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Here are this week’s must-reads:
+ “This is so important: Jane Frances de Chantal was a Saint not *in spite of* her struggles and temptations and doubts and fears, but BECAUSE OF THEM. Your struggles do not disqualify you. You are being called to be a saint in your doubts, fears, anxieties, and darkness, in this time of sorrow and confusion and turmoil and anger. This is your path to holiness, and when (by God’s grace) you persevere, you will become a far greater saint because of these struggles than you ever would have been without them. St. Jane Frances de Chantal, pray that our suffering would make us saints!” — Meg Hunter-Kilmer
+ You will never be too far gone for Jesus to reach you and bring you back to life… Six weeks ago, these rose bushes looked pretty hopeless. Their leaves had been completely eaten, it looked like a group of short, sad sticks reaching up from the ground. And that was just a few weeks after its first bloom — which was beautiful. Apparently this is the bloom cycle of many rose bushes: a few weeks of beautiful blooms followed by a much-less beautiful season, only to return five or so weeks later with more blooms. Kind of feels like a cycle we go through in our own lives, doesn’t it? 😂 Something beautiful — relying on God, feeling close to Jesus, being in a groove with our prayer life, feeling led by Him… sometimes followed by a season where we feel a little more confused, a little less clarity… And that’s when we need to keep holding onto hope, keep praying — even if we’re not feeling it or seeing the fruit of it, and keep believing — making that choice to believe and trust that Jesus will bring us back into that beautiful season once again, sometime soon enough. 🌸🌸🌸 — read here
+ “Last week we heard in the first reading how God dwells in the quiet. Oftentimes, we wish God would speak to us in big loud ways so there would be no doubt. However, God is often that gentle still soft voice calling us to be present with him. This week we want to encourage you to look for God in those still moments.” — The Given Institute
+ “He’s enough. He’s literally God. He’s the source and fullness of all that is good. And he literally loves you. He literally desires the most satisfying intimacy with you, but….you have to receive it… We have to pray. We have to carve out time for stillness with Him. In this space, we receive our inheritance: God himself.” — The Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
+ Scroll down for some fun Catholic home decor in this week’s Catholic Wife, Catholic Life Newsletter: custom saint mugs, a custom Marian litany, and a Jesus I Trust in you phone case!
+ We started the St. Monica Novena yesterday! St. Monica is most known for her intercessory prayers for those who have fallen away from the faith, as she prayed for the conversion of her son for 15 years. She is also the patron saint of alcoholics, married women, mothers, wives, and difficult marriages, as well as the patron saint of those who have been abused. You can ask for her prayers for any intention you have — especially for the ones you have been praying about for a long time. Those seem to be her specialty You can sign up to pray with us here.
+ “We will be too much for some, not enough for others, but even still we are Beloved.” — Aundi Kolber
+ “Why would God allow this?” <– This was really good — and speaks to something I think many of us might feel at some point in our lives.
+ “What kind of suffering does Jesus help me endure, and when does he want me to choose a different kind of suffering, the kind accompanied by courage he provides to say goodbye, shake off dusty feet, and head to another village for a new beginning?” — Jenene Francis
+ “For all the women who have been told they are too much – God is never overwhelmed by you.” — Brick House in the City
+ “Consider this persistent faith of the Canaanite woman, her homage to Jesus, and her certainty that Jesus is the true hope for her daughter’s salvation. Take courage in the knowledge that Jesus will provide exactly what we need. Our petitions are heard, and, like the Canaanite woman, our great faith will be rewarded. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus this week. Boldly trust in a hope that does not disappoint.” — Unleash the Gospel
+ The Spiritual Practice of Fasting
+ Let us be grateful for the gift of life, let us be on the pursuit of standing out of formation to declare to the world that the way of the Cross conquers all, and brings about an existence which the powers of evil can never overcome. May our legacy be an ever-acute attentiveness to the gift of life we have been given, and an everlasting mission to bring that gift of love to the world, like St. Maximilian Kolbe.” — Thomas Griffin
+ “God put desires on our heart to draw us back to Himself.” — Jake Khym
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As always, here are a few pictures of what’s included in this week’s
Catholic Wife, Catholic Life Newsletter!
I share this newsletter every Monday and it always includes two gluten-free recipes, a reflection & prayer based on Sunday’s Mass Readings, and links to budget-friendly fashion & home decor.