Category: Prayer

Yes

Post author By seedthrower1
Post date 09/08/2010
No Comments on Yes

In the Catholic tradition, today is Mary’s birthday. This beautiful Madonna by Fra Angelico captures the youthfulness of Mary when Gabriel appeared to her with some history-changing news. Despite her virginity, she would bear a son, who would be named Jesus. There had never been an announcement like it before, or since.

Several years ago, I heard a wonderful reflection on this passage (Luke 1:26-38). I usually don’t have a great memory for such things, but whenever there is a Marian feast day, I easily recall the words Fr. Gerard spoke that day.

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Mindfulness

Happy Labor Day!

I hope you have the chance to relax today! I would be remise if I didn’t remind you to keep all the many, many folks who are unemployed in your prayers. These are difficult times.

This weekend, I’ve been reading Life Is An Attitude, written by Dottie Billington. It’s a little self-help book that was mentioned by someone in an on-line course I’m taking, and I thought I’d check it out. So far, I like what I’ve read.

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Our Father

After I make some coffee and feed the dog each morning, I head upstairs to the computer. The first site I go to is Loyola Press’ Three Minute Retreat. I know I’ve written about this great little prayer help several times, but it’s worth bringing up again.

Loyola Press has done a great job at giving us a simple, quick and meaningful way to start our day, and if you haven’t tried it out yet, please give it a look. You can even have the retreat emailed to you, which it how a lot of my friends and co-workers get the messages. Who doesn’t have three minutes to spare?

I am writing about it again because of a line that was included in today’s retreat. It struck a chord with me.

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Opportunities Galore!

It is a beautiful morning here in Westminster, MD. I got an extra-long walk in today, and even saw the beginnings of some fall color on a young sugar maple. What a glorious day!

While walking, I was thinking about all opportunities to do something good this Labor Day weekend. As the spin doctors continue to paint a bleak a picture as possible on just about everything, I realized how important it is for us to focus on the good that we can do, and the good that is all around us.

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The Best Part

Life is a journey, not so much to a destination, but a transformation.

Looking back, doesn’t it sometimes feel like our richest times are right in the midst of our hardest?

God made us to live in community, to laugh and cry, to hurt and celebrate with each other no matter what we’re going through.

Transformation is tough. We don’t always end up where we think we will. We have to remember that even when we struggle to believe in Him, He always believes in us.

He fills our lives with purpose and passion if we could just let Him. The best part of the journey is that the God of the universe sometimes allows us to play a part in changing the world. Isn’t that a trip?

last scene in To Save A Life

I found this movie on Netflix, and I wasn’t exactly sure why I put it in my queue. It is a story of contemporary high school life and all the drama that comes with it. As I sat watching the last scene and listening to one of the lead characters give the little speech above, I knew I should post it for you. It fits so well with the message I’m putting out there right now. I hope you’ll reflect on what the words might mean to you.

Catholic Church Inspiration Prayer

This Is Your Chance

Have a deep compassion for people. To be able to have a heart full of compassion, we need to pray.

Especially be kind, be loving to the poor.

We think we do so much for the poor, but it they who make us rich. We are in debt to them.

Do you want to do something beautiful for God?

There is a person who needs you.

This is your chance.

Mother Teresa

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The Legacy

I guess it’s always a little tricky to talk about someone’s legacy. As I was thinking about my pastor’s legacy today, many things came to mind. Of course, there is the big, beautiful church building. There’s the perpetual adoration chapel. No one on the finance committee would want to forget that, despite these tough times, we remain in the black. The list could go on and on. But, I don’t think any of these are keys to his legacy. Well, if not them, then what?

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Brendan’s Prayer

I was doing some cleaning this morning and had to put away one of my travel bags that had been sitting around for couple of weeks. It seems like I always leave a thing or two inside, so I checked and found a folded up scrap of paper.

Instead of throwing the paper away immediately, I unfolded it. Printed inside was a prayer entitled “Brendan’s Prayer”. I don’t know where I got this, and I don’t know how long it’s been in this bag, which I’ve had a long time. As I read the words, I realized that the message was very timely, and should to be shared, not later, but today. I don’t know exactly who this is for, but I know it’s meant for someone who reads my blog. Maybe it’s you?

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A.S.A.P.

Post author By seedthrower1
Post date 08/27/2010
1 Comment on A.S.A.P.

I’ve been in a reflective mood the past couple of days. If you follow my blog, you know that our long-time pastor is leaving our parish this weekend. Change is always hard, and he will be terribly missed. But the rhythm of parish life will keep moving. School starts Tuesday. There will be masses, baptisms, funerals, reconciliations and weddings, among a myriad of other things. The beat goes on, just as it always has, but that doesn’t mean it has to be easy.

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Saint of the Gutters

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was born one hundred years ago today. Her model of humble service continues to touch literally tens of thousands of people throughout the world each day, thanks to the sisters of the religious order she founded, the Missionaries of Charity.

“Today there is so much suffering – and I feel that the passion of Christ is being relived all over again – are we there to share that passion, to share that suffering of people?