The joy of conversion, Christian community, and the Catholic faith
Many in the world have tried to take God and sin out of our dictionary and life. We see the effects of this in the world-wide havoc each day in our news. We see it in wars, killings, natural disasters, alcoholism, misused sex, drugs and negative power. God has a different plan to defeat temptations quickly and effectively, living close to Jesus and his plans as revealed by his Holy Spirit.
Introducing With Our Savior Wednesdays Celebrate your faith together as a family this Lent as you go through the season With Our Savior! Every day of Lent is an opportunity to bring yourself and your family closer to the joy of Easter. Scripture, reflection, prayer and activities are presented here, encouraging you and your family...
It is helpful to see that St. Matthew, in chapters five to seven, develops a process of spiritual growth starting with the Beatitudes beginning in 5:3-12. This is a nine-step ladder to grow in holiness and get to heaven. We see here the three major stages of growth from the Purgative stage of turning away from serious sin in our five senses. It is called the Dark Night of the Senses.
We Christians are storytellers. Each day at daily Mass Liturgy, we are reading stories about Jesus and his wonderful care for us. Daily at this time of year before Lent, we are reading from the early chapters of St. Mark. What was Jesus doing in the first part of his public life? Jesus got countless people’s attention by healing them. The stories and different and wonderful. The love and care for people was awesome. The early followers of Jesus were empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to go forth to the whole world to bring the good news of Jesus to all peoples in power. They weren’t perfect but God used them to spread the news.
Jesus can motivate us to choose the better part, to make time for him. Alone with him, he can inspire commitments to get our schedules, finances and families in his right order and to help us to live longer and happier lives of serving him. When we ask him, he puts the will and desire in our hearts to change. Then the change will last. I can’t help but think that any lasting changes are not the result of our will power, but the side effects of loving him.
Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:1-49 I rested after the Chrism Mass last Monday in the cathedral. As I awoke I was singing “Come back to me with all your heart.” Then I was thinking about Easter and its great value and meaning. Getting closer to Jesus is to say a...
Luke 19:28-40; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Philippians 2:6-1; Luke 22:1-49 We are finishing our Lenten journey. Now we enter the saddest six days of our church year. Meditating on these events in Christ’s life, meditating on his suffering, death and burial, can make us very sad and depressed. I watched “The Passion of...
