Catholic Spirit Bytes: October 2007

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Just Say Yes

"Who is the saint? The one who obeys God in his weakness, or the one who demands to have every admirable quality before he sets forth on his quest?" Taken from FATHER ELIJAH by Michael O'Brien

"It doesn't matter how you feel , it matters what you do. Our Lord Himself said that when He told the story of theman who had two sons whom he asked to go into the vineyared. One said no, but went. The other son said yes, and never went. Who did the father's will? The one who said he didn't feel like going, but went anyway(Matt. 21:28-31)That's the example we must follow." Mother Angelica, in Little Book of Life Lessons, edited by Raymond Arroyo

" Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy." God, Exodus

No matter how imperfect we may see ourselves and our circumstance we must put aside our excuses and do what it takes to say "yes" to God. This may be as simple as going to church when we don't feel like it or making a commitment to serve in a new way that is more demanding of our time and resources. Either way, when we move forward in sincerity and trust, God will bless our efforts.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Life is a Battle, Spiritual Warfare

EXODUS
8Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim.
9So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."
10Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.
12But Moses' hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.
13So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
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Moses and the people of Israel were in a battle. As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Isreal had the better of the fight. But even Moses could not do this alone. Moses needed the help of the community (Aron and Hur) to support him. We too are in a battle and without community to support us we can not have the victory. Lifes battles can be exhausting and we like Moses need to do more than just believe that our help is in the Lord. This reading is a great reminder that we need to surround ourselves with others who share our faith and whom can we can depend on for help when we are weary. Don't Go it Alone.
Love Mrs. TLF

Friday, October 12, 2007

Our Lady of Fatima

In 1917 Mary the Mother of Jesus appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima Portugal.

There is alot of misinformation about Fatima on the internet. A reliable resource is found at http://www.ewtn.com/fatima/index.htm

Prayer and Message of the Angel of Fatima

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You.

The Angel said when he appeared to the children: What are you doing? You must pray! Pray! The hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs for you. You must offer your prayers and sacrifices to God, the Most High.

Lucy: "But how are we to sacrifice?" I asked

Angel: In every way you can offer sacrifice to God in reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for sinners. In this way you will bring peace to our country, for I am its guardian angel, the Angel of Portugal. Above all, bear and accept with patience the sufferings God will send you.

Apparaition of Mary

Mary: "Please don't be afraid of me, I'm not going to harm you.....Say the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war...Pray, pray very much...." for more got to http://www.ewtn.com/fatima/index.htm

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Be Still

"Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying." Luke 10:38

I wonder what Jesus was saying. More importantly I ought to ask myself "what is Jesus saying to me today?". Am I willing to slow down enough to sit with Him and listen so I can hear His voice?
Much like sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament, Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened. I doubt if she had a book of Novena prayers with her. Sometimes that is important and God can speakto us through them but in this reading Mary simply "listened". Today I need to lay down our prayer books, sit with Jesus and listen.
Scripture says "Be Still and Know that I am God" Pslam 46:10 .We pray for the grace to be like Mary and to make time to sit, be still and listen to our Lord. Thank God for the Blessed Sacrament where we can always go to be with Him.
Amen

Monday, October 8, 2007

Don't Worry Be Happy

Joy is prayer - Joy is strength - Joy is love - Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.
Mother Teresa

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
Mother Teresa

Proverbs 3:5
5Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. "

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Rest

1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!" Psalm 91

What is it to live or dwell in the shelter of the Most High? The world calls us to dwell on and in a lot of things. We can dwell in our worries and in the expectations of the world around us but if we can dwell in Him we can proclaim with the psalmist..
"My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust!"
and as the psalmsit faithfully procalims...
"For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions,And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day;Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. ... 11For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone. ...Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. 15"He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 16"With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation."
Dear God help us to stay close to you in your word and in your sacraments. Help us not to worry but to trust. May we persevere in grace and abide in you so we may rest in a faithful knowledge of your great love for us. Amen

Monday, October 1, 2007

Saint Therese of Lisieux

"You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love at which we do them."

Mother Theresa's Prayer

...Until you can hear Jesus in the silence of your own heart, you will not be able to hear Him saying "I thirst" in the hearts of the poor. Never give up this daily intimate contact with Jesus as the real living person, not just the idea. How can we last even one day without hearing Jesus say "I love you"? Impossible. Our soul needs that as much as the body needs to breathe the air. If not, prayer is dead, meditation, only thinking. Jesus wants you each to hear Him speaking in the silence of your heart. Be careful of all that can block that personal contact with the living Jesus. The devil may try to use the hurts of life, and sometimes our own mistakes, to make you feel it is impossible that Jesus really loves you, is really cleaving to you. This is a danger for all of us. And so sad,because it is completely the opposite of what Jesus is really wanting, waiting to tell you. Not only that He loves you, but even more, He longs for you. He misses you when you don't come close. He thirsts for you. He loves you always, even when you don't feel worthy. When not accepted by others, even by yourself sometimes, He is the one who always accepts you. Only believe, you are precious to him. Bring all you are suffering to His feet, only open your heart to be loved by Him as you are. He will do the rest. - Mother Teresa, 1910-1997

Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph

O thou, whom no one has ever yet invoked in vain, thou, whose power with Our Lord and Our Lady is so great, that it has been truly said, "In Heaven, Joseph commands rather than supplicates," tender father, intercede for me! St. Joseph, be my advocate with thy Divine Son, Whose foster-father and faithful protector thou wert here below. Add to all thy glories, that of gaining the despaired of cause that I confide to thee. I believe, yes, I believe thou canst obtain my deliverance from the troubles that overwhelm me, and the desolation in which my soul is plunged. I have the firm hope that thou wilt neglect nothing in favor of the afflicted who invoke thee. Humbly prostrate at thy feet, dear St. Joseph, I implore thee to have pity on my tears, cover me with the mantle of thy merciful protection and bless me. Amen.
“He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: ‘Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord’” (St. Bernardine of Siena).

The Potters Vision

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2007 The Potters Vision Isaiah 64:8 (NIV) This Scripture struck me in a new way Isaiah 64:8 (NIV) "Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay; you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." I wrote this to remind me of what it taught me. When the potter looks at the clay. He has a vision of what His skilled hands will create. With love and joy, he shapes the clay forming it into the image he has planned for it. As the Potter has plans for the clay, God has a plan for you. He is with you in your trials and walks with you in the fire. He longs to use these things to form you into the image of His son Jesus Christ. I wanted to look more closely at how the image of the potter is an image of the spiritual life. So I did some research. Interestingly enough, clay begins as Mud. For wheel thrown pottery the clay cannot be worked until it is pugged. This is when the clay master takes his raw materials and prepares them with a process by which it becomes thoroughly blended and almost all the air is forced out of the clay. (This can symbolize a purification from pride) Next, with water and sponge, and using the action of His spinning wheel the master patiently shapes the clay. And as the clay surrenders to the plan the master has for it, its beauty and form begins to take shape. In preparation to be “fired” the pottery is set on a shelf (left alone) to dry for several days. (In our suffering we often feel alone but God is using this time to prepare us. Remember the potter is watching, He has a vision and a plan, we are not alone.) It is then placed in the fired-up Kiln. The initial firing removes impurities that would cause the pot to break or return to mud in the glazing process. (This reminds me of how God wants to purify us of anything that will keep us from fully receiving His life giving, life changing love and He wants to make us strong.) As part of the glazing process the pot needs to be returned to the kiln for a second firing. It is important to note that before it is returned to the kiln for a second firing the bottom of the pot is placed in a pan of paraffin otherwise the glaze would adhere to the bottom and the pot would become a permanent part of the Kin shelf. (We belong to Him (our Lord) we do NOT belong to the Fiery trial.) The Third stage of firing is to create the glaze. During the glaze fire, stoneware clay continues to mature through a process called vitrification. This all reminds me of the spiritual life and how it presents itself with trials by fire. In our trials we often forget we are children of God. We are Not the pain we are suffering nor are we our mistakes. He walks with us in the fire and like the potter, He looks at us and sees a beautiful work in progress. As we submit ourselves to His handiwork the image of a lump of clay diminishes and with the help of a purifying fire The Potters vision becomes a reality and a testimony of the great things that God can do with a soul who trusts in Him. When the potter looks at the clay, He has a vision of what His skilled hands will create. He sees the image of His suffering and risen son Jesus Christ. With love and joy he shapes the clay forming it into the image he has planned for it. God is the Potter we are the Clay. God has a plan for you. Never forget that He is with you in your trials, and He walks with you in the fire. (Daniel 3:25,John 19) He longs to use these fiery trials to form you into the image of His son Jesus Christ Come Holy Spirit, send forth the fire of your Love, help us submit to God’s handiwork and to praise Him in the storm. Help us to trust in your power to bring good out of evil. Amen

FAITH

A Christian should never let adversity get him down except on his knees. -
Mae Nicholson

'Blessed is the man who endures temptation: for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
James1:12 The photo here was taken by my brother Mark Petruzzi(copywrite 2011). The resolution on my computer doesn't do it justice but I love it as it reminds me the victory we have in Christ. The roses are in all their Glory as reach for the sun and they embrace the Cross trelace.

Dear Lord in times of difficulty and always,help us to reach for your Son, Jesus, to embrace our cross and to trust that through it, He will show us Your Glory.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JbEQHmCEFU&feature=related

Catholic Spirit Bytes