I have conscientiously made a promise to myself that I would not use this Blog as a political stance. But I need to share the simple truth about how God operates. Our governor has purchased ads on billboards for women in the seven states that have outlawed abortions. Whether you are Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, these billboards pose a serious offense to God. I have nothing negative to say about Governor Newsom because that’s not the message I’m attempting to convey. He’s committing a grave sin, and our state will pay the price for his actions. According to our governor, our state is a sanctuary state for abortion rights. My mind can hardly take in all this evil. These ads  include a Bible verse from Mark 12:31  (³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. “There is no commandment greater than these.”) To take the Word of God out of context is blasphemous. Governor Newsom’s reprehensible actions reveal his real character. Breaking the Fifth Commandment “Thou Shall Not Kill” is what our governor thinks his campaign is masking by twisting Scripture to fit into his political narrative.

The Ten Commandments

When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, it was a cataclysmic act, accompanied by fire, thunder, earthquakes and lightning (Exodus 20:18-21). The Israelites, who were instructed by Moses to wait at the bottom of Mount Sinai, were aware that Moses was in the holy presence of God. But instead of falling to their knees and praying, they became fearful and impatient, which led them to commit the grave sin of making a false idol. This act was a direct violation of the first and second commandments.

If you believe in God then you will have a better understanding of this story. Several months ago I was diagnosed with tremors. Because this disorder I experience facial movements that I’m unaware of and have no control over. My family and friends were concerned about me. Usually after I post this weekly Blog, I make a cooking video. After reviewing some of these videos I realized that my tremors were getting more noticeable and I needed medical attention.

The Neurologist

Since our daughter Sonja switched careers and is now in the medical field, she was able to schedule an appointment with one of the best doctors in this field. The doctor gave me a battery of simple hand movement tests, and made me get up and walk up and down a long hallway. He announced that it was not Parkinson’s, so both Mike and I were relieved with the great news. He ordered an MRI and though it took several weeks to get the results, it showed no indication that my brain was compromised. When we had our last virtual meeting he gave me several options to reduce the tremors. The first option was to make two small incisions on the top of my head connected with two tiny wires that would feed into a battery that would be placed on the  right side of my upper breast. Option two was botox, but this type of botox would make half of my face droopy.

My Body, My Brain

I’m already taking medication to help with the tremors. This same  doctor prescribed half a pill to be taken in the evening. The half a pill was working out well for me because I suffer from pharmacopoeia. If I dislike taking medicine, I certainly would not want any type of surgery, especially making holes in my head and dropping a pea-sized battery down my chest. So the first option was, “No thank you!” The second option was botox, which sounded great until the doctor went into detail about the procedure.  I would never place myself in that category of women who after having had much work done on their faces they start to resemble lions. So the only other option was to raise the medication to a full pill daily.

How We Are Wired

Mike graciously  informs me when I get triggered. It’s usually when I’m upset or in deep concentration. Though I can’t control the tremors, I can when it is brought to my attention. I can redirect my thoughts and stop them. God has been in the midst of all of this ordeal. I know that when I pray or go into deep mystical prayer my mind is at ease. I feel the peace of God that is inexpressible. I believe that our brains and hearts work together to bring us to a level of spirituality that draws us so close to God that all else becomes secondary.

Through his extensive studies Dr. Andrew Newberg, a leading neuroscientist, has discovered that engaging in 12 minutes of prayer and personal reflection daily have a profound impact on our brains. They strengthen the neural circuit that enhances our social awareness and empathy; it helps us to love our neighbors by developing a sense of compassion and repressing negative emotions. We know what anger does; it isolates us and distorts how we receive others. According to Newberg, anger releases neurochemicals that destroy that part of the brain that controls our emotional reactions.

Our brain was made to last a lifetime; if you have been blessed with brain health you will notice that it keeps giving. I am 70 years old, but my brain is still retaining new information. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve walked into a room and completely forgotten why I went there in the first place. I started to speak out loud the purpose of my intention. For instance, we keep paper towels, canned foods, etc. in the garage. Before I go into the garage I announce out loud, “I’m going to the garage for paper towels.” This action is helping my brain to retain what I was thinking.

According to Dr. Newberg our brain is constantly changing, so we need to develop good behaviors. Our behavior, good or bad, will shape our destiny. Dr. Newberg also said that it is important to listen to 12 minutes of relaxing music every day. Recently, on our drive home from Santa Barbara, we were listening to Bohemian Rhapsody. For almost an entire week I could not get that song out of my head. I’d start to pray the Rosary and that song would taunt me in the back of my head. I had to pray this mindless song out of my brain!

Our brains were created by God; therefore there is a special part of our brain that is used to edify God. Neuroscientists and neurotheologists are working together to discover if there is a “God Spot.” They have concluded that prayer and meditation stimulate multiple parts of the brain. News Flash! I’m not a neuroscientist, but I could have offered that information freely.

The study of near-death experiences is still a beautiful mystery that continues to baffle the minds of neuroscientists. My sister Jo experienced this when she went into labor with her third son Torie. After arriving at the hospital and being examined by a nurse, she was told to go home because she was not in labor. She almost died on the way home, so by the time she returned to the hospital she had lost five pints of blood. Both Jo and her baby were in dire straits. While lying in the hospital bed, Jo experienced something supernatural. A blinding white light appeared over her head. She explained that a-force like tunnel took her up. She spoke to God and said, “Lord, I know I’m going to die, please take care of my boys.” She clearly heard a man’s voice say, “It’s not your time.” People who have experienced near-death experiences have been transformed for the better.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank You for a sound mind. I pray for all those who suffer from memory loss. Lord, help them through this battlefield, and equip their caregivers with supernatural patience and love. Lord, I continue to pray for all those You have placed in my heart. Amen.

Friday I received my EWTN calendar. This beautiful calendar is filled with reminders of the feast days of the saints and holy days that we Catholics celebrate. On October 4th we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi.

If St. Francis were alive today, he would definitely be an ecologist  but his views of the nature were more spiritual than scientific. He viewed everything in creation as a gift from God.

St. Francis was born to a well-to-do family; his father was a cloth merchant who provided the means for Francis to live a carefree life.  As a young man Francis’ heart’s desire was to become a great chivalrous knight, but God had other plans. On his way to battle to join the papal troops he stopped and lodged in the village of  Spoleto. It was there that Francis heard the voice of Christ. The voice questioned him: “Who is more important, the servant or the Master (Christ)?” Francis answered, “the Master.” this encounter changed his life forever. The voice of God instructed him to go back to Assisi. He abandoned his life as a knight, his friends and his family. The major turning point in his life was when he visited the abandoned church of San Damiano in Assisi. As he knelt before the image of Christ crucified, Christ’s lips moved and spoke: “Francis, repair My house which, as you see, is completely in ruins.” Francis did not see the big picture at first. He thought that God wanted him to repair the abandoned church of San Damiano. God wanted him to repair the Catholic Church!

Praying and Fasting

Pam, a good friend of  ours, recently sold her townhouse. Pam was in a quandary about making a decision about whether to move forward to purchase a new home. When these difficult situations surface in my life, I aways pray and go into the Word of God. I usually open the Bible and something pops out at me. To get confirmation, I repeat the same thing going to different parts of the Bible. I told her to pray and go into the Word. I was not surprised when God spoke to her from His Word. The reading  that she received from the Lord was Jeremiah 29:5. God knows the desires of our hearts. He knew Pam wanted a home with a backyard because she wanted to plant a garden. Our friend, filled with joy, signed the papers for her new home the following day.

 “Then one morning about the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, whilst he was passing on the mountainside, Francis saw a Seraph with six fiery wings coming down from the highest point in the heavens. The vision descended swiftly and came to rest in the air near him. Then he saw the image of a Man crucified in the midst of the wings, with His Hands and Feet stretched out and nailed to a cross. Two of the wings were raised above His Head and two were stretched out in flight, whilst the remaining two shielded His Body.”

After this vision St. Francis received the full stigmata, the five wounds of Christ. This ecstasy brought St. Francis deeper into his spiritual calling.  A seraph is a heavenly, human-like creature with wings. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the seraphim holds the highest order in the celestial hierarchy. They are before the throne of God, forever praising Him. The only Bible reference to the seraphim is in Isaiah 6:1-7.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!
    All the earth is filled with his glory!”

⁴ At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke.

⁵ Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” ⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar.

⁷ He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.”

 

Be Transformed

To be filled with this much holiness is beyond my imagination. St. Francis was transformed into the character of Jesus. His passion and love for the human Christ led him to discover giftings that radically changed his life. He loved with the Passion of Christ. He would never take on the role as a radical environmentalist, but spent his time saving souls. He was the saint who introduced us to the first Nativity by bringing animals to watch over the Christ Child. While his village was being ravaged by wolves eating their chickens and goats, St. Francis spoke to the wolves and cut a deal with them. “The villagers will feed you if you leave their farm animals alone.” This is one of the reasons St. Francis is the patron saint of animals.

I always get confirmation from the Holy Spirit when choosing a story for this Blog. My friend Fr. Leonard Mary (EWTN) shared a story about St. Francis in his homily this Sunday. St. Francis was doing his gardening when a passerby asked him, “What would you do if Christ returned today?” St. Francis’ reply was simply, “I would continue to do my gardening.” He had a profound appreciation for nature, and this was one of the many ways he communicated with God. St. Francis was filled with the Passion of Christ, and he was given the special gift of love – the same type of love that Jesus has for us.

Assisi

I love Assisi! You can’t go to Italy without visiting this medieval village. To walk in the holy steps of St. Francis is an experience of a lifetime! It’s been a long time since visiting Assisi, but I plan to be there soon!

My Prayer:

Dear Lord, I pray that You would give us the charisms of St. Francis. May we learn to love as he did. Teach us to appreciate and protect our earth. May we respect all living and breathing beings as St. Francis did. Lord, my prayers remain steadfast; I pray for the healing of Carla, Allie, Ana, Kathy and Mario. Amen!