Anne Costa - Refresh Me, Lord!: Meditations to Renew a Womans Spirit
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MEDITATIONS TO
RENEW A WOMAN'S SPIRIT
ANNE COSTA
Copyright 2008 Anne Costa
All rights reserved.
The Word Among Us Press, 9639 Doctor Perry Road
Ijamsville, Maryland 21754
www.wordamongus.org
12 11 10 09 08 1 2 3 4 5
ISBN: 978-1-59325-134-5
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture passages contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America, copyright 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.
Cover design by DesignWorks Group
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other, except for brief quotations in printed reviewswithout the prior permission of the author and publisher.
Made and printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Costa, Anne.
Refresh me, Lord! : meditations to renew a woman's spirit / Anne Costa.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-59325-134-5 (alk. paper)
1. Catholic womenReligious life. 2. Christian lifeMeditations.
I. Title.
BX2353.C67 2008
242'.6431dc22
2008015780
In loving memory of
Anthony A. Cardozo
September 29, 1931 ~ April 7, 2008
Love you, Daddy !
What a joy it is to be able to publicly acknowledge those people who have been so instrumental in my journey as a Catholic woman and writer. First, I'd like to thank my parents, who have always been there as teachers and who were so committed to passing along the beautiful gift of my faith. For that, I will be forever grateful.
I'd like to thank those who have encouraged and nurtured me along the path of self-acceptance, which has made it possible for me to realize the dream of writing a book, namely: Paul Goggi, who has been my guide, mentor and mirror; my beloved friend and soul sister Susan Heffernan; my spiritual advisor, Father Darr Schoenhofen; and Marti C., Debra C., and Jim P. , who have all encouraged me in their own unique way.
I'd like to thank Sue Lindsley for typing the original waterlogged edition of this manuscript, and Donna Davis, the village scribe, for her careful attention to the first edit and her generous words of advice and encouragement.
I am indebted to the many people who shared their hearts and stories with me. They will find themselves in these pages and know who they are. However, I changed names and some details to protect their privacy.
Finally, I'd like to thank my dear sweet husband and hero, Michael, who has always given me the space and support to spread my wingsbalanced by his quiet example of the genius of keeping one's feet firmly planted on the ground.
I couldn't conclude without offering a special shout out to my precious daughter, Mary Grace, who is God's little spark of heaven in my midst. She has shown patience beyond her years in sharing me with the computer over the course of her life and has been a constant source of inspiration and joy!
And let me finally thank my soul friend and spiritual sister Krista Arduini, who never wavered in her belief that I would be a writer. May she not only have the last word... but the last laugh, as well. (Rest in peace, you funny valentine!)
CONTENTS
Refresh me with the light of your presence,
and show me your face as my friend.
THOMAS A KEMPIS
In his apostolic letter to women, the late Pope John Paul II wrote,
The moral and spiritual strength of woman is joined to her awareness that God entrusts the human being to her in a special way. Thus the perfect woman (cf. Proverbs 31:10) becomes an irreplaceable support and source of spiritual strength for other people, who perceive the great energies of her spirit. These perfect women are owed much by their families, and sometimes by whole nations.
The exciting truth is that each and every one of us can be a perfectly authentic woman with the potential to bring Christ to others in a unique and defining way.
But we can't do it on our own power. Before we can be a source of spiritual strength for others, we need to take some time for ourselves and allow the Lord to re-fresh and renew us.
Our lives are busy, our hearts are full, and our minds are often preoccupied with the details and daily responsibilities that surround us; but in the midst of all our activity is the call to embrace a renewed strength in our collective vocation. For no matter what our station in life, our feminine genius is needed.
Refresh Me, Lord! is my gift to you. What began as a dream to write this book almost twelve years ago has grown into a personal mission to encourage, affirm, and inspire women from all walks of life. We are all on this journey together, as we strive to meet the demands of modern living while growing in this most sublime and mysterious vocation of authentic womanhood.
Use this book as a companion on that journey to plug in to the outpouring of God's grace and receive an infusion of his joy. You can read these hundred reflections from cover to cover or simply open the book and read whatever page is right in front of you. The spiritual suggestions at the end of each reflection, labeled Just for Today, are meant to be a starting point for your personal reflection. You could use them to begin your daily journal entry or share them with others in your conversations. If you are a member of a women's group, the suggestion could be used as an opening topic. If something in the book strikes you as helpful or inspiring, chances are that it will also be of interest to someone else; so pass on what you discover, because we all need spiritual refreshment to keep us going.
It is truly an amazing grace that God is intimately interested in every aspect of our lives. Your heart, your soul, and your spirit are his precious creations, so when you find yourself wanting or weary, remember that the Lord is just a prayer away. He is your friend, always ready, willing, and able to refresh you with the light of his loving presence.
Anne Costa
Here am I, the servant of the Lord;
let it be with me according to your word.
LUKE 1:38
At the beginning of each new year, we often experience stirrings within us that lead us to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. For some, the new year brings feelings of anticipation and excitement; for others, a sense of foreboding or trepidation. Whether facing the beginning of a new year or a new day, each one of us has the opportunity to begin anew and embrace unforeseen experiences. Whatever our plans may be, the mystery of the future remains just thata mystery.
It is fitting, then, that as Catholics, we set aside days and months throughout the year to reflect upon and celebrate Mary. More than any other person in history, she embraced the mystery of the unknown when she said yes to God at the annunciation. Mary could not have completely understood what was happening to her or how her life would change as a result of the angel's visit. But by her fiat, Mary confirmed her commitment to God and allowed herself to be used by God to redeem humankind. As a result, her entire life became a reflection of the depth of God's love. She expressed awe and wonder at the role she was to play in God's plan of salvation when she proclaimed in the Magnificat, For he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed (Luke 1:48).
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