March 2016 E-pistle

Thoughts

Guilt and Shame. Most of us carry a lot – some of which we are conscious and more buried deep within our hearts. We have hurt those we love; failed to keep God’s commandments; fallen short of our own expectations. At least on some level, we feel broken and unworthy. And yet it is precisely our imperfect broken, wounded, sinful selves that God sees as beautiful and worthy of His perfect, unlimited, unreserved love. We do not need to “fix” ourselves to receive His love.  We cannot merit His love.  God’s love is already given. We need merely accept it.

The grace and healing available during the next several weeks are unfathomable – Holy Week, Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday … all wrapped up in the Jubilee Year of Mercy.  Now is the time for Mercy! Now is the time for miraculous healing of mind, body and soul!

Challenge

Take time during this incredible moment of Mercy to identify those burdens you are carrying that need to be laid at the foot of the cross – old wounds, embarrassments, resentments, failures, grudges, envies, physical sufferings, etc. Ask for Mercy. Then confidently allow God’s Mercy to heal your thoughts, emotions, memories, body and soul.

Go Deeper

+ Enter deeply into the passion of Christ during Holy Week, not in a depressing, mournful way, but allowing yourself to be drawn up to the heights of heaven in the ecstasy of the of God’s triumphant, merciful love.

+ Give yourself completely to God at Easter Mass, meditating on the glory of the resurrection and your resulting eternal salvation (if possible, attend the Easter Vigil).

+  Participate in Divine Mercy Sunday devotions at your church (Feast of Divine Mercy explained)

+ Learn how to heal painful memories

+ Video: The Stations of the Cross by St. Francis

+ Holy Week Meditations by: St. John Paul II   +   Pope Benedict   +   Pope Francis

+  Explanation of the Message of Divine Mercy

+ Year of Mercy Blog

+ Scriptural Stations of the Cross

+  Video on the Meaning of Easter by Bishop Barron

+ Purchase a Divine Mercy picture for your home or work – (our Lord promised great graces to those who would look upon/venerate the image).

+ Books, CDs and Videos regarding Divine Mercy: Saint Joseph Communications    +   Lighthouse Catholic Media

+ Great new book by Fr. Michael Gaitley: 33 Days to Merciful Lov

February 2016 E-pistle

Thoughts

“Giving up” something such as chocolate or alcohol for Lent can be spiritually fruitful if the proper motivation is present – love of God; the desire to share in Christ’s suffering; the desire to empty oneself of the material in order to be filled by God with the spiritual. But such material fasting is merely a starting point. We learn in Is 58: 5-12 that God desires more than mere self-denial.  The “authentic fasting” that pleases God most is outward-facing – the highest form of fasting is acting in love and mercy toward a neighbor.
Challenge

In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, let us embrace the admonition contained in this passage of Isaiah and live the fast God desires most – let us perform works of mercy!

Release those bound unjustly: Forgive those whom we perceive have wronged us and ask forgiveness of others.

Feed the Hungry: Beyond mere giving alms, perhaps volunteer to serve at a shelter or buy a homeless person a meal (and sit with them as they eat).

Comfort the afflicted: Visit the sick or home-bound; when you have a moment, make a call to someone who is lonely or in pain (emotional or physical).

Clothe the naked: Go through your closet and give away all of the clothes you are holding onto that you don’t really need.

Shelter the homeless: Support financially or with your time a local shelter; take in a traveler.

Refrain from accusations: Avoid all forms of gossip and criticism.

Go Deeper

+ Read and meditate upon Is 58: 5-12 and Mt 9:9-13

+ Pope Francis’ Message for Lent 2016 (regarding Mercy)

+ Pope Francis: Live your faith during Lent, perform works of mercy

+ God Desires Mercy, Not Sacrifice by Fr. Cantalamasa

+ Read more about the Spiritual Works of Mercy

+ Read more about the Corporal Works of Mercy

+ Follow this wonderful weekly blog post during the year of mercy:yearofmercy.org

+ Videos: by Fr. (now Bishop) Robert Barron:  What are the practices of Lent  +   On Lent    +   The Best thing You Can Do in the Year of Mercy

+ Go to confession this Lent! Confession times at masstimes.org   +  Examinations of Conscience

+ Fast & Abstinence and Lent FAQs

+ Embracing Lent as Family by CatholicMom

+ Read Mercy & Hope by Mike Pacer

January 2016 E-pistle

Thoughts

Christmas is over. Students have returned to school. The new year finds us back in our normal routine. But is our normal routine helping us to be the best version of ourselves?  Does our “ordinary” life impart a good amount of peace and joy and help us grow closer to God?  If not, perhaps we need to change some things.  God desires us not to merely push through life, but to thrive.  There will be some suffering along the way, but God wants us to be happy – to experience real joy and peace; to smile and laugh; to know how awesome we are in His eyes and how much He loves us.
Challenge

Let’s take this short time before Lent starts to examine our lives and discern whether we are aimed in the right direction or whether some (maybe even slight) direction change might be necessary. In doing so, let us keep in mind that peace is generally a sign of health (spiritually, mentally and emotionally) and anxiety is a generally a warning sign.

(a)    Temporally – are we spending our time (work and leisure) in a positive way that fulfills us (not just fills up our time). Do we find joy in our activities? Do we find peace in them?

(b)    Mentally/Emotionally – Are we generally happy and positive. Do we experience peace of heart and mind with regularity? If anxious about something, does that thing need to change (can it?) or do we need to change how we respond to it?

Spiritually.  Do we often feel God’s presence and love?  Are we generally growing closer to God (with of course some slide-backs because we are human)? Do we find some time every week and hopefully every day to just “be” with God and let Him fill us with His presence?

Go Deeper

+ Commit to regular examination of your life (perhaps daily?). Take note of both the blessings and challenges of the day.  Thank God for both. Take concrete action to change unhealthy circumstances in your life.

+ Be mindful of sin in your life.  It will affect you not only spiritually, but emotionally and even physically as well. Tell God and (those you hurt) that you are sorry.  Commit to going to confession monthly.  Accept God’s infinite mercy! He loves you! He forgives you completely! He wants you to forgive yourself!  A Guide to Confession.

+ In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, immerse yourself in God’s mercy. Consider reading Mike Pacer’s new book: Mercy and Hope.   +    Follow the mercy blog at yearofmercy.org   +   Check out other great materials regardingDivine Mercy

+ Seek a closer relationship with God by attending Mass more frequently and by spending some time in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament – you can find daily Mass times and times that churches near you offer adoration at masstimes.org.

+ In order to find answers, read the Bible.  God speaks to us through Scripture.  Read a small amount, slowly, and then listen to what God has to say to you.  Here are some great resources on effectively immersing yourself in Scripture: 10 points for fruitful Scripture reading,   +   Reading the Bible in Four Easy Steps   +    Free Bible Study App

+ Seek to heal relationships.  Video

+ Work at healing chronic spiritual illness such as addiction to alcohol or pornography –  Alcoholics Anonymous Website   +   Great materials regarding pornography: Integrity Restored Website   +    Catholics Come Hope Website   +   Great CD – “Detox”    +    great computer pornography filter.

+ Listen to this motivational talk by  Matthew Kelly Talk on Youtube.

December 2015 E-pistle

Thoughts

Here we are 8 days into the Jubilee Year of Mercy and 10 days before Christmas. What a great time to meditate upon the Mercy of Christmas.  God revealed his Mercy by setting aside his glory and becoming man, born of woman in a manger.  He became man to take upon himself all of our sins; to suffer and die for us; to open the gates of heaven for us.  We in turn are called to imitate the mercy of our Lord – to be merciful to ourselves and to others.  2000 years later with the “holiday haze” upon us, we have plenty of opportunities to be merciful.
Challenge

1. Don’t let this Year of Mercy pass you by.  Immerse yourself in mercy by coming to understand what this Jubilee Year is all about, by coming to a deeper understanding of the apostolic movement of Divine Mercy, and by practicing works of mercy.
2. Seek to be merciful this Christmas. Be merciful to friends and family in the hectic holiday season –  forgive old grudges; be patient with those who try your patience most.  Be merciful to yourself – don’t take on too much or set a standard for yourself that leaves you anxious and unable to peacefully enter into the joy of our Lord’s birth. Find time for quiet prayer.

Go Deeper

+ yearofmercy.org

+ Vatican website for the Year of Mercy

+ USCCB website for the Year of Mercy

+ Corporal Works of Mercy

+ Spiritual Works of Mercy

+ Prayers for Christmas

+ Videos on Advent By Bishop Barron: Video 1 – Video 2

+ Video: Bishop Barron on Christmas and the Prologue of John

+ Dom Christian’s 5 ways to find peace at Christmas

+ CatholicMom: 5 Ways to find peace and Joy this Advent and Christmas

+ Advent FAQs

+ The O Antiphons of Advent explained

November2015 E-pistle

Thoughts

Thanksgiving. Food, drink, the air we breathe, the beauty of creation, our friends and family, our very lives – God has given us all these things and more. God has given us divine life in the Trinity through Baptism; forgiveness and reconciliation in Confession; his Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist. And, through the salvation won on the Cross, God gives us the hope of eternal life in heaven.  Let us truly give thanks!

Challenge
Celebrate Thanksgiving every day for the rest of this month. Seek to avoid a critical spirit and adopt an attitude of gratitude. Thank God throughout the day for even the little blessings – sunshine, clothes, a roof over your head, a smile from a stranger. Say “Thank you” to others frequently. Especially to those whose kindness you might take for granted (your spouse, parents, children, friends and co-workers). Receive the “Eucharist” (which comes from a word which means “thanksgiving”) more frequently, perhaps on Thanksgiving Day as well.
Go Deeper

+ The Catholic Origins of Thanksgiving

+ Thanksgiving Prayers

+ Seven Ways to Keep a Gratitude Journal

+ CDs from Lighthouse Catholic Media on the Eucharist

+ Video: Thanksgiving from a Franciscan Perspective

+ The Virtual of Gratitude by Fr. Romano Guardini

+ Gratitude: The Heart of Thanksgiving

+ The Right of Gratitude

+ St. Bernadette’s Testament of Gratitude

+ Practical Steps for cultivating Gratitude