Shut up and Listen for a Sec!

Life is filled with a lot of unnecessary noise. The radio, news, kids screaming and whining, disagreements, sports, network television, cell phones, emails, annoying people at work, iPods, Facebook, Twitter... the list goes on and on. Sometimes I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs to tell everyone to “Shut the heck up!”

It's frustrating to try and talk to someone, whether it is a teenager or adult, only to find them distracted and unable to hold a decent intellectual conversation. People are way over stimulated and the noise definitely makes them sick in the head. New terms such as ADD, ADHD and Adult ADD are all too common at this time.  What is the deal?

Earlier times of history were certainly much quieter. Spouses could sit down and really talk about the events of the day without the cell phone letting them know that they had 80 text messages, 125 emails, 53 Facebook friend requests and that 45 more people were following on Twitter.

I am learning pretty fast how much noise I can handle. With my new apostolates forming and contacts growing, I have to keep everything prioritized.

I embrace technology and the way that it can help me to evangelize others.  However, technology can affect us in negative ways, and we need to be careful how we use it. 

Every human being is made for God. I've heard it said that we have a God-shaped hole and the only person or thing to fill it is God.

God made us in his image and likeness, and made us to love him. We were made to participate in the mystical inner life of the Trinity. This means we need to be in total communion with our Creator.

The Trinity is a communion of persons; a communion of love. We were created to share in the Divine love story of the Trinity.

Now, this should leave us asking, "How do we participate in such a grandiose reality?"

Essentially, we need to look at the examples of those who have lived this earthly life and have merited eternal life, the canonized saints of the Church. Ever since the dawn of the Christian Church, we see examples of a deep, serious spiritual life. How did they get to be so "saintly"? I will spare detailed examples, so pick up a book written by one of your favorite saints. What they all have in common is a serious spiritual discipline. They all took moments throughout their busy day to reflect on the mysteries of God. 

Let's now reflect on how to relate this to our day.

First we stated that there is so much unneeded noise. Second, we stated that we needed to commune with God on a deeper level. There is something to be said about how to deepen our communion with God. Again, reflect.... Where does God dwell within us? Remember, at the moment of our baptism, God implanted the Holy Spirit at the core of our soul. So, knowing this, he must dwell at the core of our soul. Where the Holy Spirit is, there is the Son; where the Son is, there is the Father; and where the Father is, there is the Son; and so on. So, we can determine that at the moment of our baptism, the Trinitarian God has implanted the fullness of His Divine life in us.

So, this is all great and everything, but isn't this talk only for saints or the Pope?

Well, everyone is called to be holy. Turning to the pages of Scripture, we read in 1 Peter 1:15-16 "but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  So, now how can we attain this?

Back to the noise... sometimes we need to just turn everything off and be still and silent. There should be a set time in every person's day to just be silent with God.

As the prophet Elijah found out in 1 Kings 19:11-13, was not in the loud commotion, but in the soft, gentle whisper. This is an example for us to internalize.

Yes, listening to solid preaching, profound teaching and wonderful praise music is good, but sometimes God really wants to speak to us in the silence. This is where we meet God on the most fundamental level. He abides in us in the deepest recesses of our soul, so it is only through silence that we can quiet down enough to be with God.

You see, the tragedy of today isn't so much that God has abandoned us, it's the fact that we do not take the time to slow down and experience God’s love. 

Referring to contemplative prayer, Thomas Keating on page 162 of Intimacy With God" states: The development of one's relationship with Christ to the point of communing beyond words, thoughts, and feelings; a process of moving from the simplified activity of waiting upon God to the ever increasing predominance of the gifts of the Spirit as the source of one's prayer.

Putting it frankly, when you commune with God in the silence, that's exactly what it should be...silence. There is no need to tell God what you need during this time of prayer "for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Mt 6:8)

Since I need to be clear on specifics of this type of prayer, I will shortly go over the how to and how long.

We've determined that this type of prayer will consist of simply being silence in the presence of God. All that is needed is to sit or kneel in a comfortable position, close your eyes and focus on being open to God. Simply wait for the Lord to do what He needs to do with you. This can be done in the Adoration Chapel, at home on your favorite chair, or any other quiet, undisturbed place. Try not to think of anything specific, and forget the images that you have learned for God. Let him reveal himself to you. Note: this should always be done under the guidance of a spiritual director who has experience with contemplative prayer.

A helpful thing to know when first starting this type of prayer regularly is to expect all kinds of sounds, images and feelings starting to surface. Since, we never shut up long enough to think quietly, we never really experience what our subconscious contains. There are learned emotions and reactions that are stored in this part of thought. 

I'll spare the psychological details, which I am not qualified to talk about, but the important thing to know is to expect there to be all kinds of images and feelings starting to surface and be purged from your subconscious.

Finally, once you are open to God's working, expect there to be immense peace and joy.

God will reveal his love to you in indescribable ways.

To put it in human terms, it's like two people madly in love with each other, that only need the company of the other; no words are needed at times between them, simply a big embrace. This will be enough for you too. The embrace of God is enough, nothing else is needed at that moment.

Remember, this only happens with a regular practice of being in God's presence in silence. What is important to know is that it's up to God to act in you as you need, not want.

If you can practice being with God in silence at least 20-30 minutes a day, it will be a clarifying experience and the gifts of the Holy Spirit will grace you in your personal prayer time and in your relationships. Nothing will matter except God's Will. Preferably, 20-30 minutes twice a day or 1 hour once a day would be the best, but start out small. God will meet you at your attempts and lead you to where he wants you. Just be open!

John Sena is a 29 yr. old husband and homeschooling father of four. John resides in Corpus Christi, TX and is employed at the Corpus Christi Army Depot. He also serves as a lay member of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), as a missionary serving Our Lady for the sanctification of the temporal order. Follow his blog at calledtoloveblog.blogspot.com . You can contact him at johnsena512@gmail.com

Our Lady of Fatima on Fox News!

Just amazing to see this!!! 

What is the teaching of the Church on tattoos and body piercing?

Found this pretty interesting...

Tattoos


Issue: What is the teaching of the Church on tattoos and body piercing?

Response: Tattoos and acts of body piercing are not intrinsically evil. The Church offers principles by which Catholics can discern whether it is sinful to be tattooed or have one’s body pierced in particular situations.

Discussion:

What Sacred Scripture Has to Say

Some Protestant authors have argued that the Bible forbids tattoos and body piercing. They typically cite the following verse: "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord" (Lev. 19:28).

References to this verse are not present in important magisterial documents and in the principal writings of the Fathers of the Church. It is the consensus of Catholic biblical commentators that this prohibition is not part of the unchanging moral law, but part of the ritual law specific to the Old Testament. Many commentators believe that this prohibition was intended to separate Israel from its Canaanite neighbors; some believe that the cuttings in the flesh and tattoo marks to which the verse refers were part of idolatrous Canaanite worship.

The context of the verse favors this interpretation. The preceding verse reads, "You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard" (Lev. 19:27)—this prohibition is certainly not applied to members of the Church.

The Church does not teach that Sacred Scripture forbids tattooing and body piercing, but the Church does offer principles by which to discern whether, in particular situations, it is sinful to be tattooed or have one’s body pierced.

Respect for Health and Bodily Integrity

The Fifth Commandment—"You shall not kill"—does not simply require respect for human life; it also compels Christians to respect the dignity of persons and to safeguard peace (see The Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2258-2330). Respect for the dignity of persons includes, among other things, respect for the souls of others, for their health, and for their bodily integrity.

"Life and physical health," the Church teaches, "are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good" (Catechism, no. 2288). Prudence dictates that persons considering tattoos or body piercing research any health risks that may be involved. If a particular act of tattooing or body piercing entails a likely risk to health, it would be more or less sinful depending upon the gravity of the risk. If a particular act involves mutilation—if the act renders a bodily organ unable to perform its function—the act is immoral (Catechism, no. 2297).

Charity and Respect for the Souls of Others

Catholics must also consider the common good when they decide whether to be tattooed or have their bodies pierced. In certain instances—for example, in indigenous cultures in which tattooing is a rite of passage to adulthood—the common good practically demands that a person be tattooed.1 In the United States and other Western countries, however, considerations of the common good generally lead one to pause before being tattooed or having one’s body pierced.

The question of whether an act of tattooing or body piercing hinders a Catholic’s evangelizing mission leads to the broader question of whether such an act harms the souls of others. Tattoos whose words and images celebrate the demonic, are unchaste, or otherwise offend against charity are immoral.

Even if a tattoo’s words and images are not uncharitable in themselves, the act of obtaining a tattoo can be rendered immoral if done so with an evil intention—for example, in order to spite one’s parents or society (cf. Catechism, no. 1752).

Persons considering body piercing should also be aware of the implicit messages that the particular act of piercing conveys in a particular time and place. Some acts of body piercing can imply approval for the immoral homosexual lifestyle. Other acts of body piercing can imply active participation in, or a desire to participate in, other unchaste acts. In such cases, the acts of body piercing are immoral because they appear to manifest an approval of sin and thus scandalize others (cf. Catechism, no. 1868, 2284).

Questions to Consider

Catholics who are considering getting tattoos or having their bodies pierced may want to reflect on the following questions:

· Does this particular act of tattooing or body piercing involve a risk to my health?

· Would this act mutilate me—that is, would it inhibit the proper functioning of my skin or another organ of my body?

· Is the explicit message of my tattoo compatible with love of God and neighbor?

· Is the implicit message of my tattoo compatible with love of God and neighbor? Does it convey an implicitly unchaste message?

· Why do I want to get a tattoo or have my body pierced?

· If I am under the authority of my parents, would this act be an act of disobedience that would violate the Fourth Commandment?

· Would this particular act needlessly offend my family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, and thus hinder my ability to lead others to Christ and His Church?

· Can the expense involved be justified in light of the needs of my family, the Church, and the poor?

In most cultural contexts in the United States, a woman’s decision to have her ears pierced is compatible with respect for health and bodily integrity, charity, and respect for the souls of others. Other acts of piercing and tattooing are more open to question. The criteria above can help one come to a prayerful and prudent decision in one’s particular circumstances.

1 In People on the Move (December 2003, pp. 281-88), a publication of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Fr. Mathias Bhuriya has written about the role of tattooing in the Adi-Vasi Bhalai nomadic Indian culture. See http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/migrants/pom2003_93S/rc_pc_migrants_pom93S_bhuriya.html.

Recommended Reading

Holy Bible (Catholic edition)
Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 1756, 1768, 1780, 1794)
Vatican II Documents (Gaudium Et Spes)
Fr. Mathias Bhuriya, People on the Move
Pope John Paul II, Novo Millennio Ineunte

Original article can be found on http://www.cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffid=233

Mediocrity... The New American Epidemic

It seems like yesterday since my wife and my newly converted selves were on fire for the Truth we had just received. Our conversion wasn't the typical run of the mill conversion. It seemed like a prodigal son type story. We were so overwhelmed with Jesus that we were tingling from our heads to our toes.

That was a time that we were living a life of mediocrity and sin. We only had each other and our eldest son at that time. I'll spare the details, but what I must say is the Lord Jesus really did a number in our lives. I devoured any type of spiritual reading at the time and read the Bible very fervently. I listened to any talks I could and attended any conferences that came into town.

Here we are now, six years and three children later with a stable, grace-filled life. We have formed life-long friendships with numerous people within the Church. We have since become godparents, parents and somewhat models of the Christian faith. We are open to life and love the traditional liturgical rubrics of old. We love the incense, chants and rock-solid homilies.

Through it all, we have been blessed to know so many wonderful people that have deeply enriched our lives. We have been involved with numerous ministries and have witness so many awe-filled conversions.

With all these wonderful happenings, I sometimes wonder why there is still so much madness. These days, I witness divorce, sin, unhappiness, lack of faith, impurity, depression and the like. It's sometimes like if these conversions have never happened at all. I can only pray and ask our Lord... “WHY?”

Through reading about the days of old, the early Church was really different than now. You had rock-solid, generous communities that held their faith at the center of their lives. They expressed faith as it was intended. It wasn't some fuzzy feeling that inclined them to “trust” in God, but the true gift instilled in them at the time of their baptism. A faith that lead them into a lived experience of the Triune God. Faith that was outside of them, a faith that was given to them and shared with the other people of God.

This faith of the early Church led them into a completely integrated life with Jesus and His Church at the middle. As we study the Acts of Apostles, we can see how that early Church lived. They shared everything, living humble and generous lives. Now, we look at the present day... greed, selfishness and ego. What's so different between the two eras? There was another quality of the early Church that made it so successful. The quality I'm referencing is “boldness”, which was a big grace of the Holy Spirit.

All throughout the pages of the Acts of the Apostles you read about how Peter, John, Paul and rest of the gang really proclaimed the Gospel of Christ through thick and thin. They weren't afraid of getting locked up for the faith, they weren't afraid of getting stoned to death for teaching “blasphemy”. They weren't even afraid of getting crucified or beheaded. They knew that this life on earth was of no importance without carrying out the Gospel of Christ.

The apostles had already witnessed so much, with the culmination for them being at the Feast of Pentecost. At this time, they had been Confirmed and sent out on their earthly mission – to preach the Word of God at all costs. The apostles worked wonders, casted out demons, healed the sick, raised the dead and brought large multitudes into the Catholic faith in the name of Jesus.

I guess the image that I'm trying to portray is that these guys were no wimps or pushovers! They prayed, loved, cried and were tender-hearted when it was necessary, but when it came time to man-up, it was “GO TIME!” Again, let's look at today. The Church Militant (the official name of the body of the Church here on earth – yes, that's what it is – the Church Militant), is not militant at all. What do we see? We see a bunch of passive-aggressive, self-conscious, indifferent, overly-sensitive, lukewarm wusses.

You may think, “Dang, he's really insensitive!”. Well, I am very passionate about this because I see all the madness staring us in the face without hardly anyone standing up for what is right. Why is it that in the same towns with plethoras of Churches, we see strip clubs, abortion clinics and porno shops? Are we really that indifferent to these things that we allow them to move into town and flourish? Come on people!

Think about it. If we really understood what lie in the sacrament of Confirmation, then we wouldn't stand for any of this. The sacrament of Confirmation was left to us to enkindle the Spirit which was implanted in us at the moment of Baptism. We are then to be sent out to live out our mission to live out and proclaim the Gospel while sanctifying the temporal order.

I really think the underlying issue is the fact that somewhere along the way the Church has lost its ability to teach this. All to often we have become the Church of convenience. Whatever happened to radically living out our Catholic faith? When Pope Pius VI in 1972 stated that the smoke of satan has crept into the cracks of the Church, I believe this came partly by way of compromise and mediocrity. It's almost like we've settled for what sounds good and what's acceptable to everybody.

Mediocrity is something we all have to deal with in this day and age, but I believe with an authentic devotion to the Holy Spirit we can battle this state of mind. The way to battle this, I believe, is to 1. Pray for the acceptance of the Will of God and for the ability to witness to the world an authentic, serious Catholic spirituality, 2. have the total distaste for what is evil by recognizing what sin truly is, 3. Pray for the Spirit of boldness as mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:7, and 4. Know your faith - study Sacred Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to know what the Church teaches in light of the Scriptures and Sacred Tradition.

Let me set one thing straight: I am not by any means advocating pride or careless anger. I am advocating the Spirit of boldness in humility. This is possible! Contemplate Jesus when He entered the Temple only to see money changers and vendors profaning the Temple of God by making it a “den of thieves”. Jesus spoke with fullness of force and turned the tables of the money changers over while driving them out with a whip of cords. Look at this scene, there is nothing wrong with anger for a righteous cause. In retrospect, we do have to pray for the gift of total humility anytime we have to approach a situation that requires much boldness.

When we yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit we have to be willing to speak up when it's necessary (He'll let us know). We have to rise above our mediocrity and complacency. When the Spirit of God truly convicts us to say something, we have to do it! It doesn't matter if we are martyred for this, we have to stand up for what is right and just!

Come on Church, let's stand up and make our voice be heard. Let's recognize and speak out about the injustices of this present darkness. We need to return to our forefathers of Faith and look upon their examples. Until we do this, we will continue to reap the rewards of lukewarmness, complacency and mediocrity.

Come Spirit of God, Come!

Viva La Vida! Part One - Cast Out Your Nets, But First...

This will be the first of a series of blog posts "Viva La Vida!" (nothing to do with the Coldplay song)

A topic of constant discussion among the now 33,000 plus Christian denominations (not to mention the Christian off-shoot religions) is how to get people to fill the pews. Crusades, conferences, good music, inspirational sermons, extensive Bible studies, smoke and mirrors, lights, and modern technology have become common "methods" of getting people in the doors every Sunday. There have been numerous books, manuals, instructional videos, and even workshops on how attain the prestige of having a congregation size worthy of notice. New terms such as “megachurch” and “fellowship” have been thought up in order to set these Christian churches apart from the “traditional” churches of the past. The good thing about these tactics is that people off the streets are being attracted to the Word of God in a new way and people are flocking to Sunday services. But, as we will see getting people to fill an empty place in the pew (or in more modern churches – theater-style stadium seats) is not all we have to worry about. What is the key to attaining these numbers while retaining these souls in order to bring them to deep, life-long conversion? What is it that the original Christian church did to bring in and keep, for example, the 3,000 converts in Acts chapter 2? These are a couple out of many questions about this popular, but often misunderstood topic of Christian conversation.

“So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:41-42

Imagine this day and age adding 3,000 people to a church in one day? Those are phenomenal numbers and happened on the first day of the inception of the official Christian church, by the preaching of the lead Apostle Peter formerly known as Simon son of John. Do you think they had the latest and greatest technology to aid them in spreading the message or best band to attract them? The Apostles were simple people headed up by a fisherman that couldn’t even catch fish. Peter was no polished professional speaker, he couldn’t even successfully live up to the career he had had probably his whole life. “…For it is not you who speak, by the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matt 10:20) Talk about a miracle – this guy whom our Lord put in charge, the guy that denied Jesus three times and even more than that stuck his foot in his mouth, was in union with the Holy Spirit after Pentecost Sunday. He receive an anointing, the same anointing we receive at Confirmation. He “decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2) , “For the wisdom of this world is folly with God” (1 Cor 3:19). We will talk about increasing numbers at Sunday services, but first one important word of reality.

"I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23

This is the key in whatever church or ministry we may be involved in – UNITY. My thought on growing a church is based on this key fundamental principle. How are we supposed to attract the multitudes to our church, if everyone has different beliefs? Granted, there are going to be some variances in how we communicate secular principals, but we must not waver on our Christian faith! “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (1Cor 1:10) The Word of God calls us to “one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.” (Eph 4:4-6) I believe the early Church, that we traditionally declare born on the first Pentecost Sunday, really lived the principle of great unity. Sadly, this day and age with the 33,000 plus denominations and growing we are too often critical and cold towards each other. Like I previously stated, how can we expect them to know that the Father sent the Son and has a Church, the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ, physically present in their midst if we cannot come together on the simplest of Christian ideology? “For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility…that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross…” (Eph 2:14-17) Sacred Scripture clearly depicts a Church that is one and not several, much less 33,000. Now, how do we come together to begin to mend this dissention? The Cathecism of the Catholic Church states: “Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her.” (CCC 820) It is our job to join in Christ’s prayer to the father for unity as in St. John’s Gospel 17:20-23 and to exude Christian charity in the utmost way. I know unity will not come overnight, but at least we can start praying and thinking about how to work towards the ONE Christian Church founded on the Rock. Let’s stop focusing so much on how to get people into the church and turn our energy towards attaining perfect Christian unity and creating an environment of love that those we do bring into the Church will experience the Church of antiquity. It was like that before, and it’s our job to restore it back to that!

Next time we will discuss how to make Christian unity a reality! Please fell free to comment and let me know what you think. I hope this is useful for some and will appreciate your opinions.

In Christ,

John “Nick” Sena

How can we reach the ends of the earth in this age?

Think about it.... all over the world people are trying to reach as many people as possible. As of 2009, there are well over 6 billion people on the earth. How do we take the message of Christ to as many of these people as possible? How about simply reaching as many of the 1.147 billion Catholics as possible? And still even easier, how to reach the 61 million American Catholics? Everyday thousands and thousands of our fellow Catholics are getting sucked into the secularism of the world. How do we free them from the bonds of world's ideology? Also, how do we spread the message of the Catholic faith to those that God is calling to His Church? Did you know that 1.8 billion people in this world are regular internet users? And how about the increasing 163 million people within our own country? These are issues that the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has talked about. He has called the Catholic Church to take the internet by storm and use it for the New Evangelization. It's time for us to take back our society by reaching as many people as possible about the Fullness of Truth!

"Just how do I do this?" you say. Glad you asked!

First of all, you have to be creative. The majority of people are on the internet to consume information. They read articles that grab their attention. A person that finds a title appealing will normally go through to read the article even if it's something they disagree with. That's the power of simply a great title. Throw some personal experiences in the mix, and they might actually enjoy the article.

Second of all, teach about the facts. Like the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen stated, "There are not over a 100 people in the U.S. that hate the Catholic Church, there are millions however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church, which is, of course, quite a different thing." We have to make sure as an evangelistic people by nature, that we spread the Truth of the Catholic Church. We have to be sure and answer any questions that people have of the Church. We have to STAND UP to the lies and half-truths made up about the Catholic Church. But, this indicates we have to know a toot about what we're talking about. I encourage everyone to learn about your faith and how to defend it. There are a lot of apologetics websites and books out there, so there is absolutely NO excuse not to learn about your faith!

Finally, teach with boldness. We cannot be a society that tip-toes around the facts! St. Paul touched possibly the most people in the New Testament because of his no-nonsense persona. I am not saying to be insensitive to others feelings and emotions, but let the truth shine through in a non-threatening way. More than likely, you will appeal more to a person by an unwavering stance on an issue. Remember, "For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord." James 1:8 Do not waver on the stance of the Church, and do not flinch in proclaiming the words of Holy Mother Church!

I believe with an interesting, true and bold outreach on the internet, we can reach just about anyone that we set out to. The average lay person can stand up and start using their internet time to change the world! Don't believe me, look at what the opposite has done. Over 40 millions of Americans are addicted to internet porn. It's no wonder our society has such an increasing amount of moral decay. If such an evil can penetrate the world, don't you think the light of Christ can shine through the darkest corners of the internet? Let's be a people of stature and stand up and change this problem. Let's stand up and put our minds to work.

Please if you have any suggestions on how to live out our call to evangelization on the internet, feel free to leave comments.

In Jesus through Mary,

John Sena

The Gift of Friendship

Today I realized how precious the friendships in my life really are. Friendship is a gift from God and never to be taken for granted. Friends carry us through dark seasons in our lives and are their to offer their prayers, support, and love. Friends are their in the joyous times to rejoice with and share in the happiness the Lord gives us. With a true friend, one's soul can relax in their presence and truely be the person they really are. I thank God for the gift of friendship today.

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other... A threefold cord is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4: 9, 12

"Friendship is a great gift. One to be prayed for and not taken for granted. When God gives a friend, he is enrusting us with the care of another person's heart. It is a chance to mother and to sister, to be a Life giver, to help someone else become the woman she was created to be, to walk alongside her and call her deep heart forth." - Captivating by Staci Eldridge

Happy Birthday to Our Queen of Heaven and Earth!

Happy Birthday to Our Queen and Our Mother!

Our Lady always faithfully prays for us, protects us, and leads us straight to her son Jesus. This article inspired me this morning concerning the roadway to Jesus which is fitting since prayer to our Blessed Mother is a sure sign that we will be led safely to HIM.

A New Road

Many ways led to Bethlehem: Mary and Joseph's long trip from Nazareth; the shepard's path over their fields; the wise men's arduous trek across the desert. Jesus' birth causes each of us to set out on a personal journey- a journey to meet this God who so humbly and surprisingly came into the world as a child lying in a manger!

The waiting of the holy family was interrupted by Rome's decree- what inconvenient timing! - so they set off. The way from Nazareth to Bethlehem was long, 90 miles by donkey and on foot. Mary had borne the anguish of wondering what Joseph thought of her pregnancy. We can imagine the two pondering the ancient prophecies, searching for understanding to ease the questions in their hearts. Did they share their fears with one another, or were they calmly silent because it was enough for them to rest in obedience to God's will?

Did Mary fret a bit as she packed, wondering whether to take the swaddling bands she had made- or would they be back home in their own village before her time came? Did Joseph cast a last look longingly back over his shoulder as Nazareth's security passed out of sight and the way stretched ahead with a pregnant wife at his side? Yet the same road that led away from familiarity and comfort led straight to the city where God's promise was to be fulfilled: " and you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepard my people Israel" ( Mt 2:6).

Have I ever experienced something fresh coming to birth in my circumstances once I have been willing to set out on a new road, leaving behind my old, familiar routines? Jesus, may I be just as willing to follow the road to you as Mary and Joseph were.

Written by Jeanne Kun

Living Amongst the Weeds

Yesterday I came across a new favorite parable of mine that reminded me to love those in my life who usually bring out the worst in me. This is the parable about the weeds growing among the wheat which can be found in the book of Matthew 13: 24-30.

24 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up nad bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, " Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then did these weeds come from?" 28 He answered, " An enemy has done this." The slaves said to him, " Then do you want us to go and gather them?" 29 But he replied, " NO; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn."

Jesus instructs the slaves not to uproot the weeds that were growing alongside the wheat but instead let them grow up together lest the wheat be uprooted with it. The weeds reminded me of the people in my life that sadly have been decieved by Satan himself and tend to follow the ways of this world and sometimes tend to choke the good grain right out of us. We all have these weeds growing ceaselessly among us whether they be in the work place, at church, or even in our own families. But God in his mercy has placed them in our midst so that we who have been entrusted with the mission to "love our neighbor as we love ourselves" can let our lights shine and be a witness to God's great love. The weeds can also be looked at as our own vices and weaknesses that can easily snuff out any gifts or virtues God has graciously given us. As the saying goes, " Be patient, God is not finished with me yet." Lord, please help me remember this when I am out in the vineyard with my weedwhacker roaring.

Pope’s Strong Witness to Marriage and the Family Is an Example for All

WASHINGTON—"Marriage and the family are institutions that must be promoted and defended from every possible misrepresentation of their true nature, since whatever is injurious to them is injurious to society itself." This is just one of many of Pope Benedict's decisive statements on the unique good of marriage and the family, recently gathered into a new volume of USCCB Publishing's "Pope Benedict XVI – Spiritual Thoughts Series," this time on the "Family." 
            
The timely publication of this new volume collects in one place the Pope's strong teaching and witness to the unique value and truth of marriage and the family. The pope addresses the range of teaching on marriage and strategically zeroes in on the unique nature of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. 
            
Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, chairman of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, voiced thanks for the pope's support for families. "Our Holy Father has modeled for us a consistent defense of the family founded on marriage as the permanent and exclusive union of one man and one woman. His witness is a call and encouragement for all of us to stand for the truth and beauty of marriage and family and the intrinsic dignity of every person."
            
Gratitude for the pope was also evident from the Knights of Columbus, who twice cited Pope Benedict in their resolution of August 5 to support bishops' conferences around the world in the protection and promotion of the true nature of marriage between one man and one woman (available athttp://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/convention_2009/resolutions/marriage.html).  
            
Commenting on the Knight's resolution, Archbishop Kurtz said, "We are deeply grateful for the generous support of the Knights in standing for the sanctity of all human life and of marriage and the family. This resolution is an affirmation of the significant work that the Knights have undertaken in this country and abroad. Under the leadership of Carl Anderson, the Knights continue to serve the Church and the world in a much needed way, following the Holy Father's example." 
            
To obtain copies of "Family" (publication number 7-075; $6.95 per copy) from USCCB Publishing, visitwww.usccbpublishing.org  or call 800-235-8722.