Why In The World?

by John Connelly

Why in the world is everything so messed up?

Why are there wars, violence and divisions between people?
Why do billions love the dark propaganda
being spread by many in the mainstream media and Hollywood?
Why is our society addicted to food that is genetically modified,
filled with toxic chemicals, and generally unhealthy?
Why are so many people dying of cancer?
Why do we tolerate it when some politicians tell lies consistently?
Why do we allow the destruction of our air, land, and water?
Why do banks keep growing richer while entire nations
are threatened by unfathomable mountains of debt?
Why do governments talk about justice for the poor when the numbers
of poor and hungry people keep growing?
Why is humanity so divided?
Why are so many people unhappy?
WHY?

‘Why?’ is an important word.
‘Why?’ is a serious inquiry as to how things became the way they are.
‘Why?’ is asking for real and substantial answers.
Today we really do need to ask ‘WHY’ much of our world
seems to be falling apart.

We are facing a profound crisis in human history.
It is a spiritual crisis manifested in our economy, political
system, families and Churches.
The signs are everywhere for those who have eyes to see.
It seems that only by asking ‘WHY’ can we effectively understand
how to respond.

There is more here than meets the naked eye.
Something is going on behind the veil of our daily existence.
The Spiritual Realm is very, very, active.

Human beings are being manipulated.
Many are like sheep being led to the slaughter.
Humanity is being set up.
Billions are being enslaved.
A Great Drama is unfolding right before our eyes.
And you and I are here now on the Stage of Life.
Why?
What is the real part we are destined to play?

Something is stirring within us.
Deep inside we know there is more to our lives
than just making a living.
We know something is profoundly wrong.
But it is so easy to just turn on the TV.
It is so easy to vegetate before a computer screen.
It is so easy to ignore the gnawing sense within us that
our world is not changing for the better.
Why?

The answer lies rooted in the fact that
there is a Dark Force in this world that is continually
working behind the scenes of human history.
I mean Personal Evil.  Evil that personally means to
cause grave harm to you, me, and every person on the planet.

I am sure that many of you reading this believe the Devil exists.
Lucifer. The Evil One. Satan.
But do we really see how Evil works in our lives and our world?
We ignore evil at our own risk.
You’ve probably heard this often used quote…
“All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men
to do nothing.”

Evil works through IDEAS.
Ideas that come into our minds and spread like a virus.
Ideas that infect our choices and behavior.
Ideas that eat away our freedoms and turn us into foolish puppets working for a Dark Agenda.

All wars begin as ideas.
Atheism is an idea.
Abortion began as an idea.
Communism, Socialism, and Capitalism are
all ideas.

The Mass media specializes in spreading ideas.
Ideas about love and relationships.
Ideas about the purpose of humanity.
Ideas that promote materialism, fear, and
moral corruption.

Look around you as you go through your day.
You are being bombarded by ideas.
Our world is literally flooded with ideas.
Why?

Every single idea has A SOURCE.
Ideas are planted into the human mind and heart.
Then they can become the beliefs and behaviors that
ultimately guide our destiny.

An idea is a seed. A seed that will grow in us if it is nurtured.
And there are deadly seeds, and life-giving seeds,
being planted and nurtured
all over the world.

Ideas can come from God.
Ideas can come from the Evil One.

Hitler’s ideas came from the Evil One. They were ‘whispered’
into his mind and they spread like a cancer throughout
the fabric of his life. Then he spread these cancerous ideas
to others and unleashed hell on earth.
A world war with millions killed.
His legacy was…
War,Concentration camps,
Eugenics, Propaganda and Lies.
And the same kinds of lies that seduced Hitler continue to seduce
many of the elite leaders in our time.
Then they spread these ideas through the mass media.
Even now ideas with incredible destructive power
are seducing billions of people.

We live in a broken world that is being overrun by
ideas that are inspired by a Cunning Adversary.
People are both knowingly and unknowingly cooperating
in a master plan to turn the world away from God and away
from authentic love.
The Devil and his minions are master manipulators.
Make no mistake. The corruption in our
world is by design. Sin is a spiritual cancer
poisoning humanity.

Jesus called the Devil…
A thief. A liar. A murderer.

He is not merely a myth or a personification of man’s
sinful impulses. He is real.  A fallen angel. A dark
lord who commands his legions with one objective:
To destroy humanity.

This Dark Spiritual Being
steals our freedom, poisoning us with lies, and
tries to murder all that is good in the human race.

St Peter called the Devil…
“A roaring lion seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

He is ruthless. And every terrible thing happening in our
world begins with a seductive idea. An idea that enters
a person, spreads, and then causes behavior that  brings
harm to humanity. The devils agenda is ultimately to
murder the most valuable thing we possess.
Our immortal soul.
The devil destroys humanity while trying to convince
us he does not exist.

What we are witnessing in this world is a profound, epic, spiritual battle.  In the words of scripture…

“We fight not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world
and against the forces of evil in the spiritual realm.” (Ephesians 6:12)

We need to really observe how these words are lived in our daily experience. The Bible is telling us that we are fighting against…
“forces of evil in the spiritual realm.”

These words describe the hidden spiritual battle that is waged in the heart and mind of every man, women, and child.
We are all fighting continually against subtle thoughts that are
being sowed into our lives. We call them temptations. Temptations
to resent others, seek money over God’s will, to waste our
time, treasure and talents on anything less than loving God and
giving glory to him.

So WHY did I write this blog?

Because the battle is intensifying.
Because you and I need to examine the ideas that
are governing our lives.
We need to see the lies that are multiplying in our world and
seducing billions of people.

We need to see clearly that JESUS has the ONLY IDEAS
truly worth living and dying for.
His IDEA is that the truth shall set us free.
His IDEA is that life, liberty, and compassion will prevail.
His IDEA is to overthrow the Tyranny of Evil
with the Power of Authentic Love and Mercy.

We need to look closely at our lives and reject the seductive
ideas that are leading humanity into the darkness.
Many great saints called this process… ‘Watchfulness’.
The practice is simple but challenging…

We learn to watch the thoughts coming into our minds.
We observe closely how the Enemies of our Soul produce
ideas, images, feelings and fantasies to tempt us.
It is a continual battle, as I am sure you have noticed.
So we  pray. We peacefully call on Jesus in our hearts
with every breath we take. We trust Him to win the battle
in us.

We Watch and Pray. Over and over. When we fail – we begin again.
This is Watchfulness.

The orthodox saint Hesychius of Jerusalem says it like this…

“A heavenly state will be born in our mind if we do not neglect
ceaseless prayer and continual watchfulness…we should always
be calling upon Jesus Christ our Lord; with a burning heart…”

If we practice watchfulness in prayer then we will say to the Lord
with St Augustine…

“I have tasted You, now I hunger and thirst for more.”

Let us all taste the goodness of the Lord.
Let us allow the mind and heart
of Jesus to influence deeply
the way we think, speak, and act.
We all need to read and pray scripture daily.
Renew our minds. Think God’s thoughts. (Romans 12:2)
Plant the seeds of truth and spread
God’s Ideas far and wide.
You and I are called to take continual refuge
in the Heart and Spirit of Jesus today.

We are, in short, called to Watch and Pray without ceasing.

WHY?

Because this is Our Time.
This moment in history is Our Destiny.
God’s Revolution is spreading and you and I
are called to participate fully.
The battle is at hand.

Come Lord Jesus.
With every breath!

If this message has inspired you-Pass the Word.
We must use whatever means we have to wake the Church and humanity from slumber. Pray for me and I for you.
-John

The Practice of Letting Go

by John Connelly

A number of years ago, a simple saying became popular
all over the world:
“Let Go and Let God.”
There is, in these few words, a great spiritual blessing
for all who take the time to truly understand them.
They point us all to the very heart of our existence.
They point us to authentic freedom.

So what does it mean to ‘Let Go’?
Is it really essential?
How do we do it?

‘Letting Go’ is at the very heart of Christianity.
Jesus calls you and me to let go and surrender everything to Him moment by moment.

Letting Go… is admitting that we are really not in control.

Letting God… is choosing to trust that He is in control.

Think about this for a minute.
Do you and I control our heartbeat?

Every beat of our heart is governed by a small electrical
impulse. Where does this electrical impulse come from?
It is totally beyond our control.
This ‘spark of life’ comes from a source that is beyond us.
If our heart stops for any reason we are dead in a few minutes.
We live one heartbeat at a time purely by the grace and mercy of God.
We are, whether we realize it or not, utterly dependent on God.

The idea that we are in control is a foolish illusion.
We cannot control our heartbeat and we cannot ultimately
control the events of our life.

We should let these words of Jesus soak
deeply into the very center of our existence…

“Without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Today the world is in turmoil because human beings want
to live independently from God. Many live in this ‘Grand Illusion.’
Many imagine they are not accountable to God and his
law of truth which governs the universe.
This is a deadly delusion.
It distorts our view of reality.
It makes us like a blind man wandering toward a cliff.
We are not independent at all.
We are one-hundred-percent dependent on God.
Every breath and every heart-beat is a pure gift.

The idea that we are independent is the source of
all wars, hatred, division, fear, loneliness and isolation in our world.
This feeling of independence is called pride. It is at the heart
of every sin and disorder in this passing world.
Pride is the deadliest of the seven deadly sins.

It is a subtle form of insanity – a divorce from what is
real and true.

St. Augustine wrote this prayer to God…
“How would anything have endured if You had not
willed it? “
All things exist right now by the will of God.
Pride utterly distorts this profound, life-giving truth.

The TRUTH is…
“In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

The LIE which modern culture preaches continually is…
“Our life is our own and we do as we please.”

When we let go, it is an act of humility. A decision to admit who
we really are. We are the dependent ones. We are created beings
who were designed to live only by the grace of God.
Everything we suffer in this life is meant to wake us to this fact.
Every trial is an opportunity to practice letting go to Jesus the
Lord of all.
Death spares no one. Ultimate realities cannot be avoided forever.
There is simply no life and no existence apart from God.

The writer Andrew Murray says in his classic book Humility…

“True humility comes when, in the light of God, we have
seen ourselves to be nothing, have consented to part with,
and cast away, SELF, and let God be all.”

This might sound radical in an age of self-promotion,
self-delusion, self-righteousness and self-will.
But I am simply describing REALITY.
God is our life. God is present right now holding
us in existence. Without God we are indeed nothing.
Christian life is letting go of our “self”, our ego, our
independence, and letting Jesus live His life of love
in us.

St. John of the Cross called this path of letting go
the way of “Nada”. (Nada is the the Spanish word
for “Nothing”)
This great spiritual writer taught that
we cannot ultimately hold onto anything except God.
He said that God is “All”.
All that we truly need.
All that can bring us true happiness and fulfillment.
Every relationship and every experience are opportunities
to let go. Nothing is permanent. Nothing lasts… except God.
God is the source of all good things in our life.
This path of total ‘letting go’ actually opens us to the
ever-present grace and blessing that surround us.

When we stop clinging to our
attachments we experience a growing sense of freedom within us.
Spiritual life is letting go to the the Spirit of Jesus here and now.
It is letting his love flow from within. All that does not flow from the
love of God is in the final analysis… worthless.
As St Paul reminds us…
“Without love I am nothing.” (1Cor 13)

In other words… our entire destiny is to let go to God and
his limitless love. Everything else is “Nothing”.
It has no real and lasting value. Like the old saying goes…
“You can’t take it with you.”

Imagine if we all truly learned to let go and let
God take control.
Imagine politicians and corporate leaders letting go.
Imagine our Churches and our families letting go.
What would happen if the people and nations of this world truly let go to the Spirit of Jesus? I think we all know the answer. Everything would change.
It would be a spiritual revolution.
We would see through the Grand Illusion of independence
from God.
Amazing Grace would flood into the world.

So how do we put this into practice? How do we let go
and let God take control today?

We need to meditate deeply on this idea of letting go.
It needs to become a habit of life – our choice whenever
we find ourselves filled with anxiety. Whenever we are
clinging to our attachments.

We can begin by praying peacefully a short prayer like…

“Come Lord Jesus
with every breath
I Let Go.”

The important thing is not only the words of the prayer
but the inner attitude they convey.
God sees your desire and intention.
‘Letting Go’ to the living Spirit of Jesus is at the heart
of all true prayer and spiritual life.

- Let Go to the attitude of child-like
trust that is at the heart of true faith.

- Let Go to the Spirit of Jesus acting in us and through us.

- Let Go and surrender our sins, shortcomings, attachments,
anxieties, and fears to the Lord of All.

-Let Go and rest in God’s Divine Love and let Him who is our true life
take control of everything now.

Yes, it takes a lifetime of practice to
“Let Go and Let God.”

But this is the lesson we must all learn and practice
again and again and again.

It is the meaning of our existence.

Here is a great video on Letting Go…

At this crossroads in history may we all learn to let go to the all-consuming love of God.

Mercy Without Limits

by John Connelly

Imagine your name is Humanity.
You are standing at the edge of a great cliff.
Before you is a vast, limitless ocean called…MERCY.

You look behind you and all you see is chaos.
A civilization that is collapsing in a earthquake of
selfishness and immorality.
Violence. War.  Fear. Devastation. Turmoil. Propaganda.
You see a vast army of evil that is seducing
your fellow human beings. An army that is now trying to seduce
you and all you love.
There are in fact only two pathways ahead:
1. Be drawn into the growing Army of Evil.
2. Leap into the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ.

What choice will humanity make? Will it take the ‘leap of faith’ or
join in with the army of evil that is destroying civilization?
This is the real choice everyone is facing.
All over the world, people are choosing good or evil, at this very moment.
It is not just about politics, bailouts, or another human plan
to bring order into the madness of our world.
It is about choosing good or evil.
Our only real hope now is the Mercy of God.

Today, as I was praying, I was once again overwhelmed
by a cry within me for Mercy.  It was as though the
Spirit of Jesus simply replaced my prayer with an
overwhelming sense of our profound need for Divine Mercy here
and now.
Over and over my heart just kept crying out for Mercy on
the human race.  I  sensed deeply the Lord calling me
to cry for “mercy without limits” on the whole world.
Then it became clear, I needed to write this blog entry today.

Nothing seems off limits anymore.
In the past few weeks I have read articles about…

- Genetic Engineering of so called “modified” human beings.

- Vast numbers of innocent men, women, and children
being killed as ‘collateral damage’ in mindless wars.

- Rampant pedophilia rings destroying the lives of innocent
children. (The latest being the scandals in the Boy Scouts and at Penn State
University.)

- A new round of ‘Bailouts’ coming to the very people who have
destroyed the economies of many of the greatest nations
in the world.

- Basic human rights being trampled on by various governments
all over the world.

The army of evil is all too real and it is growing.

When we ignore evil, and cave into it’s ever increasing
demands, we end up with hell on earth.
Because Evil is personal; it has an agenda for you, me,
our families, our children and every person on earth.
Evil is utterly destructive. It has no compassion or mercy.
Evil seduces men and women with diabolic lies and it’s goal is the
total enslavement of the human race.
People may not believe in the devil or evil as a personal
force, but the evidence is everywhere.
Jesus taught that the devil is a thief, a liar, and a murderer.
It seems pretty obvious, he was not talking about a vague
myth that has no relevance in our daily lives.
We only need to look at the devastation in our world.
It is as though satanic nuclear missiles filled with darkness and
lies are been detonated daily in our world.

The other day I saw a brief interview with a very popular
young singer. She is a mega-star and idolized by millions
of youth. Her parents were strong Christians and were involved
in missionary work.

A young girl called into the show and asked this young
pop-star’s advice on how to become successful as a singer.

Her answer? “Sell your soul to the devil.”
The matter of fact tone in her voice chilled me to the bone.
This beautiful young women was advising youth all over the
world, to sell their soul to the devil in order to be ‘successful’.
Lord have mercy on her soul and on all who listened to that interview.
The stakes are as high as they can be.
The Devil plays for keeps.

Mercy is God’s Idea.
It is the only sane response to all that we are facing.
Mercy is the ultimate defeat of evil. Mercy is Jesus dying on the
Cross to save and renew all humanity.
Jesus is the true doorway to unlimited
Forgiveness, Compassion, and Love.
Jesus Crucified and Risen is our salvation and peace.
When his Sacred Heart was pierced and opened
to us on the Cross the Ocean of God’s mercy was
poured out for us all.
The Heart of Jesus  is the boat that carries us into
the Ocean of Mercy.

Jesus told a story in the gospel about two men:

One man was a Pharisee. He prayed and proclaimed
how grateful he was to not be like ‘other people.’
He prayed. He fasted. He was the very picture of
a good religious person. Churches are filled with
people like this.

He made the fatal mistake of thinking he had it all together.
His heart was closed to Mercy because Mercy means
genuine transformation and change.

The other man was a tax collector. At that time,
a tax collector was considered to be the scum of the
earth. A traitor and a thief.
This man  threw himself
down on his knees and cried out…
“God have mercy on me a sinner.”

Jesus said the Tax Collector entered into heaven and
the Pharisee did not. Why?
The Pharisee was proud and arrogant.
The tax collector humbled himself before God.
He humbled himself and Mercy transformed him.

Humility is the key to Mercy.
Mercy cannot be earned.
It is not deserved.
It is not something we produce.
It is the free gift of God we must receive and rely upon every day.
Mercy comes when we trust in Jesus and his
undeserved grace and love that transform us within.
It comes when we humble ourselves, confess our sins,
and admit our ongoing, overwhelming, daily need
for the living God.
The heart-felt cry for Mercy is the cry Jesus will always
hear.

The Mercy of Jesus is present now. It is available to all.
But in order to enter this reality we must all choose it daily.
Mercy is free but we must choose to get in the boat, and set
sail in the vast ocean before us.
The wind is blowing today and the boat is always ready.
We must choose to ask Jesus for a New Heart of Mercy without limits.
We must choose to be an instrument of Divine Compassion, Forgiveness,
and Mercy to others.

Saint Faustina lived in Poland during the rise of Nazi Germany.
A literal army of evil was growing all around her, and the Christians
of her time. She was a prophetic visionary, who foresaw the
terrible predicament we are in today.
Jesus spoke to her of the world and it’s overwhelming
need for Mercy. He said:

“I protect, as a mother does a child, the souls that promote
devotion to My Mercy during their lifetime; and in the hour of
their death, I will not be their judge, but their Savior…
Speak to the whole world of My Mercy and love… It is a
sign of the approaching last days, after which the day of justice
will come. While there is still time, let them take refuge
in the fount of My Mercy.”

This morning I felt the need for the Message of Mercy to go
out to all the world. The hour of Justice will come.
Evil will not ultimately prevail or win this battle.
Jesus, the King of Mercy, will Reign.
Mercy is a Divine Fire that can change
hearts and minds. Mercy alone can save us from the rising
tide of Evil. It is the everlasting, ever-present, Spirit of Jesus
working in you and me.

Let us choose to be ambassadors of Mercy.
Let us pass this message on and on and on.
Let us take the leap of faith and sail into the Ocean of Mercy
that stands before us all today.

Come Lord Jesus
We take refuge in Your Heart.
We receive Your Love and Mercy
without limits.
With every breath we take…
Have Mercy on us all.

Prepare!

by John Connelly

It is an interesting thing to be a writer in these times we are living.
Often when praying a very clear message comes to mind and it soon becomes
a blog posting.
Today the word was… PREPARE.
A word worth some time and meditation.
An intriguing word. A biblical word. A word that means…
- to get ready
- to be attentive and take appropriate action
- to make sure our priorities are clear and in order.

When God tells people to prepare it is the call to
spiritual awakening, repentance, and renewal.
It is a call to put our lives into God’s Divine Order and
be extremely ready for what he is going to unfold in our lives.
I believe God is calling all of us to be prepared today in a
special way.

Fr Walter Cizjek was a man who experienced directly the dark
side of humanity.
He was tortured by the communists in the Soviet Union
and went on to become an inspired writer…

” We go along, taking for granted that tomorrow will be very
much like today, comfortable in the world we have created for
ourselves… and giving little thought to God.
Somehow then, God must contrive to break through those
routines and remind us once again that we are ultimately
dependent on him… Then it is perhaps, that he must allow our
whole world to be turned upside down in order to remind us
it is not our permanent abode or final destiny, to bring us to
our senses and restore our sense of values, to turn our thoughts
once more to him.”  (Fr Walter Cizjek: He Leadeth Me.)

In this posting we will look at this call to prepare. In order to cover
various dimensions of this call I will use the word PREPARE
as an acronym…

Pray
Repent
Eliminate
Plan
Awaken
Relate
Enter In

Pray: this is the first priority in our preparation.

“You go to pray: to become a bonfire, a living flame, giving
heart and light.” St Jose Marie Escriva

Prayer must cover every aspect of our lives. It is the invitation
that allows God to act in us and among us. It is the call to surrender,
love, and worship God moment by moment.
The last prayer in the Bible is a prayer of preparation…
“Come Lord Jesus.”
This is the inspired prayer that invites Jesus to
act here and now while looking ahead to his coming in glory.
If we put prayer first in our lives it will purify our path and allow
God to lead us step by step.

Repent: the call to an ongoing transformation of our hearts and minds.

Jesus calls all of us to daily repentance. To be honest with God,
ourselves and others. We need to confess our sins and shortcomings,
and reconcile with God and our fellow human beings.
Jesus offers us all his own heart and mind each day.
But this New Heart and Mind require a choice.
A choice to follow Jesus and practice his way of love, forgiveness
and mercy.
A choice to surrender to the Spirit of Jesus living in us.

Eliminate: the things in our lives that are not necessary.

Look around. How much of what we have do we really need?
When we simplify our lives we become more free to focus on what
is truly important.

Excess things steal our time.
Here is a great question to ask…
Do I really NEED this?
Think how much time is wasted on things we don’t really need.
We are programmed to think we need our T.V’s, Computers,
Sophisticated Toys and never-ending Possessions.
But when we look at all this stuff in the light of eternity we can see
how easy it is to fritter our lives away on things that do not matter.
Here is a great video and song by Michael Card to help us reflect on the
the need for ongoing simplification and letting go. It is called
“The Things We Leave Behind…”

Jesus calls each of us to use our time, talent, and treasure
for His Kingdom. All else is ultimately a distraction. And we
all know modern life is filled with distractions.
Lets eliminate what is not necessary so we can experience
more and more the interior freedom of Jesus.

Plan: We should plan for difficulties with our eyes on eternity.

Imagine if tomorrow you woke up and your electricity was out.
So you drive into town and go to your bank machine.
It doesn’t work.
Then you hear on your car radio that some terrible disaster
has taken place.
People are panicking.
Grocery stores are being emptied.
The world you know is coming off the rails.
What do you do?
How would you respond in a scenario like this?
If society were to collapse would we be part of the solution or
part of the problem?
All through history societies rise and fall.
When we think it cannot happen here, it is simply willful ignorance.
And we all know ignorance is no excuse.

When disaster strikes it is too late to plan for it.
Planning is using our talents and treasure to be ready
for whatever comes.
We need to plan mentally by observing what is happening in our world
and calmly thinking through our preparations for hard times.
Why? Because we want to help as many people as possible.
And if we have a family, it is simply irresponsible not to plan for
the future with a prayerful heart and mind.

Is it not possible that you and I will face difficult days?
Even the secular pundits are beginning to say some
pretty astounding things. Here is a quote from the
head of the Bank of England from this past week. He
is speaking about the situation now unfolding…

“This is the most serious financial crisis we’ve seen, at least since the 1930s,
if not ever. “ Sir Mervyn King

Are you aware of the fact that some of the top economic experts in our
world are predicting a catastrophic financial collapse in the near future?
These are serious times. The turmoil is growing all over the world.
Perhaps things will turn around for the better… and perhaps not.

The point is not to panic but to prepare. Be ready. Have a plan.
A plan for food.
A plan for shelter and warmth. A plan in the event that a worst case scenario
becomes reality.
A plan to help as many as we can in spiritual and physical need.
A plan to follow Jesus no matter the cost or the consequences.

Get a notebook. Pray for guidance. Make a list. Take action day by day.
Be calm. peaceful, and prudent.
Let God guide you step by step.
Personally, I think Pope Benedict’s words about the
“troubling signs” of the breakdown of civilization are a realistic
analysis. The “troubling signs” are everywhere.

What we know is this. When difficulties come -
Unprepared People tend to
PANIC and the Prepared People TAKE ACTION.

Jesus did not hesitate to prepare us with straight talk about
what is to come. (Take Matthew 24 for instance.)

Awaken: ourselves and others to the call of Jesus.

We have a moral and spiritual duty to give people the truth
in a respectful way. People need to know that…
“All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21)

They need to know that the choices we make have eternal consequences.
Now is the time to get our lives right with God.

We cannot simply hide our light under a bushel…
“The Church exists to evangelize.” (Pope Paul Vl)

This is a time of spiritual awakening. People sense something is not
right. All over the world we see signs of panic, radical change, and even
revolution. But the truth is Jesus alone is the ultimate answer.
He alone can bring peace to this troubled world.

Relate: deeply with those God has placed in our lives.

:

This is no time to leave things unfinished and unsaid. When Steve Jobs
the founder of Apple Computers died last week he confessed to
his children his failures as a father. All his wealth, power,
and prestige could not save him from cancer. In the end he wanted a deeper
relationship with his family. Death is the great reminder of what
was really important all along…

” Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me.…” Steve Jobs

Relationships are essential. People are essential. Community
is the very nature of God. God is a family of persons.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.
All of us long to relate deeply
with God and others. We were designed for intimate, loving,
relationships. If we feel alone then we need to reach out.
We need to cultivate love in our friendships, families, and Churches.
It is not easy, but it is worth it. Community is our spiritual “DNA.”
This is why scripture says…
“Those who believed were one heart…” (Acts 4:32)

May our lives continually say “I love you” to those people God places
in our lives.

Enter In: to God’s Will no matter what comes.

We Christians believe in the power of the Cross.
We believe in the power of trust and surrender.
No matter what happens the love and mercy of Jesus will
see us through. God’s Will prevails in those who trust Him.
The Cross is a sign that suffering and difficulty are a doorway and
not the end of the story. Those who trust in the Lord will
rise again. Death cannot conquer our faith in Jesus.
He is the faithful one who will never leave us or forsake us.
Even if we are facing one of the great trials of human history
we can never overstate the Mercy of God.
The important thing to remember is to surrender and rely
on Jesus in all that lies ahead: The Good. The Bad. The Ugly.

St John of the Cross said…
“Whenever something disagreeable or displeasing happens to you,
remember Christ crucified and be silent.”

If we face difficult days let us go forward and Enter In
with invincible faith, revolutionary hope, and limitless love.

Let us P.R.E.P.A.R.E.

Come Lord Jesus.
Prepare us.
We choose to trust in you
with every breath we take.

Amen.

One Breath At A Time

by John Connelly

Every breath we take is a unique gift to us from God.
It can never be lived again.

We have no choice but to live one breath at a time.
It is the way we are designed by our Creator.
The Spirit of God is the breath of life.
The source of all that lives.

The simple reality is that our time here on earth is limited.
Each moment passes and it can never be altered.

When I think about how fast my life is passing it is easy to
become discouraged. Sometimes I want to put on the brakes
and yell…“Stop.” But the train of time chugs on relentlessly.
Friends come and go.
Children grow up.
Opportunities are lost and found.

You and I are pilgrims and our life is moving forward all the time.
We never really know what each day will bring. But one thing is
certain…

Jesus is present with every breath we take.

His words are true and always will be…

“I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20)

We really need this reality to penetrate more and more deeply
into our daily lives. This is the essence of a life of faith. Faith
is believing that Jesus is with us. Faith is allowing Jesus to live his
life of love in us today.

Faith is taking hold of the fact that this moment
Jesus Christ is alive in me and you.

St Paul gives us this gem to ponder…
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but
Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:21)

Christianity is not just about improving our life.
It is a call to surrender our life and allow Jesus to live in us
here and now.
It is the call to allow His Heart of Love to shine through you and me.
It is the call to say with St Paul…
“It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”

Our ego is a cunning adversary. Our ego is the old nature in us that
wants to take credit for our lives and accomplishments.
It is the idea that somehow we have a life of “our own.”
This is not, and never will be, the Christian vision of reality.
Christianity is the life of Jesus Christ in us.
It is accomplished with a child-like trust that our life is completely
in the hands of God. Without God we are helpless. Incapable of
fulfilling the purpose of our lives. Jesus said it clearly…

“Live in me and I in you.
For without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

How is that for an ‘Ego Buster?’ Jesus is telling us the way it is.
Without him we can do nothing. Nothing. Nada. Without him we are
dust and to dust we shall return.

But WITH JESUS we are…

-Beloved children of God.
-Eternal beings who will live forever.
-Capable of extraordinary feats of courage and love.

Jesus in us in more than enough.
His Heart.
His Mind.
His Words.
His Actions.
Living now in us.
This is Christianity.

In the Catholic Catechism # 522 we read this revolutionary statement…
“Christ enables us to live in him all that he himself lived, and he lives
it in us.”

What if all Christians really let Jesus live his life in us?

The issue is not just one of “trying harder,” but rather of “trusting more.”

Trust. Believe. This is the simple key. We need to take hold of the reality
of Jesus in us by faith. This can only be accomplished in the present
moment.

Here is a simple exercise.
Pray these words until you have them memorized…

Come Lord Jesus
with every breath
Live in me.

Now focus on surrendering. Trusting. Letting Go and letting Jesus take control.
It is not about feelings but about faith.
We have no life apart from Jesus.
The next breath it is Jesus who sustains us.
He is our life.
He is the source of every breath. Every heartbeat.

Close your eyes. Worries are just passing clouds.
The Son of God is shining on us and in us.
His heart is ours.
We are a beloved children of God here and now.
God is bigger than every problem we imagine.

Pray this prayer with all your being.
Bring it to mind through the day…

Come Lord Jesus with every breath.
Live in me.

After many years of studying the great saints and heroes of Christianity
I have concluded that the difference between them and most of us is
simply this…

They are aware of Jesus living in them moment by moment-   breath by breath.

They know they are not the source of the love and life that flow through them into the world. They are merely instruments. They are the song and God is the Great Musician. The rely on the Spirit of Jesus-the breath of Divine Life.

These are exceptional times we are living.
The world needs us to wake up to who we really are.
This is the hour when the Church must arise and meet her destiny.
This is the time when all should cry out…“Come Lord Jesus!”

If we listen closely we will hear a call growing in us.
A call to live a radical life of faith, hope, and love which will really
make a difference in our world.
A call to face our fears and step through them into the
limitless love of Jesus today.
God’s revolution is unfolding and nothing can stop it.

In the words of St Teresa of Avila…

“Christ has no body now but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on the world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which be blesses all the world.”                                                                                

Come Lord Jesus!
Live your life in us.
Every breath we take.
Amen

Come Lord Jesus!

by John Connelly

God has given us the perfect prayer
for the difficult times we are facing in our world.

It is the last prayer in Bible.
It is some of the final words written by divine inspiration
in the Holy Scriptures.

I call this prayer: The Prayer that can change everything.

You probably have prayed this prayer before but I would like to explore with you its deep prophetic significance for our time.
This prayer contains profound significance for every person living
on earth today.

The prayer is…Come Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

Think about it. This is the last prayer recorded in the Bible.
God is speaking to us all through this prayer.

Why is this prayer so significant?

- Because it is a summary of the entire message of scripture.
- It is the fulfillment of all we hope for, long for, and pray for.
- It is a powerful weapon to defeat the evil in our world today.
- It is the destiny of this prayer be the heart-cry
of every Christian in our world today.

No one but Jesus can solve the growing crisis in our world.
We need his Divine Kingdom of Love and Mercy to rule over us all.
This alone is the true answer to all the difficulties we face.
When we call on Jesus with humility, faith and love…HE COMES.

Come Lord Jesus!
Come Reign in our lives, our families, and our world.
Come Lord Jesus!
We long for Your Truth to set the nations free.
Come Lord Jesus!
Destroy the walls between us.
Come Lord Jesus!
Renew the Church with Your New Heart and Spirit of Burning Love.
Come Lord Jesus!
Send us the Fire that will burn away all our compromising and complacency.
Come Lord Jesus!
We need you NOW. We need you TODAY.

This world is spinning on an unholy ‘merry go round’ of propaganda and lies.
Christians continue to be divided.
Families are seduced daily by the Modern Babylon that surrounds us.
Many are caught in a never-ending web of deception.
The fog of spiritual darkness seems to infect the very air we breathe.

But the truth of St Peter’s words at the birth of the Church remain true…

“In the last days God declares,
 I will pour out my Spirit on all people…
 And it shall come to pass that all who call upon
 the Name of the Lord shall be saved.”   (See Acts 2:17-21)

This is a promise we need to hold onto today.
God wants to pour out his life-giving Spirit on all people.
He promises that every person who calls on the name of Jesus
shall be saved.
(The word saved in the original Greek it was written means…
Rescued. Healed. Delivered. Set Free.)

Everyone needs to experience the saving power of Jesus.
This is not only a one time experience but a daily calling in our lives.

In the Catholic Catechism it underscores the power of calling prayerfully
on the Holy Name of Jesus. It says…
- The name Jesus contains all…
- His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies.
- Whoever invokes the Name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God.
-The invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always.
(See Catholic Catechism # 2666-2669)

No matter your background, denomination or your spiritual state at this moment.
It cannot be overstated. The Name of Jesus is a simple, effective, prayer that
allows the living presence of Jesus to work in our lives right now. It is a simple way
to welcome the Spirit of Jesus and his Divine work in our lives.

The early Christians prayed “Come Lord Jesus” over and over because they knew…
Jesus alone has the power to transform our lives and our world.
Many of the early Christians were martyred and gave their lives for the cause of the
Gospel. They left this world with Jesus on their lips and in their hearts.
They knew that the Kingdom of Jesus would never fade away.

Death is nothing to be feared for those who believe and call on Jesus.
Jesus is the Ever-Present One who is here this moment with every breath
we take. No matter where we are or what we face. He is with us.

The scriptures proclaim…
“The Spirit and the Bride say Come!
Let all who hear say Come!”  (Rev 22:17)

The word ‘come’  literally means to ‘approach‘ and ‘meet’.
We are all called to approach and meet Jesus daily and have
an encounter with his living presence in our lives.

The Spirit of Jesus calls to every person right now…Come!
Each and every moment we can meet Jesus in prayer and receive the Living Water
of true life and love. ( See John 7:37)

The Church is the Bride of Christ. A beautiful bride who should await her
Bridegroom with passionate love. A bride who calls out to her bridegroom
and says “Come!”
God calls us his Bride because he loves us passionately.
God calls us his Bride because the essence of our call is to experience intimate
communion.

We are created to be one with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever.
We are the Beloved of the living God.
We are destined to a spiritual marriage where we will enjoy
the presence of God for eternity.

The prayer “Come Lord Jesus!” is the prayer of the Bride of Christ.
It is the prayer that embraces the Lord with love here and now.
It is a prayer that should grow in us all until Jesus alone  reigns in our
hearts.
A prayer that should drive from us all the ‘idols’ which
fight for our time, talents, and treasure.
A prayer that prepares us for his second coming and the final judgment which awaits us all.
A prayer that reminds us what really matters in this short life.
Then we will be able to say with all the
saints…
“Jesus is my all in all.” (Mother Teresa)

I think we all know something profound is happening in our world.
The time we are living is not meant to be business as usual.
The days of putting our head in the sand must end.
God is preparing his Bride for his eternal purpose.
The Church must be re-united and renewed.
Divisions between us must end. We are facing an epic battle and we must face it with One Heart. The Heart of Jesus in all Christians.

When we cry “Come Lord Jesus” we are affirming our desire
to be one with Jesus in every situation. We are surrendering
our lives with Jesus to the will of Our Father.  We are choosing
the New Heart and Spirit of Jesus in us.

The renewal of Christianity is not something we can do for ourselves.
We need the Presence and Love of Jesus to come reign in us.
We need purification.
We need Jesus to come and exercise
his Kingship over us in a sovereign way.
We need FIRE.
This is God’s Revolution.
It is not just another program, plan or nice idea.
A revolution that will shake the Church and the face of the earth.
A renewed Christianity will take up the battle cry with total abandonment:
“Come Lord Jesus!”
Do you hear the call blowing on the wind of the Spirit?
The Spirit and the Bride are beginning to cry…
“Come Lord Jesus.”
This cry of the heart is destined to grow and grow until Jesus returns
and sets all thing right.

This is the hour of the Bride of Christ is awakening. We must become all that Our Father created us to be.
There is no other answer. There is only one true King and one Kingdom with the power to transform our badly broken world.

So let us prepare. Here is a simple practice we can do each day…

- Focus on the New Heart of Jesus living in you.
- Let the Spirit of Limitless Love for God and all people fill you now with every breath.
- Cry with your entire life for Jesus and His Reign.
Pray with faith, hope, and love again and again…
“Come Lord Jesus!”
- Remember despite whatever feelings and thoughts arise
Jesus says…“I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20)

This prayer is indeed the prayer that
can change everything. The reign of Jesus
among us is the heart of all true prayer.
Think about it. Contemplate it.
You will see its power in your own experience.
This divinely inspired prayer will grow in you.
Pass it on…Come Lord Jesus!

The Spirit and the Bride say Come!
Let all who hear say Come! (Rev 22:17)   

What Shall We Do?

by John Connelly

Anyone who has studied history knows that civilizations eventually
decay and collapse.
One only needs to look at the empires of the past to see that they do
not last.

The Roman Empire.
The Greek Empire.
The Babylonian Empire.
They all collapsed.

These great civilizations collapsed for many reasons.
But all of them had this in common….
Widespread Corruption. Today as we look at what is happening in the Great North American Empire we see the signs of decadence and corruption all around us.

We may want to deny what is going on but it is clear for all who have eyes to see.
We live in an empire that is collapsing slowly under the weight of corruption.
The corruption of politicians by money and power.
The corruption of youth through media exploitation and seduction.
The corruption of families by a continual erosion of values and morality.
Corruption is seeping into all areas of our culture.
Even in the Church we are not immune to this plague of corruption.

I am sure I don’t need to convince most of you.
Just turn on the television and look at it through the eyes
of Jesus. Corruption. Degradation. An all out assault on the senses that
leaves all of us vulnerable to the darkness that seems to
permeate the very air we breathe.

So then…What shall we do?
Let me put it another way.
In light of the situation in our culture…
How then shall we live our lives?

My purpose in this and future blogs is merely to explore this question.
I am not telling you what to do but simply offering my own understanding of
the serious situation we may be currently facing.

I believe the North American Empire is collapsing under the weight of corruption.
We have lost our way. A drama is unfolding and we all have a role to play.
As Pope Benedict said when he visited the United States…
“We see clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundations of society…”

So what happens if society were to collapse entirely?
Our lives will change drastically.

In the next several weeks alone millions of formerly middle class Americans who have
lost their jobs will be losing unemployment benefits.
In short, they will be cast into serious poverty.
Even the mainstream news is more and more filled with tales of woe and despair.
Economic crisis. Drought and floods. Foreclosures. Increasing theft and violence.
The mixture of human and animal DNA in laboratories.

Where is all this leading?

For many the unthinkable is already the reality they face.
In my own research I am stunned with the length and the breadth of the changes
that humanity is already facing. People are suffering everywhere. Problems are
multiplying at an astounding rate.

I am not saying with certainty that we will see the total collapse of this
civilization in the near future.
But I am saying that we may be facing difficulties that would
have been almost unimaginable a few years ago. And I am also saying
that the time of reckoning for humanity may be upon us.
John Paul ll said the signs of the times are like a dark storm cloud looming
over humanity. Isn’t it obvious?

It is simple really…
What we sow we also reap. (Galatians 6:7)

When we sow corruption…
We reap destruction.

So…What shall we do?

I would like to explore two areas we may want to look at.

#1 PRAYER
The first thing I would say we need to do is to PRAY.
I am speaking here of intensified daily prayer in our personal lives,
families, and communities.
We need to ask God to permeate us with His Living Spirit of Prayer.
Prayer connects us to the source of all real power.
Prayer renews and strengthens us to face the Giants in our
daily lives.
Prayer allows Jesus to live in us and through us moment by moment.
Prayer is the school where we learn to love God and others without limits.

This is why St Paul exhort us all in scripture to…
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

The way ahead begins and ends with prayer.
It is our living relationship with God that will sustain us through
all that we will experience in our lives.

“Christians know that for them prayer is as important as breathing….” -Bl John Paul ll

What if all Christians would spend an hour or more a day in personal prayer and meditation on the Word of God?
I believe it could begin a transformation that could renew the Church
and help to transform this broken world.

Yes, it is hard to pray because of a million distractions and obligations.
But the fact is we are called to show up daily and be trained in the school of prayer.

Please my friends. Let us commit to a lifestyle of daily prayer.
When we pray we are the instruments of God’s Divine Love and Mercy in
our families, our communities, and our world.
Let us humbly ask the Lord to renew in us all the fervent, sustained, Spirit
of prayer.

(For help in prayer go to www.GodsRevolutionToday.com
Click on the Music button and go to The Prayer Revolution.
This free project of teaching and interactive prayer and music
was designed to inspire and encourage all people to live a
deep life of prayer.)

#2 SMALL FAITH COMMUNITIES
The next thing I would encourage you to do is to find
others and build a small faith community wherever you are.
Again Pope Benedict gives us this seed of wisdom…
“Build faith communities.”
He is referring to the need to gather with others who see clearly
the need to be authentic disciples of Jesus in these extraordinary times.
A weekly gathering for prayer, scripture sharing, friendship, and
planning is a powerful way to see and act on the call of Jesus.

In the Acts of the apostles it says…
“Those who believed were One Heart…” (Acts 4:32)
The fact is we need others around us who inspire us to live a deep
life of faith.

We need others who are not afraid to explore the call that too often lies dormant within us.
Tough times call people to prudent but radical action.
Are we preparing as people to face the battles that may unfold
in our times?

What if there was a food crisis? What if there was an economic collapse?
What if our comfortable middle class lifestyle were to suddenly disappear?
Many religious leaders, economists, and other leaders are saying now this is
a real possibility. The ‘party’ may be over.
All through scripture God prepares his people and calls them to be
ready. (Read Chapter 24 in the gospel of Matthew.)

The early Christians did not just give up. They gathered. They prayed.
They listened intently to the Word of God.
They shared the Eucharist in the catacombs under the great city of Rome.
They literally went Underground. (This is where we get the
term: The Underground Church.)
God prepared them for difficult times and they ultimately overcame the
corruption of the Roman Empire. They persevered through hard times.
They shined the light in the darkness.
The call is no different today.
We should be prepared spiritually, mentally and even physically for
tough times. We want to be able use our resources to help others should dark
days suddenly come upon us or our neighbors.
Are we prepared to be the light of the world even in the deepest dark night
imaginable?

The simple truth is that more Christians have been
persecuted and martyred in the past century than in all other centuries combined.
(Currently, it is estimated that over 100,000 are being martyred every year.)
Communism killed millions simply because they believed in Jesus and rejected tyranny.
It is only an illusion to think this could never happen to us.
A society that aborts unborn babies is standing at the abyss.
Governments have legalized killing in the name of ‘choice.’

The trouble is we are too ‘entertained’ by the media,
and seduced by propaganda to see how serious the times have become.
I am not predicting that you and I will be called to martyrdom but frankly it would not
surprise me.

It is only wise and prudent to find others who will explore the questions this blog is raising. I do not know what the Lord will ask of you. But I assure you that it will be an adventure. You and I are living at this hour of history for a reason.

In the early church many were called to be martyrs as they faced boldly
the corruption of the Roman Empire.
But there is no hungry lion that can stop the Good News of Jesus Christ.
There are no corrupt emperors or politicians who can snuff out the
eternal life of the children of God.
The courage of the early Christians stands as a living testament to the
people of our time.
Their cry that “Jesus is Lord “ is the same cry we must all take up now
with one heart and one voice.

No matter what happens.
No matter what comes.
Jesus will conquer corruption.
His Rule of Love will ultimately prevail.
Rise up.
Be brave.
As John Paul said before he died…
“Now is no time to be ashamed of the gospel.”
This is our time.
Pray. Gather. Be ready for action. Ask the tough question…
“Jesus… what shall we do?”
Listen Deeply. Discern with Wisdom.
The Spirit of Jesus is stirring in the Church.