God Will Not Be Mocked! ...

That "THIS" is the image of Jesus looking over Washington D.C. is not surprising. Nothing has escaped His gaze. His Eyes filled with Holy Fire do not sleep. This IS Mercy and Justice, for the two are one. There will be an account given by ALL for the passage of this Legislation of Death. Christ the King is not winking or nodding at what's "gone down"... Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! I suggest you print this image and mail it via P.O. to your state representative in D.C. and to your state legislators. No words are necessary. He will do all the "talking."


Image found here.

Again, TRUTH will out ...

Why I Am Catholic, too ...

Too true/sad not to post...

We've been warned...

Embracing Hope

Breaking the blog fast one more time for this crucial Catholic TV episode.

I Interrupt This Blog Fast For A Converts Video...

I only wish this was a longer list! Excellent video and yes, "WELCOME HOME" ALL ROADS DO LEAD TO ROME.

For waters will break forth in the wilderness. And streams in the Arabah. The scortched land will become a pool. And the thirsty ground, springs of water. ~ Isaiah 35:5-6

We could all use a little TLC ...

I'll be going on a "blog fast" for Lent. For a full 40 days. I'm called to the desert, to cling only to the hem of my Beloved's garment, for at times, that is all that I might be able to 'see' or 'feel.' One small thread. On this past retreat, I read something that has pierced my heart:

"I know you love Me when I'm present. But will you love Me when I'm absent?"

That is the truest test of love. When the consolations, gifts, blessings, comforting 'feelings' are gone, then what? Where do I go? Where do I turn? What do I do? What do I seek? Who do I seek? If it's not Jesus, if I don't keep asking, seeking, knocking, and calling on His Name, offering a 'sacrifice of praise,' when the 'feel-good' times are obliterated by a long-night's shadow and desolation, then I've a ways more to go, on this path into His Most Sacred Heart. So with that, I'm going for a walk. A long walk into the desert. I stared preparing last Wednesday for the trek, when I went on this silent retreat. But in less that two day, this Ash Wednesday, I'm closing the 'door' and the 'gate' on all (things/people) that might be still trying to 'squeeze' out Jesus' place in my life/heart. I'm going for a long walk in the desert to meet only Jesus. To meet "Truth" my truest Love. I have to start out on "my own," just like the Prodigal Son did from the pig sty on his way back home and many other similar examples found in the scriptures. Not that I've sinned drastically, but it's the "little foxes" nipping at your heels that make for quite a racket and potentially cause much more harm, if ignored.

When I come to that "solitary place" that He has prepared for me, by a lone "Tree" I'll see a small plume of smoke in the distance, rising from the fire He's made for us to sit by, and it is there that I must go. The urge to 'blog' or check Face Book will no doubt hit. The habit to turn on the TV when the silence gets "too loud," might also tempt. Or even to reach for some book, no matter how good, might be a strong desire in that 'desolation.' I'm writing about this, because it has already happened to me once out here at the Benedict Retreat house last Thursday evening. The desolation came, but I didn't "persevere" and reached for one of the computers in the guest computer room, to 'comfort' me when the dark and forboding thoughts/accusations/and spiritual attacks hit me for a few hours. I pray that the lesson was learned. But when that happens, it is the time for me to not be anxious, but silent, to not reach for those other 'lesser comforts' and to sit at His feet, (even if I don't see them) to recline against His bosom, (even if I don't 'feel' it) to hear the beating of His heart, even if it takes some time to reach my ears and the 'ears of my heart.' But with child-like trust, I pray to be absorbed into Him, into that Holy Chamber - where all other sounds fade. Where the lure of 'lesser gods' gives way to the 'torrent of love' gushing from the Lover of my soul. When fear comes and darkness and evil seems to be all around me, I need not fear.
That is when I need to persevere, call His Name and ... wait.

God bless you all this Lenten season. Listen. Hear Him calling you, too.

"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."

Trust. Listen. Come.

Why I'm Still Blogging...

In the words of Pope Benedict: "There is nothing more beautiful than to know him and to speak to others of our friendship with him. It is beautiful and wonderful because it is truly a service to joy, to God's joy which longs to break into the world."

Operative word - JOY.

At times, I've been literally overwhelmed by Joy! It's not easy to write and put into words all the times I've had JOY flood into my heart and drench my soul, since our return to the Catholic Church. I was, for the most part, a pretty happy practicing evangelical Christian, but I didn't have the "meat" on the plate. I had a lot of tasty "side dishes" and even some yummy 'dessert' but the "protein" of His Flesh, the fullness of 'LIFE' wasn't there. For there's only One place where the full nourishment is. In the 3 different fellowships we were involved in for 26 years I did grow on partial truth, and I indeed my appetite for truth was 'whetted' in those communities. I made wonderful friends, a few I'm still in contact with via email/FB today. But I didn't have the "fullness" of Truth, the needed spiritual "protein" and I think that is what caused me to run with such fervor, for about 2 or 3 years, at each church, and then kind of 'fall flat' because I was running for the most part on a more shallow 'emotional joy' (which isn't all bad, but, like in marriage, if you're counting on the 'passion of the honeymoon' to carry you through, you're in for a real surprise!

Emotions, which are neither good nor bad but neutral, should not to be the barometer of our spiritual life. FAITH as small as a mustard seed, even in the darkest times, will always allow for a deep, profound 'sense' of JOY (even in sorrow) when lived out THROUGH our sufferings, because I believe Joy and Trust are two sides of the same coin. That was a big part of the piece that was missing in my life, as a 'joyful evangelical' Christian." I was "joyful" with a lower-case "j". As a Catholic, I'm now a more "completed" evangelical who eats of the FLESH of the Son of Man. Not morsels but a complete, satiating meal, where the "meat" of Truth, combined with the JOY of all the other Sacraments, rounds out the diet I need to run the race.

It [the Eucharist] properly understood and received makes for a Joyful Catholic Christian! It's not about the homily, the songs, the gifts He gives, the blessings that comfort, the consolations that soothe or the "high" we might feel in boistrous singing at a "praise service." It's about the REAL TRUE ABSOLUTE PRESENCE of Christ IN the EUCHARIST, the Source and Summit and Center of our Faith! Nowhere else can that "Real Presence" reside more fully and completely than in the Catholic Church. No matter what may come, no matter the hardship, no matter the pain of suffering or the smooth sailing we enjoy for a time, the Eucharist is our nourishment. 100% complete hydration and food. Pray for our priests! They give us Christ. Without holy priests, the Eucharist will cease, and many will die of starvation and sickness. No priests, no Eucharist. No Eucharist, no health. Pray for our priests.

Through the ministry of priests the spiritual sacrifice of the faithful is completed in union with the sacrifice of Christ the only Mediator, which in the Eucharist is offered through the priests' hands in the name of the whole Church in an unbloody and sacramental manner until the Lord himself comes.^{192 CCC}

^{From First Corinthians 11 ...}

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread,

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and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

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In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

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For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

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Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. ¹²

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A person should examine himself, ¹³ and so eat the bread and drink the cup.

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For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment ¹⁴ on himself.

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That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying.

more sources

Another one for you, Garret. God bless.

I never saw the Dominican sisters on Oprah and found out there's no clip of it on You Tube...yet. I did find this. How lovely! God bless them.

For Garret... Have a good week...

I'm sorry we have to agree to disagree. Even if you can't "stomach" the Catholic Church, it will be my hope that you will let go of your prejudice against the RCC and stop believing the vicious lies about it. Maybe one day, drop me a comment that says, "Hey... the Catholic Church rocks!" Ya never know, Garret. A whole lot of people have done just that, thinking the LAST place they'd ever wind up would be across the Tiber. It's God's desire for us all, as Christians to dwell 'in unity' but since that is far from happening, at least 'doctrinally,' we'll pray for each other. OK? God bless.

Tender Song, St. Therese must love this!...

Continuing...

Fr. Stan ROCKS!