The Gospel reading for Sunday’s Mass was about the Transfiguration.

This Lent is different from last year.  I have incorporated more prayer by shutting out the noise and placing a time limit on social media. My commitment to fasting from noise and social media has deepened my prayer time. I use social media as a means to promote my Blog, so by 5:00 p.m. I shut it down. This is a big sacrifice because during these hours I find myself immersed, being entertained by meaningless posts that occupy too much of my time. May the Good Lord grant me favor; I pray that this will become a permanent change.

Purifying Your Mind

A subtle change has entered my mind. When I start to say something unfavorable about another person, the Holy Spirit filters my words. When God clearly is guiding our thoughts, the evidence of holiness is revealed. For instance, the other day during a phone conversation, the person on the other end was speaking critically about someone we both knew. Normally I would with agreed their statements and added to the conversation. But this time I was overwhelmed with anxiety. It was so bothersome that my heart started beating at an accelerated rate.

Listening to those  harsh words spoken distressed my spirit. Only after I ended the conversation did I come to this realization: the Lord is stripping me of uncharitable behavior.

Following these two great apps daily helps me keep my focus on seeking God.

Hollow App

This is my second year with Hollow. It may be a little on the expensive side, but for ninety days you can subscribe for free. I pray the rosary alongside Jonathan Roumie, as well as following The Catechism In One Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz. I’m also listening to Lent Pray 40.

Lately it’s been a bit challenging to complete the rosary, so this app is allowing me to devote more time and discipline to prayer.

Ascension App

Fr. Josh Johnson from Ascension is teaching how to be Set Free: Daily Lenten Reflections to Overcome the Seven Deadly Sins. In the segment on sloth, Fr. Johnson shared a prayer that we should all be praying as soon as  we wake up. He stated that all consecrated religious, including the Pope, pray this prayer daily: “Lord open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.”

The Seven Deadly Sins

Pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth are the seven deadly sins. These sins  are deadly because they are the root causes of other sins that lead to moral corruption. So many lost souls are filled with pride, which opens other doors like greed and envy. Personally sloth has caused my prayer life to become stagnant because of worldly distractions. Lord, deliver me from sloth!

Outward Purging

“Pre diabetic” was written all over MyChart (an online personal medical record). I fight this diagnosis daily, and many times, I lose the battle. This condition can worsen very fast, so now I’m exercising daily. This regimen is new for me, so it takes a lot more discipline. Exercising three or four times a week was the norm, but that’s now changing.

In the last four years I’ve managed to shed 25 pounds, but apparently I need to lose more. Since my favorite foods are all carb-related, it’s been a challenge to bring my numbers down. If I eat too many carbs, it’s followed by a 20-minute walk.

The Getty Museum 

Mikos and Jenny invited us to visit The Getty Museum in Los Angeles. We knew this venture entails a lot of walking, and we also had to climb many flights of stairs. With a slower pace, both Mike and I kept up. And the best part was I was not winded.

In 1974 the J. Paul Getty Museum opened. Its grounds are as beautiful as its art. Sometimes Mother Nature can be so generous; on this particular day she brightened the sky with a crispy breeze that provided spectacular views. Even though this museum is within driving distance, we had never been there. Off the busy 405 freeway, every time we’d pass the museum I’d make a mental note that one day we would pay it a visit. This museum is free of charge, but you do need to make reservations.

The Art

Of course I wanted to see the famous works of Van Gogh, Rembrandt and any religious artwork. What goes through the mind of great artists while they’re painting? Are their hands and minds moved by God? All that I can say is this: All their gifts are from God. Artists, whether they realize it or not, touch so many by their works. On the other hand, we walked into a modern artist’s work. Although it was beautifully done, this artist had been influenced by the darkness of the occult.

Seeing with my own eyes the beauty captured by Van Gogh’s Irises, made me want to become an art critic. But in my non artistic words, it is simply beautiful. Flowers always represent joy, a new life springing, and this is what I received from Van Gogh’s masterpiece. I felt blessed to finally see one of his paintings.

We are in the second week of Lent and, with a lot of effort, I can feel a difference in my spirit. The more I yield to practicing good virtues, the closer I feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I love being in His Holy Presence. There is a gentle peace that can only come from God. Nothing else suffices.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for all the gifts You have bestowed on Your people. May those You have hand picked to make a difference in the world have a great awakening. Lord, we are all a blank canvas, waiting for Your Masterful hand to complete in us the beautiful work  for what we were created. Reveal the gifts You have set aside for us, and may we guard and protect them. Amen.