Monday, February 28, 2011
Baby Joshua Can Go Home To Die In Peace.
Canada finally backs down. I love the way this doctor gets the truth out during this interview. Americans, wake up, this is the nightmare that is at our doorstep if Comrade Obama gets his way. Some judge somewhere will decide if you live or die based on some arbitrary guidelines. This is what abortion has led to. We denied the sanctity of life, so now it is just a thing to be regulated by Godless government.
The Democratic Party Attacks Scott Brown For Having Been Molested As A Child
Does that title just make your head spin or what? Well, read on . . .
Couple lose foster-care right over anti-gay stance
Couple lose foster-care right over anti-gay stance
OK, stop me in I'm wrong, but if the government isn't a theocracy, then what hare they doing condemning some one's religion? If it's not their area, then get out of it.
OK, stop me in I'm wrong, but if the government isn't a theocracy, then what hare they doing condemning some one's religion? If it's not their area, then get out of it.
The Pearl
So many people believe that realizing their dreams is defined by the quality and quantity of their earthly possessions. Dream homes are often sought after by following a simple rule of thumb: "Location, location, location!" I propose a different rule of thumb to attain happiness... "Adoration, adoration, adoration!" Spending time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the surest way to find healing, peace, which is something many people who live in their dream homes do not have. The sacraments and a solid relationship with Christ will bring you true and complete happiness in this life and the next.
...and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:46
divorcedcatholic.org
...and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:46
divorcedcatholic.org
What Men Have Done
"“Evil, too, will always be part of the mystery of the Church. And when we see what men, what the clergy have done in the Church, then that is nothing short of proof that he founded and upholds the Church. If she were dependent on men, she would long since have perished.”
Pope Benedict XVI
Light of the World, Ignatius Press"
Pope Benedict XVI
Light of the World, Ignatius Press"
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Durie: "Churches should not welcome into their buildings the veneration of Isa the Islamic Jesus, who, as a true Muslim, is intended to bring about the final, violent destruction of Christianity." - Jihad Watch
Durie: "Churches should not welcome into their buildings the veneration of Isa the Islamic Jesus, who, as a true Muslim, is intended to bring about the final, violent destruction of Christianity." - Jihad Watch: "Durie: 'Churches should not welcome into their buildings the veneration of Isa the Islamic Jesus, who, as a true Muslim, is intended to bring about the final, violent destruction of Christianity.'
As CAIR's press release from the other day demonstrates, Islam gets a lot of mileage out of its appropriation of Jesus. One does not need to be a Christian to see that. But while Islamic apologists accuse us right and left of 'cherry-picking' verses out of the Qur'an and taking them 'out of context,' the verses selected by CAIR do just that. Among others:
'Say: 'We believe in God and the revelation given to us and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and it is to Him that we surrender ourselves'' (2:136).
Another verse in the Quran states: 'Behold! The angels said: 'O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter and in (the company of) those nearest to God'' (3:45)."
Read the full article here.
As CAIR's press release from the other day demonstrates, Islam gets a lot of mileage out of its appropriation of Jesus. One does not need to be a Christian to see that. But while Islamic apologists accuse us right and left of 'cherry-picking' verses out of the Qur'an and taking them 'out of context,' the verses selected by CAIR do just that. Among others:
'Say: 'We believe in God and the revelation given to us and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and it is to Him that we surrender ourselves'' (2:136).
Another verse in the Quran states: 'Behold! The angels said: 'O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter and in (the company of) those nearest to God'' (3:45)."
Read the full article here.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
My Brother's Education
I've listened to the ruckus about my brother's educational credentials for years and said nothing about it, but I think it's time to tell what I know from an inside perspective and also to express my own opinion about how he has invested his gifts.
My brother is a very gifted speaker and debater. His intelligence made itself known very early in his life. I remember sitting through a mock trial that he took part in during high school. I told him then that I thought he could do anything he set his mind on and do it better than most anyone.
Those debating skills took on a different form when his sister-in-law was visited by some Mormon missionaries. She called on Jim to help her defend the faith when they returned for a scheduled visit. His success in defending the faith led to what is now Alpha & Omega Ministries which originally was designed to debunk cults like Mormonism and the JWs. Unfortunately it has become a fan club that follows my brother's theological belief system and spends an unfortunate amount of time alienating other believers with their hard core Calvinism and the elitism that naturally results. I am certain they make far more enemies than they do true converts to faith in Christ.
But I digress...
When my brother was just a pup he was working hard to get this first degree at Grand Canyon University. He married very young and he and Kelli had practically nothing. They lived in my parents' remodeled garage for almost two years and then moved into a tiny apartment as the children began to arrive. They made huge sacrifices in order to get him through school. Not long afterward, I attended his masters graduation ceremony which was held in some one's home.
I don't really remember the circumstances, but I remember walking with my parents and Kelli and Jim through a parking lot I believe. As a family we were discussing Jim's progress and his desire for a doctorate. It seemed hopelessly expensive and they were so poor. I remember my father and brother were walking up ahead of us and I was walking with my mother. I heard the guys say something about a way for Jim to get a doctorate. I asked my mother what they had said since she seemed to know what they were talking about. She didn't seem eager to disclose details, but she said that the school Jim had been talking to recently had told him they would help him earn a doctorate in conjunction with writing a book. I thought that was a great idea since I knew their financial situation and had total confidence in my brother's intellect.
Of course that was when I was a disciple of his and was in perfect agreement with his theological views.
My own conversion experience blew the walls out of my world view, my concept of God and my realization that the grace of God was at work in all denominations and most of all in the Catholic Church. When you go from the narrow, elitist, loveless point of view of a Calvinist to the universal, love based, selfless, unpresumptous view of a Catholic, you realize that you've been locked away in a closet and you've missed what God has been up to for the past two thousand years.
Making that change requires the careful examination of every Catholic doctrine. It also requires the examination of the claims of the Reformation. It requires that you leave your area of expertise and expose yourself to new thought, philosophy, history, the development of doctrine. It requires that you test your own beliefs against those of centuries past. It requires taking the huge risk that you might discover truth you had never been exposed to before or ever considered.
Jim is an expert in his own closet. He is the best of the best in there. He got the only degree he could afford. I'm sure he did his best work to get it. He also got a degree that never challenged the structure of his belief system. Now he spends his time asserting those beliefs even at the expense of alienating other believers and furthering the splintering of the body of Christ.
I grieve that he has taken the gift God gave him and used it to wound other Christians, especially Catholics. When I see him speaking or hear of his activities, I want to cry inside for what could have been. What still could be if he were willing to allow God to broaden his horizons. I'm looking forward to the day he earns a doctorate at Franciscan University. I'm betting they would offer him some financial aid. ;)
My brother is a very gifted speaker and debater. His intelligence made itself known very early in his life. I remember sitting through a mock trial that he took part in during high school. I told him then that I thought he could do anything he set his mind on and do it better than most anyone.
Those debating skills took on a different form when his sister-in-law was visited by some Mormon missionaries. She called on Jim to help her defend the faith when they returned for a scheduled visit. His success in defending the faith led to what is now Alpha & Omega Ministries which originally was designed to debunk cults like Mormonism and the JWs. Unfortunately it has become a fan club that follows my brother's theological belief system and spends an unfortunate amount of time alienating other believers with their hard core Calvinism and the elitism that naturally results. I am certain they make far more enemies than they do true converts to faith in Christ.
But I digress...
When my brother was just a pup he was working hard to get this first degree at Grand Canyon University. He married very young and he and Kelli had practically nothing. They lived in my parents' remodeled garage for almost two years and then moved into a tiny apartment as the children began to arrive. They made huge sacrifices in order to get him through school. Not long afterward, I attended his masters graduation ceremony which was held in some one's home.
I don't really remember the circumstances, but I remember walking with my parents and Kelli and Jim through a parking lot I believe. As a family we were discussing Jim's progress and his desire for a doctorate. It seemed hopelessly expensive and they were so poor. I remember my father and brother were walking up ahead of us and I was walking with my mother. I heard the guys say something about a way for Jim to get a doctorate. I asked my mother what they had said since she seemed to know what they were talking about. She didn't seem eager to disclose details, but she said that the school Jim had been talking to recently had told him they would help him earn a doctorate in conjunction with writing a book. I thought that was a great idea since I knew their financial situation and had total confidence in my brother's intellect.
Of course that was when I was a disciple of his and was in perfect agreement with his theological views.
My own conversion experience blew the walls out of my world view, my concept of God and my realization that the grace of God was at work in all denominations and most of all in the Catholic Church. When you go from the narrow, elitist, loveless point of view of a Calvinist to the universal, love based, selfless, unpresumptous view of a Catholic, you realize that you've been locked away in a closet and you've missed what God has been up to for the past two thousand years.
Making that change requires the careful examination of every Catholic doctrine. It also requires the examination of the claims of the Reformation. It requires that you leave your area of expertise and expose yourself to new thought, philosophy, history, the development of doctrine. It requires that you test your own beliefs against those of centuries past. It requires taking the huge risk that you might discover truth you had never been exposed to before or ever considered.
Jim is an expert in his own closet. He is the best of the best in there. He got the only degree he could afford. I'm sure he did his best work to get it. He also got a degree that never challenged the structure of his belief system. Now he spends his time asserting those beliefs even at the expense of alienating other believers and furthering the splintering of the body of Christ.
I grieve that he has taken the gift God gave him and used it to wound other Christians, especially Catholics. When I see him speaking or hear of his activities, I want to cry inside for what could have been. What still could be if he were willing to allow God to broaden his horizons. I'm looking forward to the day he earns a doctorate at Franciscan University. I'm betting they would offer him some financial aid. ;)
The Rosebud
Years ago, early in my journey to find God and his will for me, I realized that our spiritual growth is something that God does in us as we remain open to him. We can't hasten our growth or direct our own growth. He is the one creating his own work of art that will eventually be a masterpiece of his grace.
I likened the process to the opening of a rose. Roses are beautiful in all their stages of growth. The rosebud, though small and tightly wound opens slowly and only at the prompting of the Master. And if we were to foolishly try to force the bud to open, we would ruin all the complex layers of petals that were designed to open in perfect order.
I've been slowly reading a book called Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart. I found this little poem that perfectly describes the rosebud illustration.
I likened the process to the opening of a rose. Roses are beautiful in all their stages of growth. The rosebud, though small and tightly wound opens slowly and only at the prompting of the Master. And if we were to foolishly try to force the bud to open, we would ruin all the complex layers of petals that were designed to open in perfect order.
I've been slowly reading a book called Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart. I found this little poem that perfectly describes the rosebud illustration.
The Rosebud
It is only a tiny rosebud, a flower of His design
But I cannot unfold the petals
with these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
is not known to such as I;
The rose God opens so sweetly
in my hands would fade and die.
If I cannot unfold the rosebud,
the flower of His design
What makes me think I have wisdom
to unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust Him for His leading
each moment of every day
And I'll look to Him for courage
each step of the pilgrim way.
For the path that lies before me,
my heavenly Father knows;
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments
just as He unfolds the rose.
-Anonymous
Sing We Of The Blessed Mother
Sing we of the blessed Mother
Who received the angel's word,
And obedient to the summons
Bore in love the infant Lord;
Sing we of the joys of Mary
At whose breast that child was fed
Who is Son of God eternal
And the everlasting bread.
Sing we, too, of Mary's sorrows,
Of the sword that pierced her through,
When beneath the cross of Jesus
She his weight of suff'ring knew,
Looked upon her Son and Savior
Reigning from the awful tree,
Saw the price of our redemption
Paid to set the sinner free.
Sing again the joys of Mary
When she saw the risen Lord,
And in prayer with Christ's apostles,
Waited on his promised word:
From on high the blazing glory
Of the Spirit's presence came,
Heav'nly breath of God's own being,
Tokened in the wind and flame.
From today's Magnificat, pg 357
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Priceless Gift of Suffering
Your suffering is not useless; it is not in vain if you offer it up for the good of others - peace in the world, the souls in purgatory, a sick friend, those who are lonely and have no one to pray for them... Uniting your suffering to Christ's is one way He allows us to play a role in His redemptive work. When you hurt and feel alone, take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to unite your pain to Christ crucified for the sake of souls and you will turn your pain into a priceless gift.
We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.
James 5:11
We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.
James 5:11
Afghanistan: Jailed Christian convert is freed
Afghanistan: Jailed Christian convert is freed But another waits for a verdict. It is still a capital offense to become a Christian in Afghanistan and other Muslim nations.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Would You Have Gone?
A Police Captain has sued his supervisors for demanding that he attend a mandatory event held by a local Islamic group which included an Islamic prayer service and a proselytizing talk. Would you have gone? I wouldn't have.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
A Little Quote for my Temprance Friends
"Idolatry is committed, not merely by setting up false gods, but also by setting up false devils; by making men afraid of war or alcohol, or economic law, when they should be afraid of spiritual corruption and cowardice. ~G.K. Chesterton"
At Least She's Up Front
"'Birth control appeals to the advanced radical because it is calculated to undermine the authority of the Christian churches. I look forward to seeing humanity free someday of the tyranny of Christianity, so you can see how it's used.'
- Margaret Sanger, foundress of Planned Parenthood"
- Margaret Sanger, foundress of Planned Parenthood"
Why I Speak Up
"'It is an act of charity to cry out against the wolf when he is among the sheep, wherever he is.'
--St. Francis de Sales"
--St. Francis de Sales"
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
New Feature
You may have noticed that there is something new under the title of the blog. Actually, there are two new things. One is a line from an email that my dear friend Marie wrote me. It has really been the best description of my Catholic life I've ever heard.
The other thing is that I've added a tab with Deborah Holt's name on it. Deborah has a wonderful story of healing from sexual abuse that I feel needs to be told. I've asked some other ladies to send me their stories as well and eventually this feature will be called Abba's Little Girls.
The other thing is that I've added a tab with Deborah Holt's name on it. Deborah has a wonderful story of healing from sexual abuse that I feel needs to be told. I've asked some other ladies to send me their stories as well and eventually this feature will be called Abba's Little Girls.
We Are All Lara Logan | NewsReal Blog
We Are All Lara Logan NewsReal Blog: "Try building a church, a Hindu Temple, or a synagogue in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else in the Islamic world. Building mosques in the West—yes; reciprocity, tolerance for other religions in the Muslim world—no.
American imperialism and Israel’s existence have not caused Muslims to force their daughters to marry their first cousins when they are ten years old, nor has it forced Muslims to face veil women, flog or stone them to death if they’ve been raped, or to honor murder girls and women if they are even slightly “disobedient.”
Saying so does not make me a racist. Does it?"
American imperialism and Israel’s existence have not caused Muslims to force their daughters to marry their first cousins when they are ten years old, nor has it forced Muslims to face veil women, flog or stone them to death if they’ve been raped, or to honor murder girls and women if they are even slightly “disobedient.”
Saying so does not make me a racist. Does it?"
'WE ARE A CHURCH ON FIRE': Eucharistic Adoration transforms Acushnet parish | SouthCoastToday.com
'WE ARE A CHURCH ON FIRE': Eucharistic Adoration transforms Acushnet parish SouthCoastToday.com
This is a beautiful article about lives changed by spending time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I think one of the clearest proofs of the Real Presence is how people with no faith or a life of sin can sit before Him in the Monstrance and before they know what is happening they fall in love with Jesus Christ and turn their lives over to Him.
This is a beautiful article about lives changed by spending time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I think one of the clearest proofs of the Real Presence is how people with no faith or a life of sin can sit before Him in the Monstrance and before they know what is happening they fall in love with Jesus Christ and turn their lives over to Him.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Please Pray For This Man
Monday, February 14, 2011PLEASE PRAY FOR SAID MUSA & DO what you Can to help ... "I AM IN AWE OF SUCH FAITH"
Read the story here.
Eight months in an Afgan jail being tortured for his conversion to Christ. Pray for his endurance. Pray for the conversion of his torturers. Pray for his wife and six children with no one to take care of them.
Read the story here.
Eight months in an Afgan jail being tortured for his conversion to Christ. Pray for his endurance. Pray for the conversion of his torturers. Pray for his wife and six children with no one to take care of them.
Islam - Destroying Us From Within
Lisa Graas report on the five Islamic organizations that are already working to take down the United States. Click the Image.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Life on the Rock - Nun Run - Fr. Anthony and Doug with Desert Nuns - 02-...
My daughter talked me into walking in the Nun Run 2011. Check out the Life on the Rock show where the Sisters of Our Lady of Solitude explain the Nun Run.
What's Cooking in My World
I know I've been kind of absent lately, but I hope you have enjoyed the videos I've gleaned from the Internet. I love YouTube. You can learn about almost anything and you can even find prayer music/chant for your time with the Lord. Of course like anything in life you have to be selective about what you open yourself up to.
I found it interesting the past few months since I published three articles on the subject of masturbation that this blog has been visited hundreds of times by people searching for the word "masturbation." I guess I should expect that on the Internet, but what really surprised me was how many people searched under the world "satanic masturbation" or "satanic little girls." I think it confirms what I've said that masturbation is truly satanic.
I'm going to start classes at the Institute of Catholic Theology at St. Thomas the Apostle in Phoenix. I'm very excited about it. I will be studying the book of Exodus as it foreshadows the Mass. I called to see what book I would need for the class and was told that all I would need is my Bible. I love that.
I'm currently reading a friend's masters thesis. It's one of those things you read with a dictionary under your elbow. I'm learning a ton, but I think my brain is developing stretch marks.
I'm heading into a couple of very busy months here. I have a trip out of town that I take every year to go speak at a Confirmation Retreat. It's a long drive from here but the scenery is breath taking. Please pray for a safe trip since I do this alone. I also have a couple of medical things going on that are going to keep me busy.
My youngest grandson is going to turn 1 year old on March 4th. Little Jacob is such a precious. If you haven't yet, there are a list of funny quotes from my two oldest grandsons in the margin of the blog. I'll tell you, preschoolers keep you in stitches laughing at the cute things that come out of their mouths. It's better than television.
We're supposed to have a 100% chance of rain today. It is absolutely gorgeous outside. So far, though, Phoenix is beating the odds and we haven't had more than some sprinkles. I think I should go out and wash my car, maybe that will help. :)
Thanks for visiting Abba's Little Girl! Thanks for your prayers.
I found it interesting the past few months since I published three articles on the subject of masturbation that this blog has been visited hundreds of times by people searching for the word "masturbation." I guess I should expect that on the Internet, but what really surprised me was how many people searched under the world "satanic masturbation" or "satanic little girls." I think it confirms what I've said that masturbation is truly satanic.
I'm going to start classes at the Institute of Catholic Theology at St. Thomas the Apostle in Phoenix. I'm very excited about it. I will be studying the book of Exodus as it foreshadows the Mass. I called to see what book I would need for the class and was told that all I would need is my Bible. I love that.
I'm currently reading a friend's masters thesis. It's one of those things you read with a dictionary under your elbow. I'm learning a ton, but I think my brain is developing stretch marks.
I'm heading into a couple of very busy months here. I have a trip out of town that I take every year to go speak at a Confirmation Retreat. It's a long drive from here but the scenery is breath taking. Please pray for a safe trip since I do this alone. I also have a couple of medical things going on that are going to keep me busy.
My youngest grandson is going to turn 1 year old on March 4th. Little Jacob is such a precious. If you haven't yet, there are a list of funny quotes from my two oldest grandsons in the margin of the blog. I'll tell you, preschoolers keep you in stitches laughing at the cute things that come out of their mouths. It's better than television.
We're supposed to have a 100% chance of rain today. It is absolutely gorgeous outside. So far, though, Phoenix is beating the odds and we haven't had more than some sprinkles. I think I should go out and wash my car, maybe that will help. :)
Thanks for visiting Abba's Little Girl! Thanks for your prayers.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Monstrance with Blessed Sacrament stolen from parish in Spain :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)
Monstrance with Blessed Sacrament stolen from parish in Spain :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)
It doesn't get an uglier than this. Lord have mercy on these people and on the whole world.
It doesn't get an uglier than this. Lord have mercy on these people and on the whole world.
InsideCatholic.com | The Irish Soldiers of Mexico | Feature | Articles
InsideCatholic.com | The Irish Soldiers of Mexico | Feature | Articles
My good friend, Patrick Madrid, has a name that I think reflects the link between the Irish Catholics and the Mexican Catholics. I just recently heard about the San Patricos. The family of God is far stronger a bond than any other on earth. I am hoping to read more on this subject and eventually write more as well.
Institute of Catholic Theology
Institute of Catholic Theology
We are so blessed at St. Thomas the Apostle. I have enrolled for a class starting in March. I'm very excited. I've wanted to do this for a long time.
We are so blessed at St. Thomas the Apostle. I have enrolled for a class starting in March. I'm very excited. I've wanted to do this for a long time.
Monday, February 14, 2011
His Passionate Love
Valentine's Day is upon us, and for those who are divorced, celebrating love is very hard to do. That is, of course, unless you know the secret...
I've heard people say they avoid the "pink" aisles in stores at all costs. I've heard some say they take the money they would have spent on their spouses and spend it on themselves instead. One woman even went so far as to send herself a bouquet of roses to her office with an "anonymous admirer" note to defray the embarrassment of her divorce in front of others. Okay, it's entirely reasonable to not want to be embarrassed or feel bad. But what is everyone trying to accomplish in doing these things? It's simple. They want to believe they are desirable, valuable, and worthy of being loved. Do you know what the secret to finding that kind of peace of mind is?
The secret is simple - finding your self-worth in Christ. Understanding how much He loves you - how much He sacrificed for you. Try to imagine being passionately loved... the most wildly passionate love you have ever dreamed of. Now realize that this is how God loves you. You are worth everything to Him and He demonstrated that when He hung on the cross and gave you everything He had to give. You are the one He wants and He pursues you every moment of the day. He wants to give you the love, peace and happiness you've been waiting for.
God created you with one purpose - to be with Him in heaven. Until that day, your life is spent seeking that happiness. The secret to being happy on earth is looking to God for that fulfillment, not looking to find it in others. Part of the reason why people date, marry, divorce, and start all over again is because they are searching for the fulfillment, peace and happiness that only Christ can bring. This is not to say that dating and marriage are bad - on the contrary. But when your spouse fails you, you should remember that he or she is imperfect, just as you are, and cannot fulfill you in the way God's love can. St. Valentine, or Valentinus the martyr, was happy to die because he knew the love of Christ and being with Him in heaven was worth far more than anything the world could offer him. And it still holds true today. Nothing we can get here on earth - not valentines, not roses, not chocolates, not relationships - can match the love and generosity of God.
So this Valentine's Day, focus on God's love for you. Take some time, preferably in the morning when it's quiet, and sit with God. Ask Him to help you find your strength and self-worth in His love. Ask Him to increase your faith! Share with Him all your worries, hurts, concerns and hopes. He loves you and he will bless you for it!
I have called you by name; you are mine...I will be with you...you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you... -- Isaiah 43:1, 2, 4
I've heard people say they avoid the "pink" aisles in stores at all costs. I've heard some say they take the money they would have spent on their spouses and spend it on themselves instead. One woman even went so far as to send herself a bouquet of roses to her office with an "anonymous admirer" note to defray the embarrassment of her divorce in front of others. Okay, it's entirely reasonable to not want to be embarrassed or feel bad. But what is everyone trying to accomplish in doing these things? It's simple. They want to believe they are desirable, valuable, and worthy of being loved. Do you know what the secret to finding that kind of peace of mind is?
The secret is simple - finding your self-worth in Christ. Understanding how much He loves you - how much He sacrificed for you. Try to imagine being passionately loved... the most wildly passionate love you have ever dreamed of. Now realize that this is how God loves you. You are worth everything to Him and He demonstrated that when He hung on the cross and gave you everything He had to give. You are the one He wants and He pursues you every moment of the day. He wants to give you the love, peace and happiness you've been waiting for.
God created you with one purpose - to be with Him in heaven. Until that day, your life is spent seeking that happiness. The secret to being happy on earth is looking to God for that fulfillment, not looking to find it in others. Part of the reason why people date, marry, divorce, and start all over again is because they are searching for the fulfillment, peace and happiness that only Christ can bring. This is not to say that dating and marriage are bad - on the contrary. But when your spouse fails you, you should remember that he or she is imperfect, just as you are, and cannot fulfill you in the way God's love can. St. Valentine, or Valentinus the martyr, was happy to die because he knew the love of Christ and being with Him in heaven was worth far more than anything the world could offer him. And it still holds true today. Nothing we can get here on earth - not valentines, not roses, not chocolates, not relationships - can match the love and generosity of God.
So this Valentine's Day, focus on God's love for you. Take some time, preferably in the morning when it's quiet, and sit with God. Ask Him to help you find your strength and self-worth in His love. Ask Him to increase your faith! Share with Him all your worries, hurts, concerns and hopes. He loves you and he will bless you for it!
I have called you by name; you are mine...I will be with you...you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you... -- Isaiah 43:1, 2, 4
Sunday, February 13, 2011
My Valentine
Father John started this morning's homily by admonishing his children about thinking that just showing up to Mass and going through the motions is what being Catholic is all about. Father John never beats around the bush. He always goes right to the heart of the matter. He used today's readings to show that God looks on our hearts, on what and who we love to know who we really are. He used the line often "God wants your heart, not your empty obedience." Not that obedience is not good, but if it doesn't come from a heart full of love for God, it is meaning less.
We are called to love. God first loves us and invites us to a deep, loving relationship with Him. It's not a forensic, legal sort of relationship. It is nothing less than the deepest love affair of your life. He have His last drop of blood on the cross for love of you. Now he calls you to return that love by His own grace to enable you to love. Are you in love yet? Is Jesus the love of your life through which all other loves flow? This St. Valentine's Day He's asking, "Will you be mine?"
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Persecution in Indonesia
What did they go after? Three churches, an orphanage, and a health care center. And when they invaded the Catholic church, they attacked the altar and savagely beat the priest who tried to defend the tabernacle from desecration.
Read the full article here.
Read the full article here.
Hands of Providence
"“…you ought not to give way to uneasiness about the future. Put yourself gently into the hands of Providence.”
Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin
Calendar of Daily Quotations, Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods"
Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin
Calendar of Daily Quotations, Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods"
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Rich Mullins: Letter From Father Matt
Rich Mullins: Letter From Father Matt: "Recently we contacted Father Matt McGuiness, a close friend of Rich Mullins. When we asked Father Matt if he knew anything about Rich ..."
And dear brother Rich, you left me enough of your journey to help me finish my own. I love you and I thank you and I think St. Francis is a perfect ch
And dear brother Rich, you left me enough of your journey to help me finish my own. I love you and I thank you and I think St. Francis is a perfect ch
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
When a person loves...
"When a person loves another dearly, he desires strongly to be close to the other: therefore, why be afraid to die? Death brings us to God! - St. Josephine Bakhita"
Monday, February 7, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Divine Mercy For Those Suffering
I was driving along Thunderbird road this evening and the lights from inside Thunderbird Hospital caught my eye. I was taken back to so many visit to the hospital over the years to visit elderly friends, those on the front porch of eternity and even my own young daughters as they passed through the pangs of child birth. Having nearly lost one daughter during the birth of my first Grandchild, even the happy moments experienced in hospitals have been laced with suffering.
When I stopped in the Adoration Chapel later, I began to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and remembered the hospital. Then I remembered that not far down the road from that hospital is an abortion clinic. No where is there more suffering than in an abortion clinic. Then further down that same road is a rehabilitation center where the elderly and infirmed are cared for and where hospice care is given. On the same road, is an Urgent Care center where my own family has gone with late night illnesses or injuries. The waiting room is always teaming with those in some kind of suffering.
All of these places are within two blocks of each other and they represent hundreds of souls suffering from one thing or another and their families who are suffering along with them. I decided to offer my chaplet for those in that two block area, some who will be passing into eternity even tonight. Most who are longing for the comfort only God can give.
St. Faustina often accompanied souls as they passed through the pangs of death and entered into eternity. I think it only fitting that we remember those who are suffering and dying in our prayers and especially as we pray the Chaplet of Diving Mercy.
When I stopped in the Adoration Chapel later, I began to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and remembered the hospital. Then I remembered that not far down the road from that hospital is an abortion clinic. No where is there more suffering than in an abortion clinic. Then further down that same road is a rehabilitation center where the elderly and infirmed are cared for and where hospice care is given. On the same road, is an Urgent Care center where my own family has gone with late night illnesses or injuries. The waiting room is always teaming with those in some kind of suffering.
All of these places are within two blocks of each other and they represent hundreds of souls suffering from one thing or another and their families who are suffering along with them. I decided to offer my chaplet for those in that two block area, some who will be passing into eternity even tonight. Most who are longing for the comfort only God can give.
Saving Western Civilization
My tireless research assistant found this very enlightening article here:
A friend of mine, who happens to be a conservative Gulliver stranded amongst the San Francisco Bay Area small-brained Liliputian liberals, recently sent me the following document that was tagged with the requisite acedemia-boring title of "Presentation at the Convocation of the College of Fellows, January 28, 2011" that took place at the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology in Berkeley, California.
Sounds like quite the yawnfest, huh? Well, Like the old saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover.
Anyway, this was a stunning speech. I strongly suggest every single Christian Conservative (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant... doesn't matter) to invest a few moments of your life and take a gander at what Gil Bailie of the College of Fellows at DSPT had to say.
Here are just a few passages that I hope may pique your interest;
Like many of you I suppose, the first thing that came to mind when I learned that Cardinal Ratzinger had chosen Benedict for his papal name was the concluding lines of Alasdair MacIntyre's After Virtue, in which he suggested that nothing short of a new St. Benedict would save Western Civilization from itself. Having a few weeks earlier declared the "dictatorship of relativism" to be the besetting affliction of the contemporary West, the new papal name seemed to signal that the rehabilitation of the culture for which the sixth century Benedict had laid the foundation would be a priority of Benedict XVI's pontificate.
The Holy Father clearly understands that if Western culture is to awaken from its historical amnesia and moral confusions, and if the uniqueness and history-altering meaning of the Christian Gospel is to be proclaimed afresh, we must learn to account for Christian truth in ways that are faithful to Church doctrine, intellectually cogent, morally robust, charitable, and uninhibited by the spirit of the age. Decades ago, Joseph Ratzinger pointed the way to accomplishing this task by suggesting that a collaboration between theology and anthropology can lead to "the truly most exciting part of Christian faith."
Read the rest here.
A friend of mine, who happens to be a conservative Gulliver stranded amongst the San Francisco Bay Area small-brained Liliputian liberals, recently sent me the following document that was tagged with the requisite acedemia-boring title of "Presentation at the Convocation of the College of Fellows, January 28, 2011" that took place at the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology in Berkeley, California.
Sounds like quite the yawnfest, huh? Well, Like the old saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover.
Anyway, this was a stunning speech. I strongly suggest every single Christian Conservative (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant... doesn't matter) to invest a few moments of your life and take a gander at what Gil Bailie of the College of Fellows at DSPT had to say.
Here are just a few passages that I hope may pique your interest;
Like many of you I suppose, the first thing that came to mind when I learned that Cardinal Ratzinger had chosen Benedict for his papal name was the concluding lines of Alasdair MacIntyre's After Virtue, in which he suggested that nothing short of a new St. Benedict would save Western Civilization from itself. Having a few weeks earlier declared the "dictatorship of relativism" to be the besetting affliction of the contemporary West, the new papal name seemed to signal that the rehabilitation of the culture for which the sixth century Benedict had laid the foundation would be a priority of Benedict XVI's pontificate.
The Holy Father clearly understands that if Western culture is to awaken from its historical amnesia and moral confusions, and if the uniqueness and history-altering meaning of the Christian Gospel is to be proclaimed afresh, we must learn to account for Christian truth in ways that are faithful to Church doctrine, intellectually cogent, morally robust, charitable, and uninhibited by the spirit of the age. Decades ago, Joseph Ratzinger pointed the way to accomplishing this task by suggesting that a collaboration between theology and anthropology can lead to "the truly most exciting part of Christian faith."
Read the rest here.
Wanted For Treason
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
God Will Exceed Your Expectations
Today I thought I'd share with you some words from Pope Benedict XVI. Here are excerpts of his address, given on December 1, 2010, in Paul VI Hall:
"If God is supremely good and wise, why does evil and the suffering of the innocent exist? Saints as well, precisely the saints, ask themselves this question. Enlightened by faith, they give us an answer that opens our heart to trust and hope: In the mysterious designs of Providence, even from evil, God draws a greater good, as [Saint] Julian of Norwich writes: 'I learned by the grace of God that I must remain firmly in the faith, and hence I must firmly and perfectly believe that all will end well.'"
"Yes, dear brothers and sisters, God's promises are always greater than our hopes. If we entrust to God, to his immense love, the most pure and most profound desires of our heart, we will never be disappointed."
Open your heart to God. Bring him your desires. His love for you is more vast, more tender and more enduring than we can ever imagine.
And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you.' " Luke 17: 6
"If God is supremely good and wise, why does evil and the suffering of the innocent exist? Saints as well, precisely the saints, ask themselves this question. Enlightened by faith, they give us an answer that opens our heart to trust and hope: In the mysterious designs of Providence, even from evil, God draws a greater good, as [Saint] Julian of Norwich writes: 'I learned by the grace of God that I must remain firmly in the faith, and hence I must firmly and perfectly believe that all will end well.'"
"Yes, dear brothers and sisters, God's promises are always greater than our hopes. If we entrust to God, to his immense love, the most pure and most profound desires of our heart, we will never be disappointed."
Open your heart to God. Bring him your desires. His love for you is more vast, more tender and more enduring than we can ever imagine.
And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you.' " Luke 17: 6
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The World Will Never Be The Same After This Week
THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: I cannot begin to describe in words the absolute fundamental transformation that is underway in world politics. The mainstream news media is only now just beginning to comprehend the magnitude of just a fraction of it. Nothing this profound has happened since the fall of the Soviet Union. Not even the terrorist events of 9-11 compare to what is happening now. This is nothing short of a worldwide paradigm shift, and it's only just begun.
Read the rest here.
Read the rest here.
God's Ways Are Not Our Ways
Christ suffered more than you will ever know. He was the true, innocent victim, convicted and punished unjustly, but suffered out of love for us. If there is anyone who can understand our anger, our outrage at what has happened to you, it is Christ. Not only did he suffer every injustice as a completely innocent and loving human being, but he knows all that you have been through better than anyone. He knows the pain, the frustration, the insanity.
But always remember He has a completely different perspective on what is happening because He sees everything... knows everything. The suffering you bear will bring about good things somewhere else, and this is one reason why God allows you to suffer. What good things will God bring out of your situation? What good things have already happened? Go to meet Him in the garden and kneel down with Him at the rock and talk to Him about your situation. Unite your pain to His and embrace your cross with His help. As you kneel with Jesus in the garden and see His sweat turn into drops of blood, knowing He suffers for your sake, ask Him to help you suffer as He did; out of love for others and the desire for good.
"Abba, Father!" he said, "For you everything is possible. Take this cup away from me. But let it be as you, not I, would have it. - Mark 14
divorcedcatholic.org
But always remember He has a completely different perspective on what is happening because He sees everything... knows everything. The suffering you bear will bring about good things somewhere else, and this is one reason why God allows you to suffer. What good things will God bring out of your situation? What good things have already happened? Go to meet Him in the garden and kneel down with Him at the rock and talk to Him about your situation. Unite your pain to His and embrace your cross with His help. As you kneel with Jesus in the garden and see His sweat turn into drops of blood, knowing He suffers for your sake, ask Him to help you suffer as He did; out of love for others and the desire for good.
"Abba, Father!" he said, "For you everything is possible. Take this cup away from me. But let it be as you, not I, would have it. - Mark 14
divorcedcatholic.org
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