Our Lady's February 25, 2010 Message
"Dear children! In this time of grace, when nature also prepares to give the most beautiful colors of the year, I call you, little children, to open your hearts to God the Creator for Him to transform and mold you in His image, so that all the good which has fallen asleep in your hearts may awaken to a new life and a longing towards eternity. Thank you for having responded to my call."
Lost Generation
I found this and wanted to share it with you, please watch it all the way to the end, it is quite amazing.
Patron Saints and Miracles
When I was a child I can remember wanting my name to be Theresa. I would beg my mother to change my name to Theresa. I would lay in my bed and cry that I couldn't have my name changed to Theresa. I don't remember why. At that time in my life I didn't know anyone with the name Theresa.
I have always had a great love for St. Therese of Lisieux and for Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta when she was still alive. Later in my life I met a wonderful woman - Sister Theresa and we became friends.
I have taken St. Therese as my patron saint. I have always been drawn to Theresa and have no other explanation. One of my daughters, Erica, has Theresa as her middle name. She was born shortly after Blessed Mother Teresa died.
Some other unusual things that I may mention is that Mother Teresa was beautified on October 19th. That is the birthday of one of my daughters, Samantha and my friend Sr. Theresa's birthday is October 1st which is another of my daughters, Tricia's birthday. October 1st is the feast day for St. Therese.
I was born Lutheran (my fathers family was Lutheran and my mothers family was Catholic) and after my fathers mother passed away, my parents quit taking us to church. I wanted to go to church and I loved to watch my Grandmother pray the Rosary. My Grandmother, Rose, couldn't drive either, so we were both stuck not being able to go to church unless someone would come and drive her. She only lived a half mile from me at that time. I knew she was Catholic and I had 4 Great Aunts that were nuns, my Grandmothers sisters. I wanted to become Catholic in a very bad way. I rode my bike to the Catholic Church in town - about 2 and a half miles away, at the age of 11 and I rang the doorbell to the Priest's home. Father Bonin opened the door and I announced to him that I wanted to become Catholic.
Can you image what he was thinking? My parents didn't have a telephone, he couldn't call anyone. He took me into his office and set up dates for us to meet. He gave me a prayer book and told me to memorize some prayers and come to see him again. He was so gentle and kind. He never intimidated me in any way. He took me under his wing and began to teach me personally. We became wonderful friends, he made sure I received my Sacraments and I was fortunate enough to have him marry my husband and me and Baptize a couple of our children before he moved on to retirement.
Many years after he had passed away, I was having a hard time in my life and we were burning down our old house. We had removed everything from that old wreck and had knocked it into a hole and got a burning permit and lit it aflame!
The next morning my son was walking outside by the hole where the house stood. The heat the night before was so intense that we had to keep moving back as we watched it burn - yet, laying only about 10 feet from that hole, my son found a letter - the letter was from Father Bonin and had his Jubilee card in it. He was looking around for other thing and he found an envelope, it was the envelope from the letter! That is it - nothing else survived the extreme fire!
A letter from a dear friend, a Jubilee card and the envelope - that is all that survived the flames. You don't know how many times I ran through my mind - "where did it come from? why was it there? what are the chances?" There is only one reason for me. A miracle.
I have always had a great love for St. Therese of Lisieux and for Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta when she was still alive. Later in my life I met a wonderful woman - Sister Theresa and we became friends.
I have taken St. Therese as my patron saint. I have always been drawn to Theresa and have no other explanation. One of my daughters, Erica, has Theresa as her middle name. She was born shortly after Blessed Mother Teresa died.
Some other unusual things that I may mention is that Mother Teresa was beautified on October 19th. That is the birthday of one of my daughters, Samantha and my friend Sr. Theresa's birthday is October 1st which is another of my daughters, Tricia's birthday. October 1st is the feast day for St. Therese.
I was born Lutheran (my fathers family was Lutheran and my mothers family was Catholic) and after my fathers mother passed away, my parents quit taking us to church. I wanted to go to church and I loved to watch my Grandmother pray the Rosary. My Grandmother, Rose, couldn't drive either, so we were both stuck not being able to go to church unless someone would come and drive her. She only lived a half mile from me at that time. I knew she was Catholic and I had 4 Great Aunts that were nuns, my Grandmothers sisters. I wanted to become Catholic in a very bad way. I rode my bike to the Catholic Church in town - about 2 and a half miles away, at the age of 11 and I rang the doorbell to the Priest's home. Father Bonin opened the door and I announced to him that I wanted to become Catholic.
Can you image what he was thinking? My parents didn't have a telephone, he couldn't call anyone. He took me into his office and set up dates for us to meet. He gave me a prayer book and told me to memorize some prayers and come to see him again. He was so gentle and kind. He never intimidated me in any way. He took me under his wing and began to teach me personally. We became wonderful friends, he made sure I received my Sacraments and I was fortunate enough to have him marry my husband and me and Baptize a couple of our children before he moved on to retirement.
Many years after he had passed away, I was having a hard time in my life and we were burning down our old house. We had removed everything from that old wreck and had knocked it into a hole and got a burning permit and lit it aflame!
The next morning my son was walking outside by the hole where the house stood. The heat the night before was so intense that we had to keep moving back as we watched it burn - yet, laying only about 10 feet from that hole, my son found a letter - the letter was from Father Bonin and had his Jubilee card in it. He was looking around for other thing and he found an envelope, it was the envelope from the letter! That is it - nothing else survived the extreme fire!
A letter from a dear friend, a Jubilee card and the envelope - that is all that survived the flames. You don't know how many times I ran through my mind - "where did it come from? why was it there? what are the chances?" There is only one reason for me. A miracle.
Forgiveness and Love - Reconciliation, the Healing Sacrament
Luke 15:21-24
21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired men.'
22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
How special is this Word - It tells us that no matter what we do if we are truly sorry, we are forgiven!
We will be welcomed into the feast of heaven.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance, Confession) is such a great gift of grace. It takes our sins and wipes them away. God doesn't want us to dwell on these sins, He wants us to go on with life and try not to make the same mistakes. He wants us to learn and to move on.
We need to be truly sorry, show contrition for our sins and we are given the gift of forgiveness. Our heart that was ragged and dirty is now clean and new.
Should we then in turn look away from someone that has wronged us and not forgive them? No, of course not. That is part of the lesson for us - we need to forgive others as God forgives us.
God's love for us has no bounds. His Mercy Endures Forever! Amen.
21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired men.'
22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
How special is this Word - It tells us that no matter what we do if we are truly sorry, we are forgiven!
We will be welcomed into the feast of heaven.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance, Confession) is such a great gift of grace. It takes our sins and wipes them away. God doesn't want us to dwell on these sins, He wants us to go on with life and try not to make the same mistakes. He wants us to learn and to move on.
We need to be truly sorry, show contrition for our sins and we are given the gift of forgiveness. Our heart that was ragged and dirty is now clean and new.
Should we then in turn look away from someone that has wronged us and not forgive them? No, of course not. That is part of the lesson for us - we need to forgive others as God forgives us.
God's love for us has no bounds. His Mercy Endures Forever! Amen.
Chaplet of Divine Mercy MP3 Download
Now you can have the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with you as an MP3 - This is a wonderful way to learn the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and to teach your children. It is an excellent form of prayer to say by yourself or with your family.
You can find the Chaplet of Divine Mercy free on the internet - this one is 99 cents for the download and you can take it with you. There are cd's, dvd's and cassettes available as well.
I have a cd in my car with the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy on it.
You can find the Chaplet of Divine Mercy free on the internet - this one is 99 cents for the download and you can take it with you. There are cd's, dvd's and cassettes available as well.
I have a cd in my car with the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy on it.
One of My Favorite Books
The Divine Life of the Most Holy Virgin
I have read this book many times and it has given me great insight into the life of Mary, St. Josesh, St. Anne & St. Joachim, and the life of Jesus. It shows the special bond of Mary to her Divine Son, Jesus Christ and gives great meaning to the special place that belongs to Mary at the start of the new church.
It is an excellent book to read during Lent.
I have read this book many times and it has given me great insight into the life of Mary, St. Josesh, St. Anne & St. Joachim, and the life of Jesus. It shows the special bond of Mary to her Divine Son, Jesus Christ and gives great meaning to the special place that belongs to Mary at the start of the new church.
It is an excellent book to read during Lent.
Liturgical Calendar - Season of Lent
The Liturgical Calendar reminds us of the times of the year that we need to be preparing for something - and Lent is a time for preparing ourselves for the Resurrection of our Lord.
We typically deprive ourselves of things during Lent.
Lent consists of 40 days, portraying the 40 days that Jesus was in the desert praying before his time of teaching in public. (Lent is actually 46 days with Sundays being special days by themselves.) We also contribute the 40 days to the 40 years that Moses roamed. Forty is a significant number to our faith.
Jesus fasted while in the desert and we are asked to "fast" during Lent. Now there are a few days that we really need to fast. Fasting from food on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are wonderful ways to show your love for Christ. Some people cannot fast due to health issues - that is okay - God will forgive you! Offer your sufferings to God.
The other "fasting" that we do during lent is by "giving some thing up" - depriving ourselves of something that we really like - say chocolate for instance. That is deprivation (abstinence) that we can offer to Jesus as a gift for the sacrifice that He gave us. Seems small in comparison, but Jesus loves us to make small sacrifices for Him. He never asks us to make huge sacrifices. Say a prayer when you think about what you have given up.
We can also "give of ourselves" and offer that for Lent also. Just be sure that whatever it is that you do, do it as a prayer. Do everything during Lent as a prayer. What I mean by that is - do it without letting others know and be thinking about offering it as a gift to God. That is a prayer in itself!
Meditate on Holy Scripture - One of the oldest methods of scriptural prayer is lectio divina or “holy reading.” This is done by picking a verse from Scripture and meditating on it slowly. Slowly read each word and stop and meditate on a word that sticks out to you. Read it over and over slowly and meditate on each word that comes from the WORD.
We need to change ourselves during Lent. Change ourselves so we can be a change for the better to others.
We typically deprive ourselves of things during Lent.
Lent consists of 40 days, portraying the 40 days that Jesus was in the desert praying before his time of teaching in public. (Lent is actually 46 days with Sundays being special days by themselves.) We also contribute the 40 days to the 40 years that Moses roamed. Forty is a significant number to our faith.
Jesus fasted while in the desert and we are asked to "fast" during Lent. Now there are a few days that we really need to fast. Fasting from food on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are wonderful ways to show your love for Christ. Some people cannot fast due to health issues - that is okay - God will forgive you! Offer your sufferings to God.
The other "fasting" that we do during lent is by "giving some thing up" - depriving ourselves of something that we really like - say chocolate for instance. That is deprivation (abstinence) that we can offer to Jesus as a gift for the sacrifice that He gave us. Seems small in comparison, but Jesus loves us to make small sacrifices for Him. He never asks us to make huge sacrifices. Say a prayer when you think about what you have given up.
We can also "give of ourselves" and offer that for Lent also. Just be sure that whatever it is that you do, do it as a prayer. Do everything during Lent as a prayer. What I mean by that is - do it without letting others know and be thinking about offering it as a gift to God. That is a prayer in itself!
Meditate on Holy Scripture - One of the oldest methods of scriptural prayer is lectio divina or “holy reading.” This is done by picking a verse from Scripture and meditating on it slowly. Slowly read each word and stop and meditate on a word that sticks out to you. Read it over and over slowly and meditate on each word that comes from the WORD.
We need to change ourselves during Lent. Change ourselves so we can be a change for the better to others.
Heaven and Hell
(This has been around in email forwards - I don't know the author, but wanted to share.)
A Holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, 'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'
The Lord led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.
In the middle of the room was a large round table..
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew,
which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly.
They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell... They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one.
There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water..
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, 'I don't understand.
'It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill.
You see, they have learned to feed each other.
The greedy think only of themselves..'
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you.
A Holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, 'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'
The Lord led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.
In the middle of the room was a large round table..
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew,
which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly.
They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell... They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one.
There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water..
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, 'I don't understand.
'It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill.
You see, they have learned to feed each other.
The greedy think only of themselves..'
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you.
What is a Normal Life?
Today I made a comment that I would just once like to have a normal life.... my 18 year old daughter said, "Mom, no one knows what normal life is - there is no normal." Words from a wise woman!
My life is my life. Some one else may have a life that they think is normal to them, but seems totally crazy and chaotic to the next person looking in.
Normal to one person is not normal to another.
What I was referring to, I think, is that I would like things to work out perfectly just once. But again, what is perfectly?
I have had a great deal on my plate lately to deal with. I like to look at what Christ went through for us and I know my problems can be overcome.
I would like to change places with people that I see smiling and laughing.... but then I realize that they too may have pain deep inside that they deal with every day.
We all have our crosses to bear, we all just carry them differently.
Right now my cross is heavy Lord, but I know you are standing right next to me ready to catch me when I fall. Walk with me Lord, keep me strong to carry the wood.
My life is my life. Some one else may have a life that they think is normal to them, but seems totally crazy and chaotic to the next person looking in.
Normal to one person is not normal to another.
What I was referring to, I think, is that I would like things to work out perfectly just once. But again, what is perfectly?
I have had a great deal on my plate lately to deal with. I like to look at what Christ went through for us and I know my problems can be overcome.
I would like to change places with people that I see smiling and laughing.... but then I realize that they too may have pain deep inside that they deal with every day.
We all have our crosses to bear, we all just carry them differently.
Right now my cross is heavy Lord, but I know you are standing right next to me ready to catch me when I fall. Walk with me Lord, keep me strong to carry the wood.
Humble Yourself Under God
1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
This is a wonderful passage to let us know that God walks beside us!
We need to surrender control of our lives to God so that He can work through us.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
This is a wonderful passage to let us know that God walks beside us!
We need to surrender control of our lives to God so that He can work through us.
The Season of Lent
(A portion of the Widipedia definition of Lent)
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends Holy Saturday (46 days).
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends Holy Saturday (46 days).
"The six Sundays in Lent are not counted among the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter", a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death."
The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The forty days represent the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan.
There you have it - that is Wikipedia's version of Lent. I left some parts out to make it a bit shorter.
Now lets talk about what it means to us personally.
For me, Lent is a time of focusing on the events that happened in Christ's life that led to his Crucifixion, death and that lead to Easter - His rising from the dead and over powering death.
A great practice can be the Stations of the Cross.
You can do the Stations of the Cross on the Internet anytime - Click Here
Say an Rosary online - Click Here
Divine Mercy Chaplet online - Click Here or Here
Meditate on the 7 Wounds of Jesus - Click Here
Go to Eucharistic Adoration - Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and just spend some time with Jesus.
Mediate on the death of our Savior - Here
Take a daily 3 minute retreat - Here
It is a time for me to do extra things that I probably wouldn't normally do to show Jesus that I want to have some sort of reconnecting with him.
One of the things that I try to do during Lent is read a certain book. I read one chapter everyday of Lent - well I try, some days I have to read 2 to make up for a missed day. No one is perfect and God doesn't expect us to be.
Of course, we all should give up meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Friday's of Lent. We are supposed to fast on Friday's and Ash Wednesday as well. That is harder.
I do give something up for Lent. That is a personal thing that should be between you and Jesus and try not to share it with others.
I try to teach the children that they can give something up as simple as not watching TV for a half hour a day, not playing a video game that they really like all through out Lent, give up a TV show for the 6 weeks, etc...
I also teach them that they can do something special too. Lent is a time for deprivation by choice, but it is also a time of giving of oneself by choice. They can help with household chores without being asked, etc... I do stress that they need to do it with a loving heart and can't complain or it doesn't "count".
Dear God, Help us to be mindful of the death of Your Son, Jesus. Help us especially during the season of Lent to respectfully remember what Jesus gave us through His death. Amen.
Why Did God Hurt & Kill So Many People in Haiti?
When I was teaching my second grade class last night, we talked about Haiti again. These children have been bringing up Haiti every week since it happened. They are very concerned and last night wanted to know why.
I had a hard time explaining to these 8 year olds that God didn't do this to make them suffer. I explained that things that happen on earth are cause and effect.
I told them that earthquakes in California with the same magnitude of strength wouldn't kill as many people. Why? I told them that the structures in California are built to withstand earthquakes and that Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and they could not afford to build structures suitable to withstand such a quake. I told them that now people are sending money and going to help the people of Haiti to rebuild, bury their dead, care for the injured and hopefully give them a future to look forward too.
It is very sad that we didn't help them before this disaster happened.
I found the following article helpful today as I looked for answers to give to these children next time I see them.
(The following was taken from http://www.gotquestions.org/natural-disasters.html)
Question: "Why does God allow natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis?"
Answer: Why does God allow earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, and other natural disasters?
Tragedies such as the 2004 tsunami in Asia, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the 2008 cyclone in Myanmar, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti cause many people to question God’s goodness. It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather. God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work.
Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God sometimes influence the weather? Yes, as we see in Deuteronomy 11:17 and James 5:17. Numbers 16:30-34 shows us that God sometimes causes natural disasters as a judgment against sin.
The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters (Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not.
In much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to reflect the consequences sin has had on creation. Romans 8:19-21 tells us, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the world we inhabit. Everything in creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.” Sin is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and suffering.
We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of thousands of people?
For one thing, such events shake our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity. Churches are usually filled after disasters as people realize how tenuous their lives really are and how life can be taken away in an instant.
What we do know is this: God is good! Many amazing miracles occurred during the course of natural disasters that prevented even greater loss of life. Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).
I had a hard time explaining to these 8 year olds that God didn't do this to make them suffer. I explained that things that happen on earth are cause and effect.
I told them that earthquakes in California with the same magnitude of strength wouldn't kill as many people. Why? I told them that the structures in California are built to withstand earthquakes and that Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and they could not afford to build structures suitable to withstand such a quake. I told them that now people are sending money and going to help the people of Haiti to rebuild, bury their dead, care for the injured and hopefully give them a future to look forward too.
It is very sad that we didn't help them before this disaster happened.
I found the following article helpful today as I looked for answers to give to these children next time I see them.
(The following was taken from http://www.gotquestions.org/natural-disasters.html)
Question: "Why does God allow natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis?"
Answer: Why does God allow earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, and other natural disasters?
Tragedies such as the 2004 tsunami in Asia, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the 2008 cyclone in Myanmar, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti cause many people to question God’s goodness. It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather. God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most natural disasters are a result of these laws at work.
Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding. Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God sometimes influence the weather? Yes, as we see in Deuteronomy 11:17 and James 5:17. Numbers 16:30-34 shows us that God sometimes causes natural disasters as a judgment against sin.
The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters (Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not.
In much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to reflect the consequences sin has had on creation. Romans 8:19-21 tells us, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the world we inhabit. Everything in creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.” Sin is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and suffering.
We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of thousands of people?
For one thing, such events shake our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity. Churches are usually filled after disasters as people realize how tenuous their lives really are and how life can be taken away in an instant.
What we do know is this: God is good! Many amazing miracles occurred during the course of natural disasters that prevented even greater loss of life. Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).
I Am the Bread of Life
I am the bread of life, all who come to Me shall not hunger.
All who believe in me shall not thirst.
No one can come to me, unless the Father beakon.
And I will raise you on the last day!
Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man
And drink of His blood, and drink of His blood,
you cannot have life within you.
Yes, Lord, I beleive, that you are the Christ, the son of God who has come into the world.
(Classic Catholic Hymn-click title link)
Bread of Life Quiet Reflections:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUUM_BervTo&feature=related
All who believe in me shall not thirst.
No one can come to me, unless the Father beakon.
And I will raise you on the last day!
Unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man
And drink of His blood, and drink of His blood,
you cannot have life within you.
Yes, Lord, I beleive, that you are the Christ, the son of God who has come into the world.
(Classic Catholic Hymn-click title link)
Bread of Life Quiet Reflections:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUUM_BervTo&feature=related
John 14:27 - Peace
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.
I was looking at an online retreat today and this was the bible verse. It was exactly what I needed to hear today. Asking me where I need peace in my life. I burst into tears because I know exactly the answer to that question.
God knows what we are looking for and He leads us to the place to find it. It reconfirms my faith. God always gives us what we need. We just need to be ready to accept it.
Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.
I was looking at an online retreat today and this was the bible verse. It was exactly what I needed to hear today. Asking me where I need peace in my life. I burst into tears because I know exactly the answer to that question.
God knows what we are looking for and He leads us to the place to find it. It reconfirms my faith. God always gives us what we need. We just need to be ready to accept it.
Noah's Ark Discovered in Turkey?
These are very interesting clips. They give amazing information on a ship-like obect found high in a mountain. Could it be Noah's Ark? You decide - I did.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_830WxtZQgQ&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTJjSDA400U&NR=1
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOKDzFyHnBM&NR=1
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2nNUWgkvCE&NR=1
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-m4hgsiRVE&NR=1
Click the title link for a 4 minute video with many of the main points.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_830WxtZQgQ&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTJjSDA400U&NR=1
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOKDzFyHnBM&NR=1
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2nNUWgkvCE&NR=1
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-m4hgsiRVE&NR=1
Click the title link for a 4 minute video with many of the main points.
Shroud of Turin
Click on this title link to learn information on the Shroud of Turin.
For more information on the Shroud of Turin, click the links below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8KLjxFCpXw&NR=1&feature=fvwp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfDdbxMKZRw&feature=related
For more information on the Shroud of Turin, click the links below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8KLjxFCpXw&NR=1&feature=fvwp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfDdbxMKZRw&feature=related
Our Lady's February 2, 2010 Message to Mirjana
The Medjugorje Webhttp://www.medjugorje.org/
Our Lady's message to Mirjana on February 2, 2010
"Dear children; With motherly love, today I call you to be a lighthouse to all souls who wander in the darkness of ignorance of God's love. That you may shine all the brighter and draw all the more souls, do not permit the untruths which come out of your mouth to silence your conscience. Be perfect. I am leading you with my motherly hand – a hand of love. Thank you"
To see Mirjana receive a message - click on title link above. To see other related Medjugorje miracles click below.
A Simpler Life
Where have peoples morals gone? I don't understand how people can have such differing views and opinions.
Someone told me to watch a movie that they thought was funny. It was not funny to me - it was morally offencive and very sexually explicit and it was a waste of time and money. I did not watch the whole movie.
Even movies that I think are funny usually have improper parts and connotations in them.
These types of things are being viewed by everyone and being seen as Okay. It isn't Okay.
I watched a commercial for a casino, of a young man proposing to a young woman in a hotel room of that casino. It is in the morning and she is in a bath robe and they are getting ready to eat breakfast. Obviously they spent the night in the hotel together. We don't need our children to think this is Okay. They problably look at it as the norm, and not unusual at all- and don't even notice what I noticed.
When we were kids, Ricky and Lucy didn't even sleep in the same bed - even though we knew our parents did. Why can't we get back to mystery instead of accelerating everything to extremes.
I miss a simpler time, I miss a simpler way. I bet God misses it too! We need to stand for change! Try not to let children see these things. It numbs them to the sacrament of marriage, that is why the divorce rate is high. The numbness that is felt about marriage. The nothingness that is displayed toward a relationship.
We need to protect our children and grandchildren, no matter how hard that may be. We need to get back to a simpler life.
Dear God,
Forgive us for our numbness to life. Amen.
Someone told me to watch a movie that they thought was funny. It was not funny to me - it was morally offencive and very sexually explicit and it was a waste of time and money. I did not watch the whole movie.
Even movies that I think are funny usually have improper parts and connotations in them.
These types of things are being viewed by everyone and being seen as Okay. It isn't Okay.
I watched a commercial for a casino, of a young man proposing to a young woman in a hotel room of that casino. It is in the morning and she is in a bath robe and they are getting ready to eat breakfast. Obviously they spent the night in the hotel together. We don't need our children to think this is Okay. They problably look at it as the norm, and not unusual at all- and don't even notice what I noticed.
When we were kids, Ricky and Lucy didn't even sleep in the same bed - even though we knew our parents did. Why can't we get back to mystery instead of accelerating everything to extremes.
I miss a simpler time, I miss a simpler way. I bet God misses it too! We need to stand for change! Try not to let children see these things. It numbs them to the sacrament of marriage, that is why the divorce rate is high. The numbness that is felt about marriage. The nothingness that is displayed toward a relationship.
We need to protect our children and grandchildren, no matter how hard that may be. We need to get back to a simpler life.
Dear God,
Forgive us for our numbness to life. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
