JOY Alive in Our Hearts

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

Category: Sacraments

Conversion / Evangelization / Joy / Reviews / Sacraments / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story / spiritual journaling

Michael Seagriff: A Powder Keg of Evangelizing Zeal

Stop and think for a moment. There are a zillion more lay Catholics in the world than there are priests and religious. It is we lay people who hold the key to the evangelization of the world. This is one of the most overlooked exhortations of Vatican II. Instead of rushing to fill “quasi liturgical roles,” we lay folk were challenged to evangelize the environments which are unique to us (and not readily accessible to our priests and religious) – our homes and extended family, our businesses and work environments (including our employees and co-workers) and the various athletic, charitable, entertainment, fraternal, political, professional and social organizations in which we participate.

The Friar's Corner

Catholic / Catholic family / Fr. Bob Hilz / Jesus / Joy / Prayer / Sacraments / Saints / Scriptures

Friar’s Corner: Jesus is our daily Bread of Life

St. Luke’s gospel this Sunday tells us that two disciples, Cleopas and an unnamed disciple, had left Jerusalem even though the women had told them that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb and that they had seen him in his new presence. These two disciples were walking along to Emmaus and a stranger began to walk with them as they were talking about those things that had happened to Jesus. This stranger they did not recognize began to explain why Jesus had to go through those things. Briefly, it was toward evening and they stopped at an inn for dinner and rest. When did they recognize him it was Jesus? At the meal when he took the bread, blessed and broke the bread. They had been at the Last Supper. Their eyes were opened yet Jesus instantly vanished. They ran back to the Upper Room to tell the others. This story is critical. Pray and think about it.

The Friar's Corner

Corona virus / Fr. Bob Hilz / Living Your Faith / Prayer / Sacraments / Scriptures / Spiritual Warfare

Friar’s Corner: New life with Jesus

For much of the world, those connected to the electronic world, we are in shock. For the northern part of our planet with all of our science and medical technology, we are still baffled. Most of the media is focused on the virus, its symptoms and effects and not having a remedy to eliminate it and bring us back to where we were a few months ago.
Returning to where we were is not going to happen. For those more spiritually-minded this is God’s wake-up call to the whole world. He had to do this because many are trying to throw God out of their lives. They don’t want his love and mercy. They don’t want to really love and help others.

The Friar's Corner

Fr. Bob Hilz / Holy Spirit / Jesus / Prayer / Quotes / Sacraments / Spiritual Warfare

Friar’s Corner: Protected in God’s radiant glory

Come, Light of God’s own glory!
Seal and protect us and our family,
in a protective home of Your glory!
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
especially the Coronavirus
and all its effects.

Grant us peace in our days.
In your merciful love,
keep us free from sin and all viruses
and protect us from all our fears,
anxieties and worries,
as we await in joyful hope
for the second coming
of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

The Friar's Corner

Advent / Catholic / Eucharist / Evangelization / Fr. Bob Hilz / Holy Spirit / Jesus / Joy / Sacraments / Scriptures

Friar’s Corner: Christ’s Mission is possible!

We are more than halfway through Advent. Our celebration and remembrance of Christ’s birth is only 10 days away. For me, my greatest joy is that Jesus is still with us. he did go back to heaven in his glorified body at the Ascension. For some, he is gone from us. That is “fake news.” For others, Jesus promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the world,” Matthew 28:20c. He also told us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light,” Matthew 11:28-30. When we look at the facts in our four gospels and our nearly two thousand years of Catholic tradition, Jesus is still daily present in spiritual ways all over the world and his loving power flows through his sacraments and our prayer lives to us

Books / Catholic / CatholicMom.com / Conversion / Jesus / Joy / Nancy Ward / Prayer / Sacraments / Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story

CatholicMom: Am I Catholic?

Featured on CatholicMom.com Am I Catholic? A Struggle with Faith, Humility, and Surrendering to God by Kendra Von Esh Kendra was a cradle Catholic but without understanding or practicing the doctrine or engaging in the sacraments. This gifted, rich party girl, whose career and worldliness controlled her life, had a passion for well-being which led her...