The law of the land, the law of love, and the lawbreakers

Gwen had lived a hard life. She was raised by her aunt because of the drug addiction and child abuse that was in her family home. She had brothers and sisters, though she did not even know how many of them she had. Gwen was in touch with a couple of her younger brothers but she kept a healthy distance from them. They became angry quickly, and their hot tempers were matched only by their deceitful ways.

Because of all she had suffered as a child, Gwen was an empathetic woman. She identified with the pain that others experienced. She worked with abused children, teaching them about their human dignity and how to care for themselves. Gwen did not understand how she and her brothers had turned out so differently.

Gwen received a phone call from one of her brothers right after work one day. He had been incarcerated. He told her to get a few things for him and bring them to his new home. Gwen knew this would happen to him some day. The boy just wouldn't learn. He felt no guilt, no shame, no remorse. There he was joking about a serious situation, and what was personally upsetting to Gwen was the way he expected her to put herself in a dangerous position by breaking the law.

Gwen had been in juvenile once. She had served community service. She had learned her lesson. She had reformed her life. Gwen told her brother that he needed to do the same thing. She understood his coded message. She refused to pay him a visit to sneak her urine in for him. "I'm ashamed that you are related to me!" Gwen cried out. She shouted at him to get a life, and then she hung up on him.

The next day at Mass, Gwen heard a homily about the corporal works of mercy. She realized that it was a timely message, and that God wanted people to share the love of Christ with prisoners. Jesus said a profound thing, that visiting the imprisoned is the same as visiting Him. She wished somebody had visited her when she was a wayward teen in juvenile. She found it incredible, though, that anyone could treat unrepentant criminals the way you would treat Jesus. Gwen doubted they could reach her brother, but it was worth a shot.

Right after Mass, Gwen headed over to the table for the prison ministry and put her brother's name and address on the list. The gentleman who watched Gwen filling in the information explained to her that this was a contact sheet for parishioners to sign themselves up to go visit prisoners; so he needed her name, not the prisoner's name. Gwen set the pen down and took a step back. "Oh, never mind then, I wouldn't go see that low-life jailbird even if you paid me to. He can rot in there for all I care."

From the Litany of the Holy Ghost:
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, send us Thy Holy Ghost.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety.
V/. Come, Holy Ghost! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful.
R/. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy Love.

CCC 1970: The entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the "new commandment" of Jesus, to love one another as he has loved us. "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; this is the law and the prophets."

Oh ye of little faith

Father greeted the college students and motioned for them to take a seat in his office. He was intrigued by his visitors and made time to fit the interview into his busy schedule. It had been explained to him by his secretary that the women were not Catholic, and that having an interview with the pastor of a different Christian sect or denomination was part of their philosophy of religion course assignment.

Father was knowledgeable and gladly answered basic questions about the Catholic faith. He found the conversation with the students invigorating, as he had not been one to evangelize much. He appreciated the respectful interaction on the part of the Evangelical Protestant women. It was such an inspiring experience for Father to be with Christians who had so much zeal and love for Jesus. They scribbled notes as they proceeded along with the interview. Father hoped the students were learning that Catholics Christians are just like they are.

When he was asked questions about Mary, the students maintained a professional tone, that Father very much appreciated. He was pleased to share authentic Marian dogma with them and clear up some misunderstandings that Protestants have about the Catholic Church when it comes to the Mother of God. One of the students took down the dates with the information Father shared, while the other woman looked at him in a hard way that made him feel uncomfortable. He expected the Evangelical in this college student to step forward and begin typical anti-Catholic attacking of the Catholic faith. He believed he would handle things well in politely showing them the door, if such a confrontation should occur.

However, the young woman remained silent, listening intently as he answered the other student's questions about the Holy Eucharist. Father explained the doctrines of the Catholic Church in a concise and clear manner. Father suspected that this young woman already knew something of the teachings of the Church.

Upon concluding the interview, the students thanked the priest for his time, and Father escorted them to the door. The woman who had been obviously studying the man more than the material did not go along with her friend, but paused at the top of the stairs and turned to face Father. Her question caught him off-guard because it was of a personal nature.

"Father do you pray the Rosary?" Father stammered, "Uh, no, not really. Go in peace. Have a good day now." She placed her hand on Father's arm, preventing him from closing the door. She smirked, "Father, you don't really believe that Jesus is present in a piece of bread do you?" Father raised his eyebrows as a sympathetic nervous smile came to his face. His head lightly moved from side to side as he removed the woman's hand, and while closing the door, Father responded reassuringly, "No."

From the Litany of the Holy Ghost:
Holy Ghost, inspire us with horror of sin.
Holy Ghost, come and renew the face of the earth.
Holy Ghost, shed Thy light in our souls.
Holy Ghost, engrave Thy law in our hearts.
Holy Ghost, inflame us with the flame of Thy Love.
Holy Ghost, open to us the treasures of Thy graces.
Holy Ghost, teach us to pray well.
Holy Ghost, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations.
Holy Ghost, lead us in the way of salvation.
Holy Ghost, grant us the only necessary knowledge.
Holy Ghost, inspire us in the practice of good.
Holy Ghost, grant us the merits of all virtues.
Holy Ghost, make us persevere in justice.
Holy Ghost, be Thou our everlasting reward.

Answering the recruiter's call

Edeson had just graduated from high school. He would enjoy a couple of months of vacation time and then begin studying at the university where he had been accepted. After four more years of studying, he would be able to walk right into an engineering position in a big corporation. Edeson's parents had their hearts set on their son marrying a certain girl from a good family line, so he began a pleasant courtship with the sweet maiden. It was easy for Edeson to try to please his parents, because cooperation with them never failed to work out best for him.

Secretly, though, Edeson was becoming conflicted within himself. He couldn't put his finger on it to articulate the issue and examine it objectively, but there was a disconcerted feeling that he had about where his life was headed. The practicality of his life plan was as perfect as it could possibly be, but it didn't seem to be one that would affect the lives of the less fortunate in the world. Edeson was sure that he could somehow make a difference by healing some broken hearts and building some bridges between people.

Once a month for over a year, he had been involved in a ministry that fed the homeless in the inner city. There was real satisfaction for the young man in serving the poor and needy. Edeson smiled as he recalled how special last week's outing had been for him. That one precious little girl who he had brought hair ribbons for a couple of times previously came running up to him upon his arrival. Excitedly, she gave him a picture that she had drawn for him of their new apartment. He couldn't think of anything in his life that had ever made him happier than sharing in that wisp of an angel's happiness over finally being able to leave the homeless shelter and move into her own home with her mother.

There it was again, that peculiar feeling. It was as if an invisible presence was standing beside Edeson with a gentle hand of guidance upon his shoulder, as the parting words spoken by that little girl came back to haunt him. Perhaps she said it because he had been wearing black that day. "Thank you for the ribbons. Do you see how pretty they make my hair? I love you, Father Edeson!"

Today's readings: Leviticus 23:1,4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-37, Psalm 81:3-6, 10-11, Gospel: John 11:19-27 or Luke 10:38-42

From the Litany of the Holy Ghost:
Holy Ghost, the Comforter, have mercy on us.
Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, have mercy on us.
Holy Ghost, Who governs the Church, have mercy on us.
Gift of God, the Most High, have mercy on us.
Spirit Who fills the universe, have mercy on us.
Spirit of the adoption of the children of God, have mercy on us.

Let's cut to the chaste

Dulce, like most people, had a few good friends that she hung out with. They were a lot like her, which is why they got along so well. They enjoyed some of the same activities and they felt a special closeness in discussions because they all had similar views about most topics.

One night the five of them decided to go to the singles group on a college campus and check it out. They teased one another, while they mingled, about liking one of the guys there. Dulce was the lucky one who was asked out by him. She and her friends shared their excitement about this afterwards in the car on their way back to their homes. They praised the teen for catching a fine college man, and joked about her finally losing her virginity and joining the sweetest rank of womanhood.

The last of the girls to be dropped off was Dulce. Her best friend pulled the car up to her home and turned off the engine. She turned toward Dulce to give her some advice about sex. Dulce hadn't known her best friend was so experienced with men. Dulce listened in fascination to her friend's stories filled with details that explained how things that seem unpleasant and gross to a virgin are really just the opposite when you actually enter into the realm of lovemaking. With all that her friend recounted from personal experience, Dulce found it reassuring to know that she could have a lot of fun without ever even losing her virginity if she didn't want to to. Taking her advice, Dulce accepted the condom and placed it in the zip pocket in her purse, just in case she decided to go all the way.

That night as she was lying in her bed, imagining that she was kissing her boyfriend, Dulce remembered the instructions that her friend had given her. She had been informed that the romance builds and the sex is more meaningful when you try to string it out. You don't get it on quick like in the movies. You create and savor the intimacy and tease him for awhile, making your boyfriend fall madly in love with you. You make him want you more than anything, but you don't put out--at first.

Dulce played the first-date scenario out in her mind. She was already starting to feel it, she was already beginning to fall in love. It was so wonderful having a man's attention, being in his strong arms, laughing over silly things together by candlelight.

After a couple of dates, the seemingly innocent imaginary scenes in Dulce's mind had been heated up quite a bit. She easily embellished her memories of the intimacy that the two of them had shared together. She could taste his chocolate kisses. She sensed his desire for her and she felt the same way about him. She felt his tantalizing touch and it thrilled her. She could see reaching a point where she could no longer resist his passionate need for her love. It would be such a sweet surrender.

Dulce didn't think there was any harm in having fantasies. There's a difference between fantasy and reality. If it was all just in your mind, it never really happened. Why would you get the idea that some day it would?

Today's Scripture readings: Exodus 40:16-21,34-38, Psalm 84:3-6,8,11, Matthew 13:47-53

From the Litany of the Holy Ghost:
Spirit of love and truth, have mercy on us.
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, have mercy on us.
Spirit of counsel and fortitude, have mercy on us.
Spirit of knowledge and piety, have mercy on us.
Spirit of the fear of the Lord, have mercy on us.
Spirit of grace and prayer, have mercy on us.
Spirit of peace and meekness, have mercy on us.
Spirit of modesty and innocence, have mercy on us.

Buying he who dies with the most toys wins

Charles is a responsible person, and a dedicated husband and father. He can boast of the success he's had in life. According to this Catholic, he is a self-made man. By being practical and determined, he went from the bottom to the top in the first company he ever worked for. From there, his reputation in the field and his exemplary work ethic had brought him bigger and better opportunities. And he seized every one.

It wasn't too hard for Charles to conclude that he did everything just right. Being hard-working brought him recognition, which brought him wealth. He took pride in the fact that he provided only the best for his family. They never had to do without anything. On top of that, Charles was putting money away for future retirement. Following in his father's footsteps, Charles had married a good Catholic woman who was raising their children to shine in their academic and athletic achievements, he takes his family to Mass every Sunday, and he keeps the family traditions.

Before his father died, Charles made time to spend a few minutes with him at the senior hospice center. He had praised Charles highly for being a good man and raising his children to make a name for themselves. But then, as a tear trickled down one cheek, the frail old man asked him to take him to stay with his family, saying, "let's go home."

Charles was shocked to hear his dad make such an outrageous request. His father had too many medical needs to have to deal with, and he was on the way out. He couldn't put that kind of stress on his wife. It would be a major embarrassment having the old man hacking and wheezing when friends visited. Certainly he didn't expect to die at the house and put everyone through that kind of emotional trauma. That's what insurance is for.

Charles sighed and shook his head, but he reassured his father that he was in good hands there at the facility, and he promised that the two of them would stop by to see him again soon. He reminded his father that the staff at this place had taken excellent care of their mother a few years ago. His father's words came out choked in a tearful whisper. He said hat he was sorry for being away at work all the time instead of being there for him and for his mother while Charles was growing up; and that in the end, things did not matter. Charles looked over at his wife, perplexed, and he could easily read the expression on her face. "The poor old fool, he must be out of his mind."

Today's daily Mass readings: Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99:5-7,9, Matthew 13:44-46

From the Litany of the Holy Ghost:
Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us.
Ray of heavenly light, have mercy on us.
Author of all good, have mercy on us.
Source of heavenly water, have mercy on us.
Consuming fire, have mercy on us.
Ardent Charity, have mercy on us.
Spiritual unction, have mercy on us.

Doesn't love mean never having to say you're sorry?

Ben can't tell you exactly when it began, but he is aware of the fact that he doesn't respect his mother's authority. Ben finds it infuriating that his mother sees him as disobedient and defiant and unrepentant. Why can't she just shut up and give him a break? She is always thinking the worst about him. Ben rolls his eyes whenever his mother says that she loves him. Some love, huh?

He yells at her when he needs to make his mother understand his hurt feelings, and he still sobs when voicing his objections to his mother's critical corrections. He was not being mean to animals or bothering his sisters! She always thinks that he is a troublemaker and that he needs to go to confession. She always thinks that Ben is the same way he used to be. But Ben knows that if he was really as bad as all that, he would have killed her by now. He hadn't even punched her once for several years now. That shows contrition, but for her, that isn't good enough. (Shrug.)

That would be the day that he went to confession. Ben refused to go to confession way back when he got too big for his mother to force him to. Imagine that; what in the world would he need to talk to a priest about anyway? Maybe one day he'd go talk to somebody about what a lousy life he's had because of his father abandoning him. And how God stuck him with that irritating woman for a mother who never gave him a chance. Those aren't Ben's sins. They are the ones who need to go see a priest. As for Ben, he is just doing his best to get along in the world. He doesn't have anything to be sorry about.

The world is all messed up, Ben could see that. Ben knows that he isn't perfect, but he has more on the ball than just about anybody he knows. He had learned a lot about life and how people operate from school and movies. He prided himself on making a couple of good friends to hang out with and get rides from. And he is cool in their eyes, because when it comes to the ladies, he is a heart breaker.

One important thing that Ben understands about himself and life, is that his mother is the one who is wrong. She even admits it. In the middle of her yakking, she always says that she's sorry. She was sorry for arguing. She was sorry for not understanding him. She was sorry for getting angry with him. She was sorry for not loving him more, and better. Yeah, she is sorry for a lot of things. Just like she should be.

From The Litany of the Holy Ghost:
Father all powerful have mercy on us.
Jesus Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, save us.
Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of both, sanctify us.
Holy Trinity, hear us.
Holy Ghost, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.
Holy Ghost, Who are equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.

Daily Mass readings:
Exodus 33:7-11, 34:5-9, 28 Psalms 103:6-13 Matthew 13:36-43

My mother is going to kill me!

Amanda found a lot of things funny during Mass, and she shared these things with her friend. The two of them couldn't help themselves, they chuckled and hit one another playfully, oblivious to their own distracting behavior. Amanda liked her church. She was involved in some of the activities available for the young people there, and she enjoyed the Liturgy.

She was uncomfortable, though, whenever the homily went into what she considered the political arena. She wished that Father wouldn't talk about not using birth control, and she really didn't think that pictures of unborn babies near the main door was appropriate. After all, she came to Mass to hear about Jesus, not to worry about anything or to feel guilty about something.

Mass was only about an hour long, and this didn't cut into her day too much, though it was a pain to have to get up in the morning after being out late on Saturday night. Maybe it was time to start going Sunday nights, she thought.

Amanda told her boyfriend that this seemed like a good idea. It would get her mother off her back about staying out late and not being able to get up to get to Mass on time. He agreed that it was a great idea, telling her that sometimes he could pick her up at home and they could spend more time together. Though not at church. But they could go out dancing, eat at her favorite restaurant, or maybe go to his place for an hour. Wouldn't she rather be with somebody who loves her than wasting her time sitting in a pew listening to myths and fables? Her boyfriend was very assuring. Like he said...nobody will ever know...

From the Litany of the Holy Ghost:
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Today's readings: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Psalm 126:1-6, Matthew 20:20-28

Obedience: three women and a miracle

Our family has a hard time getting everyone together at a certain time to pray the Rosary together, and so it often gets put off until later, but later usually results in our missing praying it that day altogether. Firmly but gently I informed my children that we need to pray the Rosary together every day; and that from this day forward, if one of us is occupied, the rest of us will go ahead and begin to pray.

That very day, just as we began praying, the phone rang. One of the children had a look over to see on the caller ID that it was a friend whom I never get to see any more, and rarely can be in touch with even by phone. Still, I refused to answer to the phone, continuing to pray, and our family friend's needs into our prayers. Within ten minutes somebody was at the front door. We kept praying, though my kids were eyeing me steadily to see how I would handle the interruption. I looked over at the door from where I knelt. The visitor knocked all the more determined to bring me to the door, since she could see us all gathered there. I relented and went to see what the woman wanted.

This stranger spoke my full name, which was rather frightening. And then she told me that she had my check. According to her story, a little boy in her neighborhood showed it to her, and she had driven over to get it back to me. She suggested that I had dropped it, and she wished us a happy birthday, repeating the words of the notation on the check. She had placed this gift in an envelope and written my name and "Happy Birthday!" on it. It was an amazing tale, but I opened the sealed envelope and saw the check, and I thanked her. We should have never gotten that gift, for I had not even touched it, most likely someone stole it from my mailbox.

About five minutes later, our friend tried reaching us by phone once again. She was the one who had mailed us the gift, and I assumed that she was trying to make sure that I had received the check. I waited until we had finished praying the Rosary to call her back. I let her know right away that I had never received her check, but that God had put her gift right into the hands of someone who would return it to me. My friend had felt compelled to write her phone number on that check, which she relayed was unusual for her to do. This enabled the woman to contact my friend and get my information and bring the gift over to us.

Interestingly, my friend has a very limited income with no money to spare for gifts, and certainly not to share with a thief. This good-hearted woman sent this blessing to our poor family so that my children could enjoy a rare treat at a restaurant in celebration of their birthdays. For our family, then, this gift is truly a blessing and not something that we have the means to replace or to reciprocate as in typical gift exchanges among friends. I sacrifice a whole lot for my children and trusting God to provide for our family. The woman who returned the check to me does not live in a middle-class neighborhood. She too is struggling financially. She handed over money that had fallen into her lap, because it was not hers to keep, and she went the extra mile take on the responsibility to find me and place it directly into my hands. All three of the women in this true story merit God's graces. They are blessings to others. We chose to do what is right and good even though we could choose not to give of ourselves or to suffer any loss. Our obedience does not go unnoticed by our Lord.

This is an account of a modern miracle. Praise God! Be faithful and persevere in prayer. Some blessings will not be so obvious as this one, but God will bless you abundantly as you put Him first place in your life.

Today's readings: ‎[ 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 ] [ Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130 ] [ Romans 8:28-30 ] [ Matthew 13:44-52 ]

Color your life Magnificat

We can learn a lot about our Blessed Mother, and we can apply her words of The Magnificat to our lives today. She gives credit to God for everything that happens to her and calls these "great things". She even speaks to a positive and blessed future. She praises and glorifies God, rejoicing, filled with faith in God's providence and protection and provision. She speaks of God's mercy for those who have a high regard and reverence for our Lord. And she recounts how God keeps His promises.

Stress, uncertainty, fear, disappointments, wicked ordeals may indeed be a part of your life. I know I have much to deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes we can get stuck focusing on the negative pieces and not see the positive side of the whole scenario. Think about it--we also have unexpected resolved difficulties, various talents to make use of, joyful experiences, and many freedoms to be grateful for.

We may not be able to avoid dealing with the bad things in life, but we certainly can make the decision to trust in Jesus, to be thankful to God for all of the good, and reflect on the better things. Remember the bottom line--God loves you! Roses are beautiful and soft and fragrant. And they have thorns. Can you imagine not noticing the glorious flowers and only seeing the smaller thorns?

I like the idea of making The Magnificat my own, as if I had composed this beautiful prayer about my own life. Try it. Pray the words spoken by the Virgin Mary, making them your own:


The Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour,
Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid:
for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He that is mighty, 
has done great things to me; and Holy is His Name.
And His mercy is from generation unto generations, 
to them that fear Him.
He has shewed might in His Arm: 
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has cast down the mighty from their seat, 
and has exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things, 
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has received Israel, 
His servant, mindful of His mercy.
As He spoke to our fathers, 
to Abraham and to his seed, for ever.

Some days are worse than others

Noise. Children squabble. Neighbors fight. Mothers yell and cuss. Fathers slam doors. A car stops nearby with the radio blasting disgusting obscenities toward women.  I hear the train sounding a long warning. I hear above me, the air traffic, is low today. The threatening storm will bring thunder. There are automobiles with their horns being blown repeatedly by impatient, insistent drivers. The television, the cable, the internet videos are loud with violence. Several people need something from me, right now. They are all talking to me at once. There is the demand for prompt intervention. An angry critical voice expects an answer immediately. Sibling rivalry escalates, needing the referee. I shout instructions from one room to another, "don't answer the phone! It's a bill collector." A delivery person rings the doorbell. The dog barks dramatically, relentlessly, broadcasting her intruder alert. The washer has become unbalanced, bam, bam, bam, bam! The baby wakes up, startled, and wails. Noise.

Some days are worse than others. Hang in there. Remember, this too shall pass :)

Ave Maris Stella

Hail bright star of ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin,
Gate of heavenly rest
Taking that sweet Ave
Which from Gabriel came,
Peace confirm within us,
Changing Eva's name.
Break the captives' fetters,
Light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.
Show thyself a Mother;
May the Word Divine,
Born for us thy Infant,
Hear our prayers through thine
Virgin all excelling,
Mildest of the mild,
Freed from guilt, preserve us,
Pure and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
Make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus
Joy for evermore
Through the highest heaven
To the Almighty Three
Father, Son, and Sprit
One same glory be,

Amen.

On healing

There was a time in my life when I thought that since I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior life should get a whole lot better. I remember thinking God would do anything for me, all I had to do was pray about it. My faith took a big hit when I prayed for somebody to be healed miraculously. And then she died. I was totally shocked. How could God be my all-powerful Father, be a good God, but not listen to my prayer, and not care about healing this woman? This made no sense at all--to me--at that time.

There are things that we will never understand about God this side of heaven. The Holy Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church are excellent sources to learn more about God. Be attentive to the homilies at Mass. Listen to God. Accept the message.

In time, I began to understand that God does not heal everybody physically. His main interest is your soul. Will a healing bring eternal salvation? Will a healing cause you to live on in a lifestyle that will cause the loss of heaven? Will suffering in the body be better for those around you who have not yet learned to give of themselves, to have empathy and mercy, or to see the value in people who are not otherwise viewed as perfect and able-bodied?

Pick up the Bible and read here and there in the Old Testament and in the New Testament to gain a few clues about how God works in the cases of healing miracles. Read from the writings of the saints to understand more about how and why God brings about miracles. There are some common elements involved, but there is no set formula to receive a supernatural healing from the Lord. The one obvious shared constant is faith. You must believe God can heal. One cannot presume that ending a prayer "in Jesus name" are magic words that make our Lord obey us.

There is no harm in praying for somebody's healing. And it is right to expect a miracle rather than limit God with human understanding, such as thinking, this is a terminal disease that God cannot help with. Pray with faith that God can do anything as long as it is in accordance with His will. Revisiting the scene of the agony in the garden, Jesus prayed that the Father's will be done. God is love. Everything He does is out of love.

Grace and magic are two completely different things. Nobody commands God to do anything. Whenever saints prayed and people whom they interceded for were healed, it wasn't their doing, but miracles were wrought by the power and the grace of God. God heard them, though, and He acted. Have you ever wondered why their prayers were so effective? Find out about the saints, read about their lives, and read their writing to find out more about the depth of their faith. The saints lived holy lives. That is a big clue right there. Every single one of us is called to holiness. Even you and I can become saints. Let's rejoice and give glory to God as He spiritually heals us. Ultimately, this is the best healing of all.

Today's Gospel reading: Matthew 13:10-17

When I Cannot Pray

                         
                                                               

When I cannot pray because I am sorrowful, my heart cries out to God in silence anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am bitter, my body kneels in submission to the Lord anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am upset, my tongue receives Jesus in peace anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am disheartened, my actions reflect hope anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am lonely, my arms embrace Love anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am doubtful, my legs stand in His Presence faithfully anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am too busy, my mind prays anyway.

Accepting authority is not unusual, so choose yours wisely

"You're not the boss of me!" you most likely have heard one child say to another. Though adults may not speak as glibly and candidly as little children, most of us think the same thing. Here are some of our silent thoughts when challenged or corrected: Who are you anyway? I don't have to listen to you. You are no better than I am. What makes you think you're right? I've got as much right as anybody to...

This carries right over into our thinking about the Catholic Church. We don't want religious leaders in our bedroom. One of the chants at pro-life rallies goes: Get your rosaries off our ovaries! Many Americans refer to our country as one having a separation of church and state. And some Catholic politicians set their religious views aside when they vote.

A lot of Catholic families learn about our faith from everywhere except the Church, the Catechism, and the Bible. When I was growing up, the only time I heard about what anybody said who mattered in the Church, like the Pope, was if it happened to be on the nightly news. I had no idea that these are intelligent individuals who actually wrote profound encyclicals and books. I accepted whatever was said about them as if it were the gospel truth. Little did I know that my authority, who I listened to, was the liberal reporter on my TV screen. I had no idea there was a liberal bias, nor that quotes are often taken out of context. I assumed that I was getting objective information from a trustworthy source, and that it was the truth.

We may not easily warm up to the authority of the Catholic Church initially, because it seems to come down on our lifestyle. We don't want the Church to be the boss of us. We have life experience and think we know how things work just about as well as the next guy. However, if you think about it, we really do listen to somebody and accept what that authority says. Just as I accepted what was shown on the news, you accept some source as your authority for what you believe. Like it or not somebody in some way IS the boss of you. Even if you want to believe that this person is you.

Since the truth of the matter is that we learn from many different sources and incorporate those ideas into our lives, why not let one of those voices of authority be from the One who gave His all for us, Jesus. Jesus, we see in the Scriptures, is the Truth. He came, the Bible tells us, to build His Church. He thinks the Church is pretty important. He said that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. There's power in the Church, then, according to our Lord. Christ finds His Church authoritative. The Holy Spirit knows more than we do, thank goodness. Isn't it time we stopped playing god and/or allowing unbelieving teachers to influence us to doubt our faith and embrace sinful ways; and rather take as our authority she who has safeguarded the Truth for us for about 2000 years, our holy Catholic Church.

“Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.” - St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Surrender to Jesus and Mary

Especially when one is from a disadvantaged background, you can get caught up in hustling for a buck and falling into all manner of sin as you manage to struggle through one day and waking up to the next. The next day happens to be another like the one before more or less, and you are a victim of circumstance, reacting the best you can and rolling with the punches. There were times I thought that if I could just make it through the night until tomorrow arrived, it would be a better day; and I was surprised to find that the bright sunny day did not bring with it the miracle that I needed.

I tried to fight off the cruel oppressive world, I'd battle with myself, and try once more to stop sinning. I tried to have false hope because it was better than no hope. I tried to do the right thing in the midst of a gone-wrong life in a confusing and conflicted society. I tried to make better decisions. I tried to dig myself out of a deep hole. I could see the financial crisis and the losses of all sorts in my life. But I did believe God existed, somewhere out there, maybe He even resided in my heart, I knew I had a good heart.

Life was like a roller coaster ride for me. Maybe you've been there. Maybe you're there right now. If you're dealing with addiction, with an impossible work situation, or you feel like you will never find love; all is not lost. I've been there. Sometimes I still have to fight off those demons. Just about the time I've mastered one area, another temptation raises up to try to entice me to do something else that I know would not be pleasing to our Lord.

These days things are very different, though. I am not directionless, adrift in the midst of a great deadly ocean without a Life Savor. This change did not come about because I learned how to kick a bad habit or to master a new technique in some innovative psychological methodology. I stopped focusing on me and my pain and demanding all of my wishes come true. By the grace of God I understood that my whole life was spent trying to have my own way, and it was, big shocker, God whom I was really resisting. I responded, I surrendered to Jesus and Mary. I'm one of those "late arrivals" spoken of in today's homily (provided here below for your convenience.)

I know what is happening now that I am walking in the light. I am able to recognize that sin is always there at my door, and refuse it entry. There is spiritual warfare going on in our lives. There is testing and purification that is on-going, too. So I may fall down, but I am not out. I get up again, dust myself off, get to confession, and hold my head up once again. It is defeating to look at all the times I have fallen rather than remind myself of all of the times that I stood back up. And with Jesus and Mary to help me, and smile upon me and my little victories over sin, I am strengthened all the more to gladly say yes to God's will. I want to set those vices aside that are shameful and lead to ruin, and replace them all with life-transforming holy virtues. Don't you?

Today's Gospel Reading: Matthew 12:38-42

{12:38} Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
{12:39} And answering, he said to them: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
{12:40} For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
{12:41} The men of Nineveh shall arise in judgment with this generation, and they shall condemn it. For, at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, there is a greater than Jonah here.
{12:42} The Queen of the South shall arise in judgment with this generation, and she shall condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, there is a greater than Solomon here.

Amazhellomoming!

My son was working on his own at computer programming, which is pretty impressive at his young age; and he called me over to show me how it was going. He typed "hello mom" without realizing that the cursor was in the middle of the title. "Amazing!" had quickly become "Amazhellomoming!" When you have a great mother, you don't have to search too much to see her right there in the middle of the most amazing things that are going on in your life. When you realize that Mary is your mother, you'll find her easily in all the bad times comforting you, and in all of the good times helping to make them happen. Blessed Mother, together we are Amazhellomoming!

Hail, Mary!  Full of grace,
The Lord is with thee;
Blessed are thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now, and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Wearing the garment of grace

Last year after my children and I went to the doctor for physicals, the doctor asked me about what all four of us were wearing and if it was something to do with our religion. I explained that they are scapulars and that we are Catholic and that they are a part of our faith. She remarked that this was odd, since she had been working at the clinic for 5 years and had never seen one before, and the majority of her patients are Catholic.

Prior to that visit, she had never seen one on any of us, either. I had heard someone say that it was a good idea to wear a scapular, but I saw no need to wear some superstitious magical trinket when I was walking with the Almighty God. I didn't even know anybody who wore one. It is such a rare thing in America to wear one, that even the priest was surprised to see it when my grandson asked him to bless the one I gave to him.

In my family, because I have been learning more about Mary, and have adopted her as my mother, we all now wear the brown scapular. I didn't know much if anything about it the day I saw them and bought them. It's just that Mary, the mother of God supposedly liked them, or so I'd heard. So I figured it couldn't hurt. After all, Our Lord and Our Lady want us to be a people of faith. Let me put it on right here and now, and I'll learn about it later, was my thinking.

I've since learned that Mary, our Lady of Mount Carmel gave us this promise: "Wear the Scapular devoutly and perseveringly. It is my garment. To be clothed in it means you are continually thinking of Me, and I in turn, am always thinking of you and helping you to secure eternal life." Wow! This is no magic, it is a garment of grace. Speaking as one who has innumerable sins every single day of my life, this is good news. We all do things wrong, things that hurt others, things that we wish we'd never done. But you know what? Our Blessed Mother can help us with that.

It is a good idea to wear the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Holy Mary assures us: "Whoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."

In your hour of need look to your mother

The newborn baby endures many hardships. Breathing air, sensing temperature changes, experiencing hunger, just to name the obvious few. The baby cries out, this is the only mode of communication given to the newborn. The little one cannot defend himself, she cannot feed herself. In anguish he grasps at his face, painfully scratching it with the little hands that he is unable to put to good use. She startles easily, and she is completely helpless. The little one is experiencing a whole new world, and finds it harsh in many ways.

A baby quickly learns that crying brings a loving response from his mother. She cannot explain how it is that her wet bottom feels better. The tiny human being does not understand why snuggling is comforting to him. How it is that she knew how to suck and swallow milk, and how her mother knew where to get the nourishment never even occurs to the infant. The little one's needs are being met, and the baby understands that this mother person is the best thing in the whole new and seemingly hostile world.

This physical reality is also true in the spiritual realm. Here, too, we have only to cry out to our Blessed Mother, and she will be there to care for us. Hardships, struggles, and suffering are all best brought to Mary. She knows what to do in our time of need. And she is happy to help. At the same time, she will lead us to her Son. She is the one who brought forth our Redeemer in the first place, and she continues to do exactly that. She knows our Lord better than any of us, for she is His mother. If Jesus trusted her to be His mother at the most tender time of His human life, we can trust her to be our mother, too.


"If there is anyone who is not enlightened by this sublime magnificence of created things, he is blind. If there is anyone who, seeing all these works of God, does not praise Him, he is dumb; if there is anyone who, from so many signs, cannot perceive God, that man is foolish." -St. Bonaventure

This is the spirit of the world

In the Scriptures we see how Jesus revealed Himself in the breaking of the bread after he had been talking for a long while with a couple of the disciples. They asked Him to come with them. There are so many people who have not yet had this revelation of our Lord, because until one wants the connection, or wants to do right, we are blind to the spiritual realm of God, and He does not impose Himself on us, He gave us free will to choose Him.

I used to think that God was long gone, that He didn't care about what happened to me, I blamed Him for everything, and I was focused on all of the bad things that were happening to me and in my life. I believed in God, but I did not understand that most of what happened to me was due to my human sinful response after the sins of others came to me. The problem is the more we sin and feel right about it, the farther we are from God. And Satan has his evil way with us, because we are lost and without that grace of God. Like a guilty child, we avoid our parents, God and Mary our Mother, and the darkness builds and engulfs us, and we don't even know it exists or that we are bringing so many dire consequences upon ourselves.

We learned from everywhere to see things from the human perspective, skeptical eyes. From our point of view, our behavior seemed right to us because we learned from everyone how little and how gone our God was, that we make our own life, that our opinion is just as good as the next person's, and we believed them all because it all made sense to us. Mostly it made so much sense because of the injustice that we see in the world, and those abuses that fell upon us. We were wounded and few people could see past our sins, unfortunately, which meant further rejection rather than Christian love and acceptance, which is the fertile ground for spiritual growth. We were judged and further taken advantage of, and somehow unbeknownst to us, we shared in doing our part in the dark world of sin, using others to try to meet our own needs.

At least, this is how I see things now, after making the choice to do things God's way whether I understand or not. Things have drastically changed and improved since learning about the truth of our Catholic faith. Through praying the Rosary, I've come to know my holy mother Mary and she has taught me about our Lord Jesus, the Christ. She is an amazing teacher if you will only give her the opportunity to do so in your life.

I don't know everything about our faith, I am a very simple person who just trusts Jesus and Mary, because of what happens in my life. I could never have the time to write of how many miracles my family has experienced over the past 2 years, things that I would have not been thankful for in years past except to find it curious and cool.

To anybody who thinks that God exists somewhere far far away, let me say start looking at things that seem like serendipity good luck or fortunate, fate, and coincidence, differently, and just begin to wonder if these things might possibly be from God, your Father; because you know something, He is really there for you, and this is a way that God communicates with us to get our attention. Give Him your attention and He will give you His grace. Seriously. It's all up to you.

Preparation for Total Consecration according to Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

Today begins the preparation for total consecration to Jesus through the Blessed Virgin Mary. This wonderful time concludes on the feast of the Assumption of Mary, consecration day being August 15th. I invite you to take part in this life-changing period of time where we learn more about Jesus and Mary, and ourselves. You will find some gems here if you cannot commit at this point in time. We all begin life as babies and learn to walk, and it is the same in our spiritual journey. Therefore, believe that offering a little time for God matters much to Him, just as those wobbly toddler steps did in the eyes of your adoring parents.

Today you may simply take a couple of moments to pray a powerful prayer for the Holy Spirit to come your way bringing His supernatural grace to you.

Veni Creator

Come, O Creator Spirit blest!
And in our souls up Thy rest;
Come, with Thy grace and heav’nly aid,
To fill the heart which thou has made.
Great Paraclete! To thee we cry;
O highest gift of God most high!
O fount of life! O fire of love!
And sweet anointing from above!
Thou dost appear in sev’nfold dow’r
The sign of God’s almighty pow’r!
The Father’s promise, making rich
With saving truth our earthly speech.
Kindle our senses from above,
and make our hearts o’erflow with love:
With patience firm and virtue high,
The weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread;
And grant us Thy true peace instead;
So shall we not, with thee for guide.
Turn from the path of life aside.
O may thy grace on us bestow
The Father and the Son to know,
And Thee, through endless times confessed,
Of Both th’ eternal Spirit blest.
All glory, while the ages run,
Be to the Father and the Son
Who rose from death, the same to Thee
Oh Holy Ghost eternally.     Amen.

May God bless you in your spiritual growth and virtuous fruitfulness.

I'm back!

It has been over a year that I have been unavailable and absent. Where have I been? I will tell you part of it. I've been on God and me time. I was learning more about Him, about my Holy Mother Mary, and about my faith. I also have been posting on facebook, as I have been gathering information. Faith and reason work together in our Catholic faith. Not just faith. There are some things we need to understand. Not just reason. God does not fully reveal all aspects of His Mysteries to us. We would never be able to handle it. The followers of Jesus were first called to be His disciples, his students. Then they were prepared to be His apostles. This is why I have been missing in action for so long, as I have been busy being a student of Jesus and Mary.

From St. John chapter 1: And the two disciples heard him [John the Baptist] speak, and they followed Jesus. [38] And Jesus turning, and seeing them following him, saith to them: What seek you? Who said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? [39] He saith to them: Come and see. They came, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day: now it was about the tenth hour. [40] And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who had heard of John, and followed him.

[41] He findeth first his brother Simon, and saith to him: We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. [42] And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter. [43] On the following day, he would go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip. And Jesus saith to him: Follow me. [44] Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. [45] Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him: We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.

[46] And Nathanael said to him: Can any thing of good come from Nazareth? Philip saith to him: Come and see. [47] Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him: and he saith of him: Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. [48] Nathanael saith to him: Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered, and said to him: Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. [49] Nathanael answered him, and said: Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.

I've been in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. I've been on my knees praying the Tessera and the Holy Rosary. I've been in Mass and in Divine Liturgy. I've been reading what time allows with regard to our faith; the Bible, Saint Faustina's Diary, the many works of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, bits and pieces of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and portions of works by assorted Catholic apologists and theologians and other saints.

One more important thing to mention is that I have the best teacher in the whole world-the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you want to find her school and be a blessed classmate of mine, pray the Rosary. You will find your mother Mary there :)