Looking Through Windows of Grace 1-18-21

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Summer Imaginings Can there be anything better than to enter ino the glory of a summer's day to enter its freedom and grace allowing ourselves to discover that secret place where children know to go where freed from worry and fear and the heaviness of life we un-hinder our hearts and dare to dream where peering into the blue sky we allow our hearts to believe that anything can be where clouds come and go like the characters of a play teaching us of life and inviting us to play In this place of great imaginings we pray without words... encountering God as if in divine contemplation collecting grace as petals strewn before a bride confirming anew the wonder of being alive It is here that we become the little ones of God following Him with hearts filled with awe captured by His grace and the mysteries discovered by our souls discovering that we are being held by unknown hands safe and free and happy Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty A Summer's Prayer Nourish me, O Lord Let the grace of summer enter into my soul Let the fragrant breeze refresh the gentle rains restore the songbirds serenade all that is tired and worn Free me from my self-imposed prison so like a butterfly on a carefree day I may flutter about in the joy of your Presence so the garden within my soul will flourish and become more lovely so all within me will bloom with endless hope and these lovely days will strengthen me for whatever lies beyond Let this be a time where I grow in patience a time where I begin to linger and look at life with kinder eyes where mercy tempers my justice and understanding eases my pain where I drink in all the love that surrounds me Help me to receive Your Love so my need to control is lost in the knowledge of Your Greatness and I am at peace with the events that now form my life Lead me deeper into Your Love and give me the assurance that there is healing in the light of this summer’s sun Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel A Healing Prayer on Corpus Christi In this sacred time when You have come within my being…in the Holy Bread I rest my head upon Your chest to be so close to You that I can hear the beating of Your heart and feel the warmth of your body I cling to You with all of my soul The love You have for me oozes from Your body pervading my being…touching every cell calling everything within me to new life My resistance to You melts as my heart of stone is softened as I desire with all of my reason…intellect and will to respond to this great grace You are offering I welcome this Holy Love… Let it come into every part of my being to confront the darkness and change every disordered aspect of my life I surrender to You in this Holy Sacrament inviting You deeper into my inner sanctum so I may drink of the life-giving grace and please the Father in all things Teach me to love His Will for my life and help me to grow in trust as I come to You each day for the grace I need Aware of Your Greatness and Your love for me I am content in my nothingness for You are teaching me to be patient with myself and You are teaching me to be content…with who I am Let me be satisfied to be little and to do well all that You ask Make me ready to do the Father’s Will…Amen Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel The Peace that Comes Through Prayer Lord, help me to still my soul for Chaos swirls around me clouding my vision and eating away at my strength I long for a silence that will calm the anxiety I feel for a moment of quiet where I can make sense of all that has happened Let me close my eyes so I may be present to You Let me pray with the cries of my heart for I have no words to offer only the sufferings of these days only the longing for Your Will and the strength to be at peace with whatever You allow I know that life is a journey of surrender and of faith In this moment of time I am not sure of the way yet it is my hope that You will see me through and that I will be given all I need to walk in this present darkness I trust in You to give me the wisdom I need to make the decisions I must make I trust in You to help me so I am not lost in my own pain or crippled by the suffering I willingly share I trust that somewhere along the way I will encounter You I may not understand or be aware of how it happens for You often come disguised but I will recognize the grace for I will be sustained by hope which comes to light my way Thank you for this quiet moment and for the peace that comes through prayer Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty The Daisy The daisy is not as beautiful as a rose...as fragrant as the lilac or as intense in color as the purple iris but it is strong and determined to survive It is sturdy withstanding the times of drought and the heat of the summer sun It blooms wherever it is planted and re-blooms year after year after year Its blooms are long lasting delighting the hearts of all who look upon them Its beauty lies in its ability to thrive in whatever condition it finds itself So it is with you…you are stronger than you think and wherever God places you now it is in a spot selected that you might bloom with a glory beyond your own for God is with you and you will find that this place is a good place because you are there and you will make something beautiful of it Stripped of former clutter...things that blinded you to what was right in front of you you will begin to see things with new eyes and you will appreciate the new simplicity of life You will gather the strength you need from the beauty that surrounds you and from the love of friends so this place becomes your own…a place of eloquence…a place of peace where the complications of life have subsided so what remains is love Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Acts of Kindness When there are no words of comfort that seem to help Acts of Kindness minister in their own sweet way bringing healing to a hidden woundedness lifting the soul above its situation so it is able to draw its Strength from God Although gentle human compassion and understanding may not change a situation It can flood the Soul of the afflicted with Hope for in its own quiet way it shouts to that Soul who has been betrayed by its own body that it is still precious to God Our caring may not change the circumstances but it seems to undergird another’s heart enabling it to bear its heavy load It is like a refreshing breeze and a drink of cool water It is God bringing comfort It is God at work in His People It is God at work in His World through His beloved children Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel This Day O Lord, you have given me this day let me not waste one moment of it Let my heart be in union with you that I may hear your voice and obey that I may please you in all I do Fill me with Light and Grace and Hope that wherever I am I may shine with Your Light and draw hearts closer to you Hear the prayers of my heart and love me calling into repentance those areas in my life that are still in fear, still in darkness, still in the sickness of sin Let Your Mercy, Your Grace, Your Forgiveness wash, cleanse and free me so that each moment of this day can be lived for Your Glory so I can be kept in perfect peace and filled with endless hope Come to me in the beauty of the world, in the comfort of friends in all the intrusions and unplanned invasions of my day so that always and in all things I may see and welcome You Ilona Frances Weise 5-8-01

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Somewhere in the Darkness When our dreams do not come to pass when our hope is dashed we often find ourselves in a struggle to understand it is then that we wrestle with our false images of God and somewhere in the darkness...in the struggle we encounter the God of Unknowing only to discover that He cannot act apart from His Goodness It is in this encounter that we experience our littleness It is in this time of suffering that our complacency is challenged accomplishing in us what years of answered prayer could never do It is here that humility befriends us and we are able at last to sit in silence before the Grandeur of God who alone can hear those deep questions within us who alone can calm the storms within our souls He comes to bring life to those areas of faith that walked like dead men into the night He comes to assure us that His Will is not only a safe place for us it is a blessed place He comes to place our feet on the narrow path where grace is assured so our journey can continue so flooded by grace our faith once more leads us on Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel We Are Because Jesus dwells in us we are the face of God for the world and we are called to cover the earth with the knowledge of God and His love so all will know Him and be drawn to Him by the love that flows from our hearts We may be little...but...we matter because we are the arms that hold His Children we are the ones who wipe earth's tears we run to help the poor and needy and do not rest until justice is done Wherever we may be...we remind the world of God and it is His light that shines through us to confront and penetrate every darkness It is His love that flows through us so souls are comforted and touched so grace is made available not only through the Church and the Sacraments but through our hearts of love and service Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel The Spring Within Our Souls Tiny green shoots forcefully push their way through the hardened earth reminding us of the cycles of life We, too, are part of that cycle our dying and rising bring about needed change our small deaths to arrogance, pride and self-love always result in new growth for God is at work within us Beneath the hardened crust of every soul dwells God’s resurrection power ready to break forth into Joy from within us ready to light the darkness around us ready to transform what is into what God knows can be Like wind chimes that gently ring out a song in the early morn we respond to the gentle wind of God’s Grace so our lives can ring out with clear melodic sounds so all that is dead within us experiences new life as spring awakens our souls Ilona Frances Weise 4-12-04

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel A Prayer Forever into Eternity Now that my heart is filled with love... a love that You have placed in me through the revelations of Your Goodness and Mercy I ask that I may offer You my love now joined to the love of Mary and the Saints now united to the love of the faithful Angels to be continually offered to You every moment of my earthly and heavenly life May this love become a prayer that continues day and night whether I am awake or asleep whether I am aware or not aware May this prayer be offered while my mind is sound and if someday my mind fails may my spirit continue to pray for me... may my spirit be always aware of You singing Your Praise and living in adoration of You May this prayer continue with every beat of my heart... with every breath I take and with my spirit forever into Eternity...Amen Ilona Frances Weise We are living in times when nothing is sure... we don't know what could happen to our bodies or our souls. This prayer gave me great comfort for in a moment when my heart was so in love and so grateful to God I wanted Him to always have this prayer tucked in His heart so if a time came when I could not pray or was in such a darkness that I could not see Him I wanted this prayer to continue on forever Fran

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Prepare Our Hearts for Peace Father in Heaven, We thank You for who You are…for all You have done and for all You are doing Prepare our hearts so we may pray Help us to put our lives in order so that we can give our attention to Your work We know that life is always a little messy and a little chaotic but the order you call us to is one where love can reign so we ask for the grace to forgive those in our world who cause us pain who make us feel uncomfortable who irritate us Free us from all gossip and from all judgment bring us into the Peace of Your Heart We ask for the special graces we need to respond more fully to Your love We ask for a deep healing of the hurts hidden in our hearts so we no longer act out of old hurts but respond instead to the fire of the Spirit’s Love Teach us to pray in a way that pleases you and opens our souls to the deep things of God Free us from all fear and allow us the grace of a greater surrender so we allow You to become God and we are content to be little grains of sand beneath Your feet Help us to live always in Your Presence so all that we do and all that we are rises from our sweet union with You As we work As we prepare As we pray for one another gift us with extraordinary gifts so all that needs to be done will be done and we will lack no good thing Heal anything within us that is in unrest so we may be still so we may listen so we may be at peace…Amen Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Only in God Only in God can the thorns and thistles of our lives bloom Only in God can we…in our suffering… become food for the souls of others What has befallen us has come from the hands of a Loving God who has not abandoned us but invites us to a higher place where we share in the transformation of the world where in our one to one encounters…we lavish grace from our helplessness so each moment of life is in union with God and offered for all Our longing for healing and wholeness carries us into the Heart of God who alone satisfies and gives meaning to our daily struggle for He helps us …not only to find joy in this fragile life but He helps us to see beyond…to the Glory that awaits us where in God we will be free to soar into love itself where the dreams and desires God has planted in us will bloom in His Garden of love Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Stop to Rest On our earthly journey it is good to climb a spiritual hill to stop...to rest and look over our lives perhaps to enter into an all encompassing moment where we dare to remember... the good and the evil that has touched our lives We remember the good that has come to us in the love we have received so formed in love we have learned its ways for it is this love that lives on forever it is the love given and the love received that prepares our soul for heavenly encounters The evil that has come to us through our sins, our sorrows and the injustices we have faced can be forgiven through God's mercy This evil has only made us stronger for it has sparked our determination to fill our lives by birthing good By letting go of our anger, our bitterness and our resentments there is only room in our hearts for God and the graces He desires to pour into us so our journey may continue in love so we are bound to no one except God When our hearts are free we taste the Glory that awaits us in our union with God making the remains of our journey sweet Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Reflections in the Fall Lord…as we welcome Fall we take this moment to welcome You into our souls and to thank You for Your Presence with us in this new season You are the song that stills our fears and lights our darkness We open our hearts to Your Love let nothing remain untouched Shine your light so what has been damaged by sin and is in need of healing can be restored by the touch of Your grace Melt our resistance and give us the courage to let go so we surrender what we hold tightly in our hands Lift from our hearts the cares and worries we have stored away like gathered nuts so emptied we become transparent and humbled …we may dance with joy so like carefree children…who know they are loved we know we are washed in Your Mercy and Grace so the past does not haunt us and the future is filled with new beginnings May Your Love awaken a deep sense of gratitude so we hold nothing back and our desire for You is never quenched May we be drawn into the Silence of Your Presence where we are transformed by the light from Your Face where we are empowered to face the winter that lies before us without fear... Amen Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Let Us Gather In this time of beauty and splendor when the trees burst forth in colors that bathe the world in hues of crimson and gold we are invited to drink in this gift and bathe our souls in moments of glory for soon those very leaves...once alive in the fullness of their beauty will fall and be no more Soon and very soon the branches of the trees will discard their celestial dress standing in their nakedness to face the austerity of the Winter Winds We too will face the winter so like the trees we too will allow ourselves to be stripped of the earthly glory that once covered us so like the squirrels who gather the acorns while they are plentiful we steep within our souls the truth that God never fails that He is at work to bring life when our eyes behold only death Let us gather these moments of Truth and store them for the times when we face the darkness Let us gather our strength and do good and like the trees hold on to nothing for ourselves Let us gather our resolves to be better...to go that extra mile so as we face whatever hardship that may arise in our world we will be the ones able to bring light to the darkness we encounter so we may become givers of hope... reminding each soul that the Eternal promise of Spring is just beyond the cold of Winter We surrender our lives to Him knowing that good will come for the seasons proclaim the faithfulness of God and His promise for new life The beauty we seek to store...is faith in Our God it is seeing His Goodness and trusting in His Generosity it is recognizing that His Presence can still be found in our fallen earth Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel My Little Ones Don't linger in darkness or in fear or in wondering about the future Enter the Kingdom of Light within your soul and encounter Me there Allow Me to calm the storms...to silence the lies... to cast out fear with an infusion of My Love Entrust your little hearts to Me for as the Father has loved Me...so I also love you I ask that you to enter more deeply into My Love I want you to know that you are safe in My Heart... that the Holy Spirit comes to make My love real for you so don't be afraid of the purifying fire for it brings grace to transform your body and your soul... a grace that heals and a grace that empowers I am aware of all within you that is in need of healing and transformation I am aware of your sins and failures and weaknesses...they are a sign of your need of Me Be willing to see your poverty for your poverty will carry you into My Abundance where I will lavishly provide all you need your poverty will help you to let go of self love and self sufficiency so you depend on Me for your life and for your breath I love a soul that is little in its own sight that knows that it lives by God's grace alone that has stomped on pride and delights in the virtue of humility that lives and responds to the fire of My love...Be such a soul Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel There Are No Bad Days Because you belong to God...everyday...every moment everything He allows to happen is blessed and eternally good for your soul You are learning to see His Hand in everything and that will give you peace When something disturbing happens close your eyes and ask for help Be like a little child who when scared grabs hold of her mother's hand Reach out for the Lord then you will know that He is with you... you will feel His strength flowing into you He will give you wisdom for the situation and peace of heart and you will be assured that you are not alone in whatever you are facing Wisdom is the gift that helps you to understand things hidden in God's Heart It guides you in your affairs so you know what pleases Him and gives you grace to see and conform to His Will It speaks to your soul so you walk along the path that brings life It helps you look beyond what you see with your eyes for you have a glimpse of what is in His Heart and you are assured that it will be good in His time and in His way Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Why We Pray We cannot control others or know what is in their hearts It is fruitless to be upset by how they act all we can do is pray for them... that they draw closer to the Lord that they experience His Love that they receive grace to see their faults and be given grace to change Do not allow yourself to judge Do not become involved in the drama of their lives just pray for them and allow your heart to draw close to the Lord with great reverence knowing He is the source of all power and grace for it is the Lord who dwells within You and He desires you to forgive them and entrust them to His Care As you enter more deeply into His Love and Peace your heart is set free and without knowing it...you also carry them there Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Do You Want to be Holy? As we grow in grace and the desire to be holy the Lord often helps us to see a fault hidden from our own eyes but it takes grace and an understanding of what He is doing to respond graciously... it is always a spiritual challenge for us because we want to defend ourselves Each time you are attacked...receive the criticism as if allowed by the Lord for your humility Thank the Lord for pointing out your weakness and pray for the grace to change Ask for forgiveness for annoying someone else then entrust the entire matter to God who will be pouring sanctifying grace into your heart and soul to bring about a good and holy change in you something you could never do by trying for He is freeing you from self-love... which alone thwarts our journey to Holiness Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Beyond Self-Love We are growing into God so we cannot stay where we are we cannot remain the same because we are being called to something greater we are being stretched beyond what we think we are capable of so our hearts will not be stilted or lost in self-love We are to learn to look beyond to the Universe of Love that surrounds us for God desires to fill us with His Presence with the very Presence that not only fills the Universe but keeps all things in being He has gifts for us...Invisible gifts that make our lives and our world beautiful The gift of listening to another's heart The gift of affection where we share our heart's warmth The gift of laughter which brightens any day The gift of a note written with love The gift of participating in a game and allowing the other to win The gift of a cheerful disposition that weathers all that is rude The gift of a compliment honestly given The gift of solitude, silence and prayer where one encounters God to receive these amazing gifts Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel A Prayer for Our Departed Loved Ones Father in Heaven We ask you to remember our loved ones who have passed from this world Take the love in our hearts for them and receive it as prayer Use the tears we have cried the sadness we have felt the loneliness we have endured to give them light We ask that the merits of this and all Masses be an expiation for them Let our prayers shorten their time away from You Let our prayers comfort them Let our prayers for their souls bring them closer to You so they are freed from all fear and their brokenness healed so every weakness is strengthened with grace and every defect repaired so in every way they are made perfect for You as they journey into full union with You Carry them into Your Holy Presence where the longings of their hearts can be satisfied as they encounter anew the love that formed their being the love that now brings them deeper into truth and fills them with eternal joy Bring them into that beatific mystery where they will live and have their being in You dwelling forever in eternal joy Amen Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel We Are Because Jesus dwells in us we are the face of God for the world and we are called to cover the earth with the knowledge of God and His love so all will know Him and be drawn to Him by the love that flows from our hearts We may be little...but...we matter because we are the arms that hold His Children we are the ones who wipe earth's tears we run to help the poor and needy and do not rest until justice is done Wherever we may be...we remind the world of God and it is His light that shines through us to confront and penetrate every darkness It is His love that flows through us so souls are comforted and touched so grace is made available not only through the Church and the Sacraments but through our hearts of love and service Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel The Spring Within Our Souls Tiny green shoots forcefully push their way through the hardened earth reminding us of the cycles of life We, too, are part of that cycle our dying and rising bring about needed change our small deaths to arrogance, pride and self-love always result in new growth for God is at work within us Beneath the hardened crust of every soul dwells God’s resurrection power ready to break forth into Joy from within us ready to light the darkness around us ready to transform what is into what God knows can be Like wind chimes that gently ring out a song in the early morn we respond to the gentle wind of God’s Grace so our lives can ring out with clear melodic sounds so all that is dead within us experiences new life as spring awakens our souls Ilona Frances Weise 4-12-04

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel A Prayer Forever into Eternity Now that my heart is filled with love... a love that You have placed in me through the revelations of Your Goodness and Mercy I ask that I may offer You my love now joined to the love of Mary and the Saints now united to the love of the faithful Angels to be continually offered to You every moment of my earthly and heavenly life May this love become a prayer that continues day and night whether I am awake or asleep whether I am aware or not aware May this prayer be offered while my mind is sound and if someday my mind fails may my spirit continue to pray for me... may my spirit be always aware of You singing Your Praise and living in adoration of You May this prayer continue with every beat of my heart... with every breath I take and with my spirit forever into Eternity...Amen Ilona Frances Weise We are living in times when nothing is sure... we don't know what could happen to our bodies or our souls. This prayer gave me great comfort for in a moment when my heart was so in love and so grateful to God I wanted Him to always have this prayer tucked in His heart so if a time came when I could not pray or was in such a darkness that I could not see Him I wanted this prayer to continue on forever Fran

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Prepare Our Hearts for Peace Father in Heaven, We thank You for who You are…for all You have done and for all You are doing Prepare our hearts so we may pray Help us to put our lives in order so that we can give our attention to Your work We know that life is always a little messy and a little chaotic but the order you call us to is one where love can reign so we ask for the grace to forgive those in our world who cause us pain who make us feel uncomfortable who irritate us Free us from all gossip and from all judgment bring us into the Peace of Your Heart We ask for the special graces we need to respond more fully to Your love We ask for a deep healing of the hurts hidden in our hearts so we no longer act out of old hurts but respond instead to the fire of the Spirit’s Love Teach us to pray in a way that pleases you and opens our souls to the deep things of God Free us from all fear and allow us the grace of a greater surrender so we allow You to become God and we are content to be little grains of sand beneath Your feet Help us to live always in Your Presence so all that we do and all that we are rises from our sweet union with You As we work As we prepare As we pray for one another gift us with extraordinary gifts so all that needs to be done will be done and we will lack no good thing Heal anything within us that is in unrest so we may be still so we may listen so we may be at peace…Amen Ilona Frances Weise

Looking Through Windows of Grace reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel This Day O Lord, you have given me this day let me not waste one moment of it Let my heart be in union with you that I may hear your voice and obey that I may please you in all I do Fill me with Light and Grace and Hope that wherever I am I may shine with Your Light and draw hearts closer to you Hear the prayers of my heart and love me calling into repentance those areas in my life that are still in fear, still in darkness, still in the sickness of sin Let Your Mercy, Your Grace, Your Forgiveness wash, cleanse and free me so that each moment of this day can be lived for Your Glory so I can be kept in perfect peace and filled with endless hope Come to me in the beauty of the world, in the comfort of friends in all the intrusions and unplanned invasions of my day so that always and in all things I may see and welcome You Ilona Frances Weise 5-8-01

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel An Eternal Flower of Hope From His death...came life for the world From His suffering...came abundant mercy and grace From His perfect sacrifice of love...came power over death and darkness A death that seemed meaningless at the time has changed the state of souls forever for now… souls sick with sin can find forgiveness those far away from God can draw near and every form of evil can be overcome Now blooms in the hearts of His believers an eternal flower of hope that reminds us of what is yet to come It is this inner knowing that helps us to face our struggles, our sufferings and those injustices that touch our lives for He is with us…to strengthen us Our Risen Lord lives on and one day He will come again for His own For the One who died for us will appear again this time in unapproachable Glory then shall injustice, sin and death be forever banished then shall the Light of the Eternal Day expel every darkness then shall the unanswerable questions be made known and every soul will see Him and every soul will bow before Him and all will know the truth Ilona Frances Weise

A Mother's Prayer The heart of a mother can never be emptied of love as long as she has breath…her heart will cry out in prayer Though her children grow and leave the nest Though they have families of their own… the obligation she feels and spiritual concern for their soul cannot be lifted ‘til they reach Heaven’s door At times her prayers are offered with Joy for the good she sees At times she intercedes for their wrong choices… for their faults and failures… for the blindness that keeps them from God At times she travails unceasingly for they seem to be in such a dark place But her prayers are never made in a dark place Her prayer is never without hope for she is assured of the faithfulness of God and she knows that it is He who has placed the prayer in her heart A Mother always prays with a full heart for her prayers are offered from the Heart of God where nothing is impossible where butterflies continually emerge from their cocoons where there is enough love and mercy and grace to save the whole world Ilona Frances Weise from the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Ministry

Mary, Mother of God make me your own and keep me safe in your heart Watch over my life and protect me from the evil one Heal all that is broken in my body and my soul Pour upon me the mother’s love I have missed so I may grow in love and become like you Obtain for me the graces I need to remain in faith all the days of my life Mary, my mother, pray for me Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denz Hold Fast to God el When the doors of Heaven seem shut and your prayers fall as unopened letters around you When the fire of your love for God has dwindled into a tiny flame that is vulnerable with every stress of life When your zest for life has dried up and your soul is parched and barren and hopelessness seems to be your soul’s only companion and you can no longer see the face of God nor trust Him to rescue you nor see His Goodness, His Faithfulness, His Love It is then...that the dust of your heart... must hold fast to God though you cannot see Him though you cannot feel Him though you cannot hear Him There in the midst of this deep darkness...He comes to make the darkness light to rescue you from the enemy that would snuff out your life to purify your soul making it a fitting place for Goodness to dwell He has not abandoned you but He will use this time of darkness for your greater good for He is accomplishing a holy work within you bringing forth a miracle of new life gracing you with a strength that is not your own and Transforming the mire you sit in into a place of great beauty that is fitting for Your King He is weaving from your sufferings a lasting crown of Glory that one day you will share with Him Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel O Lord Jesus In this Sacred Place of Prayer that is found deep within my soul where I encounter You in Spirit and in Truth I come for this moment in time letting go of the past forgetting the worries of the future seeking only to be fully present to You I want to rest in You I want to lay my head upon You as did Your beloved John I want to entrust all that I am all that I have been and all that lies ahead...to You not asking You to heal or to fix or to change anything but entrusting all of my life to You because in this time of confusion...it is too much for me to figure things out I just want to trust You...I just want to hear Your voice because in this holy place of prayer I know that I am being immersed in Your Presence and strengthen with all I need...without a word being spoken because You have been waiting for me placing within my soul the desire to come to You for You delight when I come near You desire to care for me...Amen Ilona Frances Weise 3-26-20

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty The Healing Encounter of Prayer Denzel Prayer takes us to a secret place where one's soul opens fully to the healing nectar of God's love a love that bathes both our spirit and our soul... drawing from them the heaviness of earthly life When we enter the silence and stillness of deep prayer we rest to gaze upon Our God... searching for Him...for He is an elusive sweet fragrance For in Prayer...we are being touched by God.. who goes beyond words to offer us what we truly need the stillness and the quiet help us to become aware of a deep joy that is replacing the sadness that once hid in our hearts We are safe in this place of prayer and not afraid to look within allowing the memories of the past to flash before us... for they no longer hold our hearts for God fills us with hope and brings an unspoken comfort that satisfies our deepest longings Our encounter with God heals us and moves us into a new place of freedom where we are able to forgive and let go of the hurts that have kept us in pain our souls begin to understand that God has always been with us in the light...and in the darkness... in the mist...and in the rain... in the joy and in the suffering... in the silence...and in the song we have never been alone or forsaken...we have always been immersed in God Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel A Prayer of Faith In times like this when clouds obscure the glory of the sun when we are caught in a time of confusion and pain when what we thought…what we hoped for… what we dreamed of…has been taken and we seem forsaken and alone we place our trust in You and with the eyes of faith look to You thanking You for all that has been and for all that will be for You have given us everything in giving us Christ and through Him You have revealed Your Goodness In times like this when all appears as darkness we look to You to be our light fully surrendered to Your Will we wait for You to rescue us trusting You to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves we are stilled in the palm of Your H and as children fully dependent upon You for You are our God and we adore You You are our God and we find joy in what has been allowed You are our God and we wait in reverent hope for the good that is sure to come Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Only in God Only in God can the thorns and thistles of our lives bloom Only in God can we…in our suffering… become food for the souls of others What has befallen us has come from the hands of a Loving God who has not abandoned us but invites us to a higher place where we share in the transformation the world where in our one to one encounters…we lavish grace from our helplessness so each moment of life is in union with God and offered for all Our longing for healing and wholeness carries us into the Heart of God who alone satisfies and gives meaning to our daily struggle for He helps us …not only to find joy in this fragile life but He helps us to see beyond…to the Glory that awaits us where in God we will be free to soar into love itself where the dreams and desires God has planted in us will bloom in His Garden of love Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Mindful of God’s Presence Know that God works through all the things that touch our lives so do not hurry... do not worry...see life as the wonderful gift it is God can be found in the happenings of every day and when we are aware of His Presence within us we are able to draw from Him the special grace we need for each situation we face and we are strengthened by His love to be patient with all those we encounter for we are becoming gentle like our mother, Mary, Through grace... our hearts are becoming soft, tender-hearted, merciful and encouraging so without realizing it...we are living in that Peace that passes all understanding but the Peace God gives is delicate and fragile it can be dissipated by anger, resentment, frustration so we must guard our hearts and when a dark thought appears we must bring it into the light of Truth where it can be seen for the lie it is When we are mindful of God present within we are never alone... God's Spirit of Truth helps us to live above the dust of the earth for He teaches us to draw everything we need from Him so our hearts can become peaceful... so we can begin to live as the little children of God allowing God to care for us Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel An Eternal Flower of Hope From His death...came life for the world From His suffering...came abundant mercy and grace From His perfect sacrifice of love...came power over death and darkness A death that seemed meaningless at the time has changed the state of souls forever for now… souls sick with sin can find forgiveness those far away from God can draw near and every form of evil can be overcome Now blooms in the hearts of His believers an eternal flower of hope that reminds us of what is yet to come It is this inner knowing that helps us to face our struggles, our sufferings and those injustices that touch our lives for He is with us…to strengthen us Our Risen Lord lives on and one day He will come again for His own For the One who died for us will appear again this time in unapproachable Glory then shall injustice, sin and death be forever banished then shall the Light of the Eternal Day expel every darkness then shall the unanswerable questions be made known and every soul will see Him and every soul will bow before Him and all will know the truth Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel A Candle of Hope Love is a candle of hope that lights every darkness we face helping us to see that the Lord is with us helping us to hear the prayers poured out for us giving us courage so we come to believe and trust Love makes all things possible it changes our hearts and helps us to look differently at the situations we face even when our prayers are not answered as we wished love comes to heal our wounds and hold us until we are strong again God’s love comes to us in the most unexpected ways It tells us to hold on and causes us to smile It wipes away our smallest tear reminding us that God has not forgotten us It opens our eyes to see that God has sent Angels that we cannot see that He has prompted others to stand by our side that He fills our days with grace Even in the midst of deep sorrow and pain He brings times of respite and moments of joy Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Spring Gardens There is no greater joy than to go into your garden in the early Spring and clear away the leaves and debris that have hidden there over the Winter In doing so... you are making room for what lies beneath to now emerge How powerful is that life force that causes new growth to emerge How amazing are the little green shoots that poke their way through the hardened earth to begin their new life in the nurture of the sun and the refreshment of the Spring rains How we need to look within our hearts to see what has accumulated there Have we stored our unhealed memories away like fallen leaves? Do we hold resentments…are we angry or envious? Have we lost our zest for life and given up on love? Now is the time to open wide the windows of our souls so the Lord can make all things new so the forgiveness God offers and the grace to unbind those who have hurt us will touch our beings like the Springtime sun bringing the light and healing we need So like our gardens…the new life that is within us can emerge and we can be freed from the darkness and renewed in hope So we are able to love without reservation and find joy in the days that lay before us Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel A Prayer for Grace Father in Heaven We do not know what we need ...but You do so in this time where the path before us seems unclear and we are worn by this journey of life...we ask for Grace We ask for the Grace that will carries us into your Holy will the Grace that will sustain us and help us in our time of need the Grace that comes to lift us and carry us for a time Please take from our hearts the worry and fear that torment us and allow Your Healing Light into those places that have been cut off from Your Life Let the sufferings we have endured...whether real or imagined be united with the sufferings of our Lord so even what seems to us ... not to be good can be brought to You to be redeemed and healed It is when we cannot see You...when we cannot hear You when we feel most abandoned by You that we must remind our hearts to trust in Your Goodness It is in our deepest darkness that we must remember that You are perfecting our souls and making them ready for Heaven teaching us the deeper things of faith that are beyond what we can see helping us to realize that You are with us in all things...working all for good so our faith...tested and tried by fire...will be eternally beautiful so we can joyfully journey into the Promise of what will one day be We thank You that we can never be lost to You We thank You that we can never be lost to Grace Amen Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel You Must Know My little ones...You are not lost and alone but part of an eternal family of love those on earth who walk with you…who befriend you and guide you to Truth and those in Heaven who pray for you…who war for your soul…who encourage you and obtain the grace you need to stay in Truth You are never alone…you live out your life in the heart of the Trinity I am the Son who died so your sins could be forgiven… so nothing could separate you from our love I am the Spirit who opens the Word to you…who reveals Christ’s love and draws you deeper into the Truth that sets you free I am the living Father whose eye is ever upon you…delighting in you…rejoicing over you inviting you into My Heart so your heart will be set on fire with the love that burns in and unites the Trinity All that has been allowed is forming you in grace so you would seek Me …who alone will not disappoint so you will depend on Me for all you need and see my work in your lives so you would be loving, compassionate and sensitive to others for from your sufferings will flow healing grace for others From your loneliness will come a new and deep experience of community and a love not based on selfishness but on true caring You are part of something so much greater for I have made you for Myself and called you to an intimate relationship where I will be Your God and heal your wounds where I will hold your heart and draw you near where I will meet your deep needs so you are strengthened to make the journey into perfect love Ilona Frances Weise 3-22-20

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel As We Wait In the Will of the Father Living in a time of uncertainty tempts us to worry but worry is of no help...it only opens us to fear God is asking us to open the door of our faith...to see that He has another plan that will not only take care of the here and now but has an eternal dimension that we may not now understand This faith cannot be seen with the eyes...only with the heart It is found when we see Him in the midst of our darkness as we persevere through the storm As we wait in the Will of the Father...we begin to see that what has been allowed by God is for a greater good that is to come As we wait in the will of the Father...we begin to realize that we are not alone that we are being held securely in the palm of the Father's hand As we wait in the will of the Father...we grow in trust seeing that God is at work in our circumstances We are assured in the depths of our hearts...that all will be well because God loves us...because God is with us...because God is good Ilona Frances Weise 3-22-20

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Minister to God Did you know that you can minister to God...that you can pour your love upon Him Pray that in these dark times you will grow in desire to please Him by rekindling the desire to know and love Him Be tender toward your Lord...mindful of His constant sufferings in those who are lost and in bondage to sin in the scandals and defilements afflicting those in His Church in the lost faith of His Chosen ones Minister to the Lord by seeking Him in prayer Like Mary...wash His feet with your tears and gently kiss His Wounds by silencing your complaints by accepting your limitations and confinements by embracing the purification that is occurring... realizing that God is doing something beautiful in your soul... something eternal...something that endears you to Him Humility is knowing you are not God Humility teaches you to open your eyes to His Greatness so you can be little for Him Humility carries you beyond self-love... making you...a healing balm of love to His Heart Ilona Frances Weise 3-22-20

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in times of uncertainty Denzel In This Strange Time In this strange time...we are being given a time to reflect upon our lives, how we have lived, and how we have interacted with others Sometimes we suddenly remember how others have hurt us... we may remember past times when we were judged... painful times when our faults were pointed out and our sins exposed We still feel pain at the thoughtless remarks of others and still very much want to defend ourselves but grace urges us to let go...to forgive... and to forget to understand that what was allowed then is for our purification now for God desires to heal those hurts but also wants to help us see that we too have hurt others...even while not intending to In this strange time...we must allow the Spirit to bring that healing to our hearts we must allow the Spirit to help us to forgive It doesn't matter what others think of us All that matters is that we are sensitive to the Spirit at work in our world for He comes to free us from the un-forgiveness hidden in our souls from the ways we have justified ourselves and held on to our self-righteousness Sometimes His grace removes the blinders so we see the anger eating at us within...so we see the true state of our souls Jesus did not worry what the religious leaders said or thought of Him He came to do the Father's Will and responded to the Father with perfect obedience It is this obedience that has won for us the grace we need to forgive and find peace of heart In this strange time when the world is upside down...we need to draw near to Our God We must allow Him to do His purifying work...to shine His Light into our lives We must be willing to see our sin...to confess our sin..and to ask for Grace so there is nothing between our hearts and Gods so we forgive and set free all those we have kept in bondage through our un-forgiveness so we can know the Peace of God and dwell in the safety of His Love Ilona Frances Weise Give me stillness of soul in Thee. Let Thy mighty calmness reign in me Rule me, O Thou who art King of Peace...St. John of the Cross

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel O Lord They have closed our Churches and we can no longer receive You Sacramentally but no one can close the doors of our souls no one can cease the longings of our hearts for You and no one can prevent us from coming to You in the Sacred Place of Prayer It does not matter what we feel or don't feel When we come to You in prayer...You are present to us not only in the holy moments of Prayer but in the memories that flood our hearts in the love we have known in the graces we have received throughout our lives and in the hope You have planted in us through Your Divine Word It is time to light the candles within our souls and rejoice in our Sacred place allowing the Light of Your Divine Presence to scatter the darkness to so fill us with the truth of Your Love that all fear dissipates and to know that You are with us in all we face..Amen Ilona Frances Weise 3-24-20

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel The Mystery of Suffering Do not curse the sufferings of these last days It was for this end that I have prepared you that, out of love for Me, there would arise in your heart a desire to love Me and a willingness to do My Will a willingness to suffer what I have asked a willingness to embrace whatever hardships I have allowed My Kingdom of Light comes to expose the sin of the world For that Kingdom to break forth into the hearts of men a sacrifice had to be made it required the sacrifice of My Life...a death given so all could be saved You are being invited to enter into the mystery of suffering by accepting the crosses of your life These sufferings do not come as punishment but as gift to draw you closer to Me to purify your heart to help you enter into a deep spiritual dimension where your sufferings are lifted, purified and united with mine where you experience the transforming power of grace through them Whatever I allow will come with the grace and the strength you need it will bring peace and inner joy it will not terrorize you or cause you to fear for You will find sanctuary in the safety of My Heart where you will dwell with Me in quiet…in solitude…in silence Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel We Will Remember Spring is here It is a season of hope reminding us that the earth which appeared as dead all winter... now blossoms forth into new life It is with this hope in mind that we approach Holy Week… We enter a spiritual time of remembrance that invites us to be present to the Lord in His time of suffering We are carried back in time…as if we were walking with Jesus… as if we were there to behold for ourselves what was then so incomprehensible yet we enter with full knowledge of who Jesus was and what He was about It is not easy to be present to Him for we must force our eyes to look upon His sufferings and like Mary, we must linger there and ponder them Our hearts ache as we desire to reach out to Him... though we cannot change anything Somehow…this prayer of remembrance… causes us to want to be freed from the darkness within our hearts that has nailed Him to the Cross We want to abandon our selfish ways Perhaps seeing all He suffered will help us to understand His love for our immortal souls so we have the courage to trust and believe more deeply in His Merciful Love… so we may open our souls to the grace He died to give so we may remain with Him as He gives Himself to the Father in that ultimate sacrifice It was for love of us that He suffered It is for love of Him that we remember Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty Denzel Have Mercy on us O Lord, we have offended You in many ways and grieved Your Heart We have loved ourselves more than we have loved You We have not kept the Sabbath holy...using it as a day to please ourselves We have allowed Your Name to be blasphemed everywhere in our world Have Mercy on us and hear our cry of repentance We desire to be Your People We desire to follow You and to love You with our whole hearts but we are a weak people a people in need of great grace a people in need of Divine Healing Give us the grace to love You above all and follow Your way unreservedly Accept the love we offer...even though it is little and imperfect Draw us to You and once again lavish upon us the Kindness, Forgiveness and Mercy You offer to all for we come to You with hearts broken by the sight of our sins we come with Repentant Hearts Ilona Frances Weise 3-26-20 I will place my law within them and I will write it upon their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people, says the Lord Deut 30:33

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty The Holy Tears of Christ Look upon His Sacred Face and see the Holy Tears of Christ tears of perfect love that one day will perfect the whole world See these holy tears as Christ’s prayer of intense longing longing that every soul would know His Redeeming love… that every soul would make its way into the baptismal waters of grace that every soul would be made new by His Sacrifice of Love See these holy tears as if they were shed for you alone as the place where you encounter the Mercy of God where you are carried back to the moment of your Baptism so you may wash anew in their life-giving waters so convinced of His love for you you renew Your commitment and are freed of every fear that keeps you from Him See these holy tears as nectar from Heaven as the love that feeds your soul as if they hold all the graces you need so you can be His forever so…surrendered to His love… you no longer belong to yourself but are set aside to live for Him…with Him…in Him Ilona Frances Weise

LOOKING THROUGH WINDOWS OF GRACE reflections and prayers in a time of uncertainty A Good Friday Prayer Holy Face of Jesus...so beautiful yet so defiled by our sins now you lie in death and we ponder the tears you shed for us and the amazing love that flowed from your heart You have loved us with such intensity We merited none of Your unconditional love yet Your death opens doors of grace to us for You desire to forgive all our iniquities and give us grace to change You desire to bathe us in Your mercy and kindness so we may become like You… and forgive with that same self-sacrificing love and learn to love with that same unconditional love You were sent to reveal the Father’s amazing love so we could be washed in this sacred water that flowed from Your side so every fault hidden in the depths of our souls may be brought into Your light and we could be made holy Jesus Christ...Holy One of God cause us…like You…to become love May we...in contemplating the suffering You endured for us and in beholding the tears You shed for us be freed from everything that hinders our love May we be renewed and restored and made holy by the shed blood that pours from Your Heart Ilona Frances Weise