Blog Post 11/30/2021 - Faith?

                                                                 Faith?

 

During Advent it will serve us well to reflect on FAITH, what it means and our desire to increase our faith.  Theologian Paul Tillich said that "faith" is the most misunderstood word in the religious vocabulary.  And this is a tragedy, for faith stands at the very heart of the program; it is the sine qua non of the Christian thing.

So, what is it?

The opening line of Hebrews 11 has the right definition: "Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see."

Bishop Barron said, “Faith is a straining ahead toward those things that are, at best, dimly glimpsed.  But notice please that it is not a craven, hand-wringing, unsure business.  It is confident and full of conviction.”

Say a prayer of gratitude for the gift of Faith that God has given you, and during Advent give your Faith some extra spiritual nourishment.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

 

 

Blog Post 11/29/2021 Advent - Seeking God, the One Who Seeks Us

 

Seeking God, the One Who Seeks Us

 

In 1 Samuel 16:7b we read, “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.”  Then in psalm 62 we pray, “In God alone be at rest, my soul; for my hope comes from him.  He alone is my rock, my stronghold, my fortress: I stand firm.  In God is my safety and glory, the rock of my strength.  Take refuge in God, all you people.  Trust him at all times.

Pour out your hearts before him for God is our refuge.” 

 

Cardinal Cantalamessa points out that, “Every other religion starts with what we have to do for God, Christianity starts with what God has done for us.”   And St. Thomas Aquinas said, "In this life no one can fulfill his longing, nor can any creature satisfy man’s desire. Only God satisfies, he infinitely exceeds all other pleasures. That is why man can rest in nothing but God." 

 

So, what are we to do, let me share three insights with you:

1.    May the lives we live light the path to the Lord and may those who follow us find us faithful and joyful.  [Dcn. George Kelly]

 

2.    The rhythm of our soul is found in the rhythm of God, so we must allow the Holy Spirit to mold our hearts, our minds and our souls to God.

In doing that, our lives reflect God to the world and the joy of discipleship permeates our being.  [Dcn. George Kelly]

 

3.    When you are having difficulty praying, [try this prayer] ‘God I am having a tough time praying, thank you for being with me.’  And if that is all you do every day for the rest of your life, God will be pleased, and you will pray well.  [Dcn. George Kelly]

 

May your day be blessed, and may your life be filled with the grace that God offers you.

 

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

St. Joseph pray for us. 

St. Francis de Sales pray for us. 

May God Be Praised.

Blog Post 11/28/2021 – Suggestions & Thoughts for Advent 2021

 

Suggestions & Thoughts for Advent 2021

1. Spend time in silent prayer

2. Reflect on the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist

3. Let the joy of humility be the foundation of your Advent

 

 

Spend some time reflecting on what St. Jane Frances de Chantal said, “In prayer, more is accomplished by listening than by talking.” 

Think about what Thomas Merton said, “We will never fully appreciate the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist until we see the intimate connection that exists between the mystery of the Holy Eucharist and the mystery of the Church, the Body of Christ.”

Allow what St. Bernard of Clairvaux said to guide you, "The true measure of loving God is to love Him without measure.

End your reflection with this insight from Fr. Lewis Fiorelli, O.S.F.S. wrote, “ Humility recognizes the supremacy of God and thus of the divine will in our lives, while gentleness embodies our deep respect, even reverence, for the dignity and goodness of every person as made in God’s holy image.”

 

May your spiritual exercises during Advent bring you a Christmas Season that deepens your love and trust in Jesus Christ, true God, true Man.

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

 

Blog Post 11/27/2021 – Do What is Right.

 

                                                            Do What is Right.

St. Paul exhorted the Thessalonians and he exhorts us to  “…never grow weary of doing what is right ….”

Today when doing right seems so difficult, do right anyway, it is why God put you here.

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

 

 

Blog Post 11/26/2021 – Song of Zechariah

 

 

 

 The Benedictus

Blest be the Lord, the God of Israel,

Who brings the dawn and darkest night dispels,

Who raises up a mighty Saviour from the earth,

Of David's line, a son of royal birth.

 

The prophets tell a story just begun

Of vanquished foe and glorious vict'ry won,

Of promise made to all who keep the law as guide:

God's faithful love and mercy will abide.

 

This is the oath once sworn to Abraham:

All shall be free to dwell upon the land,

Free now to praise, unharmed by the oppressor's rod,

Holy and righteous in the sight of God.

 

And you, my child, this day you shall be called

The promised one, the prophet of our God,

For you will go before the Lord to clear the way,

And shepherd all into the light of day.

 

The tender love God promised from our birth

Is soon to dawn upon this shadowed earth,

To shine on those whose sorrows seem to never cease,

To guide our feet into the path of peace.

 

All glory be to God, Creator blest,

To Jesus Christ, God's love made manifest,

And to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter,

All glory be, both now and ever more.  

[Bernadette Farrell - Luke 1: Benedictus]

 

 

Today reflect on this stanza:

“The tender love God promised from our birth

Is soon to dawn upon this shadowed earth,

To shine on those whose sorrows seem to never cease,

To guide our feet into the path of peace.”

 

If your sorrows are many offer them to God and ask the Lord to turn them into good for those in need.

 

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

Blog Post 11/25/2021 - Thanksgiving, Why be Thankful and The Tin Man and a New Heart

 

The late archbishop of Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George, O.M.I., put it best: “Recognizing that none of us is self-made and unwilling to declare ourselves a cosmic accident, we turn to the Author of all that is and say thanks. In the face of a gift that cannot be matched in return, all one can do is be grateful.”

The Tin Man and a New Heart

In a way we are like the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz searching for a heart, the heart that God originally created for us, then sin enter the world and we became disorientated.  The Wizard of Oz the Tin Man sought a heart, Jesus came to restore our heart to its’ proper cosmic direction – God.

 

“I will give you a new heart
and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.

I will put my spirit within you
and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.

You shall live in the land I gave your fathers;
you shall be my people,
and I will be your God.”  [Ezekiel 36:24-28]

“I will create a new heart in you, and breathe into you a new spirit.”

Ezekiel’s prophecy anticipated the Messiah’s call to reorient our hearts and place God’s will first and foremost in our life.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

                                                      

 May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

 

 

Blog Post 11/24/2021 - Listen

 

 

 

                                Listen!

Today, listen to the Lord, and your joy will be profound and deep.

 

 

 

 

 

The Apocalypse [Unveiling]

 

The last things are death, judgment, heaven and hell.  Since only the Father in heaven knows when those ends will occur, we should life every moment as if it were our last moment and one day, we will be correct and meet God.

 

The best preparation is living the Beatitudes each day as the basis for our life here and in eternity.

 

"May we follow Your Light [Dear Lord] as we continue our earthly journey and prepare for the gift of eternal life."  Amen.  [Dcn. George Kelly]

 

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

 

Blog Post 11/23/2021 – Why are we here on earth?

 

                    Why are we here on earth?

During November as we pray for our relatives, friends and all of the faithfully departed take a few minutes to reflect on: “When will I come to the end of my pilgrimage and enter the presence of God?”  [Ant. 1 M.P. 11/22/2021]

In our Psalm Prayer we call out to God, “Inspire us to yearn for you always, like the deer for running streams, until you satisfy every longing in heaven.”

 

Keeping in mind that in Revelation [22:17] we are taught, “Let all who thirst come; let all who desire it, drink from the life-giving water.”   We are on earth to drink from the well of God’s love until we are with the Lord forever in heaven.

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

 

 

 

 

Blog Post 11/22/2021 – Blessings for Today

 

A Blessing from the Book of Numbers and from Saint Patrick's Breastplate

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The LORD bless you and keep you!

The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!

The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!”  [Numbers 6:24-26]

 

 

“Christ be with me

Christ before me

Christ behind me

Christ in me

Christ beneath me

Christ above me

Christ on my right

Christ on my left

Christ where I lie

Christ where I sit

Christ where I arise

Christ in the heart of every man

who thinks of me

Christ in the mouth of every man

who speaks of me

Christ in every eye that sees me

Christ in every ear that hears me

Salvation is of the Lord.”  [From Saint Patrick's Breastplate]

 

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

 

 

Blog Post 11/21/2021 – A Prayer to Start the Day

 

                               A Prayer to Start the Day

 

“God on high, source of all light, hear my morning prayer.  Turn my thoughts to what is good and guide me by the glow of Your Holy Spirit.  May my actions be those You want lived today.  I offer this pray through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.”  Amen.  [Dcn. George Kelly]

 

 

We danced at our Wedding Reception to the Beatles, "Here, There And Everywhere"

Here, There And Everywhere 

For 51 years Joanne has helped me “To lead a better life I need my love to be here...”

My morning prayer today is THANK YOU GOD for my wife and best friend as we celebrate 51 years of marriage.  Ad Multos Annos, and I love you, more today than yesterday, but less than tomorrow. 

 

N.B.  Say some prayers for Joanne, she is suffering great back pain and your prayers will help easy it.  Thank you.

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

Blog Post 11/20/2021 - A Thought about Prayer

 

A Thought about Prayer

 

“Prayer is primarily a work of the heart, rather than a work of the head, but both head and heart are necessary.   Praying should be simple, and resolutions made during prayer should be simple as well.  Our prayer should reflect our innermost desire to draw us closer to God.  Prayer = Trust that the Lord God to lead us to “still waters” where we will rest and renew our spirit.”              [Dcn. George Kelly]

 

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  [St. Brendan the Navigator]

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

Blog Post 11/19/2021 – Today Pray The Angelus

Today Pray The Angelus at 9:00 am, 12:00 pm & 6:00 pm.

Ask the Blessed Mother to intercede for your intentions.

 

V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary ….

 

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary ….

 

 

V. And the Word was made flesh.

R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary ….

 

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

 

V. Let us pray.

R. Pour forth, we beseech You O Lord, Your grace into our hearts; that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Your Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

 

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

 

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.