and I receive the fewest gifts of all.  The gift My children can give Me will not cost them any money.  They don’t have to wrap the gift in fancy paper with a pretty bow.  They don’t have to send a card to Me.  All I ask is for a piece of your heart.

If you give Me just a piece of your heart, do you not know that I will give you much more in return.  I don’t ask very much.  I am grateful to receive a piece of your heart, which is imperfect in every way and lacking in many virtues, and still I cherish this gift from each of My precious children.

Remember My teaching about the heart. It takes a heart to mend a heart.  You don’t take part of your eye to mend a torn heart.  The tissues must be alike.  Does it not make sense that I, who give My Heart, need your heart in return?  I give you all of Myself, completely and totally.  I only ask for a small part of yourself to be returned to Me.”

Romans 11:11 “Work hard and do not be lazy. Serve the Lord with a heart full of devotion.”

On this day of hearts, please remember our Savior who gave us His Sacred Heart.  Give Jesus your heart today.  Tell Jesus you love Him and thank Him for His Love and Mercy!

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

the best things in life…

Yesterday I attended a talk given by Teresa Tomeo, author, host of radio morning show Catholic Connection, and EWTN co-host of The Catholic View for Women.  Teresa discussed her new book, God’s Bucket List.  It was an evening well spent, filled with laughs and thought-provoking conversation.

Just about everyone has a Bucket List.  I am sure most of our Bucket Lists have items such as trips, acquiring material goods, or landing that dream job.  But are these things really important in the end?  My favorite line from the talk yesterday was, “Do you want to go to Hawaii or do you want to go to Heaven?”.  Teresa’s book outlines the REAL path “to HAPPINESS in THIS LIFE and BEYOND”.  We have to learn it’s not about us – it’s about God.  Only when we are doing God’s will are we truly happy and fulfilled.

Think about it….When we are young, we are always looking to the future.  It’s always – some day the kids will be grown and I’ll get to do all the things I’ve ever wanted to do…I’ll travel, do fun things…. Life in the moment is filled with noise and stress. We do not take the time to stop and enjoy the little things, the little moments.

It is only when one gets older that one tends to start looking behind and reminiscing about those by-gone days and years.

Raising children is not an easy job.  God blessed my husband and I with three wonderful kids.  We now have two wonderful grandchildren as well.  Life always has its ups and downs.  Without the downs, the ups do not seem as special.  Now that my children are adults, I share in their up and down moments (so there are more of them!).  I have finally learned that this is life here on earth.  What we make of this life will determine how we spend our eternity.

I don’t have a Bucket List.  I do have a Wish List.  I wish for my children that they take the time to enjoy each day.  I hope they know that they are truly special and made in the image of God.  I hope they know that being their mother is the single most important job I could ever have.  Making sure they are on the path to Heaven is my single most important wish.

I now understand Mary’s love for us.  As our mother, she is calling us to take the path to Jesus.

October 13, 1996 – Mary to Nancy Fowler, Conyers, Georgia “Please open your hearts.  Begin to love God. Begin to love yourselves as God loves you and begin to love each other in this way.  Remember you ascend your heavenly steps throughout this life by self-sacrificing love.  Embrace your cross.  Unite all your suffering with my Son.”

Kiss your kids.  Turn the TV off and put the cell phone down. Take the time to play a board game, tell funny jokes, or just sit and chat.  Most of all, spend family time in prayer.  Let’s all forget about Hawaii and take that trip to Heaven!

C’est Bon

Love,

Sherry