Recently in living the faith Category

Brian has revived his Beggar for Heaven blog with a 40 Day Lenten Reflection. Go check it out!

Hey guys, I received this info from Carmen, an RoL reader. Sounds like a great opportunity! I am especially excited that it is being put together by Ave Maria Singles. That's were Brian and I met! (Here's our story.) May you be just as deeply blessed! Check it out.

Hi Bobbi,

Any way to get this information out there? This singles group is recommended by Fr. Benedict Groeschel. People are signed on from Australia, Germany, Ireland, and the USA. Half the group registered are men so far!!!

Feel free to call me for more info! God bless! Thank you and best wishes for Blessed Christmas!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Catholic Singles' Pilgrimage to Fatima & Lourdes March 10-20, 2010

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Join Anthony Buono, Fr. Peter Stravinskas & Ave Maria Singles, March 10-20, 2010, on an 11-day Marian pilgrimage to the shrines of Fatima & Lourdes. Pray at the Grotto of Lourdes and bath in the healing waters; celebrate Mass at the Chapel of the Apparitions in Fatima; visit the birthplace of St. Ignatius of Loyola; walk in the footsteps of pilgrims to the Cathedral of St James de Compostela; visit the stunning cathedrals of Leon, Burgos, Fatima, Lourdes, and Santiago de Compostela. Sample the extraordinary cuisine of France, Spain and Portugal!

Don't miss this fabulous opportunity to meet other Catholic Singles and to experience the spiritual wonders and graces of Fatima & Lourdes! Only $1,999 per person (air not included)! Call Corporate Travel, (800) 727-1999, extension 121, for more information.

Here it is, Carmen! I'll also post it on Twitter!

One of our fave Catholic speakers Fr. Corapi has many of this talks on DVD for sale. Only $10 each. Buy a couple for yourself or as gifts for friends! Check it out here.

Congrats to my sis-in-law Maria Rangel for the beautiful Madonna and Child she finished painting! This painting is now available as a high quality printed card. They make great Christmas cards and since they are blank inside they can be used year round. They also make a great gift. Wrap a bundle of cards in a pretty ribbon and add a nice pen to the bow and you have a great unique gift for a hostess, teacher, or Catholic friend.

The "Madonna and Child" cards are blank on the inside and approx 5"x7" folded with envelopes. The cost is $2.50 each or bulk rate of $1.50 each for 10 or more. Shipping is $3 for orders below 10 cards and $5 for orders of 10 cards or more. Make checks payable to Maria Rangel. Orders can be mailed to 310 S. Jefferson St. #49A, Placentia, CA 92870.

Check out this new movie about Our Lady of Fatima coming out on October 13, 2009. It looks really good! For more details about screenings in your area or the DVD, visit http://www.the13thday.com.

Here is a post Brian wrote for RoL.

On Thursday July 16th, the Carmelite Order along with the Universal Church will be celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. I believe this special day, which honors the Queen of Heaven, is deeply significant for lay Catholics because it calls us to reflect upon three very important spiritual facts. First - Our Lady's love for us, second - the brown scapular and third - a life of prayer.

A Brief History

The feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel came into existence in the 14th century in commemoration of the "approbation" given to the Carmelite Order by Pope Honorius III. The specific date July 16th was chosen because it was on that day in the year 1251 that St. Simon Stock, the 6th Prior General of the Carmelite Order, had a vision of Our Lady who presented him with the brown scapular saying, "This shall be to you and all Carmelites a privilege, that whoever dies clothed in this (scapular) shall never suffer eternal fire."

Our Lady Loves Us

When St. Simon Stock was Prior of the Carmelite Order, the Order faced numerous difficulties and challenges. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Simon went to Our Lady because he knew that she loved him, and because she loved him, she would help him. Like St. Simon, we should have great confidence in the love the Blessed Mother has for us. And we should never forget that while Christ was hanging on the cross, He gave us His own mother, to be our mother.

The Spiritual Value of the Brown Scapular

The brown scapular is considered a sacramental, which is a "sacred sign" instituted by the Church that help prepare us to "receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it." In a society where sin is exalted and darkness is steadily growing, we need spiritual armor to remain in a state of grace and the light of Christ. The brown scapular is Our Lady's armor. By wearing the scapular we will be clothed with Our Lady's protection and prayers and be able to withstand the attacks of the enemy.

A Life of Prayer

The Carmelite Order is about many things, but first and foremost it is about "prayer." Whenever I think about the Carmelites, I think about John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Elizabeth of the Trinity and Therese the Little Flower. These saints are beacons of light that reveal the power and importance of living a life of prayer. The feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is a fantastic day for us to renew our commitment to pray daily.

By recognizing the love Our Lady has for us, the protection souls receive by wearing the brown scapular and the importance of prayer we can truly celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in awesome fashion.

God bless!

Happy feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Here is a post Brian wrote for RoL.

Twelve Promises from God
by Brian

On June 19th the Universal Church will celebrate the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In fact, the whole month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart.

In December of 1673, Jesus appeared for the first time to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) a Visitation sister living at the Order's convent in Paray-le-Monial. Over the next eighteen months Margaret Mary received directly from Christ revelations about His Most Sacred Heart.

In the course of these revelations, Jesus gave Margaret Mary "twelve promises" that He would keep, for those who honored His Most Sacred. The "twelve promises" are:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.

2. I will give peace in their families.

3. I will console them in all their troubles.

4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.

5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.

6. Sinners shall find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.

7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.

8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.

9. I will bless those places wherein the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.

10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.

11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my Heart.

12. In the excess of the mercy of my Heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.

At one time, a friend of mine discovered by chance the "Five First Saturday Devotion" given by Our Lady of Fatima to Sr. Lucia in 1925. He told me that he was beside himself, because he could not understand why no one told him about this simple devotion that if practiced faithfully would bring at the hour of death, through Our Lady's direct intervention, the graces necessary for salvation.

When I reflect upon the twelve promises above, I can see my friend's dismay over something so simple, yet not practiced, nor even known, by so many of the faithful. Christ is not asking us to climb Mount Everest or to fast forty days and forty nights, nor is He asking us to make all night vigils. All He is asking us to do is honor his Most Sacred Heart and He will do the rest.

Along with receiving communion on nine consecutive first Friday's we should offer our Holy Communion for those who do not receive Our Lord, who do not love Him and who wound Him by their sinful lives. I have also read that we should make a holy hour on the Thursday before first Friday in reparation for sins committed against the Sacred Heart.

The promises listed above show the power of Our Lord's Sacred Heart. They also show how much he really loves us and wants us in Heaven with Him for all eternity. Therefore, these promises should not be passed over lightly or rejected as pious drivel, but recognized for what they truly are - promises from God.

I have to admit that I have not practiced this devotion faithfully. I also have to admit that after reading about the Sacred Heart and pondering the twelve promises I will begin this beautiful devotion on the next First Friday. I pray for the grace to continue to do so for the rest of my life.

If you are practicing this devotion, keep it up. If not, join me and let's make the most of the promises Jesus offers to those who honor and love His Sacred Heart.

God bless.

Brian and I love icons and have many in our home. One of our favorite suppliers is the Not of This World Bookstore in Santa Rosa, CA. We live too far to go there in person but fortunately, you can order any of the icons online at http://www.notofthisworldicons.com/index.html. The next time you are looking for a religious gift or an icon for yourself, be sure to check them out.

Today is the feast day of St. Louis Marie de Montford. Here is piece that Brian wrote for RoL.

Recently, I finished reading a book on the life of St. Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716). This apostle of the Rosary, vagabond preacher, friend of the cross and author of numerous works, including True Devotion to Mary, could easily be considered the "patron saint of rejection."

Within St. Peter's Basilica, high up in one of the many columns that support the infrastructure, is a niche which contains a life size statue of St. Louis de Montfort. Whoever sculpted the statute did an awesome job depicting the saint as a humble priest who was a spiritual powerhouse. Whenever I see a picture of the statue, I notice two things immediately. First, under his feet De Montfort is crushing the devil, who has taken the form of a serpent. Second, he is cradling a large crucifix in his left arm.

Throughout de Montfort's life the cross loomed largely. Like His Savior who carried the Cross to Calvary for the salvation of the world, St. Louis imitated and obeyed Jesus who said, "He who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me." (Mt. 10:38).

As I read about the life of St. Louis de Montfort, it became apparent that many of his peers during his own day saw him as an odd priest. For the most part, this was due to the way he lived his priestly vocation. His calling to be a missionary led him to embrace the life of a tramp. It also led him to embrace a life of poverty where he associated with the poor and destitute. It led him to take the Gospel literally and live out his vocation in extreme austerity. It helped him to pray constantly and fully abandon himself to Divine Providence. Through all of this he developed a reputation of being strange and a bit bizarre, even though he was quite the contrary.

His way of life, his approach to living the Catholic faith and his identity as a missionary left him a marked man. Whether it was Lent, Advent, the Easter season or Ordinary Time, de Montfort carried the cross of rejection wherever he went. Of course he gave parish missions and inspired the faithful to live and love their faith, but more often than not, St. Louis was given a cold shoulder and the silent treatment by numerous bishops and fellow priests.

Time and time again, he would enter a diocese to speak with the Bishop to receive permission to celebrate Mass, hear confessions, and preach missions. Many bishops who heard rumors about this strange missionary would immediately send him on his way denying him permission to do anything except leave the diocese.

What is so amazing and striking about de Montfort was his total acceptance of rejection which had become his constant companion. It seems that he was quite at home with the reality that many people, especially brother priests and religious, continuously rejected him and his way of life. Again this did not alter or faze de Montfort. He made sure he kept close to Mary and followed whatever path that she placed him on.

Rejection is quite common. I am sure all of us have experienced rejection and the feelings that are associated with it. Even Christ Our Lord experienced in a most profound way the rejection of others when He hung upon the Cross, dying a slow and painful death. Because rejection, however unfortunate it may be, seems a universal experience the question that remains is how do we deal with it in a manner that will give glory to God? I believe the example set by St. Louis de Montfort suggests several ways to handle rejection.

One of the ways St. Louis handled rejection was by recognizing that nothing ever happens to us without God permitting it. St. Louis understood at the deepest level of his soul that God loved him and that whatever happened to him, including being rejected, did not change this fact. Another way that St. Louis handled rejection was through reflection and meditation upon the "ultimate rejection" Christ experienced on the Cross. The servant is no greater than the Master, therefore if Christ endured rejection why not us? Lastly, St. Louis turned to Mary by praying the Rosary. Through the recitation of the Rosary, Our Lady tenderly embraced St. Louis, consoled him and helped him overcome the rejection he suffered.

I believe if we keep the threefold example set forth by St. Louis de Montfort when experiencing rejection, we would merit great graces. His threefold example of accepting God's Will by knowing God's love for him, his constant reflection upon Jesus Crucified, and the recitation of the Rosary will enable us to handle and endure rejection.

Rejection is never easy to accept and for most of us who have experienced it, it can be downright painful. But now we have a patron saint of rejection whom we can turn to for inspiration and help.

St. Louis de Montfort, pray for us!

God bless!

I had not heard of this guy before but he has a beautiful story of conversion. Check out the videos below or read the article/video text here.

Paddy's Conversion Story

Paddy Singing "Abba Father" in Medjugorje

I've been thinking a lot about my extended family lately, especially those who are far from God. God has been tugging at my heart to pray for them more fervently. This morning I came across the following prayer and I think Lent would be a perfect time to start praying it. Although I don't have all the hurts mentioned in this prayer, I pray for those in my family who are hurting and struggling, that they will find peace and healing in God's love and mercy.

Prayer for Healing the Family Tree

By Rev. John H. Hampsch, CMF

Heavenly Father, I come before you as your child, in great need of your help; I have physical health needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs, and interpersonal needs. Many of my problems have been caused by my own failures, neglect and sinfulness, for which I humbly beg your forgiveness, Lord. But I also ask you to forgive the sins of my ancestors whose failures have left their effects on me in the form of unwanted tendencies, behavior patterns and defects in body, mind and spirit. Heal me, Lord, of all these disorders.

With your help I sincerely forgive everyone, especially living or dead members of my family tree, who have directly offended me or my loved ones in any way, or those whose sins have resulted in our present sufferings and disorders. In the name of your divine Son, Jesus, and in the power of his Holy Spirit, I ask you, Father, to deliver me and my entire family tree from the influence of the evil one. Free all living and dead members of my family tree, including those in adoptive relationships, and those in extended family relationships, from every contaminating form of bondage. By your loving concern for us, heavenly Father, and by the shed blood of your precious Son, Jesus, I beg you to extend your blessing to me and to all my living and deceased relatives. Heal every negative effect transmitted through all past generations, and prevent such negative effects in future generations of my family tree.

I symbolically place the cross of Jesus over the head of each person in my family tree, and between each generation; I ask you to let the cleansing blood of Jesus purify the bloodlines in my family lineage. Set your protective angels to encamp around us, and permit Archangel Raphael, the patron of healing, to administer your divine healing power to all of us, even in areas of genetic disability. Give special power to our family members' guardian angels to heal, protect, guide and encourage each of us in all our needs. Let your healing power be released at this very moment, and let it continue as long as your sovereignty permits.

In our family tree, Lord, replace all bondage with a holy bonding in family love. And let there be an ever-deeper bonding with you, Lord, by the Holy Spirit, to your Son, Jesus. Let the family of the Holy Trinity pervade our family with its tender, warm, loving presence, so that our family may recognize and manifest that love in all our relationships. All of our unknown needs we include with this petition that we pray in Jesus' precious Name. Amen.

+++++++++++++++
St. Joseph, Patron of family life, pray for us.

Here are snippets of two interesting articles I was actually able to read this morning.

The first:

The Most Heroic Thing I Have Ever Witnessed

On January 11, my family went to noon Mass at Blessed Sacrament parish in Seattle. It was being celebrated by our visiting priest, but after he processed up to the altar, we were astonished to see that Father Tom Kraft had taken a seat beside him. (Read the whole article.)

The second:

A Tear-Stained Face in the Other Crowd

Angele came to Washington last week, but she was not one of the multitude who converged on the nation's capital to joyously proclaim their support of the new president on his Inauguration Day. Angele came with the other crowd...

...By any logical measure, Angele - a strikingly attractive woman in her thirties with long hair and a model's cheekbones - should have been on the sidelines, protesting against the marchers. After all, the divorced mother of two had been raped and subsequently exercised her choice to have a mid-trimester abortion. But things didn't quite go according to plan.... (Read the whole article.)

Here's an article Brian wrote for RoL.

Recently, I have felt the Holy Spirit gently call me to write about the "Spirit of Antichrist." It is a subject that has been on the forefront of my thoughts as we swore into office a new President. Call it a gut feeling, but since the elections I have felt a strong inkling that this malignant spirit is washing over our country and the world in an unprecedented way.

Now I know that a topic such as this, can cause people to theorize and speculate about the end times. This is not the purpose of the article, for as Jesus said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."(Mt. 24:36) My purpose in writing is to encourage every Catholic to lead a sacramental life, to pray daily, to avoid sin, to remain in a state of grace and to be vigilant and watchful.

Although there is not much written on the spirit of antichrist, I was able to discover that this spirit is a "spirit of deception" whose sole purpose is to prepare the way for the "man of iniquity." As I reflected upon this I envisioned a cooking mallet hammering away at a piece of steak. I believe the spirit of antichrist works in same way. He hammers away at the minds and hearts of Catholics, softening them to a point where they accept lies over the truth and believe in themselves rather than in God.

According to St. John the Apostle, the spirit of antichrist was already at work in the first century (1 Jn.4:3.) History has proven, especially looking back at the 20th century, how this "malignant spirit" has not slowed down, but continues to wage an all out campaign against the followers of Christ. Of course this war is nothing new, but what is new, is the casualties that are daily increasing amongst the Catholic population. This is most evident with the decreasing number of Catholics who attend Mass, the increasing number of Catholics who pick and choose which teachings of the Church they accept and those they reject and the growing percentage of Catholics who have abandoned the faith.

I believe the signs of the times point directly to the workings of the spirit of antichrist. In his second epistle to Timothy 3:1, St. Paul offers us a glimpse of what the end times will be like, "...people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God..." When I first read this I felt as if St. Paul did not write this centuries ago, but only weeks ago!

It is quite obvious that the current cultural climate, which is becoming darker and darker, proves that the spirit of antichrist is very much alive and active within our society. The question that remains is what are you, and me, going to do about it? A very popular preacher once said, "The times we live in are not for the faint hearted or lily livered." He was right! What is needed today are heroic Catholics who are not looking to just get by with their faith, but who are willing to live it, love it and hold on to it as their greatest possession. If we love our faith, our Church and our neighbor we must fight the spirit of antichrist with all our spiritual might. In other words, we must pray daily, live a sacramental life, learn our faith, make sacrifices and choose good over evil.

God bless.

On a lighter note, Andrew's favorite part of going to Mass or visiting the church is dipping his hand in the water font and blessing himself. Well now whenever he has a cup of water at home he dips his hand in first and blesses himself before drinking. Yesterday he must have thought I needed some blessings too because he dipped his hand in his cup and then blessed my forehead. (He is used to seeing his daddy bless us before we leave the house.) Gotta love those Catholic kid moments!

Here's a post from the National Catholic Register Blog. With Brian getting ready for the Super Bowl next weekend (and having asked him during that last Steeler's game - who's that scary looking guy with all the moves?) I was excited to read this article about him and thought it was a great story to include here.

Polamalu: Real-Deal Christian

It's rare to find a sports star who is both at the absolute top of his sport and who is deeply committed to his Christian faith.

Here's one: Troy Polamalu, the all-pro strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Yesterday, Polamalu's spectacular 40-yard interception return for a touchdown served as the exclamation point in the Steelers' 23-14 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship game in Pittsburgh. The win vaulted the Steelers into the Feb. 1 Super Bowl against the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals.

That kind of game-breaking play is something that Steelers fans have come to expect from Polamalu. A profound commitment to his faith is something that Polamalu's family, friends and teammates have also come to expect from him.

Earlier reports about Polamalu indicated he is Catholic, but according to this recent interview with Yahoo Sports he is actually Greek Orthodox. Every Tuesday, on his day off from practice, he and his wife Theodora travel to an Orthodox monastery near Pittsburgh to attend services there.

Here's what Polamalu told Yahoo interviewer Jason Cole about how he orders his priorities in life:

How hard is it to get time at home during the season? I know guys like (Miami Dolphins linebacker) Zach Thomas stay at the facility until very late studying film and (Indianapolis Colts quarterback) Peyton Manning is watching film at home.
Troy Polamalu: First of all, I'm a Christian so my prayer life really comes first. Second of all, I'm a husband so my wife comes before anything else. If I have time to do anything else after that, I do it, but I don't sacrifice any time with her.

A lot of guys do it the other way around. Football comes first. They say family and faith come first, but they really do the football first. How do you reconcile it?
It's really easy for me. I love my faith and I know that's first ... I really think I know what's important in my life and that's my faith and my wife.

-- Tom McFeely

Okay one last post and then I'm outta here!

7 Sons Lay Hero Dad to Rest by TIM DRAKE

The story of a Catholic father dying to save his son started being told in a small town in Virginia. Then on the front page of the The Washington Post. Then it began to be repeated on blogs and in online discussions from coast to coast.

But those who know him say they always knew Thomas Vander Woude was special. Whether it was installing a gymnasium floor, training altar boys or coaching sports, when the daily communicant father of seven saw a need, he stepped in.

That trait led to the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 8, when he dove into a septic tank to save the life of his son.

Anne Carroll, director of Seton High School, in Manassas, where Vander Woude coached, served on the board and volunteered, said Vander Woulde sacrificed for others "on a daily basis."

"He died as he lived," Carroll said. (Continued...)

I have been thinking about Brian's article about Bl. Maria Celine and pondering that the only way she could have endured so many major crosses in her life was by first enduring the little crosses of her life. That got me thinking about how I am doing in comparison. There are so many times throughout the day when little things just bug me - plans have to be changed, Andrew makes yet another mess, something breaks down, ants are all over the kitchen, etc.

Sometime I am able to take a deep breath and offer up the inconvenience to Our Lord but too often, I get aggravated and upset. I remember one time I was sharing this with a priest in confession and I'll never forget his response, "What makes you so special that you think you shouldn't have inconveniences in your life?" He was very kind and sincere in how he said it, but the question delivered the swift kick in the rear I needed. Oh yeah, I guess that little pride thing has been getting in the way again.

So I've been trying to see all the little crosses in daily life as my opportunity to practice humility and self-surrender. Sometimes it's a hit and sometimes it's a miss but I'm working on it. (Ah, Andrew just tipped over the trash can onto the floor. I didn't know I was going to have to practice quite so soon! Later.)

After reading the article We must 'cultivate knowledge and devotion to the saints,' Holy Father exhorts, I knew Brian would appreciate the Holy Father's message. He loves studying the lives of saints and other holy men and women. He find many lessons about living your Catholic faith in the small and big ways. Here's one lesson Brian wrote about this month.

Blessed Marie Celine: Enduring the Cross (1878 - 1897)

Recently I read a book entitled, "Blessed Marie Celine of the Presentation," published by TAN books. After reading the phenomenal story of this Poor Clare nun who died at the age of nineteen, I could think of only one word to describe her life - "faithfulness." Blessed Marie Celine, whose real name was Germaine Castang, was not a mystic nor someone who performed miracles, rather, she was a simple, humble girl, whose life was a litany of suffering.

From an early age, Christ asked Blessed Marie Celine to pick up her cross and follow Him. She carried five major crosses during her brief life. Her first cross came in the form of a disease she contracted at the age of four. It deformed her foot and made it both difficult and painful to walk. Her second cross came in the form of poverty when her family lost their home and possessions due to her father's poor business dealings. The third cross was being separated from her family and placed in an orphanage. The fourth cross she had to bear was the passing of her mother and beloved brother, Louis. The fifth and final cross came when she was a novice in the Poor Clare monastery of "Ave Maria of Talence." She contracted tuberculosis, which took her life.

From what I read, Bl. Marie Celine never uttered the words, "Why me?" or "This isn't fair." Nor did I come across anything that would suggest that she turned her back on Jesus or became self absorbed. Rather, when faced with these crosses, Bl. Marie Celine turned her heart and soul toward Christ and His Mother, clinging to them with all her strength.

Throughout her life, Bl. Marie Celine's faithfulness radiated the light of Christ, while giving her the strength to carry her crosses and dispel the darkness and suffering that surrounded her. Her faithfulness never wavered even during the worst of times. Instead, it remained constant and steady.

Bl. Marie Celine's faithfulness was not kept only within the interior of her soul, but it spilled over into her daily life. For instance, while at the orphanage she was often seen going on day pilgrimages to Marian shrines. In the Poor Clare monastery during the last months of her life fellow religious saw her carrying a small crucifix in the palm of her hand. These are just two examples, among many, which show how Bl. Marie Celine's faithfulness manifested itself under the shadow of the cross.

The life of Bl. Marie Celine should be a constant reminder to us that we are not only called to bear our crosses, but that in bearing them, we should turn our hearts and souls outward, toward Jesus and Mary. If we do this, we will be led to greater faithfulness, which in turn will become a pipeline into the grace and mercy of God.

God bless,
Brian

Here is an interesting article from CatholicNews.com - No 'Yahweh' in songs, prayers at Catholic Masses, Vatican rules. I guess that means no more singing "You Are Near."

Here is an interesting article from lifesitenews.

Immodest Dress in the Church: Like Frogs in Boiling Water

A friend was asking me about how I do a morning meditation and how it differs from sitting quietly and repeating an "ooom" mantra. Well, the purpose of my meditation is to quiet myself down (my head can be going a mile a minute) and to turn my heart and mind towards God in order that I may converse with Him, draw closer to Him and allow Him to guide me in the rest of my day. It's basically spending quiet time with the one you love. I admit, unlike Brian, it doesn't come easy to me to sit and pray. I have to work at it so that even on days when I feel rushed, I can give God some quality quiet time. Starting my day off this way helps me to keep Him in focus when the rest of the day is crazy with typical mommy duties. (Some prefer to take this prayer time in the evening or at 2am when they are feeding a newborn. Go for whatever works for you. Start small and work your way up.) If you want a better explanation on how to accomplish this prayer, check out this Meditation Guide that really helped me.

I was talking to a friend yesterday about the value of suffering. As a Catholic, suffering is a part of our faith life and can even be seen as a "blessing." This is a hard concept to understand, but in light of the cross, we can see how something horrible (Christ's death on the cross) can be transformed into something incredible (our redemption.) In the same way, our own sufferings, when united to Christ, take on new meaning. It can draw us to a deeper love of God and a greater dependence on his Providence. It can also be offered as a prayer for the salvation of souls. It boggles my mind.

If you really want to dig deeper into this, check out the John Paul's apostolic letter SALVIFICI DOLORIS (ON THE CHRISTIAN MEANING OF HUMAN SUFFERING.)

And for a simple explanation to share with Christians who don't understand the concept, check out Why Are Catholics So into Suffering?

We've been watching the coverage of World Youth Day over the weekend and it has been so inspiring. There are highlights from the closing Mass homily over at Aggie Catholics Blog. Also check out the photos and video from the live Stations of the Cross.

It's Monday again and I'm still amazed that the weekends can pass so quickly. Brian is off at work and the kids are still snug in their beds so I thought I'd make a post. This morning I can't stop thinking about a conversation I had with a dear friend of mine who has a serious illness. It has made me really think about the brevity of our lives in comparison to eternity. It reminded me of a promise I made to God that I wouldn't just settle for being comfortable in life, but instead, I'd try to make a difference. I promised to love God with all my heart and to do whatever He asked of me to help others come to a greater love for Christ. It made me reevaluate how I have been living this promise.

I know we all need a little relaxing "downtime," but I think we can get caught up in a lot of frivolous things that, although not bad in themselves, can keep us from doing what we are called to do as Christians - to love God with all our heart, mind and strength and to evangelize the world so others may do the same. So I challenge you to join me in asking God this question: "Lord, is there something in my life that is taking up too much of my time and energy? And if so, please give me the wisdom and strength to correct it."