Catholic Spirit Bytes: July 2010

Monday, July 12, 2010

Never Doubt

"Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light." Raymond Edman-

Sunday, July 11, 2010

" In repentance and rest is your salvation,in quietness and trust is your srtength but you would have none of it....15 Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion, For the Lord is a God of justice Blessed are all who wait for him" NIV ISAIAH 30:14-18

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Multiple Sclerosis, Does God hear 0ur Prayers?

Today a nurse came to the house to start a five day regiment of steroids as prescribed by my doctor to help with relieve symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. The nurse had to ask my about my symptoms and med. history. Upon telling her she looked at me in amazement and was speechless. I asked her what was wrong and she said that she sees people every day and hears their stories. Having heard mine she knows that I have been through hell and that I should be miserable like the rest of her clients. She shared how she was amazed at the peace and positive attitude I have. She asked me how that could be. She did not know tht my strength comes from knowing that Christ is going through this with me and that my hope is in Him.
I was able to share with her how God gives me strength, that my peace comes from my faith in God but more importantly from the grace to exercise my faith every day. Faith isn't always easy and fighting the temptation to feel sorry for ourselves is hard for everyone. For me it is easier when I depend on the Sacraments and God's word. I could see that she believed in God but did not know how to put her faith in to practice. She did not know how to trust him.
Trust comes from building relationship. It takes work. It is not easy to read scripture every day, pray the Rosary daily or make Mass as often as possible but neither is it easy for an athlete to work out every day. But like the athlete who knows he has muscles and also knows that having muscles is simply not enough; we have faith and we must know that that is not enough. Someitmes I have to remind myself that in order to persevere I need to exercise our faith daily, in good times and in bad, through commitment to prayer and service. The athlete knows that he has to exercise his muscles in order for them to be a blessing to him and others. The Christian needs to persevere in the same way,exercising his or her spiritual muscles through practicing ones faith.

If you feel like God is not hearing your prayers, persevere. Make a commitment to seeking him in His Word, the Sacraments,and in prayer. Don't wait until a trial comes to grow strong in the Lord. Seek him now and grow strong now so that when the trial comes it does not take you by surprise and you will stand ready to fight with faith, hope and love.
Back to the Nurse and her inability to cope with her own difficulties and the suffering she sees every day.
She kept asking me about my testimony and I shared it with her. God touched her heart. It was a beautiful thing to see that the way God blessed me in my sufferings (with God's grace) gave her joy and the faith to persevere.
Dear Lord Help us to be instruments of faith, hope and love and to the truth that you will never leave us nor forsake us but that you will work all things together for good for those who love you. Should we in our weakness despair help us to persevere. Without you and your grace we can do nothing. Glorify your name and deliver us from every evil. Amen
Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Don't Quote Me on Laughter

You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it.” Cosby
"Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.” Twain
-"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.."ECC
-"Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh."Luke 6:21

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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) by Jeanne Dandrow 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