Well, if anyone is still reading out there, I appreciate it. Sorry its been so long, Ive just been so busy with many different things, as Im sure you have as well.
Life really takes turns, changes, spins, and cartwheels. Its an interesting thing.
The older I get the less I care about things I thought I thought I should care about. The older I get the more I care about the things I cared about as a child, or should have cared about as a child. Its an interesting thing.
I look at the things other people care about, or the things the world tells us to care about. What do they have to offer me. The offer me status, pride, one-upsmanship-ability, and the desire for more. Its an interesting thing.
I think the sign of an immature person is the wanting to be mature, while the sign of maturity is the wanting, not to be immature, but to be childlike. Its an interesting thing.
You say, what the heck are you talking about. I say, think about it. What do I have that you dont, many things perhaps, and vice-versa. What is the only thing you cant have if its not given to you - me. We dont need to do fancy things, go fancy places, have fancy things, we need each other. Thats all we needed when we were kids, family and friends. Yea toys were cool, but no toy ever brought us the peace that a loved one did. So why do we search for those "things" as adults. When we realize that we are a gift to one another and give that gift, we will find peace. Its an interesting thing.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
St. Maria Goretti - Saints & Angels - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online
St. Maria Goretti - Saints & Angels - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online
Sorry its been a while folks. Happy feast day to Maria Goretti. Ill be posting soon.
Until then. Keep it real.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
"Its been a while"
Sorry folks, its been a while. Ive been very busy with a number of different things but I expect to slow down soon and have some more time for this. I hope you are still tuning in every now and again. Readership has dropped off, probably because of no new posts, but I hope for the few out there that these posts are interesting and/or enjoyable to you.
Today is Father's Day. It can be a great day for some and a miserable one for others, depending on your upbringing. It is thought by some that the relationship you have with your father mimics or mirrors that relationship you have with the Heavenly Father. Yes, we often communicate well with Jesus, but what about the Father. Do we really have a good relationship with him, do we have a good relationship with our own father.
Piety is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What piety actually refers to is right relationship with the Father. Its a gift not often prayed for and overlooked. We would do well to ask the Holy Spirit to increase this gift in us.
Why do we call God father. There are many misconceptions and thoughts when this question is asked. Many think that God is a man. Well that is partially true in the personhood of Jesus Christ but not of God the father. Some think God the father is some old dude with a sweet white beard, WRONG. God the father is neither male nor female, He is pure spirit having masculine traits are ascribed to Him. Therefore, we call Him Him and not Her.
Its really unfathomable who God is, but I actually know this. It would take too long to write in this blog so....I wont. Only kidding, I only know that God is looking out for me (us) and calling me (us) to Himself through His son and by the Holy Spirit.
On this day we should not only thank our earthly fathers but also our Heavenly One. If our earthly father has passed, or we wish he would (kidding), we need to get past that and focus on the Fatherly relationship that can mend any other relationship by the nature of its goodness.
HAPPY FATHERS DAY
Today is Father's Day. It can be a great day for some and a miserable one for others, depending on your upbringing. It is thought by some that the relationship you have with your father mimics or mirrors that relationship you have with the Heavenly Father. Yes, we often communicate well with Jesus, but what about the Father. Do we really have a good relationship with him, do we have a good relationship with our own father.
Piety is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What piety actually refers to is right relationship with the Father. Its a gift not often prayed for and overlooked. We would do well to ask the Holy Spirit to increase this gift in us.
Why do we call God father. There are many misconceptions and thoughts when this question is asked. Many think that God is a man. Well that is partially true in the personhood of Jesus Christ but not of God the father. Some think God the father is some old dude with a sweet white beard, WRONG. God the father is neither male nor female, He is pure spirit having masculine traits are ascribed to Him. Therefore, we call Him Him and not Her.
Its really unfathomable who God is, but I actually know this. It would take too long to write in this blog so....I wont. Only kidding, I only know that God is looking out for me (us) and calling me (us) to Himself through His son and by the Holy Spirit.
On this day we should not only thank our earthly fathers but also our Heavenly One. If our earthly father has passed, or we wish he would (kidding), we need to get past that and focus on the Fatherly relationship that can mend any other relationship by the nature of its goodness.
HAPPY FATHERS DAY
Friday, June 4, 2010
You're the best.....around!
Remember that line from the best movie of all time, The Karate Kid. You really are the best, you are the best you. Nobody can be a better you and you cant be a better somebody else. You are who you are and thats the reality of it.
So often we get caught up in tying to be better than one another, being someone were not, thinking about a different lifestyle, and the big one, thinking everyone should think like you do. Im not pointing the finger at you, yes you, sitting on that couch, in that chair. Im talking about the human condition, which includes all of us. I think one of the most interesting things about people is that we see ourselves in each other. The things that drive us nuts about other people are things we dont like about ourselves. Maybe this doesnt make sense at first, but as a good friend once said to me, "take a step back and look at yourself." I find myself, many times over, complaining about one thing or another or being bothered by something someone is doing. Its not 5 minutes later that I notice myself doing the same exact thing. You get a good idea of who a person is by what bothers them, its true.
This is the great thing about being a people of communion and community. We exist for each other, we are all part of the whole. It is us who makes one another better, stronger, and more virtuous. What a great gift this is to one another from the One. The hard part is being able to love one another, not only to tolerate, but to correct one another out of love for the other and not to make them like us. Everyone can take criticism, albeit some better than others, but its hard to dole it out lovingly.
The more crap we root out of our lives the less we will be burdened and the less we will burden others. It is only in the communal interaction with each other and in the light of faith that these issues can be wholly destroyed and be made in to pillars of our lives.
You're the best......around. Nothing's ever gonna keep your down. You're the best!!!
So often we get caught up in tying to be better than one another, being someone were not, thinking about a different lifestyle, and the big one, thinking everyone should think like you do. Im not pointing the finger at you, yes you, sitting on that couch, in that chair. Im talking about the human condition, which includes all of us. I think one of the most interesting things about people is that we see ourselves in each other. The things that drive us nuts about other people are things we dont like about ourselves. Maybe this doesnt make sense at first, but as a good friend once said to me, "take a step back and look at yourself." I find myself, many times over, complaining about one thing or another or being bothered by something someone is doing. Its not 5 minutes later that I notice myself doing the same exact thing. You get a good idea of who a person is by what bothers them, its true.
This is the great thing about being a people of communion and community. We exist for each other, we are all part of the whole. It is us who makes one another better, stronger, and more virtuous. What a great gift this is to one another from the One. The hard part is being able to love one another, not only to tolerate, but to correct one another out of love for the other and not to make them like us. Everyone can take criticism, albeit some better than others, but its hard to dole it out lovingly.
The more crap we root out of our lives the less we will be burdened and the less we will burden others. It is only in the communal interaction with each other and in the light of faith that these issues can be wholly destroyed and be made in to pillars of our lives.
You're the best......around. Nothing's ever gonna keep your down. You're the best!!!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Memorial Life
Today we celebrate memorial day. We honor and remember all those who served and lost their life for our wonderful country. We may not know any of these people but chances our they were friends, family, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. We thank them by celebrating how ever we choose because we have the freedom to do so, thanks to them. Pope John Paul II had this to say about freedom, "Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." We should be grateful each day and honor these men and women with our lives just as they have given their lives for us. It is very Christian-like to give of yourself in order to achieve a greater good, just take a peak at a crucifix.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Happy Birthday 2
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and kindle in them the fire of love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and You shall renew the face of the Earth. O God, by the light of the Holy Spirit, didst though instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Today is Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. The Lord said that he would send someone after Him, after he left. And that He did, he sent us the Ruah, the Paraclete, the Oil of Joy, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been with us ever since: guiding, strengthening, informing, loving, imparting, and creating anew.
We often look to Jesus and sometimes to the Father but how often do we look toward the one that lives along side and more importantly, within us. The Holy Spirit is our guide, we are given 7 gifts that we as Christians are fortified with upon receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. The seven are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
Veni Sancte Spiritus - Come Holy Spirit. Let us pray that in times of need, the Lord understands latin better!
This is one of my favorite hymns!
Today is Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus. The Lord said that he would send someone after Him, after he left. And that He did, he sent us the Ruah, the Paraclete, the Oil of Joy, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been with us ever since: guiding, strengthening, informing, loving, imparting, and creating anew.
We often look to Jesus and sometimes to the Father but how often do we look toward the one that lives along side and more importantly, within us. The Holy Spirit is our guide, we are given 7 gifts that we as Christians are fortified with upon receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. The seven are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
- The gift of wisdom corresponds to the virtue of charity.
- The gift of understanding corresponds to the virtue of faith.
- The gift of counsel (right judgment) corresponds to the virtue of prudence.
- The gift of fortitude corresponds to the virtue of courage.
- The gift of knowledge corresponds to the virtue of faith.
- The gift of piety corresponds to the virtue of justice.
- The gift of fear of the Lord corresponds to the virtue of hope.
Veni Sancte Spiritus - Come Holy Spirit. Let us pray that in times of need, the Lord understands latin better!
This is one of my favorite hymns!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Wide Receivers
Congratulations to all the men who received the sacrament of Holy Orders this past weekend. I was able to share in one of these beautiful masses as a gent from Allentown was ordained to the transitional deaconate. These men celebrate 6-10 long, hard years of seminary formation and now go off to be formed spiritually and socially by the people of God.
One of the greatest bits of wisdom Ive learned in my formation is to always receive and never to take. This may sound strange and could be quite a challenging way to approach life. However difficult, it is a way to live in the divine providence of God. There certainly are things we should still take regardless of our state in life, which include, but are not limited to taking: baths, showers, and me out to the ball game!
Think about all the items, questions, choices we come across each day. We can always take but what do we actually receive. Even if we need to take sometimes the question alone will help us sort out what we've actually received. Whatever we receive can only be viewed as a gift, who these gifts come from is another question to ponder.
If you are reading this you have received another gift, the gift of another day from our heavenly Father. And what a gift it is. What else have you received today? What have you taken today? Often when we take something it is necessary but perhaps its a selfishness that causes us to take. Can we not have faith in God that he will provide for us, we most certainly can, hasnt He always come through in the past.
What if you receive a nasty comment, or a freshly smashed egg on your car? Is that a gift from God? Why not, its indirect but its an opportunity to stretch your virtue muscles and love in the face of anger. This is a great gift from the Lord.
There is a group of religious sisters that live in northeastern PA who live a Franciscan spirituality (owning nothing) and rely solely on the divine providence of God working through His people. They rely on us for food, shelter, and all the necessities, while they spend their entire day in prayer of thanks to God and on our behalf. How simply they live, how joyful they are.
We should thank all those who give us gifts tomorrow and someday return that favor.
One of the greatest bits of wisdom Ive learned in my formation is to always receive and never to take. This may sound strange and could be quite a challenging way to approach life. However difficult, it is a way to live in the divine providence of God. There certainly are things we should still take regardless of our state in life, which include, but are not limited to taking: baths, showers, and me out to the ball game!
Think about all the items, questions, choices we come across each day. We can always take but what do we actually receive. Even if we need to take sometimes the question alone will help us sort out what we've actually received. Whatever we receive can only be viewed as a gift, who these gifts come from is another question to ponder.
If you are reading this you have received another gift, the gift of another day from our heavenly Father. And what a gift it is. What else have you received today? What have you taken today? Often when we take something it is necessary but perhaps its a selfishness that causes us to take. Can we not have faith in God that he will provide for us, we most certainly can, hasnt He always come through in the past.
What if you receive a nasty comment, or a freshly smashed egg on your car? Is that a gift from God? Why not, its indirect but its an opportunity to stretch your virtue muscles and love in the face of anger. This is a great gift from the Lord.
There is a group of religious sisters that live in northeastern PA who live a Franciscan spirituality (owning nothing) and rely solely on the divine providence of God working through His people. They rely on us for food, shelter, and all the necessities, while they spend their entire day in prayer of thanks to God and on our behalf. How simply they live, how joyful they are.
We should thank all those who give us gifts tomorrow and someday return that favor.
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