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

The Lent we choose, the Lent God gives us

 

Faithful Friends:

I don’t often borrow a reflection, but this one struck me as particularly challenging. The gospel is Jn 2:13-25.

Borrowed with permission from Mike Day, President NACFLM (National Association of Catholic Family Ministers)

“I’ve often quipped that there’s two Lents: there’s the Lent we choose and the Lent God gives us. There have been many years I’ve charged into the season with grand ideas for penances only to find the most difficult were the sufferings I did not anticipate life throwing my way.

“For the 3^rd Sunday in Lent, the Gospel tells of Christ purging the temple of moneychangers. By pointing out that He did so with a whip made of cords clarifies that this was not some reactionary moment of human weakness. He had time to discern and spent that time in preparation for a response. Christ was consumed by a “zeal for his house” and the sign given for doing this was the temple of His own body which would be destroyed but raised again.

“Through reception of the Eucharist, the “house” in which Christ resides is our very selves. St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit and, like the literal temple, Christ is consumed by zeal for us. For however well-intentioned and insightful our Lenten penances may be, God knows us more intimately than we know ourselves and He desires to drive out from us all that diminishes our worth, dignity and beauty. It is not always a peaceful process and can, like this moment with the moneychangers, be unsettling, tense, and frustrating.

“This is not only true within ourselves but relationships as well. Whether with our spouse, children, extended families or even co-workers, there may be conflicts that threaten to drive us apart. But the virtue of patience can afford us the space and time needed to see the work of purification Christ is doing within us.

“As we cross the halfway point of our Lenten journey, with all the blessings and challenges that have come our way, let us take heart and behold, for Christ makes all things new."

Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Mike Day, President NACFLM"

Blessings on your Lenten Journey, Charlotte

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

Martha and Mary, The Better Part

Friends of Faith:

 I’ve been feeling a little disconnected from God and overwhelmed by busyness. And while I realize in today’s world with all the distractions it’s probably not uncommon, it’s still difficult to get back on track. 

Andy sent me his “bulletin insert” for next week (he recently transferred as associate pastor at Resurrection parish in Dubuque to Pastor at Nativity Parish in Dubuque) and it made me realize that no matter where we are in life sometimes we just need a boost – for me his article – which I sought his permission to share with all of you.

 “On Tuesday, one week after I had started as Pastor, I was walking into the church and I realized that besides the Masses I had celebrated and the time in the confessional, I really hadn’t spent much time praying in the main body of the church, hadn’t taken the time for a Holy Hour, etc.

 “It made me realize that I had spent my first week being much like Martha, busy with many things, and not much like Mary, prayerful and reflective at the feet of Jesus.  Naturally, that realization made me stop and reflect on the situation, wondering “Why does Mary have the better part?  There is so much to get done, all of the time...”

 “Mary has chosen the better part because there will always be things to do, but there will not always be this time, right now, to be with Jesus, to learn from Him, to grow to be holier, to move closer towards the Kingdom of God.  Mary experienced this in a very direct way, but we experience it too.

 “Every day we have that choice too, whether we will take time in prayer or if we will let our busyness take over.  Realistically, we have to get some work done, so we can’t be like Mary all of the time, but we should try to carve out some time.

 “How much time is enough?  Well, it varies from person to person, situation to situation, but I believe God asks us not just to tithe our money, but to tithe our whole lives.  So, just for the sake of easy math, if we are awake for 15 hours a day, it seems reasonable to take 10% of that or one and a half hours and spend it in prayer, which could be attending daily Mass, doing spiritual reading, praying devotions, or just praying from the heart.

 “Take some time to stop and reflect on your situation.  We need not bite off more than we can chew, but start gradually.  I didn’t stop to do a Holy Hour, I took fifteen minutes right then and twenty minutes later, but the realization of that need to spend time at the feet of Jesus is the first step towards a holier and more joy-filled life.”

So for all of you Martha’s, May you all take the time to find peace and joy and be a little more like Mary this week!

Blessings,

Charlotte

www.morningreflection.blogspot.com

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

Senators fail to pass the right of healthcare for newborn babies

There is no other word for this than evil. We protect butterfly larvae and cruelty to animals but we won't give a baby born alive the right to medical care. We are in for some serious talking to by the wrath of God.

Please pray,

Charlotte

It’s True: U.S. Senators Voted to Allow the Killing of Infant Children | Jim Daly