(c)Mateo Ivankovic 2017
J.M.J.
March 15, 2017
Dear Family of Mary!
November 25, 2016 “Dear children! Also today, I am calling you to return to prayer. In this time of grace, God has permitted me to lead you towards holiness and a simple life – that in little things you discover God the Creator; that you fall in love with Him; and that your life be a thanksgiving to the Most High for everything He is giving you. Little children, in love, may your life be a gift for others and God will bless you; but you, witness without interest – out of love for God. I am with you and intercede before my Son for all of you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
There is something wonderful about this message, given at the beginning of Advent last year. Our Lady has a way of directing our thoughts to what is real, what is true, and what is right before our eyes, even though we aren’t seeing it.
She begins by calling us to “return to prayer.” How does she know that we have wandered away from prayer? She knows because she is with us! She also knows how easily we are distracted from what is important. Prayer is our lifeline with God. He cannot nourish us or guide us if we are not communicating with Him through prayer. And so Our Mother tells us to pray, like all mothers tell their children to eat!
But the next line somehow makes we want to sing:
In this time of grace, God has permitted me to lead you towards holiness and a simple life – that in little things you discover God the Creator; that you fall in love with Him; and that your life be a thanksgiving to the Most High for everything He is giving you.
God has allowed Our Lady to lead us to His life for us, the holy life. This is a simple life! Don’t we all desire simplicity? Doesn’t it sound wonderful? Yes, it does. The simple life is a life lived with our Papa. Like children, we can live each day with our Father in heaven who loves us to distraction. If we pray, we will discover Him everywhere! He is in the smallest bird, the biggest tree, the loudest thunderclap, the brightest star, the gentlest breeze. He has created everything, everything…just for us. How can we not fall in love with Him? How can we not learn to give thanks for each of these things? If we live our lives in prayerful awareness of the Creator, we will be able to thank Him continually, and be simply content.
Yesterday I made a trip to the store for birthday presents for two of my grandchildren. Little boys!! They only want dinosaurs! Well, that was fun shopping. And on my way home I noticed ahead of me on the road a hazy darkish cloud, close to the ground. I was driving in the sunshine, but there was this cloud thing ahead. As I entered the cloud, I realized it was a snow squall. Inside the cloud there was a glorious swirling snow storm, in miniature. It was not dangerous, but it was really snowing inside it. As I drove out of the other side, I found myself back in the bright sunshine, with snow all over my car. It felt like God was playing with that little snowstorm, and letting me play with him. It was God’s way of having a snowball fight with me!
Maybe this is what Our Lady is getting at when she tells us that in little things we can discover God the Creator and fall in love with Him!
Let’s play with God today, in the little things. I think He wants to play with us!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2017
