Fr. Larry Richards on Obedience to God!

Many people fall away from the faith because they're angry at God for a variety of reasons. We bring many of our problems upon ourselves by rejecting what God has planned for us!

Many extremely bad and sorrowful things happen to the best of people, and while we watch the innocent suffer, we must always remember one thing, and that one thing is that everything that is evil and unjust in this world is the result of sin, not God. Sin is man's disobedience to God. It is living outside of His will!

Don't be mad at God! Come home to Him!

The following is a video of Father Larry Richards speaking on Obedience to God:

Another Lenten Reflection!

Shout To The Lord - A beautiful song put to still photos from Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ.

Thank you, Jesus!

You Raise Me Up!

The youtube video below is a beautiful version of the song, You Raise Me Up performed by a band called Selah.

This Lent, let us meditate on how God raises us up, especially in our darkest hours! Let's also reflect on how we can best serve as God's instruments in helping to raise up our brothers and sisters who are in need!

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me." (Matt 25:40)

Lord, How Do I Serve You?

Please click the title of this post to be re-directed to a very enlightening post by Pillar Novice.

I'm sure you'll be blessed!

Christian Division: Satan’s Joy!

Upon performing a Google search on the words CHRISTIAN DIVISION, the 2nd website on the list of the results of the search was entitled, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism. I immediately clicked on the website, which brought me to an excellent article addressing the evils surrounding the division and bickering among Christians.

It is a must read for all of us who profess to follow Christ. The author effectively brings to light many of the victories Satan enjoys as a result of Christians battling over their differences.

Read the full article (The Wickedness of Christian Division, Anti-Catholicism, and Anti-Protestantism) by following the link below – a truly impressive site. May God’s blessings remain always upon the labor of this author!

http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2004/05/wickedness-of-christian-division-anti.html

Christian - What Does It Mean?

The word Christian means follower of Christ. As Christians we must ask ourselves the queston, what must we do to live up to this title?

To follow Jesus is to live according to his Word; to imitate him!

In the following verse from Luke's gospel, Jesus himself gives the instruction concerning what we must do on a daily basis as Christians!

23 Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily 11 and follow me." (Luke 9:23 NAB)

Lord I Am Not Worthy!

Just prior to receiving our Lord in the Eucharist at Mass we say, "Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I will be healed."

The following is the scripture passage from Luke's gospel from which our response at Mass is derived. It is a beautiful story of the great humility, reverence, and faith demonstrated by the Roman Centurion who sought help from our Lord!

“When he had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion 3 there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. 3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, "He deserves to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us." 6 And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. 4 7 Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." 9 When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." 10 When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.” (Luke 7:1-10)

What’s The Big Deal About Saints?

As Catholics, why do we give so much attention to the saints?
I recently came across a brief reflection that appeared in the publication, One Bread, One Body, Volume 24, Issue 6, entitled The Imitation of Christ. The author is very effective in explaining how the saints assist us in our quest to imitate Christ. In fact, it was the following sentence that caught my attention and reminded of something St. Thomas Aquinas said concerning the sacraments.

The author writes, “. . . However, we are human beings, created with human senses, and we relate most readily to other humans. This is why God sent His only Son, Jesus, to take on human flesh (Jn 3:16).

In his treatise on the sacraments, St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that it is because of our human nature that we must be led by things corporeal and sensible to things spiritual and intelligible. (Summa Theologica, Part III, Q.61)

Read the entire reflection below:

“The Imitation of Christ”

Here on earth, we do not see Jesus as He is. "Now we see [Him] indistinctly" (1 Cor 13:12). We get glimpses of Jesus through the splendors of His creation. We can see Him in His eucharistic splendor. However, we are human beings, created with human senses, and we relate most readily to other humans. This is why God sent His only Son, Jesus, to take on human flesh (Jn 3:16).

God is so generous in creating ways for us to relate to Him that He has also created other human beings who point us to Himself. He has sent us saints — holy people who have allowed the light of Christ to shine through their lives so that all may see the goodness in their acts and give praise to God (Mt 5:16). God has given saints for what seems like every imaginable state in life. There are saints for doctors, homemakers, priests, religious sisters, accountants, teachers, lawyers, sinners striving to reform, disciples striving to grow in holiness, etc. Each of these saints is a gift from God sent to help us "see" Jesus in a new and deeper way.

Jesus gave His disciples an example to follow (Jn 13:15; 1 Pt 2:21). In the same way, the saints are examples for us. Heed the call of the saints as they tell us: "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Cor 11:1).

You can access this great reflection and many others by logging on to http://www.presentationministries.com/home/home.asp.

This is a great website and a valuable resource for those looking to grow in their faith!

Hilary Said This

In one of his writings on the Trinity, Bishop Hilary of Poitiers said this about the Holy Eucharist.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 315 - 368 A.D.) Early Church Father & Doctor of the Church

When we speak of the reality of Christ's nature being in us, we would be speaking foolishly and impiously -- had we not learned it from Him. For He Himself says: "My Flesh is truly Food, and My Blood is truly Drink. He that eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood will remain in Me and I in Him." As to the reality of His Flesh and Blood, there is no room left for doubt, because now, both by the declaration of the Lord Himself and by our own faith, it is truly Flesh and it is truly Blood. And These Elements bring it about, when taken and consumed, that we are in Christ and Christ is in us. Is this not true? Let those who deny that Jesus Christ is true God be free to find these things untrue. But He Himself is in us through the flesh and we are in Him, while that which we are with Him is in God. (The Trinity 8:14)

She Touched His Garment!

And a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years, 15 who (had spent her whole livelihood on doctors and) was unable to be cured by anyone, 44 came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. Immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 Jesus then asked, "Who touched me?" While all were denying it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are pushing and pressing in upon you." 46 But Jesus said, "Someone has touched me; for I know that power has gone out from me." 47 When the woman realized that she had not escaped notice, she came forward trembling. Falling down before him, she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. 48 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 8:43-48)

The afflicted woman grasped at, and was able to touch only the garment of Jesus, and the power that flowed into her just from our Lord’s garment, combined with her faith, healed an illness that had tormented her for twelve years!

Do you long to be healed with that same power? Experience that same healing power course through your body and soul in the sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist!

As Catholics we can do so much more than simply attempt desperately to grasp the garment of Jesus for our healing! Jesus makes himself readily available to us daily as he gives us his whole body, blood, soul, and divinity at Mass!

Come receive Jesus! He longs to be with you! Do you long to be with him?