Can anyone really live the Catholic faith? Sure. It's easier to strive for holiness when you have a traveling companion on your spiritual journey, though. Come walk along with this Catholic mom who shares life day by day, both the joys and the sorrows, the saints and the demons, our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother. Mary will help us live our Catholic faith!
It is exactly 3 years ago today that I began writing a column as a way to serve Jesus and Mary, and share the truth of our Catholic faith. At that time I considered myself "spiritual, not religious." I was what you might call a "fake it until you make it" Catholic. All I can say is that it sure has worked for me. God's grace is truly amazing. His faithfulness, mercy, and forgiveness is very real. He heals us. You only have to ask the Lord to take the lead, and then take those unsure, wobbly baby steps forward. Our holy mother Mary helps us learn to walk. She's right there, if we want to take her for our own, as St. John did at the foot of the holy cross.
I am very grateful for this new creation that God is making of me. For the good and the bad in my life, too, I am appreciative. The days of my life are like the multiple threads of an elaborate tapestry that God has used to lead me to repentance of my sinful ways and to cooperate with the grace of God in striving for holiness.
Did you know that in these muddled opinions of all sorts, and in these confusing times, there is one thing you can always be sure of? We all have a calling for holiness. I do. You do. One way to get there is to "fake it until you make it." Just try. What better day than today, on Ash Wednesday. Tomorrow, dust yourself off and get up and try again. You may fall a whole lot at first. You may get hurt. Conversion is an on-going process. Like a spiritual toddler, don't give up, keep on. You will learn to walk eventually. You may even find you love to run.
News coverage on the March for Life 2012 was minimal and late in the day, though hundreds of thousands of people came out to take a stand for the sanctity of human life, proclaiming that the right to life, has not been granted to people by the government, but by our God.
This photo was shared by a facebook friend who heard that there were speakers at the historic event "from every creed and race." You can imagine how many touching human interest stories could have been written from such a diverse presence.
The purpose of the March for Life is for American pro-life citizens to come together in unity to pray and speak up on behalf of the defenseless, innocent, preborn human beings who have no voice; and to send the message to our elected officials that abortion is not a health care option, but it is the inhumane destruction of human life, and that abortion also harms women and men who are left in its wake.
It is my pleasure to share some of this event, which is, from what I've heard, the largest assembly of U.S. citizens to ever march on Washington.
This is a photo posted on Susan B. Anthony List's wall. It was there that somebody commented that this year's March for Life in Germany was "wonderful," too.
As you can see by these few photos, showing the multitude of pro-life citizens who participated in the annual March for Life, posted by a handful of facebook friends, it is obvious that there are so many facets of this gem of an event that journalists purposely neglected to shine a camera light on. I appreciate everyone who posted information, photos, and videos to cover the event. Those of us who could only share the moment on a computer on facebook were there in spirit. And everyone there at EWTN, you did an awesome job!
It has been 39 years now since Roe vs. Wade, and in that time there have been nearly 55 million babies legally killed in our country alone. Let's continue to prayerfully work together to end this holocaust. Your prayers and your voice really do make a difference, for the unborn children, for families, and for society.
A group of my favorite Catholic facebook apologists were there at the March, and they shared photographs and videos. They also took the opportunity for doing some radio show live broadcasting. Margie Prox Sindlar is one of this crew, who posted pictures of the Vigil Mass for Life at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. She reported that it "took 40 minutes for all the Seminarians, Priests, and Bishops to process in."
Lastly, EWTN will be replaying their excellent exclusive coverage again this weekend. If your time is limited, check out the highlights in this video:
Opening the door to greet his friend, Hector nodded hello and smiled, but he did not open his mouth to speak, though he did appear to be mumbling something. He extended his arm toward the sofa, bidding his friend take a seat. The crucifix dangling from a string of rosary beads explained for the young man that he was finishing up his prayers. Hector resumed a kneeling position at a little prayer area where religious pictures graced the wall and pretty statues of saints adorned a small table, and several books were stacked up neatly underneath. Hector took a couple of minutes there to finish praying.
The visitor waited with patient, curious interest, observing Hector as he prayed, self-consciously rolling one bead after another around with his fingers. When Hector concluded the Rosary by making the sign of the Cross and rising to his feet, his friend stated, "I know I'm early, I didn't mean to disturb you praying, sorry about that." "No problem," Hector responded, placing the rosary into his jacket, and locking the door behind them as they headed out to a Bible study together. Hector thought it might be a good idea to share this devotion, and he said, "I can teach you how to pray the Rosary some time. Do you want to know more?"
"It's superstitious to pray repetitious prayers, you know that don't you?" came the unexpected objection. Hector stopped walking and looked at his friend with a puzzled scowl. "Who told you praying the Rosary was superstitious? What do you know about it, anyway?" he asked defensively.
The other young man answered this way: "Sorry, man, I don't mean to offend you, but as your friend I think I should tell you the truth. The Bible tells us not to pray with vain repetitions. You know that, right, so why are you still praying that old-fashioned way that your grandma taught you. She didn't know any better, but I know you do, Hector. Just pray from your heart. I mean, you're not even thinking about what you're saying. It isn't talking to God at all. Do you think praying is like magic, you pray a certain numbers of prayers and God'll finally hear you? Carrying on saying the same memorized thing over and over again is nothing but babbling, Hector. It's just nonsense."
Hector walked on in a confused silence. He was pensive, and had no idea what to say in response to such a reasonable argument. He was feeling hurt and offended because his friend had negative ideas about his family's religious beliefs. His grandma sure hadn't been any kind of saint, for all the Rosaries she had prayed, so what did she know? The Bible does speak against vain repetitions, he thought. Maybe his friend was right.
After Bible study ended, Hector headed home in better spirits, but the practice of praying the Rosary had become a mystery to him. His mother was there and greeted him when he entered. He hugged her, but avoided making eye contact with his mother. "What's on your mind, son?" she asked. She always knew when something troubled him, and as much as he didn't ever want to let her know if he was having a problem, he always would trust her with his concerns. Hector confided in his mother saying, "Mom, why do we pray with old-fashioned vain repetitions? Why do we pray the Rosary instead of just praying right from our hearts?"
Hector's mother smiled in an assuring and consoling manner, explaining it this way: "When I pray the Holy Rosary, I am praying from my heart, Hector, with all my love for Jesus and Mary, entrusting everything to our Blessed Mother to intercede for us. Hail Marys are theologically sound prayers right out of the book of St. Luke. Praying the Rosary is praying the Gospel. At the wedding feast in Cana, Mary interceded for the people there, and so Jesus performed His first miracle at his mother's request. You could say that Hail Marys are like roses you give to your mother, or that praying a Hail Mary is like saying, 'I love you, Mom.' You can't tell your heavenly mother that you love her too many times, you know."
Hector was amazed at all his mother knew and how she had explained to him so clearly. "How do you know all this, Mom? he asked. She smiled and held his face close to her own. "Well, for one thing, Hector, I'm your mother."
As a Catholic, you may have had the experience of being told that our devotional prayers like the Memorare are lacking something, they are memorized, and they aren't from you; and that spontaneous prayers that come from your heart are better. Unfortunately, this is a view from ignorance that lately, even some well-meaning Catholic Charismatics believe. Is it "superstitious" to pray a certain number of repetitions when we pray? Doesn't the Bible tell us not to pray vain repetitions? Isn't it better to pray "in the Spirit"?
Let's take a brief look at our traditional Catholic prayers and why it is valuable to continue in our practice of praying them.
Those old-fashioned prayers that are memorized and recited by Catholics are powerful and they are theologically sound. They have an amazing history to them as well. And they have been approved by the Church. Catholics have devotions for Mary and the saints because over the centuries, miraculous events have been attributed to them. These are the main reasons that they are prayed and passed down from generation to generation. We pray traditional prayers because it works!
The Memorare, for example, has an awesome history of miraculous intervention by the Blessed Virgin Mary. It brings healing and the conversion of sinners as we trust and rely on our Blessed Mother to intercede for us. Accounts of St. Francis de Sales, and Father Claude Bernard, who popularized the prayer, can be read at the link. Check the original sources there at the bottom of the page for additional reading.
It is always a good thing for us to pray for one another. At the same time, this doesn't mean that we shouldn't avail ourselves of the holy saints and angels who are there for us. Spontaneous prayers are great to pray, and Catholics do pray these prayers, too. Yet when somebody prays memorized devotional prayers, it does not mean that the person does not pray from their heart. No, it is just the opposite, for the devotee finds it so dear that it is given a regular place of importance in the Catholic's life. And lastly, even Jesus prayed the same prayer three times for the cup to be taken away from Him by our Heavenly Father. Clearly, our Lord has no problem with repeating prayers. Let's just remember, that when we pray, we likewise agree to accept that God's will be done in the matter, as Jesus did in His repetitious prayer. It is the Son of God Who taught us to pray The Our Father, and The Lord's Prayer, which is not spontaneous, is repeated to this day by all Christian denominations.
Treasure the tried and true. Remember that when we pray traditional Catholic prayers given to us by our Church, we can be sure that we are truly praying "in the Spirit" for it is the Holy Spirit Who guides our Church. So come on, and pray the Memorare with me, with love from our hearts:
You are invited to enter into the mystical realm of the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ. The first-class relic of Polish Saint Sister Faustina Kowalska has arrived at St. Joseph's, a parish with a devotion for Blessed Pope John Paul II, who was also Polish. According to Pastor, Father Marek Ciesla, Schr, Saint Faustina, who was canonized by Pope John Paul II, is going to be busy here. "She'll be available all the time; she is here for the people. If they want to come close and touch her, we will let them do that." You can read more about parish relics and the process to attain St. Faustina's relic here.
On Friday, November 4, 2011, St. Joseph's Polish Catholic Church will host the national touring production "The Message of Jesus, The Divine Mercy."
The schedule is as follows:
6pm Confessions
7pm Mass
8pm "Tell All Souls About My Mercy" Presentation by Mother of Mercy Messengers
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
The days are so busy. There's always something more to get done, so many things are still needing to be attended to, life has so many demands, so who has time to pray for the dead on top of everything else? It's hard enough just to find time to pray for the living, isn't it?
Those who have read the first line of this blog entry, just prayed for the dead. Yes, you've already done it. That's how quickly and easily it is done. Please pray with me for the souls in purgatory every day.
There is more about purgatory and praying for the dead here.
Today is a holy day of obligation. Please be sure to go to Mass. It's All Saints Day. Let's remember all those who have gone before us, and let us ask for their intercession.
Today is a great day to pray a Litany, so click on one of these and join me in a beautiful and powerful prayer. We all need prayer, someone you know needs prayer. Let's do it! You can follow along with the words here.
October is the month of the Holy Rosary. "Father Hearty, chaplain for the Denver comitium of the Legion of Mary, organized the Denver Family Rosary Crusade in hopes of reviving devotion to the Virgin Mary. The idea for a Denver Crusade was proposed to him by a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Littleton, where he is Parochial Vicar."
Father Peyton, known as the Rosary Priest, started this movement back in the '50s with many creative ways that he encouraged families to pray the Rosary together. National Rosary Crusade info
It was a wonderful experience for my family to be a part of the Rosary Crusade Denver on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at Civic Center Park, Greek Amphitheater. It was very dear to us having it take place during this special month of Our Lady's Holy Rosary, and being planned so close to the 13th of the month, which is the anniversary of the miracle of the sun which took place in 1917 during a Marian apparition in Fatima, Portugal.
There was very little notice about the event, and yet a couple hundred of the Catholic faithful came together to pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary for our country. Though we all have different personalities and different ways of doing things in life, there is spiritual unity among us, for Catholics are of one body, that of Christ, having many different parts, with Jesus as our Head. Together we sought the intercession of our Blessed Mother for the conversion of America, storming the gate of heaven for our God's help.
Prayer is truly powerful, and the prayers of virtuous followers of Jesus avail much. Catholics entrust our prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary because she is the most virtuous of us all, and because she is the mother of God, having asked her Son for His first miracle at the wedding feast at Cana. Our Lady of the Rosary takes our petitions to the Lord, knowing best how to present them to her Son. If one wishes the conversion of our nation, pray.
Voting, running for public office, creating petitions, peacefully demonstrating, educating, and any other human endeavor is certainly important, to help the United States of America to be a country that we can be proud of, but there is nothing more important than spending some time in prayer. In fact, sometimes nothing can help except prayer. Please pray for America.
Let's plan on getting together this time next year to be a part of the Rosary Crusade Denver. I hope to see you there!
Hundreds of the Catholic faithful came out to the Civic Center Park Greek Amphitheater to participate in Rosary Crusade Denver. Father Joseph Hearty, FSSP, Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Littleton, Colorado, led the group in praying the Holy Rosary. Father Joseph is also the Chaplain for the Denver Comitium of the Legion of Mary.
From the program: Rosary Crusade Denver is sponsored by the Denver Comitium of the Legion of Mary in honor of Fr. Patrick Peyton who led many Rosary Rallies around the world. This year is the 50th Anniversary of the 1961 Rosary Rally in San Francisco where over half a million people gathered to pray the Rosary.
Father Joseph Hearty was quoted in the Denver Catholic Register as saying that this event is "a great demonstration of our faith, our trust in God, and our devotion in the role of the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary." There is more background information on this event at the link.
With a difficult traffic situation, and the on-going protesting, and another event scheduled in front of the Capitol, it took my family about an hour to arrive rather than the few minutes we expected. We prayed along the way when it became obvious that we would be late, and consequently, our prayers were in union with all those being said as a part of the nation-wide Rosary Crusade.
Thank you for making this event successful, for our holy mother has repeatedly requested that we pray the Rosary for God's peace in the world, and to make up for the offenses committed against our Lord and our Lady. God bless you, and hopefully we can do it again next year.
Come on out and pray the Gospel! Did you know that praying the Rosary, is praying the Gospel? It really is. Contemplating on the lives of Jesus and Mary is what the Holy Rosary is all about.
Today, Saturday, October 15, 2011, there is a nation-wide Rosary at 2pm, and you're invited. In Denver, we will be praying the Rosary at Civic Center Park, at 100 W. 14th Avenue, Pkwy. Bring your family and friends and let's storm heaven's gate together for God's peace in the world.
Rosary Crusade Denver is sponsored by the Denver Comitium of the Legion of Mary in honor of Father Patrick Peyton who led so many Rosary Rallies all around the world. Father Peyton is known for the family Rosary motto: "The family that prays together, stays together" and "A world at prayer is a world at peace."
Today I prayed the Mysteries of Light. Just in praying 5 decades of Mary's Holy Rosary, the inspirations are very numerous. In fact, before I even prayed the Mysteries, I was already in awe of the wonders of our glorious Lady and our holy and merciful God. You might say this is a part of that story, a peek into how I pray and contemplate on the Rosary.
It began with the reverent and uplifting music that I heard. It was the holy call to arms. I pulled out my weapon and joined the ranks of the soldiers of the Lord.
I knelt down to join Mother Angelica in the televised recording of the Holy Rosary, and I saw the nuns. I marveled that there are so many different gifts and personalities that all work in unison in the Body of Christ.
We made the Sign of the Cross together. We are Christian warriors, after all, and Mary's Rosary is done in the Name of the Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is such an honor to be in the holy family of God.
Immediately, then, we prayed the Apostle's Creed, and I felt grateful for history having been recorded, and for what our Lord Jesus has done for us through pure holy love for us.
The next prayer was the Our Father, the very prayer taught to the first disciples by Jesus. Who am I to be a disciple, sinful as I am, yet God is holy, and I can aspire to be holy and make it to heaven by His amazing unfathomable grace.
Three Hail Marys followed. For me, today, the Holy Spirit led me to think of them representing peace, love, and joy. Oh, thank you Blessed Mother, for saying yes to being the mother of Jesus, and in that fiat, to also become the mother of the Church. Thank you for being my Mom, because I really need your love and guidance and your intercession :)
"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, it is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."
There was a time in my life when I wanted to find God. I wanted to know about Him. And I wanted to actually know Him. Looking back at those days, I'd say, I knew I needed to look for God, I had an idea about where to find Him, but I didn't search hard to find Him. I had gone to the church when I needed God most but I didn't find Him there. What I came away with was a sad and lonely emptiness, an understanding that I was all alone. But there was one important place in the church that I dared not go.
I had tried to learn about who God was from the Bible, but some things seemed contradictory, and I came away from my reading with more questions than answers about who God is. And yet, there was some hope that came out of spending time reading words inspired by God. I prayed. But no voice split the sky and shook my world, no appearance of Jesus came to console me. I didn't get it, and I thought, "if God really exists and actually loves me, why was it that only one of us was trying to get a relationship going?
From the Scriptures, I read several assuring things about seeking God and finding Him. I was doing my part. So where was He? If you are in this place right now, I have very good news for you. You are not alone. As I said, I have gone through this search for God myself. So I can help you with this. Where is God? He is closer than you may think. How would you like to be in a place where you can be with our Lord face to face? Let me share one special place of grace with you.
Even if you think that nobody truly loves you, and even if it is true, God does love you. God's Word assures us that if we seek Him, we will find Him. If you haven't yet found Him, try harder, look deeper, and don't give up. He isn't playing a wicked game, He is demonstrating His love. He is allowing you your free will, and it is only you who can overcome that battle. Are you the one in charge and wanting a god who conforms to your will, or are you going to humble yourself and throw yourself upon God's mercy?
Do not blame God for your suffering. He permits every person to have a free will, including those who do evil to the innocent. We tend to think that since bad things have happened to us, God doesn't care. Actually, it is just the opposite. In God's wisdom, He takes what was meant for our destruction and uses it for our good. And it is truly amazing what He can do with us and in us, transforming us more day by day to be more Christlike, as we allow Him to heal us.
Or perhaps you are of the camp who feels unworthy of God and this causes you to keep your distance from God. God is loving, merciful, and forgiving. Reach out for Him believing that no matter what you have done, He will rush out to you with open arms to welcome you to Himself. Do not think of yourself and your sinfulness, but think of Him, believing that he will accept you. He would be very glad to pick you up and dust you off and embrace you in a joyous welcome. Run to Him, your Heavenly Father awaits you.
Going to Confession will help you gain a better perspective about how God operates in our lives. Our Christian faith is one of reconciliation. God is waiting for you. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is awesome and powerful. Graces come from this Catholic Sacrament that help us to avoid temptation, to overcome trials, to become more virtuous in our thoughts and actions. Have you experienced God's forgiveness lately? The priest in the confessional stands in the place of Jesus, our Lord, who works through him forgiving you of all your sins. Humble yourself and be obedient in talking to a priest about your sins. To be cleansed from sin is a beautiful and liberating thing. And who does this for us? Jesus, Himself. And you thought you couldn't find God.
There is a hero in you. In a certain situation that you find yourself, you'll see it. On 9/11 ten years ago, many stood up and contributed to the difficult, heart-wrenching work of search and rescue, and risked their lives while doing so. Let us honor our heroes and be proud of our country. May God bless America. May our Lord have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen.
Hail Mary, Full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Let us honor our Lord Jesus and our mother Mary. Jesus laid down His life for us and redeemed us while we were actually enemies of God. Mary said yes to God repeatedly, even to the Holy Sacrifice of her dearly beloved Son for our sakes. We do not usually think of our Lord and our Lady as heroes, but they are. Let us follow their example of genuine sacrificial love, denying ourselves, each of us picking up our own cross, and following Jesus.
With so many things going wrong in my life and in America, basically I understood that most people live the way that they think is best, best for themselves, whether one wishes to call that moral relativism or modernism, or perhaps a type of atheism in which man does not really believe in God, but looks to himself or another man to be god. Christians of many sorts also did this, including me. And I didn't know how to be that new creation that is spoken of in the New Testament, but what I did know was that I kept trying to be good and I was good in the eyes of some and yet a hypocrite in the eyes of those who disagreed with me about God being real, and without any guide, I made up my mind at the end of June that it was time to stop trying to do things my way, no matter how good I seemed to myself to be, that hadn't been working out too well. I made a decision to do the things that God, in our Holy Scriptures, said were good, I would deny myself and take up my cross and follow Jesus.
I was in prayer, too, because Mr. Sapp in Jesup, Georgia, wanted me to write another article about the Marian window, and I was not convinced about the authenticity of this window. Here's what I wrote, by the way: http://www.examiner.com/roman-catholic-in-denver/the-virgin-mary-icon-image-window-is-for-everyone . I did not see Mary in the window, and my being able to investigate it was very limited, as I couldn't see or touch the thing. As a matter of fact, I did not believe that the Virgin Mary was anyone other than a woman who had been lucky to bring the Christ child into the world. If she was really so special, I wondered, why would she pick me out of all the people in the world, to write about her or this window, if it was a genuine miracle. I was the true skeptic. I was also a Catholic who had never had any formation in our faith, so I did not even know our doctrines. I was in much prayer over all of this, and I had to do research for my Catholic column to be sure that I did not write anything heretical. It was a heavy weight to add on this coverage of this window, to my responsibility of writing only Catholic truth, which I had to study to write, because I didn't know it.
I spoke to and I corresponded with several people, mostly those who had actually seen the Marian window. But I also spoke to and wrote to Justin Stroh, who had composed a beautiful song that spotlit the window. I was honest with him, and I told him that I did not know what to make of the window, authentic or hoax, and that what was worse, I didn't know what it was about Mary that some Catholics seemed to know, some mystery or secret, why she was so important to them; and he seemed to me to be one of these types, one who had some special love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. I asked him to share with me what it was that he knew that I didn't about Mary.
Justin Stroh told me that he did not have the ability to examine the window either, being in another state, but that he was writing the song in faith. I was amazed that he could do such a thing, just offering himself as an instrument of God to write a song and trust our Lord without knowing the actual origin of this window image. With regard to my query about what he found so special about Mary, what secret about her that he and some other Catholics knew that I didn't, he told me that she is the spouse of the Holy Spirit. I had never heard of such a thing. I am ever grateful for that conversation and for the faith and faithfulness of this Catholic servant of our Lord.
Much prayer and contemplation followed and accompanied my interviewing. I was not in awe of the window image, but I was in awe of God, and of genuine faith that made people live holy lives, and with living saints that I previously thought were dead, like Mary. For I had been invited and gone to a Byzantine Catholic Church, and while there, I poured out my heart in prayer to God for the state of my life and my country and the world. Then I returned to the Church again, to talk to the priest there about icons for another informative article that I would write about the Marian window.
I remember going to bed in awe of the icons and the living saints, and I asked a heartfelt prayerful thing of God. I asked Him to show me if these things were the truth, if the saints were still living after death, and to make Mary real to me if she was really there and really active, and to show me if that Marian window was real or not. And then the miracle happened. The first of many, many miracles...
My Catholic conversion story begins: God has poured out His grace upon me. God is the God of love and mercy and justice. God is alive and well and He has created every one of us as unique and special. God is patient and long-suffering on our behalves. Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The Holy Spirit is always with our Blessed Mother Mary, and Mary truly is our Holy mother, the Theotokos and ever-virgin, and the Eucharist is truly the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Catholic faith is the true faith, and you must care for the poor and needy from your heart of love, no less than you would do for Jesus our Lord. I am convinced of all of this. The short version of my conversion story is this: I was lost but now I'm found, I was blind but now I see :) I will share a little more in time, but this Marian window is a big part of what miracle happened to me, and I am very serious... http://www.virginmarywindow.com/
This is a test post. There is a place for Catholic conversion stories on facebook at the link. I am sharing my own story there, too. Let's see if this connects to the right place. Let me encourage you to share your conversion stories. How did our Lord call you to our Catholic faith?
I'll do a little editing so that things are clearer, from what I am sharing on facebook, as I publish my story here in my blog. And perhaps in a day or so, I will be sharing from my blog to the facebook group page, which will make it easier and better reading in both places, having paragraphs, and so forth :)
Let's build up one another in our faith and share what God has done for us and in us. To God be the glory :)!
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."
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.
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.
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
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.
