Reality Therapy

by John Connelly

Reality Therapy: The firm determination to look at reality and
embrace THE TRUTH even when it is difficult.

One of the things I do is research history and
current events.
Part of my calling is to analyze our world in
light of the teachings of Jesus.

He was the ultimate realist and said…
“The love of most will grow cold.” (Mt 24:12)
This is happening before our eyes.  Many people are in a spiritual slumber.
They are asleep to the spiritual forces
that shape their lives, families, and our world today.
Perhaps this is why Jesus insisted in the gospels…

“Stay awake.”

Here is true story from Germany during World War II…  A Jewish man was captured by the Nazis and put into a concentration camp.
He escaped the camp and stumbled back to his village. When he told the
people the horrors he had seen they did not believe him. When he tried to warn
them, they said he was crazy.
They might have at least tried to escape. But they chose to ignore the truth that was spoken.         Thus, their fate was sealed.

This story tells us a deep truth about human nature. We often do not want the hard truth of reality.

The man told the truth but they labeled him crazy.

Have you heard of the Normalcy Bias? It is the psychological tendency to filter out unpleasant information so we keep things feeling ‘normal’ inside of us. In short, we have a profound, well documented tendency to deny reality when it does not meet our expectations.

More simply put…  Denial Runs Deep.

In today’s world people just say “Conspiracy Theory” every time they don’t like any view that contradicts mainstream thinking. Do any of us honestly believe our media and politicians are telling us the whole truth?

Some conspiracy theories are nonsense, but some are true. Obviously not all politicians lie – but all too many do. They sacrifice the truth for hidden agendas that are not in the best interests of those they represent.

The main author of the U.S Constitution, Thomas Jefferson, said…   “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”

Jefferson understood that there are always people willing to conspire against the freedom of humanity.

Hitler conspired and killed six million Jews.

The Communists conspired and enslaved, tortured, and killed untold millions.

Planned Parenthood conspired with politicians and gave us the legalized murder of abortion on demand.

Do we really think there are no more “conspiracies” in our world?

“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

I have studied the twisted agenda unfolding in our world. It is serious. It is well documented. I think we are heading into an epic battle.

A battle of ideologies. Light versus Darkness. Evil versus Good. The abortion mentality is like a new concentration camp. It is a prison of the heart and mind. The death of compassion. It started as a ‘conspiracy’. And it is only the beginning of where we may be headed. There are people in our world who are even now orchestrating a relentless, dark agenda against the human race. I know this might sound overly dramatic. But history is dramatic.

In the words of John Paul II we are a called to be a “sign of contradiction” in this “culture of death.” The words of the renowned writer and speaker, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, sum up well the climate of our times…

“The world is rapidly being divided into two camps: the comradeship of the Anti-Christ and the brotherhood of Christ. The lines between these two are being drawn…  But in the conflict between truth and darkness, truth cannot lose.”

This is not a minor figure who is speaking. He was not some conspiracy theorist or deluded fanatic. He is one of the most respected church leaders in modern history. His words offer a penetrating analysis of what may be unfolding in the world today. If Bishop Fulton Sheen was right we may be facing the unthinkable: Anti-Christ… in  short:

The rise of a global dictatorship that will ultimately prove to be entirely hostile to Jesus and his message. Only time will tell if this is what is now unfolding in our world.

What is clear is that lines are being drawn.

The trumpet is blowing. The Church is in a deepening spiritual battle. Difficult times may be heading our way. Check the facts. 

Read the scriptures. Pray. Look at this culture with the eyes of Jesus. Can we not all see that something has gone terribly wrong in our world? The cancer of corruption is all around us.

“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” Albert Einstein

Some things I have gleaned from the past couple weeks alone…

- It is now admitted three of the reactors in Japan have melted down. This is serious. Harmful radiation is now being detected on a much wider scale. We, and the people of Japan were not given the full facts. Nuclear experts like Arnie Gunderson of Fairweather Associates are speaking about the serious issues involved. This was not a minor incident that is going away soon. The radiation being dispersed to the world is ongoing and catastrophic.

- A recent poll says nearly 50% of Americans now believe another great depression is imminent.

- The legendary Wall Street investor, Jim Rogers, and a chorus of others, are saying the US economy is on the brink of catastrophe.

Another financial meltdown would affect all of us drastically.

- Food shortages and increasing prices are being predicted by a growing chorus different government agencies and leaders.

- Wars and unrest are spreading in the powder keg of the middle east.

- One of the latest and best-selling video games teaches young people to murder others in sadistic ways. (I’ll stop there. But trust me… these games are getting seriously evil.)

This is a spiritual battle. You and I are in it. And in my opinion this could just be the beginning. I actually hope I and others are being overly pessimistic. Maybe the world will suddenly turn around. But the facts seem to point to a real battle in our midst. We just need open our eyes and watch what unfolds. The world around us IS changing now, no matter what the ‘Normalcy Bias’ inside us says.

The truth is going to meet us all. Ready or not.

There are consequences when a culture turns away from God. People are embracing the darkness. We see the fruit all around us.

Listen to Pope Benedict and his penetrating assessment…

“We see clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundations of society: signs of alienation, anger, and the polarization on the part of many of our contemporaries; increased violence; a weakening of the moral sense; a coarsening of social relations; and a growing forgetfulness of God.”

Each time I read these words something stirs.

The Pope sees clear signs of breakdown in society. Do we not see them too? Can you imagine what this could mean if things continue to disintegrate?

The trouble is this… If people deny reality – it is still real. The problem gets worse not better.

The average Germans in World War II did not want to believe it was possible to see mass exterminations of Jews in their civilized country.

But it happened.

The people in the U.S. and Canada did not want to see a Great Depression in the 1930′s.

But it happened.

Christians did not want to be thrown to the lions.

But it happened.

The people of Rome did not want their Empire to collapse and fall.

But it happened.

Babies in the womb do not want to die.

But it is happening.

I do not know what exactly these times will unfold. I hope, like you do, our world wakes up and comes to its senses. But I tell you this with the full force of my being… Be prepared for the possibility of Big Changes. Be prepared for some very serious scenarios may very well unfold right before our eyes.

Like the songwriter Bob Dylan said…  “The times they are a-changing “

I want the world to get better for my children. But our world just seem to be making all the wrong choices.                                                                                                                                  Let us continually cry out for the Mercy of God. Let us make prayer our first priority!

“More things are brought about by prayer than this world ever dreams.” – Tennyson

Even more troubling insight from modern history…

Many spiritual leaders including Bishops, Priests and Christian Pastors failed to discern the blatant evil of Hitler and his Nazi regime.

Many did not speak out forcefully against him.

Many cooperated with him.

In fact many Catholics and other Christians were encouraged by their leaders to “Fight for the Fatherland” and join the Nazi army.

Why do I say this? Because if history teaches us anything it is this…

IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN.

I know there are many good leaders in the Church today. Many are standing courageously for the truth. Unfortunately, we can see that others have lost their way. The ongoing scandals are weakening our ability to speak with moral force in a world spinning out of control. The dark spiritual force we call Satan is blinding many to the serious consequences of lukewarm Christianity. Compromised Christianity will be shown for what it is. A superficial imitation with no real life and vitality. It can never transform our world.

Propaganda is a powerful weapon in the war against us. It is essentially ‘lies’ insidiously packaged to sound like ‘the truth.’ When those in power want to deceive, it is a weapon of incredible deception. Hitler used it to brainwash the masses. The media and soft spiritual leaders who want nothing more than to keep the peace are too often not reliable sources of information. They become pawns taken in by the sophisticated lies and intimidation of propaganda. This is what caused the great writer G.K. Chesterton to say…

“Each generation is saved by the saint who most contradicts it.”

We must contradict the propaganda of our times with the simple, deep, powerful teachings of Jesus.

Recently former president Bill Clinton gave a major speech. He advocated a new “Ministry of Truth” . This governmental agency would be officially responsible to oversee the dissemination of ‘truth’ to the people. Bill Clinton’s speech was nothing but a blatant attempt to curb free speech. The “ministry of truth” he advocates is straight from the pages of George Orwell’s nightmare vision of totalitarian rule… Nineteen-Eighty Four. If Clinton and others get their way free press could eventually be eliminated.

Then all we will get is a blizzard of propaganda drowning out the truth.

President John F Kennedy insisted that freedom of the press is… “Essential in a free and open society.”

People need to wake up. Our freedoms are being challenged. The “culture of death” is on the march. The only real ‘ministry of truth’ is Jesus.

He is the TRUTH.

His teaching is the truth that sets humanity free.

His words must not be marginalized or set aside.

They are life-giving. They are revolutionary.

We must fight for truth no matter the cost. Truth will prevail.      We must hold our candle high in the growing darkness of this present age.

The light will conquer.                                                                                                                    Darkness will not prevail.

So let us all be attentive and discerning.

Beware of the propaganda from an increasingly corrupt political, corporate, and media culture.

Beware of the empty rhetoric of those who show no compassion for the life of the unborn.  Beware of those who lie while pretending to speak the truth.

They are already fighting on the wrong side of history whether they know it or not. They are in direct conflict with the Kingdom of God. Let us pray that Mercy opens their eyes.

I know this message is heavy.

I am sure many of you are awake to much of what I’m saying. But we all have a moral obligation to try to wake others up. The truth only sets us free when we face it. Denial simply makes our fear go ‘underground’ into our unconscious. Then if something bad happens we tend to go into panic mode. And panic means we make bad decisions.

The founder of the Boy Scouts, Lord Baden-Powell, was right…

“Be prepared.”

We must each in our own way be like John the Baptist and say to all…

“Prepare the way of the Lord.”

Being prepared is true wisdom in times like these. Let us all ask a few simple, honest questions…

How is our relationship with Jesus?

How is our prayer life?

Are we living the authentic call of a disciple?

Are we praying the scriptures and learning daily see our world through Jesus’ eyes?

Is our conscience clear or do we need to make some changes?

Jesus offers his Reality Therapy to all.

But we must choose. Even if it is hard.

The gospel must be lived and proclaimed.

Jesus said the way is narrow that leads to life.

Indeed, the way of authentic love is narrow, and the way of selfishness and spiritual apathy is wide.

Let us surrender our lives daily to Jesus and His new Heart of Truth and Love in us. He is always present. Waiting for us to draw close. Intimacy with Jesus is the Great Pearl of infinite and eternal value.

It is time to take the next step and go deeper into the Kingdom. Even in our weakness and struggles Jesus never abandons us.

We were born for this moment of history. I am reminded of God’s call to Joshua as he went forward to the fight the battles for the Promised Land…

“Be strong and filled with courage for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Jesus walks with us every step.

He is the Living Truth. His Spirit fights the battle in us. Our Father’s Love and Mercy cannot be defeated. Let us ask Jesus daily for a  deep session of “Reality  Therapy”. Let us let go and let Him take control moment by moment.

The truth will always set us free.

Jesus with every breath. We choose the Reality Therapy of Your Kingdom.

http://godsrevolutiontoday.com/radio.html#radio

(Scroll down to The Battle we Face for more about the unfolding situation in our world.)

The Mercy Challenge

by John Connelly

Imagine a man about to be hanged.
The noose is tight around his neck.
He is covered in sweat. His heart is beating
faster and faster. He knows he is going to die.
A crowd is watching as he
lives the last few moments of his life.
Suddenly he tries to speak.
He squeaks out desperately…“Have Mercy!
For the love of God…Mercy!”
The crowd laughs.
But the man cries out again louder and louder…
“Mercy!”
There is murmuring in the crowd as a well dressed
man steps forward and walks up to the gallows.

It is the judge who convicted the man of his crime.
A man respected by all.
He turns and speaks to the crowd…

“This man has asked for the one thing I cannot and will not deny. He is asking for Mercy. And this cry is now answered. He is forgiven for his crime and is now free to go.”

This is a parable for our times. A spiritual noose is firmly
around the neck of humanity.  It is tightening. Everywhere
we look there are growing problems. Violence. Moral chaos.
Corruption. Fear.  War.  Disparity between rich and poor.
Humanity has created a world filled with injustice.

Each time our hearts beats twice a child dies of hunger.  The unborn are killed without remorse.

Even with this noose around our neck our culture turns to Lady Gaga, the latest scandal, or a new Hollywood Blockbuster movie to distract us. How tragic.

The Great Day will come when all will give an account for the life we have chosen.

 

 

With all our supposed advances in technology we miss the real
issues like love, compassion, and MERCY.
This noose around mankind’s neck is created by Sin:
the complete self-absorption that causes us to lose
sight of the Living God. The simple fact is the only way out
of our terrible predicament is Mercy.
The noose around humanity’s neck is tightening.
It is a noose we created ourselves.
As scripture says…
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rm 3:23)

Mercy is God’s love and forgiveness poured out
on those who have not earned it.  It is God cleansing the
guilt and sin of humanity and giving us all a fresh start.
Mercy is Jesus suffering and dying on the Cross.

It is his pierced heart opening the floodgates of love and forgiveness
to us all.
Mercy is the last hope for humanity.
Mercy is the call at this hour in human history.
It is the cry that the Divine Judge of all humanity cannot resist.

Jesus is the Mercy of God available to all.

No one is beyond the reach of his love.

Today my prayer time was spontaneously taken up with one
simple cry…“Mercy!”
I sensed the Heart of Jesus in me crying for my family, friends,
and all of humanity…“Mercy…Mercy…Mercy”
This lasted for several hours and continues even now.
Quite honestly this flood of Mercy was unexpected.
I sense it is for a reason. I think this message was destined to be
written today because God is calling us all to be messengers
of Mercy.
Mercy  alone can save and transform our broken world.

What if all of us join together and cry daily for God’s Divine Mercy
upon the world? What if we cry out fervently with one heart and
one voice in prayer. People from every nation, background, and denomination.
Young and old. Clergy and laity. A passionate plea to the Creator and
Judge of us all.
This cry for Mercy is the greatest need in our time.
This is what I call The Mercy Challenge.

 

The time we are living is not meant to be business
as usual. All around us humanity is in desperate condition. We need
only open the eyes of our heart to see the seeds we have sown
are reaping a harvest of destruction. The famous words of Thoreau
seem more true than ever…
“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.”
The desperation is growing.
The human race has a spiritual noose around its neck.
We have put it there ourselves.
The only way out is Mercy.

Here is what we all need to understand…

“If the greatest sinner on earth should repent at the moment
of death, and draw his last breath in an act of love, neither
the many graces he`has abused, nor the many sins he has
committed would stand in his way.
 Our Lord would receive him into His Mercy.”
-St Therese of Lisieux

Jesus wants to receive everyone into his Heart of Mercy.
Mercy is the cry God will always hear!
Because Jesus is Mercy.
He once said to St. Faustina just before World War II…
“I am Mercy itself…”

So here is a challenge I put to you.
Let us join together with the New Heart of Jesus.
Let us cry out for Mercy every day.
Let us pray in communion with the Merciful Heart of Jesus.
Let us ask Jesus the King of Mercy to reign over us and all the world.

Let us expect God to answer this heart-felt cry.
This is the hour and now is the time.

 

 

 

There is really something deep within me that senses the need for
us to cry for Mercy like never before.
God gives us free will so all of us must choose.
Will the human race choose or reject Mercy at this critical hour?
Mercy alone can heal the wounds which divide us.
Mercy is ours for the asking. It is a way of life we can learn
to live moment by moment.
Mercy is a profound, life-transforming gift offered to all.
It is the Heart and Spirit of Jesus living in us.

“How many are your mercies, O God. Mercies yesterday
and today and every moment of my life, from before my birth,
from before time itself began. I am plunged deep in mercies-I drown
in them: they cover me, wrapping me around on every side.”
-Charles de Foucald

My brother, my sister, may Divine Mercy penetrate
every area of your life. May you and I burn with
the Merciful Heart and Spirit of Jesus.
May the message of Mercy spread to the ends
of the earth.

Then we will say with all the saints…
“Surely goodness and Mercy will follow me all the days of my life
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever..” (Ps 23)

Amen

The Hidden Law

There is a hidden law that governs our lives and the destiny
of  all nations. It is continually at work in us all whether we
know it or not.
The scriptures refer to this hidden law over and over.
Here are two examples…
“What a person sows they will also reap.” (Gal 6:7)  and
“The measure you give will be the measure you receive.” (Luke 6:38)
These verses are worth some serious meditation.

Most of us have heard of this hidden law. It is usually referred to as the law of “sowing” and “reaping.”  We even refer to it indirectly
in figures of speech like…
“She got what she deserved…”  or “He had it coming …”
(Some call this law of sowing and reaping
“Karma” though we Christians understand
this concept in a radically different way.)

So let us ponder this hidden, invisible law…
Right this moment you and I are sowing a “seed”.
Reading this article is a seed.
Every prayer is a seed.
Every thought, word or action is a seed.
And every seed will have a harvest.
The seeds we have sown will be reaped.
The truth is nobody ultimately gets away with anything.
Everything we think, say or do can have unintended consequences.

The simple fact is that little seeds can carry big results.
The seed of an oak tree is small but the fruit of that little
seed is massive.
In every heart spiritual seeds have been planted and these seeds will be reaped. This is in fact the nature of reality. It is the design of God.

This is why Jesus taught things like…
“Forgive and you shall be forgiven.” If you sow the seed of forgiveness it will reap a harvest of forgiveness. This is simple, yet utterly profound in its practical
consequences. If entire nations put this into practice it would be the
end of war.

Everywhere we look seeds are being sown by the media.
Seeds of violence, immorality, hatred, greed, lies,
fear and death. And what do we get? A massive harvest of the
same. A society in moral collapse. A people who are reaping daily
a harvest of pain and sterile unfulfilled lives.

Look at the advertising that is all around us. The advertisers
who work for the corporate media understand exactly what they
are doing. They are sowing seeds into our hearts and minds.
They spend billions sowing the seeds of consumerism so they
will reap a harvest of consumers. They sow thoughts of materialism into humanity so we will BUY, BUY, BUY.

Mother Teresa once said that the eventual fruit of abortion
will be nuclear war. I was shocked when I first read her words.
But, this great women of compassion understood the profound spiritual implications of the murder of innocents.  Every unborn child sacrificed at the altar of convenience is a seed of violence, and death.
It is not overlooked in the end. This horrible seed will have a result.
What a society sows it will reap. Look carefully at this culture and pray for Mercy because the seeds we have sown are being harvested now.
Can we not see it all around us?
The harvest is coming in.

In every human heart this drama plays itself out. Seeds are sowed
and reaped. Good or bad… every heart is preparing a harvest.
You and I and all people are all effected deeply by this hidden law.

Thank God for the Good News!
The Gospel is the only real answer to humanity’s solemn plight.
We have all sowed seeds which cause us and others harm.
We can not escape this on our own.

Jesus has come to give us a New Heart of Love.
Jesus has come to reap the sin we have all sowed.
He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
On the Cross he takes our harvest of death and pours out eternal life.
He takes the negative we have sown and changes everything
into the living mercy of God.
There is a reason we sing of Amazing Grace.
Grace is all the transforming love of God changing the equation
and allowing us to reap the good  we did not sow.
Jesus allows us all to reap love, compassion, and mercy
even when we do not deserve it.
This is the heart of the gospel.
The merciful love of Jesus is not earned -it is received by an open heart.

Jesus revealed that his teaching is the spiritual “seed” we
need to sow daily into our lives. Here is a seed worth planting and watering with prayer.
It refers to our ongoing need to be honest with Jesus
and rely on Him to cleanse us from within…

“If we confess our sins He is faithful and just and he will forgive
our sins and cleanse us from all that is wrong.”  1 John 1:8

We all know that honesty is the best policy.
We have all sowed bad seeds so we all need to be entirely
honest with Jesus and open our lives daily before him.
The conscience is like a mirror we need to gaze into daily.
It puts us in touch with the reality of the seeds we sow in any
given day. St Ignatius and many others
affirmed this examination of conscience
is a vital part of Christian life.
Examining our lives with the help of the Spirit of Jesus
and confessing our sins honestly is essential.
It allows the River of Grace to flow more freely within…

So let us live today with the New Heart of Jesus.
-A heart that is honest and humble.
-A heart that sows truth and compassion.
-A heart that sows service and continual acts of love.
-A heart that sows prayer and worship
with every breath we take.

                                                       

Jesus with every breath.
We choose to sow the “seeds”
of YOUR AMAZING LOVE.
Amen

Where is the Kingdom?

On May 2nd I  released my third internet
radio show (podcast) on our main website.
I have come to believe that the only real answer for
our world is the New Heart of Jesus in us.  This message will go out to the ends of the earth. Why? Because it is God’s Idea.
The Church is waking from slumber.
Yes, God is truly doing something revolutionary in our time.
We all called to participate. Let us use our time, talents,
and treasure to spread the Good News.

Today I want to state something very, very clearly…
The Church and the world needs a Heart Transplant.
This is the key to all we are facing.

The Divine Physician wants to take from us  our hearts of stone
and give us A New Heart. (Ez 36:26,27)
We have been suffering from spiritual heart disease.That is the real problem we struggle with.This is the real reason so many clergy and laity have drifted away in the tide of secularism, corruption, confusion, and pain.

While walking the earth Jesus was once asked…
“When will we see the Kingdom?” (Lk 17:20)

Jesus answered with this profound insight…
“The kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk 17:21)
Other translations read…
“The kingdom of God is in your midst.”
(Most scholars agree that Jesus was indeed teaching us
that his reign is meant to be manifested both within us and
among us. Both inwardly and outwardly.)

The New Heart is the Kingdom of God reigning in you and me.
We need to let that statement soak into the depths of our being.
The reign of Jesus Christ is manifested in us and then flows out
through us to the world.

This is the meaning of Jesus’ words…
“Out of your heart (your New Heart) will flow rivers of living water.” (Jn 7:37)

Think of it. Rivers of living water flowing through you and me. The fruits of the Spirit.
The fruits of God’s Kingdom.
Rivers of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness… (Gal 5:22)

So where are the Rivers of Living Water in our world today?
Why is this living water not experienced by so many Christians on a daily basis?
Here is something to consider.
Could it be simply this…
Most Christians do not experience the New Heart of Jesus because:

• They do not understand the New Heart of Jesus.

• They do not know where to find the New Heart of Jesus.

We need to remember  the New Heart is not found only in external practices.  All too often we focus only on the external practices of Christianity and not the inner reality.

The New Heart of Jesus is found within the depths of our being.

This is why St Teresa of Avila titled her masterpiece on prayer…
“The Interior Castle.”
In this book she describes the journey of the soul to discover the Kingdom of God within. She describes it as an inner castle with vast spiritual riches to be discovered only as we plunge deeper and deeper into what is classically called ‘The Interior Life.’

Jesus is not far away.

St Augustine said God is… “Closer to me than I am to myself.”

This is not a new thought-but in order to be renewed the Church must rediscover this Interior Castle. This is another name for
kingdom of God, the New Heart of Love and Mercy within.
Jesus offers this extraordinary gift to all.

We simply need to ask with humility and faith. The New Heart is a free gift…
but we must spend a lifetime discovering it’s unfathomable depths.
Our call is to allow the New Heart of Love to grow and expand daily in our lives.
Jesus said…
“Learn from me. I am gentle and humble of heart.” (Mt 11:29)
Only by learning from Jesus and his humble heart within can we understand the depths of the Kingdom of God.
This is the meaning of the old prayer…
“Jesus meek and humble of heart
make my heart like unto thine.”

The Church and all Christianity need to truly rediscover the Interior Life of the New Heart. Then the rivers of living water will flow freely. Then will be united in the new commandment love that Jesus
taught us. Our judgments and  historical divisions will be consumed in His Merciful Heart.

We will live the truth that sets us free.

The great preacher and writer St. John Chrysostom said these inspiring words…
“The one who finds the door of the Heart finds paradise.”

Do we understand the depths of these simple words?
There is a Living Kingdom within us.
We must enter it through the open door of the Heart of Jesus.
Finding this inner kingdom is “paradise”  because it is where Jesus and his Divine Love, Truth and Mercy reign in you and me.

This is the interior life of the New Heart of Jesus.
It is the Divine Will of God in us.
The calm in the midst of this stormy world. The pearl of great price we all need. Remember… “Everyone who seeks shall find.”(Mt 7:8)

Mother Teresa of Calcutta said…  “Jesus is the life to be lived…”

We are all being offered a New Heart-the new life of Jesus within.

We are all called to answer St Paul’s question…
“Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?” (2 Cor 13:5)
Yes, Jesus. We believe.
We believe you are the King of Love in us.

So where is the Kingdom? Here. Now. The New Heart of Jesus in
or lives, our families, our church, and our world.
Ours for the asking.

Pray always.
Believe.
Surrender.
Receive.

Jesus with every breath.
We surrender to Your New Heart
of Love in us now and always.

Amen.

We will discuss this in-depth in future blogs and in the
upcoming booklet and New Heart Training School
coming soon to our main web page.
( www.GodsRevolutionToday.com )

The Heartbeat of Jesus

by John Connelly

Take a moment and listen.
Listen to Jesus with your entire being.

The life of Jesus says:
“I love you”

The teachings of Jesus say:
“I love you”

The passion and death of Jesus say:   “I love you”

The Risen Jesus says:
“I love you”

The Spirit of Jesus says:
“I love you”

The Father of Jesus says:
“I love you”

The very heartbeat of Jesus-the heartbeat of the living God
is…

 I love you.

Moment by moment.
Breath by breath.
Hour by hour.
Day by day.
Year by year.
You and I are loved.
Deeply. Passionately. Personally.
Loved.

The heart of Jesus
burns with love,
radiates love,
cries with love,
to every man, women and child on this planet.

The love of Jesus is the most
powerful, overwhelming force for good in the universe. It  is the most extraordinary gift.
The most wonderful discovery.
The deepest meaning of our existence.
The healing antidote for the poison of this world.

The trouble is we know about this love
from a distance.  It is all too often just an intellectual concept,
an idea, something we merely assent to in our minds.
The great saints did not merely think about love.
They lived and breathed the love of God.
This is not a burden…it is the greatest blessing available
to you and me.
We simply need to ask Jesus  to reveal the fullness of this love in us.

St Margaret Mary wrote this of one her visions of Jesus…
“He showed me that it was his great desire of being loved by mankind
and withdrawing them from the path of ruin that Satan hurls such crowds of them
that made him manifest his Heart to men, with all the treasures of love,
of mercy, of grace, of sanctification and salvation that it contains.”

The real point is that the heart of Jesus is literally overflowing with
love for all.  But God truly leaves us free to choose our destiny.
There is no greater goal than love…
“Let love be your aim.” (1 Cor 14:1)

So how do we enter in more fully into love?

The greatest commandment says…
“You shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart…” (Mk 12:29)

Why are we called to love with All our heart?

Because on the Cross Jesus was loving us with ALL His Heart.
The heart of Jesus was pierced on the Cross-opened for all- a living fountain of divine love, mercy, and compassion for the entire human race.
This is what we celebrate in the eucharist-the total self-giving love of God.
The limitless love of God that knows no end.

Do you hear the heart-cry of God?
Do you hear the the Love that created you crying
out you now…

“I love you.”

We must meditate on these three simple words and
understand them from within. The key to authentic prayer and
fullness of life is in these simple, profound, radiant words…

“I love you.”

St John says it plainly…
“We love him, because He first loved us.” (1 Jn 4:19)

Let the truth of the this living word set us free.
We can only truly love God when we first let God love us.
I met a simple man once who sang a  song he wrote
to all who would listen…
“Jesus let me-let you-love me.”
Are you and I letting Jesus love us or do we think
his love is something we earn?
True repentance is letting God’s truth and love penetrate every area
of our lives. We do not earn love-we surrender to it.

Love is the key to interior freedom.
Love is the key to prayer.
Love is the key to living.
Love is the key to relationships.
Love is the key that unlocks the treasures of heaven.
Love is the choice to give our entire being to the
one who created, sustains and calls us by name.
Yes, God is LOVE…(1 Jn4:16)
And love is our destiny.

We must rediscover the real meaning of love.
This society trivializes the word.
Love is Jesus dieing on the cross.
Love is the sharing in the divine life of God.
Love is the Spirit of Jesus present now among us.
Love is the New heart of Jesus in us.

The great spiritual master St. Teresa of Avila said…
“The important thing is not to think much but to love much.”

An early Franciscan poet and disciple of Jesus wrote…

“Love, Love You have wounded me.
Your name only can I invoke;
Love , Love I am one with You-
let me embrace You alone…
Love beyond all telling,
Goodness beyond all imagining,
Light of infinite intensity
Glows in my heart..” (Jacopone da Todi)

We can never overstate the glory of Divine Love.

Let us  love in all we pray, think, say, and do.
Let us let God speak his love into the depths of our being.
Let us listen to the New Heart of Jesus in us communicating continually…
“I love you.”

We need never be afraid.  Let the Fire of Love melt the ice that forms in our soul.
Let these life-giving words resound throughout our entire being.
Then we can respond and pray with profound thanksgiving…
“Jesus I love you” over and over from the depths of our hearts.

We love not because we always feel like it-but until we feel like it.
Choose to enter into to love over and over.
Begin again and again. Pray the life-giving words…
“I love you”
with every breath we take.
Let the words transform into the experience of limitless love.
If we truly want this it will happen…

“Perfect prayer is accomplished not with many words but with loving desire.”
-St. Catherine
The words only point us to the reality they lead us to.

What do you think is the heart-cry of Mary and of all the saints who have ever lived?
Their entire being cries out to God…”I love you.” Not just ‘words’ but a total
giving of all that they are into the Divine Love  that is their very life and existence.
This is why St Paul wrote…
“Without love I am nothing.” (1 Cor 13:2)
Christianity without love is a superficial counterfeit of the real thing.
It is devoid of power and authenticity.

When this heart-cry of love truly penetrates our defenses then we understand
the call to..
-forgive 70 times 7.
-to love our neighbor as ourselves.
-to love our enemies.
-to love every human being.

Listen, the New heart of Jesus
is beating with limitless love
in you and me.
Now.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

Spend time every day.
Pray with the New heart of Love.
And contemplate the three words that can
transform us all.
“I love you.”

Jesus with every breath
we choose love without limits.

Amen!

There is a radio show on this subject at
http://www.godsrevolutiontoday.com/radio.html#radio
(scroll down to Show #1.)

In May we will also be beginning  The New Heart
Online School. Check it out at
www.GodsRevolutionToday.com

One Revolutionary Idea

God’s Revolutionary Idea

by John Connelly

The growing number of problems in our world does not look good
for those longing for comfortable times…

-earthquakes and tsunamis
-radiation fears
-financial unrest
-wars
-riots
-political upheaval

But there is something more. More urgent and pressing.
It is the devastating spiritual crisis all around us.
A spiritual crisis that should bring us all to our knees.
The Church is plagued by scandals and corruption.
Christians are still divided and throwing stones after all these years.

In the words of Ralph Martin a well known Catholic author and bridge between Christians…

“The collapse of Christendom in our lifetime has shaken the
Church to its core and is forcing a reconsideration about the
true source of the Church’s power…”

What is really going on?
How can we solve this crisis?

 

Let me ask you a question…
What if God had a revolutionary idea that could renew us all?

One Simple Idea.
One revolutionary idea.

What if there is a real solution to this ongoing spiritual crisis
that can renew and unite Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox,  Evangelicals
and countless searching souls in our world today?

There is.

The New Heart of Jesus
Living in you and me.

Imagine A Heart…
Burning with Love
A Heart that shines
Brighter than the Sun
Radiating Truth, Compassion, and Mercy to all
Imagine a Heart that Loves God and all People:
Without barriers or prejudice

A Royal Heart
A Courageous Heart
A Prophetic Heart

A Heart that is:
Pure, Holy, Humble and Wise
A Sacred, Living Heart that Loves without limits
Always and Everywhere

This is THE HEART
Jesus wants to give us all.

Isn’t it obvious… The Church needs a New Heart.
Open heart surgery. A heart transplant.

In the words of a humble disciple of Jesus…
The Church must have…A Heart Burning with Love. -St Therese

This New Heart Burning with Love is God’s Idea.
God’s promise is true. Meditate on following words daily.
They speak to the deepest need in Christendom today…

“I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put
within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart
of stone…And I will…cause you to walk in my ways…” -Ezekiel 36:26-28

We all need the New Heart and Spirit of Jesus…
Clergy.
Laity.
ALL Denominations.
ALL Humanity.
Young and old.
Rich and Poor.
People from every race, nation and background.

-A New Heart burning with the love that can transform us all
from the inside out.
-A New Heart that breaks down the walls and unites us in
Spirit and Truth.
-A New Heart that lives and breathes the life of Jesus Christ in you and me.

There is no program or plan that can do this work.
It is God’s work in us that we all need.
A work that he will do as we humble ourselves in complete
surrender.

“When we come to the end of everything that we ourselves
have done, and can do, then God begins.” -Eberhard Arnold

The fact is this is the moment for the Church to awaken from
slumber. This is the moment the world needs to see Christians
that burn with the fire of God’s limitless love . This is the moment
for us all to unite with One Burning Heart.

Those who believed were One Heart… -Acts 4:32

Over the last 5 years I have been studying and praying
about the New Heart of Jesus in us.

Beginning today I am going to publish this research on this blog
and speak about it on our internet radio show-podcast at…
www.godsrevolutiontoday.com  ( next radio show:April 14, 2011)

I believe this New Heart is God’s revolutionary idea to renew us all.

Here is a few of my favorite quotes about the  New Heart of Jesus…

“We do not hesitate to state emphatically that devotion to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the most effective school of divine charity,
on which the kingdom of God-to be established in the souls of individuals,
in families and in nations -must rest.” -Pope Pius XII (Catholic)

“I have decided to fall in love…with His heart and His heart alone.” Eberhard Arnold     (Evangelical )

“He who finds the door of the heart…finds paradise.” -St John Chrysostom  ( beloved by Orthodox, Catholics)

“The fellowship of The Burning Heart.” -A.W. Tozer  (Evangelical, Protestant)

“Therefore dear brothers and sisters, I invite you all to look with confidence to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus. “ -John Paul II (Catholic)

“Grant, we beg you that our hearts may be perfectly united with one another and with
the Heart of Jesus.” -St John Eudes

Indeed this New Heart of Jesus is the key to unity…
“It is likewise our most fervent desire that all who profess themselves Christians
and are seriously engaged in the effort to establish the Kingdom of Christ
on earth will consider the practice of devotion to the heart of Jesus
as the source and symbol of unity, salvation, and peace.” -Pope Pius XII

So what do we do?
Ask.
Receive.
Surrender our hearts for the New Heart of Jesus with humility and faith.
This is the first step on the journey to the total renewal and restoration
of the Church and Christianity.

This blog and website are now dedicated to helping all people surrender and live the New Heart of Jesus in us.  The time for God’s revolution is now.

The Compassionate One

by John Connelly

I am sitting here in my comfortable North American home.
I look through the  technological window called a computer
at pictures of absolute devastation.
An earthquake of epic proportions in Japan.
Death. Sorrow. Unspeakable pain.
People wandering dazed through an apocalyptic landscape.

So I pray this morning and I listen to the Compassionate One.
Why all this suffering Lord?
And I sense he replies…
“I want everyone to know that life here on the earth is insecure and brief. You never know when your time will come and you will be swept away to meet me face
to face. Suffering and pain are meant to lead you all to My Compassion. You must not look away from the suffering
of your brothers and sisters.

Allow My Compassion to fill you.
True prayer will make you sensitive to My Compassion.
Look and see through My Heart. I burn with Love for all. I am
present in the midst of all human suffering and you will find me
there.”

Yes, Lord I want to be a compassionate one.
I do not want to look away from my suffering brothers and sisters in
Japan and throughout this broken world.
Consume me with Your Compassion.
Light a fire in me that burns away the wall I place between me and suffering
of others. As St Francis prayed…
“Let me feel in my heart, as much as possible, the love with which you the
Son of God were inflamed.”

Brothers and sisters we are called today to intercede in prayer and to
allow our hearts to be transformed into the Heart of Jesus.
The human race stands on the edge of a great cliff called eternity.
So many are unprepared for the great leap.
So many have ignored the Voice of Compassion and have chosen
the voice of death.
So many look at the suffering of others and turn away to another
momentary pleasure and distraction.
This is not the way of Christ. Our call as Christians is to become
the living compassion of Jesus in the world.
Compassion literally means to share the pain and the ‘passion’
of others. To let their life and their suffering enter into our heart.
In order to be compassionate we need to meditate on Jesus suffering
and forsaken on the Cross.

On the Cross Jesus suffered with and for every single human being.
He feels our pain and sorrow. He consumes the sin, degradation,
and brokeness of the human race in the Saving Mercy of
God. He does not eradicate all suffering but transforms it through love.
He alone truly loves every single human being and can say…
“I am the Compassionate One who knows your pain and calls
you by name.”

A Christian is a person like you and me who allows the living
compassion of Jesus to transform their life completely.
One of my many inspirations on this path is Chiara Lubich the
foundress of the Focolare movement. It is a Catholic based community
dedicated to authentic renewal, compassion, and unity in the body of Christ.
She writes…
“I feel in my heart the passion that fills your heart for the forsakeness enveloping the whole world. I love everyone who is sick and lonely…
Who will console their weeping?
Let me be in this world, my God, the tangible sacrament of
your love: Let me be the arms to embrace and transform into love all the loneliness of this world.”

Let us join ourselves in prayer with The Compassionate One.
Let us embrace our suffering brothers and sisters in Japan
and throughout the whole world. May we all learn True Compassion.

Destiny Calls Us!

by John Connelly

We are facing an Epic Crisis.
A crisis…
- vast in scope
- massive in its ramifications
- stunning in its implications.
A crisis that affects every one of our lives right now.

There are heroes and villains.
There are stories still to be written.
There are choices to be made.

What is this crisis I speak of?

It is everywhere. All around us now.
A battle between light and darkness, good and evil.
A battle of living ideas and invisible but real spiritual forces.

What is really happening in our world?
What lies beneath the surface of modern culture and ideologies?

A Great Rebellion. A rebellion that seeks to exterminate goodness, light
and compassion. A rebellion that distorts the nature of human beings in
a never-ending quest to destroy them.

How do we explain …
- Violence and war?
- Exploitation of innocent children ?
- Political and economic corruption ?
- A culture of celebrity gossip and media manipulation
hell-bent on the moral corruption of the masses?

How do we explain the loss of  sacred values, the systematic corruption of youth,
and the growing sense of decay and impending doom that permeates the
modern landscape?

It is simple really.
We have turned from God. We have turned from the True Light.

We have turned to The Great Liar- who’s insidious lies now fill the world.
We have been seduced, manipulated and corrupted.
We have learned to love trivialities, wanton pleasures, and hard-core vice.
Virtue is left homeless-as this world continues onward toward the abyss.

Jesus said plainly…
Wide is the path that leads to destruction and
narrow the way that leads to life.

The way to life is narrow because it is the way of authentic Love.
The way of heroic, unending love. A love activated by faith.
A love that demands a response. A love that
fights a very real battle against a very real evil.

The way to destruction is easy  because all we have to do
is drift with the tide of this modern culture. Kick back…relax…
turn on the Zombie Box day after day.

The crisis we face heightened because we no longer see the real nature of this
battle.  It is life and death. Has not the past 100 years taught us the serious implications
of human passivity? Evil is relentless.
Wars that have killed million and millions time and again.
Genocide. Fear. Civilizations in collapse. Abortion.  This is not our imagination.
The horrors unleashed on humanity are all too real.
We have become all to passive as pleasure subverts the radical call to prayer and loving union with God.

So you and I are now called to fight the good fight.
We are called to take up our cross and go to battle.
We are called to burn with love while this world is being covered in ice.
The ice-cold void that is promoted by those who have
lost their humanity and their soul. Those who promote this rotten,
stinking, Hollywood illusion that vice is virtue and moral corruption inevitable.

Our wake up call is here. You feel it. So do I.
Destiny calls us and his name is Jesus.
You and I are here on earth now for a reason.
You and I are destined to be Sacred Warriors.
You and I are called to face the dragon of fear, hatred, evil and delusion.
You and I are called to become so compassionate, so prayerful, so
truthful, so humble, that the powers of darkness flee before us.

I know what I am saying sounds difficult. This culture makes us all feel stuck.
But Jesus is Mercy. Jesus is Goodness. Jesus is Life, Love, Peace, and the answer to the deepest longing in us all. He knows our weakness and how difficult it is to break free of this culture of corruption.
We are never, never alone.  His Divine Love is real, powerful, and ready to
change us all.

 

Our transformation cannot be accomplished by sheer will power.  It can only be done in us.
Yes, the Church and real Christianity will arise from  complacency.
Yes, we will become the fervent loving people we were made to be.
Jesus is giving us A New Heart and Spirit as the world around us
seems to crumble.

The time is now – and as many tomorrows as God gives us.
The ramifications of this Epic Crisis are unfolding day by day.
Face the Dragon’s Lies with Truth and Love.
The story of your life is not over.
The chapters to come are all that matter now.
Your God, your destiny calls.

Pray everyday like the humble Mary did in the Gospel of Luke…
“Let it be done in me…” (Luke 1:38)

Please pray for me as I am soon to release a new radio show-
and other materials that may prove be my most important work yet.
I am blessed to fight the good fight of faith with you.

There is More!

by John Connelly

Let me ask you a simple question.
Are you really living the life you were meant to live?
(Just let that question marinate in you for awhile.)

The author George Eliot said…
“It is never to late to become the person you were meant to be.”

For awhile now I have been really looking at the way I procrastinate
living my life as …“the person I was meant to be.”
Here is what I have discovered. I don’t take enough risks.
I have not fully embraced the radical call that God has placed within me.

At times I suffer from..“Chickenitis”
(Chickenitis: the art of ‘chickening’ out and avoiding the fullness of God’s call.)

When I was a kid the biggest insult imaginable was to be called a “chicken.”
(Indeed, it is a testament to my guardian angel that the various dares I took to
prove I was not a “chicken”- did not lead to instant death.)

I was not created to be a ‘chicken’ and neither are you.

God is calling you and me to MORE. Much, much MORE.

God calls you and me to become the highest self he created us to be.
To be..
- the light of the world.
- one with the Heart of Jesus in our world today.
- his hands, his feet, his eyes, and his ears.
You and I are called to be Living Torches lighting the way in these dark times.
If we look deep within…. if we listen to God’s still small voice we know this is true.

You and I are called to more.
More of God and less of us.
More prayer and less entertainment.
More quality time with others.
More  risks and less comfort.
More humility and less pride.
More love and fewer excuses.

So what stops us?
The invisible war that takes place in the human heart.

A subtle little voice that says risk is dangerous…my comfort is king…eat, drink, and be merry. This is the voice of death. The same voice that has led countless millions to pain and
destruction all throughout history… The Tempter.

Yes, when we are honest we know…There Is More.
Eternity. Accountability for our lives. The Great Reckoning.

It is time my friends. Time for letting God act within us. Time to humbly ask
Jesus to take complete control of our lives, families, church and world.
Time for the New Heart and Spirit of Jesus to really live in you and me.
(See Ezekiel 36:26-27, Acts 2:17-21)

God is re-creating his people and calling us beyond the white picket
comfort zones we have erected.

Yes, I know this can sound rather intimidating-but look at the alternatives.
- A world  becoming more and more lost by the day.
- People brainwashed by corporate media running like lemmings toward
the proverbial cliff.
-A culture that is all too often manipulative, controlling and  deceptive.
Just look around. We all know this plastic illusion is not the real meaning of life.

So what happens if we actually start to live as the people God created us to be?
-A different kind of Revolution. A revolution from God that cannot be controlled or stopped.
- Mercy and Amazing Grace without end.
-A Divine fire spreading from person to person.
Something better than Facebook, Google, and all that China, Corporate America,
and Globalization have to offer.

I see a people abundantly alive. (See John 10:10)
As St. Iraneus  said long ago…
“The glory of God is a human being fully alive.”
All God’s children becoming fully alive.

Love without limits.
Imagine it.

Life is racing by us. Each day can never be regained or relived.
Every breath is a unique opportunity to begin again to say Yes to God.
Each days journey begins with a single step…

“Yes Jesus…I am ready to be the person you made me to be today.”

Ready For A New Heart?

by John Connelly

What if Jesus suddenly appeared to you and me and every other Christian
in the world?
What if he stood before us  and looked us right in the eyes and said…
“I want to give all my people a new heart.
A heart burning with  Love, Mercy, and Compassion.
A heart of reconciliation, forgiveness and unity.
A heart that will transform Christianity and shake the world.
I want to give you My Own heart.”

Now really think about this. Is that what we truly want? Do we want the Heart of Jesus living in us? Do we want a heart burning with limitless love for God and all people?

It is easy to say yes. But there is a cost. We  must become willing to actually love as Jesus loves. We must be willing to let go of all selfishness,
division and pride. We must be willing to surrender everything and deeply reconcile with God and each other.

Look around at what is happening.
Scandals. Corruption. Confusion. Ego.
Christians remain divided across the world.
What would Jesus say about all this?
Perhaps he would say…

“Judge not or you will be judged. For with the judgment you pronounce on
others you will be judged  and the measure you give you will receive.
Why do you see the speck in your brothers eye
and do not see the log in your own eye.” (Mtt 7:1)

Or…
“A new commandment I give you; that you love one another even as I have
loved you.” (Jn 13:34)

(Of course Jesus isn’t speaking these words to my Church, or my group,
or my life.  Is he? )

We all need to look deep within and examine our lives. Are we a living flame of God’s Divine Love or do we simply mouth the words and love when it suits us?

Only when we truly burn with love will we see the full truth. The truth
that there is only One Body in Christ. The truth that scripture speaks of…
“Those who believed were one heart..” (Acts 2 :42)
One Heart.
What does one heart look like in the world today?

I am not talking about some half-baked ecumenism. I am speaking here
about the renewal of Christendom. The renewal of all who love Jesus and
bear his name.
I am talking about a people who will shake the world with the Love  that
is more powerful than all evil. A love that is limitless, never-ending, courageous, and
daring.
A love that will cause us all to repent of all our personal and historic
divisions, fears, and prejudice.  Yes, it is time to reconcile in Spirit and Truth. The
Bride of Christ is waking up.

Listen to Pope Benedict XVI in recent talk during the Week of Prayer for
Christian Unity…
” The path toward this unity must be seen as a moral imperative, a response to a precise call of the Lord. Because of this, the temptation must be overcome to resignation and pessimism, which is lack of trust in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our duty is to continue passionately on the path towards this goal…”

Note the Popes words… “a response to a precise call from the Lord.”

The precise call of the Lord is…
“Father..May they all be one.” (Jn 17)

This can only happen through God’s action in us. We need to humble
ourselves and truly receive and live with the New Heart of Jesus Christ.

I don’t know who you are or what background you are from.
I only know this. Jesus is present to you right now. He is calling you.
And his Eternal Word is true…

“A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you;
and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you
a heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my
ways…” (Ezekiel 36:26)

Lord Jesus give us all
Your Burning Heart of Love.
Not in mere theory but in practice.
Come renew all Christians everywhere.
Come renew the face of the earth.