“True Love Involves Sacrficie”

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Here are this week’s must-reads:

+ I’ve seen a few people wondering how they’re going to celebrate Valentine’s Day when it’s also Ash Wednesday, and it reminded me of some marriage advice that I once saw Fr. Mike Schmitz share. I think it might have been advice he had heard from someone else, but the gist of it was to find someone who could fast. To find someone who could put aside their own wants and will in any moment, for something greater. Because that would be someone who would be a good spouse and who would be willing to do the same for their spouse and their family in the future.

And I agree. 💕 So maybe celebrate Valentine’s Day a day early, or maybe we can look at Ash Wednesday as a reminder that true love involves sacrifice. — read here

+ When it comes to Lent, I’ve heard the advice that we should sacrifice for the Lord out of love, not out of obligation. And that we shouldn’t ask ourselves what’s required this Lent — but that we should strive to be generous with Him instead… I love that and it actually reminds me a lot about marriage, and all the hidden ways that we love and serve our spouses…. — read the rest here

+ This image of St. Therese holding a Crucifix with blooming roses has always been striking to me. Of course it represents how she famously said, “I will spend my time in heaven doing good on earth; I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens.” 🌷🌷🌷 But it also makes me think about the Resurrection — and particularly, how the Cross looks like a place of defeat to many… But when we gaze at a Crucifix, the focus is not death but on the Conqueror of death. — read here

+ “Patience, prayer and silence – these are what give strength to the soul.” — St. Faustina

Here’s a look at what’s included in this week’s Collection. Sign up here! 🙂  You could save more than $170 on items I’ve shared this month with the exclusive promo codes you get from signing up. Some of these codes you won’t find anywhere else! These promo codes essentially make the subscription free!

The family is the domestic church, so I see decorating your home for Lent in a similar way to how our churches are prepared for Lent… 💜 Yes, there is certainly a focus on less, a focus on detachment. But colors, images, beautiful pieces of art and sacramentals can also help enhance our focus on Jesus in the desert during Lent. Sign up for The Collection here!

+ I’ve spoken about God as a Master Gardener before; He knows how to fertilize and how to prune. He knows where a plant will thrive. He’s also a Master Artist, and He knows what this painting of our lives can look like — when we are receptive and cooperative with Him. And He knows that it will take time to work on all those details and intricacies. Sure, some changes happen quickly and all at once. But many happen gradually, little by little. Lent by Lent. So let’s be patient with these things as He is. — read here

+ “⁠The laundry, the dishes, another snack for my daughter. In the midst of this monotony, His Spirit meets my own. “I’ve been here with you all along,” I sense Him gently say.⁠ “I am here with you, in all of the mundane. I am here with you, do you see?… I accompany you as you go about this day.⁠ It is not a sign you seek—it is Me.⁠ May I remain here with you? May I enter into your activity and provide the peace you so desperately desire? May I show you that this list is not the way, but it is I Who Am. Will you loosen your grip on all that was “supposed” to be and look at Me?⁠” — Shalini, Pray, Train, Grow

+ “Everyone wants to do the big noticeable things for the Lord. But what about the “small” things? Maybe one of the biggest ways we can serve the Lord is by leading a quiet life of service.” — Emily, Vessels of Mercy

+ A prayer for Lent: “Day by day, dear Lord, of thee three things I pray: to see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly, day by day.” — St. Richard

+ “As you walk into the desert during Lent, you can trust the Lord. He can bring new life into your life and into your circumstances. And He can do that through the desert and through this season of Lent. Because it’s there, where there are few distractions, where He can show you His love for you. It’s where you can perhaps better hear His voice, receive His graces, and be restored by Him through time in prayer.” — The Pray More Lenten Retreat begins tomorrow, Feb. 14th.

There’s more! Here’s a look at what’s included in this week’s Collection. Sign up for it here! +