Blog Post 1/31/2023 – Suffering is an Enigma

 

 

Suffering is an Enigma

 

Suffering is beyond our understanding so we can only bless it by how we deal with it.

 

Upon first reading about Job, we (I) would not be inclined to rush out and invite him for a meal.  Job said, “Is not man’s live on earth a drudgery?”  “I shall not see happiness again.”  If today, you found out that you were going to lose all of your material possessions.     

That is some of what Job lost and part of the reason for his gloom.  Job lost important parts of his life: his children and friends.  So today I want you to reflect on suffering! 

 

Suffering is a profoundly difficult human problem to deal with, to comprehend!

 

Why is there suffering if God is all loving, all good & all-powerful?

 

Why does anyone suffer?

 

Why does God permit suffering?

 

Well, I don’t know!  We will not fully understand the why of suffering until we arrive at our eternal reward.  Eugene Kennedy said, “Heartbreak is impossible unless there is great love.  Without love, sorrow & tears would disappear.”

 

But Why?  I do not know, but I do know that our loving God and Creator sent us His Son, who showed us how to handle suffering.

 

When Jesus suffered, He offered His suffering to God the Father Who blessed it and anointed with the Holy Spirit and good came from it.  We are called to do the same and trust me it is not easy.

 

Bishop Barron shared this insight, during the storm, Jesus’ disciples cried out to the Lord in desperation: "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"   This is a de profundis prayer. 

A prayer that  comes from Psalm 130: "Out of the depths, I have cried to you, O Lord. O Lord, be attentive to the voice of my pleading."  It is the prayer offered at the darkest times of life when we feel utterly incapable of helping ourselves.

 

When we suffer or when one of our loved ones suffers, cry out to the Lord, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"  "Out of the depths, I have cried to you, O Lord. O Lord, be attentive to the voice of my pleading."  may we experience the Lord’s healing.

 

May God Be Praised!

 

 

 

Blog Post 1/30/2023 - Giving Thanks & Being Ready

 

Giving Thanks & Being Ready

 

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your merciful love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night….”  [Psalm 92]

 

 

 

Reflect on your prayer life?
Do you pray regularly?
Are you praying every day for: self, family, nation, world?
 
When Jesus comes will He find you faithful?

 

May God Be Praised.

 

Blog Post 1/29/2023 – Worry & Anxiety

 

                                                                  Worry & Anxiety

"Though the fig tree do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."  [Habakkuk 3:17-18]

St. Francis de Sales offers us this advice on worry/anxiety, “With the single exception of sin, anxiety is the greatest evil that can happen to a soul.” 

The Gentleman Saint said, “Do not look forward in fear to the changes and chances of this life; Rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise, God, to whom you belong will in His love enable you to profit by them.  He has guided you thus far in life, and He will lead you safely through all trials; and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in His arms."

Pray

“You are my God; be gracious to me, Lord… to you I call all day…. to you, Lord, I lift up my soul….  Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for help….  Lord, help and comfort me.”  [Psalm 86]

 “So, when worry and anxiety enter your heart or your mind, take a deep breath – exhale the worry & anxiety into God’s hands.  Then ask God to fill you with peace, joy and trust.”   Deacon George

 

May God Be Praised.

Blog Post 1/28/2023 – When your Prayer Life goes Dry

When your Prayer Life goes Dry

There are times in our lives when we sit down to pray and feel nothing. We don’t experience any joy or peace. In those times we struggle to pray, and we may think we should stop praying.  When that happens de Sales offers us this advice: 

 

1. Vocally tell God about your dryness.

2. Read a spiritual book.

3. Offer a gesture of prayer, kissing your Crucifix, holding a rosary, put your hands on your heart and ask God for help.

4. Persevere with faith and continue praying regardless of any feeling.

 

St. Francis de Sales  in his Introduction to the Devout Life practical spiritual insight to deal with dryness in your prayer life.

 

Go the Lord before the Tabernacle, thank God for the privilege of being in His Presence and give your dryness in prayer to Jesus, our Savior.

 

May God Be Praised

 

Blog Post 1/27/2023 – The Wonders of the Lord

 

                                                            The Wonders of the Lord

 

“Open my eyes, Lord, that I may see, the wonders of Your ways.  Open my heart, Lord, that I may love the wonders of your ways.  Fill my will with Your grace, Lord, that I may follow your ways."

 

May God Be Praised!

Blog Post - 1/26/2023 Some More Spiritual Humor

Some More Spiritual Humor    

Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place.  Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord take pity on me.  If you find me a parking place, I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of my life and give up me Irish Whiskey!"

 

Miraculously, a parking place appeared.  Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind, I've just found one myself."

Father Murphy walks into a pub in Donegal, and says to the first man he meets, "Do you want to go to heaven?"  The man said, "I do, Father."  The priest said, "Then stand over there against the wall."  Then the priest asked the second man, "Do you want to go to  heaven?"  "Certainly, Father," was the man's reply.  "Then stand over there against the wall," said the  priest.

Then Father Murphy walked up to O'Toole and said, "Do you want to go to heaven?"

O'Toole said, "No, I don't Father." 

The priest said, "I don't believe this.   You mean to tell me that when you die you don't want to go to heaven?"  O'Toole said, "Oh when I die, yes!   I thought you were getting a group together to go right now."

 

May God Be Praised.

Blog Post 1/25/2023 – Take Time to Laugh Today

 

 

Take Time to Laugh Today

 

Answers given by children on a religion test:

 

1.     Noah's wife was called Joan of the Ark.

2.     A myth is a female moth.

3.     Sometimes it is difficult to hear in church because the agnostics.

4.     The Pope lives in a vacuum.

5.     The Fifth Commandment is "Humor your father and mother."

Last but certainly not least.

6.     Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night.

 

And now some cartoons to brighten you day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May God Be Praised.

 

 

Blog Post 1/24/2023 - Feast of St. Francis de Sales

                                                  Feast of St. Francis de Sales

 

Francis de Sales wrote, the purpose of lay spirituality is to bring holiness to the secular world.  An important insight from de Sales is, “Whatever we may see our neighbors do, we must always interpret his/her conduct in the best manner possible.”  [Conf. IV on the Spirit of Humility]

He, also, said, “He asks for your own heart.  Give it such as it is ….”  [Sermon in a Sentence, deSales, p.103]

 

Salesian Spirituality often uses the image of Heart speaking to Heart, that image is powerful when we use it with the Eucharist; Jesus giving Himself to us in the Bread & Wine blessed & broken.  Bread & Wine that during the Liturgy of the Eucharist becomes the Body & Blood of Jesus Christ given for many, given for you & for me.  In his Treatise on the Love God said, “… the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist, the perpetual feast of divine grace.”

 

 

A prayer de Sales offers us to begin our day is “My God, I give you this day.  I offer you, now, all of the good that I shall do … and I promise to accept, for love of you, all of the difficulty that I shall meet.  Help me to conduct myself during this day In a manner [most] pleasing to you.”  [Direction of Intention St. Francis de Sales]

 

In addition to his two well know works [The Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God] St. Francis de Sales, also, wrote a terrific little book, Finding God’s Will for You, below is an excerpt that offer us a beautiful insight. 

 

“Many men keep the commandments in the way sick men take medicine: more from fear of dying in damnation than for joy of living according to our Savior’s will.  Just as some persons dislike taking medicine, no matter how pleasant it is, simply because it is called medicine, so there are some souls who hold in horror things commanded simply because they are commanded . . . On the contrary, a loving heart loves the commandments.

The more difficult they are, the sweeter and more agreeable it finds them, since this more perfectly pleases the Beloved and gives Him greater honor.”  [Finding God's Will for You, p.20]

 

This year do yourself a spiritual favor, get a copy and read it.  You and God will be delighted.

 

Happy Feast of St. Francis de Sales, the Gentleman Saint.

 

May God Be Praised.

 

 

Blog Post 1/23/2023 - Interesting Reflection on the Soul

 

Interesting Reflection on the Soul

 

 

St. Anthony of Padua observed, "The life of the body is the soul; the life of the soul is God."

 

 

St. Francis de Sales advises us to live a devout life, he wrote, true devotion must touch every area of our life.  He offered us this motto “Live, Jesus! Live, Jesus!”  In its’ simplest form it means to live our life for God.

 

“Ask, and it will given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  [Luke 11:9]

 

Your soul is a precious gift from our Creator, take some time to ponder that gift.

 

May God Be Praised.

 

Blog Post 1/22/2023 - Another Look at Prayer

 

Another Look at Prayer

"If you wish, you can make me clean." [Gospel of Mark 1:40-45].

The leper offers his beautiful prayer, his humble petition, in an act of petitionary prayer.  The leper does not demand, but recognizes Jesus, as his Lord.   

 

Concluding our plea(s) with "Thy will be done" as we do each time, we pray the Our Father prepares our heart, our mind and our soul for God’s answer. 

The Lord will always offer us what is best for us, are we ready to accept God’s answer?

 

May God Be Praised.

Blog Post 1/21/2023 – An Insight on Prayer

 

An Insight on Prayer

St. Francis de Sales advises us, "If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently and replace it tenderly in its Master's presence. And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back and place it again in Our Lord's presence, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed."

Today pray to the Master, with the Master and in the Master’s presence with you whole mind, soul and being.

 

May God Be Praised.

 

 

*The image is available at the Salesian Shop https://www.salesianshop.com/the-sacred-artwork-of-bro-mickey-mcgrath/

 

Blog Post Homily Cycle I 1/20/2023 – Offered at OLPH School Mass

 

Offered at OLPH School Mass

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012023.cfm

 

This morning we began Mass with the Sign of the Cross, and when we did, we offered our minds, hearts and souls to God for service in The Kingdom of God.  The Church offers us many liturgies, Mass, the Celebration of the Eucharist being the most important because it is “the source and summit of our faith.” 

However, one of the other Liturgies we receive from God through Holy Mother Church is the Liturgy of the Hours.  In its simplest for is Morning Prayer, the Office of Readings and Evening Prayer, on a four week cycle.  In addition to those prayers in the Liturgy of the Hours, we have Midmorning, Midday, Midafternoon and Night Prayers.

 

On Tuesday of this week at Morning Prayer we prayed, “In the depths of my heart, the law of God is my guide.”  That is the essential message from today’s readings from Scripture.

In the Gospel Jesus summoned the 12 and Jesus summons us.  Apostle in the early Church meant “people who are sent”, we like the Apostles are sent by God into the world to proclaim [live] the Gospel message.

                                                                                                                             *

 

 

This year marks the 400 the anniversary of the death of St. Francis 

de Sales and our Holy Father issued an Apostolic Letter entitled “Everything Pertains Love ….” [Totum Amoris Est]. 

St. Francis de Sales was one of the first ordained clerics of the Church to advocate “holiness of life” for all people not just priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers, but also, the laity.  In his Apostolic Latter Pope Francis’ highlighted two essential dimensions of the spiritual life:

1.     Humble and preserving prayer open to the Holy Spirit

2.     And reminded us to think in the Church and think with her teaching.

That isn’t easy, so how can we do that, Be faithful in our prayer life.

At the end of Mass, you will hear “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”

It is a reminder that after we are nourished at Mass, we are to bring the Message of Jesus [the Gospel Message] to our school, our home, our neighborhood, to wherever we go.

Hard work but very rewarding.

May God Be Praised.

 

*The image is available at the Salesian Shop https://www.salesianshop.com/the-sacred-artwork-of-bro-mickey-mcgrath/

 

 

 

 

Blog Post 1/19/2023 – Our Actions

 

Our Actions

St. Francis de Sales said, “God does not measure our perfection by the many things that we do for Him, but by how we do them.”

Today may each action, each word we do and say, be done with God’s love in mind, heart and will.

May God Be Praised!

Blog Post 1/18/2023 Impractical Christianity, An Encounter with a Person

 

 

Impractical Christianity, An Encounter with a Person

Clarence Jordan wrote, “Christianity is not a system you work – it is a Person who works you. You don’t get it; He gets you.”

 

The late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote, "Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction."

 

Today spend some time reflecting on your encounter with Jesus Christ, is He is center of your life?

 

May God Be Praised.

Blog Post – 1/17/2023 Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Additional Reflection on Martin Luther King, Jr.

Two months before his assassination Martin Luther King Jr spoke to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta about his death in what would oddly enough become his eulogy.
"Every now & then I think about my own death, & I think about my own funeral, if any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral.  And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long.                                

Every now & then I wonder what I want them to say.  Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, that isn’t important.  Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards, that’s not important.                                            

I’d like someone to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others.  I’d like someone to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.  I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry.  I want you to be able to say that day that I did try … to clothe those who were naked.  I want you to be able to say that I did try to visit those in prison.     I want you to say that I tried to love & serve humanity."  He concluded with these words:   "I won’t have any money left behind.  I won’t have the fine & luxurious things of life to leave behind.  But I just want to leave a committed life behind."

Today is a reminder to re-kindle the spirit of Christ in our hearts, our souls and in our actions.

Today it is worth spending some time reflecting on what our own eulogy will be.

May God Be Praised.

*The image is available at the Salesian Shop https://www.salesianshop.com/the-sacred-artwork-of-bro-mickey-mcgrath/