As a Catholic who had no real foundation in the faith from his family I have learned many things here and there to keep my family well grounded in the faith. A example that I feel most people face is distractions during prayer. These begin with little thoughts off the subject of God and if ignored or not handled properly can lead into real problems. The worst of these is these thoughts grow in wickedness and in volume until you cannot ignore them. I have had in the past some of the most horrible thoughts you can imagine. The problem was frightening for some of these thoughts were very wicked and became harder and harder to shut down. I became frustrated and very afraid of further attacks on my prayer time and became one of many stuck on the "treadmill". You know the one you sin confess it before the Priest and promise yourself never to do it again. Wash,rinse and repeat as many times as it takes to learn to combat these issues. It can destroy your faith and take you away from both Mass and God and render you ineffective as a Catholic, this is of course the very thing Satan wants. You away from Mass and God equals sin and Satan is the only winner here.
So how do we defeat this enemy attack? Well it starts where everything else does by changing yourself and your habits. This is a tough part because it requires total honesty with yourself and many find looking at themselves in total honesty is not easy as we tend to excuse or justify allot of sins. Myself I never like to venture down this road because I always find something in there that makes me sick to my stomach about myself. The first step is to look at your habits. Do you leave the TV or radio on when you pray? Unless the music is of true faith it is not helping you no matter how much you try to say otherwise. Television is a real monster as it causes you to look away and keep half a ear focused there. With all the garbage that is on TV today we need as little of this as possible. Thank God for Catholic TV be it EWTN or The Catholic Television Channel, or perhaps ABC family (some of it) or TV Land which allows me the opportunity to watch programs that I watched as a child when much of what you see and hear on TV was not allowed at all.
The second is look at the timing. My night prayers I say right at bedtime, however the problem is that unless you are very careful you can easily be carried off to sleep way too soon and you either fall asleep during or before your prayers have even begun. It is not helped if you are on a prescription for pain pills on a constant basis so the best way to fight this is to plan and make prayer a part of your day. Now I am not speaking of the little prayers of praise or worship we say on a daily basis but the actual heavy duty prayer time. Schedule it and practice it. It will be difficult at first but in time it will become part of your daily life which is where you want it in the first place.
The second is you wife and children I strongly suggest you pray as a family as all will benefit from some quality time with God. There are many who suffer from a lopsided family. This is when one parent takes off learning all he can and the other doesn't. While I must agree knowledge is not in any way part of our way to heaven it is helpful to get a grip on learning fundamentals of the faith.doctrine as well as tradition. When this happens one spouse digs deep to learn all they can about their faith in a effort to learn to keep away from sin and combat temptation. The other spouse is likely to be a new Catholic and sort of stumbles along the way and relies on the other to direct her spiritual life and that is a recipe for disaster. As one continues to dig deeper the other gets further behind and becomes still more dependant on the studying spouse. The kids when our studious Catholic speaks to them on faith and sin give us that dog look. Yeah you know the one where the head tilts as he looks at you like your trying to teach him calculus. Therefore you family is uneven in faith and knowledge and everybody looks to another to see what to do. At this time prayer life in those left behind falters and nobody gets fed. The other kid issue is simple kids coming in and out telling on each other or in a screaming fight. This is enough to distract anybody.
So we now have a quiet,scheduled time with the boob-tube off and The Tennessee Bloodsuckers aren't screaming into your ears compliments of a MP3. Are we done? not yet. You must spend the first part of your daily prayers to focus on God and pray that your spirit is lifted up to his. I know many say just pray but again I say you have to be in the presence of someone to talk to them. So therefore your Spirit must be lifted up. You can do this by saying Nicene
Finally at all times try to pray as a family I cannot stress this enough yes your teen might grumble and your younger ones fidget, but learning to pray effective prayer is a gift of epic proportions to give to your family. With today's issues of work,bills and hard economic times it is easy to skip prayer. Yet this is a slippery slope one night turns into two or three and then disappears completely and once again Satan wins. To pray with your family is the greatest example for your children to follow. Your kids might grumble but when they can see their Parents or Parent come before God on their knees they will quickly realize that God is to be respected,;loved and worshipped above all and that all things come from him. Then perhaps as I am trying to do, your children will not be absent from the true Church for many years and learn to regret all the lost opportunities they missed by not being well grounded in the Church. The old saying holds true, "Stop the insanity" and set you and your families eyes on God.
Until next time God Bless and see you at Mass.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
A word on Betty Ford and a great example of a family
I was not too seriously surprised when the news came on the death of Betty Ford. She was a great lady who did allot to bring addiction as well as breast cancer to the forefront of our society. However as I began to recall my memories of her and her husband former President Gerald Ford something struck me that made my thoughts turn to a whole new direction. Lets take a walk down memory lane for some of us and a history lesson for some. Gerald Ford was in a word left holding the bag once President Nixon left office. He had replaced Spiro Agnew as Vice-President as the stories of corruption and bribery and robbery began to unfold. Many as they were watching person after person being grilled on television during the Watergate hearings began not only to hate President Nixon but every Republican that walked the earth. This was shown as Democrats rolled up huge wins in every level of government elections.
Gerald Ford was heralded the unelected President and was the punch line for almost every television show due to some unfortunate falls. He then gave Richard Nixon a pardon and the dust really began to fly as the public and the Democrats wanted his hide. Through these 2 to 3 years there was one person by his side Betty Ford. As he began to weaken she was there to be supportive and a point of strength to her Husband. Were they a perfect family? no. Were they without problems? no.
But as Gerald Ford attempted to run the country while facing a backlash of epic proportions she stood by him and in the gale force storms that just kept coming she was his support second only to God. Yes Gerald Ford was a Christian and the cross he bore was in essence heavier than we shall ever see God was there to make sure he could bear it and Betty Ford was there to lend him strength and the will to go through this drama.
In a Catholic home the Husband is responsible to God for the family as he has the final word in the decisions made. Now this does NOT mean that the wife has no say, in fact it could not be further from the truth. She is his partner and his help within the family unit. The only difference being he has to when no agreement can be reached he must make the decision. I apologize if I do not explain this well but it is such a tricky subject in today's world. Man faces God over decisions made on account of the family. If the children do not grow up to pray. He is responsible for that fault. If the Family misses Mass he faces the music. It is not a great position to be in trust me. Is your family perfect? Well Mr. Husband you are responsible for getting it back on track and teaching Junior that we don't miss Mass because the Cowboys are playing in the early game this Sunday. His wife is there as a helper beyond measure. Often her wisdom far exceeds the Husbands when it comes to a budget because. well men like their toy. Be it Xbox,Wii or a new Droid 4x super HD 3D cooks dinner while you watch television. It is her wisdom that often intervenes and says " no honey we don't have the money for this right now. Like I say her wisdom is like gold.
The Bible fully supports this as it is noted that "a good wife is a jewel in her husbands crown". When men go off on a flight of unrealistic want or desire it is the wife who keeps him at ground level. This is perhaps the hardest job of all. Dealing with kids and their schedules,housework if she does not work,work if she does not stay home. Add a husband and their capabilities to make a mess where ever they may roam (yes I am one of them) and a wife has her hands full. Betty Ford dealt with little of the issues we do daily. I am sure a maid and chef prepared menus and about everything else they needed. However she also had to watch daily (where we don't have to) her husband beat to the ground by the public.the media as well as other politicians. Yet there she stood and for this I believe she was a tribute to a husbands best friend and confidant his wife.
I have been blessed by Christ with a marriage now that is going on it's 24th year. You may not believe it but we have never argued or had a major fight in the entire years of our marriage. This is not that I have tried to put her through the ringer. When I lost myself to sin and became tangled in it's webs tighter and tighter it was her that was still there and waiting for me when I came to myself. She is the closest person in the world to me and had I not been forgiven for the Hell on Earth I put her through I might have gone crazy. Since the day I came to myself and asked forgiveness she has never mentioned that time in our lives together and today we are closer that ever. I know in my life there is much I will have to atone for before God and this is a deep weight upon my soul. If Saint Pio worried for his eternal soul then by comparison I am lost. However I am thankful for the forgiveness and mercy of Christ that has released me from this sin.
Gerald Ford was heralded the unelected President and was the punch line for almost every television show due to some unfortunate falls. He then gave Richard Nixon a pardon and the dust really began to fly as the public and the Democrats wanted his hide. Through these 2 to 3 years there was one person by his side Betty Ford. As he began to weaken she was there to be supportive and a point of strength to her Husband. Were they a perfect family? no. Were they without problems? no.
But as Gerald Ford attempted to run the country while facing a backlash of epic proportions she stood by him and in the gale force storms that just kept coming she was his support second only to God. Yes Gerald Ford was a Christian and the cross he bore was in essence heavier than we shall ever see God was there to make sure he could bear it and Betty Ford was there to lend him strength and the will to go through this drama.
In a Catholic home the Husband is responsible to God for the family as he has the final word in the decisions made. Now this does NOT mean that the wife has no say, in fact it could not be further from the truth. She is his partner and his help within the family unit. The only difference being he has to when no agreement can be reached he must make the decision. I apologize if I do not explain this well but it is such a tricky subject in today's world. Man faces God over decisions made on account of the family. If the children do not grow up to pray. He is responsible for that fault. If the Family misses Mass he faces the music. It is not a great position to be in trust me. Is your family perfect? Well Mr. Husband you are responsible for getting it back on track and teaching Junior that we don't miss Mass because the Cowboys are playing in the early game this Sunday. His wife is there as a helper beyond measure. Often her wisdom far exceeds the Husbands when it comes to a budget because. well men like their toy. Be it Xbox,Wii or a new Droid 4x super HD 3D cooks dinner while you watch television. It is her wisdom that often intervenes and says " no honey we don't have the money for this right now. Like I say her wisdom is like gold.
The Bible fully supports this as it is noted that "a good wife is a jewel in her husbands crown". When men go off on a flight of unrealistic want or desire it is the wife who keeps him at ground level. This is perhaps the hardest job of all. Dealing with kids and their schedules,housework if she does not work,work if she does not stay home. Add a husband and their capabilities to make a mess where ever they may roam (yes I am one of them) and a wife has her hands full. Betty Ford dealt with little of the issues we do daily. I am sure a maid and chef prepared menus and about everything else they needed. However she also had to watch daily (where we don't have to) her husband beat to the ground by the public.the media as well as other politicians. Yet there she stood and for this I believe she was a tribute to a husbands best friend and confidant his wife.
I have been blessed by Christ with a marriage now that is going on it's 24th year. You may not believe it but we have never argued or had a major fight in the entire years of our marriage. This is not that I have tried to put her through the ringer. When I lost myself to sin and became tangled in it's webs tighter and tighter it was her that was still there and waiting for me when I came to myself. She is the closest person in the world to me and had I not been forgiven for the Hell on Earth I put her through I might have gone crazy. Since the day I came to myself and asked forgiveness she has never mentioned that time in our lives together and today we are closer that ever. I know in my life there is much I will have to atone for before God and this is a deep weight upon my soul. If Saint Pio worried for his eternal soul then by comparison I am lost. However I am thankful for the forgiveness and mercy of Christ that has released me from this sin.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Finding your place
For the past year my biggest desire is find a place within my Parish to serve not only the Church but to serve Christ as well. I went through RCIA and was told that at my confirmation it is likely that I would find myself by the grace of The Holy Spirit. Confirmation came and nothing transpired to help me find my place. This to me was very troubling as well as hurtful to me as that I really wanted and still do to serve. I would venture to say if I were not married I would likely try to enter the Priesthood even if I am 50 years old.
However after some serious soul searching I discovered some things that I did not realize. Was it desire to serve or a desire to gain prestige? Pride is a very weird kind of sin, we often find a million and one ways to justify as well as convince ourselves that we are wanting to serve for the greatest good only to find deep down it is self not love that motivates you. Having found this out I went to Reconciliation Mass to seek forgiveness. I know that this has been forgiven but it is a running battle from time to time as I have been blessed to see it allot more quickly now. This also explained the reason why I had not found my calling within the Church Body.
I have found that doing things without thinking on them is sometimes the best way to go. An example is you see a lady buying a can of formula for her baby but is a dollar short. Often in these type of scenarios we often do not think. We pop up and say "I'll cover that dollar" and tell them God bless you as they depart having seen a act of kindness that is all to rare today. Now did you think about it before you did it, often not it is a impulse action that no thought enters. You did not do it out of what is in it for me. You do it as a act of love that is pure you ask nothing in return but help out of the love that Christ had for us all. In this manner some of our best acts of love have happened in this manner. We offer up pain for the souls in Purgatory. We give a cool drink to a person on a hot day, We offer help to those we don't even know and never wish anything back.
This is not to say that this is always the best way to go. There are decisions that that require much prayer,devotions and hearfelt searching of our souls to find the answer to. The difference is while the acts of kindness without thought are just that without thought. If you have to think about a matter you had best hit the knees and pray until the answer is given to you through God's grace. In this process we must pray,meditate on Bible passages as well as ask intercession for the answers we have to think about, I suggest the Rosary to start. During this time we must be very careful not to treat God like a dog wanting a treat. First in our minds must be through God ALL things come to you, even the very breath we take and every heartbeat we have. We tend in our own ego to treat God like we are teasing a dog. We give our problem to God and then take it back and try to fix it ourselves. Then we give it back to God (likely in worse shape that it was) and we allow a day or two then we grab it back. God is God we must treat him as such to do otherwise is to endanger our souls and bring true disgrace upon yourself.
Now many will read this and say I never do that, but I ask you to really explore your heart. Do you give a problem to God and then take it back. Do we forget that God must come first. Are we doing things due to pride instead of out of love and service. A great hint is this. In every Catholic Church there is "the group". You know the ones they teach RCIA or CCD or whatever and they are the in crowd. They do not mean to but they tend to shun outsiders to their group, they will be polite but in truth even the outsiders know to a degree it is forced. Going by the odds if you are part of this group your odds of being as above described is increased. This is not to offend but to expose things that can and do go on in Church. It is Christ himself who states if you are popular you are not his servant. People who serve God are usually the quiet couple with the kindest smiles on their faces and a kind word or a bit of love filled wisdom for anybody. They do not charge to the head of the pack and if you don't look hard you will miss them. It is these souls who are doing Gods will and being blessed more and more each day. Some are outsiders by choice rather than by social discrimination. These people are often people like apologists who wear the veils and bow as the Priest passes etc. These are outsiders because while they believe strongly in the Church they also support the traditions of the Church that have been forgotten or just not practiced within the Parish. Some may call them "holier than thous" but this is rarely the case. Others are outsiders by accident, you know the ones. They didn't used deodorant or shower before Church. OK on the last point it was a awful attempt at humor. We cannot change the world for Christ without changing ourselves. Be totally honest with yourself and do a examination of your faith and practices. Urge others to do so. Then we must work at every Parish to become one. One part of the body of Christ. We must pray daily that this spreads all throughout the Church and we become with Gods help a part of the Body of Christ with one voice, one mission. and one love which is The Lord God who with his Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit will be glorified forever. If we can accomplish this, Pray for this and do our part in it we with Christ can accomplish anything. It is at this point we may never have to worry about doing something that is not God's will again. Sounds like Heaven......perhaps it is
However after some serious soul searching I discovered some things that I did not realize. Was it desire to serve or a desire to gain prestige? Pride is a very weird kind of sin, we often find a million and one ways to justify as well as convince ourselves that we are wanting to serve for the greatest good only to find deep down it is self not love that motivates you. Having found this out I went to Reconciliation Mass to seek forgiveness. I know that this has been forgiven but it is a running battle from time to time as I have been blessed to see it allot more quickly now. This also explained the reason why I had not found my calling within the Church Body.
I have found that doing things without thinking on them is sometimes the best way to go. An example is you see a lady buying a can of formula for her baby but is a dollar short. Often in these type of scenarios we often do not think. We pop up and say "I'll cover that dollar" and tell them God bless you as they depart having seen a act of kindness that is all to rare today. Now did you think about it before you did it, often not it is a impulse action that no thought enters. You did not do it out of what is in it for me. You do it as a act of love that is pure you ask nothing in return but help out of the love that Christ had for us all. In this manner some of our best acts of love have happened in this manner. We offer up pain for the souls in Purgatory. We give a cool drink to a person on a hot day, We offer help to those we don't even know and never wish anything back.
This is not to say that this is always the best way to go. There are decisions that that require much prayer,devotions and hearfelt searching of our souls to find the answer to. The difference is while the acts of kindness without thought are just that without thought. If you have to think about a matter you had best hit the knees and pray until the answer is given to you through God's grace. In this process we must pray,meditate on Bible passages as well as ask intercession for the answers we have to think about, I suggest the Rosary to start. During this time we must be very careful not to treat God like a dog wanting a treat. First in our minds must be through God ALL things come to you, even the very breath we take and every heartbeat we have. We tend in our own ego to treat God like we are teasing a dog. We give our problem to God and then take it back and try to fix it ourselves. Then we give it back to God (likely in worse shape that it was) and we allow a day or two then we grab it back. God is God we must treat him as such to do otherwise is to endanger our souls and bring true disgrace upon yourself.
Now many will read this and say I never do that, but I ask you to really explore your heart. Do you give a problem to God and then take it back. Do we forget that God must come first. Are we doing things due to pride instead of out of love and service. A great hint is this. In every Catholic Church there is "the group". You know the ones they teach RCIA or CCD or whatever and they are the in crowd. They do not mean to but they tend to shun outsiders to their group, they will be polite but in truth even the outsiders know to a degree it is forced. Going by the odds if you are part of this group your odds of being as above described is increased. This is not to offend but to expose things that can and do go on in Church. It is Christ himself who states if you are popular you are not his servant. People who serve God are usually the quiet couple with the kindest smiles on their faces and a kind word or a bit of love filled wisdom for anybody. They do not charge to the head of the pack and if you don't look hard you will miss them. It is these souls who are doing Gods will and being blessed more and more each day. Some are outsiders by choice rather than by social discrimination. These people are often people like apologists who wear the veils and bow as the Priest passes etc. These are outsiders because while they believe strongly in the Church they also support the traditions of the Church that have been forgotten or just not practiced within the Parish. Some may call them "holier than thous" but this is rarely the case. Others are outsiders by accident, you know the ones. They didn't used deodorant or shower before Church. OK on the last point it was a awful attempt at humor. We cannot change the world for Christ without changing ourselves. Be totally honest with yourself and do a examination of your faith and practices. Urge others to do so. Then we must work at every Parish to become one. One part of the body of Christ. We must pray daily that this spreads all throughout the Church and we become with Gods help a part of the Body of Christ with one voice, one mission. and one love which is The Lord God who with his Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit will be glorified forever. If we can accomplish this, Pray for this and do our part in it we with Christ can accomplish anything. It is at this point we may never have to worry about doing something that is not God's will again. Sounds like Heaven......perhaps it is
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Is the rage over the Casey Anthoney verdict hypocritical?
Ok well back from vacation visiting with terminally ill Father it was good to get him and the Grand Kids together once more. I am hopeful that we will have a second chance to get up there as I really do enjoy being with him and love him greatly.
So here I go back on the soap box. It is rare for me to become interested in matters of this world as we as Catholics are not of the world we just exist in it. But I am fascinated by the uproar on the verdict of the Casey Anderson trial. A jury of her peers found her innocent. That said that should be the end of it. But no it seems millions are screaming for this young ladies blood. However as sad as many think it is constitutionally she is free to go and her actions whatever they might have been are now between her and God. I myself take the unpopular position to stand with the laws of our nation and pronounce her innocent due to being found not guilty on the charge.
However one thing here gets my goat. A little girl is murdered, yes this is a great and horribly tragic event and millions of Americans are demanding a new trial or a investigation so that this little girl can receive her justice. It has become the rage of talk shows and it has been all the rage on facebook and other social sites.
Yet who cries for justice for the thousands of babies murdered by abortion each year. Where is the demand that justice be served for them? Where is the outraged voices that cry out for their sake? The Casey Anthony trial if ti was a abortion would have never made the news, it would have been another number in the thousands of defenseless babies that are murdered each year. Many will say "well there is a difference she was alive babies in the womb aren't. Wrong! medical evidence is showing more and more that these babies in the womb are not only alive but can feel and have brain activity. So this little girl is dead yes it is sad, but try being a baby in the first nine weeks in the womb and being torn apart by a vacuum cleaner type device and then whats left is cut out. I am shocked that this nation who calls it's self one nation under God remains silent.
In this nation thousands of babies are aborted yearly. This is justified by a woman saying "I have a right to control my own body" or "It is my choice to have or not have a abortion. Yet The Bible says " I have known you from the beginning of time and I know the numbers of hairs on your heads. God is saying he knew us long before we were born, does this sound like a fetus is not alive? America was once blessed by God, however I cannot say that with much confidence now as we have chased God out of our schools.Govt buildings and even from some private properties. We are blind to the thousands of murders committed in this land under the name of free choice or abortion. We have hungry people in this nation and the world who would consider what you had for dinner tonight as a feast for a king or possibly a dinner for three. We have young people killing each other at alarming rates because their is no moral direction taught them. Their is no God in schools and probably not at home either so what do they grow up to? Facebook,Twitter and video games. Television shows that display a lifestyle that many in our nation will never achieve. I myself would give up all I had and more to spare the lives of these helpless and innocent victims.
We live in a society where possessions and money are the rule and have all but replaced God as our goal in life. A recent poll stated that 83% of people thought they would go to heaven. Somehow many of us even me possibly are in for a nasty surprise when we die. If a man like Saint Padre Pio in his last days was afraid for his soul, I really have something to worry about. Somehow we have lost our way as a nation and the only way to set it straight again is for we the members of the body of The Holy Roman Catholic Church. We are no longer fighting for our souls but the souls of many yet we make small attempts every so often but then it fades and we become our usual self-centered selves again.
The old poster that states lead,follow or get out of the way! says it best. We as Catholic must lead the charge to bring back God to school and turn society back to the God it has rejected but deep in their hearts the know they need. For only God can fill the emptiness inside a mans heart. I am not saying this to just Catholics but to all beliefs that call themselves Christians rise also and say in one mighty voice at the voting box both now and forever, "We are one nation under God!!?
I ask that all who read this be blessed beyond measure. Store you treasure in heaven and seek first the kingdom of God in all you do. Our Lady of Guadalupe pray for us !
So here I go back on the soap box. It is rare for me to become interested in matters of this world as we as Catholics are not of the world we just exist in it. But I am fascinated by the uproar on the verdict of the Casey Anderson trial. A jury of her peers found her innocent. That said that should be the end of it. But no it seems millions are screaming for this young ladies blood. However as sad as many think it is constitutionally she is free to go and her actions whatever they might have been are now between her and God. I myself take the unpopular position to stand with the laws of our nation and pronounce her innocent due to being found not guilty on the charge.
However one thing here gets my goat. A little girl is murdered, yes this is a great and horribly tragic event and millions of Americans are demanding a new trial or a investigation so that this little girl can receive her justice. It has become the rage of talk shows and it has been all the rage on facebook and other social sites.
Yet who cries for justice for the thousands of babies murdered by abortion each year. Where is the demand that justice be served for them? Where is the outraged voices that cry out for their sake? The Casey Anthony trial if ti was a abortion would have never made the news, it would have been another number in the thousands of defenseless babies that are murdered each year. Many will say "well there is a difference she was alive babies in the womb aren't. Wrong! medical evidence is showing more and more that these babies in the womb are not only alive but can feel and have brain activity. So this little girl is dead yes it is sad, but try being a baby in the first nine weeks in the womb and being torn apart by a vacuum cleaner type device and then whats left is cut out. I am shocked that this nation who calls it's self one nation under God remains silent.
In this nation thousands of babies are aborted yearly. This is justified by a woman saying "I have a right to control my own body" or "It is my choice to have or not have a abortion. Yet The Bible says " I have known you from the beginning of time and I know the numbers of hairs on your heads. God is saying he knew us long before we were born, does this sound like a fetus is not alive? America was once blessed by God, however I cannot say that with much confidence now as we have chased God out of our schools.Govt buildings and even from some private properties. We are blind to the thousands of murders committed in this land under the name of free choice or abortion. We have hungry people in this nation and the world who would consider what you had for dinner tonight as a feast for a king or possibly a dinner for three. We have young people killing each other at alarming rates because their is no moral direction taught them. Their is no God in schools and probably not at home either so what do they grow up to? Facebook,Twitter and video games. Television shows that display a lifestyle that many in our nation will never achieve. I myself would give up all I had and more to spare the lives of these helpless and innocent victims.
We live in a society where possessions and money are the rule and have all but replaced God as our goal in life. A recent poll stated that 83% of people thought they would go to heaven. Somehow many of us even me possibly are in for a nasty surprise when we die. If a man like Saint Padre Pio in his last days was afraid for his soul, I really have something to worry about. Somehow we have lost our way as a nation and the only way to set it straight again is for we the members of the body of The Holy Roman Catholic Church. We are no longer fighting for our souls but the souls of many yet we make small attempts every so often but then it fades and we become our usual self-centered selves again.
The old poster that states lead,follow or get out of the way! says it best. We as Catholic must lead the charge to bring back God to school and turn society back to the God it has rejected but deep in their hearts the know they need. For only God can fill the emptiness inside a mans heart. I am not saying this to just Catholics but to all beliefs that call themselves Christians rise also and say in one mighty voice at the voting box both now and forever, "We are one nation under God!!?
I ask that all who read this be blessed beyond measure. Store you treasure in heaven and seek first the kingdom of God in all you do. Our Lady of Guadalupe pray for us !
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Houston Veterans Administration just the beginning?
I am sure many have heard the story by now, but if not the Veterans Administration in Houston has made it policy that using the word God,Jesus or even the phrase "may God bless you" is forbidden at funerals in their graveyards or any other function they are involved with. Why may you ask is the reason for such a action? The official word from the Houston VA is that they find the word God offensive.
This made me mad enough to post on my blog during a vacation. God is offensive, to who? Atheists,Muslims,Buddhists or wiccans ? Big deal so don't use the word God at their funerals no harm no foul. To deny these words is deny the individual freedoms of a United States Citizen and the start of a constitutional forbidden act of creation of a religion by our Government. I have served in the US military for many years, and in looking back on those years I learned two basic facts. First a love and respect for the fallen of our military. These people paid the ultimate price for our freedom and for our nation. To deny a soldier who believes in God is criminal. The second rule is how blessed this nation is I have been to both Japan and Berlin Germany. I have seen the wall fall and yet our freedoms in this nation are far more extensive than in their lands.
So far we have chased God out of our schools and Government buildings (funny as that our laws are built on the ten commandments). We have banned nativity scenes on Federal property and have even challenged a cross that sits on a small piece of Federal land in Hawaii. We have fought to keep God in our Pledge of Allegiance as well as on our coins and as individuals on our cars,houses and bedrooms. This case will soon go to the Supreme Court and as much as I hope it fails the mere fact that such a case has to go to the Supreme Court is in a word "scary". Are we seeing the first steps of a time to come when the Catholic Church is outlawed in the land of the free?
The time has come for us stand up and fight back, the fact that our church can if it were to vote in a block elect a president. Then why do we have pro-abortion presidents and senators or Congressmen?
We seem to say the right things during mass, but when we vote our Catholic faith does not penetrate to the voting booth. So now after years of Catholics voting against their own faith and ignoring God and our Canon Laws look where we are. We are sadly in a time when the words God and Jesus are forbidden at a Catholic burial for one of our Veterans. The very freedoms they fought for and protected are denied them because somebody yelled they were offended.Congratulations to the Catholics who do not vote their faith, what now?
As the Body of Christ we no longer can wink and nod and then vote pro-abortion, pro-euthanasia, pro-atheist and lastly pro- getting rid of God in our society all together. How long will God continue his blessings on a nation that rejects him and allows it's unborn to die. Yes my brethren this is a first step buried in the newspapers it is doubtful any of the major networks will mention it. Thank God for Fox News they covered it but in very small detail. Now I know that people read this and say to themselves "This guy is a nut and nobody can tell me what to do or how to vote. I agree (except for the nut thing) but I ask you to pray and listen to God before you vote. Then will you find what I am speaking of. We cannot go on keeping God at a distance we must as Catholics vote our beliefs and those of the Holy Catholic Church.
I am not God so therefore I have no idea what he will do in regards to our nations rejection of him. However in my opinion I must state that in my eyes if you vote for abortion you are responsible in part for the murder o0f countless babies in our abortion clinics during the year. Your vote, your responsibility. The issue of Church and State is meant to forbid Government from forcing a religion on it's people. Seems one again the Constitution is ignored. And a Government religion is being born, we call it Political Correctness and it has invaded all things. If one person is offended we can't do do that action and early results show our faith is one of the top three targets if not number one.
Finally I would like to thank those who pray daily and say the rosary daily, you may be the only barriers between our country and disaster.
This made me mad enough to post on my blog during a vacation. God is offensive, to who? Atheists,Muslims,Buddhists or wiccans ? Big deal so don't use the word God at their funerals no harm no foul. To deny these words is deny the individual freedoms of a United States Citizen and the start of a constitutional forbidden act of creation of a religion by our Government. I have served in the US military for many years, and in looking back on those years I learned two basic facts. First a love and respect for the fallen of our military. These people paid the ultimate price for our freedom and for our nation. To deny a soldier who believes in God is criminal. The second rule is how blessed this nation is I have been to both Japan and Berlin Germany. I have seen the wall fall and yet our freedoms in this nation are far more extensive than in their lands.
So far we have chased God out of our schools and Government buildings (funny as that our laws are built on the ten commandments). We have banned nativity scenes on Federal property and have even challenged a cross that sits on a small piece of Federal land in Hawaii. We have fought to keep God in our Pledge of Allegiance as well as on our coins and as individuals on our cars,houses and bedrooms. This case will soon go to the Supreme Court and as much as I hope it fails the mere fact that such a case has to go to the Supreme Court is in a word "scary". Are we seeing the first steps of a time to come when the Catholic Church is outlawed in the land of the free?
The time has come for us stand up and fight back, the fact that our church can if it were to vote in a block elect a president. Then why do we have pro-abortion presidents and senators or Congressmen?
We seem to say the right things during mass, but when we vote our Catholic faith does not penetrate to the voting booth. So now after years of Catholics voting against their own faith and ignoring God and our Canon Laws look where we are. We are sadly in a time when the words God and Jesus are forbidden at a Catholic burial for one of our Veterans. The very freedoms they fought for and protected are denied them because somebody yelled they were offended.Congratulations to the Catholics who do not vote their faith, what now?
As the Body of Christ we no longer can wink and nod and then vote pro-abortion, pro-euthanasia, pro-atheist and lastly pro- getting rid of God in our society all together. How long will God continue his blessings on a nation that rejects him and allows it's unborn to die. Yes my brethren this is a first step buried in the newspapers it is doubtful any of the major networks will mention it. Thank God for Fox News they covered it but in very small detail. Now I know that people read this and say to themselves "This guy is a nut and nobody can tell me what to do or how to vote. I agree (except for the nut thing) but I ask you to pray and listen to God before you vote. Then will you find what I am speaking of. We cannot go on keeping God at a distance we must as Catholics vote our beliefs and those of the Holy Catholic Church.
I am not God so therefore I have no idea what he will do in regards to our nations rejection of him. However in my opinion I must state that in my eyes if you vote for abortion you are responsible in part for the murder o0f countless babies in our abortion clinics during the year. Your vote, your responsibility. The issue of Church and State is meant to forbid Government from forcing a religion on it's people. Seems one again the Constitution is ignored. And a Government religion is being born, we call it Political Correctness and it has invaded all things. If one person is offended we can't do do that action and early results show our faith is one of the top three targets if not number one.
Finally I would like to thank those who pray daily and say the rosary daily, you may be the only barriers between our country and disaster.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
On Vacation
Hey guys I will be posting in a few days on vacation in Colorado visiting terminally ill Father.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Don't count on your salvation until it comes
In a recent poll people were asked at random will they go to heaven, over 85 percent said yes. There are many ways people justify the fact that they believe they are going to heaven. One of my personal favorites is "God is a God of love and a God that loves us would never send anybody to Hell". The others range from "once saved always saved" or the even more adorable "I have been a good guy and been nice so I will go to Heaven". Then there are those who think I really don't have to worry about it till later in my life.
St. Padre Pio in the later years of his life kept a statue of St. Joseph on his desk. When a fellow member of his order asked why he stated "Because I fear for my eternal soul". St. Padre Pio worried that he would be found unworthy of heaven and thereby go either to Purgatory or Hell. If you have read anything about his life you as the monk who asked him about his statue would be thinking to yourself why in the world was this guy worried he led a very holy life and performed miracles as well as carried the stigmata. With a resume like that if he was worried I am doomed!
All to often we say the right things like "I am a good Catholic so I will go to heaven". Then just after communion we sneak out of Mass go buy a twelve pack and put on the game. We cuss the refs and scream and holler all sorts of insults and we continue this life as a pattern. We confess our sins in Reconciliation Mass and then repeat them again right after leaving the confessional. Wash, Rinse and repeat week to week it never changes and we are satisfied we will go to Heaven. Now at this point many will say well that is not me yet after a very deep examination and meditation of your self and your ways you find that is not really true. The longer you meditate and do a deep examination of your soul and heart the more flaws you find. It is almost depressing enough to make you want to give up.
Yet I would say to you don't as the way to fix the error is to confront it face to face. The first step is to regain your prayer life, don't just say them out of habit but concentrate on each word and open you heart to receive the love that results from those prayers. Second read your scriptures with a new vigor really thinking on each verse and what it means. What did Jesus mean by what he said? What was the real meaning of his parables? Yet do not confine your reading to just scripture expand it out and read of the Church Fathers and the Saints follow their examples. A great book is An Imitation of Christ. And then begin your mission. Wake up every morning determined to do a kind act and do so daily. By this act alone you are doing far more than most have done in their lives.
Death walks the Earth and nobody really knows where he will strike next. When you go to sleep tonight will you wake up in the morning? Any age and at any time death can strike with such suddenness it can leave us asking why? Your eternal soul is not something you should be putting it off with I will do it tomorrow because all to often tomorrow never comes and it is too late. Prayer,reading and action are what Jesus loves and as you get closer to God by your acts and prayers and readings the graces begin to flow more abundantly. While these are great steps to do what God wills in your life never take your trip to heaven for granted. For only God has the right to say yes or no and his decision will not accept excuses or procrastination you will be judged as you are stripped of any explanation and left only with his words of rebuke to serve as a stinging reminder of a wasted life spent in comforts and earthly treasures. The tears of regret will do nothing to change his mind. I often believe that my tears of regret will be enough to fill a river. Keep a humble heart and never think to highly of yourself. In all things give thanks to God and pray that while some are noticed for what they do, you will remain unnoticed and unrecognized so the temptation of pride never falls upon you. Keep your eyes fixed on God. He never said we would enjoy life here in this world. Instead he said we will suffer in this world and be persecuted. Rejoice when this happens and thank God for your suffering. In the next life we will be put in the furnace and all things worldly will be pass away. Strive instead for the Kingdom of Heaven where Christ promises a eternity of happiness and bliss. In short keep you eyes on the prize and don't let sloth or Satan take your eyes away from this goal.
Until next time my friends pray for each other and do a kindness a day, you might be surprised at the results.
St. Padre Pio in the later years of his life kept a statue of St. Joseph on his desk. When a fellow member of his order asked why he stated "Because I fear for my eternal soul". St. Padre Pio worried that he would be found unworthy of heaven and thereby go either to Purgatory or Hell. If you have read anything about his life you as the monk who asked him about his statue would be thinking to yourself why in the world was this guy worried he led a very holy life and performed miracles as well as carried the stigmata. With a resume like that if he was worried I am doomed!
All to often we say the right things like "I am a good Catholic so I will go to heaven". Then just after communion we sneak out of Mass go buy a twelve pack and put on the game. We cuss the refs and scream and holler all sorts of insults and we continue this life as a pattern. We confess our sins in Reconciliation Mass and then repeat them again right after leaving the confessional. Wash, Rinse and repeat week to week it never changes and we are satisfied we will go to Heaven. Now at this point many will say well that is not me yet after a very deep examination and meditation of your self and your ways you find that is not really true. The longer you meditate and do a deep examination of your soul and heart the more flaws you find. It is almost depressing enough to make you want to give up.
Yet I would say to you don't as the way to fix the error is to confront it face to face. The first step is to regain your prayer life, don't just say them out of habit but concentrate on each word and open you heart to receive the love that results from those prayers. Second read your scriptures with a new vigor really thinking on each verse and what it means. What did Jesus mean by what he said? What was the real meaning of his parables? Yet do not confine your reading to just scripture expand it out and read of the Church Fathers and the Saints follow their examples. A great book is An Imitation of Christ. And then begin your mission. Wake up every morning determined to do a kind act and do so daily. By this act alone you are doing far more than most have done in their lives.
Death walks the Earth and nobody really knows where he will strike next. When you go to sleep tonight will you wake up in the morning? Any age and at any time death can strike with such suddenness it can leave us asking why? Your eternal soul is not something you should be putting it off with I will do it tomorrow because all to often tomorrow never comes and it is too late. Prayer,reading and action are what Jesus loves and as you get closer to God by your acts and prayers and readings the graces begin to flow more abundantly. While these are great steps to do what God wills in your life never take your trip to heaven for granted. For only God has the right to say yes or no and his decision will not accept excuses or procrastination you will be judged as you are stripped of any explanation and left only with his words of rebuke to serve as a stinging reminder of a wasted life spent in comforts and earthly treasures. The tears of regret will do nothing to change his mind. I often believe that my tears of regret will be enough to fill a river. Keep a humble heart and never think to highly of yourself. In all things give thanks to God and pray that while some are noticed for what they do, you will remain unnoticed and unrecognized so the temptation of pride never falls upon you. Keep your eyes fixed on God. He never said we would enjoy life here in this world. Instead he said we will suffer in this world and be persecuted. Rejoice when this happens and thank God for your suffering. In the next life we will be put in the furnace and all things worldly will be pass away. Strive instead for the Kingdom of Heaven where Christ promises a eternity of happiness and bliss. In short keep you eyes on the prize and don't let sloth or Satan take your eyes away from this goal.
Until next time my friends pray for each other and do a kindness a day, you might be surprised at the results.
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