 Without humility, there is no charity...
Over the last weekend I was frustrated when a Turkish football derby was cancelled due to a “serious security threat,” and the national team also postponed its training for some international matches coming up. When you cannot play or watch a friendly sporting event, then your freedom is being taken away. What kind of evil feels the need to get in the way of football?
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 Every week I hear him sing joyfully in church and I could not fall more in love. Six months ago, I don’t think even he’d believe that he’d find himself singing along in church. Six months ago, had you told either of us that we’d be happy to wake up early on a Saturday and spend five hours at church, we would have laughed and said “pish-posh.” Well, Chris is still never excited to wake up early, but when it comes to church now, I see the change in him. He sees the change in him. We have found such a positive home and community in our parish, that we both look towards going to church as almost a weekly medicine to help get us through the week. It’s like a workout—sometimes you don’t feel like getting up early to do your workout, but you know you’ll feel awesome afterwards, and you do.
Last night at RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), we did a trust walk with our sponsors, where they blindfolded us and led us around for a few minutes. It was symbolic of trusting in God even when you’re not sure where you’re going, and even in times when you may be blind.
Dear God, You've shown me incredible pain, only to give me more incredible strength. For this I am grateful. Thank you for blessing me with this beautiful life. I've felt the greatness of your love through my parents, my grandmothers, Chris, my family and friends who've walked with me through rain and sunshine, and even strangers. When I was lost and alone, you hugged me tightly. When it was dark, I felt your warmth. When I fell the other day, you kissed my head as my father did when I fell from my bicycle when he taught me to ride. I saw your beauty in the dandelion I made a wish on yesterday, I heard it in the words of a stranger, and smelled it in the sea air. Because of you, I know my heart is unbreakable, because you made it wholly with your love, which is untouchable. Because of you I know I am never alone. Because of you I know not fear. I pray my mother sleeps peacefully knowing I live with her love. I pray my father sleeps peacefully knowing I live with his wisdom. I pray my brother sleeps peacefully knowing I'll never leave him. I pray all my loved ones know your love, too. I pray my enemies find peace in their hearts. I pray that those who hunger get bread, and those who have bread feel hunger. I've learned to live in your time, and throughout my time on earth I will honour your love in what you've so blessed me with. May those who come to me always feel your love, which is my blood. BIG LOVE & HUGS Love, Justine  Love, Justine was started to inspire folks to love themselves, and thus be able to love one another. Well, I have a confession to make. I'm not always good at practicing what I preach. If you ever heard the way I've criticized myself and how I have judged myself, you might think I'm an awful, miserable person. It's truly terrible and so unhealthy.
 For the last couple weeks, I have found myself continuously praying for peace--peace for myself, for my fiance, and for the world that we live in...especially the world that we live in.
Then, the city that inspires love was infiltrated by hate and terror, which seemed to catch some people off guard; but really should not have been a surprise. I first reached out to family and friends in Paris, and as I awaited their responses, I was filled with anger. How can people cause so much pain and horror against their neighbours? Why can't we stop this? IS is like a cancer that plagues our modern society.  As part of marriage preparation many engaged couples who wish to marry in the Catholic Church attend a weekend retreat, where they have the opportunity to think about and discuss things they've not discussed before--perhaps finances, what values and traditions from their respective families they want to bring to their new family, and even discuss issues they had not completely addressed or resolved previously. It's an opportunity to open up like you never have before, and is sort of a foundation building weekend that has you digging deeper into yourselves as individuals, as well as yourselves as a couple, and thus falling deeper in love with your partner. Even when you think you know everything about your partner, you'll learn something new.
 I recently moved and was delighted to find that there is a Catholic Church a couple hundred meters from my apartment, which means sleeping in on Sundays and still getting to mass on time, especially since there’s an 11:30am mass. This Sunday was the first Sunday since we’ve moved that we were able to attend mass, and I was really excited.
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Photo from marcoverch
