JOY Alive in Our Hearts

The joy of conversion, Christian community, and the Catholic faith

Category: Holy Spirit

Catholic / Conversion / Evangelization / Holy Spirit / Joy / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story

Profiles in Catholicism

Discovering the Holy Spirit is an amazing and endless pursuit. From the beginning of my awakening to the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit, I’ve frequently called on him with the prayer, “I can’t do this; come, Holy Spirit.” He always shows up and reminds me of everything he has told me about my faith, as Jesus promised in John 14:26b. The Holy Spirit is my secret weapon in everything from seeking guidance in the presence of chaos, consolation in times of grief, or overcoming my shyness while speaking to a large audience.

Catholic family / Coronavirus / Eucharist / Evangelization / Holy Spirit / Jesus / Joy / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story

TheSimpleCatholic: Why you are never too old to evangelize

I’m part of the elder generation of faithful Christians who know the Truth and bring that Truth to the spiritual orphans of our secular culture. Vigorous and sturdy, we shall bear fruit among those whom no one else can evangelize but who can relate to us right here and now. We interact with the walking wounded at Walmart and can minister to the casualties of the culture of death.

Catholic family / Evangelization / Fr. Bob Hilz / Holy Spirit / Jesus / Joy / Living Your Faith / Prayer / Scriptures

Friar’s Corner: Keeping your God-light shining

To turn our God-light on, we need to plug our lamp cord into God’s power socket, our baptism. Then we can turn on the Jesus-light inside of us. Knowing and loving Jesus empowers us to radiate His light and love to others. To keep our lights on we need to repent of all our past sins and beg God for His mercy and love.

Conversion / Evangelization / Holy Spirit / Interviews / Joy / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story

Patheos Interview: Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story With Nancy HC Ward

Does sharing your faith scare you?  There is something about doing it that is a bit nerve-racking  Maybe it is the fear of rejection, being made fun of, or perhaps something else. The fact of the matter is that somebody needs to hear your story.  Author and speaker Nancy HC Ward recently wrote a book titled Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story that sets out to give tips and to show the importance of each individual faith story.

Personalizing the Trinity

Catholic / Holy Spirit / Jesus / Mary

Personalizing the Trinity

“No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son.” An analogy St Bonaventure used, is to think of the Trinity as yourself. Through the sacrifice of Christ, you now share in the divine life of God, the Trinity.

Catholic family / Fr. Bob Hilz / Holy Spirit / Jesus / Prayer / Sacraments / Scriptures

Friar’s Corner: The Holy Spirit prays for God’s will

Jesus paid all the bill by His death and resurrection. At infant baptism, our parents received them for us then. Sometimes in our adult life, we must make our own commitment to know and follow Jesus in His new kingdom. Each sacrament in God’s kingdom offers us a different set of operating gifts for personal growth and adult ministry for others. 

Virginia Lieto

Catholic family / Conversion / Evangelization / Holy Spirit / Joy / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story

Answering the Call by Taking the Leap

I realized that the way for me to connect the dots for others was through the virtues, for Jesus is the Way. My “call within a call” is to focus on the virtues, evangelizing both adults, through my public speaking, and children through my picture books. By embracing the virtues, we can grow closer to God and live happier lives. My life’s focus now is to bring the virtues to the forefront of our lives and share them with others.

Catholic family / Confirmation / Fr. Bob Hilz / Holy Spirit / Jesus / Sacraments / Scriptures

Friar’s Corner: Claiming more heavenly treasures

I sense joining the church Jesus founded is like joining a country club. Jesus gives us a free paid-up membership card, which He paid for by His death and resurrection. As we use the sacramental gifts, our lives radiate the fruits I listed from Galatians 5:22: love, joy, peace, patient endurance, kindness, generosity, faith, mildness and chastity or self-control, according to our life’s mission. These are a result of living a higher spiritual life more connected to God. The Holy Spirit “melts us, molds us, fills us and uses us” to help others.