Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Fears cannot survive without your full attention. Lord, help me to face

my fears, realize that they are not as big as I imagine and see that their

main purpose is to stop me from action.

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

"I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God
that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have
been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind--just as
the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you--so that you
are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our
Lord Jesus Christ." ~1 Corinthians 1:4-7

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

It is not so much us, as the grace of God that is in us, that helps
those around us. If we help even those we dislike, we can see that
there is nothing in us to block the way, to keep God's grace from
using us. Our own pride and selfishness are the greatest blocks. We
can keep those out of the way and God's grace can flow through us into
the lives of others. Then all who come in contact with us can be
helped in some way. We can keep the channel open, free from those
things that make our
life futile and ineffective.

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

I pray that all who come in contact with me will feel better for it.
I pray that I may be careful not to harbor those things in my heart
that put people off.

Hello my friends! Hope your day went well – Ours was good – except for first thing this morning we had a surprise of about two inches of snow! The trees were so pretty – it really was a beautiful winter scene!! But out of season!!! Went to Mass and the snow kept coming – finally later on everything melted and now it looks like it did before! Made supper for our neighbors, two couples – I made beef patties (good old recipe) hash browns, green beans and a nice fancy salad on each plate to begin with. Such nice neighbors! We told them what’s happening before the sign goes out and told them we’ll still be in town somewhere, and they are friends so still have to come over and they will. Tomorrow will be a busy day! I’ll get the thread out yet before I go – it will be early. My blessings today are our neighbors – and Sammy performed for them on the piano again! They requested it!

Homily of the Day

April 20, 2011

The Road to Courage Is Paved with Trust!

by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Is 50:4-9 / Mt 26:14-25

Jesus never sinned, but the gospels tell us that he experienced plenty of temptations. Surely the greatest temptation of all must have come at the very end, when his apostles deserted him and seemed to have learned nothing of what he’d tried to teach them. The temptation to despair must have been tremendous. But even as he found himself left to die alone, Jesus did not despair and he did not turn back. He entrusted himself wholly into the hands of his Father, and he went forth to die.

The words of Isaiah must have been ringing in his ears, “I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced.”

None of us will ever have to face the extremes of suffering that Jesus faced, but at times our desperation can be very real, and the temptation to despair or to run away can be powerful. There is only one possible way of addressing those moments successfully, and that is to entrust ourselves into our Father’s hands just as Jesus did.

Put yourself entirely in his hands, and hold nothing back. He will hold you gently and give you his strength.

Holy Week in The Home

The week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday is the holiest of the year. This is the week we focus on the surpassing love of Jesus for us as He proves it by giving up His life for us. All the love of God is poured out on us during this week. We need to pause from our hustle and bustle of ceaseless activity to reflect on that wonderful love and receive it powerfully into our hearts. We need to let the precious Blood of Jesus wash us in the bath of purification and renewal so that we can be filled with the new life of Jesus Christ. So that the love of Jesus can just fill our being and bring us joy and peace. Father and heads of households, somehow you must bring that love of God home to your family or household. Help those in your household to be aware and appreciative of the love that Jesus has for them this Holy Week. Besides the beautiful liturgies in Church during Holy Week, bring the spirit of this Holy Week into your home to build on and Expand what you experienced in Church. Perhaps you could read and talk about part of the account of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus at the end of one of the Gospels. Or maybe you can find some other better way to celebrate Holy Week in your home.

Father Alvin J. Quade

A STORY TO MAKE US THINK
Author Unknown


Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man
was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help
drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only
window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men
talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their
homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where
they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed
by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to
his room-mate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods
where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity
and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a
lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed
their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of
every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and
a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the
man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the
picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described
a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band -
he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window
portrayed it with descriptive words.

Then unexpectedly, a sinister thought entered his mind. Why should the
other man alone experience all the pleasures of seeing everything
while he himself never got to see anything? It didn't seem fair.

At first thought the man felt ashamed. But as the days passed and he
missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon
turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to
sleep. He should be by that window - that thought, and only that
thought, now controlled his life.

Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window
began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other
man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window
groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room
he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought
the nurse running in. In less than five minutes the coughing and
choking stopped, along with that the sound of breathing. Now there was
only silence-deathly silence.

The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their
baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she
was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away. As
soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be
moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and
after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly,
painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look
at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all
himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the
bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased
roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the
wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue. . . .

You can interpret the story in any way you like. But one moral stands
out: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our
own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when
shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the
things you have that money can't buy.

WHY DO WE CRUCIFY HIM AGAIN?
-- Brandy Cambell (12th grade)
April 20, 2011


I say something rude
to someone who's lost,
And I've ruinded my witness,
But they will pay the cost.
--So I nail in the nails.

Can anyone see the Lord through me,
Or do they simply see my sins?
Am I living the life Christ wants me to,
Am I living the life of man?
--So I plunge in the spear.

And when I fail to pray,
and my conversations with Him fade,
Does He patiently wait for my call,
Though it causes Him pain?
--And I place the thorns upon His brow.

I lead a life of double standards,
One day good, the next one bad.
Can He quietly stand by
When He sees all I could have had?
--And I ridicule my Lord once again.

For you see,
Each time we turn our backs,
and return to the world of sin,
It is then that you and I,
We crucify Him again.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you Lord for your mercy, grace and Love, and especially your forgiveness.

Lord, thank you for forgiving my sins, for sending your son to free us from sins bondage, and allowing me to find freedom in you.

Lord, show me the way to love others. To let go of my judgements and preconceptions and accept others just as they are, just as you have accepted me. Lord, you knew me before I was conceived, you have special plans for me. Lord, show me the way to fulfill your destiny for me.

Lord, thank you for loving me just as I am. Help me to be a servant unto others. But first Lord, I ask that you help me to understand my self and find wholeness. In understanding myself, help me to understand others and love them wholeheartedly.

Lord, thank you for the gift of love you gave us. Show us the way to return that gift to others. And help us to obey your most important command:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength, and love your brother as you love yourself.

I pray in Jesus name,

Amen.

- - -
Matthew 22:37-39 - Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: 'Love your neighbour as you love yourself...' "

Good night everyone – Sweet Dreams to all and have a good, peaceful and positive Thursday! God bless you all!!