The Prayer Vocation

Hi, do prayers really work?
When to pray?
What to pray?
Where to pray?
Why prayer is needed in the first place?
and How to pray?

This must look very familiar and it should, this is our basic formula on how to ask the right questions and steer us into the right direction. Lets use me for an example, I am 55 years old and I have been praying the "Our Father" prayer that is outline in Matthew 6:9-13 every since I was a little girl. This prayer was handed down from generation to generation, since Christ walk with his disciples, until this very day. Only recently, has this prayer took its effect inside me. I immediately feel at peace, as I say the words of the prayer. I will describe this experience on learning how to ride a bicycle with the training wheels attached. The father or mom is behind you for guided support, holding on tight, making sure you don't fall. Then one day your parents let go and shortly after the training wheels come off, you are riding freely and as you feel the breeze, you feel the first moments of freedom. This is what prayer life is like, God the father has been guiding me for 55 years and recently he lets go, allowing me to feel the wonders of prayer and the peace that it brings. In this new year of 2016, God removes the training wheels and I am thrust in a vocation of prayer, God way of saying that I am ready for the call.

Prayer is the most fundamental asset that any life can obtain, truly I am beginning to think that it is the fountain of life. There is so much ground to cover that prayer has its own life instructions, that it varies from one life to the next. My own personal focus and journey that I will be sharing, is that of patterns, chants, discernment and the different prayer styles available. Hopefully, I can showcase some of the myths about prayers and eliminate any false assumptions that has turn people away from praying. The first successful step in prayer formation is being open to prayer and finding your own personal style. It's easy, but can be complex at the same time. Why? Because prayers do work and the words are actually a communication tool between your soul and God. Prayers are not magical, they are the essence of our being and the feet that guide us towards the way of peace. There is nothing like peace, its free and abundant and what is magical, being envelope in the path of grace and mercy.

The Rosary

 I have a phamplet "Praying the Rosary with Pope Frances", that guides you step by step on how to pray. Today, after reading the first mystery Annunciation under the Joyful mysteries, I am touch by the Pope reflection, "Let ourselves be surprised by God, a homily of his on October, 13, 2013. Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). "And he tells us: Trust me, do not be afraid, let yourself be surprised, leave yourself behind and follow me!"

As those words echo into my own life, I remember hearing his voice calling out my own name, Cynthia are you ready to go? This was shortly after reading Exodus 12:37-39 the departure out of Egypt.  Yes, I responded go where? So many versions are you ready to go set in, which is called fear. After reading the Pope reflection, I say yes to God's call and I will wait on the surprise of his plan for my own life, to follow him according to his own will and not my own. It will not be easy, but not trying gives zero results and the empty feeling of not knowing. In Mary's time, it was an danger encounter. Although, the Jewish people spoke of a coming Messiah and waited on one,  of course their outcome showed that Mary would have been stone, just having a a child outside wedlock or sent away in shame. Mary choices was not at all guarantee safe. However, her faith prevail and the man that she married became her safety net. So many women have said no, because the other side of the picture of fear outweigh faith. The Rosary is an constant reminder of the sacrifice that Mary gave for saying yes to God, for giving birth in a very strict environment and losing a son for many people salvation, especially for the gentiles. Mary, than became the missionary along with the apostles to spread the teachings of her own son. Today, so many had said yes to God and have been persecuted even to death for believing in the son of Mary, the very act that could haven taken her own life and almost did in Bethlehem. However, faith has presided for all those who believe and at the end of the day, Jesus Christ, son of Mary and God, reigns in his kingdom for us to be reunited at his set time.

Blessings

Vitae Spiritualis Ianua | Word on Fire

Vitae Spiritualis Ianua | Word on Fire

Adam to the Messiah

I am an God seeker 32 years now, I was an late bloomer. I always knew of an God as an child, through my grandmother true to her faith, being a firm Christian. However, my own personal calling came when I felt that there was no one else to call on, nor understood who I was or just being me. I had that conversation, you know the one that starts out with; Hi God this is Cynthia, never spoke to you before, but my grandmother would not shut up about you and that nice man President Kennedy believe in you. Yes, I am talking about a long time ago and is that any different than going further back to Adam to the Messiah? I constantly have to learn that I cannot begin a journey midway because I constantly keep getting lost. However, the newer the day becomes in today's world, the footprints become more invisible to the naked eye. Therefore, we need the Bible, saints, Mary and the entire Holy family to keep sight on the path to God.

We have a biblical block of time from the man that God created, to the Messiah that God promise that will bring salvation to his people. After that particular messianic period, we seem to be thrust back out into the wilderness to only find our way again. However, we have something that the previous ages don't have and that is the footprints embedded in our hearts to follow and not be lost forever, only just a little while. Jesus never leaves us, he has taken his covenant within our own being, giving us full advantage of his own existence.  It's now 2016, a new year which we can begin to walk to one harmony, together in song, lifting up our voices to God proclaiming his love, for we are the people that God made from Adam and Eve. We continue to live here, until God creates a new home for us to live or rebuild this one, for all the life that he breathe into us, so that one may become many of God's light, that is good.

Blessings

Following the Star | Word on Fire

Following the Star | Word on Fire

Northwest Star of Bethlehem

God sees, is all I hear, read and vision. During the last days of this Christmas Season that has ursher in the new year, I listen to the priest homily of the Navity of Jesus Christ, the star that rises in the northwestern hemisphere of the world, over a small town of Bethlehem.Jesus laying down with swaddling clothing in a manger, where only a short distance from him, he is being announce as any new king would be announce, that is taking control of a kingdom, the only difference he is the awaiting Messiah that the world has been waiting for, to give salvation to his people. Yet until this very day, we still do not understand. Jesus does just that and more, he gives salvation and a road map back to the garden of Eve, the virginity of time. This is not a mere coincidence that our own lives mirrors the life of Jesus, because this has been God plan from the beginning of time. This is who we are, it is our own foot prints that determine our own destination in life. We choose the road map that is outlined in the Bible or our own and what I mean by road map, I am speaking literally the map of curves, winding roads, mountainous treks, crossing seas and adventuring out into the world, it is our own thought process that pinpoint us our location on a map.  Jesus was the cross for his people, setting the writing in stone, if we choose we will enter the kingdom of God. But we must make a choice, we are not the sky, the rain or the root that God choose its course of action, it is our own choice. I only ask of you that you begin your own Navity scene in this new year, by beginning with the Book of Matthew. Seek the truth by seeking through your own family. I am certain you will know the depth of God sees and his plan. Because you will then know the mirror image is not just man, but the image of God's kingdom. One side note, God knew that Jesus had to sacrifice his life, no cliff notes to read, Jesus even knew, because he knew his people, he lived among them. This year take the high road to God and don't be surprise that your own foot prints is on that road too. Blessings and have a Happy New Year.