What Good Does Saying the Rosary Do?

I am convinced that every prayer, every act of obedience, every Rosary contemplated, every Divine Mercy Chaplet offered is lovingly recorded in Heaven and the graces produced are doled out as needed to hungry and hurting souls for their repentance and consolation.

I may never know who receives the graces from my devotions, but just knowing that someone at some time either in the past, present or future is the beneficiary, is enough for me.

Lent: Perfect Time for a Christian Spring

On the web now:

Definition for Arab Spring:

Web definitions:  The Arab Spring refers to the pro-democracy uprisings currently

 sweeping the Middle East and North Africa.

On the web soon?

Definition for Christian Spring:

Web definitions:    The Christian Spring refers to the pro-freedom uprisings currently

   sweeping the United States and the World.

The periodical Word Among Us (wau.org) states in this month's edition:

The word “Lent” comes from the Anglo-Saxon lencten, meaning “springtime” and Lent is a time of spiritual rebirth and renewal for Christians. The Church encourages us during the coming forty days to the practices of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and works of mercy BOTH as expressions of true conversion and as a means to it.

God’s timing is so perfect!  As the assault against freedom of religion increases in America, God provides us the necessary preparation during Lent that we need to arm us for the battle . . . . the Christian Spring.

This Lent, let’s all take advantage of this forty days to repent, to pray, to fast and to grow in His mercy and love. 

HHS Reality Check: Catholics and Solomon's Fate

Today’s (2/8/12) Scripture readings were “right on” to what we Catholics are experiencing today in light of the HHS ruling against freedom of conscience.

Just as Solomon (1 Kings 11:4-13) allowed himself to be seduced by his culture (his many wives and their gods) we have allowed the secular culture to dictate our lifestyle.  We adopted the view that contraception is acceptable and we can decide how and when we have sex and if or if not we want children.  We know what God says through His Word and through what we have been taught by our faith, but all these other people think it’s okay, so who are we to disagree?

I fell into the same trap and am still paying the consequences for my past contraceptive lifestyle.  I was duped by the secular world and allowed them to transform my thinking away from what I learned in my Catholic Catechism.

I have to say it does make it easier for me to excuse my past sins when I read that Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, did the exact same thing.

 

But, the fact remains here I am now, with what I know now . . . .  So where do I go from here?

God quickly answers me in the next Scripture reading from Psalm 106:36-39, 45-46

But mingled with the nations

and imitated their ways.

They served their idols

and were ensnared by them.

They sacrificed to demons their own sons and daughters,

Shedding innocent blood, the blood of their own sons and daughters,

Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,

 desecrating the land with bloodshed.

They defiled themselves by their actions,

became adulterers by their conduct.

Still God had regard for their affliction when he heard their wailing.

For their sake he remembered his covenant

and relented in his abundant mercy

Winning for them compassion

from all who held them captive.

Return to God, it’s that simple . . . and that difficult.  But now that we know, we must act in a righteous way.  Fortunately, God never stops showing us THE WAY or leaving us to ourselves. Since the beginning of time, He has called, allowed us to choose our way, and called us back when we screw it up again and again. 

This is one of the times, Catholics, when we screwed it up.

Let’s return to our God in droves because we don’t want to allow to happen to us what happened to Solomon:  Israel lost their country and ten of the twelve tribes disappeared. 

Read the Gospel of John 17:15-26 and know that we are supposed to be distinct and opposed to the world.  But, our Leader, Jesus Christ,  is true and just and never failing. He is always, He is consistent, He is unchanging, He remembers His covenant.  Thank God!

John 17:15-26

I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. You sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth. I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. Made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”

Let us not forget that thanks to the Passion of Christ, we have already won the war.  It is only the battle that remains. 

The Perfect Gift

You are the gift our Jesus wants most this Christmas.

Our culture says you are too old, too fat, too quiet, too short.  You are not blonde enough, tan enough, clear skinned enough.  You just never measure up you say to your reflection. 

Ahh, but when our Lord looks at you, He sees perfection! You are exactly who He created you to be and what He creates is always good, always needed and always measures up.

Visit our Lord in Mass this Christmas and give Him the gift of you . . . just as you are today.  Do not change a thing.  His eyes will light up as He sees you walking toward Him and He’ll exclaim, “Just what I wanted.  What a  perfect gift!” 

The Deserts in our Faith Journey

It is not if we suffer, that is a given; but rather how well we suffer - by never letting go of Christ - that determines our level of faith.

I cannot arrive at my destination - the answer to my prayer for increase in faith, hope and charity - if I do not first travel the road of humility, obedience, perseverance and courage.  When I get to the desolate deserts of my journey, I must remember, first of all, that I am not alone.  Secondly, I must remember this desert - dark night of the soul - is the price I must pay in order to be ready to receive my answer from God.

Our Lord ALWAYS answers our prayer to be His.  When we ask for what we need to be in His Kingdom, we must be willing to first go through all the suffering that surrendering our will to His requires. He is always ready to give, we however are often not ready to receive.

I feel so lost right now, but I find comfort in knowing my Lord knows the way and I can hear Him calling to me, "Stay close to me and I will get you there."

Saints and Rosaries

Saints meditate on the Rosary to convert sinners, but first, sinners must meditate on the Rosary in order to become saints.

Humans are more valuable than the Monarch Blue Butterfly

You would think this title was understood by our world, but when I read in the newspaper that our federal government is allocating more funds to ensuring Monarch Blue Butterflys live while also allocating funds to promote abortions of human beings, I have to wonder exactly where do we humans rate?  I, for one, stand on the side of human beings - made in the image of God created to rule and protect nature. Not, as it seems we are leaning, to become subservient to it.