The Perfect Husband

Several men are in the locker room of a golf club.
A cell phone on a bench rings and a man engages the handsfree
speaker-function and begins to talk. Everyone else in the room stops to
listen.

MAN: "Hello"

WOMAN: "Honey, it's me. Are you at the club?"

MAN: "Yes"

WOMAN: "I am at the mall now and found this beautiful leather coat. It's
only $1,000. Is it OK if I buy it?"

MAN: "Sure, ..go ahead if you like it that much."

WOMAN: "I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2005
models I saw one I really liked."

MAN: "How much?"

WOMAN: "$60,000"

MAN: "OK, but for that price I want it with all the options."

WOMAN: "Great! Oh, and one more thing .... The house we wanted last year
is back on the market. They're asking $950,000."

MAN: "Well, then go ahead and give them an offer, but just offer
$900,000."

WOMAN: "OK. I'll see you later! I love you.

MAN: "Bye, I love you, too." The man hangs up.

The other men in the locker room are looking at him in astonishment.

Then he asks: "Does anyone know who this phone belongs to?


Moral of the story: Don't leave your handphone around......

Seeing What Others Cannot See

And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. - 2 Kings 6:17

Several years ago, a movie was made called Field of Dreams. The story is about a man who had a vision to build a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield on his rural farm. He did not know why; he just knew he was to do it. To the chagrin of his neighbors, he built the baseball diamond in the farm community.

One night some players showed up. The man realized these were no ordinary players, but were actually the great players from the past. When the skeptical neighbors came to view this phenomenon, they were unable to see what the farm owner could see. This made it even worse for him. Now he was really a lunatic in their eyes.

This fictitious story has a spiritual application for us. First, if God tells us to "build a ball field," we should do it. It is not for us to determine the reason we are instructed to do it. Once we are obedient, God will allow us to see what others cannot see.

It is the rite of passage for those who are willing to risk all for God's purposes. God increases the spiritual senses to levels we never knew before. Those around us will observe this.

Do you want to see what others cannot see? If so, it will require a level of obedience that will go beyond human reason. It may require risk and ridicule from others. But you will see what others cannot see.

by Os Hillman,

Bible Differences in Names and Titles

Q: I notice in reading my Bible that the names of the Old Testament books have often been changed to correspond with the Protestant Bible. Any particular reason for this? I have had to go to many of my "old" biblical reference books and write in the changes for convenience during my daily Bible-reading sessions.

A: Start by realizing that the Bible itself is a collection of writings made over centuries of time. The Bible didn't come fresh from the press of a modern publisher in a handy one-volume hardcover book. Copyists and editors gathered the various books of the Bible and put them together.

From early on, not all agreed on which writings were inspired and to be placed in what we call the Bible. Around the time of Christ, and after, Jerusalem Jews differed from the Hellenist Jews of the Diaspora (dispersion) concerning what books were inspired. The Hellenist Jews regarded more Greek-written books as inspired than did the Jerusalem Jews. For them the books had to have been written in Hebrew.

Those differences were carried over among Christians who would also, in the beginning, differ concerning what books of the Christian era were inspired. All that led to the Church's action at the Council of Trent in 1546. Trent defined what books were to be taken as inspired and thus included in the canon of Scriptures. Just as differences among language groups over what books were inspired went back to their languages of composition, differences in names and spellings sometimes go back to the languages translators used.

It was not until the fourth and fifth centuries (A.D.) that biblical manuscripts divided the Gospels into smaller sections. The division into chapters now followed by all goes back to Stephen Langton of the University of Paris in the 13th century. This division was then used in the Parisian edition of the Vulgate (Latin translation of St. Jerome). The division into verses came with Robert Estienne in the 16th century.

The point is that a lot of hands were involved in shaping modern editions and translations of the Bible.

The name used for the books sometimes depends on the translators or editors, what language they used and how they divided the manuscripts. For instance, did the translator treat Kings and Chronicles as one or separate works?

Working from different languages, did the translators use Greek or Hebrew forms of titles, names and spellings? For example, did the translator follow the Greek and say Isaias or the Hebrew and write Isaiah? Did translators, as they did in the case of the Douay Bible, take over the Greek, titling the writing "Paralipomenon" or go directly back to the Hebrew and use the name "Chronicles"? Did the translator, as in the case of the Douay Bible, think of a manuscript (Kings 1, 2, 3 and 4) as one writing following the Greek system or as separate, 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings?

I take it you are using the New American Bible translation most often read in Catholic Church celebrations. The translator of this version, like those of the Jerusalem Bible, went back to the original languages or oldest existing forms of the biblical texts.

In doing so, said Pope Paul VI in an introduction to the New American Bible version, "The translators have carried out the directive of...Pius XII in his famous encyclical Divino Afflante Spiritu and the decree of the Second Vatican Council (Dei Verbum) which prescribed that 'up-to-date and appropriate translations be made in the various languages by preference from the original texts of the sacred books' and that 'with the approval of Church authority, these translations may be produced in cooperation with our separated brethren' so that 'all Christians may be able to use them.'"

Good Deeds:

Jesus reminds us that our good deeds are to be done without any expectations of benefits in return e.g. serve the needy or the poor who cannot repay. If we serve with such divine motives, then our hearts will have deep peace and joy because we know that we are serving God through these people.

To Walk and Pray With You:

May I seek the quiet of this day, My Savior,to walk and pray with you.You tell me about the green and growing vine that is you.You speak to me of the strength that can come from you alone.

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Be assured that he who shall always walk faithfully in God's presence, always ready to give Him an account of all his actions, shall never be separated from Him by consenting to sin.

- St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1275)

Facts About Men

Taken from the book of One-Minute Pocket Bible:

You were created for a purpose. There is a perfect plan for your life. Never forget God created you for a specific assignment.

He loves you
He plannned you
He scheduled your birth
He is forever linked to you

In fact, God loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus to help you. Jesus wants to help you fulfill all the dreams of God created you to accomplish on this earth. All you have to do is ask Him "... Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).

Your purpose is not your decision but your discovery.

When I was a teenager, I heard a story about a farmer whose son went off to colleage. The father was a bit concerned over the exposure his son would have to atheistic teaching. He knew the articulate and seductive these skilled communicators could be in spreading their own disease of doubt.

His fears were eventually confirmed. His son returned home for a visit, obviously grappling with his faith in God.

As they were conversing one day under an old oak tree, the son suddenly blurted out. "Dad, I just can't believe in God anymore. Why, look at those pumpkins over there on the ground. They are big and heavy, yet have small and tender vines.

"But, this big oak tree, capable of supporting the weight of the pumpkins, only produces tiny acorns. If there was really an inelligent God of this universe, he would have placed the pumpkin on this oak tree and the tiny acorn on the fragile vine.

Suddenly, an acorn fell from the tree, bouncing lightly off the top of the young man's head.

As the truth slowly dawned, he sheepishly spoke, "Dad, thank God that was not a pumpkin."

Throughout your lifetime, you, too, may question the existence of your Creator. Your logic will always compete with your faith. Your mind will compete with your heart. Just think again

A book is proof of an author
A poem is proof of a poet
A song is proof of a composer
A product is proof of a manufacturer

Creation is proof of a Creator. Only fools think they arrived first. The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God" (Psalm 14:1)

The proof of God's presence for outweighs the proof of His absence.

God exists.

The world is arranged .... therefore, an Arranger must exist.

You see, someday it will hit you like a bolt of lightning - your Creator is a Plannger .... incredibly organized... meticulous with detail ... even to the very millimetre of the gap of our sets of teeth and how He holds the gravity of the earth, and, like any successful manufacturer, He is totally committed to the success of His product .... YOU!

Why did God create you?

You were created to be instrument of pleasure of God.

You are worthy. O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created (Revelations 4:11)

When you pleasure God, He pleasures you.
... if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord, your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations on the earth. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

Your strongest desires, talents and opportunities reveal God's calling and dream for your life.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy…or ministry… he who teaches.. he who exhorts…. he who gives… he who leads…. he who shows mercy… (Romans 12:6-8)

Remember, you are uniquely created and you are special to HIM who created you!

Priorities

Some strive for power
But often in vain
Some thirst for glory
So hard to attain.

Some crave possessions
That wealth alone brings
But these, alas are
Transitory things.

The wise are they
Who while on earth's sod
Seek first in their lives
The Kingdom of God

Be Transformed

Mistakes should be forgotten
Move forward to improve
Be willing to forgive
With this how can you loose?

For every disappointment
Use it to capitalize
Be encouraged, use will power
And keep you head up high

Stand for what is right
Don't be afraid to be criticized
This will strengthen your character
Your friends will multiply

Achievements requires many things like
Knowledge, determination and self control
Admiration, honesty, and expectations
Which will hurdle you toward your goals.

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Mal 1:14b--2:2b, 8-10
Ps 131:1, 2, 3
1 Thes 2:7b-9, 13
Mt 23:1-12

Hello, I’m Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, with the “Sunday Soundbite” for the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Today’s Gospel has created a certain amount of extra work for me over the past few years. I’ve answered e-mails from people writing in to our Internet and radio question and answer service about the famous passage: “Call no one on earth your father.” Based on this Gospel text, people want to know why Catholic priests like myself seem to violate Jesus’ words on a daily basis by being called “Father.”

Of course, I can remind them, we priests aren’t alone in this, since most of our dads are also apparent offenders against this text—although that point rarely comes up from the questioner. But the broader meaning of today’s Gospel passage is a teaching of Christ which we in Church authority have sometimes violated. Jesus condemns those who do not practice what they preach; who allow titles and the power they imply to become the focus; who forget that service in love is what leaders in the community must embody.

To bring home Jesus’ point, in today’s first reading the prophet Malachi warns the priests of his time: Keep the focus on our common Father, the one who has created us. Good advice for all Christians—but especially for the “Fathers” in our midst who’ve been given that title in Church service. With Jesus, with the prophet, and with those good folks who continue to ask me about my title—I hope I can hear the challenge!

Scripture:

•Has not the one God created us? (Malachi 2:10)

•I do not busy myself with great matters, nor with things too sublime for me. (Psalm 131:1b)

•…we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well…. (1 Thessalonians 2:8)

•The greatest among you must be your servant. (Matthew 23:11)

Reflection:

•In your world view, is the most gifted the servant? If not, why not?

•What occupies your time? Consider the difference between the “great” and “sublime.” What is left?

•If you share the Gospel, do you share yourself?

•Looking at the peoples, wars and disparity of material possessions, is it truly possible that “one God created us”?

His soul melted at the sight of the poor and the infirm, and to those to whom he could not extend a helping hand he extended his affection.

As love is paid for in love, I must imitate him, sharing in spirit all his sufferings. I must consider how much I owe him and what he has done for me.

- St. Alphonsus Rodriguez (1533-1617)

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You Know Me:

O God, you search me and you know me,
all my ways lie open to your gaze.
When I stand and when I sit, you draw near me
You created me and your intimacy with me astounds me!

Word Rosary Explained

Q: I've always wondered: Where did the rosary gets its name?

A: According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, "Rosarium (a rose garden) [was] a common term to designate a collection of similar material. In preempting this term, Mary's clients applied the rose, the symbol of joy, to Mary. The name was later transferred to the recitation of 50 Aves [Hail Marys] commemorating Mary's joys. As devotion to Mary's dolors [sorrows] arose during the 14th century, the second chaplet was dedicated to them. Logically, the third chaplet was set aside for her heavenly [glorious] joys."

Another explanation is that the 150 psalms were matched with 150 Our Fathers and then later Hail Marys.

Information about Mary's association with various flowers can be found in Mary's Flowers: Gardens, Legends and Meditations, by Vincenzina Krymow (St. Anthony Messenger Press).

You Have Always Been With Me:

You led me through valleys of shadows,where cold winds blew and fingers numbed.You led me to greener pastures, beside water that reflected my joy.Surely, you have always been with me.

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Let us kindle the love of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in the hearts of all people.

- Bl. Gaetano Errico (1791-1860)

Mary, Star of the Sea?

Q: Recently my wife and I were visiting San Francisco where we attended Mass at Star of the Sea Parish. In the cupola is a large painting of Mary in the sea. I never heard of Mary as Star of the Sea. From where did this title come and what does it mean?

A: This title has been applied to Mary for centuries. One explanation is that when St. Jerome translated the Hebrew word mar, he used the Latin word stilla. Yam is the Hebrew word for "sea." Thus, maryam (Mary's name) would mean "drop of the sea." Later, the Latin stilla (drop) was read as stella (star). "Drop of the sea" became "star of the sea."

Ave Maris Stella is a ninth-century Latin hymn honoring Mary. Considering the dangers of sea travel in ancient times, it is easy to imagine that sailors and passengers gladly prayed to Mary for safe passage.

Sts. Simon and Jude

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
St. Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us.
St. Jude, help of the hopeless, pray for us.

Jude is so named by Luke and Acts. Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus. He is not mentioned elsewhere in the Gospels, except, of course, where all the apostles are referred to. Scholars hold that he is not the author of the Letter of Jude. Actually, Jude had the same name as Judas Iscariot. Evidently because of the disgrace of that name, it was shortened to "Jude" in English.

Simon is mentioned on all four lists of the apostles. On two of them he is called "the Zealot." The Zealots were a Jewish sect that represented an extreme of Jewish nationalism. For them, the messianic promise of the Old Testament meant that the Jews were to be a free and independent nation. God alone was their king, and any payment of taxes to the Romans—the very domination of the Romans—was a blasphemy against God.

No doubt some of the Zealots were the spiritual heirs of the Maccabees, carrying on their ideals of religion and independence. But many were the counterparts of modern terrorists. They raided and killed, attacking both foreigners and "collaborating" Jews. They were chiefly responsible for the rebellion against Rome which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Comment:

As in the case of all the apostles except for Peter, James and John, we are faced with men who are really unknown, and we are struck by the fact that their holiness is simply taken to be a gift of Christ. He chose some unlikely people: a former Zealot, a former (crooked) tax collector, an impetuous fisherman, two "sons of thunder" and a man named Judas Iscariot.

It is a reminder that we cannot receive too often. Holiness does not depend on human merit, culture, personality, effort or achievement. It is entirely God's creation and gift. God needs no Zealots to bring about the kingdom by force. Jude, like all the saints, is the saint of the impossible: only God can create his divine life in human beings. And God wills to do so, for all of us.

Quote:

"Just as Christ was sent by the Father, so also he sent the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit. This he did so that, by preaching the gospel to every creature (cf. Mark 16:15), they might proclaim that the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, had freed us from the power of Satan (cf. Acts 26:18) and from death, and brought us into the kingdom of his Father" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy).

Prayer which one makes without knowing how one is doing it, and without reflecting on what one is asking for, shows clearly that such a soul is very much occupied with God and that, consequently, this prayer is excellent.

- St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622)

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God's Power:

Jesus wants us to be His channel of Good News and healing grace to people in need. Do you witness to the Gospel and bring peace and consolation to people who are hurting, sick or in great need? Open your heart daily to allow God's power to flow through you to others.

I Fled Him:

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.

Life’s Dance:

Spirit of my heart,
Fear and joy jump within me when I consider the longings of my heart.
I desire to serve Love—in the freedom of life’s dance.
Take my hands and dance with me, too!
Your healing is gentle and not forced.
We dance the circle dance of love and joy!

Indulgences and the ‘Fisherman’s Rod’

Q:Many years ago, as a young priest traveling in Europe, I encountered an unusual ceremony and have never seen it since. Outside the confessional, in a semicircular formation, knelt the penitents, one after the other, as they came from receiving absolution. A long, slender pole was affixed to the confessor’s Dutch door. Periodically his hand would take the pole and move it randomly over the heads of the kneeling penitents, finally tapping one of them on the shoulder. With that, the selected penitent blessed himself and departed.

This procedure continued until all had been tapped and thereby dismissed. I was told that the pole was called the “Fisherman’s Rod” and served to indicate that an indulgence had been granted to the penitent, having performed his penance on his knees and patiently waited for the Rod to send him on his way.

Can you tell me where and when this practice was commonly in vogue?

A: To answer your question, I called Father Cyprian Berens, O.F.M., who spent some years as a confessor at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.

Father Cyprian told me that until the time of Pope Paul VI, there was attached to the doors of all the confessionals in the four major basilicas a rod that looked something like a fishing pole.
Confessors in these basilicas have their faculties from the Apostolic Penitentiary which has charge of all matters of the internal forum—both sacramental and non-sacramental. Among its responsibilities is directing things concerning the usage and granting of indulgences.

Confessors in these basilicas were able to grant an indulgence to anyone who asked for it by kneeling outside the confessional and waiting for a tap on the head or shoulders with the rod.
Among explanations of the practices were ideas that the one asking the indulgence sought a kind of spiritual knighthood or wanted to offer himself or herself to God in the spirit of sacrifice.

Under Pope Paul VI, there was a complete revision of indulgences and a new Enchiridion of Indulgences was published.

Father Cyprian speculated that this practice in the basilicas had become a kind of curiosity or novelty and that this became a reason for eliminating it.

My Life at Work:

Lord, work with me today. Let me work with awareness, slowly and carefully,Quick reactions and decisions are not your will. But a heart open to love always is.Let me love myself and others more today,And accept the very stuff of my life at work.

Rejecting God:

We reject God not only directly through our sinful ways, but also indirectly when we fail or refuse to do good to others. How often do we say we have no time to someone who is in pain and ill? How often do we reject giving generously to the poor? Remember, God never rejects us.

Full Speed Astern:

Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement. He is a rebel who must lay down his arms. Laying down your arms, surrendering, saying you are sorry, realizing that you have been on the wrong track and getting ready to start life over again from the ground floor - that is the only way out of a hole. This process of surrender - this movement full speed astern - is repentance.

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His [Christ's] origin is different, but his human nature is the same. Human usage and custom were lacking, but by divine power a Virgin conceived, a Virgin bore, and Virgin she remained.

- Pope Leo I (A.D. 450)

How Can Bishops Change the Date?

Q: How can the U.S. bishops say that we have no duty to attend Mass on a holy day of obligation if it falls on a Monday or a Saturday? The precepts of the Church specify which feasts are holy days, regardless of where they fall in the weekly calendar. We must attend Mass not only on Sunday but also on these holy days. How can the observance of Jesus' Ascension be transferred to a Sunday?

A: The 1983 Code of Canon Law for the Latin rite specifies 10 holy days of obligation: January 1, Epiphany, St. Joseph, Ascension, Corpus Christi, Sts. Peter and Paul, Assumption, All Saints, Immaculate Conception and Christmas.

That same Code allows episcopal conferences, with prior approval of the Holy See, to suppress certain holy days of obligation or transfer them to a Sunday (Canon #1246:2).

The Holy See requires that in each country Christmas and one feast of Mary be observed on the actual date as holy days of obligation. The U.S. bishops have designated the Immaculate Conception, our patronal feast on December 8, as our Marian feast.

If it or Christmas falls on a Saturday or a Monday, they are always holy days of obligation in the United States. If January 1, Assumption or All Saints falls on Saturday or Monday, they are not holy days of obligation that year.

In 1993 the bishops of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada and Hawaii sought and received the Holy See's permission to transfer Ascension Thursday to the following Sunday for a trial period of five years. That permission was renewed in 1998.

On November 16, 1998, the U.S. National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a resolution that a majority vote of diocesan bishops in each ecclesiastical province would determine if the feast of Ascension is transferred to the following Sunday.

That decision was confirmed by the Holy See. There are 31 Latin-rite ecclesiastical provinces in the United States.

As of March 15, 2000, I know that bishops in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Wyoming, Colorado and Texas have sought and received permission to transfer Ascension to the following Sunday, starting this year.

In recent years in the United States, the feasts of Epiphany and Corpus Christi have been transferred to Sunday. The feasts of St. Joseph and Sts. Peter and Paul have not been holy days in the United States for many years.

The precepts of the Church are interpreted by the Church's legitimate authority?in this case, by the Holy See and the bishops' conferences.

Lighten Me Up:
God, let me release my defenses, if only a little.Let my self-image not be so rigid,My need to be just right not so compelling.What my soul really wants is intimacy.Lighten me up, God, and let me learnTo chuckle at myself As an indulgent Mother chuckles At her toddling babe.

"Narrow Door":
The secular society conditions us to over-value the "easy way out" of things. Do we face challenges positively? How do we face the differences of views? Do we give in to comfort instead of maintaining the discipline needed for prayer? Enter the "narrow door" of the Lord to deepen your love for Him.

Are You Real?
The isolated individual is not a real person. A real person is one who lives in and for others. And the more personal relationships we form with others, the more we truly realize ourselves as persons. It has even been said that there can be no true person unless there are two, entering into communication with one another.

This idea of openness to others could be summed up under the word love. By love, I don’t mean merely an emotional feeling, but a fundamental attitude. In its deepest sense, love is the life, the energy, of God in us. We are not truly personal as long as we are turned in on ourselves, isolated from others. We only become personal if we face other persons, and relate to them.

Courage is fear prayed for:
Everyone feels afraid many times during life. However, when the Bible instructs us to "fear not," it doesn't mean not to feel afraid; rather, it means to decide to press on even in the face of fear.
Several times, the Israelites were instructed to "be strong and courageous."

For example, in Deuteronomy 31:6, Moses commanded Israel: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Even in the face of fear, we too must "be strong and courageous."

Indeed, we are encouraged in 1 Corinthians 16:13 to be men of courage; be strong. So, next time you feel afraid, overcome your feelings through prayer so that you can "be strong and courageous."

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I tell you, that if you will not do good to the poor, God will not do good to you; in the hour of your death it shall be measured out to you with the same measure with which you have measured out to such as these.

- Saint Camillus de Lellis (1550-1614)

Helping Others

You gave on the way a pleasant smile
And thought no more about it.
It cheered a life that had been dark the
while Which might have been wrecked without it.
And so for that smile that was given there,
You'll have a reward sometime-somewhere.

You spoke one day a cheering word,
And passed to other duties.
It cheered a heart; new promise stirred
And painted a life with beauties.
And so for that word of golden cheer,
You'll have a reward sometime-somewhere.

You lent a hand to a fallen one;
lift in love was given.
You saved a soul when hope was gone
And helped him on toward heaven.
and, so for that help you proffered there,
You'll have a reward sometime-somewhere.

And when help is rendered even when you are in pain,
Your heavenly reward is eternally gained.

Author Unknown

The Bible and the TV guide

They lie on the table side by side,
The Holy Bible and the TV guide.
One is well worn and cherished with pride,
Not the Bible...but the TV guide.

One is used daily to help folks decide,
No, not the Bible...but the TV guide.
As the pages are turned, what shall they see,
Oh, what does it matter, turn on the TV.

Then confusion reigns, they can't all agree,
On what they should watch on the old TV.
So they open the book in which they confide,
No, not the Bible...but the TV guide.

The word of God is seldom read,
Maybe a verse as they fall into bed.
Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be,
Not from reading the Bible...from watching TV.

So then back to the table side by side,
Lie the Holy Bible and the TV guide.
No time for prayer, no time for the Word,
The plan of Salvation is seldom heard.
But forgiveness of sin, so full and free,
Is found in the Bible...not on TV.

--Author Unknown

The Heroic Act

Q: Many years ago, as a child of 11 or 12, I read a book on Fatima. At the end of the book was a pledge called a heroic act where persons pledged to give all the indulgences they earned during life and after death to the souls in purgatory.

I made this act and I have never seen anything about this since and I can’t find the book it was in. Do you know anything about it?

A: There is indeed a practice of piety called the Heroic Act. It has been encouraged by the Theatine Order. It is called heroic because of the complete selflessness involved in the practice. According to T.C. O’Brien in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Religion, persons who make the heroic act offer to God any and all indulgences they might gain, as well as all expiatory works and all prayers offered for them after death.

The Heroic Act should not be confused with St. Louis Marie de Montfort’s act of total consecration to Mary or the offering made by “victim souls.”

De Montfort urged that the most perfect devotion to Mary was in consecrating self entirely to her, and Jesus through her, becoming a slave of Mary. That means completely consecrating self to Mary for all eternity—body, soul, spiritual and material possessions, the atoning value and merits of our good actions and the right to dispose of them, past, present and future.

The act of “victim souls” is to accept suffering without reservation in union with the self-offering of Christ in atonement for sin. O’Brien remarks that this offering is not to be made lightly or easily permitted by a spiritual director.

I would say the same of the Heroic Act and total consecration. They should not be spur-of-the-moment actions but thoughtful and mature acts.

Deliver Me:

Lord, my Rock,my fortress, my deliverer.Deliver me from myself!The self that does for others what they should do for themselves.The self that takes things personally, as much as I try not to.Deliver me from self-pity,let me forgive those who trespass against me.

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In thee, O Mary, is fulfilled an original purpose of the Most High. He once had meant to come on earth in heavenly glory. But we sinned. And then he could not safely visit us, except with a shrouded radiance and a bedimmed majesty, for he is God. So he came himself in weakness, not in power. And he sent this creature in his stead, with a creature's comeliness and lustre to suit our state.

- Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890)

Life's Tug of War

Life can seem ungrateful and not always kind
Life can pull at your heartstrings and play with your mind

Life can be blissful and happy and free
Life can put beauty in the things that you see

Life can place challenges right at your feet
Life can make good of the hardships that we meet

Life can overwhelm you and make your head spin
Life can reward those determined to win

Life can be hurtful and not always fair
Life can surround you with people who care

Life clearly does offer its ups and its downs
Life's days can bring you both smiles and frowns

Life teaches us to take the good with the bad
Life is a mixture of happy and sad

So.....

Take the life that you have and give it your best
Think positive, be happy let God do the rest

Take the challenges that life has laid at your feet
Take pride and be thankful for each one you meet

To yourself give forgiveness if you stumble and fall
Take each day that is dealt you and give it your all

Take the love that you're given and return it with care
Have faith that when needed it will always be there

Take time to find the beauty in the things that you see
Take life's simple pleasures let them set your heart free

The idea here is simply to even the score
As you are met and faced with Life's Tug Of War

Author unknown

Place of Burial

Q: There is a national cemetery nearby for veterans and their wives. My husband and I are trying to decide if this is where we would want to be buried. Three of our close relatives have chosen to do this.

Is this appropriate for Catholics? I know Catholic cemeteries are blessed ground, but what about a national cemetery?

A: Canon 1180, #2, states, "All may, however, choose their cemetery of burial unless prohibited by law from doing so."

That does not exclude a national cemetery. I can't imagine any law that would prohibit you from choosing your cemetery.

When burial does take place in a non-Catholic cemetery, however, a priest should conduct the final committal ceremony at the grave site and bless the grave.

Python Eggs

The drunkard makes his start with just a sip, but that sip is the python
egg.

Here's a story I heard told by a girl in Wayne Stake. The story took
hold of me:

A boy goes to a party. They offer him a cocktail. It wasn't a fruit
cocktail. He refuses - the gang is determined, but so is he. He is
called "panty-waist", "mama's boy' - but he stands his ground. They tell
him he must drink with the crowd and smell like a man. The gang is
determined to have him come across.

Finally, with jaws set, they tell
him if he won't be game they will throw him on the floor and pour the
liquor through his teeth. The boy on the spot rises to the occasion;
like a warrior he faces his foes. He has a secret weapon they didn't
dream of - here it is - when he gets through with them, they sizzle.
"Wait a minute," he says, "Let's see if you'll put it through my teeth.
I want to tell you a story."

"Some years ago a boy was out, as I am tonight, they offered him a drink
- he refused. They urged - he weakened and took that night just a
tthimble full. Next week he took it more readily. After that it had only
to be offered him. Boys, he became a drunkard. He fell in love with a
beautiful girl. Of course he straightened out for a while, while he was
courting her. He knew she and her family were opposed to drink. They
were married. A year later a baby came to town, but by this time the man
had gone back to drink. He began to come home drunk. On one of these
nights he was challenged by his good wife. She had stood about all she
could. In desperation she thundered "Bill, you come home again like
this, and I'll take the baby and go home to mother!" Well the demon
within him broke loose. He grabbed her arm. It was as if it were held in
a vise. He threw her out into the Wyoming blizzard. She grabbed the
baby, also an overcoat hanging on a chair by the door. He was so drunk
that the second he hit the pillow he was dead to the world. The
realisation at dawn of what he had done, almost electrocuted him. He
came to with terror - he grabbed the door, pretty nearly pulling it off
it's hinges. He rushed out into the snowdrifts. He was almost crazy. One
hundred yards from the house he detected a little hill in the snow. With
eyes bulging, desperately but cautiously, he dug into the snow. There he
uncovered his sweetheart, the mother of his child. She was cold in
death. The baby, through the protection of the body of it's mother and
the overcoat snatched as she left the room, had a spark of life left.
The baby was brought back to life."

Defiantly our hero faced the gang. "Now boys, if you are ready to put
that stuff through my teeth, I am ready for you! I AM THAT BABY !!!"

My Journey:
God, give me your courage and your life.I know there is more meaning to my journey than just what I see.Let us sit together and drink deeply.Tell me about trusting you, tell me about your love. Amen.

As the Sun at Noon:

He brought light out of darkness, not out of a lesser light, and he can bring thee summer out of winter, though thou hast no spring. Though in the ways of fortune, understanding, or conscience thou hast been benighted till now, wintered and frozen, clouded and eclipsed, damped and benumbed, smothered and stupefied, now God comes to thee, not as the dawning of the day, not as the bud of the spring, but as the sun at noon.

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The man who burns with the fire of divine love is a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and wherever he goes, he enkindles that flame; he desires and works with all this strength to inflame all with the fire of God's love.

- St. Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Ex 22:20-26
Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
1 Thes 1:5c-10
Mt 22:34-40

Hello, I’m Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, with the “Sunday Soundbite” for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

In my inner-city parish, people come to us daily for help with rent, food, medical needs. I’m not a social worker, and so I’m grateful for the knowledgeable people on our team who can find the help people need. But when I read today’s first reading, a portion of the Mosaic Law taken from the Book of Exodus, I do get some basic instructions for some practical things I can do to help.

God tells me there that my conduct toward people who are vulnerable because of any human need must be tempered by recalling my own human condition. The people of Israel, the law says, should remember they were once strangers in Egypt; and so the stranger on their doorsteps ought to receive respect and care. God has been good to me in my times of real need; and now God may be asking me to do the same for someone.

Later in the passage, there’s a very practical instruction about returning a man’s cloak to him for the night, even though you’ve demanded it as a loan guarantee. That instruction tells me that any relationship I have with the poor must honor people’s God-given dignity. Thanks to that instruction, I look into a person’s eyes on the soup kitchen line, and try to communicate our shared relationship in the Lord. God’s law is full of the compassion of God—and that’s the first thing I can share with my fellow human being.


Scripture:

•If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate. (Exodus 22:26)

•The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock! (Psalm 18:47)

•…but in every place your faith in God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. (1 Thessalonians 1:8)

•…with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37)


Reflection:

•Can you say to God, “blessed be my rock”?

•In what ways is your faith in God tested?

•How do you love God?

In the midst of multiple activities of the day, you should stay free of multiplicity and preserve oneness of spirit within yourself. Let your mind form an idea of God and His supreme majesty and goodness. Keep his lovable presence before your mind’s eye. (Louis De Blois)

Who Really Wrote the Peace Prayer of St. Francis?

Q: I have been told recently that the famous prayer attributed to St. Francis, "Lord, make me an instrument...," was not written by him. Is this correct? Who wrote it? Why is it then attributed to St. Francis of Assisi?

A: According to St. Anthony Messenger's columnist Albert Haase, O.F.M., in the January 1999 issue, St. Francis had nothing to do with writing the prayer. The earliest version has been found in the breviary of England's William the Conqueror, king from 1066 to 1087. That's nearly 200 years before Francis of Assisi.

According to Haase, Cardinal Francis Spellman attached the name of St. Francis, his patron saint, to the prayer. In visiting Assisi to celebrate his appointment to the College of Cardinals, he found the prayer under the title of "A Simple Prayer" with a picture of St. Francis.

After the cardinal returned to the United States, he passed out copies under the title of "The Peace Prayer of St. Francis."

While Francis did not write the prayer, it is very much in his spirit.

Those who are called to the table of the Lord must glow with the brightness that comes from the good example of a praiseworthy and blameless life. They must completely remove from their lives the filth and uncleanness of vice. Their upright lives must make them like the salt of the earth for themselves and for the rest of mankind.

- St. John of Capistrano (1386-1445)

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Rivers of Hope:

Embracing God, your knowledge will trace
The light within me and the hidden place,
Where fear and boredom lodge.
Enliven me, I pray. Give me rivers of hope,
That slake the thirst within.

From Where Did the Rosary Come?

Q: Can you tell me something about the history of the rosary and how this prayer came to be?

A: The following very short history of the rosary, written by the editor of St. Anthony Messenger, appeared in the preface of Joanne Turpin's book, The Healing Mysteries of the Rosary:

"Pious tradition has it that the mother of Jesus, Mary herself, gave the rosary to St. Dominic Guzman and told him to preach this prayer. More likely, the rosary developed out of the 12th-century chaplets of Pater's or Ave's recited by the Catholics of that time.

"These chaplets were a kind of poor person's Breviary made up of 150 Our Fathers (Pater Noster's) or Hail Marys (Ave's) corresponding to the 150 psalms of the Psalter. Like the Psalter, they were sometimes divided into sets of three 50's and counted on strings of beads called 'paternosters.' Each of the prayers was associated with a mystery in the lives of Jesus and Mary pronounced and meditated on at each bead or prayer of the chaplet.

"In time the 'psalters' of Our Fathers and Hail Marys came to be joined and merged. The Our Fathers and Hail Marys were prayed alternately, each Our Father followed by a Hail Mary. The 50 mysteries came to be reduced to five--one for each decade. Finally the rosary took its present form."

The Enchiridion of Indulgences tells us, "The rosary is a certain formula of prayer, which is made up of 15 decades of Hail Marys with an Our Father before each decade, and in which the recitation of each decade is accompanied by pious meditation on a particular mystery of our redemption." Commonly these are the traditional joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries listed in the appendix of the Enchiridion and our prayer books. The Enchiridion does not say, however, that we must meditate on these particular mysteries in Jesus' and Mary's lives.

Another short history can be found in reprints of The Rosary: A Gospel Prayer by Thomas A. Thomas, S.M., and Jack Wintz, O.F.M., available from Catholic Update (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1615 Republic St., Cincinnati, OH 45210). Besides a very short history of the rosary, this Update contains an explanation of how to pray the rosary and its mysteries.

Pure Faith:

The most beautiful act of faith is the one made in darkness, in sacrifice and [with] extreme effort.

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This woman of faith, Mary of Nazareth, the Mother of God, has been given to us as a model of our pilgrimage of faith. From Mary we learn to surrender to God's will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ, her Son and the Son of God. For Mary is not only the Mother of God, she is the Mother of the Church as well.

- John Paul II (Inspirational Reflection on Mary, October 6, 1979)

The Cross in the Sanctuary

Q: A friend of mine stated that a priest told her every church was required to have a crucifix on the wall behind the altar. I have been in several churches of fairly recent construction and this is not always true. In some of these churches the risen Christ is displayed. I do not find either way to be troubling; I am just curious as to what is correct or if both are acceptable.

A: I could find no requirement that there be a crucifix on the wall behind the altar in every church.

The General Instruction on the Roman Missal (#270), however, does require that there be a cross, clearly visible to the congregation, either on the altar or near it.

The Appendix to this Instruction, for the dioceses of the United States, says, "Only one cross should be carried in a procession in order to give greater dignity and reverence to the cross. It is desirable to place the cross near the altar so it may serve as the cross of the altar. Otherwise (if there is another cross already in the altar area) it should be put away during the services."

These documents also warn against multiplying the same images and symbols because in doing that the images and symbols lose their impact. Thus, Environment and Art in Catholic Worship, written by the Bishops? Committee on the Liturgy, tells us, "A symbol claims human attention and consciousness with a power that seems adversely affected by overdose. For example, the multiplication of crosses in a liturgical space or as ornamentation on objects may lessen rather than increase attention to that symbol."

The bishops? committee also urges, "A cross is a basic symbol in any Christian liturgical celebration. The advantage of a processional cross with a floor standard, in contrast to one that is permanently hung or affixed to a wall, is that it can be placed differently, according to the celebration and the other environmental factors."

The iconography (statues and images) in newer churches, just as in older church buildings, is influenced by many things. Some examples are national and ethnic groups who use the church with their particular patrons and forms of piety, the religious order staffing a parish, or the saint or mystery for which a church is named.

Thus, it should not be surprising to see a mural or statue of the risen Jesus in a church named for the Resurrection. The same would be true of scenes and statues in a church named for the Ascension or Annunciation.

But when I talked to a liturgist, who is consulted on the art and architecture for many new churches, he knew of no general trend to include statues or pictures of the resurrected Christ in all churches. Churches use different art or hangings behind the altar and in the sanctuary area.

Good Story

There was once a man and woman who had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything.

They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $25,000. He asked her about the contents.

"When we were to be married," she said, "my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.

"The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving.

He almost burst with happiness. "Honey," he said, "that explains the dolls, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?" "Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling all the dolls.

Wings to God:

Humility and purity of conduct are the wings which raise us up to God and in a manner deify us. Remember this: The sinner who is ashamed to do evil is closer to God than the upright man who is ashamed to do good.

Wisdom from the Desert:

The thought that the affairs of the world, like those of the stars, are in God's hands - and therefore in good hands - apart from being actually true, is something that should give great satisfaction to anyone who looks to the future with hope.

It should be the source of faith, joyful hope, and, above all, of deep peace. What have I to fear if everything is guided and sustained by God? Why get so worried, as if the world were in the hands of me and my fellow men? And yet it is so difficult to hold onto faith....

Freedom:

Know this, that every man is free
To choose his life and what he'll be.
For this eternal truth is given,
God will force no man to heaven.

He'll call, persuade, direct aright,
Bless with wisdom, love, and light;
In nameless ways be good and kind,
But never force the human mind.

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I strive always in all things to understand as clearly as possible and follow the will of God, and this in the most perfect way.

- Bl. Charles of Austria (1887-1922)

Why Sign Ourselves at the Gospel?

Q: My son wants to know: What is the story behind the symbols of making the Sign of the Cross on our forehead, mouth and heart just before the Gospel is read?

A: When I was a young boy, we were taught to sign ourselves the same way the priest does when he begins to read the Gospel?on the forehead, lips and heart. We were told to say at the same time, "Jesus, be on my mind, on my lips and in my heart."

The signing of book and self is a reminder of the respect and love we should have for Christ and his word. We should always have in mind the word and example of Jesus, keep him close to our hearts and be ready to proclaim him and his word to the world.

Balthasar Fischer, in Signs, Words and Gestures (Pueblos), puts it this way: "The Sign of the Cross on forehead, lips and heart also has to do with this Lord who is entering the assembly and will now speak. Everyone present is saying as it were, Now I must pay attention. It is my Lord who speaks. Since my Baptism I have belonged to him body and soul, in my thoughts, words and feelings.?"

In other words, we are to be completely and entirely devoted to Christ.

Calm in the Storm:

How important it is to avoid being upset by the trials and troubles of this life, for these things always tend to contract the heart rather than opening it up to trust God.

Faith - "Fire":

It is very painful when our loved ones "prevent" us from living a faith that gives us deep meaning and fulfillment in life e.g. to join the priesthood and religious life, to baptize our child or to attend the Eucharist. We need to pray that they will be open to God's Truth.

The Greatest Power:

Truth is power, but only when one has patience and requires of it no immediate effect. And one must have no specific aims. Somehow, lack of an agenda is the greatest power. Sometimes it is better not to think in terms of plans; here months may mean nothing, and also years. Truth must be sought for its own sake, its holy, divine greatness.

-----------------------------------------------------------

It is he who, by encouraging knowledge of and love for Mary, leads the faithful to learn from the Virgin of the Magnificat how to read the signs of God in history and to acquire a wisdom that makes every man and every woman the architects of a new humanity.

- John Paul II (from "To honor Mary is to go to Jesus", November 15, 1995)

What Did Jesus Mean?

Q: Acts of the Apostles 1:6-7 says: "When they had gathered together they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He answered them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority.’" Please explain what this means.

A: Both William Kura, S.J., in his exegesis of the Acts of the Apostles in The Collegeville Bible Commentary (The Liturgical Press), and Henry Wansbrough, O.S.B., in A New Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture (Nelson), say much the same thing about these verses.

Kura suggests Acts 1:6-7 should be read against the background of Luke 12:35-46; 17:20-37 and 21:7-9. Remember Luke is the author of Acts, as well as the Gospel according to Luke. In these Lucan passages we find the parable of the workers who are urged to be ready at any time for the coming of the master because no one knows when to expect his return. We also hear Jesus saying the time of the coming of the Kingdom cannot be known—it "is already among you." And lastly Jesus urges the disciples not to be deceived by the cries of doomsayers that the end is near.

According to Kura, Luke uses the question of the apostles in Acts to indicate they still do not understand what Jesus meant by the "Kingdom of God." Later on, in Acts 2:3, he will show God’s promise was about the coming of the Holy Spirit rather than an earthly kingdom.

The message is much the same as in the Gospel—don’t try to guess what cannot be known. Focus on the power of the Spirit as a sign of living in the promised final day. Jesus’ disciples should use their power and the time left to them to witness to Jesus to the ends of the earth.
Wansbrough says the passage finds the apostles still looking for a worldly messianic kingdom, and they will not understand what Jesus has been saying until they receive the Spirit.

The message is: Stop looking for the imminent second coming of Christ. And the Kingdom is not to be confined to Israel. Acts will later tell how the gospel was spread to Judea, Samaria and even Rome (the end of the earth).

Love - Gratitude:

If we truly love someone, we will never take that person for granted. God loves us infinitely and unconditionally. Do we love God just as unconditionally or do we put our self-interests before God? For example, do we serve God in our own terms, time and comfort? Ponder on this today.

Final Goal:

Meditation is a means to rise to God, but not an end. The final purpose of meditation is the love of God and one’s neighbor.

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It is very good and holy to consider the passion of our Lord, and to meditate on it, for by this sacred path we reach union with God. In this most holy school we learn true wisdom, for it was there that all the saints learned it.

- St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)

Why Didn’t Jesus Know?

Q: Concerning the second coming of Christ, Matthew 24:36 has Jesus saying, "But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." In John 21:17, after Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him, Peter responds, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."

How can you reconcile these two seemingly contradictory statements concerning the omniscience of Christ?

A: The question of what Jesus knew and when he knew it still occupies the discussions of theologians. In his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Alexander Jones reminds us that in the Incarnate Son there are two planes of knowledge. One is total and divine. The second is limited and human.

As Jones expresses it, direct communication between the two is established only by Jesus’ "infused knowledge." This knowledge is given Jesus in proportion to the needs of his redemptive work (e.g., knowledge of his divinity and messianic character). Jesus did not need the knowledge of the time of the world’s ending or the destruction of Jerusalem to accomplish the work given him.

Beyond that, Jones notes the constant practice of the Son was to claim no knowledge beyond that which the Father had instructed him to use.

According to The Collegeville Bible Commentary, the Son’s knowledge is put in a category of its own—above that of men and angels. But as man, Jesus knew only what he had learned in the normal human way and those things which were revealed to him for the needs of his mission.

Apparently the time of the final manifestation was not among those things.
Nor did the disciples need to know. Even in his glorified state, after the Resurrection, Jesus refused them that information.

St. Luke

Luke wrote one of the major portions of the New Testament, a two-volume work comprising the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. In the two books he shows the parallel between the life of Christ and that of the Church. He is the only Gentile Christian among the Gospel writers.

Tradition holds him to be a native of Antioch, and Paul calls him "our beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14). His Gospel was probably written between A.D. 70 and 85.

Luke appears in Acts during Paul’s second journey, remains at Philippi for several years until Paul returns from his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem and remains near him when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had time to seek information and interview persons who had known Jesus. He accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he was a faithful companion. "Only Luke is with me," Paul writes (2 Timothy 4:11).

Comment:

Luke wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. This Gospel reveals Luke's expertise in classic Greek style as well as his knowledge of Jewish sources.

The character of Luke may best be seen by the emphases of his Gospel, which has been given a number of subtitles: (1) The Gospel of Mercy: Luke emphasizes Jesus' compassion and patience with the sinners and the suffering. He has a broadminded openness to all, showing concern for Samaritans, lepers, publicans, soldiers, public sinners, unlettered shepherds, the poor.

Luke alone records the stories of the sinful woman, the lost sheep and coin, the prodigal son, the good thief. (2) The Gospel of Universal Salvation: Jesus died for all. He is the son of Adam, not just of David, and Gentiles are his friends too. (3) The Gospel of the Poor: "Little people" are prominent—Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, Simeon and the elderly widow, Anna. He is also concerned with what we now call "evangelical poverty." (4) The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation: He stresses the need for total dedication to Christ. (5) The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit: He shows Jesus at prayer before every important step of his ministry. The Spirit is bringing the Church to its final perfection. (6) The Gospel of Joy: Luke succeeds in portraying the joy of salvation that permeated the primitive Church.


Quote:

"Then [Jesus] led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God" (Luke 24:50-53).

10 guidelines from God ...This says it all!

Effective immediately, please be aware that there
are changes YOU need to make in YOUR life.
These changes need to be completed in order that
I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you
peace, joy and happiness in this life.
I apologize for any inconvenience,
but after all that I am doing, this seems very
little to ask of you. Please, follow these 10
guidelines...

1. QUIT WORRYING:
Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit
and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here
to take all your burdens and carry them for you?
Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little
thing that comes your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST:
Something needs done or taken care of. Put it
on the list. No, not YOUR list.
Put it on MY to-do-list.
Let ME be the one to take care of the problem.
I can't help you until you turn it over to Me.
And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all...
God.
I can take care of anything you put into My hands.
In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take
care of a lot of things for you that you never
even realize.

3. TRUST ME:
Once you've given your burdens to Me,
quit trying to take them back. Trust in Me.
Have the faith that I will take care of
all your needs, your problems and your trials.
Problems with the kids? Put them on My list.
Problem with finances? Put it on My list.
Problems with your emotional roller coaster?
For My sake, put it on My list. I want to
help you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE:
Don't wake up one morning and say,
"Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think
I can handle it from here." Why do you think
you are feeling stronger now? It's simple.
You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking
care of them. I also renew your strength
and cover you in my peace. Don't you
know that if I give you these problems back,
you will be right back where you started?
Leave them with Me and forget about
them. Just let Me do my job.

5. TALK TO ME:
I want you to forget a lot of things.
Forget what was making you crazy.
Forget the worry and the fretting because
you know I'm in control. But there's one
thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't
forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU!
I want to hear your voice. I want you to
include Me in on the things going on in your life.
I want to hear you talk about your friends
and family. Prayer is simply you having
a conversation with Me. I want to be your
dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH:
I see a lot of things from up here that you
can't see from where you are. Have faith in
Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me;
you wouldn't want the view from My eyes.
I will continue to care for you, watch over you,
and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me.
Although I have a much bigger task than you,
it seems as if you have so much trouble just
doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

7. SHARE:
You were taught to share when you were
only two years old. When did you forget?
That rule still applies. Share with those who are
less fortunate than you. Share your joy with
those who need encouragement. Share your
laughter with those who haven't heard any in
such a long time. Share your tears with those
who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith
with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT:
I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime
you could have so many diverse experiences.
You grow from a child to an adult, have children,
change jobs many times, learn many trades,
travel to so many places, meet thousands
of people, and experience so much. How can
you be so impatient then when it takes Me
a little longer than you expect to handle
something on My to-do-list? Trust in My
timing, for My timing is perfect. Just
because I created the entire universe in
only six days, everyone thinks I should
always rush, rush, rush.

9. BE KIND:
Be kind to others, for I love them just
as much as I love you. They may not dress
like you, or talk like you, or live the same way
you do, but I still love you all. Please try
to get along, for My sake. I created each
of you different in some way. It would be
too boring if you were all identical.
Please, know I love each of your differences.

10. LOVE YOURSELF:
As much as I love you, how can you not
love yourself? You were created by me for
one reason only -- to be loved, and to love
in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me.
Love your neighbors. But also love yourself.
It makes My heart ache when I see you
so angry with yourself when things go
wrong. You are very precious to me.
Don't ever forget......

For God, it is said, "cannot be tempted of evil." The devil, therefore, drives us on by violence, drawing us to destruction; but God leads us by the hand, training us for our salvation.

- St. Dionysius of Corinth (d. 180), from "An Exposition of Luke" XXII. 46

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Divine Peace:

Our Lord wants more disciples to spread His divine "Peace" to all peoples. This "Peace" will last for all eternity. He knows that every person is hungering for this deep peace. The world of glamour and gratification cannot give us such peace. Is your heart open to this "Peace"?

If This Grace Were Ours:

It is the rare person who, looking back over his life and seeing what he has done to it, hasn't sighed for a chance to redeem what he has cheaply used or carelessly ruined. If only somehow, somewhere, there was a way to live again the days we have darkened with our blind haste - the innumerable occasions when our indifference trod on all the pearls of God’s graciousness; the times when our pride, or our fear, or our meanness poured the acid of contempt over the fair countenance of another’s soul! If this grace were ours, how we would leap to the chance!

Safe in God’s Arms:

Do not anticipate the problems of this life with apprehension, but rather with a perfect hope that God, to whom you belong, will free you from them accordingly. Simply hold on tightly to the hand of his divine providence and he will help you in all events. When you are unable to walk, he will lead you.