“The closer one gets to God, the simpler one becomes.”

Lent is upon us.  It’s a time of prayer and increased awareness of Jesus and the suffering he endured in order that we all might be saved.  Some people think of it as a dreary, sad time.  I can see how some people might feel that way.  After all, it’s more serious at church on Sunday (no “Alleulias” are sung), people are fasting and not eating meat on Fridays, and giving up things they usually enjoy.  A good friend of mine gave up all sweets, as she does every year.  That would be very difficult for me, seeing as I love, love, love anything with sugar!  Another friend of mine decided to make a greater effort to be nicer to the people she loves, and to try not to lose her temper so easily.

Lent is a time for simpler things, and about making ourselves better. Some of you may have soup suppers at your parish, which consist of a simple meal of soup and bread. Maybe you prepare simpler meals on Fridays, meatless dinners without all of the extra trimmings.  Others decide to keep it simple by going out of their way to do things for other people, things they might not normally do.  Maybe some of you make the effort to go to Mass more often.  Definitely, praying more is a simple but wonderful thing we can do during Lent to make us more aware of Jesus.

A funny thing happens when we get closer to God. St. Therese was right when she said that the nearer one gets to God, the simpler one becomes.  When you love God with your whole heart and strive to make Him a part of your life in all things, all of the time, you become simpler, more childlike.  St. Therese always said that she wished to be little, like a child, simpler.  She said that being childlike is the way to get to Heaven. What does it mean to be “childlike”? Well, children are trusting.  They trust that Mom and Dad love them and will take care of all of their needs. Both children and adults can also be that trusting with God, our Father.  We can trust that He will take care of all of our needs, even if things look bad and we don’t exactly feel that God is near.  He is, and He wants you to put simple trust in Him for everything.

Children also love unconditionally.  Think of a baby who needs her mother to meet every need of hers.  She loves her mother no matter what; even if Mom forgets to change her diaper (oops!) or lets her cry a bit too long in her crib (time to nap!).  When the wet diaper is changed or Mom comes in to bring her comfort, the baby is happy to see her.  She loves her even though Mom goofed up or didn’t come running in.  After all, it’s still Mommy, and the baby loves her no matter what.  We should love God in that way, no matter what.  I have friends who have been through very hard times, and you know what?  They love God even more today.  They love him unconditionally and He loves us in the same way.

I know most of the readers of my book, Olivia and the Little Way are children.  St. Therese always wants us to stay that way, using her Little Way to do so.  Sure, we all grow up physically, mentally, and emotionally, and that is the way it is supposed to be. But when it comes to God, especially during Lent, Therese reminds us to be like little children.  The closer you get to Him, you will be simpler.  Life will be less complicated because you won’t let little things disturb you.  You will love God like a trusting child, letting Him take the lead in your life.   “The nearer one gets to God, the simpler one becomes.”

How simple — how little — can you be this Lenten season?


Copyright 2010 Nancy Carabio Belanger

What ordinary things can you do to please God in the grind of everyday life? Make today—and 2010—very ordinary!

“In my Little Way there are only very ordinary things.”—St. Therese of Lisieux

The Little Way.

Much has been written about it over the century since Therese has gone to be with God. Many books have been written, describing the spiritual childhood of this Way of living, of embracing suffering to grow closer to Jesus, of sacrificing one’s desires, of praying for sinners. The little Carmelite nun who never really went anywhere, who prayed for missionaries in her cloistered cell, loved our Blessed Mother, and adored flowers and a fun, innocent prank or two was declared a Doctor of the Church for her teachings. And her parents, Louis and Zelie Martin, were recently beatified, which means they are on their way to sainthood.

All of this fanfare for a simple young woman who only wrote her life’s story because her older sister Pauline (and prioress of the convent) asked her to. Therese was such a good storyteller and Pauline knew the joys and sorrows of Therese’s life should be recorded. (Terribly ill with tuberculosis, Therese penned her story, and when it got too painful to use pen and ink, had to use a pencil instead.)

As 2010 starts out, and the excitement and festivities of Christmas come to an end, life can seem kind of bland as we go back to school and work; very ordinary indeed. Therese said that only ordinary things make up her Little Way. Praying for someone who has hurt us. Not always having the last word. Holding the door open for someone even when we’re in a hurry. A smile for someone who could use it. Ordinary things, but very pleasing to God.

We think Therese is quite extraordinary, but she would never agree to that. She once said, “I am too weak to climb the rough stairway of perfection.” She thought of Jesus as the elevator that would take her to Heaven.

What ordinary things can you do to please God in the grind of everyday life? Make today—and 2010—very ordinary!

Copyright 2010 Nancy Carabio Belanger

When Therese was fourteen years old, something miraculous happened to her during the wee hours of Christmas morning. She had just returned from Midnight Mass with her father and her older sister Celine. In France on Christmas Eve, the tradition holds that children leave their shoes out and their parents put little gifts inside. At fourteen, Therese was a bit old for this, since most children had outgrown the custom by that age. But Therese was babied by her family, being the youngest.

As happy little Therese hurried upstairs to take off her hat in anticipation of searching her shoes, she overheard her tired father say quietly to himself, “Thank goodness that’s the last time we shall have this kind of thing!” Therese stopped what she was doing and did not say anything, but Celine knew her little sister’s feelings had been hurt and she was fully expecting Therese to burst into tears over what their father had said.

But surprisingly, the tears did not come. She later wrote in her autobiography that, in that moment, Jesus came into her heart and did for her what she could not have done on her own: He had made her think of her father’s feelings over her own. So, forcing back tears, she went into the parlor and pretended she hadn’t heard a thing, and acted excited over the gifts in her shoes. She would later write that this Christmas was her “conversion.” The oversensitive Therese existed no more; she was given by Jesus the miraculous opportunity and grace to think of her father’s feelings. She didn’t want him to know she had overheard him, because he was such a loving father that he would never have hurt her feelings on purpose. God’s grace at that moment gave her the maturity to swallow the hurt and try to please her father.

Copyright 2009 Nancy Carabio Belanger

The crowds asked John the Baptist, ‘”What should we do?’” He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none.  And whoever has food should do likewise.”  Luke 3: 10, 11

This past Sunday, in the gray, misty cold of December, my son and I were privileged to attend a hot chocolate stand.  That would have been fun and festive enough at this time of year, but this was no ordinary hot chocolate stand. It was nine-year-old Grace’s second year running a charity drive at the end of her driveway for a local faith-based homeless shelter, Grace Centers of Hope.  On any given night, this shelter, which receives no government dollars, will accommodate between 150-200 men, women, and children who have nowhere else to go.

We were happy to participate in Grace’s beautiful mission.  The thought of a nine-year-old girl with such a loving heart moved me.  A little girl who would stand out in the cold for two hours raising money and donations for those who have nothing must have a very big heart, and she does!

As we pulled up to her house, Grace greeted us with a hearty smile-and the cutest hot-chocolate mustache you ever saw.  Some kind friends of hers were seated with her, helping collect donations and scooping mini Christmas-tree marshmallows into Styrofoam cups of creamy hot chocolate.  Next to the table were many boxes of donations that had already been given.

Handmade signs invited passers-by to stop.  My son and I placed our donation with the others and sipped hot chocolate.  It felt so warm on such a cold, damp day.

“How wonderful of you to do this,” I said to Grace, who also happens to be my son’s classmate and friend.  She humbly grinned a chocolately smile back and adjusted her earmuffs.  I greeted her friends, telling them how nice it was of them to sit outside in the cold to keep Grace company.

Just then, a car drove up.  An excited man got out, smiling from ear to ear.

“I don’t believe it!  A hot chocolate stand?  How cool is that?”

Grace giggled.  “It’s for charity,” she said.  “For the Grace Centers of Hope.”

“Well, I’ve heard of lemonade stands before, but this is really fun!” he exclaimed, as he opened up his wallet and donated generously into a green plastic Christmas bucket with a slit on top.  “What a great thing you are doing!”  The man was still laughing, smiling, and shaking his head as he got into his car and drove away with his cup of hot chocolate.  I think Grace made his day!

I asked Grace’s mom how this all began.

“Last year, right before Thanksgiving, Grace told me she had an idea.  She wanted to give out hot chocolate in a stand like a lemonade stand.  I assumed she was coming up with another scheme to make money, so I told her no,” her mom said.  “But Grace was persistent.   She explained that she wanted to help the poor.  She wanted to give them money and things that they needed but she was only 8 years old and did not know how to do it.  So she figured if she gave people free hot chocolate, they could give something for the poor and that way she could help them.”

Her parents were floored, since they had never discussed the idea before.

“I asked her what made her come up with this idea and she said she had been thinking about it for a long time and it just came to her.  She also said that people want to help more at Christmas time so she thought it would be a good idea to do it near Christmas.   She loves hot chocolate, so she was sure that everyone else would want to help the poor for some free hot chocolate.  If you could have seen her little face telling this to me, you would have known that it was the Lord speaking through her,” she said.

So Grace made a flyer and decorated it, passing one out to every mailbox in their subdivision.  She also gave it out to her classmates at school.

The day finally came, bringing with it snow, freezing cold, and icy, slick roads.  Her mother told Grace not to be disappointed if no one came, since the weather was so frightful.

Grace looked at her mother and said, “Mom, you just have to believe.”

“Sure enough, at twelve noon, the cars started sliding up the hill.  I thought it was a miracle,” her mom said.

She decided to do it again this year, and it was another successful charity drive at Grace’s house.  Her mother told me that this year she ended up with 59 bags of donations and $202.41 to help the poor.

Grace and her friends spread Christmas joy to everyone on Sunday: both to the givers and to the receivers.  By giving away one of her favorite things, hot chocolate, she was able to help give a merry Christmas to the cold and hungry of our community.

Last year, Grace wrote thank-you notes to those who came:

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your donation to Grace Centers of Hope. Together we collected $231 and about 52 bags of stuff! When I got a tour of Grace Centers of Hope everybody there gave me a thank you. I’m glad all of you helped the poor. Thank you for being so generous.

Sincerely,

Grace

“As a family, we would never have taken on this initiative, without her idea, ambition and hard work,” her mom said.  “Even very small children can make a very big difference.  Many families will have a happier Christmas because of Grace.”

As we said our goodbyes, I couldn’t help but think of the Gospel reading we had heard in church a couple hours earlier.  As John the Baptist tells us, even in these difficult times, we can still share what we have with those who don’t have enough.  There is no better way to welcome the Baby Jesus, our Savior, than helping others and sharing our joy.

My son and I left Grace’s charity hot chocolate stand filled with joy; not only to have helped our neighbors in need, but also because a little girl brought us the true meaning of Christmas on a dreary, cold day in December-right at the end of her driveway.

“Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love.”-St. Therese of Lisieux

Copyright 2009 Nancy Carabio Belanger

Alma Mater: Featuring The Voice of Pope Benedict XVI

Scheduled to be released on November 29, this new music album in honor of Our Lady from Pope Benedict XVI will feature His Holiness singing litanies and chants.  He will also recite passages and prayers in five languages:  Latin, Italian, Portuguese, French, and German.  The Pope’s recordings were from his Masses, prayers, and speeches he made on trips abroad.   It’s the first time Pope Benedict will be heard on an album, and this spiritually uplifting collection of music would make a wonderful Christmas present.

But did you know that he isn’t the first Pope to release an album?  Pope John Paul II released two successful albums, one in 1982 and one in 1994.

Also on the album:  one song by the Pope and eight beautiful tracks of modern classical music (with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra).  He will be backed up vocally by The Choir of the Philharmonic Academy of Rome.

His Holiness has loved classical music all his life, especially Mozart. The album is a response to the Pope’s concern that the Church needs to  recover the sacred place that music has in Mass.  We have such a need for music that inspires people and glorifies God.  He is said to have a beautiful singing voice, very soothing.

“The Pope has almost a lullaby tone to the way he sings,” said Colin Barlow, president of Geffen UK, who said that the Pope is extremely pleased with the album so far.

Pope Benedict XVI brings together the talents of both Christians and non-Christian composers (Simon Bosewell from Britain, Stefano Mainetti of Italy, and Nour Eddine of Morocco), representing unity in mankind.

Alma Mater is Latin for “Nourishing Mother.”  How fitting, since a portion of the sale proceeds will go to charity to help provide musical education to poor children around the world!

More information can be found at www.musicfromthevatican.com.

If you would like to hear some of the music, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtfqFMnd9GY

Purchase Alma Mater: Featuring The Voice of Pope Benedict XVI and support CatholicMom.com




Copyright 2009 Nancy Carabio Belanger

“Today, if you hear His Voice, do not harden your hearts…” Hebrews 3:15

Have you ever heard God talking to you? He does, you know, and He longs for you to listen. Sometimes, we’re so preoccupied with going here, doing that, that we don’t hear it. His Voice gets lost in our grocery lists, our work responsibilities, while driving the kids to music lessons, and while packing lunches. Others hear Him, but ignore what they hear. But how can you listen, and really hear the Holy Spirit for yourself?

You must be silent.

This doesn’t just mean turning off your iPhone or the TV. Getting rid of all external noise is a start, of course, and very necessary. But to really listen for God, you must also still your mind. Think about God, and think about how much He loves you and wants to talk to you. Be really, truly silent—with your ears and your heart.

St. Therese, the Little Flower, was good at this. She knew the importance of quieting the mind and listening for His Voice. Sometimes we are so busy talking to ourselves or hearing unimportant chatter of the day from electronics or people around us that we aren’t letting God get a word in edgewise.

Sometimes, though, God speaks to you when you least expect it, and aren’t even prepared for it. This happens a lot to me!

On a grey winter day, in the silence of my car, God told me He had a plan for me: I was to write a fiction book for Catholic preteens, and it would be about St. Therese, my dear friend in Heaven. I was excited, but I had many doubts. Would this be a book kids would want to read? Could it actually be published? What if I got some information wrong about St. Therese? I have to admit that I was plagued by doubt. As many do, I questioned the Voice.

God and St. Therese (who is wonderfully persistent!) had other ideas, however. Because I listened to Him, God made so many wonderful things happen in one year. I know that St. Therese was praying for me during this time, interceding for me and giving me new ideas while I wrote, nudging me along. Last month, I celebrated the one-year anniversary of Olivia and the Little Way, when God made my writing dream come true. In one short year, I’ve had three printings, a Catholic Press Association book award, met hundreds of wonderful, faithful people, and have thousands of readers and fans of my little book. Amazing. And to think it is all because of a Voice.

I love going to book signings and meeting my readers. They tell me their stories about St. Therese, their grandchildren, their parents, their teachers, their children. I’ve been told I have a friendly face, and I like to think that I am approachable. It must be true because people tell me, a person they have just met, their personal stories all of the time! I love to listen. They love to tell. There’s something about St. Therese that brings out so much love in so many people. Some of them have much emotion when they talk about her, and some start to cry. “Little Therese,” as she liked to be called, has had such a powerful impact on so many people.

At one particular book signing this past spring at a church, I sat and chatted with parishioners about my book and St. Therese. The day was very long, and, being human, I started to get hungry and a little tired. Anyone who knows me knows that when I get hungry, I can get a little…crabby. Usually all it takes is a handful of cookies or crackers and I’m back to my old self. At this book signing, I was starting to feel the effects of a long day. I stood up and straightened up the books and St. Therese chaplets on the table, then started to rummage through my purse for a quick snack. While I was doing this, a very old woman came up to the table. Elderly and frail, she stopped and looked at me.

“I do love St. Therese,” she said, her eyes red and brimming with tears.

I sat down, smiled, and asked her to share her story.

She began a halting explanation of how St. Therese had touched her life in many ways. As she spoke, I couldn’t help but notice that the frail woman had not bathed in a long time. While she was talking to me, a parishioner came up beside her and offered to treat her to a copy of Olivia and the Little Way. She was delighted to accept, and was very grateful.

I signed a book for her and watched her hobble away. I felt very saddened because I knew she was poor, but I felt very happy too that she had a loving friend in the parish. She lingered by the church and stared inside while I watched her quietly, feeling something in my heart I could not explain.

It was in that instant that I heard His Voice.

“Give her a chaplet.”

The Voice was as clear as day. It was the same one I had heard before, and I smiled. I glanced at the table, which held books and chaplets with pink rose beads.

“Give her a chaplet,” the Voice said again, very insistent.

I reached over and collected a chaplet and the instruction card that I make to go with it. I approached the lady and held both of them out to her.

“Excuse me, Ma’am, these are for you,” I said.

The look on this lady’s face was sheer joy as I placed the items in her wrinkled hands.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you!” she cried.

“Thank you for coming to talk to me and sharing your story,” I said. Then I thought to myself, You’ve given me so much more than what I have given you.

Listen to His Voice. Do what He wants you to do. Be still and hear what He wants to say to you and you will be amazed, as I was and still am.



Copyright 2009 Nancy Carabio Belanger