“The Lord whom the seraphs fear to look at, the same you behold in Bread and Wine on the altar.”
Mike Aquilina/Fire of God’s Love: 120 Reflections on the Eucharist, Servant Books
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Let's All Call Up AT&T and Protest To The President March by Allan Sherman
OK, here's one the kids will never understand. After all, in order to call my daughter who lives in my own house I have to dial her area code! Do you remember these songs, Jim?
Allan Sherman - Hello Muddah Hello Faddah (1963)
Allan Sherman was a part of my childhood. I listened to this album a zillion times.
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Babe, The Son of Mary
What child is this who laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping.
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding
Good Christian fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come peasant king to own Him
The King of kings, salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary
Why lies he in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding
Good Christian fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come peasant king to own Him
The King of kings, salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary
Thursday, December 23, 2010
NWV News - Afghanistan: The Pedophilia Capital of Asia
NWV News - Afghanistan: The Pedophilia Capital of Asia
Apparently sola scriptura results in the same kind of perversion of a religion in Islam as it does in Christianity. Muslim men enjoy their "boy toys" without love and with a soothed conscience because they have not broken the letter of the law.
As I have mentioned before, this site has a sickening number of hits every day from Muslim countries looking for articles with search words like "little girl masturbation" and "incest". It's nauseating.
Apparently sola scriptura results in the same kind of perversion of a religion in Islam as it does in Christianity. Muslim men enjoy their "boy toys" without love and with a soothed conscience because they have not broken the letter of the law.
As I have mentioned before, this site has a sickening number of hits every day from Muslim countries looking for articles with search words like "little girl masturbation" and "incest". It's nauseating.
Sura 9:5 says, "Slay the idolaters wherever you find them
Here you go. Here is my manifesto concerning Islam and why I will never trust the Islamic world. Thanks you, Steve Ray, for Tweeting this.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing (from Despicable Me movie)
If you haven't seen Dispicable Me, you really must. Dancin' ya . . .
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Isaac's (aka Woody) Birthday Bash
Isaac turned three. His cousin Jacob napped through the party. His big brother Gabriel was thrilled that his little brother Isaac was a big boy now! A good time was had by all!
Thanks Be To God!
I don't know if you remember back in March I asked for prayers for a fire fighter who was injured in a horrendous accident on the north side of the valley. A huge garbage truck, driven by an impaired driver, literally ran over about a dozen motorcycle riders out for a pleasure ride. I believe four of them died at the scene with another one passing away days later. Ernie, seen below, was the worst injured of the survivors. For a long time it seemed like there was no hope of any kind of recovery. I've watched these folks pass through the fire. Unbelievable things have happened to them at the hands of the medical profession and other situations that were created by the accident. Talk about being tried by fire, these two know what that means. Below the picture is a note I received from Lori this morning with the picture. Join me in praising God for Ernie's recovery process and also for a police officer who has an equally bad accident yesterday on one of the valley's freeways.
Just want to share this picture with all of you, Ernie and I went to a Christmas party on Saturday with many of our friends, and gosh, if you just look at the picture, you would never know what Ernie has been through.
It really shows me how far he has come since last March, and even though he still has a long road of recovery ahead we can now start to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Ernie truly is a real life “superman.”
Another bad motorcycle accident happened this weekend and a Phoenix police officer sustained a very serious head injury, please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers, because, as the picture shows, the prayers most certainly helped us.
Now we truly believe, Anything is possible.
Merry Christmas, and a Blessed New year to all,
The Possibility of Evil
“Why is there evil if God is both all-powerful and all-good? When God made both human beings and angels, he made us rational, free, and capable of loving. This means, however, that we have the possibility of choosing something other than God. It was necessary for us to have this choice, because true love cannot be coerced. If we did not have the freedom to say no to God, we could not truly love Him. Thus, God could not create a species with free choice without also permitting the possibility of evil.”
Scott Hahn
Reasons to Believe, Doubleday
Scott Hahn
Reasons to Believe, Doubleday
Monday, December 20, 2010
Bach, Toccata and Fugue in D minor, organ
This is so amazing. This is one of my favorite pieces and this is actually how I visualize music.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Hunger and Thirst For Righteousness
This is an important and compelling beatitude, indeed. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are often the ones who suffer the most, because they understand the consequences of immoral decisions that are made and have seen the depths of the terrible effects. And when it seems that justice is never served, that the crime committed is celebrated and perpetuated, it can be easy to become bitter, mistrusting and cynical toward life. So many men and women who are divorced understand this in an acute way.
But don't let the disappointment take root. And remember that heaven is our ultimate goal, not earth. There should be happiness in our earthly life, but there will also suffering. And the justice we seek will take place when we all stand before God and account for our lives... your sins and your good works, and everyone else's. Nothing will go unnoticed, especially your own hunger for righteousness. Our goal is to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus where there will be no more suffering and every tear will be wiped away. Keep the faith, my friend, and hope in the promise of eternal life.
Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. - Revelation 22:12
http://www.divorcedcatholic.org/
But don't let the disappointment take root. And remember that heaven is our ultimate goal, not earth. There should be happiness in our earthly life, but there will also suffering. And the justice we seek will take place when we all stand before God and account for our lives... your sins and your good works, and everyone else's. Nothing will go unnoticed, especially your own hunger for righteousness. Our goal is to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus where there will be no more suffering and every tear will be wiped away. Keep the faith, my friend, and hope in the promise of eternal life.
Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. - Revelation 22:12
http://www.divorcedcatholic.org/
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
So, Why Is Incest Wrong?
There are certain questions now pressed upon us that previous generations would never believe could be asked. One of these is thrust upon us by events in New York City, where a well-known Ivy League professor has been arrested for the crime of incest. What makes the question urgent is not so much the arrest, but the controversy surrounding it.
Read more here.
This is a good article, but being from a Protestant source, it falls short of the Catholic view of the dignity of the individual and the sacramental nature of marriage. But I said when the "gay marriage" thing started coming up that the next two issues that would be pressed upon society were incest and polygamy. Shall we take bets on which issues hits the supreme court first?
Even so, Lord Jesus, come!
Read more here.
This is a good article, but being from a Protestant source, it falls short of the Catholic view of the dignity of the individual and the sacramental nature of marriage. But I said when the "gay marriage" thing started coming up that the next two issues that would be pressed upon society were incest and polygamy. Shall we take bets on which issues hits the supreme court first?
Even so, Lord Jesus, come!
Abortion and the occult: a glimpse inside life at a death mill
by Kathleen Gilbert
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, December 13, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - When Abigail Seidman’s mother had an abortion over twenty years ago, it marked the beginning of her plunge into some of the darkest places in human experience.
Seidman herself, a one-time atheist, is now a pro-life activist and shared her intimate knowledge of life inside the abortion clinic where her mother began to work as a nurse in a recent LifeSiteNews.com interview.
According to Seidman, her mother’s descent into the abortion culture was not motivated by the usual social talking points - to save women from dangerous back-alley abortions, or to “help” women in difficult situations - or even for the money. It was a religion – literally.
Seidman described her mother’s abortion clinic as “pervaded with occult imagery and practices.” The workers considered “abortion to be a form of sacrifice,” would perform the procedure as a sort of ritual, and worshipped deities embodying death, she said.
Sadly, as a teenager, Abigail and her unborn baby fell victim to this mentality, through an abortion that her mother encouraged, despite Seidman’s disagreement.
It’s not the sort of thing that many people like to think about, and many might even deny it is true. But Seidman is emphatic that pro-lifers must acknowledge abortion’s connection with the occult - and recognize it as a key part of pulling out the abortion industry by the roots.
“It’s not just a boogeyman,” Seidman told LifeSiteNews.com. She said she believes “the occult believers are the ‘core’ of the pro-abortion movement, just as the born-again Christians are the ‘core’ of the pro-life movement.”
“I see no harm in striking at its heart, and informing ‘pro-choice’ people (particularly the well-meaning but misguided Christians) of who and what they are truly associating themselves with,” she said.
The mother of two does not claim that her experience is the norm for abortion clinics, saying that “many if not most” clinics are “strictly business” about abortion, and that many abortion workers are liberal Christians or atheists. But she is not alone: Seidman’s story aligns strongly with the experience of Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, an exorcist and former president of Human Life International, who has spoken for years on abortion’s connection to the occult.
Seidman says that there was ritual drug use, “sacred prostitution,” and ritual abortions performed after-hours, involving clinic staff who had intentionally become pregnant.
“I always had a ‘feeling’ that there was something ‘wrong’ or ‘dangerous’ there - almost a feeling of a presence, which I now recognize as being the exact opposite of the Presence that I feel in a church,” she said. The workers worshipped a Goddess whose “truest form” was recognized as “the Great Dragon” - a name she was later surprised to discover in the Bible.
At the same time, she gave a heartening picture of the effect of pro-life prayer, as witnessed from the other side of the battle line. In particular, she recalled her experience with one pro-life warrior - an old woman who would quietly pray for hours outside her clinic - whom she credits for her own eventual conversion.
“She was a tiny, frail, very elderly woman, who each Friday would walk to the clinic, kneel on the sidewalk at the corner (some distance away from the entrance), and pray the Rosary,” wrote Seidman on her blog. “Sometimes she would be there for hours, through any weather, with her bony knees on pavement that could be blazing hot, freezing cold, or soaking wet.
“I saw her every Friday I was there, and she always smiled at me when she arrived and again when she left, but never said a word.”
One day, after the old woman had prayed “for at least three hours, in freezing rain,” the clinic owner finally invited the little old lady inside for some tea - and attempted to convince her that her prayers were utterly wasted.
“When the owner finished speaking, the old lady put her teacup down, and said ‘God knows what I’m doing out there, and it matters to him even if it doesn’t matter to you or anyone else. My prayers have value to God. And if I can change one heart - even ONE’ - and she looked straight into my eyes as she said this - ‘then it will have all been worth it. I know God will reward me in the end.’ The clinic owner rolled her eyes, sighed, and shook her head. The old lady stood up, thanked us for the tea, and left.
“I never forgot her.”
Seidman, who says she “accepted Jesus Christ as my savior in June 2010” after a period of study and reflection, is set to be received into the Catholic Church next Easter. Through her story she has proved the triumph of good over evil by rejecting the despair that gripped her post-abortive mother - and forging her dark experiences into a weapon against it.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, December 13, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - When Abigail Seidman’s mother had an abortion over twenty years ago, it marked the beginning of her plunge into some of the darkest places in human experience.
Seidman herself, a one-time atheist, is now a pro-life activist and shared her intimate knowledge of life inside the abortion clinic where her mother began to work as a nurse in a recent LifeSiteNews.com interview.
According to Seidman, her mother’s descent into the abortion culture was not motivated by the usual social talking points - to save women from dangerous back-alley abortions, or to “help” women in difficult situations - or even for the money. It was a religion – literally.
Seidman described her mother’s abortion clinic as “pervaded with occult imagery and practices.” The workers considered “abortion to be a form of sacrifice,” would perform the procedure as a sort of ritual, and worshipped deities embodying death, she said.
Sadly, as a teenager, Abigail and her unborn baby fell victim to this mentality, through an abortion that her mother encouraged, despite Seidman’s disagreement.
It’s not the sort of thing that many people like to think about, and many might even deny it is true. But Seidman is emphatic that pro-lifers must acknowledge abortion’s connection with the occult - and recognize it as a key part of pulling out the abortion industry by the roots.
“It’s not just a boogeyman,” Seidman told LifeSiteNews.com. She said she believes “the occult believers are the ‘core’ of the pro-abortion movement, just as the born-again Christians are the ‘core’ of the pro-life movement.”
“I see no harm in striking at its heart, and informing ‘pro-choice’ people (particularly the well-meaning but misguided Christians) of who and what they are truly associating themselves with,” she said.
The mother of two does not claim that her experience is the norm for abortion clinics, saying that “many if not most” clinics are “strictly business” about abortion, and that many abortion workers are liberal Christians or atheists. But she is not alone: Seidman’s story aligns strongly with the experience of Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, an exorcist and former president of Human Life International, who has spoken for years on abortion’s connection to the occult.
Seidman says that there was ritual drug use, “sacred prostitution,” and ritual abortions performed after-hours, involving clinic staff who had intentionally become pregnant.
“I always had a ‘feeling’ that there was something ‘wrong’ or ‘dangerous’ there - almost a feeling of a presence, which I now recognize as being the exact opposite of the Presence that I feel in a church,” she said. The workers worshipped a Goddess whose “truest form” was recognized as “the Great Dragon” - a name she was later surprised to discover in the Bible.
At the same time, she gave a heartening picture of the effect of pro-life prayer, as witnessed from the other side of the battle line. In particular, she recalled her experience with one pro-life warrior - an old woman who would quietly pray for hours outside her clinic - whom she credits for her own eventual conversion.
“She was a tiny, frail, very elderly woman, who each Friday would walk to the clinic, kneel on the sidewalk at the corner (some distance away from the entrance), and pray the Rosary,” wrote Seidman on her blog. “Sometimes she would be there for hours, through any weather, with her bony knees on pavement that could be blazing hot, freezing cold, or soaking wet.
“I saw her every Friday I was there, and she always smiled at me when she arrived and again when she left, but never said a word.”
One day, after the old woman had prayed “for at least three hours, in freezing rain,” the clinic owner finally invited the little old lady inside for some tea - and attempted to convince her that her prayers were utterly wasted.
“When the owner finished speaking, the old lady put her teacup down, and said ‘God knows what I’m doing out there, and it matters to him even if it doesn’t matter to you or anyone else. My prayers have value to God. And if I can change one heart - even ONE’ - and she looked straight into my eyes as she said this - ‘then it will have all been worth it. I know God will reward me in the end.’ The clinic owner rolled her eyes, sighed, and shook her head. The old lady stood up, thanked us for the tea, and left.
“I never forgot her.”
Seidman, who says she “accepted Jesus Christ as my savior in June 2010” after a period of study and reflection, is set to be received into the Catholic Church next Easter. Through her story she has proved the triumph of good over evil by rejecting the despair that gripped her post-abortive mother - and forging her dark experiences into a weapon against it.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Waiting To Live
What would you think if you took your infant child to church to be baptized and the priest gave you a prophetic warning that you would suffer so much in life that "a sword will pierce your very soul?" That would be pretty intense, to say the least. This is exactly what happened to our Blessed Mother when she and St. Joseph presented baby Jesus to the high priest, Simeon, in the temple. In contemplating this mystery of the rosary and putting yourself in her shoes, it might seem reasonable to go forth from that point with an extreme sense of caution... not trusting, thinking twice or even three times before making decisions, trying to remain in control of every aspect of life so as to reduce the likelihood of something bad happening. Yes, this would make sense to any parent. But sacred tradition and the scriptures give us a very different description of the kind of parent Mary was, all the way to the end when the sword did, indeed, pierce her heart. She was kind, loving, and patient; humble, thoughtful and generous. But probably her most astute display of virtue was her unwavering trust in God and obedience to His will despite her suffering. Everything she did was in accordance with His Divine plan, even when she had good reason to fear the future or be skeptical. Her life, and that of those whom she loved, lay completely in the hands of God. This total donation of herself and her will was what enabled Mary to live a life of complete freedom and joy, despite the sorrows she endured. She was truly a beacon of hope to all that knew her, and still is to us today.
Your divorce may have you believing that you cannot trust anymore... that the pain you have suffered is too much to find joy in life... that God has somehow left you to fend for yourself. But what kind of life is this? This is not living! If you are feeling this way, I encourage you to contemplate Mary's example for us. Since the world is imperfect, place your trust and hope in the only thing that is perfect. Ask your mother in heaven to obtain for you the graces she knows you need to live with generosity, charity, humility, and joy. Ask her to help you live today instead of waiting to live when everything becomes just right.
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed--and a sword will pierce even your own soul-- to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." - Luke 2: 34-35
Daily Journey of Hope messages are brought to you by DivorcedCatholic.org.
Your divorce may have you believing that you cannot trust anymore... that the pain you have suffered is too much to find joy in life... that God has somehow left you to fend for yourself. But what kind of life is this? This is not living! If you are feeling this way, I encourage you to contemplate Mary's example for us. Since the world is imperfect, place your trust and hope in the only thing that is perfect. Ask your mother in heaven to obtain for you the graces she knows you need to live with generosity, charity, humility, and joy. Ask her to help you live today instead of waiting to live when everything becomes just right.
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed--and a sword will pierce even your own soul-- to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." - Luke 2: 34-35
Daily Journey of Hope messages are brought to you by DivorcedCatholic.org.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Why I hate Sola Scriptura
Why I hate Sola...: "'Sola Scriptura' removes the Holy Spirit from Christianity and replaces it with each individual's interpretation of Scripture. Every 'Sola Scriptura' person I've ever met has believed himself or herself to be infallible when interpreting Scripture, even when debating Scripture with other 'Sola Scriptura' people. I call this the 'Tower of Babel Syndrome'."
Fr. John Higgins
Fr. John Higgins
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
An Obituary printed in the London Times
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and Maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and Maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Divine Intimacy
When a marriage ends, so does the intimacy between spouses. Not merely sexual intimacy, but that deep connection that spouses have with each other... being one heart, one mind, one soul as well as one body. This loss of intimacy on so many levels can shake you to the core, leaving you with nothing but emptiness.
But, you are not alone in suffering your loss. God is not only close to you during this time, He is present within you - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each time you receive Holy Communion, you are united with God, the Blessed Trinity, in the deepest and most personal way, and God resides in you. This is Divine intimacy and no other type of intimacy can be more precious, more loving, more valuable. What a tremendous gift! I encourage you to receive Holy Communion as often as possible, especially during this season of Advent.
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. - John 6: 35
Daily Journey of Hope messages are brought to you by DivorcedCatholic.org.
But, you are not alone in suffering your loss. God is not only close to you during this time, He is present within you - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each time you receive Holy Communion, you are united with God, the Blessed Trinity, in the deepest and most personal way, and God resides in you. This is Divine intimacy and no other type of intimacy can be more precious, more loving, more valuable. What a tremendous gift! I encourage you to receive Holy Communion as often as possible, especially during this season of Advent.
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. - John 6: 35
Daily Journey of Hope messages are brought to you by DivorcedCatholic.org.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Don't Suffer In Silence
There are so many people these days who are suffering silently through their troubles because they are afraid to bring their problems out into the light so they can get help. They are afraid of being judged by others or are ashamed to admit they do not have perfect lives, especially when others might look like they have perfect lives, themselves. So often, no one knows what is going on until it is too late, and the problem cannot be helped. This happens frequently when a divorce occurs... people suffer in silence because they are ashamed of their divorce.
But Christ isn't looking for "perfect" people. You don't have to have it all together for God to love you. It may appear that the way to get God's attention and favor is by being perfect, but the truth is quite the contrary! The more broken and sinful you are, the more passionately God is loving you. The gospels tell us that Christ was incessantly criticized for associating with the tax collectors and other known sinners. When a sinful woman came and washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and anointed Him with expensive perfume, Jesus was criticized for allowing the encounter to happen. But Jesus told us that those who are not sick do not need a doctor... He comes to those who are suffering. He is the divine healer! Do not hide your suffering and problems from Him. Allow Him to heal you by giving Him access and control to all that is troubling you. He will care for you and heal you because He loves you!
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." - Luke 7: 44 - 47
Daily Journey of Hope messages are brought to you by DivorcedCatholic.org
But Christ isn't looking for "perfect" people. You don't have to have it all together for God to love you. It may appear that the way to get God's attention and favor is by being perfect, but the truth is quite the contrary! The more broken and sinful you are, the more passionately God is loving you. The gospels tell us that Christ was incessantly criticized for associating with the tax collectors and other known sinners. When a sinful woman came and washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and anointed Him with expensive perfume, Jesus was criticized for allowing the encounter to happen. But Jesus told us that those who are not sick do not need a doctor... He comes to those who are suffering. He is the divine healer! Do not hide your suffering and problems from Him. Allow Him to heal you by giving Him access and control to all that is troubling you. He will care for you and heal you because He loves you!
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." - Luke 7: 44 - 47
Daily Journey of Hope messages are brought to you by DivorcedCatholic.org
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Elevator
People lose so much during a divorce... family, friends, belongings, reputations, health, etc. This type of loss makes it easy to feel hopeless, especially when it seems as if your future appears to hold nothing but sadness and negativity. This is precisely the point where you can become discouraged and lose hope.
But here's the good news: Hope is born out of poverty, and these losses you've experienced are exactly what Christ taught about in the Beatitudes. Experiencing poverty is really the only way to find hope - when we are poor. In divorce, we experience not only financial poverty, but a spiritual and emotional poverty as well. Instead of losing hope, I challenge you to recognize the fact that hope is your elevator back up to the top floor and your poverty has opened the door to the elevator. And if you argue that things are just too bad, too rotten for anything good to come along in the future, then reconsider your level of faith in who God actually is; He is the Almighty, the Creator. God can do anything. God does not give according to your merits, He gives according to your hope, according to your faith. So stand up, brush yourself off, and take the elevator of hope to the top floor where you can see the sun rise on a new day!
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 5: 3-10
divorcedcatholic.org
But here's the good news: Hope is born out of poverty, and these losses you've experienced are exactly what Christ taught about in the Beatitudes. Experiencing poverty is really the only way to find hope - when we are poor. In divorce, we experience not only financial poverty, but a spiritual and emotional poverty as well. Instead of losing hope, I challenge you to recognize the fact that hope is your elevator back up to the top floor and your poverty has opened the door to the elevator. And if you argue that things are just too bad, too rotten for anything good to come along in the future, then reconsider your level of faith in who God actually is; He is the Almighty, the Creator. God can do anything. God does not give according to your merits, He gives according to your hope, according to your faith. So stand up, brush yourself off, and take the elevator of hope to the top floor where you can see the sun rise on a new day!
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 5: 3-10
divorcedcatholic.org
A Mustard Seed
"“Your faith might really feel like a mustard seed, so small that it looks as if it can’t be the source of life for anything. But water it with God’s grace in frequent confession and reception of the Eucharist. Lay your heart bare before God…You will become a source of hope for many.”
Sister Ann Shields, S.G.L.
To Be Like Jesus, Servant Books"
Sister Ann Shields, S.G.L.
To Be Like Jesus, Servant Books"
Monday, December 6, 2010
A Gift of Themselves
"“Throughout salvation history, God’s chosen ones are allowed to suffer in apparent defeat, but their suffering brings vindication and blessing for others…God’s chosen ones are called to make a gift of themselves for others.”
Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins
Walking With God: A Journey Through the Bible, Ascension Press"
Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins
Walking With God: A Journey Through the Bible, Ascension Press"
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Hanoi Jane To Be Honored?
This is an email I received recently. As such it is kind of choppy and ends with an appeal to forward it to everyone you know. I think it should be shared all over, so feel free to use the tools below to send it through facebook or Twitter or whatever.
This is for all the kids born in the 70's and after who do not remember, and didn't have to bear the burden that our fathers, mothers and older brothers and sisters had to bear..
Jane Fonda is being honored as one of the '100 Women of the Century.'
BARBRA WALTERS WRITES:
Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still countless others have never known how Ms. Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country, but specific men who served and sacrificed during Vietnam
The first part of this is from an F-4E pilot. The pilot's name is Jerry Driscoll, a River Rat.
In 1968, the former Commandant of the USAF Survival School was a POW in Ho Lo Prison the ' Hanoi Hilton.'
Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell, cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ's, he was ordered to describe for a visiting American 'Peace Activist' the 'lenient and humane treatment' he'd received.
He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed, and was dragged away. During the subsequent beating, he fell forward on to the camp Commandant 's feet, which sent that officer berserk.
In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from double vision (which permanently ended his flying career) from the Commandant's frenzied application of a wooden baton.
From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the 47FW/DO (F-4E's). He spent 6 years in the ' Hanoi Hilton',,, the first three of which his family only knew he was 'missing in action'. His wife lived on faith that he was still alive. His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and clothed routine in preparation for a 'peace delegation' visit.
They, however, had time and devised a plan to get word to the world that they were alive and still survived. Each man secreted a tiny piece of paper, with his Social Security Number on it , in the palm of his hand.
When paraded before Ms. Fonda and a cameraman, she walked the line, shaking each man's hand and asking little encouraging snippets like: 'Aren't you sorry you bombed babies?' and 'Are you grateful for the humane treatment from your benevolent captors?' Believing this HAD to be an act, they each palmed her their sliver of paper.
She took them all without missing a beat. At the end of the line and once the camera stopped rolling, to the shocked disbelief of the POWs, she turned to the officer in charge and handed him all the little pieces of paper!
Three men died from the subsequent beatings. Colonel Carrigan was almost number four but he survived, which is the only reason we know of her actions that day.
I was a civilian economic development advisor in Vietnam , and was captured by the North Vietnamese communists in South Vietnam in 1968, and held prisoner for over 5 years. I spent 27 months in solitary confinement; one year in a cage in Cambodia ; and one year in a 'black box' in Hanoi . My North Vietnamese captors deliberately poisoned and murdered a female missionary, a nurse in a leprosarium in Ban me Thuot , South Vietnam , whom I buried in the jungle near the Cambodian border. At one time, I weighed only about 90 lbs. (My normal weight is 170 lbs)
We were Jane Fonda's 'war criminals....'
When Jane Fonda was in Hanoi , I was asked by the camp communist political officer if I would be willing to meet with her. I said yes, for I wanted to tell her about the real treatment we POWs received... and how different it was from the treatment purported by the North Vietnamese, and parroted by her as 'humane and lenient.'
Because of this, I spent three days on a rocky floor on my knees, with my arms outstretched with a large steel weights placed on my hands, and beaten with a bamboo cane.
I had the opportunity to meet with Jane Fonda soon after I was released. I asked her if she would be willing to debate me on TV. She never did answer me.
These first-hand experiences do not exemplify someone who should be honored as part of '100 Years of Great Women.' Lest we forget ....' 100 Years of Great Women' should never include a traitor whose hands are covered with the blood of so many patriots.
There are few things I have strong visceral reactions to, but Hanoi Jane's participation in blatant treason, is one of them. Please take the time to forward to as many people as you possibly can. It will eventually end up on her computer and she needs to know that we will never forget.
RONALD D. SAMPSON, CMSgt, USAF 716 Maintenance Squadron, Chief of Maintenance DSN: 875-6431 COMM:883-6343
This is for all the kids born in the 70's and after who do not remember, and didn't have to bear the burden that our fathers, mothers and older brothers and sisters had to bear..
Jane Fonda is being honored as one of the '100 Women of the Century.'
BARBRA WALTERS WRITES:
Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still countless others have never known how Ms. Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country, but specific men who served and sacrificed during Vietnam
The first part of this is from an F-4E pilot. The pilot's name is Jerry Driscoll, a River Rat.
In 1968, the former Commandant of the USAF Survival School was a POW in Ho Lo Prison the ' Hanoi Hilton.'
Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell, cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ's, he was ordered to describe for a visiting American 'Peace Activist' the 'lenient and humane treatment' he'd received.
He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed, and was dragged away. During the subsequent beating, he fell forward on to the camp Commandant 's feet, which sent that officer berserk.
In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from double vision (which permanently ended his flying career) from the Commandant's frenzied application of a wooden baton.
From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the 47FW/DO (F-4E's). He spent 6 years in the ' Hanoi Hilton',,, the first three of which his family only knew he was 'missing in action'. His wife lived on faith that he was still alive. His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and clothed routine in preparation for a 'peace delegation' visit.
They, however, had time and devised a plan to get word to the world that they were alive and still survived. Each man secreted a tiny piece of paper, with his Social Security Number on it , in the palm of his hand.
When paraded before Ms. Fonda and a cameraman, she walked the line, shaking each man's hand and asking little encouraging snippets like: 'Aren't you sorry you bombed babies?' and 'Are you grateful for the humane treatment from your benevolent captors?' Believing this HAD to be an act, they each palmed her their sliver of paper.
She took them all without missing a beat. At the end of the line and once the camera stopped rolling, to the shocked disbelief of the POWs, she turned to the officer in charge and handed him all the little pieces of paper!
Three men died from the subsequent beatings. Colonel Carrigan was almost number four but he survived, which is the only reason we know of her actions that day.
I was a civilian economic development advisor in Vietnam , and was captured by the North Vietnamese communists in South Vietnam in 1968, and held prisoner for over 5 years. I spent 27 months in solitary confinement; one year in a cage in Cambodia ; and one year in a 'black box' in Hanoi . My North Vietnamese captors deliberately poisoned and murdered a female missionary, a nurse in a leprosarium in Ban me Thuot , South Vietnam , whom I buried in the jungle near the Cambodian border. At one time, I weighed only about 90 lbs. (My normal weight is 170 lbs)
We were Jane Fonda's 'war criminals....'
When Jane Fonda was in Hanoi , I was asked by the camp communist political officer if I would be willing to meet with her. I said yes, for I wanted to tell her about the real treatment we POWs received... and how different it was from the treatment purported by the North Vietnamese, and parroted by her as 'humane and lenient.'
Because of this, I spent three days on a rocky floor on my knees, with my arms outstretched with a large steel weights placed on my hands, and beaten with a bamboo cane.
I had the opportunity to meet with Jane Fonda soon after I was released. I asked her if she would be willing to debate me on TV. She never did answer me.
These first-hand experiences do not exemplify someone who should be honored as part of '100 Years of Great Women.' Lest we forget ....' 100 Years of Great Women' should never include a traitor whose hands are covered with the blood of so many patriots.
There are few things I have strong visceral reactions to, but Hanoi Jane's participation in blatant treason, is one of them. Please take the time to forward to as many people as you possibly can. It will eventually end up on her computer and she needs to know that we will never forget.
RONALD D. SAMPSON, CMSgt, USAF 716 Maintenance Squadron, Chief of Maintenance DSN: 875-6431 COMM:883-6343
How UnChristlike the Anti-Catholics Can Be
I snagged this off of Dr. Beckwith's blog. I find it so scandalous when those who claim to know Christ bite the hand that fed them the scripture, the fundamentals they hold dear, and continuously sacrifice for their salvation. God, forgive them, they have no idea what they are doing. Like St. Paul, they are fervent for God, but do not recognize Him in the breaking of the Bread.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Courage
Courage.
You're a 19 year old kid.
You're critically wounded and dying in
the jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam.
It's November 11, 1967.
LZ (landing zone) X-ray.
Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense from 100
yards away, that your CO (commanding officer) has ordered the MedEvac
helicopters to stop coming in.
You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns and you know
you're not getting out.
Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll
never see them again.
As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.
Then - over the machine gun noise - you faintly hear that sound of a
helicopter.
You look up to see a Huey coming in. But.. It doesn't seem real because
no MedEvac markings are on it.
Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you.
He's not MedEvac so it's not his job, but he heard the radio call and
decided he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway.
Even after the MedEvacs were ordered not to come. He's coming anyway.
And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load
3 of you at a time on board.
Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and
nurses and safety.
And, he kept coming back!! 13 more times!!
Until all the wounded were out. No one knew until the mission was over
that the Captain had been hit 4 times in the legs and left arm.
He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have
made it without the Captain and his Huey.
Medal of Honor Recipient, Captain Ed Freeman, United States Air Force,
died last Wednesday at the age of 70, in Boise, Idaho
May God Bless and Rest His Soul.
I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but we've sure seen a
whole bunch about Lindsay Lohan, Tiger Woods and the bickering of
congress over Health Reform.
Medal of Honor Winner Captain Ed Freeman
You're a 19 year old kid.
You're critically wounded and dying in
the jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam.
It's November 11, 1967.
LZ (landing zone) X-ray.
Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense from 100
yards away, that your CO (commanding officer) has ordered the MedEvac
helicopters to stop coming in.
You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns and you know
you're not getting out.
Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll
never see them again.
As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.
Then - over the machine gun noise - you faintly hear that sound of a
helicopter.
You look up to see a Huey coming in. But.. It doesn't seem real because
no MedEvac markings are on it.
Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you.
He's not MedEvac so it's not his job, but he heard the radio call and
decided he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway.
Even after the MedEvacs were ordered not to come. He's coming anyway.
And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load
3 of you at a time on board.
Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and
nurses and safety.
And, he kept coming back!! 13 more times!!
Until all the wounded were out. No one knew until the mission was over
that the Captain had been hit 4 times in the legs and left arm.
He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have
made it without the Captain and his Huey.
Medal of Honor Recipient, Captain Ed Freeman, United States Air Force,
died last Wednesday at the age of 70, in Boise, Idaho
May God Bless and Rest His Soul.
I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but we've sure seen a
whole bunch about Lindsay Lohan, Tiger Woods and the bickering of
congress over Health Reform.
Medal of Honor Winner Captain Ed Freeman
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)