Category: Mary

Our Magnificat

We, too, can trust God and say “yes” to our calling as evangelists. Our authentic witness begins with our openness to the Holy Spirit. That vulnerability leads to a holy encounter that changes us so that our witness flows from our relationship with Jesus. Knowing and pondering our story clarifies it and fills us with joy that overflows to others. We can bring the presence of Jesus within us into the world with humility and joy, through the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit.

Moved to witness

Mary’s powerful encounter with Gabriel compelled her to witness. The Holy Spirit overwhelmed her with such joy that she could only respond by telling those dearest to her what God had done in her—as the angel had directed her.

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. (Luke 1:39–40)

Faith brings us to witness like Mary

God chose Mary as the first evangelist. She said “yes” because she trusted him. She embraced his mission for her life and brought the presence of Jesus to the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. As our model for becoming evangelists, Mary demonstrates the character traits we need: humility, obedience, authentic witness, joyful praise, and close relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Everything she did was a testimony of God’s love.

Testimony: The Scuba Diver and the Mermaid

In 2000, I was sitting in a megachurch with a juice box in my hand, wondering what had gone wrong. The worship service had a back-to-school theme, and the church was trying to shoehorn a communion service into it as well. Thus, the juice box. Even as an Evangelical, I took the Lord’s Supper seriously, although I was taught that it was just a symbol. I didn’t have the words to describe it then but, if I had, I would have called this sacrilege.

Personalizing the Trinity

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.

Two Living Encounters

I grew up in the ’60s and ’70s, attending Catholic grade and high schools run by the School Sisters of St. Francis. The Sisters all wore habits down to the floor and, from the time I was little, I felt there was some mysterious personal connection between the Sisters and me. A few Sisters weren’t kind, and I saw some real displays of temper, but so many of the Sisters communicated genuine love. I always felt that I was going to be a Sister.
Then all the changes came and I watched the Sisters go from habits to street clothes. Soon they were out the door, leaving their vocations behind.

Falling in love with the Catholic Church

He looked up at me and said, “Why don’t we try the Catholic Church?” I began reading everything that I could get my hands on about the Catholic faith and found EWTN to be an unfailing resource of knowledge and truth. I constantly listened to Catholic radio and began to pray the rosary. With God’s grace, I slowly debunked every assumption that I ever heard about the Catholic Church. I fell in love with Her richness and beauty.   

Got Joy? Latest posts 1-10-20

Latest posts: Cause of Our Joy: How Mary helps us share our story – I discovered Mary’s place in my life and in the Church quite late into my life-long conversion as a Catholic. I began paying attention to what I accepted in my head but never got to my heart, like the importance of Mary. NewEvangelizers: Butterflies at Wal-Mart? Her touch seemed to freeze us in time. I barely was aware of the noisy crowd as if the three of us were invisible to them. Friars Corner: Jesus wants to be our best friend and savior – May the Holy Spirit pierce your heart and mind in these first days of the New Year with great amazement for all that God does for us each day. May you spend a little time each may just loving the Trinity from the depths of your heart. Prayer Companion: Come, Holy Spirit – How do we acquire the Holy Spirit when we are alone, frustrated, and confused? A prayer that works anywhere, anytime: “Come, Holy Spirit!” This calms us and brings us into communion with God. The Gate of the Year – And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.” Best of 2019: I wanted an Everyday Church – I wanted to be part of that original church, to be in close relationship with Jesus like those kneeling, receiving his body and blood as often as they could, to know about saints and martyrs who went before us in faith.