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How Do you Respond to People who Rip Apart the Catholic Church?

November 12th, 2011 No comments

Catholic ChurchI cannot deny that there are sinners inside of the Church, but I am forever Catholic and proud. The day when sinners in the Church cease to exist is the day the Church on earth will cease to exist because at that time, her mission will have been accomplished. Jesus said to the self righteous, 'I come not to save the righteous, but the sinners'. As long as the Church on earth exists there will be weeds among her wheat, but so will there be those who take joy in the scandals of her members, most especially the sins of her shepherds who are called to lead. As long as the Church exists there will be those who utter all kinds of falsehoods against her without bothering to look into the facts. They will repeat the biased words of our media and the world because they want to see her fail. But fail she will not, because blemishes and all, she belongs to Jesus.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." Matthew 5:11

We Catholics get it from both ends, those put in a position of trust who proclaim the word and then sin against the word, and those, Catholic, Protestant, and non-Christian alike, who don’t truly know the word but see fit to smear what they don’t know. But, thanks be to God, none of this changes the ancient and steadfast pillar of truth in our midst, the Catholic Church; the Body of Christ.

Matthew 5:11
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
11Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:

God Answers a Sister’s Prayer

September 16th, 2011 No comments
Power of PrayerIt seems as if it is during those most difficult trials in life when we human beings push God aside. Why is that? Through my own struggles in life, I continue to learn a valuable lesson about the importance of putting God first in my life. The relationship between diminishing, inner peace and distance from God is no small coincidence. In fact, that distance from God is the reason for our struggles in the first place. The struggle for a better life seems like a vicious circle and usually it is not until my own vain, human efforts result in sadness and suffering that I turn my attention back to Jesus and the teachings of my Catholic faith. As an analogy, I sometimes imagine my life as a bottomless pool of water. There is a life preserver near by, but instead of using it, I push it aside. I’d rather rely on my own determination and so I put full trust in myself. As I struggle to stay afloat, I imagine how silly it must look with my arms and legs frantically splashing in the water while I gasp for air, struggling to keep my head above water. As I grow tired, weary and frustrated with my luck, I become more and more annoyed with the life preserver; insisting it is in my way and distracting me from doing what I need to do. Not until I have completely exhausted all of my energy and realize I am going to drown, do I grasp for God’s hand and hold on for dear life. Finally, I come to that inevitable conclusion that there is nothing worthwhile in life I can accomplish apart from God. When I fail to include God in my plans, I fail to make a better life for myself and others. I know I am not the only human being that faces these struggles and forgets that God is our life preserver.  So, what can possibly save us from this human despair and make us realize we’re going in painful circles every time we forget our faith? I can tell you what has worked for me: We Catholics practice and believe in prayer (James 5:16: The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective), but maybe we underestimate its power. Or, maybe we simply forget to use it when we need it most. I will illustrate this through my own personal example:  Read more...
Matthew 5:11
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
11Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:
James 5:16
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
16Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.

Family and a Meal

March 31st, 2011 No comments

I would be lying if I said that sickness and death never scare me. I want to hang onto all that is dear to me here on earth, my family and the health to enjoy my family, good food,, God’s trees and mountains, warm air on a spring day, and the beautiful sun in the early morning.

As a child growing up, family was everything. Not one holiday passed that wasn’t shared with a wonderful meal and family at my side. The most memorable holiday celebration was Christmas. My dad has a big family, and on Christmas Eve, all of my cousins, aunts and uncles, and my immediate family would gather together in my grandmother’s small home. There were many of us cramped together, but the small house did not take from our enjoyment, rather, things felt comfortable, secure, and cozy. The grandchildren were all excited anxiously anticipating Christmas morning and Santa, and the small home was filled with all of the wonderful smells of Christmas. My grandmother was an amazing Italian cook, and we feasted on fried fish, Italian stuffing, cookies, etc. The adults gathered at the table talking, laughing and joking, and we children listened to them, sharing in their enjoyment as we played well into the early morning hours. Finally, tired, and worn out from all of the fun, we left for home carrying in our hearts what would become yet another glorious memory and hope in the promise of the next familiar, yet magical family gathering. Read more...

Matthew 5:11
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
11Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:
James 5:16
View in: NAB NIV KJV NJB Vulg Greek
16Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.