Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Praise accomplishes great things. Lord, let me be your instrument
in touching lives and changing hearts.

Scripture for the day:

"If there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love,
any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy
complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full
accord and of one mind." Philippians 2:1-2

Meditation for the day:

There is great joy in living the spiritual life. A faith without joy
is not entirely genuine. If we are not happier as a result of our
faith, there is probably something wrong. Faith in God can bring us a
deep
feeling of happiness and security, no matter what happens on the
surface of our life. Each new day is another opportunity to serve God
and improve our relationships with other people. This can bring joy.
Life can be abundant and outreaching. It can be glowing and outgoing,
in ever widening circles.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that my horizons may grow ever wider. I pray that I may keep
reaching out for more service and companionship.

Hello my friends! How's your day going? Well, I got a surprise phone call from Darla today and she says she got her diamond last night - a nice big one, she says!! It surprised her a lot being she thought she may get the ring on her birthday in Aug. Greg wanted her to have it before she left for her trip out our way Friday! He took her out to eat, then they went dancing, and after they got home, he had his cat with a thing around her neck and he asked Darla to loosen it for her, and out came the ring! He even got down on one knee and proposed to her and saying all the things he loves about her. Remember now they have known each other about 20 years, she thinks it was love at first sight - but his son kept getting in the way, he hated Darla because she was taking him away from his Dad at the time they were going together the second time. Now he's grown up. Greg was married for 7 months when he was in his early 20's and paid child support all those years faithfully and now his son's schooling etc. His wife ran off with another man soon after the wedding by the JP. They plan to marry in our town - maybe a year from August. She sent a picture of her hand with her ring to Linus to his phone. He doesn't know how to open pictures up, so I called him at work and told him to have a co-worker open it up for him. That was a blessing call to be sure!! It'll be another big wedding because Greg never had one, and they will pay for it.

Homily of the Day

God’s Love – Power Can Change Hearts
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

2 Cor 1:1-11 / Mt 6:1-6; 16-18

The human heart is more complex than any computer, and none of us ever fully understands its reasons and its choices. But we have to try, with God’s help, lest we let our hearts lead us, all unawares, to places whose dangers are invisible to us. That testing of the heart and reorienting of the heart is what Lent is about.

In today’s gospel, Matthew reminds us of one of the hazards that every religious person faces: Practicing our faith and doing good for others just to be seen and admired. It’s a trap that’s so easy to fall into, and it’s such a waste of time and joy. The alternative is ever so much more satisfying because our hearts know that it is true.

Only a heart that sees that it is loved by God will have in it the astonished gratitude that impels it to thank God in word and deed. True thankfulness will blossom into prayer, into sharing with others what God has shared with us, and into striving to reshape our hearts into God’s likeness. The good deeds will come naturally from deep inside, and what others see or don’t see won’t matter.

Concentrate on God’s goodness and generosity to you, so totally unearned and unmerited. Gratitude will tell your heart where you need to go, and what needs to change. God’s love-power has changed many hearts. Why not let His love-power change yours?

YOUR CROSS
Author Unknown
June 15, 2011


The young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out, he
dropped to his knees in prayer. "Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I
have too heavy a cross to bear."


The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place
your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out
any cross you wish."


The man was filled with relief. "Thank you, Lord," he sighed, and he
did as he was told.


Upon entering the other door, he saw many crosses, some so large the
tops were not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a
far wall. "I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered


And the Lord replied, "My son, that is the cross you just brought in."


When life's problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around and
see what other people are coping with. You may consider yourself far
more fortunate than you imagined. YOUR CROSS Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain. There will always be sunshine after the rain.
Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall, But God's always there.



You Are Being Watched:

You *testify* by the friends you seek,
By the very manner in which you speak,
By the way you employ your leisure time,
By the way you make use of dollar and dime.

You *testify* by the things you wear,
By the spirit in which your burdens you bear,
By the kind of things at which you laugh,
By the music you play on your phonograph.

You *testify* by the way you walk,
By the things of which you delight to talk,
By the manner in which you speak to a foe,
By the books you read, and the places you go.

For none will take heed of the Gospel you give,
If it isn't reflected in how you LIVE.





Mother Teresa's Rules & Beliefs to incorporate

The dying, the cripple, the mental, the unwanted, the unloved they are Jesus in disguise.

Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.

It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.

Nakedness is not only for a piece of clothing; nakedness is lack of human dignity, and also that beautiful virtue of purity, and lack of that respect for each other.

There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.

Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.

Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well.

The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have the more free you are. Poverty for us is a freedom. It is not a mortification, a penance. It is joyful freedom. There is no television here, no this, no that. But we are perfectly happy.

If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.

Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure as long as you have done your best.

There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I've always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic.

If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive.

It is a poverty to decide that an unborn child must die so that you may live as you like.

If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve.

We can do no great things; only small things with great love.

You and I, we are the Church, no? We have to share with our people. Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear. Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me. Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little child, you receive me. Clear.

Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.

Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.

Give me courage.

I must do something.

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.

Let's do something beautiful for God.

Prayer for Peace of Heart

Almighty and Eternal God
Give me, I beseech You
the great gift of inward peace
Command the winds and storms
of my unruly passions.
Subdue, by your grace, my proneness
to love created things too much,
Give me a love of suffering for your sake.
Make me forbearing and kind to others,
that I may avoid quarrels and contentions.
And teach me constantly to seek after
and to acquire that perfect resignation
to Your Holy Will
which alone brings interior peace. Amen

Good night everyone! Sweet dreams to all and God bless you! Linus is home now and we have to talk about Darla! I want to see that picture of her ring!! Thought I'd get the thread out early tonight!! Hope you don't mind.