Pressure Is Off

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Martha

“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  Psalm 46:10

     “The pressure is off.  Just sit in silence before Our Lord.  You really don’t have to say anything.  He knows what makes you tick … in more ways than one.  And, He aims to please.”  (Journey Through The Stillness, May 5, 2011)

     God, Himself, tells us that if we are but still before Him, He is praised beyond measure.  What power we have within us.  Just be still, nothing more, nothing less, but before Him.

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Prayer: Do Not Forsake Me

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Martha

Prayer:  My Lord and My God be thou with me.  Do not forsake me, or those I love.  Yet, you are my Lord and my God.  I will trust in You.  (Journey Through The Stillness, April 19, 2010)

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Lord, You Are God

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Martha

“You are all around me.  You are behind me and in front of me.  You hold me in your power.  I’m amazed at how well you know me.  It’s more than I can understand.  How can I get away from your Spirit?  Where can I go to escape from you?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I lie down in the deepest parts of the earth, you are also there.”  Psalm 139:5-8 

Lord, You are God.

Forive me, Lord, when I forget before Whom I am.  When I forget who has power and control over every aspect of my life, every aspect of my being.

It is You, Lord, who controls whether or not I awake each morning, whether I continue my existence on earth, or die before the day is through.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me as only You can.

     It does us well to regularly stop and remember just what is and isn’t in our control.  When we realize that only God knows whether or not we will finish this day here on earth, we become capable of discernment on a whole different level.  We find it easier to know what is truly important, and what is truly sin.  Our focus becomes clear; our path becomes straight.

 

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Prayer: O, My Jesus, Grant Me…

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Martha

Prayer:  O, My Jesus, grant me humility and strength of resolve to go forth from your Sacred Heart within me to share your love and joy with all I come into contact with, especially, those souls who cannot reach You except through your infinite Divine Mercy and the unbinding love of your Sacred Heart.  Grant me the wisdom to know the difference between your words and mine.  Speak through me that others might hear.  I ask this in the name of your Most Sacred Heart. Amen.  (April 16, 2010 – Journey Through The Stillness, written by Martha Wiggins)

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Lord, You are Honor

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Martha

“Oh Lord, hear me praying; listen to my plea, Oh God my King, for I will never pray to anyone but You.  Each morning I will look to You in heaven and lay my requests before You praying earnestly.”  Psalm 5:1-3

     Today I am introducing a new type of post for Orbital Buzz.  At times I will post from parts of my Daily Prayer Journal.  (Note, this is not the same as Journey Through The Stillness, where I write what takes place in Stillness before Our Lord, but instead written prayer.)  In two previous posts I shared my method for prayer journaling, taken from Bill Hybels’ book entitled Too Busy Not To Pray.  He used the acronym ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.  (For those two posts see:  A House In Ruins, March 3, 2010 and A Private Peek, March 14, 2011)  (Also, the above Psalm is a favorite of mine that I always write on the inside cover of each new journal.)

     The posts here will be in the form of thoughts as prayer in an abbreviated format of ACTS, and usually taken from the beginning of entries in my Daily Prayer Journal.  I may also at times include personal commentary.  My hope is that you too find something of and for yourself in my personal prayerful thoughts.  Enjoy. 

Lord, You are Honor.

     Forgive me, Lord, when I fail to honor You in all things; You from whom all ideas, joys, and blessings flow.  Forgive my pride.  Never let me take the joys, talents, and ideas from You for granted; never let me think they are only mine.

     Thank You, Lord, for hearing and answering me.  Help me follow through on the insights you provide, but only if I can keep them about your greater Glory.

All Glory, Honor, and Praise are Yours.  Amen.

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How To Live In The Risen Lord

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Martha

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.”  Matthew 28:6

     Today is one of those times when my posts here on Orbital Buzz and my personal spiritual journal come together.

     First I am going to share today’s (Monday) actual entry from Journey Through The Stillness.   Publicly, Journey Through The Stillness normally runs ten days to two weeks behind the actual entry date.  That is my choice as I sometimes personally need some time and space before sharing what takes place in The Stillness publicly.

     I had planned at some point to write a post here about living in the Risen Lord, using a Stillness entry from last year as the basis.  After entering into The Stillness today, I realized that I am once again being led to share these posts, and to do so now.

     April 25, 2011– I am looking at the beautiful, very moving, rendering of my Christ Crowned with Thorns, and my figurine of my Risen Lord.  I say to Jesus, “Lord, it is You in your Passion that I can relate to the most because it is I who put You there.  It is because of me you suffered such agony.”  Jesus says, “Yes, Martha, it is you who put Me there, but look at Me, your Risen Lord.  Come to Me your Risen Lord for it is I who put you there!  Live in Me now, your Risen Lord.  Find your inner Joy once again; find it again in Me.”  (Journey Through The Stillness by Martha Wiggins)

     Now I will share two prior entries which explain fully how He wants us to live in Him.  Bear in mind that He often uses my pets as examples for me because I have a special affinity and love for animals.  He knows this and uses it, and with me it always hits the mark!

     Apr 11, 2010 – I ask if He is there.  I think there is no response, and yet, I have this sense of being urged to switch my figure of Christ carrying the Cross to my one of The Risen Christ.  I ask again, “Are You there Lord?”  The answer is yes.  He says to me, “Find me now in your Risen Lord.  Do not focus so much on the Cross.  Find your joy, again, in Me as your Risen Lord.”  I say, “I feel saddened, because I worked so hard all through Lent to go through your Passion alongside Mary.  I saw and felt your pain, Lord.  And yet, I fall back and repeat my same sins over and over again.  I so desired to be made worthy of your love and sacrifice.  How can I ever hope to be worthy when I go on and on as the truly wretched sinner that I am.  How do I live in your joy then, Lord?”  Jesus says, “It is true, Martha, that when you say or do that which you know to be wrong, I flinch.  I flinch just as if to avoid a slap in the face.  Sometimes I do not move quickly enough and must bare the full force of the slap.  You would not slap your precious cat, or dog, across the face, but you would Me.  Think on this, Martha.  Keep it in mind.  The next time, you find yourself starting to do or say what is wrong, picture yourself actually slapping Me, or your pet, across the face with great force.  It makes you cringe, doesn’t it?  I know you do not CHOOSE to hurt Me, Martha, but until you actually REALLY SEE ME IN ALL OTHERS, you will continue to do so.  Remember, though, it took you 56 years to get to this point in OUR relationship.  You will not become a saint overnight.  It is a JOURNEY and while your failures cause BOTH you and I pain, overall, it is an onward and upward journey that brings us both great joy.  SEE Me on the Cross, but LIVE in Me as your Risen Lord.  Be that joyful Martha that I love so, and continue to share it with all that they may see Me in you, and then find Me in themselves.”  I am in awe.  He is my teacher, my “Rabboni”.  I am off to switch my figurine of the Cross on my dresser, for the figurine of my Risen Lord, downstairs in the living room.  My journey begins anew armed with the knowledge that my efforts are pleasing to Him (and that my failures are not insurmountable).  I will become worthy; no, I am worthy!  (Journey Through The Stillness by Martha Wiggins)

     April 12, 2010 – He is here before me and says, “I am your Risen Lord.  Let your joy be made full, and then let your joy be made known.  Let it be known that after the Cross there was ECSTASY!  Yes, you must trod the Way of the Cross to get to the Ecstasy, for I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life.  You have trodden The Way, now live in The Truth, and you will share in the Ecstasy of Eternal Life with Me!  Each time you confess your sins sincerely and contritely, you begin to live anew in The Truth.  Yes, the cycle repeats itself again and again.  You sin, I forgive, and that is the crux of humanity.  It is in your striving to live in The Truth that I find great joy, and it is in the coming for forgiveness that I find great comfort.  Continue to persevere, and in doing so, I will take great pride in bringing you into the Ecstasy.  ALWAYS, remember, I am IN you and you are IN Me.  Together we are ONE!  Be the ME in you, and WE will triumph.  (Journey Through The Stillness by Martha Wiggins)

     Go forth and live in the Risen Lord.  You are worthy!

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CHRIST IS RISEN!

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Martha

“So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb.  They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first;  he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in.  Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed.  Till this moment they had still not understood the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”  John 20:3-9 

In today’s Easter Gospel we follow Peter to the scene of The Resurrection.  He is Risen!  Because He is Risen, you are created anew.  Because He is Risen, you are heir to the Kingdom, you are welcomed into Life Eternal with Him!  Let us rejoice and be glad! 

“Since you have been raised u to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand.  Let your thoughts be on things above, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God.  But when Christ is revealed–and he is your life-you, too, will be revealed with him in glory.”  Colossians 3:1-4

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Anima Christi (Soul of Christ)

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Martha

 

This beautiful prayer is perfect for Holy Saturday while we await His Resurrection, and any time after receiving the Eucharist.

Anima Christi (Soul of Christ)

Soul of Christ, sanctify me. 

Body of Christ, save me. 

Blood of Christ, inebriate me. 

Water from the side of Christ, wash me. 

Passion of Christ, strengthen me. 

O Good Jesus, hear me. 

Within Your wounds hide me. 

Separated from You let me never be. 

From the evil one protect me. 

At the hour of my death, call me;  and close to You bid me.  

That with Your saints and angels, I may be praising You forever and ever.

Amen.

 

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Mary’s Trust

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Martha

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”  Psalm 9:10

This post is from an entry in Journey Through The Stillness (My personal spiritual journal shared publicly on Facebook). It is another post where we see the Passion of Jesus through the eyes of His Beloved Mother, Mary.

May 11, 2010 – Rosary, before The Stillness    

     Today I am prompted to pray the Rosary while riding my elliptical, yet, before The Stillness, I was planning to ride the elliptical and read in a leisure book after The Stillness.  At first, I fought that prompt of the Rosary. (You’d think I’d know better by now!)  Giving in and beginning the Rosary, I realize right away that I will be praying the Sorrowful Mysteries (Tues), which go through Our Lord’s Passion.  However, I am praying it, once again, with Mary accompanying me.  I am reflecting on her pain and sorrow along with Our Lord’s.  We see all that happens, and as a Mom I am heartsick, for both of them.  I have many times imagined the weight of The Cross (my sins), but today I am running along the path with her, ahead of the crowd, in order to catch a glimpse.  Imagine breaking through into the street and looking for Him.  And then, looking straight on, you see Him, but not from the side.  He is bent over in half from the weight, and yet, His face is turned upward to God.  He is dragging Himself and The Cross longing for, seeking His Father’s comfort, His Father’s approval.  When all is done, and the Rosary is finished, I ask Mary, “How did you do it?  How did you not scream out in torment and collapse from the pain?  Just thinking of my own son in this way causes my breath to quicken and my heart to race!”  Mary answers, “Because I TRUST.  I trust in My Father’s great love for His Son, and for me.  It was Him, who gave me strength.” 

          The first thing I read after the Rosary was in “Love, Peace, and Joy”, pg 92, in the words of Jesus … “Behold, I come to do Thy Will, O God.” (Heb.  10:9) “I acknowledge Thee for my Creator and Sovereign Master, and my heart submits itself entirely to Thee.  Thou hast given me my body, and all that I possess.  I come to sacrifice my whole being unto Thee, in the acknowledgment of my entire dependence.”  And then, as to how a soul might imitate such complete surrender … “Can the Eucharistic soul do better than appropriate to herself these sentiments of the Heart of Jesus when He enters the sanctuary, in order to recognize with Him and by Him the sovereign domain of God, to submit to it with her whole heart and abandon herself to it without reserve? “  Mary said all of this in one word, “TRUST”.  This is hard to blindly do when you know in your heart that this pertains to someone you love; as I do.  And yet, I will submit my will, Lord.  Let it be according to your will.

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Stations of The Cross Continued, 13 & 14

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Martha

“Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath.  Because Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and bodies taken down.  The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.  But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.  The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true.  He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.  These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: ‘Not one of his bones will be broken, and, as another scripture says, ‘They will look on the one they have pierced.”  John 19:31-37

This is the seventh installment of The Stations of The Cross from my personal prayer book, “Blessed Be God.”  Holy Week in Lent is the perfect time to meditate on The Passion of Jesus Christ by prayerfully reflecting on The Stations of The Cross, and especially to do so on Good Friday.  It is always helpful to have images of each Station to reflect on, but if none are available just picture each in your mind.  Then read the meditation, reflect, and pray.

     This post contains the final two, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Stations.  I hope these meditations have provided you with a way for thoughtful reflection and prayer during Lent.

Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross.

 Pray:  We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.  Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

     Consider that, our Lord having expired, two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, took Him down from the cross, and placed Him in the arms of His afflicted Mother, who received Him with unutterable tenderness, and pressed Him to her bosom.

     O Mother of Sorrow, for the love of this Son, accept me for thy servant pray to Him for me.  And Thou, my Redeemer, since Thou hast died for me, permit me to love Thee; for I wish but Thee, and nothing more.  I love Thee, my Jesus, and I repent of ever having offended Thee.  Never permit me to offend Thee again.  Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

“As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus.  Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.  Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb and went away.  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.”  Matthew 27:57-61

Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Placed in the Sepulchre.

Pray:  We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.  Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

     Consider that the disciples carried the body of Jesus to bury it, accompanied by His holy Mother, who arranged it in the sepulchre with her own hands.  They then closed the tomb and all withdrew.

     Ah, my buried Jesus, I kiss the stone that encloses Thee.  But Thou didst rise again the third day.  I beseech Thee, by Thy resurrection, make me rise glorious with Thee at the last day, to be always united with Thee in heaven, to praise Thee and love Thee forever.  I love Thee, and repent of ever having offended Thee.  Permit not that I ever offend Thee again.  Grant that I may love Thee; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

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