true holiness

True holiness does not mean a flight from the world; rather it lies in the effort to incarnate the Gospel in everyday life, in the family, at school, and at work, and in social and political involvement.

~Bl John Paul II  11.9.96

true freedom

True freedom know no attachment other than Jesus Christ.

It has no love of riches...

True freedom can walk away from anything...

It fears neither the state or death itself.

This kind of freedom can transform the world.

We defend religious liberty in order to live the deeper freedom that is discipleship in Jesus Christ.

~Archbishop Chaput
July 4, 2012 homily

different than the pagans

As Catholics, we should react differently than the pagans.  Rejoice in sufferings.  We should be different.

5.15.12
homily on Acts 16:22-34

have faith

Jesus tells his Apostles at the last supper:  Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God; have faith also in me.  (John 14:1)

Said another way:  The Lord's mercy is infinitely greater than the stupidity of our sinfulness.

be open

God is not a show-off.

He sent the Holy Spirit to disturb our complacency and uproot our medicocrity!

He wants us to be open to further growth. 

Never settle for less than God wants to make of us.

~Pentecost Sunday, 2012

sticking with the program

When you find yourself frustrated with God or frustrated with yourself when you don't see any progress in your spiritual life - remember that God knows what He is doing.  Our job is to "stick with the program".  "The program" includes:

1. Prayer....be faithful to prayer
2. Regular reception of the sacraments....especially the Eucharist and Penance
3. Going outside of ourselves....in acts of loving service to others

Do not get discouraged when you do not see progress.  Discouragement is "the devil's sandbox" and leads to despair.

Have faith that just as the trees and the seeds grow, without knowing how it happens, so will we be transformed and changed more and more to the likeness of Jesus.

giving back

We give love back to the Lord in mercy and compassion (for our fellow humans). 

anger

Anger is like a poison meant for someone else that we drink ourselves. 

actions speak

Today is the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua.  A little wisdom from one of his sermons:

The man who is filled with the Holy Spirit speaks in different languages.  These languages are different ways of witnessing to Christ, such has humility, poverty, PATIENCE, and obedience; we speak in those languages when we reveal in ourselves these virtues to others.  Actions speak louder than words; let your actions speak and your words teach.

walking the walk

When walking the Road of Conversion, there are 3 things that will help:

• daily prayer - should be more listening than telling
• regular confession - giving Jesus our weaknesses and imperfections turns us toward Him, regular confession is "preventive maintenance" for the soul
• fruitful reception of the Eucharist  - not receiving out of routine habit, but giving our lives to Jesus as He gives us Himself 

1.23.11

life's storms

We won't see God in the storms of our lives, if we don't seek Him in the quiet, ordinary moments of our lives.  When we come to experience Him on His terms, then we will find Him in the storms, too.

8.7.11

integrity of heart

About seeking God in integrity of heart:

• Be truthful with/about ourselves.  Check our attitudes...
• Come to Him in obedience.
• Lead our lives so that they bring honor and glory to God

11.07
based on Wisdom 1:1-7

change me

Lord, change my mind and my heart so I can live Your Truth with Your sincerity, humility, obedience, and love.

5.20.11

do it yourself

God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

He gives us the strength to do the things we can do.

He never, ever does for us the things we can do for ourselves.

11.15.10

following him

Jesus did not suffer and die to leave us where we are!

Following Him takes nothing less than everything!

9.4.10

entitled?

We are all beggars at the feet of Jesus.

He owes us nothing!  (But look what great love He had for us.)

9.18.11

but i haven't killed anyone....

All sin is offensive to God - not just mortal sins.

(So you don't have to wait until you are guilty of mortal sins to go to confession!)

God loves to forgive!

(Lucky for us.)

what God wants

God's deepest desire for us is that we are transformed; that we become the Gift we receive (the Eucharist).

6.6.10
Feast of Corpus Christi

could you make mine neon?

When we - like the people in Scripture - are asking God for signs, and God is not going along with our "script"...that is when surrender and faith are required.

When the externals - the signs - are stripped away - that's when faith grows.

4.10

confused?

Even if we are confused about what God is doing in our lives - God is not confused....

4.10