United States

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini…pray for us!

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As I began to pray the Liturgy of the Hours this morning, the website I visited reminded me that we are celebrating the life of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini today.  It says that she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.  I may be wrong about this, but I believe it was the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart that started our Sacred Heart Hospital that was originally in Eugene, OR.  Now, the hospital is run by the Sisters of Saint Joseph and it is better known to the public as PeaceHealth or RiverBend Hospital.  The issue that myself and a few of my friends have is that there is a medical facility, located right across the street from this hospital, called Women’s Care, actually performs abortions on pregnant women up to 14 weeks according to this website.  Some of their information is out of date, but our Parish priest went there to talk to a parishioners niece about whether she had thought through her decision to terminate a pregnancy there, and he was asked to leave.  Anyway, I am not trying to start World War 3 with the Sisters of Saint Joseph or PeaceHealth, or maybe I am.  However,  I would like to get some answers about why we are supporting a business that practices medicine in a way that flies in the face of our faith.  This is not to mention the medical procedures that happen at the facility that Women’s Care operates on the same property as the hospital that are also contrary to our faith…More on that later!

Is John saying we have to put the genie back in the bottle?

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Lamb

Lamb (Photo credit: GrahamPics1)

Gift: Wisdom– With the gift of wisdom, we see God at work in our lives and in the world. For the wise person, the wonders of nature, historical events, and the ups and downs of our lives take on deeper meaning. The matters of judgment about the truth, and being able to see the image of God.

Reading:  These are they who were not defiled with women; they are virgins* and these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been ransomed as the firstfruits of the human race for God and the Lamb.  (Revelations 14:4)

Observation:  It is not only the fact that we are told that the use of virgins is metaphorical, but also the use of symbolic numerology that tells us that those that are called are not going to just be virgins and number a great many more than 144,000.  It is also common sense that tells us that God is calling all of us to be with him in heaven and the New Jerusalem.  However, we must take these admonitions seriously.  Are we complicit in allowing people to think that regardless of what sins we take an active role in, we can be accepted in as God’s chosen ones?  Do we help people realize that by a sincere confession and contrition for past sinfulness, we can be healed and then counted among the elect.  It is not for any other reason except the grace of God that saves us, and hopefully we can comply with this grace by converting our lives to conform to His will and not the world.

Personification:  Joy.   I love to focus on displaying the fruit of joy, because I believe this fruit most exemplifies what God is calling me to, not what I am most often displaying internally but I try to display it externally.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to experience joy in my heart as I try to display it to others today.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…Amen!

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Don’t throw the baby-killers out with the bath water!

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Stained glass window of the sacred Heart of Je...

Stained glass window of the sacred Heart of Jesus Christ in the former Mosque (Cathedral) of Cordoba, Spain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Gift: Understanding – With the gift of understanding, we comprehend how we need to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. A person with understanding is not confused by all the conflicting messages in our culture about the right way to live.

 

Reading:  For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded, slaves to various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful ourselves and hating one another.  (Titus 3:3)

 

Observation:  So, the title for my post today says it all.  I was recently moved to feel like it was necessary to point out to the world that Planned Parenthood is murdering a generation of our children in the wombs of un-knowing mothers.  However, today’s reading reminds me that I should be more willing to pray for their souls than condemn them for their actions.  Truth is, I have been a part of the attitude in society that says that babies are an inconvenience for most of my life, so if God can convert me, why not them?

 

Personification:  Kindness. You may ask how calling abortionists and their supporters, like Planned Parenthood, baby-killers is displaying the fruit of kindness.  However, I don’t think many abortion supporters are reading my blog at this point, or will they ever, so I think I am safe to say that the title will serve its’ purpose by bringing more people, like me, to a spot where we are praying for them, and not condemning them.

 

Prayer:  Lord, please show your loving kindness to me and all those who believe that legal abortion could ever be seen as a good thing.  My hope is that by my display of the fruit kindness to all people, that you will be able to convert our hearts to follow your commands more closely.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…Amen!

 

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Technical difficulties…

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The current logo for We're Experiencing Techni...

The current logo for We’re Experiencing Technical Difficulties (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I think I found the problem with getting my videos uploaded…I don’t know what I am doing…LOL…Anyway, I should have it figured out by tomorrow morning and be ready to post my first real video blog!  Of course, if it is God’s will for me and this blog site.

NOT ALONE  \/

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We may be ignorant, but it is now our fault…

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United States penny, obverse, 2002

Gift:  Piety (Reverence) – With the gift of reverence, sometimes called piety, we have a deep sense of respect for God and the Church. A person with reverence recognizes our total reliance on God and comes before God with humility, trust, and love.

Reading:  God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent because he has established a day on which he will ‘judge the world with justice’ through a man he has appointed, and he has provided confirmation for all by raising him from the dead.”  (Acts 17:30-31)

Observation:  In the first reading for today’s Mass, I am hearing Paul when he says these words to the people of Athens, he is speaking to us today in the United States.  I hear that up until this point, God has excused our ignorance, because it has seemed like we had the greater good of all people as our goal.  It seems we have completely lost that goal and are completely focused on money as our only one true God.  His words that we must repent, are even more biting to all of us that need money to support our family, but we must remember to treat the money we have with a sense of duty for the work that it can do to eradicate poverty and homelessness in the world and not for the things of this world that it can buy.

Personification:  Generosity   I hope that I can live my life today and every day with a generosity that comes from the grace of God.  I know that God is taking care of my needs and the needs of my family.  Therefore, I can live my life with the reckless abandon of all hope that I could have in the money that is in my bank account, and realize more fully the potential that it has to change the hearts of those that might need a small part of it to be able to put food on the table or keep from being put out on the street.

Prayer:  Lord, I know this is dangerous, but I want you to bring those people who could benefit from the money that I have in my account to my attention so I can see a way, by your grace, to help them.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father, and of  the Son, and of the holy Spirit.  Amen.

Obedience…Real obedience…From Father Robert Barron…God bless you!

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My first installment of playing a Sermon on Sunday and not my own reflections…New Sunday practice…We will see how long it lasts, or if I ever find someone to post besides Father Robert Barron…This is good!

http://www.wordonfire.org/WOF-Radio/Sermons/Sermon-Archive-for-2012/Sermon-582-Listening-to-Him-2nd-Sunday-of-Lent.aspx

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I love it when you call Him, “Big Poppa” or “Grandes Poppa”…

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Moses and the Burning Bush

Moses and the Burning Bush

Gift: Fortitude (Courage) – With the gift of courage, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risk as a follower of Jesus. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or even physical harm and death.

Reading:  2 There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed. God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 3 I am the God of your father,” he continued, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.  (Exodus 3:2,5-6)

Observation:  Yesterday at our Camp Saint Alice, our technical director and video production man played a video that he created that showed the name of God, who is called by many names.  In this particular video, he thought it would be funny to show a picture of a burning bush, as he played the part of the song by the late Notorious B.I.G. that said, “I love it when they call me Big Poppa”.  Of course, the song was about the original artist, but I quite enjoyed the idea of switching it up and making it about another name that we could call Our Father in heaven.  At the time, I didn’t know why David chose to put a picture of the burning bush in the video, because there are so many other visual representations of God.  However, looking back on it now, it was the best visual representation to catch the attention of the kids.  Although, I think most of them missed it.

Personification: Kindness  I know that I referenced kindness in my journal yesterday because it is so easy to put gentleness and kindness in to the same prayer.  To me, the fruit of kindness comes from gentleness and the fruit of gentleness comes from kindness.  I hope that I can receive the necessary grace to display both fruits of the holy Spirit in my life today.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to display the fruit of kindness and allow me to share this fruit with everyone I meet with all the gentleness that you have shown me.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.  Amen.

Today’s good news from Washington D.C.

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share. (specifically from the Archdiocesese of Washington)

My vision of the village Father is talking about...

When asked what heaven will be like, an American bishop wrote of his first visit to his parents’ native village in Italy. Because he had seen pictures of it for years, everything looked familiar to him when he arrived in person. “I know this place,” he thought. “I am finally at home.” He hoped that he would feel the same way- that he was finally at home- upon entering heaven.

Heaven is indeed our true home, as Jesus explained in today’s gospel. He was speaking during the Last Supper with his disciples, who were troubled that he was soon to leave them. Jesus soothed their fears by explaining that his departure was a good thing, because he was going to prepare a place for them in heaven. Yet he would return one day to take them to their heavenly home- the Father’s house

There is room for us in the Father’s house, too. This is hope for us when life gets hard. It reminds us that we’ve not yet arrived at our final destination, as this life is but a way station to a “better place.” As he did with his disciples, Jesus tells us not to worry, because regardless of where this life takes us, we are always “homeward bound.”

http://www.usccb.org/nab/052011.shtml

I want to be on the stronger side when the spoils are distributed, who is with me?

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National Cathedral_Jeremiah (Maury window, part 1)

Image by catface3 via Flickr

Gift:  Wisdom– With the gift of wisdom, we see God at work in our lives and in the world. For the wise person, the wonders of nature, historical events, and the ups and downs of our lives take on deeper meaning. The matters of judgment about the truth, and being able to see the image of God.

Reading:  Say to them: This is the nation which does not listen to the voice of the LORD, its God, or take correction. Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech.  (Jeremiah 7:28)

&

But when one stronger 7 than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils.  (Luke 11:22)

Observation:  I am hearing this morning in the first reading from the book of Jeremiah that this nation that we live in is in trouble, just like the nation of Israel was in trouble when it would not listen to the prophets.  The 28th verse of the 7th chapter of Jeremiah is spelling out to us today what is wrong with our government and why we are in trouble.  I hope the fact that we have not completely abandoned the Judeo-Christian principles on which we are founded is worth something in the eyes of the Lord.  As for the words of Jesus from the gospel today, I hope he is speaking of us being on the side of the stronger and not the other that gets its spoils distributed.

Personification:  Peace  It is my hope that I can display the fruit of peace in my life today, and not just in my life but the peace that I am able to display will spill over into the lives of my children as well.  It is only by the grace of God that this peace will be able to be displayed by our country in this crazy world we live in, but that will be my prayer today.

Prayer:  Lord, help the government of the United States realize the folly of its ways and not get involved in more armed conflicts in the world with people that seem to only resolve their issues with violence.  Please help our leaders see that violence for violence only breeds more violence, and I pray that peace will come to our nation and all nations throughout the world.  I ask this, as always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit.  Amen.

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