Today's Thought. By: C.C.

"Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer."
(St. Padre Pio)
Today I have chosen to share this short yet profound reminder about prayer and the way we are called by God to live void of worry. It is often challenging to truly let go and have faith in times when we feel overwhelmed, scared, afraid, or anxious. A dear friend of mine called last night in tears and panic about numerous medical tests she is currently under going. I can not imagine the intensity of emotions that plague her at this time. All I can offer her right now is comfort through faith and little reminders of God's unending love. I feel the only answer that seems to make sense is to continue to share the importance of prayer and trust in God throughout this time. Her phone call truly caught me off guard, and at the same time allowed me to quickly put things in to perspective. I am still seeking for the right words to share with her, the right Biblical passage, or comforting Saintly quote. Today I feel that the best thing I can offer her is a hug and support. I trust that the Lord is in control and will truly be by her through all of this. I pray that she will find comfort in the words of St. Padre Pio. Lord today I pray for all of those who are currently going through circumstances that lead them to feel anxious. Provide comfort to those who may be afraid in their dealings with health matters. Help guide care givers, friends, and loved ones to know the right words to say during these times. St. Luke I pray for your intercession to aid our Doctor's each day. Thank You Lord for the gift good health and for standing by us through our illnesses. May each of us be able to "Pray, Hope, and not worry". Amen (C.C.)

A Disturbing Read; Sexual Immorality Glorified.

I received this article in an email tonight and I am so disgusted. Please keep this in your prayer intentions. We must do what we can to share the truth and to live out our lives the way that God has called us to.

Here is a link to the article below. May God help us in our battle....Holy Mother Mary pray for us.

http://gerardnadal.com/2011/03/12/planned-parenthood-to-girl-scouts-masturbate-and-you-don%E2%80%99t-have-to-tell-sex-partners-if-you-have-hiv/

(For information on chastity education and resources for parents to talk to teens and youth about sexuality please refer to www.chastity.com and http://thetheologyofthebody.com/information/teens )

Sit In Silence Before Him. By: C.C.

"Jesus waits for us in this sacrament of love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world. May our adoration never cease." (Bl. Pope John Paul II)

"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering."(Pope Benedict XVI )

Earlier this week I wrote about technology and the way we can employ it to share the Gospel and the Good News. However, it is also crucial that we find time amidst the chaos and noise of this technological world to Adore Christ present to us in the Blessed Eucharist. Adoration is a way for us to have a deeper encounter with Jesus. It is a time for us to sit in complete silence and experience peace within our soul. " Today we wake up to clock radios, we listen to the radio while we shower, and we watch television while we eat breakfast. We listen to the radio in the car on the way to work or school, we listen to music all day over the intercom, we get put on hold and we listen to the radio. We have Gameboys, pagers, cell phones,Walk-mans, Discmans, even DVD-mans. Most homes have multiple televisions, and we leave them on even when nobody is watching them. Our world has been filled with noise, and as a result, we can no longer hear the voice of God in our lives" (Matthew Kelly: Rediscovering Catholicism). Kelly does a wonderful job at describing the way in which we are bombarded with noise and distracted from God. It is this noise that truly prevents us from "hearing the voice of God". Many Churches have thankfully made perpetual Adoration available this means that the Blessed Eucharist is exposed 24/7. I personally wish that this were true for all of our Catholic Churches. I feel that it will only be made possible through immense support from parishioners. For those of you that have not yet experienced the beauty of Adoration I strongly encourage you to find some time within your week to sit in silence before the Blessed Eucharist or Tabernacle. Invite the Lord to speak to you. Offer up every care and worry. If you are distracted in your time of silence give that also to the Lord. I assure you that you will indeed feel a sense of calm, peace, and comfort. Lord tonight I pray that my Catholic brothers and sisters around the world will come to understand the beauty and need for silent adoration. May we constantly recognize the presence of Jesus "concealed in the Host". Give us patience to wait upon You and Your voice. Allow us to draw nearer to You through this sacrament. Lord I pray that You protect those who sit beside the Blessed Eucharist through the night hours in order for us to come and Adore. Thank You Lord for this beautiful sacrament and for Your numerous blessings. Hear the prayers and cries of those who sit in Adoration and provide them with the warmth and comfort of Your love. Amen (C.C)

"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host. Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful. It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering."
(Pope Benedict XVI )

St. Paul By: C.C

"Meanwhile Saul was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorise him to arrest and take to Jerusalem any followers of the Way, men or women, that he might find. It happened that while he was travelling to Damascus and approaching the city, suddenly a light from heaven shone all round him. He fell to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' he asked, and the answer came, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do.'The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless, for though they heard the voice they could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing at all, and they had to lead him into Damascus by the hand. For three days he was without his sight and took neither food nor drink.There was a disciple in Damascus called Ananias, and he had a vision in which the Lord said to him, 'Ananias!' When he replied, 'Here I am, Lord,' the Lord said, 'Get up and go to Straight Street and ask at the house of Judas for someone called Saul, who comes from Tarsus. At this moment he is praying, and has seen a man called Ananias coming in and laying hands on him to give him back his sight.' But in response, Ananias said, 'Lord, I have heard from many people about this man and all the harm he has been doing to your holy people in Jerusalem. He has come here with a warrant from the chief priests to arrest everybody who invokes your name.' The Lord replied, 'Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for my name.' Then Ananias went. He entered the house, and laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' It was as though scales fell away from his eyes and immediately he was able to see again. So he got up and was baptised, and after taking some food he regained his strength. After he had spent only a few days with the disciples in Damascus, he began preaching in the synagogues, 'Jesus is the Son of God.' All his hearers were amazed, and said, 'Surely, this is the man who did such damage in Jerusalem to the people who invoke this name, and who came here for the sole purpose of arresting them to have them tried by the chief priests?' Saul's power increased steadily, and he was able to throw the Jewish colony at Damascus into complete confusion by the way he demonstrated that Jesus was the Christ." (Acts 9:1-22 )

Today we recognize The Conversion of St. Paul. We remember an incredible man of faith and are able to see God's amazing transforming power. Yet again we bear witness to the impact of the Gospel message and the influence of those like St. Paul who are full of conviction and on fire for their faith. St. Paul's conversion shows us the lengths that our Lord will go to call us out of our sin. It allows us to see the way that God uses us as His instruments to do His will. I have always been drawn to the writings of St. Paul, and I find so much value and modern relativity in his teachings on Christian Spirituality/Christian Life. Through St. Paul one can recognize the power of Christ within, the importance of surrender, and the way that we are called to live. Today's reading at mass began by describing "Saul" as one on a mission to slaughter the Lord's disciples..by the end of this reading we are faced with the miracle of Saul (Paul) being completely transformed by God. He is no longer on a mission to slaughter but on a mission to save souls proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord. St. Paul truly took up his Cross and followed the way of Jesus (further readings will allow one to see that this was not an easy road). Through his conversion and the events of his life post Damascus, one can not help but truly recognize St. Paul as a true warrior for Christ. We witness the way that God used St. Paul to aid in the conversion of many who were led astray from their faith. As we recall the Conversion of St. Paul today let us pray for his intercession to help lead souls back to faith. Let us praise God for His power to transform and change us. May we constantly recognize our need for conversion daily. Let us see ourselves as instruments of our Lord and seek opportunities to do His will. May we be proud of our Catholic identity and confidently live out our faith every day. Lord, As we bear witness to the world around us it is often hard to remain hopeful and faithful. Provide us with the courage, faith, and hope to press on with You as our guide. Give us the strength to help make a difference when we can. Amen (C.C.)

“With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his
demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity” (Rom 12:1-2, Phillips)

Theology And Technology: By. C.C.

"Young people in particular, I appeal to you: bear witness to your faith through the digital world!....Employ these new technologies to make the Gospel known, so that the Good News of God’s infinite love for all people, will resound in new ways across our increasingly technological world!" (Pope Benedict XVI)

It is difficult to avoid recognizing the massive way that technology has flourished around us. It seems that every day some new device is being unveiled and promoted as the "must have item". Numerous people flock to department stores in order to be among the first buyers of the "next best thing", and it is not long before everyone we encounter is buzzing with the same gadget. Our youth are especially pressured by peers to have the latest technological contraptions from video game systems, to cell phones, iPods, and of course to be linked through social media in every way possible. As an educator in middle school I see the prevalence of technology in the lives of today's youth every day. I find myself in my mid twenties battling to keep up with the numerous technological advancements..when did all of this happen? Arguably these advancements are remarkable and can assist us in many areas when used "properly". However, there are also many negatives, especially when it comes to our youth. Everyday I see students plugged into their iPods blaring music that most parents would not approve of their children listening to. They carry cell phones that link them to every form of social media and the Internet. They are online without parental supervision and are often exposed to highly inappropriate things. I have been guilty of judging and assuming that any student I see on their iPod can not be doing anything productive. Today I was humbled, moved, and taught a lesson by those I teach. Students are permitted to bring their iPods and technological devices to school understanding that they are liable for loss, theft, or any damage. Personally I believe the safest place for these items is at home....but none the less they seem to be quite prevalent around the building. During homeroom time I often allow students to listen to their music while they work quietly. Today I was asked for permission by a student to read something on her iPpod instead of listening to music. My mind automatically made the assumption that this student of mine was trying to pull the wool over my eyes. Inquisitively I asked her "What exactly are you going to read on there?" To which the students replied "Ms.C I just got the Bible App for my iPod and I wanted to read it" WOW! I definitely knew about this iPod App being available, but what I did not realize was that my 12 year old students had the type of fire for their faith to use their iPods as a means of keeping themselves in The Word of God. It was then I was humbled and recognized the way in which technology can indeed be used to make the Gospel known and share the Good News. This student was surprisingly not the only one in my class to have the Bible App on her iPod and it was not long before numerous students came up to me and showed me their Bible App. From verse of the day to Saint of the day I was beginning to learn a big lesson. The best part about this story is that I do not teach in a Catholic or a Christian school, and am so surrounded by children with profound faith. I was amazed by the way my students began to engage with one another, discussing their favorite parts about this Bible App. I realized that our youth can indeed "employ these new technologies" to glorify God and their faith. I started to turn away from my negative judgements of technology and began to recognize the way that one can use technology as a means of sharing faith and reaching numerous people. Whether we blog, send emails, or share messages of faith through status updates we are bearing witness and providing others with the opportunity to do the same. (C.C.)

"Refiner's Fire" By: C.C.

"The process of the purification of our souls is never finished, and will end only with our death. We must not be upset by our imperfections; instead, we must recognize them and learn to combat them. And it is in fighting against our imperfections without being discouraged by them that our very perfection consists." (St. Francis De Sales)
It is important that we each recognize the process of purification in our journey of faith. It is through this understanding that we can maintain perspective and accept the way that our Lord seeks to transform our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies to be the best version of ourselves. When we surrender and allow God to work within us, we are permitting Him to shape and mold us as He desires. This process is not always pleasant and may bring about discomfort. In these times we must remain focused on our Lord with faith that all of this is done in order for us to become the person He has called us to be. It is through gaining this perspective that we will be able to tread the waters of our ongoing conversion and purification process. As our imperfections are brought to light let us seek the blessing in recognizing them. This is a chance for each of us to change, to fight them, and to grow in deeper relationship with ourselves and our faith. Lord, today I pray that each of us may recognize our imperfections and have the strength to combat them. Give us the clarity to see You working in our lives to make us the best version of ourselves. Though we know perfection is unattainable help us strive to live by Your word and teachings. May we turn towards the Sacraments as a means of gaining all we need to endure the things that come. Help us respond to Your call as the Apostles did. Have Your way with every heart and every seeking soul. Lord thank You for loving us so much and for calling us to be Holy. Purify every heart and take total control in our lives until we are home with You. Amen (C.C.)