I recall the words St. Francis of Assisi heard from God,
“Go, Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.”

“Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” We say these words before receiving Our Holy Lord in the Sacrament of the Eucharist at every Mass. I am mindful every time I say these words that I am the House of God. God dwells in me! God dwells in you! WE ARE THE HOUSE OF GOD!

DO WE NEED REPAIRS?

God’s designs are often mysterious and we only begin to see them from a distance. Fourteen years ago my soul was in urgent need of repairs. I was not going to Church. I was confused, depressed, and focused on the wrong things. God saved me and today I want to share with you the secrets of how Jesus saved me.

Early in my spiritual journey I continued to hear God say two words to my heart and those words were ‘Trust Me.’ It wasn’t an order, just a gentle summons to trust Jesus for He wanted to change my life. Trust was something I never really gave anyone totally. As I began to read and study the Scriptures I learned how important trust was to God: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

So I began to pray “Please help me Lord to trust YOU!” If you have never prayed this prayer, why don’t you pray it now! I realized early on in my spiritual journey that I needed God’s grace to learn to trust Him as desired. Many years have passed since I first heard Jesus asking me to Trust Him.   I feel now as though I am always in the presence of God. I strive to walk with Jesus in every moment, continually trying to discern His Will in each and every situation so I can make choices that will please Him.

Over 14 years ago I learned that Jesus had made a request to a nun by the name of St. Faustina that would ultimately change my life.

Jesus said to St. Faustina, “I desire that you know more profoundly the love that burns in My Heart and you will understand this when you meditate on My Passion…There are few souls who contemplate My Passion with true feeling; I give great graces to souls who meditate devoutly on My Passion…At three o’clock (the time Jesus died on the Cross), implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion…This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion (if what you ask for is compatible with My will) …immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant.” (Words of Jesus, Diary of St. Faustina)

Through a blessing of the Holy Spirit I could not stop thinking of this request. Jesus wanted us to pray at the time He died for us 3pm. He wanted us to remember His Passion. I decided over a decade ago I would commit to this. I decided I would walk the way to Calvary every day and I would do this at 3pm (the Hour of Mercy, the time Jesus died for us).

Although I am professionally trained in communications, I find myself struggling to try to articulate how meditating on the Passion of Christ has changed my life. I’ll try; bear with me. I never really had a personal relationship with Jesus. As a young girl I used to walk through the park looking up into the clouds wondering ‘where are you God?’ I figured maybe one day I’d see Jesus peeking through the clouds looking down on me. Well when I began to walk the Way to Calvary, I began to experience the love of Jesus in the most passionate, painful way. I began to hear God speak to my heart again. This time Jesus said, “I am yours! And you are Mine!” Our relationship began to be very personal. Jesus gave His life for us to free us not just from our sins but from the power of the devil. The more I walked the Way to Calvary and meditated on His Passion the more I realized what divine love was all about–selfless, infinite, courageous, powerful, sacrificial, never ending!

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again…” Jeremiah 3: 3-4

Jesus died to build us up again. Jesus endured torture and crucifixion to forgive us and renew our souls. Let us offer Him the sacrifice He desires – true contrition, a heart broken by sorrow for our sins.

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Psalm 51:17

Let us confess our sins:  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

My heart was circumcised as I walked to Calvary with Jesus to the place of His crucifixion. His wounds were placed upon my heart. His pain became my pain. His sacrifice would forever be before my eyes! And every day at 3pm, the time Jesus died for us, I take this walk with Jesus as He renews my soul and I pledge my love and gratitude to Him once more.

“The Lord once revealed to a pious hermit that no devotion was better to enkindle the love of God in the heart than meditation on the sufferings of Christ. It has always been a favorite devotion with the Saints. St. Francis of Assisi became a seraph of love by meditating on the Passion of Christ. He was found one day bathed in tears and uttering loud sighs. When asked what was the cause of his grief he replied: “I am weeping over the pains and insults of my Divine Master. But what grieves me most is that men for whom He suffered so much never think of the torments He endured.” From the Book: The 12 Steps to Holiness and Salvation, from the Works of St. Alphonsus Liguori

To rebuild the Church, means to rebuild our souls and only God can do that, but we who are His disciples can assist with the restoration plan. We can encourage all souls to meditate on the Passion of Christ. If you do this (meditate on the Passion of Christ), I promise you that your heart will be changed and your life will be changed! The name of Jesus will be etched on your heart and He will embrace you in a tender, deep, personal intimacy.

There is a need to rebuild our churches into families that are charitable and forgiving, where all are welcome and where diversity is encouraged and celebrated. As a Catholic I am grieved that the Church does not allow women to be ordained as priests. Are women not equal to men in God’s eyes? “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 If men and women are both created in God’s image, then why can men and women not both serve God as ordained ministers? Why not welcome women in the formal leadership of the Catholic church? Do you think this celebration of diversity would harm the church or help it?

I am sad that divorced people are not welcomed at the Eucharistic table.  Are failed relationships sins God will not forgive?

This week Pope Francis announced that he may be open to allowing married men to become priests given the severe shortage of priests.  https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2017/03/08/pope-francis-signals-openness-ordaining-married-men/ Why not allow all priests to have the option to marry? The Scriptures say “If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach” 1 Timothy 3: 2-3

Let’s pray to Jesus for the wisdom and grace to make the necessary reforms to our churches to ensure they are inclusive and welcoming to all people.  Let us pray that all people confess their sins and seek the forgiveness of Our Saviour Jesus Christ.

I have a dream of Christians all over the world stopping at 3 o’clock to commemorate the greatest love the world has ever known…the love of Our Lord Jesus! Why can’t we give the Lord Jesus a solemn moment every day at 3pm (in our local time zones) to remember Our God who saved us through the greatest agony and pain?

Please join me in doing this every day in memory of Jesus, every day at 3pm…let us be ONE Body of Christ united in prayer and remembrance of Our Lord’s Passion at the Hour of Mercy! So many souls need our prayers! At this time, pray that Jesus silences the forces of evil in our world and blesses us all with a deep, personal love for God and for one another.

I love You Jesus!  You are my heart’s desire!  I trust in YOU!