Encouraging Words of St. Teresa of Calcutta

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Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s words assure us that God uses all of us for His work:  

“Sanctity is not a luxury for the few. It is a simple duty for you and me. I have to be a saint in my way and you in yours.” 

“Start by making your own home a place where peace, happiness, and love abound.” 

“Even if you just sit and listen to someone… or bring a flower to somebody… God sees everything as great. There are many people who can do big things. But there are very few people who will do the small things.”

“What we are doing in the slums, maybe you cannot do. What you are doing… in your family life, in your college life, in your work, we cannot do. But together you and we are doing something beautiful for God.” 

“To the cast of a musical performance in Calcutta I said, ‘Your work and our work  complete each other…. You are giving them joy by your action and we are doing the same by service…. You are filling the world with the love God has given you.’”  

“A rich man came to me and said he wanted to give up something in his life. I suggested, ‘When you go to the store to buy a new suit or some clothes, instead of buying the best, buy one that is a little less expensive and use that extra money to buy something for someone else, or better still for the poor.’ He looked really amazed and exclaimed, ‘Oh! Is that the way, Mother? I never thought of it.’ When he left, he looked so happy and full of joy at the thought of helping others.”

“Pray at home for only five minutes. Prayer is simply talking to God. He speaks to us, we listen. We speak to Him, He listens.” 

“You can pray while you work. Work doesn’t stop prayer and prayer doesn’t stop work. It requires only that small raising of the mind to Him: ‘I love you, God. I trust you. I believe in you. I need you now.’ Small things like that. They are wonderful prayers.” 

“What kept me going during so many years? Jesus. We do it for Jesus. I take Jesus at His word and He never lets me down. He said, ‘Ask and you will receive.’ So I ask. If it is for His glory He will grant it; if not, let us forget about it. God knows what is good for us.” 

“I do not think I have any special qualities. I don’t claim anything for the work. It is His work. I am like a little pencil in God's hand; that is all. He does the thinking. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it. The pencil has only to be allowed to be used.” 

“Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand.” – Jeremiah 18:6

“Lord, mold me for Your work.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

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P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Fill Your Heart With Rich Soil

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Much of the ground around our house is clay. If we were to put in a vegetable garden, we would have to bring in a great deal of nutrient-rich soil to ensure we get the best ‘fruits’ from our efforts. We’d also have to put up a tall fence to keep the deer away.  

In our spiritual life, our hearts are the soil. The seed is the word of God, and Christ is the sower. Whether we’re full of ‘hardened clay’ or ‘rich soil’ will affect how readily we’ll accept the seeds Christ wants to plant in our hearts – and, therefore, what kind of effect we’ll have on our world. In other words, how much and what kind of ‘fruit’ we’ll produce.

How can you fill your heart with ‘rich soil’?

Set aside time each day, even a little time, for God. Let Him plant more seeds of His grace and blessings in your heart. He’s not an abstract figure out in cyberspace somewhere. He’s your loving Creator Who’s always with you and Who waits for you to reach out to Him so that you’re able to receive all He has to give you. If you’re not sure where to start, open one of the Gospels. The Bible is not simply a book that was written a long time ago. It’s the living Word of God, and He uses it to speak to you – when you give Him the time to do so. Read slowly until something strikes you; then stop and pay attention to the thoughts that come to you about those words.

Why does this matter?

Spending time with our Lord softens our hearts to receive more of His grace, power, peace, love, and joy. It strengthens us to be and do what He created us for. With Him, we’re more willing and able to reach out to others, especially those who are less fortunate than we are. We become more benevolent and more generous; we give others the benefit of the doubt; we see others from God’s perspective; we feel grateful for the opportunities received and are compassionate toward those who didn’t have those same opportunities; we grow in humility; we use our gifts and talents not only for ourselves or family but also for the benefit of our community. 

It’s important to take precautions, too. A fence is put up to keep deer away from a garden; similarly, take steps to protect your heart from whatever lures you away from Christ. Ask Him to show you what those things are.

Just like tiny seeds grow into bountiful vegetables with the proper soil, our efforts produce much greater ‘fruit’ when done with Christ than if we tried to do it all on our own.

Give Him the time to enrich the soil of your heart. 

“But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

–Matthew 13:8

“Lord, help me produce fruit with You, and for You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Why Pray for Those Who Hurt Us?

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Picture yourself having this conversation:

You: You tell me to forgive that person, Lord, and even pray for him, even though he hurt me. Why should I forgive him? Why shouldn’t I get even?

God: I hear you. You’ve been hurt. You’re hanging onto the hurt too long. Let it go. Let Me handle it. At judgment time, he will have to face Me.

You: Yeah, but You’re not going to condemn him, are You? You’re not going to make him suffer for what he did to me. He’s going to get off the hook, isn’t he? If he asks You to forgive him, You will, won’t You?

God: If he asks Me to forgive him, yes, I’ll forgive him…. Just like I have for you.

Christ tells us to have mercy – to forgive and pray for those who’ve hurt us. Why? Because doing so makes us more like Him. It softens our hearts to them and helps rid us of the bitterness we hold against them. Praying for them helps us see them from His perspective; we may see how their own hurt caused them to hurt us. Also, our prayers may lead them to change their ways. 

God’s mercy isn’t new to us, but Jesus’ message that God is merciful was a radical idea at that time. That’s because, in ancient times, the people thought that God wanted sacrifices, and the greater the sacrifice, the more pleased God would be. That’s why they offered Him their first fruits, sacrificed their best animals, and even sacrificed their children. But God used Abraham to try to teach the people that that wasn’t what He wanted. First, God wanted to see how far Abraham was willing to go to show his reverence for Him (see Genesis 22:1-19). Abraham proved that he would sacrifice even his son Isaac if that would please God. But God stopped Abraham from hurting Isaac – He didn’t want that sacrifice! This was the beginning of God’s trying to get through to us that He is a God of love and mercy. 

Jesus came to earth to drive home that point: He taught that loving in radical ways, such as forgiving those who’ve hurt us, was what God wanted. He commands us to be merciful, as He is. Our goal is to become more centered on Him and less on ourselves. Any sacrifices we make today, such as fasting during Lent or serving on church committees, are pleasing to God only if they strengthen our relationship with Him and make our hearts more like His. So, no matter what sacrifices we make, God doesn’t want them if we still insist on getting even with those who hurt us, cast judgment upon those who are different from us, or hold grudges. 

With His help, we can be merciful, as He is.

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” – Matthew 12:7  

“Lord, help me pray for those who’ve hurt me. Soften my heart. Make it more like Yours.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Pray With Assurance

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A few people have asked where I get the ideas every week for my reflections. The answer is that, in most cases, I first read the daily Scripture readings for that week’s Masses and jot down the verse that strikes me. Then, I depend on Christ to guide me. As I reflect on that particular verse, I write down what comes to mind or where a ‘gut feeling’ leads me. If I write something that resonates with you, He gets all the credit for giving me the ideas and the words; I’m happy to know I’ve conveyed the message clearly. I’ll add that that’s how Christ will speak to you, too. I encourage you to read Scripture – take a few verses from the New Testament – and notice the thoughts and feelings that come to you as you read.  

A common theme this spring was how Jesus performed miracles for those whose faith was strong. That topic has come up again this week.

It’s clear that everyone who Jesus helped believed that He could do something for them. It wasn’t just a request or vague hope; they were convinced about it. Their faith in Him and His power was deep. Here’s one example:

“...If I just touch His cloak…” (see Matthew 9:20-22). The woman who’d been ill for 12 years knew in her heart that Jesus could heal her. She had seen and heard enough about Him to become convinced that He could help her. And so, when she learned He was in the neighborhood, she braved the ridicule of the crowds and forced her way through, getting close enough just to touch His cloak. She didn’t sit at home, wishing for her condition to go away. Rather, she acted on her faith in Christ and His power to help her. Notice it wasn’t His cloak that healed her. His cloak didn’t hold some kind of magic; no one else crowding around Him was affected by touching His cloak. It was her faith that healed her.

So, when you pray for something or someone you desperately care about, pray with faith and assurance. Be specific. Know and be convinced that Christ can do it. Ask that He will do it. Ask with an attitude of certainty. Trust Him. Christ might not give you everything you want; He isn’t a vending machine spitting out favors. But He will give you everything you need, and what He knows is for your good or someone else’s good, if you ask with faith. 

Here’s a verse I wrote quite a while ago. Now seems like a good time to share it:

The Promise

The promise 

He keeps

Always

To give us strength,

To give us peace,

And even joy again 

If we but ask.

But not just ask.

Beg.

Insist.

Demand, even, if we dare.

It is ours

For the taking.

Even a miracle.

I’ve seen it.

Pray with assurance.

“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” – Matthew 9:22

“Lord, strengthen my faith!”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

God Bless America

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Happy 4th of July! I hope you’re able to create happy memories with family and friends  while celebrating our nation’s independence. 

The song “God Bless America” was written by Irving Berlin in 1918 during WWI, and then revised by him in 1938 during WWII:

“While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free.

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer:

God bless America,

Land that I love.

Stand beside her and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies, 

To the oceans white with foam,

God bless America,

My home sweet home.”

Considering the turmoil at home and around the world, and the fact that this is an election year, I invite all of you to pray for our country, beloved despite all its imperfections. Pray for our leaders and citizens, and for our residents, allies, and adversaries. 

May God grant wisdom to all those who’ve been elected to make decisions on our behalf and inspire them to work toward unity and peace. May He also guide and protect those in the armed forces.

May our Lord bless all of us. May we reach out in kindness to our neighbors, including those who are different from us. May we see past our differences and seek the common good for all people.  

Also, if you haven’t already, I urge you to register to vote – and then vote on election day! Voting gives you a say in government. As they say, if you don’t vote, don’t complain! Not every country gives its citizens this privilege. 

And, if you want to have a substantial impact on your local community, run for public office. The people who serve on your local city council and school board are ordinary citizens just like you who are trying to make your community a better place for all.

As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”

May God bless the land we love.

“Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!

His mercy for us is strong; the faithfulness of the Lord is forever. Hallelujah!”

– Psalm 117

“Lord, bless the USA.”

p.s.

Here’s some fun news to share, if you haven’t heard already…. I sing in a women's a cappella quintet called "Grace Notes." Now in our third summer of performing, we’re going to sing "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch of the Akron RubberDucks baseball game on Sunday, July 21st! The game starts at 1:05 PM.

Discounted tickets are available for you! Click on the link below to get $12 tickets. Feel free to share the link with your friends. 

https://fevo-enterprise.com/s/other/Gracenotes7?purl=875a6fdf7d5e

I hope to see you on Sunday, July 21, at Canal Park!

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.