Category Archives: Spirituality

Jesus Remember Me

 

Calvary

Jesus Remember Me, when you come into your kingdom.
Luke 23: 32-43

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”  

And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him saying, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!”   The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”  There was also an inscription over him which said;

  “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God,, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

The Good Thief turned to Jesus at the very end of his life. He did not need to know all the answers regarding religion. He had not been baptized. He simply acknowledged his guilt and asked Jesus to remember him. Sometimes, we make faith way too complicated. All we really need to do is turn to God and ask him to lead us to the truth.

God is Love… God is truth.

Let’s keep it simple….Seek Love…Seek Truth

Discovering Grace Through Suffering




“Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus…a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.” 

“The way you heal the world is to start with your own family.”

Quotes of St. Teresa of Calcutta

Most of us remember how tirelessly Mother Teresa worked with the dying.  She was known as a “living saint”.  How do we handle the stress and suffering in our own lives?

For the past several years, our family has been caring for our mother who has been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.  Each of us watched her suffer with the disease and suffered individually both from a sense of helplessness and from grief and sorrow.  My sister and I cared for her day after day never knowing when the journey would come to an end.  Other brothers and sisters helped when they could, knowing visits made it difficult for her to sleep.  The last months were filled with stress and anxiety even with the help of hospice.

Questions about suffering and death were impossible to avoid.  How could a loving and merciful God permit such suffering?  If there is a God where was He?

I have been reflecting on the gifts given us by the Holy Spirit.  I like to picture them as gifts under the Christmas tree.  Christmas, after all, is when Jesus was born.  God coming to earth to bring mankind salvation.  He opened the door to heaven for us.  The gifts of Faith, Hope and Love are in the Christmas presents under the tree. 

Faith is the belief in something we cannot see.  Similar to believing that the light switch will produce light even though we cannot see electricity.

Hope is what we receive when we have faith in everlasting life.  We believe our spirit lives on in communion with the saints in heaven.  What a party!

Love is the greatest commandment.  Scripture tells us that without love we are a noisy gong.  Jesus instructed us to love God with our whole hearts and love our neighbor as ourselves.

But what IS love?  Love is caring more for the other person than yourself.  When two people “fall in love”, they will do anything for each other.  Over time, the only way we know if it is true love is if each person is willing to suffer for the other.  Hopefully, both parties take turns and  the person suffering is supported by the other.   Suffering defines love!

If there was no suffering in the world, how would we prove our love?  Sacrificial love is easy to understand when we think of our children.  We would prefer to suffer ourselves than let them suffer.  But holding them too tightly and overprotecting them also causes suffering.  We must be willing to suffer from empty nest syndrome if our children are ever to be healthy adults.  Marriages are supposed to be loving relationships, but too often either one or both person is unwilling to suffer and sacrifice to make it work.  Suffering proves love!

Another gift found under the Christmas tree is the gift of grace.  Grace is also known as the awareness of the presence (gift) of God in our lives.   If we have the gift of grace we can see God in the face of the suffering.  We can see God in creation.  We can see God’s actions in everything around us.

Now that my mother is enjoying life again in heaven, I find myself asking more questions.  How did we do it?  How did our family bear with one another patiently over the past difficult years?  How did we forgive each other when our patience failed us?

We did it with the grace of God.  He was walking with each of us on this journey.

God is love.  Love is defined by suffering.

 

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What is Intercessory prayer? Quotes from the saints about Mary.

  The feast day of the Our Lady of Lourdes will be celebrated on February 11th by the Catholic Church. Why do Catholics ask Mary to pray for them? What is the meaning of this feast day? What do the saints say about Mary?   The early church had great reverence for Mary, the Mother of God. Because she gave birth to Jesus, Mary was full of Grace…literally! Just as Adam and Eve were created without sin, it is believed that Mary also was created without the stain of original sin. Mary’s Heart was Immaculate….free from any stain of sin, both original sin and personal sin. Mary was not God, however. All worship goes to the Trinity…the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Mary was an instrument used by God to bring Jesus into the world. We know Jesus honored and loved His Mother. Are we not called to imitate Jesus? There are many  prayers and quotes by the saints for us to learn about the beliefs of the early Church.

Our Lady of Lourdes

 

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES Oh ever immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen.

Purer than heaven’s purest angels, brighter than its brightest seraph; Mary, after her Creator, God, made her and gave her all, the most perfect of beings, the masterpiece of Infinite Wisdom, Almighty Power and Eternal Love. To such a being we cannot reasonably suppose that a perfection was denied her which had been already gratuitously bestowed on inferior creatures; on the angelic spirits

St. John N. Neumann

Virgin Mary, Mother of God
Public Domain Image

 

The Most Holy Virgin places herself between her Son and us. The greater sinners we are, the more tenderness and compassion does she feel for us. The child that has cost its mother the most tears is the dearest to her heart.

St. John Vianney

Our Lady of Sorrows
Public Domain Image

Our Lady is rest for those who work, consolation for those who weep medicine for the sick, a harbour for those assailed by tempests, pardon for sinners, sweet relief for the sad, succour for those who implore.

St. John Damascene    

Mary, Queen of Saints

Bl. Herman (likely author)

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Why should we be astonished if the God who could work marvels in the scripture and through His saints should choose to reveal Himself even more marvelous by means of His Mother?

St. Bernard (Feast day August 20)  

Most Holy Virgin Mary…Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, Lily of purity, Rose of patience, Paradise of delight, Mirror of chastity, Model if innocence…intercede for this poor banished pilgrim.

St. Peter of Alcantara (Feast day (October 19)

Our Lady of the Streets

Memorare

Remember, O most loving virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto you, O virgin of virgins, our mother. To you we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful, O mother of the Word incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Mary, Mother of God

 

The Virgin Mother’s heart remained perpetually inflamed with the holy love which she received of her Son.

St. Francis de Sales (Feast day January 24)  

Blessed is he for whom Mary prays.

St. Peter Julian Eymard (Feast day August 1)

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Thomas Aquinas, Feast Day January 28




 

St. Thomas Aquinas

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Thomas Aquinas,

Feast Day January 28

The feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas is celebrated on Jan. 28.  He is the patron saint of students and universities and a Doctor of the Church.    He was ordained as a Dominican Priest.

St. Thomas was born in Roccasecca, Sicily in 1225. His parents were from Italian nobility. St. Thomas was well educated. He was raised in a Benedictine monastery at Monte Casino. He finished his studies at Naples.

Against his families wishes he joined the Dominicans, also known as the Order of Preachers and was ordained a priest.  His brothers followed careers in the military. In an attempt to end his desires to become a Dominican, his brothers hired a prostitute to seduce him. According to legend, two angels appeared to Thomas to strengthen him and increase his determination to remain celibate. He thus became known as the “Angelic Doctor”.

While he was still a student, St. Thomas was given the nickname “the dumb ox” due to his large size and silent nature. However, he was actually quite gifted and intelligent. He is considered one of the most influential theologians in the history of the Church.

After he was ordained a priest, Pope Urban IV called him to Rome where he was appointed to teach. St. Thomas turned down an offer from Pope Clement IV to be the Archbishop of Naples.

St. Thomas published many books. He also wrote many hymns which are still sung today. One of St. Thomas most famous works, Summas Theologica was never completed. He fell ill and died before he could finish it in 1274.

St. Thomas was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V.   He is the patron saint of students and universities.

 

O Lord my God, make me submissive without protest,
poor without discouragement, chaste without regret,
patient without complaint, humble without posturing,
cheerful without frivolity, mature without gloom,
and quick witted without flippancy.

Quote of St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas

January is the Month of the Holy Name.

 

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Conversion of St. Paul, Feast Day January 25




Conversion of St. Paul
Michelangelo

 

The feast day of the Conversion of St. Paul is celebrated on Jan. 25.  St. Paul is the patron saint of writers, publishers, musicians and evangelists. St. Paul was not one of the original twelve Apostles. He persecuted the early Christians. He was present at the stoning of St. Stephen, the first martyr. On the road to Damascus, he was struck by a heavenly light. He heard a voice saying to him,

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked “Who are you Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city and you will be told what you are to do.” (Acts 9:4-6)

 

After three days of blindness, scales fell off his eyes. He joined the Apostles becoming known as the Apostle to the Gentiles. St. Paul convinced St. Peter that the Gentiles did not need to become Jewish to follow Jesus. Because of this decision they decided not to require Gentiles to be circumcised to become Christian.

St. Paul wrote many of the books in the New Testament. He was instrumental in the Council of Jerusalem His missionary journeys took him many places: Asia Minor, Macedonia, Jerusalem and Europe.

St. Paul spoke about the mystical body of the church. He taught that the church is the living Body of Christ. It is one body, made up of many parts. It’s members are given different gifts to serve the Lord.

St. Paul suffered many hardships including three shipwrecks.  St. Paul died a martyr. He was beheaded in Rome in the year 65.

St. Paul is the patron saint of writers, publishers, musicians and evangelists.

The Feast of Sts. Peter and St. Paul is celebrated June 29.

O my Jesus,

what a soul

inflamed in Your love

accomplishes!

Quote of St. Teresa of Avila; Feast day October 15

Conversion of St. Paul

The Month of January is the Month of the Holy Name

 

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Celebrating Conversion on the Feast Day of the Conversion of St. Paul




Conversion of St. Paul
Michelangelo

St. Paul was not one of the original apostles. While persecuting Christians after the death of Jesus, he was thrown to the ground by a bright light. He heard a voice asking him;

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

He responded with;

“Who are you, Lord?”

Jesus answered him,

“I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

But get up and enter the city and you will be told what you are to do.”

 

Paul was blinded by the light for three days after which scales fell from his eyes. He then joined the apostles, becoming known as “The Apostle of the Gentiles”. He wrote many of the epistles in the Bible. He is the patron saint of writers, the press, and missionaries.

St. Paul was not Jewish like the other Apostles. He convinced St. Peter that Gentiles did not need to become Jewish in order to follow Jesus. They then decided that it was not necessary for Gentiles to be circumcised in order to be Christian.

The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast day of the Conversion of St. Paul on Jan. 25. We should all be able to relate in a personal way to the conversion of St. Paul.

We are all sinners.

Sometimes it feels as if ‘the scales have fallen from our eyes’. One day we are blindly acting like hypocrites and then we awaken to a new day. We know without a doubt that our behavior must change. This is a conversion experience. Conversion can be frightening at first. It is God asking us to change our lifestyle and behavior. Hopefully, we can respond like St. Paul did…with tireless zeal and love. If we do let God direct our lives, we will be filled with an indescribable joy. This joy that is also known as the Peace of Christ.

This is what happened to St. Paul. After his conversion experience, he felt the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. This forgiveness filled him with inner joy.

As we celebrate the feast day of the Conversion of St. Paul, let us ask ourselves the following questions.

  • Do we want to live as lukewarm Christians or follow Jesus now and experience his forgiveness and love?
  • What does it really mean to be a Christian?
  • Do people know I am a Christian by my actions?
  • Which behaviors in my life need to come to an end to make me a true follower of Christ?
  • What is Jesus asking me to do with my life?
Conversion of St. Paul

 

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