Community Chat

[gloriajean]

Every moment of anger uses up a moment of your happiness. Lord, help
me to be patient, loving and kind at the times in which it is most
difficult.


Scripture for the day:

"For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you
see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear
it." ~Luke 10:24

Meditation for the day:

Though it may seem a paradox, we can believe in spiritual forces which
we cannot see more than in material things which we can see, if we are
going to truly live. Between one human being and another only
spiritual forces can suffice to keep them in harmony. These spiritual
forces we
know, because we can see their results although we cannot see them. A
changed life--a new personality--results from the power of unseen
spiritual forces working in us
and through us.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may believe in the unseen. I pray that I may be
convinced by the results of the unseen which I do see.

Greetings to you , my friends! Hope you all had a great day today! Such a
nice day - up to 80 degrees, again it was a pleasure to be outside picking
raspberries. They are getting fewer and fewer but I'll pick until they quit.
I'm thinking of freezing my chives - never have before, and wonder if I
should and how to do it. It comes up every year and lasts all summer and
fall. It's still good yet. My blessings today: 1) it's always a blessing to
me when my dear hubby comes home from work and he's just tired, but not
hurting and this was the 4th day in a row, and he goes back again tomorrow
for the 5th day until his days off. 2) I'm trying to keep our food away from
Sammy - bought him some Halo at the Good Earth Food Coop this morning, after
I noticed his old supply had black bugs at the bottom, so that all went in
the garbage. So far so good - two days without our food - but in the
morning he does get his treats (pupperoni). Sammy is spoiled, I admit,
trying to unspoil him. The amount he should have according to the box
instructions is 1/2 cup daily - he doesn't eat that much, so 1/4 cup is in
his dish and I'll see when it gets empty. The package is a 10 pound
package - couldn't get anything smaller. He's got to eat that now! and 3)
it's such a blessing to enjoy the warmth of the day and being able to sit in
my swing on the porch and meditate, and feel the presence of God all over!!
What are your blessings?

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Holy Rosary so here is something to read about
the Rosary:



Some Writings of Saints on Rosary devotion

Many saints have been great devotees of Mary and they propagated this
devotion through their lives and teachings. Here we examine only some of
these statements about Rosary devotion. Louis de Montfort He assures us that
anyone who prays the Rosary everyday will never be led astray. He adds that
this is a statement he would gladly sign with his own blood. Such was the
confidence he had in the Rosary.

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa had a special love for Rosary and she had it in her hand as a
spiritual weapon. She advised her sisters to pray the Rosary devoutly and
faithfully both in the community and in the homes of the poor so that Our
Lady would enter their life and take care of them. 4.3.4.3. Alphonsus
Liguori Immense is the good, which this devotion has done to the world. Many
have been delivered from sin, or led to a holy life and a good death by
means of it. It should be recited with devotion, keeping in mind what Our
Lady once said to St Eulalia that five decades said slowly and devoutly were
more pleasing than fifteen said hurriedly and without devotion.

Conclusion


Our Lady's Rosary occupies a unique place in the Church's treasury of
devotions, because it contains all the principal salvific events
accomplished in Christ from his virginal conception to the effects of his
Paschal Mystery radiating out into the Church and upon Mary. Our
spirituality is certainly Christocentric and God oriented, and not
Mariocentric. The Rosary devotion facilitates us to grow in this
Christocentric spirituality with the help of our dear Mother Mary. This
devotion is not merely an act of piety, but it directs people to a deep
Christian life. The Rosary, if properly recited leads one to contemplation
and thus transformation of life. It becomes a source of commitment to God
and to our brothers and sisters. Praying the Rosary helps us to be united to
Christ through Mary and induces one to live according to the teachings of
Jesus and Mary. Jesus teaches us the right way to love God and neighbor, and
Mary tells us, "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn2: 5).









THE DEVIL'S BEATITUDES
Author Unknown


If the Devil were to write his Beatitudes, they would probably go
something like this:

Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend
an hour once a week with their fellow Christians in Church - they are
my best workers.

Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be
thanked - I can use them.

Blessed are the touchy, with a bit of luck they may stop going to
church - they are my missionaries.

Blessed are those who are very religious but get on everyone's nerves
- they are mine forever.

Blessed are the troublemakers ~ they shall be called my children.

Blessed are those who have no time to pray - they are easy prey for
me.

Blessed are the gossipers - for they are my secret agents.

Blessed are those critical of church leadership - for they shall
inherit a place with me in my fate.

Blessed are the complainers - I'm all ears for them.

Blessed are you when you read this and think it is about other people
and not yourself - I've got you.






Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.




Share This Love
Lord, I am filled with the life You have shared with me. Just knowing You
love me fills me with joy.

Lord, I know You want me to share this love and joy with others. To share
Your gifts with them is to follow You to be Christian.

There are many ways of sharing, Lord many ways of loving. Send Your Spirit
to help me know how best to share my life, my love, my hopes and my joy with
others.

SPECIAL GROCERY LIST
Author Unknown
October 22, 2009


Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her
face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the
store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a
few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and
unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she
leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you
the money just as soon as I can."

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a
charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the
conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the
grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her
family.

The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery
list?"

Louise replied, "Yes sir."

"O.K" he said, "Put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your
grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."

Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her
purse and took
out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the
piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the
scales went down
and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to
the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on
the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he
continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales
would hold no more. The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally,
he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with
greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which
said: "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your
hands.." The
grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in
stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer handed a
fifty-dollar bill to the grocer
and said; "It was worth every penny of it. Only God Knows how much a
prayer weighs."

Homily of the Day


October 4, 2011


Walk Consciously with the Lord
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Jon 3:1-10 / Lk 10:38-42

Today’s gospel, which recounts a conversation between Jesus and his
aggrieved hostess Martha, has been a source of considerable irritation to
many women across the generations. “Martha was right!” they protest. “She
had a right to expect some help from her sister, and it was unfair of Jesus
to brush her off so lightly. What if Martha had said, ‘Fine, Jesus, I’ll
just choose the “better part” too. Then we’ll see what happens to the fine
dinner you’re expecting!’”

A little harsh, yet it does seem a fair reaction. But it’s not. And to see
that, we have to go back and listen more closely to Jesus’ words to Martha.
The fact is that he doesn’t respond at all to her complaint about the lack
of help in the kitchen. Instead, he looks at the bigger picture, the big
patterns in Martha’s life. Listen to him: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious
and upset about MANY things; only one thing is required…”

Jesus had observed Martha for quite awhile and had looked into her soul.
What he saw was a woman who was not at peace. She was a good soul who had
fallen into the trap of letting the ordinary tasks of daily life overwhelm
and rule her days, instead of just the opposite.

That very thing can happen to any one of us, if we forget that we’re not
walking through our days alone, if we forget that the Lord walks with us. If
we attend to the Lord’s presence and trust him, he’ll give us the courage
and strength we need; and he’ll help us to keep our vision clear and to know
what really matters and what does not.

Walking consciously and faithfully with the Lord is the “one thing that is
required.” Everything else will follow, most especially a calm and peaceful
heart.



A TRICK
Author Unknown


A young man, a student in one of our universities, was one day taking a walk
with a professor, who was commonly called the students' friend, from his
kindness to those who waited on his instructions.

As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which
they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by,
and who had nearly finished his day's work.

The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick:
we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait
to see his perplexity when he cannot find them."

"My young friend," answered the professor, "we should never amuse ourselves
at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much
greater pleasure by means of the poor man. Put a coin into each shoe, and
then we will hide ourselves and watch how the discovery affects him."

The student did so, and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close
by.

The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path
where he had left his coat and shoes. While putting on his coat he slipped
his foot into one of his shoes; but feeling something hard, he stooped down
to feel what it was, and found the coin.

Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance. He gazed upon the
coin, turned it round, and looked at it again and again. He then looked
around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money
into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise
was doubled on finding the other coin.

His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and
uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife, sick
and helpless, and his children without bread, whom the timely bounty, from
some unknown hand, would save from perishing.

The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears.
"Now," said the professor, "are you not much better pleased than if you had
played your intended trick?"

The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I
feel now the truth of those words, which I never understood before: 'It is
more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Everyone Needs Someone

People need people and friends need friends
And we all need love for a full life depends
Not on vast riches or great acclaim,
Not on success or on worldly fame,
But just in knowing that someone cares
And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers-
For only the knowledge that we're understood
Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good,
And we rob ourselves of life's greatest need
When we "lock up our hearts" and fail to heed
The outstretched hand reaching to find
A kindred spirit whose heart and mind
Are lonely and longing to somehow share
Our joys and sorrows and to make us aware
That life's completeness and richness depends
On the things we share with our loved ones and friends.

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Good night everyone - Sweet Dreams and may you all have a wonderful,
peaceful, positive Wednesday - blessings from our wonderful God!!