Promises Fulfilled

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Martha
Dome of St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, 2012, taken by Martha Wiggins

Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, 2012, taken by Martha Wiggins

 “But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.  For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us–by me and Silas and Timothy–was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’  but in him it has always been ‘Yes.’  For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.  And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.  Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He annointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”  

The August 4th entry of God Calling, a daily devotional edited by A.J. Russell, reads:  “Draw into your beings more and more this wonderful Eternal Life.  It is the flow of the Life Eternal through spirit, mind and body, that cleanses, heals, restores, renews youth, and passes on from you to others, with the same miracle-working power.”

In this quote we read how Eternal Life promises cleansing, healing, restoring, and youthfulness.  Continuing to look more closely we see that it is the flow of Life Eternal through spirit, mind, and body that brings these promises to fulfillment.  And as an added plus, when we have Eternal Life flowing in and through us we become vessels of that Life channeling it from ourselves to others.  It truly becomes as miracle-working power in our lives and the lives of those we interact with.  It is truly amazing to reflect on all that means.  And yet at times, there can be such a big gap between achievement and fulfillment, we wonder if they are just empty promises.  They are not empty promises, they are just not so easily obtained without effort.

For most of my life it was my experience that I did all the talking in my prayer routine.  I prayed sincerely and fervently.  I had a good relationship with Our Lord.  It wasn’t until I became Still that I began to experience the flow of Eternal Life.

At first it was more of a mind thing.  I wanted, and needed so badly, a more personal connection that I believed it could happen and I willed it to be so.  I  was open to the possibilities.  As time went on my openness became Spiritual longing and anticipation.  This is when I believe Our Lord knew He had me, hook, line and sinker.  This is when my Journey Through The Stillness became less disjointed and the writings became more meaningful, more profound.  Did I doubt? Was I confused and a bit frightened?  You bet, but somehow, I willed myself to continue on to see where He would lead me.  It was then that I began to physically experience Our Lord and many other wonderful encounters.  He now had me mind, body, and spirit.

This journey was not something that happened in an instant.  It was a long time in the making through years of faithful prayer and preparation… His preparing me.  Even though my Journey Through The Stillness has undergone changes over its course, I can now look back and see these changes as necessary.  What was in the beginning was preparation for what is now.  I have experienced Him as I never imagined possible.  I am continually learning from Him how to move forward from these experiences and share all that He is with others.

He has blessed my efforts and He will bless yours too.  Be patient with Him for He has endless patience with you.  Go and sit before Him in silence believing in possibilities, expecting good things, but knowing you are a work in progress, unique unto yourself.  Do not compare your faith walk with mine or anyone else’s.  Instead, learn all you can through the faith of others and give yourself over to Our Lord.  He will reward you, if not right now, eventually.  He will put His Spirit in your heart as a guarantee of what is to come.

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Witness The Truth And Be Judged

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Martha

Ruins at Corinth, Greece, 2012, taken by Martha Wiggins

    Ruins at Corinth, Greece, 2012, taken by Martha Wiggins

“Observing the self-assurance of Peter and John, and realizing that the speakers were uneducated men of no standing, the questioners were amazed.  Then they recognized these men as having been with Jesus.”  Acts 4:13

Peter and John, two of the most beloved disciples of Jesus, were entrusted by Jesus to carry His saving message out into the early Christian and non-Christian world.  They did so with great enthusiasm and conviction.

In doing so, they were judged by others.  Some judged them to be righteous men bearing witness to Truth, and thereby became believers in Jesus.  Others deemed them to be madmen, or fanatics, and made a point of steering clear of them lest they be judged like them.

There were also those who felt threatened by the power of such men and their ability to draw others to them. These were the high priests, the elders, the men with the power of governing. Feeling their own power and control over the people to be at stake, they would publicly confront Peter and John, trying to intimidate them and trying to silence their message.
Eventually, they had Peter and John arrested and brought before them in an attempt to discredit them among the people. Their plan, however, backfired.  Instead of stifling them, they found themselves dumbfounded, for these two unschooled, average guys had an answer for every questioned thrown at them, which is usually the case when a person wholeheartedly believes in everything they are saying, and when they have the Truth on their side.  Quickly realizing their mistake, the high priests issued an order that under no circumstances were Peter and John “to speak the name of Jesus or teach about Him.” (Acts 4:18)

Peter and John had an answer for that too.  “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight for us to obey you rather than God.  Surely we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)

God often uses ordinary men and women to accomplish great things.  In fact, most of the Saints were ordinary average people who suffered from the same doubts, failures, and struggles as every other human being of their time.  When we have seen, heard, and felt the loving mercy and forgiveness of Jesus; when we have been rescued from our sins, and been given the grace of Eternal Life with Him, how can we not help but speak about all we have seen and heard?

Most of us are just ordinary men and women who long to be faithful believers, faithful servants.  Most of us are willing to share Him, but many are unsure as to how.  We don’t have to be highly educated, or in a position of power to do so.  All we have to do is share with others how He has worked in our own lives, how He has made us whole.  In doing so, we may be judged by others as being overly religious, or even as being fanatics.  Some, however, will judge us as righteous witnesses to the Truth, and thereby also become believers in Jesus. And some silent believers, seeing our example, may even begin to speak out themselves.  Yes, we will surely be judged by others, but more importantly, we will also be judged by God.

Don’t be afraid to share all that you have seen and heard. Bear witness, be judged, and help others to share in the grace of Life Eternal.

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No Greater Heart

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Martha
Statuary on the facade of the Duomo, The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy, 2012, taken by Martha M Wiggins

Statuary on the facade of the Duomo, The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy, 2012, taken by Martha M Wiggins

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine.

One of the prayers I read daily as part of a Spiritual Communion (where you invite Jesus to come into your heart just as He would in the Eucharist even though you are not physically there to receive Him) is the following:

“O Jesus I turn toward the holy tabernacle where You live hidden for love of me.  I love You, O My God.  I cannot receive You in Holy Communion.  Come nevertheless and visit me with Your grace.  Come spiritually into my heart.  Purify it.  Sanctify it.  Render it like unto Your own.  Amen.”

     It always humbles me, for there is no greater heart than that of Jesus who sacrificed His life for my salvation.  There is no heart with a greater capacity for love than that of Jesus who allowed Himself to be tortured and crucified out of His never ending love of me.  There is no heart with a greater capacity for mercy and forgiveness than that of Jesus who took all of my sins, along with the sins of the whole world, and carried their full weight on His back.  There is no heart with a greater capacity for life than that of Jesus who allowed Himself to be nailed to the Cross of my sins so that I might live in Life Eternal with Him and God The Father.

     In this prayer I invite Him into my heart.   I ask Him to make my heart like His.  To ask this and truly desire it is a most humbling experience.  I must never pray it lightly.  To have a heart like His is to be purified, to be sanctified.  It will take time, and yet, if I am open to Him, it will happen.

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Light: Mine, Yours, Ours, His

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Martha
Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Canada, 2010 taken by Martha M Wiggins

Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Canada, 2010 taken by Martha M Wiggins

“Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”  Matthew 5:16

In Webster’s New World Dictionary, light is defined as radiant energy by which one sees.  As an artist, as one who loves imagery, I find the definition intriguing.  When I think of light as radiant energy, I think of an aura, or a halo, especially when thinking spiritually.

The one true source of all light is Jesus.  He is that radiant energy by which one sees, the Light of The World.  We are to be light also; letting it shine forth from within each one of us to reflect His radiant energy, His Glory to all.  Psalm (112:4) says it perfectly, “They shine through the darkness, a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and just.”

To make your light shine even brighter and keep it burning brightly for all to see, spend time with Jesus.  Spend time in His Word daily.  Start each morning with a Bible verse, a prayer, and some time in silence with Jesus.  Fill your heart with His Spirit, His Truth, His Light, and then you can’t help but shine forth.  It will be as so beautifully stated in Isaiah 58:8,  “Then your light shall break forth like the dawn …” and as in Isaiah 58:10, “Then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.”

     My light, your light, our light, His Light … that radiant energy by which one Sees!  May His Light shine forth from me to you, from you to others, and from others out to whole world.  His Light shall rise from the darkness!

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Desire To Please

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Martha
St Mark's Cathedral

Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Venice, Italy, 2012

“Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, … Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.”  Luke 24:13-16

Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Catholic, Trappist Monk.  He penned many books, prayers, and thoughts on spirituality, many of which became a life-line to lost souls.

Most of us desire to be good and do good.  We wish life could be that simple.  Instead, we are presented with life situations that cause us to make choices.  Sometimes those choices are not exactly clear.  We may find ourselves confused and not knowing which way to turn.

There have been times in my life when I was not sure I was going in the right direction.  I desired to follow God’s will, to live out His plan for my life, but I honestly couldn’t say what that was.  Basically, I was loping along, reacting to life as it came my way.  Enjoying it, but not completely sure I was on the right path.

One of those time periods came when I was a very young, married woman.  My husband and I had returned to college for his Master’s Degree.  I was working at the university to support us.  We were in a kind of limbo, waiting for the new beginning that would come after graduation.  Every Sunday we attended Mass at the Catholic Church across the street from campus.  I remember a special prayer on the back of the Missal.  It was a prayer written by Thomas Merton, a prayer of abandonment and trust.  This prayer brought me great comfort, and hope.  It relieved some of the pressure of not knowing, of not having all the answers.  I realized that the desire to do His will may be more important than actually knowing I am doing His will.  I have never forgotten how this prayer made me feel.

I would like to share this beautiful prayer with you.  My hope, my prayer, for those of you in need, is that you will find the same kind of solace in its words as I did.  And, may God bless you on your faith journey as you desire to please Him.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.  I do not see the road ahead of me.  I cannot know for certain where it will end.  Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually do so.  But I believe that that the desire to please you does in fact please you.  And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.  I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.  And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.  Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.  I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.    (Thomas Merton)

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Teach Me Your Ways

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Martha
St Peter's Basilica Statuary, taken by Martha Wiggins, 2011

St Peter’s Basilica Statuary, taken by Martha Wiggins, 2011

Teach Me Your Ways

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe that Thou live spiritually within me.

Teach me your ways, that my heart may serve only You.

Teach me your ways, that I may love all as You do.

May Your Light shine from within me outwardly to all.

When others look at me, may they see only You.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, make my heart like unto Thine.

Amen.

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Protector Of Child-like Faith

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Martha

Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Italy, 2011

“And they were bringing unto him also their babes, that he should touch them: but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, saying, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for to such belongeth the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.” (Luke 18:15-17) 

      One day during my prayer routine I was given this beautiful prayer.  The first time, I did not stop to write it down, and thereby lost it.  I prayed, that if He truly wanted it written, He would provide it once again.  Several days later, He did.

Children’s Prayer

Lord, Jesus Christ, protector of child-like faith, we lift up to You the children of the world who, through no fault of their own, do not know You; yet You are ever there in their hearts.  Let no one lead them astray until such time as your voice is awakened within them and they can rejoice in the spirit of knowledge and faith.  We lift up to You now, Lord, those children who have either departed from us or have been led astray by the false promises and teachings of the world.  We lift up to You now all the unbaptized of the world, praying that your Holly Spirit within may guide them through the promise of New Life to You.  We ask this through the Immaculate Heart of your Mother, and ours, the Blessed Virgin May, along with all the angels and saints in heaven.  May your most Holy Name be glorified in the hearts of all forever and ever.  Amen.  (Inspired by Jesus, written by Martha M. Wiggins)

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Lord, You Are Solace

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Martha
Banff National Park, taken by Martha Wiggins, 2010

Banff National Park, taken by Martha Wiggins, 2010

Lord, You are Solace.

Forgive me, Lord, when my lack of control over tragic events makes me feel as if I can do nothing.  Forgive me when the world’s seeming hopelessness brings me to despair. 

Thank you, Lord, that my hope is not of this world, but of your world.  Help me to realize that all is in your power, and that if I join my prayers to the suffering of this world, evil can be transformed.  Help me also to be your Light, your reflection, that all might see You through me and the find the Solace you long to give.

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The Beast In The Abyss

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Martha
Taken in Vatican Museum, 2012, by Martha Wiggins

Taken in Vatican Museum, 2012, by Martha Wiggins

“The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction.”  Revelation 17:8

When the things of this world are not enough, or even too much, we are left feeling empty, drained of all our energy.  We lose our desire also, desire to achieve, desire to love, desire to put forth any effort toward anything.  This overwhelming emptiness is an abyss.

Our abyss can become a hole so vast that it can be much too difficult for us to bridge.  When it is too wide and too deep to bridge, it cannot be crossed unless it is first filled driving out the beast within to its destruction.  But how?  One shovelful at a time.  With what?  With thoughts, words, and actions from another world, His.  It is this world that created our abyss.  It is this world that has left us so empty, so drained of all energy.

Where do we even begin?  The first instinct is to say fall on your knees and pray, which is always a good answer.  However, if you are empty, you have probably already done so., and maybe done so many times with seemingly no results.  Instead, turn to your Bible,  where the inspired Word can provide us with answers and needed guidance.   But, do start with a prayer before you read.  I have a simple one that I pray each time before reading in my Bible,  “Through your most Holy Word, Lord, I invite you into my heart.  Transform me according to your will.”  Say it out loud; mean it.  Or, as I always tell my kids, own it.  Then, with an open spirit, begin reading.  A good place to start is with any one of the four Gospels.  Begin with just one or two verses, and let that be it for the day.  If something in them strikes you, or makes you feel something, jot it down.  Stick in on your fridge, in your pocket, or in your car.  Look at it during you day.  Think about it, ponder it.  Pray for wisdom about it.  If it won’t let go of you, do a little research on it to better understand it.  Satisfy or reconcile yourself concerning it.  Do this everyday.  Fill your mind with the Good News of the Gospels.

The overall message of the Gospels is such an uplifting one, that you will begin to see your emptiness, your void, your abyss start to fill.  Your outlook, even toward your abyss will change to one of hope rather than despair.  You will also find yourself desiring to spend more time in His Word, desiring more time in meditative prayer.  Soon you will notice your abyss filling up with things of His world.  Soon your world will be transformed by His world.  Desire will return, desire to be all that you can be, desire to be all that He created you to be.  The beast of your abyss will have gone to its destruction and have been replaced with the glory of God..

“By reading in the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me.  The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green.  The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.”  Thomas Merton

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Lord, You Are Truth

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Martha
Statuary on the facade of the Duomo, The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy, 2012, taken by Martha M Wiggins

Statuary on the facade of the Duomo, The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy, 2012, taken by Martha M Wiggins

Lord, You are Truth.

Forgive me, Lord, when I ignore the truth because I simply do not want to know it, so that I may continue on my path of least resistance, or because the truth is too difficult to face as it may require action or witness on my part.

Thank you, Lord, for the Truth that sets us all free.  You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Ever strengthen my resolve and courage to share You with all.

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