tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29616411748818852642024-03-19T17:26:52.530+00:00Put Faith FirstIn our society people who hold, or practice a religious faith are being treated like second class citizens. Society seems to applaud immoral behaviour and people of faith are being scorned and marginalized. The legal system increasingly restricts our lived out practice of our beliefs; I am starting to feel like an alien in my own country.
I am writing about my faith. In the hope that I will shed light on the issue and with God’s grace, redress the situation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-80377181109485000072022-01-16T15:15:00.004+00:002022-01-21T10:44:43.845+00:00Avoid the Gloss<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week after sharing my personal testament with a relative they suggested I ought to write a book to enable the story of my journey to be shared. I thought and prayed about this.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have discerned that my story is not unusual, thanks to the mercy of God it is commonplace,
</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the experience of countless others who have responded to Christ's invitation
and allowed him to use them as his hands and feet in this corporal world.
My scribblings would not do justice to any real justice to his work on and through me.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Others would do better to read and follow scripture and the writings of the saints,
rather than the interpretation or dilution of the same by people like me.
St. Frances of Assisi wrote in his testament no to let others gloss or dilute his rule.
Be wary of those who gloss The Gospel;
Those who lighten it to suit themselves, making it the gospel lite.
Read scripture, read the writings of the saints, Ignatius of Loyal, Patrick and Jose Maria Esciva
and Frances. Read their work, not the gloss of others.</span></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4a423a9b-7fff-2931-1602-f19a53ed4488" style="color: white;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Commentaries can be helpful, but they are not a replacement for the original works and for prayer.
Rather than reading this or other blogs, read the bible and the work of the saints in Christ.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-26665041880702555132020-04-27T19:43:00.001+01:002020-04-27T19:43:37.745+01:00Covid 19<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We live in uncertain times. Thousands are sick and dying many are fearful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Churches are closed, and because we are social distancing denied the comfort of the sacrament.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been unable to pray or make sence of it all until I read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“And why do you worry about .... See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-20571662859025116482019-02-25T07:31:00.000+00:002019-02-25T07:31:05.595+00:00That would be an eccumenical matter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSjNa5_eQpNMGl1x6-YJN7_HOz8iqRXgz7hTluxobDFTK6sNF2q1Q" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for That would be an eccumenical matter" border="0" height="200" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSjNa5_eQpNMGl1x6-YJN7_HOz8iqRXgz7hTluxobDFTK6sNF2q1Q" width="200" /></a>As we are all called to love everybody, it follows we should respect and love our brothers and sisters who worship in denominations other than our own and indeed people of different faiths. Further we ought to reach out and welcome them to the community of faith. We must be warm, loving and welcoming drawing others to Christ. </div>
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<b>But, and this is important, </b>we must be faithful to our Traditions, the Scriptures and the teachings of the church. Where we water down our teachings, where we are compliant and liberal minded in order to be more acceptable towards others we dilute our faith, we do an injustice to Christ.<br />
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Today I read an article in the Church Times (the Church of England's newspaper), I was shocked to read how elements of that community are so misguided as to appoint ordained chaplains to build bridges with witches and pagans. They hold watered down liturgies in forests with no scripture, rather they focus solely on nature, also taking part in pagan rituals. This is completely misguided when paradoxically sound research has shown that, conservative christian communities who espouse traditional Christian morals and practices are growing where liberal communities are shrinking.<br />
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Let us not forget that weak morals and sinful behaviour of some priests and ministers has done great harm to the Church and to Christ. All of us must be strong and live out our lives as Christ would wish, holding to strong values helps us to do this. You and I must repent and reject sin.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-66887389003084816872019-01-10T21:34:00.000+00:002019-01-10T21:34:12.677+00:00Stormy Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The other day as I sat in the church awaiting evening prayers as storm raged outside. The doors rattled, the windows whistled and the roof </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">clattered</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">. You could imagine the building lifted off the ground and destroyed, like a wood house in the face of a tornado. But the stout stone church had ridden out thousand such storms in its 900 years resolute and immovable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In our lives we are surrounded by evil, pain and suffering, a host of moral dangers and distractions which rage around us, like the storm. We ourselves are contaminated and sick. Evil percolates into our very being, often we cannot see it, we are not aware, but it is ever present.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only Christ protects us. Only in him is there real calm, real peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like the strong stone walls of the church, providing a safe refuge against the storm, Christ shields us and protects us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pray for the grace to allow him shield and protect you from evil.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pray, sit with him. In a church, on the bus, in the car, on a plane, but especially when you experience evil, Christ will be there to protect you.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-17726585519466848552018-12-18T17:58:00.001+00:002019-01-10T21:42:09.142+00:00Christmas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sometimes we over complicate things. In this Christmas message Bishop Seamus simplifies and clarifies the Christian message.<br />
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I hope God blesses you this Christmas and everyday</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-43122690917015065642018-07-14T21:56:00.003+01:002018-07-15T15:25:53.819+01:00Disgusted of football<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Deeply saddened is doesn’t express my feelings of the last week.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the England Soccer Team lost to Croatia in the World Cup football league the domestic violence figures against women rose by 40% in the next 48 hours!</span></span></div>
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The Simon Community, who feed people who live on the streets of London found that on the night of the match they could not find the homeless in many of there usual haunts. Why? Because they were in hiding. They would rather miss a meal than risk the violence that would be meated out on them as a result of the “Beautiful Game” when drunk football supporters vacated the pubs.</div>
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Further, I was horrified that clergy on retreat were more interested in their plans for the footie than preparation to meet their Lord in celebration of the mass.</div>
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What has become of our society? Where is the love?</div>
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<b>Lord give us the grace to focus on you, serve you and care for our brothers and sisters.</b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-41376261930113301632017-06-05T07:57:00.000+01:002017-06-05T07:58:37.992+01:00Temples of the Spirit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkt7tfzz4Yw40qcXgat65175lGKjv2Yjr1x4SmHdNUIsVVo_ueQaqd2IYqM38AF5Dx4S87FUf-cF7Xv48Sv3g3z5_Ma1kPY3pI46cXE1QNDD9KTTRHZgJbpjtHubIcASOYTHI9qJ-ROU/s1600/Holy+Spirit+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="675" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkt7tfzz4Yw40qcXgat65175lGKjv2Yjr1x4SmHdNUIsVVo_ueQaqd2IYqM38AF5Dx4S87FUf-cF7Xv48Sv3g3z5_Ma1kPY3pI46cXE1QNDD9KTTRHZgJbpjtHubIcASOYTHI9qJ-ROU/s200/Holy+Spirit+2.jpg" width="101" /></a></div>
Yesterday I heard the phrase “We are temples of the spirit”, a phrase I will have heard a thousand times before. I had a two fold realisation. <br />
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Firstly, we are all therefore ‘God Carriers’ and as such ought to treat others and ourselves a such, with extreme respect. My words, actions, feelings and thoughts must reflect therefore this. To judge another person is to judge God. To hurt another person is to hurt God. To speak ill of another is to speak ill of God. BUT to love another person, to love people is to love God.<br />
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Also this means the spirit of God. The very power of God is closer than you ever imagined. The Spirit of God is part of your very being and when you think a prayer God knows it. God is closer to you than mother, father, brother, sister, wife or husband.<br />
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We must all therefore be present to the fact we are temples of the spirit. Acknowledge God at all times, be present and love and adore God in others we encounter. We should be kind to others and ourselves.<br />
Pray at all times.<br />
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<b>God is not there, </b><br />
<b>God is not on a cloud, </b><br />
<b>God is not in the temple in Jerusalem nor in Rome. </b><br />
<b>The Spirit of God is in your heart.</b><br />
<b>The Power of God is in you.</b><br />
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<i>1 Corinthians 6:19</i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-29396069232718918892017-05-29T10:37:00.002+01:002017-05-29T15:22:41.483+01:00Broken<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SV6Glt4aMXO0qETne5rC0FrqdDKtu3VSwCh0ENvLCCzCCH4n3Qnl-xblOmzEFbbrshhzSjCvto0DVJd7pJ98x5KRlbqJyxwP2wS6l8QQL1gbl2x8wg-OvWbvGHLGxXgSaO_TEhYcXvU/s1600/broken-pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SV6Glt4aMXO0qETne5rC0FrqdDKtu3VSwCh0ENvLCCzCCH4n3Qnl-xblOmzEFbbrshhzSjCvto0DVJd7pJ98x5KRlbqJyxwP2wS6l8QQL1gbl2x8wg-OvWbvGHLGxXgSaO_TEhYcXvU/s200/broken-pot.jpg" width="200" /></a>Last Sunday at church we had some visitors. A teenage boy with his family, he had a moderate learning disability, autism possibly. A young man with severe mobility and learning disability, possibly cerebral palsy, accompanied by his mother. An elderly lady with limited mobility, incontinence and dementia.<br />
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The sermon was not engaging with me. So I was looking around, a man with two prosthetic arms another with no arms at all and that was what I could see. What about hidden problems, the hard of hearing, partially sighted, diabetics, heart issues, those with depression, mental illness, anxiety, the bereaved, the lonely, the broken hearted and unloved.</div>
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I realised that virtually everybody, if not everybody, in the church were broken. The minister, the congregation were like you and me broken, physically and spiritually broken.</div>
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Our only true hope is through the healing power of Christ. Christ loves us all, the blind, the cripple, the incontinent, the depressed and anxious. Only through Christ will we be made whole.</div>
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And we must remember we must be Christ to each other, we are called to heal and care for the sick around us.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-39756902251993017382017-05-05T15:43:00.000+01:002017-05-30T18:35:28.088+01:00Ashes to ashes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recently I had the privilege to be with somebody in their last moments. I was present as she became ill and passed into unconsciousness and sat beside her bed as she took her last few breaths. This christian lady was not fearful or agitated, it was clear to everybody she was dying, it was clear to her. She was calm, collected and peaceful. It was over and she was going home to be with Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We cannot avoid death it comes to us all. Our fragile life ceases like a flower withering, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But like my friend Elizabeth in Christ we can die without fear, not just hopeful of something else, but certain of a new life in Christ. The death and resurrection of Jesus blesses us all in this certainty.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All we have to do is accept Christ. In the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-f8f39a30-d90e-fec5-e104-a3f14e8ff3d4"><span style="color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say yes to Christ and you too can face death without fear.</span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-38810409195186741722016-12-04T15:27:00.000+00:002016-12-04T15:27:37.452+00:00The lady's not for turning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Many years ago a politician said.<br />
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"The lady's not for turning"<br />
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Like her many of us arrogantly and resolutely refuse to change. We wish to conservatively remain as we are, but we have a choice. In Advent we are called to change, to metanoia we can choose and accept change. You and I can choose to love God with all our heart, all our soul and all our minds. We do not have to accept sin and death, we can choose life and joy.<br />
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Let us turn, turn to Christ this Advent, accept Christ and the wisdom of God rather than the human cleverness of and foolishness.<br />
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By turning to God we can change the world, starting with our own attitudes and importantly LOVE.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-84175378912224833322016-12-01T16:32:00.000+00:002016-12-01T16:32:36.518+00:00A great Advent message<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today I watched a great Advent Message<br />
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Please check out Fr Paschal<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/112904893" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-27332105798348793762016-08-20T21:54:00.000+01:002016-08-20T21:54:30.398+01:00We fail ourselves, Our calling and God<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is so easy to fail God, ourselves and our calling.<br />
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It is very difficult to keep the first commandment. However it is not impossible<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
"We ought to give ourselves up to God with regard both to things temporal and spiritual and seek our satisfaction only in the fulfilling of His will. Whether God led us by suffering or by consolation all would be equal to a soul truly resigned." </blockquote>
To achieve this all that is needed is<br />
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"...one hearty renunciation of everything which we are sensible does not lead to God. We might accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with Him with freedom and in simplicity."</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Brother Lawrence</i></span></blockquote>
Renounce the things of the world<br />
Focus of things divine<br />
Continual and costantly pray, talk with God.<br />
Listen to God<br />
Focus on achieving God's will, NOT your will<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-89749081822057157402016-07-31T16:40:00.000+01:002016-07-31T17:00:00.369+01:00Riches vs Poverty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We live in a world where the pursuit of wealth and money is valued, but for the Christian poverty should be valued. Fr Murray Bodo sums up the right attitude to money.</h3>
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If I am truly poor, then I am dependent on others for everything, and I feel useless and worthless, and I realise deep within that everything is a gift from the Father. Then in this attitude of complete dependence, I become useful again, for then I am empty of selfishness and I am free to be God's instrument instead of my own. In poverty I begin to value everything rightly again. I see how little really matters, and I see that only that which glorifies God is of value.<br />
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I write these words in pain, Lady Poverty, for I have wept bitter tears because I was poor and had to beg from others, and I felt like a burden to people and to God . . . And I have grown weary of Christ's words not to worry about tomorrow. But in His grace I have surrendered to God's sovereignty and providence, and it has made me free.<br />
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. . . Lady Poverty, I love you. You, my Lady, take all the sting from being poor. In your embrace I am rich indeed, for I have someone to love. I have you. Perhaps, my Lady, that is why I keep submitting, surrendering my desire to control my life, my need to provide for the future. You have stolen my heart and made me happy, and your love makes up for all the pain that loving you involves.<br />
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. . . And we know it is all worthwhile because when we look into your eyes, we see Christ Himself.<br />
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<i>Fr Murray Bodo OFM</i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.murraybodo.com/index.html" target="_blank">Fr Murray Bodo</a></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-78497100098983562572016-06-25T15:21:00.000+01:002016-09-26T22:01:11.791+01:00Being Happy, being called<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Awaiting evening prayer today I realised that I was only happy when I was doing what I was called to do.<br />
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Not what I thought was best, but doing what I was meant to do.<br />
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Society will encourage us to earn more money, gain more influence. We may be attracted to important, ‘sexy’ and prestigious roles. Even our relatives may not have our best interests at heart. When in fact we are called to do something simple and well.<br />
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In addition to loving God with all your heart, ALL you soul and your mind. I am called to work, simple domestic work. I am not called to be a priest, deacon, an officer, a manager rather to be humble before God and others. When I serve, when I clean toilets, wash up then I feel fulfilled.<br />
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We each are called. Pray that you come to know to what you are called to. If you strive to follow Christ, it be something humble and humbling, not proud or arrogant.<br />
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Read <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>1 Corinthians 12:12</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-55462287363264326492014-12-25T00:30:00.000+00:002014-12-25T00:30:00.158+00:00We are wanting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
At the heart of the human condition we are needy. We want. From infancy we learn to be so.<br />
A baby cries for food, for warmth, for comfort, for attention, to have it’s needs met. As the child grows this is further reinforced through childhood and adolescence as the family and society expressing their care, duty and love continue to pay attention to the developing person; pampering to it’s needs. The child learns to crave attention and limelight, it gets what it demands most of the time. Throwing a tantrum when it is ignored. It is not therefore surprising that as adults that we are not much different, we want. We want a comfortable home, nice food, good looks, health, wealth, fame, attention, sex, relationships, power, success; we want. Even in the church people want.<br />
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Most of what we want, that which we crave for only temporarily satisfies, we soon want more, we never have enough. Our capacity for wanting is insatiable. We are hardwired and socially conditioned for wanting.<br />
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Mary listened to the angel, and submitted to the will of God. “Be it done to me according to thy word…” Her acceptance and grace allowed all of humanity the chance of salvation, of freedom and love.<br />
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We can slake our insatiable thirst by responding to God’s call like Mary. If we follow Christ’s example and live for others, love others feed their needs. Then a remarkable thing happens, we stop wanting, we become satisfied.<br />
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"I pray that you and I can be reborn with the grace to love God and others, and our desires be for others and the Christ child."</blockquote>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-85728429274186124992014-12-23T23:35:00.000+00:002014-12-23T23:35:57.209+00:00Our country again needs converting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our country again needs converting, It will not be done by the half hearted.</div>
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I cannot but agree with Kate Tristram, as she speaks from her home on Lindisfarne, in England.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-81370814357184017032014-04-20T08:59:00.001+01:002014-04-20T08:59:11.818+01:00Resurrexit sicut dixit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
He is risen as he said<br />
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May the light of the Risen Lord be in our hearts today and every day.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-8636148861381308382014-03-15T10:02:00.001+00:002014-03-15T10:06:20.168+00:00Most Shocking Second a Day Video<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My Child, your child, God's child,<br />
Lent is a time for giving,<br />
Give to God's children.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RBQ-IoHfimQ" width="480"></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-83808522063794125342014-03-06T22:10:00.000+00:002014-03-06T22:10:14.517+00:00Time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpC7cvGuremAQLGaM5l6jInp9j5IpIj2GGJYDsxRDTYIK5QXmBF6cyx_1Bwk5FWDmjmE9Q4KXqUOJIymVuAcS6yR2OORKQjDKJ6nCDT-Ihv5F4ln2CycGK8YZjvygwl3VZ02WxQVBQiI/s1600/time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpC7cvGuremAQLGaM5l6jInp9j5IpIj2GGJYDsxRDTYIK5QXmBF6cyx_1Bwk5FWDmjmE9Q4KXqUOJIymVuAcS6yR2OORKQjDKJ6nCDT-Ihv5F4ln2CycGK8YZjvygwl3VZ02WxQVBQiI/s1600/time.jpg" height="178" width="200" /></a></div>
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I have given priority to work, family, personal development, study and prayer. Other things hobbies, TV, Facebook and blog have been put on the back burners.<br />
However, now is the beginning of the season of Lent, a period of preparation for Easter and a period of discipline.<br />
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We ought always to pray, but Lent is a great time of year for new beginnings. During Lent many Christians, work through the spiritual exercises of St Igantious, these can be done at any time, but now is a great time to do them. I have made time, go on, you can make time too.<br />
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Check out <a href="http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-spiritual-exercises/an-ignatian-prayer-adventure/" target="_blank">www.ignatianspirituality.com</a> You can work through the exercises starting today. I have and can feel the power of good it is doing for me.<br />
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<a _igspsavedurl="http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-spiritual-exercises/an-ignatian-prayer-adventure/" href="http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-spiritual-exercises/an-ignatian-prayer-adventure/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img _igspsavedurl="http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Ignatian-Prayer-Adventure-150.jpg" alt="An Ignatian Prayer Adventure online retreat" border="0" src="http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Ignatian-Prayer-Adventure-150.jpg" height="200" width="163" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-72043634953656181342013-12-14T10:49:00.000+00:002013-12-14T10:49:25.207+00:00People on a bus, God on a bus.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OiG-xp25qCpYDSIS7orUXwPDSIt3VMsj87rxsyRle24_D1LPxgvVQI1qQcM9wIuEt-wsyWds-qLfIusrbfwumIFypaEZ9vD0bQEqWkfam-O7ffNS7YbPeNwvk45kuvAZ5VAbY8o6k88/s1600/riding-the-bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OiG-xp25qCpYDSIS7orUXwPDSIt3VMsj87rxsyRle24_D1LPxgvVQI1qQcM9wIuEt-wsyWds-qLfIusrbfwumIFypaEZ9vD0bQEqWkfam-O7ffNS7YbPeNwvk45kuvAZ5VAbY8o6k88/s200/riding-the-bus.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span rwthpgen="1">This week I asked somebody what they liked to do?</span><span rwthpgen="1"> Making conversation.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> She replied that she liked people watching.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> She liked to sit and watch people on the bus, trains and in waiting rooms.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> I realised that I too like to people watch.</span><br />
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<span rwthpgen="1">And what better thing is there to do?</span><span rwthpgen="1"> Nothing can beat watching, nothing can be more interesting than God's handiwork.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> Humans are frail and weak they do all kinds of funny and interesting things.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> Also given that mankind is made in the image of God, created by God.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> We can see God in others, if only we have eyes to see.</span><br />
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<span rwthpgen="1">When we watch we can see God, but we can also see our sister or brother in pain, hungry, lonely and broken.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> Then we can be the hands of God, soothing the pain and the loneliness.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> We have the ability to let God be God and work thorough our frail and sinful bodies.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> You and I must let go and let God.</span><br />
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<span rwthpgen="1">You and I must look at the people on the bus.</span><span rwthpgen="1"> in the waiting room, walking on the street and sitting at the desk near us.</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Look and see God. <br />Let yourself be, let yourself be the hands, mouth, eyes and ears of god. <br />Let God be God.</blockquote>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-88221318404846202282013-11-09T11:15:00.000+00:002013-11-09T11:15:51.122+00:00Hungry Caterpillars?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPyvxs5c-YD2FkWCEMOYiNvBh69Yq5TgVODz7DOaag770m-x_TftkFRNdRGIWp6X0q8nIYnjqEamT6tgPgNc0KXoq0jI3_Rc68KLujapDC3-N91feyZY0rTTObATtn0usIMiV5WYuvzI/s1600/hungryc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPyvxs5c-YD2FkWCEMOYiNvBh69Yq5TgVODz7DOaag770m-x_TftkFRNdRGIWp6X0q8nIYnjqEamT6tgPgNc0KXoq0jI3_Rc68KLujapDC3-N91feyZY0rTTObATtn0usIMiV5WYuvzI/s200/hungryc.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">You and I live in a consumer world, eating everything about us, but unlike the hungry caterpillar most of us do not blossom into beauty.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> Most of our efforts and those of the people around us are vain, selfish and indulgent.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> We strive for more, bigger and best.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> We walk over our brothers and sisters to get it.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> All humanity selfishly striving to have more, and at what cost.</xmlns:texthelpns><br />
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<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">This week I heard a captain of industry criticise some politicians for considering actions that would not maximise profits.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> The politicians were considering prioritising people, and their needs.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> Trade is important, it is part of life but profit should be for the people, people should come first.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> We ought not to be working constantly to make profit, more and more money.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> We need to make profit so people benefit, society benefits.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> Attempting to build a great tower off Babble, made off accumulative wealth and greed.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> </xmlns:texthelpns><br />
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<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">In the same way as industry should be made by man for man, rather than man made for industry; you and I are made for God.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> Creation was created for God's mysterious purposes, not to serve our appetites, we need to focus on God.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> If we do God's will, not our will we will grow into something beautiful.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> You and I can recreate our sick and sickening society.</xmlns:texthelpns><br />
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<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">There is a lot a very good Christian media out there, for a variety of churches and denominations.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> Check out Fr Barron whose preaching may help you.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> And do not forget the Bible. Start now, start today, make a difference to your self and to society.</xmlns:texthelpns></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-36735132167141939402013-11-02T13:09:00.000+00:002013-11-02T13:09:12.874+00:00You and I are tools<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPnZDlCLoWrRUal8u2ue0S2Jnll7GV2d11IFr3TFYdYBcD38XbkRDWu7U0S5ixERe3gQn_V5_oPFANk1Z8NyoHt7ydtRkUaoUSq4a08oX-8zo6D3p5Sm7rV4fzTFxxfqgOtvwRV-oLqQ/s1600/tools.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPnZDlCLoWrRUal8u2ue0S2Jnll7GV2d11IFr3TFYdYBcD38XbkRDWu7U0S5ixERe3gQn_V5_oPFANk1Z8NyoHt7ydtRkUaoUSq4a08oX-8zo6D3p5Sm7rV4fzTFxxfqgOtvwRV-oLqQ/s200/tools.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">Each of us, you and I included are tools.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> As Christians each of us are the voice, hands and the true and only witnesses of God in the world.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> </xmlns:texthelpns></xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">It is often said, as the Apostle Paul wrote, that the church is the body of Christ in the world.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> </xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">Unfortunately, most of us do not really take this on board.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> We leave it to somebody else to do, and the result is nobody does it.</xmlns:texthelpns><br />
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<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">Buy virtue of our baptism we are all called to be priests, prophets and kings.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> We are all called to minister.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> </xmlns:texthelpns></xmlns:texthelpns></xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">If you are serious about winning souls for Christ, about making a difference.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> You and I must act, allow Christ to act in the world through us.</xmlns:texthelpns><br />
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<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">Whether at home, when travelling, at work or in the market place, in bed or in church.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> We MUST allow Christ to act through us, always and everywhere.</xmlns:texthelpns><xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> If we do not, then we are allowing the devil to win, and worse you and I are preventing Christ from healing souls.</xmlns:texthelpns><br />
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Lets pray that God give you and I the grace, so to open our hearts to allow the spirit of God to act through us, now, today and every day.</blockquote>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-84072936475725629092013-10-05T11:49:00.000+01:002013-10-05T11:49:48.326+01:00Want to be loved? Then Love others.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You and I, each of us needs and wants to be loved. At a very deep level we all have a selfish need to be loved. When we are not loved, or at least, we do not see how we are loved, we feel abandoned and alone. We misbehave in all sorts of ways, drink, drugs, sex, violence, anger. Our so called ‘developed’ modern society, with all it’s technology, consumerism and busyness hides and does not serve our basic human needs, especially our need for company and love.<br />
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We will never find the solution in science or human cleverness. We must return to a more natural way of life, a simpler way, an old fashioned or traditional, a time tested way. I am not condemning the marvellous achievements of the medical profession or engineers, but building a better widget does not heal a broken heart or a lonely person.<br />
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You and I must eschew the world and focus on the things that are God’s. We live in God’s creation, he know’s what we need. We need to relax, let go and let God. Trust God.<br />
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We must not be like Oliver Twist asking for more. Whether, or not, we are asking for food, computers, cars, or more faith as in the gospel. Where the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith'. Luke 17:5<br />
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We are asked to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ... and to ...‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37<br />
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If you and I love a little, we will soon see the love showered on us by God, and all the love around us. We would start to heal society. This week Pope Francis said the Roman Catholic Church must strip itself of all "vanity, arrogance and pride" and humbly serve the poorest in society. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24391800" target="_blank">Pope Francis</a><br />
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He also said "The Church, all of us should divest ourselves of worldliness. Worldliness is a murderer because it kills souls, kills people, kills the Church."<br />"Without divesting ourselves, we would become pastry-shop Christians, like beautiful cakes and sweet things but not real Christians,"</blockquote>
You and I can put aside our "vanity, arrogance and pride" and love a little, find more love in doing so and help heal this world we humans are destroying. We can bring others to feel love too.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-49209553217129595702013-10-04T00:00:00.000+01:002013-10-04T00:00:01.179+01:00St Francis of Assisi <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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St Francis of Assisi (1181 - 1226)</h3>
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Today we remember Francis was the son of a prosperous cloth merchant in Assisi. When his father objected to having his goods sold without his consent to pay for the restoration of a church, the bishop commanded Francis to repay the money. He did. He also renounced his father and gave back everything he had ever been given, even his garments. He began a life of perfect evangelical poverty, living by begging and even then only accepting the worst food that people had to give. He preached to all the love of God and the love of the created world; because, having renounced everything, he celebrated everything he received, or saw, or heard, as a gift. A rich man sold everything and joined him in living next to a leper colony; a canon from a neighbouring church gave up his position and joined them also. They looked into the Gospel and saw the story of the rich young man whom Jesus told to sell everything; they saw Jesus telling his disciples to take nothing with them on their journey; they saw Jesus saying that his followers must also carry his cross. And on that basis they founded an order. Francis went to Rome himself and persuaded the Pope to sanction it, though it must have seemed at once impractical and subversive, to set thousands of holy men wandering penniless round the towns and villages of Europe.<br />
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Because Francis was wearing an old brown garment begged from a peasant, tied round the middle with string, that became the Franciscan habit. Ten years later 5,000 men were wearing it; a hundred years later Dante was buried in it because it was more glorious than cloth of gold.<br />
There is too much to say about Francis to fit here. He tried to convert the Muslims, or at least to attain martyrdom in doing so. He started the practice of setting up a crib in church to celebrate the Nativity.<br />
Francis died in 1226, having started a revolution. The Franciscans endure to this day.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Pray for the pope who has dedicated his papacy to Francis, this his work have as much impact as Francis.</blockquote>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2961641174881885264.post-56592479349786115242013-10-01T01:00:00.000+01:002013-10-01T01:00:08.819+01:00Saint Thérèse of Lisieux<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873 - 1897)</b></h3>
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Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin was born in Alençon, in France, on 2 January 1873. Her mother, who already had breast cancer, died when Thérèse was four, and the family moved to Lisieux. She became a nun at the Carmelite convent there at the age of 15, after a long battle against the superior, who insisted that 16, or even 21, would be a more sensible age. She died of tuberculosis at the age of 24, and that was that. Another forgotten nun: born, was good, died. Holy, no doubt; but nothing much to write home about.<br />
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In 1895 Mother Agnès of Jesus, the prioress, had commanded Thérèse to write her memoirs. Writing “not to produce a literary work, but under obedience,” Thérèse took a year to fill six exercise books. She presented them to the prioress, who put them in a drawer unread. A year after Thérèse’s death, the memoirs were published in a small edition of 2,000: the first spark that ignited a “storm of glory” that swept the world. Miracles started to happen: conversions, cures, even apparitions. “We must lose no time in crowning the little saint with glory,” said the Prefect of the Congregation of Rites, “if we do not want the voice of the people to anticipate us.” The beatification process opened thirteen years after Thérèse’s death. She was canonized in 1925, the Pope having suspended the rule that forbids canonization less than 50 years after someone’s death.<br />
When Thérèse was 17, she confided to a visiting Jesuit her hope of becoming a great saint and to love God as much as the Carmelite Saint Teresa of Ávila. The Jesuit thought he found traces of pride and presumption and advised her to moderate her desires. “Why, Father?” asked Thérèse, “since our Lord has said, Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” 100 years after Thérèse’s death, Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church, joining St Catherine of Siena and St Teresa of Ávila.<br />
The very storm of glory that propelled Thérèse into sainthood makes her a difficult saint for many of us to stomach. The late 19th century was a highly sentimental period, and much of the literature about Thérèse has taken that quality and made it sweeter and sicklier still, to the point where you feel like brushing your teeth after reading every page. There are antidotes. One is raw Thérèse: The Story of a Soul is still in print in most languages. Another is a clear and astringent biography such as that by Guy Gaucher, Bishop of Meaux (which may be hard to find but is worth looking for).<br />
What makes St Thérèse so special?<br />
We have grown used to the idea that just as there are people with talents for sport or scholarship, and the rest of us can only admire them without trying to keep up, so there are people with a talent for holiness and heroic virtue, and the rest of us can only bumble along as best we can. We can’t do better because we’re not designed to do better, so there’s no point in trying. We sink into a consoling mediocrity.<br />
Thérèse wrecks this. She was physically weak and psychologically vulnerable. For her the great saints were giants, they were inaccessible mountains, and she was only an “obscure grain of sand;” but she was not discouraged. St John of the Cross taught her that God can never inspire desires that cannot be fulfilled. The Book of Proverbs told her, “If anyone is a very little one, let him come to me.” If you only look, Scripture is permeated with images of our littleness and weakness with respect to God, and of his care for us in our insignificance.<br />
Thérèse’s “Little Way” means taking God at his word and letting his love for us wash away our sins and imperfections. When a priest told her that her falling asleep during prayer was due to a want of fervour and fidelity and she should be desolate over it, she wrote “I am not desolate. I remember that little children are just as pleasing to their parents when they are asleep as when they are awake.”<br />
We can’t all hug lepers or go off and become missionaries and martyrs. But we all do have daily opportunities of grace. Some of them may be too small to see, but the more we love God, the more we will see them. If we can’t advance to Heaven in giant strides, we can do it in tiny little steps. Our weakness is no excuse for mediocrity.<br />
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<a href="http://www.littleflower.org/abouttherese/learn/index.asp" target="_blank">More info on Therese</a><br />
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Please pray for Doctor Edward Fairley R.I.P. who was devoted to Teresa</div>
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