Exploring the depth of our prayers
Our readings today reinforce the message that we’re all in this together.
It’s a particularly counter-cultural thought, because our country does its best to celebrate individual accomplishment, independence, and self-sufficiency. Which is all good, I suppose, but the fact is that God created us as society, not just a billion random beings on a planet.
I was talking with a guy recently who is writing a book about becoming an elder. Continue reading “Us”
How wonderful that Pope Saint John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries to our Rosary in 2002! Of course, on Corpus Christi Sunday, it’s so appropriate to focus on the institution of the source and summit of our faith.
That all sounds well and good, but some Christians might find it strange that we seem to maybe be putting the Eucharist ahead of Jesus Himself.
But that’s not what we’re doing at all.
How do I know when I’m doing God’s will?
It’s not a flippant question. Every time I say the Lord’s Prayer, I’m asking for God’s will to be done.
I could just hang out and try not to get in the way while God does His thing, but I don’t think that’s the way it works. WE need to do His will. Including ME.
We have been given a special gift by our Holy Father, Pope Francis.
On March 3rd 2018, he declared a new feast day, the Memorial of Mary, Mother of The Church. It will be celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost, which for the first time is May 21st 2018. This celebration was first granted by Pope Paul VI to a few countries at Vatican II, and has now been shared with the entire Body of Christ.
Perhaps we’ll see Pope Francis’ prayer added to the Rosary at some point? Continue reading “Mary, Mother of The Church”
Here we are, the traditional “birthday” of the Church. It’s interesting that we view this as attached an event of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit – not of one of the apostles.
Even Peter.
It’s about the complete mental flip they had to make. From follower to leader. From focusing on the Jesus they had lived with for three years, to a much, much bigger picture.
Over 100 years ago, Our Lady appeared over the course of 5 month to some children at Fatima, Portugal.
That’s the story, but like many others I have mixed feelings about it. There’s different stories, and people read many different things into the events.
Maybe even that there was no miracle at all.
I am immortal.
Oh, sure, I’ll die from this life, but the important thing is that my immortal soul will live forever. In heaven with God, I hope, but forever either way.
That’s why my choices in this life are so incredibly important.
The decision I get to make in this life is deceptively simple: Continue reading “Ever shall be”
There’s no question that our Blessed Mother is holy.
Actually, I was a bit puzzled about this when I converted to Catholicism. I guess I’d assumed that the word “holy” was the same as “divine.” Godly. Not of this world, but of heaven.
What I’ve learned is that holiness is something that each of us – every person – is called to be. And can achieve.
This is Good Shepherd Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Easter. We don’t tend to think very deeply about the term Shepherd, treating it as just one of the many names we use for Christ.
But we are the sheep in this metaphor. And sheep aren’t, well, very honored. We view them as rather dumb.
Which is actually appropriate. When it comes to spiritual wisdom, we tend to rate rather poorly. Well, maybe it’s just me.
I’ve been doing an interesting little experiment lately.
I try changing the prayers from talking about us/we/our to instead talk about I/me/my. It’s just an experiment, to help me see how it feels.
There’s a fascinating result: It feels like I’m taking more ownership and accountability for my relationship with God, Jesus, and Mary.