October 2014 E-pistle

Thoughts
Summer is over.  The holidays are one and two months away.  It’s a good time to revisit the basics: prayer and Sacraments. Prayer is conversation with God. Sacraments are the pouring out of “grace” – the very Divine Life of God – into our souls. To have a meaningful and personal relationship with God, we must talk to and listen to God regularly.  To grow in our relationship with God and become the best version of ourselves, we must be open to receive all the grace we can.

Challenge
Review your life of prayer.  Are you praying at regular times (when you wake, during the day, before you go to sleep)? Do you find quiet time to listen to God? Do you find time to read a little bit of the Bible and pray the Rosary? Do you talk to God throughout the day, inviting Him to be a part of both you joys and challenges?  What else would help you grow closer to God?
Review your habit of receiving the Sacraments.  Are you attending Mass at least on Sundays?  Can you go more?  Do you try to focus throughout the Mass and ignore distractions? Do you go to Confession regularly (perhaps once a month)? Do you examine your conscience regularly and note the sins you should confess during your next Confession? What else would bring you deeper into these Sacraments?

Go Deeper
+ Read these Saints’ thoughts on prayer: http://whitelilyoftrinity.com/saints_quotes_prayer.html
 http://saintquotes.blogspot.com/2009/05/prayer.html
+ The Catechism of the Catholic Church on prayer: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s1.htm
+ Begin to read religious books (those that teach the faith, books on spirituality, the lives of saints):  Spiritual Classics: http://www.catholicspiritualdirection.org/catholicclassics.html      A Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan: http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/columns/johnmccloskey/perspectives/09.asp
+ listen to great Catholic CDs : http://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/titles  or to relevant radio  http://www.relevantradio.com/ when you are in the car
+ Begin the practice of a Holy Hour http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/pea/holyhour.html
+ Come to understand the Mass better Video Guide to the Mass-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co0qalRkEJs   Fr. Larry Richards Explains the Mass-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGQLWj37KKk       The Institution of the Mass- http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-institution-of-the-mass
+ Come to understand Reconciliation better: beginningCatholic explanation-  http://www.beginningcatholic.com/sacrament-of-reconciliation.html      A Gguide to the Sacrament of Pennance-  http://ewtn.com/library/BISHOPS/GUIDEPEN.HTM      Fr. Larry Richards on Confession- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-sPJfaotsY
+ Try one of these examinations of conscience:   http://www.ewtn.com/library/prayer/examconscience.htm      for singles-  http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/penance/examination-of-conscience-for-single-people.cfm   http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/penance/sacrament-reconciliation-married-persons-examination-of-conscience.cfm  for teens- http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/education/ed0415.htm
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/penance/sacrament-reconciliation-children-examination-conscience.cfm