For all mothers in this world, suffering in many ways, whether physically, emotionally, morally...Hear our prayer, Good and Gentle Mother, Mary, Most Holy, and with your intercession may we mothers trust our children, young or adult, to your care, your protection to lead them to your Sorrowful and Immacualte Heart, and thus ever closer to the Sacred Heart of your Son. Please help us to be good and faithful mothers, offering our sufferings for the salvation of our children and our families. Most tender and kind Mother, this is my prayer for myself, and all mothers I know. Amen.
I was watching an old broadcast on EWTN of The Lamb's Supper, with Scott Hahn/Mike Aquilina a few minutes ago. There was only 9 minutes left of the show when I tuned in, but what a POWERFUL nine minutes! Scott referred to an "eye chart" with the big "E" on the chart standing for "Eucharist." Well, that prompted me to post my thoughts before the start of our "lake retreat" weekend. Indeed~ the big "E" surely DOES mean Eucharist! I used to work for an ophthalmologist and optometrist, at Omaha Eye Institute in the early 90's. I did enjoy the work, and the patient contact, and mostly the outbound clinics where we went to small towns around the Omaha area. I kind of miss it at times, but not enough to go back... ;)
Now, unless one is totally blind, no matter how "legally blind" one is, the "E" is always able to be seen. This made me think, hearing Scott's analogy, to ponder a little more. Spiritual blindness and physical blindness have similarities and there's always been that analogy. St Paul, "Saul" was blinded physically (spiritually, too) and after 3 days regained his sight when the scales fell from his eyes, both physically and spiritually speaking.
One who is made spiritually blind, by a constant hardening of the heart due to sinful choices, won't be able to find or see the "E" the Eucharist. Not because the Eucharist isn't there, or near that person, but because they simply don't see. (Or maybe worse, don't want to see.) Even the many patients with cloudy lenses, i.e. cataracts, could make out the "E" on the chart from various feet away. Lenses become cloudy due to many variables, heredity, lifestyle, the sun and how much damage might have been done if one hadn't worn sunglasses, and sometimes just the organic process of aging.
Happily, newer and newer technology has made cataract surgery today an "outpatient" surgery. Done in under an hour, and the patient able to go home in the same day. My Great Aunt Lucy (interesting that St. Lucy is the patron saint of eye disease) had cataract surgery in the early 70's and she was in the hospital for 5 days! I digress a little, (but not really) for as the Church has evolved and matured, with now so many resources available to aid our spiritual growth and increase the clarity of our vision, it's like the new advances in ophthalmology that give people so much more hope to keep their vision, even as they age! It's really amazing and a glorious gift that so many with eye diseases can see better than in ages past.
Some people born blind will never 'see' the big "E" on the chart. They can't see anything. God knows and yet look at Helen Keller's life and all she accomplished and others born blind. Then there are those who are 'legally blind' meaning they can't drive, and need special lenses to read, but can make out shapes. The "E" they can see from a shorter distance. If they're closer to the chart, the "E" they can read and maybe a few letters under it. When a person like me stands the 20 feet away, without my glasses, I can't read much under the "E" a few lines, but I'm near-sighted and have astigmatism. The far-sighted people can see better the farther away they are from the chart, but up close, their vision blurs. Still, all but the worse case scenario could make out the "E."
There's nothing profound in my little pondering here. It just is another way for me to see the beauty of the "E" in everyone's life. Even those "legally blind" are able to 'see' the "E" even better nowadays. The blind by birth, God takes care of by many methods and people assisting in the life of the blind, to guide them to the "E" the Eucharist, the breaking of the Bread, where Christ is "seen" and recognized. Those of us not born blind, by the choices we make in life, can either hinder and blur our vision. By abusing our eyesight, either to sun exposer with no protective lens, or drugs, promiscuous lifestyles, (Aids damages the retina and can cause blindness) or on another level, polluting our eyes by viewing sinful things like porn, or gratuitously violent video games, etc. can harm and destroy our vision. Thus we making the "E" harder to see. The Eucharist is sometimes lost because we choose sin over virtue and striving for holiness. Then choosing to forsake the "E" we lose the protective covering of the "Eucharist" and spiral downward, out of control.
The "E" of Eucharist is visible, or becomes more clear, to those who are "seeking" and even if their vision is blurred or cloudy, when they go to the ophthalmologist or optometrist for help, (the priest and confession) the "E" will be bring clarity to our inner vision, even if our physical eyes are damaged. The "inner vision," our metaphysical vision is what's most important, but that doesn't downplay the importance of protecting our physical eyes as the 'window to our souls.' They should be guarded diligently against the brightness of the physical sun, and also, even more importantly against the "luring" brightness "angel of Light" the enemy of our souls, who blinds with a false brightness.
The "light" he casts appears so good, so beneficial, so intelligent, so bright and 'warm' but in reality will blind, and destroy in the heat of a most chilling destruction, and the big "E" will not stand for the Eucharist anymore but rather for the "Enemy." We can only server ONE master. Either it's the LORD and his Eucharist, or it's the "Evil One"... both are "E's" but that's where discernment and testing of spirits needs to come into practice. Don't be misguided. Don't follow or see the false "E" but the TRUE "E"... the Eucharist, JESUS present at the mass. The mass I must now prepare my heart for as this day begins. Follow the Sun, and let the light from the Son protect you and your vision, to behold Him one day face to FACE!
This is such a powerful description of our Blessed Mother's vital role in the salvation of souls. I used to be so ignorant of her importance. I "knew" she wasn't to be "worshiped" and thought Catholics worshiped her. I was WRONG. Now that I'm a Catholic, I see the TRUE beauty of Mary. Her loving, gentle way. Her obedience God is our PERFECT example to follow, just as Her Son, our Savior would have us to do. He said, "Blessed are those who hear and keep the Will of God." He wasn't saying his own mother was of no importance! Not in the least! He was telling those gathered to "do as she was doing" and had done in her life. To imitate in our own lives her obedience to God and submitting to His Will as she had done.
You know, it's like the old country song: "if loving you [our Lord's mother] is wrong, then I don't wanna be right! Since when is loving, respecting the mother of anyone's friend a 'bad thing?' How can loving the mother of my best friend {Jesus} be "idol worship?" How does it negatively affect my friendship with anyone to give due respect and honor to their mother? How does it subtract from our friendship for a friend of mine to love my mom? Please, those of you who are so adamant in your 'ignorance' of Mary, just pause, really....PAUSE and think about this. Use your head/your brains/your heart. Have you ever had a "best friend" on this planet and hated their mother? Did having a relationship with the mother of your friend subtract, or diminish your love for your friend, or did it in fact, ENHANCE and embellish your friendship, making it even more "FULL?"
When you knock, or snub the Mother of our Lord, aren't YOU in fact snubbing Jesus? Aren't you by rejecting his Mother, really rejecting Him? You're rejecting the ONE creature He made to be His MOTHER, I mean...she's more special than anyone else He made! He lived inside her womb! She's the "Ark" of the NEW COVENANT. A most "special vessel" that carried not the written Law, but JESUS HIMSELF in the flesh!! So doesn't she at least deserve SOME recognition in your life?? Come on. Give up the idiotic arguments, the arrogant debates. If you have a mother and love her, then for crying out loud, wouldn't Jesus want us to love His Mom, too? Of course He does! She may not have had a lot of BIG PARTS in the bible...but really she did. She's just so humble you have to LOOK for them.
She's at every IMPORTANT event of Christ's life. And so should we be there with her. Following Him like she did. Even to the foot of the cross. That's where she'll bring us, to His Feet. Not to be adored herself, but she's the "way" JESUS chose to come to us, and now she is the 'way' for us to go to THE WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. It all makes perfect sense, when you throw out the bias, the misinformation, the lies, the hate of all things "Catholic" and just realize that she is YOUR mother, too. John made room for her in his earthly home and in his heart.
If you can't follow the beloved disciple, John's example, then you are way too full of yourself and need to go to the wounded Feet of Jesus and repent for disliking, begrudging or even hating His mother. You need to return to her, and by doing so, return to Jesus. You will grow in your faith, and your relationship with Jesus will expand, like LOVE expands. LOVE doesn't divide, it multiplies! You'll know Him better than ever when you give Mary, His Momma, and your Momma, a room in your heart.
This little "rant" was brought to you after I read...
I've been thinking about this and talking about this stuff with a couple of friends of late. He really has expressed eloquently the "both and" of the Catholic faith. I was especially appreciative of the "Obstacles and Misunderstandings of Apostles" and "Final Observations" sections.
From a letter to Mr. Thomas Donnelly of Great Neck, NY, dated August 3, 1971.
Dear Mr. Donnelly:
I appreciate your letter containing your views on abortion. There are many moral and legal aspects arising from this complex issue which is gaining the acceptance of large numbers of women faced with unwanted pregnancies, while disturbing the consciences of a great many other Americans.
Opponents maintain that abortion is wrong from every theological, moral and medical aspect. Proponents are firmly convinced that the woman, alone, has the right to decide.
While the deep concern of a woman bearing an unwanted child merits consideration and sympathy, it is my personal feeling that the legalization of abortion on demand is not in accordance with the value which our civilization places on human life. Wanted or unwanted, I believe that human life, even at its earliest stages, has certain rights which must be recognized -- the right to be born, the right to love, the right to grow old.
On the question of the individual's freedom of choice there are easily available birth control methods and information which women may employ to prevent or postpone pregnancy. But once life has begun, no matter at what stage of growth, it is my belief that termination should not be decided merely by desire.
I share the confidence of those who feel that America is willing to care for its unwanted as well as wanted children, protecting particularly those who cannot protect themselves. i also share the opinions of those who do not accept abortion as a response to our society's problems -- an inadequate welfare system, unsatisfactory job training programs, and insufficient financial support for all its citizens.
When history looks back to this era it should recognize this generation as one which cared about human beings enough to halt the practice of war, to provide a decent living for every family, and to fulfill its responsibility to its children from the very moment of conception.
The hell they don't believe in Will one day be "too real" Men will beg God to kill them But all they'll do is forever feel The pain of the flames that never die The worms that forever will feed Gnawing upon the flesh of the damned As they scream watching little babes bleed That will be all they see in front of their eyes Little limbs, tiny hands and babies feet The smell of blood money will reek in their nose Tormenting them for all eternity
susie melkus 08.31.09 How I wish the reason for such a poem did not exist. It came unbidden. But it had to be written. Hell is real. So is Heaven. While there is time, please choose Life - for yourself, and your baby. If you're a doctor or a nurse in this barbaric industry, please, I beg you, STOP. God will take care of you, and provide for you. Please for your own soul's sake, STOP! Repent. Go to a priest, a pastor, another trusted Christian and change your life while you can. Time IS running out!
"For so many deliberate crimes, the earth will soon be shaken."
Don't be deceived. There's either heaven or hell for our final, eternal destination. God doesn't hate you. He loves you. But you must cooperate with that "tug of love and grace" on your heart and your soul. There really is no time to waste. You never know when you're going to die. Don't die a fool and forever lose God. Die as a "fool for Christ" and live forever in His love and peace. The choice is yours. Don't fight it and don't put it off any longer. FOREVER is a LONG TIME to live in unending pain of regret.
For the son of friends of ours. We've not seen Joey since he was a little tyke, but he's got H1N1 virus, not expected to live. He must be in his 30's. They've called all the family to Atlanta. He has 4 little girls. His name is Joey. Thank you. This isn't Joey, but this is about how old he was and what he looked like the last we saw him. He was so cute. All of the Ziller kids were adopted and precious as could be.
Our Mother's calling...gathering us to her bosom, holding us always in the center of her Sorrowful and Immaculate heart. Our Life, Sweetness and true HOPE.
One day, the lion will lie down with the lamb. That's the pair heaven declares. This on the other hand, though a great photo, is frightening in that the "enemy" as Mary tells us is 'communism.' The "liberal lion" was snuggling up to the communist "bear" in the 80's and David's article is excellent and should be exposed even at this time of Mr. Kennedy's passing. I do pray for his soul, I pray he repented of his horrific change in his political career from being Pro Life, to being Pro Death, Pro "abortion on demand" and radically so! I'm not judging where he is now. That was/is between him and God. But to see him lauded so and praised so has been disturbing. He did do good things, of course, but the influence he had on this country glorifying a culture of death is in no uncertain terms, deplorable! In fact, now more than ever, we need TRUTH, no matter how hard it might be to swallow...on either side of the aisle.
We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to look upon Him present within us. - Saint Teresa of Avila
Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid. All things pass away. God never changes. Patience obtains everything. God alone is enough. - Saint Teresa of Avila
Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end. - Saint Teresa of Avila
Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. - Saint Teresa of Avila
You ought to make every effort to free yourselves even from venial sin, and to do what is most perfect. - Saint Teresa of Avila
If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us. He is a true friend. And I clearly see that is we expect to please him and receive an abundance of his graces, God desires that these graces must come to us from the hands of Christ, through his most sacred humanity, in which God takes delight. All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding his life we find that he is the best example. What more do we desire from such a good friend at our side? Unlike our friends in the world, he will never abandon us when we are troubled or distressed. Blessed is the one who truly loves him and always keeps him near. Whenever we think of Christ we should recall the love that led him to bestow on us so many graces and favors, and also the great love God showed in giving us in Christ a pledge of his love; for love calls for love in return. Let us strive to keep this always before our eyes and to rouse ourselves to love him. For is at some time the Lord should grant us the grace of impressing his love on our hearts, all will become easy for us and we shall accomplish great things quickly and without effort. - Saint Teresa of Avila
Only 1 cup of popcorn per person. No salt. Salt is bad for you. It causes water retention and high blood pressure, which in turn might cause you to be a cost to the "collective" that the "collective" just doesn't want to pay. No sodas either. Sodas have been banned due to the high sugar content. It's the only show being shown folks. Get used to it. You will be assigned a seat, and must arrive at the theatre at the time designated on your 'nationalized movie card.'
Relax and enjoy the show...
suckers!
By Lenin 'n' Things 8/28/2009, 12:33 am
The inalienable rights of life, liberty and property will be supplanted by the
rights of bodily functions, controlled unanimity, and regulated sharing.
And the Kennedy name shall be supplanted by the name "Obama."
And the cabinet shall be supplanted by the Czars.
And the Fairness Doctrine shall be supplanted by the Diversity Panel.
And Acorn shall supplant the national guard.
And private insurance shall be supplanted by the public option.
And . . .?
And...i shall begin puking henceforth. Wait...did i write that out loud?
This was funny...once upon a time, in a galaxy far far away. The dark, macabre humour has eerily turned into a prescient, horrifying reality. h/t Papist.
Gotta love the "Musings of a Pertinacious Papist." Reading how Satan wanted to be "the one" to be incarnate and 'lead men to God' gave me chills. I guess one of the next books I read will have to be The Mystical City of God, the Divine History and Life of the Virgin Mother of God, manifested to Mary of Agreda. And here's a curious find. Hmm. I did not know that. I love the Catholic Church and her vast, deep history!
The current national debate about health care reform should concern all of us. There is much at stake in this political struggle, and also much confusion and inaccurate information being thrown around. My brother bishops have described some clear “goal-posts” to mark out what is acceptable reform, and what must be rejected. First and most important, the Church will not accept any legislation that mandates coverage, public or private, for abortion, euthanasia, or embryonic stem-cell research. We refuse to be made complicit in these evils, which frankly contradict what “health care” should mean. We refuse to allow our own parish, school, and diocesan health insurance plans to be forced to include these evils. As a corollary of this, we insist equally on adequate protection of individual rights of conscience for patients and health care providers not to be made complicit in these evils. A so-called reform that imposes these evils on us would be far worse than keeping the health care system we now have.
Second, the Catholic Church does not teach that “health care” as such, without distinction, is a natural right. The “natural right” of health care is the divine bounty of food, water, and air without which all of us quickly die. This bounty comes from God directly. None of us own it, and none of us can morally withhold it from others. The remainder of health care is a political, not a natural, right, because it comes from our human efforts, creativity, and compassion. As a political right, health care should be apportioned according to need, not ability to pay or to benefit from the care. We reject the rationing of care. Those who are sickest should get the most care, regardless of age, status, or wealth. But how to do this is not self-evident. The decisions that we must collectively make about how to administer health care therefore fall under “prudential judgment.”
Third, in that category of prudential judgment, the Catholic Church does not teach that government should directly provide health care. Unlike a prudential concern like national defense, for which government monopolization is objectively good – it both limits violence overall and prevents the obvious abuses to which private armies are susceptible – health care should not be subject to federal monopolization. Preserving patient choice (through a flourishing private sector) is the only way to prevent a health care monopoly from denying care arbitrarily, as we learned from HMOs in the recent past. While a government monopoly would not be motivated by profit, it would be motivated by such bureaucratic standards as quotas and defined “best procedures,” which are equally beyond the influence of most citizens. The proper role of the government is to regulate the private sector, in order to foster healthy competition and to curtail abuses. Therefore any legislation that undermines the viability of the private sector is suspect. Private, religious hospitals and nursing homes, in particular, should be protected, because these are the ones most vigorously offering actual health care to the poorest of the poor.
The best way in practice to approach this balance of public and private roles is to spread the risks and costs of health care over the largest number of people. This is the principle underlying Medicaid and Medicare taxes, for example. But this principle assumes that the pool of taxable workers is sufficiently large, compared to those who draw the benefits, to be reasonably inexpensive and just. This assumption is at root a pro-life assumption! Indeed, we were a culture of life when such programs began. Only if we again foster a culture of life can we perpetuate the economic justice of taxing workers to pay health care for the poor. Without a growing population of youth, our growing population of retirees is outstripping our distribution systems. In a culture of death such as we have now, taxation to redistribute costs of medical care becomes both unjust and unsustainable.
Fourth, preventative care is a moral obligation of the individual to God and to his or her family and loved ones, not a right to be demanded from society. The gift of life comes only from God; to spurn that gift by seriously mistreating our own health is morally wrong. The most effective preventative care for most people is essentially free – good diet, moderate exercise, and sufficient sleep. But pre-natal and neo-natal care are examples of preventative care requiring medical expertise, and therefore cost; and this sort of care should be made available to all as far as possible.
Within these limits, the Church has been advocating for decades that health care be made more accessible to all, especially to the poor. Will the current health care reform proposals achieve these goals?
The current House reform bill, HR 3200, does not meet the first or the fourth standard. As Cardinal Justin Rigali has written for the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-life Activities, this bill circumvents the Hyde amendment (which prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for abortions) by drawing funding from new sources not covered by the Hyde amendment, and by creatively manipulating how federal funds covered by the Hyde amendment are accounted. It also provides a “public insurance option” without adequate limits, so that smaller employers especially will have a financial incentive to push all their employees into this public insurance. This will effectively prevent those employees from choosing any private insurance plans. This will saddle the working classes with additional taxes for inefficient and immoral entitlements. The Senate bill, HELP, is better than the House bill, as I understand it. It subsidizes care for the poor, rather than tending to monopolize care. But, it designates the limit of four times federal poverty level for the public insurance option, which still includes more than half of all workers. This would impinge on the vitality of the private sector. It also does not meet the first standard of explicitly excluding mandatory abortion coverage.
I encourage all of you to make you voice heard to our representatives in Congress. Tell them what they need to hear from us: no health care reform is better than the wrong sort of health care reform. Insist that they not permit themselves to be railroaded into the current too-costly and pro-abortion health care proposals. Insist on their support for proposals that respect the life and dignity of every human person, especially the unborn. And above all, pray for them, and for our country. (Please see the website for the Iowa Catholic Conference at www.iowacatholicconference.org and www.usccb.org/healthcare for more information)
You say I bear false witness. Then expect me to concede.
I'm not the one you want Barack. I'm not the one you need.
It ain't for you that I'm ever gonna bleed!
It ain't me babe. No, no, no it ain't me, babe.
It ain't me your looking for, babe.
Take your health care bill off the floor babe.
And don't darken my door anymore, babe.
Your lust for power and control I deplore, babe.
To clarify, I will hopefully if called to, die a martyr, FOR Obama and all the enemies of the Church right now. The lyric is just to say, "I won't die for a bill from hell that will in turn kill babies,the disabled,and the elderly, in the guise of being for the "common good."
Bearing false witness? Christians/Catholics are "bearing false witness??!!" He [Obama] is now trying gather the support from those he called "bitter clingers to their guns and religion" in a flat-out attempt to pass (I'll say it) this EVIL monstrosity called HELLth care reform! How utterly rich!! No. How low will he go? This is an outrage! Watch the video, see who's bearing "false witness!" As Bob Dylan sang "It Ain't Me Babe!"
Thank you, Laura, for posting this BLOG OF LOVE. How we are blessed by the Church, the Catholic Church and her understanding, wisdom and teachings on suffering. The pain, the loss, the struggle of sickness or injury bring an understanding of Our LORD more than anything else in this life. This IS a "Vale of Tears" for a reason, but the "Vale of Tears" is our SHORT exile, even if it feels like an 'eternity' while going through it. We have the Church, the community of family and friends devoted to the Way of Love who stand by us in solidarity and support offering us so much help, comfort, encouragement, a "shoulder" to cry on, and ear to listen, a hand to hold and even simply a mere 'presence' of just "being there."
May Mary our Mother, who suffered more than any of us could ever imagine, be with you every inch of this long, and painful time, but in that pain, that sorrow that floods your lives so often, may her intercession bring to your souls the same profound, true and pure JOY that kept her standing at the foot of the Cross watching her innocent, holy Son die.
The JOY of the LORD is our strength. How other's press on through such hardship without faith is beyond me. Thanks be to God and Holy Mother Church for giving us the deposit of faith, the eyes of faith to see that soon and very soon we will one day be with the ONE TRUE GOD forever in peace,joy,and eternal bliss if we press on to the end, never giving up, but only giving of our selves!
God bless you all!
C.S. Lewis: "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." ~
wake up and smell the smoke from the pit of hell...if this passes, your dollars and mine go to fund even MORE abortions in our country and around the world. How "globally conscious" we are, eh?
I was wondering about "THIS" and now I know. However, now that I know, it's disturbing, because now I'm not ignorant, so what do I do? Do I go to our parish priest and "inform" him? Me, the little 'convert' of nearly 5 years tells Father S that he's in disobedience by giving blessings to non-Catholics who walk up during Communion to receive their blessing? Anyone who can offer some guidance here, I'd appreciate it immensely!!! Thanks.
Bullet points of Fr. Corapi's most recent conference in Buffalo, NY.
We are at war -- a spiritual war -- and it is time for Catholics to stand up and be heard
Our American founding fathers had every intention for God to be included and appreciated in our very foundation; not for God to be permanently erased from society
The Holy Spirit is the remedy and stands evicted if we are immersed in sin
The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for happiness, prosperity and peace
Disobedience of God is the reason for the existence of so much evil
We cannot be Catholic and support a 'pro-choice' platform. Period.
About 45 minutes ago while 'surfing' I landed upon this website. It's really cool. I hope to learn Latin, at least "some" Latin, and would like to take a class sometime in the not too distant future. But, also, what came to mind while at this site was "gratitude" and then "ingratitude." It's not hard to see how ingratitude has infected all peoples in the modern world, maybe especially the most blessed of all, those of us in America. We've received so many blessings, and we're still so blessed by so many things, most especially DAILY MASS, not a 'thing' but HEAVEN, JESUS HIMSELF! Ingratitude sours us. When soured, we complain. When we complain, we tear down and destroy our lives. No one wants to be around someone who complains all the time. If ingratitude is not remedied in the confessional, with gratitude filling up the void, it may become the harbinger of our spiritual 'demise.'
Lucifer was afterall the first vociferous "ingrate." He still influences us to not be a "thankful" or a "grateful" people. Humility, on the other hand, is the virtue that expresses gratitude. If Satan can distract us and lure us away from regular particiaption at Mass, thus keeping us away from the Eucharist, (Thanksgiving) then ingratitude will be the result, and we might deceive ourselves thinking we're fine, we're still following Christ, only to find out we've become followers of the 'one' who said: "I will not serve."
Jesus humbly came to serve, not to be served. The disciples learned gratitude by Jesus loving the Father, and doing His Father's will, to the point of death on the cross. Then by the breaking of the bread, were their eyes opened and gratitude welled in their hearts and like a fountain, the Eucharist (thanksgiving) the 'Water of Life' flows to all at Mass, healing the wounds of unforgiveness, despression, pain, physical sickness and/or emtional scars. Gentle words (gratitude is most gentle) bring life and health, but griping, (ingratitude,) brings discouragement, destruction and death. Don't give the "first ingrate" any ground! Resist him and his snares!
"Thank you" and it's many variations, "thanks much" or "thank you very much" found on this website in a plethora of languages was a curious find today. I must have needed to ponder this, and I pray that I will become more grateful. I thought it would be good to share with all of you. If one wants to learn a new language, wouldn't it be wonderful if the first word learned would be, "THANKS?"
I was saddened to receive an e-mail today informing me of the 5 companies dropping their sponsorship of and advertising on Glenn Beck's program. This is a sad day indeed! Due to the fear mongering, facist tactics of President Obama and his adminstration, this is what's happening! Glenn has EVERY RIGHT to speak his opinion on radio and tv as does Chris Matthews! This is the "change" huh? Well, I don't like it and ask that if you also don't like it, to please go to the link below and support your fellow American and his RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH! Once his goes, so does ours! This is the OBAMAchine in action and it's down right scary to intimidate good companies such as the 5 on the link who've "wimped out." Be courageous and FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!
Today, we Catholics honor the memory of our beloved, holy, humble St. Maximilian Kolbe. How we need "community organziers" like St. Kolbe!! St. Kolbe, pray for us!
Tiber Jumper wrote this in reply to a commenter: "God forbid we have to wait half an hour for aspirin to kick in!"
I replied:
Amen, TJ. To quote a friend, "We are so impatient these days. While warming a cuppa coffee in the microwave, I actually caught myself saying,come on! I don't have all minute!!"
It's athiests/agnostics/secular humanists who are scared spitless about death. We all have fear of the unknown, but out Faith is our PEACE and our comfort along with the Sacraments, so we as Catholics or Christians need not FEAR death, which is only the door to Heaven. Mary will meet us if we are in the state of grace. Those architects of the 'culture of death' are truly in anguish and fear, so much so, that they 'hate' LIFE.
So I think the urgency of this "hellth" care plan is to 'get old folks out of the way' and 'abort as many babies as possible' so the eugenics crowd can get on with creating that 'super race.' It sounds so far-fetched,and some don't agree,which is fine, but it's not that "crazy sounding" to me. Look at the similarities to the Nazi regime and Obama's czars. I think the goal of the pure secular humanist is to make a race that will 'never die' - so that they won't have to face GOD and be damned. It's ANTI-CHRIST and there are many "anti-Christs" in the world!
This is the "LAST DAYS" for the Devil and his minions and they know it. That's why the BIG RUSH for this "health care," which is not about health at all, but "GOVT CONTROL." And it's on a global scale. This is scary to watch, but at the same time, exhilirating and JOYFUL!
As the Church is persecuted, the FAITHFUL REMNANT (which I pray to be in) will survive and THRIVE, but may do so by being martyred. The cleansing is needed. The pruning is needed as it has always been needed. The VINEDRESSER,OUR LORD is tending his "Garden," his "Frutiful vine" His BRIDE.
It is GOD who's IN CHARGE and FOREVER ON HIS THRONE! We must TAKE HEART, BE COURAGEOUS, and REMAIN CHEERFUL and JOYFUL in the midst of this present darkness, for the LIGHT OF CHRIST IN US, will prevail and draw many more souls HOME, to HIS SACRED HEART.
I pray to be faithful, and for the gift of "final perseverence" to the end and for "happy death" even if it means shedding blood. I want to have the faith and trust that St. Maxilmilian Kolbe had when he took BOTH the WHITE and the RED CROWNS offered him by OUR LADY, the IMMACULATE.
Let us pray for one another with all diligence and for our enemies that their eyes, ears hearts will be opened to receive the grace and TRUTH. As the last surge of Satan reaches out to grab souls, let us stand firm calling on St. Michael our DEFENDER, cleaning up the mess that SIN has wreaked with ROSARY IN HAND and HEARTS FULL OF JOY!
Saint Michael the Archangel,
DEFEND US IN BATTLE!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A beautiful Madonna & Child Jesus on an Assisi street.
Kris and me at the Basilica of St. Chaira...St. Clare, May 2007. What a wonderful, glorious time in Assisi!! Pray for us St. Clare, that we may be in love with Jesus in the Eucharist and become "bread" for others in our life, broken bread and poured out wine.
This young man responds to a Catholic who converted to Islam. A most tender compassionate plea for the return of a prodigal son. May Mary find a place in his heart, and may he call upon his Mother to lead Him back to the ONE TRUE CHURCH and to the Heart of Jesus.
Feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated in June. I'm a little late in posting about it, but I LOVED this image of Jesus so much I had to post this. I was in S.D. at Blue Cloud Abbey so I wasn't here in Omaha for the 4th annual procession. Isn't this image of Christ so lovely and striking?
Thank you P. C. Liu for your most informative news-filled blog. We must pray against communism, for it's never "died" but has only grown right under our "self-absorbed noses."
And I've surely seen the results up close and personal with my own children and looking back to my high school peers, many of them went "leftist" early on, too. We'd better get on our knees and pray, weep for ourselves and our children, Jesus told the women. He saw all of this then, on the way to the cross. The evil of Communism, with its icy fingers spreading like tentacles into every area of academe, film industry, medical, law, is what Our Lady warned us about. Do we really hear her? Will we hear and act? Or will we hear, but ignore, thinking it "surely won't happen here." Well, it's happened and is happening. Wake up and take action! Pray the rosary and trust in God, in Our Lady, and hold on, because this ride is going to get very, very bumpy!!
"Do no harm" is a vital political principle as much as it is a medical maxim. But the White House has abandoned such wisdom on both counts when it comes to its so-called healthcare-reform crusade.
One Saint, whom I'd never heard of, has quite a legacy! He stayed IN the Church, unlike Martin Luther, to provide needed reform. Check out St. Cajetan, who's feast day was yesterday. And another fine article on this Saint.
an excerpt: "Divine Providence always calls someone to counter-attack the evil that is afflicting the Church and Christendom. Today the great scourge chastising the Church and Christendom is the Revolution. The Revolution in the Church is called Progressivism; in the temporal sphere it is called Communism, Self-managing Socialism and Tribalism. Therefore, there should be some Catholics who are specially called to take the Counter-Revolution to its furthest limits. We are called to be these Catholics. "
Suffering/anguish (in all forms) has never been glossed over or neglected in the CC, and now in my more "mature years" that makes it a comforting, safe place to have landed. Stable. Unchanging. Like God. Suffereing should be alieviated as much as possible, of course, when it can be. But to avoid it (in whatever form it comes) at almost all costs, or to attempt to 'wipe it out' with a 'prayer of healing' or 'prayer of deliverence' or a 'pill' thinking or believing God never asks us to suffer or to be in anguish is the very "sticky problem." I saw it in the many churches we were involved in over the years. Not all folks, but some almost seemed to believe and teach a: "Jesus suffered so we don't have to" gospel. And when a trial came, one was to "pray a prayer" and it would be gone - if not right away, very soon. And if not, then you didnt' have enough faith or you were in sin, or...whatever. Putting/leaving the result in 'man's hands' and not God's. I agree with Wilkerson, where is the anguish and where are the tears for sake of souls? Not just the "lost sheep" but those in our own family who may or may not be "lost" but just "old?"
I think the anguish and tears are covered up by selfishness, apathy, laziness, seeking material gain/success, by new toys acquired and in the end anguish isn't felt and tears aren't shed because of isolation and fear. Faith communities keep splitting up and not necessarily because of "holy aspirations." But because no one wants to be under an authority. They're not so much "planted" anymore but rather resultant of a lack of commitment. The divorce rates are so high even among Christians, because the "me first" attitude prevalent in all believers/communities. I dont like this or that or the way they do this or that, so I'm leaving. How crafty is the serpent when he lies to us. How "light" and "good" his lies become, when we're not alert to his snares. When we believe the Holy Spirit guides us all "individually" as we read the bible and interpret it "our way" we keep divorcing ourselves out of community/family. How can there be anguish when we do that? It's tragic.
While seeking the perfect body of believers, and thinking we've finally found it, we then make it imperfect when we arrive with our life's sin-stained baggage and our affection to certain sins, i.e. the constant battle/war waging in our hearts we'll fight until we die and go to be with the Lord. We're no longer in community long enough to SEE/SHARE/EMPATHIZE with the suffering of others, let alone attempt to understand it in our own lives. We shove granny and gramps off to a "home" - we hire help to serve the ones we should be serving. I'm not accusing busy younger families of complete selfish neglect, however, it is a problem that does exist in America where the elderly are not respected and neither are the babies or infirmed. Not that we can do everything for them during their sicknesses or age-realted illnesses, surely we need nurses/doctors and professionals to assist them when we can no longer do so, but who actually attempts to "do so" from the first anymore? An unplanned pregnancy? Poof ~ abortion is thrust/forced upon a frightened woman or girl. And now we have a president who wouldn't want his daughters "punished with a baby" which has certainly done nothing to help end the war on the unborn.
Some in the Church have bought the lie of contraception, too. Yet, the CC is the only Church that still condemns contraception, because of the very tool it has become in the hands of Satan and his minions to destroy and kill families/marriages. Contraception was to end suffering of "unplanned pregnancies" and without unplanned pregnancies there wasn't going to be suffering or anguish of unwed mothers. But it's only perpetuated it and made it worse! Destroying babies, families and marriages to the nth degree!
When we lose respect for the 'least of these' and buy the lie of contraception, then I guess anguish for ourselves and others can only be expunged and not found in churches anymore, right? We're blind to suffering in our own lives. We don't want to face it in others' either, and so we choose to 'see' only what's desirable to us. Isolation, independence of/from any real/true authority has wreaked havoc in Christendom, and our crosses we're to "pick up" remain on the blood-stained floor (we've been busily trying to bleach) of our lives. The CC has it's own heterodox dissendents lying to parishoners all the time, and leading many astray. Better for them to have never been born than to cause little ones to stumble and stray from the fold. One doens't divorce Peter because Judas was a badass. Pardon my French.
The Truth sets us free, but like Pilate, we sneer and say "What is truth?" We make it up and we lose anguish. When the Reformation came along, it did not help Christians unite, but was divorce from the Church Jesus built, plain and simple. God hates divorce. People in the Church were wrong, people not in the Church were wrong. St Francis remained IN the Church and reform was accomplished, Martin Luther did not. He was a very sick soul. His intentions were good early on, perhaps, but he went way too far, even ripping books from canon making the bible. That couldn't have been God's will.
I doubt God said, "Hey Marty, maybe you should start your own church, dude. I blew it. Mine's corrupted." From there, we get the BIG split and then split after split after split. Self-proclaimed prophets continue "starting churches," "planting churches" and the Church is indeed in anguish, over that! But Her people (in the fold and w/out) are few and far between who actualy SEE what happened (and continues to happen) and repent of it in their own hearts. We must call on Divine Mercy for sins of the whole world, particularly those in the Church too blind to see.
Unity can't be established when people are proud and constantly "on the move." The proud God will scatter. The humble will be exalted by God and their prayers will be heard. They are the ones who feel, see and express sorrow and anguish. They are the 'few' the remnant if you will who have eyes to see and ears to hear and suffer the most. And most certainly, they're to be found in all denominations, for sure. They don't have to be Catholic, so please don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say. BUT, is it not better to remain in or come back to the "First Fold?" To grow and learn there and should reform be needed, as is the case in living/breathing organisms, then remain INSIDE and do so, rather than raoming about in 35,000 different faith communities that are all squabbling and bickering and feeling only their own selfish religious/spiritual oats?
The CC says that if suffering continues, and the person is not healed, or the pain is not relieved, then it is to be accepted as the will of God. i.e. when someone is dying of cancer, as Fr. Kevin was in 2006. He told his brother Ray, "I hope the cancer kills me, because I don't want to die by suicide." That's how much anguish he was in. The pain never stopped, for 40 days. It only got worse. It was anguish for his mother, tending to him every day, watching him die. It was anguish for his family, for his friends, but he did accept it as God's call on his life, and was able to plan his funeral, (a gift) which brought in thousands.
Touching those thousands of lives via a glorious funeral, many were brought back to the Church and to Christ. His suffering then was efficacious to many souls, his anguish and accpetance of it brought comfort to others who were suffering. His mom would have preferred him to be healed and left on earth as would any mom, but now, over time, she's been shown the fruit and the good has come from his suffering and death. Though she still is 'mad at God' sometimes. A human response. Mothers know anguish so deeply.
The Mother of God, Mary, surely knew anguish deeper than any soul that ever lived aside from Jesus. Her heart was pierced as Simeon told her. Pierced w/ an anguish none of us will ever know or experience. She never ran from suffering or "prayed it away" with contempt. She never left her Son as he suffered and died, as did his closest friends, who couldn't bear it. Jesus took, and accpeted that anguish in the Garden, maybe hoping for another way, but yielded his will to that of the Father. "Not my will but Thine." If the Father didn't spare his own Son suffering and anguish, how do the followers of Jesus claim and tout such an exemption in our time?
Being a mom means having a heart vulnerable to pain, they're pierced to the core by our childrens' sinful choices, (I know I broke the heart of my own mom a time or two) and my suffering and anguish in my heart now, the real, definite ache is there every time I see the residule effects of liberal/left indoctrination in the adult lives of my sons. But now, instead of "praying it away" believing "Jesus took our pain, so now we shouldn't have any" (which I believe some really believed.) My pain now has meaning. It can be offered for their salvation, and for others. It can be joined to the suffering of Mary and Her Son, because there's no "time" at the foot of the Cross...the sacrifice goes on, in the sense that we all need redemption, hence 'redemptive suffering." I can offer any pain, physical, mental, spiritual for their minds to be illumined by the Holy Spirit, for their hearts to be made soft and repentant - to bring them to conversion and finally home as did the prayers and anguishing heart of the father of the prodigal son. I can suffer along with the suffereing Christ on His way to the Cross every day by uniting my anguish to the Father's, through the Son's and through the Son's mother's, for it so pleases my Lord when I do.
In the Church so many martyrs and Saints suffered so plainly for all to see. Great physical, emotional, spiritual was their anguish. Yet so deep was their JOY. I think of Mother Teresa, without any 'consolation' from God for 40 years! Holding the suffering/anguishing lepers and poor in her arms, yet not 'feeling' God at all. The adrenaline of "entertainment" was not what she craved or supposed to be "worship." Not that music is bad, don't get me wrong, but music isn't worship per se, but a vehicle to do so. And silence isn't always holy if filled with numbing distractions and fears. The biographies of the Saints are full of anguish and pain, "dark nights of the soul" (St. John of the Cross, St. Therese, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Padre Pio -Italian stigmatic who suffered extremely and died in1968 - to name a few). They leave a clear and concise legacy for us now, one of HOPE and PERSEVERENCE to the end THROUGH suffering, as St. Paul wrote, "I preach Christ crucified" he wasn't preaching a "prosperity gospel" bereft of suffering, void of anguish.
Shame on the Church (Catholic and Protestant and all in between) who've allowed "entertainment" "worldy culture" and "noise" take over the place of silence in sanctuaries where the heart is brought to actually hear God's voice, let alone the fluffy homilies and "feel-good" sermons preached, that only tickle the itchy ears with political correctness, while the souls perish in the pews (or theatre seats.) Judgment begins in the "House of God." It is now here. We best work out our salvation with fear and trembling, work for our own holiness, (we can't give what we don't have) and not rely on the latest gizmo/technology-equipped sanctuary to bring us a "false peace" and the sheep home to stay. True seekers of Truth won't ever be content with all the razzle dazzle and sacchrine sermons. Dangerous waters these are, and the ship is being slapped and tossed in a raging sea. Jesus is in the boat, but how many "SEEK HIM?" How many instead seek only His gifts? And will He find faith on the earth when He returns? Or will He find only a people dressed in religious platitudes, quoting bible verse left and right, saying "we healed and we cast out demons, Lord!" yet that won't "cut it."
Having replaced suffering/anguish with material success, never taking up our crosses as He commanded, bearing the anguish and pain in our life and others' as did He, then will they be cast into the fire as so many dry,dead, fruitless branches. How easily we are deceived! The Jesus on the cross cried, "I thirst"....meaning for souls to believe and receive his mercy and forgiveness. We should also weep for souls to come to Jesus with childlike faith and trust in Him. It will cause you to weep when you read the lives of these 'friends of God' and how they joined their own anguish to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and His suffering.
I went to YT and commented on the video. I should have reread, as I usually do, before posting. I meant to begin, "No one remembers..." Hope it will make sense when read "as is." Not a big 'error' but when I fail to reread with my 'editing eye,' more often than not, I'm sorry I didn't.
I always loved The Cross and the Switchblade. My friend, Kay, our MYF (Methodist youth fellowship) leader, gave it to me to read so many years ago. It was one of the first books I read as an 18 year old, starting my pilgrimage "homeward." Prison to Praise was the first one, given to me by a Catholic couple. I think when we read, it's such a blessed a time because it's usually quiet! It's when we are "still" and can hear God. I may not agree with Wilkerson on every point, but I think I understand his plea.
And as St Jerome, early Church father and Doctor says about spiritual reading:
"When we pray we speak to God; but when we read, God speaks to us."
I came across this news a few days ago, and posted on my Face Book. This isn't the same article, but it is still outrageous. Praying for our government, and Catholics in political offices who are in rebellion to the Church, and all our leaders and so-called "leaders." Where they're leading so many uninformed and blind and deaf people is the question. Continue to pray pray pray for our country, our politicians, our President, and most especially yourself and your children, as Jesus told the women he met on the path to Calvary. This is a dark time, but not a time to become discouraged or despairing. "...REJOICE, BE OF GOOD CHEER for I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!" says Our Lord and Our Lady of Victory!
Not 100 people in the United States hate the Roman Catholic Church, but millions hate what they mistakenly think the Roman Catholic Church is. -- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
I returned to the "First Pre-denominational Church of Christ," (as my husband brilliantly 'dubbed' it) aka: the Catholic Church in Dec. 2004, after my husband told me he wanted to go back to the "faith of his youth." The decision to swim across the Tiber has cost dearly, but has been worth it all! AND we are new grandparents of twin boys this summer, 2010!
