Just have Faith

 

Friends of Faith:

Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” Mk 5:21-43

Seems so simple, but do a faith check; and a fear check and a trust check….

How are you really doing?

No matter who we are, there is some area of our life where we “fear” and/or some part of our life where we try to control the situation (so lack faith or trust.)

I haven’t written for a while partly because I have “feared” judgment; that my message would be taken politically or in judgment of another’s fear. And partly because I didn’t want to sound like I was judging another’s faith or trust.

And because of my fear it’s possible that someone else hasn’t been supported or lifted up in their own faith. That’s what being a witness for Christ is all about. That’s what having faith is all about.

What a tangled web we weave – because of fear, because of a lack of trust – or even because we are trusting in something other than God himself.

The woman who was hemorrhaging had faith enough to simply reach out and touch Jesus’ cloak and she was healed. The family of the dying daughter had enough faith to ask for her healing and she was brought back to life – from death to life.

Yes, God has that much power – to bring us back to life. But will we even take the challenge to ask?

My biggest regret looking back at the last 20 or so months, hasn’t been that I feared sickness or death, but that I lacked faith – faith enough in your responses; faith enough in the Holy Spirit so that you would hear HIS message through me. Faith enough that the Holy Spirit would guide my message so that those reading would be converted, be comforted, strengthened and given the courage to trust in their own relationship with Christ Jesus, and in his healing power.

That is what I keep learning that the devil wants – to keep us in fear; to push down our faith; to take away courage inspired by the Holy Spirit and most importantly to keep us away from the Eucharist and our communion of faith – the Church community to which we belong; where we are given strength in numbers (where 2 or 3 are gathered….)

Go. Ask for God’s healing and conversion. Do not fear. Just have faith!!!!

Blessings,

Charlotte

Repost National Catholic Register July 18 2020 Do Not Be Afraid

Friends of Faith:

I don't do a lot of reposting -- and this one is almost a year old, but in retrospect it is even more heartbreaking when we think about those who have been "feared" to death and some who are still "sheltering in place" even nearly 18 months later. And the division caused by the fear mongers is equally as stark in it's shouting of evil in our midst.

Please pray for faith and courage for all: for the faithful to speak the truth and for others to open their hearts to hear it. And especially for those who have given up on faith, God, and the promise made to us all -- that HE only will conquer.

I haven't changed anything except to take out pictures and page breaks. If you'd rather go to the original it is at https://www.ncregister.com/blog/coronavirus-stalks-in-the-darkness-but-do-not-be-afraid

In Constant Faith, Hope and Charity/Love,

Charlotte

July 18, 2020 - National Catholic Register - Msgr Charles Pope

Do Not Be Afraid

“You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” (Psalm 91:5-6)

I write this from my perspective as a priest responsible for the care of souls; I do not claim to be a medical expert. My pastoral concern is that we as a nation and as a Church have succumbed to excessive fear, which bespeaks a spiritual problem. The medical concerns arising from the pandemic are not without merit, but they are not unprecedented. What is unique today is the collective paralysis brought on by this fear. I write to express my concern and to reiterate the constant biblical cry, “Do not be afraid!”

Some weeks ago, I wrote here at the Register about the crippling fear that seems to have seized the whole world, calling all to ponder that Jesus came to destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).

I cannot avoid concluding that many people indeed are “in slavery through their fear of death.” There seems to be no end in sight for the fear they feel — no solution other than a cure for COVID-19. Watching the news only exacerbates the anxiety, as the media naturally focuses on the areas where things are not going well in our fight against the virus. It has now become politicized and commercialized, because fear is recognized as one of the best ways to control people, to attract viewers, and to sell products.

What will it take to help people get their courage back? What is the endgame that public officials have in mind? Will there ever be a day when we say, “Let’s all get back to normal?” Will we always have to wear masks? Will we ever be allowed to sing, shout or cheer in public again? Will crowds ever be allowed to gather in common areas and convention centers? Will those who go about living life normally always be shamed and called selfish and irresponsible?

Let’s get into our time machine and travel back just one year. Crowds gathered freely; airports were hives of activity; planes were packed with travelers and concert halls were packed with eager listeners. Restaurants were full of diners and churches with the faithful. People shook hands and hugged, their beautiful faces uncovered for all to see. People laughed out loud, choirs sang joyfully and stadiums erupted with cheers after a score.

That was a year ago. Now so many are cowering in fear. They view every human being they encounter as a potential source of grave illness or even death: “He looks healthy, but I’d better stay far away because he may be carrying COVID-19!” Never mind a calculation of relative risks; every human contact might pose an existential threat. As a priest, I cannot imagine anything more demonic than this sort of fear. Satan wants us to fear and even detest one another. Our communion with one another is devasted by this extreme wariness.

“But Father! This is a very different virus. It’s extremely potent. We have to do this!” Again, I am neither a doctor nor a scientist. But I am a priest, and as such I think we must count the other costs. There is more to life than just not getting sick and not dying. People have lost their jobs; food production has dropped, and famine is just around the corner in some parts of the world. Routine medical care has been largely suspended. Important human events like weddings, funerals, the sacraments and enriching cultural events have been curtailed if not prohibited. Schools have closed and few have been permitted or have had the courage to reopen. There is a cost to these losses as well.

We have been through tough flu seasons before without shutting down the country. I remember in 1968 — a terrible year for many reasons — the Hong Kong Flu was raging; 100,000 Americans died from the flu that year. My grandfather was a doctor and warned us about it, but neither the country nor the world shut down. The sick were isolated; the vulnerable were given heightened protection. I remember seeing “Quarantine” signs on the doors of some of the houses in my neighborhood. If someone had the flu, the entire household was ordered to stay inside for two weeks, and that very visible sign was placed on the front door. Meanwhile, the healthy went about their work, and life continued. Yes, the death toll was high, but everyone understood that life had to go on. Years ago, there were so many dangerous illnesses to be afraid of — cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, polio. It takes courage to live, and people of the time had that courage.

In the current pandemic, which is admittedly severe, we have quarantined the healthy along with the sick, the resilient along with the vulnerable. Crippling fear has seized so many people, and at some point, fear begins to feed on itself. We have shut down our economy, depriving many of their livelihoods and of the dignity that comes from working, from using their talents and from providing for their families.

In the Church, collectively speaking, we too have cowered and capitulated. We have not summoned people to trust and faith. We have hidden our teachings on the role of suffering in bringing forth holiness and future glory. We have not presented the theology of death and dying at a time when it is so needed.

We have limited and even denied the sacraments to the faithful, conveying the silent message that physical health is more important than spiritual health. In some dioceses, churches were locked, confessions forbidden, and Holy Communion inaccessible. Some priests who tried to supply Holy Communion to the faithful in a creative manner were criticized by liturgists and bishops. Some tried offering outdoor or “drive-in” Masses and were met with rebuke. In some cases, Mass was forbidden by local authorities, and many backed down in the face of this external pressure. While we could not recklessly disregard civil ordinances, too many of us were content to hunker down and forego public Mass. We would not utter the biblical cry, “Do not be afraid,” out of fear of being called insensitive or irresponsible.

This situation is unprecedented in our lifetime, so it is understandable that we struggled at first with what to do prudentially. But now we must reflect on all that has happened and resolve to never again allow a governor or mayor dictate whether, when or how we may give the sacraments. Even if government officials can forbid large gatherings, it does not follow that the sacraments cannot be provided at all, via other means. I never refused Holy Communion to anyone who asked me during this time; I merely gave them Holy Communion outside of public Mass. I also continued to hear confessions in the church throughout the period, grateful that my bishop never forbade it or demanded that I lock the church.

What then is to be our role as we go forward? Some universities and public schools have announced that will not reopen for normal, in-person instruction in the fall. Will we simply follow along and refuse to reopen our Catholic schools? Or will we say to our faithful that it is time to go forth into a world that has never been and will never be risk-free, balancing the needs of all against our fear of death? How long will we continue to offer public Masses in the current limited fashion? Masks hide the beauty of the human visage and the subtleties of our expressions; will we return to seeing one another smile, frown, laugh, and cry? Will we go back to shaking hands, hugging, and touching one another? Will I be able to offer Mass without retreating immediately back into the sacristy? Will parishioners be able to mingle and chat after Mass rather than running straight to their cars?

What is our end game? Prudence has its place, but my concern as a pastor and physician of souls is that we are allowing unrelenting fear to drive our response. Until we as the Church confronting the situation and “man up” as Christians should, fear will masquerade as prudence, and folks like me who question whether we’ve gone too far will be called irresponsible and even reprehensible.

For the time being, follow the recommended precautions, but ask yourself, “When will this end, and who will get to decide that?” The Church, and each one of us, has a role to play in ending the fear that this pandemic has set loose. COVID-19 can undoubtedly be a serious illness, but contracting it is far from an automatic death sentence. However, getting sick and even eventually dying is a part of living in this world. Some will call me insensitive for even mentioning this truth, but our parents, grandparents, and more distant ancestors went forth daily into a world that was far more dangerous than anything we have experienced. They lived life, accepting both its blows and its blessings. What about us today? Is God no longer with us? Are sickness and death the worst fate or is crippling fear a far more painful and dehumanizing sentence? Isn’t there more to living than just not dying or not getting sick? Will we as a Church be part of this conversation or will we remain fearfully silent? Will we simply reflect the beliefs and opinions of the current culture, or will we influence it with a theology that insists that suffering and death have meaning and an important role in our lives?

No doubt some readers will think me imprudent, irresponsible, and insensitive. I accept that. But my take is that fear is a far more serious ailment than COVID-19. Life is risky, but there is greater ruin for us if we do not accept it and live anyway. At some point we have to break out of the huddle and run the play. God will be with us.

Msgr. Charles Pope Msgr. Charles Pope is currently a dean and pastor in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, where he has served on the Priest Council, the College of Consultors, and the Priest Personnel Board. Along with publishing a daily blog at the Archdiocese of Washington website, he has written in pastoral journals, conducted numerous retreats for priests and lay faithful, and has also conducted weekly Bible studies in the U.S. Congress and the White House. He was named a Monsignor in 2005.

Repost: Mission Statement: Unashamed by Patrick Madrid

 Worth the repost. Blessings, Charlotte

MISSION STATEMENT: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE UNASHAMED

I AM A PART of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God’s hands. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ’s presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God’s grace.

My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

Adapted from the original (author unknown) by Patrick Madrid

Faith and Culture vs Religion and Politics

 

Friends of Faith,

The Spirit continues to prompt me to write and what I realized this morning is that some of the reason I haven’t is that I didn’t want this blog (my thoughts) to become just another political point of view on our culture.

And yet, I also realize/d that my faith both challenges and forms my political view and is forming each of many very divided cultural and political views, both in this nation and worldwide.  

Recently I read an article entitled: “Why Catholics ‘should’ talk about Religion and Politics.” And I realized before I began, that unfortunately, and sadly, a Christian denomination doesn’t necessarily bring unity to our political viewpoints or necessarily even reflect what we claim as our faith, or our faith’s values and/or beliefs.

And while the culture of society has always been influenced by varying beliefs and “religions”, God’s intention has always been that HE would form, convert and transform our beliefs into what is known as the “common good” and unification -- peace and holiness, ONE HOLY BODY of all.

Instead, the devil (and sin) have been allowed a cultural influence in thousands of Christian denominations and religions (instead of one) and viewpoints so grievously wrong but far spread that they are attempting to overtake God’s very plan for life and holiness. The devil is attempting (and I believe in many ways succeeding) to divide our culture into a war; maybe not the typical war, but a war spiritual in nature. This is not a recent thing as St Paul warned us of it in Eph 6:12: “For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.”

Let me get back to the beginning.

When Jesus came into this world 2020 years ago, he came to fulfill God’s promise and covenant with Abraham. Genesis 15: 1-6, 21:1-3

God had one purpose in mind for giving us His son, Jesus: to undo the original sin of Adam and Eve. (Jesus paid a debt HE didn’t owe because WE owed a debt WE couldn’t pay.) God was keeping a promise he had made centuries before to His chosen people – to save us – to allow us to be able to choose heaven, to become holy; something that Adam and Eve’s original sin had put into jeopardy.

God’s goal for us was for us to become holy: to join Him in heaven! Nothing more, nothing less – not wealth, power, material possessions or even time for ourselves – “just” holiness – to avoid the sin that separates us from him, shown by our love for Him and love for each other.

And God knew that only by the incarnation (“He Became man” Jn 1:1-5, 9-14) would that promise be fulfilled. He joined us in our humanity so that we might join him in his divinity. His son, Jesus, would (and was) needed to lead us on the path to holiness.

But Jesus’ nature is opposite of what our culture today thinks of as both leader and King. He was not handsome, or wealthy, or powerful as we know it today. And His message, the respect He and His followers were given, and even His death on the cross (as a common thief) was not what would be expected of someone who was sent here to save us.

Likewise, much of our culture today shows no respect for faith, or for a belief in God and Jesus. In fact, our faith is challenged by our culture and belief in Jesus is still quite often mocked, usually when we least expect it; by those we sometimes think or thought we should respect; many times by those within our own churches and families; and especially by those who “claim” or profess to be in charge.

The division that is apparent in our culture is a call to Spiritual Warfare. And the cause of division is the same today as it was in all of the yesterday’s past – the devil, SIN.

When we allow culture to justify sin (ie: that we can choose life, our sex, power and feeling good) over God’s intentions for holiness and the very nature by which He formed us, then we have allowed the devil and SIN to transform us instead of Jesus to convert us. And faith, culture, religion, and politics have converged to where my conversation began – awareness of a deep divide that we are failing to talk about for fear of offending each other.

And yet the “person” we are most offending is God himself.

Think about this in the next conversation you partake in. Are your words kind? Do they speak the truth – God’s truth with honesty, or do they circle around the truth so that they don’t offend? Are we speaking to manipulate or justify our actions or inaction? Or are we speaking to bring awareness and understanding that will lead not only ourselves but others to holiness? Maybe we need to bring that cliché WWJD (what would Jesus Do) more into our daily actions, prayer and decision making.

And politics and religion: If the truth of our faith doesn’t influence our culture – then remember the opposite is true: Our culture AND politics will influence and lead us astray in our faith. And if the Christian faith and truth proclaimed by Jesus doesn’t influence our decisions, who or what is?

WHO are we listening to? And WWJD?

May our conversations be blessed by our faith and God’s truth, rather than avoiding His presence. And may you be blessed by God’s influence in your life, a search for His truth, and His desire for your holiness.

Blessings,

Charlotte

 

Show Up - Ash Wednedsay Reflection

Friends of Faith:

Yesterday the Ash Wednesday reflection was about our relationship with Jesus, about showing up to be with him. About showing up for him like we would for a friend, giving him our attention – not when we need his attention, but when, like a friend, he asks us to join him, to be present, so that he can have our undivided attention.

It got me to thinking about the empty pews we all see at church (regardless of which one we attend) and the difficulty so many have in following the “Keep Holy the Sabbath.” Commandment – even for only one hour on Sunday morning (or Saturday night).

It got me to thinking about why it’s so hard to just show up, for one hour to worship God, to give him our glory, our troubles and our attention; to just show up and be his friend.

Then today’s reading said this

Moses said to the people: “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom.
If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy. I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 1 Dt 30:15-20

There’s 9 other commandments that this reading applies to – not just showing up for one hour on Sunday, but for “do not kill” (showing up to protect life at all ages), “do not take the Lord’s name in vain”(do not swear, including using “xxx’s” and showing up with positive words) etc, etc.

May you find this Lenten season to be a new time of commitment, a new time to take courage to say no to all of those Sunday activities which interfere with God’s request and to just SHOW UP!

And if your relationship with Jesus is what it should be on Sunday – you’re showing up -- then think about the other commandments that may take courage or change in order to grow closer to him, to be a better listener, to be a better example of Christian charity and mercy.

Blessings on your Lenten journey,

Charlotte

Friends of Faith:

So, I haven’t sent out a writing in sometime, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t written, or that I haven’t thought about what to write.

Generally, standing in the shower on Monday morning the Holy Spirit is whispering a little “title” in my heart – saying listen to me.

This morning for some reason I realized that as frustrated as I am with those who don’t see and don’t understand, for whatever reason when I am that person, or when I am the person who is seeing & understanding, but not being, acting or doing, then I am no better than those I am frustrated with.

So, hence this writing, based on this parable:

“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.

Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given^* and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’  ….

Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

‘You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see.

Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I heal them.’

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

“Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart.

The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away.

The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit.

But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” Mt 13: 1-23

These are the questions I heard this morning in the shower: “Do you understand? Are you acting on what you understand? Do you know why you are acting? Or are you falling on rocky ground or among the thorns and failing to act, or intentionally choosing not to act?” And maybe the most important question I heard: “Are you willing to seek answers, listen to, and act upon the suggestions that the Holy Spirit is placing in your heart?”

So, who’s patience am I testing by my action or inaction? And if it is my patience that is being tested, am I doing all that I can by stepping outside of my comfort zone to seek and to understand?

May you find it in your heart to be all that you can be by using all the gifts that God has given you.

Blessings,

Charlotte

Snowball

Friends of Faith:

This thought is like a snowball which keeps getting bigger and deeper and more encompassing, with a realization that it is central to our Christian purpose.

Love = subordination = subject to the mission = service: All which hopefully makes us holier and brings us closer to God. And God is love. And this is the circle that is a growing snowball which cannot be denied. Reference the following 3 readings:

"Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs  with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.” Col 3: 12-21

“Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So [also] husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “For this reason a man shall leave [his] father and [his] mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church. In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.” Eph 5: 21-33

“For if I do not have love, I have nothing….. Love is patient, love is kind… but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor 13: 1-13

I cannot deny a single word of these three readings about love, subordination, subjection, and submission (being under the mission of Christ, led by my husband, serving each other—be it family or friend or even enemy.)  

Each reading boldly leads to the definition of love – to service for one another and most importantly for service to God. They lead me to Jesus, the cross and the Church. They lead me to see Jesus’ example of teaching us how to be and how to do love – to be a selfless sacrifice for another. And they lead me by reminding me that no matter what I give up for the honor of serving Him, I should be willing to do it – nothing, NO Thing, NO event, should be greater than God.

It pains me when I hear or even say: I’ll take care of ‘person’s name’ later; or ‘husbands or child’s name’ will wait till later; or I didn’t make it to mass on Sunday because ‘event or happening’ was during that time.

So, no matter where I go with the thought – about doing something good or succumbing to the bad, the concept grows and shows me how big God really is and how central to my life God is and has become. I can’t escape Him no matter where I run, what I think or where my heart turns –not that I want to, but only to further make me realize how important He is to the creation of happiness, holiness, peacefulness and joy – all of which I crave with every fiber of my being.

I realize quite loudly that without God, there is nothing; without God, I am nothing; without God, I can do nothing; and WITH God, everything IS better, greater and has a larger purpose. And that is because I am not putting myself first. I am subjecting myself to God, to my husband and to others the way God intended and the way God created us.

The cardinal rule: Love one another as God has loved us – is bigger, is bolder, than anything on earth we can imagine. And while it is normal to take this “out” to the homeless, the impoverished, even our enemies we should not forget that this starts first and foremost in our homes with our spouses, our families and our Church family. Many times, loving, being subject to, and serving those closest to us, is more difficult than taking it out into the world.

O loving Father, May I always be reminded of your generous love in the gift of your son, Jesus. Thank you for the mercy you have bestowed on me when I fail to reflect your generous love to others. And give me the grace to be strong in you by reflecting your light to others in their darkness. Amen.

Snowball love. Be generous, be a servant, and be subject to God’s mighty power.

Blessings,

Charlotte

Christ's Home is Our Castle - The Church

Friends of Faith:

Christ is THE King!

“Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” Phil 2: 9-10

And we know that every King has a Castle. A place where all of us in the kingdom have a standing invitation and are expected to come home to.

“Then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is ‘the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” Acts 4: 10-12

God’s kingdom is unique because Jesus “the Cornerstone” was rejected. So unlike most kings who are revered and honored by those around them Jesus was rejected by even those he picked as his own disciples. If anything this tells us how difficult it may be for us to honor the truth of His word and His teachings, even to look to His Church for our direction and leadership.

And just like other kingdoms, there is a hierarchy of continuity of leadership. Jesus left us His hierarchy for His kingdom -- The Church -- to Peter (the first Pope) and his successors to whom he gave the authority to lead the Church. “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Mt 16: 18-19

The Church gives us not only leadership, but strength of a community of believers living under God’s protection and grace given through His Sacraments– Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mk 16:16

Heavenly Father: Help us not to reject you as the cornerstone! And we pray for those who see no reason to come home to your castle, the church. Help us to not be led astray by worldly possessions, cultural relativism and renegade leaders – especially those who profess in your name but without Your authority. And help us to return to Your castle, The Church each week for guidance: to be surrounded by a family of faithful believers who will uphold us, and to seek your protection. In your name we pray. Amen.

The King is waiting our return to His home, now and eternally, and I look forward to meeting you there.

Blessings,

Charlotte

Monday Morning Reflection

Authentic Christian

Friends of Faith:

After a homily almost 3 weeks ago, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be an “Authentic Christian.”

“You have turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by your instruction; you have made void the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts. I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people, since you do not keep my ways, but show partiality in your decisions. Have we not all the one father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do we break faith with one another, violating the covenant of our fathers?” Mal 2: 8-10

What I realized is that with all of today’s propaganda (fake news, reality TV, the “need” for equality, and the definition of choice and the perception of what is “deserved”), an Authentic Christian is an extremely difficult level to achieve – because it’s more than just NOT being a hypocrite and knowing the truth – it’s about acting on the truth even when those actions are so extremely counter-cultural that it creates divisions and undeniable backlashes from the people we would  most expect to support us in the most difficult of situations (our family AND other Christians).

And unfortunately, breaking faith with one another, in today’s “equal” society is “okay,” because by cultural standards to be authentic means not conflicting with someone else’s beliefs so as not to hurt someone’s feelings – even if those feelings violate God’s commands.

And authentic Christian beliefs cross into every moral and character decision we make. Unfortunately, we see these decisions as being judgmental rather than a determination of God’s right from what is morally wrong. Authenticity is not about walking the middle ground, but rather about choosing the upper ground.

Recently, I read an email from a friend who was denied the right to be paid staff of a pro-life organization simply because she was Catholic. In fact, her motives were pure. And her desire to support pro-life objectives were as honest as any I could have imagined. In fact, she was so authentic in her desire to support the pro-life cause that despite their condescending language and misconceptions about her faith beliefs she continues to raise money and volunteer for the organization in a behind the scenes capacity.

So, while it’s difficult to perceive that any authentic Christian (and yes, Catholics are Christians) would deny another Christian the opportunity to support God’s greatest fundamental gift to each of us, life, her choice to continue to help the organization in lesser ways chose to focus on the real purpose of the organization instead of some man-made “rule” – a truly authentic Christian response.

“Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen.” Mt 1:23-4

We are all individuals, with individual talents. Yet, despite this Jesus formed only ONE Church and gave us two new commandments (to love God and each other).

Yet it’s interesting how, even as aspiring Christians, we seem to look more to our differences. And we certainly seem to have difficulty living up to those two simple commandments that require us to put God first and love each other unconditionally. Authenticity is a high and difficult moral code.

God help me to: “Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly, do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all.  If possible, on your part, live at peace with all.” Rm 12: 9-18. Amen.

And so, I’m back to where I started – being an authentic Christian. Trying to discern what’s right, what’s important and what’s really God’s will – while doing the right thing and being in the right place while still appreciating all the beauty and opportunities God has given us.

A perfect place for a Thanksgiving message to circle back to – giving THANKS for our blessings AND SHARING those blessings with our neighbors in love.

May your week be spent with those you love, sharing the gifts and talents God has given you.

Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer and if possible, live at peace with all. Be Authentic!

Blessings of Thanksgiving,

Charlotte

Monday Morning Reflection