Today I was watching a little of the USCCB meeting on EWTN. Bishop Lori used the term "serene courage". I came in to what he was saying mid-sentence so I'm not 100% sure the context in which he was using the term, but it seemed that he was saying we should pray for "serene courage", as opposed to the courage that the world seeks out - more of a violent or aggressive courage.
In today's world we do need serene courage. Especially in the USA, or should I say the soon - to - be USSA (United Socialist States of America)? Our church will be dealing with lots of things coming against us and serene courage is what we need.
So I asked myself...."How do we get this serene courage?". It is not something we buy in the store or something we learn about by watching "The View" or the NBC Evening News w/ Brian Williams. This type of courage comes only via prayer. This is what I think anyway.
It is interesting that I should hear this phrase "serene courage" today because just last night I was praying and felt like the Holy Spirit was preparing to strengthen me for the future. It was a strong sense that I received during prayer. I sure could use more strength because I am quite weak so it was neat to hear the "serene courage" term, as if it is some sort of confirmation for me.
I don't know about you, but I am in need of some strong leadership by our priests and bishops. I would like them to tell the laity exactly what it is we need to do in order to help get our country back to the straight and narrow. They will probably say "prayer". That is cool. However, I think we all need motivation, inspiration, and I think we need to be challenged and not told that this is our time to just pray, but we also need to act. We need to act with this serene courage within.....a serene courage that turns into a serene confidence in Jesus.
I would like to see our priests and bishops giving really strong, passionate, homilies. They need to "enliven the troops" - which is us. As in Cardinal Dolan's talk to the bishops today, we need to be challenged to get back into the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Why do I say challenged and use terms like motivation and inspiration? That is because the laity are like the frog in the pot of warm water that is getting hotter and we don't notice it. We are slowly being boiled alive and our country and our souls are being robbed and for the most part, people don't notice that this is happening to them.
I think our priests and bishops need to connect with those of us laity who are "fired up" for Jesus and who are already motiviated and inspired to do more. WE JUST NEED THE CHANCE. We are all in this together and we will only hold on to our country and our religious freedom if we stay together - clergy and laity together.
As a lay person, I feel that I can do a lot more for the church - my local church, diocesan church, and wider church, but have few, if any, opportunities except to write to the politians. I mean, is there anything organized we can do as a church? I'm not talking about the day to day Catholic things - the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. I am involved in those in various ways, but I want to make a difference on a much bigger scale. I am motivated, I'm on the way to having that "serene courage", and I'm willing to go to the front lines if necessary to defend our religious freedom. There are other people who feel this way too, but we are not asked to help.
Maybe one day, the Holy Spirit, will not wait for the priests and bishops to personally ask us. Maybe He, Himself, in all his power and glory, will come to us individually and give us direction. Either way - whether it is the bishops/priests or the Holy Spirit Himself, I'm as ready as I can be.
I'm just waiting....... waiting........waiting........warming the pew, praying, and waiting.
Nov 12, 2012
Oct 15, 2012
Prayer Phobia
Prayer. Now that is a very deep topic, isn't it?
What is prayer exactly? Well, simply put, one might say it is simply entering into a conversation or a time of communion with God.
If it is that simple, why are so many people afraid to try it? It isn't exactly the talking part of the conversation that people are afraid of. We all give God an earful - "God please give me this" or "God please do this for me", etc.... (I can see you smiling...you know what I'm talking about !) The fear in prayer is the listening part.
Why are people afraid to listen to God in prayer? Quite simply, they are afraid because they actually might hear God talking to them, or God might say something to them that will freak them out....like "I want you to become a monk on a mountaintop in Mongolia and give up your computer, your car, and all your worldly possessions and leave immediately, and oh, by the way, give all your money away." Seriously. Some people think God will ask them to radically change their lives.
Well, I must say, they are not all that wrong becuase God will ask them to radically change their lives in prayer, but not necessarily by moving to Mongolia. God, being God, the wonderful Creator God of all things, knows exactly what we need and how to change us in prayer. He doesn't want to freak us out. He wants us to grow closer to Him and He wants the best for us.
Have you heard the saying "Prayer doesn't change things, prayer changes people"? The change God evokes in us through prayer is often subtle, but over time and with perseverence in prayer we slowly become different people. So, if in time, God does want you to go to Mongolia and live on a mountaintop, you will start to desire it and you will joyfully go. But most of the time, God keeps us where we are, but changes our hearts. The "Mongolian mountaintop" is a place we might go within the silence of our hearts and God will meet us there.
Now, the other fear people have is that they simply think they do not know how to pray. They think it is this complicated exercise for sainly or learned people. Prayer is the simplest of communication with God. At the very start, all one has to do is SIT and BE with God. I figured that out for myself when I was a teenager. I would sit and just BE. God was all around me. I would close my eyes and feel the breeze on my face and knew that it was God's breath on me, and my soul would smile and I was praying. That was prayer.
If you have never prayed before, just SIT and BE. Get yourself in front of the Blessed Sacrament in your parish or if you are far away from any church, sit outside in God's creation and just rest. Breathe. Become aware that you are already in the presence of God. Frank Sheed in his book "Theology and Sanity" once said that it isn't that "God is in everything" but that "Everything is in God". We are always in the presence of God. Becoming aware of it means that prayer, communication with God, is always accessible.
So you see, there is nothing to fear when it comes to prayer.
Now, I also want to say that the other prayer phobia happens when people think they are too smart for God. Perhaps they are well versed in the things of our faith: they have read the Bible, the Catechism, the lives of the saints, and they have degrees coming out of their ears in theology. Sometimes people in this situation become phobic to prayer because they have made it so complicated that it has become a burden and perhaps even part of their job. So, they start to avoid it.
In this case, what has to happen is they need to get back to basics. Again, they have to just SIT and BE, but not say anything to God. No big prayers are needed. Jesus wants us to become like little children and it is very wonderful to want to learn all there is about Jesus - that should be our focus - but when we make it such a complicated thing, it starts to backfire on us.
When my little niece was learning the rosary, she would take the large beaded rosary, put in the children's video on the musical rosary, and she would jump up and down and spin around the room with the rosary. She would sing the hail mary and just have a good time with it. She smiled and twirled. I betcha God smiled a huge smile. That is what he wants ALL of us to do in his sight. Maybe we are too embarassed to spin around "at our age" for fear of looking like a fool, and I get that.....but there is no law against doing that in your soul !! When you pray, people might see an older person kneeling in serious prayer, but inside.....ah, inside....your spirit can be spinning and singing and involved in a simple and joyous communion with our loving God.
If we develop a fear of prayer and put it off because it is a burden, then the devil has won. We need to communicate with God because He wants to communicate with us. Talk....yes....tell Him what is on your heart, but then BE QUIET and listen......then when the listening and talking are over......spin and dance on the inside.
One more thing......I would advise that we should practice SURRENDERING totally to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in prayer. It is in the surrendering in prayer, and the patiently waiting and perseverence, that brings us into a deeper relationship with Jesus. It may not seem like it at the time, or even for a while, but over time, like the water continuously flowing over a rock, our prayer life will become smoother. In the surrendering to God's will in prayer, we will become changed. We will more readily accept the changes God wants to create within us.
Ok, one more thing.....sometimes people get a prayer phobia if they feel that "nothing happens" when they pray. That is normal and to be expected. Sometimes that happens for a long time. Sometimes we are in a spiritual desert, but we have to keep persevering. Keep your prayer routine. Don't give up. Don't be afraid and remember that you are always IN the presence of God....sometimes maybe He doesn't want to talk....sometimes He might just want to sit and watch you spin !
"Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." ....... even if that ends up being a monk on a mountaintop in Mongolia !!
Aug 19, 2012
Reflections on the book "The Shack"
I recently finished reading the fiction book "The Shack". From my perspective it was a book about a man whose daughter was murdered and his journey back from that place of despair and questioning God to psychological and spiritual healing and a right relationship with God and how that affected the other relationships in his life toward the end. Perhaps you've read it too?
This is what specifically struck me about the book: the way the author described and personified the Trinity. Now, we are human beings so no author will ever be able to do justice to that topic, but the author tried. It made me think about my perceptions of the Holy Trinity and what did I learn about the Trinity from "The Shack"?
I was touched by the interplay between the Father, Son, and Spirit in this book. The author humanized the Trinity in a way that was not disrespectful at all. It was a little whimsical at times, but I think the author had some good points to make. I liked how he demonstrated a very intimate and loving relationship between the Three Persons of the Trinity. I liked the sense of humor displayed and how the Trinity is very interested in each one of us.
I didn't like the digs on ritual and the comment that Jesus did not make a religion. To me that clearly stated that the author was not Catholic or very fond of the Church when he wrote that. However, I could be mistaken. Jesus did indeed give Peter the keys to the Kingdom and told him that upon him, Peter, "this rock" he would build His "Church". But those were minor annoyances compared to the rest of the book, which I found interesting.
I typically only read non-fiction. I had some co-workers hound me to read this book for over a year before I relented. After all, I'd rather read something with more truth and meat to it than a fiction book. But I must say I was pleasantly surprised over all with "The Shack". Congrats to the author for tackling a tough subject - trying to explain the Holy Trinity.
There is one line in the book that I remember and I hope I get it right when I quote it here. It said "God's love is bigger than your stupidity." or something like that. I like that because there are some days when I am a very stupid person and I'm grateful that God still loves me despite my flaws and sinfulness.
Thank you for listening. God bless your day.
Aug 12, 2012
This blog is connecting with people around the world!
When I started this blog in the winter of 2010 I was excited to get my words out to the entire world. A few friends suggested that I start a blog and I checked with someone who pointed me to this particular website to get one going. I was amazed because I am low tech and was able to get it set up within twenty minutes or so. Overall, blogs were, and still are for the most part, a challenge for me. I post, but I don't know how to do fancy things like tweek my design or add photos and things like that.
However, in the last week or so I have discovered that there are things I can click on in the "behind the scenes" part of the blog that give me a list of countries where people are reading my blog. This is very exciting to me because it tells me that there are some people out there who are reading my words and that means a lot. I hope some of my words are helping others or maybe I'm just saying a few things that resonate with people.
For instance, I have people reading this blog not only in the USA, but also in South Korea, Russia, Latvia, Poland, and even Austrailia ! And those are just a few of the countries listed !!
So I want to say to everyone - thank you for reading my words! Please pray for me and I will pray for you! Of course, the blog info doesn't say who is reading, just the countries and the count, but I am grateful and feel like I am connecting with others around the globe.
Thank you for reading!
However, in the last week or so I have discovered that there are things I can click on in the "behind the scenes" part of the blog that give me a list of countries where people are reading my blog. This is very exciting to me because it tells me that there are some people out there who are reading my words and that means a lot. I hope some of my words are helping others or maybe I'm just saying a few things that resonate with people.
For instance, I have people reading this blog not only in the USA, but also in South Korea, Russia, Latvia, Poland, and even Austrailia ! And those are just a few of the countries listed !!
So I want to say to everyone - thank you for reading my words! Please pray for me and I will pray for you! Of course, the blog info doesn't say who is reading, just the countries and the count, but I am grateful and feel like I am connecting with others around the globe.
Thank you for reading!
Jul 27, 2012
Humiliation - Part 2
What happens after a person is totally humiliated...totally brought low so their face is smashed right into the ground leavng at least a 2 inch crater? When someone is at the lowest of the low, how do they rise from it? Because when you are that low you have no power at all. You have no energy or sense of purpose. Your body may lay still on the preverbial ground, appearing dead, but your soul is spinning out of control in utter confusion and despair. How does someone rise from that?
The answer is simple: They can't. At least not on their own power. The only thing that will get someone up and back into life again is God's grace. Don't laugh at me as if this is a simplistic, naive answer. I speak the truth. I also speak from personal experience. I've been in that place a few times in my life and if you have been there too, then you know it is "not fun" and it is a very dangerous place to be. It is dangerous because a person is very fragile and if they are not receptive to God's grace, then they are sunk.
God's grace is sufficient for us - so says Scripture. God's grace is capable of raising someone up instantaneously from the mire. However, most of the time it is a gradual process. Why is it gradual? Well, the "gradual" part is for our benefit. Even though we'd like the pain to go away instantaneously, sometimes God helps us rise slowly. In the slow rising we learn lessons and we gain wisdom and strength that will serve us well if this should ever happen again.
When we are in the place of humiliation....when our entire being is as low as one can go, we pray and beg for clarification, for healing, and we want it NOW. But the slow rising is sort of like baking clay in a kiln for hours and hours and hours at incredibly hot heat. It turns us into a new being and it solidifies us from the core of our being. We become a new creation and we APPRECIATE the process once it is through. I think sometimes when it happens fast we focus solely on the MIRACLE of the healing, which is cool, but we don't realize how far down from up really is. When we rise slowly we can look at everything on the way up, like a glass elevator slowly moving between floors. We appreciate the journey and really especially appreciate the destination once we get there.
The Holy Spirit lifts us up, heals us. We lay there and let Him do it. There is nothing else we can do. We are like a bird still in the egg, waiting to be born. A tiny bird lays there while God does the work. It is only when God gives the OK that the bird is able to kick and peck its way out of the egg. Until then, he just rests.
Resting implies patience, something modern peole do not have much of. Patience and resting can be a painful and frustrating thing. But if we are going to ever become saints, this is something we have to tolerate and learn from. This is the hardest thing, even if we believe and know that God's grace will eventually heal us, we get impatient because we do not yet know the reason for God taking so long. He is God after all and can do anything quickly if he wants to, so we wonder why.
When in this stage we can become very angry at God. He expects it. The anger can make us feel even worse because we start feeling guilty for being angry at God. This just perpetuates our humiliation.
In time, when we are tired of struggling, and are so exhausted, we just rest again, and then we start to see the value of patience. We pray for patience. We practice patience. That is all we can do. It is like when St. Peter said to Jesus "To whom else can we go Lord, you have the words of eternal life?". He has all the control.
The final stage of humiliation before we rise is realizing that although we are sons and daughters of God, we are also made out of nothing and are nothing without the grace of God. In this stage of nothingness lies acceptance of who we are, and then a feeling of gratefulness starts to well in our souls for the great love of God that has caused us to be. That is true humility - knowing our place before God. God is God and we are not. We are so not.
The gratefulness that wells up in our souls just for being allowed to BE starts to energize us. We have now received a "right perspective". Our hearts turn towards God - or they start to turn slowly - ever slow slowly. In time, we pick our little heads up and look around through the mire caked on our eyelids. God's grace falls like rain and slowly washes the mire away. Our vision becomes clearer. The water of His grace nourishes us. Soon we can sit up. Silence remains as we get our bearings. Soon after that we can kneel. And we kneel with in the space of a real humility and then we start to pray as never before, lifting up hands of gratitude.
We stay in ths kneeling place - either interiorly or exteriorly - it doesn't matter because the soul really has no legs - it is just an expression. We kneel. We kneel. We kneel.
After sufficient prayer and being filled up and healed by God's grace, we stand in His presence. We are new creatures, for we realize that we are just that - creatures. Creatures that are loved in a fantastical way and who have rights and privileges that are beyond our wildest dreams. We realize that we are children of the King of Kings. We are princes and princesses. But now, we know better. We don't puff with pride that we are royalty for our King is a Servant King, and being His servants is a privilege. Following in His footsteps is a privilege.
The end of Humiliation part 2 is the realization that we must learn the art of simulataneously keeping ourselves low before the King, but also realizing that it is this same King that will raise us up and bless us to the Heavens with His grace. So, we walk a tight rope of humility as we follow our King, and .....and this is the clincher.....after being through all that horrible mire and being near death and as miserable as we have felt for so long....we realize that He is the potter and we are the clay and that humiliation gives us the gift of humility. The gift of humility brings us to gratitude. Gratittude opens us up to be able to receive God's grace and gifts. God's grace and gifts, once received, fill us with humility once again.
So, I am learning that if we are truly called to be saints, and want to be saints, then we have to be open to this process when walking "The Way", following our servant King. If we are to be like Him, we have to do what He did, and allow ourselves to be humiliated as He was humiliated.
After all, our sweet King Himself, knows humiliation exponentially, doesn't He? He took on the sins of us all, mere creatures. He felt each one of them. He allowed the devil to ground Him into the earth. He allowed His own creatures to spit on Him, to mock Him, hit Him, scourge Him, strip Him naked, laugh at Him, nail Him to a cross, and crucify Him. So, the next time I get, or you get, into a place where you feel totally humiliated, think about HIM.
Humiliation makes us one with Jesus - and that is the goal of every life whether we realize it or not - to be ONE with Jesus.
These are the thoughts I wanted to share with all of you tonight, whoever you are.
The answer is simple: They can't. At least not on their own power. The only thing that will get someone up and back into life again is God's grace. Don't laugh at me as if this is a simplistic, naive answer. I speak the truth. I also speak from personal experience. I've been in that place a few times in my life and if you have been there too, then you know it is "not fun" and it is a very dangerous place to be. It is dangerous because a person is very fragile and if they are not receptive to God's grace, then they are sunk.
God's grace is sufficient for us - so says Scripture. God's grace is capable of raising someone up instantaneously from the mire. However, most of the time it is a gradual process. Why is it gradual? Well, the "gradual" part is for our benefit. Even though we'd like the pain to go away instantaneously, sometimes God helps us rise slowly. In the slow rising we learn lessons and we gain wisdom and strength that will serve us well if this should ever happen again.
When we are in the place of humiliation....when our entire being is as low as one can go, we pray and beg for clarification, for healing, and we want it NOW. But the slow rising is sort of like baking clay in a kiln for hours and hours and hours at incredibly hot heat. It turns us into a new being and it solidifies us from the core of our being. We become a new creation and we APPRECIATE the process once it is through. I think sometimes when it happens fast we focus solely on the MIRACLE of the healing, which is cool, but we don't realize how far down from up really is. When we rise slowly we can look at everything on the way up, like a glass elevator slowly moving between floors. We appreciate the journey and really especially appreciate the destination once we get there.
The Holy Spirit lifts us up, heals us. We lay there and let Him do it. There is nothing else we can do. We are like a bird still in the egg, waiting to be born. A tiny bird lays there while God does the work. It is only when God gives the OK that the bird is able to kick and peck its way out of the egg. Until then, he just rests.
Resting implies patience, something modern peole do not have much of. Patience and resting can be a painful and frustrating thing. But if we are going to ever become saints, this is something we have to tolerate and learn from. This is the hardest thing, even if we believe and know that God's grace will eventually heal us, we get impatient because we do not yet know the reason for God taking so long. He is God after all and can do anything quickly if he wants to, so we wonder why.
When in this stage we can become very angry at God. He expects it. The anger can make us feel even worse because we start feeling guilty for being angry at God. This just perpetuates our humiliation.
In time, when we are tired of struggling, and are so exhausted, we just rest again, and then we start to see the value of patience. We pray for patience. We practice patience. That is all we can do. It is like when St. Peter said to Jesus "To whom else can we go Lord, you have the words of eternal life?". He has all the control.
The final stage of humiliation before we rise is realizing that although we are sons and daughters of God, we are also made out of nothing and are nothing without the grace of God. In this stage of nothingness lies acceptance of who we are, and then a feeling of gratefulness starts to well in our souls for the great love of God that has caused us to be. That is true humility - knowing our place before God. God is God and we are not. We are so not.
The gratefulness that wells up in our souls just for being allowed to BE starts to energize us. We have now received a "right perspective". Our hearts turn towards God - or they start to turn slowly - ever slow slowly. In time, we pick our little heads up and look around through the mire caked on our eyelids. God's grace falls like rain and slowly washes the mire away. Our vision becomes clearer. The water of His grace nourishes us. Soon we can sit up. Silence remains as we get our bearings. Soon after that we can kneel. And we kneel with in the space of a real humility and then we start to pray as never before, lifting up hands of gratitude.
We stay in ths kneeling place - either interiorly or exteriorly - it doesn't matter because the soul really has no legs - it is just an expression. We kneel. We kneel. We kneel.
After sufficient prayer and being filled up and healed by God's grace, we stand in His presence. We are new creatures, for we realize that we are just that - creatures. Creatures that are loved in a fantastical way and who have rights and privileges that are beyond our wildest dreams. We realize that we are children of the King of Kings. We are princes and princesses. But now, we know better. We don't puff with pride that we are royalty for our King is a Servant King, and being His servants is a privilege. Following in His footsteps is a privilege.
The end of Humiliation part 2 is the realization that we must learn the art of simulataneously keeping ourselves low before the King, but also realizing that it is this same King that will raise us up and bless us to the Heavens with His grace. So, we walk a tight rope of humility as we follow our King, and .....and this is the clincher.....after being through all that horrible mire and being near death and as miserable as we have felt for so long....we realize that He is the potter and we are the clay and that humiliation gives us the gift of humility. The gift of humility brings us to gratitude. Gratittude opens us up to be able to receive God's grace and gifts. God's grace and gifts, once received, fill us with humility once again.
So, I am learning that if we are truly called to be saints, and want to be saints, then we have to be open to this process when walking "The Way", following our servant King. If we are to be like Him, we have to do what He did, and allow ourselves to be humiliated as He was humiliated.
After all, our sweet King Himself, knows humiliation exponentially, doesn't He? He took on the sins of us all, mere creatures. He felt each one of them. He allowed the devil to ground Him into the earth. He allowed His own creatures to spit on Him, to mock Him, hit Him, scourge Him, strip Him naked, laugh at Him, nail Him to a cross, and crucify Him. So, the next time I get, or you get, into a place where you feel totally humiliated, think about HIM.
Humiliation makes us one with Jesus - and that is the goal of every life whether we realize it or not - to be ONE with Jesus.
These are the thoughts I wanted to share with all of you tonight, whoever you are.
Jul 23, 2012
A little Luxury please.....
I am overall a "plain and simple" person. I live very thriftily. I work hard. I have worked hard my whole life and usually have worked more than one job at a time - sometimes even three jobs with tiny odd jobs on the side. Still, I cannot get ahead financially. Just when I think I am doing okay, I get blindsided with something.
So my prayer, selfish as it is, is to have just a little Luxury in my life. I'm not necessarily talking expensive things, but things that might help me feel a little better and give me some joy or help me feel like I belong somewhere. A little Luxury for me could be simple things such as being greeted in a really friendly way by a sales clerk, or someone at church taking the time to introduce themselves or smile when they walk by me (sadly, this hardly ever happens at church. I am quite invisible there.), or a little Luxury could be getting to relax a half hour in my hammock.
Of course, it would be cool to have a little bigger Luxury thing like getting to stay in a really fancy Disney Hotel. I wouldn't scoff at something like that! Then again, I would like to be able to hire someone to finish fixing my house so I can finally get some furniture like a rug, chair and a couch or maybe finish my kitchen so I could actually put things in the cabinets.
The biggest Luxury of all, and the one that would mean the most, is feeling some consolation from the Holy Spirit....to feel God really really close to me so I can feel secure and loved and like the future will be okay.
So my prayer, selfish as it is, is to have just a little Luxury in my life. I'm not necessarily talking expensive things, but things that might help me feel a little better and give me some joy or help me feel like I belong somewhere. A little Luxury for me could be simple things such as being greeted in a really friendly way by a sales clerk, or someone at church taking the time to introduce themselves or smile when they walk by me (sadly, this hardly ever happens at church. I am quite invisible there.), or a little Luxury could be getting to relax a half hour in my hammock.
Of course, it would be cool to have a little bigger Luxury thing like getting to stay in a really fancy Disney Hotel. I wouldn't scoff at something like that! Then again, I would like to be able to hire someone to finish fixing my house so I can finally get some furniture like a rug, chair and a couch or maybe finish my kitchen so I could actually put things in the cabinets.
The biggest Luxury of all, and the one that would mean the most, is feeling some consolation from the Holy Spirit....to feel God really really close to me so I can feel secure and loved and like the future will be okay.
Jul 4, 2012
The Gates of Hell will not prevail against us
Scripture promises us that no matter how bad it gets out there, satan will not win. The gates of Hell will not prevail. We have to hold on to this as we continue to walk into this challenging time in our church history. We are being assaulted both inside and outside of the church walls.
Inside the walls we have a few priests who are giving us a bad name by doing stupid and criminal things with our precious children, finances, etc... and people tend to generalize that all priests are like that, and they are not. There are many good priests around and I think they are stressed out by what those few bad priests are doing and it makes their work even more challenging. We have a very discouraged laity and only 30% of Catholics actually going to Mass on Sunday. They need their priests to be courageous and speak much more boldly in their homilies.
Outside the church we have the attack on religious freedom in the United States. Many are blind to that as well but they too, in time, will be forced to choose whose side they are on. It is obvious that the media and our culture in general is anti-Catholic by the way our church is portrayed on TV, or ignored, or the way people think it is okay now to use God's name in vain on TV and radio. That said, I was impressed to see that the TODAY show just had a positive piece on a priest from Holy Cross College in MA. So there are pockets of positivity out there showing that the Gates of Hell will not prevail.
As a result of these interior and exterior attacks, the Church's people are suffering. The Church has an image problem. The Church is being persecuted. The Church is weary and sad. That sad: we can't lose heart. We have to hang on to Jesus because He will get us through this time in history.
What can WE do as individuals ? Well, here are my thoughts..... Our good priests can pray more and work on becoming more holy than they currently are. Our good priests can be bold in preaching the Good News and in consoling their flocks. The laity can also pray more and work on their own holiness. The laity can work on increasing their knowledge of the faith and both priests and laity need to stay close to the sacraments. The laity can prayerfully support their priests.
Not that I am anyone special at all, but in my life's experience, I would like to offer the following prescription to my fellow and fella Catholics - lay and clergy alike:
1. Increase your prayer time - especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament whenever possible.
2. Read the daily readings or go to daily Mass if you can. Meditate on them. Live them.
3. Be nice to each other.
4. Practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
5. Go to regular confession.
6. Don't be afraid to practice your faith in public: say grace before meals, wear religious jewelry, speak of your love for Jesus.
7. Read other good books about our faith, the saints, the Catechism, etc...
8. Support each other. Priests should not be afraid to get to know their flock. Laity should pray for their clergy.
9. Avoid as much temptation as possible becuase the draw these days is very strong and the devil is being creative in the ways in which he snatches people.
10. Pray the rosary. Ask for Mary's intercession. Ask for the saints to intercede as well.
Inside the walls we have a few priests who are giving us a bad name by doing stupid and criminal things with our precious children, finances, etc... and people tend to generalize that all priests are like that, and they are not. There are many good priests around and I think they are stressed out by what those few bad priests are doing and it makes their work even more challenging. We have a very discouraged laity and only 30% of Catholics actually going to Mass on Sunday. They need their priests to be courageous and speak much more boldly in their homilies.
Outside the church we have the attack on religious freedom in the United States. Many are blind to that as well but they too, in time, will be forced to choose whose side they are on. It is obvious that the media and our culture in general is anti-Catholic by the way our church is portrayed on TV, or ignored, or the way people think it is okay now to use God's name in vain on TV and radio. That said, I was impressed to see that the TODAY show just had a positive piece on a priest from Holy Cross College in MA. So there are pockets of positivity out there showing that the Gates of Hell will not prevail.
As a result of these interior and exterior attacks, the Church's people are suffering. The Church has an image problem. The Church is being persecuted. The Church is weary and sad. That sad: we can't lose heart. We have to hang on to Jesus because He will get us through this time in history.
What can WE do as individuals ? Well, here are my thoughts..... Our good priests can pray more and work on becoming more holy than they currently are. Our good priests can be bold in preaching the Good News and in consoling their flocks. The laity can also pray more and work on their own holiness. The laity can work on increasing their knowledge of the faith and both priests and laity need to stay close to the sacraments. The laity can prayerfully support their priests.
Not that I am anyone special at all, but in my life's experience, I would like to offer the following prescription to my fellow and fella Catholics - lay and clergy alike:
1. Increase your prayer time - especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament whenever possible.
2. Read the daily readings or go to daily Mass if you can. Meditate on them. Live them.
3. Be nice to each other.
4. Practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
5. Go to regular confession.
6. Don't be afraid to practice your faith in public: say grace before meals, wear religious jewelry, speak of your love for Jesus.
7. Read other good books about our faith, the saints, the Catechism, etc...
8. Support each other. Priests should not be afraid to get to know their flock. Laity should pray for their clergy.
9. Avoid as much temptation as possible becuase the draw these days is very strong and the devil is being creative in the ways in which he snatches people.
10. Pray the rosary. Ask for Mary's intercession. Ask for the saints to intercede as well.
Jun 12, 2012
Kicking the devil out of the kitchen
Tonight I am marveling about how many people have blinders on and do not see the chaos that is coming down the road.
We know we have a financial crisis in our world that is getting worse. We know that families are breaking apart faster and more often. We know that there have been enviornmental crisies in nature and those seem to be increasing. I'm sure you can name more than these things.
But, who sees the spiritual chaos that is oozing into our hearts and souls? How can we see it when the majority of people are not concerned with real spiritual growth in themselves or their children or their spouses ?
The devil from down below has been working quietly and steadily. He has been wreaking all sorts of havoc in our world. It is the opposite of what St. Theresa the Little Flower has done. She has done lots of little works of love that accumulate into wonderful things. But the devil does the opposite. He has done lots of little works of hate and chaos and those are starting to mount upon us.
I've referenced before the example of the frog put in cool water and then slowly the pot gets hot and because it happens so slowly the frog acclimates itself to the water and without realizing it, is being cooked to death. That is what is happening in our society.
What is the solution? The solution is silence and prayer. In silence and prayer people reflect on life, the meaning of life, their role in this world, and what is really important. In this atmosphere we will not only realize that we frogs are cooking, but we will also realize that we need to shut off the stove and kick the devil out of the kitchen too!
There is indeed chaos coming down the road. If we think it is rough now, just wait. Unless we act and pray and surrender to Jesus, we will not be able to withstand what is coming towards us. When that time comes, and it will soon be here, it will be the people who have held fast in their faith that others will seek out. They will be sought out for strength, for protection, and for answers to what is going on.
Oh Jesus, please strengthen us. Open our eyes. Fill us with a deep desire for prayer and union with you. Save us, Jesus. You're the only one who can. Protect us from evil. Kick the devil out of our kitchens. Amen.
We know we have a financial crisis in our world that is getting worse. We know that families are breaking apart faster and more often. We know that there have been enviornmental crisies in nature and those seem to be increasing. I'm sure you can name more than these things.
But, who sees the spiritual chaos that is oozing into our hearts and souls? How can we see it when the majority of people are not concerned with real spiritual growth in themselves or their children or their spouses ?
The devil from down below has been working quietly and steadily. He has been wreaking all sorts of havoc in our world. It is the opposite of what St. Theresa the Little Flower has done. She has done lots of little works of love that accumulate into wonderful things. But the devil does the opposite. He has done lots of little works of hate and chaos and those are starting to mount upon us.
I've referenced before the example of the frog put in cool water and then slowly the pot gets hot and because it happens so slowly the frog acclimates itself to the water and without realizing it, is being cooked to death. That is what is happening in our society.
What is the solution? The solution is silence and prayer. In silence and prayer people reflect on life, the meaning of life, their role in this world, and what is really important. In this atmosphere we will not only realize that we frogs are cooking, but we will also realize that we need to shut off the stove and kick the devil out of the kitchen too!
There is indeed chaos coming down the road. If we think it is rough now, just wait. Unless we act and pray and surrender to Jesus, we will not be able to withstand what is coming towards us. When that time comes, and it will soon be here, it will be the people who have held fast in their faith that others will seek out. They will be sought out for strength, for protection, and for answers to what is going on.
Oh Jesus, please strengthen us. Open our eyes. Fill us with a deep desire for prayer and union with you. Save us, Jesus. You're the only one who can. Protect us from evil. Kick the devil out of our kitchens. Amen.
May 18, 2012
Abiding in God's Love
Abiding in God's Love is something I am trying to do on a daily basis. It is difficult though because the world comes against me in so many ways and tempts me to sin. I try to stay alert. I try to focus on Jesus. But that little creep from the netherworld tries to give me grief and sometimes I fall into his traps. The answer to this? Well for me, I'm trying to keep my prayer schedule going and even if I don't feel like praying, I at least go to church and BE in Jesus' presence.
When I was a kid I lived through a lot of things like being picked on - mercilessly - and being laughed at, among other things that are not relevant to my points here so there is no need to expound on them..... As I became more involved in my Catholic faith, sometimes I would be laughed at or ridiculed for being someone who takes God's word seriously. As a matter of fact, that still happens sometimes.....usually at work, and sometimes from the mouths of fellow Catholics as well. Oh well...such is life. (I will never be ashamed of Jesus and people can get on me all they want. I know the truth.)
Sometimes I wonder why I don't keep my mouth closed and stay silent, but then the Holy Spirit inspires me to speak up and then the little creep delights in trying to slam me down.
Now, I have to say, that I am truly nothing more than a speck on this earth. I am nobody special, except in God's eyes. I am a normal, ordinary, regular human being. I have so many faults, failings, and weaknesses. I am well aware of them and it really cracks me up when others try and point them out to me because I could run circles around them in regards to listing off my inadequacies. But, I am coming to know that I am a speck that sometimes God uses to make a difference in someone's life. This is my truth....my experience of how God works in me.
I would love to be a canonized saint someday. I probably have a fat chance to have that happen but I believe in that saying that goes "a saint is a sinner that just kept trying". So I try. I fail. I try again.
What I know is that there are some blessings that God gives to people who seriously devote themselves to prayer and they are unique to everyone. It is not a "high" or anything incredibly outrageous where people claim to levitate and all of that. But there are blessings that are given which are felt deep in the soul. Sometimes there is a quiet, but strong presence of God in the midst of the prayer time. Sometimes there is just the sense that "I'm in the best place on earth right now, and that is before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament".
Granted, wherever we go we are abiding in God's love, but in today's world, if someone is a true christian, I think that he/she needs to try hard to keep that reality in the midst of everything they do, especially when things come against them. Things come against me constantly, but the older I get, the more I see that when something evil comes against me, the Holy Spirit is right there to chase it away.
Abiding in God's Love .... the vine and the branches.....my priest recently gave a talk where he talked about the vine and the branches reading from John's Gospel. He reminded us that sometimes the gardener lops off the branches so close to the edge that it might appear that they are dead, never to grow new life. That can be a painful thing. He said the gardener does that because it will promote new growth, despite its appearance. I related to that because about a year and a half ago, or so, I was pruned so far back that there was barely no life that I could see within my soul. There was nothing I could do, but to wonder why the gardener cut me so close to the ground. I had no voice. I was silent. All I could do was feel the pain. All I could do was wait.
After much waiting, new life has begun to sprout. New things are happening within my soul. Things I can't explain. They are not crazy or miraculous (although everything God does is a miracle), but there are things happening. It seems as if, somehow, this pruning I have gone through has grafted me even tighter and more firmly into the Vine, Jesus Himself.
I don't understand really.....but I suppose it isn't my business to understand. My business is to trust the gardener completely for He knows what He is doing. Still....I can marvel at the tiny growth I see budding from my scared and lopped off parts.... feeling a tiny bit of hope that someday I will be a fruitful soul again..... at church now, with the new Roman Missal, the Mass ends with the priest saying " Go in peace, glorifying God with your life." That is all I'm trying to do.
When I was a kid I lived through a lot of things like being picked on - mercilessly - and being laughed at, among other things that are not relevant to my points here so there is no need to expound on them..... As I became more involved in my Catholic faith, sometimes I would be laughed at or ridiculed for being someone who takes God's word seriously. As a matter of fact, that still happens sometimes.....usually at work, and sometimes from the mouths of fellow Catholics as well. Oh well...such is life. (I will never be ashamed of Jesus and people can get on me all they want. I know the truth.)
Sometimes I wonder why I don't keep my mouth closed and stay silent, but then the Holy Spirit inspires me to speak up and then the little creep delights in trying to slam me down.
Now, I have to say, that I am truly nothing more than a speck on this earth. I am nobody special, except in God's eyes. I am a normal, ordinary, regular human being. I have so many faults, failings, and weaknesses. I am well aware of them and it really cracks me up when others try and point them out to me because I could run circles around them in regards to listing off my inadequacies. But, I am coming to know that I am a speck that sometimes God uses to make a difference in someone's life. This is my truth....my experience of how God works in me.
I would love to be a canonized saint someday. I probably have a fat chance to have that happen but I believe in that saying that goes "a saint is a sinner that just kept trying". So I try. I fail. I try again.
What I know is that there are some blessings that God gives to people who seriously devote themselves to prayer and they are unique to everyone. It is not a "high" or anything incredibly outrageous where people claim to levitate and all of that. But there are blessings that are given which are felt deep in the soul. Sometimes there is a quiet, but strong presence of God in the midst of the prayer time. Sometimes there is just the sense that "I'm in the best place on earth right now, and that is before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament".
Granted, wherever we go we are abiding in God's love, but in today's world, if someone is a true christian, I think that he/she needs to try hard to keep that reality in the midst of everything they do, especially when things come against them. Things come against me constantly, but the older I get, the more I see that when something evil comes against me, the Holy Spirit is right there to chase it away.
Abiding in God's Love .... the vine and the branches.....my priest recently gave a talk where he talked about the vine and the branches reading from John's Gospel. He reminded us that sometimes the gardener lops off the branches so close to the edge that it might appear that they are dead, never to grow new life. That can be a painful thing. He said the gardener does that because it will promote new growth, despite its appearance. I related to that because about a year and a half ago, or so, I was pruned so far back that there was barely no life that I could see within my soul. There was nothing I could do, but to wonder why the gardener cut me so close to the ground. I had no voice. I was silent. All I could do was feel the pain. All I could do was wait.
After much waiting, new life has begun to sprout. New things are happening within my soul. Things I can't explain. They are not crazy or miraculous (although everything God does is a miracle), but there are things happening. It seems as if, somehow, this pruning I have gone through has grafted me even tighter and more firmly into the Vine, Jesus Himself.
I don't understand really.....but I suppose it isn't my business to understand. My business is to trust the gardener completely for He knows what He is doing. Still....I can marvel at the tiny growth I see budding from my scared and lopped off parts.... feeling a tiny bit of hope that someday I will be a fruitful soul again..... at church now, with the new Roman Missal, the Mass ends with the priest saying " Go in peace, glorifying God with your life." That is all I'm trying to do.
Mar 25, 2012
Lent - a Time for Change
This Lent is two years since I've started this blog. I just wanted to say that. Now, on to my topic...
Lent is a time for change and improvement. Change is difficult sometimes. There have been times in my life that I have welcomed changed and worked hard at it. Most of my days, actually... but there are some aspects of my personality that I really would like to change and I am having a difficult time with it. Sometimes I think these things cannot be changed. Other times I think it is a matter of just being self-aware and focused and then I will be "new and improved".
At other times I think God made me this way, or allowed me to become the way I am, for a reason.
I was thinking recently about who I was as a child and if I am still the same, and if so, then perhaps that is the way God made me so that I could use that aspect of my personality for the world ( however big or small my world is at any particular time). When I was really small, maybe 8 years old, I remember breaking up a conflict between my sister and this little mean kid from the neighborhood. I remember today that I negotiated and literally stood between the two of them, as in a UN deal. I remember preventing the violence.
I remember many other times in my life when I stood up for injustice even though it made me quite unpopular. As a rule, I am a first class chicken. I am generally gentle and polite, but when an injustice pops in front of my face, I have to speak up. It is very hard for me to do so and I get nervous/anxious and think to myself to be quiet. But then something wells up within me. I have come to know that "something" ( most of the time anyway ), is the Holy Spirit telling me to act. There are times, to be honest, when it is not the Holy Spirit and my emotions that take over, but I have come to know the signs when it is the Holy Spirit. Do you want to know what those signs are?
Well, one sign is that it is a consistent impulse from inside to speak up and the words flood into my mind, or the actions that I'm supposed to do. I try to ignore it, rationalize it, try not to focus on it, etc....but it keeps coming back. It is a haunting type of feeling. It was the prophet Jeremiah wasn't it that stated for him it was like burning coals in his mouth until he spoke. Sometimes that is how it is with me - like burning coals. Then, once I speak it, then the pressure subsides and I get a feeling of peace inside. Later on though, I may think twice and feel incredibly stupid, but as the days go by and I reflect on my words or actions, then I usually know that I said or did the right thing.
Some people have told me that I am brave. I don't think that because many times when I have spoken up I get backlash. I can get ostracized. I have been rejected. I have been misunderstood. In a strange way though, all those things tell me I did the right thing. The ultimate knowing though, is a deep sense of peace that I listened to the Holy Spirit.
I don't know if any of you understand what I am trying to say. You know in Scripture where it says ..."when I am weak, He is strong"? Well, that is sort of how it is. I am a chicken and a weakling. I am basically a nobody on this planet. I have done nothing great or massive (yet!). I don't have lots of money. I don't have fancy things. I don't fit in to alot of what the world offers and to be honest, I don't even feel like I fit into my Catholic Church anymore. I do not have a place there - well I do.....I shoudl be honest...I have moved myself from the "third pew" to the back pew. Literally. Even though I am quite an under-ordinary person, God still uses me to fight injustice when it comes in front of me.
So this Lent I am trying to change and improve myself. It is difficult. The most difficult thing I'm experiencing this Lent is a dryness and distractedness in prayer. I have not cut short my prayer time, but during that time, my mind wanders. But I think they say that 90% of life is just showing up? Well, I show up in front of the tabernacle....and look at Jesus hidden there and Jesus looks back at me.
Despite everything though.......I am hoping that this Lent is changing me, despite my limitations.
Lent is a time for change and improvement. Change is difficult sometimes. There have been times in my life that I have welcomed changed and worked hard at it. Most of my days, actually... but there are some aspects of my personality that I really would like to change and I am having a difficult time with it. Sometimes I think these things cannot be changed. Other times I think it is a matter of just being self-aware and focused and then I will be "new and improved".
At other times I think God made me this way, or allowed me to become the way I am, for a reason.
I was thinking recently about who I was as a child and if I am still the same, and if so, then perhaps that is the way God made me so that I could use that aspect of my personality for the world ( however big or small my world is at any particular time). When I was really small, maybe 8 years old, I remember breaking up a conflict between my sister and this little mean kid from the neighborhood. I remember today that I negotiated and literally stood between the two of them, as in a UN deal. I remember preventing the violence.
I remember many other times in my life when I stood up for injustice even though it made me quite unpopular. As a rule, I am a first class chicken. I am generally gentle and polite, but when an injustice pops in front of my face, I have to speak up. It is very hard for me to do so and I get nervous/anxious and think to myself to be quiet. But then something wells up within me. I have come to know that "something" ( most of the time anyway ), is the Holy Spirit telling me to act. There are times, to be honest, when it is not the Holy Spirit and my emotions that take over, but I have come to know the signs when it is the Holy Spirit. Do you want to know what those signs are?
Well, one sign is that it is a consistent impulse from inside to speak up and the words flood into my mind, or the actions that I'm supposed to do. I try to ignore it, rationalize it, try not to focus on it, etc....but it keeps coming back. It is a haunting type of feeling. It was the prophet Jeremiah wasn't it that stated for him it was like burning coals in his mouth until he spoke. Sometimes that is how it is with me - like burning coals. Then, once I speak it, then the pressure subsides and I get a feeling of peace inside. Later on though, I may think twice and feel incredibly stupid, but as the days go by and I reflect on my words or actions, then I usually know that I said or did the right thing.
Some people have told me that I am brave. I don't think that because many times when I have spoken up I get backlash. I can get ostracized. I have been rejected. I have been misunderstood. In a strange way though, all those things tell me I did the right thing. The ultimate knowing though, is a deep sense of peace that I listened to the Holy Spirit.
I don't know if any of you understand what I am trying to say. You know in Scripture where it says ..."when I am weak, He is strong"? Well, that is sort of how it is. I am a chicken and a weakling. I am basically a nobody on this planet. I have done nothing great or massive (yet!). I don't have lots of money. I don't have fancy things. I don't fit in to alot of what the world offers and to be honest, I don't even feel like I fit into my Catholic Church anymore. I do not have a place there - well I do.....I shoudl be honest...I have moved myself from the "third pew" to the back pew. Literally. Even though I am quite an under-ordinary person, God still uses me to fight injustice when it comes in front of me.
So this Lent I am trying to change and improve myself. It is difficult. The most difficult thing I'm experiencing this Lent is a dryness and distractedness in prayer. I have not cut short my prayer time, but during that time, my mind wanders. But I think they say that 90% of life is just showing up? Well, I show up in front of the tabernacle....and look at Jesus hidden there and Jesus looks back at me.
Despite everything though.......I am hoping that this Lent is changing me, despite my limitations.
Mar 24, 2012
Standing up for Religious Freedom
On March 23rd I went to one of the nationwide rallies standing up for Religious Freedom. I took the day off from work to go. I'm not a very political person, but I am a spiritual person and so I am worried about the direction our country is going and how Obama is trying to take away our religious freedom.
The rally was really interesting. I met people from all across my state who came to stand up for the Church. Most of the people there were Catholics but there were others who were from other christian denominations. There were about 25 seminarians and some priests, as well as a few school buses of Catholic school children / teens.
Someone gave me a "Stand Up for Religious Freedom" sign and that was my mission for the rally! I stood at the curb near the intersection, amongst the other people, and held up my sign and waved to the people in cars driving by. It was at an intersection so some of the cars had a chance to stop and see what the rally was about. There were quite a few people who honked in agreement with us. There were some Obama fans. One car drove by and yelled "O-bam-a" over and over, while another lady drove by and yelled "Obama is dangerous!". We got a variety of thumbs up and thumbs down too. Lots of honking cars though.
Because I was so busy "working the curb" with my sign, I didn't hear the talks, but that was okay. We each had a role to play. There were some news people there and I did see the rallies mentioned on one TV station with some video. I was hoping for more though.
I can't understand why perfectly intelligent people think what Obama is doing is right and good for our country, and that is not a political statement. I mean, if someone really looks at what he is doing, it is plainly anti-Catholic and anti-religion. He is the most pro-death president we have had. He thinks partial birth abortion should be allowed. A few days after becoming president, on the heals of the March for Life in DC, he signed a bill allowing MY tax dollars to be used to fund abortions in other countries. He has no idea how dangerous contraception is for women.
Well, I did my small part and I prayed, and will continue to pray. One thing I know: our country is heading into, and we are already there, a time of persecution on all fronts, and religion is one of them. Our country has lost its morality and focus on virtues, goodness, and God. We are creating a big problem for ourselves in the future, but the people who are supposed to be intelligent like Obama, Peliosi, and Biden, the latter two supposedly are Catholics, aren't really smart at all. I don't know if it is just stupidity, ignorance, or arrogance, but to me, it is blatantly diabolical.
More than ever, we have to pray. We have to be with Jesus. We have to listen to Him, read the Bible, go to Mass, read good spiritual things like the lives of the saints. We need to pray the rosary. Why? Because the times that are coming will be quite dark and we have to focus on being lights to the world.
I'm standing up for Religious Freedom, and lots of other good things too. Lucky for me, I know the end - Jesus wins, but it is the "in between" that can be nerve wracking.
The rally was really interesting. I met people from all across my state who came to stand up for the Church. Most of the people there were Catholics but there were others who were from other christian denominations. There were about 25 seminarians and some priests, as well as a few school buses of Catholic school children / teens.
Someone gave me a "Stand Up for Religious Freedom" sign and that was my mission for the rally! I stood at the curb near the intersection, amongst the other people, and held up my sign and waved to the people in cars driving by. It was at an intersection so some of the cars had a chance to stop and see what the rally was about. There were quite a few people who honked in agreement with us. There were some Obama fans. One car drove by and yelled "O-bam-a" over and over, while another lady drove by and yelled "Obama is dangerous!". We got a variety of thumbs up and thumbs down too. Lots of honking cars though.
Because I was so busy "working the curb" with my sign, I didn't hear the talks, but that was okay. We each had a role to play. There were some news people there and I did see the rallies mentioned on one TV station with some video. I was hoping for more though.
I can't understand why perfectly intelligent people think what Obama is doing is right and good for our country, and that is not a political statement. I mean, if someone really looks at what he is doing, it is plainly anti-Catholic and anti-religion. He is the most pro-death president we have had. He thinks partial birth abortion should be allowed. A few days after becoming president, on the heals of the March for Life in DC, he signed a bill allowing MY tax dollars to be used to fund abortions in other countries. He has no idea how dangerous contraception is for women.
Well, I did my small part and I prayed, and will continue to pray. One thing I know: our country is heading into, and we are already there, a time of persecution on all fronts, and religion is one of them. Our country has lost its morality and focus on virtues, goodness, and God. We are creating a big problem for ourselves in the future, but the people who are supposed to be intelligent like Obama, Peliosi, and Biden, the latter two supposedly are Catholics, aren't really smart at all. I don't know if it is just stupidity, ignorance, or arrogance, but to me, it is blatantly diabolical.
More than ever, we have to pray. We have to be with Jesus. We have to listen to Him, read the Bible, go to Mass, read good spiritual things like the lives of the saints. We need to pray the rosary. Why? Because the times that are coming will be quite dark and we have to focus on being lights to the world.
I'm standing up for Religious Freedom, and lots of other good things too. Lucky for me, I know the end - Jesus wins, but it is the "in between" that can be nerve wracking.
Mar 10, 2012
Today I am sighing because I am waiting for our church leaders, clergy and lay alike, to rise up and speak with courage. Yes, the bishops are speaking about the HHS Mandate and they are probably doing things behind the scenes. But I haven't heard much about it in the local parishes I've attended within the last month. It doesn't seem to be such a big deal in the local church.
It seems to me that daily little happenings take presidence over the bigger dangers that lurk just outside the church doors - like a fire breathing dragon waiting to destroy the church. Yes, the gates of hell will never prevail against the church, but they will push and shove and try and in the process, some will be lost. We need to minimize the casualties.
And so tonight I ask...where is the strong leadership we need? Why are some leaders acting like there is nothing going on? Do they not see the domino effect here....that once Obama's administration makes this happen, that it will affect many other things within the church as well?
I do not say this to criticize.....well, maybe I do. I don't know. Maybe I am the dumb one? Maybe they are all doing things behind the scenes to take care of us lowly sheep who are blinded by our culture? Or maybe they are not doing anything and they are as blind as the sheep?
How come what the bishops are doing is not trickling down to the local parishes? The first week or two there was talk about this, now there doesn't seem to be anything said.
Truly we are like a lobster in a pot of warm water that is getting hotter. Slowly we are cooking and dying and many are not even aware of it.
So, what do I want to see? I want to see our leaders speaking loudly, consistently and boldly. I want to see them rallying the troops ( us ) to action. I guess I want to hear a battle cry, but not a cry for violence, but action.
Are our leaders afraid? I don't understand the silence. Where are the lay Catholics in the media and why aren't they saying anything? With only 30% of Catholics attending Church, and some of them not believing in the Real Presence or even living by the Church's teachings, how can they be so SILENT ?
So, besides being critical, I guess I am feeling angry as well. Today the Gospel was about Jesus getting angry in the temple and chasing out the vendors and buyers. Why aren't our church leaders doing the same? Like Jesus, I feel like I want to tip things over and chase people. Ha ha ha ha....the big difference here is that Jesus had the power to do that and I have absolutely no power at all except to pray (and that is something good).
Oh, how I wish the bishops would speak louder to our other church leaders and tell them to speak up and to keep speaking, and to pray and to keep praying, and to mobilize the sheep so we can make a change before it is too late.
Sigh.........IF I ONLY HAD A PULPIT !
Lord, I ask for patience, wisdom, discernment and to know your will. Why do you give me such passion for You and desire to speak out on Your behalf and no place to speak except this dot in cyberspace?
Amen.
It seems to me that daily little happenings take presidence over the bigger dangers that lurk just outside the church doors - like a fire breathing dragon waiting to destroy the church. Yes, the gates of hell will never prevail against the church, but they will push and shove and try and in the process, some will be lost. We need to minimize the casualties.
And so tonight I ask...where is the strong leadership we need? Why are some leaders acting like there is nothing going on? Do they not see the domino effect here....that once Obama's administration makes this happen, that it will affect many other things within the church as well?
I do not say this to criticize.....well, maybe I do. I don't know. Maybe I am the dumb one? Maybe they are all doing things behind the scenes to take care of us lowly sheep who are blinded by our culture? Or maybe they are not doing anything and they are as blind as the sheep?
How come what the bishops are doing is not trickling down to the local parishes? The first week or two there was talk about this, now there doesn't seem to be anything said.
Truly we are like a lobster in a pot of warm water that is getting hotter. Slowly we are cooking and dying and many are not even aware of it.
So, what do I want to see? I want to see our leaders speaking loudly, consistently and boldly. I want to see them rallying the troops ( us ) to action. I guess I want to hear a battle cry, but not a cry for violence, but action.
Are our leaders afraid? I don't understand the silence. Where are the lay Catholics in the media and why aren't they saying anything? With only 30% of Catholics attending Church, and some of them not believing in the Real Presence or even living by the Church's teachings, how can they be so SILENT ?
So, besides being critical, I guess I am feeling angry as well. Today the Gospel was about Jesus getting angry in the temple and chasing out the vendors and buyers. Why aren't our church leaders doing the same? Like Jesus, I feel like I want to tip things over and chase people. Ha ha ha ha....the big difference here is that Jesus had the power to do that and I have absolutely no power at all except to pray (and that is something good).
Oh, how I wish the bishops would speak louder to our other church leaders and tell them to speak up and to keep speaking, and to pray and to keep praying, and to mobilize the sheep so we can make a change before it is too late.
Sigh.........IF I ONLY HAD A PULPIT !
Lord, I ask for patience, wisdom, discernment and to know your will. Why do you give me such passion for You and desire to speak out on Your behalf and no place to speak except this dot in cyberspace?
Amen.
Feb 18, 2012
If I could give a homily...
If I could give a homily to all the Catholics, and all christians in general, in the entire world, I would have a strong message. I would tell them that they need to pray more than ever before because the evil one is out to get them and he is serious about it. I would tell them that he is hot on our tracks and if they are not careful they may be the next victim. I would tell them that we have to stick together. We have to read scripture. We have to pray all sorts of prayers - loud charismatic prayers, silent contemplation, meditative rosaries, lectio divina, etc.... and we must go to Mass and we must keep vigilant over the status of our souls. These are the things I would say.
I would challenge the priests and ministers in the world to not be afraid to speak out with courage in the face that evil presents to us today. They have a huge responsibility and I don't think that some of them are aware of that fact because some have become complacent in their positions of power in their churches and communities, while others have become lazy or so overwhelmed that they have lost their focus. I would challenge them to be mature shepherds, to trust the Holy Spirit to give them the wisdom and words they need to minister and to lead. I would also challenge them to let the laity minister to them as well, encourage them, and work with them hand in hand. We must face this ugly foe together, for none of us can do it alone.
So, we must pray. We must surrender to Jesus. We must listen. We must wait. We must support and encourage one another. We must lift each other up when someone is failing and we must reach out to the sad, the anxious, the fearful, and the lost. To disregard someone in need is a terrible thing for when we do that we are ignoring Jesus Himself.
Please, my Catholic brothers and sisters, my christian brothers and sisters from other denominations, my Jewish brothers and sisters, we must stand united. For we are coming upon a time not seen before in human history. We will be tested. We will be assaulted by the evil one even more than now. We must reach into Heaven from our knees. We must listen with our hearts. We must move swiftly when Jesus tells us to move - with trust in His providence.
As PJPII, my favorite pope, said many times: "Be Not Afraid". (Jesus said that too by the way!)
Well, these are my thoughts for this evening.
I would challenge the priests and ministers in the world to not be afraid to speak out with courage in the face that evil presents to us today. They have a huge responsibility and I don't think that some of them are aware of that fact because some have become complacent in their positions of power in their churches and communities, while others have become lazy or so overwhelmed that they have lost their focus. I would challenge them to be mature shepherds, to trust the Holy Spirit to give them the wisdom and words they need to minister and to lead. I would also challenge them to let the laity minister to them as well, encourage them, and work with them hand in hand. We must face this ugly foe together, for none of us can do it alone.
So, we must pray. We must surrender to Jesus. We must listen. We must wait. We must support and encourage one another. We must lift each other up when someone is failing and we must reach out to the sad, the anxious, the fearful, and the lost. To disregard someone in need is a terrible thing for when we do that we are ignoring Jesus Himself.
Please, my Catholic brothers and sisters, my christian brothers and sisters from other denominations, my Jewish brothers and sisters, we must stand united. For we are coming upon a time not seen before in human history. We will be tested. We will be assaulted by the evil one even more than now. We must reach into Heaven from our knees. We must listen with our hearts. We must move swiftly when Jesus tells us to move - with trust in His providence.
As PJPII, my favorite pope, said many times: "Be Not Afraid". (Jesus said that too by the way!)
Well, these are my thoughts for this evening.
Jan 21, 2012
Step by Step
Have you ever taken a walk and been very mindful of everything you were doing and everything you were looking at along the way? By that I mean...were you aware of each step and how it felt to put your feet on the ground...how the muscles felt in your feet when they moved? Were you aware of the air on your face, and the sounds around you ?
Sometimes, in our daily lives, we lose sight of things like this. We are so busy and we are so technologically minded these days. Technology can be a good thing, but it can also be something that separates us from real life.
I'm not a big technological person. I blog - that is about as high tech as I get. I have a basic cell phone that doesn't take pictures, or surf the web, or anything like that. To me, technology is a burden most of the time. In many ways, it has come to rule our lives. I work with people who are so caught up in technology that they are always connected, always texting, or tweeting, or whatever it is called.
Step by step, technology is taking us away from silence and from listening to God and the world He made for us. Even while walking, many people are still connected to their cell phones, ipods or...what are those other things........ear buds?
So, in being low-tech.... I like to spend time 1:1 with Jesus in Church. Alone. Whole church to myself. Me and Jesus. It is silent. I've shared that with some people at work and they think I am strange because they can't handle silence. Perhaps it is because they will be afraid of what they will hear in the silence...namely, their own soul crying out for meaning and purpose in a very cold and high-tech world. And dare I say...they might also hear God's voice too? Once I knew someone who had five TVs in her house. While I was there visiting I asked her if she wanted to shut them off so we could talk and she said no, she leaves them all on because otherwise she has to "think" and thinking was uncomfortable for her.
Step by step, we have to start walking back to silence and put technology in its place. Technology is good if we use it in moderation and to help us. But when we become addicted to it and when we allow it to steal our silence, then it becomes a problem.
So, the next time you go for a walk, I challenge you to keep the cell phone in your pocket. Pay attention to your steps and where you are going in life and in your relationship with Jesus.
Sometimes, in our daily lives, we lose sight of things like this. We are so busy and we are so technologically minded these days. Technology can be a good thing, but it can also be something that separates us from real life.
I'm not a big technological person. I blog - that is about as high tech as I get. I have a basic cell phone that doesn't take pictures, or surf the web, or anything like that. To me, technology is a burden most of the time. In many ways, it has come to rule our lives. I work with people who are so caught up in technology that they are always connected, always texting, or tweeting, or whatever it is called.
Step by step, technology is taking us away from silence and from listening to God and the world He made for us. Even while walking, many people are still connected to their cell phones, ipods or...what are those other things........ear buds?
So, in being low-tech.... I like to spend time 1:1 with Jesus in Church. Alone. Whole church to myself. Me and Jesus. It is silent. I've shared that with some people at work and they think I am strange because they can't handle silence. Perhaps it is because they will be afraid of what they will hear in the silence...namely, their own soul crying out for meaning and purpose in a very cold and high-tech world. And dare I say...they might also hear God's voice too? Once I knew someone who had five TVs in her house. While I was there visiting I asked her if she wanted to shut them off so we could talk and she said no, she leaves them all on because otherwise she has to "think" and thinking was uncomfortable for her.
Step by step, we have to start walking back to silence and put technology in its place. Technology is good if we use it in moderation and to help us. But when we become addicted to it and when we allow it to steal our silence, then it becomes a problem.
So, the next time you go for a walk, I challenge you to keep the cell phone in your pocket. Pay attention to your steps and where you are going in life and in your relationship with Jesus.
Jan 1, 2012
Fear Not, little flock!
Do you all realize ( and I think you do ) that there is an enemy at work in the world? He is the enemy of Heaven and he seeks to destroy all things and people that are good.
If you don' t realize this, you are probably one of those that think the enemy is just a myth. That's what he wants you to think anyway. This is his greatest lie...making people believe that he isn't real when he is. He is wreaking havoc around the world as I write this.
He is attacking good people. I know some of them personally. The funny thing is....although he is a big pest and does cause damage, he will never win. He knows that and it makes him furious. He is so full of hate and pride and anger that he will never surrender to Christ and ask for forgiveness. So he roams the world trying to make people as miserable as he is and he is getting more bold about "in your face" about it.
The enemy is advancing on people who are serious about their faith in order to stop them from doing good. He is attacking them in their minds, in their relationships, and in their churches. He is going after them physically. He is going after clergy and lay people alike and is putting up a tough fight, but he will lose. He does lose, on a daily basis.
The anectode and quickest ways to get rid of the enemy are to pray, stay close to the Eucharist, and to sincerely live as a Christian no matter what. That is difficult. I know of someone right now who has a terrible time with "all things church". This person is assaulted even inside the church and is terribly distracted during Mass, is angry, restless and leaves feeling worse than when they entered the church...and this is someone who loves Mass !
What we can do to counteract the enemy is to be very aware of his tricks so there is minimal damage, if any, in this war with him. And it is true, that God's grace will kick in when we need it and we won't be lost when a battle ensues.
Scripture talks about putting on the entire armor of God, and we need to listen to it.
I know someone who was recently in a tangle with him and won. Hands down. How? Because this person's soul simply called on the name of Jesus and the enemy fled in an instant, and peace reigned once again. Interestingly enough, as rough and tumble and scary as this situation was, the person was never afraid. Annoyed yes. Surprised yes. Fighting for life, yes. But not afraid. This is because this person knew his tricks and knew what to do...
We have to pray daily for strength, especially in these times. We need to pray for faith, strength, courage, humility, love, and hope. We need to trust, as hard as it is sometimes, we have to try hard to trust.
If you don' t realize this, you are probably one of those that think the enemy is just a myth. That's what he wants you to think anyway. This is his greatest lie...making people believe that he isn't real when he is. He is wreaking havoc around the world as I write this.
He is attacking good people. I know some of them personally. The funny thing is....although he is a big pest and does cause damage, he will never win. He knows that and it makes him furious. He is so full of hate and pride and anger that he will never surrender to Christ and ask for forgiveness. So he roams the world trying to make people as miserable as he is and he is getting more bold about "in your face" about it.
The enemy is advancing on people who are serious about their faith in order to stop them from doing good. He is attacking them in their minds, in their relationships, and in their churches. He is going after them physically. He is going after clergy and lay people alike and is putting up a tough fight, but he will lose. He does lose, on a daily basis.
The anectode and quickest ways to get rid of the enemy are to pray, stay close to the Eucharist, and to sincerely live as a Christian no matter what. That is difficult. I know of someone right now who has a terrible time with "all things church". This person is assaulted even inside the church and is terribly distracted during Mass, is angry, restless and leaves feeling worse than when they entered the church...and this is someone who loves Mass !
What we can do to counteract the enemy is to be very aware of his tricks so there is minimal damage, if any, in this war with him. And it is true, that God's grace will kick in when we need it and we won't be lost when a battle ensues.
Scripture talks about putting on the entire armor of God, and we need to listen to it.
I know someone who was recently in a tangle with him and won. Hands down. How? Because this person's soul simply called on the name of Jesus and the enemy fled in an instant, and peace reigned once again. Interestingly enough, as rough and tumble and scary as this situation was, the person was never afraid. Annoyed yes. Surprised yes. Fighting for life, yes. But not afraid. This is because this person knew his tricks and knew what to do...
We have to pray daily for strength, especially in these times. We need to pray for faith, strength, courage, humility, love, and hope. We need to trust, as hard as it is sometimes, we have to try hard to trust.
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