"Let him take up his cross daily and follow me"

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), Foundress of the Missionary Sisters of Charity A Gift for God: prayers and meditations

"Let him take up his cross daily and follow me"Lord,

help us to see in your crucifixion and resurrection an example of how to endure and seemingly to die in the agony and conflict of daily life, so that we may live more fully and creatively. You accepted patiently and humbly the rebuffs of human life, as well as the tortures of your crucifixion and passion. Help us to accept the pains and conflicts that come to us each day as opportunities to grow as people and become more like you. Enable us to go through them patiently and bravely, trusting that you will support us. Make us realize that it is only by frequent deaths of ourselves and our self-centred desires that we can come to live more fully; for it is only by dying with you that we can rise with you.

Lenten Journey

I love the Lenten Season. To me it has always been a way to grow even closer to God. I know we can grow closer to God anytime of the year. But the meaning behind Lent...Jesus going into the desert for 40 days fasting with prayer to be with His Father...He showed us the way to be with Him. Be "alone" with Him.

Lent is a time for your inner jorney to take a leap...a leap of faith and to trust in God more then ever before.

Take the steps that Jesus did. Take time to be alone with God...pray...fast. There is also a commentary I found that relates to prayer and fasting....I pray it will help you understand the prayer and fasting it is truly a lantern to show you the way.

Saint Peter Chrysologus (c.406-450), Bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church….Sermon on prayer, fasting and almsgiving; PL 52, 320

“Then they will fast”

There are three actions, my brethren, on which faith stands firm, in which piety consists and by which virtue is upheld: prayer, fasting, mercy. Prayer knocks at the door; fasting obtains; mercy receives. Prayer, mercy, fasting: these three make up one thing and, all together, give life to each other. Thus, fasting is the soul of prayer and mercy is the life of fasting. Let no one set them apart; the three together cannot be separated. Anyone who puts only one or two of them into practice has done nothing at all. Therefore, the one who prays must fast, and the one who fasts must have mercy. Let him hear the man who asks and who, in asking, wishes to be heard. Whoever does not refuse to listen to others when they plead to him will be listened to by God. Whoever practices fasting must understand what fasting is, that is to say, he must sympathize with the hungry man if he wants God to sympathize with his own hunger. Whoever hopes to obtain mercy must show mercy; whoever wants to benefit from kindness must practice it; whoever would like someone to give him something must be someone who gives… So be yourself the measure of the mercy to be shown to you: if you would like others to show you mercy in such-and-such a way, according to such a measure and with just such a readiness, then show mercy yourself to others with the same sort of readiness, according to the same measure, and in the same way And so prayer, mercy, fasting must make up one, single sponsor to recommend us to God, one defense, one prayer in our favor under this threefold form.

You are welcomed to share your journey with me and others...God bless you!

Your Sister In Christ
Prayerflowers