Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Love and trust are the solutions for the worries and frets of life. Lord, I pray for Your gift of Faith which is all that I need for Your power to work within me.

Scripture for the Day
"And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one." — John 17:11

Meditation for the Day
I can live in the world and yet live apart with God. I can go forth from my secret times of communion with God to the work of the world. To get the spiritual strength I need, my inner life can be lived apart from the world. I can wear the world as a loose garment. Nothing in the world can seriously upset me, as long as my inner life is lived with God. All successful living can arise from this inner life.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may live my inner life with God. I pray that nothing will invade or destroy that secret place of peace.

Peace of Jesus to you all! Hope you all had a good message at Church today and had a very restful and peaceful day! We did. Beautiful Mass - Fr. Matthew, our young priest presiding, and he's wonderful! He's coming over for pancakes on Tuesday morning again. Seems he liked them last time he was over. I gave him a choice of going out for breakfast or our place and he chose our place again with those good pancakes. They are apple pancakes with no white flour in them so it should be fine for Linus. Remember he's off all white flour because it makes him sick. Today it was nice enough out for Linus to take Sammy out for a long walk. Both enjoyed it a lot! I'll join when it gets a bit warmer. I'm still too much of a woose! Is that a word? Anyway, I do need to get some exercise and walking should be too bad, but have to be careful with that plantar's wart there. I'm keeping duct tape on continually. It's going to be a year in June when I started with that duct tape and every day I'm praying for it to heal and not come back.
Linus works 4 days in a row now starting tomorrow - six hour shifts. Hope it won't be too much - he gets so exhausted after six hours on his feet.
So would I, for sure!! So I ask you to please lift him up in prayer again for strength? Tomorrow night I'm having the Sisters over for supper - Sr. Pat and Phyllis, our friends from about 20 years! We were there about a month ago. We'll have boneless pork chops - he'll grill them, I'll make a nice big salad and we'll have some boiled potatoes, veggies, just a nice, simple meal. For dessert, some cake that I have in the freezer, bought some wine for our meal, and an after dinner drink - Bailey's chocolate mint, on ice. Should be good, haven't tried it yet. Got a new box of Cabernet yesterday - it's a different brand - Carlo Rossi - tried it today and it's very good! My best blessing today was Mass - receiving Jesus in Holy Communion - and the nice peaceful day that followed. Linus actually made some turkey soup - a carcass that I had frozen. Very good! Another blessing - a very nice, sun shining day and seeing another cardinal!



Life in the "Fast" Lane

By Elizabeth Ficocelli


There is a running joke in the Ficocelli family about how much food I can pack away in a single sitting. I hold the award for out-eating even my father-in-law, which is no small endeavor. So, with my indiscriminate love for foods of all kinds, it is understandable that one of the more difficult concepts for me to embrace when I entered the Catholic Church was fasting.

My first attempts to restrict my repeated trips to the refrigerator began, naturally, on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent. The meatless part of the sacrifice didn't bother me much since I can savor a seafood dinner as much as I can a strip steak or a bowl of pasta. But the notion of modest meals -- and no snacks in-between -- was downright painful. For a long time, I would rationalize my low-blood sugar as a reason that I was never meant to live in the "fast" lane. If I went too long without food, I would suffer from headaches, dizziness and nausea, not to mention extreme grumpiness. Surely God would understand my limitations -- after all, He created me this way. But as I began to learn more about fasting and its effectiveness as a means of prayer, I realized that if I were going to advance in my spirituality and grow closer to God, I had to put my soul before my stomach.

In the Bible, fasting was commonplace. The prophets fasted, and so did Jesus and His apostles and disciples. Fasting could change the course of events, like saving Nineveh after Jonah warned them that their future was in jeopardy. Certainly, this was a powerful form of prayer. I read that the early Christians traditionally fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays, and so my husband and I decided to incorporate a bread-and-water fast on Wednesdays, as Fridays were far more difficult for us to schedule.

Admittedly, this was not an easy endeavor for me. Bread has never been one of my all-time favorite culinary delights, and I would find myself so grouchy and hungry by nighttime that I had to eat dinner with the children. I would also dread the following Wednesday, sorrowfully counting the days that I had left until I would be denied food again. Eventually, I was able to make it to midnight without giving in, but I still felt irritated and sorry for myself. How, I wondered, was this improving my relationship with God?

Through prayer, God showed me that I could pray for the gift of fasting and, more importantly, that I needed to fast with love. My attitude, He taught me, was all wrong. Once I changed my mindset and fasted with love, the difference was amazing. My headaches began to subside and I no longer dreaded Wednesdays. More importantly, I began to experience the spiritual benefits of fasting. I find that fasting increases my desire for God. It makes me more humble and more willing to do His will -- even at times helping me to discover what that Will is in a given situation. Fasting equips me to be stronger with my trials, temptations, and bad habits. Most beneficial to my family, it seems to be helping me become more peaceful, more patient, and more even-tempered.

When I say "no" to my body and "yes" to my spirit, I become less self-centered and a more usable instrument for God. It seems I am able to listen to God better and live His word more. My husband and I offer up our weekly fasts for those who are truly hungry, for peace in the world, and for sinners (especially ourselves.) I really believe that these weekly fasts are helping in some small way to make the world a better place.

We've discovered that fasting is to the soul what jogging is to the body. The more we fast, the better spiritual shape we are in, and the easier it is to do. We've even been able to do two nine-day bread-and-water fasts, and discovered to our surprise that it wasn't that difficult at all. Of course, I know it is only through the grace of God that I am able to fast in the first place. I have learned that fasting is a gift, not that we are giving God, but that God gives us in order to draw us closer to Him. My hope is that this powerful form of prayer will keep me on the right path to one day earn a seat at the Heavenly Banquet. And that will be a feast well worth the wait.

For more information about Elizabeth's books and writings see
http://www.elizabethficocelli..com/

GOD SAID . . . .IF

If you never felt pain,
then how would you know that I am a Healer?

If you never went through difficulties,
how would you know that I am a Deliverer?

If you never had a trial,
how could you call yourself an overcomer?

If you never felt sadness,
how would you know that I am a Comforter?

If you never made a mistake,
how would you know that I am forgiving?

If you knew all,
how would you know that I will answer your questions?

If you never were in trouble,
how would you know that I will come to your rescue?

If you never were broken,
then how would know that I can make you whole?

If you never had a problem,
how would you know that I can solve them?

If you never had any suffering,
then how would you know what Jesus went through?

If you never went through the fire,
then how would you become pure?

If I gave you all things,
how would you appreciate them?

If I never corrected you,
how would you know that I love you?

If you had all power,
then how would you learn to depend on me?

If your life was perfect,
then what would you need Me for?

THANK YOU, GOD!

from "child of God"

~ ** A New Beginning ** ~

Each day is a new beginning with a chance to try again,

All the memories to erase that seem to bring us pain.

Each day is a new beginning when we can start anew,

To sort out our priorities and know what we must do.

Each day is a new beginning in which to do our best,

If we take the first step forward, God will help us with the rest.

---- Olive B. Elvin ---

Joe´s Attitude

I had been working much too long on this job. I guess things could have been worse. I certainly wasn't doing hard labor. But going door to door asking questions as a representative of the federal government wasn't the most satisfying position either.

It was August. It was hot. I had to wear a tie.

"Hello. My name is Bob Perks and we are doing a survey in this neighborhood...
"I'm not interested!
Good bye!"...slam, lock.

You can't imagine how many times I heard that. I finally caught on and began with, "Before you slam the door, I am not selling anything and I just need to ask a few questions about yourself and the community."
The young woman inside the doorway, paused for a moment, raised her eyebrows as she shrugged her shoulders, confused by my rude introduction.

"Sure. Come on in. Don't mind the mess.
It's tough keeping up with my kids."
It was an older home in a section of the valley where people with meager income found affordable shelter. With the little they had, the home looked comfortable and welcoming.

"I just need to ask a few questions about yourself and family. Although this may sound personal, I won't need to use your names. This information will be used..."

She interrupted me. "Would you like a glass of cold water? You look like you've had a rough day."

"Why yes!" I said eagerly.

Just as she returned with the water, a man came walking in the front door. It was her husband. "Joe, this man is here to do a survey." I stood and politely introduced myself.

Joe was tall and lean. His face was rough and aged looking although I figured he was in his early twenties. His hands were like leather. The kind of hands you get from working hard, not pushing pencils.
She leaned toward him and kissed him gently on the cheek. As they looked at each other you could see the love that held them together. She smiled and titled her head, laying it on his shoulder. He touched her face with his hands and softly said, "I love you!"

They may not have had material wealth, but these two were richer than most people I know. They had a powerful love. The kind of love that keeps your head up when things are looking down.
"Joe works for the borough," she said.

"What do you do?" I asked.

She jumped right in not letting him answer.

"Joe collects garbage. You know I'm so proud of him."
"Honey, I'm sure the man doesn't want to hear this," said Joe.
"No, really I do," I said.

"You see Bob, Joe is the best garbage man in the borough. He can stack more garbage on the truck than anyone else. He gets so much in one truck that they don't have to make as many runs," she said with such passion.
"In the long run," Joe continues, "I save the borough money. Man hours are down and the cost per truck is less."
There was silence. I didn't know what to say. I shook my head searching for the right words.

"That's incredible! Most people would gripe about a job like that. It certainly is a difficult one. But your attitude about it is amazing," I said.

She walked over to the shelf next to the couch. As she turned she held in her hand a small framed paper.

"When we had our third child Joe lost his job. We were on unemployment for a time and then eventually welfare. He couldn't find work anywhere. Then one day he was sent on an interview here in this community. They offered him the job he now holds. He came home depressed and ashamed, telling me this was the best he could do. It actually paid less than we got on welfare."

She paused for a moment and walked toward Joe.

"I have always been proud of him and always will be. You see I don't think the job makes the man. I believe the man makes the job!"

"We needed to live in the borough in order to work here. So we rented this home," Joe said.
"When we moved in, this quote was hanging on the wall just inside the front door. It has made all the difference to us, Bob. I knew that Joe was doing the right thing," she said as she handed me the frame.

It said: If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep the streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well." Martin Luther King

"I love him for who he is. But what he does he does the best.
I love my garbage man!"
So how was your day? Did you give it your best?
Or did your attitude get the best of you?


author unknown

The father, a well digger,
strong was he,
And as loving and kind
as a father could be.

And Mary his daughter,
Just five years old,
Was very much dearer
than millions in gold.

To Mary her father
was big, grand and nice,
So each had a treasure,
beyond any price.

One day to the well,
little Mary was sent
To take daddy's lunch,
how gladly she went.

But when she looked down,
not a thing could be seen.
The well, like a pocket,
was dark as could be.

The father saw Mary
and heard her voice, too,
But made not a sound,
just to see what she'd do.

She dropped to her knees,
the dear little soul,
And called down, "Oh, Daddy,
are you down this hole?"

"Why, yes Mary darling,
I'm here at your feet,
Just drop my lunch
for I'm ready to eat.

Just let it go easy,
I'll catch it all right."
She did and she saw
it fall out of sight.

"Why Mary," said father,
"There's enough here for two,
Now this is the thing
I would like you to do.

You jump down here to me
and we'll eat it together,
Down here in the cool
and away from the weather."

"Oh, daddy, I'm afraid,
I can't see you at all,
Be sure now you catch me
and don't let me fall."

'Twas just for a moment
she wavered in doubt,
Then closing her dear
little eyes she jumped out.

In the darkness, yes,
that was the test,
She trusted in faith
At her father's request.

And both were so happy
he kissed her and smiled
Because of the sweet
trusting faith of his child.

"Oh, sweet little Mary,
you put me to shame,
How often my Father
Has called me the same,

But because it was dark
I turned back in doubt.
Refusing the call,
though his arms were stretched out."

(Author Unknown)

"Lord," said the Samaritan woman "you are indeed the Saviour of the world."

You Are the Word of God

The image which the readings put before us today and which links the first reading and the Gospel is water. This is what they have in common. But what separates them is far more significant. Lack of faith contained in the world 'grumbling' is the picture we get from the Book of Exodus and this from God´s chosen people. In the other, the strangers, the Samaritans come to believe in God´s chosen one.

PERSONAL PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you are presented today as someone whose word reaches out to all people without exception. The original hearers of today´s gospel may have been disturbed, first of all that you were discovered talking with a woman and secondly that those who were regarded as outsiders, the Samaritans believed in you and recognised you as the Saviour of the world. Today, may we be disturbed from any attitude which excludes, to think again, sure in the knowledge that we are all equal in your sight and all equally loved by your father and ours. Amen.

Closing prayer:
A Prayer for Lent

God of times and seasons, you have brought us again to Lent for the study of Your Word, for the remembrance of the temptation of Your Son, and for the contemplation of His cross. The birds know their seasons; forbid that we be blind to our times. Grant us a Lenten blessing, and may no one miss this time of growth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Good night everyone - tomorrow we start a new week to post our blessings, give Glory to God, and enjoy our friendship here! Praise God for bringing us together as friends!
Sweet Dreams and may Jesus heal those who are sick, and this I ask for Mary's intercession, too.