Tag Archives: Faith

Pope Francis Explains Community of Saints to Crowd of 80,000

April 21, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

More than 80,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square Wednesday morning to listen to the teachings of Pope Francis as he spoke for his General Audience, according to Zenit News Agency. He focused on the Catholic belief in the Communion of Saints. (October 30, 2013)

Pope Francis stated that the Communion of Saints relates both to the communion with holy things and the communion with holy persons. The Holy Father stated that no one is alone but rather exists in a communion with all who belong to Christ.

“The Church,” Pope Francis said, “in its most profound truth is a communion with God. This relation between Jesus and the Father is the ‘matrix’ of the bond between us Christians: if we are intimately inserted into this ‘matrix’ in this fiery furnace of love that is the Trinity, then we can become truly one heart and one soul, because the love of God purges our selfishness, our prejudices, our internal and external divisions.” He also stated that our faith needs support from others during difficult moments.
Pope Francis told the crowd that within the communion of saints exists a great family where each one helps and sustains the other.

“A final aspect of the communion of Saints,” he continued, “is the spiritual bond that exists between those who continue their pilgrimage on earth and those who have passed the threshold of death into eternity. All who are baptized down here on earth, the souls in Purgatory, and all the blessed already in Paradise form one big family.”

“This communion between heaven and earth is realized especially through intercessory prayer,” he concluded.

Pope Francis called it the ‘highest form of solidarity’ as well as the foundation of the liturgical celebrations of All Saints and All Souls, which will be celebrated on Nov. 1, and Nov. 2.

This article was originally published on October 30, 2013.

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Michele Rua, Feast Day April 6

April 5, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of Bl. Michele Rua is celebrated on April 6.

Bl. Michele Rua was born in Turn, Italy. He was the youngest of nine children. He attended Don Bosco Oratory as a boy where he met St. John Bosco. St. John was so impressed by Michele that he sent him to college. Later he became John Bosco’s assistant in youth ministry.

Bl. Michele was ordained a priest and was one of the first members of the Salesians of Don Bosco which focused on youth ministry for boys. John was the first successor to St. John Bosco as Superior General. Under his direction the community grew from 700 to 4,000 members, 64-341 houses in 33 countries.

Bl. Michele Rua was known for his gifts of reading hearts, healing and prophecy.

The soul hungers for God, and nothing but God can satiate it. Therefore He came to dwell on earth and assumed a Body in order that this Body might become the food for our souls.

Quote of St. John Vianney; Feast day August 4

April is the Month of the Eucharist

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Faith, Featured, Prayer, Spirituality

Which person in the Trinity do you find it easiest to pray to?

March 16, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen

Many of our formal prayers end with the Glory Be prayer. I asked my friends which person in the Trinity they found it easier to turn to, and who they found it difficult to turn to in prayer. There is no wrong answer! After reflecting, I realized that during my prayer journey (my pilgrimage) I have come to know each of the persons in the Trinity in a more personal way.

I began my childhood by turning to my creator, The Father. Finding God in nature comes easily to me. As a child of God, I am in awe of his majesty and the beauty of his creation and the people I know and love.

As an adult, recognizing the movement of the Holy Spirit has become easier. The Holy Spirit is the director of the show. When the apostles were confused after the crucifixion, the Holy Spirit came and removed the confusion and fear. He enlightened them as to what the will of the Father was. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, the Christian Church was born. When I am in confusion, I turn to the Holy Spirit to guide me. Sometimes, He actually pushes me in the direction I need to go.

Getting to know Jesus has been the most difficult. I know now, that I was avoiding Jesus. I have always connected Jesus to the cross…suffering! When I began to experience the loss of loved ones in my life, however, I found it absolutely necessary to turn to Jesus.

I also turned to Mary and Joseph, the Holy Family. The Holy Family knows in a very real and human way what our pain is like. I no longer felt alone. They always listen to me, and they understand me. Each of the Holy Family is very human, even Jesus. I share my troubles and my joys with them every day.

Each of us has a unique prayer journey. We are pilgrims, trying to get to know God. Daily reflection is an important part of the journey.

Trinity Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. The Catholic Church teaches that there is one God manifested in three unique persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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Faith, Quote, Sacred Heart, Spirituality

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

March 9, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Francis De Sales is celebrated on January 24.

Faith, Prayer, Visionary

Do Heaven and Hell Really Exist?

March 6, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

Last Judgement
by Michelangelo

If we turn to the teachings of Jesus, it is clear heaven and hell do exist. The following parables in Matthew given to us by Jesus describe heaven.

1. In Mat 13 1. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again and out of joy goes and sells all the he has and buys that field.

2. “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.

3. “The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

4. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat and then went off. When the crop grew the weeds appeared as well. “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn”.

5. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of seeds yet when full grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.

6. The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flower until the whole batch was leavened.

Jesus has many references to the existence of hell. In Matthew 25:41 He says “Depart from me unto the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” In Mark 9:47-48 He refers to hell as the fire which is never quenched.

The Catholic Church firmly believes in the existence of heaven and hell. It is the jurisdiction of God to determine who enters heaven and who ends up in eternal fire. We believe hell is actually the absence of God. We are given the gift of free will. We actually choose our future. Do we want to be with God, who is love and mercy, or do we choose selfishness and evil? If we choose love and mercy, we must be sincere and actually walk the talk. We must take the time to love both God and our neighbor. In Matt: 7:13 Jesus tells us…

“Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

It is hard to imagine choosing evil. However, sin and evil are actually glamorous and tempting. Selfishness and anger can easily dominate our will and life.

In the past it was believed that the number of people entering heaven were few. The culture reflected the belief that most people deserved eternal punishment. The result was that most people had great fear of literally “going to hell”. Today’s culture believes the opposite. Many people find it hard to believe anyone is in hell…that God forgives all sins and eventually we will all go to heaven.

Jesus teaches us that Hell is a place to fear. To be forgiven, we must first repent. Let’s take the time to get to know and love Jesus. When we actually love God, we will want to spend time with him and come to know his will for us. Jesus himself tells us in Matt: 22 37 Jesus said:

“The greatest commandments are “You shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

If we do this we have no need to fear hell, but can look forward to eternity in heaven…a treasure beyond understanding.

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Faith, Pope Francis

Pope Francis asks, ‘Do you want to live like a light that is on or off?’

March 4, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

In Sunday’s address to those gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis reflected on the Gospel of Matthew (5:13-14). “You are the salt of the earth…. You are the light of the world”. According to Zenit News Agency, Pope Francis told those gathered that this gospel directly follows the Beatitudes.

In his address, Pope Francis asked “Who were those disciples? They were fishermen, simple people. But Jesus looked upon them with the eyes of God and his statement should be understood precisely as a consequence of the Beatitudes. He wishes to say: If you will be poor in spirit, if you will be meek, if you will be pure of heart; if you will be merciful….you will be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.”

Pope Francis explained the gospel’s images, saying that Jewish Law prescribed putting a little salt upon every offering to God, as a sign of the covenant. “Light, for Israel, was a symbol of the messianic revelation that triumphs over the darkness of paganism. Thus, Christians, the new Israel, received a ‘mission’ for all men; with faith and charity they can direct, consecrate, and make humanity fruitful. All of us baptized are missionary disciples and we are called to become a living gospel in the world; with a holy life we will give ‘taste’ to the different spheres of society, and defend them from corruption just as salt does; and we will bring the light of Christ, with the witness of a genuine charity. But if we Christians lose our taste and extinguish our presence as salt and light we will lose effectiveness.”
Pope Francis continued:

“But how beautiful is this mission to give light to the world! It is a mission we have. It is beautiful! It is also very beautiful to keep that light that we have received from Jesus, protect it and keep it. The Christian must be a shining person, who brings light, who always gives light! A light that is not his, but a gift from God, it is Jesus’ gift. And we carry this light. If the Christian extinguishes this light, his life has no meaning. He is Christian in name only, he does not bring light with him, his light is without meaning. But I would like to ask you now, how do you want to live? Do you want to live like a light that is on aor one that is off? On or Off? How do you want to live? (The people gathered responded “On!”) A light that is on! It is God himself who gives us this light, and we give it to others. A light that is on! This is the Christian vocation.”

Following the Angelus, Pope Francis spoke about Feb. 11, the memorial for Our Lady of Lourdes when we will observe the World Day of the Sick. He asked everyone to pray for the sick and to be close to them. He quoted St. John, “Faith and Charity: We ought to lay down our lives for one another (1Jn 3:16). “In particular,” he said, “we can imitate the attitude of Jesus toward the sick; the sick of every sort. The Lord cares for them; shares their suffering and opens their heart to hope.”

Pope Francis thanked health workers saying how precious their work is. “The attitude toward the sick that is generous and Christian,” he said, “is salt of the earth and light of the world. May Mary help us to practice and obtain peace for all those who are suffering.”
Pope Francis concluded his address with the following statement:

And before I depart the question I asked comes back to my mind. Light on or light off? What do you want? On or Off? The Christian brings light! He is a light that is on. Always forward with the light of Jesus!”

Originally published Feb. 9, 2014

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The Mystery of Faith

Tag Archives: Faith

Pope Francis Explains Community of Saints to Crowd of 80,000

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Michele Rua, Feast Day April 6

Which person in the Trinity do you find it easiest to pray to?

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Do Heaven and Hell Really Exist?

Pope Francis asks, ‘Do you want to live like a light that is on or off?’

Discovering the Spirituality of Catholicism