TRUST


June 15, 2008--GIFT OF GOD


Let’s suppose you would hear it said: We are rich, if we only knew it. We have so much, so ‘freely you have received, freely give’.  Does that sound right when gas and groceries prices are rising? When foreclosures on homes are common, when more and more people are filing for unemployment benefits, many families are unable to pay their monthly bills? We would say to them, you must be living in another world. That’s not the society we are living in.

Of course when Jesus spoke those words, He was not talking about the financial crisis we are currently experiencing. Jesus was talking about the spiritual graces and blessing we have received through the kind and compassionate love of God.

I read a story of Pastor Daniel who tells about a coffee mug that he found in a gift shop at an Abbey. The inscription on the side of the mug read like this: “God danced the day you were born, You are loved, You are beautiful, You are a gift of God, his own possession, You are a gift to all humankind, God’s gift of love to you.” “Shucks’ that’s worth eleven dollars. He bought the most expensive coffee mug he’s ever owned. He claims this mug is now one of the most valuable things he owns because it reminds him of the mission of Jesus—to share the message that every human being is loved, beautiful, gift of God and a gift to everyone.
You and I are loved by God. That makes us spiritually rich, if only we knew it. We have treasures that are not depended on the stock market, or the size of our bank account, or the value of our house, We are rich because we are loved. We are loved by other people and we are loved by God.

Susan Conray found this out when she was between her junior and senior year of college. She heard so much about Mother Theresa of Calcutta, India, and the work she was doing in take care of the poorest of the poor. So she went to Calcutta and volunteered to do the same work that Mother Theresa was doing. Susan met Mother Theresa asked to help in caring for the abandoned babies and pick up the men and women in the streets of Calcutta who were left to die. Susan followed the same schedule the missionaries of charity. They got up early in morning, spent an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and celebrated Mass. Then the work began of caring for those sick and dying people.

Susan tells how spiritually rich and loved she felt in doing this work. She freely has received and she freely gave of herself.

To know that you are loved is the greatest gift we can receive from God. To know we have a Father in Heaven who loves us is the most wonder gift of all.

I read the story of a soldier in Jordan who went on a rampage and shot and killed seven Israel school girls. King Hussein is the king where this crazy gunman lived; left his throne and his palace. He left his country and entered the homes of the families of the slain girls. King Hussein in all his majesty entered each of the homes of these grieving families and fell on his knees. He bowed down before them and looked into the eyes of the mother, father, sister and brother and said: “I beg you forgive me”. Your daughter is like my daughter; your loss is my loss. May God help you in your pain.

King Hussein gave us an image of our relationship with Christ. The God of all the universe humbled Himself and came into our world to show us how much we are loved. Now it is our job to take that love to others. “Freely you have received, freely give”.

Mom and Dad have to love each other and their family in their marriage and family life.  Fathers and mothers have been specially gifted in marriage in being co-creators with God to bring new life into this world. Fathers along with their wives are given the responsibility of raising these gifts of God.

But look at our culture today? It is going into a deep recession. Our permissive society has encouraged us to live beyond their means. Families are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table. Some families are already going to the food pantries asking for food.

Here’s an open letter to all fathers. I ask that fathers and mothers talk this over and call a meeting with the family. Explain to the kids the financial crises we are in and discuss ways they can cut back on the expenses that keep rising in the home.

Kids would love to offer ways to cut expenses. They might suggest not buying these expensive frozen dinners, pizzas and even soft drinks. They might offer to shop at Goodwill stores for second-hand clothing. Kids might offer to go grocery shopping for sales and hunt for coupons that save money.

The kids might suggest that we begin to pray together as a family.

You just see how the economic recession we are in could be a blessing. It could save many marriages and cause the breakup of families and homes

I can speak from experience. I came out of the great depression days of the 1930’s. Most of the people were poor and barely living from hand to mouth. My Mom had a big garden and she canned all these fruits and vegetables. So we lived from that garden. We never knew what it was like to eat out. We stayed home and prayed, worked and played together. So we were a happy family even though we were financially broke. God provided for us and satisfied our basic needs.

So the current hard times we are living in could be a time of great grace. So I ask Dad & Mon to take a leadership role in bringing the kids together and pray to discuss how we can live on less and enjoy the happiness of family life.

Our Lord is pouring His Graces on marriages and families in this current financial crisis we in.
May God Bless you.
Be Not Afraid

In the beginning of the year 2000, Pope John Paul announced a new Pentecost and a outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He said the Holy Spirit will raise up new people who will bring the Good News of the Gospel to every corner of the world.

No one thought that the Holy Spirit will call upon the lay people to play this important role. In Mark’s Gospel 18:15, Jesus told the apostles to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation”. Wow! What a mission. The whole world is the goal. That sounds fantastic. How is Our Lord going to preach the Gospel to every corner of the world?

Well, it didn’t take long for the Holy Spirit to put those words into action. God is a God of surprises. He always to pick out the lowest and most unfit people to carry out His greatest work.

St. John Vianney is only one of many God chose to do
His work. John didn’t have the mental ability to make
it in the seminary. So he was dropped. The Bishop final
ly put a priest in charge to teach him just a bare
minimum so that he could be ordained to the priesthood.
The bishop had had little confidence that he could make it.

He assigned John Vianney to the poorest and most run
down parish in the diocese. He could not do any more
damage than already has been done. Most of the people
didn’t go to church, or receive the Sacraments. The little
town of Ars was filled with vice and immoral living. John
Vianney went into that run down parish and began to
pray and preach the simple basic truths of the gospel. He
lived a life of prayer and a living witness to the Catholic Faith. In a few years the people saw John Vianney a saint. They came back to Church and the Sacraments. He organized religion instructions for the young. John Vianney not only converted Ars, but many towns and cities in France.

Well now, how is God going to convert the world through the new outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Raymond Arroyo, a journalist gives us the story the Holy Spirit of a woman abandoned by her father and raised in poverty by her mother who suffered suicidal depressions.

Rita Rizzo had many health problems. Suffered abdominal pains that doctors said was a nervous condition. She sought the prayers of a mystic and her condition disappeared. Rita dedicated her life to the Lord and became a cloistered nun.

But Rita’s faith compelled her to unlikely endeavors. She went down to Alabama to establish a monastery in a state where there are less than 5 percent Catholic. After establishing the monastery in Alabama she started the world’s first Catholic-cable network. Relying on God’s providence she built an empire without the concerns for budgets or fund-raising campaigns. She achieved the highest level of the Catholic Church in re-evangelizing the world. This is what Mother Angelica did. She took Christ’s commandment to heart.

It began in 1981 when she stepped into faith and transformed
the garage of her poor Clare monastery in a television studio
which is now the Eternal Word Television. Through God
divine providence and the generous supporters of EWTN’s
apostolic work and with their prayers and donations; this
humble beginning; it has become the world’s largest Catholic
media network reaching more than 140 million homes
in 144 countries worldwide.

While Mother Angelica admits that building a world wide
network was never in her plans. Since its founding the
Network’s mission has been to spread the Eternal Word and
to teach others that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and
the Life. Using all facets of modern media, including television, radio, Internet, and publishing’ EWTN reach the entire globe with the message of the Gospel. EWTN is the one and only Global Catholic Network.

I visited EWTN twice and toured the whole studio where all the programs originate. In fact I was on EWTN live show of Father Mitch Pacwa and Marcis Grodi. I saw those huge satellite dishes positioned in every direction to send the signal to satellites positioned in the upper atmosphere. I toured the radio facility where they air Catholic programming on short wave and AM & FM and Serius Satellite around the United States. EWTN is also on many cable networks around our country. The Gospel is also broadcast in both English and Spanish.  EWTN Global Catholic Network is dedicated to teaching the truth as defined by the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. It is in keeping with the Holy Father’s call for a New Evangelization.

Our mission is to communicate the teachings and the beauty of the Catholic Church and to help people grow in their love and understanding of God and His infinite mercy.

Our Holy Father states that lay people are called to play a most important role. So how can you become involved in this most important work of evangelization in your parish, and world?
1.    You can pray for the success of EWTN Media Missionaries.  Explore this
website and print and duplicate some of its materials. It only takes about
ten minutes a month to take the written materials and give them away to
others in the parish with your pastor permission, or your workplace (with
your employer's permission) or neighborhood.
2.    Get acquainted with the organizations in your parish or community.
      Through them you can do much to evangelize.
3.    Participate in the Corporal works of Mercy and volunteer to visit the sick
in hospitals, rest homes, or the homebound. Volunteer to visit those in
prison.
4.    Do not be afraid to talk about your religion; but first learn it. Get
acquainted with the religious sites on the internet—here are a few
some inspiring sites. 

Once you get started, Our Lord will help you find the ways to evangelize that are best for you.

Fr. Schaefer's Homilies, page 2

August 10, 2008, Be Not Afraid
August 17, 2008, Power Of Persistence
August 31, 2008, Whose Side Are You On
Sept. 19, 2008, Signs Of The Times
September 21, 2008, Generous God



Sign InView Entries
Power Of Persistence

What does it take to make it in life? Determination, Persistence. The willingness to stick to a task until you are successful.

When my parents left the farm and moved to Rochester; I got a job as a paper boy selling and delivering the Minneapolis Journal. I was in high school so after school I would deliver the paper to my customers on my route. I bought a used bicycle and paid for it by selling and delivering the paper. The Minneapolis Journal had a promotion on.  If we would get a fixed number of new subscribers to the paper; we would get a free trip to Washington D. C.  I never been out of the state of Minnesota so to go to Washington D. C. seemed very exciting to me. 

So after school I would go from door to door to sign up new subscribers. I had a time getting new subscribers to the paper. We were still in the midst of a depression so jobs were hard to find and people were hard-up to even pay their necessary monthly bills much less another paper bill. But I was able to get enough new subscribers so that I won the trip to Washington D.C. But it took a lot of persistence and determination. I stuck with the task until I was successful.

This Canaanite woman came to Jesus to ask Him to heal her daughter. She was not a Jew. Her situation would be no better today than it was in that day and time; for the strong prejudices still exist between those two nations. The disciples were asking Jesus to get rid of her—shut her up. But this woman got Jesus’ attention by crying out, “Lord Son of David, have mercy on me. My daughter is suffering terrible from an evil demon possession.”

Jesus’ response was interesting. Jesus gave her no response. He didn’t answer her a word. That is extraordinary. The compassionate Christ seemed to ignore this woman with a very great need. Her daughter was possessed by an evil demon. This might be considered today a serious emotional problem. Deep emotional problems today can lead depression. This woman was distraught. She was crying after Jesus and He was ignoring her.

The disciples came to Jesus and urged Him to send her away. Then Jesus explained the problem. He said: “I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel”. Think of that statement. If the story ended right here; you and I would be lost. We would not be here today. Our lives would meaningless and cold.

Jesus had a specific mission. The Jewish people were the chosen people of God.  Jesus’ mission was to bring the fullness of the faith to the Jews by showing them He was the promised Messiah sent by the Father to save His people from their sins. Jesus chose His apostles and sent them with the Gospel that He was sent by His Father to bring the fullness of the Jewish Faith to its completeness by His Death and resurrection from the dead.

Jesus last words to the apostles were: Go teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all  things; and behold I am with you to the end of time”.

So the Gospel was meant to be given to all nations. The Holy Spirit was sent to empower the Apostles and their successors to preach the Gospel to all nations. This Canaanite woman would not be put off. She came and knelt down before Jesus: Lord please help me.

The Jesus replied: “It is not right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs”. The Canaanite woman held her own. “Yes, Lord,” she said: “but even the puppies eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Jesus was struck by her persistence and determination. Jesus answered: “Women you have great faith, your request is granted. And her daughter was healed that very hour”.

That’s a powerful lesson on the power of persistence. This woman was not going to be put off. She was determined to get her daughter healed. Jesus heard her pain and suffering and granted her what she needed. That’s what it takes to make it in life. Determination and persistence. That’s the dividing line between those who succeed and those who fail. The willingness to stick to a task until you are successful.

Jesus told the woman, “Woman you have great faith, your request is granted…”  Do you understand what faith is about? It is not simply believing. Even the evil demons believe and tremble. Faith is believing even when times get tough and friends forsake you. Faith is moving in the direction God has called you to go.

When God has given us a task to perform, He will give you the grace to carry out this task even in the midst of tremendous odds. I have seen many miracles take place in my life because I prayed to our Blessed Mother. She takes my prayers to her Son. Jesus never refuses any prayers that His mother brings to Him. I always remember the wedding feast of Cana when the wine ran out. Mary came to Jesus: They have no wine. Even though His hour had not yet come to perform miracles; Jesus gave His mother what she asked for.

So never give up. Be assertive. And Jesus will hear what you are saying. You will hear the same words this Canaanite heard. “You have great faith, your request has been granted”.   
WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?


I would like to pose this question: Whose side are you on? The side of God or the side of man and the world’s value system?

I hope you are on the side of God. For it is God who created us in His own image and likeness, suffered and died for us and rose from the dead so that we might have life now and eternal life in His kingdom.

Jesus is asking the same question to Peter. Jesus began to tell His disciples that He would suffer and die on the cross and on the third day rise from the dead. The disciples didn’t know what to make of this shocking statement. Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him. “Never, Lord” he said, “This shall never happen to you”.

Jesus turned and said to Peter. “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God; but the things of men”

Then Jesus said something else that shocked His disciples. “If anyone would  come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for me will find it”.

Jesus is asking us today; whose side are you on? Jesus is asking the same question to Peter and the disciples. When Peter began  to rebuke Jesus saying we will never let you be put to death on the cross; Jesus came right back with a sharp rebuke to Peter: “Get behind me Satan, You are a stumbling block to  me, you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of man”

St. Paul tells us that God wanted to save those who have faith through the foolishness of the message that we preach. So the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks looks for wisdom; here we are preaching a crucified Christ, to the Jews an obstacle that they cannot get over, to the pagans madness. But to those who have been called; whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is the power and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom and God’ weakness is stronger than human strength.

This is same message the world’s value system states. The cross is complete foolishness and must be avoided at all cost. Many Catholics take Christ without the cross. But Jesus tells us; no cross no glory in heaven. No pain no gain. The suffering and pain that goes with carrying our cross has always been a tough doctrine to accept.

Isn’t that what some are advocating; dying with dignity, physician assisted suicide? They claim we have the right to determine how I want to die. Is that right? Do we have the right to decide who shall be born and who shall die? That is the burning issue in this coming election. We are a people of life. Pro choice say we can decide who is to be born and who should die.

I’m, not telling you who to vote for’ that’s your decision. The Church tells us to be informed on the issues.  Bishop Olmsted has given us a pastoral letter, “Catholics in the Public Square”. In this letter the Bishop gives us principles in forming a Catholic conscience.

So I would like to ask you? Whose side are you on? Could Jesus be saying this to any of us? “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men”. You see Satan doesn’t just use bad people to do his work. In fact he most often uses good people who are only nominally committed. Catholics who decide what is right and wrong—good and bad. They make up their own mind. That’s when Satan is most effective. In Revelation 3, Christ says, “I know your deeds, that are neither hot or cold I wish you were either one or the other. So because you are neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth”. These are strong words, as strong as the words Christ spoke to Peter.

So which side are you on? There is no straddling the middle. Either you are for Christ or against him. If you sitting on the fence you are an easy target for Satan. He can’t touch those who are holy and faithful. He already has those who are bad and big sinners.

Here is a good test to see whose camp you are? Is your faith costing you something? There are many people today who are under the misconception that you can be a follower of Jesus without bearing a cross. They want salvation without sacrifice. That kind of faith will not stand the test Satan puts to us.

A second principle to use. Do you spend most of your efforts looking out for number 1, yourself? Sure we understand the importance of positive self-esteem. But what has happened to the joy of Jesus first, others second, yourself third? Jesus said: “We must love God first,  then love our neighbor as our self. We are not put on this earth to just look after number one. Most people who spend their lives looking out for number one are miserable.

Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me." Our faith is sacrificial.

Trust in God and God will assure you will be in His Kingdom. God loves us. Christ died for us. We trust God and God alone for our salvation.

So whose side are you on? Jesus said: “for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, whoever loses his life for me will find it. This is where we want to be. 
For a copy of Bishop Olmsted's book, "Catholics in the Public Square", send to:
Radio Family Rosary, P. O. Box 17484, Phoenix, Arizona 85011
Signs Of The Times

Are we able to read the signs of the times in which we are now living? In Matthews 16:3, Jesus shows the Jewish Religious leaders that they know enough to predict the weather from the color of the sky but they are blind to the real nature of Christ’s teaching and His miracles.  So I wonder if we are able to see the events taking place in our beloved country as signs of God calling us to pray and conversion of heart?

I watch our Catholic Global Television-EWTN. Lately I have listened to many Catholic lay men and women giving us the message that we have to heal the culture in our nation.

Curtis Martin has formed groups of college men and women who are trained to go to all our colleges and universities. They talk to these students on a one to one relationship. They give them the basic teaching of the Catholic Church and convince these students who are searching for love and better life will find it in the Catholic Church.

Camille Pauley is a woman who travels around the country speaking to organizations; offering them a life much greater than they have now.

There are many priests and religious—Father Mitch Pacwa, Father Benedict Groeschel and Franciscan Priests of the Renewal that are giving us the same message. We need to healing our culture.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have given us a prayer that fits the needs of our times before the elections.

It’s a nine day novena. I would like you to say this prayer either alone or preferably with a group.   This Novena consists of five parts.

Opening prayer; Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and
kindle  the fire of your love.
Readings from Old and New Testament.
First day: Psalm  8:2, 4:10
Second day: Psalm 146, 1-8
Third day: Isaiah  58: 2-3, 6-8
Fourth day: Deuteronomy 30: 15-20
Fifth day: 1Cor. 11: 26-29
Sixth day: Matthew 5: 43-46
Seventh day: Ephesians 4:1-6
Eighth day: Isaiah 32: 15-18
Ninth day: Matthew 5; 13-16
Reflection: What do these sacred texts say to you? Think about it.
Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary or any other prayer from your heart.

NOVENA PRAYER

Immaculate Heart of Mary, help us to conquer the menace of evil, which  so easily takes root in the hearts of people today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down upon our modern world, and seem to block the path towards the future.
From famine and war deliver us,
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of
war deliver us.
From sins against human life, from it very beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God,
deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and
international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept O Mother of Christ this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin, individual sin and
the ‘sin of world, sin in all its manifestations
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world the infinite p
power of the redemption. The power of merciful love,
May it put a stop to evil, may transform consciences,
May your Immaculate Heart reveal all the light of hope. Amen

Generous God

Have you ever looked at life and complained somewhat bitterly; “life isn’t fair”.  You see the wicked and the rooks prosper and get away with their evil life; while the ones who attend church and raise good families, put up with many problems—with their health or with their finances. You complain: “Life is Unfair”.

There are some questions that we need to be addressed in this situation:
The mercy of God is a great leveler. If we see our self as equally forgiven, loved, and called and perhaps we can make the effort to change our point of view. We’ll be a lot less apt to judge them when we understand what God has done for us. He has given us not just what is ‘fair’ but what is merciful—entrance into eternal life.

Salvation is a free gift. It is a grace that we can’t earn by our human effort. God is a great equalizer; He calls each of us His children. We are all put on the same footing. All of us are in need of His mercy. All are dependent upon His grace to be saved.

Jesus also gives us some insight into what’s going on. He said: “to whom much has been given, much is to be expected; to whom little has been given, little will be expected”.

Maybe some scoundrel was brought up by parent who had little religious education and never went to church. He was raised not knowing the teaching of Jesus Christ or the Ten Commandments. He was never taught to pray. He was only baptized but never received any of the sacraments. So he lived the value system of the culture. Get ahead, make lots of money, take care of “Me” first.

The question is: “Can a person be an absolute crook right up until the moment of his or her death and then get the grace to repent, make His confession and receive the gift of eternal life”? Does he or she get the same reward of eternal life that a saint who worked hard to learn the Faith of Jesus Christ and lived it to the full. Does He get the same reward in the kingdom of heaven?

I’m not able to stand in judgment of either of these two people; but Jesus tells us there are many mansions in my father’s house. I wonder what Jesus is referring too? I know one thing: God is merciful and a generous God. And He promised to reward us according to our good deeds in life.

There is another question that we must ask.
My Grandpa use to say: That canceling the past does not turn it into a record of achievement. It leaves a blank, a waste of spilled time. And since no man knows when he is going to die, the time to come to a grip on this life is now when that first impulse of grace strikes. “Turn to God now before death is at your door. No person knows the day of their death. He went on to say; turn to God today, perhaps you may die tomorrow. Use the time God gives you so that all the graces will be waiting for you when you stand before the judgment seat of God.

Grandpa warned us... “Do not wait until the last moment to repent. Repent now so that you do not fear dying in the state of mortal sin and being condemned to hell.” Jesus told us that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it but to save it. Everyone who believes in the Son will have everlasting life.

I would like to ask another serious question. Jesus taught us that keeping the Ten Commandments and living in the state of grace is a sure promise that when we die we will be given the eternal reward in the kingdom of heaven. But besides keeping the ten commandments and living in the state of grace, are there other reasons why living a life of grace is more desirable than a life of sin?

There is and old saying: “Virtue has it own reward”. We seek to live a virtuous life not only out of the fear of hell, but also because we look around and see that the moral life is truly the best way to live in this world. We cannot imagine a world without moral values in marriage and family life. We may joke about the attractiveness of sin, but deep in our hearts we know that a life of sin leads only to destruction of everything that is good and lasting and ultimately satisfying in this world. These are reasons that we maintain our wedding vows and run our business in an ethical way. We don’t want these virtues to change.

But is our culture is saying this is the best way to live? The present culture is asking us to re-define marriage and family life. We say No to that. Bishop Olmsted produced a document that states that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

Father John Corapi, who is one of the best missionary speakers in our country, has said that, “Our immoral living is a threat to our national security. What has brought down the Greek and Roman culture? It was their immoral living and loose value system. We know deep in our hearts that Satan is our enemy. He tempts us to be less than beautiful, whole, healthy and loving children of God. God created us to fulfill that mission in life. So God has made us according to His own image and likeness. He is a generous and merciful God. We want to realize that goal He has set for us—to enjoy now and forever the graces and rewards of the kingdom of heaven.
COME TO THE BANQUET


I’m sure that every one of you has attended a wedding banquet at least one time in your life.  Your son or daughter or other close relative or friend got married. Weddings are very expensive both for the couple getting married as well as the parents.

I remember the first wedding that I officiated at after my ordination. I was assigned to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, Minnesota. This was before Vatican II when there weren’t so many demands made to the priest, such as the kind of music sung during the wedding; the hour of the wedding and the reception after the wedding.

At that first wedding I had, after the wedding vows were said, it came time for the rings to be blessed. I asked who had the wedding rings. The best man was supposed to have the rings, but it took him a long time of searching in his pockets until he found the rings. That became a very embarrassing situation.

Wedding banquets and feasts are prominent in the Bible. They were sometimes prolonged affairs and often attended with revelry and excess.

Jesus loved to attend banquets and feasts. His first miracle was performed at such an event, when Mary told Jesus they have no wine. Jesus said: “Woman, what is that you would have me do?  My hour has not yet come.”  However Mary turned to the waiters and told them: “Do whatever he tells you.” Jesus tells the waiters to fill six water jars with water. They did and then Jesus said: “Now draw some of the water and take it to the chief steward.”   They did and when the steward tasted the water, it had been made into wine and it was the best wine given at the wedding.

In this story in the gospel, Jesus is referring to a special wedding banquet.  Jesus often used weddings as a teaching moment. Jesus is the bridegroom and the Church is His Bride. We are the Church.

In the book of Revelation St. John describes a wedding with all the angels and saints in heaven. It is the marriage supper of the Lamb, Jesus.

St. Matthew tells us that in heaven there is no marriage. We are all like the angels, celebrating the great banquet of the Lamb’s Supper.

Jesus uses this occasion to teach us that nuptial love between husband and wife is a most sacred union. As male and female we are made in the image God. As male and female we make visible the invisible mystery of God.

What is this invisible mystery of God that He is revealing to us in the nuptial union of husband and wife.  God is love and He is love in Himself in His relationship with the three persons  of the Holy Trinity.

Also God Himself is giving life in the communion of Three Persons.

Jesus is the Beloved Son of the Father, who gives Himself to His Son. And the Son, receiving the gift of the Father, make a gift of Himself back to the Father. The love between them is so real that this love brings forth the person of the Holy Spirit.

We are made in the image and likeness of God. So we are called to love as God loves in a life giving communion of persons.

So the husband gives himself to his wife. And the wife receives the gift of her husband in herself and gives herself back to him. And the love between them is so real that God is willing another human person.  Thus the nuptial union that a husband and wife participates in is the very life and love of God.  The nuptial union makes visible the invisible mystery of God.

To love and be loved as God loves is the deepest desire of the human heart. God put it there when He made us in His own image and likeness. Nothing else can satisfy. Nothing else will fulfill the longing of our hearts.

This is one of the boldest visions of sexual love.

George Weigel  has described the Theology of the Body as “one of the boldest reconfigurations of Catholic theology in centuries.”  He goes on to say it is a “kind of theological time bomb set to go off with dramatic consequences, sometime in the third millennium of the Church.”

Pope John Paul’s theology of the Body is much more than a reflection  on sex and married love. Through the union of the two in marriage, we will discover the meaning of existence and the meaning of life.

Christ teaches us that the meaning of life is to love as He loves.

The Pope states the God gave us the vocation to love as He loves in our bodies by creating us as male and female and calling us to this union of one flesh. The culture of today does not think of sex and marriage in relationship with the Holy Trinity. They look on sex and marriage as a way to fulfill their sexual desires. The Theology of the Body sees sex as only one part of the nuptial union of husband and wife.
The culture of today does not think of sex and marriage in relationship with the Holy Trinity. They look on sex and marriage as a way to fulfill their sexual desires. The Theology of the Body sees sex as only one part of the nuptial union of husband and wife.

Pope John Paul’s Apoloslic Letter  gives us Christ’s view of sex and marriage.

From the beginning to the end the Bible itself is a story about marriage. It begins with the book of Genesis with the marriage of Adam and Eve and it ends in the Book of Revelation with the wedding of the Lamb of God-Jesus; the marriage of Christ and His Church. Christ comes as the heavenly Bridegroom to unite Himself forever to His Bride.  That’s us.

Yes, God’s plan  for all eternity is to ‘marry us’. God wanted to reveal this eternal plan to us in a way we couldn’t miss it, so He stamped it right in our very being as male and female.

Bishop Olmsted has hired Katrina Zeno to go to all the parishes and present this to the priest and people, especially those who are preparing for marriage. I’ve take several workshops on this Theology of the Body. I love it. It gives the priesthood a new vision of the total meaning of life. My priesthood is enriched in taking these workshops.

I’m sure this will put a new vision into married life and single life. Christ wants the best for us and He has given us the very best in this Theology of the Body.
FAMILY LOVE

What is the best place and way to build the kind of love Jesus gave to the Jewish leaders when He said that you should love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and also love your neighbor as your self?

The best place to learn how to love your neighbor is in the family. If you can love your parents and brothers and sisters in living with them in close areas of home; I believe you can love those you are called to live with after you leave home. I found this out in personal experience.

I came from a family of four sisters and two brothers. My Mom and Dad had practically no preparation for marriage. So they were not ready for the problems and stress in marriage. My Dad was easy going; He never seemed to get involved in our problems. Mom was just the opposite. She dominated the marriage and family life. They didn’t have the tools to talk out their problems. So there was continual tense and stress in their marriage and it affected us kids. Yet we made it because we had each other. There was a bonding that took place.

Along with that we lived in the depression days of the 30’s. So making a living was very difficult. The bank foreclosed the farm and we had to move to a smaller farm that Mom’s Dad owned and let us live on.

Here’s where the love of God and neighbor is given a real test. How do Dad and Mom and six kids living in such strained situation and tension manage to still love one another?

If it were not our Faith and prayer especially the rosary I don’t think we would have survived. We just stood by each other and were willing to bear the pain. But that’s what love does one in such dire situations. If you asking me how you can show your love for God and neighbor; find someone who is in pain and go to them and be there for them.

That’s how we lived this commandment to love God and our neighbor. We were willing to bear the pain together. We were there for each other. We were there for each other in our sicknesses and suffering. We prayed together, we played together. We had our own family band and made up our own fun and entertainment. We worked together in those daily chores. My older brother and sister helped the younger kids in their school work. It was a day to day existence but I found that when you believe in the providence of God; He will provide for all our basic needs. He will give us all we need not all we want. 

So what does all this boil down to? It was our Faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus loved us so much that He came down from heaven and entered into our stress and problems and nailed them all to the cross. He healed all our sinfulness. We put Faith to work in our life. Then you can handle all the tough issues in your life.

But how does our Catholic Faith help us to love God and our neighbor? The first place to practice is in our families. If we cannot love one another in our families; we will find it very difficult to love our neighbor. So what’s the best way to build this kind of love? It is through family prayer. It has to be like a prescription given to you from the doctor. The directions on the bottle tell you to take this medication, the number of capsules each day. Family prayer should also be like a prescription. A time for family prayer should set every day. A good time for prayer is at the dinner time. Start with formal prayer like the Our Father. Then ask one of the children to read one of the Mass readings for today. Then, take a few minutes to ask the others to comment on this passage. The response may be slow in coming, but with time, patience and a lot of affirmation, children will be comfortable and they will begin to respond to the reading.

Finally ask everyone to offer one or two prayers of petition for the family or friends or for our country. Be sure to tell your children that you love them. Tell each of them how precious each one is—you appreciate their being part of the family. Tell them that each of them holds a special place in your heart and in God’s heart as well.

My Mom began praying at dinner when we were little tots. Prayer in the family will grow in love especially in times of sickness or great stress.

I watch EWTN a lot. There is one talk show called “Crossing the Goal”. These are four married men with families. They all stress the father in the family must take a leadership role in praying in the family. Children look to their father as role model. When they see the father at prayer; the kids will follow that example.

Our beloved country is at a most critical state. The one basic issue that is at state is Life—Life from the moment of conception to natural death. And life comes from the union of father and mother in the sacrament of Marriage.

Marriage and family is the basic of our society. So marriage and family goes so our society goes. Look at the Greek and Roman culture that was once prosperous and held in great esteem but gradually deteriorated and was taken over by other nations. Look at the sign of the times today. We need a conversion of mind and heart in the gospel lifestyle.

I ask you to pray that we can recover the lifestyle of our belief in Jesus Christ and His church so that we can pass that legacy on to your children. Family prayer and love will bring us the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit.

I THIRST

We all know what it is like to be thirsty. Our mouth feels parched, we are hot and sweaty and our whole body cries out for a drink.  We also know what it is like to feel hungry. We know the feeling of hunger pangs. We know the satisfaction that comes when we are able to eat.

I would like to tell you about a spiritual hunger and thirst. Jesus tells us that blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  Jesus tells us how this hunger and thirst helps us to find Him in a deeper and intimate way.  I want to describe to you how I felt this spiritual hunger and thirst for a deeper relationship with Jesus.

I’ve been making the annual retreat with the priests of the Diocese of Phoenix at Picture Rock, just outside of Tucson. All the priests gather at this beautiful retreat center located in the mountains overlooking Tucson. A retreat master is invited to give a series of talks on the spiritual life of the priest. This kind of retreat is good and it has the opportunity for priests to get together. But it lacks the depths in our conversion that is needed for the priest in the parish.

So this year I decided to make a different kind of retreat; a directed retreat in which a spiritual director talks to me on a one to one relationship. The priest is silent and speaks only to the priest that comes to you each day for a conference. The retreat lasted for a week.  During that time the spiritual director gave me several passages of Sacred Scripture. I’m asked to read and pray over several times and write my response to the Word of God spoken to me. The Blessed Sacrament is kept in my room so I live in the presence of Jesus twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. That is the greatest experience I have felt in my 55 years of the priesthood. I was living with Jesus and listening to what He is telling me in all those scriptural passages assigned to me. Meals were brought in to the house where I lived. So I only left to celebrate Mass in the Chapel.

I prayed that I would find a suitable place and environment. He led me to the Intercessors of the Lamb in Omaha Nebraska. This is a new religious community established by Mother Nadine and has the approval of the Archbishop of Omaha and the Vatican. They are located in a beautiful wooded and hilly area where the leaves are now turning their golden and red colors.  That makes it a perfect site to relax and pray. Only wild turkeys and deer came around to distract my pray and recollection.

Many priests are feeling for a deeper and more intimate relationship with Jesus. I also hear lay men and women are feeling that hunger and thirst to know and love Jesus in a more intimate way in the Word of God and the Holy Eucharist. I have a special friend, married with four children, who attended a convention put on by the Intercessors of the Lamb in Omaha. She came back filled with the Holy Spirit and is forming a group in her parish to share her experience.

Then I heard about a religious community in the Diocese of Phoenix. They are Miles Jesu-Soldiers of Christ. Their mission is to hold these silent retreats so that they can give people a greater and more intimate relationship with Jesus in the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Eucharist.

Jesus Himself hungers and thirsts for us.

Scripture tells us that we love because God first loved us. God sent His only Son Jesus into this world because He loved us. Jesus came because He wanted to be with us. He died on the cross because He wanted to draw us back to Him. Even now, reigning in heaven and needing absolutely nothing, Jesus still wants to have us by His side. What a magnificent love. When Jesus hung on the cross He called out, “I Thirst”. Jesus was thirsting for water to satisfy His thirst. Yet on another level Jesus’ words, “I thirst”, tells us how much Jesus thirsts for an intimate relationship with each one of us.

Jesus died for us on the cross for our sins and took the place for all of us. This shows how deeply he thirsted for us and for our salvation. So when He died He fulfilled his mission to satisfy our thirst and fill the hungry with all His love.

This shows us that His hunger and thirst for our love is greater than our hunger and thirst for Him.

I was listening on EWTN to a series of talks given by Father Robert Baron on Christian conversion. He is a professor of Scripture at the Mundelein Seminary in Chicago. He stated in one of his talks, “Our life is not about us. Our life is about the God who made us out of His love for us. So our life is about the plan and mission that God has for each one of us”.

I received an e-mail from my niece. Here it quotes David Letterman. David quotes Newsweek magazine that states that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy and want a change.

I’m wondering if so many people in America are really hungering and thirsting for a greater and more intimate relationship with Jesus.  I feel this is a need that all of us have and we are looking for this hunger and thirst for Jesus to be fulfilled in us.

If you feel the same hunger and thirst for greater intimacy with Jesus you might look into this special retreat.


God has blessed each of us with gifts and talents. What will these gifts and talents be worth to God? Will we hear Him say: “Well done, my good and faithful servant”? Matt. 25:21.

What are these gifts and talents that God has bestowed on us for serving and building up the Body of Christ-the Church?  St. Paul in 1Cor.12:4 and Romans 12:8, and Is. 11:2, lists these various gifts and talents. Is. 11:2 says: “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. The spirit of counsel and of strength, piety and spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide.”

Then we have for cardinal virtues   prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude. Then there are the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience benignity, goodness, generosity kindness, modesty, contingency and chastity. Gal.5: 22.

In the Kingdom of God the church isn’t built up only by prayer and fasting, miracles and healing. It also requires ordinary but no less useful gifts such as compassion, curiosity, zeal, kindness and courage.

Science has also helped us develop and expand the kingdom by the use of the telephone and cell phone, internet, TV and others. The bishops, at their annual conference in November, had invited a young lady to list and describe how they can use all of these new communication aids, such as Ipods, podcasts and many others. A few bishops are already using these hi- tech equipment.

We are living in an age of instant communication to the whole world. It is up to us to use these things that God has provided to further the kingdom of God.

For example, Mother Angelica has established a global television network-EWTN. All the programs and talk shows teach good and orthodox teaching of the Catholic Church. They follow the magesterium of the Church and the Pope.

Catholics in United States and many parts of the world can not say they don’t know what the Church teaches today. A few countries like China could plead ignorance but not here in America.

So God has blessed us with everything to know, love and serve Him in His Kingdom. Jesus has given us a warning. “To much has been given, much is to be expected; and to whom least has been given, little will be expected.

Also Jesus told us in the parable: “For everyone who has will be given more and He will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Throw that worthless servant outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing teeth.” We either use it or lose it.

What causes many people not to use the gifts and talents that God has given them? The answer is ‘fear’. They are afraid to take what God has given them and use it.

Many people are ruled by fear. Many people don’t make good decisions because they are afraid.

There was a writer and speaker who suffered from fear. Patsy Clairmont was afraid to leave her house. Yet the chances of her falling in the bathroom, hitting her head on the toilet and dying in a household accident were greater than her dying in a plane accident. Patsy almost let her fears defeat her until one day she turned all her hidden fears over to Christ. And that made all the difference in the world. Today she drives to the airport, boards a plane, and then stands and speaks, all alone on a stage, before thousands of women. She came close to digging a hole and burying her talent in the ground.

So somewhere along the way, we must learn to confront our fears. For everything you see, everything has a certain risk. Even burying your money in the ground is risky. In fact, Jesus said on one occasion, “Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also”.

There is no way you can avoid risk. When you love someone, that is a risk. When you have a baby that is a risk. When you take a new job that is a risk. You cannot hide from risk, without stunting your life
So the crux of the matter is: Do you trust God? Are you ruled by fears or faith? Jesus said fear is useless, trust is need.

So if you are facing a tough decision, sometimes we need to be cautious. You need to use prudence and be discreet and use common sense. But please do not leave God out of the equation. God expects great things from us. We are God’s own children. Let us not bury our talents in the ground. Rather use all your talents to the best of your ability and with the grace of God you will reap the fruit and God will say to you: “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord”. That’s the best news you will ever hear.
 


CHRIST THE KING


Life is full of surprises. Some of these surprises are awesome. Some of these surprises are yet to come.

Jesus tells us that there will come a time when the saints of God will be surprised. And it will be wonderful. It will be on final judgment day. On that momentous day, Jesus says the King of all creation will come to us, His saints, and He will say something we were not expecting. “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me.

And we will be surprised. We will ask “When did we see you hungry and feed you? When did we see you thirsty and we gave you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and we invited you in? Or when did you need clothes and we clothed you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?

And here is the big surprise. The King will answer. “I tell you the truth. Whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.”

What a powerful surprise. Surprise! We were feeding Jesus and we didn’t know it. Surprise! We thought we were visiting some sick person in a group home, where my sister lived and died, and it turned out we were visiting Jesus. We didn’t even know it was Jesus. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me”. Surprise!

What will surprise me the most is that Jesus identifies with us so closely when He comes as judge? He will see our actions not done to one another but to Jesus. This is how personal He wants our relationship with Him.

I am overwhelmed by this surprise. The Lord, the ruler of the whole universe, the awesome God is so interested in me. He wants to be my Lord, my King. So to God it doesn’t diminish His authority, to be interested in us mere creatures, even the poor, sick and handicapped. And it humbles me more to know that the King of the universe calls me His own. God is perfect, absolutely complete in Himself, yet He reaches out to me. Worldly rulers lord it over their people but Jesus exercises His kingship by loving us and even serving us.

I have heard and seen a lot of prayers and sacrifices made before the election. We might have thought that our prayers were not answered because the candidate we voted for didn’t get elected.

But I think God did answer our prayers. He saw this recession that we are in. Many people are being laid off. The foreclosure in the housing market has risen as high as the depression days of the thirties. I read in the daily news that food pantries are empty. St. Vincent de Paul is feeding record numbers of people everyday. The same is true for the Andre House. You only have to go to south Phoenix and you will find people homeless living in the streets and parks. They put the figure at 15,000 homeless people a few years ago. It is much higher now.

I’m one of those hungry people looking for a hot meal. So I go to the Olive Branch Senior where they serve one hot meal everyday.

There is a lady that lives in the Condo next to me. She looks out for me. So when she didn’t see my car in the carport she became concerned and was ready to call the Sheriff. I appreciate her kindness and care for me.

There are several lessons in the Gospel today, particularly those in need. Be careful how you treat anyone you meet for they may be Jesus in disguise. The saints in heaven have a heart for those at the bottom of society. The poor, sick, handicapped, and senior citizens. When you read the gospels don’t you notice how Jesus had such kindness and compassion toward those who were poor and in need? I can only mention a few; like the blind man, the ten lepers, the paralyzed man on a stretcher, the poor widow who lost her only son and many others.

Christ may not be calling us to devote our lives to full time service to the poor and the sick as Mother Theresa did. But He does call us to do something. Whether it is visiting a nursing home, volunteering to dish out food to those who come to St. Vincent de Paul Society or Andre House, or even taking an interest in a needy family. We are called to be a disciple of Christ, to be serving those less fortunate than ourselves. This is something we do, not for them, but for ourselves.

I read that four fifths of the world lives in poverty. We are in the one fifth that has the highest standard of living in the world. So it is easy for us to insulate ourselves from those in need. We can begin to imagine that we somehow deserve our good fortune and our hearts grow cold and hard. Besides, if we don’t ever spend our time serving those in need, we will probably never encounter Christ in human flesh.

What is our response to Christ the King?  Imagine Christ seated on His heavenly throne in glory, looking deeply into your hearts with unending love and compassion. Don’t be afraid to speak to Jesus out of love and gratitude for caring for the less fortunate in our society.



BLUE  CHRISTMAS

I  always loved the song “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas”. Yet I grew up in Minnesota where I didn’t have to dream of a white
Christmas. The white snow always showed up for the great feast of Christmas.

Winter was always a fun time when I was young. There were all the winter sports like skiing, to bogging, ice skating and later snow mopping. We were dressed for the occasion so the bitter cold didn’t bother me too much.

I can also remember that in the midst of a white Christmas; we also had a ‘Blue Christmas’. I’m referring to the depression days of the 1930’s. Times were tough. I lived on a farm so we raised most our fruits and vegetables from a big garden that Mom planted and harvested. We had plenty of meat with the chickens, hogs and cattle. So we had nothing but we ate well and we worked together as a family. We were happy because we had our Catholic Faith to make us secure in the midst of all the storms of life.

So at Christmas time we knew there would be no Christmas presents. But we were excited anyway. The big excitement came when we could attend midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. We couldn’t wait. I was trained as a Mass server. So on this special day the Pastor had red cassocks for us to wear. We paraded into this big Gothic Cathedral and went over to one of the side altars where a magnificent Crib scene was built. Here we sang all those Christmas carol and the adult choir and the big pipe organ gave us their rendition of the Christmas Season. It was truly beautiful—the site and the sounds.

Meantime the severe snow storms kept the roads blocked with hugh drifts. We hitched up a team of horses and sled and went to church all huddled under a big warm blanket. Big warm blankets were put over the horses while we attended Mass. The horses knew the way home so Dad just tied up the reins and crawled under the blankets with the rest of us—Mom and six kids. The horses found their way home.

The Advent-Christmas season will not necessarily be a happy time for many families this year. It could be a Blue Christmas for many families.  If you are in pain this Advent season, God’s word for your life is just right for you... Perhaps you are in grief over the loss of a loved one… Perhaps this was not the best year for you financially, maybe you were laid off... Or you are going through a foreclosure…  The melt down of the stock market has hurt your investments. It could be just the recession going on in the economy. We live in a very prosperous  country, but not everyone shares in it equally. That can be particularly painful this time of the year. It’s tough not to be able to do for your children all he things you would like to do. Some parents can’t even put food on the table and have to go to where food is being given out. …perhaps you received a bad medical prognosis for your self or someone in your family and you don’t have medical insurance to pay the medical bills. What a awful season to deal with family  problems. Whatever your heartbreak this year, God wants to cover you His comfort.

I can relate to your problem. My parents didn’t have the
money to give us six kids any Christmas presents. We
didn’t even; have a Christmas tree. At the church there
was a custom to bring a gift and put it in the manager
where the Infant Jesus was laying. I didn’t have any gift
except a broken down toy truck that I use to play with.
I loved that little truck even if it was a piece of junk.  So
I decided to fix it up and give it to the Infant Jesus for
Christmas. I didn’t want to be there without a gift to
Jesus. This broken toy truck didn’t look too good but that’s all I had. It looked good to me to see it placed next to Jesus arms in the crib.

I’ve learned a great lesson that Christmas. God cares about a broken world. God promised to bring His chosen people, the Jews, back from exile. They longed to return to their homeland. Isaiah assures them that God has not forgotten them. Their suffering is almost over. God will bring them through the wilderness from Babylon back to their homeland, the Promised Land. John the Baptist cries out that soon God will bring God and man back to together in the Blessed Virgin Mary saying Yes to God and bring Jesus the Son of God  into this broken world.

The message is the same. God cares about a broken world. God cares about a broken people. Here’s why we call the story of Jesus “Good News”. God cares about a broken world. God cares about a broken people. That’s what Advent and Christmas are all about. “Comfort, comfort my people”, says the Lord.

Jesus came into our world to identify with the world’s suffering. That’s the whole point of Advent. Jesus came into our world that He might walk in our shoes. Here’s what is so majestic about the coming of Christ. God came to us in a tiny baby—not as a grown man or woman, but as a tiny Babe. No other religions have gods that come to earth, but only the Christian Faith.  Our Faith speaks of a God who emptied Himself completely and went through the entire human experience. God knows the challenges we face. God knows the pain of being human. God made a bridge between heaven and earth. It’s a two way road. God came down to us so that we might go up to Him.
My dear friends: God has walked in your shoes. God knows your pain. I know your pain. I have walked in your shoes.  This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God cares about a broken world. Jesus came into our world to identify with the world’s suffering. 

The manager of Bethlehem is as much
a part of the Catholic Faith as the cross of
Calvary. I love the way Isaiah puts it “You
who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on
a high mountain. You who bring good
tidings to Zion go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift  up your voice and a shout. Lift it up,
do not be afraid, say the Judah,
“here is your God”’.

Here is your God, helpless Babe in the
manager of Bethlehem. Here is your
God, baptized by John in the Jordan River. Here is your God, teaching and healing beside the Sea of Galilee. Here is your God, hanging on the cross of Calvary, making the ultimate sacrifice to show His love for a sick and a dying world.

This is our God who tends His flock like a shepherd, He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads them to green pastures. Here is your God who cares about a broken world. Jesus came into the world to identify with our suffering. The manager of Bethlehem is just as important to our Faith as the cross of Calvary. I ask you to look into the manager of Bethlehem whatever your needs may be. Here is your God.

I think we are living in the best of times and the worst of times. It’s the best of times because our Catholic Faith is revealing the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Holy Father is continually telling us how our Faith can answer the questions that you must face.

It’s the worst of times because our Faith is being put to a test. The Holy Spirit is asking us to speak the truth to a world that seems to ignore the Good News it has to offer us. The Holy Spirit is asking us to live our Faith and radiate it out to a world that is thirsting for the truth.

So don’t be afraid. You have it all that it takes to live the good life and enjoy the fullness of life in the kingdom of life. 


October 12, 2008, Come to the Banquet
October 26, 2008, Family Love
November 9, 2008, I Thirst
November 16, 2008, Trust
November 23, 2008, Christ the King
December  7, 2008, Blue Christmas