Daily Positive Thread for Saturday

gloriajean — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 23:15:56 GMT

Peace comes not from having no problems, but from being able to deal with them.

Lord, bless me with the confidence and wisdom to grow from life's challenges.

S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y

Jesus said, "If the same person sins against you seven times a day, and
turns back to you seven times and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive." The
apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" The Lord replied, "If you
had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. ~Luke 17:4-6

M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y

When I overcome myself, then I can truly forgive other people for injuries
done to me. The self in me does not forgive injuries. The very thought of
wrongs means that my self is in the foreground. Since the self does not
forgive, I can work at overcoming my selfishness. I can cease trying to
forgive those who fretted and wronged me. It can be a mistake for me even
to think about these injuries. I can aim at overcoming myself in my daily
life and then I can find there is nothing in me that remembers injury,
because the only thing injured, my selfishness, is gone.

P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y

I pray that I may hold no resentments. I pray that my mind may be washed
clean of all past hates and fears.

Hello my friends! Hope your day is going well. When I got up this morning – before five, it was dark out, then the thunder and lightning and what a downpour! Loud thunder made Sammy scared and he took off for under the bed. We still had our coffee out on the porch though, and watched it rain. Found out later that Lori had to drive in that downpour to get to her first massage! I made Amish Baked Oatmeal for breakfast using our berries and was that ever delicious! Homemade mac and cheese for lunch and we’re going out for supper – yes, our dear friends, Ray and Ann invited us over again and gratefully we accepted!! Bought a bottle of some good wine to share with them. They are new grandparents now. A little grandson made his appearance on Tuesday! So looking forward to our visit so thought the thread should get out before we leave so I don’t have to do it later. These people are truly a great blessing to us!

Homily of the Day

July 15, 2011

Don´t Settle for a Small Heart!

by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Ex 11:10-12:14 / Mt 12:1-8

One of the more desirable consequences of growing a little older is that at least some of us begin to develop a greater awareness of our own faults and limitations, and stop projecting them onto other people as often as we did in our youth. So when we hear in today’s gospel about the pharisees berating Jesus’ disciples for pulling off and nibbling heads of grain as they walk through the fields, we perhaps can restrain our instincts to go for the jugular.

No doubt about it, it was both foolish and frankly suspect to call so trivial an act a serious violation of the Sabbath’s no-work rule, but before we rush to judgment, we might want to inspect our own record. With what frequency do we focus on trivia in our dealings with one another. An eccentric mannerism may entitle some poor soul to our ridicule or worse. A modest physical defect may put someone else permanently outside the circle of our love and concern.

Jesus had a huge heart and a great spirit. He always knew what mattered and what didn’t, and He always found room in His life for one more of us, no matter how small or wounded.

May your mind and your heart grow very large like His!

Profit By Your Sufferings!

By the late Father Kilian McGowan, C.P.

Used with permission, from the Passionist Priests

There's a stranger, usually unwelcome, who makes an appearance in each of our lives. His name is "Suffering." Because he is a mysterious stranger-too many of us don't know just why he comes, or exactly what he expects of us.

Let us immediately say that suffering in itself is an evil-for it is a deprivation of a certain good of mind, or heart or spirit. The saints never considered suffering as desirable in itself, but only as the manifestation of the will of God.

To love pain for the sake of pain is not only un-Christian, it is unnatural. The saints looked upon suffering as a caress in the arms of Christ Crucified. They realized with St. Paul that "to those who love God all things work unto good." To them the Cross without Christ was meaningless!

With this in mind, let's consider the triple role of suffering in the life of the Christian:
1) The first role of suffering is to save us from ourselves. We need this saving, because our tendency is to become so absorbed with the creatures of this world as to lose sufficient concern for the life to come. We become wrapped up in our little plans, our preoccupations, our round of pleasures and get side-tracked in our march to eternity.

We become like the Apostles looking on the Transfigured Christ upon the heights of Tabor, Ecstatic over the heavenly vision they called out: :"Lord, it is good for us to be here." We sometimes tell God not to dare change anything; we like things just as they are.

We're not really content, just comfortable. Not resigned, just placid. Why? Because there's no real hunger for the things of God-no real desire for the vision for which we were created. And so, God sends the Cross to shake us up and regain perspective.

2) The second role of suffering is to destroy our self-centeredness. The cancer of selfishness is usually so deeply rooted in us that only the Divine Physician can cut it out. Suffering is often the spiritual surgery by which He removes this malignancy.

An honest scrutiny of our hearts quickly reveals how much in life revolves about self. How frequently we cater to our desires for comfort and pleasure. How often we pamper our vanity and pride. How little we are concerned with the good pleasure of God. We are fearful lest having God we have naught else besides, as the poet expressed it.

3) The third purpose of suffering is the key to all the others. It is to increase our Christlikeness. This indeed is the ultimate purpose of God's handling our lives. It's true that suffering can scar or disfigure the spirit of man, but it can also heal and redeem. It is an invitation to share the redeeming pain of the Passion of Jesus.

Suffering then casts us in the mold of Christ Crucified. It then becomes the highest and most fruitful expression of the Christlife. It is a continuing of the Passion of Christ in time. And if we suffer with Him, we shall be glorified with Him.

God always uses the cross as a mold in which He forms the most perfect reproductions of His well-beloved Son. That's why it can never hurt you when borne with patience and love. It may deprive you of something you want or something you think you need, but it always offers something far more precious in its stead.

It always offers you Christ, the unchanging Lover, because you can't embrace the cross without embracing the God-man on it!

EASY - DIFFICULT
Author Unknown

Easy is to judge the mistakes of others
- Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes...

Easy is to talk without thinking
- Difficult is to refrain the tongue...

Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
- Difficult is to heal the wound...

The Seven Wonders

I heard about a group of Geography students who studied the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of that section, the students were asked to list what they each considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World.

Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes: Egypt's Great Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon, the Panama Canal, the Empire State Building, St. Peter's Basilica and China's Great Wall.

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list.

The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."

The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are, to touch and to taste, to see and to hear . . . " She hesitated a little, "and then, to run and to laugh and to love."

It is far too easy for us to look at the exploits of man and refer to them as "wonders" while we overlook all that God has done, regarding them as merely "ordinary."

May you be reminded today of those things which are truly wondrous!

- Author Unknown

19 HORSES
Author Unknown

One rich man owned 19 horses when he died. In his last will and
testament he had written that upon his death, half the horses he owned
should go to his only son; one fourth to the village temple and one
fifth to the faithful servant. The village elders could not stop
scratching their heads. How can they give half of the 19 horses to the
son? You cannot cut up a horse. They puzzled over this dilemma for
more than two weeks and then decided to send for a wise man who was
living in a neighboring village.

The wise man came riding on his horse and asked the villagers if he
can be of any help to them. The village elders told him about the rich
man's last will and testament which stated that half of the (19)
horses must be given to his only son, one fourth must go to the temple
and one fifth to the faithful servant.

The wise man said he will immediately solve their problem without any
delay whatsoever. He had the 19 horses placed in a row standing next
to one another. Then he added his own horse as the 20th horse. Now he
went about giving half of the 20 horses that is ten horses to the son.
One fourth of 20-that is 5 horses were given to the temple committee.
One fifth of´twenty-that is 4 horses were given to the faithful
servant. Ten plus five plus four made 19 horses. The remaining 20th
horse was his own which he promptly mounted, spoke a few inspiring
words, and rode back home.

The villagers were simply dumfounded, full of disbelief and filled
with admiration. And the parting words of the wise man were inscribed
in their hearts and minds which they greatly cherished and passed on
to their succeeding generations till today.

The wise man said: In our daily lives, in our daily affairs, simply
add God's name and then go about facing the day's happenings. Ever
come across problems in life that are seemingly insurmountable? (Like
the villagers, do we feel that such problems cannot be solved?).

The wise man continued: Add the God Principle in our daily lives and
the problems will become lighter and eventually will disappear. In the
manner of the ice which, with the addition of the heat principle will
turn into water, and that will eventually evaporate as steam and
disappear. And how do we add God's name in our daily lives? Through
prayers, filled with true love and devotion with sincerity of purpose
and dedication that only total faith can bring about. Meditation is a
powerful means of directing the mind Godward.

But without true love and devotion entering into it, it remains like a
boat without water. It is not difficult to push a boat that is
floating in water, but extremely hard to drag the same boat on dry
land.

Hail Mary, hello, how are you?
I greet you with love,
And I thank you for being available.
Deeply, I breathe your roses,
The twelve fresh roses you place in my spirit
Every morning when I say hello to you.

Full of grace are you,
Grace spilling over Heaven's boundaries
Into my world, living water, bread and wine,
The unmerited favor of God
That you come carrying to me,
Your arms always full of gifts.

The Lord is with thee,
Jesus Christ the Messiah is with you,
And you teach me how to recognize
That the Lord is with me.

Blessed art thou amoung women,
Glowing with love for Jesus,
Pure blessedness never tainted
But alive with holy beauty.

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
The most blessed of humanity,
Delivered through you, Virgin Mary.
Jesus, the most cursed of humanity,
Who became a curse for me
So that I might be blessed
With his resurrection life.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Teach me to value motherhood,
Help me pray for mothers and fathers
To love and support each other.
Show me how God loves you.

Pray for us sinners now
And at the hour of our death.
Pray that I can live each moment
Consecrated to love, to Christ,
That I recognize each now
As the moment of salvation
So that I die prepared for eternal life.
Pray that I can crucify my passions,
Those passions that make me a sinner,
And that I can die to sin on the cross with Jesus
As you look on weeping and praying
But joyous, knowing that resurrection follows.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

by Mark Andrew.

Prayer to St. Anthony for Those Suffering with Cancer

Dear St. Anthony, you recognized Our Lord Jesus as the Divine Healer. In your goodness and kindness, please intercede for (mention name) who is suffering from cancer.

If it is God's will, I ask that this day, the gift of healing be granted to (name). Comfort him/her during times of unbearable pain, and ask our Lord to grant him/her peace and patience in suffering.

May God give (name) the fullness of life here on earth, or call him/her home to eternal glory forever. Amen.

Good night everyone – Sweet Dreams and God bless you all!! Enjoy your Saturday with God’s blessings!

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Daily Positive Thread for Saturday