This month of May – dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary – offers us a unique opportunity to deepen our contemplative prayer life.

Just as Mary pondered all the early events surrounding Jesus in her heart (Luke 2:19), we are invited to contemplate what the Holy Spirit chose to inspire and share with us regarding Mary – not only as Christ’s mother – but as our own (John 19:27).

Below is part of a reflection I wrote some time ago that I recently rediscovered. Perhaps it will bless your own contemplative prayer life:

• What traits do you look for in a mother? What traits would God look for in a woman to mother His only Son? The Scriptures may paint the portrait but the brush belongs to God.
• The Holy Spirit moves the most intimate inspiration. A woman created…a woman set apart. She stands as a model of chastity, of inner beauty, of humility and of purity; the golden vessel, chosen to carry the most important life the world will ever know.
• Are we not called everyday to live for God? Did she not model openness to God the Father in every conceivable way? Did she leave any doubt that God’s will was more important than her own? Did she run when it was difficult? Did she flee from discomfort? Did she trust in God even when the future was uncertain?
• Did she hide Him away or share Him with the world?
• Are we not called to offer the Lord our bodies – in every way – for His glory? Did she not allow our Lord to live within her? Did she not know Jesus more intimately than anyone else on Earth, even His closest followers?
• She swaddled Him. She nursed Him. She guided Him through his early years. She stood beside Him – never abandoning Him – even in the most difficult moments.
• Now as our Mother, would she ever abandon us? God created her. He Preserved her. He picked her. He descended upon her. He grew within her.
• Jesus listened to her, loved her, and honored her above any other. Not because she wanted it but because she deserves it…because she is different. It was her “yes” to God that set His brothers and sisters back on the right path. It was her “fiat” – her yes – that forever changed the world. “May it be done to me according to Thy will” (Luke 1:38). One “yes” opened the door to hope: hope in salvation, hope for life after death, and hope for even the most wretched of sinners.
• And Christ shows us how to love her. He wants us to know her, to admire her, to respect her and to trust her as our own, so He entrusted us to her and then gave her to each of us. He wants us to know and experience the love that only a Mother can give – that only His Mother – the Mother of God – created and chosen by God, can give.
• God invites you to get to know her, to meditate on her heart as a window into His own. He calls us to honor her, modeling her humility, her openness, her chastity, and her abandonment.
• Just as our Blessed Mother reflects Jesus’ light more radiantly and more fully than any other human in history, so we are called – as children of our Blessed Mother – as children of the light, to reflect and radiate the love and heart of Christ to all the world.
• In the light, it began with a courageous young teenage woman.
  In the light, God became man and walked among us.
  In the light of a bright Sunday sunrise, death was destroyed forever.
  In the light of the Spirit’s flame, a beautiful young Church was born.
• And it is in the light still today that we truly become brothers and sisters – sons and daughters – that we become the family of God that we were formed, designed and created to be . . . one holy, pleasing, and perfect family – encountering the Divine love of the Blessed Father, His Blessed Son, and, indeed, our Blessed Mother.

Mary is always ready to help us and take our prayers to her Son, Jesus. Pray this beautiful prayer to ask Mary for assistance in whatever you need. She is our mother and longs to pour out graces on us, her children.

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I’ve always thought the expression “people person” was kind of funny. I mean, I understand being a dog person or a cat person. You may like them and you may not. But how can you not like people? I guess I thought everyone was a people person! I consider myself a people person because I’ve always loved being around people and my friends make me so happy. However, sometimes I take this to extremes and rely on the people around me for everything.

In highschool, my family split up and I felt very alone. I didn’t realize that there’s a big difference between loneliness and being alone. We can often feel loneliness . . . but we are never alone.

God promises that He will never leave us. “Be strong and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) Don’t take those words lightly.

An Emptiness

In the midst of this hard time in life, I felt a void and I looked everywhere for fulfillment, joy, and a sense of worth. One of the places I tried to find those things was in relationships. Even if the relationships seemed healthy, I was putting the other person before Christ and didn’t know how damaging it was.

A good friend once told me that Jesus should be the first person you want to talk to in the morning and the last person you want to talk to before bed. That really challenged me to ask myself: “Is He my focus? What if God is waiting anxiously for me to wake up so He can walk with me through another day, and I don’t even acknowledge Him?”

I found that how I felt about myself was directly related to what people around me say and think about me. My self-worth was constantly rising and falling. This might be the case for a lot of people, and it’s really twisted. I don’t know if you’ve been there, but I have.

You’re My Everything

In this particular relationship after my parent’s divorce, the girl I was dating became everything to me. I drew my worth from her compliments and her attention. I drew my joy from her company. I wasn’t simply finding joy in her and recognizing Christ in her, I was putting her first in my life before Christ.

She was the one I would go to with all my problems. I went to church to see her, not Jesus. And Jesus loved me through it all. When that relationship fell apart, so did I. For months, I considered myself friendless. I had pushed so many people aside to pursue one girl. Our Lord was there with me when it all came crumbling down.

I’m not saying you can’t find joy in your relationships. You should be able to recognize Jesus in the people around you, and that should bring you joy. What I’m saying is this: You need to go to Christ first.

End of story.

He alone can satisfy. I wish I knew this from reading it somewhere. The truth is, I know it from experience. I know it from putting Jesus last and trying to find my fulfillment in a relationship. I know Jesus fulfills because I tried everything else and I came up empty.

What About You?

Maybe some of this struck a chord with you. I want you to slow down. There’s no need for sudden change or worry. Just think about these questions, pray about them, and amend to make Jesus your first love and first priority in new ways. You’ve heard some of these questions before. Don’t just skim them. Accept the challenge.

• Do you feel like you’re constantly trying to earn love?
• Where do you find fulfillment?
• Is your relationship leading you to Jesus? Are you leading the other person to Jesus?
• Is love for God what drives you?
• Do you recognize Christ in the other person? Is Christ recognizable in you?
• Who is the first person you run to?

Please know that I’m praying for you, our Mother is guiding you, and God is fighting for you.

I’m a nanny and every so often the 4-year-old girl I take care of tells me about her future, “I’m gonna be a lizard babysitter… A chef that only makes soup… I’ll be big enough to hug you by your face” (all direct quotes). It seems that from the moment we can talk, we start thinking about the future . . . and wondering about our future too. That future-questioning mentality just grows stronger as we get older.

By the time I was in high school, I was so consumed by decisions and questions about the future. I found myself focusing on it so much that my prayer life turned into a giant mess of questions with no answers. I wanted to know what God desired me to do with my life—a very legitimate thing to be concerned with—however, instead of listening to what God wanted to tell me, I tried to figure His Will out on my own. I ended up focusing on my will, and hoping it just happened to be God’s will too.

Bad idea, my friends.

My Wake Up Call

It wasn’t until I was a summer missionary at Camp Covecrest that I began to realize I was doing the whole discernment thing completely wrong. One weekend, I had the opportunity to sit and talk with a fantastic priest, Fr. Peter, and I told him all about my questions about my future. “Should I be a missionary, a teacher, a youth minister, a wife, a nun, single?!” He sort of laughed at me and then told me, quite bluntly, to stop being so prideful. I was shocked, embarrassed, and super confused; but, then he explained.

Matthew 4:18-20

Fr. Peter led me through a meditation about how Jesus approached Peter, a man whose entire life revolved around fishing, and told him, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Peter immediately left his boat to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:20); there was no worry or question of what he would be doing. At first, I didn’t understand where Fr. Peter was going with this, but I was definitely intrigued.

Father’s point in all of this was simple; the focus of Peter’s first interaction with Jesus was never on what he was leaving, but on what he was going to do. What God desired for Peter’s life needed to come before what Peter thought his life was all about.

Come After Me

The most important part of all of this is in Jesus’ first three words to Peter, “Come after me.” With these words, Jesus is not only saying that Peter must physically follow him, but that Peter’s desires are to come after Jesus’ will. If we focus on doing what Jesus is asking us to do, our lives will change radically. Obviously, not all of us will become Pope, like Peter, but I guarantee that God will do far greater things with your life than you could ever do on your own.

After my conversation with Fr. Peter, my entire outlook of the future changed. Now, before I worry about the million questions and decisions that come through my head, I take a minute to pray. If you struggle with all these questions too, I encourage you to try this. Ask the Lord to show you how to come after Him, to conform your will with His Divine Will. When we stop worrying and simply ask God to show us His will, miracles happen.

Fishermen become fishers of men, students become disciples, and ordinary people become Saints.

I begged and cried and begged more . . . “God fix this. You have to. I know you’re in charge but come on, this can’t be what you want . . . right?”

That’s how my prayers typically went when I prayed for Catherine, my friend’s mom, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. Catherine’s health fluctuated in the following years and she never left the top of my prayer list.

Her family said it was time to pray for a miracle when Catherine stopped responding to treatment last fall. So I continued to beg God for a miracle. Every time I was miserable about something – the Arizona heat, a hard workout, the flu, or heartache – I offered up my suffering for Catherine.

“What are you doing God?” I kept asking. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. She was an amazing, holy woman with six children, most of them still in grade school. Hundreds of people were praying for a miracle; I knew I couldn’t give up hoping. Miracles happen all the time.

So why not this time? Catherine died this past January 30th. I felt like God had let me down. I felt like He wasn’t thinking about how many hearts were torn apart. “How could you, God?”

I’ve been Catholic my whole life. I know these answers, but this time my emotions were so strong that I forgot everything I knew about God’s goodness.

Struggling because of unanswered prayers is bound to happen in any person’s faith life. God will always give us grace to see His heart again though. Staring intently at the Eucharist in adoration I saw a God who loves us so much He took on our human nature and remains with us in the Eucharist. I had to admit that He does know what’s best. He loves us so much that He has our best interest, Heaven, constantly on His mind.

Praying for a miracle is not wrong or a waste of time because God hears and responds (Psalm 34: 17 – 20). He wants us to ask for what we need. We have free will so He doesn’t force Himself on us, even though He cares intimately about our daily lives.

We need to learn from Mary and echo her words “Let it be done according to your will.” That miracle wasn’t God’s will; He had something better in mind.

Catherine “fought the good fight and finished the race” (2 Timothy 4:7). She’s home and enjoying eternal happiness. And now we have another amazing woman praying for us the way we prayed for her. While it’s still sad, I have found a lot of peace in trusting God. Sometimes we get earthly miracles. However, at the end of life the true miracle is our resurrection and the eternity we spend with God and the saints in heaven. That’s the greatest miracle we can pray for.

The Last Supper by Philippe de Champaigne

Listen

“Remembrance” by Matt Maher

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Reflect

“Rabbi, where are you staying?” Each day the Church responds: Christ is present in the Eucharist, in the sacrament of His death and resurrection. In and through the Eucharist, you acknowledge the dwelling-place of the Living God in human history.

For the Eucharist is the Sacrament of the Love which conquers death.

It is the Sacrament of the Covenant, pure Gift of Love for the reconciliation of all humanity. It is the gift of the Real Presence of Jesus The Redeemer, in the bread which is His Body given up for us, in the wine which is His Blood poured out for all.

Thanks to the Eucharist, constantly renewed among all peoples of the world, Christ continues to build His church: He brings us together in praise and thanksgiving for salvation, in the communion which only infinite love can forge. Our worldwide gathering now takes on its fullest meaning, through the celebration of the Mass.

Dear young friends, may your presence here mean a true commitment in faith! For Christ is now answering your own question and the questions of all those who seek the Living God. He answers by offering an invitation: This is My Body, take It and eat. To the Father He entrusts His supreme desire: that all those whom He loves may be one in the same communion.

Pope John Paul II’s World Youth Day homily on Sunday, August 24, 1997 in Paris, France

Pray

Jesus, give me the grace to appreciate the Eucharist more in my life. Since it is your Body and Blood, I never want to take this sacred gift for granted. Give me faith when I doubt the real presence, and reverence when I’m tempted to be indifferent. Thank you for loving me so much that you want to be one with me in the Eucharist. Help me to share that love with everyone around me so that it’s not me they see, but You, Jesus, in me. Amen.

Do

Today we commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist and also the institution of the Priesthood. If you can, read and pray with John chapter 6, also known as the “Bread of Life discourse.” Say an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for all priests and an increase in vocations.

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It’s such an honor to be able to write just for you girls this time. I love being able to share with you some of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the past couple years about being a woman and being a Catholic. It took me a long time to learn these things! I hope you can put this advice to good use in your own life.

I’m Emotional

Emotions are not bad, but don’t let them control you. If you’re sad, cry. If you’re angry, let it out in a healthy way (like exercise, or venting on paper). If you’re happy and you know it shout “hurray.” That idea is not original, actually.

The point is, don’t bottle up your emotions inside because later they’ll explode. Trust me, I did it all the time – both the bottling and the exploding part. Being a woman means feeling a lot of different emotions. We get kind of a bad rap for that. But we don’t have too!

You have the power to use your emotions for good. When you’re upset about something, ask God to comfort you and heal the wound. In the future you’ll be a more compassionate and empathetic person because you know what it’s like to hurt. Instead of acting out against someone when they make you angry, take just 10 seconds to cool off before you say something you’ll regret.

Don’t let your emotions control you – there’s a strong woman beneath that emotion and a wiser woman after that emotion.

Did You Hear?

Don’t gossip and try not to listen to gossip. Every time I do, I feel terrible afterwards.

Picture this:
What if I spill some nasty rumor I heard about a guy named Phil to my friend Emma. Before, Emma never thought badly of Phil or questioned his motive for something. Now though, every time she sees him, she thinks of what I told her and can’t help but think of Phil in an uncharitable way. And who’s fault is that? It’s my fault for introducing those mean thoughts.

There are so many people hurt by gossip. You hurt yourself, those you gossip to, and those you’re talking about. Once a priest told me, “Don’t talk about other people’s issues or problems unless you have a serious reason or need to do something constructive about it.”

What Do I Do?

Spiritual direction – get it. There are usually about 56 things going on in my heart – on a good day. Who doesn’t need objective, drama-free advice once in a while? I was totally scared of spiritual direction. And now that I think about it . . . I can’t really remember why.

You can share whatever you’re comfortable with and in exchange get free, Catholic advice. This has been a huge blessing in my life and one of the reasons I’m the person I am today. Find someone you can trust. It’s great to have a priest or nun because they have special graces from God. However, if you ask your diocesan office, they probably have some lay spiritual directors too!

Help Me Feel Better

Don’t lean on anything or anyone but Jesus when you’re low. Chocolate, boys, spending money . . . whatever it is you rely on to help you feel better, how long does it work? How long until you need more chocolate, a different guy’s attention, more clothes and shoes?

There’s a Jesus sized hole in your heart and until you let Him be the one to fill it, everything else won’t satisfy. Sit with Jesus in prayer, journal and tell Him how you feel, what’s upset you. Open up Scripture and let Him love you through His words. It’s great to have other people to support you but ultimately, you have to let Jesus have that #1 spot in your heart.

Get Off the Scale

Do you care if you best friend gains a couple pounds on her hips? She’s your best friend for a lot of reasons and the size of her hips is not one of them. (At least it shouldn’t be!) People feel the same way about you – no one cares if you have a little gut.

You’re not going to be happier by obsessing over your weight and feeling guilty about every little thing you eat. Let it go. Of course, you have to be healthy and a good diet and regular exercise are part of what makes you a well rounded, balanced person. All I’m saying is don’t go overboard, don’t stress about it.

If it matters to the people you hang around – go hang around new people. You are beautiful because you are a woman, not because you’ve achieved a size 2 at Hollister.

Wait For It

So I can’t finish this advice without talking about boys. If I could tell you girls one thing, it would be this – wait for the man who God intended for you.

Try not to just date so that you won’t be lonely. Date someone who respects you. Dating can be a great way to understand guys better – how they think, how to communicate with them . . . etc. When you meet your future husband do you want to tell him about all the guys you’ve screwed around with, or tell him about the guys who’ve helped you become a better person? There’s a big difference.

Don’t forget though that it’s never too late to recommit to purity. When we’re forgiven by God, the past is forgotten. He said, “Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)

Last Thing . . .

Being a woman is an incredible blessing. Look to our mamma Mary as a model and pray to her to help you understand what kind of woman God wants you to be. I hope you can take all this advice to heart because it came from mine.

Last thing – just one word girls: pinterest.

Are you looking for something unconventional to offer up for Lent? We asked Life Teen missionaries and our friends on Facebook for cool stuff they’ve done in the past. This is what they shared:

1. “This year I’m giving up shoes as often as possible. I’ll still wear shoes if I’m doing a work project or if I have to fly on a plane. But I’m going to avoid going to places that require shoes.” – Paul, a Life Teen Missionary
2. “I’m addicted to caffeine so I gave up all drinks but water for Lent two years ago.” – Amanda
3. “Last year I didn’t give up anything for Lent, just added more prayer life. This year I am going to add more prayer life and give up Facebook.” – Josephina
4. “I gave up spoons and forks. I learned to use chopsticks. It was funny for my friends and made it easy to talk about Lent in a way that people were cool with. We laughed a lot.” – Matt
5. “I’ve heard of people giving up their beds for Lent. They slept on the floor or the couch.” – Anna
6. “I fasted for all of Lent one year. 1 meal a day really brings souls to Jesus, especially your own!” – Erika
7. “I’m going to treat my body as a temple of God during lent… everything I read, watch, listen to, eat, drink, do, say, etc…..focusing on being a temple of God.” – Paul
8. “One year for Lent I wrote a letter each day. I made a list of 40 people who have touched my life in one way or another. Each day of Lent, I wrote a person on the list a letter of thanks for how they touched my life and I prayed for that person on that day….it was a WONDERFUL experience!!!” – Patty
9. “I tried improving on my spirit of giving.” – Peter
10. “This year, I’m giving up the radio in my car in order to focus more on the things that are around me that God created! I can’t wait so I’ve already started doing it!” – Joshua
11. “One year I gave up my bed. I slept outside in a tent. And I live in Canada! So it was well below freezing! I even kept a blog on Myspace (that’s all there was at the time!) Another year I made a few shirts out of burlap, and wore one under my regular clothes for all of Lent. Both were hard, but really helped me those years.” – Brandon
12. “This year, I’m giving up all sweets, (I work at a frozen yogurt shop) and am going to use the constant reminder to pray for one person in particular every day, I made a list/calendar via Facebook of friends that need/want prayer.” – Aimee
13. “I have an issue with vanity, especially when I get ready in the morning. So I decided a couple years ago to just wear the first outfit I put on every morning. What I learned from that was how to get a source of self esteem beyond my outfits.” – Carrie, a Life Teen Missionary
14. “I didn’t do this, but last year two of my friends gave up warm water for their showers.” – Maria
15. “This year I’m giving up having my phone with me during the day because I’m always checking my email throughout the day. My hope is that having moderation I can be more present to the people around me. I want them to see my deeper connection with God.” – Kaitlin, a Life Teen Missionary
16. “I want to listen more.” – Carmelina
17. “I have given up makeup in the past, and this year I am giving up meat!” – Kimberly
18. “Usually during Lent, on top of giving up something we love but don’t need, we say that any money that is found in the laundry, couches, and anywhere else was God’s money and we gave it to the poor. I remember one of the first years we did this, I found a $20 bill in a parking lot.” – Alyssa
19. “Two years ago I went to adoration every day during Lent. I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t make it every day but I made it most of the time and it changed my life to get and be with Jesus that much, it was an awesome experience.” – Jacob
20. “I know a girl who said she only listened to Christian music during last year’s Lent. She said it was hard at first, but soon loved the depth and meaning behind many Christian songs.” – Molly
21. “Getting more involved in the church….time & talent. More prayer as in…the rosary & Novenas really get into some SERIOUS PRAYER!! Getting help for my depression. Alongside giving up meat on Fridays. Focusing on being a better Christian in general, being more concerned & in tuned to God’s plan for me & my family as opposed to ‘our plans’ for our lives.” – Erika
22. “Getting to the 3rd floor using stairs not escalator/elevator.” – Francisca
23. “I’ve adopted a priest in Chile…… I offer daily prayers and sacrifices for Father Juan Nunes!!!” – Tony
24. “I’ve never done it, but I’ve heard of people giving up the snooze button on their alarm clock. They said that it was harder than they thought, but it taught them a lot about discipline.” – Jessica, a Life Teen Missionary
25. “I didn’t do it for all of Lent, but for Holy Week last year I gave up my pillow. Honestly, at first it was fun, but it proved to be hard. But it made me realize how blessed I am to even have a bed.” – Sara, a Life Teen Missionary

Need some more inspiration? Check out our 20 weird things to give up for a Lent that will make you holier.

Editor’s Note: Below is a letter from his Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services (AMS). He invites us to all join in prayer for U.S. military personnel, veterans, and their families this Christmas season. Let’s never forget the innumerable sacrifices our soldiers are making so that we can have a peaceful Christmas here with our families, in the warmth of our homes.

“The traditions surrounding our annual celebration of the Savior’s birth fill us with joy and a deep longing for that peace announced by the angels. The birth of absolute Goodness, the Incarnation of the Son of God, reminds men and women that we are all brothers and sisters, children of God our heavenly Father.

For the men and women in uniform who serve our country at home and abroad, holiday time is special, but my heart goes out to those who are deployed far from home and the warmth of their families. Indeed these valiant men and women bend under the weight of combat and the tension provoked by an elusive enemy. They are anxious about their future and they are far from their loved ones.

The long and frequent deployments to the Middle East take their toll on everyone: the military, families, and our long-suffering chaplains who care for our brothers and sisters both during deployments and afterward.

This particular archdiocese without territorial boundaries also looks back and remembers those who have served in previous wars and are now cared for in the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and Clinics.

I boldly beg you to pray for our servicemen and women, veterans and all their families. Christmas is the occasion when we remember the Gift of the Father to us. Each of us tries to respond by giving something we have received to those in need. Those who serve our country in uniform need and deserve our prayers.”

Prayer of the Archdiocese for the Military Services

Almighty God and Father, look with love upon our men and women in uniform and protect them in their time of need. Give them health and stability and allow them to return to their loved ones whole and unshaken. Be with their families and sustain them in these uncertain times.

Grant strength and peace of mind to the Veterans who have given their best for the country they love. Support them in infirmity and in the fragility of old age. Teach us to remember their sacrifices and to express our gratitude.

Manifest your tender care to those in the Military Academies who prepare for future service and to those who serve our Nation far from home. Teach us to remember the sacrifices of those whose efforts contribute to ensuring our way of life.

Bless and multiply the priests who minister to the faithful of the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Reward their generosity and keep them faithful.

Hear us as we present our prayers to You through Christ our Lord

Catholics do not pray to statues.

That would be idolatry and therefore, a violation of the First Commandment. If a person prays to a statue out of superstition, believes that the statue has special powers or is even God – that is idolatry.

However, this is not what Catholics do when they pray in front of a statue. Catholics worship with their whole person and all of the senses. A statue, or any other piece of religious art, is intended to draw the soul deeper into prayer by helping the senses to recall the mystery that it represents.

Crucifixes, a statue of Mary or stain glass windows help to provide a “centering point” for a soul to meditate and contemplate the great mysteries of God.

Statues have quite a history in the Church – they’ve been around for awhile. Before the printing press was invented, it was difficult for a person to find the Bible in print. People didn’t have individual Bibles to teach them about the story of salvation. And even if there was a Bible around most people couldn’t even read.

Statues and other pieces of religious art became a means for the Church to teach the Bible. A person could walk into a monastery or church and learn about Jesus Christ by simply looking at the religious art and the story that the art told.

In fact, the Catholic Church’s long history of art reflects her ability to impact and evangelize within culture. The greatest artistic period of the modern world was the Renaissance period. If you do a tour of Europe and look at Renaissance art, it’s almost all religious art pointing to Christian Tradition or Biblical stories. The art of the time period reflects the Catholic Church’s ability to evangelize an entire culture so that everything spoke of the glory of God.