How to Love

 

Here we are already in Holy Week, a day after listening to that long sorrowful narrative of the Passion of our Lord.

 And every time I read or hear the Passion, I remember the words my mother would tell me.

 See, I was very restless as a child, especially at Mass and on Passion Sunday, my mother would say, “If you stay completely still when the priest is reading the Passion you will go right to heaven”. Now, if that is the only criteria to get to heaven, I will never make it. I still squirm

You can only stand still for so long even as an adult. But, I really tried, but there was one time, I had to scratch my nose so bad and finally I did. I moved! Another year and no heaven again, and I looked up at my mother and she turned and frowned at me and I thought, wow, she moved too, she’s not going either. But, today, we have a much shorter Gospel, one that is filled with complete surrender and the love of Mary, in serving our Lord. Surrendering her greatest treasure, an extravagance of love to bring honor to Jesus and joy to herself.

It’s knowing that love doesn’t calculate the cost; it gives and its only regret is it doesn’t have more to give.

 And we have Judas, the betrayer, the thief, the money holder, filled with hate, and serving only himself. His greatest treasure was in the bag he was holding. No love to give, no true friendship, because you cannot serve two masters.  

And, the harsh words of Judas, of wasting the oil, is an attempt to destroy Mary’s gift of love. Although, his words of wasting, and not his motive for saying them, could incline us to think the same way. But the oil is meant to reveal complete surrender to Christ, all that we have, bringing the greatest honor to Jesus and His Church and to the giver.

 Mary’s gift and love filled the entire place with the sweet fragrance of spices, an aroma benefiting herself, Jesus and all around her. But Judas was resentful, his beliefs were warped, and he took a bitter and an unpleasant view. It’s the heart that speaks. Because a person’s sight depends on what is inside their heart. Mary surrendered to Jesus. Jesus was eventually surrendered by Judas.

This is the week that we can give our all for Jesus, serving Him completely and walking closely with Him to His Cross. We have our treasures to give, we sacrifice, we pray and adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament.  He thirsts and we give him drink. Let this Holy week become an internal flame of love burning inside, allowing the fragrance of complete surrender, to fill our hearts with the love for Jesus. 

Then on Friday at the Cross, we will recognize that, Love doesn’t calculate the cost; it gives and its only regret is it doesn’t have more to give. Jesus gave us His all, there is nothing more to give. That is total surrender. That is how to love!

Foster Father, our Patron Saint

 

Growing up, I remember two important things about St. Joseph. One I was taught by St. Joe nuns and two, we always had off of school on March 19th the feast of St. Joseph.

 Our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph were two human beings. The very same wants and desires that we have, the same temptations, the same hardships.

And their focus was always on keeping God’s commandments. Mary and Joseph were born with the same free gift that was given to us and that is our free will.

They, like us had options. We can all say no to God. But they were determined to say yes.

There yes, must be our yes, to follow Jesus, even with all the hardships and crosses He asks us to bare. Our yes and perseverance means, there will be a place for us in heaven.

Look at the face of the crucified Jesus, look at His beaten body, and know His pain, and your pain, your hardships will become bearable.

St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus and husband of Mary, pray for us

 

The Gifts and the Fruits

 

For those of us who were confirmed by a bishop, may not remember the exact words that were used. In my case, it’s been so long, I’m not even sure if the words were in English or Latin.

 But today, with the consecrated Chrism Oil, the Bishop rubs the sign of the cross into your forehead saying “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit”. And we responded with, “Amen”.

 It was at that moment, regardless of what language, the Holy Spirit entered our soul, even more powerful than at our baptism, blessing us with all the gifts we need to confront and battle the world, and the devil.

 The Holy Spirit, the Advocate is sent to us, by Jesus, to live in our being. The same advocate He sent to the Apostles on Pentecost; He sends to us. And why? Because, He loves us, and wants us to have all the gifts we need to be with Him in heaven. These are our resources, our tools to use, not to let stagnate.

 Pray often to the Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of the faithful. Teach us and guide us along the way, forever blessing us with your gifts and encouraging us to be fruitful companions of Jesus Christ. Amen!

A friend in deed

 

In moments of happiness, and joy, as well as times of loneliness, depression, pain, and most of all when you just feel like crying, there is always someone there with you.

 Jesus tells us, “I am with you always, even to the end of time.” Do we see Him? No, but He is with us. Do we feel His presence? Some do, but He is there, sharing with us, our joys and our heart aches.

 And He tells us something else in Scripture confirming that He is always with us even from the beginning. For He tells us in Jerimiah, that, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you”.

 This very day, whether asleep or awake, inside of you is the Spirit of God, waiting and hoping that you spend some quiet time with your creator and your best friend, who is with you always.

 

 

It's Contagious

 Have you ever noticed how beautiful and glowing young couples look when they are truly in love? It’s almost like you read their hearts just by looking at their faces. They radiate a love, a happiness that can many times be contagious to those around them.

And it is also true that our actions, our priorities, even our body language, can reveal who we really are, what we believe in, and where our treasures lie.

Some people may be very quiet about their inner lives. Their sufferings, their heartaches, their concerns are hidden from the world but, yet, the love and peace of Christ still shines through for the whole world to see. They handle their crosses with dignity and trust in God’s help. They feed and are nourished on God’s Word, reflecting on that Word throughout the day.

We have all heard the expression, “You are what you eat”. Yes, to be fit and healthy, we eat foods that will not just satisfy, but nourish and strengthen the body.

There is also another expression, “you become what you think about most”. And today, this world is downright depressing, and we are being bombarded from every possible angle with the satanic beliefs of a world that is chaotic and collapsing. Many have been swayed by the media and social media to join in on this disorder to the point where these beliefs have now controlled their minds. God is no longer even a second thought.

Once a seed, negative or positive is planted in our mind, it can spread even unconsciously. That’s why it is so important to build upon the foundation of our moral beliefs; God’s beliefs, truly living by His Gospel.

“I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure”. Ps 16:18-19

God has made us so beautifully. He made us as a unified person with bodies to express what is in our heart. And he wants to be the center of our thoughts expressing that love in our hearts. He wants to be the object and the love, of what we think about most.

Don’t let this world and its allurements steer you away from inner peace, or from eternal salvation.  Rather, be the one who radiates the love of God, the face of Jesus. even through all the crosses you may bear.

So many people need our prayers. The world needs our prayers and our nation desperately needs, not only our prayers, but our support and our actions to keep God’s presence in America.

Let people read your hearts, just by looking at your face, a face that radiates the love of God.

Paradise

 

It looks like large puffy white clouds. It smells like lavender. It is the fresh scent of clothes hanging in the day time sun. You are with all your love ones. I will be perfect in everything I do. These are some of the answers I get when I ask 8^th graders, “What is heaven like”.

 I suppose I look at it a bit differently. It’s when everything just seems to be working the way it should, the body, the mind, and the spirit. And a true taste of earthly heaven is family. Just this past summer, my wife and I went camping with some of our children and grandchildren.  It was the first time in over twenty years and we went hard core; in a tent, on an air mattress, and in a sleeping bag.

 But, what a beautiful experience, to wake up to the smell of fresh coffee brewing on a camp fire. It doesn’t get any better than that. That is, until the aroma of hickory cured bacon fills the entire camp ground as it sizzles on that same open fire. I know not all will agree, but to me, but, “That moment was a taste of heaven”

And, I really believe God gives us those moments, blessings from heaven, to help us reflect on his generosity.  And, to thank him for all the wonderful gifts he provides. The little things along the way.

 Just this very day is another gift from our Lord. It is this very day that Jesus tells us. "You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect". Yes, every day is a gift to be used wisely, to prepare and to be thankful.

 God gives us all an allotted time on this earth, a definite time in which we are to achieve His divine plan for our souls.

 No, we don’t know when Jesus will come, so we live each day in hope of what we do not know. As St. Paul has said “if we hope for what we do not see we wait with endurance”.

 What will heaven be like? Who really knows? But I’ll bet it’s worth living a life God says we must in order to enter.

 We pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and use them to interrupt the will of God for us.  We must allow the saving grace of our Lord, and the many precious gifts he bestows on us, to become the treasures of our heart. We must be nourished through the sacraments and fed spiritually through Scripture.

 It is then, when the kingdom of God is within us and among us, God acts and our lives change and relationships are healed.

When we live each day with the Spirit of God as our guide, surrendering to Him, we will be prepared, and I believe, when our time comes, truly know that heaven is paradise.

The Hunger of St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr

 

The two kinds of hunger. Yesterday on The Road to Emmaus, there was joy, an anticipation of things to come, people shouting, “He is alive”.

 Spirits and souls being fed and the desire for more, “Weren’t our hearts burning, as he opened up Scripture for us”, “and weren’t our bodies nourished as He broke the bread”.

 The two men, on the road to Emmaus, who hungered and an incredulous transformation from sorrow to joy.

 Two men, who began their journey, walking into the sunset, but once spiritually fed, walked into the sunrise, to share the good news.

 Today we go from two downcast men to a crowd, whose hunger pangs are a little different.

 Today we see a physical hunger which only physical food can satisfy.

 Yesterday, there was a spiritual hunger which that food can never satisfy.

 Jesus understands both. In his compassion, and just the day before, he performed the beautiful miracle of the loves and the fishes, satisfying the physical hunger of this crowd.

 Now it’s a new day, and their stomachs are again yearning, for more fish and more bread, but not for the bread of life.

 St. John Chrysostom, said, “we are nailed to the things of this life”. Many whose eyes are never lifted beyond the walls of the world to the eternities beyond”.

 Jesus himself tells us “Don’t work for the food that perishes, but for that which lasts forever”. We must work for the food that keeps our hearts burning.

 There are many other hungers which can only be satisfied by Jesus.

 There is the hunger for truth, there is the hunger for life, there is the hunger for love.  These leave us burning for more, a spiritual hunger, knowing in our hearts that He is alive.  

 And who better is a perfect example of that in action then St. Stephen.

 A deacon, a martyr, a man of compassion, a man who knew and believed in the very words of Jesus. Whose heart burned with love for the Word of God.

 Whose spiritual appetite was constantly fed, as he saw the heavens open up and his treasures stored in the room prepared for him.

 What makes St. Stephen so special? It was his passion for the Word of God that filled him with the Holy Spirit.

 A Spirit we all pray for, to have the Holy Spirit in our hearts, in our actions, and especially in our speech.

 Upon seeing the heavens, there was no place on this earth that St. Stephen would rather be, than with Jesus in heaven. 

 And as they stoned him, he fell to his knees, glorifying God, and he prayed, “Jesus take my spirit”.

 And then he echoes Jesus’ own words, “Father forgive them”. 

 And there in the midst of this murderous act was Saul, a threat of annihilation to the new Christians. God does act in mysterious ways.

 The power of the Holy Spirit can do all things in us, can forgive all people.

 Yes, St. Stephen is special, special because his only focus was getting into heaven, and feeding others along the way.

 Filled with the Holy Spirit, St. Stephen, with love and courage, walked into the sunrise, following his Savior.

 And, that must be our focus, feed our spiritual hunger so we can feed the hunger of others.

 There are so many people we may know, downcast, depressed, filled with sorrow, walking into the sunset.

 But we, through the Holy Spirit, have the ability to change their mourning into joy, feeding their spiritual hunger, and have them walk into the sunrise.

 

 

Pray for us

 

Woe, is a strong word

 

Woe to you”! “Woe to you teachers of the law”. “Woe to you, blind guides”, “Woe to you, you hypocrites.” Over fifty times in Scripture is that phrased used in one form or another.

“Woe to you” is a serious charge. It means regret, grief, distress! In other words, it is a stern warning that you have to change direction.

 But, the Pharisees and Scribes did not take the prophets nor Jesus’ words seriously. But, God’s love for his people was so great, He kept sending messenger after messenger to open their eyes and ears, and finally, he sent his only Son. “I love you with an everlasting love”.

 But the Pharisees and Scribes were stubborn and closed their eyes and ears to Jesus, even when he singled them out to the point of embarrassing them.

 And we can see the same thing happening all around us today. Just like the Pharisees, so many people have closed their minds to the Word of God and replaced it with their own ideas. Their own inept wisdom, trying to make a new satanic religion rather than allowing the true religion to move them to hear God’s precious word, and to respond with obedience. They are acting like as if they were gods

 God’s word is to be cherished, reflected upon, shared and lived. God’s word is heartfelt, carrying messages of love and guidance, not burdensome, and hateful, it is alive, leading those who believe in those words to heaven.

 Woe to those who don’t seek God through his Word, and woe to those who don’t share God’s Good News”. Woe to those who act like gods.

 We will not find our Lord in our heart unless we seek him, and those who find him don’t ever want to lose him but want nothing more than to share him.

Let the Word of God be like a fire reaching through our inmost soul and to transform us into the one who loves us.

 

 

Corpus Christi, what a gift

 

St. Angela of Foligno was a Franciscan mystic back in the 13^th century and she had a great love for Jesus and the Blessed Sacrament.

 I bring her name up because this Sunday we celebrate Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ.  Of Jesus truly living in the Blessed Host we receive each time we are in the state of grace

 There is something very special St. Angela has said that should put tears in our eyes each time we receive Jesus.

 She said, “Jesus, you instituted this Sacrament, not through any desire to draw some advantage from it yourself, but solely moved by a love which has no other measure than to be without measure.

 Burning with love for us. You desired to give yourself to us and took up Your dwelling in the consecrated Host, entirely and forever, until the end of time.

 For those in the state of grace, do we, in our minds, think of this precious gift, each time we receive Jesus. Do you even imagine, that he is, in that little consecrated host, who is a true furnace of love?

 That at that moment of reception we are plunged deeper and deeper into the love of Christ.

 Can we even imagine, that just before we receive that consecrated host, that Jesus is waiting for us, He is longing for us?

 That he wants so desperately to dwell within our whole being; that he knows we need him.

 And it is Jesus, out of his love for us who will lead us to the Father, when our time comes, as is written in Scripture, “no one comes to the Father except through me.

 This Sunday is a day the Lord has made and it is the feast of Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ.

 St. Francis de Sales has said, “to think deeply that in this world we are walking between paradise and hell, and the last step of our life will carry us to our eternal dwelling.

 But we do not know when this last step will be, so we must be careful about all the other steps that precede it”.

 A step to the altar to receive the greatest gift becomes the meeting place of heaven and earth, the meeting between the Jesus and us.

 Why is it so important to be prepared? Because we truly do exchange our gifts at that altar, and are united together in this Sacrament of the Eucharist. Imagine, we become one with Jesus

 “I am the Bread of Life”. Yes, it is a gift for the journey, the nutrients for our soul. Jesus tells us, “Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood will have eternal life.”

 But Jesus’ gift isn’t always cherished, isn’t always accepted and is even sometimes abused.

This gift, the miracle of his presence, his real body and blood is sometimes received as passé, routine, with no thought or a care of the greatest sacrifice behind this precious gift. 

 How hurt Jesus must be when this treasure, his communion with us is received and treated without any emotion.

Jesus doesn’t want to remain only on the altar. He comes down to find another Heaven, the Heaven of our souls, a prepared heart to welcome him. A sanctuary to dwell in.

 St. Paul says, “Whoever eats the bread of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 

 For anyone who eats the bread without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on one’s self. It is a serious sin.

 Whether you receive Jesus physically or spiritually, prepare a home for him, prepare your heart for the greatest gift, and for the greatest friend.

 I leave you with a question to ponder from St. Alphonsus. “O, Lord, You find your delight in being with us, but do we find ours in being with you?”

 

 

Why Mothers know best

 

How many would agree, that next to God, mothers know best. I have never heard God talk to me directly, but so many times, I’ve heard him talk to me through Scripture, spiritual readings, homilies and even in the voice of advice from other people. It’s a feeling inside that we know is from God.

 God cares and finds ways to speak to us in our spiritual life, but, for our part, we must listen in the quiet of prayer, to hear his voice in our heart. And many times, that inspiration and spiritual wisdom comes to us from our Blessed Mother

 And life is no different. As we look back on our lives, there may have been many times we ignored the voice of reasoning, that whisper, that advice that came from our friends, co-workers and family members, especially our parents.

 And probably most importantly, from our mothers.  It’s that voice that when we look back, we remember the consequences we suffered for not listening to our mother.

 How true it is in our spiritual life, when we don’t pray to the one who will take our prayers to her Son.  Mary, in her many apparitions has and is providing us the warnings and the wisdom on how to change our lives.

 To prepare ourselves for the coming of her Son. She wants us to pray to her more now than ever. And we know through St. Louis Marie De Monfort, that Jesus will not refuse his mother the answer to our prayers.

 Yes, mothers know best. I can think of many occasions growing up that I now regret, not listening to my mother.  I was stubborn and could very easily tune out others gracefully and listen to only me.

 Always heard my mother’s voice after I suffered the consequences, of not listening to her the first time.

 I remember purchasing my first car going with my parents to a used car dealer in Philly and I picked out a car, a 1964 Wildcat Buick for $999.

 The catch was this. Anything at $1000 or above received a warranty. This one was only a dollar shy and they politely refused the extra dollar I offered them.

 And then came the words of wisdom from my mother, don’t buy that car, there is a reason why there is no guarantee.

 Now my father, on the other hand, was a bit impatient. He’s thinking you looked at three cars, which one will it be. Three cars, eliminate two and choose one?

 It came down to either listening to my voice, for I loved the huge size and dark blue color of the car, and to me it had character, or to listen to my mother’s voice of wisdom, which really was a warning. Well, I listened to me and happily purchased my first car.

 About two weeks later, the car stalled at a traffic light and wouldn’t start. It was the dual carburetor that needed to be replaced, no warranty, and not cheap. And then a week later I dropped my muffler and tail pipe at an intersection, another major expense.

 Then this little voice popped into my head. The voice of wisdom, my mother’s warning I heard clearly “don’t buy that car”. 

 The Wisdom of God is no different.  But with God, the consequences for not listening to His voice can be harsh, and painful and can destroy the soul. Our Blessed Mother is many times His voice.

 But we must pray to her and listen to her in prayer. When the world seems to be collapsing on us, when the confusion in our faith and trust in God becomes an obstacle in our spiritual life, go to Mary.

 When the road to spiritual happiness is overshadowed by doubt, when we can’t recognize Jesus amid all this confusion, call on Mary, our spiritual Mother, the Mother of all Wisdom.

 It is said that when we reflect on the Blessed Mother in prayer with trust, and belief, confident that our prayers will be answered, we find life, and that life is Jesus Christ.

 Mary has power and takes our prayers to Jesus by presenting them unblemished as a gift fit for a King. The intersession of Mary, our Mother is beyond powerful, it is real and it is potent.

 Because, she truly is our Mother, and a mother who cares for every one of her children.

 The Blessed Mother wants nothing more than to rekindle, give life to the spark that unites us with her Son. Yes, to re-connect and help us find Him, to recognize His voice when he speaks to us.

 As Jesus shepherds His sheep to greener pastures, our Blessed Mothers shepherds her children leading them to the path of greener pastures – placing them in Jesus’ care.

 Don’t look back on your life and regret not talking and listening to God. Find the time. Talk to God and He will respond in ways you can’t imagine. Yes, God loves us, protects and guides us and gives us his mother to be our mother.

 When, we listen to the wisdom of our Blessed Mother she will tell us as she did the servants at the wedding, “do whatever He tells you”. But she goes one step further and guides us to His precious Words of in Scripture. To the Words of Wisdom that will impact our lives and be the answer to our prayers. But we must listen and, then do whatever He tells us.

 That’s why God made mothers and placed them on this earth. They are here to inspire us, to guide us, love us and lead us to the arms of Jesus.  A mother’s wisdom is God’s gift to us. And so often God uses their voice for our inspiration and direction.

 Yes, I’ve come to believe the hard way, Mothers know best, and our Blessed Mother knows best of all.  If only we would listen.

 

 

Our model in this life

 

I would like to talk today about someone I believe we are all attached to in one way or another and that is our Blessed Mother.

 We are living when technology is far beyond what we could ever imagine and it is developing more rapidly than many of us can keep up with.

 And we are also living in a time when so many of our liberties are in jeopardy, especially our religious freedoms. In a time when religious beliefs and foundations are being destroyed and even preached lacking clarity. Living in a world of division and hate.

 So, I talk to you today about our Blessed Mother. She is our hope in this rapidly changing and deteriorating world.

 She is the one who has the God given power to unite us, to bring us closer to her Son. To bring back that inner peace that can maintain clarity, guidance and direction. To bring God back into our hearts and lives

 Her faith is the pillar of strength that when we imitate her, becomes our strength as well. And that strength provides the stepping stones to receive all the other virtues of our Blessed Mother, that model of perfection.

 Mary remains and forever will remain our Mother, and like a wonderful mother she listens to our pleas and brings them and us to Jesus in our prayers.

 One is so at ease when near one’s mother.  With her everything becomes easier; the weary, the discouraged heart, those disturbed by storms in life find new hope and strength and continue on with this life with new wisdom and courage.

 Mary is our model, Mary is our guide, she is our support. And she comes to us when we call. She is love and our protection against the temptations and cruelties of this world.

 St. Bernard tells us, “if the winds of temptation arise, if you run into the reefs of trials, look to the star, call upon Mary.  In danger, sorrow, or perplexity, think of Mary, call upon Mary”.

 She has provided us with a very powerful tool, a weapon against the devil and the Satans of this world;  the rosary.

 We have a lot going on in the Church, in our country, and in the world. And for many, there are many challenges going on in our own families; division in the world, division in our families.

 It’s on October 7^th that we actually celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, but everyday is a day to say the rosary.

 There is the legend that Mary appeared to St. Dominic in a vision and with love instructed him to “preach the Rosary among the people as a cure to heresy and sin.

Preach and live the rosary mysteries every day, with our Lady by your side

When we meditate on the mysteries of the rosary, be part of the story. We can see a frightful virgin being asked by an angel to be the mother of Creation, in the form of a new born baby.

 We can imagine sitting and praying in the Upper Room where Jesus had gathered with his disciples on the eve before his death, where he blessed ordinary bread in wine and changed it into himself.

We can be in the story of this now grown man, being handed His heavy Cross, the beatings His body absorbed for us.

Or placing ourselves in the garden where the risen Lord had made himself known to Mary Magdalen and his apostles after his resurrection.

We can even reflect on the many conversations the apostles had with Mary after his ascension to heaven. And how they changed with tongues of fire, the tongues of courage.

Yes, today, we need to relive those moments because they hold the hope of the future which the devil wants us to avoid. We must rely on God’s plan, not the plan of the world.

So, let us go to the Upper room frequently to pray in the company of Mary and the disciples. Experience the power in the rosary, the weapon of choice.

Pray to Mary, ask her to be by your side, and fill you with all of the joyous and glorious hope that’s coming in God’s new world.

I'm giving up liver for lent

 

Well, it has arrived! Although, some may still have outside Christmas decorations up around the house, Lent has arrived.

For the next forty days we find ourselves doing whatever we can to bring us to the Cross on Good Friday.

 And we call it our Lenten Journey, our journey with Jesus to Calvary.

 Every person’s journey is different, but yet, every person’s journey is weighed by Jesus. He knows the weight of our offerings in relation to what He did for you and for me.

 And yet no one can come close to that love and appreciation of laying down one’s life for one’s friends.

 So, the Church offers us some means to reciprocate, by fasting, abstaining from meats, praying, adoration and even suggests other forms of sacrifice. And, of course, some things we are obligated to do, while others, we are encouraged to do.

 In the true sense, fasting means abstaining from all food and all drink, but in reality, by the Church’s definition, fasting means going on a disciplined diet.

 I say disciplined because we find out who is in control, you or the aroma of our favorite foods permeating the room at the wrong time.

 Disciplined because to show we are in control we suppress the urge to eat with prayer. Fasting, in the right sense, should bring us much closer to God.

“When you fast”, Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew, “do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting.

I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”.

 So, why do we even have a Lent? Why do we need forty days to do some form of repentance?  Because we owe it to God. It is a renewal, a reminder of what Jesus did for us and a short period of time to go beyond our means of saying thank you. And it is truly a way of saying, I am sorry.

 He has given us so much, including our life.  So Lent is a time and a means to offer an acceptable sacrifice on our part to prove our love for Him.  

 Hanging and dying on that Cross of shame, we could once again be united with Him.

 Jesus told us to look like we were not fasting, not to show our hunger pain. We must tell ourselves for the next forty days, that “Lent is not about me but Lent is always about Jesus and his sacrificial love for me alone.

 Yes, we have sinned, but we cannot focus so much on our past sins that it brings us fear of rejection.

 We must approach these forty days with sorrow but at the same time with a sincere desire to develop a truly intimate relationship with Jesus.  Jesus calls us “friends”, not enemies.

 The deeper the relationship with Jesus, the less prone we will be to hurt that friendship. Sin pulls us away from the one who will save us.

 It isn’t the meat or the candy or the desserts that we give up for lent that matters; it’s the human heart.  By the way, the number one item given up every lent is chocolate.

 We can give up all these things, but know why you are putting yourself through these disciplines. Don’t do it strictly out of the obligation but as an opportunity to appreciate more intensely what Christ has done for us.

 When you feel that hunger pain, twenty minutes or three hours after you ate, remember the Cross. When you desire to sit down and look at TV, remember the nails penetrating the flesh. In all these things, remember God loves you! 

 That’s why it is important to offer a sacrifice that hurts, or one that we really miss, or strengthening a weakness, otherwise it will have no impact on the alternative, which is prayer for the love of Jesus.

 For some of us it could be worse. Just think if the Church obligated us to replace our usual daily consumption of regular meat with liver, and our vegetables with beets or lima beans. And every breakfast must be three slices of scrapple.

 For some that could be a sacrifice of a lifetime. For others, that could be a treat. But I don’t believe that will ever happen.

 St. Paul tells us “Whatever you do, whatever you eat or drink do for the glory of God” And to that we can add, whatever you sacrifice, sacrifice for the glory of God, who loves you.

How to fill your heart with joy

 

Over the years I have been involved in many ministries that have been spiritually rewarding for me. Two, in particular are ministering to the elderly in nursing homes and ministering to those in prison.

I’d like to share a beautiful story about the blessings I received from visiting those in prison.

 My first experience inside a prison frightened me to death. And it continued to so even for quite some time. As soon as I heard, and felt those huge iron doors slam close behind me, I was intimidated. But I never let it known.

 But as I look back, there were so many wonderful heartfelt stories that made every visit for me a gift from God, as I knew God was there among us, and in the heart of each prisoner in that room. Those I ministered to wanted God desperately.

I remember George, a prisoner, who for eight months sat in the back of the room when I conducted a Communion Service at that prison. Always with his head down, staring at the floor.

 When it was time to receive the Blessed Sacrament, he would remain in his seat with his chin on his chest, shaking his head from side to side reflecting on where he went wrong.

The other inmates in that room were compassionate and told me they knew George was hurting deep inside.

One Wednesday, a priest came to hear confessions prior to the Communion Service and George hurried in first.  A transformation was evident for immediately after his confession George sat in the front row, not in his customary back seat in the room.

Yes, there was a change in George, a beautiful change. When it came time to receive the Blessed Sacrament, George came up first and there were tears in his eyes as he received our Lord for the first time in eight months.

But he walked to his regular seat in the back and, like a child knowing he is loved by the Father, allowed the tears to flow. “Jesus”, he said, “stay with me”. The other inmates bowed their heads and were filling up as well.

The prison ministry, like any other ministry, has its own rewards, and I have come to realize that through our hands, our words, our shoulder, we are placing Jesus right there in the middle. “Where two or three gather in my name I am with you”.

 There is without a doubt, that inner peace in the joy of serving God through others. I’m sure anyone who does so, can relate and hold deep in their hearts some cherished memories.

 Yes, I was frightened to death on my first visit to the prison and not everyone would be comfortable in that environment. But, there are many other ways we can still help those in prison, or feel like they are in a prison.

 I like to think that every visit I make, whether it be to a nursing home, a prison, a hospital or to a home bound person, there is another George to be found, who will fill my heart with joy.

What is a devout Catholic

 

“Those who preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel” (1Cor 9:14). And who is it that preaches the Gospel. There are those who preach by word, and must live by those words, while others preach from their heart, by their actions and how they live their lives.

 A devout Christian, a devout Catholic believes in every word, on every page in every Book of the bible and is not ashamed of those words. Those words become a person’s character, their principles and values and they let no one tell them differently.

 They truly know Jesus and defend Him wherever they may be, keeping deep in their heart every commandment written in Scripture. It is this very devout person who speaks up for their beliefs, for they believe in every word Jesus has spoken.

 And Jesus said life is so precious, “I have come so you may have life and have it more abundantly”. It is the devout Christian, the devout Catholic who defends that very life, because it is a commandment from God Himself.

 What happens when a person, calling themselves devout, promotes, sponsors, prioritizes, or even approves in the murder of unborn Children, breaking the very commandment of “Thou shall not kill”?

 John in 1jn 2:4 has a word for them. “If anyone says, I know Him, but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him”.

 We pray, dear Lord that you change the minds of the stubborn, the weak of faith, the callous, the liars and save our children from murder. Amen

 

Love and forgiveness

 

Two words that are stressed in almost every Book of the bible, that if followed, can lead us to eternal happiness, are difficult to put into play. Two words that are powerful, words that when become a part of our lives can be world changers.

 Yes, it takes courage, persistence and and the help of Almighty God to live out these two words. Love and Forgiveness!

 There is a beautiful Gospel reading about how many times we must forgive, regardless of the hurt.  As a matter of fact, it is so powerful for us to be able to forgive that Jesus tells us in the prayer that he taught us, the Our Father. Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. If we don’t forgive, we are not forgiven, and to find our place in heaven we must be forgiven.

 Love is the glue that binds forgiveness. Or is it forgiveness that stirs up God’s love in our soul and radiates that love to our neighbor. Today we celebrate the feast of St. Theresa, the Little Flower, a saint, a Doctor of the Church, who was both love and forgiveness personified.

 Her words are so beautiful, so heartwarming, so full of truth and wisdom. “Love” she says, “I will be love and thus I will be love to all things”.

 

Love and Forgiveness! Two words that could change the world. Maybe not in our time, but if we were to set our minds on practicing these two beautiful words, then maybe we truly could say, someday the world will be a better place. With love and forgiveness the world could be heaven on earth

 

 

The story of Tinsel

 

Most of us at sometime or another have decorated a green pine tree for Christmas, with lights, a star at the top and hanging ornaments on the branches. And some still put tinsel which look so much like icicles

There is a story about the origin of tinsel.

This tradition is about the tale of the Christmas spider, which led to the reason for tinsel at Christmas.

The story is that a woman immaculately cleaned her house for Christmas. All the house spiders were swept to the corners of the house with nowhere to go. And the woman put up her bare tree with on decorations

The spiders learned there was a beautiful Christmas tree in the room and wanted to take a closer look. The spiders saw it, loved it so much, and danced all over it. All the spiders left their webs behind, covering the whole tree.

Then the Baby Jesus saw the beautiful webs and miraculously transformed them into silver and gold tinsel so the woman who worked so hard to clean her house would be filled with joy

In honor of that story or tale, people hang tinsel of silver and gold on their Christmas trees. Whether it’s true or not, I don’t know, but we do know that every decoration we hang, every Christmas carol we sing, every candy cane we give away, should lead us to that stable where we find the our new born Savior.

Make this Christmas a truly "Merry Christmas, but most importantly a Blessed Christmas" by giving Jesus, a heart that gives and prays for all those who don’t have what you have.

And to all a Merry Christmas