Hi, I am Rita Janssen, a Catholic professional writer, editor, farmer, religious educator, and amateur craftswoman. I am an old woman, but I have purpose still. My purpose is to let the next generations know that God exists, that he sent his son, a man and God at the same time, to show us the way to relationship with him and each other. It is my purpose to share my conviction that God is alive and calling us to himself. In this lonely world there is a treasure of love, purpose, and peace that comes with the personal choice to believe in and trust God and his plan.
Indefatigable faith in God is a gift capable of lighting every journey we embark on, and in combination with hope, propels us forward toward the bright and beautiful goal of goodness that we believe we can attain.
Our Choice
Each of us is a precious being created with a soul that longs for God. But we have a choice to make. Are we going to believe that we are precious and have a purpose? Are we going to believe in God the almighty creator of heaven and earth and all that is in it, and in his only son Jesus Christ? Are we going to have faith in something larger than ourselves that we cannot see or that seems unnatural? Or, are we going to believe that there is nothing beyond our own selves, our own needs, emotions, wants, and pleasures?
Once we believe, we love God, ourselves, and each other because we love God and what belongs to God. We find that we have been given a treasure that we did nothing to deserve. We discover that we owe God our gratitude, love, reverence and worship, and we are happy to pay such a light fee for such a giant treasure. Once we believe, we love ourselves because we are created by God in his image and because he thought we were valuable enough to send his only begotten son, a man who was also God, to die for us and offer us forgiveness of our sins. Once we believe, we realize that everyone we encounter is a child of God too, and are deserving of our love, care, and attention.
Catholic
I am Catholic because I believe what Catholic’s believe, and I don’t want to change them church to fit the culture. I believe in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creed. I believe that Jesus is physically present in the Eucharist and with us everyday. I believe we are sinners that are given the gift of forgiveness in the sacrament of reconciliation if we repent of our sins and change our ways. I believe in the Word of God and value tradition and revelation. I believe that the Virgin Mary is our ultimate model of a faith that saved the world by her trusting “yes” to God and to a virgin birth all would consider impossible and unnatural. I believe in the Creed and in laws. I do not choose chaos. I believe in personal responsibility and in freedom. As one of C.S. Lewis’s characters said, “No one goes to hell except by choice.”
Reading
I am also a reader and through reading find new ways of understanding and expressing the mystery that is God. Thus, I can describe His charity as a fountain that flows, offering life to all who will drink from the flow that is not diminished by those who turn away from it any more than the light of the sun is diminished by those who wear sunscreen. I can use these symbols and say this because I have read The Mystical City of God by the venerable Mary of Agreda.
The symbol of the sun that shines on all, good and bad alike, represents a characteristic of God’s love and mercy toward humans. The symbol of a fountain that flows from the ground offering drink to all also represents God’s charity. These symbols help us to understand supernatural things by looking at common things, much like Jesus used the parable to get across supernatural truths to very natural men with stories from life. Symbols communicate. The characteristics of the animals and plants of this world point to the characteristics of their creator and have been given meanings beyond themselves that point to behaviors that help or hinder us in our attainment of our goal, life in paradise with God.
This website is about sharing a treasure of light, the plants of paradise, the fruits of faith, the Good News that God exists and eternal life exists and forgiveness of sins exists. Faith in God is a gift capable of lighting every journey we embark on, and in combination with hope, propelling us forward toward the bright and beautiful goal we believe we can attain by behaving virtuously.
Made in the image of our Heavenly Father, humans are nourished by literature and art and we are bound to create, keeping our thoughts and imagination focused on Christ, as we fashion animals and plants out of paper, glue, and paint, forming symbols of life patterned after the glorious diversity of life that God the Father created from nothing with his powerful word and bright thoughts.
Please enjoy and engage with this content and e-mail me so I will know that you are finding something to strengthen your faith on this site.
Sincerely,
Rita
The Weight of Flowers 