Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Too often our efforts stand in the way of coming to Christ. Lord, help me
know my weakness and surrender to Your strength.

Scripture for the day:

"You must follow exactly the path that the LORD your God has commanded
you, so that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that
you may live long in the land that you are to possess." ~Deuteronomy
5:33

Meditation for the day:

Our real work in life is to grow spiritually. To do this we can follow
the path of diligently seeking good. The hidden spiritual wonders are
revealed to those who diligently seek this treasure. From one point to
the next, we can follow the way of obedience to God's will until finally we
reach greater and greater spiritual heights. Work on the material plane
can be secondary to our real life's work. The material things which we
need most are those which help us to attain the spiritual.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may keep growing spiritually. I pray that I may make this
my real life's work.

Greetings to all! Hope your day was a good day! Here at 35 degrees now,
not too cold yet, and no wind, but sunshine, it was a nice day! At Mass
this morning, my old friend from my hometown, Patty, was there again and we
visited just before going into Mass. She sat behind us, and she gave me her
email address, but she only gets to the computer at the library on
Thursdays, yet she wants my list, anyway to see it. So I emailed her and
gave her my phone number again and directions over here so she can come and
have some coffee with us and visit and touching base - of years and years
not hearing from each other. Seems like Tuesdays she's at our Church for
Mass. On the card she gave me her email address - was her business card
which has her name and under it says Toastmaster, Parliamentarian - whatever
that means. Then her phone number at home. It was a blessing to see her
again and to get her email this time. It's still a mystery how she
recognized me after all these over 47 years! Wow! Right after I'm finished
with this, I'm calling Erma to see how she is today - remember she fell, and
later after 9 I'll call Sister LaDonna, it's my day today to call her. This
is working out well with each of us having our day of the week to call her.
So - remember Jim? Our favorite restaurant manager? We haven't been there
for a meal for awhile, and he calls Linus at Northern Tool to say Hi and
misses us and to invite us to their wine tasting night - it's expensive
which is why we never went - it's tasting 5 different wines, and a 5 course
meal, with a demonstration. Well he says we should come to the last one
they are having this year - two weeks from tonight, and he'll give us a good
discount. So guess what? Guess we'll do that! It should be an experience!
What a nice man Jim is.

Homily of the Day


November 29, 2011


If You Want Peace, Work for Justice
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Is 11:1-10 / Lk 10:21-24

It’s an astonishing fact that in the 2000 years since the birth of Christ
there have been only a handful of years in which there was no war. We yearn
for peace, we pray for peace, but we rarely get it. And that is not what
God wants for us. In today’s reading from Isaiah, we hear God’s vision of
the world. “The wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall
lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.”

It sounds wonderful. Why doesn’t it happen? The answer for each of us can
be found in our mirrors. We haven’t learned the art and the habit of being
peacemakers, makers and builders of peace. Many of us are quite good at
ducking or running away from conflict. But that isn’t building peace. On
the contrary, running away generally leaves important issues unresolved,
unhealed, and waiting to rise again in a more virulent form. So what are we
to do?

Pope Paul VI said it perfectly and so very simply, “If you want peace, work
for justice.” That’s what it means to be a peacemaker at every level of
life. It’s a noble work, worthy of us all. And it’s a work that needs to
begin now.

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)

Priceless Christmas Gifts to Share

For your enemies............Forgiveness
For your customers.......Your best service
For your opponent..........Tolerance
For a friend........................Your heart
For a child............................A good example
For your father................Reverence
For your mother...............Conduct that will make
her proud of you
For yourself.........................Respect
For all men ............................Charity

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and
glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matt.5:16

FORREST GUMP
Author Unknown


Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is met at the Pearly Gate by
St. Peter himself. The gates are closed, however, and Forrest
approaches the gatekeeper. St. Peter says "Well, Forrest, it's
certainly good to see you. We have heard so many good things about
you. I must inform you that the
place is filling up fast, and we've been giving an entrance quiz for
everyone. The tests are short, but you need to pass before you can get
into Heaven.

Forrest responds "It sure is good to be here, St. Peter. I was
looking forward to this. Nobody ever told me about any entrance exam.
Sure hope the test ain't too hard; Life was a big enough test as it
was.

St. Peter goes on, "I know, Forrest, but the test is only three
questions:
1. What days of the week begin with the letter T? --
2. How many seconds are there in a year?
3. What is God's first name?"

Forrest goes away to think the questions over. He returns the next
day and goes up to St.. Peter to try to answer the exam questions.

St. Peter waves him up and says, "Now that you have had a chance to
think the questions over, tell me your answers".

Forrest says, "Well, the first one how many days of the week begin
with the letter "T?" "Shucks, that one's easy. That'd be Today and
Tomorrow."

The Saint's eyes open wide and he exclaims "Forrest! That's not what
I was thinking, but...you do have a point though, and I guess I didn't
specify, so I will give you credit for that answer." "How about the
next one?" "How many seconds in a year?"

"Now that one's harder" says Forrest, "but I thought and thought about
that and I guess the only answer can be twelve." Astounded, St. Peter
says "Twelve! Twelve! Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up
with twelve seconds in a year?"

Forest says "Aw, come on, St Peter, there's gotta be twelve, January
second, February second, March second. . "

"Hold it" interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you're going with it. I
guess I see your point, though that wasn't quite what I had in mind,
but I'll give you credit for that one too. Let's go on with the next
and final question. Can you tell me God's first name?"

Forrest replied, "Andy."

When St. Peter asked how in the world he came up with the name Andy.

Forrest replied, "You know, St. Peter, that song we sing in church:
"Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me."

The lesson: THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW, and just because
another person doesn't see things the same way or understand the same
way that you do, does not mean that it's wrong.

REMEMBER WHAT THIS SAYS!

~No man/woman is worth your tears, and the only one who is, will never
make you cry.

~If you love someone, put their name in a circle, instead of a heart,
because hearts can break, but circles go on forever.

~Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you say.
Best friends listen to what you don't say.

~If all my friends were to jump off a bridge, I wouldn't jump with
them, I'd be at the bottom to catch them.

~"Don't frown, because you never know who's falling in love with your
smile!"

~"If you judge people, you have no time to love them" ~Mother Teresa

~"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle." ~Plato

~It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone
and a day to love someone- but it takes a lifetime to forget
someone."

~"Enthusiasm is contagious. You could start an epidemic!"

~"Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future.
Today is a gift that is why we call it the present."




MY DAILY OFFERING

(As each day begins,
please try to lift your mind and heart
to your heavenly Father,
and offer to Him the new day He has given you.)


Most loving Father,
I thank You for the gift of this new day.
Please help me to use it for your honor and glory.
By Your grace,
may all my thoughts, words, and actions
be pleasing today in Your sight.
In Your great kindness,
Lord Almighty,
preserve me this day without sin,
and protect all people from every evil.
May the ever-blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of our Savior,
keep us under her protection and by her prayers,
and the aid of all your Saints,
keep us ever intent on doing good today for your sake.
We ask these blessings through Your Son,
Jesus Christ,
our Redeemer.
Amen.

(At times throughout the day,
it is well to pause briefly in the midst of your work
to renew your daily offering.
This can be done without words,
but simply by lifting the mind and heart
to your Father in heaven.
A simple external gesture of touching the heart
will confirm and strengthen your interior intentions.
As opportunity permits,
you may wish to pray verbally in this way.)

Again I thank You,
Father in heaven,
for the blessings and graces you have given me this day.
Once more I entreat Your continuing protection.
Conscious of my own weaknesses and frailty,
of my many faults,
I entrust myself and all dear to me to Your care.

(This prayer has been taken from a pamphlet written by the Good
Franciscan Mission Associates, PO Box 598, Mount Vernon, NY 10551-0598)

Good night all - Sweet Dreams - Have a good, peaceful, positive day
tomorrow - and remember to accept all of His blessings!