Blog Post 1/17/2024 – What is God is calling us to be?

What is God is calling us to be?

 

In  Peter’s Letter we read, “BE HOLY BECAUSE HE IS HOLY” [1 Peter 1:16]                      

 

 

How?

 

 

Pope Francis in his letter - "Rejoice and Be Glad" [Gaudete et Exsultate] challenges us to  re-think the idea of being holy ….   "We are … tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer.

 

We are called to be holy by living our lives with love & by bearing witness in everything we do.   Are you married?  Be holy by loving & caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for His Church.   Do you have children Be Holy by loving your children, as Christ does for His church.

 

At work, at play, walking, talking, whatever you are doing, act with integrity & love your brothers & sisters, do it the way Christ would do.  Be holy by patiently teaching everyone you interact with how to follow Jesus, take a few minutes to listen to this hymn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVbLQh-lT0

 

“Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”

— St. Teresa of Ávila (attributed)

 

 

Now go and be Christ to the world, it is starving for Him.

 

May God Be Praised.

Blog Post 1/16/2024 - Footsteps

 

Footsteps

“Walking in His footsteps He guides us in HIS WAY;

Lord Savior Jesus - journey with us this day. 

Your WAY is the Kingdom, the Kingdom of God if we dare - Dare to walk with You --- Dare to walk with YOU THERE!
Hope fills our hearts today as evening fades away.”

 

Follow in His footsteps.

 

May God Be Praised.

 

Blog Post 1/15//2024 – Words of wisdom from Pope Francis

 

Words of wisdom from Pope Francis

 

 

“… Remember that being happy is not having a sky without storms, a road without accidents, a job without effort, relationships without disappointments…. It's going through deserts but being able to find an oasis deep in your soul.

 

It's to thank God every morning for the miracle of life. It’s kissing your children, cuddling your parents, having poetic moments with your friends, even when they hurt us….  Use your mistakes with the serenity of the sculptor. Use pain to tune into pleasure. Use obstacles to open the windows of intelligence. Never give up ...

 

Above all, never give up on the people that love you. Never give up on happiness because life is an amazing show. "

 

Today decide to never give up and always give praise to God.

 

May God Be Blessed.

 

Blog Post 1/14/2024 – Insight from the Psalms

Insight from the Psalms

In Psalm 85 we pray, “Mercy and faithfulness have met; justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth and justice look down from heaven.”  And from Psalm 67, “O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us.  So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help.” 

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.”  Amen.

Today praise God all day.

May God Be Praised.

Blog Post 1/13/2024 – Trust in God and do your part.

 

 

Trust in God and do your part.

Teihard de Chardin advised us to “Above all, trust in the slow work of God….”  We should  Trust that God is at work, but we need to do our part and Live Jesus.  The world needs our example.

de Chardin also wrote, “Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”

As you reflect on God’s fire covering the earth and strengthen us to live the Gospel message, spend some time in thanksgiving for all that has been accomplished and all that we are called to accomplish for the Lord.

 

May God Be Praised.

 

Blog Post 1/12/2024 Homily OLPH School Mass

 

Homily Offered at the OLPH School Mass

 

 

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011224.cfm

In our Reading from 1^st Samuel, we are reminded that the Lord is faithful, and we need to be aware of the many blessings God gives us.  For example: be thankful/grateful for our families, our faith, our parish [Fr. Marty pastor, pastor emeritus Msgr. Sacks, the deacons], our school [principal, teachers, staff and classmates].

In the Gospel the paralytic  and his friends believe Jesus can help, BUT the most important part of the healing is Jesus forgiving his sins.  Jesus’ forgiveness enables us to receive Him in the Eucharist, the gift that nourishes and strengthen us.  Today’s healing reminds us to have Jesus as the center of our lives.

Remember at the beginning of the school year we learned to Prepare and Participate for/at Mass. We enter Church in silence because we are entering holy space, we are visiting a special person’s home & we make the sign of the cross reverently placing two fingers in Holy water in the Baptismal Font.

We come to Mass to give thanks and to serve God.   So, everything we do: How we enter, How we are present, How we kneel, sit, stand and sing are important.  Our attentiveness of to the Word of God, The Gifts Offered, the Eucharistic Prayer & the reception of the Eucharist are special times.

We sing the hymns at Mass to praise God, so we should sing like we would at a Taylor Swift concert with joy in our hearts. How can we give to God our: Personal Best? 

By living our lives, the Way Jesus wants us too.

May God Be Praised.

Blog Post 1/11/2024 - Thoughts from St. Paul to Reflect Upon.

 

 

Thoughts from St. Paul to Reflect Upon.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  [Philippians 4:13]

 

^“Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”  [1 Corinthians 13:4-8]

Our strength comes from Christ who gives us the strength [spiritual] to follow Him.

 

May God Be Praised.