My Grandpa: a Devoted Child of God and the Blessed Mother

February 28, 2019March 19, 2019 Terése Rose14 Comments

“All the true children of God, the predestinate, have God for their Father, and Mary for their Mother.” ~ St. Louis de Montfort

A Special Photo

My paternal grandfather loved photography and was a photographer by trade. There’s one photo in particular that’s very special to him and my family.

Grandpa and Grandma used to visit a Marian shrine near their home. During one visit, Grandpa photographed a statue of Mary.

The statue was positioned near the doorway of the chapel, which made it difficult to photograph.

He said there was no way to capture the photo without getting “hot spots” — shiny glares — on the statue’s face. (In those days, photography wasn’t digital and couldn’t be edited the way it is today.)

He tried his best, assuming hot spots would be visible when the film was developed…

The Lord is Near to the Brokenhearted

January 17, 2019January 18, 2019 Terése Rose8 Comments

Has your heart ever been broken?
Has your spirit ever been crushed?

We’ve all been there. We’ve all had an experience (or more than one) that caused us to feel emotional pain. An experience that made our hearts ache. An experience that made us feel like we were kicked in the stomach and had the wind knocked out of us.

Whether we’ve experienced the loss of a loved one; end of a romantic relationship; betrayal of a significant other, friend or family member; or something similar, we can probably remember how much it hurt.

When we go through painful situations, do we try to deal with them on our own or do we turn to the Lord for help? When we go through painful situations, do we believe God is somewhere off in the distance or right there with us?

Love One Another

October 22, 2018January 24, 2019 Terése Rose6 Comments

How do we know what love really is when the word is used so casually and its meaning is often distorted and misunderstood? As always, we must look to God for the truth…

When we see Jesus on the cross, we witness the greatest demonstration of love that will ever take place. When we look at Christ crucified, we discover the true meaning of love: sacrifice.

Quotes on the Cross

March 21, 2019March 19, 2019 Terése Rose2 Comments

My previous post was about The Cross.

I didn’t provide quotes because I didn’t want to overload the post with too much information.

Since there are so many great quotes on the cross, I want to share some.

Here are 12 quotes from the saints plus 1 from the Lord Himself!

The Cross

March 14, 2019March 16, 2019 Terése Rose2 Comments

About a year ago, I wrote a post on the cross. I decided to resurrect the post (with a few edits) since we’re in the season of Lent, journeying toward the cross with Christ.

If you’ve been following my blog from the beginning, you probably read it. However, you may not remember what you read a year ago — I sure don’t!

Even if you do remember, I recommend reading it again. The cross teaches us many lessons, and it’s essential that we continue to learn from it…

Lent Begins Today +

March 6, 2019March 7, 2019 Terése Rose1 Comment

Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent for Christians.

During the next forty days, the Lord calls us to increased prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Have you reflected on what you’re being called to do this Lent?

One Year of One Small Rose

February 21, 2019March 7, 2019 Terése Rose6 Comments

Dear Readers,

I started One Small Rose on February 16, 2018. Since the one year anniversary just passed, I decided to reflect on the journey…

I learned a lot over the past twelve months. (One thing I learned is there’s so much to learn!)

Here are two lessons. These lessons are not only relevant for me and blogging. They are relevant for each of us in all aspects of our lives.

St. Valentine: Christian Love Means Death to Self

February 14, 2019 Terése Rose6 Comments

Jackie & Bobby

St. Valentine was tortured and beheaded by Emperor Claudius II in the 3rd century for marrying Christian couples in secret.

I don’t think I ever heard that factoid growing up in school. Candy, cards, and flowers seemed to dominate the conversation that day.

Then I got older and it seemed like I had to do something romantic because Hallmark told me to. But when I learned the origin of this holiday (a term that comes from “holy day”) I remember being confronted with the demands of what love truly means.

As a Christian, it means death to yourself. Perhaps that is in small ways, like letting your wife sleep in while you manage the kids, or giving up a listening ear to the coworker who interrupts you. Maybe it’s speaking the truth when it’s unpopular to do so. Or maybe it is the demand of your very life.

God is…

View original post 162 more words

Abortion: Truth, Hope and Help

February 7, 2019February 6, 2019 Terése Rose8 Comments

Thus says the LORD:
In Ramah is heard the sound of sobbing,
bitter weeping!
Rachel mourns for her children,
she refuses to be consoled
for her children—they are no more! (Jeremiah 31:15 NABRE)

A Day to Mourn

As you probably know, the “Reproductive Health Act” (RHA) was passed in New York State on January 22, 2019.

The law permits “late-stage” abortions, which could be performed up to the moment of birth in some cases. It also allows abortions to be performed by any licensed health practitioners, rather than full doctors. The law removes all legal protection for unborn children and those born alive after attempted abortions.

It was passed on the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States.

I believe the NY vote took place on this anniversary intentionally. I believe it was meant to be a slap in the face to those of us who are pro-life.

When I heard about the law, I felt extremely angry and upset; and I wasn’t the only one.