Aurora Shooting. Friday, July 20. 2012

Everything feels heavy this morning.
My phone, my drink, my body.
Seems like a struggle.
Nothing like the struggle the people in Aurora, Colorado are dealing with.
At least a dozen people dead and dozens more injured.
All because they wanted to go see a long awaited movie.
I cannot even imagine the shock.
The pain of loss.
The fear of hoping for life but only thinking about death.
My prayers go out to these people; to this town.

Through this all, the thing that is racing through my mind is HEALING.
Healing from the pain of loss.
Healing from physical pain.
Healing from the lack of trust.
Healing from heavy hearts.

This healing can only come from Christ.
My prayers go out for healing.
He is the Healer.
He can mend all that has been broken, bruised, and torn.

God, please help unite our nation.
Heal our hearts from this heavy load.
Comfort the broken.
This is where the healing begins.

Know Him. Know Peace. Thursday, July 19. 2012.

Jesus said:
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
Matthew 11:28-30

This passage confused me for the longest time.
I love this passage but I never seemed to quite get it.
This passage did not line up with life.
Life is hard and I think most people would agree.
Life never seems to be peaceful, restful, or light.
Sure, when in prayer, there is peace
or in quiet moments rest can be found
but for the majority of time, life is rough.
Life is fast-paced.
It is hard and it is harsh.
So, what was Jesus talking about?
It certainly sounds nice
and He definitely does not lie
but it just does not fit.

I guess while reading this passage
it is important to recall that we are to be in the world but not of the world.
When Jesus makes these lofty promises
He surely could not have been talking about this earthly world.
His time on earth was not peaceful, restful, and light.
His life on earth was painful, sorrowful, and hard.
Thankfully, in the end, all that He went through was incredibly redemptive.
The key to that passage seems to lie in the previous line; in the end.
I believe that that passage will ring fully true at the end of our lives; in Heaven.
While choosing Jesus on earth is surely better than denying Him,
it does not mean earthly life will be perfect.
Life will still be rough but we can rest assured that, similar to Jesus' suffering,
our suffering can be redemptive and can lead to peace and rest in Heaven.

Jesus was not lying when He proclaimed this well-known passage but rather,
He was assuring us that if we live our lives for Him,
in the end, in Heaven, we will know peace, rest, pure humility, and meekness.
Praise God.

A Pleasure to Christ. A Fool to the World. Monday, June 11. 2012

I find that we are bending
and breaking
and molding
and conforming.
And not often enough to Christ.
Daily we are faced with battle of
Jesus vs. The World, Society, etc.
We are forced to make a choice.
Will we choose good?
Or will we slip?

So often I want to choose the good side; to side with Christ
but just as frequently, I fail.
I fail to choose the good because I wonder what others will think.
It worries me that I will stand out.
It is so much easier to go with the flow.
Just take the easy way out.

But then I have to think,
one day, I will have to stand before my God.
I want to be proud of the decisions that I made.
I do not want to stand before our Lord and explain to Him why I chose the world.
He gave His life so that I could follow Him.
How can I justify bypassing that selfless offer with worldly things?

This generation is so radically different than the previous ones.
In some ways, we are better off.
We have incredible technology and advancing medicine.
In other ways,
it seems like our morals and values are in a dangerously steep decline.
My great-grandparents would be absolutely appalled if they had to grow up in this generation.
As a whole, this generation is a "Me Generation" focused solely on their own benefit.

What will I wear?
Does this look good?
What on earth is she wearing?
How can I best benefit?
What will they think?
I'm better than them.
These phrases and many of the like swarm around in my head each day.
You know what should be going through my head??

How can I best glorify God?

If I lived my life to glorify Him,
there would be no negativity,
no selfishness,
no wondering if others approve.
I would humbly know that my God approves
and that to me is enough.

By the grace of God,
there are times when I do find myself making decisions that glorify Him.
When I do, I feel like the world looks upon me as a weirdo.
In my weak moments, I care what the world thinks.
In the moments when I realize that all that I do is for Him,
then it does not bother me one bit that I might be considered a freak.

People thought Jesus was insane.
John the Baptist enjoyed dipping crickets into honey, essentially.
That's bizarre.
Yet, I am fully aware of the fact that I would much rather be like these men than
be like the newest pop star.

I would rather be looked upon by the world with distain
than disappoint my God.
I would rather my God look upon me with great pleasure
than have the world's approval.

This is not only my struggle though.
This is your struggle.
This is your battle.
You are called by Him to choose Him.
Are you willing to take the risk?
Are you willing to look like a fool to the world?
Are you ready to give up the world's approval?
Is the approval of Christ enough for you?
Church, stand up!
Church, be courageous!



Casting Crowns-
Courageous

We were made to be courageous
We were made to lead the way
We could be the generation
That finally breaks the chains
We were made to be courageous
We were made to be courageous

We were warriors on the front lines
Standing, unafraid
But now we're watchers on the sidelines
While our families slip away

Where are you, men of courage?
You were made for so much more
Let the pounding of our hearts cry
We will serve the Lord

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

This is our resolution
Our answer to the call
We will love our wives and children
We refuse to let them fall

We will reignite the passion
That we buried deep inside
May the watchers become warriors
Let the men of God arise

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight
The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

Seek justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God

In the war of the mind
I will make my stand
In the battle of the heart
And the battle of the hand

In the war of the mind
I will make my stand
In the battle of the heart
And the battle of the hand

We were made to be courageous
And we're taking back the fight
We were made to be courageous
And it starts with us tonight

The only way we'll ever stand
Is on our knees with lifted hands
Make us courageous
Lord, make us courageous

We were made to be courageous
Lord, make us courageous

The Catholic Church and Homosexuality. Thursday, May 10. 2012.

Yesterday history was made.
I guess, technically, history is made every day
but it is a matter of what is remembered and what is forgotten.
On Sunday Pujols hit his first home run with the Angels.
Southern California was elated.
History was made but my guess is that,
unless you are a diehard Pujols or Angels fan,
the home run will be forgotten within a matter of a couple of weeks.

Yesterday however is something that will be remembered among most all people
and probably for a long time.
Our president, Barack Obama,
is the first American president to come out and publicly support gay marriage.

Well.
There is a lot to this.
It is a well known fact that the Catholic Church does not support homosexual marriage.
The Church is not trying to separate or exclude anyone,
the Church is holding fast to its religious roots, to Scripture, and to God's truth.

Starting off in Genesis,

God created mankind in his image;
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
[Genesis 1:27]
God blessed them and God said to them:
Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.
[Genesis 1:28]

God created male and female.
He essentially told the male and female to have sex and have children.
He, as Creator, gave men and women their sexuality.
Sex and sexuality are not bad things.
They are good things granted that sex is performed within the bonds of marriage
and that sexuality is seen as God desired it.

In Leviticus it bluntly states,

If a man lies with a male as with a woman, they have committed an abomination.
[Leviticus 20:13]

And, simply the physical
God created Adam and Eve that they would be fruitful and multiply.
He created their bodies to fit together and become one.
A man and a man and likewise a women and a women cannot become one
in the same physical aspect that a man and a women can.
God created Adam and Eve so that the two of them could bring life into the world.
The Church supports marriage between a man and a woman so that they may bring life into the world; the same thing that Adam and Eve were created for.

However, the Church is based on Love Himself and for this reason, the Church as a whole and in parts is called to love. This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about homosexuals:


God created man as male and female and destined them for each other in a bodily way as well. The Church accepts without reservation those who experience homosexual feelings. They should not be discriminated against because of that. At the same time, the Church declares that all homosexual relations in any form are contrary to the order of creation. [CCC 2358-2359]

The Church as a whole and as parts has a duty.
Its duty is to first and foremost follow the laws of creation,
its next duty is to love.
Homosexuals should not be treated as some outcast by the Church
because of the way that they feel towards the same sex.

This is where lines get blurred sometimes.
Just because the Church should treat everyone with love, including homosexuals,
does not mean that the Church should accept and be okay with homosexuality.
Christ did treat everyone with love; sinner, saint, and leper alike.
However, He did not condone and support sin.
The idea is to love the sinner, not the sin.
Love the homosexual not the idea of homosexuality.
The traditional definition of love is challenged by both St. Thomas Aquinas and the philosopher, Aristotle who both agree that the definition of love is "to will the good of another".
Willing the good of another does not coincide with accepting and allowing others to sin.

Now the whole idea of separation between Church and state.
I understand, in some ways, why people bring that up as a concept
but I cannot help but think about our country's roots.
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
were put together and written by the fathers of our country.
Whether you want to call them religious or not, they undoubtedly had a strong set of morals.
People are not just born with morals and values, those things are instilled in us.
Morals and values ultimately come from the idea that there is a higher power,
otherwise they would not be necessary because there would be no one or nothing of seniority to answer to.

The Pledge of Allegiance firmly states that we are,
One nation under God

and our coins, they preach,
In God We Trust

The idea that there is a higher power seems to be in decline.
The practices of morals and values seems to be going down the toilet.
If you are not politically correct, you are wrong.

I personally think that, as a whole, we are making the wrong choices as a country.
I think that we need to learn to love
but we need to not lower our standards and morals and values.

I believe in a God who expects much, but who will, in turn, give us much.
I believe in a God who challenges us.
I believe in a God who expects us to love and to hold ourselves to a standard.

With all of this, there is no point in me pounding my views onto another person.
It is my duty to pray for our country and pray for our president.
It is my hope and prayer that you accept this duty as well.
The power of prayer is unimaginable.
God is in control.
He always was.
He always will be.

"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under."
-Ronald Reagan

John 3:7-10. Tuesday, April 17. 2012.

Jesus is hilarious.
As I listened to the gospel be read during mass this morning,
I had to try hard to not laugh.
The gospels are so alive and it is so easy to picture exactly what might have happened.
Today's gospel came from John 3:7-15,
this post will talk about John 3:7-10.
This passage is a dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus.

Jesus says:

7 Do not be surprised when I say: You must be born from above.
8 The wind blows where it pleases; you can hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Jesus was talking about how the Spirit moves within a person.
He likens the movement of the Spirit to the wind.
The wind can be heard and its effects can be seen
but the wind itself cannot be seen.

9 'How is that possible?' asked Nicodemus.

10 Jesus replied, 'You are the Teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things!

Here is where I had to contain my laughter.
Just picture it.
Jesus is talking to the Teacher of Israel, someone Jesus commissioned,
Someone who is to witness to the faith,
And even he cannot understand the movement of the Spirit.
I pictured Jesus hitting His forehead with His palm
and letting out a big Doh!
"Oy, Nicodemus! Learn your stuff bro!"

The Spirit is alive in each and every one of us.
We must spread the news!
The Spirit is alive and well.
We are called to the same job and Nicodemus;
to spread the good news of the lively Spirit.
But if we do not believe or do not understand,
then how are we supposed to spread the word?
Jesus calls us all to be His disciples and His messengers.
How are we to successfully spread the new of the Spirit
if we do not know the Spirit?
We must know the Spirit.
We must know the Lord.
We must become acquainted
if we are going to share the Spirit.

We are not of this world.
We are of the Lord's world.
Get to know the Spirit.
Love the Spirit.
Know the Spirit.
Share the Spirit.
Be the light of the world.

How Ready Am I For Heaven? Tuesday, April 10. 2012.

How ready am I for Heaven?
I was driving up the 405 pondering this question;
Almost as if it were a game show question.
The conclusion that I came to was that I am in no way ready to enter Heaven.
I am way too judgmental, I complain too much,
and I tend to be fairly prideful (can't you tell by all the I's?)
None of that will be allowed in Heaven so why should I put those things to practice on Earth?
Things like humility, love, charity, and most importantly, adoration of our Lord
will be welcomed in Heaven.
I should be practicing those things now.

Our God is a gracious God.
He knows that without His grace and mercy, we would have no hope of Heaven at all.
But still, that isn't enough for Him.
He loves us so much that He desires to do more for us.
Each and every day we wake up,
we have the chance to practice those virtues that will be found in Heaven.
And each day when we fail, that isn't the end of the line for us.
Our God is a merciful God; He gifts us, day after day, with time to better ourselves for Heaven.

The other day I read a sad story in the paper.
There was a teen girl who died in a pretty violent car accident.
It happened to be that she went to the college that I go to.
This morning when I was in class,
my criminal justice teacher told us that the girl who had died was actually in our class.
That was a real eye-opener.
It was so sad to hear my professor talk about what a beautiful and neat person this girl was.
Teen deaths are so hard to comprehend.
We want justification and answers and reasons.
Maybe, just maybe this beautiful girl was ready for Heaven.
Maybe she understood humility, love, charity, and adoration of the Lord.

Each day is a gift.
It is an opportunity.
Each day is a chance to better ourselves,
to lay down the pride,
and to glorify our great God.
Even when the days seem rough or monotonous,
all glory to Him.
Even the hardest day should be seen as a blessing and
as a gift to perfect ourselves.
He gave us life.
Let us give our lives to Him.
All glory to God.

"Lord, Grant That I May Love You." Sunday, March 18. 2012.

"Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will."
- St. Alphonsus Liguori

One of my favorite prayers.
My heart quickens its pace when I read this prayer.
Such a beautiful plea.
Such a raw plea.
Such a bold plea.
A plea that requires full confidence and unwavering trust.

Let me love You, Lord,
for this is my only hope, my only desire, and my only wish.
After I have learned to love You,
Do with me as You will; whatever You wish, whatever You desire.
Wherever You want me to go, send me.
Whoever You want me to be, form me into that person.
Whatever You want to me to take away from my life or add to my life, let it be done.

What profound trust.
I wish I could trust like that.
I hope that I can get to a point in my life where I will be fully satisfied with loving the Lord
and needing or wanting nothing else.
And not only that but completely letting go of my own life and letting Him do what He desires.

Lord, grant me the privilege to get to this humble place,
Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.