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God’s Will

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In today’s First Reading, there was one thing that stood out to me. In my daily readings, I highlighted “For the Lord, your God, […] has no favorites [and] accepts no bribes” (Deuteronomy 10:17). 

This struck me at first because, really, how often do we try to bribe God? I certainly don’t! …right? Then I realized that it was pretty often that I had, in my own life, said,  “Lord, if you do this for me, then I will do this for you” and then gotten upset when it didn’t happen. We think, “Of course God wants me to go to Mass every Sunday, so why wouldn’t he heal me.” We try so often to bend God’s will into our will.

Last weekend, I met a man named Roman who asked me if I knew God’s will. I replied, “No, but I am always trying to figure it out.” Roman asked me how I did this. How did I even know where to start? How could I possibly distinguish God’s will from my own? I thought about this for a moment, then told him that while I don’t have it all figured out, I believe it first requires a relationship with God. That means kneeling in prayer, standing and jumping in praise, and sitting in silence with the Lord. I told Roman that a healthy relationship requires constant conversation, that it required sacrifice that would always come from a place of selfless love, and a relationship with the Lord, Our Father, was no different in that regard. 

Then he asked me, “How do you know when it’s selfish instead of selfless?” I immediately had a flashback of the last time I had to stop and be brutally honest with myself. It wasn’t easy. It didn’t come naturally. I even remember trying to justify my behavior and convince God that my will was technically in line with His will. Spoiler, it wasn’t. It was just me trying to bribe God with technicalities and I knew it. So I prayed. I prayed for discernment to recognize and reject the world and then to accept God’s will into my life, even in the smallest of decisions. Then, in reading Scripture, I read a passage that spoke so clearly to me. “But the wisdom from above is pure, then peaceful, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). 

I shared this with the man and we ended our conversation with prayer, but his words continue to stick with me, “How do you distinguish God’s will from your own?” I pose this question to you and go even further to ask, “Do you even try to distinguish God’s will from your own?” If the answer is no, that’s okay! Today is a great day to start.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Laughter

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Today my coworker led our morning prayer and ended with, “Father, all I ask is that we find ourselves laughing today. I ask for nothing more than the beautiful gift of laughter.”

And what a gift it is, being able to feel so free, so joyous, so relaxed, that we find ourselves enjoying laughter. A large part of being able to genuinely laugh (not nervously laugh) is being able to let your guard down, being able to trust the situation you’re in, and being able to trust the people you’re with. Similarly, I find myself laughing with the Lord when I trust in Him. 

How many times have I found myself in some ridiculous situation that would normally be worrisome or stressful, yet I am laughing because I trust in God’s plan, whatever that may be. For example, I was once late to work because there were literally goats on the road and traffic was stopped while people got out of their cars and tried to chase them down. Instead of being upset, I laughed. I laughed because I knew how ridiculous it would sound when I told my boss that I was late because goats had escaped onto the road. I laughed because even though I would be late, I knew that this was a part of God’s plan.

You see, I was having a terrible day before this and, just minutes before, I had started praying in the car. I was just having a conversation with God. I asked for His grace so I could see beauty in the world. What I was given was the beautiful gift of laughter.

In today’s reading, Jacob trusts in the Lord enough to leave his home with everything he owns and everyone he loves. Then, he is greatly rewarded by the joy of seeing his son. I can just imagine his overwhelming joy, the tears as he laughs. His trust in the Lord’s plan, in the Lord Himself, means the beautiful gift of laughter is able to enter his life. 

So, today, pray for the gift of laughter. Allow yourself to trust in God. Drop the guard around your heart and… Just laugh.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Be Childlike

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Today, on the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we get a glimpse of what it must have been like raising Jesus. Kind of nerve-wracking, if you ask me. Jesus, my son, the Son of God, lost for three whole days??? I can’t even imagine! Still, in this Gospel, we are humbled by the voice of a child, so calmly knowing that he is his Father’s child. 

Last weekend, I met someone that was sharing her humbling experience of raising faith-filled children. She shared with me that the other day her daughter started a sentence with, “Mommy, I had a vision while adoring Jesus and I was wondering…” and it was at that point that she knew she was out of her depth. She knew that she would be relying on her Father, Our Father, to raise this little, prayerful child. If anything, she strived to have the child-like faith and relationship with the Lord that her daughter had!

This little one, as well as young Jesus, are such wonderful examples of how we should be young in spirit when it comes to our relationship with the world. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus says, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” 

How do we do this? How can we be like holy little children? How do we come to be so comfortable in our Father’s house that we lose ourselves?

I believe the biggest components of this are the following two things:

  1. Share your life with the Lord! 

Whether you’re celebrating, worried, or needing guidance, just spend some time in community with God. You don’t have to start with three hours in adoration or a special chair for prayer, it can be small. It can be while you’re driving to the grocery store, as you wash the dishes, or even when you’re taking a shower! The main thing is to just begin that open communication of sharing your life, all the joy and heartaches, with God.

  1. Have the strength to rely on God, your father. 

So many times, we push ourselves to the limit trying to be the best, to do the best, and are then let down when our best doesn’t feel good enough. But, like children, we must remember that we are not alone and we are put in community because we are meant to ask for help. Children will raise their arms to the sky as a signal to pick them up or that they need help, and we can do the same. In fact, even in 2 Corinthians 12:9, we are given the words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This means that the power of God does not rely on our power, because truly we have none. We are weak and that is OKAY because it is through HIS grace, HIS love, HIS power that we are able to do such glorious things and experience true joy. 

So take some time to share your life with God. Tell Him about your work week while you fold laundry. Surrender your exhaustion to the Lord. Ask Him to strengthen and guide you. 

Start the conversation. Accept God’s strength. Be childlike. 

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Our Mission Statement

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In today’s Gospel, we are given a mission to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel to every living creature (Mark 16:15-16). This is not a mission of preservation. This is not a mission of selection. It is a mission that extends to every living thing. 

Do your actions speak God’s love and truth? 

This is the question we should ask ourselves on this feast of the Ascension because Jesus did not leave us with a shrug and a happy wave, but with a burning passion to share everything we have learned.

Not only did he leave us with a mission, but he left us with a guide! In the First Reading, we hear mention of the Holy Spirit and in the Second Reading, we hear of the Holy Spirit once more. The last of the Trinity, to stay with you and me forever, come Pentecost Sunday.

Savior Jesus Christ, 

You shared so much with us while on Earth, 

And in ways that we could share with others for generations.

We thank you for laying down your life for our sins. 

You forgave a debt we have yet to understand, in total mercy.

Today we celebrate your most glorious Ascension,

Showing us, again, God’s power and infinite love for us.

We also thank you, Jesus, and our Heavenly Father,

for sending us your Spirit to dwell with us in your physical absence.

Come, Holy Spirit, ignite the passion of our hearts, 

May the embers of our heart burn for our mission. 

Amen. 

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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Does This Shock You?

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Can you imagine? In today’s First Reading, we hear of Peter traveling, performing miracles, changing people’s hearts, and people having conversions of faith.  After seeing these kinds of miracles, or hearing them from your friends and family, it would be so much easier to believe. All the proof, the first-hand witness, is right there in front of you. That seems simple enough, right? 

Well… maybe not. 

During the season of Easter, we get to spend quality time with the disciples and Christ Jesus. We get to relive exactly how they felt about Jesus’ resurrection, complete with the awe, the shock, the terror, the… total disbelief. We, again, are reminded that the things that we take for granted as biblical facts, were kind of crazy at the time. 

Today’s Gospel picks up right after Jesus tells his followers that they will need to literally eat him, Jesus, to attain eternal life. Ya know, like the best thing since sliced bread. 

The disciples are, unsurprisingly, concerned with the fact that NO ONE is going to accept this, especially as a core belief. I just imagine a man sitting behind Jesus spitting out his wine, the women in the crowd exchanging looks, and Saint John saying, “I’m sorry, we have to what??” 

John’s Gospel puts it mildly, saying that “many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said, ‘This saying is hard; who can accept it?’” to which Jesus replies, “Does this shock you?” (John 6:60,62). In reality, I’m sure there was a large uproar because I don’t know about you but, yeah, I definitely would have been shocked, even if I HAD already seen Jesus rise from the dead and perform miracles. 

Of course, Jesus recognizes that this sounds like a lot and knows that he will lose many followers, yet he does not change his stance. He does not say, “Oh, too weird? I was kidding. It was a test.” He then asks the twelve disciples, “Do you also want to leave?” 

Occasionally, we are asked this same question. Maybe it’s the loss of  a loved one, the loss of a job, or the loss of faith.  I know there have been times when I asked myself, “Do you want to leave?”

But when you remember, truly remember, everything that God has given us, all the hope, all the love, all the forgiveness… I can only hope that you, like myself in the past, answer in Simon Peter’s words: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69). 

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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You are Witnesses

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I was talking with someone the other day, laughing about how often Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” and, “Do not be afraid,” in the Gospels because it’s not just his way of greeting people, it’s that Jesus would do crazy things (like randomly appear) and frighten people! 

Then, in today’s Gospel, we are reminded just how human the disciples were. We might read over the gospels and think, “Yup, Jesus turned water into wine. Yup, walking on water, he does that,” but we fail to truly consider how utterly amazing and confusing it would have been to witness all of these miracles. If we saw anyone do these kinds of things today, we would totally lose our minds, record it on our phones, share it with everyone we know, etc. Why do we expect anything less human from the first Christians?

So I LOVE today’s Gospel because it literally says that they, “thought they were seeing a ghost,” because I would have acted the same way (Luke 24:37). Just imagine for a moment that you’re telling your best friends about walking with Jesus, then recognizing him while breaking bread and then he just SHOWS UP. “Peace be with you. It’s just me, Jesus… Alive.” No big deal, right? Jesus told them he would be back, right? 

And yet they were still surprised!

They were still shocked and terrified. 

Still, they had the faith and strength to witness not just one miracle and run away, but to become witnesses of Jesus, the radical love he showed even the least of strangers, and to share everything they had learned with the world. They were so on fire with the Spirit, from seeing all this crazy stuff happen through Jesus, that they felt they HAD to share it with others. 

So today, as we continue through the Easter season, I ask if you have been a witness to the miracles that have happened in your life? Now that Jesus reminds you not to be afraid, are you sharing his love and miracles?

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Freedom

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“And the truth will set you free” is a phrase we often hear thrown around in movies but did you know it came from Jesus himself? I didn’t. 

It wasn’t until I was reading today’s Gospel reading in which Jesus says, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” to his believers (John 8:32).

Their response, much like my response would have been, is one of confusion because they have never been enslaved.  Weren’t they already free? Aren’t we already free? But Jesus goes on to explain that it is through sin that they, and we, are slaves. 

As we sin, we become slaves to the actions, the inactions, and the impulses that cause us to turn away from God. It is through Christ’s goodness, our Heavenly Father’s favor, that we find ourselves more free than we could possibly imagine. 

Living a life of love and mercy provides us with a joy that will pervade all of our actions. We know this is true because how many hearts have we met that are on fire for the Lord and have that bright glow around them? Just being near them, you feel joy in the Lord. Just by joining in prayer and praise to God with them, you can feel the freedom of peace and of love. 

So today, as we stand only days from Holy Week, I ask you… 

Will you choose freedom?

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Listen and Move

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“If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

Today’s Responsorial Psalm fits perfectly into my life, with yesterday being my last day at Diocesan and saying a scared, “Yes,” to God’s voice calling me to work with Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic charismatic renewal organization. 

So today I sit here, having just moved from Michigan to Pennsylvania and while I have heard His voice and allowed Him to move me where His Church needs me… I’m kinda terrified!

It takes an intense kind of faith and trust in the Lord to be brave, to have the strength and awareness to say yes to God’s wonderfully laid plan, not just your own. It’s the kind of faith that really makes you stop, look at your life, and remember that everything that has led you to this moment of faith, this moment of trembling trust, has been a part of a greater plan for you. 

Looking back at your life, you can begin to see the patterns, the way lost love can help you reprioritize, the way lost jobs can help you grow, the way lost faith can help bring you closer to God. These challenges can often give way to such a greater life and love if we only trust in God. 

This Lent, make the time to hear our Father’s call to you. 

The first step is just silencing your world enough to hear His voice.

Then listen. Truly listen. Hear Him out. 

He has beautiful plans laid out for you, His child.

Join me in praying:

Heavenly Father,

You call us by name from the path you have laid for us.

You know all and invite us to fall deeper into faith, deeper into love.

We ask you to speak to us through others,

Speak to us through the silence, 

Speak to us through the breeze, through the rustling of leaves.

Let us hear your calling out and open, not harden, our hearts to You.

Give me the strength, the faith, the trust, to take the first step to saying yes.

You have such beautiful plans for me,

More beautiful than I could ever know.

Let me hear you, Lord. 

Amen.

Click here to learn more about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the US or click here to find a group near you! 

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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The Good From Within

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“Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile” (Mark 7:15).

These words, powerful words of Christ Jesus, shake the cage I have recently placed myself in. In such a time of emotional, political, and physical anxiety, it is easy to place oneself in a separate place from the turmoil. I have heard many people tell me that they are becoming more secluded, physically and emotionally, due to all of the hurt and hate they are witnessing across the globe and in their own lives. They find themselves angrily lashing out, letting sadness and anger win, leading to both destructive conversations and self-destructive actions. 

Over a year ago, Pope Francis tweeted, “Loneliness is not overcome by closing in on ourselves, but by crying out to the Lord, for the Lord hears the cry of those who find themselves alone.” 

Today, nearly a year into a pandemic of loneliness, we are once again reminded that everything we are witnessing in our lives does not and should not be the way we give witness to our faith. 

Today’s reading reminds me that I am in control of my actions, of my reactions, even when I feel as though my situation is out of my control. I am reminded that I, as a truly beloved child of my Almighty Father, can only control how I respond to outside forces. Only I can decide the amount of love I put forth onto others and I can make this decision no matter what is happening around me. I am reminded that it is not the turmoil of the world that decides for me, but the strength of my faith and promise of love. 

In a world where so much feels and truly is out of our control, it is up to us to decide whether we allow the peace and joy of our God to shine from our words, our thoughts, our interactions… We can choose not to let our own sadness and anger bleed into others’ lives. Either way, we can no longer tell ourselves that it is the world that turns our hearts away from the Lord. 

As we reflect upon this and stand a week from Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, I ask you to think of your words and actions. Make the conscious effort to reflect your loving God in all that you do. Give a true witness to your faith to those around you. Do not let the sadness, fear, and anger win.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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New Wine and Fresh Wineskins

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On December 12, 2020, I gave my life to God.  Again.

Reflecting upon this realization that I was promising to do God’s will, not my own, yet another time in my life, I wanted to consciously be active in this dedication. In the past, I have said the same words of promise to God, then gone home from the retreat, the conference, the Mass, and continued my life. MY life, not His. 

In today’s Gospel, we read:  “No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” (Mark 21-22)

Similarly, I cannot continue to pour my renewed devotion to God into the same wineskin. I cannot continue my ways. I cannot act as though this miraculous, beautiful moment of encounter with the Lord does not require complete change. Instead, I must pour myself into a new wineskin. A new way of holding and presenting myself. 

I often recall Pope Francis’ call to the millions of youth gathered in Poland at World Youth Day 2016 as he said, “The times we live in require only active players on the field, and there is no room for those who sit on the bench. Today’s world demands that you be a protagonist of history because life is always beautiful when we choose to live it fully, when we choose to leave a mark.”

Therefore, I cannot sit still. I cannot continue down the same worn path, the same unenthusiastic living. It’s unauthentic. It is not actively living God’s will. It is selfishly hiding and hoarding the joy that I have been given. 

I ask you, my brother or sister, are you celebrating new wine? Are you placing your new wine in the new wineskins of new joy, new practices, new selves? Where are you placing your new wine? 

Read Pope Francis’ World Youth Day 2016 message in full by clicking here or watch the video by clicking here.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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The Book of Habakkuk, Today

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The first thing I noticed about today’s First Reading was that I had no idea that Habakkuk was even a book in the Bible. The second and more important thing I noticed was how, upon a more reflective reading, it shook me to my core. The image I chose for today’s reading is a perfect portrayal of my reaction to today’s first reading.

It hit me in my soul.

Maybe it’s the Book of Habakkuk that’s got me feeling poetic, but the following words rang true in the same way echoing church bells make everyone pause for a moment.

LORD, you have appointed them for judgment,

O Rock, you have set them in place to punish!

Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence

while the wicked devour those more just than themselves?

(Habakkuk 1:12,13b)

Oof. These last few months have been so much turmoil and confusion on all fronts that it leaves one wondering why our rock, our Lord, seemingly stays silent.

However, this passage is not meant to be read alone and taken out of context. In fact, I went on to read the entire book of Habakkuk (it’s only three chapters) because Habakkuk’s laments are all about questioning God about why he does not stop evildoers. God then responds to Habakkuk with His own reasons, explanations, and a hopeful prophecy. One of these explanations is that while God may allow imperfect people and corrupt situations to occur, they exist to bloom goodness for His people.

What does this mean?

It means that God allows injustices because they can lead to change and something better.

It means that the bad will pass, good can come of it, and as the last lines of the Book of Habakkuk say, although there is bad in the world, “I will rejoice in the LORD and exult in my saving God” (Habakkuk 3:18).

~

If you’re interested in learning more about the Book of Habakkuk, watch this neat video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPMaRqGJPUU. It’s surprisingly relevant!

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Fighting for Good

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For the most part, I am someone that avoids confrontation. I don’t like making a scene and am terrible about internalizing arguments instead of being vocal. More recently, I have had conversations with friends and family that I would have shied away from. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that he has, “come to bring not peace but the sword,” something that we often forget. From my own experience, I’ve found that many people view religion as a set of beliefs that lead one to pure happiness and inner peace. They don’t understand that Catholicism is not about selfish happiness and inner peace. While joy and peace may be byproducts of wholehearted faith, but they have never been the goal. The goal is to do the work of God, even in difficult times and amidst battles. Yes, battles. 

In order to fight for your beliefs-to fight for your God-you may have to actually fight. You cannot take a back seat to your life and the world around you then complain. In fact, our Catholic faith is very much focused on community and how we all play a part in a much larger picture. We play a part in others’ lives. We are called to serve God, help others, and not be selfish in all that we do. We are called to spread the Word of God for the glory of God. Sometimes this calls for confrontation and, most assuredly, the clashing of ideas. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that he has, “come to bring not peace but the sword,” and to put mother against daughter, father against son. This really struck a chord with me because while I’ve had the fortune of spending the last 4 months of quarantine at my parent’s house, I’ve also had my fair share of disagreements with them. These situations in which disagreements arise would have, in the past, kept me silent. 

Now, I know that it takes courage to fight for the lives of others. It takes seeing God in others to fight for even those you cannot relate to, to see their human dignity. In order to find this courage, we must remember that we can always rely on God. Pray with me, today, and ask Him for his guidance. 

Father, I ask you to strengthen my voice against those who do not understand your will. Although they speak louder, do not let me ever fall silent. Son, I ask that you instill in me your relentless truth. May your words be passed through me to glorify you. Holy Spirit, I ask for your guidance in when to speak up and speak out. May you soften the hearts of all those that listen. 

Amen.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.