Community Chat

[gloriajean]

When you turn to God, He makes the weak strong, the sinful sinless and the worthless worthwhile. Lord, I am a joyful person because You have blessed me.

Scripture for the Day
"Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than any human authority.'" — Acts 5:29

Meditation for the Day
Functioning on a material plane alone can take me away from God. I can also try to function on a spiritual plane. Functioning on a spiritual plane as well as on a material plane can make life what it should be. All material activities are valueless in themselves alone. But all activities, seemingly trivial or of seemingly great moment, are all alike if directed by God's guidance. I can try to obey God as I would expect a faithful, willing servant to carry out God's directions.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that the flow of God's spirit may come to me through many channels. I pray that I may function on a spiritual plane as well as on a material plane.

Peace of the Lord be with you all!! Hope you all had a good Saturday. It was good and it was some sadness today too. On Facebook I find out that from the daughter of one of my good friends, Lorraine, who had hernia surgery in Jan, I think, was taken by ambulance to the hospital this afternoon thinking it could be a heart attack. She said she'd post an update, and no update yet. I called Karen, my other friend who is more in touch with Lorraine, and no answer, maybe she's at the hospital so left a message.
On the positive side, we had two special blessings today. First we went to that Buffalo wings place with Lori and also Linus' sister, Patty, was along with Lori. We had all kinds of different sauces for the wings, and it was very enjoyable, we were there a long time and nice visiting. When we got home, Linus still wanted to go to the Café Renaissance for his birthday meal - birthday is Tuesday but he wanted to go out tonight. So I made the reservation for seven, and you know that's our favorite restaurant, I asked for our favorite waiter, got him, and here at the door Jim the manager greeted us and led us to the table, sat with us, visited a lot with us, gave us free drinks, and we ate good - I mean it was really a good low glycemic diet but flavorful and wonderful! I started out with a mushroom soup and their soups are so great and tasty!! Not like any other restaurant! Then I had their Meditarranian salad which is so good and tasty!! Linus had something different, asparagus wrapped in some ham and I don't know what else it was but he said it was wonderful, too and filling. They have the best coffee, so we had that too. Then before Jim left our table, he said our whole meal was on him and Happy Birthday! What a man! So generous!
I kept thinking what he did for us he did for Christ! He makes going there so pleasant!
What blessings for one day! What are your blessings?

Homily of the Day


March 19, 2011


Walk Through That Door with Confidence
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Gn 12:1-4 / 2 Tm 1:8-10 / Mt 17:1-9

A young man from a prominent family was being divorced by his glamorous wife. His lawyer called with news about the property settlement. “The good news is that she isn’t asking for any share of your future inheritance.”

“Great!” said the young man. “What’s the bad news?”

“Well,” said the lawyer, “after the divorce, she’s marrying your father!”

+ + +

Oh, that sinking feeling! Old Abraham — in Sunday’s first reading — must have felt something like that when God called him. At the age of 75, he was told to pack up his family and leave the only home he’d ever known. ”I’m going to take you to a great new place,” God told him, “but I’m not going to tell where.”

Terrific! Nothing like not being able to see where you’re going! But isn’t most of life like that? Time after time life thrusts us into a new place where we haven’t been before — with no map and no owner’s manual.

We say to ourselves: But I haven’t been a first grader before, or a teenager before! I haven’t been married or divorced before, or a priest or the pope before! I haven’t been old before, or retired or an empty-nester before! I haven’t had a heart attack before! On and on it goes. All new, and all true. And somehow we know we can never go back to where we were before.

Eventually, at each stage of life, a familiar door closes and another door opens, and behind it lies a new place whose shape we can barely see, with new tasks we can only guess at. Will we be happy there? Will we succeed there, and accomplish our necessary tasks there? Will we be ready when the next door opens? Perhaps.

Will we instead spend our days longing to be let back in the rooms we’ve left behind — rooms whose doors are locked to us forever? Perhaps, and what a waste if we do.

It all depends on who is with us when the door opens. If we are entirely alone, one more door will be one too many, and we’ll just fold. But if we’ve taken the Lord’s hand and have the habit of walking with Him at our side, a new door can hold no terror for us. It holds instead the promise of something more, something we need to complete our journey and make our way all the way home.

If we have taken the Lord’s hand firmly, we’ll walk into those new places with confidence, even when it is dark there. We’ll go forward like Abraham, not looking back. And, as the Bible says of Abraham, more and more we’ll become a blessing for the people around us.

So let us step forward with confidence, and begin the next stage of our journey, and never, never look back. We have no reason to look back, because the Lord is with us here, and the best of life is still in front of us!

Words of Advice From Our Savior

"So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." John 13:14.

Jesus is saying here, in effect, "Do my dirty work." He wants His discipes to get down on their hands and knees and do the menial labor they might feel is beneath them. Why? So that they might serve the needs of one another. Jesus did not let a little dirt or blood or nails or a cross get in the way of serving us. So we as Christ's ambassadors in the world should not let stinky feet or ratty clothes or anything unpleasant stop us from the work Christ has for us to do.

O Servant of all, make me bold in my service for you. Amen.

Lenten Blessings

During Lent
Let us improve our spirit of prayer and recollection.
Let us free our minds from all that is not Jesus.

*Mother Teresa of Calcutta*

A MORNING OFFERING THROUGH ST. JOSEPH

Receive me, dear and chosen Father, and the offering of every
movement of my body and soul, which I desire to present
through thee to my blessed Lord.

Purify all! Make all a perfect holocaust! May every pulsation
of my heart be a Spiritual Communion, every look and
thought an act of love, every action a sweet sacrifice,
every word an arrow of Divine love, every step
an advance toward Jesus, every visit to Our Lord as
pleasing to God as the errands of Angels, every thought
of thee, dear Saint, an act to remind thee that I am thy child.

I recommend to thee the occasions in which I usually fail,
particularly . . . [Mention these]. Accept each little devotion
of the day, though replete with imperfection, and offer it
to Jesus, Whose mercy will overlook all, since He
regards not so much the gift as the love of the giver.
Amen.

JUST FIVE MORE MINUTES
Author Unknown


While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench
near a playground. "That's my son over there," she said, pointing to a
little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.

"He's a fine looking boy" the man said. "That's my daughter on the
bike in the white dress." Then, looking at his watch, he called to his
daughter.

"What do you say we go, Melissa?"

Melissa pleaded, "Just five more minutes, Dad. Please? Just five more
minutes."

The man nodded and Melissa continued to ride her bike to her heart's
content.

Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his daughter.
"Time to go now?"

Again Melissa pleaded, "Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more
minutes."

The man smiled and said, "O.K."

"My, you certainly are a patient father," the woman responded.

The man smiled and then said, "Her older brother Tommy was killed by a
drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never
spent much time with Tommy and now I'd give anything for just five
more minutes with
him. I've vowed not to make the same mistake with Melissa. She thinks
she has five more minutes to ride her bike. The truth is, I get Five
more minutes to watch her play."

Life is all about making priorities, what are your priorities?

Give someone you love 5 more minutes of your time today.

Eternal Ink

I dreamed I was in heaven where an angel kept God's book.
He was writing so intently, I just had to take a look.
It was not, at first, his writing that made me stop and think
But the fluid in the bottle that was marked eternal ink.
This ink was most amazing, dark black upon his blotter
But as it touched the parchment paper it became as clear as water.
The angel kept on writing, but as quickly as a wink
The words were disappearing with that strange eternal ink.
The angel took no notice, but kept writing on and on.
He turned each page and filled it till all its space was gone.
I thought he wrote to no avail, his efforts were so vain
For he wrote a thousand pages that he'd never read again.
And as I watched and wondered that this awesome sight was mine,
I actually saw a word stay black as it dried upon the line.
The angel wrote and I thought I saw a look of satisfaction.
At last he had some print to show for all his earnest action.
A line or two dried dark and stayed as black as black can be,
But strangely the next paragraph became invisible to see.
The book was getting fuller, the angel's records true,
But most of it was blank, with just a few words coming through.
I knew there was some reason, but as hard as I could think,
I couldn't grasp the significance of that eternal ink.
The mystery burned within me, and I finally dared to ask
The angel to explain to me of his amazing task.
And what I heard was frightful as the angel turned his head.
He looked directly at me, and this is what he said
''I know you stand and wonder at what my writing's worth
But God has told me to record the lives of those on earth.
The book that I am filling is an accurate account
Of every word and action and to what they do amount.
And since you have been watching I must tell you what is true.
The details of my journal are the strict accounts of YOU.
The Lord asked me to watch you as each day you worked and played.
I saw you as you went to church, I saw you as you prayed.
But I was told to document your life through all the week;
I wrote when you were proud and bold, I wrote when you were meek.
I recorded all your attitudes whether they were good or bad.
I was sorry that I had to write the things that make God sad.
So now I'll tell the wonder of this eternal ink,
For the reason for its mystery should make you stop and think.
This ink that God created to help me keep my journal
Will only keep a record of things that are eternal.
So much of life is wasted on things that matter not
So instead of my erasing, smudging ink and ugly blot -
I just keep writing faithfully and let the ink do all the rest
For it is able to decide what is useless and what is best.
And God ordained that as I write of all you do and say
Your deeds that count for nothing will just simply disappear away.
When books are opened someday, as sure as heaven is true;
The Lord's eternal ink will tell what mattered most to you.
If you just lived to please yourself the pages will be bare,
And God will issue no reward for you when you get there.
In fact, you'll be embarrassed and you'll hang your head in shame
Because you didn't give yourself to love in Jesus' Name.
Yet, maybe there will be a few recorded lines that stayed
That showed the times when you truly cared, sincerely loved and prayed.
But you will always wonder as you enter heaven's door
How much more glad you would have been if only you'd done more.
For I record as God sees; I don't stop to think
Because the truth is written with God's eternal ink.''
When I heard the angel's story I fell down and wept and cried
For as yet I was still dreaming and I hadn't really died.
And I said: ''Oh Angel tell the Lord that as soon as I wake up
I'll live my life for Jesus and do all for His dear sake.
I'll give in full surrender; I'll do all He wants me to;
I'll turn my back on self and sin and whatever isn't true.
And though the way seems long and rough I promise to endure.
I'm determined to pursue the things that are holy, clean and pure.
If not for me - then for my children or spouse or mate in life
With Jesus as my helper, I will win lost souls and gain great might
For I know that they will live with Christ for all eternity.
And that's what really matters when my life on earth is gone
That I will stand before the Lord and hear Him say, ''Well done!''
For is it really worth it as my life lies now at the brink?
As I realize in my dream that God keeps books with eternal ink.

Author Unknown

TRAVELING ON YOUR KNEES

Last night I took a journey
To a land across the seas.
I didn't go by ship or plane
I traveled on my knees.

I saw so many people there
In bondage to their sin,
And Jesus told me I should go,
That there were souls to win.

But I said "Jesus, I can't go
To lands across the seas."
He answered quickly, "Yes, you can
By traveling on your knees."

He said, "You pray, I'll meet the need.
You call, and I will hear.
It's up to you to be concerned
For lost souls far and near."

And so I did; knelt in prayer,
Gave up some hours of ease,
And with the Savior by my side,
I traveled on my knees.

As I prayed on, I saw souls saved
And twisted persons healed,
I saw God's workers strength renewed
While laboring in the field.

I said, "Yes Lord, I'll take the job.
Your heart I want to please.
I'll heed Your call and swiftly go
By traveling on my knees."

Another one composed by my dear friend, Mel!


" T H E F A L L S "

The sound of the Falls
Thunders with applause
Glorifying God as it races,
Much as do His Graces
Bestowed upon mortal man
Simply because He can,
To the edge of the precipice
Mixed with foam below
White as the snow ~
~ The Falls,
O the beauty of that show !

In the waters of the green sea
Plunging, gushing, twisting, misting,
The Falls glorifies God's majesty ~
O the beauty of His Tapestry !
What fools are we
If we do not see ~
~ in The Falls,
His captivating Beauty !

The Gorge flows with swelling waters
Ever dashing, thrashing, and crashing
Upon rocks and docks;
It swirls, whirls and twirls
Panting in a prancing dance
As at God's Wonders I glance.
Then in a trance
I stare
at the Beauty there,
Nothing can compare !


© Mel Patterson 10-18-06

Closing Prayer - for tonight's prayer I've chosen a Prayer to St. Joseph because today is his Feast Day!

Prayer to Saint Joseph
We come to you, O blessed Joseph, in our distress. Having sought the aid of your most blessed spouse, we now confidently implore your assistance also. We humbly beg that, mindful of the affection which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and of the fatherly love with which you cherished the child Jesus, you will lovingly watch over the heritage which Jesus Christ purchased with His blood, and by your powerful intercession help us in our urgent need. Prudent guardian of the Holy Family, protect chosen people of Jesus Christ; drive far from us, most loving father, all error and corrupting sin. From your place in heaven, most powerful protector, graciously come to our aid in this conflict with the powers of darkness, and as of old you delivered the Child Jesus from danger of death, so now defend the holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity. Extend to each one of us your continual protection, that, led on by your example, and borne up by your strength, we may be able to live and die in holiness and obtain everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.

Good night everyone and sweet dreams to you all! May God bless your Sunday with a day of worship, praise and prayer - getting the most out of your Mass or Service, and enjoy a day of rest and enjoy His peace, love and joy!