Women of Faith:
It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. The exception to this may be what I will call the ultimate game, the game of life. There, winning is heaven, and I don’t even want to think about losing.
Unfortunately, as I try not to judge, I fear that our society may be losing as I watch us accept sin as a norm. As I watch society try to put their “spin” on what the bible teaches. And as I watch people, who grew up in Christian homes, who know there is a God, who were taught about God from an early age, leave church, ignore the commandments, or worse yet, try to justify their sin/s.
I find comfort and hope by the outcome of a vote to “oust” judges who accept gay marriage as a right, and I find Hope in the prayers of the many who I know attend church regularly and who are unafraid to “speak” against sin and who volunteer in ministry in many forms.
I also find hope in seeing those who have the faith to accept their sufferings, knowing that Christ too suffered for us.
As the gospel said yesterday: Choose REPENTANCE, it is never too late. Lk 23:35-43 “Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
The second thief is the only person we know who has entered the kingdom of heaven with Jesus because of this passage. On the cross this thief asked for forgiveness, but just as importantly accepted that he was a sinner, that he deserved earthly punishment and that his only salvation was true faith in Jesus.
Are we like the first thief, expecting God to save us, even though we have no shame, guilt or repentance for our sins? Is our pride preventing us from acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness?
Or are we like the second thief who admits to our sins, accepts our burdens by sacrificing our life for God, receiving just punishment for our sins and most importantly receiving God’s promised forgiveness, healing and grace given to us when Jesus died on the cross?
The earlier we learn to be like the “accepting thief” the more happiness, joy and peace we can find in Christ’s forgiveness and ultimately our salvation. And the easier it will be to bear our burdens and sufferings because like the “Footprints in the Sand” we will be carried by Jesus through the toughest of times.
Dear God, I praise Your healing grace. I yearn for your forgiveness and love. Please help me to live each day as your servant, accepting my burdens, sacrificing my time and using the gifts you have given me wisely. Help me to be less self-serving, less judgmental and more hopeful with the grace of Your Spirit. Let me be a witness to Your goodness in faith, hope and love. I ask that you open the hearts of each person, family and friend, those that I know, and will come to know, those that I can in anyway help or touch, so that we will be better listeners and learners of Your word. And especially this Thanksgiving Week, Thank you for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, who has granted us eternal salvation. Amen.
Blessings and Thanksgiving for all of our faithful friends.
Charlotte, Stan and family
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Attention
Women of Faith:
My journal this week says, “Destruction brings unity.” It made me think about how our country and the world unified in the days following 9-11. And how the people around Parkersburg united following a devastating tornado and then the death of Ed Thomas, mentor and coach.
Are we at attention as God calls us to be? Are we still unified or have we fallen back asleep? Are we still calling on God in our lives as we did in the days after 9-11? Yesterday’s and today’s readings call us to be ready, to see the signs, to change our hearts and to have faith. They talk of the end times, of our blindness to sin and the signs that Jesus is near.
“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” Lk 21:5-19
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.” Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5
“Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.” Lk 18:35-43
Jesus is always near, whether it is the end time or not, because our lives here on earth are numbered. We don’t know whether we have only today, tomorrow or a 100 tomorrows to be with God, in God and thru God.
And like the blind man, we are to have faith even when we cannot see the destruction (sin). Because the most harmful destruction is the destruction in our hearts, the anger, the unforgiveness, the selfishness that is caused by materialism, by succumbing to societies law, instead of living God’s law and by the blindness of our human failings, the sins we choose to ignore.
We are called to be at attention, to pray more, to seek His forgiveness, to heed His message and live His commandments. We are to have faith, even in our blindness, and hope in God’s promises to keep us from eternal harm, IF we heed His message.
And if you knew that today was your last, what would you do differently? Would you be more tolerant of your own sufferings? Would you be more patient with your spouse’s bad habits? Would you take better care of your body, speak with more kindness, or love more? Would you be less about yourself, and more about others--spending your time or money caring for the needy, homeless, hungry or lonely?
Would we act more deliberately, with more intention, like we did in the days following 9-11?
God calls us to hear his message, to pray harder, to live in faith. When disaster happens, when a loved one is taken away from us, when Jesus comes again, then it may be too late to change. We must already be at His attention living his commands.
As Father said, just thinking about change is not enough, we must change from our hearts, and have hope that our change will affect others; because the more we love, the more others will love; because the faith that others see in us, will give others an example of the joy His faith brings. As God’s people we are to be His living bible, His living message.
Almighty Father, Lover of All, Bring us to your attention. Help us to live your words, to forgive those who have wronged us, and to pray for those who have not yet come to see you in their lives. Thank you for the blessing of seeing change in those we love. Help us to never grow weary, to become complacent, or to think that it is someone else who needs to change. Change me. Protect me. Keep ME at Attention. Amen.
Do we have God’s attention because we are following, leading or dividing His church?
Make the move! Come to God’s peaceful, loving, and forgiving attention. Blessings!
Charlotte
My journal this week says, “Destruction brings unity.” It made me think about how our country and the world unified in the days following 9-11. And how the people around Parkersburg united following a devastating tornado and then the death of Ed Thomas, mentor and coach.
Are we at attention as God calls us to be? Are we still unified or have we fallen back asleep? Are we still calling on God in our lives as we did in the days after 9-11? Yesterday’s and today’s readings call us to be ready, to see the signs, to change our hearts and to have faith. They talk of the end times, of our blindness to sin and the signs that Jesus is near.
“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” Lk 21:5-19
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.” Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5
“Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.” Lk 18:35-43
Jesus is always near, whether it is the end time or not, because our lives here on earth are numbered. We don’t know whether we have only today, tomorrow or a 100 tomorrows to be with God, in God and thru God.
And like the blind man, we are to have faith even when we cannot see the destruction (sin). Because the most harmful destruction is the destruction in our hearts, the anger, the unforgiveness, the selfishness that is caused by materialism, by succumbing to societies law, instead of living God’s law and by the blindness of our human failings, the sins we choose to ignore.
We are called to be at attention, to pray more, to seek His forgiveness, to heed His message and live His commandments. We are to have faith, even in our blindness, and hope in God’s promises to keep us from eternal harm, IF we heed His message.
And if you knew that today was your last, what would you do differently? Would you be more tolerant of your own sufferings? Would you be more patient with your spouse’s bad habits? Would you take better care of your body, speak with more kindness, or love more? Would you be less about yourself, and more about others--spending your time or money caring for the needy, homeless, hungry or lonely?
Would we act more deliberately, with more intention, like we did in the days following 9-11?
God calls us to hear his message, to pray harder, to live in faith. When disaster happens, when a loved one is taken away from us, when Jesus comes again, then it may be too late to change. We must already be at His attention living his commands.
As Father said, just thinking about change is not enough, we must change from our hearts, and have hope that our change will affect others; because the more we love, the more others will love; because the faith that others see in us, will give others an example of the joy His faith brings. As God’s people we are to be His living bible, His living message.
Almighty Father, Lover of All, Bring us to your attention. Help us to live your words, to forgive those who have wronged us, and to pray for those who have not yet come to see you in their lives. Thank you for the blessing of seeing change in those we love. Help us to never grow weary, to become complacent, or to think that it is someone else who needs to change. Change me. Protect me. Keep ME at Attention. Amen.
Do we have God’s attention because we are following, leading or dividing His church?
Make the move! Come to God’s peaceful, loving, and forgiving attention. Blessings!
Charlotte
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Date Night Reminder
Friends in Faith:
We would like to invite you to join us for St. Pat's Date Night on Sunday November 21 at 5:30 for faith, food, fellowship, and tools to be used in your marriage journey.
Each date brings new tools for Christian marriage and assists in reminding us of the vow we took to each other and with God on our marriage day.
As Matthew Kelly says we are never too old, or too young to enrich and change our lives: our youngest couple is engaged and soon to be married and our oldest couple has been married over 60 years! Making, and taking, time to "date" is one of the tools to a healthy, happy marriage. And all of the work of deciding where to go, where/what to eat, who to go out with and who's going to watch the kids is already taken care of :)
If you need daycare please reply back to this email or call our home phone below and leave a message.
For your calendar future date nights are scheduled on Jan 23, Feb 13 and March 27, 2011.
Hope to see you next Sunday night, St Pat's, 5:30.
Blessings on your marriage,
Stan and Charlotte
We would like to invite you to join us for St. Pat's Date Night on Sunday November 21 at 5:30 for faith, food, fellowship, and tools to be used in your marriage journey.
Each date brings new tools for Christian marriage and assists in reminding us of the vow we took to each other and with God on our marriage day.
As Matthew Kelly says we are never too old, or too young to enrich and change our lives: our youngest couple is engaged and soon to be married and our oldest couple has been married over 60 years! Making, and taking, time to "date" is one of the tools to a healthy, happy marriage. And all of the work of deciding where to go, where/what to eat, who to go out with and who's going to watch the kids is already taken care of :)
If you need daycare please reply back to this email or call our home phone below and leave a message.
For your calendar future date nights are scheduled on Jan 23, Feb 13 and March 27, 2011.
Hope to see you next Sunday night, St Pat's, 5:30.
Blessings on your marriage,
Stan and Charlotte
Monday, November 8, 2010
Gather Us In
Women of Faith:
As I reflected this morning I searched for guidance, God’s Spirit to lead me to the words that could tie together the fragments of our lives scattered by society evils and family demands.
Sunday I wrote at the top of my church journal—Gather Us In. As usual God seems to find Me—to put before Me--just what I most need to hear. The song ‘Gather Us In’ says: “Here in this place new light is streaming, now is the darkness vanished away. See in this space our fears and our dreamings, brought here to you in the light of this day. Gather us in the lost and forsaken, gather us in the blind and the lame; Call to us now and we shall awaken, we shall a rise at the sound of our name. We are the young our lives are a mystery, we are the old who yearn for your face, We have been sung throughout all of history, called to be light to the whole human race. Gather us in the rich and the haughty, gather us in the proud and the strong; give us a heart so meek and so lowly, give us the courage to enter the song.”
Even as my heart “analyzed” what I was singing I knew I was in church to be “gathered in” to put the pieces together, to unscramble life’s puzzles and challenges. And as Father said, “have the message PROCLAIMED into my life.”
And then I read the following verse and reflection from the USCCB website: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me”. (Philippians 4:13)
“Paul is writing to the Philippians and saying to them that there is a secret that leads to survival and, indeed, joy in every circumstance in life. The interesting thing about this secret is that it is no secret at all! The problem is that we too seldom avail ourselves of the power of it. The name of Jesus, the person of Jesus, the personal touch of the Savior, the closeness that is closer than our own skins - this is the "secret" Paul speaks of. It is one of the most widely known and poorly used secrets in the whole world.
“Wherever you may be in life, look to Jesus. Go to Jesus, speak with Jesus. Whatever is happening, Jesus has the ability to help you cope. In good circumstances and bad, remember and reverence his Name. In a famous spiritual classic of the Orthodox world, one Pilgrim through the world endeavors to say His name with every breath and with every step. Such would be a good practice for us as well. Whether we are in good times or bad, fast or feast, famine or abundance, Jesus is the one who helps us - He is our strength, our mainstay and our hope. He is the one who gives us the power to rejoice in chains and to conquer our enemies through love. And the only true conquest, the only lasting victory, is Love - Jesus Himself.” –Saturday, Nov 6 USCCB daily reflection
Dear God: Gather Us In! I come to you, lost, lonely, blind and lame. Awaken me to find the “secret” that is in Your Spirit of LOVE; leading me every step of the way and rejoicing in the knowledge that you are close. Thank you for seeing my fears and helping me get through each minute, of each hour, of each day. Thank you for seeing my dreams and helping me to put those dreams into the proper perspective, in good times and bad, in sickness and health, for richer for poorer—Give me the courage to enter the song.
Are you missing the “secret” ingredient in the recipe of your life?
Blessings—Charlotte
As I reflected this morning I searched for guidance, God’s Spirit to lead me to the words that could tie together the fragments of our lives scattered by society evils and family demands.
Sunday I wrote at the top of my church journal—Gather Us In. As usual God seems to find Me—to put before Me--just what I most need to hear. The song ‘Gather Us In’ says: “Here in this place new light is streaming, now is the darkness vanished away. See in this space our fears and our dreamings, brought here to you in the light of this day. Gather us in the lost and forsaken, gather us in the blind and the lame; Call to us now and we shall awaken, we shall a rise at the sound of our name. We are the young our lives are a mystery, we are the old who yearn for your face, We have been sung throughout all of history, called to be light to the whole human race. Gather us in the rich and the haughty, gather us in the proud and the strong; give us a heart so meek and so lowly, give us the courage to enter the song.”
Even as my heart “analyzed” what I was singing I knew I was in church to be “gathered in” to put the pieces together, to unscramble life’s puzzles and challenges. And as Father said, “have the message PROCLAIMED into my life.”
And then I read the following verse and reflection from the USCCB website: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me”. (Philippians 4:13)
“Paul is writing to the Philippians and saying to them that there is a secret that leads to survival and, indeed, joy in every circumstance in life. The interesting thing about this secret is that it is no secret at all! The problem is that we too seldom avail ourselves of the power of it. The name of Jesus, the person of Jesus, the personal touch of the Savior, the closeness that is closer than our own skins - this is the "secret" Paul speaks of. It is one of the most widely known and poorly used secrets in the whole world.
“Wherever you may be in life, look to Jesus. Go to Jesus, speak with Jesus. Whatever is happening, Jesus has the ability to help you cope. In good circumstances and bad, remember and reverence his Name. In a famous spiritual classic of the Orthodox world, one Pilgrim through the world endeavors to say His name with every breath and with every step. Such would be a good practice for us as well. Whether we are in good times or bad, fast or feast, famine or abundance, Jesus is the one who helps us - He is our strength, our mainstay and our hope. He is the one who gives us the power to rejoice in chains and to conquer our enemies through love. And the only true conquest, the only lasting victory, is Love - Jesus Himself.” –Saturday, Nov 6 USCCB daily reflection
Dear God: Gather Us In! I come to you, lost, lonely, blind and lame. Awaken me to find the “secret” that is in Your Spirit of LOVE; leading me every step of the way and rejoicing in the knowledge that you are close. Thank you for seeing my fears and helping me get through each minute, of each hour, of each day. Thank you for seeing my dreams and helping me to put those dreams into the proper perspective, in good times and bad, in sickness and health, for richer for poorer—Give me the courage to enter the song.
Are you missing the “secret” ingredient in the recipe of your life?
Blessings—Charlotte
Monday, November 1, 2010
Snooze Button
Women of Faith:
Are you like me in the morning, hitting the snooze button 3, or 4, or more times. Sometimes even pushing the alarm clocks “snooze” limit?
Are we pushing the “snooze” button on God? God says we can’t push Him to a limit, but have we “hit snooze” so often that we are oversleeping and missing the rewards
He offers us each day, His ability to care for us in every aspect of our “daily” lives.
Monday: Set the tone for yourself and God: Am I sleeping and exercising regularly and then choosing the right foods to eat? Or is “snooze” the name of the diet and exercise plan, saying I will “snooze” til tomorrow, the weekend or maybe even a New Year’s resolution?”
Tuesday—Our Country: Don’t snooze, VOTE tomorrow!! God’s choice is LIFE, not protection of our economy but of the people He created. “No servant can serve two masters. 8 He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 16: 13
Wednesday—Spirit Day (Religious Ed/church night): If you are taking the kids to get educated, are you educating yourself in God’ ways by what you are reading and watching? Are you in “snooze” mode with escape books, reality TV or rap music, or are you reading a self help book (Matthew Kelley), watching EWTN (Catholic TV) or listening to Christian radio (99.1 or 101.9).
Thursday—Societies “model.” Are we “snoozing and losing” focus of God because of the society and peer pressures around us. Don’t give in to “saying and doing” what society says is right. We know in our heart what God is asking us to wake up to and to speak for and against. If we are awake to God, His joy in our lives will be contagious to those around us.
Friday—the day of the cross: Are you hitting the snooze button on asking for “forgiveness?” Someplace there is someone we need to tell, “I’m sorry.” When was the last time YOU held YOURSELF accountable and received the sacrament of reconciliation? God’s forgiveness and mercy is for all, regardless of the seriousness of our sin, and if we ASK. As yesterday’s reading from Wis 11:22-12:2 reminds us: “But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!”
Saturday: Date night! How important have I made my spouse this week? God tells us that the purpose of marriage is to take our spouse to heaven. They can’t come with us if we don’t ask them to come and if we don’t make them our priority—not just on
Saturday, but all week long, in every decision, in every step we take with God. Quit putting them on “snooze” just because they are the most “tolerant” and understanding person in your life. Make your spouse your priority. (If you are not married: a parent, a “spiritually lonely” child, the elderly or someone without a family: someone is seeking your friendship so that you can share God in their life.)
Sunday—God’s chosen day. Are we taking ourselves (and our children) to church, or sleeping through another “snooze” on the alarm clock, saying “this is MY day to sleep in?” God doesn’t “sleep in!” He is awake all the time, seeing our every “snooze,” and listening attentively to our every prayer. Be awakened by Church, listen to His word and be fed his body and blood so that we can remain spiritually healthy when we go home and want to “snooze” in the other parts of our life.
All Loving, All Merciful God, Wake me up. Help me to turn off the snooze button in my life and say “Good Morning, God, I am awake for you today. Amen.
God's Alarm! Snooze! God's Buzzing! SNOOZE! GOD's CALLING! Wake up, if you have not already done so, because it’s “your” time, in your life, to do something for God.
Blessings,
Charlotte
Are you like me in the morning, hitting the snooze button 3, or 4, or more times. Sometimes even pushing the alarm clocks “snooze” limit?
Are we pushing the “snooze” button on God? God says we can’t push Him to a limit, but have we “hit snooze” so often that we are oversleeping and missing the rewards
He offers us each day, His ability to care for us in every aspect of our “daily” lives.
Monday: Set the tone for yourself and God: Am I sleeping and exercising regularly and then choosing the right foods to eat? Or is “snooze” the name of the diet and exercise plan, saying I will “snooze” til tomorrow, the weekend or maybe even a New Year’s resolution?”
Tuesday—Our Country: Don’t snooze, VOTE tomorrow!! God’s choice is LIFE, not protection of our economy but of the people He created. “No servant can serve two masters. 8 He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 16: 13
Wednesday—Spirit Day (Religious Ed/church night): If you are taking the kids to get educated, are you educating yourself in God’ ways by what you are reading and watching? Are you in “snooze” mode with escape books, reality TV or rap music, or are you reading a self help book (Matthew Kelley), watching EWTN (Catholic TV) or listening to Christian radio (99.1 or 101.9).
Thursday—Societies “model.” Are we “snoozing and losing” focus of God because of the society and peer pressures around us. Don’t give in to “saying and doing” what society says is right. We know in our heart what God is asking us to wake up to and to speak for and against. If we are awake to God, His joy in our lives will be contagious to those around us.
Friday—the day of the cross: Are you hitting the snooze button on asking for “forgiveness?” Someplace there is someone we need to tell, “I’m sorry.” When was the last time YOU held YOURSELF accountable and received the sacrament of reconciliation? God’s forgiveness and mercy is for all, regardless of the seriousness of our sin, and if we ASK. As yesterday’s reading from Wis 11:22-12:2 reminds us: “But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook people's sins that they may repent. For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!”
Saturday: Date night! How important have I made my spouse this week? God tells us that the purpose of marriage is to take our spouse to heaven. They can’t come with us if we don’t ask them to come and if we don’t make them our priority—not just on
Saturday, but all week long, in every decision, in every step we take with God. Quit putting them on “snooze” just because they are the most “tolerant” and understanding person in your life. Make your spouse your priority. (If you are not married: a parent, a “spiritually lonely” child, the elderly or someone without a family: someone is seeking your friendship so that you can share God in their life.)
Sunday—God’s chosen day. Are we taking ourselves (and our children) to church, or sleeping through another “snooze” on the alarm clock, saying “this is MY day to sleep in?” God doesn’t “sleep in!” He is awake all the time, seeing our every “snooze,” and listening attentively to our every prayer. Be awakened by Church, listen to His word and be fed his body and blood so that we can remain spiritually healthy when we go home and want to “snooze” in the other parts of our life.
All Loving, All Merciful God, Wake me up. Help me to turn off the snooze button in my life and say “Good Morning, God, I am awake for you today. Amen.
God's Alarm! Snooze! God's Buzzing! SNOOZE! GOD's CALLING! Wake up, if you have not already done so, because it’s “your” time, in your life, to do something for God.
Blessings,
Charlotte
Monday, October 25, 2010
Getting Things Done
Women of Faith:
Last night was our second Couples of Faith date night. Conversations there are always enlightening and thought provoking. At some point the discussion always turns to “how do you do all the things you do?” This is how God, not I, answers: “Why did God make me? To Know Him, Love Him, Serve Him.” Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 27-32, 46)
Today’s reading from Ephesians, also points to giving in love, sacrificing and working for God, acting within God’s commandments, finding light in the truth.
“Brothers and sisters: Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater,
has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. So do not be associated with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Eph 4:32–5:8
My theory is like Father Mike’s: “Don’t sit if you can stand, don’t stand if you can walk, don’t walk if you can run.” “It is a blessing if you can get things done.”
I am only doing what God made me for. If I do less than that, I am not answering His call. If I put something or someone ahead of God, I am not answering His call. And this is a TEAM effort, God is my/our coach. He wants the WHOLE team to succeed. That is the plan for marriage and for our families.
One of the other comments I have heard said is: “I wish “____” would have heard this.” That too is our call, to let others know what we have heard about God’s truth. Not what we think, not what society thinks, but what God has given us in the Bible and thru the Church teachings. It is our duty to spread that Truth, to invite someone to attend Church with us, to share God’s message by our living example, to express joy in our lives, and not “whine” but to show acceptance and embrace the burdens and sufferings we might be given—just as Jesus accepted the cross for us.
That is where prayer comes in. Many are not willing to listen. Many are not choosing the “narrow path.” It is so much easier to follow what has come to be the majority (only 1 in 4 Catholic’s attend mass on Sunday). (I don’t know statistics for other Christians.) What does “Keep Holy the Sabbath” mean? Can we afford to sin against a commandment so carelessly?
Our first job, whether we are sitting, standing, walking or running—is to pray! Pray to open hearts, to allow God’s spirit into conversations, and into the actions that we model for others.
If only 1 in 4 (or less) are doing God’s call—knowing Him, loving Him, serving Him—then will only 1 in 4 be allowed into Heaven?
What will we do, what will we give up, who will we pray for so that they, and we, are 1 of those 4?
Dear God: With joyful hearts we sing your songs of praise. Let Your Spirit guide us in paths of righteousness. Continue to bless us with the abilities, knowledge, courage and patience to “get things done.” Help us to touch others with Your word and light. Amen.
Go in faith, to build your team and “His will be done” “Good and faithful servant.”
Charlotte
Last night was our second Couples of Faith date night. Conversations there are always enlightening and thought provoking. At some point the discussion always turns to “how do you do all the things you do?” This is how God, not I, answers: “Why did God make me? To Know Him, Love Him, Serve Him.” Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 27-32, 46)
Today’s reading from Ephesians, also points to giving in love, sacrificing and working for God, acting within God’s commandments, finding light in the truth.
“Brothers and sisters: Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater,
has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. So do not be associated with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Eph 4:32–5:8
My theory is like Father Mike’s: “Don’t sit if you can stand, don’t stand if you can walk, don’t walk if you can run.” “It is a blessing if you can get things done.”
I am only doing what God made me for. If I do less than that, I am not answering His call. If I put something or someone ahead of God, I am not answering His call. And this is a TEAM effort, God is my/our coach. He wants the WHOLE team to succeed. That is the plan for marriage and for our families.
One of the other comments I have heard said is: “I wish “____” would have heard this.” That too is our call, to let others know what we have heard about God’s truth. Not what we think, not what society thinks, but what God has given us in the Bible and thru the Church teachings. It is our duty to spread that Truth, to invite someone to attend Church with us, to share God’s message by our living example, to express joy in our lives, and not “whine” but to show acceptance and embrace the burdens and sufferings we might be given—just as Jesus accepted the cross for us.
That is where prayer comes in. Many are not willing to listen. Many are not choosing the “narrow path.” It is so much easier to follow what has come to be the majority (only 1 in 4 Catholic’s attend mass on Sunday). (I don’t know statistics for other Christians.) What does “Keep Holy the Sabbath” mean? Can we afford to sin against a commandment so carelessly?
Our first job, whether we are sitting, standing, walking or running—is to pray! Pray to open hearts, to allow God’s spirit into conversations, and into the actions that we model for others.
If only 1 in 4 (or less) are doing God’s call—knowing Him, loving Him, serving Him—then will only 1 in 4 be allowed into Heaven?
What will we do, what will we give up, who will we pray for so that they, and we, are 1 of those 4?
Dear God: With joyful hearts we sing your songs of praise. Let Your Spirit guide us in paths of righteousness. Continue to bless us with the abilities, knowledge, courage and patience to “get things done.” Help us to touch others with Your word and light. Amen.
Go in faith, to build your team and “His will be done” “Good and faithful servant.”
Charlotte
Monday, October 18, 2010
To Be or Not to Be
Women of Faith:
How are our lives and our society driven by convenience?
We have “convenience foods,” drive-thru drug stores and even drive up windows at “eat-in” restaurants, so now we can save the time that might have been required to prepare the food. We have DVD’s in our cars to entertain the kids. Our stores stay open 24-7 so that we will have “convenient” shopping hours. We have “convenience” stores that carry everything from milk and bread, to medicine, to gas for our cars. We carry cell phones and hand held computers so that we have “convenient” access to our email, our offices and we can be “tracked” and kept track of without every really talking to our children or our spouses.
What has all this convenience done for us? We no longer sit down as a family to have a meal, or to hang out on a regular basis in the kitchen, learning how to cook. Sunday’s (and even Christmas and Thanksgiving) are filled with shopping for a something we might “need” (or is that want?) Our children are entertained not only by the TV at home, but even when we are traveling down the road. When do we take time to talk and find out about their day? And we (and our spouses) are always connected to our work, so that we never really have “free” time or silence in our lives, a chance to connect with each other, or a time to listen to God’s call in our lives.
In St Paul’s letter to Timothy he says: “Beloved: Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” 2 Tm 3:14-4:2
God is not a God of convenience. God is a God of truth and mercy. His word is inspired with wisdom for our salvation, forgiveness for our past wrongs, and perfect love for those who chose to seek His narrow path. We are asked to be persistent (and patient) in learning, convincing, correcting and encouraging others and ourselves to live His truth and share His love.
How do we make our faith lives convenient? We justify our every choice with the ever popular “it must be right, everyone is doing it.” We choose to do something for ourselves, rather than to do something for our neighbor (next door, or in a country around the world).
We ignore the opportunities we are given to help a child (both our own by giving them quality time with us or by being a good role model for our younger generations). It is inconvenient to talk to our lonely, elderly neighbors, or to help out the person next door who may have lost their job or have no food on their table. Instead we use our time and money to entertain ourselves and give ourselves more toys and conveniences, filling our homes with “useless” treasures.
We go to church when it is “convenient,” when it fits our schedule. We choose marriage and divorce with convenience—it’s easier to live together than to make a commitment to one another (and to not communicate God’s word to those who are making this choice); and when our spouse “fails us,” divorce becomes the “convenient” choice.
We even choose “life” when it is convenient, with birth control, abortion and euthanasia or by voting for someone who is pro-choice, because they promise us “lower taxes.”
It is tough to take the “inconvenient” path. It is not easy to “do” what God tells us is right. And as Paul said, it is not always “convenient” to speak the truth: to “know Him, love Him, and serve Him.”
Dear God: Praise be Your merciful forgiveness of my past “convenient” choices; for sending Your son who suffered “inconvenience” for me and died on the cross. Forgive me for the times I have chosen entertainment over service, anger over love, or envied “what everyone else” was doing. Thank you for the “conveniences” I am blessed with—a warm home, a car that starts, food on my table and friends to support me. Help me to listen to You in the silence and to be patient with those who have not yet heard Your truth. Help me to remember that the inconveniences of this world will be blessed in Your world. Amen.
Be “inconvenienced” today! Blessings,
Charlotte
How are our lives and our society driven by convenience?
We have “convenience foods,” drive-thru drug stores and even drive up windows at “eat-in” restaurants, so now we can save the time that might have been required to prepare the food. We have DVD’s in our cars to entertain the kids. Our stores stay open 24-7 so that we will have “convenient” shopping hours. We have “convenience” stores that carry everything from milk and bread, to medicine, to gas for our cars. We carry cell phones and hand held computers so that we have “convenient” access to our email, our offices and we can be “tracked” and kept track of without every really talking to our children or our spouses.
What has all this convenience done for us? We no longer sit down as a family to have a meal, or to hang out on a regular basis in the kitchen, learning how to cook. Sunday’s (and even Christmas and Thanksgiving) are filled with shopping for a something we might “need” (or is that want?) Our children are entertained not only by the TV at home, but even when we are traveling down the road. When do we take time to talk and find out about their day? And we (and our spouses) are always connected to our work, so that we never really have “free” time or silence in our lives, a chance to connect with each other, or a time to listen to God’s call in our lives.
In St Paul’s letter to Timothy he says: “Beloved: Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” 2 Tm 3:14-4:2
God is not a God of convenience. God is a God of truth and mercy. His word is inspired with wisdom for our salvation, forgiveness for our past wrongs, and perfect love for those who chose to seek His narrow path. We are asked to be persistent (and patient) in learning, convincing, correcting and encouraging others and ourselves to live His truth and share His love.
How do we make our faith lives convenient? We justify our every choice with the ever popular “it must be right, everyone is doing it.” We choose to do something for ourselves, rather than to do something for our neighbor (next door, or in a country around the world).
We ignore the opportunities we are given to help a child (both our own by giving them quality time with us or by being a good role model for our younger generations). It is inconvenient to talk to our lonely, elderly neighbors, or to help out the person next door who may have lost their job or have no food on their table. Instead we use our time and money to entertain ourselves and give ourselves more toys and conveniences, filling our homes with “useless” treasures.
We go to church when it is “convenient,” when it fits our schedule. We choose marriage and divorce with convenience—it’s easier to live together than to make a commitment to one another (and to not communicate God’s word to those who are making this choice); and when our spouse “fails us,” divorce becomes the “convenient” choice.
We even choose “life” when it is convenient, with birth control, abortion and euthanasia or by voting for someone who is pro-choice, because they promise us “lower taxes.”
It is tough to take the “inconvenient” path. It is not easy to “do” what God tells us is right. And as Paul said, it is not always “convenient” to speak the truth: to “know Him, love Him, and serve Him.”
Dear God: Praise be Your merciful forgiveness of my past “convenient” choices; for sending Your son who suffered “inconvenience” for me and died on the cross. Forgive me for the times I have chosen entertainment over service, anger over love, or envied “what everyone else” was doing. Thank you for the “conveniences” I am blessed with—a warm home, a car that starts, food on my table and friends to support me. Help me to listen to You in the silence and to be patient with those who have not yet heard Your truth. Help me to remember that the inconveniences of this world will be blessed in Your world. Amen.
Be “inconvenienced” today! Blessings,
Charlotte
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)