Category: My Heart of the Matter

Daily Mass is a firm anchor — a sacrifice freely chosen, not merely a habit of devotion. The world’s challenges are real, and they press hard. That is precisely why prayer is not optional but essential. The Devil is not idle; he moves deliberately against everything we hold dear, and the greatest defense is the altar. Grace, received faithfully and daily, is what holds the line.

The Reyes Family

For months now, the Reyes family has been a quiet witness to faithful Catholic life. As a family of eight, they are impossible to miss — not simply because of their size, but because of the unmistakable reverence they carry into the pew. Through the outdoor Masses we have shared in recent months, something genuine has taken root: a community, bound not by convenience but by a common search for peace.

At the Sign of Peace, the Reyes family is unhurried. They turn to one another, offering a gentle kiss on both cheeks — a gesture both tender and deliberate. The peace exchanged at Mass is not merely a benevolent feeling for one’s neighbor, but the peace that flows from Christ Himself. Watching them, that truth becomes visible. In a sanctuary full of strangers, they have quietly become preachers without words — a living homily on the domestic church.

Until this past Friday, our interactions had been limited to the distribution of Holy Communion. That morning, the opportunity came to ask if a photograph might be taken. Carlos, the patriarch, graciously agreed. He shared that he and his wife Patricia are raising six children — three boys and three girls — a family built, as he put it, with God’s help…

Grandparent’s Prayer

The prayer of a grandparent for their grandchildren is not a small thing. While the whole Church has the mission of interceding for all — especially for those who suffer, those who do not know how to pray or have lost their way in life — this duty falls particularly to those in positions of responsibility, such as parents, teachers, or priests. Although often hidden from the world, our intercessions are never hidden from God, who always hears those who cry to Him.

That prayer saturating a family is not metaphor. It is real spiritual warfare, and it matters eternally.

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On Sharing a Birthday with Our Lady of Guadalupe

This is not a coincidence to be taken lightly. The feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated annually on December 12th, commemorating the wondrous events of December 1531. Our Lady appeared to an Indian convert named Juan Diego on December 9, 1531, and left a marvelous portrait of herself on his mantle — a miraculous image that has proved to be ageless, kept in the Basilica built in her honor.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is also known as patroness of the unborn, after appearing to Saint Juan Diego as a pregnant mother. In 1910, Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared Patroness of Latin America, and in 1945 Pope Pius XII declared her to be the Empress of all the Americas.

To share a birthday with such a feast day is a quiet sign of Our Lady’s maternal closeness. She is not distant — she is near, repeating what she said at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5).

My sister Norma and I have been buddies our entire lives. Norma is one of the most interesting women I know. She has been married twice; from these marriages came her four gifts, her children: Freddie, Mario, Leah and Maggie. God has a purpose for each one of their lives.

Arizona

In 2006 Norma and her family moved to Arizona. I was devastated  because I felt betrayed for two reasons: (1) I was not going to see my sister every week, and (2) Norma persuaded our mother and older sister Myra to follow her out of state. Norma wanted a fresh start away from San Bernardino, so she and her then-husband opened a small  Mexican restaurant in Mesa, Arizona. As the marriage unraveled, so did the restaurant.

Our Youth

When we were younger we were always looking for adventures. We were the sweet, clean-cut girls being raised by a single mom. Our mother was, by far, one of the strictest parents who ever lived. She watched us like a hawk, and she had our older brothers in training. Together they made our lives a living hell. Thank you, mom; though it was rough going, we girls turned out fine.

Norma was the baby of the family. She did receive special treatment and attention, but jealousy was never a part of our lives. Though it seemed that Norma was favored, and that our mother cared for her more,  in reality  it was how Norma cared for our mother.  It would take me several years to understand why our mother moved to Arizona, but it was all part of God’s great canvas which He was still perfecting. As our mother’s health declined , Norma became her caregiver. God was training Norma for a new career.

The Caregiver

It is never by accident when our lives are re-directed; rather, it’s a assignment from God. Norma’s love for the elderly has led her to working at Canyon Winds Assistance and Memory Care Facility                                             in Mesa, Arizona. This facility has been rated number one two years in a row. I believe that this place is blessed and protected because of Norma’s prayers and a special covering from the Lord. Norma has recently added to her responsibilities as the assistant activities director. She has developed a wheelchair exercise program for memory care. The best part of this program is the life that Norma brings to the group. Despite her students’ impaired memories, they remember Norma and welcome her with a smile. They recall the words to the songs, and it sparks new activity in their lapsed memories.

Bad Cars Syndrome

Norma suffers from purchasing “Bad Car Syndrome.” With the exception of her current car, all her other vehicles  came with dysfunctional traits and a lot of mileage. Even in this department God has always taken care of my sister; she has never been stranded. Last summer her son Freddie purchased a used Impala, but it, too, had health issues. After a diagnostic check, the repairs were too out of reach for my sister, so she decided to sell the car.

The New Buyer

The car was not on the market for long. A kind man drove from an hour away to see the Impala. Norma shared with the man the repair work that was needed. They made a verbal agreement, but Norma could not find the title: no title, no sale. Norma said that she tore her house apart looking for that important piece of paper. She called the man and told him that she would go to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a duplicate copy. The man kindly agreed to wait because he was very interested in the vehicle.

The Neighbor

When two women and three children live in a neighborhood God sends angels to watch over them. Norma’s neighbor Tim is a hard-working man who watches out for my sister and her family. When my nephew Freddie was layed up after major surgery, he stayed with Norma. Freddie is a friendly guy and quickly took to Tim. Freddie is a servant of God; if you befriend him, you are going to get an earful of Jesus. Freddie had been witnessing to Tim all summer long.

On the day that Norma was to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles, Tim came out to talk to Norma. He asked “Norma, are you selling the car? How much are you asking for it?”  Norma told him the price and Tim responded, “Sell it to me! I will pay you this week.” Norma had already talked to the first buyer and assured him that the deal was done. My sister is a person of her word, and though it would facilitate the sale of the car to Tim, she told him, “I can’t, I promised it to this man.”

After getting the title situated, she called the buyer to arrange a meeting with him on Friday. On Wednesday evening Tim came to Norma’s house and said, “Norma, can we talk about the car?” Norma wanted to explain to Tim that she had already agreed to sell the car. Then Tim told her not to sell the car. He went on to say, “The Lord spoke to me and told me to fix the car for you, so you can’t sell it.” Norma was stunned by two things: she knew that Tim was not a religious man, and why would he do this for her?

God’s Voice

When God speaks to us, He does it so that we will understand Him. His voice stirs several emotions. I know when He speaks to me, my heart starts beating at a more accelerated pace. I know what I’m to do, and until my spirit is free of these emotions, I must do what is asked of me. Norma questioned Tim, “Really, and how did God speak to you?” “I heard a voice, and I felt something in my heart. I knew it was God. He told me to do this for you.” Norma quickly responded that she could not allow him to do this, but Tim insisted. He went on to say that it was up to her, and reminded her that God did speak to him.

Seeing God In All Things

God’s hand was with my sister, and this was a Christmas miracle. God allowed time for the car not to be sold because the title had been misplaced. This gave Tim the opportunity to be used by God. Tim was being introduced as to how God would use him; because he said “yes” his blessings will be many. This is the fruit of my nephew Freddie, who was obedient in sharing the Word of God with Tim. These small seeds produced much fruit, therefore we need to saturate the world with these seeds of love.

My Prayer:

Dear Lord, Thank You for watching over my sister and her family. Thank You for bringing Tim into their lives. We know that there are many Tims in this world who are called to help others. Lord, speak to those who have so that they will give to those in need. Just as You did to Tim, speak to their hearts to do what is right in Your eyes. Amen.

If God is speaking to you to give to others this Christmas, do it without question and you will be blessed beyond measure. God Bless You!

Psalms 118:8  New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

We can all come to the agreement that 2020 should be canceled. The lesson in 2020 is uncertainty and to trust no one. We have all been taken off guard. Any expert can come up with the right explanation, then another expert will refute the findings. For this reason I place my trust in God alone.

Psychological  COVID-19

Any normal human being can catch this mind disorder. This is just an example: let’s say you were around someone who tested positive for COVID-19. They act responsibly and call to inform you, but it’s how you react that will make all the difference. You are either going to believe that you have COVID-19, crawl into bed, make an appointment to get tested, and wait for the illness to take over your every thought. Or you can simply make an appointment for testing.

This is what happened to me last week. I went to lunch with someone who unknowingly had COVID-19. As soon as they found out I received the dreaded call. In a matter of minutes, I quickly started developing symptoms. I shared this with Mike and he, too, immediately became ill. The problem with our psychological COVID-19 is that it spreads. Both Mike and I had to inform our children that Thanksgiving was cancelled due to both of us suffering from psychological COVID. Whether we brought on these symptoms or not, we were not feeling well.

Thanksgiving

Mike pressed through his illness and lethargically put the turkey in the oven. I got up early and sneaked into the pharmacy to pick up some miracle drugs that consisted of: Budesondine, cough drops with zinc, aspirin and we already had Listerine.

All during the pandemic I have been receiving messages from Messenger via my phone: what to do and what not to do if you get the “RONA”. I paid attention to one in particular. Dr. Richard Bartlett, from Texas had been experiencing great recoveries with his COVID-19 patients. He said God spoke to him and gave him a simple way to fight COVID-19. On Thanksgiving Day I went to the local CVS pharmacy. I felt a little guilty because what if I really had it? I wore plastic gloves and was delighted to find that I was the only customer in the store. I could not find the Budesonide, but right before I gave up, I said a quick prayer: “Dear St. Jude and St. Rita of impossible causes, please help me find this medicine.” It was a small miracle; when I looked again there on the shelf were two small boxes containing the nasal spray.  The unusual thing about this was the empty spaces on both sides of the boxes. Then I looked for the Zinc lozenges; they, too, were in a box. I went home and medicated myself and instructed Mike to follow suit. For most of the day we would look at each other and chuckle in disbelief at the thought of not having our family over. It was a quiet Thanksgiving Day. We did manage to film a segment of “The Reluctant Chef” to lift up our spirits.

Our family was not going to be denied the most fabulous meal of the year. Under normal circumstances I’m never allowed in the kitchen, but this year everything is out of whack. Mike had me cut up a bunch of vegetables for the stuffing, and I also prepared the potatoes. Nothing too fancy this year; normally we have potatoes au gratin, but this year plain mashed potatoes. We took our time and rested in between the cooking.

I texted the girls to bring their own plastic containers when they came to pick up the food. Jenny brought over her famous salad, and Sonja brought her homemade mini-cheesecakes and pumpkin pies. We were all forlorn and words could not express my emotions. I saw the sadness in my son’s eyes as they left.

As we have been doing these last nine months, Mike and I sat down to eat our lovely dinner. I never took off  my sweatsuit. I never brought out the crystal  or fancy silverware; the gold chargers, too, stayed in the cabinet. This meant that the clean up was going to be a breeze. Well, it was, until I asked Mike to throw out the turkey carcass. We have a sturdy roasting pan but Mike insisted on using the disposable aluminum type. This time he placed a large cookie sheet underneath in case of any messy, greasy spillage. I knew we were in trouble when Mike came in with a thin trash can liner. “Can you help me? Open up the bag while I put the turkey into the bag,” he asked.  I replied, “The bag is too thin, and it’s already tearing!” Then it happened: the bag broke and the grease went all over the kitchen floor! The 24- pound turkey produced so much grease, and it splattered on the kitchen cabinets as well. Black Friday was clean the cabinets day. I used 409 and for about three hours I sprayed and removed any excess grease stains. I was so proud of my efforts, but when the natural sun light hit the cabinets I could clearly see where I sprayed the 409; it stained my beautiful cabinets! I yelled, “Mickey! Something happened and I need your help!” This was a Lucie Ricardo moment. Mike was in the middle of a football game and was greatly irritated with the sound of my screeching voice. He stopped watching the game and went to Home Depot to purchase some heavy duty oil to fix the problem. He spent most of Sunday oiling the cabinets.

Black Friday Test

We both welcomed the morning with what we felt was a healing, but to be on the safe side Mike decided to go for a rapid test. I made another appointment to be tested on Sunday. Mike’s test came back negative and it was over…for now anyway. How is it that we are all taking these tests? Who do we trust? How do we know that the test results are not being messed with, to keep us in fear that we need to continually get tested? Who is profiting from all the money from the testing?

I decided to get tested, and this time it was with a real doctor. I asked the doctor what the survival rate was? She replied that it was 99% recovery, with the exception of the elderly and those who suffer from underlying health issues. We are all stuck in this rut of testing and before this pandemic is lifted, don’t be surprised if we’ve gone through at least ten tests per person.

Be Gracious

When someone who you have had contact with has COVID-19, be gracious. Don’t become judgmental. implying that the person was reckless and making them feel like the illness originated from them. The feeling of remorse is already being displayed when they inform you. Be responsible and get tested. Don’t catch psychological COVID-19 because until you’re tested, you don’t know.

My Prayer: Dear Lord, please give us a better understanding as to when this will all be over. Protect us from being overtaken by fear. Teach us to draw closer to You and, when we feel anxious, remind us how much You love us and want to make us whole. Amen.