help and protection

The feast day of Our Lady of Częstochowa is celebrated today, August 26th. The miraculous Icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa is one of the oldest icons of the Blessed Virgin in the world. The image portrays the Virgin Mary’s sadness and suffering.

Prior to 1382, the history of the miraculous icon is shrouded in legend and tradition: St. Luke the Evangelist painted the icon on a cypress tabletop from the House of the Holy Family at Nazareth. In 326 AD, St. Helena found the icon in Jerusalem and brought it to Constantinopole where it remained for centuries venerated by the emperor’s family. The Holy Picture reached Southern Poland as part of a dowry in a marriage between the royal families. In 1382, Ladislaus, Prince of Opole, brought the picture to Częstochowa during a war. A devastating attack by Hussite raiders in 1430 resulted in damages to the Holy Picture. Despite the attempt to repair the damage, the slashes on the face of the Virgin Mary are still visible.


I have visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pa twice and a year ago we were blessed to visit and venerate Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland.

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stored up in a bottle

*Today’s post comes from a beautiful reflection in the Be Still Devotional written by Lisa Brenninkmeyer. You can continue to follow along with these daily devotions on the Hallow app or by purchasing a copy of Lisa’s book through her organization Walking With Purpose.

“Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under.”

Matthew 2:16

Herod had paid attention to prophecies of Jesus’ birth, but instead of responding with worship, he felt threatened by this Jewish king. When the wise men didn’t tell him who or where the baby was, Herod had all the male children in Bethlehem and in that region age two years old and under murdered.

The Catholic Church remembers the loss of these precious children on December 28, the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents.

It’s a horrific scene to imagine, and something we might want to turn away from. Focusing on the massacre of babies, most especially during this time of year, is the opposite of bringing Christmas cheer.

But the Church insist that we not look away.

Continue reading “stored up in a bottle”

All about Helen!

It’s been a dynamic liturgical week as we celebrated several beautiful Saints!

None more special to me than my gal-pal, St. Faustina Kowlaska – who I have included in many, many, many, many posts in this bloggity-blog-say-I-space! A few of my favorites have been…

Somewhere Over the Rainbow , Do you hear my prayers, Lord?, and Super Paw Star!

Along with the one I have reblogged below…..

This morning, following the completion of Morning Mass which celebrated her Feast Day, I spent some quiet time before the Lord with her cherished Diary in hand taking time to pray with some favorite passages written by her.

I share just a few with you now – in hopes they deliver a special message to your own heart, as well.

(1440) When we began to share the wafer, a sincere and mutual love reigned among us. Mother Superior (Irene) expressed this wish to me: “Sister, the works of God proceed slowly, so do not be in a hurry.”

(1445)In the greatest torments of soul I am always alone, but no – not alone, for I am with You, Jesus; but here I am speaking about (other) people. None of them under-stands my heart, but this does not surprise me anymore, whereas I used to be surprised when my intentions were condemned and wrongly interpreted, no , this does not surprise me now at all. People do not know how to perceive the soul. They see the body, and they judge according to the body. But as distant as heaven is from earth, so distant are God’s thoughts from our thoughts.

(1446) The Lord said to me, It should be of no concern to you how anyone else acts: you are to be My living reflection, through love and mercy. I answered, “Lord, but they often take advantage of my goodness.” That makes no difference, My daughter. That is no concern of yours. As for you, be always merciful toward other people, and especially toward sinners.

(1447) Oh, how painful it is to Me that souls so seldom unite themselves to Me in Holy Communion. I wait for souls, and they are indifferent toward Me. I love them tenderly and sincerely, and they distrust Me. I want to lavish My graces on them, and they do not want to accept them. They treat Me as a dead object, whereas My Heart is full of love and mercy.

St. Faustina’s Diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, Notebook V Entries 1440-1447

Today and every day may we confidently remember to proclaim…

Jesus, I trust in You.

Saint Faustina, graced by a special communion with God, pray for us.

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Today is the Feast Day of my gal-pal, St. Faustina!!!!  

(aka: Helen Kowalska before taking her vows as a Sister of Our Lady of Mercy!)

And oh, how I love her!❤️

We have even named our dog after Helen Kowalska! Our dog’s name is…Helen Kowalska too!

In 2014 as I began reading St. Faustina’s personal Diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, I had no idea the spiritual growth I would experience from the written experience of her life-lived out.  But today I lift up prayers of gratitude for all I have gained through her example! God has moved me forward, in many aspects, as He clarified for me during that time spent reading her Diary, what it means to love beyond measure…regardless of the burdens or sorrows that may come. She continues to guide me and remind me that everyone deserves mercy!

I will always be grateful for this gift and the immense peace which has remained…

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