What's Your Vocation?

Have you ever thought about what your Vocation is? Do you know what a Vocation is in the first place?

A vocation is a Call from God to do something with your life. A vocation is not just a call to religious life or Priesthood. It could be the married life, the chaste single life, or becoming a deacon. God has a plan for each of our lives, so everyone has a vocation. 

So what is yours? Have you ever thought of what God might be calling you too? You should be, no matter what your age. 

Having you ever considered that God may be calling you to the religious life? Lot of people are called to marriage, some to other vocations, but some are also called to religious life. Not everyone who is not called to marriage is called to religious life, but how will you know if you never explore the option? You should always be open to whatever God wants you to do. 

So, what are some things you should be thinking about if you are thinking of the religious life? 

What are yours intentions, or motives? Are you wanting to please God in whatever way he chooses for you, and so please Him in the best way you can? Do you Love God and want to dedicate your entire life to Him? 

How about your ability? Are you pretty physically and mentally healthy? You don't need to have special talents or exceptional gifts or a super High education, but you should be physically and emotionally pretty sound and able to carry out the duties of a religious life, which may differ a little from order to order.

Do you wish to live a virtuous life in every way possible, to "Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect"?

If you think you might have a religious vocation, there are lots of things you should do. It's probably a good idea to talk to your confessor about it. There are also people who specialize in vocation discernment, called "Vocation Directors" who will give you guidance in this matter. Lots of religious order have discernment dinners that you could attend. Some may have discernment retreats, which would be very good.

   Whether you think you have one or not, you should always pray about what God wants you to do. You should take time to not only ask questions, but also to listen for Him. You don't always get a vision telling you to become a religious you know, in fact that's rather uncommon. Remember that God often speaks to us in soft little ways, sometimes even in our everyday experiences, so subtly that we don't even know it's Him.  God's plan for you is so great, who ever you may be. He loves you, and He knows what is best for you. Listen to Him. Sure, its not an easy plan. The road to Heaven isn't easy. But it will be a more than ninety nine gazillionbilliontrillionbajillion, forty five million, eight hundred sixty nine thousand, seven hundred and seventy seven times worth it. 

How do you receive Him?

I am going to share a few little snippets from some revelations of our Lord to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.
(You can find some more here, and here where I am getting the quotes from)

"Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love. But what I feel most keenly is that it is hearts which are consecrated to Me, that treat Me thus."

 "I thirst with such terrible thirst to be loved by men in the Blessed Sacrament that the thirst consumes me. Yet I find no one trying to quench it according to my desire by some return of my love. Do me the kindness then - you at least - of making up for their ingratitude, as far as you can."

How do you receive Communion? 
Do you receive Him with ingratitude, not even paying attention to who it is that you are about to receive? Or do you thank Him and try to express the gratitude that He deserves, even though it is not possible to thank Him enough? 

Are you ever irreverent? When you are supposed to bow or genuflect, do you do it reverently?

Do you express your Love for Him?

Do you even believe that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist?

Do you dress in a respectful way when you come to Mass, or do you just wear whatever you feel like wearing, be it jeans with holes or an old t-shirt?


I get the privilege of being able to serve at Mass, so I get to witness first hand how some people approach and receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Oh my goodness, even in my own parish I see this irreverence and disrespect. Sometimes I have to wonder if people rally do believe that Jesus is truly present.

I see people who come up and instead of bowing or genuflecting, they do some quick little head bob, or even nothing at all.
Sometime people come up and instead of presenting their hands in the proper way, and slowly and reverently pick up the Eucharist and consume it, they don't. I've seen people receive Him in all kinds of odd ways. I wish that people still received on the tongue, because then this particular kind of irreverence would not be possible.
Lots of people don't say Amen, or do the sign of the cross after they receive Him.

I am not telling you this to degrade these people or spread rumors, but to make you aware that disrespect and irreverence are everywhere. EVERYWHERE. We really need to put a stop to this people! If you truly believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, Show It!

He Loves you so much, and He has humbled Himself time and time again to come to you, even under the appearance of bread and wine. Do you realize that? The one whom made Heaven and Earth Loves YOU and humbles Himself for YOU and appears as bread and wine to come to YOU in this Sacrament. It's not bread and wine anymore people, It really is JESUS!

Do you come to Him with reverence and Love?

This Lent, let's take a look at how we come to Jesus to receive Him. Let's try to quench that thirst that Jesus talks about, to be Loved by men in this Sacrament. Can we ever quench it? I don't know. But that should not stop us from trying.

Maggie Monday!

Hewoooo! Dis is maggie, and i bet you probably thinks dat you nos wat i is going to say next. You prbably thinks dat i is going to say "I bet you can't guess wat day it is today!" well, guess wat, you is not rite! HA! i is not going to say dat. I is going to say, IT IS MAGGIE MONDAY! yay!

De weber is reely nice owt today. Me and master went fur a walk dis morning, and it was bery nice. But, master is sik, so we didnt get to go fur a long walk. i wish we coud dough.

i bet dat master didnt tuck in her nos. she probably furgetted to tuck in her nos wen she went to sleep, and den i nos wat happened. wile maste was sleeping, i bet dows reely tiny bugs dat hoomans call "sheerms" saw her nos. and den, dey beeeeeery quietly, and beeeery sneekyly sneeked into her nos, becuz it wasnt tucked in. and den, dey attacked! AH! and now dey is making masters nos be all stuffed up, becuz dere is too many in dere. and dey mak her coff because dey tikles her frowt.

 and dey maks her nos run, but i don't no wat dat meens. becuz masters nos is not running away. it is still dere on her face. i think. let me check. . . . .. . .

yep. her nos is still dere. it did not run away.

well, i think dat is all i is going to say fur today. I has to mak sure dat masters nos doesnt run away, so dat she can still smell da wondurful smell of squirrels owtsid. i wuv dat smell!

- Maggie :0)

Maggie Monday

Hewoo! Guess wat day it is today…. I give you a hint. It starts wif M, and means I gets to say something on dis blog…… it's MAGGIE MONDAY!! YAAAAYYY i wuv Maggie Monday. 

Wel, nothing really exiyting has reely happened laytly. A bunch of ice and a small bit of snow fell from da sky yesterday and last nite, so me and master didn't get to take a walk, or eben roller steak, for yesterday and today! :0( 

So, i is going to show you a comfy spot. 

Heer i is. In my "Maggie bed". Dis is da little bed in masters bed, just for me! It has a blanket and a pillow. And master has a heet blanket in her bed too, so dat maks it reely nice and warm.  I gets to sleep in my little Maggie bed web master is sitting in her bed. Wen she is sleeping, i gets in my crate, were i has a reely fluffy bed day is berry snuggly.

I wuv to sleep in comfy spots. Anober comfy spot it da bak of da couch. I liks to lay on da back of da couch lik a cat, hehehehehehehe. And it is hi enouf day i can see out da window wen i is not sleeping, so i can watch for introoders. Lik does odd guys who run up wif boxes. Who nos wat coold be in Der! Wat is Der is a rouge hotdog, or a rabid squirrel, or a crazy bird, or a poysinus bug, or a dangerous ebil thing in Der. So i always maks sure dat i tell eveybody in da house dat DDR is a suspisios guy wif a dangerous box, running to da door. Dat way i skairs him away, and somebody can go and get da dangerous box, and get dat dangerous who-knows-wat out of Der rite away! 

Well, dat is all fur now. 

-MAGGIE :O) 

Maggie Monday!

Hewooo! Geuss wat day it is today. . . . .  MONDAY! and dat meens Maggie Monday! yay! i wuv maggie monday. cause i is Maggie!

So, a foo days ago, master took me "rollor steaking". I haves no idea wai dey it called "roller steaks", cause i hasn't seen any steak come out or anything lik dat, but anyway, master puts on dees weerd shoos called roller steaks, and dey makes her go faster! so den i get to run, and go faster! I WUV GOING FASTER! I is really fast you no. I is probably almost as fast as a cheetah. but you no, cheetah sounds lik cheeter, so maybe dey cheet to go dat faster, witch wood meen dat i is reely da faster one.

I reely can't figur out wai day is called rollor steaks. I wish dat dey would maybe have steaks dat come out of dem when you get hom. You no, lik the rollor steaks coold say wen you get hom,  "Wow Maggie, you is really fast. You must have used a millon coweries, so you needs some more. Heer, have a steak!" and den a big steak coold come out! DAT WOOD BE AUSSOM!

but, going faster is ok to. I really lik to go faster.
So, me and master has been going rollor steaking instead on walking for a foo days. We just went for a walk today, cause it was reely cold outside, and master had to go someweer. and i had to stay hom :0(


also, I wood lik to say, dat i think i has foond da cure for "insnomnia". Tuck in your nose wen you go to sleep! I almost always tuck in my nose wen i is sleeping. somtimes i tuck in in with my tail, and sometime i put it under my foot. Or somtimes i put it in a little courner of my bead, or under a blanket, or under master's arm. And i doesn't have any truble sleeping! so maybe next time you cant sleep, try tucking in your nose!

Well, maybe i will say somthing else next week.

-Maggie  :0)

With freedom comes responsibility

We are free. Not only do we live in a free country, but we also have free will, and we have been freed from sin. We may fall into the Captivity of sin again and again (and more than likely we will at some point) but when we come to God, He sets us free again! 

Unlike some other religions, when you think about it, we don't really have *that* many "physical restrictions" for instance, dont have to worry about making sure our meat isn't mixed with dairy products. 

Yes, we have to fast sometimes. We have to give up meat on certain days. We have to go to Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation. (there are certain restrictions that keep us from sin like not using contraceptives, not gong to fortune tellers or getting all "new age"y common sense stuff like that)  

But being a Catholic doesn't really put many restrictions on our everyday life. 

However, we have a great responsibility. We need to pick up our cross and follow The Lord. We need to share the Good news of the Gospel, we need to help build each other up, instead of tearing each other down like the world tells us to. We need to think less of ourselves, and more of others. We need to be caring and kind, and help each other up when we fall. 

We are free, but true freedom isn't doing whatever you want, anytime you want to. True freedom does come with responsibilities! True freedom is freedom of the soul. Freedom from sin. It's kinda like a joy that spreads out to others. True freedom makes us want others to have this freedom, and makes us help them to attain it. True freedom is Love. 

Do these responsibilities make this freedom not worth the trouble? By no means. It makes it all the more worth it. The more we Love, the more free we become. The more we Love God, and through Loving Him, love and care for others, the more free we become. We still have that responsibility, but these responsibilities are not restrictions and regulations. They are gifts from God to help us not fall into captivity again, and to help others get out of it. 

Divine Mercy

Well, I was cleaning my room today when I decided to move a book from my dresser/shelf to another shelf closer to my bed, for easier access. And like pretty much every time I decide to put a book away, I opened it to a random page and was absorbed for about. . .  I have no idea how long, but it was probably between 20 and 45 minutes. Yeah.

The book is "Diary: Divine Mercy in my Soul" and it the Diary of St. M Faustina Kowalska.
My Grandma had the book, and gave it to me after I asked her where I might be able to find a copy. (Thanks, Grandma!)

The book is HUGE. Probably 3 inches thick! But it is filled with such inspiration and wonder. I haven't read much of it, but every time I pick it up I get totally lost in it, and cry (or almost cry) every time.

Jesus revealed himself to St. Faustina so many times, and spoke directly to her often. OK, I don't really pay much attention to the dates. However, Jesus' words (speaking to St. Faustina) are on almost every single page that I've read, so I'd say He spoke with her pretty often. It's amazing.

She has many trials and sufferings. She also has an incredible love for Jesus.

Jesus makes His great Mercy known to her. Jesus' mercy is so vast, so great, that no soul could ever comprehend it. And It hurts Him so much when people don't or won't come to Him and accept His mercy. He is ready to let flow the never ending fount of mercy within Him, if we are only willing to receive it.

Jesus wants her to spread devotion to His Mercy every where, and wants her to work toward getting a feast of His Mercy. “This Feast emerged from the very depths of My mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of my tender mercies. Every soul believing and trusting in My mercy will obtain it.”
He said. And also
"The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.”

He also wants a particular image (which He shows her in a vision) to be blessed and venerated on this feast.
 “I want the image solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.” He said.

 She worked toward these thing despite her difficulties, which were many. Now we have the Feast of Divine Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter. We now have the Image of Divine mercy too. Jesus also revealed to her other things that He wanted to be spread, Such as the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, The Hour of Great Mercy (3 o'clock) and the novena of Chaplets before Divine Mercy Sunday (starting on Good Friday)

And Jesus tells her that it is the most sinful people, who are most in need of His Mercy, who are, so to speak, first in line, to His Mercy. He wants them to come to Him, no matter what they've done, and He wants to freely give them abundant mercy, and forgive them.
Isn't that one of the most loving, touching, hope-inspiring things you've ever heard??

Jesus is Love and Mercy. His love and mercy are more than overflowing, they NEVER end. It really doesn't. In fact, Jesus said to her "My Daughter, do you think you have written enough about My mercy? What you have Written is but a drop compared to the ocean. I am Love and Mercy itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted - it increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I myself take care of it." 1273

Jesus Loves us all so much. I think Every one needs to at least read a little bit of this book, and get a little taste of His mercy and love. As Jesus said in the quote above, Everything that she wrote is a drop in the Ocean of His Mercy.

Maggie Monday!

Hewoooooo! Dis is Maggie! I no dat U has bean wayting fur monday furever, because monday means maggie Monday!

I is berry sowwy dat i has not gotted to post berry mutch laytly. I gots a new brofer, and i didn't lik him berry much, so master didn't let me post for a few weeks, till i getted more used to him.

His name is Jerry. He is qwyte annoying sumtyms, but somtyms he is fun. He always wants to eat my treets wen master is teaching me, and dat does not mak me berry happy.

But yesterdey, master and her sister and jerry and me all went out to play in da sno, and it was berry fun. Master was throwning white balls, and me and jeery were chading dem, but we culdent find dem everytime! Dey must has bean madjic balls. dey madjically disapeered every tym dat mater threw dem!

and den me and jerry ran arownd and sniffed stuff and chased eechober wile master and her sister and brofer makd a sno-man. He didnt look berry much like a man to me, but dey calls it a sno-man, so i guess he is a man. but he neber moovs. at all. he's probably still owt der in da cold sno, but i can't no dat because i is too short to reetch da window. but he prbably is. I don't no wai he doesn't find a house to go in, and get warmer, because he is probably berry berry cold now. his nos is probably  a aiscoob by now.

it has bean soooo cold heer dat master hasnt bean taking me fur walks laytly, because she doesn't want me to get to cold. So, we has bean going downstayrs, and den master teeches me tricks and stuff, and i gets treets! and jerry doesn't eat dem because master doesn't let him downsayrs wen she is teeching me stuff. It is berry fun. and we plays wif toys too. I has a badger toy, and a monkey toy, and a raindeer toy named "fetch" because dat is wat master says wen she throws it, so dat must be it's name. and i just got a racoon toy today too! I liks to bite toys. . . hehehehehehehehe

well, i tink dat is all i has to say fur now. maybe i will say somting agin next week!

By-by!!

-Maggie :0)

America, what have we done?

America; that land of the free and home of the brave. The nation that started out with independence, saying "All men are created equal" and that we are entitled to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit  of happiness"  What have we done?

41 years ago today, we made one of the biggest mistakes in our Nation's history. 41 years ago today, it became legal to murder children before they are born, and we call this murder "Abortion." 

Since that fateful day, over 55 million babies have been killed before birth. That's 55 million hurting mothers. 55 million little pairs of eyes that never got to see the world. 55 million pairs of tiny hands that never got to grab their mother's finger. 55 million little pairs of feet that never got to feel the ground. 55 million voices never heard. 55 million people who were denied access to Life (outside the womb), Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 55 million innocent lives Taken. 

What have we done? How could we have let this happen? These children were created by God. God has plans for every human being, whether they grow up with their biological parents, adopted parents, or even foster parents. God had special plans for each and every one of those 55 million. They never got the chance to respond. 

What a sad day this is for our country, and the whole world. How much lower can you get than killing innocence?

Our Country has become very low. Very low.

What are you going to do about it? Cause guess what. It's up to you too. It's up to all of us to step up and speak out! Come on people! Today is as good a time as ever to step up. Yesterday would have been better, and tomorrow is not guaranteed. Today is the day that we say "Stop this Now!" 

Abortion is wrong. It needs to be stopped. And we are the ones who need to stop abortion. 

What do you want?

Hi guys! 

Next week, I'm planning on posting a poll  in the side bar asking a simple question.

"What subjects do you want to see more posts about on this blog?" 

In this poll, i will give you several options of possible subjects. Since this is mainly a Religious and personal blog, the subjects will pertaining to those to things. 

I want every single person who reads this post to answer! I will probably leave it up for a week or two, to give you some time.

However, I'm going to go ahead and go over the possible subjects so that you will have plenty of time to think about it. 

• Apologetics and "Why do Catholics do that?

I love apologetics. The only thing that is sad is that often in order to use them, someone is attacking a belief. However, there are sometimes that they can be used when someone is curious to know something. Maybe you aren't Catholic, but you have always wondered why Catholics make the sign of the cross, go to confession instead of just confessing to God, or why we believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. Whatever the case, i will do my best to answer the question, and if i can't answer it, I'll try to find someone who can, 

•Lesser known Saints.

I also love Saints! Saints are our big brothers and sisters that have walked the path through this life, and made it to God! They aren't always perfect. But the kept going with God's grace and love, and they made it to Heaven. 

I just love to find Saints who are lesser known. It's like finding a hidden treasure that not many other people have found, only better! Did you know about St. Fiacre, patron of Gardeners? How about St. Dymphna, patron of those with Mental illnesses? St Alphonsis? St. Mellangell? There are A LOT of Saint up there that aren't as well known as others like St. Peter, St. Francis, St Cecelia, and St. Agnes. And they can pray for you too! 

• Virtues

Posts about Virtues in general, how they are needed, how they are practiced etc.

•Prolife

I am a flamin' prolifer! I can get very "into" Prolife topics. Defending Life is so very important in this work where a culture o death is promoted everywhere. 

•Sacraments

Sacraments are some of the greatest gifts that God has given us.  They spark flames inside us. They bring us an overflowing wealth of Grace. They help us attain virtues. They bring us Closer to God! 

•Motivation

 If you've read a lot of my posts, you can tell that i really want to motivate and inspire people. I want you to keep going. Whatever it is that you are fighting, keep fighting. Whatever it is that you are struggling with, keep going! Trust in God. Pray. Give yourself to God, He will never leave you, even though everyone else might. I want you i keep fighting the good fight, and get closer and closer to God!

That's it for now. I know that some of you are itching for more Maggie Mondays *Cough Cough* my siblings *cough cough* but due to Maggie's inability to yet get along with her new brother, Jerry, she needs some time. Or else the post would be pretty boring like "Today my brofer Gerry stoled my monkey toy. I is so mad at him! He is always stoleding my toys and trying to eat my treats! He's berry Whiney all da time too!!" LOL 

Anways, think about it, and come back next week to put in your answer!