Preparing to Celebrate the Pentecost

As we Catholics celebrate the greatness of Pentecost Sunday and we remember the glory that has come to us, we must be mindful of the demands that God has made. God the Father of all and through Jesus Christ the Son and by the Holy Spirit, we are...

You can complete that sentence in a million ways for all things are from God, whether it is free will or divine sacrifice, we are simply because God either directed or allowed it. We owe Him everything and therefor have a responsibility to that gift. We are responsible to pay Him back, not in monies and work, but in everything, for everything is of God.

This is not to say we must pay the church, though without our monies the church will find hardship, it is to say that every decision we make we must consider what the Lord God has given us. We must make every effort to thank Him for His gifts to us. We must remember the charge he has given us.

Jesus said whomever thirsts and drinks of Him, they will not thirst. This isn't to say we don't need water to, but if we believe and accept Jesus into our lives we will no longer be empty. We are God children and He will nourish us, not with food and drink but with the Holy Spirit. He will give us that which we need. God said to Moses that the Israelites would be a Holy Nation and Jesus opened the doors to all who accepted Him. We therefor are members of the Covenant of Moses and must obey God's commandments. We must also do as Jesus commanded.

It isn't an easy life if you don't believe, but if you have the knowledge of Christ, whom is the truth personified, then it is easy. It is your soul at stake for none enter the Kingdom but through the intercession of Jesus Christ. And Jesus gave the power to decide to His Apostles on earth. It is through His Church that we are shown the way to the Father and through the Church that we are allowed to have our sins forgiven. Jesus gave this power to certain men whom have been allowed to pass on this gift through the Holy See. We are able to be joined to the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments and should dutifully obey the law of God.

I look forward to celebrating the Mass of Pentecost Sunday and remembering the early church and its great sacrifices as well as the great gifts of the Holy Spirit that God sent through Jesus to earth.

Another Theology on Tap

I spent last night learning the basics of advancing parish stewardship at Theology on Tap in Quincy, MA. The speaker, gave a rousing speech about the fundementals of stewardship. She explained the difference between parish stewardship and what can be best expressed as tighthing. The Catholic view on stewardship goes more to being responsible with your decisions because everything we receive is a gift from God.

I like listening to her speak, I wish she had been more explicit with her answers to some of the questions but in all it was a good night.

The final speaker in the session of Theology on Tap at Bad Abbott's in Quincy, MA is going to be speaking on the feminism of the Catholic Church as started and nurtured by Pope John Paul II. I will write more details later but I am certainly looking forward to this night.

Jesus is the light and the way

Why do we so often wait to the last minute to understand. And therefor once we truly comprehend we are done and what was once is gone. The apostles ran into this idea, just as they not only believed but absolutely knew Jesus to be the Son of God, He left them physically. Just when they truly understood it was over. All that time that they could have asked Him questions was lost because of doubt and non-comprehension.

This is too often the case. We come to understand only at the end. I think it is therefor important for us to began seeking with more open minds. When one comes and tells us the way, we should be open to it. We defeat ourselves when we close our minds and our hearts to God. God wants us to understand how to do things, even if we can't. He wants us to be trying to find the way, that is why He gave us Jesus, who is the Light and the Way.

When you are presented with a moment of doubt, or question what is before you. Say a prayer and ask to be shown the Way. God will answer you, for He wants you to know the Way to Him. If you are presented with a choice that you are uncomfortable with, ask for help deciding.

This isn't the only way to the Lord, but Jesus is the only way to God. Remember Him and Remember the Way.

Medicine is Good

To have been one of the men and women whom Jesus walked among would have been so exulting. I wish on a daily basis that I could have been amongst them at the beginning of our great church. But I remember with clarity that I also know Jesus, for if you look you too will also see and know Him. He is in the grass and the birds, He is in the poor and the righteous, He is in all who have come to Him.

I am so blessed to not only have Christ in my life, but to also know Him. I have been able to see so many things in my days, things that can easily be explained, through other ways, but to know that it is God working is a most blessed thing.

I am somewhat concerned though, for the faithful who are being led astray. Those who are asking more of the Lord than they should. Those who expect the Risen Lord to come to their bed in person and heal them, or right some wrong.

I think of the couple on trial for letting their child die, instead of trusting in the Lord. Why is it that we people can't believe that God has given us doctors to care for our sick. That medical science is a miracle from Jesus. Instead some of us, say we will trust in the Lord and wait for Him to come heal us.

I think of the old joke.

There was a man sitting on his porch when the radio said that the flood was coming. So the man sat on his porch and said "I will trust the Lord will save me, for I am a good man."

Then a man came by in a truck and said "the water is rising, get in and I will take you to safety." But the man just sat on his porch and said "I will trust the Lord will save me, for I am a good man."

Then the water proceeded to rise and the man went to his roof. Sometime later a man in a boat came by and said "Get in the boat and I will take you to safety." But the man refused and said "I will trust the Lord will save me, for I am a good man."

Needless to say the man drowned. As he arrived in heaven he said "Lord why did you abandon me?" and Jesus came to him and said "What do you mean I sent a radio message, a truck and a guy in a boat."

So that example isn't exactly from the scripture, but I believe it should be examined closely. Why are we so arrogant to believe that God needs us to tell Him how to save us? He will save us, if it is His will, not because it is ours. He will save us in ways we understand not. If God didn't want medicine to be saving people, He has the power to stop it. It is simple a delusion to believe that something that can help so many is a bad thing. Medicine is our friend and shouldn't replace prayer but neither should prayer replace medicine. It is our duty to make sure we use every gift the God has given us. It is a great thing that God has given some men the power to heal. He did it before in other ways, so we shouldn't be surprised.

I think about the Gospel reading today from John. When Jesus is talking to Phillip and ask has He been with them so long that they don't know Him.

Well God does things that we don't understand and that is alright by me. I have faith in the Lord and know He will put the right things in my path to be able to do His will. I only have to be strong enough to choose His will over my own.

A New Awakening

Yesterday was the day we remember the ascension of the Lord. It is a magnificent day for us Catholics. Jesus who was with us, went back to the Father. Jesus only left us in physical form, for he remains with us always. It is the most important fact in our faith. We are never alone, even when we are at our lowest points, Jesus remains in us.

It has been a few days since I have been able to write, and thankfully I have a new joy to be writing about. I am more fully aware of the Lord in my own life, then perhaps I ever was before. I have been able to spend the last few weeks in prayer, with my family and with Jesus in my life. I have been able to see the miracles at work in this world, even through the pain that so many feel.

Many people in our country are in hard times, many are doubting the word of God. This has been something that has been truly troubling me lately. There is so much pain. But, after our Holy Father came with his message of hope and words of wisdom, I have been left with such an excitement that I didn't know what to do or say. I have such a shear joy.

We who are faithful and obedient to the word of the Lord God, have such a mission in front of us that it could make lesser men fall. But we Catholics have the Lord Jesus Christ to give us strength and through Him all is possible. We will not fail in our mission. We will succeed for God is with us.

What is the mission. Well, simply put to bring the Word of the Lord to all, you seek it. Now it is not our mission to start going door to door. It is our mission to be open to the truth and reveal it to all those you seek. Paul said to be ready with an answer to any who ask. I say the same to all of us. Be ready, for the Lord will place people around us faithful that need to be shown our example. We will need to live as best we can and be ready with the answer.

Remember the joy you felt the first time you knew God. Remember how much strength that gave you in your daily lives. Don't be selfish with that joy, but share it. Go about your daily lives. Living good christian lives. But if your example makes someone question why or how you can find so much joy. Be ready to tell them, that through Jesus Christ you have found your peace and your way.

I am sorry to those of you who were reading this blog daily, I have been not posting. I also thank you Puff. I needed your comment today, to help me put down the work I was doing to write something that truly matters. Not that I matter, but the Word of God and how we feel about that Truth matter.