Then the LORD said (to Elijah), “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” 
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD – but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake – but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire – but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?” 1 Kings 19:11-13
Why are YOU here?
Was it to discover magnificent colors? Was it to find colorful music or awesome videos? Was it just curiosity? Was it accidental? Were you really looking for God, for Hope, for true LOVE somewhere in this menagerie we call the web?
Or were you just hiding in a cave, waiting on the Lord to whisper in your ear – a Word – LIFE! Life, it’s in You! And YOU are beautiful in the Eyes of God, no matter what the world may say or think.
You are Loved, beloved!!
Every day the Lord whispers in our ears – Words of HOPE, Words of LOVE, and maybe not even words – just His JOY in our hearts.
Let’s follow the Scriptures of our daily Mass and see if we can catch those Words – simple but beautiful – Whispers to the Wind . . .
To find Quote sources, click on Link above,
select Today’s Readings or pick date from calendar.
A link for information on the day’s saints
is at the bottom of this page.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Quotes for Reflection:
05-31-13
(Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.“
Lk 1:39-56
.
Oh, most blessed Mother of our Lord.
Our Mother, our Love.
Be with us always, as we honor, worship and adore
your beloved Son, Jesus!
05-30-13
“At God’s word were his works brought into being;
they do his will as he has ordained for them.
As the rising sun is clear to all, so the glory of the LORD
fills all his works;” Sir 42:15-25
Jesus, God’s Word, is the means of bringing His works into being.
Wonderful! Now about this hand…
Blind Bartimaeus shouted out to Jesus,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.“
Jesus replied,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him,
“Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him,
‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight… Mk 10:46-52
.The works of God, the GLORY of the Lord,
accomplished through FAITH.
BELIEVE, beloved, and see!
05-29-13
Jesus said, “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mk10:32-45
Do we climb the mountain to prove to ourselves
that we can do it? Sure, we can do whatever we set our hearts to.
No big deal.
Do we do it to make a show of ourselves for others?
No matter how big a deal WE think it is, there is always better.
So when our goal is fame, be very careful, we’re treading on eggshells.
Do we do it to teach others how it can be done?
Is it done to make the world a better place?
Are we willing to die to “serve” others?
Now that’s a little tougher!
And yet THAT is exactly what Jesus did for us.
It CAN be done. Even through death.
And Jesus showed us the way.
Follow Him!
05-28-13
Jesus said, “. . . many that are first will be last,
and the last will be first.” Mk 10:28-31
Maybe we need not worry ourselves about being in the front row.
And maybe we even fret about the justice of the whole thing.
“I paid my dues, why shouldn’t I have a good seat!“
But if those front seats are reserved already,
then it doesn’t matter when we get in.
All that matters is that we get in, period.
The key, the point, is all about ‘the giving,’ and not the receiving.
Some have given as much as their lives for their faith.
Should they not, certainly be up front somewhere?
And if we asked them, they probably wouldn’t even care!
So we, beloved, must make the point of doing the best we can
to GIVE, now, and when that time comes, it will be known,
by the One to whom it matters most,
and justice will be deemed.
Give in Love,
always!
05-27-13
Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
“Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said,
“For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.” Mk 10:17-27
For those of us who have experienced loss from a fire,
or tornado, or hurricane, or theft, we come to understand the chain
that our material possessions holds around our necks.
What is it that we think we are so rich in, beloved?
Are we rich in money, or words, or works, or knowledge?
It can be awfully hard to let them go!
And yet, God can help.
We don’t have to lose them to be able to put them in their proper place.
God wants God to come FIRST in our lives.
Love Him, Love Jesus, Love one another,
and all things will fall into perspective.
All are Gift.
And we give thanks for the time we have with them.
But never let them control our emotions.
Thank you Jesus. Thank you God.
For sharing your beloved,
with me!
05-26-13
(Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity)
“When the Lord established the heavens I was there,
when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep;
when he made firm the skies above,
when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth;
when he set for the sea its limit,
so that the waters should not transgress his command;
then was I beside him as his craftsman,
and I was his delight day by day,
playing before him all the while,
playing on the surface of his earth;
and I found delight in the human race.” Prv 8:22-31
The Holy Spirit, the Love of God, Wisdom!
What greater love can anyone imagine!
From the beginning and forever.
May our Loving God bless you always beloved,
and the human race to which we belong.
05-25-13
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God
like a child will not enter it.” Mk 10:13-16
Child-like innocence.
Child-like trust.
Child-like faith.
Child-like love.
Just like God!
05-24-13
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter;
he who finds one finds a treasure.
A faithful friend is beyond price,
no sum can balance his worth.
A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy,
such as he who fears God finds;
For he who fears God behaves accordingly,
and his friend will be like himself. Sir 6:5-17
. . . and Jesus is His Name!
05-23-13
Jesus said, “Keep salt in yourselves
and you will have peace with one another.” Mk 9:41-50
If you ever had one of those canker sores in your mouth,
you know that by rinsing out you mouth with salt water, the first
contact with that sore really hurts. Then after that, it’s numb.
So, “keeping ‘salt’ in ourselves” will have two purposes.
First – every time it comes in contact with a sore – sin,
it will hurt. So that should keep us from wanting to sin any more.
For sin certainly brings hurt and discord into our lives and relationships.
Second – it will numb our stubborn selfishness –
‘I’m right’, ‘my way’, ‘leave me alone’, me, me, me…
And all that will be left is PEACE.
We will be at peace!
So, beloved, always keep the salt of Jesus in your heart.
And His Peace and Love be with you always,
with Blessings abundant!
05-22-13
(St. Rita of Cascia)
Jesus said to his disciples,
“There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.” Mk 9:38-40
“He is not one of us,” they complained.
Just when we think we’ve got it all figured out,
then there’s that ‘outlier’. The one that doesn’t fit in
and yet works just as well. The oddball at work, the showoff,
the hot shot, the loose cannon. “He’s not one of us, so how
can he possibly be any good.” “We’ve worked hard to be
where we’re at.” Jesus says the world’s conception of
fairness is a little different than His.
You see we really don’t need to be Aquinas theologians.
But we do need to be pretty careful with
whom we judge as not worthy. . .
It just might be us.
The question is . . .
Is EVERYTHING we do done in His Holy Name?
In the Name of Jesus,
and in the name of
Love!
05-21-13
Jesus said to the Apostles,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it,
he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name,
receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me
but the One who sent me.” Mk 9:30-37
What then, is the most important thing?
Not me, but those whom I can serve.
The poor the hungry, the child, the lonely.
And in serving, in receiving them, we are receiving God Himself.
So, want to get close to God?
Find him in others!
05-20-13
Jesus answered the father of the mute and deaf boy,
“Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father
cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Mk 9:14-29
Do we ask with hesitation, with uncertainty, or do we
truly believe? Jesus tells us to PRAY,
and BELIEVE.
05-19-13
(Pentecost Sunday)
“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they (the disciples) were
all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house
in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” Acts 2:1-11
Be FILLED with the Holy Spirit, beloved.
And speak out, Her Love!
05-18-13
Peter’s mind wandered, and he asked Jesus about John,
“Lord, what about him?”
Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?
What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” Jn 21:20-25
Great words to remember…
“What concern is it of yours?”
We all seem to love to pry – what about him/her?
Sometimes, it’s best to just mind our own business . .
* * * YOU follow me! * * *
That doesn’t mean we don’t love them.
But maybe when they always seem to get the golden nugget,
and we the brown lump, it just doesn’t do us any good
to compare. Jesus love us, US.
And that’s all that really matters!
WE need be thankful for even the lump we do have.
05-17-13
Three times the risen Jesus asked Peter,
“Do you love me?” Jn 21:15-19
What is it that shows our love or doesn’t?
“I am.”
I am – the very blessed husband of Mary Ann.
I am – the proud father of four beautiful and successful children.
Children of God.
I am – a Child of God myself.
I am – not embarrassed, nor afraid, nor threatened
to say that I am Catholic and I LOVE Jesus.
And, I am – willing to die for any one of them.
“Do you love me?”
05-16-13
Jesus continued His prayer to His Father saying,
“I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me
through their word, so that they may all be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me.“
Jn 17:20-26
The indescribable bond between mother and child.
The unimaginable bond between Jesus and Father.
The undeserved bond between Jesus and us.
The bond of the Holy Spirit.
The bond of Love.
The Bond between US, beloved.
Always, forever!
05-15-13
Jesus prayed to His Father for His disciples, saying,
“I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they
do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that
you keep them from the Evil One.” Jn 17:11b-19
“IN the ‘world’ but not OF it.”
So what exactly is this ‘world’?
It’s not the planet, for the planet is beautiful.
And the planet IS God’s creation!
It’s not the materials of our making, for the purpose of most
of the materials of our making is to help us to do more, better.
And God certainly wants us to be productive.
But not productive in a selfish sense.
Productive in building His Kingdom.
So when an item is built shoddily on purpose for its producer’s
selfish gain that forces its purchasers to spend their earnings
constantly fixing ‘things’ or getting hurt because of that faulty item –
that’s the ‘world’.
When fetuses are killed because of the selfishness of
uncontrolled passions and the irresponsibility to
deal with real-life consequences,
that’s the ‘world’.
When wars are waged, injustice allowed, people starved or
displaced or mass murdered and worse,
because there is no moral right,
then that’s the ‘world’.
When people forget their Creator and begin to worship
their own creations or themselves,
then that’s the ‘world’.
We are not of that world, beloved.
And yet, we have to deal with it every day.
And how do we deal?
We stay true to His Word!
Every day, even if it’s just a Whisper,
“God IS Love!”
And with that Love (Jesus) in our hearts, we CAN
deal with a ‘world’ lost in itself, with patient,
sometimes suffering, perseverance!
Just as Jesus did!
05-14-13
(St. Matthias, Apostle)
Having lost Judas as one of the evangelizing apostles, Peter said,
“. . it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time
the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John
until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.” . . and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted
with the Eleven Apostles. Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
Jesus said, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,” Jn 15:9-17
These Words are something for us to take to heart too, beloved.
For whatever reason you happened upon this webpage,
you did not choose it – Jesus chose you to be here.
These Words have been chosen to move the Spirit within you
to action, to love, to change a world just waiting for YOU,
to bear the fruit of His love,
to bring them LIFE!
May our God bless you richly in that endeavor.
+ c H o S E n +
05-13-13
Jesus said to His disciples, “Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble, but take courage,
I have conquered the world.” Jn 16:29-33
What do we do when the floor suddenly drops out from beneath our feet?
Jesus says, don’t worry, for the House itself is still intact and,
in fact, will never fall.
But know that your own house,
the very fiber of what you are,
may just as well collapse beneath your feet.
To which Jesus also says, “take courage,”
for your very fiber is within my hands
and the world which is
determined to destroy you,
CAN NOT,
because of Me.
So, TAKE COURAGE, beloved,
for Jesus has conquered the world!
OK, here’s a little funnier version LINK
05-12-13
(Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord)
Jesus said, “And behold I am sending the promise of my Father
upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power
from on high.” Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted
from them and was taken up to heaven. Lk 24:46-53
“The promise…” – the Paraclete, the Advocate, the Helper –
the Holy Spirit.
“Clothed with power on high…” – the receipt of the Holy Spirit
at Pentecost – with all the strength and gifts He has to offer us.
And here is a blessing for all . . .
St. Paul’s prayer: “May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know
what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,” Eph 1:17-23
FOR US WHO BELIEVE!
05-11-13
Jesus said, “On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.” Jn 16:23b-28
I firmly believe that God made us kids and then gave us
kids of our own, so that we might get an inkling of His many feelings
toward us, His Love, despite all of our sometimes silly human actions.
There’s that independence, like Adam and Eve, as God sat
back, probably in tears, allowing them to make their own choices,
and never saying “I told you so.”
There’s that child-like obedience, like Noah,
that instills such pride, and merits such reward.
There’s that scientific, logical, testing and inquiry, that’s never satisfied,
and doesn’t know the meaning of faith; that builds walls that
can never quite be scaled and constantly hold us back
from greatness.
And then there’s that dependent reliance on someone who knows
more, or knows better, or is stronger or older.
That’s the Holy Spirit! That’s Jesus!
They constantly show us the way.
Just ASK in my Name, Jesus said.
And the Father will answer – because of His LOVE!
Because He understands,
as we very slowly, also do – with our own children,
patiently, lovingly and knowing that one day, they will too.
As one very wise Son once said,
“Would you give our son a snake when he asked for a piece of bread?“
OH, how indescribably much we are loved!
05-10-13
Jesus said to His disciples, “When a woman is in labor,
she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given
birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.” Jn 16:20-23
Jesus said this as an analogy to the Joy the disciples will have
after Jesus’ resurrection. They will mourn and weep over his unjust death.
But they will no longer remember the pain of loss –
in reunion. We are reunited with Jesus,
beloved, with every Eucharist, with every smile of a child,
with every morsel given to the hungry, with every hug given
to the lonely. And the Holy Spirit is with us
always!
05-09-13
(Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus – transferred to Sunday coming)
Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me,
and again a little while later and you will see me.” Jn 16:16-20
This was said before Jesus’ arrest and passion.
His disciples didn’t have a clue what He was saying.
Imagine traveling back in time and knowing exactly what was going to happen.
If you tried to tell someone about it, they would think you were loopy.
Jesus told them in riddles and he told them directly
that he would suffer and die and rise again.
He told them that He would be going back to His Father.
And He also told them not to fear, that they would not be left alone.
It all happened, just as He said.
Would we have understood any better?
It’s easy, looking back, to see the perfect sense of it all.
So now let’s take another step.
Jesus also said he would come back again to judge the world.
Are we heeding that warning? It’s really not THAT hard.
All it takes is LOVE!
With all our might, as hard as it may seem some times,
just LOVE!
And it’ll all be alright!
Jesus will help.
05-08-13
St. Paul professed, “The God who made the world and all that is in it,
the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,
nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything.
Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything.“
In the absurdity of it all, all we think WE have control over,
we come to discover that none of our doing makes any sense at all.
And then we understand another dimension.
The dimension of God.
And then it all begins to make sense.
For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’
Acts 17:15, 22—18:1
IN HIM WE LIVE!
05-07-13
Jesus said, “when he (the Holy Spirit) comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.“
Jn 16:5-11
Is there not something within our very beings, beloved,
that rings out an alarm in our heads when we see
sin, wrong and injustice all around us?
When we know that we, ourselves, have oopsed.
That’s the Holy Spirit!
That’s a good thing!
Because some people just don’t get that alarm.
Those are the ones “convicted.”
And we pray that one day they may see the light.
And we pray that we never, ever give up
on God!
05-06-13
“a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth,
from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened,
and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying.
.
After she and her household had been baptized,
she offered us an invitation,
‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,
come and stay at my home,’“
Acts 16:11-15
.
Paul made many friends on his missionary
journeys, but a few fell –
just head over heals in love
with the Lord.
Lydia was one.
05-05-13
(Sixth Sunday of Easter, C)
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” Jn 14:23-29
Yes, it’s a different kind of peace.
It’s not a peace that has to be won and defended.
It’s not a peace of the moment that will fade away with the next anxiety.
Jesus’ peace is a permanent peace that has nothing to do with happiness.
It is an internal joy that can never be taken away, because . . .
“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.“
It is He who is INDWELLING!
Link to today’s homily . . .
(Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue)
05-04-13
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.” Jn 15:18-21
This could sound pretty somber, beloved –
depending on how we read it.
But just think about it.
What is it “of the world” that has so “loved” us?
Of the multiple times I have been “downsized” by the world,
multiple times, just before the pink slip came, there was
an award given me for some great performance.
They love you so much, they betray you with a kiss!
Sound familiar?
So please don’t give me any more kisses, world.
And what about those wealthy, famous movie stars who turn to drugs
or suicide to complete their worldly wonderful lives?
Doesn’t sound so wonderful!
And when those worldly wonderful lives are over, what’s left?
As they say, ‘you can’t take it with you.’
But . . . If instead of belonging to the world,
we belong to Jesus, then instead of
getting a dagger (in the back) for a kiss,
Jesus’ kiss will last FOREVER.
Like the little kid in the back row, jumping up and down
with both hands waving wildly in the air, and shouting,
“Choose me! Choose me!”,
that’ll be me, beloved, wanting more than anything
for that world to hate me just as it did Jesus.
And Jesus to love me more than
that world could possibly
imagine anyone
could love!
So let the world have its world.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
. . . and Jesus said, “Come.”
05-03-13
(Sts. Philip and James (the Just), Apostles and Martyrs)
Jesus said, “whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.” Jn 14:6-14
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Only to the Glory of God the Father,
I ask a blessing for my beloved, here, in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
May they find peace and love and fulfillment in life,
all the days of their lives!
Amen.
05-02-13
(St. Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
St. Peter said to the Apostles, in light of a disagreement about whether or not
the Gentile converts to Christianity should be subject to the Jewish
tradition of circumcision,
“God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them (the Gentiles)
the Holy Spirit just as he did us.” Acts 15:7-21
“We waited in that line for 3-hours, so who are they to just butt in?”
“We fought in wars, took the tests, were born of a long line of ancestry,
so who are they to just come into our country and become citizens?”
We have a tendency to think we have some special ownership over things
or positions that we have worked hard for, when in reality they are all GIFTS.
The very air we breath is a gift, and it is given not only to the
pretty, the rich, the famous, it is likewise given to the poor,
the oppressed and the evil minded.
So who are we to hold back that gift of salvation offered by God?
Jesus came that ALL might have Life.
And it’s up to us, beloved, to share that gift,
the gift of knowing Jesus,
even if it might be hard to do with some who are not
“just like us.”
05-01-13
Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.” Jn 15:1-8
That is – It is very important to always
remain connected to Jesus. His WORD connects us.
And staying in His Word may not always be easy.
It may take a little pruning. Maybe missing that favorite
TV show, or staying up just a bit later to read.
Or driving to a Panera for the internet when we’re
out of town, to keep up with our Whispers.
It’s important! And why? . . .
Well, Jesus said, “Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless
it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.“
And why is it important to do something more than nothing,
to “bear fruit”? Because, as Jesus said,
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever
you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.“
Just as Jesus glorified His Father in whatever he did,
so are we to do. And it can only happen if we remain ‘in His Word’.
If we do,
then, what we’ll find is that everything we think and everything we
say and do will have some relevance, some connection to that Word.
Actually, all of Life will be a reflection of the Word, which will become us.
What a beautiful Truth, beloved.
As beautiful as His disciples themselves,
of which You – are one!
. . . . . . .
Happy May beloved!
Please stop by and visit April’s Daily Mass Quotes too…
Link below.
___________________
EARLIER MONTH’S QUOTES can be found
in monthly subcategories of – “Whispers“
entitled “Daily Mass Quotes” (DMQs)
___________________________________
Link to Previous Month’s DMQs
Link to Following Month’s DMQs
Link back to Whispers to the Wind
Link to Saint of the Day
(also in Time page, under Liturgical Seasons section)
Whispers to the Wind 