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Daily Reflection: 28 January 2024
This is the synagogue in Capernaum, Catholic Pilgrims, from our Gospel reading today. It’s scary to think of people with unclean spirits in them. As scary as it is, we are being bombarded with the demonic pretty consistently now in our culture. Nobody is even trying to be subtle about it anymore. Build-A-Bear has a…
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Daily Reflection: 25 January 2024
My husband and I argued a lot-A LOT-in our first years of marriage about the Catholic Church. During our dating time, we were both lukewarm about our faith and didn’t really give it much thought. My husband literally lived a walk across the parking lot from the Catholic Church on campus and went maybe two…
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Never Be At a Standstill: Seventh Mansion, Chapter Four, 9-16
Today, we will be reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter Four, numbers 9-16. Topics are: 9. Fruits of these favors. 10. Why the spiritual marriage takes place. 11. Love for Christ proved by our deeds. 12. True spirituality. 13. Humillity and the virtues must combine with prayer. 14. Zeal of advanced souls. 15. Strengthened by…
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Daily Reflection: 24 January 2024
Today is the Feast Day of St. Francis de Sales, whose writings I will be reading for Season Four of my podcast “Journeying with the Saints.” With only a few episodes left in Season Three, I will soon be preparing to read “Introduction to the Devout Life” by this Doctor of the Church. I’ve had…
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Daily Reflection: 23 January 2024
Back in December, I asked you all to give me some book recommendations of lesser-known Classics. You all did not disappoint and I wrote down all the ones that were new to me. It is my reading list for the year. First up, was “Death Comes for the Archbishop” by Willa Cather, who was born…
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Daily Reflection: 22 January 2024
In my last year of college, I found myself unwed and pregnant with this gal. I was terrified. My morning sickness was so bad, I couldn’t go to classes most mornings and so I was falling behind. I was supposed to go to field training that coming summer for Air Force ROTC, which would be…
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The Last Chapter: Seventh Mansion, Chapter Four, 1-8
Here we are at the last chapter of the book. We will be reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter Four, numbers 1-8. Topics are: 1. Vicissitudes of the Seventh Mansion. 2. Humility produced by them. 3. Such souls free from mortal and from willful venial sins. 4. The fate of Solomon. 5. Holy fear. 6.…
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Daily Reflection: 21 January 2024
Our first reading today comes from Book of Jonah, which I have always found to be such a fascinating story and very relatable. At some point in our lives, God will ask us to do something for Him, but like Jonah, many times we aren’t particularly thrilled with our assignment. Often, we have *our* idea…
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Daily Reflection: 18 January 2024
Last night, I was blessed to hear Immaculée Ilibagiza speak at our church. If you don’t know her story, Immaculeé survived the Rwandan genocide in 1994 by hiding in a tiny bathroom with seven other women for 91 days. It was so powerful to hear the spiritual journey she went through in that bathroom. She…
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How to Cultivate Peace: Seventh Mansion, Chapter Three, 11-14
Today, we are reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter Three, numbers 11-14. Topics are: 11. Probable reasons for this. 12. Allusions in Holy Scripture to this state. 13. Watchfulness of such souls. 14. Crosses suffered in this state. …
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Daily Reflection: 17 January 2024
So, yesterday, I talked about the founding of St. Augustine and how it got its name back in 1565. When Father Lopez said the first Mass here, he claimed it in the Nombre de Dios, in the Name of God. Here on the land of Mission Nombre de Dios, there is a Shrine to Nuestra…
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Daily Reflection: 16 January 2024
St. Augustine, Florida. Where do I begin? Because I can geek out on history, I spent quite a few days researching where the first Spanish Mass was held in what would become the US. I’ve been to the spot of the first Mass said by the English—St. Clement’s Island off the coast of Maryland. The…
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What a Spiritually Mature Soul Looks Like: Seventh Mansion, Chapter Three, 7-10
Today, we are reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter Three, numbers 7-10. Topics are: 7. And recalls it to fervor if negligent. 8. God’s constant care of such souls. 9. Their peace and silence. 10. Few ecstasies in the Seventh Mansions. …
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Daily Reflection: 12 January 2024
Before I met my husband, I wasn’t a big traveler and I did not like getting out of my comfort zone. But, when you marry a military man who gets wanderlust every two years and is spontaneous to the nth degree, well, it rubs off on you. Now in my life, if it’s been awhile…
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Daily Reflection: 11 January 2024
The other night, I was lamenting to my husband about how I have been begging God for something for years and nothing was happening. Normally, my husband is very consoling, but he actually kind of rebuked me over my attitude. “Are you begging to satisfy yourself over this issue or are you really begging for…
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Live Your Life for Others: Seventh Mansion, Chapter Three, 1-6
Today, we are reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter Three, numbers 1-6. Topics are: 1. Effects of the graces last received. 2. The soul only cares for God’s honor. 3. But still performs its duties. 4. Other fruits of these favors. 5. The soul’s fervent desire to serve God. 6. Christ dwells within this soul. …
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Daily Reflection: 10 January 2024
In our Gospel reading today from Mark, Jesus goes off to a deserted place to pray. Simon and some others go on the hunt for Him and when Simon finds Him, he says, “Everybody is looking for you.” I got stuck on this statement from Simon. Is everybody looking for Jesus in this day and…
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Daily Reflection: 9 January 2024
As I was coming back to my seat this last Sunday after receiving Communion, I happened to glance up and down several rows of pews. Laid out all along the seats were rosaries, Magnificats with reading glasses laid on top, prayer books, Bibles, purses, baby toys, diaper bags, prayer cards, and a peaceful sleeping kid.…
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Daily Reflection: 8 January 2024
Nothing Christ did was a nice symbolic gesture. Because He is God, everything He did and asks us to do actually does something within our souls. As I was coming into the Catholic Church, I started thinking of all the ways I had been taught that our practices were symbolic. Communion was symbolic for me…
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Sacrifice Is Love: Seventh Mansion, Chapter Two, 12-15
Today, we are reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter Two, numbers 12-15. Topics are: 12. Unalterable peace of the soul in the seventh Mansion. 13. Unless if offends God. 14. Struggles outside the seventh Mansion. 15. Comparions explaining this. …
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Daily Reflection: 7 January 2024
Here is the land that the Wise Men came to so long ago. I was thinking about my late teens and my twenties this morning while reading about the Wise Men traveling to find the Christ Child. Most Sundays during those years, I couldn’t be bothered with getting out of bed for church. Sure, had…
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Daily Reflection: 5 January 2023
Happy Friday, Catholic Pilgrims! Checking in with this week’s musings. 1. My Wildcats won their Bowl Game! It was a great victory with our freshman quarterback. Looking forward to next year when the Big 12 becomes the Big 90 or whatever. Still unsure about how many teams are coming or going. 2. Next weekend, my…
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Daily Reflection: 4 January 2023
n October of 2022, my family visited St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Shrine in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Here is a picture of her resting place. I spent some time praying here, thinking about St. Elizabeth. We have some notable similarities. She and I are converts and teachers. I’ve been teaching my kids now for 14 years using…
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Make Yourself Fit: Seventh Mansion, Chapter Two, 8-11
Today, we are reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter Two, numbers 8-11. Topics are: 8. Its conviction of God’s indwelling. 9. Its peace. 10. Christ’s prayer for the divine union of the soul. 11. Its fulfillment. …
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Update: Sale on Book for Next Season’s Podcast
Catholic Pilgrims, if you are planning on joining me in February for Season Four of my podcast, it has come to my attention that the book is only $5 this month over at TAN Books. This is the book I will be using: “Introduction to the Devout Life” by St. Francis de Sales. If you…
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Daily Reflection: 3 January 2023
Yesterday, I was reading through some comments on a reel I put up about about a year ago where I was standing outside Mary’s house near Ephesus. One woman said to me in the comments, “Remember Jesus, He is the reason for the season.” I responded back to her by saying, “We do remember Jesus.…
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Daily Reflection: 2 January 2024
This is Cappadocia, the land where St. Basil the Great was from in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), whose feast day we celebrate today. On our long drive back to Alabama from Kansas this past week, my husband and I started talking about evil ideologies. My husband asked a question that he frequently asks, “How…
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Daily Reflection: 1 January 2024
One of my greatest titles is that of mom, though my kids call me numerous variations of that word. They are currently cooking up what they want my grandma name to be in the future. (No, I’m not becoming a grandma yet.) To torture me, they have landed on Smeemaw. Even though I’ve failed at…
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Spiritual Marriage with God: Seventh Mansion, Chapter Two, 1-7
Today, we are reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter Two, numbers 1-7. Topics are: 1. The spiritual nuptials introduced by an imaginary vision. 2. Spiritual betrothal and marriage differ. 3. Spiritual marriage lasting. 4. Not so spiritual betrothal. 5. Spiritual marriage permanent. 6. St. Paul and spiritual marriage. 7. The soul’s joy in union. …
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Daily Reflection: 31 December 2023
When I was working at a juvenile detention center, I would often have to make house calls. Teens that were on probation had to be checked in on from time-to-time. I never went into a house that was healthy. By that, I mean, it was always a home where one parent was missing, the house…
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Open to Receiving God’s Graces: Seventh Mansion, Chapter One, 11-16
Today, we are reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter One, numbers 11-16. Topics are: 11. The effects. 12. This presence is not always equally realized. 13. It is beyond the soul’s control. 14. The center of the soul remains calm. 15. The soul and the spirit distinct though united. 16. The soul and its faculties…
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God, What Do You Want From Me?: Seventh Mansion, Chapter One, 7-10
Today, we have a special treat. Not only will I do I reading, but I will also read a poem from St. Teresa called “In the Hands of God.” Our readings for today are from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter One, numbers 7-10. Topics are: 7. The spiritual nuptials. 8. Former favors differ from spiritual nuptials.…
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Daily Reflection: 21 December 2023
My priest the other day said in his homily that “we try so hard to manufacture joy.” “True joy, though, comes from being in the presence of holiness. We have a tendency to think of John the Baptist as being severe and yelling ruthlessly about repentance, but we forget that he was a joyful man.…
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Souls in Mortal Sin: Seventh Mansion, Chapter One, 1-6
Welcome to the Seventh Mansion! Today, we are reading from the Seventh Mansion, Chapter One, numbers 1-6. Topics are: 1. Sublime mysteries of these mansions. 2. St. Teresa abashed at treating such subjects. 3. Our Lord introduces His bride into His presence chamber. 4. Darkness of a soul in mortal sin. 5. Intercession for sinners.…
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Which Suffering Will You Endure: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Eleven, 6-12
Milestone Day! We finish the Sixth Mansion! Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Eleven, numbers 6-12. Topics are: 6. These sufferings are a Purgatory. 7. The torments of Hell. 8. St. Teresa’s painful desire after God. 9. This suffering irrestistible. 10. Effects of the dart of love. 11. Two spiritual dangers…
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Daily Reflection: 17 December 2023
All throughout history, since Christ’s coming, man has been trying to downplay who He is. There’s been heresies that deny His divinity. There’s been heresies that basically deny the Incarnation because they deny Christ’s humanity. There are those that deny His existence. Today, Jesus is mostly just a great social justice advocate. In many ways,…
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Daily Reflection: 14 December 2023
Last night, my family was watching some “man on the street” episodes from PragerU. Before I begin, yes, I know “man on the street” things don’t show it all. I know they select out ones that cause controversy. I know there are people who give good answers that are edited out. I know. Anyway, the…
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Deep Spiritual Territory: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Eleven, 1-5
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Eleven, numbers 1-5. Topics are: 1. Favors increase the soul’s desire for God. 2. The dart of love. 3. Spiritual sufferings produced. 4. Its physical effects. 5. Torture of the desire for God. Our sponsor today is Chrism Press. To check out their selection of books,…
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Daily Reflection: 13 December 2023
The first Catholic Church I ever stepped into was in my hometown in Kansas when I was a young girl. It was a small little church—Sacred Heart—that was, sadly, burned down by an arsonist. I went to that church because I’d had a sleep over with my best friend. It would be another 15 some…
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Daily Reflection: 12 December 2023
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn. Pray for us, that like you, all might be open to life no matter how scary or unexpected a pregnancy might be. May we be people that know it is better to bring life into the world than extinguish it. Pray for us, oh Holy Mother of…
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Daily Reflection: 11 December 2023
My priest, who is from Kenya, in his homily yesterday said to us, “In my country there is a proverbial saying which goes: Don’t pray for the rains until you’ve cultivated the fields.” The point of the saying is that you need to prepare first in order to receive the blessings you ask for well.…
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Loving Your Enemies: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Ten, 4-7
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Ten, numbers 4-7. Topics are: 4. Forgive as we are forgiven. 5. The vision shows God to be Truth itself. 6. We should imitate God by truthfulness. 7. Why God reveals these truths. …
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Daily Reflection: 10 December 2023
My family watched “A Christmas Carol” the other night and afterwards my husband and I started talking about its lessons. My husband said, “You know, I’ve never noticed it before, but Scrooge encapsulates so much of our modern-day ways of living.” “What do you mean?” “Well, the prevailing messages of today are live for yourself.…
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Daily Reflection: 8 December 2023
God has done a lot of things that are difficult for people to believe in because they defy the laws of the natural world. The laws He set up, mind you. He created the universe and everything in it out of nothing. He parted seas. The Incarnation—God becoming man. There’s all the miracles of Christ.…
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Daily Reflection: 7 December 2023
Years ago, I was watching something like 60 Minutes ( Is that still on?) and they were doing a story on a convicted murderer in prison who had found Jesus. As I watched, though, it was quite obvious that the man didn’t understand what being a Christian really meant. Over and over again, the interviewer…
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Strive to Not Offend God: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Ten, 1-3
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Ten, numbers 1-3. Topics are: 1. Reasons for speaking of these supernatural favors. 2. An intellectual vision. 3. God compared to a palace in which His creatures dwell. …
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Daily Reflection: 6 December 2023
When I was a girl, on Christmas Eve, I’d sleep in my grandparent’s drafty upstairs bedroom with my cousins and siblings. Most of us never slept; our anticipation over Santa was too exhilarating. So, we’d lay there in the dark singing every Christmas song we could think of, while we listened for any sound of…
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Daily Reflection: 5 December 2023
Right after my husband got commissioned, we moved to Ohio for our first duty station. I was struggling to find work in my field, so in the meantime, I worked as a substitute teacher. That can be a very interesting job. One day you’re with giggly kindergartners and the next day you’re with surly high…
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Daily Reflection: 4 December 2023
At that point in my life when I turned my back on God, my thought process was, “I can handle my life on my own. You allowed harm to come to me, so clearly you aren’t interested in helping me. I’ll take it from here.” Instantly, I set out on a path to save myself…
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Don’t Desire Things You Don’t Deserve: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Nine, 13-21
Today, we have two milestones! We’ve finished another 10 episodes and we are finishing up the ninth chapter. Our readings will be from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Nine, numbers 13-21. Topics are: 13. Reasons why visions are not to be sought. 14. The second reason. 15. Third reason. 16. Fourth reason. 17. Fifth reason. 18.…
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Daily Reflection: 3 December 2023
We watch a lot of things. We watch our phones like zombies. My hairdresser said to me the other day, “At Thanksgiving, I came into the living room and every single person was on their phone. Nobody interacting, nobody building memories. This isn’t right.” We watch sports with a passion that cannot be matched. We…
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Daily Reflection: 1 December 2023
Today, Catholic Pilgrims, I’m excited to share with you the Saint’s work I’ll be reading for Season Four of my podcast “Journeying With the Saints.” Very early on last year, I was pretty positive that I would read Thomas a Kempis’ “Imitations of Christ.” For some reason, I had always thought that Thomas a Kempis…
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Daily Reflection: 30 November 2023
There’s something special about the Sea of Galilee. As you walk along it, you can see so many scenes from the Bible play out in your head and the geography of it all starts to make sense. But, most of us won’t walk along the Sea of Galilee and none of us were called from…
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Revere Images of Our Lord: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Nine, 11-12
Today, I am announcing who I will be reading for Season Four! We will be reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Nine, numbers 11-12. Topics are: 11. How to treat visions. 12. Effects of seeing the face of Christ. Our sponsor today is Chrism Press. To pick up your copy of “Shadowed Loyalty, go to…
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Daily Reflection: 29 November 2023
For the past few months, I’ve noticed that someone I care about over on my personal Facebook account has been posting post after post of the most anti-Christian stuff. Usually, I let the offensive material pass by my eyes and I ignore it even though the posts are always full of hatred for Christians. One…
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Daily Reflection: 28 November 2023
My son was talking to one of his classmates at jujitsu the other day and the classmate said something to the fact that it was Christmas time. To which my son said, “No, not yet.” The other boy was thoroughly confused and my son said, “It’s not even Advent. Thanksgiving is first.” He came home…
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Daily Reflection: 27 November 2023
One of the things that drew me to Catholicism was the intellectual side of it. This was no superficial practice of the faith where everything was watered down and made easy on the ears. I truly had never encountered such rigorous intellectual thought in my upbringing and into my twenties. Reading some of the early…
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Don’t Be Silly, Gullible Catholics: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Nine, 4-10
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Nine, numbers 4-10. Topics are: 4. Awe produced by this vision. 5. False and genuine visions. 6. Illusive visions. 7. Effects of a genuine vision. 8. Conviction left by a genuine vision. 9. It’s effects upon after conduct. 10. A confessor should be consulted. …
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Daily Reflection: 26 November 2023
We like Christ as Savior, as it shows His deep love for us. We like Christ as our friend, because a good friend, in our mind, backs us up in all we want to do. This is probably the most popular view of Christ because our modern world likes to just make Christ a buddy,…
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Imaginary Visions are for Real: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Nine, 1-3
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Nine, numbers 1-3. Topics are: 1. The jewel in the locket. 2. The smilie explained. 3. The apparition explained. Our sponsor is Chrism Press. To pick up your copy of “Shadowed Loyalty,” go to www.chrismpress.com. Use the coupon code “pilgrim15” to get 15% off your first…
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Daily Reflection: 20 November 2023
“Let’s get with the times.” Today’s first reading from 1 Maccabees was very relatable to the times we live in now. There are some Israelites who are trying to get others to “get with the times.” These men break God’s law and they want to get on board with what the pagan Gentiles are doing.…
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Not Everyone Gets the Same Thing: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Eight, 7-12
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Eight, numbers 7-12. Topics are: 7. Consciousness of the presence of the Saints. 8. Obligations resulting from this grace. 9. Signs that this favor is genuine. 10. A confessor should be consulted. 11. Our Lord will enlighten our advisers. 12. Cautions about this vision. …
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Daily Reflection: 17 November 2023
I have something important to discuss with you all, Catholic Pilgrims, as we head into the weekend and prepare for Thanksgiving. As we know, when God created the universe, He set it to be governed by laws. Just as there are physical laws in the natural world, and moral laws in the spiritual life, there…
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A Deep, Lasting, Fortified Faith: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Eight, 1-6
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Eight, numbers 1-6. Topics are: 1. Our Lord’s presence accompanying the soul. 2. St. Teresa’s experience of this. 3. Confidence and graces resulting from this vision. 4. Its effects. 5. It produces humility. 6. And prepares the soul for other graces. …
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Daily Reflection: 15 November 2023
Last week, I went to help load up bags of Thanksgiving food for the needy at church. It was a whole production and many retirees were there. As I looked around, people were smiling and joking with one another. Everyone was energized to put the hundreds of bags together. You could just tell that everyone…
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Daily Reflection: 13 November 2023
If someone feels excluded from the Church because it won’t embrace their sin, that is not a problem with the Church. Jesus never came and said, “Go about and form the Faith to your likings. I don’t want you to ever feel bad about anything you do.” Instead He said, “Things that cause sin will…
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Don’t Forget Christ’s Humanity: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Seven, 16-19
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Seven, numbers 16-19. We will be finishing the seven chapter! Topics are: 16. Need of the example of Christ and the Saints. 17. Faith shows us Our Lord as both God and Man. 18. St. Teresa’s experience of meditation on the Sacred Humanity. 19. Evil of…
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Daily Reflection: 12 November 2023
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in 10 years of writing on here is to wait to give my thoughts on a subject. When I was younger, I was always quick to give my thoughts and opinions on things before I had all the information or even just a little bit of information. Consequently,…
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Daily Reflection: 10 November 2023
The word hero gets thrown around a lot in our day and age. “Hero” is used to describe athletes, famous people, and those that parade themselves around trying to get attention for playing the victim in some way. These are not heroes. There has to be the element of sacrifice involved in order for someone…
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It Means Nothing to Believe in God if You Aren’t Obedient: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Seven, 12-15
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Seven, numbers 12-15. Topics are: 12. Reasoning and mental prayer. 13. A form of meditation on Our Lord’s Life and Passion. 14. Simplicity of contemplatives’ meditation. 15. Souls in every state of prayer should think of the Passion. Our sponsor today is Chrism Press. To pick…
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Modern-Day Feminists, Radical Tradwives, and the Women Caught in the Middle
This is a blog written by a Gen-Xer, which means it’s sure to irritate many in the Boomer generation and, subsequently, in the generations below me in equal parts which is always a good time. Though I come from a generation that gets mostly ignored, I do have a unique perspective as I’m caught in…
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Daily Reflection: 7 November 2023
I was watching a video the other day of Lila Rose, a prominent pro-life advocate, having a conversation with a group of women. The conversation centered on chastity and Lila, very charitably, shared with the women the desire God has for their relationship with men. One woman, who clearly disagreed, defensively spoke up and said,…
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Daily Reflection: 6 November 2023
When I was maybe ten years old, my mom called me from her work down at City Hall and said, “Amy, there’s an elderly women down the street whose husband passed away. She needs help going through his things, so I need you to go down and help her.” I was a bit shocked by…
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Dust Off Those Bibles: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Seven, 6-11
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Seven, numbers 6-11. Topics are: 6. Meditation on Our Lord’s Humanity. 7. Warning against discontinuing it. 8. Christ and the Saints our models. 9. Meditation of contemplatives. 10. Meditation during aridity. 11. We must search for God when we do not feel His presence. …
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Daily Reflection: 5 November 2023
Several years ago, my family was stationed in Las Vegas. The Air Force Ball is in September and, having not been to one in years, my husband and I decided to go. We bought our tickets, got all fancied up, and set off to the dinner and dance. In my pride, I stupidly thought that…
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Daily Reflection: 3 November 2023
I woke up this morning and saw many of the headlines from the news and just wanted to crawl back in bed because literally everything seems like a dumpster fire. I think we all feel a bit tense and weary as we hold our breath waiting for the next bad thing, and the next bad…
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Daily Reflection: 2 November 2023
keep this shelf up like this all the time. I pass it often and when I do, the pictures of my grandparents always pricks my heart just a little. The loss of a loved one in your life is so bittersweet. Bitter in that the pain hurts and their presence is gone. Sweet in that…
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Sorrow for Our Sins: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Seven, 1-5
This is a big day for me! It’s my podcast’s 500th episode! Thank you for to all who have joined along with me. Today, we will be reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Seven, numbers 1-5. Topics are: 1. Sorrow for sin felt by souls in the Sixth Mansion. 2. How this sorrow is felt. …
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Daily Reflection: 1 November 2023
From someone who lived a majority of my life never knowing the Saints, I am so grateful to have them now. I used to believe that when we died, we became angels and just drifted up to Heaven where we might “watch over” our loved ones but really have no effect on their lives. In…
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Daily Reflection: 31 October 2023
I’ve always wondered what it must have been like for the astronauts who walked on the moon when they returned back to earth. That first night back in bed did they think to themselves, “A couple of days ago, I was walking on the moon and now I’m back on Earth where life carries on”?…
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Daily Reflection: 30 October 2023
I briefly saw this headline the other day that stated: Professor Studies Free Will and Discovers It Doesn’t Exist. And with that, we are relegated to either robots or purely animals, no different than a sloth or a caterpillar, or a computer. I didn’t even bother to read it, because sometimes, you just don’t have…
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Be Someone Others Can Imitate: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Six, 11-15
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Sixth Chapter, numbers 11-15. Topics are: 11. The jubilee of the soul. 12. Impossibility of concealing this joy. 13. The world’s judgment of this jubilee. 14. Which is often felt by the nuns of St. Joseph’s. 15. The Saint’s delight in this jubilee. Here is the interview…
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Daily Reflection: 26 October 2023
Recently, my family toured the USS Alabama in Mobile, AL. My son absolutely loved being on the big battleship and seeing what life would have been like for the sailors. We talked a lot about how his great-grandpa served on a big ship, too—the USS Jackson. When we saw this room, the chapel, he got…
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Don’t Force Tears: Sixth Mansion, Chapter 6, 6-10
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Six, numbers 6-10. Topics are: 6. They endanger health. 7. Tears often come from physical causes. 8. St Teresa’s own experience. 9. Works, not tears, are asked by God. 10. Confide entirely in God. Our sponsor is Chrism Press. To purchase your copy of “Markmaker,” go…
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Daily Reflection: 25 October 2023
I’ve been teaching my son how to play the piano and he’s been pretty lazy in practicing. So, I asked him yesterday, “Do you want to learn to play an instrument?” “Yes.” “Okay, if you do, you know you have to practice. So, why haven’t you been doing that?” It took him awhile and then…
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Daily Reflection: 24 October 2023
I was listening to the podcast from fellow-convert, Justin Hibbard, yesterday. He runs the “Why Catholic” Podcast, which I highly recommend. In yesterday’s podcast, he was discussing the four marks of the Catholic Church: It is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. These are the marks of the true church founded by Christ and they must…
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Daily Reflection: 23 October 2023
One of the ways our leaders—media, governmental leaders, and academics—foster a divide between citizens is through greed. All wealthy people are demonized as being hoarders of money; they are depicted as sitting around on their mounds of gold, refusing to even flip one coin to a poor person. To be sure, there are stingy rich…
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When Much Seems Pointless: Sixth Mansion, Sixth Chapter, 1-5
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, the Sixth Chapter, numbers 1-5. Topics are: 1. The soul longs for death. 2. The soul cannot help desiring these favors. 3. St. Teresa bewails her inability to serve God. 4. Fervor resulting from ecstatsies. 5. Excessive desire to see God should be restrained. …
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Daily Reflection: 20 October 2023
I was at Daily Mass on Wednesday and when I arrived, I knelt down and prayed, like I always do, that God would calm my heart and my mind and help me to be fully present. I sat down and Mass started, but just as it started a car alarm started going off. It wasn’t…
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Daily Reflection: 19 October 2023
Yesterday, I went to see what was the first picture I ever posted on my page. This is it from August 14, 2013. I didn’t write anything. It didn’t get any likes. Nothing. Back then, I called my page “Passionate Purpose,” which was often taken in the wrong way. As I looked through my first…
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Heaven is for Real: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Five, 8-14
Today, we finish another chapter! Our readings will be from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Five, numbers 8-14. Topics are: 8. Mysteries learnt during the flight of the spirit. 9. Imaginary visions sometimes accompany intellectual ones. 10. How the flight of the spirit takes place. 11. The soul fortified by it. 12. Three great graces left…
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Daily Reflection: 18 October 2023
A couple weeks ago, two women showed up at my door to evangelize. They were very nice and started off the conversation by saying, “We are going around trying to get people’s opinion on what they think the Kingdom of God means.” I said, “Oh wow, that’s a big question! Well…” And before I could…
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Daily Reflection: 16 October 2023
Back in DC, when I used to drive my daughter to track practice, we passed a church that displayed every sign and flag of the times. I think you catch my drift. Plastered all around the church was social justice warrior messaging and not a single thing—not one thing—that clued you in that the God…
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Courage Through the Mansions: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Five, 1-7
Welcome to chapter five of the sixth mansion! Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Five, numbers 1-7. It’s a little longer, but hang with me. Topics are: 1. The flight of the spirit. 2. Self-control completely lost. 3. Symbol of the two cisterns. 4. Obligations following these favors. 5. Humility produced by…
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Daily Reflection: 15 October 2023
I saw a meme the other day that said, “Everyone is born an atheist. You have to be indoctrinated into believing there’s a god.” I despise bad logic, so it took a lot of restraint not to comment on this. Babies hardly know anything at birth other than the sound of certain people’s voices and…
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Daily Reflection: 12 October 2023
There are a few people I’ve been praying for, for years now. The difficult truth is that with some of the people I’ve been praying for, the chances that I will know if my prayers have been efficacious are slim. I have zero contact with them. They were once mortal enemies in my life and…
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What We Learned About Rapture: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Four, 17-22
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Four, numbers 17-22. Topics are: 17. Faculties lost during ecstasy. 18. Spiritual inebriation. 19. Fervor and love of suffering left in the soul. 20. Scandal caused to spectators by such favors. 21. Our Lord’s predeliction for such a soul. 22. Illusionary raptures. Our sponsor today…
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Daily Reflection: 11 October 2023
The first wave of feminists, who fought for basic standard equality rights, were not wrong in their desires. Something happened, though, after that first wave that has been a scourge to womanhood. See, there comes a point in each woman’s life where she clearly recognizes that she is the more vulnerable sex. It’s the reality…
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Daily Reflection: 10 October 2023
Several weeks ago, my husband and I started watching a documentary. It wasn’t inherently bad but there came a point when I knew it wasn’t healthy for us to watch it anymore, especially myself, as it was causing a lot of internal strife. I thought I was strong enough to handle it on my own,…
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Eyes on the Prize: Sixth Mansion, Chapter Four, 14-16
Today, we are reading from the Sixth Mansion, Chapter Four, numbers 14-16. Topics are: 14. The soul’s preparation. 15. The soul blinded by its faults. 16. God ready to give these graces to all. …