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Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
Reflections on Faith, Hope & Love.
Love letters to the King...
Sarah Raad
Freelance Writer
When my little niece was born with a rare and severe congenital heart defect, we had no hope other than to prostrate ourselves at the Foot of the Cross and beg for prayers. Somehow, in the days and weeks and months that followed, by Grace and the Infinite Goodness of God, my faith, the size of a mustard seed grew into a tree. Now I pray that this faith, which is such a new and glorious gift for me, will shelter others and give them hope in the Goodness and Love of God.
Finishing
I am reminded to offer just that little bit extra. Because perhaps – for God – that is the best bit!
Sarah Raad
3 hours ago3 min read
Adoration
“My Lord and my God.”
Sarah Raad
1 day ago2 min read
Prayer
If I cannot thank Him by working, then how ungrateful I must be…
Sarah Raad
2 days ago3 min read
Forget
I have come to realise that I am called not to remember myself, but to forget…
Sarah Raad
3 days ago3 min read
Friends
“‘I say to you, my friend, arise and walk’ (Mark 2:9), leave that narrow life which is no life at all.” (Saint Josemaria, “Christ is passing by”, at 93).
Sarah Raad
4 days ago3 min read
Habits
I am able to form habits – of virtues or vices – all based on the things that God send my way.
Sarah Raad
5 days ago3 min read
Start
“Lord, here I am in my wretchedness and frailty, a broken vessel of clay. Bind me together again, Lord, and then, helped by my sorrow and by your forgiveness, I shall be stronger and more attractive than before!” (Saint Josemaria, “Friends of God”, at 94-95).
Sarah Raad
6 days ago3 min read
Care
“And Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?’” (Luke 6:11).
Sarah Raad
Dec 31, 20253 min read
Peace
“A secret, an open secret: these world crises are crises of saints. God wants a handful of men 'of his own' in every human activity.” (Saint Josemaria, “The Way”, at 301).
Sarah Raad
Dec 30, 20253 min read
Quickly
“Go quickly to Confession…” (Saint Josemaria).
Sarah Raad
Dec 29, 20253 min read
Absolutely
My Beloved gives absolution absolutely. And today I can think of no greater miracle than that!
Sarah Raad
Dec 28, 20252 min read
Mother
“How villainous has been my behaviour and how unfaithful I have been to God’s grace. My Mother, Refuge of sinners, pray for me. May I never again hinder God's work in my soul.” (Saint Josemaria, “The Forge”, at 178).
Sarah Raad
Dec 27, 20253 min read
After
This pouring out of the Holy Spirit unites us to Christ and makes us acknowledge that we are children of God.” (Saint Josemaria, “Christ is Passing By”, at 87).
Sarah Raad
Dec 26, 20252 min read
Contrition
I feel such contrition, because it seems that I never thought that perhaps that was the reason that God entered time and space on this day Twenty Centuries ago…
Sarah Raad
Dec 25, 20253 min read
Distance
“The God of our faith is not a distant being who contemplates indifferently the fate of men…” (Saint Josemaria, “Christ is Passing By”, 84).
Sarah Raad
Dec 24, 20253 min read
Quiet
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” (Victor Frankl, “Man’s Search for Meaning”).
Sarah Raad
Dec 23, 20253 min read
Personal
Understanding the personal nature of my relationship with God means that I can understand how God loves me PERSONALLY.
Sarah Raad
Dec 22, 20253 min read
Lunch
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:26-27).
Sarah Raad
Dec 21, 20253 min read
Slaves
It is with great shame that I think I have spent a lifetime seeking idols to worship rather than slaves with whom to pray…
Sarah Raad
Dec 20, 20252 min read
Chattering
“You are asking for something that would be harmful to your salvation if you had it – so by not getting what you've asked, you really are getting what you want.” (Saint Catherine of Sienna).
Sarah Raad
Dec 19, 20253 min read
Preach
“Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head.” (Saint Charles Borromeo).
Sarah Raad
Dec 18, 20253 min read
Work
I have found myself wondering over the years how many businessmen become Saints.
Sarah Raad
Dec 17, 20252 min read
Hidden
“Mary, teacher of the sacrifice that is hidden and silent! See her, nearly always in the background, co-operating with her Son; she knows, yet says nothing.” (Saint Josemaria, “The Way”, at 509).
Sarah Raad
Dec 16, 20253 min read
Heavy
“The Cross is not pain, or annoyance, or bitterness. It is the holy wood on which Jesus Christ triumphs... and where we triumph too, when we receive what He sends us with cheerful and generous hearts.” (Saint Josemaria, “The Forge”, at 788).
Sarah Raad
Dec 15, 20253 min read
Near
“Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” (John 19:25).
Sarah Raad
Dec 14, 20253 min read
Worth
My faith has made me strong enough and humble enough to trust in God whether He walks into my home or not!
Sarah Raad
Dec 12, 20252 min read
Lukewarm
“All the graces that I pour out upon them flow off them as off the face of a rock. I cannot stand them, because they are neither good or bad.” (Saint Faustina, “Diary”, Entry 1702).
Sarah Raad
Dec 11, 20253 min read
Time
For now, I must work – for I have no time to waste…
Sarah Raad
Dec 10, 20253 min read
Really
I have been thinking of that – that terrible suffering – as I have been reflecting that I really REALLY want to be a Saint!
Sarah Raad
Dec 9, 20253 min read
Interior
“I see clearly with the interior eye, that the sweet God loves with a pure love the creature that He has created, and has a hatred for nothing but sin, which is more opposed to Him than can be thought or imagined.” (Saint Catherine of Genoa).
Sarah Raad
Dec 8, 20253 min read
Temple
“‘‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:14).
Sarah Raad
Dec 6, 20252 min read
Sensed
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.’” (Matthew 19:26).
Sarah Raad
Dec 5, 20253 min read
Darkness
If I died tomorrow, then that is because my death at that time and place would result in the best possible ETERNAL outcome for myself and my children and perhaps for a million billion other souls.(Matthew 19:26).
Sarah Raad
Dec 4, 20253 min read
Plentifully
God does not need to receive anything from me. But I need to give everything to Him.
Sarah Raad
Dec 3, 20253 min read
Company
“It is in the company of Jesus that you work for the glory of God.” (Saint John Baptist de la Salle).
Sarah Raad
Dec 2, 20253 min read
Acts
Those acts (exhausting as they are) are the tools of my love…
Sarah Raad
Dec 1, 20252 min read
Fortitude
“Fortitude is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1808).
Sarah Raad
Nov 30, 20253 min read
Repent
There is a perfect example of humility given to me with love by the Father, and instead of repenting of my sins, I spend my days trying to justify them…(Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1808).
Sarah Raad
Nov 29, 20253 min read
Regret
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” (Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta).
Sarah Raad
Nov 28, 20253 min read
Innocence
It is estimated that Saint Peter Claver personally baptised over three hundred thousand people.
Sarah Raad
Nov 27, 20252 min read
Stages
“There are in truth three states of the converted: the beginning, the middle, and the perfection. In the beginning they experience the charms of sweetness; in the middle the contests of temptation; and in the end the fullness of perfection.” (Pope Saint Gregory the Great).
Sarah Raad
Nov 26, 20253 min read
Tutor
“If then we have angels, let us be sober, as though we were in the presence of tutors; for there is a demon present also.” (Saint John Chrysostom).
Sarah Raad
Nov 25, 20253 min read
Traitor
“…who became a traitor.” (Luke 6:19).
Sarah Raad
Nov 24, 20253 min read
Bad
Whoever knew that all those little BAD things that I have been doing have created such a chasm between me and my God?
Sarah Raad
Nov 23, 20253 min read
Sickness
I have been blessed with this weakness of mine – more blessed than I could ever realise…
Sarah Raad
Nov 22, 20253 min read
Believe
“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:29).
Sarah Raad
Nov 21, 20254 min read
Dignity
“It is the duty of every man to uphold the dignity of every woman.” (Pope Saint John Paul II).
Sarah Raad
Nov 20, 20253 min read
Word
“‘What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.’” (Luke 4:37).
Sarah Raad
Nov 19, 20253 min read
Trying
“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” (Matthew 25:29).
Sarah Raad
Nov 17, 20253 min read
Bishop
“‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.’” (Luke 4:44).
Sarah Raad
Nov 17, 20253 min read
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